#because that is simply just Arthur lester to me but like

[yepmadness]

“The Ghosts at the window echo all our quiet Prayers…”

Yeah so, there is definitely a theme of loss/grief this season, and the different ways of addressing and dealing with it. Of acknowledging it. And how it changes over time. These aren’t even all of them (clearly, I mean, Arthur died too—I’d count John understanding himself as like a rebirth) I just picked three I thought fit with the lyrics from “The Garden” by the Crane Wives.

[capesch-arts]

Okay since people want to hear me yap here's the smol gist of Lore accurate KiY AU. (I hope I can make it as brief as possible lol).

First it's a double layered AU, with Faroe with Jane, and Arthur with the King.

I would like to start with how The King operates. Much like in the OG book, there's the King in Yellow book that drives people mad and other small things like his signs and his cultists that spread his influence on the human side of the world. If you even touch anything that has its influence, you gradually become exposed to more supernatural things until eventually The King can just harvest you and take you to Carcosa. However, for the last few decades, The King has been reliant on his cultists, thus more activities in the human world and eventually their actions got the notice of certain people, let's say Lester and Yang PI.

Arthur and Parker got involved with the supernatural much earlier than canon Malev. They weren't in too deep with it yet, but they're aware that there's other entities and they need to protect people from it. Eventually, Arthur split off from Parker and his daughter because he feared that whatever cult they were dealing with would eventually get to his family. He told Parker to watch over Faroe and Daniel and then went off alone.

During this time, he found John/Jane's book and for the most of it, kept it far far away from the King, until Arthur realises that he was going to die soon. Being too close and too exposed to all the supernatural influences of The King, made him viable to be whisked away. So, in his final moments, he hid the book away before "disappearing" from the world.

All the while that's happening, Faroe believed that her father had abandoned her and grew up resenting the man. (She was abandoned around her teenage years).

When Faroe became an adult, she got an anonymous letter that came from Arthur's old office (note: Parker, Faroe, and Daniel are in NY, and Arthur asked Parker to move there to watch over Faroe). She found Jane's book hidden under the floorboards and then bam, Jane is stuck in Faroe's head.

Faroe's story more or less goes the same way Arthur does, but she discovers her father's trail. Letters he addressed to people about the cults and The King, etc. and also his final will which revealed that he was indeed killed by The King.

For Arthur and the King, Arthur was exposed too much to The King's influence, at his last moments, his body was taken by The King, while his soul entered Carcosa. But, everything that happened between the two of them was unexpected, to say the least.

One, Carcosa was a dead city. The people in it were withering away and The King has been struggling to keep them alive. Two, Arthur wasn't affected by the madness that seeps off of the city and also didn't wither away like the others did. So, the two eventually had a mutual agreement that they'd figure out what exactly happened to the inhabitants of Carcosa and why Arthur was so special. During this, they had a mutual understanding and respect for one another and were soo close to becoming friends. Imagine a wiser Arthur with a John for this segment, that's essentially what their situationship is.

Eventually, Arthur realised what was happening with the people of Carcosa. The longer he was with The King, the more he understood what he was. He came to the conclusion that The King represents not only madness, but also decay and death. The madness of men to hide away the dread of death and decay through opulence, and because The King had lived with so much power and glamour for so long, he had forgotten the "decay" part of his being and his people were simply expiring. The King in all his pride, denied this and in their argument, decided to scramble Arthur's mind and forced him to play music for him for all eternity.

And that's so far what I got to share publicly lol. These are all just my insane ramblings of this thing, whether or not it ends good or not we'll see lol.

I unfortunately am not a fic writer so I may not write this except for my short illustrations of this AU hehe.

I would say that everyone is sad with their circumstances, even The King. Hehe

[goponylover]

Jon Sims and Arthur Lester: On Sight

Scene: Jonathan Sims and Arthur Lester are sitting across from one another at a plain wooden table, having tea and pleasant conversation. Jon puts his cup down and leans forward a bit in his chair as he prepares to breach a new topic.

Jon: Arthur...if it's alright, may I ask you a...somewhat personal question?

Arthur: I suppose that depends on what it is.

John: He's looking down at his teacup pensively, as if hesitating.

Jon: ...What is it like? Not being able to see?

Silence. Arthur is taken aback.

Jon: ...Actually, forget I said anything. That was too personal. I don't know why I asked that. I-

Arthur: No, no! It's fine! Jonathan it's fine! I understand that My John and I have a very...unique relationship. It's only natural you'd be curious!

John: Nosy, you mean.

Arthur: (hisses) Be nice.

Jon: Sorry?

Arthur: Nothing. A-as for your question...it was scary at first. It's still scary sometimes, given how frequently we have to run or hide or fight for our very lives while one of us is, quite literally, stumbling around in the dark. John guides me, tells me where obstacles are, alerts me of threats and helps me to combat them. He'll describe my surroundings to me so that I can get a sort of...mental map of the place I'm in. Sometimes I'll ask him to describe the scenery we drive past or the clothes hanging in the shop windows, little things like that. And usually he's happy to oblige...when he's in a good mood at least.

John: Hey!

Arthur: Of course it's not exactly the same and it's often frustrating for both of us when we fail to communicate properly. Especially when we end up in tight spots because of it. But honestly...I don’t know how people like me would manage without a John of their own in their heads.

John: Don't sell yourself short. You've been without me before, and you managed just fine.

Jon: What's he saying?

Arthur: Hmm?

Jon: You tend to...pause at odd moments when he's saying something to you.

Arthur: Heh. You're quite observant, aren't you?

Jon: (uncomfortably) It comes with the territory.

Arthur: (bashfully) H-he was just...complimenting me. Saying I've been without him before and I managed which I suppose is true.

John: You suppose?! You dragged yourself through the freezing cold to a cabin, while blind and bleeding from the neck. Fuck off, you suppose.

Arthur: (Ducks his head and whispers) Shut up!

John: (teasingly): Now who can't take a compliment?

Arthur: (shakes his head) All of this is to say...I'm very lucky to have him.

Jon: I see. Well I'm glad you two have each other. I don't know what would become of me if it weren't for Martin.

Arthur: (Hums in agreement) ...If I may ask...what sparked your curiosity?

John: His eyes are widening and he looks...embarrassed? As if you've somehow seen something you weren't supposed to see...

Jon: (sputters a bit) I- w-well it's interesting isn't it? Like you said! Your...symbiosis.

Arthur: I don't disagree. But we've discussed the subject of My John several times and you've never really focused on the topic of my blindness before.

John: I think I like that. You calling me YOUR John~

Arthur: (Chuckles softly) You're incorrigible.

Jon: (latching on) W-whats he saying now?

Arthur: Wha? Nothing, its- nothing. Jonathan, your deflecting.

Jon: I am not.

Arthur: I'm simply wondering what made you want to know more about my blindness. (Suspicious) What are you so desperate to hide all of a sudden?

John: He's hesitating...he's sighing. His shoulders are sagging as if in reluctant defeat. He's scooting the chair a bit closer to the table and leaning in.

Jon: ...I've told you of my time working at the Magnus Institute.

Arthur: Yes. I remember. Where you and your colleagues sadly fell under the influence of the dark gods that seized you.

Jon: I...I discovered a way to separate myself and the others from the Eye.

Arthur: You did?!

Jon: Yes. But at great cost. To separate yourself from the Ceaseless Watcher...you must completely destroy your own eyes.

Arthur: Jesus...

John: Fuck.

Jon: ...I didn't...I didn't want to do it alone so I ran to tell Martin. Him first before any of the others. I...I said we could get out of there. Together. Long story short, he refused. ...I don’t know if it would've worked on me. I was at the point where I couldn't even cut off a finger without it healing the second I removed the knife but...I could've tried. I should have tried. If it had worked, if I hadn't been so selfish-

John: Selfish? The fuck?!

Jon: -so much pain and death could've been avoided! But a million things held me back. Part of me told myself that it was because I didn't want to just run off and leave Martin and the others alone in that place but...but what if I was just lying to myself? What if I was just being a coward?

John: ...He's slumped in his chair. His eyes are focused on the far wall, clouded with shame. He's tense...as if bracing himself for something?

Arthur takes a moment to gather himself, struggling to piece his racing thoughts together into something coherent.

Arthur: Jonathan...you're not a coward for not wanting to lose your sight!

Jon: But-!

Arthur: Listen to me. I love my John and I love what we have and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world but...but I still miss my sight. I miss it everyday. I miss being able to walk down the street unassisted, I miss the simple joy of being able to look at painting o-or watch a sunset instead of having it described to me and picturing it in my head! I miss... I miss being able to see my own face in a mirror. Heh...you know, sometimes I wonder how distorted my memory of my own face will grow with time. I wonder...will it fade altogether, one day?

John: (determined) I won't let it.

John raises his hand to cup Arthur's face gently. Arthur leans into the touch briefly.

Arthur: (fondly) I know you won't, dear.

Arthur: What I'm trying to say is...our eyes are a gift, Jonathan. A gift that we so often take for granted. Not wanting to lose them does not make you selfish nor cowardly. It makes you...

Arthur & John simultaneously: Human.

John: He looks...surprised. And maybe a little grateful.

Jon: ...I...T-thank you, Arthur I...I don’t know what to say.

Arthur: You don’t have to say anything. I've been in your shoes, Mr. Sims. We are both men that have committed a great number of sins. But those sins are not who we are.  Try to remember that.

John: He's smiling.

Jon: I will.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Almighty (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Love it when characters go "No❤️" -Danny Words: 2,802 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Rewrite The Stars' -by James Arthur & Anne-Marie

XXXIII: I Wanna Hold His Hand So Bad It Makes Me Look Stupid

They climb a service platform to take a break from waddling through freezing water. "Gather round, children," Leo manages to light himself on fire after his third try. "Nothing like a blazing-hot Leo to warm you up! Ara knows it better than anyone," he winks at her playfully.

Lester stutters an insult but scoots closer just like Meg. Ara stays put, getting enough warmth from where she's seated. Leo liked to joke that she wouldn't notice she was burning until it was too late because his kisses were simply that hot, but now she has the need to reach out and see what happens. Ara sinks her hand into the flames. One, two, three—

"Ow!" She pulls her steaming hand out and blows on it.

Leo shuts off the blazes. "Did you just stick your hand in?"

Ara blushes. "I was testing something."

"I know I call you bombón sometimes..." he teases her.

"Shut up," she rubs her hand.

"Hey, Apollo," Leo moves his attention from her, which proves he's a merciful soul. "That was nice work back there."

"Which part?" He scoffs. "The drowning? The screaming?"

"Nah, man—how you collapsed that brick wall. You should do that more often."

"That was Ara's idea," he mutters, pulling pieces of plastic from his coat. "And as an annoying demigod once told me, Gee, why didn't I think of that? I've explained before—I can't control those bursts of power. Somehow, in that moment, I found my godly voice. Perhaps Ara's power bounced off of me—"

"You saved me," Meg's voice quivers. "I was going to die. Maybe that's why you got your voice back."

"Yeah, I'm always at my best while trying to save the people I love," Ara smiles innocently, but she knows this is flustering Lester.

"Well, I'm glad you weren't crushed to death, Meg," he tries to play it cool. "Anything broken?"

"Nah. I'm good." She lightly pats her ribcage.

"Are you sure?" Ara insists gently. "That was some nasty hug you got, I've got ambrosia in my bag if you need it?"

"Well, fine, if it'll shut you up," Meg snaps, giving in way too easily.

Ara opens her plushie bag, pulling a small square of ambrosia. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Meg huffs. "You're the one helping me."

"For letting her help you," Leo explains. "It's what makes her happy."

"It does," Ara agrees.

"Now, wouldn't you agree it'd be super cool if she could do it forever—?"

"That's enough of that," the girl reaches over and holds his chin affectionately, Leo leans in almost purring at her touch.

Meg looks at Ara, then at Leo, her gaze turning a little shy. "You guys are cute together."

Leo's smile falters for a millisecond, then he replaces it with the faux mirth he's so good at manufacturing. "Aphrodite herself chose me to be her man. That's just how cute we are, like matching salt and pepper shakers."

Ara smiles too, but it's thin. "She didn't choose him, she chose Paris for Helen—it's a long story, you don't wanna hear it."

"Got it," Meg eats the piece of ambrosia in a single bite.

"You two are handling Ara's situation quite bravely," Lester speaks. "Not many partners would react the way you're doing, Valdez."

"Er, how am I reacting, exactly?" Leo fidgets with scraps he's pulling from his tool belt.

"Well, you don't seem sad about the likely chance that you'll grow old and die while Ara stays the same. Good for you for deciding to enjoy her company for as long as it's not weird. Because it gets weird, believe me. There's a reason why young godlings stay away from mortals—"

"Thank you, Lester," Ara intervenes with a less affectionate tone. "That's enough of that."

Ara glances at Leo but the boy pretends to be focused on his tinkering, though she can see the steam rising from his ears.

While Lester and Meg take the lead to hear what's being said in the throne room, Ara and Leo linger at the back. He leans in and nudges her shoulder. "Why didn't you tell them you broke up with me?"

"I didn't break up with you, I just said it was the wisest thing to do and that we should do it—but you said no, so now I don't know what we are," She mutters under her breath. "Now be quiet!"

Leo's expression takes a moment to shift from confusion, but when it does, the smile that he gives her makes her entire body tingle. "I think that means I'm still your boyfriend."

"Not if I stop calling you that."

"Ay, Hefesto dame fuerzas," Leo rolls his eyes. "Sunshine, you've got a vice grip on me, alright?" to bring his point home, he grabs her by the waist and tugs her closer. He lowers his voice to speak close to her ear. "We've played this game before and I'll never be above chasing you."

"...We know where the Waystation is now."

Ara and Leo freeze, the words hitting them like a slap across the face. 

"Yes, yes. Old Union Station," Commodus scoffs. "But Cleander searched that place several times before and found nothing."

"The Waystation is there," Lit's voice insists. "The tracking devices I planted on the griffins worked perfectly. The place must be protected by some sort of magic, but it won't stand up to a fleet of blemmyae bulldozers."

"Fine. Yes. But I want Apollo captured and brought to me in chains! The naming ceremony is tomorrow. Our dress rehearsal is, like, right now. When can you have the Waystation destroyed?"

"We need to scout the defenses. And gather our forces. Two days?"

"TWO DAYS? I'm not asking you to cross the Alps! I want it to happen now!"

"My gods, he's a huge baby," Ara grumbles. 

"Tomorrow, then, at the latest, sire," Lit decides. "Definitely by tomorrow."

"Hmph. I'm beginning to wonder about you, son of Midas. If you don't deliver—"

"Please say you'll kill him," Leo mutters, tightening his grip on her waist. "Please, be good for something at least once, Toilet man..."

"Leo, you're squeezing me," Ara protests. Though he's not really hurting her and it doesn't bother her at all.

The boy looks at her and smiles. "Yeah, I am," he leans in. "What did Lester say about enjoying you...?"

An alarm blasts off making them stumble away from each other. "Incursion at the front gates!" Lityerses calls out in anger. "I will deal with this, sire. Never fear. Guards, with me!"

Ara sneaks up to Lester and Meg. "You think Emmie and Jo got tired of waiting?"

"Unlikely—hush!" Lester pushes her back gently when Commodus speaks again.

"Alaric."

"Lord?"

"I think your time is approaching. I grow impatient with my prefect. How long has Lityerses had this job?"

"About a day, my lord."

"Seems like forever! As soon as he's dealt with this incursion, I want you to kill him."

"Yes, lord."

"I want you to wipe out the Waystation tomorrow morning at the latest. Can you do that?"

"Of course, lord."

"Good! We'll have the naming ceremony immediately afterward in the colosseum."

"Stadium, my lord."

"Same difference! And the Cave of Prophecy? Is it secure?"

"I have followed your orders, sire. The beasts are in place. The entrance is well guarded. None shall gain access."

"Lovely! Now let's go try on our racing outfits for the dress rehearsal, shall we? I can't wait to remake this city in my own image!"

"Gods, he's worse than Nico," Ara makes a face, listening to the heavy steps going farther away.

"Now," Lester pushes himself out of the sewer with the others following suit.

"Tomorrow morning?" Meg starts pacing, examining the throne room. "We gotta warn Jo and Emmie."

"Yeah," Leo scowls. "But we stick to the plan. First we find the captives. And that Throne of Whatever-It-Is—"

"Memory." Ara and Lester correct him.

"Yeah, that. Then we get out of here and warn Jo and Emmie."

"It may not help," Lester says anxiously. "I've seen how Commodus remakes a city. There will be chaos and spectacle, fire and wholesale slaughter, and lots and lots of pictures of Commodus everywhere. Add to that an army of blemmyae bulldozers—"

"Apollo," Leo made a time-out gesture, looking at Lester as if he were talking nonsense. "We're gonna use the Valdez method on this."

"What's the Valdez method?" Meg asks frowning.

"Don't overthink it," Leo explains. "It'll just make you depressed. In fact, try not to think at all." He looks at Ara, conveying a message just for her. "You get to enjoy life more. You can even handle your girlfriend's immortality far easier than most that way."

Meg looks between them once more, fully convinced by his logic. "'Kay."

Leo smirks at the young girl. "See? Easy! Now let's go blow some stuff up."

Lester and Meg move along. Ara speaks under her breath, visibly annoyed by the fact that she's blushing. "This won't work."

"That's what you think," The boy winks, immensely pleased with himself as he presses a hand on her lower back. "Move along, bombón."

Meg uses chia seeds to navigate the place. They run into a cleaning lady and Lester uses his singing to make her turn back and leave. "Nice one, Apollo," Leo praises. Ara has noticed that Leo has been praising Lester more, and she can't help but suspect it has to do with her, though she can't connect why.

"It wasn't hard. That tune is wonderful for inducing short-term amnesia."

"Would've been kinder to hit her over the head," Meg taunts him.

"Oh, come now! You like my singing."

Meg replies by punching him in the stomach. "Come on."

"Ow." He responds, following obediently.

A blemmyae is there keeping guard in the next hallway. "I got this," Leo tells them. And just like that, he walks forward and waves at the creature with an ample smile. "Hello! Lovely day! How are you?"

The blemmyae stops and stares at him. "I'm fine. I don't think you're supposed to be here."

"Really?" Leo continues to walk, still smiling. "Thank you!"

Ara feels weirdly proud of his performance. "See that, Meg? Perfect use of fake it 'til you make it." Meg grumbles, but she also looks like she wants to smile.

"You're welcome," the guard continues. "Now if you'll please raise your hands."

"Like this?" Leo lifts his hands and throws white-hot flames at the blemmyae.

They don't cause much damage, and the guard is still able to talk through his earpiece. "Post twelve, I've got—"

Meg goes next and slices up the blemmyae like butter, leaving a golden layer of dust on the ground. "Post twelve, please repeat." Requests a tiny voice in the earpiece. Lester picks it up. "False alarm. Everything is hunky-dorky. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Daily passcode, please."

"Why, certainly! It's—" Lester tosses the earpiece to the ground and stomps on it.

"Smooth," Ara teases him.

"Hunky-dorky?" Meg makes a face.

"It sounded like something a blemmyae would say."

"That's not even the right expression. It's hunky-dory."

"A girl who says goddy is correcting my language."

"While those two fight, would you keep a lookout while I take care of this door, my love?" Leo asks sweetly at Ara, abusing the usage of pet names now more than ever just to press her. "There's gotta be something important in here."

Ara stands with her back turned and watches Meg plant seeds in the middle of the hallway. "Meg, what are you doing?" Lester tilts his head.

"Chia."

"I can see that, but..." He leaves the sentence unfinished, not understanding the girl's actions.

"They wouldn't last any longer in my hand," Meg explains. "Everything alive deserves a chance to grow."

Ara watches her intently, no longer having that chance. She could feel it in her bones, in the way her skin shredded to give way to a newer one that would not stretch or wrinkle. The girl decides then and there that if it's not in the cards for her to grow old, then she'll work hard so everyone around her finds a comfortable place where to do it for her.

"Yes!" Leo pushes the door open. "Who's the best?"

"Me?" Lester blurts out wistfully, then pouts. "You didn't mean me, did you?"

"It's never you, buddy," Ara nudges him forward.

They enter the room and find the prisoners, one of them she recognizes. "Kowalski!"

The girl gets up and presses her palms against the same spots where Ara placed hers on the enclosure's glass. Her expression is one of concern mixed with hope, and Ara sees her mouthing the words "General" and "Glad you're here".

"Madre de los dioses," Leo whispers in horror behind her, examining the room.

Ara spots the two rail-thin demigods huddled close to each other in a cell, and another boy at the far corner that for a moment confuses her because, for a split second, Ara thinks he's Beckendorf.

"Gods Almighty," Ara says dryly. "When I get my hands on Commodus..."

"Them first," Meg walks past her and cuts an almost perfect circle on the glass keeping the two demigods, then they try to move but they're too weak. Ara steps forward and follows Meg inside, pushing her Octopus off one shoulder and searching for her squares of ambrosia. 

"There we go..." she feeds them gently. "Eat slowly..."

Leo releases the hunter by melting the glass, and she jumps out grabbing the hammer Leo left behind while trying to figure out how to break into the cells. "More weapons, I need more weapons..."

"Um, I got a screwdriver, a hacksaw, and... I think this is a cheese cutter."

"What are you, a tinkerer?"

"One of the best you'll meet, Ko," Ara turns and smiles at the girl.

The girl gifts Ara with a huge smile. "General Jackson..." she swoops all the tools Leo is offering and then walks up to Ara, kneeling in greeting. "I knew you'd come. We've been expecting you for days."

"Stand up, soldier," Ara gets up too. "I'm here."

"I was told you are escorting Apollo," the girl looks back at the kids that came with her. "Is he here?"

"I'm Apollo," Lester says.

"Right," Kowalski eyes him a moment before turning her attention to Ara. "The rest of the Hunters should be on their way. I was the nearest to Indianapolis. I decided to play advance scout. Obviously, that didn't work out so well for me." She scans Ara from head to toe, her expression changing from concern to intrigue. "General, you look..."

"Yes, don't mention it," Ara brushes it off. "There were some intruders a few minutes ago by the gates, I think your sisters are here."

"We need to leave, then," the hunter turns to help Meg with the boys. "Quickly."

"Prisoners should never be treated this way," Lester says indignantly.

"Oh, they weren't denied food," Ara's friend explains. "They've been on a hunger strike. Courageous... for a couple of boys. I'm Hunter Kowalski, by the way."

"A Hunter named Hunter?" Lester raises a brow.

"Yeah, I have heard that a million times. Let's free the others."

The next in line is a dracaena. Ara hesitates to release her but Kowalski steps forward. "She's friendly. We shared a cell last night until the guards separated us. Her name's Sssssarah, with five s's."

"Of course," Ara turns to the creature. "Hi."

Up close, the guy Ara thought was Beckendorf looks way older than Beck and also better groomed. Even though he's wearing a loincloth only, he carries himself with the dignity Ara only sees in experienced demigods, and his eyes, dark and calculating, make her think of Nico.

"Not that one," the dracanae tries to stop her from releasing him. "Too dangerousssss."

"Lady, we need dangerous friends," Leo raises a brow.

"Yessss, but that one fought for money. He wassss employed by the emperor. He'sssss only here now because he did ssssomething to anger Commodussss."

"All the more reason to free him," Ara says, unable to tear her gaze away from the demigod. He's not Greek or Roman, but from a totally different world. She can feel it. "Leo?"

"On it, babe." Leo sets him free and Ara notices the way Lester's soul light is bright as he stares, practically gaping, at the stranger. 

The young man steps out, towering over all of them, and Lester hurries to speak. "Hello. I'm the immortal god Apollo. Who might you be?" 

When he speaks, his deep and imposing voice gives Ara a shiver. "I am Jimmy."

"A noble name," Lester says in awe, "worthy of kings."

"Apollo, get over here," Meg calls, having no interest in the stranger.

Ara offers to shake hands with the older boy. "It isn't of any relevance to you, I think, but my name is Arae and I'm the General of Olympus. I look after Greek and Roman demigods, but I can help you too."

Jimmy eyes her a moment before shaking her hand and testing her grip. "You're strong."

"And useful to you," she smiles. "So let's play nice, alright?"

"Ara," Lester calls. "Georgie's here."

The girl leaves Jimmy and approaches the last cell. She and Lester enter together carefully to avoid startling the young girl, who's the same height as Ara, which disorients her a bit.

"Apollo." The girl giggles, her hair is cut off in different chunks which doesn't help to make her seem less insane. "You and the dark. Some death, some death, some death." She looks at Ara and smiles. "Pantodýnamos. You don't get to choose."

"Right," Ara gulps. "Lead the way, Lester."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

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[omnipah]

N and W?

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

okay i don't really have a main fandom and i'm not really intensely "in" any fandom enough to think of three things so we're gonna mix n match

Malevolent: this is gonna sound mean but like. literally any ability to criticise the text? like i know this is a problem to a degree in many fandoms but the sheer extent to which i've seen people avoid saying anything negative, to the point where i'll regularly see people talk about problems with the story but phrase them as if they're just funny little quirks, genuinely makes me want to tear my hair out. like. it's fine you can still like it. but please be honest with yourselves. it's bad and harlan is not your friend

Pathologic: more content of basically anything other than Burakhovsky, or Threefold Bullet. like yes foils yes very compelling but there are also a LOT of characters in these games and they're all pretty interesting. and it sure is a little sus that 90% of the art i see is the most shippable male characters. to be honest i don't much want to see any other ship art cus most of it doesn't really ring true to me, i just would like literally anyone to be able to engage with the characters as individuals in this game that is not about romance even a little bit

also Malevolent: this one is significantly pettier but i want to see more of Kayne because he's a horrid little man and a funny little guy and tbh sucks significantly less than Arthur simply by virtue of being amoral on purpose and therefore less annoying than Arthur "i don't want to hurt people cus i'm a good person except for all the people i think are acceptable to hurt without hesitation or remorse" Lester

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

if i had a penny for every time i entered a fandom that has a weirdly high saturation of trans headcanons, got really excited, and then realised 99% of those headcanons are for the shorter more stereotypically effeminate part of a ship and all the fic using those headcanons are unpleasant and fetishistic to the point of forgetting that character's actual personality, i'd have two pennies, which is not a lot but by god is it annoying.

[late-to-the-magnus-archives]

On the Same Page - a Malevolent fic

To keep a wound from festering, one must reveal it. Vulnerability is not in the nature of gods, but Sunny is willing to try anyway, and conclude this painful discussion so both he and Parker can, at last, begin to heal.

Part of the Surrogate series. Written with @sepiabandensis.

AO3

----------------

Parker, Sunny said. What do you do, if you're waiting for a good time to discuss something painful, but one simply doesn't exist?

Parker let out a low breath. Oh, boy. 

It wasn't that he intended to just… ignore the situation at hand. Or even that it had slipped his mind. It was more… 

Things had been good. They'd gone for a solid week and a half without a single incident, with the King checking in on them every now and then, and Parker had gotten used to taking a run in the morning while everyone else ate breakfast and doing more training at night.

Parker could handle the schedule; it was nice to be in control of most of it. Parker could handle the King; that was not a good being, he knew, but he understood this kind of crime boss: there was a weird code of honor here, and as long as Parker followed the rules, he and Sunny would be safe.

This was the part he didn’t know how to handle. "Is this because we're going to dinner with them tomorrow?" he asked, low.

Sunny was quiet. Suspiciously quiet. No, he lied. I was just wondering.

"Is that true? 'Cause it sounds like something is bothering you." Parker washed his hands in the basin of water by the courtyard door, getting the dirt out from under his fingernails.

Putting that investigator's mind to work, I see.

"Come on, bud. Rip the bandage off, use your words."

Sunny was quiet again for a long moment.

I want to talk about Arthur Lester, he finally said, his voice soft and cautious.

Parker sighed. "I figured."

We don’t have to, he said quickly, pure worry. If it will ruin dinner tomorrow, we don’t have to. I can wait. It’s not that import—

“Sunny.” Parker only rarely interrupted when Sunny spoke, and only when it was important—and the entity felt a thrill of fear at that knowledge. “We ain’t doin’ that, bud. This is important, ‘cause you’re my partner, and you’re important. Alright?”

Alright. Parker could feel his jaw set itself on its own, a nervous tic that had bled over from his passenger. Alright. I… Can we go to the water garden, and sit under the tree?

Parker blinked. “Sure, alright. Any reason?”

It’s… It’s calm there. Peaceful. I think… it might make it easier for me.

“Then yeah, let's go to the garden.” Parker shook his hands dry, slipping out of the herb garden to make his way through the winding halls of the palace. 

He was really starting to get a feel for the place, seeing the patterns within its strange architecture. Already he could get to the important places without assistance: the kitchen, their room, the throne room…

The music room.

They passed it as they walked, the sound of tinkling piano notes sweet against Parker’s ears, and it set his heart aching.

He wondered, again, if that was something Sunny could feel; the sensation of lead in his chest, heavy and dragging him downward. He could almost feel the entity cringe, shrinking away as the music grew, the sound of muffled conversation emerging when the notes stopped; and then they were past it, moving on, and Sunny was starting to relax again.

The water garden was one of Sunny’s favorites. The twin suns were shining above, the trees lining the garden cast dappled shadows across the path, and sunlight gleamed off the water between lilypads and water flowers. Parker sat heavily in the bench beneath the tree; it was a kind he had most certainly never seen before, and Sunny said did not exist outside the Dreamlands, with drooping branches and small leaves that were dotted with small white flowers.

Parker sat and watched the water bubbling down from a small, artfully arranged waterfall, and took a moment to breathe. “So,” he said, breaking the silence.

So, Sunny agreed. I think… I think I’m going to start from the beginning. Is that alright?

“However helps, bud.” Parker leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

I don’t remember anything before waking up in Arthur Lester’s head, Sunny said, his voice soft. Anything I’ve remembered since has been… Inspired by seeing something. But when I awoke—when I became —there was nothing. I was just suddenly there, and I had no idea why, and I was sharing a body with—with this— person. I… I was surprised when he spoke. I half thought he was dead.

“What’d he say?” Parker’s voice was soft, and he swallowed thickly.

He asked… ‘Who is this?’ Sunny let out a very soft, mournful sound. It’s… It’s almost funny, now. Looking back. It was almost polite. I told him I was a friend, and… end that it looked like he’d been through the wringer. When I asked him what happened, he said he didn’t remember, and… he tricked me.

“Tricked you?” Parker glanced away from the pond, focusing on the way the breeze tangled a few of the branches of the strange tree above them. “How?”

I told him we’d been in an accident. I didn’t know any better, but I needed him calm. You understand that, right? His voice was pleading. I didn’t lie out of malice. And then I asked him to look in his bag, and… And then he revealed that he knew, all along. The words were tumbling out, like stones down a hillside, and he was so afraid. He told me he knew all along what I was, told me who I was, and that he’d made a deal to bring me to him, told me I wanted this, but I wasn’t John, Parker. I wasn’t. And he was covered in blood, and there was a fucking blizzard outside, and…

“Easy, bud.” Parker reached up, brushing the curve of his jaw, and Sunny let out a shaky breath. “You’re alright. I’m listening.”

He called me a parasite, Sunny said. Like… Like it was my choice to be there. He said he didn’t care if we both died, because I wasn’t John.

Parker sucked in a breath, completely involuntarily. Flexed his hands into the dirty knees of his linen pants.

I… I’m sorry, Parker. Maybe it’s best if I—

“No, bud.” Parker fought to keep the grief from his voice; fought to keep himself from talking about Arthur, from defending him. “I’m alright. It’s just… It’s rough to hear that. But I gotta. We gotta get all the evidence, even if it sucks. Okay?”

…Okay, Sunny said, sounding not sure whatsoever.

“So he called you a parasite.”

It’s… It’s strange, that it’s stuck to me through ten years. But…

“That’s a pretty charged thing to call someone.” Parker took a moment to work at the muscle of his jaw, encouraging Sunny to release the tension he could feel building. “Especially since you didn’t choose it.”

Yes. Yes, exactly. His voice was weak. It didn’t… It didn’t get better. We fought. He begged me to remember, after threatening to kill us both, so I tried to take charge and tell him to do as I said so we would survive, and—and he threatened me right back. He said he had an artifact that would send me back to the Dark World, and… I didn’t want to die, Parker. So I cooperated. I… I hoped, in time, after my anger had died down, that I might still win him over.

He went quiet, for a long moment. 

“I take it you didn’t,” Parker said.

No, Sunny replied, voice hitching. No. I didn’t.

Fuck. "What happened then?" Parker's voice was soft.

He almost got us eaten by wolves, Sunny mumbled.

"What?"

It was a blizzard in the middle of nowhere. He stole a useless rifle, went charging blind into the snow, got chased…

“What the hell?” Parker muttered.

But we got lucky. We found an inn, the Red Right Hand, by sheer fucking luck. And then, because he couldn't control himself, he got himself fucking drunk on some nasty local concoction.

"He drank." Parker's gut twisted.

Yes. A pause. Is that… bad?

"He’d mostly given it up," Parker said quietly. "I convinced him to. He drank way too much after Faroe's death—I told you."

O-oh. Sunny went quiet for a long moment. I… I pushed him to drink. Everyone was… staring at us. He kept talking to himself. To… to me. I didn’t know what else to do to fit in.

“I get it,” Parker whispered. “You didn’t have a whole lot of choice. Appreciate the honesty,” Parker said. He reached back up, pressing his hand to his own cheek. “He could have faked drinking. He could have done a lot of things. Still his choice to swallow. You didn’t know. Okay?”

Fuck, Sunny said, very quietly.

“Hey. You’re alright. I’m not mad,” Parker sighed. “We’re talking facts—history. What happened then?”

He… he rambled about strength and being alive, and quoted some poem at me, and then pretty much passed out. It was so strange. He was strange. He was skin and bones; he looked terrible, smelled terrible. At that point, I really thought he’d get us both killed out of spite, so I… I tried to maybe convince him I was John.

Parker swallowed hard. “Okay. Okay. Bettin’ that didn’t go over too well, though.”

Sunny let out a soft groan. He saw through me like it was nothing. That’s when he revealed he’d lied about the artifact and being able to send me back to the Dark World… and being able to return me to the King. He just… I didn’t know what to do, Parker. I couldn’t trust him, and I couldn’t even see him in a mood stable enough to be able to do anything with it. Anything I said, he fought. It didn’t matter.

“Fuck,” whispered Parker. “That sounds like Arthur after losing his shit, yeah, but… this is worse than I think I’ve ever seen. What the hell happened to him before you got to him?”

I genuinely don’t know. He told me things, but I couldn’t trust anything he said anymore. There was blood everywhere when I woke, Parker. Everywhere, including on him—but the wounds were closed up. His legs… And his throat.

“That’s when he got the neck wound?” said Parker.

Yes. And someone had closed it up. Humans don’t heal that fast. He said… He said ‘he’ wanted him to suffer.

“Doesn’t make a lick of sense,” Parker murmured.

It didn’t. Nothing did. We… we tried to get out of Addison. We needed a car, and Arthur went to find some surveyor who had one, but… the man was missing. Arthur did some detective work, trying to locate him, but then we were attacked by an invisible monster in the woods. The creature nearly killed us, but Jack—Larson’s son—retrieved us, and carried us up the mountain to the Larson estate. That’s when things went… south.

“ That’s when things went south?” Parker said. “How south? Bermuda?”

Worse. I thought we were all right; our clothes were cleaned, our new wounds bandaged. But we heard a woman, sobbing, in the vents of Larson’s house, and Arthur was… irrational about it. Larson finally came and spoke to us, telling us he was Andrew—a fictional descendant to handle rumors of his longevity—and he seemed friendly. Honest. Sunny paused, and when he spoke again, shame tinted his words. I… I believed him. Arthur didn’t, and… and while we were discussing it, we heard Jack kill the crying woman. We knew it was Jack because… Larson told us.

“Jesus.” Parker took a moment to rub his face, to run his fingers through his hair and pull it away from his eyes. “Jesus fuck. He just fuckin’ admitted it?”

Yes. He… he admitted he had Jack kill her. Arthur went crazy again. We made an insane escape through a window over a cliff. We found a dead body in a bed, and when Arthur touched it, I… I saw how they died.

“What?” said Parker, startled.

That hasn’t happened with you. It seems to be something unique to Arthur.

“What in fuck?” Parker murmured. “He’s got magic powers?”

I don’t know. Sunny sounded fearful.

Parker stroked his jaw. “It’s okay. You don’t have to know. So what happened then?”

I think I may have… Seen a flash of the Arthur you knew.

“You did?” Parker straightened. “What happened?”

I apologized to Arthur for lashing out at him. Though it made no sense, though we hadn’t gotten along at all, he… he seemed to accept my apology.

Parker sighed. “Yeah. He always was a sucker for a good apology. That’s… That’s good? I think that’s good.”

It… it felt like I was finally getting somewhere. Sunny mumbled. I didn’t want to fight with him, Parker. I really didn’t. 

“I know. I believe you,” Parker said, brushing the curve of his jaw once again.

I just… I want you to remember that. Because we got caught. We’d escaped, and we’d talked, and we’d investigated, and I thought things might get better, and we might get out of there, but Jack caught us. He knocked Arthur out, brought us down to the dining room, tied us to a chair, and… and when Arthur woke up, he was weeping. And he told me about… about Faust.

“Faust?”

Their throat tightened. Parker’s tongue twitched in their mouth. Before I came to him. When he was still with John. When the King had them… captured, thrown into something called the prison pits, Arthur was starving, and the King threw another prisoner in with them. The man was a murderer; a cannibal, who planned—Arthur said—to kill and eat him.  Instead… instead, Arthur killed him, murdered him by crushing his eyes with his thumbs just like he did to Jack later, and confessed to me he… he ate Faust. 

Parker sat right down on the garden path, right on the ground, like his strings had been cut.

Parker? Sunny whimpered.

“Just… I need a second. You’re good, bud. You’re okay. I just need a second.” His voice sounded like he’d been strangled.

Their tongue twitched again.

“It’s okay,” Parker whispered, though it obviously wasn’t. “Go on.”

Sunny sat in unsteady silence for a moment before he could. It was like he was confessing this to me before we died , and I just… Sunny let out a sob. I had done my best, and he’d still... what was the point? What was the fucking point? This man, this murderer, had ripped me away from my godhood and imprisoned me within him, threatened me into cooperation, lied, and then when I thought I might have an understanding with him… he told me that . And then Larson spoke to us, and Larson… Larson knew things Arthur didn’t. He knew of the gods, of their powers, called us superior , and I…

“He knew you were there,” said Parker. “Didn’t he?”

I believe so, Sunny whispered.

“That asshole played you. Didn’t he?”

Sunny let out a sob. Yes. I was swayed immediately. I was angry at Arthur. Angry at the various ways in which he harmed himself, harmed me. Larson punished him for speaking out of turn—Jack did that to his ear. Tore the piece of it off. 

“Fucking hell,” Parker muttered. “Did all his scars come from that house?

Not all, I swear, Sunny said quickly.

Parker touched his lips this time. “I ain’t blaming you.”

Sunny’s voice hitched.

“I ain’t. It’s okay. If you need to stop—”

Sunny would not stop. When it was revealed Larson had sacrificed his daughter, Addison, to one of the gods for his longevity and power, Arthur went completely insane .

Parker got up and began to pace. “He always did when kids were involved. Always,” he said, and his voice was a growl.

Parker, Sunny whispered. Parker, I’m sorry. I should have—I don’t know—

“Just gotta move, bud,” Parker said, running his hands through his hair. “Ain’t mad at you.”

Parker, Sunny whimpered. Please, Parker, I’m sorry. I really am, I—

“Buddy, I’m not angry at you.” There was heat to his words. “Have I ever lied to you?”

No, Sunny said, voice shaky.

“Then trust me,” Parker said. “You told me about the sacrifice before. Remember? And I was fuckin’ mad then. I just… there’s more context now.”

I understand. Sunny’s voice hitched. Is it my fault?

“No, bud. No. Did you kill Larson’s kid? Did you make him kill some woman beneath the house? Fuck, did you throw some cannibal into the pit with Arthur? Fuck, no.” Parker threw his head back and took a deep breath in through his nose, and then hissed it out between his teeth—in for five, out for seven. And again, in for five, out for seven. “You didn’t do any of this, and I don’t hold you accountable.”

I just wanted to go home, Sunny whispered. Larson dangled that in front of me like a lure, and I… I bit down hard. 

Parker let out one final breath. “I know, buddy. I know.”

Sunny was quiet for a long moment before he spoke with a tiny, broken voice. Do… Do you still love me?

“What?” Parker startled, stopping dead in his tracks. “What kind of crazy quest—yes, Sunny. Yes, I still love you. For fuck’s sake, bud, I’m a bit harder than that to shake off. I mean, I thought Arthur strangled me fuckin’ dead and I still love the guy.”

But you… Sunny let out a soft, desperate noise. I… Okay. Okay, yes. I just… You really aren’t mad?

“Not at you. At the King? Yeah. That was fucked up, makes me wonder what else happened that we don’t know about. At Larson? Oh fuck, yeah. I already was, but now… I’m really wondering what to do about that guy.”

…We will need to talk about the King too, Sunny said, voice weak and completely exhausted. But I… I can’t. Not right now.

“That’s alright. We’ve got time.” Parker reached up and gently cupped his jaw, feeling the twitch as Sunny settled into the touch. “You got a hell of an introduction to Arthur. Confirmed several of my suspicions. He’s still got some stuff to answer for, with you, but it sounds like he was still in there, just… this went beyond flipping a switch. It’s like somebody ripped the godsdamned outlet outta the wall and started crossing wires.”

I can agree with that. He was in one hell of a state. Sunny let out a rumbling sigh. Parker?

“Yeah?”

Do you think… Do you think John was part of it? Arthur had told me they’d fought, badly, right before.

“I’m thinking so, more and more,” Parker said quietly. “I don’t know what’s going on with that just yet. But we’ll figure it out. Okay?”

Okay. Partner.

“This can’t have been too easy to say. Thank you, partner. This was valuable. Important.” Parker gently patted his cheek. “You gonna be okay for dinner tomorrow?”

I… I think so. I’ll be quiet, but… I just don’t know how to talk to him. I don’t want to. I thought I could move on, but seeing him again, I…

“Yeah, I understand that.” More than Sunny could ever really know. “Don’t worry; I’ll take point on that one. You just sit back and listen for me, so I can double-check theories later. Sound good?”

Sounds good. He slipped into silence for a long moment. Parker?

“Yeah, bud?”

Thank you. I… I love you.

“Anytime, bud. Love you too,” he said, taking a seat back on the bench. The words, still so fresh, did not ease the tension that had twisted his muscles tight, as much as he'd like to watch the fish in the pond until the afternoon light turned rich and golden. Parker got up and walked, pacing the gardens, following every path, and if he moved like an angry wolf while he did, it was effective, because no one—Dancer or servant or anything else—came anywhere near.

[cataractcamelot]

the thing that drives me crazy sometimes is the fact if you compare jarthur s1 and s5 you will get a wildly queer experience full of shared history and loyalty and love and then look at when they first met and you will be surprised that they even managed to get to the point where theyre pretty much soulmates. take that as you will.

every. time. I hear John's voice in ep 1 it drives me fucking nuts. That's the John Doe we know? The one that became so, so human fucking nyarlathotep however-you-type-his-name Kayne ended up following the dude that made him like this. AND GET REALLY INTERESTED. THATS HIS SPECIAL INTEREST, RIGHT THERE. ARTHUR, HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Arthur. Arthur in ep 49 was definitely considering letting go. Idk what to tell you, he was genuinely going to give up. Throughout the season post Horigvirus 19 he had been gradually getting sicker, and sicker, and sicker, hell, did he eat?? Did he drink??? Did he enough???? Bro was barely able to stand, and I would know what it's like to be that sick. You can't do anything, you really just don't have the energy to.

Let me cook, JOHN, GUYS. JOHN WAS THE ONE WHO MANAGED TO PICK HIM BACK UP. If he simply said "Orthur...Oscars letter....if there was a message before, it's indecipherable now," then Arthur may have just said, "Well, that's my lot," and went to sleep forever. No one knows Arthur better than John and no one knows John better than Arthur himself. They are literally eye roommates. They are married in the brain. John knew that he had to say something, anything to MOTIVATE Arthur into fighting back, into getting up, because Arthur Lester ALWAYS gets up. That's what John hates and loves about him. That's what Kayne chose him for. That's the sole reason Arthur has survived this far.

Prison pits? Arthur would've gone insane if it weren't for John, keeping him company and stopping him from going insane to the best of his ability. Kellin and the pier? Literally dragged his ass to civilization when Arthur was comatose for months. Larson's manor? We know what Arthur is like without his John, acting as both his companion and rock. Yellow I love you, you were just born at the wrong place at the wrong time :((

They will literally drive me insane. I just might jump off a cliff. If Arthur has to choose between his beloved daughter and his beloved fragment of an eldritch god, I swear he better choose his homeboy. Put his ass in a human body! Let him touch grass! We did NOT go through several arcs of Arthur moving on from accidentally killing his baby girl just for her to come back and for everything to be okay. Faroe is much happier dead than dealing with school and real life, trust /j

what the hell, sure. Tldr: they are horribly perfect for each other and they would probably implode the moment the other dies and they are left alone. Yeagh. Can't wait for ep 50. Can't wait for s6. Wonder what kind of wacky shenanigan they'll get themselves into this time. I miss Oscar.

"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UUUUPPPPP

[four-loose-screws]

FE4 Suzuki Novelization Translation (Gen II) - Chapter 15 (The Grand Finale!)

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

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———————————

Chapter 15 - Wind God Forseti

The entire text is under the cut for spoilers.

The war was over.

However, the storms of conflict had ravaged Jugdral twice in just twenty years, leaving huge scars across the continent. Reconstruction would probably take many times the amount of power needed to win the war.

Those who fought alongside Seliph, as well as those who now needed to bear the burden of reconstruction, said their goodbyes, and parted ways.

-

Shannan, who was next in line to become king, returned home.

By his side was the future queen, Patty. As the Sword Saint, Shannan was nearly always scowling, but that front cracked whenever he was talking to her. Even before the final battle, he was shy when he accepted the lunch she packed for him. The two will undoubtedly become a good husband and wife to each other.

-

Leif inherited the title of King of Leonster, but at the same time, many wished he would also take on the role of unifying the Thracian peninsula.

Those who went with him to Leonster were Finn, the knight who'd vowed to protect him ever since he was orphaned until the very end, and Nanna.

Nanna was in love with him, but because she was from Augustria, she'd told herself that she must part with her beloved when the war was over. However, when the time finally came, Leif took her hands in his, and passionately shared his desires for her to come with him. They too decided to marry one day.

Though Altena was of the Leonsterian Royal Family's bloodline, she returned to southern Thracia, where her memories of her beloved remained. There, it was decided that she would work with Leif to unite the peninsula.

-

Ares, together with the dancer Lene and his cousin Diarmuid, decided to go to Augustria, where the battle between the imperial army and the local liberation army still raged on. Ending that war and unifying Augustria was the next duty bestowed upon him. 

After he married Lene, he mellowed out. So long as they have the aid of the calm and collected Diarmuid, they will likely be able to carry out even the most difficult of their duties.

-

After the kingdom fell in Verdane, it had been taken over by bandits. The bow knight Lester traveled to those remote lands to establish a new government. By his side was the falcoknight Fee.

-

The six dutchies of Grannvale were inherited by their next in line.

The tactician and paladin Oifey succeeded Chalphy,

The wielder of Holy Bow Yewfelle, Febail, succeded Jungby, 

The axe knight Iuchar succeeded Dozel,

The mage knight Arthur succeeded Velthomer,

High Priest Coirpre succeeded Edda,

And the thunder mage Tinny succeeded Friege.

(Iuchar's beloved, Larcei, went with him as his perfect match; and it went without saying that Coirpre was accompanied by his adoptive father, Hannibal.)

And, of course, Belhalla was succeeded by Seliph, and he was crowned King of Grannvale at the same time. Lana, who'd fought alongside him from the very beginning, became his queen.

The inheritors of the duchies, and even the inheritors of the surrounding countries, all walked up to the new king, raised their swords, and swore their loyalty to him before leaving Belhalla. From that day forward, the Jugdralian continent would change from a land of power and fear, to one connected by a new bond of trust. 

-

The last person they said goodbye to was wind mage Ced.

"Seliph, I will return home to Silesse with Father. Thank you for everything."

"Yeah, you helped us out a lot! We'll never forget you!” Then, he turned to Lewyn. “And Lewyn, I don't know how I could ever thank you…"

"There's no need to, Seliph. Everything we accomplished was because of all your hard work."

"Now, Father, let’s…"

"No, Ced. I will not go to Silesse. You are the only one who can rule Silesse."

His father's unexpected words pushed Ced to put pressure on him to change his mind. "But why, Father!? The war is over. Please return home with me."

"No, I have played my part. Just like the other countries, Silesse must also be reborn. For that to happen, she needs a power of youth like yours."

"I don't understand. Silesse needs you, Father! Please, please, come back home."

"You've said more than enough. I don't want you to speak another word. Fee realized everything from the very beginning. You should have already as well. Isn't that right, Ced?"

"Father!"

"I won't say anything more. Now go! Silesse is counting on you!"

Ced bit his lip and stared at his father for a long while.

But when he realized that Lewyn's resolve was firm, he turned towards Seliph and bowed his head. "Then this means goodbye, Lord Seliph. Good luck. You too, Lady Lana… and you as well, Father…" With that said, Ced bowed his head deeply, then left.

"Seliph, Lana, though it pains me to leave, I am going to go on a journey."

"Where will you be going?" Lana asked.

"A bard has no set destination. I will travel wherever the wind may take me."

"Lewyn, thank you so much. You watched over me and guided me when I knew nothing. I am so grateful to you from the very bottom of my heart."

"I was merely fulfilling my duty. Silesse's royal family is one of wind mages. Wherever I am, I am there simply because the wind took me there. And you humbly took that wind in."

"I know that, Lewyn. And I also know that your true identity… is not really Lewyn."

"..."

"The Lewyn my father fought with really did die during the Battle of Belhalla. Some of the female soldiers survived, but all of the men died during that battle. So I wondered, then, why you are the only one they failed to find.

"You are actually one of the dragon tribes, most likely the god who made the pact with Crusader Ced at Darna Castle, and granted him the powers of wind magic. You knew that the path leading to Loptous' revival was opened at the Battle of Belhalla, and took Lewyn's form to try to stop it."

Lewyn did not deny Seliph's words, nor did he affirm them.

"I've heard that the dragon tribes fear participating in the human world. But you went so far as to break that rule to guide us. So long as this land exists, we will never forget all you've done for us. Lewyn… no… Forseti of the wind, and warrior of a distant land."

Lewyn raised an eyebrow and smirked. Then, he bowed in a manner fitting of a bard, and tried to leave the room.

"Wait, Lewyn!"

When Lewyn turned around, it was only just a little bit, but he looked uncomfortable.

"I want you to tell me one thing, Lewyn. Did you know that Arvis had given Julia the circlet? And were you trying to tell us that Manfroy hadn't killed Julia?"

The bard paused for a minute, then said, "No, there was no way that I could have known. I knew what the darkness' goal was, but none of the intricate details. All I knew was that even they had a weakness."

"And that weakness was?"

"That they do not sympathize with the human heart. And that you would have become proud of your own power."

"..."

"That if we did our best, then one day, that weakness would be revealed. I only believed in that. You did not win with power. You won because you are considerate and humble. That is why everyone stayed with you until the very end, despite how harsh the battles were. That will also be important for your future rule. You two should remember that."

The bard said, then waved his right hand to say goodbye. His gesture also conjured up a light breeze.

“One more thing, Lewyn! The bard in Peruluke, was he a dragon? Or…"

But the bard had already begun to fade away, little by little. He disappeared without giving an answer.

-

The Thracian Peninsula was unified.

The region, made up of many small countries and plagued by perpetual war, finally welcomed peace with the restoration of the Leonsterian Royal Family’s power and the death of the Kingdom of Thracia.

The first king of this new country was Leif, chosen by the people and their passionate hopes for him.

Leif entrusted Altena with the reconstruction of the territory that previously belonged to the Kingdom of Thracia.

Altena never left Thracia ever again. For the rest of her days, she protected the land she was raised in, as well as her memories of Arion, with a love so strong it would last her entire life.

-

The Kingdom of Isaach had been the first nation to be freed from the empire's oppression, but the inheritor to the throne was not there at the time, so the peoples' days were filled with uncertainty.

Because of that, they welcomed Shannan's return home. Once he was crowned, he worked tirelessly to rebuild his country, and proceeded to implement trade with the other nations. Isaach was previously called the barbarian land of the east, but the latter half of his rule achieved unprecedented development, and Isaach transformed into a rich land that rivaled the other countries.

-

After the civil war ended in Augustria and the country was annexed by Grannvale, it had been put under a strict, tyrannical rule.

Because of that, all of the people had wished for their own liberation army and the establishment of a new, unified country, and those wishes were directed towards the hero Eldigan and the Nordion Royal Family. They were wildly excited to welcome Ares home, because he reminded them of Eldigan in his youth.

Under Ares' rule, Augustria's reconstruction progressed quickly. After that was done, the country continued to develop as Grannvale's greatest ally.

-

Because Verdane was a remote country, the empire did not meddle into their affairs very much. However, after the death of their king, each tribe had gotten into disputes time and time again, public order was in distress, and thieves went around looting as if they owned the place.

Amidst all of that, Lester's homecoming, as one of the hero Prince Jamke's bloodline, gave the people courage, and many young people gathered around him. The war to unify Verdane ended in less than a year, and Lester was crowned king. He earned the cooperation of both Grannvale and Augustria, restored the lands, and returned Verdane to the country his grandfather Batu had created.

Verdane, the forested land of the lake… Where Sigurd’s prayers are granted in the beautiful greenery, and the clear water is made up of Deirdre's tears. Or so the people believe…

-

Silesse, which had long been under the empire's control, crowned Ced once he returned home, and poured its energy into restoring the country's utterly destroyed lands.

The people loved their beautiful land and peace that had returned to it. The kingdom that Lewyn had given his life trying to protect was finally trying to finish his work.

-

And so, Seliph, as the new king of Grannvale, poured his energy into restoring the country, bringing peace to the continent, and creating a rich world without discrimination or oppression.

Through it all, he was always accompanied by his queen, Lana, who was always snuggled up next to him and smiling; and Princess Julia, who always watched over him with a kind, warm gaze.

-

Many years afterwards, the people would say.

"Within Jugdral's history, there was a holy king.

His name was Seliph."

-

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War - End

[tiffgeorgina]

do you have any favourites parts of season 2? (I agree that the plot has been.... Thin? Non-existent?) But what are the things about this season that you've enjoyed?

hello anon! a few things i’ve enjoyed are:

-the new guest stars. watkins, hill, and raphael are knocking it out of the park. we waited longer than i wanted to to see june and dulé but hey, at least they’re here now! im already kinda attached to their characters and im pretty sure all of them are gonna get fucked over so im scared fjgkjhfdg

-just seeing all these mf characters again. ive missed them so much kjhgkdfjh i could watch them watch paint dry and i’d be okay with that bc i just MISSED THEM

-CONNIE. RESURGENCE. OMFG. i saw xosha roquemore (the actress who plays her) credited for 2x05 a couple weeks back and i FREAKED. OUT. god why do i love this narc. acab except for connie because i like her and she’s pretty (seeing her in full color and 80s style was a REVELATION)

-mo coming back ugh i missed him at the jammer group. seeing him complacent and beaten down HURT. im ready to see him fuck blair up i love blair but he’s walking away in handcuffs this season if mo has anything to say about it

-blair/harris. ok they’re cute i said it (plus they’re easily getting the most screentime out of all the couples this season which is nice bc their relationship is so much less established than the others)

-mo/dawn flashbacks mo/dawn flashbacks mo/dawn flashbacks mo/dawn flashbacks mo/dawn flashbacks!!! i knew we would be seeing their backstory but i didn’t expect it to be the first thing we saw all season!!! i love mo/dawn and i love getting backstory since i was waiting to know more about their past for so long and!! it’s here!! now we know everybody at the jammer group used to work for leighman and that’s why they hate them and we know mo and dawn go back a decade and!! it’s just so satisfying to KNOW i love to see it

-the entirety of Fore! (2x04) yassir. fucking. killed. that. shit. he was the sole writing credit for that episode, and when i saw that on the imdb page i simply knew it would be god tier. and it was! admittedly a little plotless, but that’s par for the course this season, plus it was early enough in the season to get away with it i think. the twist at the end. corky’s entrance. blair/harris. blair being an idiot. blair being a high idiot. yassir x being the king of feminism. yassir lester writing andrew’s emmy reel like that. we haven’t seen season 2B yet but 2A peaked with fore!. period. try to disagree with me. you can’t.

-ofc the 80s aesthetic that we all know and love. i saw somebody describe black monday as a period piece once and it seemed kind of ill-fitting bc it’s not set in victorian era england but yk what? it’s totally fitting. this is a period piece. the 80s slap.

-blair being the villain that we know he is. i wish they would quit stalling on this because it’s making all the characters seem monotonous and non-distinct, but i like those moments where blair snaps (“WE ARE DOING THIS” and “i am the only family you need now. just me”) andrew’s such an excellent actor and it’s fun to see this side of his range since he’s usually played really nice and wholesome (or at least not downright villainous) characters. he’s sending chills down my spine with some of the shit he’s doing and saying this season. andrew. emmy. nomination. now. GIVE IT TO ME NOW.

-momentary mo&blair resurgence (even if it’s fake). i miss mo&blair as father-son so fucking much anon you don’t even know. finding out that they were the ones clicking their heels in 2x06? i could’ve CRIED

-being right. ok this has a bit of lore but i have been STALKING the imdb page for black monday for MONTHS. bc they’ll add episode titles, or screencaps, or cast members all the time without telling anybody, and everything’s been accurate so far (so it’s not some troll lying on imdb we know that lol). specifically, in 2x09, there’s a character credited as dr. gabe egon. the tl already had suspicions that he had smth to do with conversion therapy bc there’s this one picture that sho released where you can see all this shit mo’s written on this board, and it DEFINITELY SAID CONVERSION THERAPY. and this episode comes around and roger is walking out this door that says “dr. gabe egon ~ therapy for the religiously erect” or whatever and i was like !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and then roger blurts out that it’s literally CT and i !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this shit is in different areas for better or for worse and even if im confused and bored at the same time being pulled along for the ride is fun as hell

-the naming scheme for the episodes. i literally had no idea what they would do for the episode titles this season since there’s no countdown to black monday, but i like how it’s shit that the characters say/write. bc then a character says the episode name and you’re like !!!!!!!!!!! jfhgdfjk. plus it kinda tells you what’s going on--i knew 2x06 would be about a ponzi scheme before blair even proposed the idea in 2x05 bc the ep is titled Arthur Ponzarelli. and i knew fore! would be the episode where blair and the harrises are golfing and blair gets hit by a golf cart since “fore” is a golf term. and i know that 2x07, “who are you supposed to be?” is the weird halloween party ep where everybody looks ridiculous and ppl are def gonna be getting into it. 2x10 is titled “i don’t like mondays” and idk what that means but i bet mo says that line in the show. and 2x09 is titled “at that time” and im so scared bc that episode has a blair flashback and WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHAT DOES IT ALL MEANNNN

-more women and more women being relevant to the plot. good. it was getting a little obnoxiously man-influenced here. cmon the majority of the cast AND the majority of the directors AND the majority of the producers AND a majority of the writers AND both the creators can’t ALL be men. like pick a struggle.

whew that list was longer than i expected it to be! thanks for the ask anon! what are y’all’s favorite parts so far?

[sireneia-a]

me realizing there’s twenty-one playable child units in fe4 second gen and thus exactly enough to assign each one an arcana in a persona au. you know what this means kids

it’s all under the cut with attempts at explanations. i know this isn’t rlly the most relevant thing to this blog, but i’ve written metas on characters that aren’t actually muses so i’m letting it slide. fe4 spoilers will be briefly touched upon for a few characters. the explanations are specifically for how the arcana are represented in persona, but please keep in mind i’m a persona scrub kdhfkdhfdfkfd so if it ends up being only specific to character arcs from p3, my bad. i’m also sticking to the standard cards and avoiding special ones like aeon. welcome to super self-indulgent hell

i did the order by recruitment order, but here’s a link to just the order of all the characters ( sans explanations ) by the actual tarot in case you just want to see that and be done with it

Seliph: The Fool

Obligatory protagonist role getting this arcana, but the Fool is generally based around one being influenced by others. Considering how Seliph is placed in a role as a liberator as thrust upon him by the people’s expectations due to his lineage, I thought it was fitting. 

Lana: Priestess

Who I imagine would be the party’s initial navigator. Regardless, getting away from the strictly Persona gameplay aspects, the Priestess is an arcana given to quieter characters who have untapped potential. I generally just think Lana has the vibe for this as opposed to an actual reason.

Larcei: Temperance

This is one of the leftover ones admittedly. Temperance deals with an inability to balance one’s various life aspects. Larcei tends to be portrayed in adaptations as struggling between her combat as well as her love life, and she’s typically unlucky in the latter.

Ulster: Star

I love you Ulster, but he ended up also being one of the leftover ones as well. The Star is associated with hope and joy. There’s actually a pretty cool quote about this one in terms of bestowing help to others in their time of need but eventually being doomed to fall. Ulster is depicted as being protective of the others ( namely in Seliph’s childhood friend squad ) and is compassionate as well as a big brother type, thus I thought he matched up enough with the idea of bestowing help unto others.

Diarmuid: Strength

The Strength arcana in the Persona universe typically explores characters who have a strength of heart in order to keep going past hardships. Though almost everyone in gen 2 experiences tragedy and tries to overcome it, Diarmuid’s separation from his mother and then his consequent journey through Yied to reunite with his family stuck out to me. Additionally, he always seemed to have a good head on his shoulders even when given bad news in fe5 should you let Nanna fall in battle before he joins Leif’s party.

Lester: Sun

The Sun arcana directly deals with happiness, typically revolving around characters who are faced with miserable situations yet still try and be optimistic; alternatively, the character has lost their initial happiness. A really cool arcana in terms of character arcs, and Lester got it not because I thought it fit him, but because he was literally my last option and I thought the Sun arcana would fit him more than some other remaining ones, and a lot of the characters at this point I was dead set on keeping them locked in to the ones I chose for them. I initially gave this arcana to Lene. 

I’d love to meet someone whose fav is Lester sdkhkddf I feel so bad that I don’t have a lot in terms of analysis on him.

Julia: Fortune

The one I knew I’d want the most for this arcana right away: the Fortune arcana revolves entirely around fate. The characters usually have to make a large decision and strive to seize their own destiny. Julia and Julius both have their births completely orchestrated for the sole purpose of furthering the Lopt Sect’s goals, their fates determined by their bloodlines. Julia rises up from what originally seemed like a helpless situation to being the one to restore peace to Jugdral herself. I literally can’t imagine anybody else, sans Julius, who could fit this arcana better out of the second gen cast.

Fee: Chariot

The Chariot arcana places an emphasis on striving towards a goal, holding a determined and willful spirit. Fee is another character I knew I instantly wanted for a specific arcana, as she’s fixated on finding her missing father-- especially when you take FE5 canon into mind and make her father Lewyn. She embodies both the arc ( willing to accomplish her goal no matter what ) but also the personality associated with the arcana.

Arthur: Magician

For starters, giving this arcana to an actual mage is so satisfying. In any case, the arcana is associated with somebody who takes more of a secondary role to the protagonist but still has their own ego. Additionally, great tragedy befalls and motivates the character-- though typically it’s romance-related in terms of arcs, but I ended up omitting that for this. Arthur is a character who exudes confidence, something that Fee suspects might not be well-deserved when they bicker, and his call to action revolves around his desire to reunite with his family. He’s aware terrible things befell his mother and sister and is terribly protective of his sister as a result. Tine honestly might get the shortest end of the stick out of the second gen cast in terms of horrible fates.

The LI manga adaptation also depicts Arthur as a shameless flirt that is a bit of a pervert, which also helps just strengthen the tie between him and the typical archetype for the Magician arcana character in the Persona series.

Iuchar: Moon

Even though you can’t recruit both of the Neir brothers in one run, I’m giving them different arcanas since I personally think that their character arcs in-game are different enough to warrant it and it gets me up to my perfect twenty-one number.

The Moon arcana revolves around illusions and typically involves a character seeing reality not as how it is, some going so far as to blame themself for something that isn’t true. My analysis on Iuchar touches upon the idea that he’s putting up his carefree personality as an act to be able to more easily show kindness upon Isaachians without arousing suspicion from his family; additionally, it talks about the idea that Iuchar blames himself for everything his family has done under the Empire and asks for forgiveness sincerely, not understanding how Seliph sees that Iuchar is blameless and that even if he wasn’t, the people love him already. Iuchar simply can’t see that reality. Though him being the actual canonically flirty character is a good argument to assign him the Magician arcana, I ultimately personally see the Moon arcana as more fitting for him.

Iucharba: Death

The Death arcana is about life cycles and predominantly characters undergoing a great change. Iucharba is a character I personally note for not really being taken seriously by his family as noted in this meta and he undergoes a great transformation throughout the events of Genealogy should you recruit him as a result. He begins as a young man allied with the Empire, a man sorely underestimated plenty, and he ends up developing into this character that suddenly is the heir to the Neir bloodline and consequently is now actually in a position of power within Grannvale-- a position he was nowhere near getting before defecting. Also not really necessary for this arcana, but the fact that you can only recruit him at the cost of killing his brother helps put a literal death association.

Patty: Devil

I actually originally had Patty assigned to the Lovers arcana, but I think this is fitting enough too. The Devil arcana typically deals with characters who commit immoral actions and have difficulty telling that what they’re doing is wrong. They’re led by impulse and temptation but they are also typically dedicated to a cause. Patty is a thief who steals to procure funds for the orphans her and her brother look after. Her compassion is her commitment and though she’s aware what she’s doing is shady, she still believes herself to be partly in the right because those she steals from are terrible people as well. She’s a more mature Dew in a sense. She’s not a perfect fit for the Devil arcana, but she fits it the most out of all the second gen.

Leif: Justice

Leif honestly probably could’ve fit a few, but I decided the Justice arcana is most suitable; the characters associated with this arcana typically are concerned with fairness and can be pretty stoic. Leif’s obsessed with enacting vengeance-- a theme that is just a breath away from justice. He’s the character I think of most in Jugdral that cares the most about karma and seeing people get what they deserve. Additionally, he fits the personality trend in how he attempts ( keyword: attempt ) to suppress his feelings.

Nanna: Empress

The Empress arcana is given to elegant women in high positions of authority. They’re typically a little on the cold side but hold compassion ( perhaps in a sort of motherly fashion ) for others underneath all of that. The second gen are almost all royalty or nobility of some degree, but Nanna especially came off as a princess to me the most out of all the characters. Additionally, God her JP voice actress really nails that refined aura. Nanna’s personality in my opinion also matches the trend in how she can be a little curt ( namely to Finn should he be her father as well as to Homer in his recruitment conversation ) but she ultimately is heralded for being kind and supportive by Leif. 

Also gameplay-wise, the Empress personas typically end up having healing skills, and Nanna’s class as troubadour plays into this too. 

Ares: Hierophant

Another character I was certain of what arcana I wished to assign them from the start, though I feel like a lot of people would think of different cards than I did. The Hierophant characters typically are fixated on the past and need to learn how to move on from that. Ares’s arc literally revolves around how he’s obsessed with killing Seliph to enact revenge for ( what he believes to be ) Sigurd killing Eldigan. Even Lene attempts to get Ares to stop being tied down to the past and to accept the present and the future. 

Lene: Lovers

I went into this really wanting Lene to be assigned to the Sun as mentioned previously but ended up changing her to the Lovers which works out too. The Lovers character is usually someone who is popular and they’re tied between two conflicting aspects of themself. Lene is friendly and charismatic both due to her personality as well as her line of work, and her character explores her maturity as Ares’s confidant in opposition to how she’s fixated on finding her mother no matter what-- something that can be interpreted as a childish fantasy that’s hopeless considering how little of information she has to go on. Additionally, the Lovers personas gameplay-wise are usually healers and associated with wind magic, and though that doesn’t quite fit Lene, it coincides with it enough what with her being a support unit primarily and also both her cipher and her heroes art associating breezes with her.

Tine: Judgement

Judgement arcs explore characters realizing their true calling and gaining absolution and acceptance. Tine is initially allied under the Empire due to her connection to the Friege family, and she lived a very stifling existence until she defects. She’s uncertain exactly what she’s doing as well as who’s “right” at the time that she takes to the battlefield but she comes to realize that Seliph’s liberation army has good intentions. The truth that seemed so muddied before becomes so much clearer by the end. She also is another character who asks for forgiveness from Seliph and ends up being wholly surprised by how easily he gives her it. I feel like this implies that desire for absolution her entire life and it’s over the course of the war that she’s able to feel comfortable in her own skin and voice out her own wishes.

Febail: Tower

Ah, yes, the Edge Lord card. Regardless, the Tower arcana deals with bad omens and doom and destruction. The characters associated with this card are typically characters who have fallen from grace. Febail is unknowingly the prince of Jungby, one of the few playable second gen units guaranteed major holy blood, but he lives his life struggling in an orphanage and as a mercenary who will take any job so long as it gives him the money to provide for the other orphans. He loses sight of his own morality, needing to be reprimanded by his sister that his attempt to slay Seliph isn’t actually going to end in his goal of prosperity for the kids. Though all the kids have taken a tumble in life, I genuinely think Febail captures this concept the best.

Ced: Emperor

If there’s literally any character I think could actually translate super well into a Persona verse more seriously beyond just me assigning arcanas, I honestly think it’d be Ced. Anyhow, the Emperor arcana holds characters who desire to control their environment even if fate gives them trouble in attempting to do so, and the characters typically are suffering from a personal issue that they do not know how to tackle. Ced is a mage who goes out of his way to find his father and along the way, brought on by his own conviction, establishes the Magi Squad to try and help the people suffering in Manster from oppression underneath the Empire. That active role reflects the arcana very well in my eyes, and Ced’s personal conflict with Lewyn as a neglectful father as per FE5′s canon seals the deal.

Coirpre: Hermit

Hermit wasn’t my first pick for Coirpre as an individual character, but I gave him it pretty quickly after I thought about the entire second gen cast collectively as opposed to just standalone cases. I think Coirpre would most likely end up as the second, more powerful navigator character to recruit especially with his ties to the Bragi bloodline and the canonical Bragi connection to prophetic truth.

Coirpre doesn’t have the strongest connection to his arcana, but the Hermit arcana characters typically put themselves in situations where they are hiding away from the spotlight and others. As such, these characters are usually more in background or supportive roles in life. Coirpre is a healer in an extremely militant country, a larger anomaly considering the fact that his father is the Shield of Thracia-- a famed general. Coirpre, upon being locked away as a hostage, adamantly requests to be let go because he doesn’t wish for his father to be forced to fight; he seeks a more discreet way to solve the issue befitting of the arcana and ultimately sought out a calmer solution. Judging by his minor involvement in FE5, he also is more neutral typically in terms of alignment, not caring much for whether or not Leif was a runaway prince but also not offering to join him unlike the other FE4 characters who show up in the midquel. Coirpre keeps himself on the down low until he’s freed by the liberation army and realizes his father and he need to take a stance against the Empire more actively.

Altena: Hanged Man

The Hanged Man arcana explores characters who undergo arcs where they are caught between two extremes or two parties in their life. Altena encompasses this idea best in how she is troubled by her loyalty to southern Thracia due to being raised as its princess and her true lineage as Leonster’s princess. She is at odds due to this conflict, what with both parties being at opposite ends of the battlefield from one another and she’s forced to make a choice between her adopted brother and her blood brother.

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

He dreams, that night, of his sentencing. 

Or, no, that’s not quite accurate. The sentencing itself still passes in fuzzy outlines and guesswork—what he dreams of is what comes after. When the mask was clamped around his neck, and he was strung up with the rest of the very worst criminals to await his death. 

He’d been expecting to be left to rot in silence, untouched. That suited him fine. At that point, it had been the only thing left that he wanted. Parker had been the last person in the world he was hanging on for; Arthur’s heart should have stopped the moment he found him dead. He’s just an artifact, now, a music box winding down with a few last feeble notes when nobody’s around to turn the key. 

But—someone had approached him. 

He ignored the footsteps until they—and a pair of fine boots—had stopped in front of him. Someone cleared their throat, and said, 

“Hello, Arthur.” 

What—the fuck. Of all the people who could have come by to mock him, or take out their anger, or—it seemed a unique kind of cruelty, that it had to be Daniel. 

“I know it’s you, there. Don’t try to hide from me.” 

It should have been impossible for him to differentiate the criminals behind the heavy masks, but he’d probably gotten one of his friends in the area to tell him where he was. Going out of his way to come and give him some parting jabs, how thoughtful. He can think of plenty of things to spit back at him, but talking feels like an insurmountable effort at the moment. Easier to just… sit and take it. 

A sigh. 

“So you let it win. I’ve seen too many good men go the same way, you know, but I was hoping you might push through. But, well. Here we are.” 

Too many good men. Politely pretending he might be one of them. 

…Why is he talking like he cares? 

“I didn’t believe it, at first, when I heard the charges. I still don’t. Such… cold-blooded cruelty doesn’t suit you.” A pause. Maybe a swallow? “I could have helped you fight them, if you had only asked. I still could, perhaps, if you wanted. But… it seems you’ve already given up.” 

Now, even if he wanted to, he’d probably struggle to put together any coherent response. He can’t remember the last time he and Daniel even spoke, much less exchanged words that weren’t biting and vitriolic. It’s a thoroughly burned bridge that lies between the two of them. Why is he… what is he doing? 

“I do not claim to understand what happened between you and Yang. Evidently, as you’ve said almost nothing in your own defense. But I know the way you cling to your guilt and your grief, and you’re more of a fool than I thought if you think you can disguise it simply by not looking at me.” 

That forces him to drag in a shaky inhale, the first sign he’s given Daniel that he can actually hear him. 

“…Such a shame,” he muses lowly, half to himself. “Such a bright soul, with so much potential future ahead of you.” 

“Yeah,” he, finally, speaks. His voice is hoarse and cracks with disuse. “So was Parker.” 

He almost chokes on his next breath. 

“So—was—she.“ He can’t, he can’t—the tears are cool, but his eyes burn. “So were all of them.” 

And that’s the whole of the truth, isn’t it. Every single fucking person, every once-beating heart, that’s now cold in the ground because they had the miserable fucking luck of having one Arthur Lester in their life. What a joke this is. If this is the only way to stop him, then the weight of the iron mask and the dig of the shackles are welcome companions. He owes it to the rest of the fucking world: it’s long past time for him to stop trying. He’s ready for it to be over. 

Another sigh from before him. He sees an arm move into his limited field of vision, and then the weight of the mask is slightly shifted, as if he’s… resting a hand on his head. Daniel’s next words aren’t even directed at him. 

“Honeyed rays of gold, deliver this spirit,” he intones, to a Greater Will that surely isn’t listening. “May he return to the roots, in our home across the fog.” 

Without another word, he walks away. 

By any sane person’s measure, Arthur broke his way into his life and destroyed it—killed his only daughter and heir, killed his granddaughter before she could even say her family name, severed his legacy with a knife’s blade, lost everything, and ran like a coward away from it all. He’s left him with nothing. Even if he wanted them, he is the last person in the world who deserves those last rites, and Daniel is the last person who should be giving them. 

And yet. 

He weeps bitter tears until night falls, and all of the sun’s warmth drains from the air. 

The new mind welcomes them in easily. His memories catch like paper, burning down to golden embers in a matter of moments. Smoke chokes out his thoughts, and it seems for a moment as though he, like all the other despairing souls they have brought to roost over the centuries, would simply become one with the flame. No more to divide or distinguish. May chaos take the—

—hmm? 

There is a memory here that does not come alight at the merest touch. Its paper-thin edges are damp, somehow, and the heat of the flames cannot seem to dry them. Rather, when they reach out, their own edges sizzle and pop, and they are forced to recoil. 

No matter. Some things are difficult to relinquish, they understand; still, they will aid this ailing soul. They gather themselves, reach forward again—and are… stopped. As though snagged by the back of the collective collar. 

The mind is resisting. 

Not this one, comes a low whisper from the darkness beyond the embers of memory. The rest of them, you can have. Burn them all away, do what you will. But I cannot give this one up. 

The embers of frenzy do not understand. Cannot understand. This memory is etched deep, yes, but it is painful. The flame offers simple and beautiful release. Why would he resist? Why will he not let them take this pain away? 

That would be taking the easy way out. 

Of course. Is that not what he wants? To let go? For things to be easy? They know the outlines of this mind, the defeat that consumes it. It is a mind that welcomed the flames to make their home inside. He called to them. On the edge of life and death he sang to them, and they came for him. Now he would turn them away? 

No. No. He called to them; he is theirs now. They will not abide hesitation. They move to gather their strength again. 

The hands that had caught them intensify. Gather them up and pull them back, heedless of the flames. 

I said, he hisses, no. 

They struggle, now, confused and afraid and at war with their own internality. They cannot be conflicted. They are as one. And yet, and yet—

Yes, it hurts! Of course it damn well hurts! If it didn’t, I wouldn’t care what you did with it! Now he is incensed, voice growing hot to meet their measure. You’ve already gone and burned the rest, haven’t you! 

But not this. His voice softens. They know this tone, soaked in sorrow and guilt. Usually it catches quick as oil. But now, once again, their flame is stifled, as if tossing water on the pyre. I’m the only one left who remembers this. I might be the only one left who remembers her at all, at this point. If I let go… no. No. I will carry this with me as long as I live, and I will not let you take it. 

Now. 

Get the fuck out of my head. 

He pushes them down. Things solidify around them. Sights and sounds that they cannot make sense of in the scarce few moments before—his hands break the surface of the water and they are being smothered. 

They are in a basin and the water is all around them and they cannot evaporate it quicker than it eats away at them. They kick and writhe and snap and crackle and still they drown. 

Under the hissing sounds of their dying flames, they think, for a moment, they hear the faint notes of a piano. And then they hear nothing at all. 

—

With the scraping of metal against rock, the body stirs. 

“Ah,” purrs a low voice, “hello, friend. I was starting to get concerned when you—“ 

“What the fuck,” the other man gasps, as if he hadn’t even spoken. He lurches to a sitting position and his hands fly up to his face. The source of the metal scraping becomes immediately clear. “What—the fuck, why is it so fucking hot in here–“  

“Slow down a moment, you—“ 

“Fucking get it off!” His hands scrabble at the edges of the iron mask encasing his head. It was clearly not made to be easily removed. “Too—fucking hot. Fuck. Off.” 

“Stop that!” the other voice snaps, the remainder of the soothing hum draining out of it entirely. “You’re going to break your neck if you keep that up—“ 

“Then stop talking and fucking help me!” He’s gasping for breath, and starting to sway in a concerning manner. "I can't– I–"

“There’s a knife!” Finally, he says something that gets him to actually stop and listen. Slightly calmer, he continues, “There’s a knife next to your left hand. You should be able to use it to pry the mask off. Other left. No—for fuck’s sake be careful, try not to stab yourself—“ 

“You do it, if you’re so concerned,” he mutters, too focused on the task to even think about the retort much. Finally he manages to find the seam that holds the mask together, and gasps again, this time in relief, as it clatters to the ground in two pieces. 

The interior of the mask is warped, as if from extreme heat. The other voice decides not to point this out. 

“Fuck, that’s better. Okay. Give me a second.” He lies back down on the ground, enjoying the chill of the stone. “Wh… hah. Right. Perhaps we ought to… start over? …Friend?” 

“Oh, so you did hear me the first time.” 

“Yes. I was just—a bit preoccupied thinking I was going to suffocate in—whatever the hell that was, on my face. So. Sorry.” 

“It looks like a prisoner’s mask,” he offers. “Why you’re wearing it, I’m not entirely sure, since this doesn’t look like a prison.” 

“Yes, where are we, anyhow?” He blinks at the wall, debating the benefits of trying to get up. “And—who are you? And… how can you see our surroundings when I can’t?” 

“I… don’t know.” 

“Ah. Which… which question are you answering, there?” 

There’s a pause, and then a resigned sigh. “…All of them.”