#fight against corona

[antiquepearlss]

Tangled The Series would have been very different if Varian were voiced by John Mulaney, huh?

[lastflowerofyourhouse]

ok. actually. inspired by this poll.

how would the canaan house teams fare if asked to take care of an egg?

for our purposes today we will assume that they've been asked to take care of the eggs for 1 week, and they are required to carry them around when they go places.

2: judith and marta would pull through. i think they'd have a padded/reinforced pouch or pocket, they'd keep it in a very specific place on their persons, and they'd always know who was supposed to have it. the only thing i can see happening to it is if they picked a fight with someone who went out of their way to break it out of spite, which is not impossible but i think it's too specific of a situation to count against them.

3: ianthe and corona left to their own devices would lose it immediately. unless it was somehow really important and ianthe was dedicated to taking care of it, but in general i think she'd find this assignment to be beneath her. naberius introduces a wild card, though. i think the twins would pawn it off on him and he'd do his best as a single mother and then like. gideon shoulder checks him in a hallway and he drops it.

4: jeannemary and isaac could do it, i think. through the power of friendship and adult supervision, they could do it.

5: the fifth are both measured, responsible, and not terribly active. they'd be great at this. keeping that egg unbroken would barely be a blip on their mental radars.

6: this feels like something they'd actually have to do in the sixth house. i think camilla is absolutely invaluable in completing the task (pal would accidentally sit on it if she weren't here) but ultimately i think they make it out okay.

7: cytherea is ten thousand years old. she either leaves it on a table and forgets about it immediately or she gets. a little too attached to it. like kinda freaking people out levels of invested in this egg. if it were up to dulcie and pro, i think one of them would drop it. i can't justify it they just give me that vibe. they have bigger things to worry about.

8: their chances of making it out with the egg intact are solid. they seem focused enough to pull it off at least, and one of them is fully in his thirties. however i do think gideon would make it her life's mission to break it on purpose.

9: harrow encases it in bone and carries it inside her robes at all times. gideon is also there. somehow it still ends up broken.

[katakaluptastrophy]

I want to continue pushing my 'Magnus Quinn wasn't actually a terrible swordfighter' agenda.

Obviously, he wasn't on the same level as professional duelists Babs or Pro, or soldiers Marta or Jean. He was a guy who did some kind of fencing in high school and then picked it up again in his 30s, presumably with some degree of seriousness.

When Gideon joins the other cavaliers in the training room, Magnus and Jean are sparring. He jokes about how badly Jean is beating him, but he must have some degree of competence for aspiring soldier Jean to find him worth training with. Babs then mocks him for getting beaten by a teenager and Magnus jokes, describes himself as "absolutely no good", and praises Jean's abilities...before giving Babs such a death glare he gets obviously embarrassed.

It's worth bearing in mind that there's some degree of tension between the Third and the Fifth. Babs will have know Magnus since he was small and has almost certainly seen him fight before. But the Fifth, their relationship, and the relative freedom that Magnus has to not be a perfect fighter (because his necromancer values him as a human being) is clearly something that rankles the Third. In TUG, when Ianthe talks about Babs, she explicitly references Abigail and Magnus. And what's interesting is that she makes a comparison not just between Abigail's husband-with-a-sword and her perfect tool to be moulded and used, but also to Corona's aspirations to swordcraft:

IANTHE (Playing a card) She’s not here, so let me be fully honest, Sextus: my sister is not a swordswoman. She loves to wear big boots and wave a sword around, and she looks wonderful doing it, but her actual competence … well, put it this way: she’d lose to Magnus Quinn.

PALAMEDES Magnus Quinn was a cavalier primary.

IANTHE No, I mean Magnus Quinn now.

There's...a lot...to unpack here: the comparison of Corona to the husband-cavalier is intriguing in and of itself on a psychosexual level, as is the contradiction between Ianthe and Corona's own versions of Corona's competence. But Palamedes' response is also interesting, suggesting that Magnus was up to an acceptable standard for a cavalier, which Ianthe's joking response seems to back up.

So Babs' rudeness towards Magnus and Jean may have a lot to do with the internal dynamics of his own necromancer-cavalier relationship and not necessarily be an accurate reflection of Magnus' abilities.

Likewise, Judith's comment in the Cohort Intelligence Files that the Fifth is 'undoubtedly chagrined" to have "schoolboy fighter" Magnus representing them had to be read against the fact that we know from the Sermon on Necromancers and Cavaliers by Second House stooge M. Bias that the Cohort has a very low opinion of unranked "social cavaliers". And Judith Deuteros may have her own reasons for being disdainful of a cavalier who is so...cavalier...about his intimate relationship with his adept.

Magnus' own self-deprecating comment on his ability is:

"I didn’t get to be cavalier primary due to being the best with a rapier. I’m cavalier primary only because my adept is also my wife. I suppose you could say that I—ha, ha—cavalier primarried!”

But again, there's a difference between becoming cavalier primary because you're the best sword fighter and getting up to a vaguely competent level once you've become cavalier primary (guys in their 30s with high powered jobs tend to be scarily into their hobbies...) He is definitely the worst cavalier there (or would be, if Pro were actually alive), but on a general standard he probably isn't as terrible as people like to joke.

Another important bit of context here is that all of his comments about his own ability occur in the context of Corona trying to get him to fight Gideon. The shy, silent 18 year old from the cult planet whose practice of cavaliership is generally acknowledged to mostly consist of carrying buckets of bones.

She gets paired with Magnus because they assume she's not going to be much of a fighter and Magnus - neither a professional duelist nor a soldier - would therefore be the fairest opponent. Magnus is clearly uncomfortable. And Gideon is certainly Intimidating. But when you consider that most of his previous interactions with her have been trying to coax her out of her shell and clearly feeling rather sorry for her, his comments take on a bit of a different tone.

Does Magnus worry Corona has dragged along this poor kid out of interest or curiosity, and that she's going to be humiliated and never want to interact with them again? As Corona says “Come—Gideon the Ninth, right?—why don’t you try Sir Magnus instead? Don’t believe him when he says he’s rubbish. The Fifth House is meant to turn out very fine cavaliers," Magnus is politely dissembling, telling exactly the sort of jokes that would appeal to a teenager.

As everyone else mocks or is intrigued by Gideon's knuckle-knives, Magnus is trying to look her in the eye through her sunglasses, bewildered that she doesn't know to take off her robes or glasses to fight and then...suddenly realising that she is dead serious and perhaps he has dramatically underestimated her.

After his defeat, we hear him saying to Jean "I'm not quite that out of form, am I?". Gideon's abilities were totally unexpected: she severely tests a top duelist like Babs, and Magnus is surprised to be beaten in three moves. That suggests he's been holding his own rather more comprehensively in previous sparring.

And while he certainly wasn't up to Gideon's standard, he may have managed to draw his sword before Cytherea took him out...

[immadatdisney2]

What are some of your favorite VAT7K headcanons (personal or popular within the fandom)??

My first question!

Okay, so I'll list my favorites because I have WAY too many

Nurus dress has pockets (as all dresses should)

Hugo hates having his hair down because he doesn't like how it feels when it brushes against his neck

Olivia can play music through her little speakers

Hugo's is basically a polyglot and his main languages are English, French and Igvarian

When they aren't fighting, Hugo and Nuru love to braid each other's hair

When Varian finds out Yong loves baking, he always sets some time aside to awake with him after each trial

Hugo has a bad habit of picking his nails till they bleed when he's stressed or anxious, so to help Varian starting painting his nails just like he would with Rapunzel back in Corona

One time for his birthday, Donella got Hugo a pair of Goggles with his same glasses prescription so he could actually use them functionally

Hugo will eat anything but he's not a big fan of meat, avoids it when he can and seafood makes him sick to his stomach

Hugo steals and wears Nurus earrings just to piss her off

Hugo never bully's Nuru when she's on her period, always makes sure she has some kind of tea or hot towel and makes sure the others don't bother her if she's uncomfortable (especially Varian who will most likely pass our just knowing she's bleeding)

Yong got really good at playing pranks thanks to Hugo

thease are just a couple of my favorites (sorry for so many Hugo he's, he's kinda my favorite) and let me know if you'd like to hear anymore!!! <3<3<3

[gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat]

Group H, Round 1, Poll 9:

Propaganda under the cut

Ianthe Tridentarius

She is trying so hard to be the main character by lying and manipulating her sister, her cavalier, her mentor, her ?love interests? (Spoiler???) And also god. Not sure how it's working out for her but she does love to lie and manipulate

Worstie Ianthe is the DEFINITION of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. She is one of a set of necromancer twins that are the heirs to their houses rule. Except wait, only she is a necromancer and she has spent their entire lives doing necromancy for the both of them. She is constantly mean to their cavalier, Naberius, who she occasionally nibbles on like a chew toy, before eventually killing and eating him to ascend to sainthood. She goes to gods spaceship with another woman who ascended to sainthood who she has a crush on, this other woman is like…. Both incredibly mentally unwell and also haunted by at least 211 ghosts. Ianthes method of flirting with her? Gaslighting her about the corpse that keeps moving around and hiding under her bed. For no real reason tbh. She is clearly plotting to overthrow god, and at the moment that consists of her manipulating him while he’s too sad about his long term partners betraying him and subsequently exploding to really care. She dresses in terrible outfits and makes soup by burning onions to the bottom of a pot, putting meat in and some vegetables and then it doesn’t taste like anything so she puts in a few teaspoons of salt so it tastes like a few teaspoons of salt. She had her crush amputate her arm and regrow her a new one out of bone and it’s one of the horniest things I’ve read in my life.

"Gaslight = told her lobotomized (she helped), schizophrenic girlobsession that there was no corpse under their bed, even tho there totally was. Gatekeep = girl did NOT share the secret to god-like ascension. She kept that shit to herself until it was time to eat her boytoy, and by then everyone knew already. Girlboss = she has a non-necromancer twin sister, and literally Everyone thinks they r both necromancers because Ianthe is so good at it. She reverse engineered ascending to the aforementioned ascension without even completing any of the supplementary tasks. She held her own in a fight against a 10k year old lyctor. She becomes the figurehead of her entire empire. "

She uses a man as a chewtoy in the first book, literally gaslights the protagonist of the second book about a corpse, and elder-abuses God when he gets depressed in the third book. Nobody is doing it like her.

Dives headfirst with no regrets while basically laughing and covered in blood into murdering her cavalier once she realizes what the gothic locked room mystery/competition leads to while everyone else is questioning it, helps perform lobotomy on harrow so she doesn't remember the person she loves, manipulates everyone to get to the top

idk just everything about her

her relationship with her sister is incredibly Bad, she fosters codependency and views Corona(the sister) as an extension of herself. This does not stop her from keeping up the con that Corona actually has magic (She doesn't, it was always just Ianthe) for 22ish years and every single person who interacts with them falls for it. She killed a man against his will (most dying for this purpose specifically go willingly) and she consumed him and she will be burning his soul for eternity. She's completely repulsive and still somehow incredibly hot.

she takes advantage of the fact that the main character is prone to hallucinations. at one point she gaslights the mc into believing that the corpse under her bed isn't real just because she can. she reverse engineered a set of very complex trials on her own without anyone realizing she had the skills to complete them normally. she's also babysat god through his drunk and pathetic era.

Artist:@starcanist

Remy the Rat

Gaslight- 'hmm? Me? Steal papers? I'm just an innocent little ratty rat.' Gatekeep- I would debate he's gatekeeping food and taste from the other rats because they just don't GET it. Ugh! Girlboss- doesn't he own a rat restaurant at the end?

[tarnishedsilverjewelry]

Can I request Khaos Realm Smoke x earthrealm reader about reader traveling to Khaos Realm to retrieve Geras and runs into Khaos Smoke who is instantly smitten by the reader and will rescue her every chance he has?

a/n: DHAJRBSJDBEH this is such a good ideaaaa. You didn’t specify if reader had powers or if reader was like Johnny Cage who’s hands were just rated e for everyone so I gave reader powers, similar to how Raiden got his powers this timeline, I imagine her as this timelines Cetrion:3 but she’s lowkey got a southern accent

[also to add on sorry it’s taken to actually get this out I lowkey hate the khaos realm skins (just bc of the absolutely unnecessary amount of Mohawks used) so this was a little difficult to write😭😭]

Warnings: my attempt at writing fight scenes and canon type violence

You grew up close with Raiden purely because your sisters were close when younger, being the first friend made since moving to the village

That quickly morphed into a genuine friendship between yourself, Raiden, and Kung Lao (when he finally accepted you weren’t into him like that)

So when Liu Kang brought them to train, you came with. Training was much more intense than with Madame Bo, but you were still determined to do good.

You were not the Earthrealm champion, Raiden beat you fair and square. But not without a fight, a very long fight. Once Raiden was determined to be the champion, he gifted your friend an amulet that allowed him to control lightning

There you were also gifted two items, that when worn worked together to allow your control over the elements. During your training you also found out that you could create elements to use in battle too

It was beautiful, truly. Two thin twigs bound together wrapping around your forehead, and coming together on a simple knot. In your left temple was three crystalline butterflies that fluttered occasionally, but did not fly off from your headband. Behind you, you wore a segmented crystal butterfly shaped Coronas

Throughout your time with these items you learned to fight against enemies who held such power you couldn’t comprehend.

But now, in the Khaos realm you felt helpless. For the sake of keeping a low profile you had taken off your headband and put your butterfly Coronas into a sack.

You felt somewhat helpless without them, but did not doubt your training and ability to defend yourself.

When all things went to hell, and the group fought amongst multiples Havik you were quick to put your headband on, which activated your coronas again. Now with your abilities again, it was easier to fight the hoards to half faced Haviks

And when they were put down easily enough, you were joined by Khaos versions of both friends and enemies including Ashrah, Nitara, and your very good friend Tomas.

Tomas walked confidently into the fields of the arena. These lackeys of Liu Kang and Earthrealm stood no chance against him.

But then, when he looked at you, something changed. He changed. He knew what it was, you were beautiful. Strong but lithe figure—slightly smaller than average— backlit by dimly glowing green crystals.

His heart, which once burned to death Khaos to the realms only, now stuttered at the mere sight of you.

You were..Indescribable, truly

Long hair pulled back against your head, battle ready in a thought suit that showed all your luxurious curves and glorious muscles. Quietly, he purred.

Oh he knew he couldn’t have you. You were not an exotic bird to caged (unlike what most thought here), no you were a piece of art. Destined to be admired by all, to bring emotion out of even the coldest heart.

You were meant for much more than him, and he would not keep you from getting away from this. Not when any longer here and you would begin to chip and crack and fade. So when Nitara attacked, he jumped in from behind you. Pushing his feet into her vile face.

How dare she try and destroy your beauty. He slammed her head into the dirt ground, shattering her skull instantly. Turning, you were already distracted by another.

This time, he got to admire how easily you used the earth to kill off enemies. It was incredible, the way the earth moved around you like water. Not even the toughest stone was immune to your power.

Tomas followed you through the tunnels, eyes trained upon you and only you. His eyes did not stray downward, he wouldn’t let himself take pleasure from your figure. Not if you wouldn’t allow him to

When the walls closed down around you, and all Havik did was laugh, he finally spoke up. “This tunnel, is not an exit. But an entrance. The path is ever changing and designed to kill.” He panted, throwing his hands up in surrender when they prepared to kill him.

A part of him thought he deserved it, he had committed mass atrocities against humanity all in Haviks name. But he would not let them kill you. Not if he could help it.

Tomas thanked whatever god there was aside from Havik that when the group was separated, he was with you.

He did not speak to them, they only glared at him. He did not speak when Cyrax and Scorpion fought. He did not speak when the other man made snarky remarks. He only watched you, quietly keeping you from disappearing stone or small but sly traps.

It was not his place to speak, during any of it. He knew that, and he knew you disliked and distrusted him. And it was good you did, if he were anyone else they would have struck by now

When finally reunited with the other, and taken to Citadel he stuck behind you, admiring the small strands of long hair that had fallen out of place.

“Do not try to make sense of this place, anything is possible in Haviks realm.” He warned them, watching anger fall over them. He knew it wasn’t his place to speak, but he was rewarded by your sweet voice. “Is that the foundry? Up ahead?”

Oh your voice was sweet, softer than anything he’d ever heard before and sweeter than the candy he stole as a boy. It fell from your pretty mouth so delicately.

It was such a lovely sound, one he’d savor in his last moments and in the quiet nights before Havel would eventually call for his death. If he survived making sure you did, anyways.

“Yes. That’s where your friend would be if he truly is here.” Tanya confirmed. He heard it, distantly. Too in awe of your voice, your slight but twangy accent

When the ground around you crumbled, he pulled you into his chest and jumped onto hopefully soldi ground. Quickly, you elbowed him in the face and freed yourself from his grip. And when you looked down to see Cyrax laying there helpless, you raised a hand in a claw like motion and helped her to safety

Tomas scowled deeply when Noob Saibot appeared. He had been Haviks latest pet project, ever arrogant and strong. But most of all, he was threat to you.

Tomas was lucky both you and he went unnoticed in the fight. But you, were oh so sweet and kind and rushed to his side. “This power…it is nothing I’ve ever felt. Lord Liu Kang could help us, he may the only one who can.” You frowned, a sad look forming on your sweet face.

Sektor frowned, and tried to argue. But Scorpion agreed with you, shutting her up. Gently, he offered a hand a pulled you to your feet.

He smiled slightly at the feeling of your hands in his.

Inside the foudry, you took the lead peering out a small and destressed sounding “Geras!”

Once your Geras was freed, you placed a gentle hand in his and pulled him up. “[Y/n]” he groaned, voice hoarse. You placed a hand on his forearm and squeezed gently, this seemed to be a placeholder for a hug. Perhaps you two were close. “Geras, we have the kamidogu. We must leave, quickly!” Geras nodded, and quickly teleported you all away. Just as Havik and his men were charging.

Once safely away from Havik, and while Liu Kang was treating what was formerly Bi Han, you motioned for Tomas to follow you away from the group.

“You..have helped me. Why?” Tomas smiled widely. Straight to the point, he liked that in a woman. “You are…art. You do not deserve to be a victim of Havik. You cannot be replicated nor replaced. You are one of a kind, and I only recently learned your name but..my heart yearns for you.” He looked away from you.

“I will take you nor will I cage you like a pet. You are destined for much more than me. But I…i cannot let you be hurt. I must keep you safe. So you may achieve the greatness I know you will.” You stammered.

“I..thank you, Tomas. I’m sorry, I—I don’t know what else to say to you.” Tomas chuckled deeply. “Do not thank me. Just survive. Even if Havik finds me, and kills me for defying him. My purpose will have been fulfilled. So long you are safe.” Smiling at him, you reached for him and wrapped him in a hug.

Your hands wrapped around his stomach, and his stayed wrapped springs your shoulders. Oh yes, his purpose had been fulfilled. So long as he kept you safe, nothing else mattered.

[hugogetspowerbottomed]

VARIGO CANON COMPLIANT ROUNDUP

A collection of all the Canonverse Varigo that I've enjoyed over the past three years. It is likely that there are a few missing due to them being deleted or my memory being poor. Nonetheless, pls enjoy.

Mature: +++ Explicit: *** Not Rated: 0

Teen/Gen: Not Marked

hello to my old heart by izabellwit

“Why do you trust me so much?”

Or: the beginning of the end for the betrayer. In which Hugo asks a long-overdue question, and gets the answer he never wanted to hear.

Say You Won't Let Go (I Won't) by DragonTalyn

Hugo needs some reassurance that Varian isn't going to leave

The Simple Act of Scraps Unraveling by @hybrix-hidings

There is a moment, on the trail to the library, where Varian realizes that he will love this man.

-

Or: Hugo and Varian enjoy a show, barefaced.

(Prompt #2 - Fireworks)

Snippets in Time by @sonicgetsrawed

Snippets of Varian’s adventures through the seven kingdoms to save his mother.

Darling you look perfect tonight by @the-reverse-mermaid

Hugo, Varian and Yong are invited to a winter holiday event in Nuru's kingdom, but one of them is having significantly less fun than the others… Hugo is already feeling insecure when a snobby noble decides to turn her nose up at him and make everything worse. Good thing his friends are there for him.

Small Chocolate Confections by @glitter-lisp +++

Sending Varian in to distract their target isn’t ideal, but someone has to keep him occupied while Hugo searches his room, and the duke made his interest pretty clear at dinner last night.

Hugo’s fine with that. Hugo’s very good at what he does, and so focused on the task at hand, and completely unbothered by the thought of Varian hanging out with a handsome guy who's probably feeding him fancy little desserts and talking about how rich he is while Hugo crawls around upstairs looking for loose floorboards and secret drawers.

Save Your Convictions (They Never Will Do) by @littlemisslol-fic

Varian and Hugo return to Corona after the events of the Varian and the Seven Kingdoms AU, with mixed reception. Turns out Rapunzel won't hold a grudge against people who slight her, but if they hurt her friends? And then show up still dating said friend?

Let's just say Hugo's got a storm coming.

The Dating Game by @littlemisslol-fic

In which Rapunzel, bless her heart, didn't know Varian and Hugo are dating, and thus takes it upon herself to find her darling baby brother a man of proper pedigree if it kills her. However, bloodlines aren't everything, and her choices are... less than stellar.

Darling, so It Goes (Some Things Are Meant to Be) by @littlemisslol-fic

My submissions for Effin' Varigo week! Big thanks to battybatzgirl for setting it up!

Hugo and Varian have been dating for three years, and are finally ready to take their relationship to somewhere a lot more serious. However, the world has other plans. With Hugo's proposal in shambles, and Varian focused on saving their friends, they think things can't really get any worse.

They would be wrong.

Prompts are Family ‧ Firework ‧ Fever ‧ Flirt ‧ Fight/Forgive ‧ Future ‧ and Free Day!

as long as it leaves a mark by @aziraphalesbookkeeper

For a guy who never takes off his gloves, Varian sure does lose them a lot. It’s not really the gloves Hugo notices though—it’s the scars underneath them.

Or: 5 times Hugo tries to take off Varian's gloves + 1 time he doesn't have to.

Whumptober Day 27: Scars AILESS Whumptober Day 9: Scar Reveal

We Carry Through by @aziraphalesbookkeeper

Adjusting to living in the castle with Varian is hard. Going from having nothing to having everything makes Hugo feel...twitchy. Luckily, there's one person who knows exactly what he's going through. Unfortunately, it's Fitzherbert.

Prompt: Family

The Touch of Sunlight by TheArtistsMuse ***

Varian was used to being kidnapped- as sad as that sounds- but he can always trust his friends to save him. Only this time was different, and now something is deeply bothering Hugo. Will Varian be able to get his secretive boyfriend to open up? Will they be able to figure out why he was taken?

... Will Varian be able to hide his very inconveniently timed sexual awakening?

meteor shower by @oshunalchemy 0

varian has a nightmare.

Wither and Decay by @eggmuffinwaffles

The Moonstone and the Sundrop were gone, the trials were completed, the Eternal Library was opened. Everything in Corona had returned to as close to normal as it could possibly get- but Corona seems to have a habit of attracting trouble. When old enemies arise, bent on her downfall, it will take more than just quick wit and luck to ensure that they fail.

My Head's Above The Rain and Roses by @eggmuffinwaffles

Whumptober Day 5: Every Whumpee Needs

Varian, Hugo, Nuru and Yong decide to go camping for the first time in a while after the trials. What could go wrong?

The answer is everything. Everything can go wrong.

Aka Part 1/3 of Hugo learning to like the TTS gang

Maybe if You Fixed the Whole World by Yourself by @eggmuffinwaffles

Whumptober Day 7: The Way You Shake and Shiver

Hugo had a really unfortunate habit of ruining his own life. It wasn’t intentional- if you asked him, he’d swear up and down that he played absolutely no part in causing his entire life to go up in flames, and yet time after time he would keep doing it. Funny how consequences work.

Maybe he was being a little bit dramatic.

OR:

Hugo finds himself being blackmailed by a noble at a ball, and gets help from an unexpected source

Part 2/3 of Hugo learning to like the TTS gang

Keeping Me Up At Night by @eggmuffinwaffles

Whumptober Day 29: What Doesn't Kill Me

Even a year after moving to Corona, sometimes Hugo's guilt finds itself creeping into his dreams. In the middle of an episode, he realizes he has more in common with Rapunzel than he thought.

Part 3/3 of Hugo learning to like the TTS gang

Turning Saints Into A Sea by @eggmuffinwaffles

Whumptober Day 25/Day 30: Silence is Golden/Note to Self Don't Get Kidnapped

Varian has to confront his jealousy head on when Hugo's ex finds herself back in Corona. Unfortunately her return might not be as innocent as she wants them to believe.

I Won't Let You Pull Me Down by @eggmuffinwaffles

Whumptober 2022 Day 16: No Way Out

Hugo and Varian get into a fight. Instead of handling it like an emotionally healthy adult, Hugo manages to go and get himself possessed.

Possession 2 electric boogaloo baby

Lessons in Luxury by @varibean

All his life, Hugo wanted nothing more than to live a live of riches and luxury. He had always failed to imagine what a change like that would entail. Real life was becoming too much like a fantasy and it was always the same questioned that brought him hurdling back to reality.

"Have you eaten today?"

Amalgam by @varibean 0

After relying on Ulla’s notebook to help them through their journey, the gang find that the next kingdom has little to no notes on where the next trial takes place. Their only clue is a location that might have a lead on where to go next. However, after a royal mess up on Hugo’s part, they’re left up the creek without a paddle. Not only are tensions high, but emotions as well. One thing was certain though: Hugo and Varian did not mix well.

[raayllum]

this isn't how i'm writing it in fanon s6 bc i can pace things however i want with zero time constraints but this is something i could see s6 doing + i like being self indulgent so

They'd been stupid to trust the Celestial Elves.

It was the only thought running through Callum's brain as he stared in horror, the corona sealed back glass, the Nova Blade a weapon no mortal could wield, and Rayla—

On her knees, the leader holding an ordinary but no less terrifying blade to her throat, his face still a bit scraped up from his and Rayla's earlier scuffle. She'd been the one to catch the elf reaching for Callum's bag when they slept that night; she'd be the one to draw her sword first and engage him, quickly overwhelmed by the time Callum and her parents had arrived.

They were all talented warriors, but rusty after two years in a coin—Runaan unable to draw his bow with only one arm, and something long range was needed here. Some way to kill the leader and give Rayla time, even if he held her in a vice grip, pressing down hard enough on her throat there was thin, scarlet line growing.

"You have something we need, boy," the leader hissed, breathing heavily through a broken nose. "You know what it is."

Runaan's voice broke through, sharp and demanding—"What is he talking about?"—but Callum couldn't tear his eyes away from Rayla. She was struggling to breathe, let alone speak, but gave her head the barest shake. No.

"What are you going to do with it?" Callum says as neutrally as he can, stalling (there has to be a spell or a way out of this) even if he already knows the answer.

What else could they hope to do with something called the Key of Aaravos?

"I'll tell you what we're going to do your elf girl unless you give it so us," the Celestial elf snarls. "On the count of three, I'll slit her throat. One—"

"Stop!"

Two hadn't even left his lips, Callum having an excuse to look away from Rayla's glaring, tearshot eyes now as he digs the cube out of his bag. It feels like it weighs a thousand pounds as he holds it up.

On Finnegrin's ship, at least he'd been able to hide what he was doing—what he was willing to do—in the shadowy depths of the ship. Here, in the light, there's nowhere to hide.

Callum holds it out, taking a few steps closer. "Lower the sword first," he says.

"And have her wriggle free? I don't think so."

"Callum," she wheezes. "Don't—"

"Fine then," Callum snaps. "At the same time—an exchange. On my count of three. One—" He looses his grip on the cube, the ring of celestial elves watching eagerly. "Two—" It's not ideal, him and Rayla in front of where any of her parents could join the fray; there will have to be distance before anyone can fight either way. But then, he's not doing this out of the certainty he'll get the Key back, that it won't end in disaster.

Just for her safety. Just for himself, because he can't live without her.

This was his destiny, what Aaravos was banking on. And he was right.

"Three!"

The Celestial elf takes his blade away and shoves her forward at the same time Callum tosses the cube over. It's caught in one shiny blue hand, the elf towering over him as Callum slides to his knees, catching Rayla as she careens forward before she can hit the floor. She coughs weakly in his arms, bleeding at the throat, but it seems shallow.

The celestial elves make it maybe five five away with their prize before her parents leap into action, swords clashing, but Callum grabs his staff and constructs a funnel of wind around him and Rayla, a thick enough wall of air to keep anyone else out momentarily, as he helps her sit up.

"Callum." She's crying, but alive.

"Let me look at you," he murmurs, lifting up her chin. He uses his scarf to wipe away the blood, relieved when more doesn't follow. A shallow cut just to scare him, but it'd worked. He pulls her into his arms next, just needing a moment to feel her heart beating against his.

She takes a second to hold him back and then does so, tightly, and his heart settles as they sit there shaking. She hasn't forgiven him for it yet, maybe—but she will.

[superfan44]

Why Sora Should be Treated the Same as Superman (An Opinion Piece)

As I get older, I'm able to look at various fictional characters more closely, understanding more about why they're so iconic. A few years ago, I gained a renewed interest in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, seeing why so many people love its story, characters, and of course, its crossover element with Disney and Final Fantasy. I want to take a little look at the franchise's main protagonist, Sora, shed a light on him if you will. I feel you could draw some similarities between him and the DC Comics hero Superman (aka Kal-El, aka Clark Kent).

Now, I know this may seem like an odd comparison to some of you, but personally, I think it does kind of make sense when you think about it. Obviously these two have very different personalities, backstories, powers, and motivations that drive them. However, both are kindhearted, optimistic heroes from humble beginnings, with a strong sense of justice and morality. Not to mention a desire to help others and do the right thing.

Their respective actions certainly speak for themselves on that front, as they each go about it in their own unique way. In the comic book All-Star Superman, one issue sees him fighting a group of lizard men invading from the Earth's core. Then, in another issue, we see him stop a depressed teenage girl from stepping off a building, giving her comfort and support. Yes, he's got super strength and godlike powers, but he's also considerate, compassionate, and gentle enough to offer a helping hand whenever needed. Superman is a hero who inspires the best in all of us. He is, as filmmaker James Gunn once put it, kindness in a world that sees kindness as old fashioned. Even though he lives on a planet he wasn't born on, he still aspires to bring hope to that planet, providing them a light to show the way. Krypton made him the man of steel, but Earth made him human.

There are moments in the Kingdom Hearts series where we see a bit of that kindness mirrored in Sora as well. One minute he would be cutting down Heartless with his keyblade, the next he'll be enjoying good times with his friends, old and new. Whether it's dancing around with Rapunzel in the Kingdom of Corona, visiting Winnie the Pooh and his pals in the 100 Acre Wood, or helping to make Boo laugh in Monstropolis. He protects the world order and fights against the forces of evil, but he's also having fun along the way. There's a playfulness to Sora, a big smile on his face that warms people up inside. He's a brave young man who can easily form connections with anyone he comes across. There are still hardships to face, but he perseveres through it, showing that deep down, there is a light that never goes out. Even when it seems like he's on the verge of giving up, his friends are there to inspire him and lift him back up, just as he had done for them. He follows his heart, which is, and has always been, his guiding key.

You could say that these similarities are due to the fact that Sora and Superman are very much archetypal heroes. Joseph Cambel's hero's journey cycle (which also heavily influenced Star Wars) can be seen in both of their respective journeys. Individuals from humble beginnings who venture out into the wide world ahead of them, encountering various allies, enemies, and obstacles along the way. The journey ultimately leads to the heroes gaining greater powers and becoming more than who they were before.

It's also worth noting that another thing Superman and Sora have in common is that sometimes they are both willing to take great risks in order to save the people that they love. In Superman: The Movie, the man of steel himself flies around the Earth at great speed, turning back time to save Lois Lane from an earthquake. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora uses the power of waking to bring back Kairi after her body was destroyed by Xehanort, sacrificing his own life in the process.

So, why do I bring all of this up? Because I believe that this is something that writers should keep in mind when tackling Sora, whether it's for fan fiction, comics, novels, etc. I've noticed this trend on the internet of people deconstructing the psychology of Sora and delving into the negative effects that his adventures have had on him. A few of them have even declared his optimism and playful smile as a form of "toxic positivity". While it does seem like an interesting idea, I feel like it's causing people to forget about why they love him in the first place. In some cases, there are those who end up going too far with that notion.

Not long ago, I stumbled upon a Kingdom Hearts fan fiction story titled Keys to the Kingdom. Basically, it reads as an alternate universe reimagining of the events of Kingdom Hearts 3. Even though it was well written, this version of the story gets extremely dark, depressing, and cynical. Not only that, but it also mistreats Sora in a somewhat disturbing way, portraying him as a tortured and tormented soul. While his arc in this does prove to be compelling at times, it was still very jarring, making for an overall unpleasant experience. The fic seemed to be so focused on beating this character down, so intent on having him suffer throughout, that it ends up losing sight of what makes him so endearing and likable. Or, to borrow a quote from the young keyblade wielder himself:

"You're so caught up in finding the shadows, you forgot about the light that cast them."

This doesn't feel too out of place with the "evil Superman" trend that was around for a period of time. The video game Injustice is a prime example of this, as it depicts Superman as a merciless dictator of a fascist regime, who rules with an iron fist and shows no compassion towards crime or his enemies. Even other creations like Homelander from The Boys and Omni-Man from Invincible are representations of this idea since they are basically evil Superman-types. Admittedly, I do give those two a little more leeway since they were made specifically for the stories they came from. They are not directly related to Superman other than having similar powers. Although this concept can be fun to tackle with an original character, I don't think it feels right to try to do it with the genuine article himself. That's not really who he is.

When making the first Superman movie back in 1978, director Richard Donner took it upon himself to do the big blue boy scout justice. He didn’t want the material to be treated with disrespect, nor to be seen as a joke. There's a word he used to emphasize this as a top priority: "verisimilitude". For those unfamiliar, the basic definition of it is the appearance of being true and real. Not only was that word hung up on the wall above Donner's office (which it was), but it also established the mission statement that many of the great superhero movies made in the years since then have followed:

Be truthful, honor the source material, believe in it, take it seriously.

This is the type of mindset that should be adopted by anyone who adapts any kind of preexisting work, especially when it comes to something like Kingdom Hearts. If you want a good example of how to write Sora in a way that showcases how great he is while also being faithful to who he is, there's another fan fiction story titled Starbound, created by my friend @skygent. An anthology with an overarching narrative mixed in, it uses the setup of Sora's disappearance at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3 as a way to examine the impact that he's had on all of his friends and allies. In a deeper, meta sense, it offers an analysis of the connection that fans of the franchise itself have formed with him.

The stuff that has been written so far for this fic is absolutely amazing. In fact, it's what led to my renewed interest in Kingdom Hearts in the first place. It has pretty much what you would want in a story like this one. Balancing a sense of scale, mystery, and adventure, but also quiet reflection. Offering some fun little twists, but still retaining the core essence of what the source material is all about. Through this story, we see various characters (including some not featured in the games) learning of and reacting to Sora's disappearance, remembering their encounters with him in the past. Some of them are even inspired to try and figure out where he is, willing to doing whatever it takes to help find him and bring him back home. Here, they demonstrate just how much he means to them, just as they all do to him.

To be clear, I'm not saying that Sora should stay exactly the same. In a series like Kingdom Hearts, we want to see those characters grow and evolve. With the things that Sora has experienced throughout the series, and with where we will find him at in Kingdom Hearts 4, it'll be interesting to see where he goes next. At the same time though, we also should remind ourselves that people love this character for a reason. As this young hero embarks on his newest adventure, he shouldn't lose what makes him who he is as a person. Instead of pulling him apart, I think Sora is someone who deserves to be celebrated. To be treated with dignity and respect, just as Donner did for the last son of Krypton. In the same way we've celebrated Superman over the years for what he stands for and represents, Sora should also be recognized in an equally similar way. Their respective core values and good morals, all the stuff that makes them heroes. It's these things that turned them into pop culture icons who remain with us to this day. It's why they will continue to be icons in the foreseeable future.

Two beacons, shining bright in the darkness. Never forget that.

[twotangledsisters]

Chains of Regret

Terribly unoriginal title but hey, this one-shot isn't about originality, it's about angst and practicing first person writing.

Warnings for the story: mentions of major character death (not majorly graphic but continue at your own risk)

The cold, damp air of the dungeon clings to my skin. The iron chains weigh on my wrists, but I barely feel them. All I can see, all I can think about, is her. Rapunzel. She was gone in an instant. The light of the Sundrop extinguished as Zhan Tiri’s cruel laughter echoed in the room. As I watched, a sense of helplessness washed over me, witnessing the combined power of the Sundrop and Moonstone fueling a demon’s strength as it seized her. The demon’s grip on Rapunzel was unyielding, constricting her so tightly that her screams of agony pierced the silence, each one more desperate than the last. And that last one… it was the last breath to leave her lips, alongside the light in her eyes. I wanted to scream, to run to her, to fight for her, but my feet wouldn’t move. The black rock armour that had previously given me strength now weight me down, kept me on the ground, helplessly watching. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I’ve replayed that moment a thousand times in my mind, wishing it could be different. I try to imagine a world where I wasn’t the one who betrayed her. But every time, the ending is the same. The light disappears, the darkness wins, and I’m left alone. Zhan Tiri didn’t even acknowledge me when Rapunzel fell. She was too focused on the power she’d finally claimed, on tearing down the walls of Corona and destroying it’s people. The kingdom fell in hours. The guards, the people—they all tried to fight back, but it was hopeless. What’s a sword or a shield against a force that can tear the sun and moon from the sky? And me? I just stood there. A puppet with its strings cut, wondering why my heart was still beating when Rapunzel’s had stopped. I don’t know why Zhan Tiri spared me. She didn’t gloat or taunt when she tossed me into this dungeon. She didn’t look me in the eye as the chains were locked around my wrists and ankles. It’s like I didn’t even matter to her anymore so why let me live when everybody I loved had to die? Maybe that’s it. Maybe this is my punishment. To be forgotten. To be nothing. But to still be alive. This is what I deserve. To live with the weight of what I’ve done. To be haunted by the memory of the friend I betrayed, the parent I left behind, the kingdom I doomed. Every breath I take is a reminder that I’m still here and they’re not. That I was the one who opened the door for Zhan Tiri, who let the darkness in. If Rapunzel were here, she’d tell me to be strong, to find hope, to keep fighting. But she’s not here. I’m alone with my thoughts, and they’re louder than any encouragement she could have offered. Maybe Zhan Tiri kept me alive as a trophy. Proof that even the fiercest loyalty can be corrupted, that even the strongest bonds can be broken. Or maybe I’m just a loose end she hasn’t bothered to tie up yet. Something to deal with later. Or most likely, I return to my first thought; she left me alive because she knew that death would be a mercy. That living with the knowledge of what I did would be far worse than any pain she could inflict. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. Days, weeks—it all blurs together. I don’t know if there’s anyone left to care, if there’s anyone still fighting. But I do know one thing: I’ll never stop asking myself why. Why did she let me live? Why didn’t I die alongside the rest? Why couldn’t I see the truth until it was too late? But the worst question, the one that gnaws at me in the darkest moments of the night, is this: Was I ever worth saving at all? The chains rattle as I shift, the sound echoing in the silence. I close my eyes, and for a moment, I can almost hear Rapunzel’s voice, my father’s orders, Eugene’s bickering and my people’s screams. But when I open them again, all that’s left is the darkness, and the crushing weight of what could have been.

[leoleolovesdc]

Okay, dont get me wrong, i do love Cass and Raps ending the show as best friends and it hurt me like a bitch when Cass betrayed her in season two, but I also need them to be a little toxic and weird about each other.

Yeah, Cass is good now, she’s traveled a lot, healed, took a break and came back to Corona and everything is fine, but when something ticks her off, especially if it relates to Rapunzel in any sort of way, she’s suddenly stiffen, cold, quiet, awkward to a level that feels almost threatening. She grabs Rapunzel by the wrist and drags her away from Eugene, from anyone really, she takes her face in between her hands brashly in a way that is just painfully familiar. She loves Rapunzel more than anything in the world, but she loves her violently.

The same is true for Rapunzel, of course in her own way, but when Cassandra stiffens so does she. If Cass reaches for her sword, Raps’ automatically on fight or flight. When she grabs her by the arm, Rapunzel’s instinct kicks in before anything else, pushing Cass against the nearest wall and immobilizing her. When Cass cups her face, she grabs her by the collar, ready to strangle her if it comes to it. She loves Cass back, more than anything in the world, but she loves her paranoically.

If anyone in Corona saw those two together they’d think the possessive one would obviously be Cassandra, I mean, look at her! She’s all serious and protective, but Raps has already lost Cass before and she won’t take chances again. No one approaches Cassandra. No one is allowed to without authorization from the princess. If anyone is foolish enough to get near her without consent, be ready to get knocked out, because when it comes to Cassandra the first thing that speaks inside of Rapunzel is instinct. A contradictory instinct that tells her to proctect as much as it tells her to fight.

Fight for your life, don’t let her killl you.

Protect her with your life, don’t let them take her away from you.

[shollow]

I read the entire locked tomb serie not long ago and I'm convince that if it was a slice of life, all the cavalier primary (that includes Corona) would get along so well and take turns at making fun of Babs (let's be honest he would let them because of Corona). And sometimes, one of them would even get a chance to make Camilla crack a smile.

But their necromancer would get themselves in so many scientific and moral debates and it would always be Harrow arguing against Ianthe and Silas, trying to prove them wrong while Palamedes would argue with Judith about moral, duty and "the emperor's way". And when they get into those debates, Abigail, Dulcinea and Isaac would just sit and enjoy tea watching them almost get into fist fight because Silas called Harrow a war crime again.

[mrfandomwars]

Random Lists of TTS headcanons (mostly about Quirin and the Dark Kingdom) that I have:

Quirin became a Brotherhood member when he had a 'Home Alone' moment with Edmund and his wife because he thought they thieves (they broke in because it was raining HORRIBLY)

Quirin was in charge of the Brotherhood, in the sense that although Edmund as the King was in charge, Quirin was the one dealing with the group as a whole

There were more Brotherhood members, but they either retired, died or are simply lost in the world after the fall of the Dark Kingdom

The Brotherhood members had noble titles and pieces of land, Quirin had a BIG farming land (as the head in charge) and he used to help around before the Kingdom Fell. He used a few techniques he learned later on when he became a full time farmer (not all because different crops and different types of land)

You can find small communities from the Dark Kingdom moving around still, looking for some place to settle (and they eagerly go back to the Kingdom when Edmund starts rebuilding it)

The DK and Corona used to have a little bit of Beef because sun vs moon, that's why Quirin settling (probably with other people, lbh) there with the piece of the scroll was a good move

Corona was funded or helped fund by Demanitus

Demanitus is originally from the Dark Kingdom

Quirin was in the process of retiring when the Dark Kingdom fell

The Brotherhood all have specific face tattoos, but by the time Eugene was born they were only mandatory to use during events and things like that, hence why Quirin didn't have one, though if you wanted a permanent tattoo you could have it (hence Adira and Hector)

OR all the tattoos are temporary, Adira and Hector just have been reapplying theirs

The Great Tree used to be the border for the Dark Kingdom, hence why Hector set up shop in it

the Queen Ghost we saw was the one who helped fight against Zhan Tiri the first time around

Edmund (or at least, the Monarch that came before him) was the one who gave the Mind Trap to the Keeper, since he didn't have Any itent to use it

The place where the Mind Trap was was very Hush Hush, Cassandra only found out thanks to Zhan Tiri finding it out herself, BUT the existence of the Mind Trap was at least well known in the DK and was one of the 'cons' to joining the Brotherhood

The Mind Trap was originally meant to make sure that the Brotherhood wouldn't turn against the crown, the moonstone And to make sure that if a fight every happened, they would act in harmony. It's a 'made with good itentions, Very Bad Execution type of thing'

Eugene didn't reject his royal title from the DK, but he won't be it's King Outside of possibly becoming a temporary one until one of his and Rapunzel's kids are old enough to take over

To try and fix the plothole in season 3: people Forgot that Quirin was a Brotherhood member AND they had contacted (or at least TRIED TO) Adira and Hector at some point and they thought they weren't under Cassandra's control

Eugene grew a couple of inches between the movie and the series and that was because the two times he was healed by Rapunzel, he was healed

People either think that Cassandra was dead OR Cassandra was actually banned from Corona (and the Dark Kingdom) - she isn't getting away without consequences people

Varian had a therapist while in prison that he was forced to see, wether or not they worked or if they were a Saporian spy I haven't decided yet

The ACTUAL reason why the resistence against the Saporian was so small wasn't because of 'loyalty to the crown', it was because they had tried and it Blew on their faces and thus King Frederik and Queen Arianna aren't the only victims of memory wipe. Rapunzel doesn't know this because, well, would you admit to the rebellion to the crown?

Eugene and Lance, later on, are volunteers on Orphanages in Corona and Eugene got a LOT of funds given to them and goes to personally check to see if they are being used properly and that the kids are being taken care of well

the DK fondly call Eugene the 'fail prince' not because of anything he did but because his fighting skills are far below what the royal standard was.

I said this before but: The Queen of the Dark Kingdom trid to destroy the Moonstone, possibly because she was plagued by nightmares of what would happen in the future/of the stone hurting the Kingdom and her family

[gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat]

Group H, Round 3, Poll 4:

Propaganda under the cut

Nadja of Antipaxos

Gaslights her fellow vampires when she knows she's wrong, gatekeeps info from familiar Guillermo, girlbosses by running her own doomed nightclub

She is the Girlboss, but also Girlloser of the show. Turned her own husband into a vampire (taking charge in a male-dominated field!) And further, in Season 3 she came out on top when her and Nandor were fighting over who would truly lead the Vampiric Council. Opened her own Vampire Nightclub! (Which she embezzled to death but shhh!) As for Gatekeep, she definitely gatekeeps both vampirism (Guillermo) and her friendship (The Guide). Does hypnosis count as Gaslight? I'm gonna count it in because she does hypnotize a lot of people. I could go on and on, but anyways Nadja is an icon and a queen and I love her.

Ianthe Tridentarius

She is trying so hard to be the main character by lying and manipulating her sister, her cavalier, her mentor, her ?love interests? (Spoiler???) And also god. Not sure how it's working out for her but she does love to lie and manipulate

Worstie Ianthe is the DEFINITION of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. She is one of a set of necromancer twins that are the heirs to their houses rule. Except wait, only she is a necromancer and she has spent their entire lives doing necromancy for the both of them. She is constantly mean to their cavalier, Naberius, who she occasionally nibbles on like a chew toy, before eventually killing and eating him to ascend to sainthood. She goes to gods spaceship with another woman who ascended to sainthood who she has a crush on, this other woman is like…. Both incredibly mentally unwell and also haunted by at least 211 ghosts. Ianthes method of flirting with her? Gaslighting her about the corpse that keeps moving around and hiding under her bed. For no real reason tbh. She is clearly plotting to overthrow god, and at the moment that consists of her manipulating him while he’s too sad about his long term partners betraying him and subsequently exploding to really care. She dresses in terrible outfits and makes soup by burning onions to the bottom of a pot, putting meat in and some vegetables and then it doesn’t taste like anything so she puts in a few teaspoons of salt so it tastes like a few teaspoons of salt. She had her crush amputate her arm and regrow her a new one out of bone and it’s one of the horniest things I’ve read in my life.

"Gaslight = told her lobotomized (she helped), schizophrenic girlobsession that there was no corpse under their bed, even tho there totally was. Gatekeep = girl did NOT share the secret to god-like ascension. She kept that shit to herself until it was time to eat her boytoy, and by then everyone knew already. Girlboss = she has a non-necromancer twin sister, and literally Everyone thinks they r both necromancers because Ianthe is so good at it. She reverse engineered ascending to the aforementioned ascension without even completing any of the supplementary tasks. She held her own in a fight against a 10k year old lyctor. She becomes the figurehead of her entire empire. "

She uses a man as a chewtoy in the first book, literally gaslights the protagonist of the second book about a corpse, and elder-abuses God when he gets depressed in the third book. Nobody is doing it like her.

Dives headfirst with no regrets while basically laughing and covered in blood into murdering her cavalier once she realizes what the gothic locked room mystery/competition leads to while everyone else is questioning it, helps perform lobotomy on harrow so she doesn't remember the person she loves, manipulates everyone to get to the top

idk just everything about her

her relationship with her sister is incredibly Bad, she fosters codependency and views Corona(the sister) as an extension of herself. This does not stop her from keeping up the con that Corona actually has magic (She doesn't, it was always just Ianthe) for 22ish years and every single person who interacts with them falls for it. She killed a man against his will (most dying for this purpose specifically go willingly) and she consumed him and she will be burning his soul for eternity. She's completely repulsive and still somehow incredibly hot.

she takes advantage of the fact that the main character is prone to hallucinations. at one point she gaslights the mc into believing that the corpse under her bed isn't real just because she can. she reverse engineered a set of very complex trials on her own without anyone realizing she had the skills to complete them normally. she's also babysat god through his drunk and pathetic era.

Artist: @starcanist

[griddlebait]

have just seen your comment about the deleted scene where harrow takes pictures of cam and gideon wrestling and omg👀 i would die to see even a snippet of it

i’m not sure where to share it so i’ll just post it here under the cut!!

for anyone coming across this post: this is a deleted snippet from my fanfic, i imagine it probably won’t make a lot of sense without the context of the fic (ch 9 specifically) lol

Coronabeth planted the heels of her hands firm against Gideon’s shoulders, staring down at her with flushed cheeks. She sat heavily on Gideon’s hips, her eyes flashing wildly.

“Now get me off,” Corona told her. Gideon only smiled, a little confused, so Coronabeth shook her, a mix of frustration and amusement lighting up her lovely features. “Gideon, you’re supposed to fight me off of you.”

Was she? Gideon didn’t want to fight Coronabeth off at all, she wanted to put her hands on her big, soft thighs and—

Ianthe did a loud, horrendous impression of a buzzer. “You lose, Gizzard.”

Coronabeth cackled, sliding off of Gideon’s lap. The humiliation was immediate. Gideon sat up from the floor, cheeks burning.

“It’s not fair to make me go against Coronabeth,” she said. “Whose idea was that?”

“Yours,” Harrow said bitterly. She was sitting next to Ianthe on the couch with a pillow shoved between them, which Gideon found both hilarious and immensely satisfying. “You were too scared to go against Camilla.”

Gideon said, affronted, “I wasn’t scared.”

Camilla, from the bottom of Harrow’s staircase, said, “seemed like it to me.”

Even Palamedes smiled over that. Even Harrow. Today, it seemed, was Bully Gideon and Make Her Feel So Embarrassed Day.

“Fine!” Gideon said. “Come on, Cam. Harrow, get your camera ready.”

Harrow seemed startled. In a weird, twitchy movement, she rose from the couch and went to the edge of the living room, where the coffee table had been shoved out of the way. She grabbed her camera and made a go on gesture.

When Gideon turned her focus back to Cam, she was already in the ring—made out of pillows and less-loved books—cracking her knuckles. She was giving Gideon that look, the one where it was like she could see right through you. It got no less unnerving with time.

“Are you done checking me out?” Gideon asked.

Camilla flicked her cool, murky eyes up to Gideon’s. She shrugged. “Nothing I haven’t noticed before.”

Which, okay, she didn’t have to say it like that.

Gideon shook out her shoulders and they got into a starting position.

Corona called out, “One, two. . . GO!”

And fuck, Cam was fast. Gideon didn’t have the chance to pull out any of the moves Pyrrha had shown her—Cam simply hooked her ankle around Gideon’s knee, did a little pull motion, and brought her straight to the ground.

The blankets they’d laid out did not soften the blow as much as one would hope—but it wasn’t that bad. Gideon managed to roll over and push onto her knees, knocking Cam off balance with her shoulder. She had only a few seconds to stand before Camilla was on her again, and then they did some weird song and dance that ended with their arms tangled, face to face.

Cam’s expression was utterly relaxed, cheeks only just barely starting to warm. Her eyes were focused, calculating, never still. Until they met Gideon’s, where, for a moment, they froze. And then she smiled.

In Gideon’s defense, that was never not disarming.

She had no time to react; Camilla did the fucking ankle thing again. This time they were attached at the elbows, so it sent them both tumbling back to the floor. They fought to untangle their arms, both trying to be the one who got free first, which only made it more difficult—Camilla took the opportunity to fight dirty. She dug her blunt fingernails deep into Gideon’s forearms; Gideon instinctually stopped fighting and Cam slid free, with no small amount of self satisfaction.

“Asshole,” Gideon said, and then she lunged forward.

They flopped around, legs wrapped around legs, rolling and rolling until Camilla managed to pin Gideon to the floor face down, legs on either side of her waist, hands behind her back. Gideon struggled, but Cam only tightened her thighs. She pressed her body down, forcing Gideon to flatten against the floor. Her hair fell against Gideon’s neck—surprisingly soft. How was she so good at this? See, spy. What the fuck.

Coronabeth counted to three. Ianthe did the buzzer impression again.

“Ugh,” Gideon groaned, shoving Cam off once her victory was announced. She rolled onto her back, panting and staring up at the ceiling. “This is so fucked.”

Harrow was never going to bet on her after this.

Speak of the Devil, and may She appear; Harrow showed up above Gideon like a dark cloud. She hovered by Gideon’s side, pointing her camera, hesitating. The final nail in Gideon’s coffin of humiliation came in the form of Harrow stepping over her body so that she had a foot planted on either side. She aimed the camera at Gideon head-on; her face surely flushed and sweaty and gross; her arms splayed out on either side. A perfect depiction of defeat.

Gideon raised her middle finger as the flash went off.

—

This was a later scene but it was also deleted, so BONUS:

The bulk of these pictures were from the pathetic attempt at wrestling practice. Harrow had taken the first few sparingly, when Gideon and Coronabeth were wrestling, because that had gone by quickly and Gideon wasn’t even fighting back. But then she’d wanted to wrestle Camilla, and had told Harrow to take pictures. So Harrow did. She pressed down the button mindlessly, over and over, stepping around as they rolled across the floor. Griddle was becoming obsessed with pictures of herself, she’d want to see it from every angle.

Some of the shots were blurry, or pointed at the floor when Harrow had taken her eye from the viewfinder—throwaway. The pictures she put into the keep pile were more or less the same; Gideon and Camilla in various stages of their fight, skin to skin, shades of brown mingling, hard lines of firm muscles pressed together.

Harrow shuffled through them at a record breaking pace.

Camilla flipped through the keep stack. “Do I label all of these the same, or should I number them?” She asked. “Gideon vs. Camilla, left angle, from the bottom, number 3?”

Harrow’s blood warmed and she said, “whatever you think is best. They’re for Griddle. Leave out ‘from the bottom’, she’ll take it as a euphemism.”

Camilla made a small noise of acknowledgment. Harrow glanced down, saw Camilla flip over a photo and scribble: Gideon vs. Camilla - left angle number 3 - June 1996.

At the bottom of the photos, Harrow found the last picture from the wrestling practice; Griddle sprawled on the floor, curls sticking to her forehead with sweat, face flushed a few shades darker than usual. She was not sure why she did it, but she did not put this photo in keep, throwaway, or unsure. She shoved it beneath her thigh before Camilla could see. Harrow chalked it up to secondhand embarrassment and left it alone.

[theblueprincess590]

The Wonder of a Fairy Tale Sun-An Analysis of Kingdom Hearts 3

If Twilight town’s main purpose in Kingdom Hearts 3 was to explore the intrinsic melancholy of Sora’s journey then the purpose of The Kingdom Of Corona would be to explore the joy of Sora’s journey and how he shares it with others.

The Kingdom of Corona focuses primarily on The Halfpint Trio helping Rapunzel live out her dream of seeing the floating lanterns as they act as her bodyguards. However Sora does far more than just protect Rapunzel on her quest. He acts as her friend and fairy tale guardian encouraging her to stop and smell the roses, to feel the joy of the world outside her.

Heavy parallels are drawn between Sora and Rapunzel with him remarking that he felt the same uncertainty and wonder as her when he first left his Islands. Both Sora and Rapunzel dreamed of seeing the outside world. And while Sora’s dream was tainted by the forces of Darkness he vows to make Rapunzel’s dream come true, fulfilling the same role as Doanld and Goofy did for him in his first adventure. He pushes Rapunzel not to run away from the darkness of the outside world but instead to face it head on, fighting alongside her against the heartless and teaching her to take her power into her own hands through the team attack Tangled Twist. Most importantly Sora encourages Rapunzel to slow down and truly experience the wonders around her. Throughout the team’s journey to the Kingdom there are several different Side quests that pop up. You play with Rapunzel in the water, blow the dandelion, watch a rainbow, save some adorable bunnies, and meet a new kind of bird. All of these quests, of course, are not necessary for the overall goal of seeing the lanterns, however that doesn't make them any less important. These detours are what brings joy to her fairy tale story. 

The game even encourages the Player themselves to slow down and enjoy the level like Sora and Rapunzel. The world is littered with hidden chests and lucky emblems for them to find. The Player can go back to Rapunzel's Tower to find a chest with the rare Armor piece, Mask Rosette, which serves as a great boon for upcoming boss fights against Grim Guardians. Or they can explore the docks of the Kingdom before joining in the festival inorder to find the rare cuisine Sea Bass en Papillote+ which sports amazing stat buffs. Most importantly however, if the Player chooses to do all four of Rapunzel's side quests they are rewarded with the rare and one of the kind accessory Forest Clasp. An accessory that can only be obtained if the player manages to complete all of Rapunzel’s side quests before bringing her to the Kingdom as the item itself is ultimately symbolic of the World's philosophy, “To stop and smell the roses”. Shown best through the ability HP Walker which restores HP with every step.

In Contrast to Sora, Marluxia, and by proxy The True Organization XIII, acts as a force of stagnation and ignorance. They do not seek to understand the people of this world nor do they wish to enjoy its simple beauty. Instead Marluxia only focuses on his mission and how he can use the world to fit the Organization's Goals. He makes no effort to form connections, only using Mother Gothel as a pawn for his machinations and then discarding her once he can no longer use her. He never once ventures out to experience what this fairy tale kingdom has to offer, never joining the festival nor taking the time to watch the floating lanterns. No instead Marluxia stays in the shadows, incurious of what lies beyond him. And when he does interact with the world it is to impose his will upon it and destroy the joy of others. Marluxia wishes to return Rapunzel to her tower, to destroy her connections to the outside world and leave her a prisoner of Gothel’s greed. He does not care about what she wants, does not respect the love and happiness she found with Flynn, nor acknowledge her growth and autonomy as a person. Marluxia’s goal is to undo all the good Sora has done for Rapunzel in order to return her to what she once was, an infantilized and objectified child to be used by those that have kept her captive. In order words Marluxia wishes to transform Rapunzel into another Namine. But Marluxia fails. Rapunzel will not become another bird in a cage. The happiness and love Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Eugene Gave her is too strong to be broken, and Rapunzel's heart shows her the truth of her real family forever breaking the poisonous influence Mother Gothel had over her. Marluxia did not respect The Kingdom of Corona nor its people. He made no effort to appreciate it. So in the end the word thoroughly rejected him and his influence. Shown best as the heartless he creates from Gothel’s ugly heart, the ultimate manifestation of his and Xehanort’s will on the world, is destroyed By Sora, the one who earned the world love and trust by simply stopping to take a breather and pay his respect to those around him.

Ultimately all journey’s must come to an end and as the gang finally reaches the Kingdom Rapunzel leaves the party of good and returns all her items back to Sora. Rapunzel's absence is felt by both Sora and the Player as not only is he no longer in the party during revisits to the world but her team attack Tangled Twist is permanently lost. So that begs the question, why does Sora care so much about spreading joy to those he shares his adventures with if they are inevitably going to leave him? And the answer is simple, it is exactly because the good times are going to end that they must enjoy their time together while it lasts. Sora knew that his time spent with every new friend is Finite. That eventually he will have to say goodbye. Even Donald and Goofy will eventually leave him once they reach their journey's end. So instead of wallowing in self pity he chooses to celebrate his time together with others as best he can, forming wonderful memories with all those he meets so that when he has to say goodbye, the happy times they spent together will remain in their hearts. And we see this through Rapunzel as her final moments of Joy with Sora remain etched in her heart through the mini game, Festival Dance, which she continues to play even when Sora is gone.