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awkward-tension-art · 8 months ago

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Darkness on Umbara Chp.9 (Rex x Reader)

Chapter 8. Chapter 10.

Plans and Arguments

cw: Rex x Reader, Reader is a medic, incorrect military procedure, graphic descriptions of injuries, blood, swearing, death and battle, Spoilers for the Umbara Arc, Pong Krell is an asshole, reader insert, names of non-canon dead clones, Mentions of breakdowns, reader is gender neutral, no use of (Y/N), if i miss a tag LMK

Minors DNI

“Those missiles have a 100 megaton yield!”

Fives was exasperated at the new plan Krell had thrown at Rex, “We won’t even make it to the delta!”

“What can I do?” The captain met the ARC troopers eyes steadily, “I’ve tried to reason with him. Those are the orders.”

March on the capital despite the massive missiles that rained from the sky. Fucking brilliant.

Jesse sighed, “Great, another suicide mission.” he continued to inspect the console, typing on the screen, “The capital is too well armed.”

“Why does it seem like he has it out for clones?” Tup chimed in from where he continued to study the mechanics of the starships.

“Are we sure Krell isn’t, you know, fucking insane?” You mumbled, continuing to look at the data of the anomaly you saw earlier.

Dogma scoffed, “I think you're all overreacting,” He was steadfast in his belief in the general, “Obviously General Krell knows what he's doing. do you really think he doesn't care if he loses men?”

Yes. you nearly responded, but opted to remain quiet.

Jesse crossed his arms, “I’m not saying that,” He kept his voice steady, doing well at remaining calm, “But I do think his desire for victory has blinded him to the fact that there are lives at stake.”

You nodded, “Field doctors keep in contact with one another, and several doctors I knew have been killed under his command, not to mention the number of troopers,” Your hands were still as you focused on the conversation, “I’ve never seen such a high number of casualties from a single general.”

“He’s out of control!” Fives snapped, “He is not acting like the other jedi. He has no respect for us.”

I don’t think he has respect for anyone but himself. You thought bitterly.

Rex stepped forward, trying to calm the ARC troopers ire, “Listen, I don’t agree with him either, but I don’t have a better plan.”

“What about using these starfighters to destroy the supply ship?” Fives continued, motioning to the ships that were in different stages of maintenance.

“Our fleet has been trying, The Umbarans have it as protected as the capital.” The 501st captain rubbed his temple, clearly reaching his own limit.

“But we've got their access codes and their own hardware,” Fives stepped up next to Jesse, looking confident.

Rex, on the other hand, looked more surprised and hopeful, “You were able to crack it?”

“Mhm!” the ARC trooper gave a friendly punch to Jesse’s shoulder, earning a smile and a head shake from the other trooper, “We can sneak right past their blockade, get to where our ships can’t.” He clasped his hands in front of him, as if begging.

The captain looked down and rubbed his chin, he remained silent, mentally planning and strategizing with this new information.

Fives’ continued, as if trying to convince him, “If we take out that supply ship, then we cut off arms to the capital.”

Rex smiled, looking up and meeting his friend's eye, “This is why you’re an ARC trooper,” He put a hand on his hip, now with a proud smirk, “I’ll talk to Krell, see what we can do.”

Fives practically cheered, and you laughed at his joyful display. The ARC troopers' energy and good mood always amazed you.

The captain shook his head and gave a soft laugh before turning and walking out of the hangar. You, however, got up and followed him, “Captain, I don’t know where the barracks are.” you stated, with a small grin, “Can you walk me to them?”

“Mesh’la,” he rolled his eyes but he matched your smile, “Of course.”

Now that you two had semi-privacy, “Are you ok?” you asked him quietly.

“Once this campaign is done, I will be.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “General Krell is…a challenging General to work with.”

You brushed your hand against his as a small sign of affection, “You’re doing the best you can given the circumstances.”

He gave you a grateful, yet exhausted look.

In the far distance, potentially a mile away, Umbaran missiles slammed down, exploding into a bright green and orange light. Despite how far the strike was, you could still feel the vibrations in the ground.

“Damnit, they never give up.” Rex sighed, “This won’t stop until that supply ship is taken care of.”

“Hopefully Krell will listen,” You said as the doors to another section, the living quarters, of the airbase opened.

“He hasn’t so far.” your lover led you through the halls before pressing a button next to a door. They slide open, revealing Rex’s temporary quarters and office. To the Umbarans, the private room must’ve belonged to the leader of the airbase. Once the doors closed, he held your face in his gloved hands.

“I want you to rest, mesh’la,” He murmured, kissing your forehead tenderly, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your exhaustion.”

“I can handle it.” you put your hands over his, “You and the others have been-.”

“We are built for this,” He interrupted you, “We’re clones, we can handle days without rest.”

You stared into his beautiful brown eyes, “Rex…”

“Please, mesh’la,” He whispered, “I can’t…I don’t think I can handle it if you're hurt again. Or worse.” He was pleading with you, gaze filled with an emotional desperation. It was rare to see him so unsteady. So unsure and even…afraid.

Your lovely captain was in despair. Yes, you’ve lost soldiers, but Rex has lost brothers.

You moved your hand and stroked his cheek, “Ok…” your words were soft, “Alright Rex, I’ll get some rest.”

He let out a small, relieved breath before kissing your forehead again, “Thank you.”

As promised, you allowed yourself to sleep once he was gone again. It was comical how as soon as you laid down on the stiff bed, you were completely out. It felt like your brain just turned off. You didn’t even dream, so exhausted your consciousness just faded out of existence.

When you awoke, it was due to yelling.

“Where is the honor in marching blindly to our deaths?!”

Fives.

You groggily sat up, rubbing your face in your hands with a pounding headache. You could hear Rex respond, but his voice was quieter and much calmer. It was hard to make out the words.

However, you heard Fives loud and clear through the door, “I'm sorry. I cannot just follow orders when I know they're wrong! Especially when lives are at stake!”

Your lover answered him, and again, he was quiet.

“I do support it. I do!” Fives was angry and frustrated, that much was clear, “But I am not just another number! None of us are!”

You admired the ARC trooper for his independence. He was a powerhouse on the battlefield and never backed down. Your friend was a very rebellious, free thinker, but intelligent enough to know when to fall in line.

He was a good friend who you loved dearly.

Surprisingly, you heard Rex’s voice, “Fives, where are you going?”

The ARC trooper responded with something, but you couldn’t hear him clearly that time.

You sighed and stood, stretching your arms over your head. How long has it been…?

With a quick check of the time, it had only been a few hours. Everything was sore and you were still tired. It would take more than a nap to help, apparently…

The door to the captains quarters opened and Rex seemed surprised to see you, “You should still be asleep.” He approached to kiss your cheek.

“I heard yelling. Is everything ok?” You asked, leaning into the peck.

“The march on the capital will continue as originally planned.” He sighed, “the men are understandably against it.”

“You are too.” You pointed out.

He nodded, looking downright tired, “I am, and if we had the time and the training, I’d go along with Fives’ plan. I know General Skywalker would with no question. But Krell has orders.”

You pet your lover’s cheek, “Rex, would you really follow every single order Krell gives?”

“I am duty bound to follow.” He responded.

“Even if you know they’re wrong?”

“I…” the captain sighed, “I believe in the Republic. I would fight and die for it without question.”

He’s avoiding the question. Pushing too hard might stress him further. You leaned forward and kissed his forehead, “You're a good soldier, Rex. but you're also a man with your own thoughts and feelings.”

He melted under your touch, “Without you, I’d probably have gone insane by now.” he mumbled, earning a small giggle from you.

“You’re doing the best you can,” Your words were tender and filled with love, “I need to check on the med bay, but I want you to get some sleep. Even if it's just a nap.” before he could argue, you booped his nose gently with your finger.

Rex let out a small chuckle, “Alright mesh’la, I’ll get some rest.” He pecked your cheek before you walked out of his private quarters. Getting to the med bay was quick and easy, and as soon as Kix saw you, he nodded in greeting.

Back to work. You were the 501st field doctor, you had a job to do, “What supplies do we have?”

Your medic friend listed everything you had.

Bandages, tourniquets, laser cauterizers, laser scalpel, bacta, patches, emergency suture kits

It was better than before taking the airbase, but the amount of such items was the real concern. Perhaps in a standard battle you’d be able to help everyone, but with Krell’s overwhelming need to kill as many soldiers as possible, It would be difficult.

You swallowed, taking in the low numbers. Triage would be crucial. Managing pain wouldn’t be the priority. Save bacta for critical wounds. Sutures and bandages for anything else.

“I’m going to talk to Krell.” You informed Kix, “I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t get killed.” He called to you as you left.

Your steps took you up to the tower. Were you nervous? Potentially. If he took a step out of line, you might end up snapping and laying a fist in his face. Your anxiety came from your lack of faith in your own restraint. You’ve hit your limit, and if the damn Jedi pushed you too far, you might break.

Once the doors opened, you were met with Appo and Hick typing at a console while Krell looked over the Umbaran holomap.

“Doctor,” He greeted you rather…politely, “I didn’t call for you.”

“I have concerns, General.” You stepped inside, “I am aware of the impending march on the capital, but Kix and I do not have the supplies to keep everyone alive.”

Pong Krell looked up at you, eyes looking down right uninterested in what you have to say, “You have an extreme lack of faith in your skills, Doctor.”

“I am not doubting my skills,” You responded, tone becoming icy, “I am limited by the supplies I don’t have. I can save lives, but if I don't have the medical supplies to do so…”

The General pressed a button and the map changed. He went back to ignoring you, “And what do you propose I do about your misuse of much needed medical equipment?”

Misuse!?

You swallowed, “Respectfully, General, I think for the sake of the men, you should work with Captain Rex and think of another strategy to take the capital.”

“We do not have time!” he slammed his fist down, causing you and the other soldiers around to jump, “Every moment we waste, we are getting that much further away from taking Umbara for the Republic! Now I know your judgment is clouded by your useless feelings surrounding these clones, but winning this war is the priority!”

“Respectfully, General,” You backed down. All that bravado you told yourself earlier melted away. He had the power to court martial you, or worse, “My…feelings are concern for my patients. I am a doctor first, before I am a soldier.”

“Is it duty you feel, or something else?” He raised his head, “You spend an awful lot of time with the Captain, don’t you.”

Your blood ran cold.

He knew.

Your throat ran dry. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Appo look up from his console.

Back track. Now.

“Captain Rex and I have known eachother since the beginning of the war,” you explained, “We are friends, and I trust him with my life.”

“Just friends?” He rubbed his chin, “Your judgment is indeed clouded, Doctor. Your bias is hindering your view of the reality of this war.” The volume of his voice picked up until he was damn near shouting at you, “You can’t have friends on the battlefield! If you worry about those clones, you’ll never achieve victory!”

Wrath burned under your skin. You wanted to shout back, but you didn’t have Fives’ courage, “I understand General, but these men, not just Rex, have protected me. Saved my life on the battlefield. In turn I do my best to keep them alive. It’s my duty to care for them. Because of this, I am able to view things objectively during battle.”

Krell was silent for a moment before he gave a slimy smirk, “Rex, huh?”

Shit.

“Captain Rex, sir.” you cleared your throat and you caught Hick pausing in his typing on the console, “Since we are not currently on the battlefield, It’s easy for me to forget rank and titles. Forgive me, General.”

“I suppose you call General Skywalker by his name as well,” He turned to face the window, indicating he was done with you, “I am a General, Doctor. You will do well not to make that mistake with me. You’re dismissed.”

You saluted and turned, leaving the tower as quickly as possible.

Once on the ground, you spotted Fives and Hardcase walking to the hangar where the starships were being kept. With a glance back up to the tower, you followed the troopers.

Oh what trouble were they about to get into?

#reader insert #captain rex x you #captain rex x reader #star wars x reader #tcw x reader #star wars tcw #the clone wars x reader #umbara arc #captain rex #arc trooper fives #pong krell #star wars

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hyukassubi · 6 months ago

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🍪01 | Your Eyeliner Sucks But This Ceremony Doesn't

♡𓂃 Pairing -> (Former) Knight! Huening Kai x Seamstress! Reader

♡𓂃 Synopsis -> Growing up, you never believed in purpose, nor destiny. Simply following the path of life, becoming a royal seamstress didn't at all seem like a bad idea. Only thing is, it wasn't your idea.

Your best friend who just so happens to be the crowned prince knows what it's like to grow up having limited choices, and Prince Kang Taehyun doesn't want the same happening to you. The commander knight, in turn, has other plans for the future. After Huening Kai closes a profound chapter of his life, he seeks refuge from the chaos of his past, opting for a cozier lifestyle instead.

... And it just so seems that those plans wouldn't be fulfilled without you.

♡𓂃 Wc -> 851

Twenty-two years old, having been the Royal Seamstress for the last six years, expert hands when it comes to stitching and sewing together fabrics, beads, jewels, other materials others couldn’t possibly deem as ‘wearable’, crafting together the strongest bulletproof armors for hundreds of knights, and you still can’t do a perfect eyeliner wing.

Dipping, stroking, erasing on repeat for the past hour or so at the prince’s vanity but you can’t cry and rip your hair out because someone is on a stallion coming in from the east at a hundred miles an hour back home where he belongs.

Commander Knight Kai Kamal Huening is coming home, or Kai, for short.

Prince Taehyun, pink haired and silver-tongued, wearing that deep emerald green corset over his white flowy blouse and tight-fitting black leggings designed by none other than you, perched cross-legged on his cloud-soft silk-satin bed, blowing over his black-painted nails. “Y/n, stop.” How endearing of him, truly.

“Not until my eyes look like they can cut through fruits, dramatic and beautiful.”

Childhood best friends, the two of you were, which explains everything.

“Honey.” Taehyun said the word per syllable. “You already look dramatically beautiful without all that cakey face paint junk.” And that was the truth.

Your wing on your left eye had a higher arc than the one on the right, a slight tilt, a ten degree angle difference.

You can’t leave this room until you look like a model, there’s no way. Not after you pieced together an outfit just for this occasion.

You scrubbed that black ink right off. “Taehyun, I can’t unglue myself out of this vanity—”

“—my vanity—”

“—Until my look is complete. It’s a one time thing, okay? Kai’s coming home after like, what? A whole year? I have to look good for his ‘Welcome Back’ ceremony.”

Taehyun threw himself onto his bed completely, arms flailed, sighing, deep in thought.

Some part of Taehyun couldn’t believe this was real, then again, he feels hopeful. Having that burned hole in the trio filled again after all these years feels surreal, to say the least, but wasn’t that all he hoped for all those years ago? Kai’s quick and safe return? So that both you and him wouldn’t have to spend your days under the sun longing for his presence ever again?

You still had Taehyun, and Taehyun still had you. The prince had his seamstress, the seamstress had her prince… but perhaps the palace did feel a little less sunny, a little more spacious without the knight’s presence.

“I wonder if Kai had changed.” Taehyun stared blankly at the high ceiling of his elite bedroom, getting used to the view of an oil painted spring sky. “I wonder if he’d changed after his year-long quest of dragon slaying and all of that… God forbid they made him shave his head and grow a beard like all the other knights that my father have set on extreme voyages.”

You grimaced at the vivid imagination you had in your head, continuing on a more hopeful note, “I just hope he’s okay.”

“He can be bald and bearded up and still be okay.”

“I will actually rip the pink roots out of your hair.” Your left wing swooped the wrong way. Again. “Unless you have anything better to say, stop painting that picture in my mind.”

Taehyun chuckled and you hated how cute he has to look whenever his lips crease up into a smile like that. “Whatever you say love, whatever you say.” The prince can’t help but feel proud for raising his best friend to have a smart mouth, just like him. Perhaps not as sharp or quick-witted, but still an all rounder in sass. “Are you done, by the way? The entire kingdom is literally right outside the castle gates just… waiting… for us.”

“Waiting for Kai.” You corrected, reminding him that the main character of today is Kai Kamal Huening and not Prince Kang Taehyun. “I hope his ten thousand fangirls won’t trample over him and his pony once he arrives.”

“I doubt that'll happen, not when Kai will probably be trampling over you of all people.”

You closed off the half-full eyeliner container. “Taehyun, do my wings look decent?”

“More than decent.” He hopped out the bed onto his feet, walking to the door. “Now, come on, we've got a ceremony to attend to and a knight to meet.” He unlocked the wooden door to reveal a long hallway, as most castles do. “After you, Royal Seamstress.”

You curtsied, fanning your closed eye in the process. “You're very welcome, Prince Taehyun.”

Walking out of the prince’s room, your heels clicking on the marbled floor and down the set of stairs passing the prince’s bedroom and your design studio, the faintest cheer of a crowd from up ahead, your heart races just thinking about Kai’s return.

The last time he'll ever return.

Masterlist | Next

♡𓂃A/n: Taehyun being sassy. That's it. That's the author's note. (proofread this once and dipped but I hope everyone enjoyed this nonetheless! Taehyun may not be the love interest in this story but his sassy bestie energy is unmatched, solomons can't miss this.)

♡𓂃Tags: @imcringebutimfree @i-like-to-read-at-4am @pengningie @marloree

Reblog & review if you like my work !!

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idk-im-just-here-now · 4 months ago

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Had a thought about writingthat applies in a lot of places, no matter if it's original characters or fanfic:

Do you want that redemption arc? That arc where they come back wrong? That arc where they slowly develop into a better or worse person? That arc where it seems like they come back wrong, but they actually came back better? LITERALLY ANY MAJOR GROWTH OR CHANGE FOR THE CHARACTER?

If that is what you want to write, and that is what you want for the character you have, you have to understand this one tiny little thing, especially if the experience for a character is traumatizing in some way (and let's be real, it probably is.)

If you want to remold the character you're working with in any major way, if you want them to develop them in some shape or form, you cannot be afraid to break them.

When I say break them, I don't mean just a small moment or a typical low point in stories. I don't mean just a little heartbreak over something or a painful injury that goes away after a while. I don't mean an epiphany that happens in the span of a second, and they suddenly become different people.

When I say break them, I mean find their limits, push them there, and then push them even further.

When I say break them, I mean scrape away something about themself that they value and bury it so far below the ground that no matter how hard they look, they will not find that piece ever again.

When I say break them, I mean hit them with an event so mentally and emotionally destructive that it has them curled up on the ground wailing. Leave them crying alone dirt, leave them sobbing their grief to the sky by themself.

Take away the thing about the character that's stopping them from changing. Hold it in front of them - maybe it's something they want, something they believed, a core part of their personality - and just as they reach for it...

Shred that thing into pieces before their eyes. Make it vanish so thoroughly that there will never be hope of returning to it or finding it again. If you're going that far, take whatever part of them is still intact at that point, impale them with your pen, and write in their blood.

Major personality changes, major character growth, does not always have to stem from trauma. It can be from a character having a realization about something one day and being motivated to change that way.

But if the changes are that drastic, if the events relating to it could be considered painful, and you want to write them struggling to become better and struggling to let go of the thing they lost? To give them that push through the trauma, to change in whatever way they need to?

Don't be afraid to hurt your characters.

Don't be afraid to hit harder, and hit where it hurts.

And if you need to, don't be afraid to shred them to pieces.

Destroy them if you have to.

But don't be afraid to do it.

#idk rambles #writing #writing tips

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secretsmutcorner · 6 months ago

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Opening, p. 1

977 words | The dragon's toy (sequel to Virgin sacrifice)

Content | Aftermath of noncon, humiliation, begging, nudity, starvation, mention of forced labour

Notes | The dragon and its newly acquired elf arrive at the dragon's lair, and some expectations are set.

This one is technically tame enough to go on the other blog but since this entire story arc is so nsfwhump-centric I'll just keep it here. The second part is spicier :D

Taglist | @wired-for-weird @i-walk-on-the-dark-side (you guys said you wanted to see The Future of this so I'm tagging you, let me know if I should continue! or if you want me to add the prompt credit in every installment as long as relevant @wired-for-weird)

The dragon herded the elf up the narrow mountain path like a fearful little lamb.

They didn't want to, they wanted to stop, they wanted to lay down and rest, snuggle into a soft silk pillow and cry until the pain faded. Instead their insides tore up with a fresh wave of agony from the strain of every step, because whenever they slowed down, the dragon behind them blew a little flame towards their bare ass, prompting them to flee, stumbling, from the heat, and proving that, "see, little toy? you can move."

"Mercy," they whimpered, they did not know after how long. They had never wanted to allow that word into their mouth, but their entire world was engulfed in pain and fire and terror. They could barely even think to attempt an escape, much less would they have dared to.

"You can have a little mercy when we're at my lair, how about that?" the dragon said with an undertone the elf was in no state to read. They had to cling on to the hope it offered, no matter how slim.

No matter how much every shred of evidence pointed to the dragon being a merciless monster.

"What if I can't make it?" Their voice came out too small.

"You can, little toy. I am keeping a very close eye on your limits, rest assured."

Another flame missed their skin by inches, and with a wail, they stumbled on.

By the time they reached the entrance of the cave the dragon resided in, they felt about ready to faint. Their legs trembled under them from fear and exhaustion both. Dusk was fading into night in the east, the clear sky twinkling with stars, and the air was so cold they were almost grateful the dragon was there.

They collapsed into a heap of misery as soon as they entered. This was what the dragon had wanted, right, for them to go to its lair?

The dragon chuckled and stepped over them, breathing alight a row of torches lining the opposite wall.

The elf raised their head--anything to distract them from the ache inside them.

The lair was... surprisingly cozy. There was a large nest of blankets and pillows, some with precious embroidery, and in the corner behind it, a glistening heap of what looked like assorted gold trinkets, carelessly thrown together. Several display cabinets lined the wall, the reflections off their shining glass panes hiding their contents, and off to the side there even was a bookshelf, the backs of many mighty tomes also shimmering with gold embossments.

"Here we are, little toy. Now, let me show you around and teach you the rules of the house. Pay attention," it added, pinning them with a sharp look. "I won't repeat myself. Understood?"

"Yes." The elf didn't have it in them to argue, not now, not anymore.

"That brings me to your first rule! You will be referring to me as 'my Lord' or 'my Liege.'"

The elf felt a horrific surge of laughter catch in their throat. Never would they do that--besmirch the noble titles and institutions of their kingdom by using them for this monster. For the briefest moment, their pride actually battled their fear.

They hesitated long enough to prompt the dragon to smack them hard on the ass, twice.

They cried out with pain, and hurriedly choked out, "Yes, my Lord."

"There's a good little toy. Now, get up."

A pitiful whine escape them. The forced themself up on trembling legs, the ache inside them lighting up anew, and the dragon led them to a small, dark alcove in the rock wall, off to the size, opposite the coziest part of the lair. There was a bucket with some rags hung over its side, and an empty grain bag on the ground, threadbare in places.

Where a shoulder and a hip might have pressed into it, the elf realized.

"This is where you'll sleep."

I am a highness and I will not be kept this way, the elf didn't say.

What happened to the other one? they didn't say.

They just looked down at it silently. This was going to be their life.

If they didn't escape.

"You can use this," the nudged the bucket, which clattered unpleasantly on the hard rock floor, "to fetch yourself water from the spring down there." They pointed at a passage nearby. It might have been a tunnel that went on for miles, or it might have been bright with light from a near exit during the day, the elf had no way of knowing.

"You will use it to clean the lair, during the day, when I don't require you. You'll find plenty of work to do... or else I will find other ways to occupy you."

I am a highness. I'm not a common servant. I won't. And yet, above all, It hurts.

"Do I have to do it when I'm unwell?" Their voice came out as a whisper. "My Lord," they hurriedly tacked on.

The dragon laughed. "Do you think you're unwell now? Because in that case, most certainly."

The elf fell silent. They were too exhausted to even beg, or cry, let alone fight. There was no point. They just sniffled into the dark for a moment, then ventured, "I'm hungry, my Lord. I haven't eaten since morning." It was true. It paled into insignificance next to... everything, but despite the events fit to ruin their appetite, now it had been long enough to become aware of their hunger.

That prompted another laugh. "Since morning? Oh you poor, poor thing." It made no further comment, instead turning around, back towards the main cave.

The elf, exhausted though they were, so much that even a short rest on the ratty bag seemed tempting, followed in the faint hope of food.

#whump #nsfwhump #the dragon's toy #whump writing #royal whump #my writing

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flicklikesstuff · 10 months ago

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Can we see more of your RFTS AU? Does your Starboy have a name?

EEEEEEE!!!!! CONGRATS!! You’re my first ever ask! 🎖️💖

And I’d love to!

(I’m just so busy irl but I’m never abandoning this passion project of mine just so y’all know)

1.) I’m going to leave some details out for spoilers but here’s the gist!

Asha:

Design/Backstory:

- Asha has amber eyes with a North African purple and white colour scheme that contrasts Star’s.

- She just turned 18 a few months prior to the story.

- She grew up as a servant to the king and queen to owe up to Magnifico’s generous request to have her and her mom to stay at the castle’s spare rooms after a “fiery incident” took her house and father’s life away.

- Thus, she has a muscular build from all the experience she had running errands for them.

- Sabino is not her blood-related grandpa in this AU. He used to be the prev king’s and Magnifico’s royal advisor before retiring at an old age. He used to be close friends with Asha’s father. (I’m debating whether I should make Tomás the king’s prev assistant.) In a way, Asha still views Sabino as family.

RFTS! Asha’s design is basically inspired by my fav concept art of her <3

Personality:

(Asha’s main arc is that in order to ‘reach for the stars,’ she must first learn to trust in her capabilities and decisions. Because every single person has great potential that grows the more you have faith in yourself :)))

She develops from being an insecure servant girl to an admirable leader.)

- She’s TERRIBLE at organising her thoughts into words when she’s nervous. She finds it easier to sketch positive and negative things that she can’t say out loud into her sketchbook and vents there often.

- Asha is a daydreamer. (I plan on having her daydreaming sequences in 2D while when she snaps back to reality, the story goes back to 3D.). She likes imagining and drawing about her dreams and desires. It’s an escape from life and a stress-reliever

- She makes a bunch of promises to herself and others but often finds herself chickening out, afraid and unsure on how to take direction. (It’s a subversion of the brave princesses we had. Besides, I think we can all relate to this at some point, right?)

- At the same time, Asha beats herself up for still feeling afraid.

- She’s very observant with her surroundings. It’s why she manages to find something was off in the castle and catch on if people are hiding something

- Highly empathetic, allowing her to form deep bonds with people who struggle with verbal communication. She finds it easy to sympathise and is slow to anger and pointing fingers.

- She remembers limited sign language for being childhood friends with Dario, who is hard of hearing in this AU. But now, it’s been a while and is kinda rusty with it.

- Asha struggles in appreciating small things around her, believing that the prize at the end and achieving the wish is the thing most worth it. Initially believing it’s the only way people can be truly happy. If a wish isn’t granted, then what?

- Very creative, witty and quick on her feet.

- Tends to be indecisive due to the initial habit of being a people-pleaser, fears making a mistake, and due to having grown up where most decisions are already made for her (as a servant of the king and queen). She is insecure about her own capabilities.

- Can be playful at times and can take a joke/prank. (often with Valentino, who she adopted after his mother abandoned him from being born sick.)

……….

Star:

Design/Backstory:

- Tan skin colour with freckles across his face. Has wide hazel eyes. (Blue to brown, reminiscent of the sky)

- He’s 22 yrs old. Wishing stars don’t age physically but they still age mentally the same rate as humans.

- His hair looks like it’s made of stardust and it constantly has sparkles flying off it like sparks from a fire. The back of his hair is black like space. (I’ve show it already but it’s basically this:)

- His colour scheme is black and yellow in contrast to Asha’s. He wears a capelet and a cape that’s black on the outside and yellow sparkles under it. When he flies super fast, his cape looks like the tail of a shooting star.

- Light dims when upset and glows brightly whenever he’s happy. Sometimes, he glows red when he’s angry (Ref to Ray and Tinkerbell)

- Mute/Nonverbal. Communicates through sign language, light manipulation, animating sketches in Asha’s book, and drawing in air with stardust.

- He shapeshifts by rearranging the stardust that makes him up. This also means he could change his clothes very easily. In his numerous forms, the most notable thing is that there always has to be a star shape somewhere.

- He’s a young wishing star in the sky that was captured by King Magnifico to use his magic as a power source. He’s been kept locked up for nearly a decade until Asha freed him. However, on his wrists are green bands, similar to what the Genie in ‘Aladdin’ has. It’s the spell casted on him for extra measure to make him unable to return home or stray far from Rosas.

Personality:

(Due to being under Magnifico’s cruelty for a while, Star mistrusts humans and initially wonders constantly if they have ulterior motives. Srsly, the only thing he wants to do is go home to the sky and never go back down again.

But his arc over the story has him discovering how similar humans are to stars. How they shine a light and inspire one another to do great things. And most amazingly, with no magic! Over the story, Star reawakens his wonder of this beautiful world.)

- Wishing stars like him are the only creatures that have Wish magic. An unpredictable magic that not even the best astrologists and researchers know its limits. The way it works is that Star connects with a wish essence first, and then the passion and faith the person has with that wish determines the power and how long-lasting his help would be. It’s up to the wishing star then to decide their own unique method of granting that wish.

(It’s like training wheels. It would help guide you and then goes away once you get the hang of reaching your wish on your own.)

- A heart of gold who can’t resist saying no to a desperate face for long. While hesitant at first, he’ll slowly soften up. He’s actually a very sweet guy who loves making people happy under that defensive mask.

- Overly cautious and paranoid at first (like Rapunzel when she first got out the tower) but his wonder gets the better of him eventually.

- Greatly fears Magnifico to a high extent.

- Claustrophobic asf. The look he gave Asha when she proposed the idea for him to hide in her satchel while travelling through the kingdom was almost personal.

(It’s funny to think his initial dynamic with Asha is somewhat similar to Moana and Maui. Well…Not completely.

Basically, the only way for him to return home to the sky was return to the castle (which he JUST escaped-), find the artifact that casted the spell on him and break it, then he’s free. Though, Asha asked a favour that FIRST, he helps her find a way to free a few wishes first.

Honestly, this is frustratingly the best she could compromise with him because he’ll stubbornly refuse anything that involves direct confrontation with Mag. Asha secretly hopes she could change his mind on the way.

And because of that dread of going back anywhere near Magnifico again, Star would “accidentally” stall their journey there, which annoys Asha.)

- STUBBORN. Asha would tease him at times that he’s getting attached to Earth things and he’ll deny it because “Nooooooo~ I don’t. I am going straight back to the sky and that’s it.”

- Star would annoy or make fun of people harmlessly to express his frustrations with them. (He gets creative with his shape-shifting forms)

- Wish magic is unpredictable. So whenever he’s feeling highly emotional, like highly excited, scared, mad, or depressed, things happen out of his control. A rock turns into a giant orange pumpkin or a mushroom grows to 10x its original size.

- Impatient and gets distracted easily

- Star initially avoids touch at all times because of his mistrust in humans. He flinches at sudden advances. But progressively gets really affectionate as he learns to trust in certain people. That not all humans are selfish after all.

- Feels under-appreciated at times but doesn’t let it show. (A parallel to Magnifico who also feels under-appreciated. But instead of being vengeful, Star chooses to keep making others happy)

- Basically the entire embodiment of the therapist friend. (He keeps his issues to himself to avoid bothering others because “that’s not what stars dooo.”)

- He’s irritated that his inability to speak is misinterpreted as “stubbornness, uncooperativeness, and childishness.”

- This is AFTER he lets his defensive mask crumble down. Star finds appreciation and the beauty in the smallest and seemingly insignificant things, which he often brings to show Asha and his friends. (He’s the type to collect trinkets like Ariel.)

………….

Magnifico/Magnus:

Design/Backstory:

- Most of his design is summed up in this sheet I drew

- Magnifico is 38 yrs old

- His clothing is still white but with blue-ish patterns like the wishes he keeps stored away. Why is he storing those wishes? Let’s just say he and his wife have a big plan for Rosas’ 100th anniversary the coming month. ;)

- Mf has greying hair from all that stress

- I’m still keeping the backstory of him watching his village get destroyed as a young kid. Magnus was one of the few survivors who left the village alive on boat. They retreated to Rosas, where it held its reputation of being the most welcoming kingdom with each king being a grand sorcerer that serves his people. (So Rosas wasn’t built by Mag. It’s an already established kingdom)

- Being an orphan who had to turn to stealing to live, Magnus came across King Oliver, the prev king of Rosas. Feeling sorry for the boy, and having his wife and heir die from childbirth, he adopted him as Prince Magnifico. The name change representing a start to a new life.

- I want to make Mag’s backstory a subversion of the trope where the “MC rebels against their parent figure and is able to prove in the end that they are independent enough and their parent finally sees their POV and supports their child from then on.”

Growing up, King Oliver was admittedly not the best parent and was unintentionally dismissive in Mag’s trauma. “What’s past is past and sometimes it’s best to forget and move on.” Mag was enraged because he LOVED his original family and home and didn’t want to JUST forget.

- Mag fell in love with Amaya in the typical “Royalty x Commoner in the woods” fashion. But even then, King Oliver didn’t approve that. Not because Amaya’s a commoner, but because she’s a criminal who has intentionally broken Rosas’ magic safety restrictions for her alchemist experiments. This added more fuel to Mag’s hatred of him, of course. (Like damn, I wonder if Mag had anything to do with him passing away-)

- “After all, a king can do whatever he wants with his kingdom. Isn’t that right, father…? You did want me so desperately to be a good king…” (A quote that’s sort of a Scar ref?? Idk)

- Mag feels like he deserves the power due to his tragic past. He’s so sure that as king, he decides what everyone deserves. He feels like the world owes him for what happened.

And he will give the world and all those ungrateful brats, especially his dear adoptive father, what they deserve on Rosas’ 100th Anniversary. The day he shapes Rosas into the perfect land that he and Amaya were denied from. And after Rosas, the rest of the kingdoms will follow.

- He’s a vengeful spiky ball who thinks he deserves the credit for any problem he “solves.” Has Hero syndrome.

Personality:

- Psychopathic: Entitled, arrogant and impulsive

- Magnifico craves excitement and rewards. He smiles at the slightest compliment and gets a little bashful with flirts.

-He definitely runs his hands through his hair and plays with his cape as stress-relievers.

- Anger Issues. Yep.

- Superficially charming towards people as a manipulative tactic. Though it’s easier to break his facade compared to Amaya because of his temper.

- Remember when I said he’s almost similar to Lotso in Toy Story 3? I’m not giving too much details but do whatever with that knowledge.

- He genuinely believes and hates the Wishing Stars for ignoring his pleas as a child on the night he lost everything. It’s why he’s so harsh with Star himself.

………

Amaya:

In all honesty, I have not finished the queen’s redesign much. Oof- 😭

Here are some brainstorms I have with her though:

- Amaya is 37

- She aids Magnifico with spying and starting accidental tragedies.

- She’s usually in charge of the servants in the castle. Asha looks up to her since Amaya’s the nicest monarch to her and someone in the castle she feels safe around with. Like a second mother. With Mag, Asha feels like she’s walking on eggshells.

- Amaya secretly uses some animals and prisoners kept in the dungeons as subjects for her experiments.

- Being an alchemist (and more skilled in it than Mag), her magic is a substitute so that they can quickly save more wishes for their grand plan for Rosas’ 100th anniversary. (I forgot to mention that Mag uses the wishes to make his magic stronger.)

- She’s a strong parallel of Asha, presenting the dangers inflicted upon others when one gets too ambitious with their own goals that they are apathetic towards how it affects other people

- An independent woman who is very ambitious like Asha. However instead of keeping it to herself, Amaya goes beyond lengths to reach her goals. To become the most skilled alchemist, alongside her powerful husband, the world has ever known and prove it to those who doubted her. Like Asha, Amaya has her own notebook she keeps her notes in.

- Skilled at disguises and coming up with fake stories that are easy to believe in. (Ref to the Evil Queen, Jafar and multiple other Disney villains who utilise deception)

- Holds the calculating and intelligent skills in her power duo with Magnifico. Mag is more on delivery, force and image. (The Brains and the Brawn duo)

- Her family was against her interest in learning magic/alchemy. So Amaya heavily dislikes company that she perceives as holding her back from her full potential.

- Fled to Rosas for more opportunities. While magic isn’t forbidden at the time she arrived, there were safety restrictions such as certain spells and potions that aren’t allowed to be made and casted, which she loathed. (So she stole and found ways to gather ingredients for her experiments in the woods, prior to meeting Magnifico.)

- Probs just think of her as being as curious and innovative as Zarina from ‘The Pirate Fairy”, but you know, eviler.

…….

2.) Now for RFTS!Starboy’s name in this AU.

I’ve mentioned this in a previous post I had before but his name issssssss 🥁🥁🥁:

✨ Star ✨

No, I’m not kidding. That’s it.

Yes, Wishing Stars have names but not in a way humans understand. Their real names are in a language that is incomprehensible and ear-damaging levels of loud for humans to hear. While yes, they know English just fine, there’s not really an equivalent in the human alphabet for their real names.

Wishing Stars still love to listen to the names humans would give them from below though. Either individually or as a constellation. They love it! Ursa Major? Alpha Crucis? Awww.

Anyways-

Star hasn’t received a name growing up in the sky because he’s small and easy to miss. When they first met, Asha was not in a creative state of mind at the time and meant to put “Star” as a placeholder name for now.

However, the magical boy got attached to the name and stubbornly refuses to hear any other attempt at giving him another one. It’s so simple but it’s HIS name now. He claims it. I find it cute that a supernatural being with literal outer space as his home, appreciates the smallest things given to him. So “Star” it became….

Though, Asha did introduce Star as “Peter” (Pan) to certain people to hide his identity. Because ‘Star’ is too obvious, you know?

And then Star jokingly pretends to not know who this ‘Peter’ is whenever she refers to him as such. Asha would just roll her eyes and stifle a chuckle.

Friendly reminder that some details may change as I develop the RFTS!AU more. Hope ya’ll like it so far!! 💖

#disney wish #wish 2023 #wish rewrite #wish star #wish asha #wish au #rfts au #reach for the stars au #wish starboy #wish magnifico #wish amaya #wish disney #wish movie #Dang-This took longer than expected #I highly appreciate asks btw! Feel free to send more! I don’t bite :))

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definetelynotavampire · 10 months ago

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Oooh sorry if you've already shared them but I'd love to hear some Nikolai headcannons you have!

My Nikolai theories/ headcanons

I have been waiting for someone to ask me about this :D

(also spoilers for Gogol's "The Overcoat")

1. Born with an Overcoat

In his speech about true freedom he goes on about wanting to „fly like a bird“ and to „not be bound by gravity“. I know he also meant this in a mental/ emotion-bases sense but it got me thinking... is he stupid? His ability is tailor cut for this? By all means, he should be able to fly.

His ability can manipulate space and by extension also gravity (to some extend), thats basic physics. He even uses this to save Sigma when he fell off the sky casino – Nikolai reduced the gravitational force on Sigma by manipulating space.

This got me thinking - Couldn’t he technically fly if he adjusted his portals, so that one is on the ground and the other is in the sky/ under his feet?

Well, why hasn’t he done this? - Because his ability is limited by his Overcoat.

Which is strange, why is his ability affected by something external? Is he lying? Is this a mental thing? Can it be any Overcoat or just his cape? If it’s really a necessary part of his ability, then either it’s not his own and someone else made this restriction for him or his Overcoat is part of him - he was born with an Overcoat . Personally, I think it’s both.

At this point I decided to look up the source material, and by that I mean I read the wikipedia article about „The Overcoat“...

The main character Akaky is described as „being born in undress uniform“ and that basically, since the day he was born, his future was already decided. This obviously plays into bsd’s Nikolai's arc of freedom/ not following a predictaple path. But still it’s a funny simile.

Like I said, my theory is that he was both given the ability and that he was born with it. This seems like an obvious contadiction unless you say Nikolai is, like Sigma, a product of the book.

In conclusion i think that the Overcoat/ his ability is both his freedom and also the very thing he has to ‚overcome‘ in a sense.

2. Nikolai is self aware

This is kinda like a continuation from the first theory. I think it would make so much sense for his character, that he knows he has a set role in the story, especially when you look at his desire for true freedom. Maybe I just like the tragic irony, that no matter what, he can never get to that point.

Anyways, if we assume he’s self aware, his actions and idea of sanity is much more interesting. What would you do if you know your actions and emotions are pre-written? I have no idea, but whatever Nikolai has going on seems like a pretty valid reaction to me.

Also what does the conversation with Fyodor mean then? Is the book a God symbol? Why does Fyodor know? Is he older than the book? Is he affected by it?

2.1 This is a bit silly and I’ve talked about this before. Nikolai teleports his right eye to observe everything like a movie. Where he himself is, again a character. This fits well within the theme of his depersonalisation.

3. His Freedom in the context of „The Overcoat“

The obvious comparison is, of cause, „Nikolais obsession and desire for freedom“ and Akakys’ obsession with the Overcoat that he wants. Further than that i have honestly no idea. Akakys irony is that, after he gets the overcoat, it is taken from him immediately and he dies but I’m not sure how that could translate. What i mean by that is, i don’t want it to because i want Nikolai to get a good ending. Which would probably mean an ending that he chooses for himself. Okay thats basically also not very good… well shit... ._ .

4. The silly headcanons

4.1 Nikolai has no idea what an overcoat is, that’s why he wears a cape and calls it his Overcoat

4.2 Nikolai and Ranpo are brothers, i have no reason for this besides it’s funny and i like them both.

4.3 Nikolai does not know how to use public transport because he always teleports everywhere

4.4 He has a disney princess hair care routine (for obvious reasons)

4.5 He has very normal hobbies

5. The "Is it really silly tho?" headcanon (yes it is)

5.1 „We all came out from Gogol’s Overcoat“ - a quote by someone, idk by who

Nikolai is, or will be the author of the book. Idk how or when, but at one point he makes a decision about abilities or ability useres and it affects everyone. Maybe that could be his moment of freedom, because it would be a paradox if that decision wasn’t truely made by him. And then it’s something like he burns the book so abilities and everyone created from the book is gone. I can see that happen.

okay these are just the things i could think of rn, there are probably more ._ .

#ahaha tysm for asking #:'D #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd headcanons #bsd theory #nikolai headcanons #okay idk the differnce between a hc and a theory #bsd analysis #bsd nikolai #bsd nikolai gogol #nikolai gogol theories #okay now that the thoughts are all out of my brain i can finally think about something other than nikolai #perhaps #garlic rambles #but also #garlic thinks

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cowboyhorsegirl · 1 year ago

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Not My First Rodeo (An 1872 SteveTony Fic Reclist🤠💫)

This reclist is a fill for the @stevetonygames bingo square "Consequence" and the Resolutions Challenge for Team Future :)

a slow ticking wilderness by @starvels (2.4k, M)

Three weeks ago, Tony burned his hands in his forge. Since then, he's been unable to use them, useless and listless. Relying on the kindness of strangers ain't exactly his expertise. Luckily, Sheriff Steve Rogers has good hands and a heart hale enough to keep offering bits of help and hope to Tony, no matter that he ain't all that good at accepting them.

RATING: Five out of five heart-happy cowboys, 🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠

What if I told you this was literally the first (The First!!!) 1872 fic I ever read, which may have been a mistake on my part because it simply set the bar too high, devastatingly high, stratospherically high! This fic feels like wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer while you sit by a beautiful, roaring fire and drink a delicious cup of spiced hot cocoa. Please fulfill all your wildest h/c dreams and desires in the embrace of this lovely window into established relationship 1872 stevetony.

To Break the Bridle by @deervsheadlights (25k, M)

If anyone had told Tony a year ago that he would be herding cattle up on some god-forsaken mountain, in deep winter and out of his own free will, he would've laughed in their face. Were they to show him the blond and blue-eyed reason for his sudden lapse of judgement, however, he might've just understood.

RATING: Two cowboys who are frequently secretly very fond of each other + a new appreciation for the pavlovian potential of duck fat, 🤠🤠🦆

Everyone gather round and say thank you deervsheadlights!! Thank you deer for writing the 1872 Brokeback Mountain AU that we have all been begging for since the moment 1872 comics hit the shelves! This fic was another early 1872 find for me and I simply cannot recommend it enough: the slow burn, the hurt comfort, the romance-this fic does it all masterfully.

but come ye back by @s-hylor (1.2k, T)

When the night is cold and the sky is open, Tony goes to talk to the past Sheriff of Timely.

RATING: one broken cowpoke's heart, but the hurt is tempered by the knowledge that the love perseveres on, 💔

If you have yet to heal from the hurt of 1872 Issue 2, then this is the fic for you. This fic is the best deconstruction of emotion following the Sheriff's death that I have read yet, savage in both it's sadness and it catharsis, and I cannot recommend this highly enough.

A Handsome Stranger Called Death by @isozyme & @sheshopelesse (3.5k, M)

Steve Rogers was an optimist, and he had no sense for the limits of one man with a six-shooter and a strong will, but he was canny enough to know that he wasn’t getting any good done as pig food.

RATING: 10/10 shakes of a rattler's tail 🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍

Close your eyes and imagine a story that combines Western gothic and desert mysticism and monsterfucking and domestic bliss and now open your eyes bc that fic exists and you're looking at it! The prose is gorgeous, the mythology is arresting, and the characterization is stunning. Plus! This fic comes complete with its own podfic, ready for your joint reading & listening pleasures.

Somebody's Darling by @laireshi (12.9k, T)

Steve wasn't always a sheriff, and Tony didn't always spend his days halfway down a bottle. They met long before Timely.

RATING: the best 1872 rom-com of all time, if rom-com was short for Romantic-Commentary on the Inherent Despondency of War

This fic!!!!!! Is wonderful and delivers a years-long sweeping arc of a wartime romance before dropping you off at the front door of 1872 canon. It's such a heartfelt exploration of love blooming amidst the chaos and tragedy of war, of the way two people keep getting drawn back to each other again and again, of second chances and third chances and fourth, all culminating in a freedom both precarious and precious to be found in the West.

The Strangers You Call Friends by Mireille (1.4k, T)

Stark frustrates Sheriff Rogers, but that doesn't mean he wants to see the man drink himself to death. Timely needs a blacksmith, after all.

RATING: two out of two prettiest blue eyes this side of the Mississippi, at least according to the cowboy locked in the Sheriff's cell for tonight 👀

An incredible pre-canon character study from the POV of Timely's favorite Sheriff. I feel as though this fic is so true to canon characterization and setting that it could honestly constitute the first page of an 1872 novelization. You really sink into Steve's mindset and his perspective on not just Tony's perennial drunkenness, but on his duties to the town as a whole.

Say My Name by citsiurtlanu (2.6k, G)

Steve reminds Tony that there's more to him than the war his weapons were used in.

RATING: a whole cowtown who has been irrevocably changed for the better by the love of two men, 🤠💞🫡🤠💞🫡🤠💞🫡🤠💞🫡

A beautiful canon-compliant fic that pulls at the thread of romance hidden in the rough, vibrant fabric of 1872. There's so much tenderness in this story, it aches in the best way :')

Paradise Blue in 1872 by @cowboyhorsegirl (oh hey that's me!) (500w, T)

Steve imagines this is what it feels like to commit blasphemy, looking at Tony Stark.

RATING: Sheriff Rogers' extremely Catholic-coded erection 🤨🤨

It's about!! the wretched devotion of love, the purgatory of the West, the discovery of a new God in the listless eyes of the saloon's resident patron! A bite-sized character & relationship study that slots itself very neatly within the first 5 pages of 1872 Issue 1 that I hope you read & enjoy :)

whistling dixie by @starvels (1.4k, M)

“Well,” Steve says, voice rough. He takes in another of those sharp breaths and when he exhales, Tony feels it like the forge, billowing heat out into his chest. “Mayhap you best keep that dry, Stark.” He sounds like molten metal, like the best slather of butter over a butt of bread, sounds fair peckish for something more than trail gruel and he’s looking at Tony like Tony’s the place he’s gonna get it. Yes, Tony thinks. It is. Take it. Take me.

RATING: one cowboy (me) who is so, so hungry for stew now 🤠🍲

A masterclass in the 'Food as a Metaphor for Love' ao3 tag, I recommend to all who are hungry for a bit of domestic Western romance or a hearty desert stew. At least one of these appetites will be satisfied by the end of the story, I guarantee!

Blacksmith's Hands by @everybodyilovedies (3.3k, E)

Based in Marvel's 1872 Western Universe, where Tony is a blacksmith and Steve is the town Sheriff. Blacksmith Tony hears Sheriff Steve's birth date is coming up, and decides to give him the present he deserves.

RATING: the number one best birthday present Sheriff Rogers has ever received 🤠🎁

The sweetest, tenderest and yet slightly rough around the edges 1872 PWP you will ever see. I adore Steve and Tony's banter in this fic, the dialogue at the beginning feels like it could have been ripped right out of the comic book panels. And!! There is simply nothing more delightful than the simple intimacy of going from "Stark" and "Sheriff" to "Tony" and "Steve" <3

Unseen, Unheard by @oluka (1k, M)

Tony and Steve have a furtive encounter. Tony wishes they could have more.

RATING: a Sheriff rougher to ride and wilder to tame than a stallion🐎

I could scream forever!!! about the parallels in this story between Tony's alcoholism and his addiction to Steve! The tug-of-war push and pull of their facsimile of a relationship, the hurt that Steve's internal shame over wanting a man inflicts on both him and Tony, the habitual way that Tony debases himself to play up the drunken act and protect him and Steve from any prying eyes. This fic does a truly masterful job of imagining what intimate encounters between Steve and Tony may have looked like within the real confines of the American West.

Going Blacksmithing by @bladeofthenebula27 (1.5k, T)

Blacksmithing only brings in so much money in a small town like Timely, so Tony has to make a little extra money through less respectable means. The Sheriff doesn't approve.

RATING: the prettiest cowpoke you ever did see 🥰🤠

Genderfuck!Tony with a side of possessive Steve all in the year of 1872, what more could one possibly want? There's absolutely nothing more that I love across the multiverse than SteveTony getting to explore their femininity, and this fic brings that dynamic to 1872 absolutely perfectly! :D

BONUS!!!

1872 Meta/Propaganda by @ghosthan

RATING: one out of one new, lifelong 1872 fan (me! 🤠)

An INCREDIBLE primer on the 1872-niverse, including panel screenshots as well as comparisons to 616 characterizations and backstories! I can personally say that this 1872 propaganda is extremely effective (after all, it convinced me to read!!), and gives you juuuust enough information on 1872 to acquaint you with the setting, the characters, and the dynamics at play without simply spoiling the series. In my opinion, this is a highly underrated resource for anyone interested in trying 1872 out, but unsure what to expect.

#fic!#meta #1872 #1872 my beloved #stevetony #my employer's opinions #pinned #evrecs

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drippingmoon · 2 years ago

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Aquiver, Aglow: Beta Call Post

After being one of the biggest parts of my life for some years now, I'm very very happy to announce 'quiv is ready for its beta stage. I'm gonna echo my previous post: writing this story has been a soothing experience for me, and I'd love for this to apply to everyone. Never heard of 'quiv? No problem, new eyes are often wise. Old acquaintance? No pressure on you. Take a cup of steaming tea, or maybe not since it's summer, lean back and just tell me whatever crosses your mind. Believe me, it will help me enormously. And the stress is all with me, not you. So while I'm asking for help, I truly wish whoever gives me a hand to have a pleasant experience🥰

Sign-up period: till July? I might be more flexible, depending on the applicants, and there won't be any selection (a maximum of 7 people), which means you can start on the day you sign up

Deadline: October (SOFT deadline, since ideally I want to do another round of line edits then proofreading in November), with the possibility of extending until December (and don't sweat it if you need more)

Long story short: a human child restores faith to an angel, who in turn restores faith to Heaven.

Long story long: There's a place beneath Heaven where, in a shoddy little cottage, a mother and her child live. They are to wait for her promised day, when angels shall descend and devour their souls. For faith has been broken. Memories of kindness and warmth remain mere whispers, cracked under two centuries of prayers answered with bloodied chapels and trails of corpses, and callous wings plucking souls out of their once faithfuls' chests.

Tyrone knows his Mother is just waiting for the day the angels will come. She wishes to sacrifice herself to see her child out of the Promised Lands, so she fills his childhood with horrible stories meant to make him afraid and get him used to the inevitable. She succeeds. Tyrone is afraid, but of everything. Most of all, of the loneliness that keeps him company, and disperses only at night. Because, under the stars, he sees an angel on the rims of Heaven, taking care of her field of clouds, a mirror to how he toils over his wheatfield. That’s when he first feels they are the same. So when she falls one day, he asks not that she spare him, but that she stay. And, slowly, the nights turn so very warm.

It’s been two centuries since the angels knew where they wished to go. They live suspended in time, caught between memory and hatred. Anne, their Angel of Lies, has only ever cared for Heaven. For them, she’d draw their anger onto herself, if only they acknowledged they were still hung up on humanity. She’s tired. She’s old. Even the stars have closed their path off to the angels, and she doesn’t know what to do. So when she is met with sincerity for the first time in centuries, she wonders if she’s found a way. If nothing else, anger would reanimate Heaven, and for a little while stop the angels’ slow fall towards death. She listens to a child’s quiet wish, and agrees. Curiosity, she calls it.

They begin by using each other. With time, this no longer holds true, and they learn something. It was a thin line between that and caring about one another. And warmth, as it were, comes with sorrows shared.

GENRE: character-driven dark fantasy with humans, angels and stars interspersed with peaceful moments

WORD COUNT: 195k (standalone)

STATUS: sixth draft

WARNINGS: violence, gore, suicidal thoughts, abusive relationships, terminal illness

What I'm looking for

Content criticism, as in character arcs, plot development, your fav and least fav parts, and mainly if you think there are too many feathers in the story

The sky's your limit actually. Every thought counts 🙌

Typically you can ignore typos, but if any of them really pisses you off, feel free to shout at me

Same with line edits. The style is meant to be experimental at times, but not at the cost of intelligibility. So if I went overboard somewhere, please do shout but otherwise it's due a line edit

You get

Return betas! No time limit; and of course no word count limit

To save Private Jan (my penname lol) because there's no way I can afford editing prices, so we're pulling off an Atlas here no matter how many drafts I'll have to go through

Hopefully a great time?

You can just contact me in the DMs, but I'll put up a Google Forms as well for whoever would prefer that. Also, you can request a sample (the first/first few chapters) to see if it's your thing.

And that's it! Hope to see volunteers, and thanks so much for your interest! Have a lovely day🥰

#aquiver-aglow #beta call #beta readers #writers on tumblr #my writing #original writing #writeblr #writblr #beta request #writing community

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flameleads · 2 months ago

Text

@galeleads asked: A tempest beyond any imagination. That's the best way to describe Aurora if she lost Roy so abruptly. She wouldn't be the same; a shell of her herself for months if not, years. He'd leave such a hole in her heart, and if he were killed by someone else, she wouldn't stop until they were in hell. Death Doesn't Discriminate | Currently accepting.

His footsteps were silent behind her when she walked into her apartment. As the door shut behind him, coal eyes watched as she haphazardly discarded her coat and boots. No one else was home, it seemed. Amelia likely had work, and Mar--where was she? Friends? Out on the town? Trespassing on private property again? That would be like her. The Hahns were always busy people with busy lives.

Speaking of which, it was close to dinner time, wasn't it? Again, he looked to her. Had she eaten yet? He didn't see takeout in her hands. Perhaps she had leftovers in the fridge, or she planned to cook? No, she didn't linger in the kitchen after she walked inside. Where was she going?

"Aurora, you need to eat," he told her, his footsteps silent again as he followed her once more. "Something. Did you even eat any lunch?" He couldn't recall. His memory wasn't what it used to be.

She did not walk back to the kitchen to acquiesce his plea, though. Instead, she led them both to her bedroom, the sheets cocooning around her as she climbed into bed. Frowning, he walked to the other side of the bed, past the chaise where his pajamas sat with a fine layer of dust, and he lied next to her. Her comforter didn't move an inch.

"I'll stay here with you," he murmured. Hesitantly, he reached a hand out to caress her hair. Yet, his fingers couldn't feel it, and not a strand moved out of place. Unlike before, calloused hands from too much fire could not feel the softness of her curls. She couldn't see him, nor could she hear him. On the empty half of her bed, cold and uninviting, his ghost lied next to her. unable to keep her warm.

"Lo lamento, mi cariño. Lo lamento mucho."

There weren't embers this time. There was no fuel. No heat. No oxygen.

The flame was gone.

#galeleads #ic; so light me up | roy mustang #ic; i have the honor to be your obdt. st | answered asks [ prompted ]#death doesn't discriminate | prompt #death tw #character death tw #murder tw #[ fate makes themself cry again ]#[ because of course I do ]#[ I got this idea like a week ago ]#[ when I figured out how I wanted to reply to this ]#[ because originally I was like ''hmm maybe just post the ask by itself'' ]#[ but then I was like ''nah let's do a thing'' ]#[ and then played myself ]#arc; look into your eyes and the sky's the limit

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surgepricing · 8 months ago

Note

That RWBY retrospective was a great read. Would you be willing to share the rest of your deep dive? I would love to read it

Thought long and hard about what I wanted to show off next; very rarely did I get into discussing RWBY in later volumes without stepping on some toes. I decided I'd post one of the more tame chapters from the Volume 2 recap, just to see what people have to say. I hope you enjoy it.

I won't be able to do this with every recap while preserving the images and gifs I used, since there's a limit of 30 and sometimes my posts went well beyond that, but I can always try other options.

Title: RWBY 09 – Volume 2, Second Arc (Part I) Original Posting Date: Dec 19, 2020 Episodes Covered: Volume 2, Episodes 5 & 6

Alright. So far, Volume 2 is not taking me to happy places. But why stop now?

We ended on a gigantic fight between four girls and a robotic mech.

V2E5, “Extracurricular”

The first thing I get to recap to you is a fight scene, right out of the gate. We open on Pyrrha, seeing her gear up for combat, spliced inbetween flashes of the fight itself. Now, for once, since this fight is neither the focus of the episode, nor that important overall, I’m not going to slavishly transcribe it, but rather give you the rundown:

It’s Pyrrha versus the entirety of Team CRDL (Cardin, Russel, Dove, and Lark, in case you forgot). Cardin’s packing his big giant mace, Russel’s armed with dual knives with what look like dust rotors, Lark is swinging around a halberd that looks completely unaltered, and Dove is armed with a slim double-edged blade that can fold into a pistol. If you want to see the fight that badly, I have good news: it’s easy to gif, since it’s brutally short, a mere minute and a half (1:40 to 3:14). So here, my treat:

As you can see, Pyrrha is completely untouchable here, even four-on-one. She sends CRDL’s members flying with precise strikes and sweeps, and deflects Dove’s and Russel’s blades with only the shield braced on her one arm without even going off-balance. Sky and Cardin hit a bit harder, and Cardin gets points for being the only one to take more than three seconds to demolish, but she trounces him, too, the minute she sees an opening. All in all, she was in complete control of the battle and it showed.

You might be wondering how Pyrrha could so skillfully dismantle four attackers, some of whom have clear advantages on her in size and weight and who were attacking together. Don’t worry—you’ll see.

The lights come on in the arena, and Glynda’s voice again announces the end of the match, complimenting Pyrrha and mentioning she’ll have no trouble qualifying for the Vytal Tournament. She turns to the stands, asking any of the attending students if they’d like to fill one last match. RWBY, who are in the stands, appear uninterested, but we can see two familiar faces sitting just behind them. Glynda zeroes in on Blake, who hurriedly snaps some book shut, accusing her of being rather ‘docile’ in recent classes, but before she can volunteer her, a hand is raised and Mercury’s voice pipes up.

Glynda makes to select an opponent for him, but he stops her—he wants to go a round with Pyrrha. Glynda, clearly a tad peeved at having been interrupted twice, tries to tell him that she’s already finished a match, but Pyrrha welcomes another fight, very happy to take him up on it.

Mercury, legs greaved in black metal and showing off glinting silver bullets loading the chambers, slowly struts onto the field to meet his opponent, and in the background, Emerald glances at the back of Ruby’s head, then at the match, with a pointed focus on her eyes. Mercury takes a kickboxing stance, while Pyrrha stands with shield and xiphos at the ready. The two of them rush to meet each other, and Mercury throws a kick that meets Pyrrha’s shield before she sweeps his other leg out from under him. He makes distance with many an unnecessary backflip.

The two fighters clearly appraise one another, before Pyrrha runs forward and presses him. Mercury goes on a fantastic defense, deflecting her strikes and trying to get around her shield, but this enables Pyrrha to just butt him in the chest and send him skidding back.

Mercury nods, as if to say ‘eh, pretty good’, and in the stands, Ruby turns to compliment Emerald on how well her ‘friend’ is doing, who smiles and then rolls her eyes as soon as Ruby turns back towards the match. The two in the arena continue:

Mercury launches a fast and furious series of strikes with the goal of bringing a heavy boot down on something that gives, and Pyrrha performs the sickest move ever, throwing her sword into the air behind her and then just catching Mercury’s next kick with the back of her arm. Mercury undercuts the coolness of this just a bit by answering her next series of slashes with the re-equipped sword and knocking the xiphos out of her hand and some distance away. Pyrrha doesn’t look too concerned about this.

When Mercury makes to pounce on this advantage, she raises her free hand as if to catch his boot, but it doesn’t make contact. We the viewer see a very faint black outline around her hand and his boot as she does it. Mercury is sent off-balance, and takes a moment to absorb what just happened. Pyrrha rushes him, and he gets back up in time to meet her shield with both legs and fire his greave-guns, sending him shooting off of it and a good distance away, just in time to say the magic words before she can press her assault.

M: I forfeit.

Pyrrha is thrown off, and skids to a halt, surprised and rather annoyed at this turn of events. Mercury dismisses her—she’s a world-class fighter, and they’re obviously leagues apart. Glynda understandably shares her irritation, given that Mercury chose to fight her in the first place. Mercury and Emerald are both grinning.

Glynda reminds everyone that “the dance is this weekend” and their first mission is on Monday. RWBY file out of the arena, Blake’s nose buried in a notebook and Emerald watching them as they go. Mercury dryly remarks, as he comes up to Emerald, that learning is “so much fun”.

Now before I pounce on the words that I just bolded, which the next scene that we cut to would like to elaborate on, let me draw your attention to something:

Do you see this overhead shot of Beacon’s courtyard? To the right of RWBY, heading out, you will see Sun’s team, SSSN (pronounced “Sun”)—himself and Neptune, plus Scarlet and Sage.

That is their—Sage’s and Scarlet’s—only appearance this volume.

No, they do not actually interact with anyone nor are they involved in this scene whatsoever, they’re literally in the background and stay there. I don’t feel bad about spoiling that. Better we got it out of the way now. Do any of you remember something I highlighted in my Volume 1 Final Thoughts?

I said that slow pacing wasn’t something we could afford when this show only runs for 25% of the year and is on hiatus the other 75%. It’s not like live-action dramas, either, able to make up for that by running for 50 episodes at a time or packing 30-45 minutes into each episode. It seemed, at the time, an astounding feat of juggling to introduce so many new characters in the very last episode and then even more in the Volume 2 trailer and opening—but now we can see that it evens out, because they don’t intend on using any of them.

By this point in time, RWBY fans had been sitting on the knowledge that Sun had his own team, salivating in the aftermath of his glorious first impression, and hungering for some details on his crew for quite a while, and have at this point gone five weeks with nothing but scraps. They will go the rest of the volume—ten more weeks, what with the World of Remnant introduction—and then the rest of the Volume 2-3 hiatus with yet more nothing to go on.

Release date of Volume 2 Trailer: July 4th, 2014 Release date of Volume 3 Episode 2: October 31st, 2015.

Fifteen, almost sixteen months. Over a year. Not a year in which consistent content was coming—a year in which an official entry to the series’ collective body came and went. If you were actually interested in these characters as a team, any sparse involvement of the remaining two, or anything deeper than a petri dish from Sun and Neptune, you were absolutely not going to get it. Sucks to be you.

Love to Be a Part of It Someday: 10

*idly twirling a foil scraper* That’s not good. That is, in fact, pretty fuckin’ bad. Dickish, even. A point each for Sage and Scarlet, plus a point for the lack of unit behavior with Sun and Neptune—plus another for the conspicuous amount of time spent ignoring these dudes whose names haven’t even been said in-show. Fairest arrangement I can think of.

But that’s all I can say now. I will be bringing this back up later, near or at the end of the Volume. The same goes for the hair-ripping Exit Stage Left from last post that had me so bald.

So let’s move on to the issue actually comprising this scene.

Blake is lagging behind her team, head still buried in her notebook. Sun breaks off from his own team to catch up with her.

S: Hey, Blake! You, uh, doin’ okay?

B: I’m fine.

S: *clearing his throat* So I hear there’s this dance goin’ on this weekend… Agh, sounds...pretty lame, but you an’ me, I’m thinkin’, not as lame? Huh?

B: ...What?

S: The dance, this weekend! You wanna go, or what?

B: ...I don’t have time for a stupid dance. *turning and walking away* I thought you, of all people, would get that.

In case the tone of this conversation is not clear to you, here’s a gif, so you can see their body language like I can.

Sun is being his usual chill and somewhat dorky self, if a little nervous, not pushy or rude. Blake, who has suddenly developed noticeable circles under her eyes since leaving the school arena, responds in a much rougher tone than we might have expected given her previous characterizations. Sun is visibly deflated and her teammates eye her as she walks off. Ruby spares sad boi Sun a glance before we cut to the next scene.

B: You what?

Ruby answers that they want her to go to the dance. When Blake calls that ridiculous, Yang mentions that they’re worried about her. This investigation, she says, is starting to mess with her head.

Ohhh, the investigation! Yeah, that was a thing that happened last episode, wasn’t it?

Wiess mentions that Blake can’t sleep, hardly eats, and her grades are tanking. Blake wants to know why she should care about grades when lives are at stake! Yang responds that they know, and they’re still trying to find out what Torchwick is up to.

Ruby mentions that thanks to Blake and Sun, they know that he and the White Fang are operating somewhere outside of southeast Vale, and Weiss follows up that Schnee records indicated that Vale was clearly the primary target of dust robberies over the last month.

Not to interrupt yet more blossoming angst from Blake, but yeah, this is our reward for following that three-episode ‘arc’ that culminated in the Paladin fight. Weiss lists that last bit off as if it’s useful information—it isn’t, because the characters live in Vale, among the robberies, and the viewers have so far only been shown Vale, and robberies happening there. It gives them nothing to go on besides “hey, at least the plot isn’t operating outside of our reach, like in other countries!” and that is why I remain firm in my decision to award it the Road to Nowhere point.

But seriously, think about what’s going on here. Blake’s grievance about lives is that they’re at stake, not that any have been lost, just in case you don’t believe that all those massacred people on the interstate really last episode didn’t matter. They don’t even register here. As if to underscore the fact that we just hit the reset button—on everything, including Blake’s inner turmoil over Torchwick that seemingly got resolved in Episode 2—they’re even back in their standard outfits, with the cool, unique, badass outfits that they wore for an episode and a half completely ditched, forgotten, and never brought up again.

None of that mattered. We went nowhere.

Alright, now that I’m good and mad, let’s continue with the scene.

Y: Don’t forget about their missing military tech, too.

I’m fine! I’m cool, I’m calm, I’m fine!

(for reference here, the recap before, I had gone into an extended rant about how Torchwick just having a gigantic military mech made no sense, since it's not feasible for him to steal it undetected with his level of resources, and how barreling down a public interstate in it with the White Fang emblem stamped on it pretty much broadcasted his location and claimed the carnage so that it couldn't even be used to sow distrust against Ironwood).

When Blake protests that there’s still unanswered questions, Ruby responds that she won’t find any answers if she can’t even stay awake. Yang reiterates that they want her to relax a bit for one day, and Weiss insists it’ll be fun—because after all, Weiss and Yang are going to make sure of it! You see, they’re planning the whole event!

Yes, Yang said that verbatim. They—two girls—are planning a school event comprising not just the hundreds of students living at their campus, but hundreds more students coming in from three other countries! Sorry, I’m not letting you get away with that.

Ill Logic: 16

It isn’t alleviated by the fact that the event was originally being managed by four students instead of a mere two. Weiss mentions that upperclassmen team CFVY (pronounced “coffee”) aren’t back from their mission yet, so she and Yang were asked to pick up where they left off. Weiss promises that after the dance, they can return to their regularly scheduled business, nose in Torchwick’s business and all.

B: I think this is a colossal waste of time.

She gets up and strides out, mentioning that she’ll be in the library, with her team bemoaning that she can’t keep going like this.

But enough about that! There’s a knock on the door, and Weiss answers it. Guess who it is!

What he’s here for is obvious before he even says it. Weiss shuts the door in his face, and he knocks again, begging that she open it, and promising not to sing.

J: I lied!

W: [facepalming]

J: Weiss Sch-nee! ♪ Will you accompany me? ♪ To the daaaaance on! ♪ Sunday? ♪

W: Are you done?

J: ...Yes?

W: No. [she shuts the door in his face, then turns to her teammates] ...What?

Y: And that, is why they call you the ice queen.

W: All my life, boys have only cared about the perks of my last name. [crossing her arms and turning away] Besides, I already have a date in mind.

R: Date or no date, none of this will matter if we can’t get Blake to go.

The scene here ends on a zoom-in towards the sky outside the open window. But first…You didn’t think we were going to escape this shit without a little commentary on boundaries, did you?

Mkay. We’re not quite done with this issue, but we may as well do this—you may be flashing back to the first interaction Weiss actually had with Jaune, and his very pushy and rude flirting in the same scene. I mentioned there that it translated worse when written than watched, and could easily be brushed off as harmless even though it wasn’t. There is no such allowance here.

We’ve already established, through that scene and through the recent cold shoulder she gave him in class, that Weiss has no interest in Jaune’s time. Trying to ask her out to a dance, therefore, is a bad idea, but not necessarily a full-stop no-bad-wrong. Once she made it clear via door slam that she still wasn’t interested, that was the official cutoff, and any further pursuit should’ve been given up. He continues to pester her, and then she still gives him the official “No”.

If, like me, you mis-remembered this as Jaune asking her out like four or five times past a clear “No”, don’t worry, there’s still more to talk about. Because while Jaune is still over the line—

Jaune: 8

—what the real issue here is, is the framing of Weiss’ answer. See, it’s not because Jaune has qualities that turn Weiss off, or that his behavior is bad, or even that she simply doesn’t want to go to the dance—it’s that she assumes that Jaune only wants her because she’s the illustrious Schnee heiress. It is framed as though Weiss’ ‘no’ to Jaune is simply one of caution rather than actual disinterest in him—as though he ‘deserves a chance’, and the only reason he isn’t getting one is because a) Weiss made the wrong assumption and b) she already has the spot filled.

The problem is that Weiss doesn’t need a reason. She may hate Jaune’s guts, or may be head-over-heels with him. She may simply find him unattractive, or may simply not enjoy his company. She may not enjoy dances on principle. She may already have a date, or may not. She may have no reason whatsoever to say no to Jaune.

And she can still say no to him, and deserves to have that respected. Because a girl doesn’t need a ‘good’ reason to reject a guy. The ‘no’ is the beginning, middle, and end. She says no, and that’s that.

Fauxminism: 6

There’s shades of this with Blake, too, mind, what with her team trying to push her to go to a dance she has no interest in. Blake may, like myself, simply not find dances enjoyable and want to skip it, regardless of whatever turmoil is causing her to lose sleep, but this passes just a tad more easily because her physical health and mindset are clearly not their best.

Back to the next scene. We are shown Jaune training with Pyrrha. Both of them are wielding their swords with both hands and have gone shieldless, so Pyrrha seems to be teaching him the basics. He presses her into a couple of sword locks, before she sweeps his legs out from under him with her own. She laughs, and compliments how much his swordplay has improved, extending a hand to help him up (while a very creepy but un-commented-on green glow emanates from the headmaster’s tower in the background).

She asks if he wants to go ahead with Aura training, and Jaune hesitantly wonders about skipping that for tonight. She recommends he keep at it, and that she’s sure they’ll discover his Semblance in no time (hinting for the audience that one is attached to the other). Jaune dismisses this as the problem, saying “It’s dumb”. Pyrrha presses him when he clams up, and he admits he wants time to lament about Weiss.

What about her, Pyrrha asks, and he confesses he asked her to the dance and she promptly shut him down. Pyrrha, quite stiffly, mentions that there’s plenty of fish, as the saying goes. Easy for her to say, he says, since she probably has guys falling over themselves in line to hit that up. She subtly hints that this isn’t the case, only to be blown off. If she doesn’t get a date to the dance, he says, he’ll wear a dress.

Wait for it. I’ll comment on it in time.

Pyrrha gives Jaune’s retreating back the solemn gaze of the unrequited crush, and all I can do is question her taste, which I will do in detail soon enough.

The next scene we cut to is the dorm room where Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury are staying. They’re commenting on ‘the invincible girl’, Pyrrha Nikos, who Mercury appears to have figured out. He and Emerald explain that her semblance is ‘polarity’, but she hides it well, using it to manipulate combat in her favor in subtle ways that won’t be noticed if you aren’t looking. In this way, she creates the impression that she really is untouchable in combat on skill alone, rather than because most fighters would realistically be helpless against her.

We will ask a question now: if Pyrrha’s so good at being subtle about her abilities, why did she magically wave Mercury’s foot away from her face rather than simply catching it? She proved she was capable of doing just that. One looks significantly less suspect than the other, and likely wouldn’t have actually been caught by Mercury’s oh-so-clever analysis!

Ill Logic: 17

Your Fight Scene Sucks: 10

C: People assume she’s fated for victory, when she’s taken fate into her own hands. Interesting. Add her to the list.

How very ominous. Mercury mentions that Cinder should be able to take her easily, and she adopts a more serious demeanor as she declares that it’s not about overpowering the enemy, but taking away what power they have. How different those two things really are, in this context or any, is something I’ll leave up to readers.

When Mercury bemoans more waiting around, Cinder mentions a ‘fun weekend’ in store for them, while holding up a needle she’s using to sew something. The episode ends.

Before I move on to the next episode, I need to air an issue I’ve been saving since the beginning of this one, and I will preface it with an apology, because one last time, I’m about to use the j-word: juvenile.

It took me a while to find that word, you know, when I was first outlining a spork of this animation, and when I was searching for and finally settled on it, I was thinking of this plot point right here, and nothing else. It didn’t occur to me until I was actually writing the recaps for the preceding episodes just how many times I could, and would, apply that word.

And it does occasionally hit me that I may come off as snobbish or elitist for that, and I apologize if so. I promise that’s not my intention. I’m not some fun-hating asshat that takes issue with a show being accessible to kids and not being filled with blood and gore and sex and f-bombs. I’m not trying to put RWBY ‘beneath’ me.

But there is nonetheless a problem with how this show is treading its water. There are certain things the audience is expecting, was expecting, and some they most certainly weren’t—and probably didn’t welcome. And as for me, I would call this one of them. Let’s lay our cards on the table here: we now have a dance arc to sit through. Dance arcs are restricted, generally speaking, to a few different settings, and it’s rather difficult to make most of them cross over with the dramatic, monster-slaying world of Remnant. And failing the one, rather more flexible type of dance arc—the whole ‘regal, fancy high-society ball’ type—we instead are being handed the other type. Say it with me now, what we’ve really got is a prom arc.

I cannot fucking stand the prom arc.

Suppose for a minute that I did enjoy high-school shows, of which the prom arc is the most standard, inseparable staple. Regardless of the fact that I detest them in general, there are interesting things you can do in a high school setting, especially if there are fantasy elements involved. If binging Supernatural doesn’t scar me deeply enough by the time I’m done, hell, the one I’ll probably move on to is Teen Wolf, in which I understand this problem to have reared its ugly head. The prom arc is emblematic of both high school shows and what ends up being wrong with most of them, in that it’s the least interesting thing you can possibly show me.

Absent any monster-slaying or teens with superpowers, maybe on occasion I can still get invested in a plot about how some chick is trying to hide her pregnancy, about how a bully gets his due (one we had in this show, as it happens!), or how some kid getting in with the wrong crowd tries to get out before it destroys his life. To say nothing of the oft-ignored or mishandled potential of trying to watch teens struggle through things like sexuality or gender, which more and more of us could relate to and want to see. And yes, even that is relevant to what I will say later on.

The fact of the matter is, ‘who is taking who to prom? Tee-hee! Ooooh!’ is the plot point that is both the least interesting and the one that often takes up way too much time and attention. It’s tired, annoying, endlessly-retreaded, boring…and now we have one right here.

Coming right off the heels of Torchwick chasing gun-and-sword-wielding teens down a crowded freeway and the large-scale implications Blake keeps babbling about, why should we disagree with her assessment of this? Why on earth would we care about some freaking prom? Do we not have a million more interesting things to look at?!

And don’t think that it ends with me calling this farce for what it is. There’s also the fact that it doesn’t make sense. This prom is happening on the heels of a bazillion exchange students arriving to stay on campus.

Really? You want to ask hundreds of people who are unfamiliar with the city and have never been here before to try and find dates, ostensibly with people from other countries that they hardly know, when they barely know their way around? That makes sense to you? Someone should bitch slap Ozpin upside the head for thinking that’s a good idea.

Ill Logic: 18

It’s not getting Reliable Leader points because I can’t prove it was him that organized it, but it’s still a terrible idea nonetheless. Whatever, let’s move along.

V2E6, “Burning the Candle”

We open on Ruby sitting at a table when set upon by Weiss, asking her opinion: which tablecloth should she go with? But they’re both the same, and Weiss leaves in a huff when this is pointed out. Yang is carrying a huge amp and sets it down with a colossal thud. She asks if Ruby has picked out her dress yet, and Ruby, incredibly down in the dumps, asks what the point is if Blake isn’t going.

You have a weird fixation on Blake attending a very pointless event, you know that? Do you have some terminal inability to enjoy anything if it isn’t being done with your whole teeeeaaam? I’m gonna start calling you Esme.

Yang waves this off: don’t worry, Ruby, Blake’s going! Said with a confident smirk, which given Yang’s track record with coercion so far, does not make me think the things I imagine Rooster Teeth wanted me to think, so great work there. She then snaps at Weiss that she doesn’t want doilies everywhere. No doilies, no fog machines, Weiss answers.

This leads to a comment from Neptune, who walks in with Sun. Lovely to see you two again, did you ever find your missing two team members? No? Sorry to hear that, keep at it! Neptune thinks this might be pretty cool, and Sun asks if the ladies are all ready for ‘dress-up’. Ruby is not as enthused as Yang and Weiss are at the idea of getting all dolled up to turn heads. So what are they going to be wearing, the latter asks?

S: Pfft, uhhh, this?

Before I can point out that this is yet another detail implying that Sun is poor, Neptune tries to wave him off, but Sun will not be ignored. He mentions that, despite having moved to Mistral, he grew up in Vacuo, which viewers will by now understand to be a desert nation and rather dangerous.

S: It’s not exactly a shirt-and-tie kind of place.

Y: Yeah, we’ve noticed.

Holding my tongue here.

Sun, visibly uncomfortable, asks what Blake thinks of all this, and if she’s still in her ill mood, and they confirm that she is. Yang, again all a-smirking, says to just trust her, because Blake will definitely be at the dance tomorrow. Whatever could she mean?

She means racism, of course! See, in the next scene, she’s got a laser pointer, and interrupts Blake’s time poring over a library computer by bothering her with it until she gives in and tries to follow it to the source. It is an extended sequence and very uncomfortable. Remember: this would not matter if Blake was just a cat person, and cat people and humans coexisted with nothing else said about it. But the faunus in this show are explicit stand-ins for people of color! So this joke is unfunny and offensive by default. Imagine if some black kid was hanging out on the computer and some rudeass white kid started trying to dangle fried chicken or watermelon in front of them, ‘cause black people love that stuff, right? Ha. Ha. Ha. So very funny.

RSVP: 22

When Blake finally finds Yang holding the laser pointer, the latter drags her off by the arm, claiming they ‘need to talk’ and no, it’s not funny. Cut to the next scene!

Lie Ren walks out of the JNPR dorm’s bathroom wearing only a towel. In the exact same manner, Jaune comes out of nowhere and grabs him by the arm, claiming they need to talk. Ha, funny, hee.

J: Ren…I’m just gonna come out and say it. You…are one of my best friends. These past few months, I feel like we’ve really bonded! Even though...you don’t say much. I mean, you’re really quiet. To be perfectly honest, I don’t know that much about you personally...but darn it, I consider you to be the brother I never had!

R: [still in a towel and visibly uncomfortable] ...And I you.

J: Which is why I wanted to get your advice on...girls!

I love when racism is followed by good old-fashioned homophobia! Because yes, that’s what this is. The fact that Ren’s in a towel and Jaune starts by using language like “you’re one of my best friends” and the ever-suspect “come out and say it” make it clear that this is obviously a funny joke meant to make the audience laugh because oh, he sounds like he’s about to confess his love to another man! Isn’t that funny?!

*icily* Miles Luna, you see this big fat dick? Eat me. It’s fucking scary as hell for gay people trying to approach love and you don’t get to make us the butt of your jokes.

And for the record, no, I don’t think that was a one-off. See, people watching RWBY had, before Volume 2 even aired, asked about the topic of sexuality within this show. They wanted to know...well, mostly whether their favorite ships were gonna happen, but beyond that, they wanted to know whether Rooster Teeth intended to display non-heterosexual identities and how they felt about doing so. Monty went on record and assured them the characters would figure that sort of thing out under their own power and on their own time, and that it would not be brushed aside but also wouldn’t be a huge part of the story. So by this point, Rooster Teeth are already aware they had an LGBT audience...and this little scene still got greenlit.

Malevolent? Malicious? No and no. But abso-fucking-lutely in poor taste? Definitely so.

Jaune eventually says that he wants to know how Ren and Nora got together, only for them both to uncomfortably clarify that they’re not a couple. He urges her to put her headphones back on, since obviously he wanted Ren’s opinion on this and not hers. Dick. Ren asks him what this is about.

J: It’s Weiss. I’m completely head-over-heels for her, and she won’t even give me a chance. She’s cold, but…she’s also incredible. She’s smart, graceful, and talented...I mean, have you heard her sing? I just wish she’d take me seriously, you know? I wish I could tell her how I feel, without messing it all up.

Yes, we are still not done with this tiresome matter.

First, this was clearly an attempt to back up what I said above: it’s all a misunderstanding! Jaune doesn’t want her because she’s a Schnee, (or just because she’s hot), he’ll have you know! It has nothing to do with superficial qualities like her money (or her hotness). It’s all about those other not-at-all-superficial qualities like how graceful she is, what a beautiful voice she has, and uhh, what was that last one? Oh yeah, how smart she is! Notice that Jaune said nothing that actually indicated he knows her. Is she a kind person? Does she have passion or drive? Does she care about others? Does she put forth effort to be the best she can be and make every day great? What are her interests and hobbies? The best you could say is that ‘smart’ technically isn’t superficial, but it’s one short step away from ‘aw yeah, she’s got a brain to go with those hot titties!’

This was clearly a transparent attempt to smooth over burgeoning distaste for Jaune and his interactions with women, so it’s getting two points, and one of them is our very first!

Jaune: 9

Band-Aid Brigade: 1

Moving on. Pyrrha cuts in, telling Jaune that if he really feels that way about Weiss, he should just tell her. No schemes, no pick-up lines, just honesty.

P: Jaune. You can’t get it wrong if it’s the truth!

I beg to differ! He can get it very wrong! He’s gonna show us that much very soon!

But Jaune likes this advice and hurries out, leaving Nora to sadly advise Pyrrha to practice what she preaches.

Now we cut back to Blake and Yang. They are occupying some unused theater classroom, with Yang sitting cross-legged on the teacher’s desk and Blake pacing back and forth with her arms crossed. Blake insists that they can’t afford to slow down, while Yang says that taking a break isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. At Yang’s invitation, Blake reluctantly sits down to listen to her story.

Cuz it’s story time!

Y: Ruby and I grew up in Patch, an island just off the coast of Vale. Our parents were Huntsmen. Our dad taught at Signal, and our mom would take on missions around the kingdom. Her name was Summer Rose. And she was like...Super-Mom. Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters. And then...one day she left for a mission and never came back. It was tough. Ruby was really torn up, but…I think she was still too young to really get what was going on, you know? And my dad just kinda...shut down. It wasn’t long before I learnt why. Summer wasn’t the first love he’d lost. She was the second. The first was my mom. He wouldn’t tell me everything. But I learnt that they had been on a team together with Summer and Qrow. And that she’d left me with him just after I was born. No one had seen her since.

Yes, this is belated Yang Time. Pay careful attention to what she said here. I’ll be talking about it in just a minute.

Blake asks why Yang’s birth mother left. Yang answers that it’s that exact question that ate at her as a kid and drove her to find out why. We transfer to art deco as Yang delves deeper into her backstory. She found a clue, she describes, while the art deco shows us a picture in a broken picture frame, that she thought would lead her to her mother or answers thereabouts.

Y: I waited for Dad to leave the house, put Ruby in a wagon, and headed out. I must’ve walked for hours. I had cuts and bruises, was totally exhausted…but I wasn’t gonna let anything stop me. When we finally got there, I could barely stand. But I didn’t care. I had made it. And then I saw them. Those burning red eyes. There we were. A toddler asleep in the back of a wagon and a stupid girl too exhausted to even cry for help. We might as well have been served on a silver platter. But, as luck would have it...our uncle showed up just in time. My stubbornness should’ve gotten us killed that night.

The bolded material, this time, is for me. First, I know a lot of you will expect me to comment on Yang’s parents and what they’re like, and on this matter, one in particular. But please wait. Give it time—there is an appropriate moment to talk about this, and you need the full effect. For now, let’s just focus on the first one: Ruby.

In addition to Yang Time, we now have our very first details about Ruby’s mother, Summer Rose! Fans had been itching to hear about this ever since that extremely loaded song, Red Like Roses Part II, debuted in Volume 1. A dark past, trauma, a desire to know why her protectorate left her...and then we find out Ruby was too young to understand Summer dying. That handily puts a stopper in any of that juicy development we were kind of relying on for Ruby, not to mention any development of it in the future, too. It’s not as though it doesn’t make sense for Yang to angst about a missing mother as much as Ruby, but this kind of locks it onto Yang and away from Ruby. And with Yang focusing on her birth mother over Summer, that means Summer will continue to be unexplored. And Rooster Teeth will continue to fumble this going ahead.

At the end of this story, Blake makes a very good point: these situations are not the same, and she is not a child with no sense of scope. Yang, gripping the desk rather hard, reiterates that she isn’t telling Blake to stop. After all, she herself hasn’t—she’s still looking for details about her birth mother. The difference is, she doesn’t let the search control her, which is what she wants for Blake. Blake insists that she doesn’t understand. That she’s the only one who can fight this. Why…? I’m not sure. Perhaps you guys need to see how this goes down:

Y: No, you don’t understand! If Roman Torchwick walked through that door, what would you do?

B: I’d fight him!

Y: You’d lose!

B: I’d stop him!

Y: You can’t even stop me!

I’m not of the opinion that Yang shoving Blake necessarily constitutes abuse, or even just an unhealthy scenario. Certainly I wouldn’t do it, but Yang is supposed to personify ‘tough love’, and she’s right: Blake is literally running on fumes and would suck ass if the time came for her to get what she wants. That said, this is another one of those Yang ThingsTM that looks way worse when considering prior missteps surrounding her. Fortunately, I think this is one Rooster Teeth actually caught onto in time—but that’s for later.

Yang gives Blake a hug, reiterating one more time that even though she supports what Blake wants, the way she’s going about it is self-destructive. And that’s why they want her to get some rest, for both her and the people she cares about. And...maybe try and head to the big event tomorrow, if she feels up to it? Yang’ll save her a dance, she says. They both leave, allowing us to get a good look at the winged gear emblem Yang was drawing on the chalk board.

(I will, even with what I said earlier, condemn anyone that, like Certain People Back in the Day, has the audacity to say this would’ve been a perfect time for them to kiss or for Yang to ask Blake to the dance. That turns what is framed as a gentle suggestion into the sort of thing that you do not do to an emotionally unstable and hurting person. You wait ‘til a person is stable and in good health to put the moves on them or you face my fiery wrath.)

That was pretty okay. A bit belated, and a bit of a forced fit for Blake’s problem, but we did indeed get two things I said we needed in my Volume 1 Final Thoughts—in-depth Yang characterization and one-on-one interaction with her team members. Here, have a cookie.

We cut to Jaune strolling down the sidewalk with a big ol’ smile on his face, holding a white flower and yes, he is doing exactly what he shouldn’t be doing—!

Jaune: 10

Pyrrha, I gotta pin this one on you. You were in the room when Jaune said he got turned down, why did you encourage this?

Yes, he’s off to go announce his feelings for Weiss! On...the night before the dance. And unless I’m just dumb, hoping to get a date with her. But his attempt is, as we already know, doomed. Jaune passes an alleyway, only to hear Weiss’ voice...calling Neptune’s name. Peeking around a corner, he (and we) watch Weiss catch up with the man himself, who asks what’s up.

W: I know this is a little...unorthodox, but…I wanted to ask you something. Would you...like to accompany me to the dance tomorrow?

Neptune’s hand is behind his head in apparent recognition of how ‘unorthodox’ this is. Jaune, crushed, backs away from the alley and goes back to his dorm, the flower discarded, and since he didn’t stick around to see Neptune’s answer, neither do we.

We cut to the very next night, where the dance is happening indoors. Yang, in a very untypical plain white dress and heels, is hosting, and yes, before you ask, every single one of the couples in view behind her is visibly a man/woman pairing. The latest visitor Yang welcomes is her very own sister Ruby, who she gushes over for having gotten all prettied up, including heels. Ruby would like to complain about those in particular, lampshading Weiss’ uncanny ability to fight in them. We then cut to Sun.

Sun is wearing…black? His tail is swinging behind him and we see that he’s swapped out his white jacket and lack of shirt for an identical jacket in black, this time buttoned up just high enough to let him display his necklace, and that he’s also wearing a white tie, which he is very unfamiliar with and struggling in. Behind him, a quiet voice reaches him:

B: I knew you’d look better with a tie.

Awwww!

She takes his arm, and he asks if this means they’re going, yanno, together. Technically yes, Blake says, though her first dance is spoken for.

Cutting back to the dance, we get a lovely view of all of those cookie-cutter heterosexual couples dancing, before...

…Blake finishes one dance, and starts another.

*tapping a foil scraper on the desk* Yes, I know I was a tad snide about the background characters, but we got the important bits here with the main characters. Via Blake dancing with Yang, we are being shown that it’s not a stigma for people of the same sex to dance together, even if they’re not there as a date, so to speak. I’m not going to call that an accident, because that was the purpose of the scene and that’s what it did. I am going to call this dangerous, because even if the intent was clean and hit the mark for once, this also adds potential energy to a burgeoning fandom war.

See, what they aimed for was “Same-sex couples can go to the prom dance!” And they got that. They did. Laud them for it. What they also got was “Blake and Yang went to the prom dance—right before she got together with Sun!”

Yang bows out, Sun steps in. I’ve already commented on the...particular energies of certain shippers in this fandom. I also mentioned that, with the somewhat-too-close relationship Rooster Teeth have with their fans, and the way they like to eat away at what gap there is between them, they can invite bad things. A lot of people were not happy with how Sun, the resident love interest, was still ‘getting the girl’. And yeah, that’s entirely on them—shippers take things too seriously and get very up in arms over shit that doesn’t matter. We know that, that’s what they do. But things like this stoke the eventual fires that break out. I, personally, would’ve had Blake dance with a woman that wasn’t the other half of the biggest ship in fandom at the time—Pyrrha or Weiss, perhaps—but I’m not going to berate RT for not thinking to do that.

Enough about that, though. Sun and Blake are very cute dancing together, as commented on by the others, who are very happy that Blake is happy and is going so far as to laugh, apparently having gotten some rest and improved.

When Ruby asks what they do now, Yang just tells her to have fun before walking off, as does Weiss. She’s left alone to complain about her dumb stilt heels she can barely walk in. The music takes on a twinkling tone as Ozpin shows up, asking if she’s not enjoying herself.

They talk about nothing. No, I’m serious, nothing of any importance is being said here. Ozpin and Ruby bemoan that life is more than just fighting, Ozpin says fighting and dancing aren’t that different, and then muses on bonds becoming stronger. I think he showed up just to give this closing line:

Oz: Nights like these are ones we’ll never forget.

Yang then welcomes in two more guests—Emerald and Mercury.

The episode ends. And so does this post—unfortunately, this arc has to be split in two as well. Like the last one, it’s a bunch of little annoying fails leading up to a huge fail-fest that will get me absolutely furious and chatty about it. Then we’ll do the World of Remnants, and then the last arc, which will take...three posts? Maybe four?

Counts:

Jaune: 10 It Was Right There: 3 Fauxminism: 6 Hypocrisy: 1 Ice Cream Queens: 0 Reliable Leaders: 4 Prowling Wolf Fallacy: 0 Threatening Enemies: 2 Love to Be a Part of It Someday: 10 Your Fight Scene Sucks: 10 + 2 Evisceration Evasion: 2 Ill Logic: 18 Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Veil: 4 + 1 Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge: 0 Band-Aid Brigade: 1 RSVP: 22 Road to Nowhere: 6 Y.A.S. Queen: 3

#rwde #rwby #asks

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