#chapter 1 act iv we will be reunited

[dkniade]

Goal: Describe a character based on their actions instead of dialogue.

Every step he takes is slowed by the invisible, centuries-old shackles. The rust of his metal shoulder guard grinds against the tattered black fabric, as though his shoulders could not be any more stiff. Clink, clink, clink. The diamond-shaped ornaments, with their loops of gold, are louder than the stars shifting in his cape.

He looks at the looming cathedral. The sharp silhouette and faintly-lit stained glass seem to stare back at him. With an air of disapproval, he crosses his arms, still looking.

Those starry eyes… would not meet or be met by an Archon’s gaze. Such a non-believer entering a holy place is sure to stir up trouble.

Inspiration: Archon Quest Chapter I: Act IV - We Will Be Reunited, “Dishonourable Trial”, Step 1. Go to the Favonius Cathedral

[dearemilia]

Evermore Elysium | Series Masterlist

Genshin Impact x F! Reader

Summary | Lumine feels tired and hopeless, all she wants is to find her brother and get out of this world but it’s clear that this world isn’t making it easy for her. So what happens when she meets with a traveler that is from another world just like her.

Fic Tags | Honkai Related, Heavy lore, Op! Reader, Heavy angst, fluff, romance, reverse harem, major character death.

Additional Note | OC's will be included for the reader's past and since this is Honkai related, there might be some spoilers though I will put CW.

Status | Ongoing

PROLOGUE - Amidst the flowers

ACT 1 - LIYUE

Chapter I | Farewell, Archaic Lord Chapter II | A new star approaches

ACT 2 - ?

Chapter III | Bough Keeper Chapter IV | We will be reunited

ACT 3 - INAZUMA

Chapter V | Autumn Winds

[hellonoblesky]

Gotta wait for all my friends to finish We Will Be Reunited before I scream in depth on our server, so here’s all my thoughts/theories on Chapter 1, Act IV: We Will Be Reunited (ft. thoughts about the Archons (who I think participated, who I think didn't), Kaeya, Gold and their motives, Dain, and Abyss Heralds)

Spoilers ahead!!

(tw/cw: trauma mention, loss)

(also TL;DR's will be at the end of the post!!)

Ok so apologies if this is disorganized, I’m still getting all my thoughts about the quest together

Cryo is the single and only element needed for the domain, which as a Kaeya main and someone with his backstory pretty much memorized, that’s pretty sus?? Especially because I’m pretty sure that the last Abyss domain that had to do with Dain also only asked for Cryo

Dain and the Abyss Heralds share a very very similar color scheme, is it possible that the rest of the royal guard was turned into the Heralds? That would also explain why the Herald ceases their attack once they realize who we are. They need to report back to their royal, not only to update them on the situation with us and Dain, but to make sure we’re an enemy they’re aloud to fight (and possibly injure severely)

Field Tillers.... are they designed for the attack, to reap the lives of other people in order to give wealth in land to Khanri’ah, or to defend Khanri’ah from those who wished to bring it down? Either way, they failed

Kaeya. Has his plan been abandoned (and him by extent)? Or is he actively working with the Abyss Order, to assist them and bring his plan forwards? Was he the one who took (or assisted in the taking of) the statue? It is a Mondstadt statue, after all. And if so, I don’t think Kaeya’s “I triumph over you” poem was a fun little thing that just got thrown in as a cool and funky hint into his backstory. I think he’s letting Venti know (or perhaps reminding him) that Venti has no power over him, and with his Gnosis in the hands of the Tsaritsa and her Harbingers.... he won’t have the power to defend his own land against whatever attacks may come Mondstadt’s way. Also does Kaeya know Dain? Does he know about Dain? Does he purposefully avoid Dain because he knows Dain is anti-Abyss? Does the Traveler's sibling know about Kaeya? Is the sibling the one who set up Kaeya's plan? What. Is. Up. With. Kaeya????

Dain is cursed with immortality for his failure to protect the royal family... but cursed by who?

The Abyss Heralds have similar movesets to Childe, so Skirk is either a Herald, or someone of a high enough rank to command the Heralds to help Childe train.

Also uhhh Gold, we didn't get any mention of them, but now it's entirely possible that instead of overthrowing the government, Gold just snapped after losing everything. Gold's corruption very well could have been their attempt to avenge Khaenri'ah. Maybe they corrupted Durin to strike Mondstadt in rage against our boy Venti?

Speaking of Venti, with the confirmation that Khaenri'ah was destroyed by the gods for being a land free of higher rule... I have thoughts. First of all, it seems Venti didn't partake in the fall of Khaenri'ah considering that he only awoke when Durin attacked and the people of Mondstadt prayed for him to save them. It's possible that Venti was against the destruction of Khaenri'ah and got knocked out by someone else (perhaps the Unknown God?) so he wouldn't interfere with the majority vote.

The Tsaritsa I think was strongly against the Cataclysm. After all, 500 years ago was both when she was traumatized and fell out with Venti. As well as her very very likely being the goddess of love. She probably wanted to negotiate for peace with Khanri'ah so no one would get hurt, Khaenri'ah could continue to create more and more advanced technology and advance their Alchemical arts in peace without threat. That way their arts could spread to other nations and there could be peace while mankind advanced. She also probably didn't want to see anyone (let alone her friends) hurt, but was younger and less aware of her power/hadn't yet come into her full godhood so was forced to stand aside. I think her falling out with Venti was rooted in the fact that Venti is older, and slept through it all until his people called for him. He left the entire godless nation of Khaenri'ah to the hands of gods bent on it's destruction. So now the Tsaritsa is against Celesta because they knowingly condemned an entire nation and she hates that. She may have even been so wrapped up in her anguish that she looked at her people and began to worry that she wouldn't be able to protect them, so she got harsher and harsher on them. Until she was just cold and closed off, hence the "no love left for her people".

Zhongli I don't think is free of charge though. 500 years ago he would have still reigned over Liyue, and likely seen the threat Khaenri'ah was becoming with it's machines stronger than Vision users and it's Alchemy with the ability to create life. It's entirely possible that he partook in the destruction of the nation if the majority vote of the Archons was to bring it down. He may have even brought the Adepti with him, which would make his entire team a deadly force and one that the 'Tillers likely wouldn't stand a chance against. Perhaps the Cataclysm was even the fight that killed Pervases. However, I think that Zhongli regrets his actions, and that's his motivation to handing off Liyue. Perhaps what he traded his Gnosis in to help the Tsaritsa go up against Celestia so he could have a sound mind, and help stop anything like the Cataclysm from happening again.

The Dendro Archon (the dead one, not the current one) I think participated hesitantly and then perished in the conflict. Khanri'ah's specialty was their Alchemy; Khemia could very easily have a reverse form that takes the life away from things. Being aligned with Dendro would likely make the Archon much more susceptible to a reverse form of Khemia's life-giving because Khemia was mainly used to grow plants. Khemia is how the Khaenri'ahn people were able to grow their civilization like they did, keeping agriculture alive underground via means that didn't require the sun. It probably was common practice to use it to grow plants (and kill off weeds).

Baal probably definitely was on the side of wiping out Khanri'ah. Yk, considering how she's the god of eternity and currently is collecting Visions to preserve power in the hands of the gods? She probably went "Khaenri'ah is literally building machines that could pose a Threat. We are not letting this order fall, gods will always rule that's how it's been that's how it will be."

Fontaine's god just dipped and watched the drama unfold, then judged everyone afterwards.

Mureta probably was all in and that's part of the reason Venti is so salty in his description of her. She heard the war, heard the reasons, and went "Where we dropping boys?"

TL;DRs:

Dain's Abyss Ruins only having Cryo as an element is sus because of Kaeya's place as the only playable Khaenri'ahn character (so far)

Abyss Heralds could be the rest of the Royal Guard

Are Field Tillers for attack or defense? Either way, they failed

Is the plan Kaeya's involved in abandoned, did he help the Abyss Order get ahold of the Statue they use, his poetry is probably him rubbing Venti's helplessness in his face

Who cursed Dain with immortality?

The Heralds and Childe share moves, so he probably trained with them

Gold's corruption might just have been them snapping after losing their entire nation

Venti probably slept through/was left out of the decision and execution of the Cataclysm

The Tsaritsa probably hates Venti because Venti probably could have stood up against Celestia but slept through the entirety of Khaenri'ah's fall instead

Zhongli probably participated in the Cataclysm and regrets it immensely

The Dendro Archon may have died in the Cataclysm (specifically via Khemia, I think)

Baal was pretty much definitely for the Cataclysm

Mureta was also very much definitely for the Cataclysm

[asprettyasyourown]

How/Where do you think Jon and Arya will meet again? And how/where do you think Dany and Arya will meet?

Honestly, I can’t see Arya and Jon meeting anywhere else other than Winterfell. It would be such a satisfying “conclusion” to this aspect of their storyline. For Arya, both Winterfell AND Jon have been associated with home. She has tried since day one to return to either of them, and to see her do both at the same time would be so lovely. And Jon too, who has struggled for so long with his desire to have Winterfell (feeding his rivalry with Robb and his conflict with his status as a bastard) and Arya (contradicting his position as a member of the Night’s Watch, who have no family), would then get both at the same time. I know GRRM doesn’t like to hand things on a silver platter, and that “Be careful what you wish for” is a massive theme in the series, but come on. You can’t tell me they had it easy, and that they didn’t fight for it.

Now how and when is a little trickier.

Unfortunately, it won’t happen before a loooong time. Arya has a long way to go before leaving Essos, let alone reach Winterfell. She still needs to: 

Tie the story with the FM (including a “training” with the courtesans/the Black Pearl, and of course leaving them);

Deal with the wildlings women and children that are stranded in Braavos now that the Sealord captured the ship (= slavers) that intended to sell them;

As I’ve mentioned before, I very much see the Iron Bank being involved in her storyline, so there’s that to deal with as well;

Meet Dany (I’ll go back to this later);

Go back to Westeros;

Deal with the Riverlands, the Brotherhoods Without Banners and, most importantly, Lady Stoneheart;

Reconnect with Nymeria.

And all that doesn’t even take into account what GRRM could throw in her way on top of all of this. That’s a lot. And since Arya will definitively not see Jon anywhere outside of the North, it could only happen after she resolved all those things.

Jon too has a lot on his plate. He first needs to be resurrected (duh). He also needs to deal with the traitors who stabbed him and his future in the Night’s Watch. If you omit the whole murder thing (kinda hard to tbh), there is still the fact he broke his vows for Arya. He was already set to leave before he died. And since his last thoughts were about Arya, and we know the dead who get resurrected focus on their last conscious thoughts, his resolve to get her back will not be lessened.

Honestly, I think he’s done with the NW. I think he’s gonna do what he intended to before dying, aka kill Ramsay and get “Arya” back, whether by allying with Stannis or at the head of his own wildling army. I don’t know if he’s gonna become King in the North like in GoT, but he’s definitively going to be considered for the role; and since Bran, the legitimate heir, is still alive and will one day return to Winterfell, this could be the catalyst for the tension between these two George planned in his original draft. Not to mention the tensions it would create with the other northern lords, who would not see with a kind eye a bastard allied with the wildlings (enemies of the North for generations) and Stannis; or those who simply won’t appreciate a king not as malleable as a child (side-eye to the Manderlys).

(Oh, and there is also the matter with fArya and Theon. I’m going on a limb here, but I doubt he’s gonna be happy to learn that what he thought was his precious “sister” is really an impostor (though he might be happy to know the real Arya didn’t get what Jeyne had to endure). Or that she’s bringing along the guy who betrayed the Starks and supposedly killed Bran and Rickon. His first reaction definitively won’t be good, though it will probably soften once he learns what happened to them and how Ramsay is the real culprit. But I’m not anticipating much benevolence from him, especially since he’s in dark mode now).

So yeah. Lots of issues to be resolved before they can be reunited, and that’s without counting on the threat of the Others or what other characters might do. Honestly, I’m anticipating a reunion between the end of TWOW and the beginning of ADOS. On one hand, I think it would be more impactful in TWOW; most specifically, the last act of either Jon or Arya’s chapters. It would be a nice conclusion for the both of them, before the Others mess everything up. But I’m also aware that all the issues I’ve previously mentioned might not be resolved in one book, and that it might spill on the second one.

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

Now Dany.

Honestly, it’s kinda hard to be sure of how they’re gonna meet. They will, that’s a certainty. There is so much hints, since the first book really. Remember this?

This time the monsters did not frighten her. They seemed almost old friends. [Arya, IV, AGOT]

Which is exactly how I’m anticipating their relationship. At first, things are going to be tense, especially on Dany’s side who has been fed lies about the Starks and their role in her exile (and who could blame her). So there’s definitively room for Arya to be frightened. But once she gets Dany to see her side to the story, and her vision of the events become more balanced, they’ll become fast-friends. They have so much in common, it’s impossible for them not to.

But, once again, the details of how they’re gonna meet is blurry. Arya will need to at least be done with the FM. And Dany... Dany has a lot on her plate too. She’s gonna need to deal with the khalasar she hears at the end of ADWD, and a possible confrontation (alliance?) with the Dothraki. She will also need to end the plot in Meereen (aka choose between “fixing” its whole culture or do what she always intended to, return to Westeros and seize back the Iron Throne). Of course, we know she’s gonna choose the latter - but a bunch of things can happen between that, and with them time passing.

At this point, Arya and Dany are very far away, each at one extremity of Essos. For them to have a chance to meet, I anticipate that Dany will end things with Meereen at the same time Arya closes the storyline with the FM (maybe even before, so Dany could already be on the road towards Braavos). Now is the tricky part. I have two theories on how they will meet: through the lost Wildlings and through the Iron Bank.

The lost Wildlings

We know the wildlings women and children in Braavos were “freed” when the Sealord seized the ship carrying them. Unfortunately, others were not so lucky.

“I know why the Sealord seized the Goodheart. She was carrying slaves. Hundreds of slaves, women and children, roped together in her hold.” Braavos had been founded by escaped slaves, and the slave trade was forbidden here. “I know where the slaves came from. They were wildlings from Westeros, from a place called Hardhome. An old ruined place, accursed.” Old Nan had told her tales of Hardhome, back at Winterfell when she had still been Arya Stark. “After the big battle where the King-Beyond-the-Wall was killed, the wildlings ran away, and this woods witch said that if they went to Hardhome, ships would come and carry them away to someplace warm. But no ships came, except these two Lyseni pirates, Goodheart and Elephant, that had been driven north by a storm. They dropped anchor off Hardhome to make repairs, and saw the wildlings, but there were thousands and they didn’t have room for all of them, so they said they’d just take the women and the children. The wildlings had nothing to eat, so the men sent out their wives and daughters, but as soon as the ships were out to sea, the Lyseni drove them below and roped them up. They meant to sell them all in Lys. Only then they ran into another storm and the ships were parted. The Goodheart was so damaged her captain had no choice but to put in here, but the Elephant may have made it back to Lys. The Lyseni at Pynto’s think that she’ll return with more ships. The price of slaves is rising, they said, and there are thousands more women and children at Hardhome.” [The Blind Girl, ADWD]

So the Goodheart was too damaged to go to Lys, but the Elephant wasn’t. It means there are still hundreds of wildlings women and children enslaved there. Honestly, I’m not sure how Arya could be involved in freeing them. Lys is a long way from Braavos, which means she would have to travel down there (with no resources and the other half of the wildlings), free them and get back up to sail across the Narrow Sea, deal with the Riverlands and then go North. It’s a little much for one girl, even one as resourceful as Arya. Sure, she could ask help from the Iron Bank (see my second point), but I doubt they would indulge her (high risk for no rewards).

But. You know who is as strongly against slavery as Arya, whose path might make her travel to Lys and who has the resources to fuck shit up? Yep, Dany.

The way I see it is, after being disheartened by Meereen and her failure to change the slaver(y) culture, Dany could very much decide to go home to Westeros - and set everything ablaze in her path. If she failed to abolish slavery from the inside, she might decide to do it by force, as a last FUCK YOU to the masters. This could be the beginning of her rock bottom, before she rises back again. It’s also coherent with the Dothraki culture of “Submit or be killed”, which could play a part if she allies with them again.

So I could see her attacking the big cities of Essos, destroying the masters and freeing the slaves as she goes along, until she reaches Braavos - who may be protected since 1. she would use its port to journey across the Narrow Sea and 2. they’re famously known for being founded by slaves and anti-slavery as a whole (and they actually enforce that rule, not just preach it and close their eyes when it counts). There, she could meet Arya through the wildlings women reuniting. Like I said, things would be tense at first, but if they might not be friends at first, they might respect each other for having their hearts set on the same goal (protecting their people). Friendship would come later, I’m not worried about that.

The Iron Bank theory

For me, the Iron Bank doesn’t get the recognition it deserves as a threat, and I fully anticipate them having a much larger role in the next book.

I really believe they will have a hand in Arya going back to Westeros. After she leaves the FM, I very much see them stepping in to offer their “help” to Arya. Personally, I believe the Kindly Man informed them of her real identity (though his motivations are yet unclear). I believe he’s aware of her value as a princess, and the (supposedly) last heir of the North. Look how people are rallying for her in the North when they hear “Valiant Ned’s precious little girl” is being brutalized. Do you think the Iron Bank is gonna pass on such a prize? I can see them trying to do to her what the Manderlys are doing with Rickon, or what Illyrio tried to do with Dany - offer their protection and help so she would be/feel indebted. They could get ahold of the North through Arya, and of the other Kingdoms through Stannis/the crown’s debt. Not too shabby.

But wait, there is a problem arising. A problem named Daenerys, who fully intends to take back the Iron Throne - and if she does, she’s not gonna care about reimbursing the debt her predecessors/usurpers left, thus lessening their leverage (and with three dragons, a Dothraki army and the Unsullied, threatening her is not gonna fly well). I can see them trying to step in too, promise the same things to her they did to Arya - except she’s not gonna fall for the same ploy like Viserys did with Illyrio.

(Btw, I’m sure Arya too will see right through them - she had a whole training dedicated to make her see beyond appearances, and she’s always been pretty observant (like when she didn’t fall for trap Cersei laid for her, with Lannister soldiers dressed as Stark men in AGOT). But she also don’t have the same resources Dany has, and if she frees the wildlings, she’ll have hundreds of mouths to feed and transport back to Westeros. I can’t see her do that without external help, so she might be playing along til a better opportunity arise.)

Now, both these theories have their flaws. The biggest one, for me, is time. Meereen is not gonna be resolved in a day (unless Dany just sets everything on fire the moment she arrives and takes off into the sunset, but I doubt that). She still needs enough time to travel to Braavos. Even if George takes his sweet time closing the FM storyline, dealing with the wildlings in Braavos and the Iron Bank, it’s not gonna take a million chapters. Unless he throws something in there to delay her departure, something that wasn’t foreshadowed yet? Because I don’t see them meeting first in Westeros. What would be the point of having them on the same continent if they don’t meet there? As always, there’s a lot left hanging in the air.

[genshin-impact-updates]

Invitation of Windblume: Version 1.4 Update Details

Dear Travelers,

Below are the details of the Version 1.4 update "Invitation of Windblume" and the update compensation.

〓Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems per hour the servers are down)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Eligibility〓

Maintenance Compensation: All Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2021/03/17 06:00 (UTC+8)

Please claim before the end of Version 1.4.

Issue Fix Compensation: All Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2021/03/17 06:00 (UTC+8)

Please claim the compensation before 2021/03/20 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2021/03/17 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS4: Highlight Genshin Impact from the PS4 Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. New Character

4-Star Character "Thorny Benevolence" Rosaria (Cryo)

◇ Vision: Cryo

◇ Weapon: Polearm

◇ A sister of the church, though you wouldn't know it if it weren't for her attire. Known for her sharp, cold words and manner, she often works alone.

◆ Elemental Skill "Ravaging Confession": Quickly maneuvers behind the enemy (except for some large enemies) and unleashes an attack that deals Cryo DMG. Elemental Burst "Rites of Termination": Casts an Ice Lance into the ground that deals periodic bouts of AoE Cryo DMG.

II. New Equipment

◇ New Weapons: Elegy for the End (5-Star Bow), The Alley Flash (4-Star Sword), Wine and Song (4-Star Catalyst), Alley Hunter (4-Star Bow), Windblume Ode (4-Star Bow)

◆ Take part in the Invitation of Windblume event for a chance to obtain the event-exclusive weapon, Windblume Ode.

◆ During the Event Wish "Epitome Invocation," from after the Version 1.4 update – 2021/04/06 15:59, the event-exclusive 5-star bow Elegy for the End, 5-star sword Skyward Blade, event-exclusive 4-star sword The Alley Flash, and event-exclusive 4-star catalyst Wine and Song will have their Wish drop rates greatly increased!

*Alley Hunter (Bow) will appear in a future Event Wish.

III. New Events

Take part in Version 1.4's flagship event "Invitation of Windblume" for a chance to obtain the bow, Windblume Ode.

◆ Gameplay Duration: 2021/03/19 10:00 – 2021/04/05 03:59

◆ Event Shop Duration: 2021/03/19 10:00 – 2021/04/12 03:59

◆ Event Rules: Take part in challenges during the Windblume Festival to obtain two currencies: Festive Tour Tickets and Peculiar Collab Coupons. Spend these currencies at the Event Shop to purchase the event-exclusive weapon Windblume Ode and its exclusive refinement material "The Visible Winds," as well as the Crown of Insight and more.

〓Festive Anecdotes〓

Act I: 2021/03/19 10:00 – 2021/04/05 03:59

Act II: 2021/03/22 04:00 – 2021/04/05 03:59

Act III: 2021/03/25 04:00 – 2021/04/05 03:59

Act IV: 2021/03/28 04:00 – 2021/04/05 03:59

◆ A series of Windblume Festival quests will become available during the event period. Four acts of "Festive Anecdotes" will unlock over the course of the event, each bringing new quests. Complete these quests to win rewards including Primogems, Character EXP Materials, and Mora.

More events to follow during Version 1.4.

IV. New Game Feature

New Feature: Hangout Events

◆ After the Version 1.4 update, the new "Hangout Events" feature will be added to the game. Travelers who reach the required Adventure Rank and complete the prerequisite quests will be able to unlock Hangout Events for Barbara, Noelle, Chongyun, and Bennett using Story Keys. (Each Hangout Event requires 2 Story Keys to unlock.)

The Hangout Events feature unlocks at Adventure Rank 26. Story Keys are obtained by completing Daily Commissions (1 Story Key is awarded for every 8 commissions completed.)

V. New Quests

New Archon Quest

◇ You hear from Ganyu and Lan that the Treasure Hoarders of Mondstadt and Liyue have banded together and plan to get involved in some ruins associated with the Abyss Order. Fearing the chaos that the Treasure Hoarders might cause through their involvement, you take up the commission and investigate...

◆ The Archon Quest "Chapter I: Act IV - We Will Be Reunited" will become available at a later date. Stay tuned for more information.

New World Quests

◆ A total of 8 world quests will become available over the course of the Windblume Festival.

◆ Complete these quests to win Mora, Character EXP Materials, and more!

※ Windblume Festival world quests will no longer be available after the event ends on 2021/04/05 03:59.

VI. Other Additions

● Gameplay

New Elite Monster: Abyss Herald - Wicked Torrents (In Version 1.4, this monster will only appear in the Archon Quest)

An Abyss Order monster that uses a dark power to command warped torrents in battle.

Some of its attacks increase the CD of characters' skills if they are currently in cooldown.

New Windblume-Exclusive Gadgets: Windblume Festival Commemorative Balloon, Windsong Lyre. Another event-exclusive gadget, Endora, will be obtainable in a subsequent event.

New Recipes:

○ Good Hunter (Mondstadt): Crispy Potato Shrimp Platter, Mint Jelly

○ Wanmin Restaurant (Liyue): Mint Salad, Minty Meat Rolls

○ "Outland Gastronomy" Login Event Reward: Golden Chicken Burger, Golden Fried Chicken, Fragrant Mashed Potatoes

New Namecards:

○ Travel Notes: Windblume (BP reward)

○ Rosaria: Indenture (reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Rosaria)

New Achievements: Additions to the "Wonders of the World" category

Parametric Transformer: Now lets you add various ores as materials

Liyue NPC Changshun: Now additionally sells Potatoes, Sugar, Cheese, Cor Lapis, and Electro Crystal

Liyue NPC Bolai: Now additionally sells Apples, Sunsettias, Fish, and Starconches

● System

Adjust World Level: After reaching World Level 5, the option to lower your World Level will be unlocked. Using this function, you can lower your World Level by 1. Each time you change your World Level, whether lowering it by 1 or restoring your World Level, you will be unable to change your World Level again for the following 24 hours.

After reaching Adventure Rank 60, any further Adventure EXP you receive will be converted to Mora at a rate of 10 Mora per Adventure EXP point.

Adds a new events/new content summary page to the mobile version of the game.

● Co-Op Mode

In Co-Op Mode, Travelers can now see the idle animations of teammates' characters.

VII. Adjustments & Optimizations

● System

Spiral Abyss

Starting from the first time that the Blessing of the Abyssal Moon changes after updating to Version 1.4, the two Blessings of the Abyssal Moon will be as follows:

○ Period I: Windward Moon

Characters possess an ATK-increasing Windward Aura that can increase their ATK by a maximum of 60%. For every opponent who steps within the Aura, the Aura's effect is decreased by 25%. When 4 or more opponents are within the Aura, this effect will not provide an ATK increase.

○ Period II: Skyward Moon

Hitting an opponent with a Plunging Attack decreases their DEF by 40% for 10s.

※ There will be no change to the reset times of the Spiral Abyss and Blessing of the Abyssal Moon. These remain the first and sixteenth days of each month, respectively.

Increases the maximum quantity of Condensed Resin that may be held. Travelers may now hold up to 5 Condensed Resin at any one time.

Optimizes the order of item drops: More valuable items will appear earlier in the list.

Optimizes the cooking function: After unlocking Auto Cook, the option Cook Manually remains.

Optimizes the Spiral Abyss challenge: Challenges can be restarted mid-stage; Elemental Resonance effects can be viewed from the character selection screen; adds the option to exit before entering the next floor.

Cooking, crafting, and forging functions remember your previous character selection.

Optimizes Xiao's expression when casting his Elemental Skill.

Optimizes the visual effect in Co-Op Mode when the camera makes contact with a teammate or NPC.

Optimizes camera close-up transitions in some domains and quests.

Optimizes the Original Resin replenishment screen: Travelers can view the quantity of Fragile Resin they own and decide which item to replenish Original Resin with more easily.

When you first download the game client on a mobile device, only the voice-over resources corresponding to your device's system language will be downloaded initially by default. (Example: Devices where the system language is set to English will download only English voice-over resources by default.) When you update the game client on a mobile device, voice-over resources will be downloaded for both the voice-over language corresponding to your device's system language and the currently selected voice-over language in the game. (Example: If your device's system language is set to English and you have selected Japanese voice-over in the game, both English and Japanese voice-over resources will be downloaded when you update the game.)

Travelers can download any additional voice-over languages they wish to use from within the game.

● Audio

The Chinese voice artist for Amber is changed.

Adjusts the Chinese and Japanese voice-over for certain characters.

Adjusts the English voice-over for certain NPCs.

Adds Chinese voice-over for certain characters.

Adds dialogue voice-over to the Oceanid boss fight as well as certain sound effects for Oceanid Creatures.

Optimizes the sound effects for certain character skills and environments.

Optimizes the playback setting for the sound effect when characters take damage.

● Other

Adjusts the appearance of Rosaria.

Fixes an issue whereby some characters who have not hit a target with an attack can jump while returning to a standby pose and thus perform a Plunging Attack.

*Additional Note: We are paying close attention to the possible impact of other operations that can produce the same effect. If we have plans to change them in the future, we will announce that as soon as possible.

VIII. Bug Fixes

● Domains

Fixes an issue in the Spiral Abyss whereby after reconnecting to the server, buffs provided by Benediction of the Abyss may stack incorrectly.

Fixes an issue with the Domain "Enter the 'border'" whereby characters may skip certain parts of the process under specific circumstances.

● Monsters

Fixes an issue whereby the boss Stormterror does not take certain types of damage.

Fixes an issue with the Childe boss fight whereby Childe may be Frozen or Petrified in the third phase of the battle.

Fixes an issue with the boss fight "Andrius, Dominator of Wolves" whereby if Andrius takes damage while sprinting around the perimeter of the proving ground, or while sprinting from the perimeter towards the center, his movements will be interrupted.

Fixes an issue whereby some special effects do not scale properly for large monsters.

Fixes an issue whereby Ice Cage, Vacuum Vortex, Rumbling Stone, Lightning Stake, Pursuing Fireball, Mist Bubble, and other monster skill effects may incorrectly remain after the monster is defeated.

Fixes an issue whereby monsters have a small chance to attack incorrect targets. (For example, monsters may incorrectly attack the Jade Screen created by Ningguang's Elemental Skill.)

Fixes an issue whereby characters' shields may disappear when within the range of the shield created by the Geo Hypostasis boss's energy cube.

Fixes an issue whereby Abyss Mages or Fatui Cicin Mages may incorrectly activate pressure pads while their shields are active.

Fixes an issue whereby the blocking effect of Fatui Skirmisher - Anemoboxer Vanguards may incorrectly remain.

● Co-Op

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby after a large slime jumps, it still takes DMG if the location from which it jumps is attacked.

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby after other players enter the world, monsters affected by an element may display the wrong elemental symbol.

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby wild animals may incorrectly remain in place.

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby multiple players' characters can sit in the same location.

● Characters

Fixes an issue affecting some characters whereby simultaneously casting an Elemental Burst and switching character while the character is sprinting may cause errors with the Elemental Burst.

Fixes an issue whereby a character who is sitting down may be lifted up by the crystallized platform generated by a Solar Isotoma.

Fixes an issue with Tartaglia whereby after applying the Riptide status to a monster, removing the character from the party and adding him back in may incorrectly trigger the Riptide effect that was previously applied.

Fixes an issue whereby Albedo's Level 6 Constellation "Dust of Purification" may not take effect properly.

Fixes an issue with Qiqi's animation on the Dressing Room screen.

Fixes an issue with Qiqi whereby casting the Elemental Skill "Adeptus Art: Herald of Frost" in the same location multiple times consecutively may cause the skill's effects to disappear.

Fixes an issue with Fischl's Passive Talent "Undone Be Thy Sinful Hex" whereby it has a small chance to target Oz.

Fixes an issue whereby Xiao's Elemental Skill "Lemniscatic Wind Cycling" fails to complete quest objectives that involve cleaning/sweeping/etc.

Fixes an issue with Xiao whereby even if his Lv. 1 Constellation "Dissolution Eon: Destroyer of Worlds" has not been unlocked, there is still a chance that the Elemental Skill "Lemniscatic Wind Cycling" may be cast three times in succession.

Fixes an issue with the Traveler whereby jumping or sprinting while casting the Elemental Skill "Palm Vortex" stops the Talent "Second Wind" from being triggered properly.

Fixes an issue with some of Benett's movements and facial expressions on the Character Screen.

Fixes an issue whereby when Klee leaves the field just as the duration of her Elemental Burst "Sparks 'n' Splash" is about to end, her Lv. 4 Constellation "Sparkly Explosion" does not correctly take effect.

Fixes an issue whereby when Hu Tao's Elemental Burst "Spirit Soother" hits multiple enemies, the HP regeneration value displayed may be lower than the correct value (the actual regeneration effect still functions correctly).

Fixes an issue whereby Ningguang's Charged Attack animation may lag.

Fixes an issue whereby the homing function of Ningguang's Elemental Burst "Starshatter" may fail to take effect.

Fixes a visual issue with characters' shields whereby after reconnecting to the server, the shield may incorrectly remain. (Note: This is not an issue with the functional effects of the shields, which work in-game as intended.)

Fixes an issue whereby when a character uses a Plunging Attack, they may become obstructed by a Geo construct and unable to perform any other actions.

Fixes an issue whereby if a character is hit by a monster while jumping, the character may be launched far away.

Fixes an issue whereby performing a Plunging Attack may not reduce the fall damage sustained by the character as intended.

Fixes an issue whereby character animations may be incorrect when walking up and down steps.

Fixes an issue with Noelle's Passive Talent "Devotion" whereby its cooldown does not function correctly.

Fixes an issue affecting characters with shield skills whereby generating a shield, then switching character, then removing the character who generated the shield from the party may cause errors with the shield's duration.

Fixes an issue whereby closing the PC game client while a character's shield is active then logging back in to the game may cause errors with the shield's duration.

● System

Fixes an issue whereby when certain characters use a skill to defeat the second phase of the Childe boss, the skill effect does not correctly display in the third phase of the boss fight.

Fixes an issue whereby multiple instances of a single character may appear in the Character Showcase.

Fixes the color of the dialogue option "I'd like something" with Master Zhang in Liyue Harbor when a forging task is complete.

Fixes an issue whereby the Compare function on the Weapon Selection screen may not close correctly.

Fixes an issue with the Parametric Transformer gadget whereby after adding the required quantity of materials, it is still possible to adjust the quantity of other materials that have not yet been added.

Fixes an issue with the Destroy function whereby the information on which character has which weapon/artifacts equipped may not be up-to-date.

Fixes an issue in Photo Mode whereby certain UI elements are not hidden after selecting Hide UI.

● Audio

Fixes an issue of incorrect Japanese and English voice-over in certain quests.

● Other

Fixes an issue in single player mode whereby pausing the game by opening the menu may cause the Elemental Reaction trigger mechanic to not function correctly.

Fixes textual errors and display issues in Spanish, Korean, French, and Indonesian and optimizes the localization of text. (Note: Related in-game functions have not changed. Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

[zeromora]

Thoughts on 1.4 Archon Quest

Khaenri’ah, Dainsleif, Aether & Lumine, and the Seven archons: Recaps, thoughts and theories. 

These are what I gathered and my deduction so please take them with a grain of salt. 

CW // Spoilers for Archon Quest Chapter I Act IV: We Will Be Reunited 

- MC has the memory of Khaenri’ah which was destroyed 500 years ago. This confirms that Aether & Lumine are at least over 500 years old. The CN script also shows that Aether is the older of the two. (Lumine calling him Gege/Older brother and Aether calling her Meimei/Younger sister.)

- The Battle Pass Cutscene mentioned about the first crowned heir being deceived and believing that she was the queen of the kingdom of darkness. This is very likely alluded to Lumine and Khaenri’ah. (As Aether seems to be the MC in this cutscene and MHY’s preview of the Teyvat chapters.) 

Once there was a glorious kingdom established among the heavens. From that kingdom came a crowned heir, tasked with seeking out the Genesis Pearl from the Kingdom of Darkness. The first crowned heir began her journey seeking pearl. But she was deceived, and the memory of her noble origins faded. She now believed that she was the queen of the Kingdom of Darkness. But take heart, a second crowned heir had already taken the path where the first had stumbled. This is the story of your journey of your tale to be told.

(ETA: Some mentioned that the BP cutscene might not refer to MC and their twin due to the female one being the younger one. While it is also plausible that the cutscene might be talking about other characters, it doesn’t completely disprove that the cutscene isn’t about MC and their twin either. Because the terms ‘first’ and ‘second’ crowned heirs do not always mean the first crowned heir is the older of the two.)

- Dainsleif mentioned that it was the gods that destroyed Khaenri’ah. From what we gather, Khaenri’ah was 1) a country without a god to begin with, and 2) advanced in technology (apparently beyond the current Teyvat), it is likely that Celestia’s excuse to destroy it was either the hubris of humans or Khaenri’ah was advancing in the direction that wasn’t beneficial to Celestia. Could be both.  

- The lore of Bloodstained Chivalry also mentioned that the curse upon the kingdom of darkness is unjust. 

He ventured into the fallen ancient kingdom, and died in battle in the monsters' lair. At the bottom of the world, he learned the origin of the monsters that destroyed the ancient kingdom.

"The ancient kingdom was wrongfully cursed,"

"Turning its inhabitants into monsters."

"The code of chivalry tolerates not such injustice."

"If Abyss be thy name, I pledge to you my loyalty."

Still, for a nation that ‘fought for land with steel and blood’ (See: Field Tiller), is the curse place upon Khaenri’ah truly unjust? And if it is indeed unjust, what are the reasons for Khaenri’ah’s war waging and for Lumine to empathize with its cause after its destruction? Is she really deceived/corrupted? 

- Lumine mentioned having journeyed through Teyvat before, but when she woke Aether up, it was the Cataclysm already. So the world Lumine had travelled was the world before the destruction of Khaenri’ah. This implies that it’s likely she knows (some if not all of) the seven archons. (Previous Dendro archon died ~500 years ago). 

Zhongli might know something, but whether he chooses to speak of it remains a question. This might also relate to why he gave his gnosis to the Tsaritsa. 

- Dain said it was the gods that descended upon the earth and destroyed Khaenri’ah, but there is no evidence (and the lack thereof) whether any of the Seven was involved in this. But it is possible that the Cataclysm might be related to the death of the previous Dendro god. 

I think Dain’s negative opinions of the Seven is more from the Seven's relationship with Celestia. He speaks of gods as collective rather than an individual.

- Celestia is foreshadow to be the actual antagonist? (Or at least, the cyclical system that should be ended?) The nature of the world(s) Celestia has been creating/controlling is cyclical. Civilization has been built and destroyed over and over again (See: Tiara of Frost). An interesting question here is whether the Seven Archons system has been implemented before the current Teyvat. 

Personally, I believe that the Seven system is exclusive to the current Teyvat due to the occurrence of the Archon War. Not only do the seven seats let Celestia control the direction of humanity through the Seven, Celestia can also monitor the gods. 

(Possible) Chain of Authority:

Celestia >>> The Seven Archons >>> Gods that accepted the rule of the Seven >>> Humanity 

Note (1): Gods that refused to be under the rule of the Seven fled from the continent of Teyvat and became evil gods.

Note (2): The fact that Tsaritsa only planned to rebel against Celestia after the Catacylsm 500 years ago could mean that not all gods have an idea about what Celestia is up to, at least until the destruction of Khaenri’ah.

- The Seven Archons are tasked with the responsibility to guide humanity. However, with the newer generation of archons not interested in the obligation to guide humanity, with Venti originally leaving Monstadt free of its rulers and Zhongli retiring, how important to Celestia is actually this duty? 

Perhaps Celestia never means for humanity to prosper to the point of challenging the heavens from the start? As long as the civilizaion doesn’t advance in the direction that Celestia finds undesirable, it is acceptable? 

Note (3): Rex Lapis’ death and Zhongli giving away his gnosis means that there will be no new Geo Archon to replace him. Consequently, this makes Liyue godless city but a nation run by humans. However, Liyue has yet to incur the wrath from Celestia for the time being.

- How omnipotent is Celestia? Is the eye of Celestia all-seeing? Does Celestia even know the Tsaritsa is collecting gnoses? And what about Rex Lapis faking his death? Does Celestia even know his death was fake? If so, has Celestia begun an operation, a counter-measure, against the possible rebellion and/or the Abyss? 

- Also, at the end of the quest, Dain chased after Lumine with the Eye of the First Tiller with him and the upside-down Venti Statue was still not destroyed. Are we still getting mecha-Osial? (They mention the attachment of Osial’s limbs to the statue, does this mean the abyss plans to dissect Osial first? Poor thing. I can only hope they leave him alone.)

[allisamemory]

ARCHON QUEST CHAPTER I ACT IV: WE WILL BE REUNITED PART 1

Hoo boy... This is what we all been waiting for since the livestream...

Big fat spoilers for the Archon Quest "We Will Be Reunited" under the cut!!

Ah, isn't that a pleasant sight?

We finally have a dead body on screen... Yikes. We're gonna descend down to the Mihoyo's tragic rollercoaster, aren't we?

He's just standing there... Menacingly!!

Thank god that Dvalin and Andruis was kind enough to drop the feathers and locket today, so the fire ice brothers crush this guy like a bug

Dainsleif! ❤️ Lol I love how he lampshade that we got to see him again sooner than we expected.

Uhh... *Head in hands* Okay, so Aether woke up sooner than Lumine, travels around like us rn and then when Lumine woke up, he goes "We have to leave. Now." And then Asmoday (unknown god) blocked us?? Also Meteorite??? Are they the elemental being made of stars?? God this is a lot to take in, but it does fit with some of my theory as to who and what the twins are.

Continuing in another post!!

[kaydeedc]

(07-04-21) [spoilers!!! for Archon quest Ch 1 Act IV: We will be Reunited]

Have to finish this because I want to do the next chapter and meet Kazuha~

Nice place here~

(‘◉⌓◉’)???

Things are getting really weird...

This guy is a giant...

What do you mean "the one"?! We got to finish the fight!

I love how Paimon is also angry.

Yeah, Dainsleif.

Diluc heard the Abyss Order made an appearance.

ಠ益ಠ where are they???

[dwaynepride]

this is a masterlist for all my LEROY JETHRO GIBBS x READER fics from NCIS. it will be updated with each new fic i post. this masterlist may not contain any headcanons or drabbles i’ve posted. for those, you might want to search through the tag itself.

this list contains nsfw stories. do not interact with those fics if you’re under 18.

IMAGINES

fluff

giving orders

cold vows

not staring

swing it through

going soft

home too late

morning

heavy rain

smoother wood

sleepyhead

capable

better late than never

choking on your alibis

do i owe each kiss

in a fragile state

be still, my foolish heart

angst

smile

house call

bourbon fixes

blasted

no more bourbon

how to be yours

too dark to see

smut

what yields the need

breathing in your dust

ONESHOTS

fluff

in the elevator - tensions are high between you and gibbs, and being forced into an elevator together may be the only way to resolve them. (1,732 words)

expecting - it’s hard to predict how gibbs would react to anything. so when you find out you’re pregnant, the idea of coming clean is a little scary. (1,316 words)

the fool’s form - gibbs notices a pattern when it comes to you, and it forces him to realize his own feelings. (3,177 words)

just like we were kids - 5 times gibbs kisses you and 1 time ducky kisses you. (4,196 words)

angst

too late - there’s never a right time and place until it’s too late. (1,465 words)

lost - gibbs is having trouble adjusting after being held prisoner in paraguay. (922 words)

smut

yes ma'am - sub!gibbs. that’s all. (2,340 words)

birthday boy - gibbs comes home late on his birthday and he thinks it’s too late to celebrate. (1,543 words)

fuck tested. fuck approved - there’s only one way to test a boat’s strength in a PWP fic.(2,625 words)

baby, it’s cold outside - a snowstorm would put a damper on most people’s vacations. but you, pride, and gibbs find a way to make the most of it. (9,122 words) 

the other side of paradise - calling jethro while he’s away from home leads to uncharted territory. (2,463 words)

SERIES

today or yesterday (crossover w/ ncis nola)

chapter 1 - reader is an agent in the new orleans field office, and they start a relationship with dwayne pride. But all highs have their lows, and nothing is more true than when reader is called to dc for a case. working with gibbs again after so long? this’ll be interesting.

chapter 2 - after years of being away from dc, reader is finally reunited with gibbs. but their first conversation is rocky, at best. this is going to be a very long case.

chapter 3 - it’s been five long days of working the case. when reader and gibbs finally get a solid lead, things don’t turn out as hoped.

chapter 4 - the reader’s injuries are much more bothersome than just some pain and annoying bandages. and dwayne’s arrival in dc leaves a lot to be desired.

chapter 5 - tensions between reader and gibbs finally erupt, and reader confesses something big to dwayne.

the unfortunate case of nonchalance

part I - where to start - jethro and his gang arrive to a new town, and they’re surrounded by rich folk. but then, he meets somebody unexpected.

part II - birds of a kind - while in town, jethro bumps into the endearing lady he met several days ago. and he finds it hard to tell her no. 

part III - we can escape sometime - jethro gives the reader shooting lessons to avoid another incident in the saloon. 

part IV - act of makin’ noise - what goes up, must come down.

part V - blood was our inheritance  - jethro’s heart is pulling him two ways, and it’s hard to navigate the right direction.

part VI - in some sad way - it’s time to leave the town behind, and jethro may be leaving a piece of his heart behind, as well.

[genshininfact]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kaeya & Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact) Characters: Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact), Paimon (Genshin Impact), Kaeya (Genshin Impact), Diluc (Genshin Impact), Amber (Genshin Impact) Additional Tags: Post-Chapter 1 Act IV: We Will Be Reunited (Genshin Impact), POV Kaeya (Genshin Impact), Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Shippy if you Squint, obviously spoilers for We Will Be Reunited, also heavy on headcanons

Summary:

The missing person posters, odd as they were, had become part of Mondstadt's overall tapestry.

Until one day, they were all pulled down.

(In which Kaeya tries to figure out what's got the Traveler acting strange and gets more than he bargained for)

[poorrichardslegacy]

Kacxa Week Day 5 - Conversation in the Black Lion

Icebreaker

SUMMARY: What happened between Keith and Acxa between the time they blew up the Pirate cruiser and they made their way to Acxa’s base camp?

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26892517

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Rating: Teen and Up Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Acxa/Keith (Voltron) Characters: Acxa (Voltron), Keith (Voltron), Keith’s Wolf (Voltron) Original Child Character(s), Original Galran Character(s), Keith's Family (Voltron) Additional Tags: Kacxa Week 2020, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Dynamics

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

Keith checks the star charts as he maneuvers his way through the asteroid field. Acxa comes forward, looks over his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“Does this area look familiar, Acxa?”

“Yes, it does. I spent the better part of two decaphoebs here. Androse should be just ahead.”

From the rear of the shuttle Keith and Acxa’s sixteen-year old daughters step into the cockpit. “So, Mom, you’ve been here before?”

“Yup. Back when I fought with the Voltron Coalition. Your father and I were…reunited here after he was missing for three decaphoebs.”

“NO WAY! This is where you fought with the Voltron Coalition? Where did you meet up with Dad? On some super-secret mission where you swept him off his feet and you fell hopelessly in love with him.”

“Well…Not quite. We met up on a pirate ship…run by Zethrid and Ezor.”

“NO WAY! Aunt Zethrid and Aunt Ezor were pirates?”

Keith chuckles, his attention still fixed on the asteroid field. “So was your mother at one time.”

“NO WAY!”

Acxa gives Keith a light smack on the back of the head for that wisecrack. “I was a pirate for about two movements. Then I joined the Voltron Coalition. When Voltron returned after being missing for three decaphoebs, your father and the other Paladins managed to get themselves captured. I broke into the pirate ship and got them out.”

Keith loudly clears his throat. “Acxa…love…if you’re going to tell them the story, tell them the whole story of how creative we were when we got off that ship.”

“Creative? NO WAY! That’s dad-speak for blowing something up! Mom did you blow something up?”

“No…but your father certainly did. He had the Paladins blow up some Synthian Nitrate canisters in the cargo hold. He blew a large hole in the side of that ship. We were lucky we got out alive. In fact, that’s how I got my first and only ride in the Black Lion.”

“NO WAY! YOU RODE IN THE BLACK LION?”

Keith glances over his shoulder at his daughter. “Do you know any words other than ‘no way’?”

Mireya stands erect before her father, folds her hands in front of her, and speaks formally to Keith. “Why yes father. Thanks to mother I am endowed with a large vocabulary of extraneous and sizable words of dubious import that no one knows the meaning of that I use when the situation requires it. Indubitably, people are impressed by my syntax and the breadth and intellectual depths of my comments.”

Keith turns and stares deadpan at Mireya while Acxa and Cataleya do everything in their power to keep from splitting their sides with laughter.

“You got the sarcasm gene from your mother, didn’t you?”

Having made her point, Mireya resumes her usual demeanor. “Maybe. I got the stubborn gene from you. So, Dad, are you going to tell us about how you and Mom took your first ride together in the Black Lion?”

“You want a story? Here’s one for you…”

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

He grips her hand tightly as he and his fellow half-Galra jetpack at full speed away from the exploding pirate cruiser. Ahead, the Black Lion awaits them, its jaws open in anticipation of their arrival. Keith looks back at the woman who just risked everything to save the Paladins.

“I’ve got you. Don’t let go.”

She grips his hand tighter, an expression of determination on her face, and trust in her eyes. “I won’t.”

They land in the jaws of the Lion. They close, and after a moment the atmosphere within the jaws is restored and the hatch to the interior of the Lion opens. Still holding her hand, he looks back to her and smiles, a lock of his hair hanging down in front of his eyes.

“Welcome back to the Black Lion. Come on, we need to get to the cockpit.”

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

He leads her to the cockpit, where he checks in with the Paladins.

“Keith, where are we going?”

“I’m not entirely sure yet, Hunk.”

Acxa puts her hand on his shoulder. “I have a base camp about three vargas away from here.”

Lance overhears the conversation, guesses what the Black Paladin is thinking, and calls him on it. “Keith, can we trust her?”

Keith looks Acxa squarely in the eye. “We can trust her. She risked her life to help us.”

Acxa pulls up a star chart on her wrist device and shows it to Keith. “Set a course for Androse. There is a ruined base there. Just below it is a plain where the Lions can touch down. My base is in a cave in the hillside just off that plain.”

Seeing movement in the rear of the cockpit, Acxa spies Cosmo, and greets him.

“Hello…I don’t suppose you remember me?”

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

It has been just over three decaphoebs since she last saw Keith’s loyal Cosmic Dire Wolf. Following their last fight against one another, just before Lotor’s meltdown, Acxa critically wounded the Black Paladin. Establishing contact with a semi-conscious Keith following the battle and realizing what she had done, she pleaded with Cosmo to teleport her into the ship so she could tend to the rapidly fading Paladin’s wounds and save his life.

Suspicious of her motives at first, Cosmo watched Acxa carefully and saw that she truly had Keith’s best interests at heart. Cosmo asked her why she was so concerned with saving his life after she tried to kill him.

Her emotional reply was telling.

“I wasn’t trying to kill him. I never wanted this. I just…wanted to scare him away.”

Watching the care that Acxa took with Keith and listening to the remorse in her voice on the recording she left for him told the perceptive wolf one thing. Before taking Acxa back to her ship, he shared his thoughts. “There is more here than meets the eye, Corillian. Hopefully, some day you will see what I see. For your sake and for his.”

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

Cosmo saunters over to greet her. “I remember you, Corillian.”

Acxa scratches Cosmo behind his ears with both hands, an act that the giant wolf greatly appreciates.

Not wanting to overdo it, Acxa sits back on her haunches and admires him. “A Cosmic Dire Wolf. Before Braylar IV I had never seen one.”

Keith is grateful to have an icebreaker to get Acxa talking. Something that does not involve pirates or exploding cruisers. “Neither had I. I had a dog when I was a boy. I loved him. He was really attached to Dad. The dog fell into a funk when he died, and I was separated from him when I was taken to the orphanage.”

Acxa detects the sadness in Keith’s eyes and reaches out with her words to offer empathy. “I’m sorry about your father, Keith. I lost my parents as well. My father when I was 2, my mother when I was 9. I too spent time in an orphanage.”

“Sounds like we have a few things in common.”

Acxa gives him a wry smile. “Yes, it does.”

So much for the icebreaker. They fall into silence for a varga, as Keith focuses on piloting around the minefields laid by Zethrid and Ezor. Acxa gives him the information he needs to navigate through them then moves away so as not to crowd him.

She sits back and watches him, trying to understand the feelings she has for the Black Paladin. Feelings that drove her to sneak onto the pirate cruiser to free him. He was gone for three decaphoebs. She expected any feelings she had for him to have faded.

They have done anything but fade.

Sensing she is feeling blue, Cosmo comes over to comfort her. He speaks softly so only she can hear him. “Still haven’t figured it out, have you Corillian?”

“Obviously not, since I’m still trying to figure out what I haven’t figured out yet. I don’t suppose you could call me Acxa? That would go a long way to making me feel better. At least I’d know I had one person on my side.”

Cosmo curls up next to her and places his chin on her lap. “Don’t sell yourself short, Acxa. Keith over there…he is your biggest advocate. Cheer up. He really is glad to see you.””

Acxa scratches the wolf behind his ears. “Thank you. That’s good to know.”

Keith, blissfully oblivious to the dialog between Acxa and Cosmo, looks over his shoulder at the two of them. “I think he likes you. I always knew that wolf had good taste.”

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

Finally clear of the minefield, Keith puts Black on autopilot. “It’s going to take about a varga for us to get there. The power in the lions is low, or we’d be there by now.”

“It’s ok. I doubt those pirates are coming after us. You badly crippled them by blowing up that cargo hold.”

Keith notices something about her. “Your uniform. I didn’t notice it in all the excitement. That’s a Voltron Coalition uniform.”

“It is. I was part of Matt Holt’s rebel cell for two decaphoebs. I joined them after I split away from Zethrid and Ezor.

“Wow…so, you fought against the Galra Empire? With Matt Holt of all people?”

“Yes. We fought together for almost two decaphoebs. It was not an easy life. We were constantly on the run. At the end it was almost as if we were being hunted. As if somehow the Galra military and the factions knew where to find us.”

“Interesting. How did you wind up with Matt Holt? I seem to recall the first time you two met he wanted to throttle you for kidnapping his father.”1

“After I left Zethrid and Ezor, I put feelers out that I was interested in joining the Coalition. After a few phoebs with no response, Matt suddenly showed up. He did not trust me at first. I had to prove myself on my first mission. I guess I did that. He let me stay on.”

“So, I hate to bring up bad memories, but why did you leave Zethrid and Ezor?”

Acxa stares at the floor, silent for more than a few ticks. “I had my reasons.”

Before she can go any further into her explanation, they come upon a dense asteroid field. She perks up and stands behind Keith to get a good head-on view of the navigational screen.

“We’re close to my base. Pull up the star chart and I’ll guide you in.”

The Lions approach the ruined base on Androse. The buildings have the look of being abandoned for decaphoebs. Several of them have collapsed from neglect or the impact of meteors.

“At one time this was a forward listening post for the Empire. When they conquered this sector, they didn’t need it anymore and they abandoned it.”

She points to a flat plain at the foot of the hill on which the base rests. “Set down over there.”

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

Acxa greets the Paladins and the rest of Keith’s entourage once they are safely on the ground. Everyone seems standoffish, which is what she expected. Trust is something that take time to develop. Still, she cannot help but notice the critical in not outwardly hostile eye Keith’s mother uses to look her over. Acxa wonders if it will ever be possible to win Krolia’s trust.

Keith notices Krolia’s hard stares at Acxa and he cannot help but see that Acxa is bothered by it. He approaches her and whispers in her ear. “Don’t let Krolia’s stare get to you. She’ll come around.”

After showing the Paladins around the area Acxa turns to Keith, the one person in the whole group she knows trusts her. “It gets cold here on Androse at night. I have some firewood we can use to start a fire. We’ll need to gather more to make one big enough to keep all of us warm.”

“I can help with that. I just need to check the Lions first. Just tell me where it is, and I’ll bring it when I come back.” Getting directions to the firewood source, Hunk excuses himself to check on the Lions.

Keith gently takes her arm and looks her in the eye. “You’ve done so much for us today. Take a break. I’ll start the fire; Hunk and the others will bring the wood in to keep it going.”

Acxa gives Keith a shy smile. “Thank you.

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

“That sounds cool, Dad. So, what did you guys talk about at the campfire on Androse?”

Before Keith can answer, a notification pops up on the star chart. “We’re getting close to Braylar IV. About a varga out.” He looks to Acxa and smiles, then he turns to his daughters. “The story about what your mother and I talked about during and immediately after that campfire is one we’re happy to share, but on another day. It’s too long to tell with the time we have left in this trip.”

“Ok, I guess we can cut you some slack this time. But you’re not getting out of it. No way! Deal?”

Seeing the mischievous look in Mireya’s eyes, Keith can only chuckle. “Deal.”

Acxa studies the star chart carefully as Keith makes his approach to Braylar IV. “I wonder what Ashira and Soran have been up to all these years. And Cosmo. I wonder what Mr. Sassypants has been up to since he left to go home to rejoin the Sonai. Well, I guess we’re about to find out. Everyone, get ready to strap in. It’s time to pay a visit to some old family friends.”

1. Rise of the Black Paladin, Chapter 4, Blood Duel

[meixdoll]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Xiao | Alatus/Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact), Xiao | Alatus & Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact) Characters: Xiao | Alatus (Genshin Impact), Ying | Lumine (Genshin Impact), Kong | Aether (Genshin Impact) Additional Tags: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Post-Chapter 1 Act IV: We Will Be Reunited (Genshin Impact), Nightmares, xiaolumi, XiaoLumi Week 2021, this yaksha is on fire, two thousand year old virgin, you don't understand how much i wanted to SIN Series: Part 2 of Xiaolumi Week 2021 Summary:

Adepti don't need to rest. That's why an ever-vigilant yaksha can't be deaf to the crying of a girl in the middle of a nightmare.

Entry number 2 of Xiaolumi Week 2021: Nightmare

[volganic]

Song of Communion

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3] [part 4] || [AO3]

sorry this one doesnt have as much volink but :^) ive written a good chunk of the next few chapters ahead of time 

Volga was right when he had predicted that Link would have to adapt to any situation and learn to harness the power of magic.  It took a few tries to point the flames that were bottled up within the fire rod in his hands, but in the heat of battle he learned to at least point it away from himself.  Their current mission in Faron Woods would end in failure if he had set the entire forest alight.

With word of a "small" horde of monsters headed to the castle and their previous squadron dwindling down to only a handful of men left to ward them off, Link and Impa joined in the fray alongside the last of their forces.  They learned quickly that they weren't the only ones fighting off the horde -- a blue-haired spell caster had taken charge before they had arrived, simultaneously taking out wave after wave of Bulbins here and there while tending to the injured.  The captain and general shared a doubtful glance between them; questions could wait.  

The morale improved among Hyrule's soldiers with their leaders now fighting alongside them, and soon the incomprehensible number of enemies had dwindled down close to nothing.  Link held the fire rod in his hands with a tight grip -- it wasn't as effective as his white sword, but it proved to be of some use.  He made a mental note to thank Volga for the earrings later for sparing him the brutal fire magic that could have burned him, but quashed the thought to point the red sphere of the rod at the smiling stranger approaching him.  Impa took her place behind him, staring at her through narrowed eyes.

"My name is Lana, and I'm here to help!"  Her coy smile wavered as she looked to Link for a split second, unable to meet his eyes.  "And to warn you about Cia."

--

"Cia?" 

Zelda tilted her head inquisitively.  She turned her gaze to her general and captain at her side for guidance, but they only offered a baffled shrug in response.  The Sheikah was hesitant to bring Lana back to the castle, but to deny any information could cost them the war that lingered outside of their borders.  Still, it didn't stop her from taking any necessary precautions as the silence among them broke with the rattling of Lana's bindings.  It made it difficult for her to properly curtsy before the princess, but it didn't seem to bother her.

"Yes, Cia!  She's a sorceress of tremendous power, but... she hasn't made it here yet?"  Purple eyes diverted from the trio's judgmental stares to look skyward at the ceiling.  She leaned her weight from one foot to the other, even going as far to do a little spin.  "I wonder why that is?"

"The witch was pushed back by the dragon that resides in Death Mountain," said Impa flatly.  Her stare turned cold; Lana moved around too much.

Their prisoner spun back around to match Impa's glare with a fearsome pout.  "Sorceress," she corrected through clenched teeth, but soon relaxed with another smile.  "It's surprising!  I thought he didn't choose sides," she mused out loud, eyes back up to the ceiling as she did another spin in her place.  The soldiers kept her chains taut as they could -- if she did another twirl, she surely would fall flat on her face.

"Volga still doesn't choose to align himself with anyone!" Proxi interjected.  The blue fairy flew away from Link's side to draw Lana's attention.  "We are lucky that Link has come to an agreement with him!"

"An agreement?"  The blue-haired girl blinked owlishly at the words -- even she knew that the dragon knight wasn't keen to take any sort of bribe, much less an agreement.  She finally turned to acknowledge the Hylian in question with a faint blush painting across her pale cheeks.  "Oh no, this is all wrong... So wrong!"

"What's wrong?  Hello?" Proxi moved to keep Lana's attention on her.  Lana was suddenly acting so frantic!  The fairy opted to keep her distance and returned to the Hylian's side, subtly noticing how Impa and Link's hands were reaching for their weapons.  Zelda, however, remained collected and tapped her manicured nails against the arm of her seat.

Lana sighed loudly, seemingly exhausted from the tension that hung in the air in the throne room.  Her posture went back upright, eyes shining bright as ever.  "Nevermind it!"  She laughed heartily and brought her bound fists up to her chest.  "Without my help, you guys are doomed!"  She opened her palms to reveal nothing, but by some force unknown to any of them, the chains that held her wrists together came loose and dropped to her ankles.

A collective gasp was all she heard as she paid them no mind, stepping out of the pile of chains and kneeled down to reach for her oversized book that was unceremoniously dropped to the ground.  She gave the soldier who had dropped it a small wink, even with the tip of his blade pointed between her eyes.  Link took his place to shield the princess while Impa took charge of the escalating situation.  

"You conniving witch!" she roared, raged laced with her words as she marched up to their prisoner.  The fury in her eyes would have sent a thousand of her soldiers running back to their homes, but Lana was unphased, holding a hand out to halt her in her place.  She paused as so ordered -- if it were up to her, Impa would have mounted her head on a stick by now.  However, the princess was still present.

"I don't want to correct you for a third time, so remember: it's sorceress.  We don't like being called --"

"We?"  Zelda spoke up suddenly.  She finally stood from her throne and motioned for Link to lower his guard.  It was now his turn to look to her for reassurance, but lowered his blade with the guards following suit as the princess descended down the stairs. Still leery of Lana's true intentions, her feet came to a stop behind Impa.  "Who is 'we'?"

"Oh-" Lana's defensive stance crumbled.  Flustered, she held the book to her chest tightly and dropped her gaze to the floor.  "I... I didn't want to have to say it so early, but Cia... Cia and I are from the same magical clan."  Zelda placed a gentle hand on Impa's forearm to keep the Sheikah calm, having grown rigid with the idea that she herself had let something malicious breach their defenses.  Lana's figure trembled, but she willed herself to meet Zelda's eyes, pleading for a chance.  "But I'm not like her!  I want to help save Hyrule!"

"Can you tell us what her intentions are as to start a war?"

"No, but--"

"Then why bother helping at all?" Impa seethed.  "If you cannot -- or will not -- offer any more information than we know already, what good will you do for the kingdom of Hyrule?"

"That's enough, General Impa."  The Sheikah turned behind to look at the princess, dumbfounded.  Her expression fell from cold to turmoil, nervous with this idea that she knew Zelda was hatching.  "Princess... Princess, you can't be serious!"

"I am," she nodded affirmatively, smile spreading across her lips.  "Though Cia's intentions have not yet come to light, I truly believe that Lana has come this far to assist our forces to spare our kingdom from suffering at the hands of a war."  The royal broke the distance between them and placed her hands over Lana's, giving them a reassuring squeeze.  "You do not have to reveal everything at once, but I speak for the kingdom of Hyrule and say that we would gladly stand on your side in these uncertain times."

Lana looked as if the weight of the world had fallen off her shoulders.  She nodded enthusiastically despite the few tears rolling down over the curve of her cheeks.  "Thank you, Princess Zelda!  I... I could never thank you enough!"  The two women then shared a laugh, bubbly and full of mirth.

The Hylian cautiously approached his commander who was still left in a state of shock over the princess's ultimate decision.  Impa refused to show that her pride had been hurt to anyone lesser, folding her arms across her chest to face Link.  "I suppose we'd better get used to seeing her around when it comes to our discussions and the like from here on out."  Her voice was back to its flat tone.  Link nodded in agreement, choosing to side with Impa's distrust toward their newest ally.  "Thank you, Link.  If there's nothing you'd wish you say, you and the other two men can join the rest of the troops for a moment's rest."

"I'm starting to learn I don't like politics either," he signed meekly.  The Sheikah scoffed.  "You'll settle in fast."  She patted him on the shoulder and waved him off.  Link finally allowed his posture to relax when given the green light for dismissal, completely unaware of Lana's fixed gaze on him as he exited the throne room.

--

"Fire rod?"

Link had taken another detour to the Eldin Caves on their next excursion outside of Hyrule's province -- needing time to clear his mind from the political side of war, he claimed -- to reunite with his self-proclaimed ‘mentor’.  Volga looked less than ecstatic at the sight of the bulky item.  The Hylian still seemed proud of it, finally learning to master at least one element of magic on his otherwise empty belt of experience.

"Used it against an army of monsters off in Faron Woods."

"In a forest of all places?" Volga scoffed.  The boy was either brave or just plain stupid.  "I'm appalled it still stands in its grandeur and not in a bed of ashes."

"I'm only doing as you had instructed," he retorted, pointing the end of the rod in the dragon knight's direction.  "Getting used to magic and adapting to situations, remember?  I made do with what I had!"

"I'm sure your general thoroughly enjoyed the idea of her army's pride and joy leaving his weapon in the barracks."  Now he was being insulted.  Link frowned and, despite how tempting it was to let the rod swallow Volga in a wall of flames, thrust the rod in a direction that wouldn't harm anyone.  The small burst of fire dissipated against the wall of rock.

The dragon clicked his tongue.  "Pity."  He pulled Link in and cast the sad excuse for a magical item aside.  Volga anchored him in place with his hands on the boy's shoulders, bringing his head close to the Hylian's ear.  Link's instincts told him to run but with Volga kept him in a vice grip.  It was too late to escape as the roaring sound of Volga's throat releasing a jet stream of flames in the cavern filled his ears and nearly setting his scarf on fire.  Reds and oranges and even blue caught his periphery, instantly running his blood cold despite the heat it radiated.  In reality it was a short display, flames no longer burning in his ears when the dragon knight shut his mouth, but it felt like an eternity.  

Link changed his mind on thanking him for the earrings -- he wouldn't dare feed the ego that bled into Volga's voice.

"Come back when you have something worth sharing."

[four-loose-screws]

Fire Emblem 10 Drama CD Translation - Intro, Scenes I & II

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations - Ko-fi

Scenes III & IV - Scenes V & VI

Alright, I’ve finally finished the FE7 Drama CD translation! But there’s one more challenge yet... the FE10 Drama CD! This CD features Ike, Soren, Titania, Micaiah, Sothe, and the Black Knight. It’s based on Part 3 Chapter 7 of Radiant Dawn.

———————————

Introduction

*Opens with sounds of combat: grunts, yells, weapons clashing, etc., w/ focus on Ike’s voice.*

Ike: You are... the Priestess of Dawn.

Micaiah: And you are General Ike, yes? Sothe told me about you.

Ike: You are important to him, so I do not want to fight.

Micaiah: And you took care of him, so I feel the same way. However…

Ike: Daein has no intention of withdrawing.

Micaiah: No.

Ike: Then… *unsheathes sword* We have no choice but to fight.

*sounds of combat gradually become louder once more, then fade into music*

Ike’s voice: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn Drama CD: 

Ike & Micaiah’s voices: Clash of Heroic Ideals! 

(T/N: a more literal translation of the title: “The Unshakeable Ideals of the Rival Leaders)

Scene I

*sounds of general army camp activity: people talking, weapons clashing in sparring matches, etc.*

Soren: The Laguz troops have very high morale.

Ike: Yes. They believe in Ranulf’s words.

Soren: I think he’s changed a bit from before, too.

Ike: *laughs* Oh, Skrimir? Do you still hate him?

Soren: Of course I do. He’s the type that I’m worst with. He thinks that battle is won by strength alone.

Ike: Don’t say that! He’s a royal of Gallia. And the lions thought to make him the general of their army, right?

Soren: *chuckles* You talk as if you’ve become his father.

Ike: Ah…? Hey, of course I haven’t! But you are one to laugh at something like that.

Soren: Ike, you’re becoming more and more fitting to the role of commander of the Greil Mercenaries.

Ike: So even you’ve said that now. The people we’ve reunited with from three years ago have been telling me the same thing. Jeez… Every last one of them...

Soren: I’m just fondly watching over you as you grow.

Ike: Hey! Now you’re the one acting like you’ve become a father!

Soren: I don’t know if you could understand what that means...

Ike: Hm? *turns closer towards Soren* What did you just say?

Soren: Nothing. But there’s one more reason why a frontal attack is dangerous. As I mentioned earlier, I’m concerned about Daein’s movements.

Ike: Of course. However you look at it, our army is more powerful. Is the empire forcing them to fight, like you said?

Titania: *walks up* Hey you two, we’re going to prepare our strategy.

Ike: Titania! Okay, got it.

Soren: Oh, that? I have a suggestion based on our current situation. Ike, please tell me your thoughts about it.

Ike: Hm?

Scene II

*sounds of general army camp activity: people talking, weapons clashing in sparring matches, etc.*

Micaiah: *sigh*

Sothe: What are you thinking about, Micaiah? Will you tell me?

Micaiah: Sothe?

Sothe: Are you wondering why Prince Pelleas is doing something like this? Or maybe about why he’s cooperating with the empire?

Micaiah: *giggles* Shall I try to guess what your thoughts are about this?

Sothe: W-What?

Micaiah: You don’t really want to fight Ike, the commander of the Greil Mercenaries, do you? You respect him so much!

Sothe: *gasps*

Micaiah: Well?

Sothe: You’re half right, half wrong. I don’t want to fight him, but if you’ve decided to, then it’s another story. I won’t waver. I’d make anyone my enemy.

Micaiah: You’re pushing yourself, aren’t you?

Sothe: I’m not! Surely Commander Ike should understand, too. Like I said, he’s a hero who can face any enemy and fight them at full strength. So if I must risk my life and fight for you, then he wouldn’t be against that.

Micaiah: *giggles* Even in those words… I can hear your respect and affection for him.

Sothe: ...Ah!

Micaiah: *giggles* Sorry. I’m joking around. Sothe… you’ve gotten much stronger.

Sothe: Of course! Even if you leave out the fact that I fought in the previous war, three years have passed. I’m not a child.

Micaiah: Mmm.... I’m really happy. With how you’ve grown...

Sothe: Micaiah…

*running footsteps start quiet, then get louder*

Soldier #1: *panting* The enemy front line! It’s here!

Sothe: *gasps*

Micaiah: Understood. Shall we go, too?

Sothe: Yes.

*army cheers for Micaiah*

Soldier #2: If anyone can do it, it’s the Priestess of Dawn!

Soldier #3: Victory will be ours!

Soldier #4: We’ll follow her forever!

Soldier #5: The Priestess of Dawn!

[thecloserkin]

fic rec (2/2): I Don’t Hear the Church Bells Chime Anymore Part by Noccalula (Part 1 is here)

They present themselves at the Hydra compound to volunteer as human guinea pigs. This is their last, best shot at taking down Tony Stark and his “imperialist death machine.”

Both of them were iron deficient, running light fevers, and dehydrated to the point that they were immediately given IV fluids. The first few weeks were nothing but antibiotics and lightning rounds of samples and examinations as the medical team worked to ensure that the twins were at least coming to a safe point to begin working on gaining weight and exercising; Pietro could not aptly put into words what it did for his heart to watch the sallowness in Wanda’s skin disappear, her eyes brighten again

almost makes you think their freedom a small price to pay for being restored to to peak health doesn’t it

but that autonomy had been the first thing they were informed that they would be signing over.  Wanda had reached down to lay her hand across her brother’s, which lay across her thigh, and gave it a soft squeeze before she put pen to paper and quite literally signed her life away before handing him the instruments to do the same.

have any of you guys ever signed a cell phone carrier contract? or bought anything online from any merchant at all? or opened any kind of bank or credit card account? nobody actually reads the fine print — maybe you’ve seen the video of the voice actor who was hired to read Amazon Kindle’s TOS front to back and it took him 8 hours — but how much of that autonomy that Pietro and Wanda value so much was illusory? Even if they’ve never had a cell phone? …. Sure, we’re free to sign these one-sided impenetrable legalese contracts or walk away, but how do you function as a person in the modern world without signing them? You don’t have to worry about affording a lawyer to decipher them for you, since most of them include mandatory arbitration clauses to prevent you getting your day in court, or god forbid bringing a class action suit against the corporation. There’s no overt coercion going on but it’s not much of a negotiation when one party is holding all the cards. In the previous chapter Pietro and Wanda observed that they didn’t have a choice, really, and here the “choice” to sign their rights away is a farce of freedom. Capitalism is fucking depressing let’s move on to a lighter subject aka sexytimes:

So many of the things that Pietro was dying to do were still logistically tricky but it didn’t stop him from whispering them to her in the dead of night, his lips against her ear or the back of her neck just like old times as she heaved soft sighs, her back pressed against his chest. If they were covert enough, sex could pass for spooning or cuddling when the nurses passed by, shining muted lights into the room to ensure no one had gone awol. Somehow, the thrill of possibly being caught and the shame of just how forbidden the act was became part of the appeal for Wanda.

This is my jam: Sex that passes for spooning? Yesssss. The thrill of being caught? Hell yes. The taboo heightening the hotness? Sign me the fuck up. Can you imagine how wet she got when he whispered all the things he wanted to do to her? And the herculean struggle to stay quiet, to not tip off the nurses, damn I need a shower.

So Wanda gets her period after five years of being too undernourished to get it and the way it happens is the two of them wake up in a pool of blood which ofc freaks them the fuck out THEN when Pietro starts lifting weights without a shirt on there are all these scratches on his back from Wanda’s nails and the doctor who is no one’s fool decides Wanda needs to go on birth control asap. THEN the experimentation begins in earnest and the they insist on separating the twins afterward — these are Herr Strucker’s instructions. Nobody, no other subjects so far, has survived the second round of treatments.

”Now, most of Mengele’s experiments on twins were utterly worthless,” Von Strucker continued … “Because he was not interested in science - he was interested in torture … But we, doctors, are not interested in torture, no. And we noticed very quickly that there was one thing that Mengele missed, His research suggested that twins were more likely to survive lethal experimentations for longer if they were reunited after a separation.”

This is sO cReEpy — no we are doctors we are not torturers we are doing this for SCIENCE ok. It’s little wonder Strucker didn’t miss a beat when the true nature of the twins’ intimacy came to light: he saw it as something he could use. Their soul-deep bond would give him the leverage to fashion them into the perfect weapons. And spoiler alert, they survive! Pietro zips around super fast! Wanda can read minds now!

Though Pietro posed the more immediate physical threat, everyone was markedly more afraid of Wanda. This was something Pietro was almost visibly proud of.

There is a very specific kind of competency porn where one member of your OTP is just bursting with pride at the other member of your OTP doing something superbly well and this is a prime example of that, this is Pietro Maximoff telling these bitches to fuck off because look at my sister she is a telepathic reality-warping witch. (I just rewatched Firefly and the scene in “Ariel” where Simon breaks character in the middle of a hospital heist to save a random patient’s life and River just looks at him is also a prime example of this trope.)

“Superheroes.” The word felt disgustingly capitalist on Wanda’s tongue.

I am crying haha because this is so true. Isn’t the superhero story par excellence about a human with extra-special abilities accomplishing extraordinary things rather than, say, a bunch of regular schmucks building collective power through solidarity? One of the things I love about this fic is the fact that the people who work for Hydra, from Strucker down to Doctor Bellato and Istvan, are none of them evil people. They commit evil deeds, to be sure, but they are working within a system which greatly constrains their array of choices.

They could run forever – he could run forever, with Wanda in his arms. But he knew there was still a growling, raging thing in the pit of his heart that lived in Wanda’s as well, and that thing would not know satisfaction until it knew justice.

This is a very good, succinct account of what drives the twins. Justice is what propels them forward day by day but it is also, I think, what drives them to be together in the romantic sense, because I am not sure if, in a universe where Sokovia remained at peace, the Maximoffs would turn to each other. I think the shared trauma was a necessary precondition to the incest. Fight me but that’s my reading of their characterization in this particular fic, not applicable generally, and god knows I haven’t read any of the comics.

Wanda and Pietro had carried nothing from the old life but one another and fistfuls of nightmares, scars that would never fade and wounds that would never heal save but for through one another.

There is a whole chapter that is like, just the two of them holing up in a hotel and screwing each other’s brains out. A well-deserved interlude, kids. (Well-deserved for me the reader as well, I hasten to add I thought it was a real treat.) There’s a mural erected by some of their erstwhile comrades from the anarchist commune, titled “Long Live the Maximoffs” because they are now apparently the face of the (failed? stalled?) revolution. You know, every time I read the twins’ internal monologue repeating that old “we came into this world together and we’ll leave it together” aphorism it’s like twisting a knife in my heart. Of course it never occurs to them only one of them will die, and the other will have to learn to live without him.

The ultimate betrayal of Wanda’s heart was that the damned thing continued to beat without him.

And there it is. Not to take anything away from Vision but Pietro was the love of her life, thanks for coming to my ted talk. Thanks for joining me in combing through one of my favorite fics of all time and enumerating all the 987654321 reasons I loved it, and thanks to @noccalula-writes for the gift of this brilliant story.

[kittykatknits]

Hi! So I came across (several) posts stating how Sansa is "removed" from everything Northern and how Lady's death means she's less of a Stark and that she doesn't fit in the North arc as her arc is completely different from her siblings (which is magical),the Northerners won't accept her,SR destroying snow castle means she'll never return to WF etc. My question: Do you think Sansa will return North? Do you think she'll ever reunite w/ her siblings and stay in WF? Thanks

Oh yes, to both questions. Easily. I’d also say Sansa will be the first Stark to cross the gates into Winterfell and it’s quite possible she’ll serve as a focal or rallying point for her siblings.

As for the rest, Sansa suffers from a negative POV bias in the first book, and honestly, I’m often left with the feeling that the old adage is true, first impressions matter. I’m not going to get into the narrative structure of Sansa’s chapters or character in this but we can tackle the rest of it.

I’ll go through those comments, point by point, below. This is long because I don’t know how to shut up.

(1)First, Sansa isn’t removed from everything Northern. She happens to be the only Starkling born in winter, and as we know, winter is a time for wolves. Not only that, much of her story line is about her ties to the north, it’s why she’s being used for her claim. It’s also important to note Sansa’s claim is not just over Winterfell, it’s about her name. Sansa is a Stark, she’s descended from a line going back several thousand years. That matters a lot in Westerosi politics, where name and status mean so much. The girl has power and her story is very much about her learning to wield it.

Her strongest desire is to go home, back to Winterfell, back to the north, to the place her family has lived in and ruled over since Bran the Builder. She also has the distinction of featuring snow and winter imagery in her chapters. In fact, the prominence of both only increases as the books go on. I’d say of the Starklings, she shares it with Jon the most. Here are a few lines from aFfC below:

So lovely. The snow-clad summit of the Giant’s Lance loomed above her, an immensity of stone and ice that dwarfed the castle perched upon its shoulder.

The small diamond-shaped panes of the window were obscured by frost. Alayne rubbed at one with the heel of her hand, enough to glimpse a brilliant blue sky and a blaze of white from the mountainside. The Eyrie was wrapped in an icy mantle, the Giant’s Lance above buried in waist-deep snows.

Old snow cloaked the courtyard, and icicles hung down like crystal spears from the terraces and towers. The Eyrie was built of fine white stone, and winter’s mantle made it whiter still.

Shards of ice and snow rained down on them, and the oak creaked and strained. Robert gave a gasp and clung to her, burying his face between her breasts.

There are lots more I could mention but let’s focus on that last one. Shards of ice and snow are raining down on them. Literally, winter is falling in that quote and Sansa is the one leading Sweetrobin down the mountain. Remember what she said in SoS? She’s stronger within the walls of Winterfell. She’s stronger when winter falls. If that isn’t Northern, I don’t know what is.

Beyond that, this girl is a wolf, or more accurately, she can sometimes be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. However, Sansa never forgets who she is and she lets her fangs show at times:

A kind of madness took over her then, and she heard herself say, “Maybe my brother will give me your head.”

She would name them Eddard and Brandon and Rickon, and raise them all to be as valiant as Ser Loras. And to hate Lannisters,

When Sansa had first beheld the Great Sept with its marble walls and seven crystal towers, she’d thought it was the most beautiful building in the world, but that had been before Joffrey beheaded her father on its steps. “I want it burned.”

Let his sword break and his shield shatter, Sansa thought coldly as she shoved out through the doors, let his courage fail him and every man desert him.

We also get one of my favorite exchanges in the series:

“…Harrenhal has withered every hand to touch it.“

“Then give it to Lord Frey.”

-Alayne I, aFfC

None of the above are words or thoughts from a character that should be perceived as meek or passive. Sansa is one the most empathetic characters in the series and one of the kindest but she can be fierce too.

Now, as to Lady, the discourse tends to focus so much on whether Sansa got her wolf killed, even though the entire answer isn’t so simple. What happens after often gets overlooked:

When it was over, he said, “Choose four men and have them take the body north. Bury her at Winterfell.”

“All that way?” Jory said, astonished.

“All that way,” Ned affirmed. “The Lannister woman shall never have this skin.”

- Eddard III, GoT

So, if the wolves are representations of the Stark children, then Sansa is currently the only Stark to have a piece of her soul within the grounds of Winterfell, none of the rest can make that claim. More than that, let’s look at what Ned is saying here, it’s foreshadowing. The Lannisters tried to lay claim to Lady but, ultimately, they failed. It’s the same with Sansa, they had her as a prisoner but they never got her skin. Ned also says that Lady will be taken north, all that way, with four men to act as an honor guard. Sansa is going to go north, with an army of men, and she will be able to do it, in part, because of the relationships her father built so long ago. Lady connects Sansa to the north.

(2)I’m really not sure what to make of her arc as being different from her siblings because of the lack of magic. For starters it’s horribly reductive, for all of them, not just Sansa. Jon’s arc is just as much about politics, negotiation, diplomacy, and leadership. Heck, part of his story in Dance is to count hams. Where’s the magic in that? It’s the same with Arya. Her arc also includes themes of leadership, identity, and justice v. vengeance. All of that matters as much as the magic.

Sansa is also a warg, just like her siblings. She’s mentioned by the Ghost of HH which connects her to magic. She has magical stories being told of her. And you’ll rip my Sansa is an empath theory out of my cold, undead, wightified hands. I’ll grant that magic is not as prevalent in her story line but completely devoid? Nope.

She also happens to have very similar story lines to both Bran and Arya. They start the series secure, are held prisoner, forced to hide behind false identities, have taken up with mentors that all have…well…dubious motives. All three are moving towards a point where they will somehow outsmart their teachers, reclaim their identity, and make their way home.

(3) I’m not going to break down the entire snow castle scene, its been done many times before and I don’t have much new to add at this point. However, as it relates to her, it’s the symbolism that matters.The giant managed to knock over a couple of tower roofs and part of a wall. The giant didn’t destroy WF, Sansa stopped him. Even more, the snow castle scene gives us this line:

She wondered where this courage had come from, to speak to him so frankly. From Winterfell, she thought. I am stronger within the walls of Winterfell.

Not only that, we get this gem later:”You were bold enough in the snow.“

Lysa says that to Sansa just before trying to shove her out the moon door but it’s a heck of a line. Snow makes Sansa bold, she’s stronger where winter falls.

(4) The northerners are fighting to save The Ned’s little girl, so not sure why this would not also apply to Sansa? The challenge with her is that no one knows where she is or how to get to her. The whereabouts and “identity” of Jeyne Poole are well known.

Sansa was forced to marry, just as Jeyne was. If Sansa and Tyrion returned north, under similar circumstances, it would only be a matter of time until Sansa was made a widow. Not only that, it’s made explicitly clear why northerners are fighting:

"Ned’s girl,” said Morgan Liddle. He was the second of three sons, so the other wolves called him Middle Liddle, though not often in his hearing. It was Morgan who had almost slain Asha in the fight by Deepwood Motte. He had come to her later, on the march, to beg her pardon … for calling her cunt in his battle lust, not for trying to split her head open with an axe.“Ned’s girl,” echoed Big Bucket Wull. “And we should have had her and the castle both if you prancing southron jackanapes didn’t piss your satin breeches at a little snow.”

..and later (in one of my favorite passages in the entire series)…

That seemed to amuse the northman. “I want to live forever in a land where summer lasts a thousand years. I want a castle in the clouds where I can look down over the world. I want to be six-and-twenty again. When I was six-and-twenty I could fight all day and fuck all night. What men want does not matter."Winter is almost upon us, boy. And winter is death. I would sooner my men die fighting for the Ned’s little girl than alone and hungry in the snow, weeping tears that freeze upon their cheeks. No one sings songs of men who die like that. As for me, I am old. This will be my last winter. Let me bathe in Bolton blood before I die. I want to feel it spatter across my face when my axe bites deep into a Bolton skull. I want to lick it off my lips and die with the taste of it on my tongue.”“Aye!” shouted Morgan Liddle. “Blood and battle!” Then all the hillmen were shouting, banging their cups and drinking horns on the table, filling the king’s tent with the clangor.

-The King’s Prize, aDwD (bold emphasis mine)

What about the above would lead the reader to believe they would not care about Sansa? They are fighting for Ned’s girl and House Stark, they don’t care about a crown or the Iron Throne.

Let’s switch gears to Manderly now:

“The north remembers, Lord Davos. The north remembers, and the mummer’s farce is almost done. My son is home.”  

-Davos IV, aDwD

Manderly got his son back and now he’s honoring his promise, because he remembers. He wants his liege lord back and he’s at Winterfell, making it pretty clear to us, the readers, that his mission is a suicide mission.

Also, let’s not forget the Umbers, they remember as well. Whoresbane is repeatedly described as old. Not only that, the Umber forces are divided so the green boys are with his brother while he has the old men. Whoresbane is planning to turn his cloak and go down fighting, exactly as described earlier.

With all of the above, I’d sooner think Sansa, the girl who is believed to have killed Joffrey, will be welcomed home.

Sansa is a Stark and a Wolf. She’s going home and she’s going home soon. If I’m wrong (and I’m not), I’ll eat my hat.