#cloud should be celes | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dalliansss · 1 year ago

Note

If the prompts are still up, Curufin saying the ‘i think I am a comedian’ prompt from the intoxication ones with some Finrod/Curufin? 🏳️‍🌈

intoxication starters

“I’m telling you, I’m the funniest person in the world right now. I should be a stand-up comedian!”

Celegorm eyes his brother askance; Curufin was drunk -- drunker than what he would normally tolerate himself to be. It is beyond wobbling steps and biting jokes now; this time, he has crossed the threshold that he has not, ever, even in Aman: he is delirious, and he's babbling. Celegorm thinks that he should have stopped Curufin three bottles earlier, but he had allowed his brother to continue dousing himself with the mulled wine.

He knows that it has something to do with Curufin sneaking about in their suites, holding his own shoes and trying to be silent, forgetting that his brother is a Great Hunter of Oromë; had keener senses than most Eldar, and that they had Huan in the suites with them. Celegorm had heard Curufin trying to shush Huan, and he'd gotten out of bed, stunned, and opened the door. Curufin was indeed there, holding his own shoes, trying to shush Huan. The wolfhound was excited, wagging his tail, looking expectant.

But what made Celegorm gape was the fact that Curufin looked as if he had been mauled by a beast: his brother's usually pristine, ponytailed hair a cloud of messy tangles, his tunic half askew, and under the candlelight Celegorm could clearly see love marks dotting Curufin's neck and clavicle area.

That, and his brother smelled so much like their cousin Ingoldo that it was obscene.

They'd stared at each other. Curufin clammed up, glared, and spat vitriol, snarling, don't ask me questions and I'll tell you no lies! and Celegorm, easy-going, simply raised his hands and gaped as Curufin escaped to the bathroom.

So now, five days later, Curufin gets himself as drunk as Tulkas during the High Feast at Almaren, slurring, throwing cursewords at some inexistent opponent or else himself, and now he declares himself to be a stand-up comedian, and he is funny.

Manwë's sinful nostrils, Curufin could be funny, if he shed all the scowling.

"Why are you funny then, hanno? Tell me," Celegorm asks, deciding to humor his brother. He has an arm around Curufin's shoulders.

Curufin sways in his seat, and his bottle of wine escapes his grip, falling to the carpeted floor with an odd thunk, spilling the drink there, staining the carpet a deep, bruise-like purple.

"I fucked Ingoldo," Curufin tells him this as if he had unearthed how to make new Silmarils. "I fucked him, and he fucked me, and I had a grand old time, Ulmo's tentacles, Turko, how can an Elda have such a sinful little--" He gesticulates with his hands, eyes wide, like an overexcited elfling being presented with food. Celegorm knew he would try to bounce too if he removed the arm by his shoulder.

"Okay," Celegorm says, without missing a beat. "What does Ingoldo have to do with your being a comedian?"

"Because the--because the damn elf plays me like a---a----like one of his harps!!" Curufin declared hotly, turning to him and shoving him on the chest. It would be otherwise painful but Curufin is too drunk for any real strength. "And-- I--- can't---stop---!"

Celegorm whistles. By the Valar, Ingoldo, what-- did you suck his fëa out of his cock--?

Curvo lets out an angry, frustrated, petulant growl. He stands-- sways dangerously enough that Celegorm leaps onto his feet, ready to catch him, but Curufin doesn't fall. He clutches handfuls of his dark hair, and in his drunken frustration he eerily resembles Fëanáro, so much so that Celegorm took a step backwards.

"He's driving me mad, he's driving me mad," Curufin babbles, eyes wild. "He knows what he's doing, the snake. Ha! The emblem of his house is rightly a snake! Fuck him! Fuck him! He knows he's got his fragrant finger wrapped around me, fuck him-- I won't---nobody will take him from me, Turko! Nobody!"

An outraged cry from the shorter elf, and Celegorm freezes as Curufin grabs him by the shoulders and attempts to shake him. This is very funny, because in their family, Curufin is the shortest of the lot.

"I'll kill anyone who tries to take Ingoldo from me! I'll kill them! I'll cut them in half with Angrist! Maim them--"

"Ai, you do that, Curvo," Celegorm says, internally cringing. He frees himself from his brother's hold, and he sits Curufin back down. "You do that. You show those perverted lords and Edain who's residing up Ingoldo's Telerin skirt, you show them, dammit."

"I'll sunder with Helwë completely, and I'll wed him!" Curufin declares. "I will! Then I will be King Consort of Nargothrond! Nelyo--- Nelyo can't look down on me then! Bastard! Look, I got the crown you threw away! I got it back! I got it b--"

Ah, yes, Celegorm thinks as the vomiting begins. He nudges the wooden bucket in front of Curufin, who grabs it, holds onto it, and begins emptying his stomach into it.

He watches, still, as Curufin relocates near the bed, hugging his bucket, and leans his head on one of the bed posts. "I got a plan. I got a plan. I got a plan. Laugh, Turko. I'm a comedian. Laugh, fuck you. Laugh."

"Uh-huh," Celegorm stands. Time to make the trip to Lady Eliril, ask her for her most potent hangover cure. "You stay there and stay alive, eh, Curvo?" He whistles, and Huan comes bounding into the room, tail wagging. "Watch over our poor, besotted drunken elf, will you, boy? Good."

Celegorm leaves, and Huan plants himself beside Curufin, and Curufin leans into the wolfhound's fur now, babbling still about golden hair, jewelry, perfume, and lips that he, Curufin, can't stop kissing.

#my drabs #silmarillion #alcohol tw #curufin #curufinwe atarinke #celegorm #turkafinwe tyelkormo #crown of thorns #murder hunter #murder smith #curufinrod

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frozen-fountain · 1 year ago

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Ten Songs, Ten People

Tagged by the lovely @late-to-the-fandom.

Rules: Put a wip/character/etc playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up. Describe how they relate to your WIPs or worldbuilding.

Tagging: @hrh-spinach, @ourspecial, @bowieandthemickjaggernauts, @laboradorescence, @keioschaos when you get home, @punkass-diogenes, @the--calamity, @visualheresy, and @danceswithdarkspawn. You guys all seem to have interesting taste in music so I'd love to see what you come up with.

Without further ado, and from my multi-fandom plot bunny playlist:

How to Be Invisible by Kate Bush

This is the Shera song for me. It's even the working title (probably to be discarded) of a fic I want to write centered on her, in which learns the deceptive power that can come with being small and easily overlooked. Ostensibly my attempt at a tournament arc, she's going behind enemy lines to do some espionage none of the loud and identifiable main cast could ever get away with.

Sleep is a Curse by Maudlin of the Well

I've been finding this one really useful for getting into Cloud's post-canon headspace as I see it. Ostensibly excited for everything they're doing to make it up to the planet for allowing them a second chance, he's still dissociating his way through village council meetings, fixating on his mistakes, and wondering if humanity enjoying a brief moment of singularity before the end wasn't the better option after all.

Rings of Earth by Kayo Dot

If this series had an anime adaptation I'd want this as the ED. Walking around with the ghosts of the industrialised old world at every turn.

Gospel For a New Century by Yves Tumor

An instrumental version of this was my mental soundtrack for the gang's slow motion entrance into the museum during the Dulosis heist. Plus, I was listening to this album a ton during the early days of lockdown which is when I was first gahtering my ideas for this project, so it always takes me back.

Church Burns by Zeal and Ardor

I couldn't get this one out of my head when I was writing Barret arguing with his id in the form of Dyne, and the shards left behind from everything that happened in Corel and then Midgar.

Killing Game by Skinny Puppy

This is my go-to "Moment of unpleasant revelation and subsequent breakdown" song, and I currently associate it most strongly with Vincent's trip to Gongaga and realising what he should actually feel guilty about.

The Cockfighter by Scott Walker

I find this avant-garde composition about the trial of Adolf Eichmann surprisingly great for writing action to. If it's a really ugly, bloodthirsty, gritty fight, at least. The shifts and lulls in its tone and rhythm work really well in guiding bouts of exhaustion and trash talk and renewed energising vitriol.

Maw by Chelsea Wolfe

I played this on repeat when I wrote my Anima fic, but it's a good song in general for handling the liminal and suspended feeling that comes with a significant shock or loss begins to sink in.

Love Song by Susumu Hirasawa

I played this as I wrote, rewrote, and edited Elmyra and Marlene watching the lifestream rise, and I can't listen to it without crying anymore.

Then Came the Wave by Atoma

I associate this one with the World of Ruin in FFVI, and particularly Celes alone on the raft, not knowing what if anything waits for her beyond the island she woke up on but facing down the horizon anyway.

#froze fics #froze tunes #memes

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the-real-things-tournament · 2 years ago

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0.5mm Pencil Lead

2002 Honda Civic

320 Pack Glitter Gel Pens

A Blunt

A Candle That Smells Like Fragrant Evergreens

A Copy of "The Book Thief" (2005) by Markus Zusak

A Daisychain

A DVD Copy of Over the Hedge (2006)

A Train

Ace of Spades Playing Card

Adderall

Adipose Plushie

Adorable Cow Creamer

Airpods

An Innumerable Amount of Lost DS Styli

Animal Shaped Rubber Bands

AP French Exam Packet

Argon (The Element)

Aviator Goggles

Baguette Body Pillow

Battery

Bead Maze

Beaded Curtain

Beanbag Chair

Bed

Beehive

Best Rock

Big Drinking Fountain

Black Out Curtains

Blanket

Blue Jeans

Blåhaj/Ikea Shark

Bread

Bright Orange VHS for the Rugrats Movie

Broken Alarm Clock

Bubble Toy

Bucket

Bur Oak Tree

Buttons (for clothes)

Can of Beans

Cast Iron Pan

Cat Collar With Bell

Chalk Boards

Cheese Grater

Chew Necklace

Chicxulub Impactor

Claw Hairclip

Clip-On Earrings

Clock

Coconut Broom

Colored Fairy Lights

Comically Oversized Lollypop

Construction Cone

Contraception

Crane Machine

Crayons

Dead Baby Possum Killed by Chihuahua (RIP)

Digivice V-pet

Dildo

Dirigible

Dirty Glass Bottle You Find In The Woods

Disinfecting Wipes

Dice

Dragon Ball Z Volume 4 (Manga Paperback)

Drinking Bird Desk Toy

Earth

Egg Slicer

Elementary School Yearbook

Empty Pizza Box

Every Basket

Every Knife

Eye Mug From a School Ceramics Sale

Fake Dictionary Lockbox

Fancy Showerhead

Fantasia 2000 VHS Tape

Fencing Mask

Ferrofluid

Finger Cymbals

Finger Cymbols

Fingerless Gloves (made of wool)

Flower Bush By The Pavement On The Street

Four Seasons Puzzle

Froggy Chair

Furby

Garden Gloves With Claws

Garlic

Gendang

Generic Paw Of A Monkey

Geode

Glow in the Dark Celing Stars

Glow Stick Liquid

"god i wish that were me" Screenshot

Golden Acorn Statue

Googly Eyes

Guitar

Half An Onion

Halloween Skeleton Decoration

Hand Mixer From The '60s

Haunted Callie Calamari Doll That Drinks All Your Pepsi and Calls You a Bitch

Heart-Shaped Glasses

Holly the Dragon Beanie Boo

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Hurdy Gurdy

Ice Cube

Ice Maker

Japanese 5 Yen Coin

Kids Watercolor Set

Kitchen Sink

Knockoff Garfield Plush

Knäckebröd

La Croix Sparkling Water Pamplemousse

Late Night Infomercials

Lavender Scented Candle

LEGO Spring 2007 Catalog

Lightning McQueen Crocs

Lindt Gold Bunny

Lint Roller

Lip Smackers Watermelon Chapstick

LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado

Lobster Ornament

Loch and Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster Ladles (one solid, one with strainer holes)

Loofah

Lun-Class Ekranoplan

Mammatus Cloud

Manatea Tea Infuser

Meat Cleaver

Meat Tenderizer

Mechanical Pencil

Microscope

Microwave

Mini Cuban Flag on Plant

Mini Fan

Monopoly Dog Piece

Mop

NA Mazda Miata (Specifically With Googly Eyes)

Native American Fire Opal Blade

Nebula

Nokia Phone 3310 (2000)

Occlupanids

Old Faithful

One Crouton

One Flavor Blasted Cheddar Goldfish

Onion Chopper/Mini Food Processer

Opalized Fossil

Oumuamua

Our Sun

Paint Tube

Palm Leaf Rose

Paper Crown

Paper Leaves

Paracetamol Tablet

Pencil

Pizza

Plastic Lightsaber

Plastic Play Food Set

Polly Pocket Website (circa 2005)

Popstar Microphone

Potato

"Previously on X-Men" (YouTube Video)

Rainbow Desk Lamp Christmas Gifted By Aunt

Rainbow Pride Flag

Red Bouncy Ball

Rice

Rocking Horse

Roller Skates

Rounde (Sheep Plush Adored by Friend Group)

Rubik's Cube

Russian Nesting Doll

Salt and Vinegar Chips

Sand-Filled Frog Toy Named Floppy

School Chair Attached To Desk

Screwdriver

Seattle Space Needle

Seki Edge Nail Clippers

Sewing Pin

Sharpie

Shoe Insoles

Shoelaces (From The President)

Silver Hoop Earrings

Simply Southern T-Shirt

Single Macaroni Noodle

Siren Percussion Instrument

Slap Bracelets

Sliced Bread

Slinky

Slip N' Slide

Slotted Spoon

Snowman Headband

Solar Eclipse Sunglasses

Soviet-Era Apartment Complex

Spamton Plush

Sparkly DND Dice That Look Like They Should Be Edible But Aren't

Spoon

Squirmles

Squishmallows

Squishy Water Tube Toy

Stained Glass

Stand-Up Bass

Starbucks Coffee Cup

Steel/Metal Pipe

Stick (From the Ground)

Stop Sign

Stuffed Animals

Styrofoam

Subway Employee Hat

Swiffer

Tamagotchi

The Bible

The Demon Core

The Entirely Of Wikipedia Printed Out

The Giant Canadian Rubber Duck

The International Space Station

The Internet

The Kaaba

The Milky Way

The Mona Lisa

The Moon

The Spinx

The Statue Of The Shoe That Almost Hit George Bush

The Tiny Jack Hiding In The Wall Of My Trunk For When I Have A Flat Tire

The Transistor

The Voynich Manuscript

The Wheel

The World Trade Center (WTC)

The Zener Diode

Theremin

TI-84 Graphing Calculator

Tofu

Tom Scott's Best Thing Survey

Torn Apart Skunk Dog Toy

Trans Flag

Tumblr Anon Hatemail

Tungsten Cube

Two Paper Cockatiels On A Wire Stand On My Desk

Umbrella Hat

Unicorn Pillow Pet

Vicks Vaprorub

Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers Painting

Vintage Railway Poster

Walkable City

Water

Water Bottle

Water Snake Wiggler

White Boards

White Out

Wind Chime

Wings of Fire Slightly Used Coloring Book

Wireless Headphones

Working McDonalds Ice Cream Machine

www.hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com

Xbox 360

Yoga Ball

Yu-Gi-Oh Cards

Zipper

Ōdachi

#info stuff #prep stuff #the real things tournament

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mayohigan-orange · 2 years ago

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Also, before I head off, I just... Don't understand game companies sometimes.

I'm going to be talking about stuff that isn't recent. Even the point I'll get to isn't recent.

But, whatever, y'know?

So, there's this company called Square Enix, and they make a series called Final Fantasy. They don't often bother with actual sequels, they just move on to the next game.

There are a few exceptions to this, though.

First off, FF7. Absolutely massively popular game, although I think it's overrated to hell and back and is... about passable by today's standards. And that's me being generous.

But yeah, it spawned a bunch of extra stuff, like Advent Children (which was alright), Dirge of Cereberus (it wasn't actually that bad) and Crisis Core (best thing to come out of FF7, in my opinion) as well as a bunch of other stuff.

It made sense. FF7 was absolutely massive, with people claiming it to be the best game ever (it really isn't) so it made sense that Square would want to capitalise on that (even if it was like years later) to make more money.

Next, we have FFX. Which was the first PS2 Final Fantasy and was also pretty widely praised. It also has Lulu so it gets bonus points for that. I've never actually finished it but I've played a fair bit of it, and I can see why people like it. Let's just not talk about the laughing scene. I don't care if it was meant to come off the way it did for reasons, that doesn't make it any better.

But yeah, after that, Square decided that a sequel would be a good idea, so along came FFX-2. Which I've also played a good chunk of and... I'm not gonna say it's better than FFX, but I do think it's better than people give it credit for. Luckily, nowadays people seem to be a bit kinder to it.

So, what game would be next for a sequel?

...Well actually FFXII, but I actually kinda like that game, and ADORE Revenant Wings, so I'm not going to be talking about that game right now. I really should play through it again sometime.

No, I'm going to talk about FFXIII. A.K.A. MANY MANY HOURS OF CORRIDOR SIMULATOR BEFORE YOU GET TO ANYTHING GOOD.

Most people did not like FFXIII. For fairly obvious reasons. Lightning was basically an expy of Cloud and Squall, while having none of the spark that make either character likeable. And most of the characters apparently didn't come off much better because... if you talk to people about the FF games, they will generally be able to mention one or two characters that are really good. FF6 has Locke and Celes, FF7 has Tifa and Aerith, FF10 has Auron and Rikku...

I've never really heard anyone talk about the characters in FFXIII. And I have talked about it with people who played it, they just... didn't have anything to say about the characters. Which in itself is a huge issue.

If you're created characters so boring that people don't even want to talk about them to illustrate the character's bad points, you've SEVERELY fucked up. Like, I can only vaguely recall a couple of characters, like... Snow and Serah, I think? And I couldn't tell you a damn thing about them. And before I keep going, no, I haven't played FFXIII but I've watched a friend play part of it and I've seen part of a stream on it. Couldn't really stand to watch it for too long because of how boring it is.

Apparently EVENTUALLY it opens up into a open world thing but the fact you have to go through HOURS of Corridor Simulator kinda makes it feel like Square's just going 'fuck you, you want freedom? just 11 more hours to go until freedom, fucker!'

And honestly if you still want to play by the time it becomes a more open-world affair, you're a masochist.

So yeah. Most people did not like FFXIII. They didn't like the gameplay, they didn't like the story, they didn't like the characters.

So what did Square Enix do?

"LET'S MAKE TWO SEQUELS TO THIS GAME THAT ABSOLUTELY NOBODY LIKED."

Just... why? Apparently it has something to do with Lightning disappearing which, y'know, good riddance to a poor character. And then Lightning Returning which... why can't Square Enix do that with characters people actually like and want to see back. *points at Geno not being in Smash*

It's just... I don't get why Square decided making two sequels to FF game that nobody liked was a good idea. Especially when it seems to be centralized around an extremely boring character like Lightning. I've never really been able to get an answer about that, either. Even people who 'like' FFXIII haven't been able to give me a proper answer on why FFXIII-2 and Lightning Returns exist. I guess maybe FFXIII sold well, but it was a Final Fantasy game. It was going to sell well. They should have waited to see what the fans said about it and then decided "hmm maybe we should just move on, the opinion about this game is... 'mixed', at best."

Anyway, I guess the rants over now. XP

#out of catnip

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denble · 9 months ago

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FFVIIR - A Love Triangle post on Reddit

So I just come across this post about the Love Triangle on Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/FinalFantasyVII/comments/1btxp5k/spoilers_for_rebirth_the_love_triangle/

I decide to response to the post here, on my deserted blog, because (1) I have no intention to argue with anyone and (2) should that post not be deleted, it's gonna be a battle field for sure :))))

The reason I want to response to this post is that OP is very civil. According to the post, he played the OG back in the 2000s so he must not be young by now, and had a clear understanding of OG narrative - that Cloud had to end up with Tifa because Aerith died.

Yet he still finds that Cloud x Aerith is happening after Remake and Rebirth. That their chemistry is great and Cloud x Tifa scenes all seem off, forced, awkward and platonic.

I find it very interesting, because apparently, he sees everything that I see (in Remake, as I haven't played Rebirth yet), but his perception of the events is completely different than mine.

Makes me wonder if I AM the one who interpret wrongly.

(and no, I don't think I'm wrong)

While I always have my own preference and personal feelings when experiencing a work of fiction, I'm always take thing face value. There's a difference between "bad writing, but it happens" and "because I don't feel it, so it doesn't happen". I certainly don't feel good about a lot of characters but they are loved in-game so it's just me. Heck, in Bleach, I never feel Ichigo x Orihime is a thing (and Rukia x Renji is even less so), but both couples happen. What can I do about it? Nothing.

And what is the face value that Remake (and Rebirth) is presenting?

They push Cloud and Tifa together, and push Aerith to Cloud (while still keeping her attachment to Zack). Regardless of how you and I feel about all those Cloud x Tifa and Cloud x Aerith scenes, that's what is happening.

They don't make a whole bunch of scenes of Tifa and Cloud being touchy-touchy just to prove that "yeah, they touch a lot, but it's platonic." What kind of story telling is that?

They don't make Cloud and Tifa kiss in the Gold Saucer Date just to say that "Nah, he's just being out of character." (and they almost kiss in Gongaga).

But yeah, if you want to disregard that, we can disregard all GSD scenes, because all of them are optional. Or to be precise, whom Cloud dates is optional. The scene itself ought to happen (because you know, Cait Sith's betrayal comes next).

Thing is, if you consider all Cloud and Aerith's interaction ALONE, you can easily write a love story. BUT Cloud x Aerith doesn't exist alone. There are Tifa (and Zack) in the picture. Cloud and Aerith holding hand in the GSD is all sweet, until you take into account that he and Tifa kiss during the date. Cloud looking longingly to Aerith when she sings is lovely, until you realize he holds Tifa's hand during that scene if you get Tifa as his date.

In order to Cloud x Aerith to happen, there's a lot to be taken out of the picture (and change the whole plot). And I mean A LOT.

Also, are we arguing:

Whom Cloud actually ends up with? (Answer: It's not Aerith, she's dead)

Whom Cloud SHOULD end up with? (Answer: Tifa, because he never stops loving her; and Aerith is dead)

Whom YOU WANT Cloud to end up with? (Answer: Whomever you'd like, but the game may or may not agree with you)

I very much shipped Locke and Terra in FFVI but eventually it's Locke and Celes. My preference has no power here. I could indulge myself in fanarts and fanfics (I don't though) but I cannot go fight about how Lock and Terra MUST be a thing despite the game presents otherwise.

And lastly, No Promise To Keep neither is about Cloud nor Jack. Nobuo Uematsu and the producers said so. Not a very good song anyway. And not that I care what is is about. I never understand any song's lyrics, let alone hidden layered meanings (if there's any). If the song is good, I vibe, and that's about it.

#ffvii remake

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olenbluu · 1 year ago

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Dahra & Sebastian - All Saint's Wake evening out.

It was eeary night when Dahra and Sebastian arrived to the Sneaky Hallow, place where all the spooky goodness was happening and celebration was on full swing.

Dahra dress as a detective from her books and Sebastian wearing a crown he had won in a competition of wits and balance in the pre-party.

It was rather calm night with bright lights and nice spots for couples and friends groups to sit down and eat and drink on the night while retelling their favorite ghost and void stories that were sure to frighten all.

But there was only a one problem Dahra noticed. Everyone had been dressed up as someone or something. There was very nicely done costumes of world famous Warrior of Light, actually there was vast group of them and clever fictional character from plays. Even from the one Dahra and Sebastian had been seeing in Kugane. Retelling of some old legend.

Dahra poked Sebastian to shoulder and gestured him to follow. She took them all the way to the balcony that was empty of the guests. There she opened a book she had purchased to use and later to add the library in Mist Free Company building.

"Look Sebastian. It says here that you are supposed to dress as something from fiction", Dahra explained to male aura that seemed to fall in silence.

"I'm a king", he finally said.

"Yes, but what king? There is no kings in Eorzia. Are you some royalty from over seas?" Dahra demanded him to answer, but all the sudden all the lights switched off from all the pumpkins, lamp posts and only candles were lit anymore.

"Is this the surprise scare? I read that is sometimes custom in these kind of parties." It was of course childish, but Dahra was happy to witness how these parties worked.

"Lets find Celes and their spouse, I need to tell them this is going excactly as it should be. They have to be so happy and scared", Dahra said and closed the book. Some dust puffed to the air. Sebastian waved the cloud of old book dust from his face and followed Dahra, who had already gone downstair to look for her employer.

"Where is everyone?" Dahra asked while looking around. How was she going to enjoy the scare with others if they were nowhere to see.

"Maybe they ran off when they got scared?" Sebastian said and continued sniffing and brushing his face.

"That is not what was supposed to happen", Dahra said feeling a little bit dissapointed that she was going to miss to see and study a group reaction to all this.

"We check the fake cemetery, maybe they are there."

No one was even close the cemetery and Dahra sighted deeply.

"I need to add this to the book. It is ridiculous that this kind of thing has not been mentioned in the book." She opened the book from the section that had a frame for an event and suggestions how to schedule an event like this when the page flipped shut without any indication that the wind was rising.

Dahra opened the page again and it shut once again in front of her.

"Well, this is curious book", Dahra chimmed and looked at Sebastian who was already readying his daggers. When she looked around she noticed shiny and glimmering characters that were all around them.

"Do you think this is in their budget for the party or is this a real threat?" Dahra asked Sebastian who was already taking steps closer to a ghostly figure next to him.

He was stopped in his place when the irritation in nose grew larger. Ghostly figure stopped moving also to watch what was going to happen. It was the loudest sneeze Dahra had ever heard and she dropped the book to cover her horns.

But the moment all the lights came up and the cheerful screaming and enjoyment of party could be heard from the courtyard.

"What was that?" Sebastian asked when he put his daggers down and was still looking for the ghostly figures, but they had vanished the same moment the lights had come up.

"A sneeze", Dahra explained. "But what was all the light switching and everyone vanishing?"

They didn't had to wonder too long before Eiko stepped in the cemetery in their usual fast space, hands openly waving in their sides. "We were looking for you two for a moment there, why -"

"Well, well, well. Why here you are you lovebirds, come join us for the bonfire. I think we have also been gifted fresh baked goods by Outsiders and lovely little princess delivering them."

Dahra was hesitant to agree with the statement Eiko made in the sentence. Neither one of them was a bird, she was sure Eiko knew that. But she had learned hard way back in Arcanist Guild that sometimes it was better not to comment on everything.

"We must be there", Sebastian said and was ready to follow Eiko back to the others. Dahra stopped for a brief moment to feel relieved.

Everything was going again by the book. Or was it?

#final fantasy xiv #ff14 screenshot #ff14 ffxiv #ff14 #ff14 rp #ff14 glamour #ff14 gpose #final fantasy 14 #au ra #ffxiv aura #au ra xaela #ff14 short story #short story #ff14 writing #writing #writers block #ff14 oc

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dfroza · 1 year ago

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Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for September 25 of 2023 with Proverbs 25 and Psalm 25, accompanied by Psalm 3 for the 3rd day of Astronomical Autumn, and Psalm 118 for day 268 of the year (with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 25]

These words, too, are proverbs of King Solomon, words which Hezekiah, king of Judah, later told his scribes to record for posterity:

God’s glory is shown when He conceals things;

a king’s glory is shown in his ability to explore the facts of the matter.

As the heights of heaven and the depths of earth are beyond comprehension,

so are the hearts of kings.

Take away the impurities from the silver,

and a good smith can create something of value;

Take away the wicked from among the king’s advisors,

and his reign will be established with integrity.

Do not claim to be important in the presence of the king

or vie for a position within the company of great men.

Truly, it is far sweeter to have someone of influence say to you, “Come up here and join us,”

than to be ordered to some lower rank in front of a noble.

Just because you think you have seen something

doesn’t mean you should be quick to go to court,

For what will you do

when your neighbor disproves the charge and embarrasses you?

Instead, discuss the matter directly with your neighbor,

but in doing so, remember never to reveal another person’s secrets;

For if you do, someone who hears you could disgrace you,

and a bad reputation will cling to you ever afterward.

A well-spoken word at just the right moment

is like golden apples in settings of silver.

To an attentive ear, constructive criticism from a truly wise person

is like an earring or jewelry made of fine gold.

Like a cooling snow that breaks the heat of a harvest day,

so is the messenger who is faithful to those who sent him,

for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Like clouds and wind that bring no rain,

so is one who boasts of gifts promised but never delivered.

Patience can soften up a leader,

and a tender tongue can break even bone.

When you find honey, remember to eat only what you need,

because if you eat in excess, you may be sick and lose all of it.

Don’t visit your neighbor too often,

or he will become tired of you and grow to hate you.

Like a maul and a sword and a sharp arrow all in one,

so is anyone who bears false witness against a neighbor.

Like a tooth that is rotten or a foot that is unsteady,

so is relying on a person who can’t be trusted in times of trouble.

Like a man who undresses in winter

or a woman who pours vinegar on a wound,

So is anyone who tries to sing happy songs

to a sorrowful heart.

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink,

For your kind treatment will be like heaping hot coals on his head,

it may cause a change in heart,

and the Eternal will repay you.

Acts of kindness, especially when we know they are undeserved, awaken a slumbering conscience, stimulate sorrow, and perhaps even effect a change. They are the best ways to turn an enemy into a friend.

As surely as a north wind drives the rain before it,

a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.

It is better to dwell outside on the corner of your roof

than to live inside your house with a badgering wife.

Like cool water to a weary soul,

so is good news from a distant country.

Like a muddy spring or a polluted fountain,

so is a righteous person who gives in to the wicked.

Eating too much honey is not good for you,

nor is it good to seek one honor after another.

Like a conquered city with no walls,

so is a man who has no self-control.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 25 (The Voice)

[Psalm 25]

A song of David.

ALWAYS I will lift up my soul to You, Eternal One,

BECAUSE You are my God and I put my trust in You.

Do not let me be humiliated.

Do not let my enemies celebrate at my expense.

CERTAINLY none of the people who rely on You will be shamed,

but those who are unfaithful, who intentionally deceive,

they are the ones who will be disgraced.

DEMONSTRATE Your ways, O Eternal One.

Teach me to understand so I can follow.

EASE me down the path of Your truth.

FEED me Your word

because You are the True God who has saved me.

I wait all day long, hoping, trusting in You.

GRACIOUS Eternal One, remember Your compassion; rekindle Your concern and love,

which have always been part of Your actions toward those who are Yours.

Do not HOLD against me the sins I committed when I was young;

instead, deal with me according to Your mercy and love.

Then Your goodness may be demonstrated in all the world, Eternal One.

IMMENSELY good and honorable is the Eternal;

that’s why He teaches sinners the way.

With JUSTICE, He directs the humble in all that is right,

and He shows them His way.

KIND and true are all the ways of the Eternal

to the people who keep His covenant and His words.

O LORD, the Eternal, bring glory to Your name,

and forgive my sins because they are beyond number.

MAY anyone who fears the Eternal

be shown the path he should choose.

His soul will NOT only live in goodness,

but his children will inherit the land.

ONLY those who stand in awe of the Eternal will have intimacy with Him,

and He will reveal His covenant to them.

PERPETUALLY my focus takes me to the Eternal

because He will set me free from the traps laid for me.

QUIETLY turn Your eyes to me and be compassionate toward me

because I am lonely and persecuted.

RAPIDLY my heart beats as troubles build on the horizon.

Come relieve me from these threats.

SEE my troubles and my misery,

and forgive all my sins.

TAKE notice of my enemies.

See how there are so many of them

who hate me and would seek my violent destruction.

Watch over my soul,

and let me face shame and defeat

UNASHAMED because You are my refuge.

May honor and strong character keep me safe.

VIGILANTLY I wait for You, hoping, trusting.

Save Israel from all its troubles,

O True God.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 25 (The Voice)

[Psalm 3]

A song of David composed while fleeing from his son Absalom.

Eternal One, my adversaries are many, too many to count.

Now they have taken a stand against me!

Right to my face they say,

“God will not save you!”

[pause]

But You, Eternal One, wrap around me like an impenetrable shield.

You give me glory and lift my eyes up to the heavens.

I lift my voice to You, Eternal One,

and You answer me from Your sacred heights.

[pause]

I lie down at night and fall asleep.

I awake in the morning—healthy, strong, vibrant—because the Eternal supports me.

No longer will I fear my tens of thousands of enemies

who have surrounded me!

Rise up, O Eternal One!

Rescue me, O God!

For You have dealt my enemies a strong blow to the jaw!

You have shattered their teeth! Do so again.

Liberation truly comes from the Eternal.

Let Your blessings shower down upon Your people.

[pause]

The Book of Psalms, Poem 3 (The Voice)

[Psalm 118]

Give thanks to the Eternal because He is always good.

He never ceases to be loving and kind.

Let the people of Israel proclaim:

“He never ceases to be loving and kind.”

Let the priests of Aaron’s line proclaim:

“He never ceases to be loving and kind.”

Let the people who fear the Eternal proclaim:

“He never ceases to be loving and kind.”

When trouble surrounded me, I cried out to the Eternal;

He answered me and brought me to a wide, open space.

The Eternal is with me,

so I will not be afraid of anything.

If God is on my side, how can anyone hurt me?

The Eternal is on my side, a champion for my cause;

so when I look at those who hate me, victory will be in sight.

It is better to put your faith in the Eternal for your security

than to trust in people.

It is better to put your faith in Him for your security

than to trust in princes.

All these nations surround me, squeezing me from all sides;

with the name of the Eternal, I will destroy them.

They rose up against me, squeezed me from all sides, yes, from all sides;

with the name of the Eternal, I will destroy them.

They surrounded me like a swarm of bees;

they were destroyed quickly and thoroughly—

Flaring up like a pile of thorns—

with the name of the Eternal, I will destroy them.

I was pushed back, attacked so that I was about to fall,

but the Eternal was there to help me keep my balance.

He is my strength, and He is the reason I sing;

He has been there to save me in every situation.

In the tents of the righteous soldiers of God,

there are shouts of joy and victory. They sing:

“The right hand of the Eternal has shown His power.

The mighty arm of the Eternal is raised in victory;

the right hand of His has shown His power.”

I will not die. I will live.

I will live to tell about all the Eternal has done.

The Eternal has taught me many lessons;

He has been strict and severe,

but even in His discipline, He has not allowed me to die.

Open wide to me the gates of justice

so that I may walk through them

and offer praise and worship to the Eternal.

This is the gate of the Eternal;

the righteous children of God will go through it.

I will praise You because You answered me when I was in trouble.

You have become my salvation.

The stone that the builders rejected

has become the very stone that holds together the entire foundation.

This is the work of the Eternal,

and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day the Eternal God has made;

let us celebrate and be happy today.

O Eternal One, save us, we beg You.

O Eternal One, we beg You, bring us success!

He who comes in the name of the Eternal will be blessed;

we have blessed You from the house of the Eternal.

The Eternal is the True God;

He shines His light on us.

Let the feast begin.

Bring the sacrifice, and tie it to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I give You thanks;

You are my God, and I praise You.

Give thanks to our Eternal Lord; He is always good.

He never ceases to be loving and kind.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 118 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

Early Christians found in the words of this psalm a wonderful way of describing the significance of Jesus. He was the rejected stone whom God made the cornerstone of a brand-new temple (verses 22–24).

0 notes

nxrthmizu · 4 years ago

Text

Crash and Burn

fandom | miraculous ladybug

genre | salt, lila salt

pairing | n/a

w.c | 3.2k

author's note | hey remember that lila salt fic i promised? this isn't it but this is something i made today so yep. please accept this as an apology for yknow. me promising to write and. not doing it.

Enough was enough.

“Marinette, stop accusing Lila! She just wants to make friends!”

“Take the high road.”

“Be a good model student, Marinette.”

Enough. Was. Enough.

Marinette had the connections, the power, the choice to make Lila’s entire world crumble apart. The only thing that stood between the liar’s demise was the tiniest pinch of morality and self-restraint— And no, that self-restraint did not come in the form of Tikki. Even the kwami, who had to be an aggregation of all the good and nice things in the world, was fed up and ready to retaliate.

“What a joke.” Lila cackled, tossing a chunk of her sausage hair over her shoulder flamboyantly. The two girls were in the bathroom, with Lila smirking in front of the sink and Marinette a little distance away from her. “You can make my world crumble? What is this, a threat?”

“A promise.” Marinette corrected. “Stop telling lies. Come clean to every one. No more lying about knowing celebrities left and right, no more making excuses about not being able to take your own notes, no more making up ‘diseases’ just so your life gets a little more convenient. To be frank, I really don’t care what happens to you— But by making these empty promises to introduce my classmates to great ‘celebrities’, you’re ruining their futures. Stop.”

“And what are you going to do if I don’t?” Lila sneered, face twisted into an ugly grin. “You going to cry in front of the class? Try and convince them that I, the one they adore— That I am lying?”

“No.” Marinette’s eyes were clear when she met Lila’s. The clouds of self-doubt that used to hover over the bright, shining star inside her soul had now dissipated, letting the bluenette emit a confident, glowing appearance as she met the liar head on. “I’m just going to keep my promise.”

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

Lila headed off to a modelling shoot after school, pleased at the prospect of spending more time with Adrien. There were a couple tendrils of Marinette’s words hanging behind in her mind— Did the girl mean what she said? Did she actually… Was she actually capable of causing Lila’s downfall? … Surely not. Marinette may have once been the ‘Everyday Ladybug’, but there was no way she was that competent, there was no way the girl was capable of plotting.

The Italian hummed, brushing away thoughts of the annoying bluenette from her mind. She was going on a photoshoot— One that was going cause the rise and burst of her career, the one that was going to make her name a globally-known one. Unfortunately for Lila, her plans were going to be derailed quite soon— In fact, as soon as Gabriel Agreste’s car rolled into the parking lot of the shoot location.

“Explain this, Mlle. Rossi.” Gabriel’s nostrils flared as he pointed to the tabloid article on his tablet. The Italian girl froze, the headlines seared into her eyes, big and black and bold, shooting poison right into the core of her body, paralysing her cell by cell starting from her heart. “What is the meaning of this?”

‘Adrien Agreste Reported To Be Harassed by Fellow Model’— The image under the caption was one that was clearly taken by a hidden photographer. The picture was framed with leafy foliage, which suggested that the camera was tucked up in a tree. Despite the distance, it was quite obvious in the image that Adrien was reeling away, disgusted and uncomfortable as a faceless woman in an orange blazer, back turned to the camera— Invaded his personal space.

The subtitle was the cream on the cupcake.

‘Witnesses State Gabriel Agreste Ignorant of Workplace Harassment’.

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

As if things couldn’t quite go down a worser path, Lila returned home to a fuming mother and an unexpected visitor.

“Lila! You come here right this instant!” The diplomat demanded as soon as the front door opened, her daughter shrinking slightly at the tone and pitch that her mother was using. The last time her mother had been this angry— Well, it was when she got expelled from her last school. “I can’t believe what you’ve done! If it weren’t for your kind classmate, lord knows how long you would’ve continued with this!”

The Italian meekly followed her mother into the living room, eyes widening until they were as large as saucers, mouth agape at the last person she expected to see sitting on the couch.

Marinette smiled kindly, waving at the girl, looking every bit the part of the innocent, pure, kind child that every parent wanted to have. Before Lila could release a torrent of questions about what the hell Marinette Dupain-Cheng was doing in her living room, her mother charged on, beginning to take out her anger on her daughter while a literal angel sat on the sofa, cradling a box of pastries from her family’s bakery.

“Your friend here tells me that you’ve been taking absences from school to go on trips to help humanity!” Mme. Rossi exploded, waving her arms around madly. “She says she’s here to share her notes from the classes you’ve missed! You’ve never left Paris this year! What’s this I hear about flying off to the kingdom of— What was it called again, Marinette dear?”

“Achu.” Provided the bluenette helpfully, the diplomat’s expression instantly softening when she talked to the other teen in the living room.

“Ah, yes. Thank you, dear.” The woman turned back to her daughter, instantly snapping on a mask of anger in a matter of a fraction of a second. “What’s this about flying off to this kingdom of Achu to help homeless orphans with some random prince?”

“Um…” Lila piped up, wriggling as her brain churned at 200 lies per hour, trying to whip up a cover of some sort.

“I’m not done! Your friend here is such a helpful child that she even went as far as to ask her family doctor is there’s a cure for your… Lying disease!” Mme. Rossi practically roared, breathing flames as if she were an intimidating dragon, her daughter flinching away from the heat. “I’ve never heard of anything more ridiculous! And then there’s the fact that you lied to your classmates about having tinnitus?!”

“I actually do have tinnitus!” Lila cut in forcibly, widening her eyes to make herself look more pitiful. “I was just afraid to tell you because I didn’t want you to worry!”

“Bullshit!”

“Um… Sorry to interrupt, Mme. Rossi,” Marinette piped up, the diplomat instantly cooling down as she faced the bluenette, a soft smile tracing the Italian woman’s lips. “But it’s getting rather late and my parents would love me home soon. I also have some tests to revise for tonight, so I think I should get going.”

“Oh, of course, dear.” Mme. Rossi hastily got up to help the bluenette to the door, shooting a warning glare at her daughter— ‘Sit still and don’t you dare go anywhere’, the glare read. “Feel free to come over again anytime you want, dear. I’m not home often, but you are such a sweet child. I’m sure Lila could learn a lot from you.”

“Thanks for having me as well, Mme. Rossi. I really like your home. I left the pastries on the counter— Make sure to warm the curry puffs before you eat them.” Marinette returned the smile, bowing slightly to the older woman as a sign of respect.

“Thank you for the pastries as well, Marinette. I ought to visit your parents’ bakery sometime when I’m free.” Mme. Rossi opened the door kindly for the bluenette, waving the girl off with an affectionate smile. Her parents must be so lucky to have such a sweet little thing like her, Mme. Rossi sighed internally, turning the key so she locked the door. And she seems to be a high-scoring student as well.

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

Lila seethed, having been grounded by her mother. As far as Mme. Rossi was concerned, there was a boarding school not too far away from their current residence, and by the next week, the Italian girl would be transferred over. Lila had never hated Dupain-Cheng as much as she did in that moment.

Still furious, the Italian snapped her laptop open, too angry to bother with the fact she might’ve scratched the surface. Clicking into the web browser, she started to type in the words ‘Ladyblog’— That was, before a news article caught her eye.

‘Jagged Stone Interview Reveals Underage, Obsessed Fan’.

What on Earth…

As soon as Lila clicked into the link, the news footage from the interview immediately begin to play. The date stamp on it showed that it had aired last night— Which meant that she would’ve missed it, since her mother was too busy yelling at her to turn on the television to watch Nadja Chamack’s daily news.

“As soon as I heard this rumour about some underage teenage girl claiming that she had saved my cat on an airport runway, I called Penny and asked her to book a slot for me to clarify this,” Jagged Stone said grimly, dressed in more formal attire as he sat in the comfortable, cushioned chair of the news station, with Nadja nodding equally seriously beside him. “Let me clarify— I’ve never owned a cat. I’m allergic to fur. The only pet I’ve had was Fang, and he’s an al-li-ga-tor. Not a cat. Whatever the girl is claiming, she’s obsessed and making up stories.”

“It’s also kind of bewildering that she saved it on an airport runway,” Nadja continued, shaking her head in disappointment. “That kind of thing only happens in dramas— It’s too dangerous for anyone besides authorised workers to be on airport runways.”

“Right, right!” Jagged agreed instantly. “The whole rumour is just really baffling.”

“M. Jagged, may I ask what kind of effect these rumours have on a celebrities’ career?” Nadja continued, leading the conversation on like a professional.

“Well, rumours that circulate around tend to have really bad effects, and the worse ones can hang around for a long, long time. Tabloids are often spun off from rumours, baseless and with no evidence. Those tabloids will never truly disappear, so they can leave a mark on a celebrity’s reputation as some people will believe anything— Even things they read from un-cited tabloids.”

“That is simply terrible. Have you ever had any cases of rumours created by underaged teens before this?”

“I’ve had quite a number, but none of them really got as big as this one. From what Penny has found from digging around, the teen girl managed to spread the rumour through her school and onto a once-popular blog.” Jagged explained. “Penny has also found out that the same girl has claimed that I’ve written songs for her to thank her for saving my cat! I would never write songs and dedicate them to an underaged girl— Trust me. If I could do such a thing, I’d already have written a dozen in honour of my niece— She’s my favourite designer.”

Nadja smiled at that sentence. “Then—“

The news footage cut off abruptly as Lila slammed her laptop shut, too upset to continue watching.

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

On the other side of Paris, Alya was pacing around her room frantically, wondering why on earth Lila wasn’t picking up on her calls. She’d left at least four dozen messages to the Italian, who was absent from school that day. There had been a couple whispers here and there about why she was missing— Rose had suggested another impromptu trip to Achu.

Lila’s absence wasn’t the weirdest part of the day, however.

That award would go to Marinette, who walked into class with a smile, the slightest sprinkles of delight colouring her bluebell eyes when she spotted Lila’s empty seat.

Growing in frustration, Alya threw herself onto her bed, phone clattering onto the mattress with her. Within the next few minutes, however, her phone suddenly started exploding with notifications. Excited at the prospect of Lila finally texting back, Alya turned on her phone, only to be disappointed by the notifications all clamouring from the class group chat.

Kim had sent a link to the chat— Without hesitation, Alya clicked into it, frowning when she saw Nadja and Jagged appear on the screen. Throughout the interview, the colour on the Ladyblogger’s face only paled by the second until she was as white as a sheet, and if it were halloween at that time, she would’ve won the best costume award for being a ghost.

There must… There must’ve been a mistake.

A notification from Lila’s number made the blogger perk up, instantly clicking into the conversation— But her newfound hope didn’t last very long.

[Lila]

Hi, Alya. This is Lila’s mom. She’s currently grounded right now. Is there anything important you need to tell her?

[Alya]

Oh, nothing much… I just wanted to ask where she was.

[Lila]

She’s at home.

[Alya]

Okay, thanks.

Flopping onto her bed, Alya begin thinking, revising over the past few months like it was an old clip. Lila’s exciting adventures and interactions with celebrities of every kind— Lila going overseas and face timing the entire class— Lila letting her in on the secrets of being Ladybug’s friend…

… Marinette trying to tell them that Lila was lying…

──────── ⋆⋅❉⋅⋆ ────────

The class was awfully silent the next day. Adrien was absent as well— A social worker was looking into his home life as a result of the tabloid that arose. Things for the blonde could either get better or worse from then on, as the matters were still foggy and things hadn’t cleared up yet. The blonde maintained contact with his friends, however, calling and texting them whenever he could.

“Class, settle down.” Mlle. Bustier stepped into the class, looking very tense and uncomfortable. “Today, we will have a guest, so please be on your best behaviours, alright?”

Just as the teacher finished speaking, a tall, regal-looking Italian woman entered the classroom, a cowering principal and a meek-looking Lila in tow. The class brightened slightly at the sight of their friend— But by the way she wasn’t looking into their eyes… Things weren’t going to be good.

“Good morning. I am Mme. Rossi, Lila’s mother.” The woman begin speaking, her firm and no-nonsense tone instantly making every student sit straight, their eyes too afraid to look anywhere else but the Italian diplomat. “It has come to my attention that my daughter has been taking absences from school to do charity work— And I have to clarify that this is a lie. Lila has been doing nothing but holing herself up in her room, lying to me and saying that there are no classes due to akumas.” The Italian diplomat glowered at Damocles. “What’s even more baffling is the fact that neither her homeroom nor the principal bothered to check up with me despite a student having extended periods of absence with no note or email written whatsoever.”

The class was so quiet that they could hear the quiver of Mlle. Bustier’s trembling lip.

“In addition, I’ve been kindly told that Lila has claimed to have a lying disease, which is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard this week.” It was impossible to miss the way the Italian diplomat was glaring daggers at both Mlle. Bustier and Damocles. “No one bothered to look it up online to see if it’s actual disorder, nor did anyone call me to confirm and ask for a doctor’s note, which is standard procedure.” Chills burst over the room, making every one shiver as the woman hissed out her words.

“Mme. Rossi, we didn’t want to disturb your busy schedule—” Damocles begin, only to be blown backwards from the sheer intensity of Mme. Rossi’s glower.

“M. Damocles, standard procedures exist for a reason. Unless you’d like to tell me about any other things you’ve been letting my daughter get away with?”

“N— No, Mme.”

The Italian diplomat continued on her war path. “My daughter also claimed to have tinnitus, am I correct?”

“Y— Yes, Mme.” Mlle. Bustier answered when it seemed like no one was going to.

“And I heard that the class seating arrangement was shifted to accommodate for that?” The homeroom teacher didn’t dare answer this time, for it seemed like whatever she said would be the incorrect answer. “And apparently, my daughter has also been faking broken wrists and requesting for her classmates to complete her work for her.” Mme. Rossi was practically breathing flames at that point, “And I am incredibly upset at the lack of action from the homeroom teacher.”

No one could breath.

“I have many concerns about the running of this schooling facility, and I expect to discuss this with M. Damocles privately after this. However, there is still something to be done.” Mme. Rossi swept her gaze towards her daughter, who found the floor incredibly interesting at that point of time. “Lila? Something you’d like to say to your classmates?”

“… I’m sorry for lying to you.” Lila mumbled resentfully.

“Louder, Lila. No one can hear you.”

“I’m sorry for lying to you!” Lila swallowed, bursting like an explosion that had finally been triggered, tears in her eyes and fists hatefully curled. “I’m sorry for lying about my diseases and injuries. I’m sorry for making you do my work,” She spat. “Sorry for causing any inconveniences.”

Mme. Rossi raised an eyebrow at her daughter. “Is that all?”

Lila glared at her mother, who was completely unfazed. “Oh, so you want an apology from me? Fine!” She turned to the class, a maniacal glint in her eyes as she sneered at the class, a few gasps puffing from around the room as they caught their first glimpse of the liar that resided in the ‘harmless’ shell of Lila Rossi. “I’m sorry that you are all such idiots that you all fell for everything. I’m sorry that Marinette has such terrible, untrusting classmates that turned their backs on her even though she was still a goody-two shoes till the end, even though she still wanted to help you sorry peasants. I’m sorry that you were all so goddamn gullible! There! Good enough for you?”

Shock was etched into the faces of every human in the classroom— Including Mlle. Bustier, M. Damocles, and Mme. Rossi themselves. Clearly, that part of the apology had not been part of the plan.

“Did I miss something?” Said a sweet voice, followed by the presence of a bluenette, her hair tied in a half-up. A royal blue blazer decorated her lithe form, accompanied by a smart-looking white blouse and a black plaited skirt. Formal had never looked so good on anyone— And if someone didn't know better, they'd think that the bluenette was a young lawyer, emerging victorious from her first successful case.

“Marinette!” Alya exclaimed.

“I’m sorry that you’re such an annoying, little, pest.” Lila bit in the girl’s face, disdain colouring her features as she ignored her mother’s enraged gasp behind her.

The bluenette simply smiled, unaffected by the liar who had crashed and burned like the liar once wished upon her. Marinette Dupain-Cheng stood at her full height, the perfect image of grace and poise as she maintained her composure, quite unlike her nemesis, who thrashed under her mother’s restraining hands.

“And I’m sorry that you didn’t take my promise to heart.”

this can count as adrien redemption depending on you cause ehhh i dont like how passive he is but i havent caught up with the recent episodes, he might have become better. idk.

also where the hell is my miraculous taglist i cant find it so eep. no tagging ppl ig oops

#miraculous ladybug #the tales of ladybug and chat noir #marinette dupain-cheng #lila rossi #lila salt #rossi salt #ml class #ml salt #ml class salt #marinette deserves better #badass marinette #lila rossi lies #lila's lies are exposed #adrien agrete #alya cesaire #cady writesss «

858 notes · View notes

terraxcloud · 2 years ago

Text

Recent DFFOO stuff~

I took a break since we’re in sort of a lull, but the lull may be ending soon since both Ever Crisis and CC: Reunion will release soon.

Let’s start with the obligatory Dissidia: Opera Omnia stuff, since DFFOO is the best source of information about the future (don’t be a skeptic, it knows more than anyone).

Aerith’s Intertwined Wills just released on Global (i.e. English). I currently don’t have screenshots, but we have the entire dialogue.

The entirety of this Intertwined Wills is hinting to Cloud & Terra’s story in Dissidia in the most indirect way possible.

First we get Noctis & Lunafreya mentioning their "special flower” (you should know about it by now if you’ve played FF15, but if you haven’t, then that’s spoiler territory.) Aerith finds it after a couple more scenes.

Seifer appears and mentions Squall’s scene in FF8 where he says the “true purpose of a SeeD is to sow seeds around the world so it'll one day be filled with flowers.“ This was originally a direct hint about cut content from FF6, which, honestly, no one could have known until at least Dissidia (2008).

After Squall rejects that it wasn’t actually his “dream” and just an excuse to not be tortured by electric shock, Firion appears. One “Galbana lilies” from FF12 later (another hint [Reks is now in JP DFFOO]), and Firion finally says the line:

This is the second time the Dissidia flower dream has been mentioned in DFFOO in Global (it’s been 5 times now in Japan). What you may not know is that Aerith’s Intertwined Wills is a prelude to Act 4 Chapter 1 Part 1 (yeah, it really is.)

It’s a bit tongue & cheek how they keep mentioning “dream”, specifically the “dream to fill the whole world with flowers” part. Aerith’s (and Zack’s) dream was to fill MIDGAR with flowers, not the WORLD (you’ll find that line in Crisis Core: Reunion). The only time “filling the world with flowers” has been mentioned in a serious way was with Cloud & Terra in Dissidia (Firion only says “fill the world with Wild Roses”, but Terra changed it to include all flowers).

In the final cutscene called “A Bouquet of Love”, FF6 characters appear...well, Sabin, Cyan, and Celes (mentioning the FF6 Opera) that is. We also get Vanille & Fang, Alphinaud & Lyse...so, you can see they went through almost any story containing flowers.

Well, no actual Cloud & Terra here, but knowing what is hinted in Act 4 Chapter 1...I think that’s a later story. Terra doesn’t appear in Chapter 1 of Act 4, but Cloud denies Aerith’s desire to fill the world with flowers in Part 1. It’s hinted in one cutscene (by Shelke) that the flowers may remind him of “someone”, but I’m sure everyone who is unfamiliar with this stuff will point that line to Aerith rather than Terra (despite it being so obvious that they’re hinting at OG Dissidia, although everyone also pointed to Aerith for that scene TOO). Part 2 is similar, but a bit harder to explain since it uses completely different characters (frogs are a large part of FF7R’s connections to Terra, since Betty gives Cloud a “Maiden’s Kiss” very early in the game among other things such as the Corneo Vaults which are full of Maiden’s Kisses, Moogle Metals, and that one frog prince enemy before reaching that Leslie scene where we find out he’s designed after FF6′s main character).

Speaking about that one scene in Act 4 Chapter 1 where Cloud wonders why he rejected Aerith’s flower idea...it uses the characters Vaan, Lyse, and Shelke (also, one line from Lunafreya [I’m on record in saying that Lunafreya is designed after Aerith]).

Vaan doesn’t need an explanation, he’s just everywhere in Clerra stuff. I believe he took a role from FF6′s main character. It’s hard to tell what exactly it was since cut content is hard to “find”, but hey, none of this is straight-forward. In DFFOO you do recruit Penelo RIGHT before Terra, so that’s probably a bigger hint of the connection (she’s a dancer, an actual FF7R hint now that there’s a “dancing dream” in it).

Shelke is the one that gets the line that when very roughly translated, says: “maybe some of the memories you lost. Maybe there's a flower that's related to someone.“

もしかしたらあなたが失った記憶の中には誰かにまつわる花があるのかもしれませんね

Both Aerith in FF7R and Terra in Dissidia talk about Cloud’s “favorite flower”. Apparently, this is an actual person thanks to Shelke. Remember, Aerith’s Intertwined Wills is full of characters finding flowers that remind them of other people.

In essence, Cloud’s first meeting with Aerith in OG FF7 back in 1997 had the same effect. The flower “reminds him of what he had lost”. Aerith also lost someone, so the feeling is mutual. Tifa is Terra’s (or should I say “Tina’s”?) “replacement” for FF7, which is why SE decided to put that “impostor” line in the first FF7 Rebirth trailer (not that Cloud’s story was true).

I say Shelke is Vincent’s “Moogle Girl”. The “Moogle Girl” from Advent Children was the direct connection between AC and Terra herself, since AC used Terra’s World of Ruin story. I guess they gave one to Vincent in Dirge of Cerberus, since there wasn’t much else in that game that could tie to Terra. Vincent is forgiven at the end in the same way Cloud is in AC (forgiven for being ripped out of FF6?).

Lyse on the other hand...looks like Terra. Similar hairstyle, red clothes, you get the picture?

Actually, no, she looks TOO MUCH like Terra. As you can see, the mere use of characters in these cutscenes can say a lot.

So, on to the next random thing...

Edgar got his FR & BT weapons. His FR weapon summons Jessie. Why? Well, Jessie and Edgar have the same roles...

Yeah, that’s not new news~

Paine’s Intertwined Wills released in JP DFFOO. This may not seem like anything important, but it appears to indirectly hint at the appearance of Rikku into Opera Omnia (why would they choose Paine for an Intertwined Wills this early anyway?). It’s too early, but I’m pretty certain that Rikku would be a hint towards the FF7 character “Priscilla” (girl that lives below Junon who Rikku may have been designed after). If Rikku does appear before FF7 Rebirth, then more fuel to the fire I guess...

There is no other character that could really “represent” Priscilla in DFFOO, and I can’t see how Priscilla wouldn’t be in FF7 Rebirth, so it’s a wait-and-see thing. Her dolphin IS one the first things that is hinted at in the original FF7R trailer back in 2015. Shiva is a pretty big hint by itself (she gave Shiva to Cloud in OG FF7 before the first Jenova boss fight, which is the only boss Shiva is the strongest at since Jenova drops Ifrit after defeating her...)

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Before Aerith’s Intertwined Wills released in Global, Rinoa got her own upgrades. The banner below makes me feel uncomfortable since it has quite a few hints, but I think very few people will know enough to notice them.

The “Shooting Star” part is the biggest hint, and it always was. Also, everything that is Rinoa, EVERYTHING.

The angel wings are likely a connection to Terra rather than Aerith. It may be that Zack’s mentions of “angels” is a reference to cut content itself from FF6. Squall and Rinoa, Zack and Aerith...they’re all direct connections to Cloud and Terra. If both Rinoa and Aerith get the “angel” stuff, then wouldn’t it make sense that it was originally a part of Terra’s story, whatever that means?

The quests involving the old ladies in FF7R were hinting at it in that direction as they end with Marle asking about the “real” Angel of the Slums to Cloud and Mireille staring at the flowers in the church (those two are based on Marle & Lucca from Chrono Trigger). The letter Mireille leaves on the ground for Cloud when he’s done all the sidequests has an “Elemental” materia, which is easier to tie to Terra than Tifa or Aerith.

The “Black Mage Staff” reminds me of a specific moment in Kingdom Hearts 3 during Toy Story when the crew is at the girl’s section of the toy store and there’s a treasure chest that has a weird reward between two dolls - “Mage’s Staff+”.

It’s one of those hints where you’re like...is it a hint or is it just my weird mind? I mean, the Frozen and Hercules levels obviously hinted at Terra, so why couldn’t this be one? I don’t think I mentioned it though.

Deuce (right below Vivi [who is a “puppet” btw]) has those “Moogle Girl” bangs and wields a flute...very similar to Eiko might I add. The name of the weapon reminds me of the FF6 Opera, but that flute thing has always bothered me since I know there must be something, but they don’t talk about flutes like they do “dancing” and “cats”. Important to note that her friend is “Cinque”, who looks a lot like Aerith.

Is there more? Likely, but oh well! Maybe Reks’ Lost Chapter? I’ve been noticing the constant appearance of Shelke for some odd reason. Well, Eiko too, since she’s the original “Moogle Girl” (yes, designed after Terra...you do know that her version of Mog is actually a summon called Maduin (mispelled as Madeen)? Dissidia hinted at that using an Item called “Maduin’s Fang”.

"Upon morphing into Maduin, the moogle was caught, leaving this."

Now I’m not even writing about DFFOO...

Aerith’s Intertwined Wills if you missed the link above~

#Clerra #DFFOO #Opera Omnia #Dissidia #Terra Branford #Aerith Gainsborough #FF7R #FF7 Remake #Crisis Core #CC #FFVIIR #FF6 #FF7 #FFVI

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silver-wield · 3 years ago

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It's very very very very very very extremely obvious to us SANE people that Cloud and Tifa are a couple. But why their status still isn't "confirmed" like that? I mean like compared to Zack and Aerith where it clearly says boyfriend/girlfriend etc? Just came to my mind. I'm curious.

Because it's a spoiler. Their love is part of the revelation in the lifestream and gives away Cloud's reasons for doing everything.

Besides, SE has confirmed it in every single ultimania where they mention ff7. Why should they put out a press release for cloti when they never did for any other couple? And cloti have more proof than any other couple. Even Firion and Maria only confirm their feelings in a post game novella but nobody questions them. Celes and Locke aren't even a couple because they wanna work on their personal shit first but nobody questions them. Zidane and Garnet only hug once and never express any love words. Squall and Rinoa kiss in a post game bonus scene and they also don't say any love words, but nobody questions them.

It's ridiculous how cloti smash through every burden of proof better than any other FF couple and people act like they haven't heard any of it or that in the game, Cloud literally admits he did everything for Tifa and her line under the highwind is known to be sexually suggestive.

#ship war #for the ship #for the plot

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aion-rsa · 3 years ago

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15 Best Final Fantasy Characters

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While the list of things that Final Fantasy has gifted the gaming world is much longer than the one we’re bringing you today, one of the most consistently incredible aspects of this legendary RPG franchise is the quality of its casts of characters.

Even if you’ve only played one or two Final Fantasy games in your lifetime (or perhaps even just absorbed elements of the series through its prominent place in gaming culture) you likely know and have strong feelings about at least one Final Fantasy character. No matter how fantastical these games get, their heart will always be found in the heroes, villains, and even NPCs that drive some of the greatest adventures in RPG history.

Which Final Fantasy character is the best of them all, though? That’s a question fans will never find a universally approved answer to, but I’m willing to be most personal shortlists include at least a few of these incredible characters that have become icons of this franchise, the genre, and gaming.

15. Bartz Klauser (Final Fantasy 5)

Many Final Fantasy protagonists are tortured souls burdened by destiny and circumstances. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that type of character (we’re actually going to honor a few of those tortured souls later in this list), but too much of that kind of personality can really wear you down.

That’s what makes Bartz Klauser such a breath of fresh air. As a young man just trying to honor his father’s dying wish to go out and explore the world, Bartz didn’t ask to get caught up in an epic battle or grand adventure. Yet, he handles the incredible events that befall him with positivity, humor, and constant support for his friends and allies.

14. Squall Leonhart (Final Fantasy 8)

There was a time when it felt like Squall’s place somewhere at the bottom of any list of Final Fantasy protagonists was all but reserved. There are still more than a few Final Fantasy fans who passionately hate him, and it’s easy to understand why. He’s angsty, he’s sometimes derivative of other characters, and he’s even sometimes cruel to people who should be his closest allies.

Yet, there’s just something about Squall. His looks and gunblade certainly make him memorable from a design perspective, but there’s also something to be said for how we get to watch Squall grow throughout Final Fantasy 8 in a way that few franchise protagonists get to grow across the course of their own adventures. Squall is the surprisingly grounded heart of a Final Fantasy game that reaches all-time high levels of weirdness.

13. Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy 9)

I’ll always have a soft spot for Final Fantasy 7 and 8’s more somber protagonists, but like many fans at the time, I was more than ready to embrace Final Fantasy 9’s return to medieval fantasy as well as its returns to slightly more upbeat lead characters.

Zidane is a fantastic example of a more lighthearted Final Fantasy protagonist, but he is no mere throwback to a simpler time. There’s plenty of darkness in Zidane’s surprisingly deep backstory, which makes his attempts to become a better person and a better leader (as well as his insistence on enjoying life whenever possible) that much more interesting.

12. Cidolfus Orlandeau (Final Fantasy Tactics)

Some version of Cid pretty much had to be on this list, but which Cid is the best of them all? Well, there’s certainly an argument to be made for Final Fantasy 7’s Cid, Final Fantasy 14’s Cid, and Final Fantasy 9’s Cid, but my vote for the best Cid goes to a somewhat outside the box version of this recurring character.

It’s interesting enough that Final Fantasy Tactics’ Cidolfus Orlandeau is a warrior when so many other versions of Cid are engineers, mentors, or even political leaders, but what makes Orlandeau really stand apart is how powerful he is. This is one of the most overpowered characters in Final Fantasy Tactics in terms of both lore and in-game abilities. Actually, his incredible power kind of feels like a love letter to the entire Cid “lineage.”

11. Zack Fair (Final Fantasy 7)

It may seem like Zack Fair’s popularity only started to grow in more recent years, but the truth of the matter is that many Final Fantasy 7 fans have always loved Zack and just weren’t able to properly share their love for this previously minor character prior to the modern internet age.

Before Zack Fair finally got to star in his own game (the largely underrated PSP title, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII), he won the hearts of millions with his optimism, friendly nature, and unwavering belief that he can fight to make the world a better place. He is, in many ways, what we think of when we think of heroes.

10. Celes Chere (Final Fantasy 6)

Final Fantasy 6 certainly isn’t lacking in memorable protagonists (or villains), which really makes it that much more impressive that Celes Chere has arguably become the game’s unofficial lead all these years later.

Celes initially comes across as a standoffish enemy general who is only helping the player’s party because they’re temporarily united against a common threat. By the time we reach this game’s legendary opera scene, though, we understand who Celes really is and even start to sympathize with what we previously believed were her greatest flaws. Celes was one of the first Final Fantasy characters that properly showcased the storytelling potential of this franchise and gaming.

9. Lightning (Final Fantasy 13)

Final Fantasy 13 honestly deserves a lot of the criticism it regularly receives, but it’s always been a shame that the game’s divisive (often negative) legacy means Lightning is sometimes denied the status she so rightfully deserves.

Lightning’s backstory isn’t the most complicated in Final Fantasy history, but that actually proves to be one of the character’s strongest qualities. Lightning is mostly interested in protecting her sister, which turns out to be all the motivation as she needs to embark upon an epic journey as well as all the motivation we need to sympathize with the incredible things she does along the way. Lightning is fearless, strong, determined, and the kind of person many of us like to think we would become in her situation.

8. Balthier (Final Fantasy 12)

It’s certainly easy to understand why so many Final Fantasy fans have compared Balthier to Han Solo over the years. Balthier is, after all, a sarcastic yet suave sky pirate who gets caught up in a war. You don’t have to break your brain to see the similarities.

However, that doesn’t make Balthier any less of a compelling character. Balthier believes he’s the real protagonist of Final Fantasy 12’s all-time great story, which is honestly hard to argue against when you consider that he’s the most consistently compelling character in the game and one of the most consistently entertaining characters in the history of this franchise.

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7. Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy 7)

What is it about Tifa that’s made her one of the most popular characters in Final Fantasy history? Is it her warmth? Is it her combat abilities? Is it the ways that she’s able to so easily pivot between leader and supporter based on what the situation calls for?

The answer is “yes.” Tifa is capable in ways that the best playable video game characters sometimes need to be, but she’s still vulnerable, conflicted, and sometimes scared in the ways that any of us would be if we were in her situation. She’s a truly well-rounded character who is more than worthy of her fan-favorite status.

6. Auron (Final Fantasy 10)

On the surface, Auron is everything that you’d expect to see in a “cool” Final Fantasy character. With his giant sword, samurai-like philosophies and lifestyle, and mysterious vibes, you could even argue that Auron represents some of the “tropes” we sometimes associate with this franchise’s most notable warriors.

Yet, Auron is so much more than the (admittedly badass) warrior he first seems to be. As we learn Auron’s backstory, we also learn more about the Final Fantasy X universe and this game’s wonderfully weird and surprisingly complicated storyline. Auron is undoubtedly cool, but it’s the sweet and sorrowful details of his backstory that elevate him above some notable competition.

5. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7)

It’s sometimes hard to look at Cloud and not see a collection of what we now think of as cliches for both Final Fantasy protagonists and JRPG characters. Even if you want to push aside the fact that Cloud helped introduce (or at least arguably perfected) some of those cliches, you can still make a compelling argument for the character’s all-time great status on the basis of some of his qualities that don’t get talked about quite as often as they should.

Cloud is a much deeper and more mysterious character than he often gets credit for. Given that we learn more about him as we learn more about Final Fantasy 7’s plot, world, and emotional stakes, he’s also one of the best (if initially less obvious) player surrogates in the history of RPGs.

4. Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7)

Like so many of Final Fantasy’s other great characters, you could make an argument for Sephiroth’s “best” credentials on the basis of his design alone. Any character that looks this cool and has a theme song as incredible as “One-Winged Angel” is destined to steal some hearts.

What’s most impressive about Sephiroth, though, are the ways that the Final Fantasy team has revisited this character and grown him over the years. Sephiroth is a tragic character in many ways, but you won’t find many who are willing to shed a tear for him or the ways he’s used his personal tragedies to internally justify unforgivable acts.

3. Yuna (Final Fantasy 10)

While I don’t hate Tidus as much as some people do, I have to admit that I’ve always seen Yuna as the real protagonist of Final Fantasy 10 as well as one of the series’ best characters ever.

Yuna’s incredible empathy and compassion are appropriate character traits for a summoner who is so willing to complete what is generally considered to be a suicide mission. Yuna believes in the role she plays in this world, but she’s not so committed to her duties that she becomes this one-track protagonist that doesn’t get to develop a personality. Indeed, it’s Yuna’s likability that inspires so many Final Fantasy 10 players to see her complete her quest, whatever the cost may be.

2. Kefka Palazzo (Final Fantasy 6)

When people are praising Kefka as a villain (which is obviously something that happens quite often), the line you’re almost always guaranteed to hear is that Kefka is one of the few villains in any medium who achieves their seemingly absurd plans for world domination. His almost unrivaled success as a villain has rightfully become the defining part of his legacy.

As a character, though, Kefka stands apart through the almost horror movie-like nature of his design (he’s somewhere between Pennywise and the Joker) as well as for the way he goes from court jester to world-destroying diety so convincingly. He is, at the very least, the best Final Fantasy villain ever.

1. Vivi Ornitier (Final Fantasy 9)

Vivi’s short lifespan and the fact he was ignored and dismissed for so many of the few days he had to live should make him one of the most tragic characters in Final Fantasy history. Indeed, many aspects of Vivi’s life are a tragedy and a pretty compelling tragedy at that.

Yet, there’s a reason that simply hearing the name “Vivi” puts a smile on so many Final Fantasy players’ faces. Vivi may discover the sorrowful truth of his existence in Final Fantasy 9, but he also learns the joys of friendship, confidence, and adventure. In many ways, the character’s final words represent how we all feel whenever we have to leave our favorite Final Fantasy characters:

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

“I’m so happy I met everyone… I wish we could’ve gone on more adventures. But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday.”

The post 15 Best Final Fantasy Characters appeared first on Den of Geek.

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autopotion · 4 years ago

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one time i ranked all the canon dragon age ships and now i’m going to do that for final fantasy (with the games i’ve beaten / gotten decently far into). major ships only

1. delita/ovelia. sorry. there’s only one romantic relationship in all of final fantasy i keep going back to and dissecting and creating content of. it is so extraordinarily compelling and emotional, i get more out of it every time i go back to FFT

2. aerith/cloud. ffvii remake kicked this directly into the second spot, good god i love those little guys, i liked them enough in the original but holy cow their banter & character writing was the best part of ffviir

3. fran/balthier. they’re a timeless classic and also i like that they’re in a preestablished relationship, they’re very subtle but sweet with each other, nobody else even comes remotely close to their level of communication. zoe called it “bisexual coworker energy,” yeah

4. fang/vanille. sorry to put the f/f so low, xiii is definitely not my favorite game of the bunch, but these two are certainly the highlight. they have some tropes i don’t care for, like the childhood friends angle, but i can’t rank the rare “canon” f/f any lower than my top 5 lol, i like them a lot.

5. zidane/garnet. nice take on the thief/princess story, i like it decently, they’re also relatively uncomplicated. i was more into it when i was a kid but there’s meatier stuff to sink my teeth into these days

6. tidus/yuna. they’re sweet like zidane/garnet but more complicated and tragic, i would like them more if i liked ffx more but i’ve never finished that one. as it is they’re still very solid

7. cloud/tifa. it’s just okay imo, i prefer to read tifa as a closeted lesbian or bi woman who is projecting fantasies of heterosexual heroism on her childhood friend that she has grown away from, but that’s not in the text at all so lol. i chafe with this one a bit since in general i’m not the biggest fan of childhood friends turned lovers (you guys have changed! change isn’t bad, and it’s okay to admit if you’re not right for each other anymore! also i literally cannot IMAGINE being with any of the people i crushed on in middle school, good grief), but there’s nothing strictly wrong with them and they have some sweet stuff. i think tifa just seems so unhappy looking after cloud and reckoning with the fact that he’s a different person now, whereas aerith’s entire thing across ffvii is accepting that cloud is who he is now--she likes cloud at first because he reminds her of zack, which is a static place, but realizes she wants to know who cloud actually is and wants to embrace change with him. “i want to know the real you” and all that. aerith and tifa both have this idealized image of cloud in their heads, but tifa sort of wants him to go back to who he was as a kid, and aerith wants him to move on and embrace the future, and all his fluid identities. “aerith talked about the future more than anyone.”

OKAY but whatever pitting aerith and tifa against each other is silly anyway, they’re both decent pairings it just depends on what you like in a narrative and what you think is emotionally cathartic. in sum they’re fine, just not my cup of tea. tifa should get with barret, or join cloud/aerith in a throuple, or tifa gets with barret AND they’re all four of them in a polycule. that’s what i think

8. locke/celes. they’re just okay as well, but i have fewer opinions on them than cloud/tifa so they’re lower on the list. they just don’t have a lot of like... chemistry? their arcs are emotionally intertwined, but their actual narratives don’t have a lot to do with each other outside of “i am attracted to you.” celes has more striking narrative parallels with terra (i was injected with this magic vs i was born with this magic, defected from the empire in different ways) and locke just straight up has more chemistry with his best bro edgar. the opera segment is classic, though

9. cecil/rosa. no opinion. they are married heterosexuals (or maybe they’re bi if you like cecil/kain). like sweet i guess but i never got invested in the ridiculous love triangle that comprises like half of kain’s motivations. you could hold a gun up to my head and i wouldn’t be able to name a single one of rosa’s character traits outside of “nice” and “white mage”

10. serah/snow. i will say this: snow being paired off with lightning’s younger sister meant that he, arguably the deuteragonist of xiii, would never be paired off with lightning herself, and that is a blessing. other than that they are boring. snow is a boring character and serah’s most interesting stuff is with her sister. idk about the xiii sequels but they killed serah off iirc so like okay.

11. squall/rinoa. Squall Is Dead Theory

12. zack/aerith. aerith i hate your stupid cop boyfriend, i hate their relationship in crisis core SO MUCH (fuck you squeenix he does NOT give her the idea to sell flowers, she has been living in the slums all her life you really think she wouldn’t come up with this herself?? nor does he give her her classic pink ribbon, we saw very clearly in ffvii that baby aerith had a pink ribbon in. die), i am really desperately hoping that if zack is alive in the remake she’s not auto-paired with him because that’s sort of the antithesis of what i like in media (what i like is: there is no such thing as one true love, love is an action as much as it is a feeling and you can choose who and what to love, sometimes it’s better to move on from the people you loved before because you have both changed as people). that doesn’t seem likely, i think they would try to keep the dating sim elements of the original (as they did in ffviir), but i’m just saying. i don’t even hate zack necessarily, i was emotionally invested in his character in crisis core, but i DESPISE their relationship.

13. mustadio/agrias. i know i wasn’t going to say minor characters but i had to put this in here because what the hell. of all the additions WotL made for tactics, this one was by far the most bizarre. they’re two of the gayest characters in a very gay cast, they have negative chemistry, you cannot convince me that either would find the other sexually attractive at all. THEY ARE GAY. LITERALLY WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING TALKING ABOUT SQUEENIX.

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