#do you think usagi will hold a grudge

[skelentic]

did they even know each other prior to the mission’s start 😭😭

[staerplatinum]

Some of my favorite doodles from my headcanon/redesign concept sheets used as an excuse to list my headcanons about the main six (for an AU that I'm writing)! More under the cut!

Charlie Morningstar:

She's way more hot-headed than in canon, albeit still keeping her cheerful and gentle persona.

She loves food, and she's always hungry. I always loved the trope of protagonists (both male and female, like look at Goku himself, Usagi Tsukino or Minako Aino) and I think it could fit Charlie perfectly!

She loves planning (and this is already canon) and she has a lot of stationary gadgets. "Sure Alastor, you can borrow any pen! ... Not that one! :D" And takes good care of them.

Her birthday is February 29th. I thought that it wouldn't be strange if her birthday ended up being that day if she follows a demoniac calendar...

Vaggie:

It's canon that she likes everything to be clean and organized. I think she would help Niffty with the rooms and everything! They bond!

She and Angel Dust absolutely have BFFs vibes. Before Hazbin Hotel I remember they were meant to be a couple, but with the new canon they're still adorable as best friends and I love the dynamic more. They get into fights but it's never anything serious, they look like a big brother and a little sis, even though sometimes she definitely acts as a big sis to him. Angel sees Molly through her :(

As we know she doesn't really believe in herself, but she actually makes a very good leader!

In my fanfic, contrarily to the series, she was really fighting with burning hate towards the angels that cast her out. She holds a deep grudge and it's hard for her to come out of it. (I want Out for Love to be useful, it's my favorite song ç_ç)

Her name as a human was Agata Flores, she was born the 28th of June in 1993. If we still count 2014 as her death and if she was once a winner that then became sinner... my headcanon is that she died of a hate crime in March 25th 2014, aged 21.

Angel Dust:

He's not in drag 24/7. He really is feminine, but sometimes likes to try masculine outfits too. (which make Husk wonder "why am I staring??")

He's secretly a nerd. Or not so secretly. He owns video games, and especially likes RPGs and life sims.

He overanalyses everything. Well, almost everything but still. He actually likes reading, and this led him to analyse anything that comes into his eye. (Oh, I can't wait to write one of those scenes because I already had fun outlining it LMAOO)

He's probably Charlie's food buddy. Give them some food and they'll be happy (Valentino doesn't like this but get screwed Val, give him food too)

His name as a human was Anthony (canon) Cavallaro and had Neapolitan heritage. He's born in April 1st (and this is canon) 1912, he died of overdose (canon) in October 11th 1947, aged 35.

Alastor:

I loved his pilot persona more than the series', and most of the things are confirmed canon... but I do have some headcanons for him, too! (also yeah I don't think that will be my last radioapple drawing or doodle lol)

We know he either doesn't sleep or sleeps with his eyes open. Well, I imagine him that in the few rare occasions he actually sleeps, his radio works as a mental surveillance "camera". Also, he's a light sleeper and would definitely go "Do you fellows mind? I'm trying to sleep." like the old man he is.

I would like to explore Alastor's feelings for Charlie more, and how he sees her as a daughter. While we may not know if he was telling the truth, I think they both seeked each other as a fatherly and daughter figures in a way. Many in the fandom headcanon Alastor's father to have been shitty to him. If he truly sees Charlie as a daughter, it could be because he would like to be a better father than the one he had, and since he never had children, he grew affectionate to Charlie as such.

He knows how to handle alcohol well, but I like to think that when he's really drunk he doesn't even know what he's doing. Oh, you saw him playing with Angel's Nintendo Switch? He even brought it into his room to continue playing Animal Crossing by himself? He was totally wasted.

His name as a human was Alastor (which is apparently canon, but I wonder if it'll be retconned or not?) Boudreaux-Alexander. Boudreaux was his father's last name, Alexander was his mother's. He didn't like his mother taking her husband's last name and wanted to keep his mother's. He was born in March 7th 1901, and died in August 4th 1933, aged 32, after being shot by a hunter that confused him with a deer and was mauled by dogs afterwards. (Yikes, I'm so sorry)

Niffty:

She definitely has written lots of fanfics about her fellow hotel friends. Especially men. Yet, she loves Charlie and Vaggie too, so they're there as well.

We know both Niffty and Husk have deals with Alastor. She loves them both, I love to headcanon that when she feels lonely and can't sleep well or had nightmares, she either goes to Husk's or Alastor's room to sleep with them. They welcome her warmly ç_ç

Alastor and Husk most definitely know Niffty's story, which is why they care about her so much. She's childish for her age, but it could be tied to a past that only the two of them know very well.

Niffty knew Vox when they were alive. Now I know it could be a weird headcanon since Niffty is Japanese and Vox is American, but if Niffty's work brought her around the world it wouldn't be weird if they crossed paths. When Vox died Niffty was 19, she either saw him die in front of her eyes or something else happened.

As I mentioned in my concept sheets, she used to wear glasses when she was alive so she can't see really well without them after she died. Sometimes she borrows Alastor's monocle, and if we apply the headcanon that he's colorblind, without his monocle not only he can't see anything but can't even see colors LOL

Her name when she was alive was Sachiko Tanaka, born February 27th 1934. She died September 1st 1956, aged 22, there are popular headcanons about the way she died and yikes, if it's true she didn't have a good death either. Not at all.

Husk:

Maybe I'm overanalysing but what if the reason why he grew affectionate to Niffty was because he once had children? Or just one? Either he had a child and was with him but felt like he wasn't a good father or his ex-wife left him because of his gambling addiction and this made him feel guilty, not able to see his child ever again. (I feel bad just thinking about this but ç_ç)

Despite the fact he hates being on a leash and none other than Alastor's, he actually cares about him. If the two were friends when they were alive (including Mimzy), this could explain why he's still around Alastor even if reluctantly. (Sure he says he's forced, but in the pilot Alastor summoned him, so it's safe to assume either Alastor-Husk-Niffty were roommates before coming to the hotel and did their business without telling Alastor, or simply we need more explanations of Alastor's deals)

His name when he was alive was Ivan Goncharov, born January 29th 1900, and died in December 23rd 1967, aged 67. As I mentioned in my concept sheets, he was friends with Alastor and Mimzy when they were alive and he was the last one of them to die. He would often visit his friends' graves when he was still alive :(

[bobtheacorn]

2024 Writing Roundup

tagged by @goodlucktai !

Words Posted:

round abouts 25k! i actually worked on AND published more than i did last year! so that's kind of exciting! 2023 was..... ROUGH buddy! 2024 was kinder 😊💜

Additional Words Written:

*gestures vaguely* at least twice that. probably

Fandoms:

Digimon

Rise of the TMNT

Usagi Yojimbo

Sonic the Hedgehog 

Highest kudos + Highest Hit One-Shot:

warmly in the dark taking the W for both!! by like, a LOT lmao not Technically a one-shot but idc

New Things I Tried:

I don't know that i was particularly adventurous this year, at least writing wise. I wrote the same sort of fics for the same sort of characters that i'm always obsessed with lmao Apart from starting (or at least working on) some ambitious (lengthy) projects, I stayed pretty much firmly in my wheel house. But i did spend genuinely most of the year prepping for and then actively moving to a new state so. That's a new thing!

Fic I Spent The Most Time On:

GOD the fic i spent THE MOST TIME ON was that. Goddamn. Leosagi fic…. that still isn't done. When I started splitting it into multiple docs and then into multiple folders to even keep the timeline straight, when I started actively feeling like this guy

any time i worked on it - i set it down lmao. Girl it's not that deep. You are thinking too hard abt all of this. It is a silly self indulgent fanfic you are writing FOR FUN it do not need to be so goddamn pedantic. Sometimes u just gotta let stuff cook a lil longer in your brain before u try and get 'em out and that's fine

Fic I Spent The Least Time On:

meager and infinite, bro the way i sat down and wrote that straight out in like an hour. actually insane to me lmao I'm surprised that i managed to do that with a couple of fics this year, where when i actually had the TIME to just sit and write, i cruised 'em out in just a couple of days! So that's been nice! 💜

Favourite Thing I Wrote:

Soft spot in my heart for pop. I got really nostalgic abt digimon (like I do every 5-10 years lmao) and there was actually a lot of new stuff that came out right around the time my brother and I rewatched it (or stuff had already come out that we got to catch up on)! I feel like Tai got waaayyyy to much attention in Adventure 2020 but damn if he don't live in my mind rent free. my fav guy.

Favourite Thing(s) I Read:

I have so many ao3 subscription emails that i haven't even opened 💀

I know i read You should TOTALLY kill that guy, my liege by waywardwitchcat at least five times bc it's so funny and insane i'm for real obsessed w it aslkdjaslk it just GIVES! it gives Everything so casually, the comfort kinkfic of all time lmao

also (not fanfic related but) I listened to the audiobook for This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone and oh my god Oh my GODDDD if you haven't read it, do it; if you can listen to the audiobook, specifically, DO IT.

Writing Goals for 2025:

Think I wanna try and hit at least 200/400 words a day. I want to buckle down on FINISHING STUFF, and i want to actively try to set aside Actual Time to Write.

New Works:

Pop sequel, project Aster, the "apparently witches hold grudges" series, and oh my GOD the Mariko fic I wrote 5k for and then FORGOT EXISTED until i was just now browsing through my folders 💀💀💀 the brain fog is REAL. anyway, those are where im gonna be putting the brunt of my efforts unless something hits me sideways!

Tagging: @plothooksinc @radishhqueen @sroloc--elbisivni @crows-murder if yall wanna 💜

[annonniiiiieeeee]

Ive picked up on your love of mythology so im just gonna throw the idea of a psyche and Cupid leosagi AU and run

Okay I love this, but there are two ways this can go. I’m just going to story board for now.

#1

Leo is psyche.

Beautiful yet lonely (lives in the sewers) is told that he will fall in love with a monster. (Samurai and ninja are ancient enemies. One might describe the other as monsterous) so Leo separates himself from his brothers

He is taken to live with Usagi. (The main part of the myth is that psyche can’t look upon Eros so maybe their are disguise involved or something) any how the two end up together.

Leo’s bros show up and want to take Leo home. And maybe Leo goes to tell him good bye or maybe Leo tells them he can’t leave (will flesh out later) either way he has to go talk to Usagi’s

Cue the dramatic separation and leo being tasked to prove himself worthy of being Usagi’s husband/boyfriend.

Note: this would not be to Usagi. Psyche has to prove herself to Aphrodite, so maybe have Katsuichi or Lord Mifune in this role. Usagi is ready to forgive him right way.

#2

Usagi is psyche.

Once again beautify talented samurai. Told he will fall in love with a monster

(Samurai would defiantly categorize ninjas as monsters)

He is separated from his village and stumbles his way into Leo’s home (either in Usagi’s world or in New York. It I feel like making this all part of Usagi’s world might be fun) he is taken in and treated well but never sees his hosts (ninjas sneaking around)

He eventually falls in love with Leo, and vise versa. (Maybe Leo starts leaving notes with any food or supplies they leave for him, and Usagi starts writing back. At first it’s just to say thank you, but it soon devolves into talking. Talking turns into love letters and poems.)

Any way maybe some of Usagi’s friends come to visit him and ask about the mysterious house owners Usagi has never seen. They worry that he is in danger and encourage him to go and sneak into his host bedroom. He doesn’t like it (sneaking like a ninja! No!) but his curiosity wins and he does so.

He finds out Leo is a ninja and betrayal! How could his lover be a ninja?

Maybe some hurtful things are said but it ends with Leo fleeing.

Usagi realizes his mistake and tries to find him but instead he runs into Leo’s three brother and his father. All very upset. (And you can throw April and Casey in there as well but the original myth has four trials) each gives him an impossible task to complete before they will let him see Leo. (Again Leo has already forgiven him it’s the family that holds grudges)

Anyway Usagi has to go in an epic quest to prove his love for Leo.

I think the Usagi as Psyche works out the best. I think it lines up better as the ninjas sneaking around fills in the invisible plot point better then Usagi wearing disguise (I can’t see him doing it) it’s also fun to have all of the brothers give Usagi huge tasks.

I love the idea of Usagi showing up at their door like “I will do anything to win him back”and them responding with “anything okay here’s impossible task.” And then after they send him on his way they go inside to a heart broken Leo who doesn’t know Usagi wants him back and they go to him like “Usagi was not a good fit for you, you can do better.” And just keeping it up until Usagi shows that he means it when he says he loves Leo.

I also love that this idea works in both the 2003 style and the rise style. In 2003 Leo is a master ninja just sneaking around and in rise he’s got the portals to help him out.

Over all great au I might have to tackle when I have time.

[bunheadusako]

@dreamlune asked: "I trust you … but I don't trust them with you." them is probably seiya ASDFGH protective prompts

When she found herself thinking Chibiusa could be incredibly mature for her age, she had to remind herself that the girl’s appearance was deceptive. Despite looking to be around twelve years old, Usagi knew she was actually over nine hundred, despite how easy it might be to forget. 

Until moments like this.

Golden brows furrowed, knitting to the center of Usagi’s now wrinkled forehead as she mulled over the younger (technically older?) girl’s words. There had been a certain level of distrust between the senshi and the Starlights at first, which was to be expected when facing the threat of a new enemy, but Seiya, along with Taiki and Yaten, had helped them all — despite Haruka-san, Michiru-san, and Ami-chan holding their own personal grudges against the three.

But to hear Chibiusa vocalize such concern felt…almost out of character. Or was there something she was missing? Something Chibiusa saw that she herself did not?

“What do you mean, Chibiusa?” Rather than guessing or attempting to decipher the taffy-haired girl’s words, Usagi settled for asking outright as she moved to sit beside her. She’d grown so much in such a short amount of time, despite how it felt as if a millennia had passed after everything they’d experienced. Chibiusa was no longer the ‘little rabbit,’ as the Black Moon Clan had once called her. 

Her brow smoothed as Usagi offered a soft smile, reaching out to gently place a hand over Chibiusa’s, nowhere near as small as it had once been. “Talk to me, Chibiusa — tell me what’s going on. Why don’t you trust them? Did something happen?”

[cringefaillosersummit]

leo rottmnt? ^^

i actually never had the chance to rotate rise leo in my brain ive been.... preoccupied (stares at mikey and donnie)

One aspect I love: i love the change of him being the second oldest tbh it lets leo's character breathe in a way it hasn't been able to and to really act out! (and give him some cool new insecurities lmao) i do love how there's so much more to his character and how he just doesn't think of him as all that but tries to pass it off as he is confident. he's incredibly hard on himself like every leo but hides it behind jokes instead of the older sibling/leader veneer.

One aspect I wish more people understood about them: movie leo was absolutely scared shitless. he was acting out not because he truly thought he was doing the best job but because he didn't want to be leader. the whole movie is him learning how to be a leader and to grow into the position. what he was doing was definitely acting up because he was terrified. he's a perfectionist through and through and he is infinitely much harder on himself than anyone else is. he finally grows into his own throughout the movie and its the best development for his character

One (or more) headcanon(s) I have about them: he's a kaito fan holds a grudge he will forgive but NEVER forget he is actually the only one of the brothers in the future who never grows hair. bald moment. slap his head and it sounds like you took a screenshot. loves learning languages. will just start picking up random ones but will rarely follow through unless he really vibes with it (hated french but spanish and portuguese was fun) THE CLOSET IS MADE OUT OF FUCKING GLASS LMAOOOO has negative sense of direction. will get lost in a straight corridor. think zoro from one piece. he's not finding SHIT.

One character I love seeing them interact with: the hamato clan def but i adore the disaster twins lmao (i am a donnie enjoyer)

One character I wish they would interact with/interact with more: draxum frfr need more interactions where leo is still bitter about being dropped from a roof GIVE ME AN USAGI YOJIMBO CROSSOVER it doesn't even have to be yuichi it could be just a rise version of Miyamoto I JUST LOVE THE CROSSOVERS BETWEEN USAGI YOJIMBO AND TMNT

One (or more) headcanon(s) I have that involve them and one other character: donnie got him into vocaloid if he were to get a cloaking brooch he would look the most similar to yoshi leo and raph have long mask tails because they're older and they purposefully cut mikey and donnie's tails bc of The Incident when they were kids. he's a pulgero turtle 💀 draxum got him at the pulgero and he was in the shitty plastic container with the plastic tree got him for like 8$ leo was the first to start talking out of the turtles made a powerpoint presentation about sexuality and gender identity for raph donnie and mikey. the call was coming from inside btw he didn't even realize it was ringing. tried playing baseball once to help april with her pitching and got absolutely bodied by some deadballs. thats actually how they found out the turtles were just Built Different.

Send me more characters!

[xoteajays]

I have another new husband again.. Maybe I do tend to get infatuated easily over someone. Way more than I would like to admit to anyone.

~

Exactly. There have been plenty of shows and movies that I'd actually watched where the blend multiple genres into the story. Like.. Alice In Borderland and Tokyo Revengers are only two examples when comes to this. Arisu and Usagi are romantically involved, and they do end up getting married (and also started a family) in the sequels - their whole ship with them is more slow burn romance. The relationships for a lot of the TR characters, that really varies on the relationships though.

~

I've seen Junji Ito's work. But I have never watched the anime, or read the manga. Though I've seen plenty of his work. Actually.. There's one of my favorite musicians has tattoos of Junji Ito's work, and Junji also did artwork for that same musician in his art gallery too. So that's just a whole win win situation for both of them. That I could really think of.

~

I have been mostly rewatching the original three movies, besides the shows. Not that I won't watch the other movies though. But between the show and those movies, that is where the original casting is when writing about them. So I've been watching that timeline more though.

Not at the moment.. No knew information about my characters at the moment, at least not for my H&L characters. But I'll tell you when I do though. That might take some time for me to figure some things out.

Maybe? And Ryu's mother. So far, that is two women that I know of in Kuryu group. I'll have to start paying attention to them again anyway.. Especially if I decide to flesh out any more of the other gangs like the Kuryu and possibly Warriors too. Maybe for some characters at least.

As someone who tends to always hold grudges against people, I can't say that I would actually blame her if she never wanted her mother as a mother after the life she went through. Abandoned, used or abused. That's a horrible life to live. So I can't blame the decision she chooses.

What's her relationship to Smoky? Is he a friend, a brother? Because I know everyone in Nameless City is one giant family for most of them, but was curious about their actual relationship between those two.

If she was willing to give up her valuables to save Smoky, and anyone else, who needs medical care. Medicine and medical supplies are just some necessities for everyone but are extremely expensive though.

~

If I ever get around to writing my High&Low story.. I was thinking that the timeline would start between the end of season two, before those movies. That's what I was thinking. Since the drama from the show is caught up with the characters - like Hyuga being out of prison, any of the turf wars, the fighting between the SWORD gangs. That would be over. So that was the idea I had in mind for the timeline for my story.

~

I have only been in three relationships my whole life. And everyone of the guys I was in a relationship with cheated on me, so I become very idealistic about the concept of relationships. Fictional men are always better then real men. At least from my personal experience anyway.

But yes! "Someone you claim to care about." Is a phrase I always say a lot in situations like this. If you claim to love them, then just don't hurt them. But if you're so unhappiness, they should have really ended the relationship then. Because this is never ideal for the people involved.

~

I forgot how much younger you are than me..

The actress might be a young person but she should have known not to do something like that. But, apparently, she did pay compensation.

"In May 2022, Kim Sae-ron was driving under the influence in Gangnam-gu, Seoul around 8:00 am, she crashed into several structures including transformers, guard rails and street trees. In the crash, the transformer broke down, and the electricity supply was cut off for about 3 hours at 57 places including nearby shops, causing damage to merchants. The following day, her agency, Gold Medalist released a statement saying that, "Kim Sae-ron is deeply reflecting on her apparent mistake. The damage caused by the crash is being compensated as much as possible. I will do my best to take responsibility until the end."

It was later reported that she left the project in the television series Trolley. On November 4, 2022, it was reported all the money that Kim had accumulated during her activities was used as compensation in the crash handling and settlement process, and she had a part-time job. Later, Gold Medalist confirmed that Kim Sae-ron had a part-time job because her life was difficult, but currently has stopped.

On March 8, 2023, the prosecutor of Seoul Central District Court asked for a fine of 20 million won. Later, Kim appealed for leniency due to financial difficulties and requested a fine of 4 million won from Mr. A, who was riding with her."

Because of her actions, she left two projects that she was producing at the time of the incident. Trolley and Bloodhounds were the shows.

But still. You would think that people who have common sense not to do something like this. Damaging any property, harming humans and animals. But people never surprise me when things like this happen.

oooh new guy?? 👀

~

release the romance cut, h&l! i wanna see kisses!! kizzykaito especially but i’ll settle for yamato and naomi.

~

the anime is a lil hit or miss, some people are very critical of it. i’m easily entertained though so i don’t mind that, but just saying. the manga books are very good tho. i’ve read most of his short stories/anthologies but i’m interested in his longform stuff too.

~

hyuga’s eventually like ‘eh, parents right? they suck’. i haven’t decided if ryuko actually talks to her mother or not, but i know if she did, it would be an explanation about her mother’s relationship with her kuryu father and her actual biological father; she’d probably apologise. ryuko doesn’t want to meet her biological father either tho, and would reject an apology. very grudge holding, even if it hurts.

smokey and hinami definitely have a bit of a sibling relationship. they’re not as close as smokey and lala, but hinami does view him as an older brother. she cares about him a lot and respects him. he helped look after her and sat with her a lot when she was first abandoned and recovering from her amputation. he was a comforting figure in her life, so it hits her really hard - like for all the other rude boys - when he’s killed.

~

i don’t know where exactly hinami’s story starts, but ryuko’s starts around the end of red rain when ryu goes back to kuryu and kills kamizono to take his spot.

~

since i haven’t been in any relationships, i guess i can be pretty idealistic about how relationships should be. i think i just assume that people have the same morals as me and that’s not usually the case.

people just need to break up and stop cheating on their partners.

~

repping born in 98!

well at least she’s trying to take responsibility more than just apologising. i know young people do dumb shit, but still, it’s such an obvious thing to not drink and drive. just get a taxi home! call a friend! stop risking your own lives and other people’s lives! there are still so many deaths caused by drunk drivers every year and it’s always so stupid and avoidable.

[sophfandoms53]

If you don't mind: what's your opinion on Leonardo from tmnt? :3

Absolutely love him.

Leo is actually my second favorite turtle (Mikey being the first, I think that’s been made clear lmao) regardless of the series, whether it’s 2003, 2012 or Rise, Leo has always been a well written and interesting character.

I’ve joked around in the past about how 2012 shoved Leo and his character arc in our faces, but in reality I thoroughly enjoyed Leo’s arc in 2012 and it’s the easiest one to decipher as it’s actually very well written.

I could get into a deeper discussion about how 2012 dealt with Mikey, Raph and Donnie’s arc when compared to Leo’s but that would make this response even longer and I might keep that for another time, however I will briefly summarize that Raph and Donnie’s arcs suffered severely in the main 4 seasons and were basically brushed aside in season 5, minus that one episode Donnie had in the Kavaxas arc, while Mikey’s feeling inadequate to his brothers arc swiftly concluded in different ways after Into Dimension X and The Croaking and the writers started doing different things with him that better suited his character, Meet Mondo Gecko and Bat in The Belfry being big examples. All of season 5 honestly can be summed up with “Mikey is a total boss” because he just owns every single episode in that season even if he isn’t the focus, When Worlds Collide is essentially meant to be a Raph focus episode but the biggest moments in that two parter are whenever Mikey is on screen.

This is where we circle back to Leo and his arc as Mikey even takes attention away from him in the final part of the Kavaxas arc, which is an arc centered around Leo officially coming to terms with his role as the new Sensei and father figure to his family. After the Kavaxas arc, Leo’s character is finished, there’s no where else for him to grow beside minor personality tweaks which was hinted at in the Usagi arc.

In the main four seasons Leo’s arc can be split into two parts, seasons 1-2 has him dealing with the sacrifices and burden that comes with being the leader while seasons 3-4 has him accept his role as the leader and his character becomes about having trust both with himself and with his team as in these two seasons Leo tends to go off alone on a mission instead of talking with his family and it’s something that is handled very well.

One of my favorite episodes in the series is Attack of The MegaShredder specifically because it puts Leo in a place of understanding that his brothers [Mikey in this case] will always be there for him when he needs them the most and this arc comes to nice closed in Broken Foot where he constantly tells Karai that they need his brothers if they want to continue doing what they’re doing.

This type of characterization for Leo happened in the 2003 series as well. Most notably after the battle in the season 3 finale with Shredder that leaves the entire team wounded and Leo with a massive scar on the back of his shell, Leo takes this loss extremely personally and violently to the point he loses his sense of self. He’s angry at himself for losing, for letting his brothers and his Sensei get hurt.

But what 2003 did was not have Leo realize he was angry with himself and made it appear to be he was angry with his brother’s for not getting the job done. Even yelling at them for treating their missions against the foot as a game. This even extends to how Leo trained in season 4, he did to the point he tired himself and his brother’s out because he felt what he and his brother’s knew wasn’t good enough.

In the episode Grudge Match it opens up with Leo aggressively training his brother’s on a rooftop and he only stops his training when Splinter calls him out about it saying they need to discuss his attitude and take on training soon until they notice Mikey has been slacking off training recently. So Leo offers to train Mikey for his upcoming Battle Nexus rematch as Mikey has become incredibly cocky over his win and Leo knowing his brother needs to be taken down a peg, gives us this amazing scene of dialogue between the two,

“I brought you up here to clear your mind, Mikey. Focus on what's important.”

“Like going home?”

“No, like pushing yourself beyond your limits to a place where there are no limits; to be so focused, so ready that nothing and no one will ever catch you off guard again.”

“Um, we still talkin' about me here?”

“In this life, we only have each other. If one of us goes down, we all go down, so focus.”

The subtext is obvious, after the fight with Shredder, this is clearly how Leo takes on other fights in season 4 and why he becomes so frustrated with his brother’s constant dismissal of it. Despite this piece of advice giving Mikey what he needed to win the match fairly, it still doesn’t change the fact this is a very dangerous way to think and Leo being the leader to think this way makes it more glaring on how far Leo has lost himself in this state of self hatred.

Another interesting thing to note is how whenever Donnie and Raph complain about Leo’s attitude, it’s Mikey who comes to his eldest brother’s defense and understands the burden Leo has his shoulders, and this wasn’t done by accident.

It is only after Leo harms Splinter during training does he come to realize how bad this violent attitude of his is affecting everyone around him. Leo is then sent off on a 2 month journey of self-reflection in Japan where Yoshi’s old masters helps him realize that Leo has become his own monster, or as the show does it, he has become his own Shredder.

Leo comes to the realization that he has stop blaming himself for what happened and move forward, he’s been holding onto the past for too long to the point he became a barrel of anger and self-destruction and he had to be the one to fix it. He had to destroy his own demons, himself. And this arc concludes very well.

Now in Rise it’s a little bit difficult to analyze the characters as there isn’t much development, not a bad thing at all, but Rise has gone out of its way to give each of the brother’s depth and it’s very interesting.

Because Rise doesn’t have Leo as the leader one can be mistaken that this Leo wouldn’t have the same struggles or insecurities as his other incarnations but this has proven to be false as Rise Leo still has the same insecurity of his brother’s not respecting him as part of the team or just seeing him as a screwup. Leo has shown he needs a reassurance he’s doing the right thing and that his brother’s look at him in a positive light.

A lot of people have a fundamental misunderstanding of Leo’s role as the leader and just look at it as that instead of realizing how much pressure and stress Leo puts on himself regardless because he wants to be the very best him that he can be.

Lmao this got incredibly long, apologies for ranting.

This was a very long convoluted way of me saying, I love Leo a lot and his character is very very 3-dimensional and needs more appreciation than just “he’s only the leader”.

[missmillyashford]

Eight Hundred Eyes Are Better Than One - Reaction

I should have done this a long time ago but I just reread this chapter and reacted to it as I went if you’re interested @anbu-legacy

Because I’ve had a grudge against canon Jiraiya for so long it’s been an interesting but slow process of adjusting to this (better) version of him where his awful traits either don’t exist or are slightly more subdued, and traits I could actually appreciate are more emphasized. And saying that, I love this image of this giant, flamboyant man being so unsubtle about his summons that he just wakes up not just Kakashi but his entire FLOOR. Nice one. This man is a spy theoretically and I love that juxtaposition. At least it makes it easy to let Ryouma know they’re leaving.

“Dodomeki?” he said quietly. 

Boyfriends, Kakashi reflected, were supposed to be reassuring. “I’ll bring you an eyeball,” he promised. 

“Gross.” 

This reminds me of that time Kakashi found a weird creepy bug in that one cave during the kiri mission and instead of leaving it be like a normal person he decides to pick it up and bring it all the way back to the team to scare Ryouma with it. I always find it super funny when Kakashi pulls stuff like this, terrorizing his poor teammates with gross unwanted show and tell. I personally would love a gift like that, though. I am totally someone who would probably keep particularly interesting animal body parts preserved in a jar somewhere in my house because I find anatomy and physiology interesting. I once had the opportunity in one of my university classes to hold a horse’s brain and was quite enthralled. I just wanted a good look at it and was really curious what it would feel like.

“Just bring yourself home safe.” 

“Always do,” Kakashi said, which was mostly true. “Captain, too.” 

I’m reacting to this on a reread so hahaaaaaaa. Nice one, Kakashi. Your poor hands.

I would say I can’t believe that Kakashi actually WENT INTO THE ROOM to wake up Raidou and Genma, but this is Kakashi, so I can. He could have just knocked on the bedroom window, or just gone to the door, like a person with basic social skills and a modicum of decency. Kids these days. No respect for the general concept of privacy. Sheesh. Boundaries. I’m glad I’m not them. I will admit that I laughed though.

Raidou jerked, sat up wildly, and blurted, “What the hell?” 

“Taichou,” Kakashi said, with a little wave. 

Genma exhaled, tweaked the sheet so that it covered Kurenai more fully, then sat up — a much smoother operation. “Hatake,” he said tightly, visibly trying for calm. 

“Lieutenant,” Kakashi said. And, for good measure: “Yuuhi. Well done.” 

Asdfghgfds. This bastard. I love and hate him. DK is always so good at this sort of humour with Kakashi and it never fails to get me.

I feel bad for Genma and Raidou and Kurenai right now though because they didn’t even get to TALK properly the next day after getting together before Raidou had to leave.

Kakashi felt his spine stiffen. Reflexive, pointless defense of his parents, who had raised him on legends and myths, told in the few quiet moments between everything else. 

I really love the callback to Don’t Fear the Dark. It’s really interesting when we get little glimpses at what Sakumo was like, and what his family was like before it fell apart. The defensiveness about it has my heart hurting, because it’s one of the few tiny pieces he still has of his father. Speaking of Sakumo, mythology/legends, and Don’t Fear the Dark, I remember that there were traditional masks of demons and things in their home. For a very long time I’ve been very curious to see what the Hatake estate looks like, and what other personal items from Sakumo and their life before are still there. Here’s to hoping we’ll get to see it one day?

I like how these legends have been woven into the worldbuilding too.

Usagi thumped him on the shoulder. “Better dodge, then. We’ll bring some of her scrapings back in a jar for the lab.”

Genma would probably appreciate some jar-scrapings, though. 

Genma’s my type of person. I appreciate him.

I’m really enjoying getting to know a little more about the relationship dynamics of the members of team thirteen. Ginta and Usagi’s relationship is so fun.

I love Goya purely on the basis that she’s a badass archer lady with wicked aim and I feel like that’s understandable and valid.

While Raidou and Usagi bartered for shelter, and Jiraiya signed autographs for the goat herder’s starstruck daughter, Kakashi watched a handful of goat kids bounce back and forth over a fence with blithe disregard for its actual purpose.

The goats hopping over the fence makes such a great image. I adore Tarama the goat village, purely because of the goats. And the Katsuko callback.

I am weak to the characters being dumb reckless idiots experimenting with jutsu for science so I was LIVING for the thunderstorm Ginta-Kakashi shenanigans. I’ve also always loved thunderstorms so I might be extra weak to lightning users. Just casually detonating each other’s jutsu and hoping they don’t explode each other irreparably in the process. Good fun.

Actually getting so see Kakashi split lightning was so cool. We keep hearing about it in canon and legacy so to finally see it is so satisfying. I like the description of sharingan vision as “he tracked the bolt zig-zagging down as if it were made of syrup, oozing through superheated air, long, lethal fingers branching out towards them.” And I also particularly liked this line:

The lightning snapped towards him like a massive, elemental predator scenting blood. 

I am very amused:

In the dizzying aftermath, Kakashi had just enough time to think ow and awesome before the next strike threatened, and they both ran like hell for the village. 

Usagi’s childish glee is so great. And yeah, I feel both her reaction AND Raidou’s are pretty appropriate. But still, lol:

“When did you turn three hundred? Your rookie just did the coolest thing ever. Stop being miserable about it.” 

“You want him?” Raidou said. 

“Yes,” said Usagi instantly. “Hatake, you’re mine, get over here.” 

“Wait, no,” Raidou said. 

I’m glad Kakashi is being appreciated.

The conversation Raidou and Kakashi had about KureGenRai hook up was veeeeery interesting. I wasn’t expecting Kakashi to react so harshly. I guess it is hypocritical of Raidou to say what he said then do that, though Raidou has a point that it’s to protect rookies from senior officers. Lieutenants and Captains are different since they’re closer in rank. I’m guessing that Kakashi is kind of frustrated with how he and Ryouma have felt like they’ve had to keep their relationship secret for fear of getting in trouble, even if same rank liaisons are technically not against the rules, unwritten or otherwise. Because of Raidou’s whole boundaries thing and general testiness about that kind of thing?

I’m curious to see how keeping it a secret from Ryouma will go. How long will they even want to keep it from him, and if they do want to keep the secret how will Ryouma feel about both the relationship and Kakashi’s secret keeping once he finds out?

Another thing I’ll be curious to see is if this at all changes if Kakashi wants to keep his relationship with Ryouma secret still, and if so from who. I’d doubt it would since there are other factors but still. I am looking forward for when people find out, but at the same time I’ve been enjoying it being private. I think a temporary shared secret like this can feel kinda intimate so long as it doesn’t overstay its welcome. And we get scenes like Kakashi panicking and hiding in Ryouma’s bathroom while Ryouma clumsily lies and implies he may have hooked up with an Uchiha to evade arrest so that’s a bonus. I think being able to have their own relationship exist in isolation from judgements and comments from the outside allows them to take some pressure off their relationship, and gives them time to figure each other out and how to just be together unhindered. I can see why they’re doing this the way they are.

A mass grave. Whoever had dug it — Kusa ninja, most likely — had missed the small body on the hill. 

“Poor bastards,” Usagi said quietly. 

Kasumi, of all people, went back for the body. 

I like this detail about Kasumi.

“Now we track,” Jiraiya said. He gave a little wave in Kakashi’s direction. “Do the nose thing.” 

Some days, Kakashi didn’t feel entirely respected in his workplace. 

Loooool

It took two more days to even get close to the Dodomeki. For Kakashi, it was like living in dual headspaces — the clean, sleek arrowhead mind of a predator, and the disordered tangle of everything human. Team Thirteen, with their… themness. Jiraiya — firmly, unignorably himself. The discomfort of Raidou and the unhappy friction between them. No Genma to smooth down the rough edges. No Ryouma to distract with chatter or an unexpected, brilliant idea. 

I really liked this section for a couple reasons:

1)    I like how when certain members of the team are absent it highlights just how important they are to the entire team. Genma the vital lynchpin and mediator; Ryouma the emotional heart, friend, and innovator. I also appreciate that it’s not just their skillsets that are addressed either. They’re valuable for things like their kindness, level-headedness, and company.

2)    I love the acknowledgment of duality of Kakashi’s headspace and social interactions. The headspace required to do his job as a tracker vs. working as part of a team of antsy, ridiculous people are very different. The interactions he is going to be having with the wolfdogs that don’t even so much as speak human vs. his human coworkers are going to be very different too. Kakashi having an entirely different headspace with the dogs  to the point he actually separates it from being entirely human (like referring to “humans” as if it were a group he isn’t entirely part of) reminds me of all the way back to the thread Lost in the Dark when Raidou sees Kakashi speaking to the entire pack for the first time. He realizes Kakashi’s social skills have likely been influenced by his exposure to the dogs he grew up with. It was such an interesting revelation to me. This is the part I mean if you’re curious:

What followed was one of the strangest conversations Raidou had ever witnessed. Kakashi, with his economy of speech and movement that seemed so disjointed in human interaction, slotted into place as naturally as breathing. Raidou recognized that questioning head tilt echoed back by listening dogs; the silent, watchful glances that lingered a second beyond comfortable; the predatory edge polished like a fine weapon. Here, Kakashi’s hair and mask just looked like markings, no more notable than that shepherd’s black-tipped ears, or that hound’s white-ticked coat.

It explained a lot.

I really liked seeing Raidou defend Kakashi from Kasumi’s crochety and unjustified remarks. Progress!!! I’m proud.

I’ve probably said it before and I’ll probably say it again, but I always love your dialogue. There’s so much personality and liveliness in it. The banter is so entertaining. Usagi and Ginta especially right now.

I know the mythology the Dodomeki comes from is very different, but there is something about the descriptions of her that make me think a lot of what I felt watching the Netflix the Witcher series. Which might not mean anything to you if you haven’t seen it. Similarly horrifying and deadly and gross. It’s great.

The entire fight scene had my heart pounding. It was so intense and fast-paced. So many close calls and how fast she was was so terrifying. We just saw Kakashi with his sharingan so fast he was able to split a lightning strike in half, yet she’s so fast he can’t even hope to keep up. Fuck.

Abe had to chase him nervously around, attending to whatever bits of Jiraiya’s face he could reach, until the medic finally lost his temper and ordered Jiraiya to sit. 

I loved this.

I don’t have anything interesting to say about them theorizing about her sickly state, but I am very intrigued. I also love when little bits of real life actual science are incorporated in fantasy like this (ex. the mention of ketosis).

I am still very very worried for Kakashi’s hands. I suspect he won’t get out of this entirely unscathed even after treatment.

[shnuggletea]

I already posted my ANs earlier today but I’m doing it again in case they got lost in the void that is Tumblr sometimes. Getting the word out is key to get what I need but if you read my earlier post, feel free to skip the ANs. They’re all at the bottom.

Fanfiction HERE

AO3 HERE

Chapter 19

She half expected him to be at the gate, waiting for her at the end of school. Partly disappointed to find him not there, she continued her way to the Crown, her shift starting soon. Makoto had her cooking club again and Ami was working on a Science fair project. Minako told her to wait for her to leave school, but she wasn't going to sit around for the blonde. Her tardiness was just as legendary as hers.

In the dark break room, she shoved her coat into her locker and pulled her neatly folded work uniform out of her book bag. The Crown had a simple uniform for its servers, black bottoms and a solid colored top. No print of any kind was allowed on the shirt and it couldn't be too bright. And shoes could be anything as long as they weren't sandals or flip-flops.

She liked to copy Rachel from "Friends", wearing a tight black skirt that stopped just above her knees and a long-sleeved shirt with a rounded neckline. Today, it was a light pink color. She had it tucked in as part of the dress code, but she would have anyway.

With deft fingers, she braided her tails and wrapped them around her buns, creating two loops that hung from their length. The last thing she ever wanted working here was for a tail to drop into some ketchup or a milkshake.

Pulling her tennis shoes on, she stood and straightened her apron, brushing away imaginary dust as she stepped out and into her shift.

It was still bright and sunny outside, a nice day. It was easy to forget the darkness that had been this morning and the night before. Not that she could. Even though her heart pounded at the thought of being in Mamoru's arms, it also hurt, remembering how he called out for Serenity while trying to make love to her.

Then she clamped down on herself, knowing it was far too late, only now remembering that Mamoru could once again feel and hear/see her every thought. Wherever he was or whatever he was doing, it wouldn't be long until he showed up. Looking around, no one near or in need of her attention, she shut her eyes and focused, trying to find him. It didn't take long, his warmth draping over her, and it startled her a bit. Their connection was so much more than it had been before.

The result of his energy inside her no doubt.

"Tsukino-chan!"

Lost in her thoughts yet again, she jumped at the hand that grabbed her shoulder. At the defensive, she had to calm herself quickly when she found Ginga-san's sister standing next to her. A smile was plastered on her face and it barely hid her disdain for Usagi.

If she dislikes me so much, then why is she talking to me?

"Have you seen Mamoru today?"

Well, there you go…

Not really sure if she should be honest or not, she shook her head at the girl. "No, not for a while now."

It had been a while since she had seen him this morning. "Oh. I guess I will wait then. He usually comes by this time of day right?"

She was asking her again. Expecting her to give her insight into Mamoru. "I guess so."

Ginga glared at her, "You know very well when he is or isn't here. I see you flirting with him shamelessly any time he's around!"

"Excuse me?" She was pretty sure she never flirted with Mamoru. Not in public anyway and the other stuff he initiated. There were a few times when they were here, but Ginga hadn't been here..had she?

"And the way you treated my brother?!"

She had almost forgotten the incident with her brother. Or that the two of them were related. She really didn't want to get back to all of that again so she went back to work, going around Ginga and making her way to a table that just sat down.

Ginga left or sat down somewhere, she really wasn't sure but she let the girl slip from her mind completely. Time passed and Mamoru still had yet to make an appearance. She could feel him but she wasn't sure how near or far he was from her. Something she would have to figure out with time. Either way, he must have been giving her the space that she never asked for but clearly needed. Her mind and heart were still a mess.

She was walking a tray of food over to a table and didn't see the bookbag strap in her way. It caught and wrapped around her foot and almost sent her flying. But hands caught her, stilling her and her tray of food. Looking up, fully prepared to thank her rescuer, her voice stopped in her throat, Ginga-san giving her a sad grin.

He released her quickly enough and she delivered the food, finding him still near her once she was done.

"Tsukino-chan, may we talk?"

Her tray still in her hands, she pulled it in tight to her chest. "Alright."

"In private?"

"No."

He didn't push, following her as she returned her tray to the kitchen window. "I am really sorry about the other day."

She softened, unable to hold any grudge. "I forgive you."

His face lit up, "Really?"

She shrugged easily, "Yeah, of course. I don't hold grudges Ginga-san."

He nodded, looking away from her to the floor in thought. "Yeah, I get that about you."

Silence grew between them and she was ready to move on. "Okay, so...no worries right?"

Planning on walking away and thinking no more on the subject, she was a bit surprised when he reached out and grabbed her elbow. It wasn't a hard grasp, she could break away from it easily. But for some reason, she couldn't all at the same time. That feeling she got from him before was back, a painful tingling up her arm having a slightly numbing effect on her mind. It wasn't as strong as the first time, allowing her to keep most of her wits about her. But she was curious, wanting to figure out what this was, what he was doing when he touched her.

"Will you go out with me, Usagi-chan?"

A fire flared in her at his use of her informal name yet again. "No Ginga-san, I will not."

He looked genuinely shocked as if he truly expected a different response from her. The fuzzy feeling in her mind grew a little and his grip tightened slightly. Neither hurt nor affected her ability to think clearly, but she felt it just the same.

"Why not?"

She shook her head, opening her mouth to speak, but did not get the chance. "Because she is already spoken for."

Mamoru appeared at her side, pulling her arm gently from Ginga's grasp and her closer to him. "Usagi-chan?"

Again she tried to speak but was cut off. "You really shouldn't be addressing her so informally."

There was malice in Mamoru's voice, but really he just sounded cocky. "And just what should I call her?"

Mamoru put a finger to his chin as if honestly thinking about it. "You could call her Tsukino. But to be honest, you really should call her Chiba."

Her mouth hung open, any and all words she could say getting lost as they fell to the floor from her gaping lips. Irritated, she pulled herself from Mamoru's touch, forgetting for a second that they no longer needed to touch. He was goading her through their connection with memories of their moment that morning in one another's arms.

Ginga-san had started to shake a little. "Tsukino-chan, who is this guy?"

Mamoru bested her again, sticking a hand out for Ginga-san to shake, blocking him from her as he had taken a small step towards her. "Chiba Mamoru, Usagi's husband."

No way Ginga was going to shake Mamoru's hand so she knocked it down, glaring up at him while he smirked. "He's my boyfriend."

She really didn't think of him as either but she knew that calling him her boyfriend would be two birds, one stone. It would put Ginga-san in his place and Mamoru would take a slight hit to his pride. She wished she could knock his pride more, use it as a hockey puck, but she was sure she was not that cruel of a person.

"He's your WHAT?!"

They all spun, finding Ginga-san's sister standing a few steps away, seething. She had never seen a girl look so crazed before. At least not over a boy.

Mamoru grabbed her and pulled her a little closer to him, the notion only making Ginga growl. Seijuro left the two of them, walking carefully over to his sister as if she were in fact the bomb she so closely resembled.

"Come now Natsumi, we should go home. Now!"

Natsumi pulled her arm out of his grasp roughly, still glaring at her. "This isn't over, Tsukino. Not by a long shot!"

Natsumi stormed out, her brother following after like a little puppy. "You and that girl in some kind of battle?"

She shrugged, "Not that I'm aware of." He tugged her, gaining her full attention and her irritation flared back up. "You! How could you!"

She swatted him but he just chuckled, grabbing her hands and holding them still. "What? I just told the truth."

Rolling her eyes, she released a rueful sigh. "Please do not go around telling people we're married, Mamoru. They will get the wrong impression."

"And what impression is that exactly?"

"That it's true!"

He pulled her in close, so close she feared he was about to kiss her in front of everyone. "But it is true. You're just letting this whole death and rebirth thing cloud your judgment." Feeling her nervousness, he pulled away quickly. "Relax Usako, no one is even paying attention to us."

He released her, putting her hands on her hips in full fuss mode. "What are you doing here anyway? Is this once again your version of space?"

"No, I had fully intended on waiting until you were off work."

"So...what are you doing here?"

He took a step back, sitting down on the nearby stool. "Did you really expect me to sit back and do nothing while some kid manhandles my wife?"

"I am not your…"

"My girlfriend then. He was working some weird magic on you, Usako. Did you not feel it? I did. Something is up with that guy."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him some more. "Of course, I did! Why do you think I allowed him to touch me in the first place? I was trying to figure out what he was and what he was doing!"

Her hands now missing from them, he grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, forcing her to put her hands out to keep him at a, albeit small, distance. "Yeah, letting him manhandle you."

"The only one manhandling me is you!"

He chuckled and her heart raced, internally cursing her deep attraction to him. "And that is how it should be." She shook her head at him but he just grinned. "You look beautiful by the way."

Glancing down at herself, as if she forgot what she was wearing, she looked back up at him incredulously. "It's the same thing I always wear here."

"Yeah, well now I'm smart enough to tell you, you look beautiful."

As if to prove his point, he tugged playfully on one of her braided rings, causing her to giggle and blush madly. Then he stole a kiss. It was a quick peck on the lips but it left a lingering impression nonetheless, pulling at her lips for a second as he pulled away. They watched one another for a second and then he leaned in, wanting to kiss her again but this time she stopped him.

"You're going to get me fired."

"You don't need this job anyway."

She shrugged out of his hold a bit. "Great, now my job is an issue? I'm not going to mooch off the boys any more than I already have."

"Then don't, mooch off of me."

"Mamo, I am not moving in with you!"

He pulled her back to him, smirking at the smile she was barely containing. "Why not?"

"Because I don't trust your intentions."

He froze, his mouth hanging wide open, but he couldn't deny it either. Shutting his mouth, he let out a sigh. "Fine, then go back to your parents."

Her heart stopped. "What?"

"Go back to your parents."

"That is not an option Mamo, they would be in danger and I can't risk it."

Continuing with their tug of war, he pulled her in again. "Then let me risk it. Move back home and I will protect them. All of you. They will be safe and you will be in their care."

She stared at him, slack-jawed. There was no doubt that he meant it and honestly believed he could keep them all safe. And even though she wasn't as confident as he was, the fact that he was willing to do so much to make her happy, to send her home was overwhelming. Even if it was a bit self-serving, getting her out of a house full of men, he didn't intend it that way. He offered for her, not himself.

Her fingers curled around his neck, pulling him to her so hard and fast, it surprised both of them. But he recovered quickly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. Just as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she felt it, pushing him away hard and fast. But not fast enough. He had just enough time to look at her with concern and confusion before half of the wall to the front of the arcade splintered apart, blasting inward on all those inside.

She was thrown to the floor, Mamoru's body covering hers. He rolled off of her in an instant, pulling her up with him as he got up off the floor. Taking his hand, she pulled him behind the counter, intending on going into the backroom to transform. But a large pile of cement and wood now blocked them from it. They could get through, but it would take time and they didn't have any.

A woman walked through the hole, or rather, she looked like a woman in many respects. Pale green skin peeked out of the dark red, skin-tight bodysuit. Pink hair that matched Usagi's shirt, spilled down her back while gold coiled around her arms and legs. She was very pretty for a Cardigan, as that voice called the one earlier.

Mamoru shoved her behind him and she let him, only so she could peek around the side of him.

"WHERE IS TSUKINO!"

Then he shoved her down behind the counter, falling to her knees hard. Fear made her heart race, but it was not her own. It was Mamoru's. The man who feared nothing, not even death, and here he was afraid for her?

"Mamoru! Where is she!"

"I don't know. Why don't you try the ladies' room?"

The fear he felt did not show in his voice in the slightest and she found herself craving to see what it looked like on his face. Not sure what she would find, she crept around the corner of the counter. Mamoru appeared in her sights, she drank him in. He looked the same, stoic and determined. He had stepped away from the counter and did all he could to not look her way.

"FINE! You don't want to tell me? I will just start killing EVERYONE in this room until she is handed over!"

Mamoru paled, that much she could see, and in her mind he was begging her to stay put. But as she heard the screams of someone else, her heart broke, or rather Mamoru's did knowing she was going to reveal herself.

She popped up and the Cardigan's eyes went straight to her, dropping the young boy she had in her grasp.

"I will come with you if you leave everyone else alone."

The creature laughed, "Oh you are hardly in any position to bargain!"

It shimmered and disappeared, popping up right beside her behind the counter. Grabbing her arm, she threw Usagi out and over, almost landing painfully on the other side, but Mamoru caught her. This only angered the creature more.

Shimmering again, she appeared between them, the force knocking them both backward. Her towards the door and Mamoru back deeper into the arcade.

Pain ripped through her skull, a scream coming from her while the womanoid cackled, pulling her by one of her braided loops. The same one Mamoru had just teased her with.

"I am going to suck you dry and leave your corpse high in the trees to rot. They won't find it till you are unrecognizable."

She tugged on her locks, stuck tight in the creature's grip. "Kami you're sick. Did your Masters make you like this?!"

It cackled again, pulling her in tighter, the strands screaming for release at her scalp. "Masters? I have no Master, I am my own!"

The creature's free hand went to her throat and started to squeeze. Then she was knocked away, both of them falling to the floor, Mamoru on top of the beast. He rolled off, grabbing Usagi off the floor and pulling her towards the hole. They were almost there when she appeared before them again.

It raised a hand at both of them. "Give her to me and you can live!" Mamoru shoved her behind him, giving it his answer. "Are you really going to let him die for you?"

She felt the energy Mamoru was pooling and she gripped his hand, stopping him from revealing himself with a shake of her head at him. "I am not going to let her have you."

"If you reveal yourself, they will never stop coming for either of us."

They whispered, not needing to be louder than a hush on their breaths, their connection carrying their words the rest of the way. She moved to go around him and he stopped her, grabbing her wrist in a death grip. Glaring at him, he squeezed his eyes shut at the onslaught of emotions and thoughts she sent his way.

"Stop! Just stop alright? I'm not losing you again!"

She ripped her hand away from his, "And I refuse to watch you die again."

"Are you two finished?!"

They both turned to glare at the creature, her hair standing on end in her fury. She had to hold back the giggle that wanted to release when Mamoru thought about the little troll dolls, comparing the creature to them. He disguised his chuckle as a cough when she thought about the jewel on the trolls in their belly buttons and wondered if they could make a wish.

Both their smiles fell when she was grabbed up again by her hair. "What is your problem with my hair?!"

Her free hand reached over and grabbed Usagi's wrist, deciding to go ahead and drain her now. She felt the pull and she wasn't sure if she should let her take it or resist? Would she have figured out that she was Sailor Moon if she was able to keep herself from getting drained?

Mamoru moved for her again, ignoring her looks and calls to him in her mind. He stopped when another figure shimmered next to the woman.

"An! Let her go now!"

Mamoru watched for a second, looking back at her and smirking. Then he changed directions, grabbing the blue-haired creature that matched the woman he stood next to.

"NO! You let him go!"

"Not as much fun to see the life of the one you love threatened is it?"

Mamoru held the guy in a chokehold, his forearm pressing against the creature's windpipe. He had taken a big risk, assuming they had similar bodily functions. But the creature was clearly struggling to breathe now.

"How about we make a trade?"

She glanced over at her capture, finding the woman struggling to make a decision. The look on the other creature's face was too cruel.

Mamoru shook his head at her. "Don't you feel sorry for them, Usako, they attacked first." She could feel the tears in her eyes, looking back at Mamoru who shook his head harder. "No, no way! Not until you are safe!"

She had distracted him, the creature he held elbowing him hard in the ribs, causing Mamoru to loosen his hold just enough for the creature to break free and blast Mamoru with a strange energy.

"Mamoru!"

The creature that held her screamed out at the exact same time as she had, something Usagi did not miss as she looked back up to stare at the woman. She glared back, fire in her eyes as if she could catch Usagi on fire with a look.

"This is all YOUR fault!"

Releasing her hair, the creature backhanded her, sending her flying across the room. In a flash, it was on her again, its hands around her neck, cutting off all oxygen. Black invaded her vision, spots that got larger and larger by the second.

She could feel Mamoru's power swelling, fully ready to blast this creature into oblivion and reveal himself to the enemy and the world. She begged him, through their link, not to. But he wasn't listening, taking blow after blow from the second creature that kept him from her. So focused on getting to her that he wasn't even fighting back save to get free of the beast.

Heat hit her face, a flame rushing past her, barely missing her as it funneled into the creature that held her down. The creature released a loud screech, the sound disappearing mid-scream as it shimmered away. Then the sound of glass crushing under feet rang out in the silence that now filled her ears, even Mamoru was silent. Red and purple fluttered above her, her vision still blurry while her throat burned.

"Geez... Pyro… you almost… singed me."

Mars' glare was the last thing she saw before slipping off into the darkness.

WOOO HOOO MARS IN THE HOUSE! Not gonna lie, she's my favorite return in this fic. Showing up all badass. One Senshi left!

On a more subdued note...

As much as it pains me to make this public because it just gives these people what they want which is attention, I'm at my wit's end and need help. I have mentioned that I've been a victim of bullying. This was all recently too I don't mean back in my school days. So recent, in fact, it's still going on. Currently, my work is posted on a page that doesn't have my permission to do so, the page called Elite Squad B. It's a page run by the very people who bullied me and all my friends in my other fandom.

Most might say, "take it as a compliment" but they don't have my name anywhere on the joint page and my old name next to my works. It’s plagiarism. And keep in mind, these are the same people that said I was bullying them to our entire fandom, slandering mine and my friends' names to the point that most of them left. All of you know what happened to my dear friend and beta, darkenedhrt101. My other friends are still in the fandom but aren't as active as they once were. The only reason they were ever attacked was because they were my friends and I supported their work. None of us ever did anything my bullies said we did, not even tell our readers what was going on. But they still blamed them as well, telling me it was one of my 'fans' accosting them. I'm 100% sure the troll they got famous from was all made up and then used to tear me and my friends down. If not, how could they ever think this person was on my side? I'm the one they threatened to throw out of the fandom.

I want to be done with these people and for the most part, I am. I've blocked them everywhere and think of them never. Except when it comes to my stories on their page. A collaborative page I helped create when they pretended to be my friend. And although I gave permission, I have asked them to take them off, taken the permission away. I know the 'collaborative' piece is a hard sell, even though the concept and first chapter are mine, I gave them the project under duress, and they have since changed the concept to something else and ruined the fic. I feel I have the right to ask them to remove my chapter. The other work is mine. A few unnecessary sentences were added so the other person could add their name to the fic. But it's my story and work.

I have reached out to the owners of the page and but about four months later, and nothing has been done. So I'm going public in hopes I can at least get it out there that wrong is still being done to me. These people accused me of spreading their personal business and pretending to be a troll. Why do they still want my name on anything of theirs? Because they are still using and abusing my name, that's why. And it needs to stop.

Words cannot express the changes this bullying has done to me. I'm no longer social, not on any social media, and I'm not as active in that fandom anymore. I wish I had saved the messages they sent me. Especially the one where one of them admitted to stealing my fic from me. But I didn't have the forethought and didn't want the reminder of their negativity even saved on my phone.

I owe them nothing and ignoring them didn't work. So even though I don't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing what they did to me, I want all of you to know more. They pushed my best friend out of the fandom, something we did for fun, all for their own selfish needs. They turn writers that I once respected and admired against us based on lies. And to this day, they still claim some kind of ownership to my work. I hope all of you can understand and sympathize. I don't expect much, I just want my stuff off their page. And if making a big stink, and stirring up my anxiety as I'm super non-confrontational, is what it takes then here goes.

[caramelabbacchiato]

Tag Game!

Thank you so much for thinking of me @passionelawyer and @cocojumbohno

(o´〰`o)♡*✲ﾟ*｡

Rules: tag 10 people you want to get to know better!

Name? 

Strange

Birth year? 

1995

Sign? 

Aries/Taurus cusp

Height?

4′11″

Put your playlist on shuffle and list the first four songs:

I have way too many playlists so I just shuffled my general library!

Acrylic - Leikeli47

Devil’s Pact - Catholic Spit

All I Need Is You - Jeong Jinwoon

Hit Me Up - Omar Apollo, Dominic Fike, Kenny Beats

Grab the nearest book, turn to page 23, what’s the 17th line?

They were of the most curious character: odd transgressions that I never imagined previously. (Wuthering Heights)

Ever had a song or a poem written about you?

Nope

When was the last time you played air guitar?

Oh God....I can’t even remember.

Celebrity Crush(es)?

ANGELA BASSETT. And Steve Carell. And I may lose subscriber for this, but I will always love Suga of BTS.

What’s a sound you hate/love?

I love the sound of a good storm. The harder the rain beats down on my roof and windows, the better! If it’s not too cold out, I like to sit on my front porch and just listen.

I hate the sound of my heat coming on, because it sounds like someone is running through the basement and up the stairs. I’ve been living in my house for a little over two years now and it still scares me every time! 

Do you believe in ghosts?

Yes! I had a very near-death experience when I was a child and ever since then I’ve been more prone to experiencing things.

Do you believe in aliens?

I am an alien, so of course!

Do you drive?

Right now, no. But I plan on getting my license next year! I had a lot of problems with my citizenship a few years back, so I couldn’t, and then life got too hectic for me to get it ;u;

Last book you read?

I have been reading nothing but information about selling insurance for the last three months! Save me!

Do you like the smell of gasoline?

Typically, no. But if there’s also a lawnmower and it’s paired with the smell of fresh mown grass, then hell yeah!

The last movie you saw?

Ooohhh, I haven’t watched a movie in a while...I can’t really remember. I just finished Astronomy Club on Netflix, though, and it gave me life!

Do you have any obsessions rn?

I can tell when I’m obsessed with something when my housemates start threatening my life over never shutting up about it. JoJo is definitely number one on that list, then Haikyuu!!, anything and everything space, conspiracy theories, insurance (weirdly and unfortunately), and tarot! Just to name a few lasfj;asaeriuae

Do you tend to hold grudges?

If you apologize to me and then continue to do it, then yes. It kind of depends on the person and what they did, too, though. 

Are you in a relationship?

Single pringle from womb to tomb, babey!

I tag

@wowzers-howzers @usagi-akihiko3d @kiwiitin @bistanduser @okubean @bunnywritings and anyone else who’d like to do this! 

[docholligay]

notesfromtheidiotbox replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

Mmmmm. Tha's some good Mako/Haruka interaction. I also love the idea of the two of them bruised as fuck in a high end grocer afterwards getting all the odd looks. ... and somewhere Michiru smiling to herself, loving her crass butch idiot.

Thank you! I also love the idea of them going to a fancy food hall sweaty and bruised to fuck and laughing their asses off in their workout gear. 

power-of-a-name replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

I love reading the two of them as not quite friends.

I’m all about friendship taking a lot of time and being complicated. You see that so often with romantic relationship but not so much with friend ones! 

madegeeky replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

This is great! It's a relationship I never see explored and I think you got the complex simplicity of it across really well.

Thank you! I don’t see a lot of it either and I think there’s really so much gold to be mined there. They’re both so straightforward in some ways, I think they’d play off each other a lot. 

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

But in lieu of friendship they had an understanding, something neither of them shared with any of the other girls, a peace to be had in struggle, a release to be had in each punch, a freedom to be had the simple and uncomplicated act of fighting. --In my own massively inflated ego, it's not often I come to like something better than what I'd already set my mind to do. Your slow, gradual, uncomplicated complication of Mako and Haruka is one of them.

Thank you! Mako hold a grudge is great and all, but I love the idea of her and Haruka becoming punchbuddies. 

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

"I think you should buy us lunch afterward, because your wife is rich." --Much as with the character herself, I'm never so starkly reminded of how much I enjoy reading your Mako until there she is in front of me.

FULL OF SUBTLETY AND NUANCE OUR MAKO

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

"Mako didn’t give up a grudge easily, but most people didn’t apologize by letting Mako break a few ribs and a cheekbone" --I laughed so hard. Mako furious at someone, the others "Well let her smash some of your bones, that usually helps."

“She’s totally reasonable once she hears the crack beneath her fist!” 

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

"ever since Haruka let her wail on her in an alleyway" --ALL THIS *AND* 'FIC CALLBACKS I FEAST

I still genuinely, arrogantly love that fic. 

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

Also I see you using Rei as a proxy for me here I SEE YOU

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU JETTY

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

"And they were having fun together, something Rei had said would never happen, so she got to cheer on Rei being wrong, too." --hahahahaha I am truly loved and cherished on this day

IT’S USAGI’S FAVORITE

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

"her eyes were sharp and there was just a hint of orange sparkle on the edge of them." --mmmmmmgood shit good shit

I love the idea of Mina’s vaguely terrifying side come out whenever she has to think like a commander.  

keyofjetwolf replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

"Nobody went to work out with Mako and Haruka." --They were each, in their own way, extremely dumb, but none of them were THAT dumb.

Listen there’s dumb and then there's REAL dumb

pouncequick replied to your post “Mako and Haruka: Meet me in the Ring. Or other place where you can...”

I read this at least six times between liking it an commenting because I enjoyed it so much. You hit a great balance on their relationship and the notes between them. And while I am guessing that Usagi ultimately manages to sneak more cake batter and frosting when Mako bakes for her, Haruka gets caught less frequently

ahahaah I think you are probably correct, and she also punches Haruka a lot harder in the arm. 

[subetei-noykin]

Indepth Profile + RP Call

IDENTIFICATION —

"Can't you see I'm sorry? I'll make it worth your while.

I'm made of dead mans money, you can see it in my smile.”

Full Name: Subetei of the Noykin

Pronunciation: Sue-be-tei

Pseudonym: X

Nicknames: Scales

Age: Thirty Cycles

Name Day: 32nd Sun of the 4th Astral Moon

Birthplace: Azim Steppes, Othard

Guardian: The Salt and Storm

Residence: The Lavender Beds

REFERENCES —

"Thousand faces staring at me, thousand times I've fallen.

Thousand voices dead at my feet. Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone.”

Motto:  “Take only what you're willing to have taken, give only what you're willing to get.”

Theme Song: Fire - Barns Courtney

Face Claim: Jason Momoa (Sorry not Sorry)

STATS —

"The deepest waters won't take me, the highest fall won't break me.

The blood and sweat is what made me, made me."

Gender: Male

Race: Au Ra, Xaela Tribe (Noykin)

Height: Seven fulms, one ilm

Weight: Two-hundred sixty one ponze

Eyes: Narrow and hawkish, right eye crystalline blue with large pupil, left damaged and milky white with blood infiltration in the orb

Hair: Steel gray with straw blonde tips, swept back and spiked with four long braids in the front. Medium length at first glance, actually shoulder blade length.

Skin: Purple-Blue, rough and calloused with hard lines

Build: Muscular and toned but wide and sturdy, good bone structure

Auri Features: Dark Blue/Purple scales over majority of face and body including jaw line and nose bridge. Six visible horns, two pronounced which have metallic inserts on their tips and dagger-like shape while the remaining four rise from his hairline and scalp

Scars: Reference Here

Tattoos/Marks: None

At First Glance (+5)

A Warrior: Spotting him in a crowd is rarely hard and he is typically armed, though rarely fully armored. It's in the way he holds himself, the rhythm he moves and the gait which threatens to push those who step in his path over. Even without his rough appearance or scars, or even the callouses on his hands, it would be hard to mistake him for anything but what he is with his body language and the myriad of battle scars covering him. He may smile and laugh, be friendly and around his mate he can even be seen as a gentle man, but there is always a sharpness to his eye and readiness for violence that reads in him clearly enough to put others off.

Odd-Eye: While his eye-patches admirably hide it, Subetei's left eye is utterly decimated and even the surrounding skin shows tell-tale burns, scar edges and fissures of skin that have healed and marred over. It is impossible to not notice in good lighting and seeing it is unsettling to say the least. Underneath it is even worse; The eye has been split and sealed, re-healed and fused to the skin in some places. The milky white orb is bloodshot in places and has flecks of blood mixed in, with no real pupil, and some parts of the bone stick out near the edges of the eye. It is a gruesome sight and it is why he rarely removes his eye patch.

Self-Made: While he does wear some items professionally made or fitted, the vast majority of what Subetei wears is hand-stitched and crafted by him for his own purposes and as such it is rare to find him not wearing something made of hide, leather or decked in fur. While not ugly or poor quality there is a definite simplicity in his designs that shows. Hardly flashy or elegant, there is also an element of Xaelan tribalism that shows as well; Fang necklaces, hanging tassels and colored patterns, it would be hard to ignore such a thing and Subetei wears it proudly.

Heavy Metal: Contrasting to his own creations, Subetei is rarely far from well crafted and maintained arms to the point that even in his most casual moments he will have a hand or cutting axe available. In private this isn't so much a problem, but in public he is usually dragging around a greataxe of proportional size to himself, and this can mean that one is suddenly faced with an over seven fulms tall Xaela with an axe larger than most hyurans. A startling sight to be sure.

Talk Like A Pirate: Despit having been born in Othard, Subetei has spent most of his life and living in Limsa Lominsa, to the extent that he learned the common speech of Eorzea -from- Limsan natives. He speaks with a thick accent of Limsan that on it's own would be rough to discern but he also had the rich, deep and gravel-like voice of a Xaela with their unique speech patterns and inflections. This makes his natural speech difficult to pull apart and understand, though he can control it to some degrees. Speaking more slowly and clearly often allows him to at least be understood with minimal thought.

FACTS —

"Forged in a fire lit long ago, stand next to me and you'll never stand alone.

I'm last to leave but the first to go, lord make me dead before you make me old."

Occupation: Freelance Mercenary, Hunter, Tanner

Specialties: Close Combat, Hunting, Animal Taming & Pack Combat, Archery, Squad Tactics and Battlefield Strategy

Skills: Adept Blacksmith, Expert Tanner and Leatherworker

PROFICIENCY —

"Hey you there in the mirror, yeah that's something to fear

Cla cla claw my way to the top, cause i don't believe in luck."

Education: Self-taught

Favored Weapon(s): Axes of all shapes and sizes

Secondary Weapon(s): Hunting Bows, Knives

Magic Abilities: Berserker Rage (Innate Aether, Uncontrolled

Magic Strengths: Untested, Unknown

RELATIONS —

"I said all this time I'm thinking my body don't need me, all we can do is breathe

Said all this time I'm thinking your body can set me free, all we can do is breathe."

Sexual Preference: Demisexual

Romantic Identification: Monogamous

Relationship Status: Mated

Sweet on: Neyuki

Alignment: True Neutral

Allies: Various Mercenary and Adventurer Friends

Enemies: The Elementals and Various Other Factions

FAMILY —

"By the skin of my teeth, I'm comin' home

By the sole of my feet, I'm comin'home

I'm comin' home, but I ain't comin' home for you."

Maternal: Urnai Noykin (Deceased)

Parental: Ergan Noykin (Unknown)

Mentor: Valdhur Granspar (Former Captain of The Wakehounds Privateers, deceased)

Associates:

Neyuki Utaura (Mate, Companion, Medic)

Mathias Bedois (Friend)

Seemo Eulen (Friend?)

Faucertaux Carpentier (Former Boss, Friend)

Sigrid Der'ioslainn (Former Captain, Friend)

Ulan Qestir (Friend)

Roka (Friend)

Nerkhun Malaguld (Friend, Companion of Ulan)

Bexy and the Limsan Fight Club (Friends and Punch Partners)

Renaux Mercier and the Gin Mills (Friends and Maiming Muchacos)

Illyriana Usagi and the Garden of Words (Friends, FC-Mates and Co-workers)

Alred Briarthorne, Wind Moondark, Asajin & The Black Crown Mercenaries (Former Squadmates and Subordinates)

[List Continues for some time, he knows a lot of folks and I can't name them all oh god]

Companion: Valdhur [Red Chocobo, Warbred]

MENTALITY —

"One day the shadows will surround me. Someday the days will come to end

Sometime I’ll have to face the real me. Somehow I’ll have to learn to bend"

Social Level: Easily coaxed into social behavior. Open and brash. Jovial and quick to friendship. Hard to anger or offend. Comfortable in small groups or large crowds equally.

Optimistic View(s): There is no shame in the work of living, no sin in the act of surviving.

Pessimistic View(s): No one gets out alive. Life will take all it gives in time.

One  Positive Personality Trait:  Subetei is the sort of person who attracts others with a boisterous personality and a hearty laugh, no matter the circumstances. Even in the midst of a fight he can usually find time to crack a smile or a joke and in social settings it is rare he lets someone be a 'wallflower' around him, opening his table and tab to others with little reservation.

One Negative Personality Trait: Subetei is incredibly physical and has no consideration for his own monstrous strength around others. From a simple hand-shake to sparring, he does not hold back in any interaction with others and while this is normally not an issue, it makes it hard to be around him if one is frail or excitable.

·One Personality Warning: Abuse of his trust is tantamount to asking to die when it comes to Subetei. If he considers you a close friend, which takes some work, breaking that bond is traumatic to him in a very personal way and if you're lucky, you'll simply find yourself on the bad end of an ass whooping. If what you'e done is severe enough, he has no qualms about seeking his own revenge and retribution no matter what laws or barriers would stand between him and you.

Random Quirk: Digs his claws into furniture when excited.

Hobbies: Wandering and Riding, Sparring and Training, Physical Labors, Brewing Mead and Alcohol

Addictions: Work, Neyuki, Fighting and Violence

Habits: Glib, Violence Prone, Outgoing and Upbeat, Accidental Intimidation, Intentional Intimidation, Swearing Every Other Word

Pleasures: Good Drink, Hunting, The Outdoors, Working with Animals, Seafaring, Combat and Fighting, Sex, Control

Appreciates (List 5+)

Humility Humor Craftsmanship Beauty Strength Honesty Commitment Self-Control Accomplishment Skill Knowing Ones Self

Dislikes (List 5+)

Defeatism Lies Fire Unearned Authority Disrespect Paranoia False Promises Intolerance

Strengths (List 5+)

Patient Good Teacher Honest and Loyal Hardworking Committed and Dedicated Physical Dynamo Thrifty and Coinwise Good Business Sense Open and Tolerant (Tries to be) Thoughtful Extroverted and Inviting Able to Listen or Chat equally Forgets grudges easily Self-Reliant Outdoorsman Expert Mercenary Tactical Mindset

Weaknesses (List 5+)

Berserker Easy to break Trust Difficulty developing relationships Addicted to combat and violence Mercenary attitude Grey Morality Self-invested Coin Driven No Self-Preservation Neyuki No Family Values Craves Work and Physical Exertion Cannot Cook Carries Weight, Even if he doesn't have to

Fears (List 5+)

Losing Neyuki Losing his remaining eye The loss of freedom Inability To Work or Fight Returning To Othard

FAVORITES ––

“I spent those days huntin' hard and fast, With no place to lay my head

And the sound of the rain against the roof, Was loud enough to wake the dead”

Favorite Food(s): Jerky, Aldgoat Steak, Breadfruit, Stews, Anything La Noscean

Favorite Drink(s): Teas, Ale Mead or Rum, Water, Coffee

Favorite Scent(s): Heat, Dry earth, rain on the breeze, herbs and sweets, metal sparking and copper in the mud

Favorite Colors: Black, Brown, Green and Blue or subcolors

TRIVIA ––

We seek tomorrow’s sun, It’s all for the taking here

Only the valiant survive, Live for better years

Subetei's mixed upbringing has given him a tenuous faith in the Twelve, or the Xaelan deities, and instead he has developed a slightly paganistic viewpoint of the world in the form of natural phenomena. The Salt and Storm, as he calls this viewpoint, is a simple belief that while life is harsh and can be demanding, it's pains and undertakings are rewarding in experience if nothing else. It also holds a certain karmic edge to it as well. He does not really call this a 'religion' or believe others should live like this.

His wounded eye is extraordinarily light sensitive despite being functionally blind and when exposed to sunlight or other equally bright sources it's akin to having the wound reopened with blades of salt and fire. It causes him incredible pain and exposure for a long period can lead to blacking out or migraines so intense they last days. His eyepatch is as much a safety measure as it is a decoration for him and as such he wears extremely well-made patches. Metal wires are used to reinforce the straps and the leather is studded if not inset with metal sheets. He also uses metal ringlets on his horns to hold the patches in place. If he expects particularly pitched or harsh conditions he will often use salves or pastes to hold the patch in place.

With his inherent reliance on instincts and natural tendency to disassociate from morality or consciousness during battle, Subetei has developed a dangerous habit of going into berserker trances during battle that put his already high reflexes into overdrive and his natural senses become sharp enough that he has, for instance, picked up the sound of an arrow approaching and smashed it aside before it can connect with him. While useful and extremely dangerous to others, it presents a unique danger to himself as well, as his already uncomfortably high pain tolerance is also increased and he has been known to inflict damage on himself to continue to fight, even at the risk of health or death.

Subetei has an unstable aether that has never been trained, developed or explored in any respect. He cannot use aetheryte, cast spells or channel it in any meaningful way willingly or consciously and those who try and scry his aetheric strength are faced with a soupy, chaotic mess that does not spell much out. Yet he has been known to perform feats that can only be described as 'inhuman' when he fights unconsciously and in his trances, leading some to conclude that Subetei's aether actively permeates him at all times and empowers him, allowing him to fight at above-optimal strength and focus even when he should be gravely wounded. This is not formally confirmed, but it would explain why he also tends to be quick to recover from wounds and injuries as well as his distaste for sitting still and being idle.

While he and Neyuki share an amazing chemistry that cannot be called anything but 'love', Subetei has historically been awkward and uncomfortable around women and intimacy in the past. During his time before Neyuki he had next to no partners and no long-term relationships due to his emotional issues at his younger age and later on his insistence on isolation. He also has certain physical irregularities that make him wary of sex. When approached sexually or flirtatiously he often comes off as cold and aloof, if not outright dismissive, as he has frankly no fucking idea how to react to it in most circumstances.

While Subetei does a good job of containing it, there is a part of him that thrives in the loosening of his reins and control. This primarily comes to the front during battle when he looses himself, but it also tends to show in other moments where restraint is pressed; This includes his time with Neyuki and they are infamous in certain taverns and inns for the destruction of property that has occurred when Subetei truly lets go of himself, and more than once it has been suggested that Subetei's habit of carrying Neyuki everywhere is a symptom of this.

Subetei can pilot a boat and maintain a ship well enough that he is often comfortable going out by himself on sailboats over moderate distances and he loves the ocean, but a certain thrill-seeking part of him loves the sky and airships. During his time in a mercenary company with such vessels he frequently took out the ship he was assigned and used it for all sorts of activities, both on and off the job.

It cannot be understated the kind of outdoorsman Subetei is, to the extent that he can and has survived over a month in the wilderness with only basic supplies to begin with. During his time as a hunter and mercenary he has learned many survival and wilderness methods that he has also become a scarily accurate tracker and wayfinder, though he often does not use those skills in anything but his actual work. He has discovered some secreted places in his times in the wilderness and though he has recorded them quietly, he does not intend to explore or give away their location. Some things are intriguing to simply know.

Subetei's eye was lost during an extremely controversial moment in Gridanian history, where the Wood Wailers and Twin Adders as well as mercenaries hired by an unconfirmed source, descended on a Keeper of the Moon encampment accused of poaching and harboring criminals to the Shroud. Subetei balked when the order was given to drive the children and non-combatants out of the encampment with fire, an act that would have cost lives, and turned on his employers. Though he survived he harbors a lasting grudge against the Elementals, for allowing such an act to be considered free of sin yet hunting to survive be an act worthy of reprisal, and he further disdains Gridania for their involvement in the action and subsequent attempts to play the act off as the work of factions impersonating Wailers and Adders.

One might be forgiven for assuming Subetei does not speak the Auri dialect anymore after his time in the rest of the world but this is extremely untrue. While he has difficulty reading Auri script nowadays he can still speak fluent and distinct Auri with an old Xaelan syntax and inflection that marks his time away from the Steppe. He chooses not to converse in it often, even among other Xaela, to preserve the air of distance he has from the Xaelan culture and to keep an ear on those around him if they do speak it. He is also fluent in sign and non-verbal gestures as Neyuki is mute, allowing him to communicate with Qester rather comfortably at times.

Subetei is a Noykin by blood and nothing else. He does not use his name as a surname and instead as a title, as if it is only a formal thing, and he does not recognize any other Noykin as his brothers or sisters in any way. Though he still retains many of their skills and love of animals he is long removed form his family and their culture. To introduce oneself to him as a fellow Noykin is to receive the same greeting as anyone else, but he has no patience or acceptance for those who would use the name to garner clout with him.

OOC -

Server: Balmung

Timezone: PST

Mun: Male / 28yrs

Experience: Roleplay Experience of 14+ years. Writes in any format, matches length and complexity where possible. Will scene In-Game, Discord and other mediums as requested.

Type of RP: Any/All, Mature and R-Rated themes included. Long-term Storylines or One-shot scenes. Enjoys interacting with Canon and OC alike.

Looking for: Friends, Partners, Punchvictims, Employers, Brothers or Sisters in Arms, Privateers and Pirates, Gridanians and Ishgardians to grouse at, Rivals or Antagonists. Pretty much anyone!

RP Hunting Time!

This post is mainly an RP call for anyone who’s interested in plotting, roleplaying or otherwise hanging out ICly. I’m not looking for anything in particular, no specific scenes or types of scenes, Subetei is flexible morally and ideologically.

Need a hired hand? Gil makes for strange bedfellows. Old pirate or mercenary contact? Sounds like drinks at a tavern. Want to fight? Time to fight. Canon or OC, no difference to me.

I’m not sure how I feel about AUs and the like, so anything like that would need it’s own discussion!

Feel free to directly message me here on Tumblr or on Discord at Versesai#3794!

[tenkaichis]

tagged by @vormirs, god fuck dammit you know im a sucker for these lmao

rules: tag ten people you want to get to know better!

gonna tag @goblintofu, @tomarimasu, @loveandjustice, @dqvis, @palenimbuswhite, @perfectblue7, @sugarcoatedvenom, @zorthy, @c-ardcaptor, and @yung-usagi (this is totally optional btw its no biggie)

star sign: virgo height: 6′ put your itunes/spotify on shuffle. what are the first 4 songs that popped up?: Bennie and the Jets - Elton John, Blind Threats (feat. Raekwon) - ScHoolboy Q, TEMPLES - Macross 82-99, Dreams - Fleetwood Mac grab the book nearest you & turn to page 23. what’s line 17?: “[...] the circumstances. I kept telling myself, “be quiet, be calm [...]” (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson) ever had a poem or song written about you?: I think Jules wrote a poem about me once? when was the last time you played air guitar?: like yesterday i was air guitaring to Thank You, My Twilight by The Pillows. who is your celebrity crush?: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Elijah Wood what’s a sound you hate + a sound you love?: peelouts at a Publix parking lot; guitar solos. do you believe in ghosts?: i guess? how about aliens?: they’re out there i swear to god do you drive?: i have my license but ill die backing out the driveway if so, have you ever crashed?: not at all but these florida drivers are in such a fucking hurry my god what was the last book you read?: i skimmed through the entirety of Metamorphosis (Emergence) and i was depressed and disturbed for like a good three days so yeah please don’t ever read it (like not joking it’s incredibly fucked up and disgusting and it can be triggering for a lot of people). do you like the smell of gasoline?: lowkey yeah like its weird that i find the smell of spicy dino juice something i like what was the last movie you saw?: Deep Impact. I came out of the shower and I just see teenage Elijah Wood motoring away from a huge tsunami on tv and im like “is that elijah fucking wood?” What was the worst injury you’ve ever had?: i scraped my elbow ding dong ditching a strip club and that shit took me like a week and a half to heal. do you have any obsessions right now?: marvel shit, serial experiments lain is pretty cool right now, and im sure thats it. do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?: my aint-shit roommate kept taking my silverware without asking and leaves them dirty and crusty in the sink since he eats fuckin three week old food every fucking day. he leaves like 4 half-eaten bowls and plates of rice or whatever out in the kitchen and just takes my freshly clean shit and i dont see it until the next day covered in thousand island dressing or some shit so yeah fuck that guy and his gf. i have to hide my shit in my room in a drawer and now i cant even leave my clean stuff to dry near the sink because he’ll just take it and lie to my face saying “ummmm nope i havent seen your fork or spoon hehehe” like listen fuckface if you have both your blue sponges out here dry to the bone, im pretty sure you know how to clean goulash from fine china but no, all he knows to do is overstock the fridge with shit thatll expire tomorrow when its ripe with the the moldy flavor he apparently loves so fucking much. so yeah, i do. in a relationship?: yep! and my s/o’s a fucking memester like me B)

[newleavesinspring]

Thank you for the tag @ryugaraki 💕

Rules: Answer the questions and tag 10 followers you’d like to get to know better!

Name: Spring

Birth year: 1999

Sign: Pisces

Height: 5’2” (~157 cm)

Put your playlist on shuffle and list the first four songs:

1) What the water gave me-Florence and the machine

2) Next up forever-AJR

3) Almost (sweet music)-Hozier

4) Burning pile-Mother Mother

Grab the nearest book, turn to page 23, what’s the 17th line:

Some Schwann cells located next to the cell bodies in the DRG called satellite cells may not necessarily completely myelinate a segment of the axon but may play a role in supporting the neuron. (So sorry, it’s a textbook)

Ever had a poem/song written about you?

Yes, a few poems lol. But I’ve written a few so

When’s the last time you played air guitar?

Uh, probably last time I was drunk

Celebrity crush(es)?

Normani and Zendaya

Sounds you love/hate?

Yeah I’m gonna echo here and say my mom’s voice. And airplanes landing I guess

Do you believe in ghosts?

Hmm, yes and no. My best friend and one of my sisters has had some experiences and my sister is the LAST person you’d ever think to believe in stuff like that but I have never personally experienced anything so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Do you believe in aliens?

No necessarily intelligent alien life but I think life could exist elsewhere. But at the same time if you look how life happened and evolved so many specific things had to occur that it’s hard to believe it can be repeated. But it sure would be awesome

Do you drive?

Yes, though I’m bad at it

Last book you read?

Where the crawdads sing by Delia Owens. My grandma recommended it to me and I really liked it

Do you like the smell of gasoline?

...yes

The last movie you saw?

Frozen 2 with my little sister for her birthday. It was awesome for both me and her for different reasons

Do you have any obsessions rn?

Right now mostly My Hero Academia, with a growing Death Note reawakening (thanks Usagi lol). But I also love like, goth and pastel aesthetics and Demon Slayer

Do you tend to hold grudges?

I’d say not really, I’m not quick to get mad or stay mad unless you really fuck up. But I really hold grudges on my friend’s behalves

Are you in a relationship?

Yes!

Tagging: @missdilucesco @citri-ne @kageyamass and anyone who wants to do it (but no pressure of course!)

Thank you to @uselessvalshit for tagging me!!!!

Rules: Answer the questions and tag 10 followers you’d like to get to know better!

Name? Andie

Birth year? 2000

Sign? Sagittarius

Height? 167cm (5′6)

Put your playlist on shuffle and list the first four songs:

Trouble - EXO

Humph! - Pentagon

Me - CLC

Goodnight Like Yesterday - Lovelyz

Grab the nearest book, turn to page 23, what’s the 17th line?

Everything near me is a comic book, magazine, or self help book, so none of these work. 

Ever had a song or a poem written about you?

Damn I wish

When was the last time you played air guitar?

Geez it’s been a long time lol

Celebrity Crush(es)?

I guess Felix from Stray Kids?

What’s a sound you hate/love?

Air raid sirens, like for nuclear bombs and stuff. I like how eerie it is but at the same time if it were going off for real I’d have a huge issue on my hands

Do you believe in ghosts?

100000% yes

Do you believe in aliens?

For sure. Whether it’s intelligent life or just bacteria somewhere on Neptune, it’s out there

Do you drive?

Sadly

Last book you read?

It was a book on other enby’s experiences….questioning is hard….

Do you like the smell of gasoline?

Hell no!!!

The last movie you saw?

The newest Annabelle movie, and let me tell you that sucked ASS

Do you have aby obsessions rn?

BNHA, Demon Slayer, and kpop!

Do you tend to hold grudges?

Yes…

Are you in a relationship?

I am not

I tag: @ohmoka​ @burlybuttlet​ @shreedy​ @czqy​ @dezuya​ @giveseraserhead​ @todoroki-dokie​ @so-many-efforts​ @hxtoshi​ @mylifeisaconstantparadox and anybody else who wants to!

[snowdropsandtigers]

2,17, 23 for fandom valentines meme

oh man I clicked on answer before writing anything, hold on-okay, thank you for your patience @swordsandparasols

2. Is there a ship you didn’t like at first but ultimately started shipping?

Is there ever. While watching season two of Once Upon a Time I despised the idea of Emma and Hook. I had never been too attached to any of her potential love interests, but found season two’s offerings in Hook and Neal to be on another level of “ew nope.“ Then came the finale and I was intrigued. And season three! Oh god. The personal conversations that didn’t even have to do with love much of the time. The banter, the tension, the cute little moments like coconut-sharing, the emotional support he offered Emma. THE KISS THAT WAS LEAKED TWO WEEKS EARLY SO WE WERE IN A FRENZY. (Anytime I go back and look at posts from the time, there’s such energy.) Sealed by a season finale that gave a perfect Emma Swan fairytale, mining her heritage and the beginning of the show to tell her story about feeling at home. It was a love letter to Emma. With Killian in a supporting role. And the most romantic kiss on the show. I felt so pure and elevated. How did this ship do “enemies to lovers” and “friends to lovers” at the same time? I’m not even doing meta here, just squeeing a lot.  CAPTAIN SWAN

17. Is there a type of ship you always go for?

Yes. I have a long history, dating back to childhood and probably the first Sailor Moon arc in particular, of shipping hero/villain pairings. Sometimes it can be a mild variant, such as hero/antagonist or hero/rival–as long as there’s some antagonistic tension at some point in the story. Usually it’s heroine/villain too; I know there’ve been hero/villainess exceptions, but I can’t think of any at the moment. The only het OTP I remember that doesn’t follow this rule is Harry/Luna in Harry Potter fandom.

Where it’s gotten me curious is that pattern holds much better for het pairings. When it comes to f/f, I’ve enjoyed more variety, with perhaps an inclination to more friendly, supportive pairings. I have a long-lasting soft spot for Buffy/Tara and Emma Swan with OUAT’s rendition of Elsa, more than pretty much any other femslash pairing from those fandoms. Except maybe Emma/Ruby and Buffy/Kendra? Or Buffy/Satsu and Buffy/Cordelia. Though Buffy/Kendra and Buffy/Cordelia do have that antagonistic tension I almost need in het pairings. Also, during one of my return journeys to the Inuyasha fandom I ended up shipping Kagome with Kikyo, her own past life who hates her and is an undead priestess. Maybe my real pattern with femslash is that I almost always prefer ships that end up with small fandoms dwarfed by both the f/f and the het juggernauts. Regardless, Buffy/Tara and Emma/Elsa are my favorites. They’re the ones I’ve tried hardest to find fics for and they’re really comforting to me.

Emma and Hook are unusual in that, as I noted above, they feel like “enemies to lovers” and “friends to lovers” at the same time. Which also had the effect of making me feel…safe? I love “enemies to lovers” but they don’t tend to feel warm and sweet to me. Emma/Killian did, for years. Sometimes they still do. I enjoy looking back on that time. This pairing has a lot of emotional range, like it could inhabit any kind of mood. (So did Buffy/Angel, one of my early OTPs I still care about, but in retrospect it had a lot wrong with it from the beginning in a way that Captain Swan didn’t. That takes away from my whole-hearted reveling in the feeling of safety Buffy experienced in season two right before the change, even if I’m still there with her when I revisit.) 

Now, friends to enemies to ???? That’s an extra yes. I watched what Hulu has of Yona of the Dawn a few weeks ago and damn the obvious OT3 there. Damn them.

23. Have you ever started shipping a ship because of the fans?

Not that I recall…oh, wait. One of my first, if not the first hero/villain ships–since Usagi/Mamoru from Sailor Moon was close in the first story arc but not quite–was Kagome/Sesshomaru from Inuyasha. There was zero basis for them even liking each other–the closest it gets is maybe a grudging respect on his part and her calling him “brother“ after she marries Inuyasha, and that came in a finale years after I had left fandom–but I went for this hard.  I can’t remember the exact catalyst, but I’m almost sure it’s because I found something on FF.Net. I scoured that website and every possible archive I could find for this pairing. I still go back to that fandom on occasion every few years. (Though, oddly, I have never read one of the more beloved fics for it: Tales from the House of the Moon by Resmiranda. I need to!) It was definitely my first noncanon ship. Looking back, it’s not a surprise; it filled my need for the aloof/cold one with the warm/fiery one trope along with having the hero/villain thing going for it, and both are elements I can now see myself as having responded to in earlier experiences with the afore-mentioned Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura.

A smaller possible example is Buffy/Faith in Buffy. I’m not sure because I had mixed feelings when I first watched. There was some negativity, but I really enjoyed most of their interactions through “Bad Girls” and the understanding they came to in season seven, so I think I came to like it even apart from the fans. I got into the fandom as I watched, though, so its hard to say. But fandom has definitely helped me appreciate Fuffy a lot over the years, and now I like more of the late season three stuff too.

Thank you for the asks! This was so much fun. Sorry for the initial fumbling!