#fire empress armor

[fairy-edits]

❤️ FIRE EMPRESS 💙

-Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest-

(#Coloring)

Credits: H.Mashima & A.Ueda's Arts.

Color by me.

[rainmacaroni]

Fire & Ice

Erza & Rukia

They are sisters !

[wwaheoh]

“What do the cold hands of Fate fear the most in the Universe? The fiery indomitable spirit of Humanity.” HSR x gnReader

Firefly, Himeko, Jing Yuan (+ Yanqing)

a/n: Starman by David Bowie type shit

Rip and tear. A dwindling defense against a relentless offense. Bugs, in the billions, cascading down towards Glammoth, all with the intent to devor. Her muscles screamed, the armor she was in began to grow heavier each minute, a metal coffin awaiting the moment her body gave up on her.

But she would not- could not let this happen. As part of the Iron Calvary, she had met someone she sparked a sense of wonder, of the uniqueness of each and every person. Someone she wanted to defend. Of course, this relationship was difficult to manage, with all of them having been born as nothing more than to fill the ranks and fight for their Empress. But there were times where the two of you could spend time together, really feel like people instead of the bred soldiers you were. Emotions that others in the Iron Cavalry knew not of bloomed between the two of you. 

The day the Swarm had come to their planet had been the day she intended to speak to you about these feelings she had, during the small breaks they had. She didn’t even know what to say, the words and their meaning never having been taught to her. 

So as she fought, all she could think about was you, the Empress barely even holding a space in her mind. Yet as she watched the suits of metal fall from the sky, it dawned on her that she might never be able to tell you anything. Tearing through the bodies as she rocketed forward, carnage raged around her, blood, guts, and fire being blown everywhere as panic fueled adrenaline.

Then the Swarm Mother appeared. And alll hell broke loose.

In her peripheral vision, a bright light appeared. Turning, she realized that it was yours. The two of you had played with the idea of decorating the suits- being reprimanded when attempted. But some super specific damages could be overlooked.

You exploded forward with a speed that left a sonic boom behind. Fire exploded as you bulldozed your way through the Swarm, leaving a trail of destruction through the army. Going straight for the Mother.

You exploded, with enough power to detonate stars, a beautiful supernova. 

Firefly screams, muscles seemingly revitalized with a feeling she’s never felt. Born to be a soldier, emotions taught to be kept down to keep a level head. All of it is thrown out the window as she charges forward into the regenerating mass. 

The smoke begins to clear, the Swarm Mother seemingly unaffected by what you had done.

It fills her with a rage that burns deep into her core.

Tearing through, she aims at the Swarm Mother, filling this blast with all of the power left in the mech, firing. 

A bright light overtakes her vision, white is all she sees before it goes to black.

-

Firefly sits by the window of the ship, watching the stars slowly pass by, one of the lessening times her body is able to be outside of stasis without suffering repercussions. An odd feeling stirring in her chest, bits of memories leaking from the box she locked them in, too much to bear.

Silver Wolf is running some maintenance on the mech. As the resident tech support of the Stellaron Hunters, it's become her job to make sure the mech known as “SAM” is in top shape.

beep… beep… Beep… Beep. BEEP… BEEP

What starts off barely audible begins to screech, the navigation system begins to go wild. Silver Wolf looks towards Firefly, who was broken from her thinking and now staring with wide eyes at the sound. 

“What’s that?”

Firefly quickly rushed to the mech, nearly tripping over herself as she hit a series of buttons, prompting a green holographic map to shine. A small red dot currently hurling itself at nearly 43,000/mph through the vastness of space. A red dot that symbolized a mech suit just like hers, another survivor…

“We have to recover it- it’s another one like me!” She exclaimed as she rushed to tell Kafka and get the ship to follow the projected path. 

Quickly the ship began to move faster, slipping off course and diverting its route to intercept the mecha. 

After several tense minutes, the ship was successfully able to slow the object down and reign it into the ship.

It was a giant piece of rock, yet something inside told her that it held something deep within. The frequency that had been discovered wasn’t something that could be made from an asteroid or piece of space junk.

Clearing everyone from the room, she entered her mech, charging it up to live with a flare of green, before slamming her fist down onto the rock and breaking it in half.

Inside was a damaged mecha, another Fyrefly Type-IV Strategic Assault Mech. Damaged, with battle damage all over. Metal melted and melding into other parts. It slowly creaked open, a body, with a face she never thought she’d see again falling out and onto the cold surface.

It was you…  the soft motion of your chest rising and falling told her that you were atleast alive.

Breaking from her stupor, she quickly screamed, “K-Kafka!” Said person quickly barged into the room, Blade and Silver Wolf ready, guns and blade in hands before quickly realizing what was happening. “We need to get them to my pod!”

They did just that, pulling your body into Firefly’s pod, stabilizing your vitals and checking for the sickness that ailed all of the Iron Calvary’s soldiers. It was there, but had been slowed to an insane rate as you had basically been ambered.

-

After several hours passed, you had finally awoken. Panicking at first before Firefly, who had been waiting by your pod-side, helped calm you down. Finally stable and conscious, they started the procedure to let you out: draining the fluids, unhooking you, taking out the IV, and taking off the oxygen mask. 

They allowed you some privacy to put on some clothes, pulling a white curtain around you with some spare clothes ready for you. 

After what seemed like forever to Firefly, you walked out of the room. A sense of dread as she proposed the question, “Do you remember me?”

An uncomfortable silence fell, with the other Stellaron Hunters trying but failing to not show that they were very blatantly eavesdropping on the two with bated breaths.

Finally you respond with affirmation, you do remember her. You remember them. You remember that hail-mary effort to take down the Swarm, intending to sacrifice yourself in order to bring down the Swarm Mother and give a chance to the Iron Cavalry- to her.

She rushes in to embrace you, with you opening your arms as she launches onto you. “Well, I’m called Firefly now…” “It’s… nice to meet you Firefly.” The name feels weird on your tongue, the two of you only having been designated with numbers rather than anything meaningful. But as you play with it, it feels right. 

Fyreflies, small little things that shone beautifully in the night. A future, together, that shone as well.

A beautiful sunset began to fall on this planet’s horizon, a warm orange transitioned into a deep purple. Stars twinkling in the evening sky.

It was you and Himeko, a cup of coffee in both your hands. The two of you were sitting on the porch of a home the two of you purchased. It wasn’t somewhere the two of you lived year-round, coming only for a couple weeks to relax from all the trailblazing the Astral Express got up to. It was quaint, overlooking a beautiful environment.

Taking a small sip of the coffee, you held in spitting it out- yup, still incredibly strong. Himeko laughed softly, admiring the fact that you still attempted to build up a resistance to the taste over the years. A beautiful thing to hear, never losing its novelty no matter how many times you heard it.

This was all so perfect…

“This isn’t real, is it?”

“No, dear.”

Even in a fake world, Himeko was so incredibly intelligent, probably having even figured it out before you did. 

“We didn’t win against Sunday?”

“No, everyone in Penacony is currently under the control of the Order.” She nursed her cup of coffee on her lap.

“Well then… I guess this is goodbye. I’ll see you in the real world.”

You leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek before setting down the cup of coffee and standing up. 

“I’ll see you too dear.”

You readied yourself, tensing the muscles in your arm as you pulled your arm back, righting your feet before swinging forward. A crack formed in existence, another swing, it expanded. Several more impacts before finally, the world exploded in white.

-

Alongside the rest of the Astral Express, all six of you readied your weapons, as the giant behemoth of a golden conductor leaned over the group.

Now it was time to reach the truth, in the Waking World…

Waves and waves of Mara-Struck, soldiers under your command, fallen and changed into these walking dolls for the Abundance to control. They begged for the sweet release of death, pleading for it all to be over. Apologizing over and over, begging for forgiveness as their bodies became prisons, as they attacked those that they swore to protect.

The last contact they had with your squadron was three hours ago. An outbreak of Mara-Struck caused by chemicals planted in the drinking water. The scientist had been apprehended already, but the effects were still being felt hours after. 

Jing Yuan paced in his room, awaiting further updates. You, his betrothed, was a respected commander, even with his hand in marriage you refused to become complacent, continuing your training and leadership on the battlefield. Yanqing was just returning from his mission, having been the one to find the source of the contaminant and lock up those involved in spreading it. 

“General, I have returned.” Yanqing greeted as he closed the door behind him, before quietly asking about your whereabouts, having not seen you. “They did not return with you? The last they told us, they’d be regrouping with you.” Jing Yuan questioned, a slight panic beginning to settle into his otherwise calm and lazy demeanor. “No sir, they didn’t relay such to me… last I heard they were clearing out the Mara-Stricken.” 

“And why was I not informed of their prolonged absence?” “I don’t know, general.” “It seems others are keeping vital information out of my hands. I’ll deal with it later, come, we must ensure the safety of them.” “Yes General!”

The two didn’t want to think of the possibilities, what might have happened to you in these few hours that you were dark. They weren’t arm-chair philosophers but men of action.

Stepping out, they marched out of the Seat of Divine Foresight, people instinctively moving out of their way. Yet one did, a newly instated assistant, one who was quiet but as they babbled on about how Jing Yuan shouldn’t leave, he knew why they truly were there. Nodding with a polite smile, he acknowledged their words before turning and continuing his march, signaling to a nearby Fu Xuan about the “assistant”. 

A group of guards quickly apprehended them as Jing Yuan and Yanqing left in search of you.  

-

Their first stop was your final ping before you went dark. Upon entering the area, the smell of bark and scent of iron filled their noses. Corpses were strewn about, mara-stricken and normal alike. None have the insignia of a Captain. 

Following the carnage, they begin to hear sounds of metal on metal, grunts, shrieks. Quickly hurrying, they turn the corner to see you, covered in blood and sweat, and a mob of mara-stricken soldiers surrounding you.

Quickly they rush in, with the power of the General of the Xianzhou Luofu and his Retainer, they carve a path through and quickly pull you from the center. With you out of the danger zone, Yanqing summons several blades, slashing at the horde with killing intent, slicing them in half as the blades whizzes through them.

As the Retainer takes out the horde, Jing Yuan turns to you, apologetic, “I’m so sorry, your whereabouts were hidden from me. I came as soon as I could.”

Still shell-shocked from finally being able to rest, you turn to Jing Yuan, softly pressing your knuckles against his jaw. 

“I knew you’d always come for me…”

Those were the last words you exchanged with him before passing out.

-

You woke up in an infirmary, several doctors rushing by, attending to other patients. Covered in bandages, the sterile smell of the room filled your senses. Looking around, you noticed Jing Yuan and Yanqing sleeping on the seats next to your bed. 

Your lips curved upward into a small smile as you took in the scene. Your boys, waiting for you to get better. 

[tarot-dreams]

The Empress.

Let today be your day of awakening. Be rejuvenated by the light. Cast away the struggles of yesterday, for just as they hold no claim over today, so too do they hold no claim over you. Be guided by the song of Venus. Find tranquility within her voice. Let passion and desire be the fire that burns within your heart. Let strength and justice be your shield and armor. Kindred souls await. This path is one you will not walk alone.

[asundries]

WEATHERED, WHETHER WARMED OR SEARED. ⏜⠀ . ⠀⟡

STARRING… ─ firefly & gn reader. ✁ ... ❝ She knew you’d say that, too. You always do, as if it is a new, wondrous revelation each time, not a habit both of you have fallen into time and time again (just as that very sentence is as well—again and again. She hears you coming and then she can hear it in her mind, far sooner than you actually speak it. I thought I’d find you here. You knew you’d find her here). ❞ CONTAINS... ─ 2.1k words. bittersweet. intended as platonic. this is a secret santa fic for the wonderful @singularity-sam — i hope you have an amazing day filled with whimsy and cheer!! i haven’t written for firefly before, so i hope i did her justice. (i guess it’s a perfect time to start — merry christmas and happy rerun day to her as well!!)

Firefly is no stranger to extremes. 

First, there is the cold. 

Her “birth”, unnatural. Her bones felt like metal buried, rain-worn, marrow soft and skin so fragile, barely fully formed by the time her face breached the world. The artificiality of the engineered amniotic fluid she was adrift in for her first many moments was cold, so too the walls of that false egg, and the floor beneath her feet, and the exoskeleton she is ill-fitted with, and the spindly long-nailed fingers of the Empress, the first living thing she ever touched.

Nothing alive should be that cold, really. And neither should any start of life be so frigid and impersonal. 

It stays cold for a while. Then, engulfing, all-encompassing, there is the hot laving of fire. 

The stars do not stand still, nor are they unyielding. Infinitely, they dance and sway behind the rippling of the hot air rising off her burning world. Fyreflies are vastly brighter, to her, yet they emit no warmth. The stars must be freezing, too. 

There is never anything between this hot and cold. There is no soothing cool, and no comforting warmth, and anything lukewarm is simply the manifestation of her sensation’s atrophy under the relentless pressure of frigidity or torrid heat. Only ever extremes.

— —

Firefly’s body always hurts a bit more when winter comes. There is little she can do to warm herself, really; there is the cold metal of her armor and the enveloping flames of activating it, but that is only painful in another way. 

Even so, it’s more bearable in the comfort of a home. There will forever be a lingering ache, but the heat from a fireplace, from the warmth of people she’s begun to—in her mind only—call family, is much better than the all-engulfing flames she knows otherwise. She sits back on the couch and stares holes into the smoldering wood. 

On the days where Firefly can’t do much, she reminisces. 

The Stellaron Hunters, namely you, were the first lukewarm thing that she had ever felt. It’s a strange comparison to make—happiness and safety with something so seemingly mediocre, but it works. The twists and turns of different people, like moods, like temperatures—Kafka’s welcoming, warm; Blade’s taciturnity, cool; Elio’s… kindness, in his offer, a bit of both; Silver Wolf’s playfulness (fun, if a little tiring), warm again, for the most part; your… well, she didn’t know what to make of you at first, so she couldn’t say for sure—without ever falling too far into extremes. 

It’s funny, really, how such a bland feeling brought her such comfort; the sensation of nothing at all, yet no sort of emptiness to be found. It was nothing like that constricting egg, or the hard armored body she typically resides in. There is a softness in the holding of hands, in the holding of people, so unlike the harsh conditions of her life as it has been. She’s content.

“How are you doing?” you ask, peeking your head in through the cracked-open door. 

Firefly turns to look at you. “I’m okay, thank you.”

Her eyes immediately fall from your face to the tray you’re carrying. It’s wooden, handles notched in the sides, filled with food and drink (namely, two mugs of what she assumes is hot cocoa, one with marshmallows and the other with whipped cream), and decorated with festive additions on every square inch of space that is not already occupied by some sort of snack. It’s overkill, but it’s sweet. She smiles, and wonders how you managed to bring it all the way here without spilling something.

You set the tray down on the coffee table. She glances at it briefly—she doesn’t need to eat or drink much, but the gesture is kind, and she appreciates the thought nonetheless.

“Do you feel any better?” you ask, gently nudging the blanket she’s using closer to her so you can sit. She pulls her legs back a bit to give you more room. The couch dips beneath your weight and pulls her a bit closer anyway.

“I’m still sort of tired,” she says, picking up her drink and blowing on it. “But I do, a little.”

You smile. “That’s good. You worked hard. You deserve the rest.”

When she brings it to her mouth to take a sip, it’s just as she suspected—hot chocolate, no bitterness at all, nearly even too sweet. But it’s not hot, really—the temperature is perfect. Warm. 

——

Firefly was surprised the day she learned stars burned. If fyreflies gave off no warmth, yet still shone brighter than the sun, then stars surely paled in comparison to their beauty—such gentle, giving light, without the need for any destruction at all. A living thing. Fleeting. 

She knows stars will burn out, too. But it’s much slower. And you cannot hold a star in your hand, cannot feel a star illuminating every proof-of-having-lived line of your open palm, cannot choose whether to crush it or hold it close. Some say the beauty of life lies in the ephemerality of it. Sometimes Firefly agrees. Other times she thinks about how horribly unfair that is, that beautiful things should be allowed to last forever, that fyreflies should not die three days after their creation, that flowers should not wilt the moment they are cut from the stem. But that is only two extremes. Human life is much more intricate. The line of thought is irrational regardless.

She tilts her head back and lets her sight be swallowed by the darkness of the light-polluted sky. She narrows her eyes, gaze a little blurry focused so far away, and thinks she would prefer the company of a fyrefly to the stars. But they don’t exist for her anymore, not where she is now; they are fleeting, just as she is, and most perished in that all-engulfing flame. Though she moves around so very much, she has never seen another anywhere else in recent years. 

So, in their absence, she sits on the roof every night and stares out—the city lights of wherever she’s staying often obscure them, render them hazy in the swirl of candied ink and over-used paper, but she swears something in their scattered, hand-written lines speak to her regardless. Like the purpose-filled existence of every short-lived fyrefly, burning brightly before its destined end. 

The harsh scent of gasoline from the city is cloying, even from afar on the lone rooftop. The thickness of it is like stagnant smoke in her lungs, but the wintry night air flowing in from somewhere farther away—almost scentless, but damp with melted snow and crisp with re-forming frost—washes it away until it’s nothing but a distant memory. 

Snowfall is a lot like the cascade of ash. Hot enough and the heat feels frigid, freezing enough and the cold feels like fire—either way, what they have in common, hand-in-hand, face-to-face, is that they are extremes. Two sides of the same coin. The wind blows her hair away from her face, and as it carries in more snow-sodden clouds for the wintry sky to cry from, Firefly feels a snowflake alight upon her nose.

She brushes it away, and tears her gaze from the vastness of it all. She takes a deep breath and looks towards the small-in-comparison harbor instead. She watches the boats go by, the dancing light on their decks, the waving sky’s reflections in their wake, muted stars rippling like echoes in the hull-churned surface. It can be lonely, but it’s also peaceful, calming in a way nothing else is, from summer’s cloying night heat to winter’s biting cold, and back and forth, and again, and again. It’s become routine, no matter the city. You joining her has, too. (Which may, admittedly, be the reason it isn’t so lonely at all.)

Firefly wrings her fingers out, a bit cold by now, sighs, and cracks her knuckles one by one. She hears your footsteps along the rainswept roof long before she sees you.

“I thought I’d find you here.”

She knew you’d say that, too. You always do, as if it is a new, wondrous revelation each time, not a habit both of you have fallen into time and time again (just as that very sentence is as well—again and again. She hears you coming and then she can hear it in her mind, far sooner than you actually speak it. I thought I’d find you here. You knew you’d find her here).

She smiles. “You always do.”

There is no part of the script that says anything of this, implicit or explicit, but it happens over and over again regardless: Firefly steps out onto the roof to watch the stars, and you follow approximately fifteen minutes later, just in time for her to begin to feel the chill. (Though she could easily don her armor and chase the cold away herself, she finds that same familiar comfort in allowing you to do it for her.) You say “I knew I’d find you here”, and she says “You always do.” 

Or something similar, of course, as this was indeed not part of the script. Sometimes the same, sometimes with a roughness in your voice that comes only with the lingering disruption of sleep, sometimes a bit more exasperated if she promised to stay inside that night to rest. Either way, you are never upset for long, really.

“It’s windy,” you say, slowly sitting yourself down next to her, careful not to slip on the shingles. “And wet. You’re not cold?”

The unmistakable hint of disdain for the weather in your voice makes Firefly laugh. 

“Cold? A little.”

You take that as an excuse to inch closer. She doesn’t mind. Not at all.

You take her hand, fingers running over her cold ones, clutching them between your palms until you seem satisfied that they’re warmed. Even then, you continue to hold her.

“They’re pretty,” you murmur, gaze casted up at the little sliver of sky still visible through the encroaching clouds. “The stars.”

She nods. “They are. I wish you could see a Fyrefly—they’re sort of like little stars. They’re truly beautiful.”

You turn to her, a grin on your face. “…Aren’t you one?” 

“That’s… not what I meant.”

“I know. But you light up a room enough to be one, I’d say.”

She rolls her eyes, but that smile, that genuinely warm one that comes with the breaking off of a laugh, still tugs at the corners of her mouth. “Light up a room? What, with Sam’s flames?”

“Mhm. Yeah, totally.”

Your head falls against her shoulders, your arms encircling her side. She lets her cold cheek rest against your hair. It’s a strange feeling, no matter how many times it happens, no matter how many quiet nights you and her spend like this, so closely entwined, the same sky envisioned—it surprises her each time, the gentleness of it, the tenderness she feels in your arms. It’s soft, in contrast to tile floors and metal bodies and spindly fingers. The wind blows harder, and with it comes more snow in flurries, tangling in her hair and settling on her skin, melting upon it. You giggle softly, undeterred, and hug her tighter. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to go back inside?” she asks when you begin to shiver. “I don’t think the snow is going to stop anytime soon.”

“Not until you do.”

“You seem colder than me, though.”

“So?”

“So… why stay out here with me? I don’t want you to freeze.”

You sigh, eyes fluttering closed. A snowflake lands on your eyelash, and she resists the urge to brush it away. “You’ve asked that before.”

“I know,” she says. “You’ve never answered.”

You look up at her then.

“Because I want to, Firefly.”

And it has nothing to do with destiny. Nothing about these moments were ever scripted, nor would they ever be. It was your choice, and it was hers, time and time again. That’s what made it so wonderful.

She knows she should go back inside soon, that she should settle back into her armor and truly rest—she’s been out of it for a while, and it’s probably taking a toll, and she should allow her body to recuperate. But that should be on her terms, too. And, strangely, she’s in a lot less pain than normal, so, for now…

“Can we stay here a bit longer?”

“Of course.”

In your presence, the cold eases just a bit, and when you hold her… Even outside in the midst of winter, Firefly feels something akin to warmth. 

With you, it’s never in the extremes.

[jpitha]

Between the Black and Grey 51

First / Previous / Next

Eternity was a large ship, but it was still dwarfed by the Gren station. With a puff of thrusters, and a clang of hulls, the Dreadnought made contact.

The boarding party stood a few meters from the sally port. The shock troops mirror polished, black armored pressure suits stood in opposition to Fen's Empress armor. Hers was pure white with gold and blue accents, almost like porcelain.

"I must reiterate, Empress, you don't need to-" The commander started to speak.

"Regardless, I am coming. This was my home. I know this place better than any of your maps. Fen's body language was hidden by her armored pressure suit and solid white helmet, but the commander could hear the warning in her tone. She shifted her battle rifle slightly.

"O-of course, Empress. Still, it is our responsibility to protect you. You will be safest aboard Eternity."

"Your responsibilities are to capture Tam'itarr alive and ensure the survival of your team. Leave me to me."

The commander saluted, and said nothing.

Fen turned towards the sally port. All of her Dreadnoughts had them in a few strategic locations. Ships had missiles, slug throwers, and exawatt laser batteries, but sometimes they had to board ships and capture them. It looked like a regular airlock, except the outer door was replaced by high speed cutters. The ship would make physical contact with the object to be boarded, and the cutters would force an opening, allowing boarders to attack in person.

After a few minutes of cutting, the light over the port started flashing yellow. "Get ready," the commander shouted. "Remember, keep collateral damage to a minimum, do not go wild. We're here to capture someone, not take over the station. Guard the Empress."

The light turned green, there was a loud buzz of an alarm, and the sally port snapped open. Everyone's rifles snapped up and they entered the station.

The captain had chosen their location well. They were attached midway down the station, in a random corridor. Fen had been slightly worried that they would open up right inside one of the common areas and would be under attack immediately, but she had nothing to worry about.

It was… odd. Fen wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't this. After exiting the hall, Fen was able to orient herself easily. Down this way, turn here, around this pillar, through this archway, past the warning light that has been blinking her entire life without ever being repaired.

She was home.

Only, it wasn't home. Not really. With no Ma-ren, this place was only a pile of memories and hurt. The sooner they captured Tam'itarr and left, the better. Fen shook her head slightly inside her helmet, making sure the helmet didn't move. She tried to shake herself of the memories.

Fen led the boarding party walked through the station, weapons at the ready but not actively pointing at anyone, but the few people they came across… didn't care. People barely looked up, let alone running away or attacking. The only people who bothered to look at them were children. As soon as they did, their parents shooed them back into their domiciles. The third time it happened, Fen felt a little silly and had everyone lower their weapons. They all straightened up and began to walk more normally.

"Empress… do you know what's going on?" The commander said, looking around. "This wasn't the reception I was expecting."

"No, commander, I don't know either. Many people on the station had joked that they had seen 'everything' and that nothing would surprise them, but I didn't think they would take it this far." Fen's faceless white helmet turned towards the people sitting in cafes who were pointedly not looking at them. She toggled her comm. "Weapons, please confirm you disabled their reactors."

"Empress, we have confirmed strikes on three of the five energy sources that we determined to be reactors. Additionally, we were not fired upon while boarding."

"It sure doesn't look like their reactors are down, Lieutenant. Lights are on, there are no alarms, everyone is enjoying their afternoon."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "Empress? You're sure? Everything is up and running?"

Fen tisked. "Why would I lie to you, Lieutenant? It's almost as if you didn't strike any of the reactors at all."

"W-We will reconfirm our shots, Empress. We will contact you in moments."

The line disconnected and Fen stopped walking. "I don't like this."

"Yes, Empress. it feels like a trap."

"Weapons ready." Everyone snapped their rifles back to their shoulders and spread into a defensive pattern. Meanwhile, Fen strode up to a young Gren man sitting at a cafe, reading a pad. "You. What is going on?"

"Hmm?" He lifted his head and looked at Fen. His expression tried to remain the same, but she saw his mouthparts twitch slightly before he spoke. "Nothing is going on, it's a normal day."

"Oh for the love of-" Fen cleared her helmet and locked eyes with the Gren. "W̴͈̃h̸̐ͅá̶̞t̷͇̽ ̷̪͌ì̵̬s̶̪̀ ̵̢͛g̴̹̿o̶͓͒ï̷̪n̵͚͆g̶͕̍ ̴͌͜o̴̲͂n̶̨̛?̴͇̇"

"We were ordered to ignore you." He answered immediately, almost without thinking. Once he realized what he said, he reared back, frightened.

"Who ordered it?"

He stood up from his chair quickly, knocking it over. He was backing away from her gaze, trying to escape. "Tam'itarr ordered it! He runs the place now!" Still reversing the Gren tripped over a table set and turned around and took off down the hall, running. One of the soldiers readied his rifle.

"No, don't shoot him. There's no point. He told me what I needed to know anyway."

It felt like someone was pushing her over. That was the thing she remembered first. Fen had no idea what getting shot was like, but it really felt like someone took a sharp shove to her shoulder. Her suit squealed at her that she was taking fire, and to get to cover. Fire? She's being shot at? Her second thought was of Ma-ren. Was this how it felt for her?

Fen fell to the deck with a thud. The armor had absorbed the majority of the shot, but there was still bruising and pain. While on the ground, there was another shot to her helmet. This one was much louder, with a metallic thwack sound that came from behind her. They absolutely were shooting at her! The nerve! Fen rolled onto her back to try and get up, and she was shot again. The suit was getting quite cross with her, with the internal screens lighting up with GET TO COVER in red and AVOID GETTING SHOT. Hmph. That seemed a little sarcastic.

With a rush of noise, her perception of the world sped up. The commander was leaning down and clinked his helmet to hers, enabling the suit-to-suit. "Empress! Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm all right. The suit - even though it's sarcastic - is doing well. Have we determined the source of the attack?"

"No, it's from multiple locations. We need to get to cover!" He helped her up, and everyone encircled her. Crouching low, below them, they started moving as one towards the restaurant that Gren was eating at before the attack. Fen could hear the shots ricocheting off the strong Imperial armor, but if they brought out any heavier weapons, they'd start taking casualties.

"Empress! Empress!" It was the Lieutenant from weapons. "We were duped! The energy sources are gone, the reactors weren't there. It's a trap, you need to get off the station!"

"Yes Lieutenant, we were able to figure that out on our own." Fen's vision blurred slightly. That shot to her head had made her brain vibrate some. "Please fire upon the station. I would like for them to stop shooting me."

"Uh… Empress? With all due respect…"

"Yes Lieutenant, spit it out, I am under fire right now and don't really have time for protocol."

"Why don't you just Voice them and make them stop shooting at you?"

Oh for Ancestors sake. "Yes, thank you Lieutenant. That's an excellent idea."

Fen stood up straight from the huddle of her soldiers and toggled her external speaker.

Č̶̨̚ě̸̬a̵̓͜ṣ̷͊͝ẻ̵̪ ̷͇̼́͋F̴͎̒í̸̺̌r̵̡͇̈́̋e̶̡̤̋̿!̵̧̥̇!̸͔͝

The shots stopped immediately. There was a commotion coming from some hidden corners. Probably attackers trying to figure out what is happening.

S̴̺̒h̵̺̃ȏ̷͙w̴̘̄ ̸͎͌ỳ̵̰ö̷͙́ȗ̶̡r̷͚̂s̵̠̕e̸̬̿l̶̛͜v̵̻͋ȇ̴̩s̶͓͊ ̷̋ͅr̴͉͐i̷̦͒g̵̡̒h̶͚̅t̸̻͋ ̵̫͌n̷͙̐ò̵͎w̶̩̑.̶̠͋

About a dozen people walked into the hall from three locations, one behind, one parallel and one in front of them. It was a motley crew of mostly Gren with a few K'laxi and some Sefigans with them. All were using modified human rifles and submachine guns. Old, poorly maintained ones, modified for other sapient use.

"Where's Tam'itarr?" Fen said.

"He's holed up somewhere up towards the top. He has a group of those old K'laxi refugees with him." One of the Gren said. He was shorter than most of the other Gren, with a dark fur flecked with gray.

As Fen's eyes passed over the group, she came across a familiar face. A face that was burned into her memory. A K'laxi with half of an ear notched, with dark brown fur and a smug grin.

It was him. The one who shot Ma-ren.

"You!" She pointed, her finger shaking with rage. C̴̦͗ǒ̴̰m̷̻͐e̷̘̾ ̵̜̚h̷͔̀e̸̠͋ŕ̶̫ȇ̷͕.̶̨̀

The K'laxi stepped forward, walking robotically. Trying to fight the imperial order always made people look like they were fighting their own bodies. He stopped a meter away from Fen.

"You are with Tam'itarr's crew."

He nodded once.

Fen cleared her helmet so that he could see her face. His eyes went wide with recognition, but he scowled and said nothing.

"You know me." It wasn't a question.

"You were one of the people chasing after me and Ma-ren when we were trying to escape. To try and get to Spyglass?"

He didn't move.

A̶̢̡̨̠̙͎̭̰͊͒ͅÑ̷͔̠͓̩̲̫̫̲͖̒̍̀̒̃̀̚̚ͅS̵̢̟̦͓̘̫̯̉͋͠ͅẄ̸̢̡̧̻̣̝̣̘E̸̘͙̝͔̝̮͕̭̗͎͆̈́̎̂͠͝R̷̨̧̢̘͎̠̻̠͓̮̎̓̄̀̇̏̅͝͝͠ ̷̧̡̞̦̺̣͖̤͊̂̓͋̓M̵̨̭͓̮̺̥̜̥̺̤̐̿͛͊̈́̿̂͝Y̴̗̳̗͆ ̵̔͝��̝͈̣̔Q̸̙͊̊U̷͓͈͎̎͒Ȩ̶̭͖̥̰̳̻̗̘̭͒̒S̴̹̓͑͗͋́͑͆̂Ṯ̴̻̖̀͒̾̄͌̐̋͝͠Ḭ̴̧͕̜̬̖̫̊̿̈́̈́̾̆̅O̷̢͇̗̳̜͎̒̍̾̅̾́͘Ņ̸̻͖̯͈̙̍̀̓̐͘͜͠ͅŞ̴̥̰͖̹̮̓͆͆̉̃͑̈́̈̕̕ she shouted.

Her Voice reverberated through the open area. It felt like the whole station went silent at her shout. His answer was practically a whisper, all his bravado gone.

"Yes."

"You shot Ma-ren?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I thought you would turn to go after her, and then I could shoot you too. But that damned other human you were with fended us off and you two escaped."

Fen stood straight, and nodded once. She reached onto the pad on the wrist of her suit and opened the helmet. With a hiss of pressure, the front of her helmet opened like a flower and folded down, becoming like a collar. Her head was in the open air of the station, at risk. The commander opened his mouth to tell her to put her helmet back on, but she turned to him, and her face made him close his mouth again.

She turned back to the K'laxi.

S̵̝̭͒͆t̵͉͕͌o̷̰̣̓p̵̧̹̊ ̵̩̎͝b̷̧͋̓r̵̪̈́e̸̦̔ȧ̴̠ṯ̷̢͝h̸̠̼́͌i̴͉͎̇͌n̶͚̳̈́g̶̯͇̒͠.̸̞̠͆͆

He looked up at her, puzzled. He went to take a breath to speak, and found that he couldn't. Looking at her in surprise, he tried again. His muscles wouldn't work to pull air into his lungs. He started to panic and turned to his compatriots. Fen locked eyes with them, and they said and did nothing. He started clutching at his throat, his fur puffed out, his mouth opening and closing, his tail vibrating furiously.

It sook quite a while for him to die.

When it was over, she touched her pad without looking at it, and the helmed unfolded and re-formed over her head. She waited until it was opaque again, and her face was obscured before she cried.

[atla-genderbender]

ATLA Gender Bender: "Princess Zuka"

Zuko -> Zuka

Alternatively, it is possible that female Zuko would still be called "Zuko". The ending -ko is feminine in Japanese. But within Fire Nation royalty, there exist masculine and feminine counterparts to names: Iroh/Ilah, Azulon/Azula. The ending -a is also used for Zuko's mother's name, "Ursa". This suggests that the feminine equivalent of "Zuko" would be "Zuka".

Like her male counterpart, the banished princess would have the most extensive wardrobe. I tried to draw several, but not all of these outfits.

If Zuko had been born a girl, a large theme of her story would be the traumatic loss and restoration of her femininity. I don't think that she would be a tomboy, but would be just as driven as her male counterpart to regain her honor.

I've been picturing Cricket Leigh as the voice of "Princess Zuka". Specifically, her voice as "angry Mai" in the Beach episode.

OUTFIT DESCRIPTIONS:

1: Young Zuka, from "Zuka Alone" flashback

She is supposed to resemble a young Ursa. Rather than being dressed like Azula, her clothes are inspired by ruqun.

2: Zuka at age 13, prior to being burned

Her ponytail is supposed to show off her long, beautiful hair, which is cut off during her banishment.

3: Zuka at age 13, after being burned

"Zuka" is shown with a fully shaved head, to illustrate an alternative scenario where Ozai does not challenge her to an Agni Kai, but immediately deems her actions treasonous and orders her to shave her head. In this alternative scenario, her refusal to cut her topknot is what prompts Ozai to scar her face and banish her anyways. This is supposed to be more in line with the treatment of "dishonorable" women in real life, as there are many world cultures throughout history who punish women by shaving their heads.

Still, I am not sure whether it was appropriate to include this in her wardrobe lineup. The Fire Nation is higher in the gender equality index than the cultures it is based on, as a consequence of firebending being an "equalizer" between the sexes. It is therefore plausible that "Zuka" would have still been challenged to an Agni Kai by Ozai, and that things would have occurred in the same fashion to her male counterpart. In this scenario, she would not have cut off her topknot. I picture her wearing the same hairstyle as regular, male Zuko, where she shaves the sides of her head to symbolize her shame.

4: Book 1 Zuka

Unlike her male counterpart, I think "Zuka" would grow out her hair. Zuko's shaved ponytail is based on a real hairstyle worn by Thai boys. But in-universe, Zuko appears to have fashioned himself after the hairstyle worn by Sun Warriors. A few other men in the Fire Nation also wear this hairstyle, but women are not seen wearing this. If "Zuka" had this hairstyle, I think it would come off as rebellious, instead of loyal to the Fire Nation. It makes more for "Zuka" to fashion herself after female Sun Warriors, who wear their hair in ponytails without shaving the rest of their heads. Her asymmetrical bangs are meant to contrast with Azula's perfectly symmetrical bangs. Underneath her armor, I picture her being very athletic, with lean, defined muscles.

5: Book 1 Zuka, as the "Blue Spirit"

The comics explain the origin of Zuko's Blue Spirit mask, which is based on "The Dark Water Spirit", a male character from the play "Love Amongst the Dragons". While "Princess Zuka" could don the mask of the "Dragon Empress", I think it fits her better to wear the mask of the "Dark Water Spirit" instead. This is because Zuko and Azula would reenact the play as children, with Zuko playing the Dark Water Spirit and Azula playing the Dragon Emperor. If the Azula was a boy and Zuko was a girl, I think "Azulon" would still play the role of the Dragon Emperor, while "Zuka" would still play the role of the Dark Water Spirit. This would foreshadow their eventual rivalry and Agni Kai, and I don't like the implications that come with "Zuka" playing the Dragon Empress. For these reasons, I chose to have "Zuka" don the mask of the "Dark Water Spirit" instead of the "Dragon Empress". This also does a better job of symbolizing the "Blue Spirit"'s role as enemy of the Fire Nation.

Additionally, I think it makes sense for "Zuka" to disguise herself as a male while donning the Blue Spirit mask. Failure to do so would make her disguise a lot less effective, due to the male dominated nature of the Fire Nation army. It would make her and Admiral Zhao both look smarter, as Zhao would still figure out that she is the Blue Spirit. Due to her physical build, she would not be able to pass for a fully grown adult man, but could pass for an adolescent boy. The cross-dressing element of her disguise could also connect the Blue Spirit to her "animus", symbolizing her complicated relationship with her femininity.

6: Book 1 Zuka, after assassination attempt

She would be shown without any color on her lips, due to her beat up state.

7: Book 2 Zuka, after cutting topknot

8: Book 2 Zuka, messy hair

This hairstyle would only be seen briefly during her sick episode

9: Book 2 Zuka, post haircut

After her bout of sickness, "Aunt Ilah" buys "Princess Zuka" new clothes and gets her a hair cut.

10: Book 3 Zuka, emo hair

11: Book 3 Zuka, formal dress

12: Book 3 Zuka, after joining the "good guys"

13: Fire Lord Zuka, coronation outfit

Her hairstyle is inspired by the Kdrama "Queen Seondeok" (2009).

14: Fire Lord Zuka, comics outfit (formal)

Her costume combines elements of Queen Seondeok, Queen Panhtwar, and Empress Wu Zetian.

15: Fire Lord Zuka, comics outfit (casual)

In these drawings, "Zuka" is shown having one of two lip colors: red and pink. The red shade is supposed to be the same color as Azula's lips, while the pink shade is supposed to be the same color as Izumi's lips.

The reason I did this was originally based on a mistake. I thought that Ursa had a lighter shade on her lips than Azula, and was trying to make "Zuka" look like a younger Ursa. However, this was a mistake. Ursa and Azula actually have the same lip color. Ursa's lips only look lighter because of the lighting in the "Zuko Alone" flashbacks.

I decided to keep this decision to have "Zuka" switch between Azula's lip color and a lighter shade of pink. This is supposed to make "Zuka" look a bit like Izumi, Zuko's daughter. It is also supposed to indicate when "Zuka" is wearing makeup and when she is not. I think her lip color should change upon becoming a fugitive, as she wouldn't wear makeup while living in poverty.

Like what I’m doing? Consider leaving me a donation via Ko-Fi.

[lunarsights]

Hi Sun! I was wondering if you can do Wooyoung’s ideal type like their physical appearance, traits, personality, etc and can you do examples of moodboard / pictures of what aesthetic / person they would be? Thank you if you do this kind of request, I hope it’s not a lot. If it is, it’s alright to just put what his ideal type is period. And I hope you’re doing well sis! -🧜🏽‍♀️

thank you for wishing me well!

just wanna let you know i tried to do a moodboard, but ultimately didn't because who wooyoung seems to be attracted to is really unconventional/eccentric, so nothing really fit. if i find some pictures later on, then i'll update!

𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜'𝙨 𝙄𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚

𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲:

“Running up Freestyle” by Megan Thee Stallion

“ghostin” by Ariana Grande

“The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow

“PYT” by Michael Jackson

“Work” by Rihanna

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬:

Seven of Wands (Rx), Justice, Ten of Cups, Queen of Pentacles, Queen of Wands, The Empress, The Fool, The World, 

Knight of Wands, Three of Cups, Page of Wands, Ten of Wands, The Star

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠:

wooyoung could feel attracted to those who are somewhat emotionally unavailable. with the shufflemany songs, this can range from people who are hyper independent and feel comfortable being single or looking around to people who have a ton of “baggage” or trauma so to speak. there seems to be a feeling of wanting to prove himself worthy of being with someone? he’s attracted to people who have their walls up because he likes to break them down. this doesn’t seem to be in a toxic way though; it’s more in wanting to be a “knight in shining armor” way; “wanting to give people a miracle”.  a “boss woman” comes to mind also. despite their unavailability, he wants someone who does understand their emotions; i’m reminded of the idea of those who intellectualize their trauma, so he could be attracted to someone like that. 

he is also drawn to people with ambition and those who have hope despite what makes them seem unavailable sometimes. he likes people who try to go after everything they want but also know when to take a break and enjoy what all they’ve accomplished. with ten of cups i get the feeling he likes people who greatly value life experiences and creating connections with others; someone who has a close knit friend group or is okay with creating one once they get with him. i don’t see him being attracted to someone who’s a major social butterfly though. he seems to be more drawn to those who are homebodies with the presence of queen of pentacles. he’s also drawn to people who are creatives in some way; this doesn’t necessarily have to deal with the arts - even just somebody who thinks creatively or out of the box would pique his interest.

there’s a lot of wands energy in this reading (especially on the appearance half), so he could be drawn to those who are fire dominant (aries, leo, sagittarius). he could be attracted to those who have what’s considered a “baby face”; those who have a lot of baby fat still. he could like those who dress in various colors; “not afraid to experiment”. he could be attracted to those who look different than what people expect or unconventional (ie. dressing outside of what’s trendy, openness to those who aren’t korean and for those who are korean could be fine with them not fitting the traditional beauty standards). he also likes those who “look happy”, “rejuvenated”, and “youthful”. 

i also want to point out that Megan Thee Stallion popped up quite a few times, so that could be someone he’s currently attracted to/interested in as an example.

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲:

“Killing Me Softly” the Fugees

“One More Night” by Anthony Ramos

“Hiss” by Megan Thee Stallion

[theblackbookofarkera]

Daralazha

In the sacred mythology of the Pamarang pantheon, there exists a divine duality in the form of twin goddesses: Lahza, who rules the ever-changing moon, and her sister Daralazha, whose unwavering vigilance protects the boundaries between worlds.

Where Lahza embodies the fluid grace of moonlight and the eternal dance of lunar phases, Daralazha stands as immovable as the mountains. Her visage, though bearing her sister's celestial beauty, is marked by eyes that have witnessed countless ages of warfare between the realms. She wears armor of obsidian scales that never reflects light, but seems to absorb it into depths unknown.

Daralazha's choice of celibacy sets her apart from the often-passionate deities of the Pamarang pantheon. While her sister Lahza's tales are filled with love affairs and divine unions, Daralazha took an eternal vow of solitude, believing that to guard the gates of hell requires a focus undiluted by worldly attachments. Some myths whisper that her commitment to celibacy came after witnessing how love had weakened other gods, making them vulnerable to the temptations of the underworld.

As Keeper of Devils, Daralazha's primary domain lies at the threshold where reality frays into nightmare. The gates of hell under her watch are not mere portals but vast cosmic wounds in the fabric of existence, eternally threatening to tear wider. Here she maintains her endless vigil, accompanied by her legendary army - one million winged she-tigers whose roars can shake the foundations of both heaven and earth.

These fearsome guardians, known as the Rasha-vihi, are said to have been born from Daralazha's own shadow. Each bears distinctive striped markings that glow with an inner fire, and their wings are formed from the same dark metal as their mistress's armor. They possess both the cunning of tigers and the tactical minds of divine warriors, making them the perfect sentinels for both upper and lower realms.

The goddess's stern nature serves a vital purpose in the cosmic order. While other deities might be swayed by prayers or offerings, Daralazha's judgments are as absolute as the laws of nature themselves. She permits no negotiation with the damned, no bargaining with devils, and no corruption of the boundaries she protects. This unwavering dedication has earned her many titles among the Pamarang faithful: the Unyielding One, the Night's Shield, and the Empress She-Tiger.

Yet despite her harsh aspect, or perhaps because of it, Daralazha is also seen as a protector of justice and order. Her presence serves as a reminder that some boundaries must never be crossed, some rules never broken. Temples dedicated to her are sparse and austere, typically built at crossroads or city gates, where supplicants come not to ask for favors but to seek the strength to maintain their own vigilance against darkness.

In Pamarang artworks, Daralazha is traditionally depicted in three forms: as a solitary warrior with a spear of starlight, as a robed judge weighing the souls of the dead, or as a magnificent field commander leading her army of winged tigers against waves of chaos-spawned horrors. In all representations, her expression remains the same - a mask of divine determination that neither wavers nor weakens, eternal as the stars themselves.

[demifiendrsa]

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Official Announcement Trailer

The Mortal Kombat 1 expansion “Khaos Reigns,” will launch on September 24, 2024 for $49.99 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, and for $39.99 on Switch.

“Khaos Reigns” includes new story chapters and “Kombat Pack 2.” A bundle containing “Khaos Reigns” and the existing “Kombat Pack 1” will also be available. “Kombat Pack 2” will not be available as a standalone character pack outside of the expansion. Pre-orders for the expansion include four new skins: “Wedding Scorpion,” “Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Sub-Zero,” “Empress Mileena,” and “Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Noob Saibot.”

A free update dubbed “Animality” will be available upon the release of “Khaos Reigns,” which sees the return of of the “Animality” finishers from Mortal Kombat 3.

Key visual

First details

Khaos Reigns After repelling the invaders who endangered Fire God Liu Kang’s New Era of peace, Mortal Kombat 1 “Khaos Reigns” expands the story campaign with an all-new cinematic narrative. When a perilous threat arrives from an alternate timeline, led by the ruthless Titan Havik whose sole mission is to throw the realms into khaos, Liu Kang must rally his champions and put faith in his enemies to defeat this grave danger. If they fail, the New Era will be reduced to anarchy. Kombat Pack 2

Adding to the growing roster of playable fighters, “Kombat Pack 2” features returning kombatants Noob Saibot, voiced by Kaiji Tang; Cyrax, voiced by Enuka Okuma; and Sektor, voiced by Erika Ishii, all with unique backstories as part of the reimagined Mortal Kombat 1 Universe. As Sub-Zero, Bi-Han was the Lin Kuei’s ruthless Grandmaster, but his soul was stolen by Titan Havik to create the perfect henchman, Noob Saibot, who is now dedicated to fomenting anarchy. Born into the Zaki, one of the Lin Kuei’s many sub-clans, Cyrax became a martial arts prodigy with an independent streak and untamed desire to serve the clan on her terms, or not at all. Growing up immersed in Lin Kuei culture under the tutelage of her parents, Sektor becomes a master armorer, skilled warrior, and Sub-Zero’s most trusted lieutenant, committed to advancing the clan’s future at all costs.

“Kombat Pack 2” also brings a new batch of guest fighters into the mix with Ghostface, the recurring identity donned by antagonists from the Scream horror movie franchise, voiced by Roger L. Jackson; T-1000, the liquid metal-based Terminator and deadly cybernetic assassin from the Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) film featuring the voice and likeness of actor Robert Patrick; and Conan the Barbarian, the towering warrior from the Conan the Barbarian (1982) film featuring the likeness of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Animalities Additionally, Animalities, the fan-favorite finishing moves will be returning as a free content update for all Mortal Kombat 1 owners. Allowing characters to morph into their spirit animal to annihilate defeated opponents, Animalities can be performed by all playable fighters and will be available in conjunction with the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns release. Furthermore, all owners of Mortal Kombat 1 will receive a free MK 95 Scorpion character skin, inspired by the original Mortal Kombat (1995) film, available today.

[titanicfreija]

Tributary

"I saw your Guardian in the Iron Banner."

Caiatl's voice surprised the Ghost and Guardian, and Freija leapt to her feet with a start. "How do you know?" asked Sunny, hovering into Caiatl's line of sight.

She seemed amused at their reaction, rocking to her heels and lowering her tusks. "I asked the name of particular Tributaries that I found impressive, and hers was one. That armor set is quite small."

Freija looked down at herself and smiled sheepishly. "The legs help me run faster."

~

"And they send bolts of electricity amongst your foes when you strike them," Caiatl agreed, speech unusually fast for herself. Freija smiled when she recognized the enthusiasm. "I do enjoy Valus Forge's sports. We have simulated them, but the live fire cannot be matched."

Freija giggled and Caiatl chortled. "You are fearless," she told Freija.

"I..." Sunny interrupted when she dropped a foot and a half. "Yeah," she sighed.

Caiatl humphed pleasantly. "The deadliest among you were quite impressive, but I find this game favors those who play the objective. The deadliest among you seemed only interested in being the deadliest."

Freija moaned and rolled her head in exasperation. "Yeah. They're still doing something, gives people like me something to pick up. But they'll leave the crests when I'm not there to pick them up, or worse, they'll make so many that even if they do pick them up, there's some left behind. That's partially my fault for dying, though."

Caiatl humphed again and crossed her arms. "I appreciate your capacity for clear thought in combat. It is amusing to see you give in to your instincts and stay to fight long after you should have retreated," she said.

Freija giggled nervously and ran a hand over her hair. "Yeah, my disengage is shit. I'm working on it. As long as my engage isn't too... Uh. Engaged, I do okay." She smiled wanly.

Sunny, who had subconsciously drifted to Freija's side, wheeled her petals. "It's good to see you, Empress," she sang. "I'm glad you like the Banner. It was the first place Freija got to fight her fellow Guardians, so it's kept a warm place in our hearts, and we come back when Saladin does. We're glad you let him keep it."

"It was an excellent opportunity to witness Guardian battle techniques," Caiatl said with a jovial shift in her stance. "It has also been... Fun. I have certainly enjoyed targeting the Guardians with drop pods. Valus Forge has promoted this, in fact. He says that many could do with lessons of the kind."

Freija giggled again. "I was only in the way once," she objected playfully. "This time. Today."

Caiatl rumbled a laugh and gave the Guardian a nod, then turned back to Sunny. "I would appreciate your company at your convenience."

She almost hid the exhaustion but Sunny and Freija caught it anyway.

"My pleasure! Freija has a date coming up, I'll ping you?"

(I have no idea where I'm gonna take that)

[chndelure]

i used to have a twitter for liveblogging about webcomics but twitter is dying so i deleted it a few months back. that said, i miss having a webcomic posting account so badly, so webcomic Tumblr Sideblog now

main is @asexualzoro and i read smth like 200 comics week to week because i am normal

some favorite comics are Lavender Jack, Eleceed, Your Throne, Castoff, and Broccoli Soup!, but i’m reading way more

longer list of comics i like below cut (not the full list of ones im reading). in alphabetical order, w some more favorites bolded

anything for you

ask white pearl and steven

a spell for a smith

artificisouls

aurora

baby tyrant

the beast of hadingley hill

the blind prince

the botanist

blood bound

brain in a jar

castle swimmer

circuits and veins

city of blank

the crimson lady

cursed princess club

the curse of pirate's bay

damselfish in distress

daughter of 1000 faces

the dark lord's confession

dark zone

daybreak

divorcing my tyrant husband

denounce

desert duo vigilante au

doom breaker

DPS only!

the dragon tutor

dungeon death dispatch

eaternal nocturnal

elf & warrior

encore!

EQUALIZE

fictional skin

the first night with the duke

forever after

forgotten

for my derelict favorite

four leaf

fox fires

from a knight to a lady

garden club detective squad

go away romeo

gourmet hound

grand ma

guaba

guide to the land of monsters

heir's game

heroes of thantopolis

high class homos

high spirits neoma

hooky

honbarian

how to be a dragon

the hunt for the holy pearl

hybrid

i abdicate my title of empress

icy copper

i'm the grim reaper

i'm the queen in this life

ingress adventuring company

inhibit

i want to be a cute anime girl

jupiter men

the last dimension

like wind on a dry branch

the lone necromancer

lorena immaculate

lovebot

love me to death

lucid memories

lumine

magical mom

magic words

makeup remover

marionetta

miracle simulator

muted

#muted

my husband changes every night

my in laws are obsessed with me

mythos redone

my sweet archenemy

nevermore (originals)

nevermore (canvas)

nobody's library

nomads

not so shoujo love story

not your typical reincarnation story

omniscient reader

parallel city

the peculiar compendium of victor van wolfe

phantomarine

phototaxis

plague muffins

the princess and the pirate

the princess plot

prism world

purple hyacinth

questless

rain girl

rectify

the red archer

the remarried empress

rose tide rising

sable curse

school bus graveyard

seasons of blossom

the second lead syndrome

the secret knots

the secrets of soulford

seed

see you in my 19th life

SEIS

señorita cometa

seven days in silverglen

shootaround

sleepless domain

soil that binds us

soleil

somminum theatre

soul food

space boy

space princess

the spark in your eyes

spellward bound

spontaneous world shifting

suitor armor

survival diary

surviving romance

susuhara is a demon!

sweet home

swimming lessons for a mermaid

tiger, tiger

to knight the faithless

to the stars i love

trash belongs in the trash can!

the tyrant wants to be good

the uncommons

villainess for hire

warrior executioner

when the third wheel strikes back

where the heart is

widdershins

wintercircle

the wizard of cedel

the wrath & the dawn

yuna and kawachan

[gerda-3]

Hello dear~

For the soft asks 10,19,24 and 28 🩷

When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? (or just felt really good afterwards)

I don't really know how to… cry? But I like to watch the Cabal when they are away from the power of the Caiatl. They are really very, very noisy. I asked Rufus to secretly record a few phrases of the Empress as she gave orders to her troops. Sometimes, when a patrolman is bored, it's quite fun to watch him startle at a sudden shout from his mistress's voice from somewhere around the corner.

Anyway, I came across a company of psions and legionnaires repairing the skin of their tank on Nessus. Psions are quiet guys, but not legionnaires. Fans of gossip and overly loud phrases, they didn't even see my ghost when he settled right behind their backs. And while one of them was proving that he was capable of taking off the head of a hydra Vex with a single blow of his hand, Rufus shouted at the command. Cabal got scared and hit the sheet of metal so hard that it broke free of the fasteners and hit the psion. I do not know what the name of the game is when people hit the ball with a stick, but, in general, the ball turned out to be one of the psions. He was thrown up with such force that he got stuck by the horns of his helmet in the track of the tank wheel. Even though I was a good distance away, they could hear my laughter even then.

Have you ever written or received a love letter?

What is a letter? And how can it be loving? How can paper love?

Who is your bestfriend?

I have Rufus, my ghost. I'm also friends with one of Empress Caiatl's gladiators. We're not exactly the best of friends, but I like to train with him and play hide-and-seek in the halls of Halphas Electus. I always lose for some reason.… Sometimes, he lets me stay in his cabin if the weather is disgusting outside and I obviously don't have time to get to my nearest shelter.

What are you proudest of?

Trophies from the hunt. The Vex are slow and easy to read for further action, the war beasts of the Cabal are stubborn and push through without thinking about retreating. They're an easy target.

But ordinary animals and birds… They don't have any armor or fire cannons, but their instincts, their behavior, their… survivability. They don't need a radar to figure out that something is wrong. One crunch of a branch under your foot is enough, even if you have activated your disguise, just a puff of wind in another direction and they already know where you are.

And hunting turns into something more. I have to make every effort to get what is rightfully mine. Sometimes it seems to me that they are already hunting me. Deer antlers, wolf jaws, snake ribs and fragile bird bones. No matter how tough my body and my armor are, I don't think I can take another hoof kick in the stomach. Besides, you won't even be able to withstand a blow from the titan's void shield if you try to steal Saint's pigeons in the Hangar again. Shut up, Rufus!

[astralix]

Act 003 Self-Destruction

Pretty Guardian ✶ Sailor Moon

Characters: Original Characters, Canon Characters-mentioned Rating: Teen, Older Teen Genre: Angst, Action, Fantasy, Magical Girl Song: “Die for You” Starset Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.  That is Naoko Takeuchi’s property.  Please do not sue me.

✦✶✦

Even if the sky does fall Even if they take it all There’s no pain that I won’t go through Even if I have to die for you And when all the fires burn When everything is overturning There’s no thing that I won’t go through Even if I have to die for you

✦✶✦

She was probably going to her death, but she did not care.  She was probably standing on the wrong side of battle, but she did not care.  There were people here who she cared about most.  Probably more than the world itself.  Still, she promised to stay by their side.  It was self-destruction at best.  However, she made a promise and she was going to stick to it.

She had dreams of being like them.  The ones that she was fighting against.  She could see herself in a Sailor suit of teal and indigo.  She was probably happier on that side than where she was now.  However, she made a promise and she would never go back on that promise.  She had to stick it through, even if it made the Sailor Senshi sad that they had to kill one of their very own terrestrials.

In those dreams, she was a proud Sailor Senshi, Sailor Aquarius.

In reality, she was the Conquest, one of the Four Horsemen.  Standing beside her was Death, War and Famine.  She was technically their leader, but she knew everyone was competing to be the very one that brings the heart of the Sun Empress to their nefarious boss’ hands.  It saddened her.  However, that was the life she took up, and it was in protection of the others.

She would face the Astrals.

She would face anything in her path.

She would die trying.

If it helped her friends.

She stood idly, with a teacup in hand and a floating teapot at the ready.  She waited in silence until one of the Sailor Senshi came to her for a fight.  She brushed a rogue lock of teal hair away from her face, as she gazed passively into the abyss below.

This was all self-destruction.

Time went by and a few cups of tea drunk, she could hear the quick thudding of steps.  The double doors burst open as two Senshi stood there panted.  The teal haired girl merely drank her last cup of tea before, before she dropped the teacup into the abyss.

“VICTORIA!” shouted one of them.  She had deep red hair and gray eyes.  She must be Sailor Scorpio.

“Yes?” Victoria, the teal-haired girl replied.  She simply watched the tea cup until she could not see it anymore.  She turned her gaze to the two Senshi.  “What happened to all the others?”

“They’re fighting,” said the other Sailor Senshi.  Her orange-to-red hair clashed with the red-violet sash and skirt of her Sailor suit.

Victoria smiled.  “Good, and you are?”

“Sailor Ophiuchus!” the second Senshi called.

“Is that so?” Victoria asked.  She closed her eyes, hair waved from the void below.  She outstretched her arms, leaned back and fell into the void.  Both girls screamed in horror as they rushed to the edge.

Sailor Ophiuchus clasped a hand over her horrified gasp.  Sailor Scorpio stared in horror.

Victoria merely smiled, as she fell.  She whispered words before she stopped falling.  The brooch on her armor clad body glowed.  “And answer my summons!  I, Victoria, swear to thee!”

She would be betting her life now.  She would be pushing every chip on her end of the table forward.  Her friends were risking it all to fulfill their dreams.  Her dream is merely to support her friends.  If they wanted to get back at the world, to destroy it, then so be it.  She would help them even if it meant her own destruction.  She loved her friends dearly.

If you really loved them, you would stop this now!  She could hear the small voice in the back of her mind.  It was that one voice that denied her dream to follow Mai, Miko and Kyoumi into the depths of Hell.  It was the one voice that wanted to call to them to bring them back from damnation.  It was an annoying voice that has been fighting for her to quit her current position.

“I made my promise and I will uphold it.  Till my last breath,” she said, instead.

You could stop everything if you just listen to me!  Listen, you could achieve great things!  For the Ambassador of Good!  Instead, you’re just destroying yourself!

“What are you?  And how did you get in my mind?” Victoria stated, softly as she flew up the way she fell.

Sailor Aquarius.  I am the one that has chosen good, and you can still choose it!

“I made my choice.  You will shut up,” Victoria replied.  She already made her choice.  There is no salvation for her.  No way of redemption.  Nor for her friends.  Her boots felt nothing but air beneath them but she was floating just above Sailors Ophiuchus and Scorpio.  She was glowing a deep and muted teal.  She could feel her forehead burning.

Then, you must pay the price for your foolishness.

Both Senshi looked in horror as glyph glowed on her forehead.  It was–

“Aquarius!” Ophiuchus gasped.

“I figured as much,” Scorpio said.

A brow raised, Victoria lifted an arm up as spectral swords appeared and pointed towards the Senshi.  The swords rained upon them, and she could hear both their screams as they were nicked and cut.  Ophiuchus struggled but she made a shield around both Scorpio and herself.

Victoria had made her choice.  She would go down with the other three.  She knew their boss would not intervene to help them.  She would complete her path of self-destruction.  However, beside her, was her ghostly doppelganger in the teal and indigo Sailor suit.  The apparition smiled, smugly, as Victoria missed both targets.

[bitchalotl]

Subversions I need to see in fiction ASAP:

- Any godsdamned curves on Sci-fi architecture. Even better if it's accompanied by natural colors (I am done with the same obnoxious neon blue and magenta)

- Magic users wearing armor, the thicker the better.

- Warriors / fighers wearing robes, the bigger the better.

- Morally bankrupt monks, clerics, and paladins.

- Autistic dragons that hoard still life paintings or bubblegum boxes (literally anything other than gold or jewels)

- Assassin's and rogues with cheerful and sunny personalities, but not in an unhinged way! (Just regular tax-paying people that happen to kill for a living)

- Dark lords who wear any color other than black, have a castle/palace made of something that is not the blackest bricks possible and that use some magic/weapons that do not glow red, blue or green.

- Lawful neutral demons who treat the unholy actions like we do office jobs.

- Unhinged AF angels who can and will snap your legs for refusing the good message.

- Mentor figures who don't look like they should be at a nursing home.

- Inmortals who actually enjoy the time they have and do not have clinical depression.

- Powerful magic casters that do not look like twinks or like grandpa's straight out of the 1750's, we need more middle aged characters!!!

- Less pyromaniacs in fantasy and less bomb/gun freaks in sci-fi (where are the water magic menaces or the laser bitches at?)

- Monarchs and nobles with literally any title other than king/queen, emperor/empress and prince/princess (where are the margraves? The langraves? THE FUCKING ARCHDUKES!?)

- More women in armor, more men in dresses.

- More elves that wield axes and more dwarves that wield bows.

- MORE FOREST DWARVES AND MORE UNDERGROUND ELVES.

- High tech, advanced civilization orcs.

- Skies that are not blue, water that is not transparent and plants that are not green (you really made a whole different world and made it look exactly like ours?)

- Fantasy kingdoms with symbols that are not lions, eagles, or wolves.

- Villains that do not have snake, wolf, crow, raven or spider motifs.

- Deserts with sand that is not fucking beige.

- Pantheons in which gods live in harmony and like each other despite their differences.

- Fantasy religions not modeled after Christianity in terms of aesthetics and structure.

- The thirteen thing/person/object/place in a group is fine, normal, and not evil or cursed.

- Light as destruction and corruption, darkness as healing, and creation.

- Sci-fi settings where we can see the sun.

- Bright light and sunny skies with clear weather in depressing scenes. Heavy rain and shadows in happy scenes.

- Unwilling heroes in fantasy. (Destiny called and they hung up and blocked the number)

- Fantasy worlds with stars that are not the sun and are not yellow, or alone.

- Fantasy worlds with multiple moons (the tides are gonna be nasty AF)

- More female goddesses of war, death, fire and destruction. More male gods of life, fertility, peace, water, nature and creation.

- More orchestral music for sci-fi settings and more EDM for fantasy settings.

- Blood that is not red.

- Sadness represented with any color other than blue, same with joy and yellow and hate and red.

- Horrors beyong human comprehension that do not have tentacles or many eyes.

[noroi1000]

Could I request headcanons headcanons of commander(empress)!reader and gojo,it could be fluff,badass etc and/or a mix of them

An: It's not exactly headcanons, but it's almost like that. It's short.

Commander 6

Well, Gojo as an emperor would be almost the same as a prince.

Especially when he has a queen with him that is you. You are his empress, and you have as much power as you want. Everything he has, you have too.

There's nothing to argue.

You were one of the most wonderful empresses ever to rule with an emperor.

When a decision has to be made, he is the one who comes to you to ask your opinion.

Satoru wouldn't do anything without the consent of his beloved wife. After all, he doesn't want you to be left out of anything.

You still have your responsibilities as empress, but you are also able to help him.

In every possible way.

You help him make a lot of decisions. Therefore, he does not need many advisers. Often a woman's point of view is enough to solve all the problems that have ever been handed to her on a platter.

Because you are very good at all this, he lets you do what you want. Everything they ask you, you know the solution after a while.

Since you also retained your position as military adviser, you can do almost anything with the defense of the country.

As if you were advising yourself on military matters.

Being with Satoru, you deployed military forces your way, unlike before. Previously, other advisers disagreed with your idea of ​​reducing troops in the capital. Now no one said they disagreed because it was just you and Satoru.

By deploying now, there is no place in your country where it is unsafe.

The enemy can attack from any side. But it won't go any deeper into the country because you've placed patrols and troops in strategic locations. Perfect places on the border for attack, defense, traps.

No one would dare attack such a militarily efficient country, would they?

From your experience when you were young, you made armor heavy and light. For women and for men. Different sizes. Various armors to choose from. And it all depends on the convenience of a person, as well as on the preferences for weapons.

After the story of a small town girl who became a captain and made it to the elite spread, then she became commander, adviser to the emperor, then empress, more women were in the army.

Even as sanitary help or any kind of support, but there were more women.

Many people admire you.

Some people hate you too. They are mostly of noble birth. After all, for them, a commoner cannot become an empress and rule the country.

Well, not this time. You're the empress, and you're very happy about it.

Satoru supports you in everything as you support him.

You help him relax. Physically and mentally. You relax his body with just your touch and your voice.

You take away all his stress.

In all the ways he wanted. After all, your emperor deserves the best. Because that's what he gives you.

You still can't get used to people calling you "your majesty"

But at least it's easier than political meetings…

You don't like it, Satoru doesn't like it.

That's why you're both glad that Satoru's Father attends them most often. Even though he is no longer the emperor, he is still the father of the emperor, and also a former emperor. He has the same rights.

You were supposed to handle the spy's case, you had him cut his tongue and let it go to his boss. It didn't matter who he was. The spy won't say anything else.

You took on the case of a killer who murdered for no reason, just for fun. Unconditional death. Kill him as he killed all his 12 victims. Strangling, drowning, setting fire, stabbing, slashing, dropping from a height, cutting off the skin and leaving it to bleed, poisoning. Order according to the person who executes the sentence.

Despite these situations, you also do good things.

On your initiative, schools were established in smaller towns. Conditions have improved.

People love you.

Satoru keeps telling you that you make everything perfect. And that you yourself are an ideal.

You love him.

You are the empress, and you are happy.

Because you can have a family with Satoru, and live happily ever after.