#as far as their craft type...why would an assassin EVER use protecting craft...that would be quite odd dont you think?

[dekupalace]

hi hello.. is stardust's type Rock ... 'cause y'know the king's type is rock n stuff... okay bye!! also i have no idea who stardust is

hi lantern!! stardust is the non-canon family bonds version of loop! there's actually a channel about them in the server c: !!! it's stardust-sweep lmao

I've also talked about them a handful of times on here, just check the busy.🐝 tag (you can click/tap the one on this post it's easier)

[snowdice]

Little Kestrel (Part 14)[Birds of Different Feathers Series]

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Relationships: Logan & Patton & Virgil (future Virgil/Patton but not in this story)

Characters:

Main: Logan, Patton, Virgil

Appear: Thomas

Mentioned: Janus

Summary:

It was supposed to be a quick job either way. Either Virgil would assassinate King Thomas of Prijaznia or he’d be caught and get executed. Yet, when Virgil gets the wrong bedroom and gets caught by Prince Logan and his future royal advisor, Patton, the job ends up getting way more complicated for the 14-year-old. He also ends up sleeping in a (actually pretty comfortable) closet for a few weeks…

Notes: Implied/referenced child abuse, assassination attempt, knives, torture mentioned, captivity, teenagers being really dumb

This is a prequel to Kill Dear. I wrote it 100 words at a time on my blog, but this is the edited version. If you want to see how it was crafted, look at the tag proofread stories.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13

“So then,” Patton was saying. “We ran to the stables.”

“We went to gazebo first,” Logan cut in.

“Right, we tried to go to the gazebo first,” Patton corrected, “but Mr. Deknis was over there tending to the tomatoes, and we knew he’d tell Mama the second he saw us. So, then we turned around and went to the stables.”

Virgil tilted his head, listening to the story Patton was telling. Patton was not the best storyteller. He tended to get lost in the middle and embellish, though Logan always corrected him. It was still very entertaining to watch though because he got incredibly animated. He’d even toppled himself over in excitement a couple of times.

Virgil squeezed the small pillow he had in his lap. He… wasn’t 100% sure what was going on. Logan and Patton had settled him on the blanket covered ground near Logan’s bed and proceeded to feed him snacks and talk about a lot of different things. It had started with them talking about what they’d done that day, and when Patton had made reference to something Virgil hadn’t understood, the two of them ended up talking about things from their childhood.

Virgil found himself entranced by their stories about playing in and running around the castle. It was all so different from what Virgil had experienced.

“…but, right as we were about to get to the ladder to climb up into the hay loft, Logan tripped!” Patton said, arms whipping around him. “He fell into a container of grain for the horses and it spilled all over the place. He tried to get up but grabbed the edge of the water trough and apparently it wasn’t very secure because it fell over and soaked him. So, then he was wet and covered in grain. He looked hilarious.”

“I did not!” Logan protested, but it did not sound like all of the other times he’d corrected Patton’s stories that night.

Patton looked over at him. “You did! You woke up the cute stable hand and he laughed himself silly at you, and by the time we got you even partially cleaned up, your dad had already found us. That’s how we got caught.”

“I have no recollection of these events,” Logan clearly lied, his cheeks a bit flushed.

“Liar,” Patton claimed. “You complained about picking grain out of your sheets for weeks.”

“No,” Logan growled.

“Yes! It’s okay. It was a good laugh.”

Logan’s eyes narrowed on him, and he looked pissed, but a second later, his expression lightened up. “You know what else was a ‘good laugh’?” he asked.

There was a second of silence before…

“Don’t you dare Logan.”

Logan looked Patton directly in the eye. “Patton was thirteen,” Logan started, but was interrupted the next moment when Patton lobbed a pillow at his head. Logan grabbed the pillow and leaned forward to smack Patton back with it. “He was thirteen and had just ‘discovered boys’ as his mother and my father called it when they attempted to explain his behavior to me. The focus of said ‘discovering’ at the time was the son of an ambassador from Lamir” who was staying for the summer, a seventeen-year-old boy by the name Bernardo.”

Virgil flinched back as Patton suddenly threw himself across the semicircle they’d made with their bodies to tackle Logan to the ground. He watched as they ineffectually wrestled on the ground for a few seconds before Logan, voice strained, continued to speak, while battling Patton’s hands away from his mouth.

“Patton’s only knowledge about flirting… ow… at that point was laughing at everything someone said and touching their arms and shoulders.” Logan managed to flip himself onto his stomach which was a horrible move as far as Virgil was concerned. It put him at a disadvantage to get out of the pin. However, Patton just kept reaching for his mouth and didn’t bare down on his neck to try to cut off his oxygen like Virgil expected. So, perhaps it was a rational move. “Our parents were speaking leaving Patton, Bernardo, and I in the garden,” Logan mumbled into the ground. “Bernardo said something ‘funny’ and Patton went to slap his shoulder while laughing but shoved too hard… Patton did you just lick my face?!”

“And I’ll do it again if you don’t shut up!” Patton threatened. That was a… weird fighting strategy.

Logan paused to consider his options. “He shoved Bernardo into the fountain and when Bernardo asked him why he did that, he ran away and wouldn’t talk to him the rest of the summer!” Logan rushed out.

Patton reached over and grabbed the nearest pillow, proceeding to whack him viciously in the back of the head. Logan was lucky the nearest object was a pillow and not something any sturdier. “It’s not funny!” Patton yelled, smacking him even more, which was when Virgil realized Logan was laughing despite the pinning and pillow pummeling. “It’s not!” Patton said. “I really liked him!!”

“He was seventeen!” Logan said. “It was never going to happen!”

Patton groaned and rolled off of Logan to lay on his back and stare at the ceiling. “But he had so many muscles,” Patton said. “He probably could have thrown me 10 yards.”

“And that is… a benefit?” Logan asked, rolling over onto his side to face him.

“You don’t. Get me.” Patton tilted his head to look at Virgil. “Anyway,” he said. “That is the story of how I died at 13.”

Virgil stared at him, and Patton’s forehead crinkled looking at him.

“Is something wrong, honey?” he asked.

 “What was that?” Virgil asked.

“What was what?”

Virgil just blinked at him. Patton seemed to think for a moment.

“Oh, did you think we were fighting?” Patton asked. “Like, really fighting?”

“You weren’t fighting?” Virgil asked.

“No, sweetie,” Patton said. “We were just playing.” He popped up into a sitting position. “Well, play fighting, but emphasis on play!”

Virgil looked over at Logan for confirmation. “No one is harmed nor was there any intention to harm each other,” he assured.

Patton grabbed the pillow he’d been smacking Logan with. “Like this!” he said. “Bap.” Unlike how he’d smacked Logan ruthlessly, he basically just touched Virgil’s shoulder with it.

Virgil squinted at him.

“Bap!” Patton said again, smacking him once more, this time with a little bit more force and on the cheek. Virgil’s nose scrunched up. “Pillow fight!”

“Pillow fight?”

“You try,” he said, pointing to the pillow in Virgil’s lap.

Virgil glanced down at the bands around his wrist. “Um…” he said. “I don’t think I can?”

“Oh, right,” Patton said with a frown. He bit his lip and glanced over at Logan. “Maybe…”

“Ill-advised,” Logan said.

“But…” Patton said. “Pillow fight.”

“We would have to be very cautious and make sure there were no weapons in the area.”

“No weapons but pillows!”

“Fine,” Logan relented to whatever was going on. “Let’s clear the area.” Virgil watched them with mounting confusion as they removed everything within a few meters radius of him except for pillows and blankets.

“There!” Patton said after a minute. “All done!”

“What are you doing?” Virgil said.

“We’re going to have a pillow fight,” Patton said.

“But I…”

“We’ll temporarily allow your restraints to be in the third setting like when you’re in the closet.”

Were they serious? Were they stupid? Virgil could have killed them dozens of times with the second setting and now they were giving him even more range of motion?

“You have to promise not to try to hurt anyone though,” Patton said. Virgil stared at him dumbly, as Patton held out his pinky finger. “Pinky promise.”

“Pinky promise?”

Patton nodded solemnly. “We lock pinky fingers and make a promise. It’s the most binding promise in the universe.”

Virgil looked at his finger, confused. He’d never heard of that type of deal. “What kind of magic is it?”

“No magic,” Patton said. “Just friendship.” Virgil tilted his head but brought his hand up so Patton could twine their fingers together. “Now, promise you won’t hurt anyone.”

“I promise I won’t hurt anyone,” he said.

“It’s a deal!” said Patton, squeezing Virgil’s finger with his own briefly before drawing away. “I trust you.” Virgil felt a rush of something that was no type of magic he’d ever come into contact before but was definitely far more powerful.

Logan came over to them and waved his hand over the restraints on Virgil. They buzzed slightly and Virgil looked between them. “So, I just hit you with pillows?”

“Try not to hit too hard near the face, and Lo and I should probably take off our glasses before we start, but yeah,” Patton said, taking his glasses off as he said it. It was yet another foolish move on his part. “It’s fun, and it doesn’t hurt.”

“Okay…” Virgil said.

“I will demonstrate,” Logan said as he took a pillow and smacked Patton in the stomach.

“Hey! No fair!” Patton giggled. “We haven’t started yet!” This did not deter Logan however, as he continued to smack Patton with a pillow.

“On the contrary,” he said. “It has started, and we’re getting you first.”

“No,” Patton whined, but the way he crumpled to the ground under the onslaught seemed far too staged to make Virgil worry. He didn’t even try to curl up into a ball or protect his head, just taking the hits and giggling.

Logan looked up at Virgil and motioned with his head. Virgil inched over and looked down at Patton. Logan slowed for a few moments. “Go on,” he urged.

Virgil bit his lip and reached forward to smack Patton lightly with his pillow which seemed to do nothing to him but renew his peels of giggles. From there, it was easy to continue. Logan picked up the pace of his strikes and he and Virgil proceeded to ‘fight’ Patton until he couldn’t breathe through his laughter and pushed the pillows away, curling up on his side to recover. Virgil took the cue from Logan to cease their attack.

“Now what?” Virgil asked when Patton sat up.

“Now I get vengeance!” Patton said, popping to his feet and smacking Logan in the face. “Help me Virgil!” So, Virgil turned on Logan and he and Patton gave the prince the same treatment. Then, because it was only fair, it was Virgil’s turn, though they were a lot more careful with him then they’d been with each other, and really Patton spent more of the time checking in on Virgil then actually hitting him with the pillow. It was nice. Fun. And when Virgil pushed them away, they pulled back.

Then, it was Patton’s turn again and they went around teaming up on each other and sometimes just smacking at each other at random.

Eventually, they slowed, and all ended up laying near each other on the floor.

“Well, that made me hungry,” Patton said, sitting up and stretching. “I asked Mama to make us a bunch of mini sandwiches. I’ll go get them.”

He hopped to his feet to walk over to where they’d stored the food earlier in those little glowing magical balls Logan had for food preservation.

Logan and Virgil sat up too, and Virgil offered him his wrists.

“Right,” Logan said with a blink. He made a motion and Virgil could feel the magic weighing down his hands once again. He’d almost forgotten, Virgil thought with an internal sigh. They’d given an assassin free range of motion, had a pillow fight with him, and almost forgotten to restrain him again. What was Virgil going to do with these idiots?

Want to read more? Click below!

AO3 Part 15

[ravnicaforgoblins]

Ravnica for Goblins

One-Shots and Story Hooks

One thing Ravnica campaigns are rarely without is conflict. On a good day, somewhere between nine and ten of the Guilds will be having an issue with one another in some way, shape, or form. This is good for adventuring parties because it means there’s always something to do. While coming up with a session can literally be as simple as picking two Guilds and building off their general reasons for not liking each other (which is as easy as picking a fight on the internet), sometimes you need help. You need something to kickstart those creative ideas again.

Fortunately, the artists over at Wizards of the Coast have had over a dozen sets/releases to craft not just the main storyline of Ravnica, but unique little one-offs as well. They come with absolutely stellar artwork to help build the atmosphere of the City of Guilds, and wonderful bits of flavor text that are prime jumping-off points for your story ideas.

So here are four story hooks taken straight from Ravnica cards to incorporate into your campaign. You don’t have to follow these prompts exactly, but if they spark some ideas of your own, run with them.

Watchwolf

Ravnica can be lonely & intimidating for a Druid. With so much of the world made up of pavement and skyline, one’s connection with nature can feel like a long-distance relationship. You’d be hard-pressed to find a tree outside the Conclave without venturing into Rubblebelt territory. Furthermore, what animals do inhabit the big city have been almost unilaterally conscripted into service by one Guild or another. Azorius hawks, Boros hounds, Gruul boars, Selesnya cattle; to say nothing of the terrifying creations churned out from Guilds like the Simic, Orzhov, or Rakdos.

Even the rats seem to have loyalties.

I was browsing a Tin Street stall for watermelon seeds when I saw it. A wolf, staring right at me from a bridge nearby. I looked around but didn’t see anyone it seemed to belong to. Boros dogs wear armor, Ledev dire wolves are never without their rider, and if it was Gruul it would almost certainly have some sort of clan markings. Could it be a wild one?

Noticing my gaze, the wolf made its way over to me. It avoided the crowd with a comfort you don’t see in wild animals. This wolf definitely belonged to someone in the city.

A few of the merchants were staring at us. Even if it was trained, it was definitely making them nervous. The wolf nipped & tugged at my tunic with its mouth. Not with aggression, but with urgency. Spend enough time with animals, you learn to spot the difference. I bought my seeds, tipped the shopkeep generously, and brought the wolf to a quieter part of the city to speak with it.

Who are you?

Watcher

A watcher? Curious.

What do you need, Watcher?

Help

What help do you need?

Lost

You’re lost?

Watcher shook his muzzle.

Where’s your owner, Watcher?

Taken

Taken? Taken by whom?

Watcher told me.

A what?

Role Reversal

This was definitely one for the books. Even for the Senate, seeing a Sphinx up close is extremely rare. Seeing one at your desk filing a complaint about another Sphinx is unheard of.

“They are Uthlon the Wise. A model among their peers for stoicism, moderation, and sound judgement.”

“And you’re filing a complaint against Uthlon for....”

I checked my notebook.

“....Getting drunk and painting rude words on the temple of Azor.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll look into it.”

I expected a response. There’s always a response when people get angry enough to file a complaint. However, instead of shouting or threats, the Sphinx Agammemnos stepped back from my desk and perched down a few feet away. They were really going to wait there until I looked into this. My lunch was sitting an arm’s reach away. I sighed deeply. I hated this job sometimes.

Then, another Sphinx came in and approached my desk.

“I am here to file a complaint regarding Uthlon the Wise.”

I took my notebook back out.

“For the crime of shouting out ‘River’.”

I had to ask for that one again. Apparently, they were asking someone a riddle, as Sphinxes do, when Uthlon the Wise popped up and shouted the riddle’s answer. For that, I might seek out this Uthlon the Wise for the sole purpose of giving them a medal. No sooner had this thought crossed my mind when another Sphinx, this one rubbing their head and moving as though drunk, wandered in.

“I....am here to....file a complaint.”

“Regarding Uthlon the Wise?”

The Sphinx looked pleased. They do love when someone can guess what they’re thinking.

“Uthlon the Wise hit me over the head with a club.”

I’d just finished writing that down when more Sphinxes came strolling in. I’d never seen this many in one place, not even in Isperia’s court. Then I saw the strangest thing of all. A goblin came in, calmly walked up to my desk, and told me in the best Common I’ve ever heard from a goblin:

"My name is Uthlon the Wise.”

For the love of the Guildpact, what is going on here?

Mass Manipulation

There they are. I thought I made my instructions clear to dress the part. One way you can always spot a Dimir is by their shabby taste. They’re so concerned with being able to keep things hidden in their clothes that they can never wear anything that fits them properly. Orzhov assassins, by contrast, always dress to kill. We turn the art of killing into an actual art. And here this tit comes showing up at the finest diner in the Precinct wearing that awful trenchcoat. Ghosts, I should have hired that Ochran. At least they know not to be seen.

The only reason I’m resorting to this alley skulker is because I need the job done quickly and on the cheap. If this imbecile ruins my appetite, I’m docking the price of the meal from their pay. Then again, if I do that, I wouldn’t be paying them at all.

Seems fair to me.

“Dreadfully sorry I’m late.”

“If this is how you run your business, I may just take mine elsewhere.”

“Now, now, let’s not get hasty.”

The server came over to take our orders, but because of this idiot’s tardiness, my main course would have to wait while they ordered drinks.

“Would you like to see our wine list?”

“Water is fine, thank you.”

Ghosts, I should have hired the Rakdos. This whole day is already a loss and it’s only breakfast. Why did I ever think these fools could be trusted with something important?

The server poured water from the pitcher while I waited.

“So, what’s the job?”

“What’s the job? The job is everything! How you present yourself! How you treat your clients! How you behave in high society! How am I supposed to trust you with a contract when you can’t even show up on time for a breakfast?”

They just sat there, drinking their water. Not even the decency to look ashamed. I’m going to put a word in to the Judge for another purge, this is unacceptable. We shouldn’t have to put up with these dredges.

Finishing their water, they clinked their glass on the table.

The whole diner was suddenly quiet. Not the awkward, shocked quiet of society types pausing to listen. I’ve lived in this city for almost 70 years and I’ve never heard anything like this kind of silence. Every single person froze in their place, some halfway in the motion of eating or talking. Then, every single head turned in our direction at once.

“I was afraid it might come to this. I know you have things to do, so I’ll be brief. When I ask you for the job, I don’t need your background or history and especially not your personal take. I know how uptight you Syndicate types are about contracts & paperwork & details and all that nonsense. I just need the deed and the name of the person it’s being done to. That’s all.”

Every face stares at me with blank captivation. Not a single eye blinks. Not a single mouth draws breath. Including mine.

“But first, let’s talk about the pay. For starters, since the target is probably wealthy enough to afford protection, the rate will double. Second, since you clearly have trouble keeping your mouth shut, you’ll need to be kept under supervision until the job is done, so the rate will double again. Lastly, since the reason I was late was because I was debating whether or not to poison your drink, let’s double it again and call it a deal.”

I swallow hard. I should have never gotten involved with House Dimir.

“Seems fair to me.”

“Excellent. Now, what’s the job?”

Debtors’ Transport

This one will not be easy. This isn’t your standard smash & grab in the Bulwark where the Wojek are too busy busting Gruul skulls to chase after a gang of thieves. Everyone in the city has thought of it at least once; rob the Orzhov. The problem is, everyone knows what happens to anyone who tries; best case execution, worst case servitude. The air surrounding the Orzhov Guildhall is saturated with the ghosts of poor souls still paying off their debts to the Syndicate centuries after death. It’s not a fate you wish unto anyone, least of all yourself.

But still....the temptation is right there. An Orzhov transport, one of those big bloated ones that look like someone took a person, removed their bones, and then blew them up like a balloon. Walking right through the plaza. Every week, same time, same route, same cargo. An enormous sarcophagus filled with more coin than your average Ravnican citizen will see in a lifetime, and the moans of the latest poor soul who fell too far behind on their payments.

From the street separating the haves & have-nots of Precinct Two, around the Hall of the Guildpact in Precinct One, then a straight shot along Plaza Avenue to the Orzhova Church. Roughly one hour to walk five miles of city and deliver the cargo into the greedy hands of the Ghost Council.

They aren’t subtle about their business, but they aren’t subtle about security, either. At least four Advokists and Knights for a light haul, double that for a bigger one, and if they’re really hauling a score you can expect a trio of their fully-plated Giants as well. Not to mention the gargoyles they have perched on roofs for every single street along the route. And the transports themselves aren’t exactly known for being well-tempered when something agitates them.

But you rip off a score like that and your entire crew can afford to buy a mansion on a floating mountain.

Assuming you get away, of course. That’s always the rub. There are few things the Syndicate take more personally than being robbed. You rob a score like that, they don’t just send the Order of Sorrows after you, they send the Angels. The executors of Orzhov justice who don’t sleep, don’t stop for lunch, don’t stop for anything until they find you. At least when the Firemane kill someone it’s an exciting way to go. Better death by immolation than spending every night listening for the sound of feathered wings dropping a scythe down on you.

But if you did it right, made sure no one saw you, made sure no one could trace it back to you, it could be done. It can be done.

But who would be willing to take the risk?

[juviin]

Here’s literally all the rosie lore. 

(template 1) (template 2)

Name: Rosemary Nare Etana Alias: Ro, Rose, Rosie Personality: Rosemary is very open about her emotions. She takes a while to warm up to people, but when she does, she loves people very strongly. Relatives: Father (estranged), Mother (deceased), 4 older siblings, 2 younger siblings. Status: Alive Species: Human Gender: cis female Age: 19 Eyes: Gold Hair: Pink Appearance: Rosemary is 5′5 and has short pink hair. She has two scars, one along her back and one on her lower right abdomen. She also has a tattoo on her calf of a lily. Birthday: July 30th Constellation: Leo Height: 5′5″ or 165 cm Blood Type: O Occupation: Magic Knight -Squad: Black Bulls Country: Clover Affinity: Lava Magic (On a scale of 0-10: 0 being terrible and 10 being the best) Physical Strength 5/10 Magic Amount 7/10 Magic Control 9/10 Magic Sensing 6/10 Cleverness 9/10 Growth 8/10 Equipment: none

(this next one is all in first person which i am NOT used to writing in but...)

Part 1: The Basics

What is your full name?--Rosemary Nare Etana

Where and when were you born?--I was born on July 30th in a large city in the Common Realm, however we moved to a small town shortly after I was born.

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)--

Lily Etana was my mother’s name. She worked several jobs while raising us, like waitressing and being a maid. She was very kind too, but a lot of people took advantage of her for that. I guess that’s why Val and I have taken to being aggressive about how we feel, and aggressive in sticking up for her. When I was 12, an assassin killed her and gave me the scar across my back. I’m sure he was sent by my grandparents, but they played the fool and even sent an advisor to her funeral. Since then, that advisor has scheduled meetings with me monthly to make sure I haven’t told anyone.

My father’s name is Andranik Typhos the fourth? something like that, but I don’t know very much about him. I know he’s a noble, but I’ve never met him. I don’t hear that many complaints about him, and Mother says he was a wonderful gentleman, but I’ve met his parents, and I find it hard to believe that they would raise a lovely son.

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?--I have four! On my mom’s side, at least.

Valerian is the oldest. He’s sixteen years older than me, so he’s a lot more mature than me, and very protective of us younger siblings. He has three kids, too, and his wife is Eli’s cousin. They have been married since I was only three, so she’s been in our lives forever. The two of them basically became my parents after our mother died, so I couldn’t be more grateful to them.

Then is Dahlia. Dahlia is 12 years older than me. She’s very calm, and there have been more than a few times where Valerian has been freaking out and Dahlia always keeps her cool and fixes the problem. She’s the best at makeup.

Basil is in the direct middle, and they’re 9 years older than me. They are very energetic and mischievous. I don’t think Basil wants a spouse, but they’re very dedicated to their craft. I blame them for the multiple scams of my father’s estate, but who’s complaining? Basil also has a scar along  their right cheek, running from their nose to their chin

Azalea is the closest to my age, she’s 25. She’s a lot like our mom. She treats everyone with kindness, but I worry about people taking advantage of her for that.

Also, I know that my father has two children younger than me with his wife, but I’ve never met them and I probably never will.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.--I live with the Black Bulls! The base is really crazy and always changing, but there’s always something going on, so everyday is fun.

What is your occupation?--I’m a Magic Knight, but I have also worked some other jobs in the past.

Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks--I’m 5′5, and around 150lbs. My skin is pale, so I tend to burn very easily, and my eyes are yellow and my hair is pink. I like to wear warm colors and clothes that aren’t very tight, as well as boots. I have two large scars, one is about three inches and is a slash along my stomach, while the other one is about eight inches long and runs across my upper back, both from assassination attempts. I try to hide both of them. I also have one tattoo on my lower calf, so it’s usually covered.

To which social class do you belong?--I believe I’m considered a commoner. I likely wouldn’t be considered a noble unless something happened to my father’s legitimate children, though I have no interest in being taken in by his family. 

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?—I get nosebleeds often because of an injury when i was younger. 

Are you right- or left-handed?—right handed

What does your voice sound like?—If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s medium in pitch and kind of airy. 

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?--nothing particularly?

What do you have in your pockets?—um. a handful of flowers, a pocket watch, and assorted candies. 

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?—I sometimes bite my nails. 

Part 2: Growing Up

How would you describe your childhood in general?--Average for the most part, I’d say. I had a loving mother and 4 great siblings. Still, my mother’s death hit all of us very hard.

What is your earliest memory?--Sadly, my first assassination attempt. That one was when I was around five and it was sent by my father’s family. It gave me the scar on my stomach, and also gave Basil the scar on their face from them protecting me.

How much schooling have you had?--I went to the small schoolhouse in town up until I was 12, and then I started going less so I could work more. 

Did you enjoy school?--I enjoyed learning, but I’ve found that I learn more outside of school.

Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?--I learned basic first aid and how to identify certain plants and herbs from my siblings. I mostly learned battle from experience and assassins.

While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.—my siblings, especially Basil

While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?--We all got along very well as kids, though they were all a lot older than me so that did strain our relationships a bit, especially as the youngest.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?--As a child I wanted to work in medicine, even though my magic is ill suited for it. I only decided that I wanted to become a Magic Knight after my mother’s death.

As a child, what were your favorite activities?—i used to love helping my mother garden. 

As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?--I cried a lot more than I do now. I was always scared, as I knew from a young age that my father’s parents wanted me dead.

As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?--My only friend was really Eli, but she hung out with all the kids from town, so i vaguely knew them.

When and with whom was your first kiss?--also Eli, when we were about 12 and 13.

Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?--I’m not. After Eli left town I kind of lost myself for the next two years until I became a knight. 

Part 3: Past Influences

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?--My mother's death perhaps?

Who has had the most influence on you?--Eli. I think if not for her, I would be a very different person.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?--The amount of nobles I’ve insulted to their faces on official magic knight business.

What is your greatest regret?--being born.

What is the most evil thing you have ever done?--I don’t think I’ve ever done anything “evil”, only some malicious things, but I don’t regret them.

Do you have a criminal record of any kind?--No, but I probably should for extortion.

When was the time you were the most frightened?--The first attempt on my life.

What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?--My elder brother catching me lying about my profession. 

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?—i would be stronger. 

What is your best memory?—probably the first few months with the black bulls. It was genuine happiness for the first time in a while. 

What is your worst memory?—the aftermath of my mother’s death. I don’t remember the actual event, some mix of trauma and head injuries, but I do remember the weeks following. 

Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions

Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?—i think i’m more pessimistic, but i'm trying to be an optimist. 

What is your greatest fear?--My greatest fear is once again being too weak to protect the people that I love. 

What are your religious views?--I’m not religious.

What are your political views?--I think that the Clover Kingdom’s nobility is corrupt, and the whole system needs to be fixed.

What are your views on sex?--I think nothing much of it. 

Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?--I think I’m a hypocrite on this. I think killing is unacceptable, but I wouldn’t hesitate to kill the people that harm the ones I love. 

In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?--In my opinion, the most evil thing one can do is to habitually hurt and abuse others.

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?--No. I don’t think that anything like that is real.

What do you believe makes a successful life?--I think that money plays a large part of success. 

How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?--Very open. My emotions are very easily read.

Do you have any biases or prejudices?--Yeah i hate nobles. 

Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?--I try to stay out of the public eye as best I can. I also refuse to do jobs near my grandparents’ home. 

Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?--Finral or Eli. I’d do anything for them.

Part 5: Relationships With Others

In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?—I try to keep people at a distance, but when I become close to someone, they become one of my People. I’d do anything for the people I’m close to. 

Who is the most important person in your life, and why?--Right now, it’s probably Eli or Finral. They’ve positively affected me in more ways than I can count.

Who is the person you respect the most, and why?—Captain Yami is the person I respect the most. Joining the Black Bulls changed my life so much for the better, and I’m so grateful that he gave me that opportunity.

Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people—Eli is my best friend. She’s loud and always smiling, but I worry about her. I’m also pretty close to Magna.  He’s a great friend and brings out my mischievous side more. 

Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.--Finral is great. He’s a little goofy, but he is very loyal and loving. 

Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.--I think I’m in love right now. 

How close are you to your family?--I’m very close to my older siblings.

Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?--No. I think I’d like to at some point be a mother, but not for a while longer. 

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?--I think I would find it hard to turn to anyone, but if I was so desperate, probably Eli or Magna. I’m too afraid to show Finral my weakness. 

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?--No. I need to be strong enough to protect myself. 

If you died or went missing, who would miss you?--I think that the bulls would. 

Who is the person you despise the most, and why?--My father. My mother spoke kindly of him, but he abandoned her. 

Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?--I argue more.

Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?—depends who I'm with, but I’m more likely to take a leadership role.

Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?—I’d prefer a smaller group, personally, but i’m not bad with large groups. 

Do you care what others think of you?—yes. immensely 

Part 6: Likes And Dislikes

What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?--I enjoy reading romance novels, and spending time in nature. Flower fields remind me of home and give me comfort. 

What is your most treasured possession?—my pocket watch. my mother gave it to me, since it was a gift to her from my father. 

What is your favorite color?—i like warm pale yellow

What is your favorite food?—I like crepes!

What, if anything, do you like to read?—I like to read romance. 

What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?--I enjoy reading. On days off, I often spend hours at a time sitting outside and reading.

Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?—I generally don’t, but I will drink sometimes. I probably drink an average amount. 

How do you spend a typical Saturday night?—generally hanging around the Bulls hideout. If I have a day off I often go visit home to see my mother’s grave and give her flowers. 

What makes you laugh?—My squadmates! I’ve been told my sense of humor is bad..

What, if anything, shocks or offends you?--I hate the prejudices of the Clover nobles.

What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?—When that happens (because it has before) I will usually walk around the base, sometimes I eat a snack. I also like to head outside and look at the stars when I can’t sleep. 

How do you deal with stress?—I will usually end up letting it out, whether emotionally or magically. I don't like to bottle things up. 

Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?—I prefer having a plan. 

What are your pet peeves?—people talking over others. 

Part 7: Self Images And Etc.

Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?--I wake up at about 7 every morning, and get ready for the day. If I have a mission, I’ll leave for it early. On days I don’t have a mission, I will either go visit my mother’s grave or go see my grandparents or their advisor.

What is your greatest strength as a person?--I’d say my strength is supporting people. And also throwing lava. 

What is your greatest weakness?--I lie a bit too much, and I am a bit indifferent towards people I don’t care about.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?--I would want to be more caring. 

Are you generally introverted or extroverted?--I’d say introvert.

Are you generally organized or messy?--Organized. I don’t like disorder.

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.--I’m good at lying, cleaning, and fighting. I’m bad at controlling my emotions, sewing, and cooking.

Do you like yourself?--No, I really don’t. 

What are your reasons for being a magic knight*? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons…)--I am a magic knight because I want to protect people. 

What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?--I want to heal from my past. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?--I hope to still be a Magic Knight, and hopefully a higher rank.

If you could choose, how would you want to die?--I would want to die swiftly if I could choose.

If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.--I would try to isolate myself from the people I love, so that they wouldn’t have to deal with grief. I think I would generally be calm.

What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?--I want to be remembered for my strength. 

What three words best describe your personality?--open. loyal. decisive.

What three words would others probably use to describe you?--Rosie is loyal, smart, and loving!!-Eli

[rose-demica]

Prompt: "You were so high/drunk that you made a 14 page PowerPoint on why Santa would beat Peter Pan in a fight, and I must say, you were quite persuasive."

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers

Series: The Rise of Thanos, The Fall of Loki, Sister Agents. 

Pairings: Clint Barton X Iris Coulson-Fury AND Pepper Potts X Tony Stark

Warnings: Tony and Iris are DRUNK!

Just a weird but funny Prompt fic,

Iris awakes alone on her 2nd wedding anniversary. Clint having gotten his dates and timezones confused, and rushing off in the wee hours of the morning with Pepper.

Tony, her best friend, joins her in drinking all day, and the pair start fighting over who would win in a fight, Peter Pan, or Santa Claus,

Iris sighed when she woke up alone in bed yet again, rolling over into the cold part of the bed where her lover should have been. Where he’d crawled into bed and wrapped her up in his arms the night before. She frowned when the cold sheets embraced her skin. “Agent Barton and Ms Potts had to fly out to Tokyo for an emergency meeting a few hours ago.” Iris sighed, ever since Happy had taken a well deserved vacation Clint had been attached to Peppers side, taking the role of her personal bodyguard before Tony could even accept the fact that Pepper had allowed the man a holiday. Iris shouldn’t complain, it was satisfying his itch to be out in the field, and Tony was paying him more than Shield ever could. Clint was as close to Pepper as she was to Tony, and it was no surprise that he’d chosen to stand in and protect her like he had so many times before.

"Sir requests your presence when you're awake. He's on his living floor." Iris curled herself in the sheets that held the lingering scent of her lover, taking a deep breath before she got up. "Tell him I'll be half an hour. Imma shower and check in on the twins quickly."  Fury and Coulson had taken Amelia and Evan to spend a week with their grandparents, it was so that Iris and Clint could have their second year wedding anniversary alone together. Not realizing that Clint would volunteer as Pepper’s bodyguard and be away from her side. "Of course Ma'am. Shall I call Director Fury or Agent Coulson for you?"  "Papa please Jarvis." ~~~~~♥~~~~~♡~~~~~♥~~~~~ Iris smiled to herself when she saw Tony curled in the middle of his big bed, an open book across his chest from where he'd dropped it when he fell asleep. She picked the book up, marking the page before resting it on his bedside table, watching the inventor for a moment before flopping down on the bed beside him. "I miss her," Tony mumbled, cracking open one brown eye to watch as Iris settled herself beside him. "I don't think they've been back longer than six hours all week." Iris frowned, snuggling closer to Tony's side. The older man held out his arm, wrapping it around her waist to hold her close, while she claimed his chest as a pillow.

“I told Pepper to make sure she was home today. That’s why they came back last night. I said I’d handle anything that came up. I’m sorry Ri. They were gone before I woke up.” Iris frowned, pushing herself upwards to look down at Tony.

“Come on Iris, I remembered it, and you don’t.” Tony teased, squeezing her side gently, hooking his other hand under his head as he watched her.

“The date today is the twenty fifth of May Ma’am.” Tony tightened his hold around Iris, tugging her down to curl against his chest as tears welled in her eyes. He felt the cool sting of her tears soak through his shirt as she sobbed, hiding her face in his chest.

“Jarvis.” Tony looked away from Iris as his hand ran up and down her back, offering what little comfort he could, but he knew his arms weren’t those she should be seeking comfort from.

“I have already crafted a strongly worded text message to be sent to Agent Barton, would you like to hear it?” Jarvis replied,

“Sure J, go ahead.” Tony smiled, as his AI pretended to clear his throat.

“How dare you leave your wife alone on your two year wedding anniversary. What kind of Arsehole does that!? You best have something planned to make up for slipping away in the dead of night without even so much as a goodbye. That's low, even by my standards. Still think you’re an arse. Say hi to Pepper from me. I’m mad at her too, by the way, I told her I’d handle anything that came up today so you could be here! Arsehole. Love from Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist, Tony Stark.” Tony fought the urge to laugh as Iris pulled away from him with a smile on her face.

“That’s perfect Jarvis!” She announced, sitting up properly and crossing her legs.

“Sent the message Ma’am. I shall inform you and Sir if there is a response from your significant others. In the meantime, may I suggest that Sir takes Ma’am out for breakfast? Seeing as everyone else is out for the day, and neither of you can cook.”

“Hey! I can make Omelettes!” Tony protested, 

“Shut up and take me out. My husband ditched me.” Iris argued back, playfully shoving the genius off of his bed.

“Fine. He owes me though!” Tony grumbled, pushing himself up off the floor and heading for the bathroom.

~~~~~♥~~~~~♡~~~~~♥~~~~~

Bruce was exhausted when he returned to the tower late that night. He expected to be left alone, Clint and Pepper were supposed to be home all day. Clint had huge plans for his second wedding anniversary, going so far as to make sure the twins would be away and convincing Pepper to keep Tony occupied for the entire day,  so to be ambushed the second he stepped out of the elevator was not what he expected.

"BRUCIE!" Iris and Tony both slung an arm over his shoulders, each had a near empty bottle of alcohol in their hand, and several more empty ones littered over the bar.

"Clint and Pepper are in Tokyo, they got called away early this morning. Sir and Ma'am are attempting to drown their sorrows in alcohol and forget." Jarvis informed Bruce, seeming to watch as the duo pulled the doctor over to the bar.

"Bruce, who would win in a fight between Santa and Peter Pan, because this one thinks it's Peter Pan, and I think it's Santa." Tony asked, pouring Bruce a glass of whiskey from a fresh bottle, before finishing the one in his hand.

"Peter Pan is thin, swift, nimble, young, and he can fly! Not to mention that he knows how to wield a blade. Santa's all chubby and jolly." Iris playfully pinched the front of Tony's shirt as insulted Santa's weight. 

"Hey!" Tony swiped at her, but she'd already danced out of his range, laughter falling from her lips.

"Not if Santa squashes Peter Pan with his sleigh," Tony grumbled, putting aside his bottle to start a play fight with Iris. Iris was laughing as she downed the last of the bottle and responded to Tony's attempted hits. The alcohol made all their movements more sluggish and uncoordinated than Bruce was used to seeing - at least from Iris, who could barely hit straight through her laughter.

"Jarvis, please tell me you are recording this?" Bruce whispered, lifting the glass to his mouth to hide his smile at his two friends.

"Of course Dr. Banner. I am also live streaming it to both Agent Barton and Ms. Potts, they're on the plane back now. Agent Barton's beating himself up that he forgot the date of his own wedding anniversary and got his time zones messed up." Jarvis responded, not worrying about Iris and Tony overhearing him as Iris tripped and thudded into the billionaire's chest. Tony wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her upright. His free hand tangling in her hair as her laughter turned to sobs. Her knees giving out beneath her. Tony was quick to lift her into his arms and carry her over to the couch, holding her close until her sobs subsided.

"Damn it, Clint." Tony disentangled himself from the younger woman, pulling the blankets from the foot of the couch to cover her as she settled into the soft cushions, stumbling towards Bruce and picking up his abandoned bottle of whiskey.

"When did you start drinking?" Bruce asked, watching Tony awkwardly clamber onto the barstool, downing half the bottle once he was settled.

"Uhrm, ten am?" Tony glanced upwards as if asking Jarvis for confirmation of his guess.

"When you got back from breakfast at ten you decided that drinking away your pain was a good idea," Jarvis replied, Bruce glanced at his watch, it had just gone ten pm now, so they'd been drinking a solid twelve hours, he had to wonder when they'd forgone glasses in favour of entire bottles.

"Thanks, J. You tell Clint he's a dick yet?" Tony slurred, pulling up a holographic screen on the bar top below him.

"Multiple times Sir," Jarvis replied, sounding almost bored of the question.

"Good." Tony nodded once to himself as he started typing.

"Tony, that can't be a good idea." Bruce tried to reach around him to minimise the document, but Tony battered his hand away with reflexes that he could have only picked up from the multiple spies and assassins that inhabited his tower.

"I'm not working on anything important. Just proving Ri wrong. Don't fret." Tony started muttering to himself as Bruce finished the last of his glass.

"Don't stay up too late." He doubted Tony even heard him as he left the room in favour of his own bed.

~~~~~♥~~~~~♡~~~~~♥~~~~~

A scream jolted Tony awake, his head lifting up from the bar to glance around the living room, trying to ignore the throbbing in his temple as he did so. The lights, mercifully, had been dimmed enough so he could just make out figures in the background. Pepper had a frown on her face as she flicked through a few documents on the tablet in her hand, speaking softly to Jarvis, he presumed. 

The scream, however, had come from Iris, who was wrapped tightly in her husband's arms - despite her halfhearted attempts to break free. His head bowed closer to hers so he could whisper softly to her. Tony smiled when he saw her arms wrap around him rather than fight against him. Iris would hold a grudge, but right now she needed him more than she needed to be mad at him.

"Still mad?" Pepper asked softly, walking to his side and running her fingers through his hair. Tony leant into her touch.

"Yes, she was distraught all day Pep. It was horrible, he took time off to spend with her on their anniversary, and I let him be taken away." Tony reached for the still open bottle of whiskey that sat on the benchtop, Pepper intercepted it before it could pass his lips.

"You two had enough. Now come on, bed." Pepper ushered everyone into the lift with a soft smile playing on her lips.

"What's so amusing Pep?" Tony asked softly, wrapping his arms around her.

"You were so drunk that you made a 14 page PowerPoint on why Santa would beat Peter Pan in a fight, and I must say, you were quite persuasive." She replied, leaning into his side with a laugh.

[jasontoddiefor]

Title: From wherever the wind blows

Fandom: Assassin’s Creed

Summary: They might have been useful NPCs at worst, and cute little duckies at best. But in the end, Ezio’s recruits were real people. (With their own agendas, such as food privileges, keeping their local artist/inventor/weapons' smith safe and setting their mentor up with his longtime best friend.)

AN: For AssCreedEvents day 3 original characters! Let’s be honest, we all gave our recruits in AC Brotherhood their own personality and backstory.

When Adele thought of her childhood, all she remembered was her mother’s kind smile and her beaten brother’s body lying on the cold stones in front of their house just after the guards had decided to rough him up. She had been exactly ten years old, not a day older, and her birthday gift had been a corpse and the sweet bread her brother had died for.

They had caught him stealing, they had said. It was his own fault.

Except that hadn’t been true at all because Adele had seen her brother sneak a few coins away in the evening before her birthday and he’d never steal anything from strangers.

Not even for her.

Adele couldn’t tell if it had been her mother’s tears or the guards’ sneers, perhaps the mix of both, but despite all her anger, she had been unable to do anything. She had been helpless. The only blood she drew was her own when she punched the walls of their house, screaming of the injustice.

Nowadays she didn’t scream anymore. She made barely any sound at all when she ran over the roofs of Rome, tailing her targets. She jumped over the small alley in front of her and turned around to wait for Saverio. The adolescent barely hesitated before he made the jump. He was the youngest of all the recruits but learned all the faster for it. For a moment it seemed like he would slip, but he caught his balance in the last second and the two continued on.

The mission was simple, meant to ease Saverio in the job of scouting targets for hours. A quite dull job for Adele, who had helped the Mentor take down Borgia hideouts for what felt like ages, but a necessary one.

“Adele?” Saverio spoke up.

“Keep your voice down. Yes?”

“Why are we following maestro Leonardo? He’s safe, isn’t he, since we, as well as the Borgia, protect him?”

Saverio was smarter than she had thought him to be, he had picked up on the confusing background of this training mission quite fast.

“S ì, but it’s not that easy. As long as maestro is still useful to them, they don’t care in what condition precisely he is at the end of the day.”

And Adele had seen the eccentric but kind man far too often with bruises to not take it like a personal failure that they couldn’t keep their best weapons’ smith in good condition. Of course, all of them could do basic adjustments and repairs on their hidden blades, but nothing ever was as good as a blade crafted by Leonardo.

Never mind the deep connection their mentor had to him. A dear friend of Ezio Auditore shouldn’t suffer from the Borgia.

Adele dropped from the roof of the house into the nearest haystack on the ground. It wasn’t quite a leap of faith yet, rather just a new height Saverio would have to master so that eventually he could jump from their headquarters like a proper Assassin. You had to train that particular skill and learn how to fall without injuring yourself or their ability to walk the top of the city as easy as the ground would be for naught.

When nobody was looking, Adele jumped out of the carriage and disappeared in the masses. It took a few minutes for Saverio to follow her, but eventually she heard him whisper “understood” right next to her.

They continued tailing the artist a little while longer, all across Roma, before calling it a day when the sun began to set.

“You’ve done well, Novice,” Adele praised her apprentice on their way back home.

Saverio beamed at her and his steps reminded her of that of an excited rabbit. He seemed quite eager to return home to dinner as well since he was in quite a rush to cross as many roofs as he could in the shortest of time.

Honestly, had she known that food was all it took to get him moving quicker, she’d have used that as a motivator hours ago. Either way, she was glad they could return at a faster pace. She hadn’t eaten since this morning, and she knew Ezio had bought sweet bread yesterday. For everyone, he had claimed, but Adele knew for a fact that he had only started to buy it once he had learned that she enjoyed it. He did that for every recruit. There were always apples for Piero and that one cheese from one specific farmer a bit out of town for Laura and new books for Beatrice.

Often things they hadn’t been able to afford on their own, but money was hardly a problem with how their order was right now. And sure, all these little gestures and things were wholly unnecessary in their fight against the Borgia, but it made all of them feel at home.

Once they crossed the bridge to the Tiber island, Saverio took off and ran all the way to the hideout, his bright smile enough of a reason for Adele to mirror it. She followed Saverio, but chose to enter their headquarters from above, she was closer to her room that way. She dropped her weapons and armor on her bed and continued on to the dining room in more comfortable clothes.

She was safe here, she didn’t need to wear heavy protection.

From outside the dining room, she could already hear lots of laughter and talk. A handful had returned from a mission this morning, they were almost altogether tonight.

“Buona sera, Adele!” Leonardo, who by all means should not have made it back to headquarters before Saverio and her, greeted Adele easily.

He was sitting comfortably at the long table they all usually ate at together, right next to their mentor. Dinner had already been served and the man seemed quite happy with the wine and food he’d be provided with.

Saverio, as tired and hungry as the teenager was, had already rushed past her still in full gear to the other recruits and helped himself to a large serving Adele concluded to be his second.

“Mentor, maestro,” she acknowledged them and sat down to their mentor’s left.

Machiavelli wasn’t in town for the next month, so she didn’t bother to keep space for him.

“How did the training go today?” Ezio asked her. “Good I hope?”

“Saverio’s a bit clumsy still, but he shows quite the promise,” is what Adele would have answered, hadn’t Leonardo stolen them right out of her mouth. “I doubt I would have noticed him if I hadn’t been paying attention to it.”

Adele was sure she hadn’t managed to hide her disbelieve as Leonardo began to laugh. “Don’t worry about your talent, Adele. Nowadays even Ezio has a hard time sneaking up on me. Being acquainted with Assassins does wonder to your perception of the world.”

His brown eyes shined unusually golden, and Adele would have attributed it to the light, hadn’t she seen her mentor’s eyes look the same too many times.

Well, that did give Adele a lot of answers she’d possessed concerning that man. Content knowing that it wasn’t her abilities that were lacking, but rather a further skill Leonardo possessed, Adele allowed herself to relax and enjoy the dinner.

And naturally, she reached for the sweet bread first.

[lachalaine]

14

Crucial Q’s

not accepting

14 // how does the image your character tries to project differ from the image they actually project?

Honestly, I don’t think she actually tries to project any particular type of image these days, which ( personally speaking ) is the reason I feel that she’s able to come off so effortlessly charming to people, really? Well. Most people, at least. The other half she ends up getting into immediate fights with.

And I believe the reasoning behind it is because of the fact that Jackie doesn’t actually necessarily care what it is that most people think of her anymore. 

While she admittedly does have her sparse moments of weakness, Jackie as a whole tends to be an entirely open book - to an extent. In general, one would find that she tends to be entirely unapologetic about who she is. She is mostly upfront about it, saying what she feels, doing as she likes, and all with a rather excessive lack of care for the opinions of those that may voice their dissents. Mostly its the police that actually have any chance of actively doing something about it, but it’s been long enough that she’s figured out her way around that somehow. 

To most people, one could say she comes off as entirely wild, emotional, enthusiastic, volatile and brash, and that’s because she is. She could try to hide it, but it’d slip out of her sooner or later, so why bother with the attempt at a farce? She doesn’t make it a point to hide behind a constructed mask in most cases ( there being an exception to the rule ) because she’s already had to hide behind such a mask for a short period of time, only for it to have irreversible consequences. Thus, she now prefers to be entirely blunt about it instead. If she’s happy, you’ll know it. If she’s mad, you’ll know it. If she doesn’t have her shit together and she’s planning on doing something severely fucking stupid that will potentially break an arm and both legs, she will tell you upfront about it and be so absolutely inordinately happy, you’d think she’d have discovered a legitimate treasure trove of pirate gold. 

She does not care if you think she is crazy. She knows she is and she is rolling with it so you might as well just get along for the ride because she’s too far gone to get off now. 

Basically, Jackie is Jackie, and if Jackie is not Jackie, then everyone who is not Jackie should probably have immediate cause to worry about - guess who? Jackie. See exhibit A here. 

But then. As stated, there are those… moments. Where Jackie, as fearlessly brave and genuine as she might seem - also somehow has to be…different. 

She has a thing, about showing weakness. Mainly that, she can never actually show it. She always has to be ‘Carefree’. She always has to be ‘Okay’. While sadness - sadness is an emotion she feels deeply, but it’s not one she allows anyone to actually see. One might notice the stray threads of it when they’re with her - with the way her shoulders slump, her eyes darkening as she withdraws into herself. With the way she gets almost too quiet; contemplative in a way that feels – wrong. If she’s ever asked about it, all you’ll likely get from her is a smile and a laugh, both so obviously fake that it’s a wonder she even bothers trying. But it’s because she’s never actually going to be comfortable with the heartache she feels to find a way to talk about it, preferring to bounce around instead on the two extremes of either happiness or anger, because the former makes it so no one worries about her, and the latter makes it so everyone’s too afraid to ask. She’s guilty of using her anger as a means of deflection, and while it works, it also makes her feel worse in the end, so it’s an unending process. 

For Jackie, you will find there is no in-between those two emotions that she will allow anyone to truly see, because the in-between is unstable, and when prodded will only make her unstable and unable to recognize what she’s doing until after she’s done it. It’s blinding in a way that scares her, and at least between anger and happiness, she can still reign herself in to a certain degree, enough that she can understand what she’s feeling to delve deep and thrive in it, enough that she can attempt to control it before it gets wildly out of hand. 

Because it does. It always does, and the hysteria that erupts when she goes down sobbing is — not for everyone to see. 

So the actual answer is - Jackie attempts to always project herself as Jackie. She wants to always be able to feel comfortable enough to be herself, both the good and the bad, nothing more and nothing less. But that’s just the easier, so called better side of Jackie to deal with. The simpler one. The side that is always happy, always okay, perhaps wild and explosive and mildly insane but the side that is more manageable for most people to try to deal with. You either love her, you’re exasperated with her or you’re pissed and want nothing to do with her, and that’s all perfectly okay. You’re not worried about her, and that’s what matters. You’re not suspicious of her, and that’s what matters. 

Jackie aims to be the Jackie that she knew herself to be before she met Garry, before she lost herself. 

She aims to be the Jackie that no one would ever expect to be capable of actual assassination. 

Which is easier, actually, then most people would expect. Because at her core, it’s who she is deep down, and the farther she is away from that life, the more she can pretend it never existed in the first place. But then that darkness creeps in on her when she’s pushed into a situation she can’t avoid, and it tends to steal her away. And she’s the Jackie that she can’t afford for anyone she cares about to see. She dons a mask that’s cold and cruel and apathetic and numb. The one that’s meant to protect herself against her weakness of having a fragile and sensitive heart, the one she’s crafted as armor to ward off the impending guilt because she’s already inwardly screaming and absolutely terrified of what she’s capable of doing, but has to silence it all so she can force herself to actually be strong enough to do it. 

To her enemies, she must project that despite their initial view point of her - to think of her as not a threat, with her shorter stature and purple hair and overall feminine qualities - she must show that she is strong. Fierce. Merciless. And to a certain degree - a monster. All to protect the side of herself that she has to momentarily kill just so she come to survive another day. But it’s a mask that she loathes to use, and feels absolute repulsion whenever it makes an appearance. Because deep down - deep, deep down, where the cursed grip of her anxiety resides - she fears just one thing, and one thing more.  

That maybe - just maybe - the mask isn’t quite a mask at all. 

[aion-rsa]

Ghost of Tsushima: Essential Kurosawa Samurai Movies to Watch Before the Game

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Ghost of Tsushima‘s developers at Sucker Punch have been very explicit about the ways the samurai films of legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa have influenced their game. The PS4 exclusive even features a “Kurosawa Mode” that allows you to apply a stylish black-and-white filter to the experience, recreating the somber mood and film grain of the director’s work.

Anyone who tells a modern samurai story owes some kind of debt to Kurosawa. He may not have been the first director to tell a samurai story via film and his legacy as one of the greatest directors of all-time may have been secured even if he hadn’t directed a frame of a samurai adventure. What a shame it would have been to live in that world, though.

Kurosawa’s samurai films aren’t just some of the best samurai adventures told in any medium, they’re on the shortlist of the best movies ever made. So whether you want to hype yourself up for Ghost of Tsushima or you just want to experience some of the finest pieces of filmmaking ever made, these are the Kurosawa samurai movies you need to watch.

Rashomon

The rape of a woman and the murder of her husband triggers an investigation based on the recollections of four people who possess conflicting memories of the events which led to the horrific crimes. What follows is the search for truth in a world where even the liars may not be aware of their bias.

While Rashomon features samurai and a bit of swordplay, it’s probably not exactly what you think of when you think of a Kurosawa samurai film. It lacks much of the action and setpieces that typically define the director’s most exciting outings. That means that it’s also likely the Kurosawa samurai film that has the least direct influence on Ghost of Tsushima.

Then again, Rashomon offered such a fresh take on storytelling and perspective that nearly every piece of fiction which followed its release has been influenced by it in some way. Rashomon not only pioneered a new type of narrative device called the Rashomon effect — conflicting accounts of an event by several eyewitnesses — but it taught viewers to consider the potential influence of the unreliable narrator on their perception of a story.

Seven Samurai

This 1954 film tells the story of a group of villagers who recruit seven rōnin to protect their homes from bandits. The samurai not only contend with the bandits but the discourse within their own ranks as well as the villagers who begin to wonder whether they’ve made a mistake by hiring mercenaries.

Even if you’ve never seen Seven Samurai, we’re willing to bet that you’re familiar with it. Not only is it regularly referred to as a major cinematic achievement, but countless movies have borrowed filmmaking and storytelling elements from this masterpiece. Other beloved movies, most notably The Magnificent Seven, are even just straight-up remakes of Seven Samurai. Even The Mandalorian paid homage to Seven Samurai in its first season.

Considering that Seven Samurai has impacted the works of many great directors who have emerged since its release, it’s hardly a surprise to hear that Ghost of Tsushima‘s directors consider Seven Samurai to be one of the most important influences on their game. When you picture samurai, there’s a good chance you’re picturing this film.

Throne of Blood

In Throne of Blood, two samurai return from battle only to be met by a spirit who predicts their future. When the spirits predictions come true, the wife of one of the samurai encourages him to murder their lord and take his place as ruler of their land.

In other words, Throne of Blood is a samurai-themed remake of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. There are many who even consider it to be the finest film adaptation of Macbeth despite the fact that Throne of Blood doesn’t share that play’s name.

Excellent plot aside, Throne of Blood is arguably most famous for its incredible visuals. The thick fog that weighs heavy on the movie’s setting not only perfectly captures the protagonists’ dangerous desire to see the road ahead but it helps set the stage for climactic battles and scenes which border on horror.

The Hidden Fortress

This 1958 film follows two peasants who agree to escort a man and woman through dangerous territory. What they don’t know is that the man and woman are actually a general and his princess and they’re being hunted by dangerous enemy forces.

Perhaps best known as the inspiration for Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress is one of those films you may feel like you’ve seen without having actually sat down to watch it. A few familiarities aside, Hidden Fortress stands alone among Kurosawa’s other samurai (or samurai influenced) films due to its incredible sense of adventure.

The Hidden Fortress is an excellent adventure that perhaps focuses a bit less on character development than some of Kurosawa’s other films but more than makes up for it with a story that reminds us why we love movies in the first place.

Yojimbo

A samurai wanders into a town where two competing crime lords vie for his services. No, that’s not the start of an old joke. It’s the basic premise behind one of the greatest samurai films ever made. You may also know it as the premise of classic Spaghetti Western flick, A Fistful of Dollars.

While the Clint Eastwood-led Yojimbo adaptation successfully translates many of this story’s elements to the Wild West, there are certain qualities in Yojimbo which are unique to samurai mythology and culture. This tightly told adventure focuses on the perception of power that surrounds the wandering warrior as well as the greed that plagues men regardless of their station.

Ghost of Tsushima’s open-world setting will be filled with side missions to complete. Some of these missions will undoubtedly pit you as a samurai for hire in situations not unlike those found in Yojimbo.

Sanjuro

Originally conceived as an adaptation of the Shūgorō Yamamoto novel, Hibi Heian, Sanjuro was re-written to incorporate Yojimbo’s protagonist following the success of that film.

Sanjuro follows the adventures of the rōnin from Yojimbo as he tries to help a group of young samurai who suspect that their lord chamberlain is corrupt. What follows is a complex and fascinating tale that sees the young samurai and the rōnin battle their enemies while struggling to come to terms with their roles within their world and society at large.

Ghost of Tsushima’s directors cited Sanjuro as one of their biggest influences, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only does Sanjuro find Kurosawa at his most reflective in terms of the morally ambiguous mystique of the samurai, but it may be his most stylish samurai film. The film’s final battle and climatic duel are often cited as two of the most influential pieces of samurai action ever committed to film.

Kagemusha

A thief is recruited to serve as the double of an elderly warlord in order to help confuse potential assassins and other rivals. When the warlord dies, his top generals agree to have the thief stay on as ruler. Soon, an attack from a rival clan forces the thief to become a true leader and warrior.

While Ghost of Tsushima’s appropriately named Kurosawa mode focuses on the director’s legendary black and white visuals, Kagemusha proves that the director’s legendary eye for cinematic style and the romanticism of the feudalism era isn’t limited to a monochrome point of view. In fact, a memorable nightmare sequence in this film reveals that he had a surrealist side that required a full spectrum of color to fully showcase.

Kagemusha also features some of the most impressive large-scale battles ever seen in a Kurosawa samurai film. It’s one of those films that shows the director’s truly special ability to combine the intimate and the epic even as he sets a feast for the eyes.

Ran

A dying warlord decides to relinquish power and divide his extensive kingdom among his three sons. But when the sons begin to fight over their lands, it becomes clear to the warlord that he may be witnessing the dying days of his empire and family. Like Throne of Blood, Ran is essentially a remake of a William Shakespeare story. This time, it’s King Lear.

Released in 1985, Ran is often described as Kurosawa’s last epic. Like his previous samurai movies, much of the joy of watching Ran comes from watching Kurosawa in complete control of his craft, even as the scope of the tale grows and grows.

So far as Ghost of Tsushima goes, it’s certainly interesting to hear that its directors will be using wind as both an environmental building block and a narrative device designed to organically point you in the right direction. While wind is present in many Kurosawa films, its essentially a featured player in Ran where bursts of wind emphasize the chaos of a rapidly changing world.

Ghost of Tsushima is out on July 17 for the PlayStation 4.

The post Ghost of Tsushima: Essential Kurosawa Samurai Movies to Watch Before the Game appeared first on Den of Geek.

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