#facts about elma!

[rotyolk]

felt like drawing elma

[alex-thegiraffeboyy]

Chapter 6: Serendipidy

Bewitched Masterlist

Summary: They meet after 7 years. But they swear that everything is Serendipidy

Words: 2.1k

Warning: Constantly changes of POV's

N/A: I'm trying to find ways to get through the end of Arcane. Expect continuous updates.💕

Serendipidy: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.

Since Violet left Stillwater there has been a strange feeling in her chest. A feeling she can't put a name to.

She walks beside the enforcer, Caitlyn, for a while before she starts running and jumping across the rooftops of the place where she grew up. It's at that moment that she feels that tug in her chest again, and that's when it hits her. She's excited, but at the same time she feels terribly desolate and anxious. She feels sad and melancholy.

She passes by streets she used to frequent and realizes how much things have changed. Stalls that used to be there in her childhood are now closed or new stores take their place. She feels like she doesn't recognize anything even though she knows where she is.

She feels like a stranger in her own home.

🦋

The day Vi returned to the Lanes you can sense that something is going on. But you don't know what.

It's like a tingling in the back of your neck, a dull sound throbbing in your ears. But you don't think much of it, you have better things to worry about than this.

So you keep busy, as usual. You stop by the kitchen as you do every morning to help make breakfast for everyone, you stand there for a while and chat with people as they arrive, and when you see Ekko arrive with Scar you join them to sit down for breakfast at one of the tables while they coordinate for the day's activities.

"I'm going to make rounds today to oversee how everything is going after the raid on the ship last week" Ekko commented as he ate, looking at the two of you one at a time. He paused for a moment at you, noticing that you seemed distracted, you hadn't touched your food much, that tingle still nagging at the back of your neck, making your stomach churn "You come with me?"

You shake your head sideways, not turning to look at him, you didn't dare "Nope, I have things to check and reorganize in the warehouse. My next monitoring season out of the tree is coming up, so I have to know how much I have to earn and bring when I get back" you decide to take a bite of your food after a moment, you're not very hungry, but you won't waste that food "Besides, I promised Elma I'd help her with the new portraits on the mural".

After a while the three of you say goodbye and part ways, each going to their respective places.

But as you make your way to the mural you realize something. You almost didn't see it, almost stepped on it, in fact. But that tingle made you look at just the right moment. A four-leaf clover.

You stared at it for a few seconds, remembering when you used to look for them with Powder, a healthy competition between sisters. You almost always found them, but you always gave them to Powder "So Mylo can't tell you that you're unlucky" you used to tell her. That's why Vi sometimes teased you by call you that you were her good luck charm. But you didn't get too carried away with that memory, so you shook your head and kept walking.

🦋

After a few laps around undercity and stopping to eat and get information at Jericho's she headed with the grumpy enforcer to the brothel. There Babette filled her in on the current situation on the Lanes and offered her information on where she could find Sevika.

Vi thanked and hesitated for a moment, wrung her hands against each other nervously. She didn't need to ask, Babette was going to tell her anyway.

"She's fine," Babette tells her in a soft tone, fearing that if she spoke too loudly it might make Vi snap.

"What?" Babette responded with your name softly, watching as the girl in front of her took a shaky breath before daring to ask more. "Do you know anything about her, do you know where I can find her?" The woman could only shake her head.

"She stops here from time to time to drop off some things for me to defend the girls and the business. She told me she's coming next week. I don't know where she lives, but I know you're not going to find her on the streets of Zaun" And though Babette was tempted to tell her that there were a few years you worked for her, she knew that was not for her to tell her. That was your decision.

Violet, now more hopeful than before, thanks Babette and gets up from the couch to walk to the person who will lead her to the person who should provide her with the information she needs.

Out of the corner of her eye she sees some lucky dimes. And only then she decide to believe that it will bring her luck. Because remember that for you this kind of thing has always been important.

Maybe it will help her get to you.

🦋

That tingling keeps going throughout the morning and early afternoon. You scratch a couple of times and start to think you might get sick.

You hope you're wrong.

Although you have to admit that painting helps. It makes your head go quiet for a while. It also helps with that incessant tingling and anxious feeling.

Ekko stops by to say goodbye before leaving the lair. You wish him luck and give him a hug, and before he can take two steps towards the exit you stop him, remembering the clover you saw that morning. You run over to the spot and grab it from the floor before returning to your brother, tucking it into his jacket pocket.

"I know you don't need it, but it never hurts" Ekko shakes his head, a smile on his lips as he says goodbye to you again, this time for real.

Something tells you it's going to be an interesting afternoon.

🦋

At that moment, as she bleeds out, Violet sees you again in her hallucinations. She sees you playing with her sister and wandering around what was once her home.

She still remembers the time she brought you here. She remembers telling you about what her life was like then as she held your hand tightly, keeping from crying and how you held her and hugged her when she eventually broke down. She remembers your warmth and the gentleness and softness with which you held her.

God, she wishes you were there to hold her hand at that moment. She misses you so much

🦋

Ekko expected almost anything after spending 7 years on this.

Nothing could have prepared him for meeting a friend he thought was dead. The same one who found herself with an executioner and Jinx.

Nothing good could be happening, but he decided to give her a chance. He owed it to her and to himself.

But most of all to his sister.

So he puts bags over Vi and the enforcer's heads and leads them to the firelights' lair. He is grateful that you are not in sight, imagine you're still checking things out in the hold.

His companions take them to a secluded room while he takes a moment to breathe. He wants to tell you so badly... But he doesn't want to get your hopes up if Vi has decided on a different side. So he keeps silent. Soon one of his companions lets him know that they've both woken up, so he gives the go-ahead. He takes a big breath of air and lets it out slowly, just as you have taught him since he was a child. He puts his mask back on as he hears footsteps approaching.

On your side things weren't much better. Since a few minutes ago that tingling had become more intense, it had been there for so long that it was almost starting to overstimulate you.

You tried to breathe as you normally did, but nothing seemed to want to calm that sensation. Something was happening, or so your body wanted you to believe. You hate anxiety with all your heart.

So you resort to what has served you best all these years. Busyness. You go through and count supply by supply, item by item and put them on lists. You give instructions and ask question after question. You rearrange and rearrange, you do everything you can so that eventually your anxiety will subside and leave you alone. But your frustration only gets bigger and bigger when you realize it's still there, haunting you.

Meanwhile Ekko was talking to Vi, who after having ironed out the kinks and doled out some affection had worked up enough courage to ask about you.

"I knew you'd ask that" he replies looking at her with a smirk. So he opens the door and waits for her to adjust to the light. He tells her a bit about how you both found this place. Though of course he leaves out a few things (only because he knows it's up to you whether you want her to know or not). He shows her a few things as they walk, keeping up a light conversation as they go along.

And Violet can't pretend she's not anxious. Her hands clasp against each other every so often. Her smile trembles a little and her eyes move to everything and nothing. A warm feeling stirring in her chest.

And the butterflies. The ones she thought were already dead because they hadn't fluttered for so long, start fluttering all over her system, making her feel like she's 15 again. Reminding her of all the times she went looking for you at Benzo's to confess how she's loved you from the start, only to take a step back. Every time.

But not this time.

Finally Ekko stops in front of a thick metal door. He lets out a sigh before looking at it. "It may be a bit difficult. I ask you to be patient."

Vi nods slowly, feeling even more nervous. Ekko reaches into his pocket and pulls out the clover you gave him that morning, handing it to Vi. "A little luck never hurts, don't you think?"

Vi doesn't need to ask. She knows you found it, you've always had a knack for that. Then, slowly but surely, Ekko opens the metal door, lets the girl in, then goes in himself and closes it.

He greets a couple of people and gestures for them to come out. Violet's eyes move from side to side, looking for you.

You, on the other hand, don't hear the door open, too busy organizing. You move from side to side, unable to stand still. What you do feel is that the tingling suddenly runs through your whole body before it stops. You crouch for a moment between the boxes, feeling relief for the first time that day.

Ekko pulls out a last couple of people while Vi stands paralyzed, only one person is left at the end of the room, among some boxes and stacked objects. She almost doesn't notice you there, crouching down, massaging your neck. She only catches a glimpse of your hair, as messy as she remembers it. But maybe a little longer.

"Everything okay over there Sunny?" Vi can feel the air attacking in her throat as she hears the sound of your tired laughter.

"Kinda tired, but I'm better" you reply in a tired voice as you stand up and stretch your body. Vi can feel her heart racing as her eyes begin to sting.

A sob threatens to come from her throat, but Violet forces herself to keep her mouth shut. Her hands clench into fists as she watches you turn toward them.

"Remember that discomfort I told you I had in the morning? A while ago it stopped and-" you quickly shut your mouth when you see a pink-haired girl crying in front of you. Your heart races as you see the strong resemblance, but you don't allow yourself to hope. "Ekko... What's-?"

Vi makes a crooked smile "Hey Sunshine" she manages to whisper with a broken voice.

Your eyes start to sting. No one here calls you like that. Everyone knows you by your first name or as Sunny (this last one is only with Ekko and some friends). You never let anyone else call you Sunshine. You couldn't stand it. So when you heard it...

"Violet?"

Your suspicions come true.

Vi lets out a small laugh combined with a sob, nodding as she walks towards you.

You bring your hands to your mouth as a loud sob escapes your lips, shaking your head. "No... You're not... You can't..."

Vi quickly finishes reaching up to you and holds you against her. A firm but delicate grip. You too wrap your arms around her clinging to her jacket. The crying from both of you getting louder.

"I missed you so much" Vi manages to utter between sobs. You, on the other hand, feel unable to speak, so you just nod into the hollow of her neck.

Time seems to stand still when you both finally hold each other in your arms.

Four-leaf clovers, lucky dimes and cosmic coincidences.

But they swear it's a coincidence.

The best coincidence of their lives. Finding each other again.

[cantheykillmacbeth]

So, Xenoblade 1 and 2 have been considered. That just leaves 3 and X. Therefore, I shall ask this:

Could Noah (Xenoblade 3) and/or Elma (Xenoblade X) kill Macbeth? Both of them have... quite unusual existence situations, to say the least.

Thank you for your time.

((Okay so this was was a bitch and a half to research because apparently nobody on the internet wants to divulge any useful information about the plot of the Xenoblade games and 90% of them neglect to mention some very important plot points. I had to read a game review article to find out that Elma is an alien. I had to go through Reddit threads to get any details at all about Noah's past lives. Why is this shit so inaccessible. Anyway if there are any errors or discrepancies in this verdict then that's why.))

Yes, both Noah (left) from Xenoblade 3 and Elma (right) from Xenoblade 2/X could kill Macbeth!

Elma is easy to say yes for; she applies for the Gender Clause, obviously. Though, that being said, there are some other complications in that she is not really human, but a ((double-checking notes)) cyborg being remotely piloted by an alien, who is the actual Elma. I couldn't find anything on the specifics of how Elma's alien species reproduces, so that is unfortunately left ambiguous. If, however, we are analyzing her robotic body specifically, her robotic body applies for both of the other Clauses.

As for Noah, he does not apply for the Gender Clause, meaning he'll be a bit more difficult. Noah's whole deal here is that he has been reincarnated several times. While reincarnation would normally be ambiguous territory by our definitions, from what I have found, Noah seems to be referred to separately from his past lives, and there is at least some degree of detachment. The current incarnation is referred to consistently as Noah, though his past lives seem to be referred to primarily as N instead. This, combined with the fact that he doesn't seem to carry over memories of his previous lives (shown by the fact that each incarnation independently ends up falling in love with the same woman), I would say is enough to plausibly apply Noah for the Unconventional Birth Clause and Birth Parent Clause, with his previous incarnation credited as the "birth parent" in this case.

Thank you for your submission!

[refinedpet]

I'm still just thinking about Xenoblade X DE so much.

By the way they've worded it, it sounds moreso like just a continuation of the game rather than a separate story like Future Redeemed/Connected and Torna.

I hate comparing it to such, but maybe like the new Chapter in Persona 5 Royal, where it just adds more game at the end???

And like. Okay??? So, is it Gunban Epilogue still? I thought that at first, but if it's a normal story chapter or two, you'd expect to keep following Cross and Elma at least most of the time.

I hope it's not just a speedrun to tie up loose ends and more of like, answer like, two of the cliffhangers and give us more questions.

Just add a whole new area to the map and REFUSE to answer how it got there.

Imply that Tatsu knows who Riku is just for fun

And don't give us an ounce more information on what's up with L. In fact, more questions about his people please.

That said, please give Celica more attention and explanation.

Considering Monolithsoft made Xenoblade DE so they could have people caught up for 3. And they expressed hesitation on porting X in the past.

I wouldn't normally jump to conclusions like this. But I'm pretty sure this means that during the Switch 2's life, we're gonna get X2.

So, I ask with that knowledge. I want 2 more equally upsetting cliffhangers at the new end of the game

[scrapcheese]

Fafnir and his "foes"

NO OK BECAUSE HELLO?? I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS CHAPTER???????? I NEED TO TALK ABOUT HIM PLEASE

Here are my ramblings about what Fafnir means in chapter 129 of miss kobayashi's dragon maid when he says that Kobayashi is his "worst enemy" !!!!!!

===========

BACKGROUND CONTEXT (that i think is important)

​Throughout the series we can observe how aggresive Fafnir can get when it comes to things that are important to him, like his treasures or video games. The fact that he left his cave behind to stay in this world shows just how much he's come to regard his life in this world to be important, so why wouldn't that extend to his friend group too? 

Also did you see how he reacted to the rare video game in chapter 120 where he fought Ilulu? HE LITERALLY ALMOST DESTROYS HER AND THE SURROUNDINGS

He saw someone else holding the thing that he was told is a treasure and reacted like it was a threat, and was about to go in for the kill. He's usually pretty listless, and apathetic about things going on around him, so for there to be that strong of a reaction shows that he definitely cares. A lot. He can care about things.

/////// REBLOG ADDITION ////////

update: reread chapter 120, and i think his reaction to ilulu was not just his reaction to the game, but also like his gut punch reaction to almost getting attacked because he let his guard down BECAUSE of the game. like i think that is very telling of how much he's grown accustomed to the human world and how much less guarded he's become.

this ties into the conversation he has with Lucoa in ch136 about changing values for something you really want (WHICH I WILL EVENTUALLY TALK ABOUT.. MAYBE)

===========

Does he actually dislike them?

Ok so in this chapter Fafnir definitely doesn't mean "worst enemy" in the sense of genuine dislike, because he literally messages Kobayashi about the game and is smiling at the end of the chapter??

also if you look at chapter 33, the hot springs one, Takiya talks about how he's found a group of friends that he enjoys spending time with and wants to maintain that group of friends, and that Fafnir should understand because he does the same. 

In this chapter he says that Takiya says things sometimes that make him think he can see right through him, and i want to assume that the hot spring conversation is one of those times. which probably means that Fafnir does care about this friend group in his own way! 

===========

So what is he saying?

To put it simply, he's just absolutely wack and interprets all his relationships through the lens of enemies because thats what he's used to. 

In the chapter, we can see that how he labels someone as an enemy in this context probably depends on how much he regards them to be a threat or to be equal with him in some way:

Takiya is a gaming foe, so someone who he finds to be his equal when it comes to gaming, and probably enjoys spending time with

Tohru used to be a foreign enemy (aka someone he isn't close with) and has now become a formidable foe, someone he regards to be at the same level as him and as a friends.

Lucoa is a strong enemy, probably referring to how she's about as strong if not stronger than him.

He doesn't consider ilulu or kanna to be threats and isn't very close to them, so he doesn't consider them to be "foes"

And Elma is an enemy by the nature that she is a threat to his beliefs because she's in the harmony faction. 

But Kobayashi? She's the worst enemy because she holds the most power, not only with the dragon slayer sword but also the fact that she is sort of the reason the whole friend group came together in the first place. If there is anyone can greatly affect the group dynamics, it would be Kobayashi. So it's fair to assume that Fafnir would see that as some sort of threat to something he considers important.

/////// REBLOG ADDITION ////////

ALSO ADDITIONALLY, Fafnir is part of the chaos faction but doesn't really do much fighting, he's kind of just a shut in. Kind of like Lucoa being in the spectator faction.

Kobayashi on the other hand? She is a human and a non-believer in the gods, but regularly does miracles and clashes/argues with other dragons to protect their little group, AND IT WORKS. She fought Damocles (Tohru's dad) alongside Tohru, she fought Kanna's dad and literally stopped a whole faction war from breaking out, and that whole arc of saving Elma and fighting Telne? That was her too, she's a pretty big part of all that happening and being resolved.

SHE HAS A GOD DAMN HOLY SWORD AS A PART OF HER

Kobayashi is fucking terrifying.

====

TLDR; my interpretation of this line is that Fafnir cares about his friends, is unable to call them friends so he says enemies, is worried about Kobayashi's role in the friend group and how her actions could affect all of them negatively because he does actually care about all of them and the relationships he's built with these people.

[robinnsblog]

✨Isn’t it interesting?✨

After the windstorm, in the cave at the crossroads, you find an offering of branches tied up with a red bow.

I admit that, in itself, it’s not very noteworthy. However, we see it again next to the other offerings Father Hans had made for Walpurga; the horses represented by the horseshoe and Apfel by the wooden doll and small blue cap.

Which means that, the very moment he thought the demons were back, he threw Elise under the bus — to be fair, he doesn’t spare the rest of Kieferberg in his self-righteous crusade either…

Along with Old Jochen, he’s one of the most infuriating characters in the game!

I don’t count Muffy among them, even if her blackmailing made me want to throw her over the peaks several times because, isn’t she like… twelve? Some dialogue implies that her aunt, Mrs. Loreley —one of the most gossipy and antagonistic women towards Elise, next to Wilma, Bertha and Elma— might not care about her much and overworks her as well.

Although I’ll give you that Muffy herself is not a reliable narrator and even manages to have Elise pitying her from time to time, which means our protagonist is not very reliable when it comes to her either, the scar in her forehead doesn’t lie…

It looks like it was nasty.

That and the fact I don’t remember her parents being mentioned at all through the game, hint at something very bad happening in her past.

That’s the only reason I’m forgiving with the little food black hole. I wonder what happened?

[hana-the-ghostieee]

iiiiiiii have translated. the angriest song ever made by yorushika (i think). 八月、某、月明かり.

also no one answered that question i had earlier butttttt

should i (or should i not) make a sideblog for all of these translations??? (for now i'll keep these posted over here until someone says something)

anyways here

8/7, 八月、某、月明かり (August, A Certain Place, Moonlight/Hachigatsu, Bou, Tsukiakari)

I don't need anything.

My heartbeat was loud, and when I walked, it got difficult to breathe As I ran from my first part-time job Music, life, nothing meant anything anymore Just like how nothing had captured my interest either

A certain August, under the moonlight, I rode my bike Through that bridge in Higashi-Fushimi, Kodaira, Fujimido-ri and past that one shopping district That night's wind blew at my nose, this heart's pain must've been my imagination I understood, or pretended to, at least

It's the worst, just the worst, Everything about me is the worst! I wish you could stay next to me As if I'd leave you to turn into a distant memory!

It's the worst, only the worst, Though I can't help but feel somewhat good It's just, the worst, like these lyrics

If my life were to end at 27, rock n' roll would save me But, you know what, I'm done thinking about it! I'll be dying soon enough, anyways I don't need you, or anything else either

My heartbeat remained loud, but my throat felt laughably dry As I sold my heart for the first time This constricted heart, pride, I already didn't care Even though I had to bow my head to the worst kind of people

That one August, I walked across this path Stockholm, Kiruna's street vendors and Gamla stan's streets I closed up my heart from you Even this sky's blue, it must've been false Just smiling, and even while smiling, I felt

It's the worst, it's just arrogant, you know, You and everyone else! Dramatic songs and love songs, they're pointlessly unrealistic I finally knew, finally understood Your life, it's yours to create, in the end But still - it's the worst, just like how I'm screaming this out

Of course, it has to be That everyone plays rock n' roll in this world Hymns and songs like that aren't worth anything, because God doesn't exist, after all! Mistakes, crimes, wars, discrimination, suicides, minorities - no one cares at all

It's the worst, it's the worst I wish I had known leaving you was arrogant I really want to agree with you on whatever But that would've been the same as lying to you, Elma!

The worst, just the worst, And I can't help the fact that all of this was close to me But all I want to do now is dramatically grieve on this night

It's the worst, only the worst These words are just pointless! I keep telling you, "You life is like the moonlight" As if that was something you could ever call common!

The worst, it's the worst So bad I could just laugh at it all It's the worst, you know, having lyrics for how they sound

If my life ended at 27, rock n' roll would surely save me But, you know, I'm sick and tired of thinking about it! In the end, I'll be dying anyways

The present, love, the past, dreams, Memories, humming, sleepy eyes, the night fog, kindness, pain, flower petals, depression, that one summer, this useless song Hypocrisy, the night wind, lies, you, me, this blue sky -- I really don't need anything.

---

thankth or something idk :P

UGHHHH i just love how this song progresses. just nanIMO IRANAI *EPIC GUITAR RIFF* and then the verse gets really calm and makes the chorus so much ANGRIER YOU'RE PRACTICALLY YELLING OUT THE LYRICS

[shayminlucario07]

Spoiler Warning! For Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed

Okay... just beat Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, thoughts and reactions in no particular order-

1. What the FUCK was any of that actually supposed to mean?

2. What the hell was that final post-credit-scroll shot of the two planets and fusing into one and that blue spec of light coming towards the planet?

3. HOLY FUCKING BINGLE, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED X (Chapter 5′s cutscenes inside Origin- when Na’el was talking to Matthew, the radio in the background talked about the Earthlife Colonization Project, which is what created the White Whale, the ship that crashed on Mira, in X) IT’S THE SAME UNIVERSE, CONFIRMED, I WAS FUCKING *RIGHT*

4. So... Glimmer is the daughter of Rex and Pyra, right? We saw in the ending of XC3 proper that Pyra, Mythra, and Nia were all holding babies- does Glimmer have a sibling somewhere that we don’t know about? ...Is that why Matthew had an aegis crystal in his gauntlets...? Is he technically her... cousin? Is that how that would work? God why are the Pneuma girls so confusing XC2 what’s wrong with you

5. So... Nikol is the son of Shulk and Fiora, right?

6. So... Panacea is the daughter of Reyn and Sharla, right?

7. So... Linka is the daughter of Zeke and Pandoria, right? Why did they name their daughter after a type of honey?

8. Okay, what the fuck was A? Why is she named in the same format as the Moebius/Consuls? What the HELL is her deal? WHERE WAS HER CHARACTERIZATION

9. Did... Did Shulk, Rex, and A become the new Trinity Processor? Are Rex and Shulk like. The new Logos and Pneuma? Because A is Ontos. Is that the intended implication there? Because that’s DEFINITELY how I read it

10. So. Rex and Shulk like. Barely mentioned that they know/knew Nia and Melia. The Queens weren’t even in Future Redeemed. In fact, none of the other party members from 1 and 2 were ever mentioned by name- just acknowledged in passing dialogue. I said this about 3 proper and I’ll say it about Future Redeemed, too- that’s extremely fucking disappointing.

11. HOLY SHIT RIKU IS RIKI’S SON? RIKU IS KINO AND NENE’S BROTHER?

12. Why was Manana not acknowledged in Future Redeemed? And why did N show up but not M? WHY IS THE AGNIAN CAST SO NEGLECTED THIS IS DRIVING ME MAD

13. This one’s just me being ridiculous and dumb because I think it’s funny but I’m still kind of mad we didn’t get an Elma post-credits. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT X HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED LIKE COME ON. They could’ve even given us KOS-MOS or T-ELOS but they didn’t! Fucking cowards.

14. So... Fogbeasts got kind of explained, finally? But why were they in Bionis’ Shoulder? And why did we never see them in Alrest? I’m very confused by this.

15. Most egregious of all- NO TYREA AGAIN. Which singlehandedly makes this trash. Justice for Tyrea. The only way this can be redeemed is if Eunie is canonically Tyrea’s daughter. There was a guy in Future Connected who had a crush on Tyrea so just fucking send it Monolith

TL;DR- Too short. Not enough of... well, not enough game, really. XC3 proper only having 7 chapters wasn’t enough for it but that honestly would’ve probably been about the perfect length for Future Redeemed, but. Alas. I can’t say I was disappointed, really, but I also don’t know that it met my expectations... much like XC3 proper, I’m very conflicted about this.

[lee-hatchett]

Lee hadn't planned to Volunteer.

It was a nightmare of a situation, to be sure. Lee was forced to be on stage with the other Victors, including Linden, fresh off her win only to be in that damned bowl again. He felt helpless, looking out at the crowd of faces. All of them in danger. All of them at risk. All of them hoping against hope it wasn't them. No one's odds had ever been this good, but then again, so many of them had gone up from zero percent. How could you draw breath in a scene like that?

There was ice in the silence amongst the District as the anthem played to their unhearing ears, and ice in the glaze of their eyes as the propos video played. The Peacekeepers in the crowds and on stage stiffened visibly as the video concluded, and then it was all Linden. Poor, small, Linden. What a terrible thing. She could draw herself, again, and Ellie would be... no. Lee couldn't think of that right now.

In fact, he didn't get the chance to. Linden was clearly scared, but she wasn't about to defy the Peacekeepers with weapons on stage. Her hand plunged deep into the bowl. It rotated once, twice. What a concept. Lee had always seen the Escorts do that, and it had always felt so cruel. So pointless. To stir the names before drawing. After all, what difference did it make? It had always seemed to him a nasty performance, as if to say, See? It's all equal. But now he saw it differently. He could almost feel the fire on his own fingers as she dug deep, probably chanting to herself, Someone I don't know. Not me. Not my friends.

She called a name, and Lee's breath fell from his chest. He didn't recognize it. He instantly bit his lip, angry with himself. How could he be glad at a time like this? But then again, how could he not? It wasn't Bluejay. It wasn't Juniper. It wasn't Elma. It wasn't any of the workers at the lumberyards with him. It wasn't his father's old drinking friends. It wasn't Bluejay's first girlfriend, or the patient Juniper had mended at the hospital. It wasn't any of the previous names he'd heard before, ushered to their deaths, and left families behind. He didn't recognize the name, and he was grateful. It wasn't him.

Someone shuffled forward from the crowd. Lee couldn't make out their form properly - the Peacekeepers were so tightly surrounding them. Even when brought onto stage, the escort lined behind the Tribute, blocking them from Lee's view at the back of the stage.

But Lee once again wasn't given time to catch his breath, because Linden's hand was already in the bowl again. Who knew what her reasoning was - maybe she felt she needed to be equitable. Maybe she felt she had pressed her luck with the deep end of the bowl. Maybe she, like Lee, now saw the futility of the gesture and wanted nothing more to have the ceremony be over so they could move on. But her hand was barely in the bowl when she snatched a piece of paper off the top. Her voice was like a Peacekeeper's gunshot.

"Alder Reid."

Lee's head snapped sideways, his jaw agape, as he looked for Alder. No, no, no! This couldn't be happening. He looked for Forest, for anyone on that stage. This was unreal. There was no way. With all the population of Seven here, the odds of this were astronomical. It couldn't be happening.

His breath fell full into his lungs. Lee took a half step forward, but no further. A Peacekeeper behind him grabbed him by the waist and pulled him back. Suddenly there was no air in his lungs anymore - he felt the cold metal of a pistol press deep into his ribs, pressing the breath out of him.

"Don't," someone growled in his ear. "Don't do a damn thing. Or you'll die right here, and he will still go into the Arena." And then there was nothing. Alder was gone - a mob of Peacekeepers doing their dutiful jobs. Linden was gone, the Escort escorted away. Forest was gone, ushered into the capital building with the other Tribute. It seemed like it was just Lee, alone on stage with the entirety of Seven watching, as he lost his breath. It didn't come in gasps, it didn't come in heaves. It simply wasn't there.

The barrel of the gun dug further into his back. He followed its lead, stumbling forward. A second Peacekeeper materialized, grabbing him by the elbow. Then a third, taking his shoulder, then a fourth, jabbing him in the back to move. So he moved. He moved.

Something in his soul moved, too.

No, Lee Hatchett had not planned to Volunteer. But he had found a calling all the same.

[46ten]

Hi! Happy to see you back. I don't know if you're still answering to asks because I know it takes a lot of work and time, but if you do, can you talk about the Manhattan Well Murder trial of 1800 and whatever is known about Alexander working on that case?

Hello! And thank you!

There's lots of material covering the Weeks case - whole books, podcasts, and another podcast, and another (that has a transcript here with citations, written by Hayward etc. - if you're looking for just some quick details of Hamilton's cross-examinations of witnesses during the trial, see that doc). There's also a full copy of the transcript of the trial, which is what distinguishes it - it is the first murder trial in the U.S. for which we have a full transcript, not the first murder trial. (I wrote a super short summary about the murder trial for Ann (Nancy) Cary Randolph's stillborn baby, a few decades before she married Gouverneur Morris.)

I also recommend parts 1, 2, and 3 from Statutesandstories.com (more stuff from this blog coming up - I've linked to it in the past for new work on the constitutional convention).

To focus only on AH, a few things stand out:

1. Levi was the brother of Ezra Weeks, a NY builder who built the Grange - AH pays Ezra around $8500. As a carpenter, Levi very likely participated in his brother's business. Ezra was also a chief defense witness providing an alibi for Levi (potential conflict of interest - though Burr's was worse).

2. Colleagues (and descendants - JCH and Allan McLane H) of AH maintained he would not have taken the case if he did not believe beforehand in Weeks' innocence - that he would not have argued for a case where he believed the defendant to be guilty (or the principle to be incorrect). He was such a moral man, and all that.

3. AH and Burr (and Brockholst Livingston, the other defense attorney) laid out their defense in an op-ed to the NY Post before the trial even started.

4. AH waived delivering closing arguments, as the facts/evidence were so clear on Weeks' innocence.

5. Part of the defense was to argue that Elma Sands was "promiscuous" and melancholy and depressed - therefore suicidal. Nice insight into AH's way of thinking - premarital sex as a very short slide to even worse behavior.

6. According to Allan McLane Hamilton (so who knows if it's true), Elma's cousin, Catherine Rings, famously cursed all the members of the trial who did not get her sister justice, stating they would not die natural deaths or something. Judge Lansing, who pretty much instructed the jury to acquit, disappeared in 1829. And we all know what happened to AH and Burr. Livingston killed a man in a duel in 1799.

[I don't think Levi Weeks murdered Elma Sands, if anyone is curious!]

As an aside, although I don't check the feed/suggestions consistently, I do check my activity/messages/inboxes fairly regularly. Their are some inquiries I have ignored - like a request to write a report about Theodosia Burr - but ask a question specific enough, and I'll usually try to find at least a reference/source.

[beantothemax]

ghostie excerpt

Without much else to do until breakfast was served, Crick watched the others at the table. Near the head sat a man in the clerical robes of Flamechurch. He had a mop of black hair and eyes that gleamed bronze in the sunlight. Somewhere, Crick would swear he had seen him before. 

Down the side of the table the man sat at was a cluster of people. Elma, a broadly-built man with dark hair and grey eyes, a slender man with similar hair and darker eyes, and a man with white hair and red eyes that jumped from face to face before landing fixedly on Crick. 

Crick shifted his gaze uncomfortably. He didn’t much like the feeling of eyes on him. 

On the other side of the table was Pirro, a dark-skinned boy with black hair, and a woman with brown hair and ashen skin. The woman wore a purple silk gown and an ornate necklace, and spoke to the two men as though they were her sons. Perhaps they were. 

Beside the woman was an empty chair, and beside that sat Maria. A woman with messy brown hair and a flashy dress sat on Maria’s other side, chatting avidly to her about her daughter. 

“Oh, she’s simply beautiful, Maria. When the Festival of Grace rolls around, I will be in the front row to watch my girl shine. Can you believe it? Only eighteen and already on her way to be a star… I’m so proud.” 

Near where Crick sat- in fact, right beside him- sat Pontiff Jörg. He had taken his mitre off, and looked quite at peace. 

“Your Holiness…” Crick murmured, biting back the bile of guilt. The pontiff looked up at him and smiled, recognition in his eyes. 

“Ah, Sir Crick. I was wondering when you would arrive. Yes, you had us all on tenterhooks. Dear boy, I’m sorry about your mission. I do hope my clue was enough to guide you and Temenos to the truth?” 

Crick bowed his head. The note in the pages of that tome… That was what had started this all. That was what had brought them to Stormhail, and inevitably- 

“Yes, it was. I cannot thank you enough, Your Holiness,” he said, and the pontiff nodded. That was the end of the conversation. 

Beside Crick sat Kura and another man dressed in fine silks, a diamond emblem on his shoulder. They were discussing something about a warring nation and the wellbeing of their son. 

“I do hope he’s okay…” Kura murmured, and the man placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

“My love, I’m certain he will be fine. He has many a great companion at his side, and his prowess with the blade is unlike any I have seen before. He will be alright.”

crick and his horrible awful no good very bad awkward ghost thanksgiving dinner

[ehksidian]

Sorry, gotta ask another question. Who is your favorite character in each of the numbered xenoblade games (and XBX, if you want)?

in 1: shulk! that's a given, obviously, he';s the MC and gets the most put into him. i love how [MASSIVE SPOILERS] and then [SPOILERS] happens it's my favorite moment as a character thing (i don't wanna spoil it since it IS a major thing and i respect xb1)

in 2: niaaaaaaaa my girlllllllll. i already did the big trans allegory post but just in general i love her. fun fact! i headcanon her va as my ff14 character's voice. and yeah her giving malos super cancer after revealing her blade eater powers was great (i don't care about spoiling it because i don't respect xb2)

in 3: eunie is the immediate gut choice because god. girl. you just. you sure are. you sure fucking are the bus, girl. i love eunie a lot she's probably my second fav xenoblade character. woman.

in x: elma, obviously, she's the main character. she's just, idk, i like her! but also shoutout to HB, second favorite because of just how...HB he is.

[kuipernebula]

Lots to say about the direct (given I was at work for... all of it)

Tears of the Kingdom remains looking sick as fuck. Actual gameplay this time - Link's fucked up arm seems to be replacing the Sheikah Slate abilities, which makes sense, given Zelda likely has the Slate right now. (And is in an unclear state of mortality) I do wonder who she's asking to lend him strength, though... Also, probably Ganondorf's voice!

Splatoon 3 DLC is just "Hey what if Splatoon were Nier?" I'm excited to get into Marina's backstory. (Are we playing as Marina...?)

Etrian Odyssey remake... I don't hate it, in fact I may buy it to play through 2 and 3 with the new portraits and stuff (especially if they include more classes in each game?)

NEW LAYTON NEW LAYTON NEW LAYTON NEW LAY- [This goes on for several hours] It seems to take place after the original trilogy, but before Brothers and Mystery Journey, given Luke is in official art and is using his original look (slightly updated) Which means we're free to bring Emmy and Flora back with any luck. Flora might even get gasp agency in the plot! Or at the very least a personality.

Who the fuck asked for a new Samba di Amigo? (I'm not mad just curious)

Bayonetta Origins looks fun, though Bayonetta as a franchise is in a bit of a... state right now

Prime Remastered! I'm not an FPS guy, so I was never big on the Prime games, but I'm glad for y'all who are into it

It's about fucking time Birdo got added to Mario Kart 8. She did NOT break barriers in video games to get forgotten constantly. Also the Yoshi's Island track looks really good

Magolor from Kirby has his own game and it's just Amazing Mirror again. This is not a bad thing

Wish I could care about Xenoblade 3 DLC but I'm still partway through X, then I gotta go through the Switch version of 1 and play through 2... Apparently Rex and Shulk are here Some-Fucking-How???? (Adult Rex is looking good! And so is older Shulk! I wonder if Elma will show up somehow...?)

[arsenicmuffin8]

Facts about Elma's species

- They have *highly* lethal venom in their spikes they hide inside skin pockets.

-They have the strength of a moose and they are **very** hard to unalive

- They lay eggs in the ground. The pressure and cold of the soil on Eris incubates their young.

- They mate for life and have tentacles.

- Their height is usually 7 feet to 7 foot 9 and usually gentle giants towards humans

- They speak English although they learn human languages quickly, their native tongue is only written.

- They are vegetarian

- They can't taste salt

- They can survive pretty much any temperature

- Males are very overprotective

- Their irises are a dark gold shade to shades of green while their eyes are full black

- They have 2 mouths, one for eating, one for speaking

- males have an extra tentacle for breeding

- males are highly aggressive when their mates are involved in any danger or conflict

- They make a rattle noise in aggression when provoked

Left is male right is female

That's Elma ⬆️

The other pics were older so they aren't as detailed but I'll put more

[ask-rowans-sides]

(I hope you dont mind ooc questions!)

What is the reason for the side's new designs? (Or for yew's case, their design in general)

(that's totally okay haha, answering this one as me :3)

So their designs haven't changed loads! I'm not sure if you mean from the way back og drawing I did or the very recent one

-

The biggest change from the most recent one was the hairstyles (because I got a new haircut that I really liked, so I wanted to give that to my sides in some way) and hair colours - this is mostly to represent the fact that I change hair colours a lot and so that I wouldn't feel bad about their designs not representing me when I did so, I gave them all various colours!

Wisteria's dress changed in the first redesign because I want it to be something she could move around in more easily. If I had the motivation/energy to do so I'd draw them again with more redesigned features - I imagine wisteria with antlers and Hazel with big raven wings, for example.

As for the others, the biggest change in the first redesign was outfit upgrades just because the original original ones weren't super thought out, so I did more thinking on them.

Aspen's function has changed a little from rebellion to impulse, they still do the exact same thing, I just like the sound of it more

Obviously Sequoia got faer existance in the first redesign so they were entirely new, I felt like needed a side to encompass my intelligence because my logic stand in (Elma, now Eden, who's name I changed on a whim based on the song, because I didn't want her to quite fit in with the others) wasn't cutting it.

As for Yew, my original design of them came from a picrew and my thought process was someone who was intimidating in a hot way. They're entirely greyscale and very Frankenstein's monster esque with all the stitched up parts because of the idea that my sleep schedule is ruined and in pieces :3

They're named Yew because yew trees are often found in graveyards since they thrive from the nutrients given out by decomposing bodies :3

[incrediblebeasties]

Dogged by climate change and human hunters, a mammoth’s life is written in her tusks

Elma spent most of her time in two regions about 1000 kilometers apart, one in eastern Alaska, the other in western Yukon. Both are rich in signs of human presence. Artifacts at Elma’s final resting place, Swan Point, date back 14,000 years. The site “is largely regarded as the earliest unequivocal evidence for human occupation in Beringia,” the now partly submerged land between Alaska and Siberia.

The fact that Kik and Elma largely traveled the same trails, despite being separated by 4000 years, suggests consistent, predictable movement patterns, the authors say. As with modern game animals such as elk, that may have allowed humans to plan hunting camps around their presence. Swan Point contains the same types of small, razorlike projectile blades known to have felled Siberian mammoths some 30,000 years earlier.

DNA from Elma’s tusks revealed she was closely related to previously excavated juvenile and infant mammoths at Swan Point.

At the very least, the juvenile and neonate were probably hunted by humans.

Elma herself might have been felled by humans: Isotopes in the outermost layers of her tusks suggest she was healthy and well-nourished when she died.