#guess who hasn't thought that far ahead yet

[sinaisgn]

shiro has an anemo vision, but also, for whatever reason, has another vision - a cryo vision that just seems... off. he doesn't know how he got it or where it came from, but he holds onto it and just hopes something about it will come to light someday. he doesn't connect it to his recently frequent headaches, or a period of time around a year ago that he can't remember what he was doing at all.

need someone to hear me out voltron set in the genshin verse

[butterflydm]

wot rewatch (book spoilers edition): 2x3

And here are my additional thoughts that contain spoilers through all the teasers and the books through book 13: A Memory of Light.

I was watching show-only reviews to try to figure out if it's safe to call Ishy 'Ishamael' yet but reaction seems mixed on whether or not Moiraine's words clued people in on the situation, so I'm going to stay ambiguous about him in my book spoiler-free posts for now.

I loved the changes that the show made to all Nynaeve's tests. They all make sense in context of the show and Nynaeve's character, they all tell us something about her, and there's also some great connective threads between them. We've known for a while (or guessed) that her first test would take place when she was a kid because her mom appeared in the casting lists... quite a few months ago. Ages ago. But I definitely prefer this one to the book version. It was so heartrending and touching.

2. The crimsonthorn strand throughout the tests is very interesting to me. I talked about this in the other post, but on a more spoilerly note, I like that the show is not defaulting to "all the Wondergirls feel a draw towards Green because They Like Men" and that Nynaeve is actually getting tugged between Yellow and Red in these last two episodes, as Liandrin tries to influence her. It makes me wonder if maybe they'll have Elayne incline towards maybe Brown ("I like to tinker with things") instead of Green. Though Nynaeve did put Egwene in the Green Ajah in her personal AU (which did such a good job in only using elements that Nynaeve was aware of when she went into the arches! No Elayne in Nynaeve's AU; and no Rand because she believes him to be dead).

4. Side note: thrilled that Nynaeve does not have to be naked for the test. The amount of times that women have to strip down for rituals in the books gets pretty ridiculous (especially when men doing the same kind of ritual -- ex. going to Rhuidean -- does not require them to strip). Stripping down to her shift makes the point well enough.

5. A thought I had about the people attacking the Two Rivers -- could this have been happening during the Andoran Succession Crisis that led to Morgase being Queen? And so the Queen's Guard, instead of keeping the roads clear of bandits, were busy with the civil war among the nobility, which let bandits get even as far as the Mountains of Mist. That could actually serve as a really good reason for the Two Rivers to basically nope out of being part of Andor -- "you were so busy squabbling amongst yourself that you let bandits rove the lands and kill innocent people". I'm not certain if the timeline matches up, but I will put it out there as a theory.

6. Her second test is based on the same worries that she had in the books -- that she's abandoned the Two Rivers and she won't be there when they need her and someone who isn't a good Wisdom will have taken over for her -- but shifted the details to hit harder in the show version, and to use characters that the show viewers are already familiar with. It really worked for me. I also liked them essentially using Perrin's lies about Rand to Tam in the books for Nynaeve here instead, where it makes a lot more sense -- she doesn't want to steal the only comfort that she can give a dying man by telling him that his son is dead.

7. Liandrin genuinely got herself invested in Nynaeve! I liked seeing that. I really like that the show is giving more emotional depth to our Darkfriends. Both Sheriam and Liandrin come across as very genuinely upset that Nynaeve hasn't returned through the arches. Because they both think of themselves as the good guys! Liandrin's motives in the show seems to be along the lines of "You need to have power so that others can't have power over you" while Sheriam's in the books were about being Black Ajah essentially to get ahead in the Tower but never expecting that she would actually need to do anything TOO terribly bad in exchange. Neither of them wanted Nynaeve to die or get hurt (they were both probably hoping to turn her to the Black Ajah). It's also really funny that it's entirely possible that they do not know that the other one is also Black Ajah.

8. Theory: being able to sense latent channelers may be a Talent rather than something either everyone or no one can do. Because it's one specific damane who comes out to point out the individual women to get dragged off to be damane, rather than it being the two women who were used to attack the village.

They are hitting the dehumanization angle hard. Egwene's 'training' is going to be so hard to watch.

9. Ishamael doesn't seem like he was expecting to find Perrin here, so I don't think Ingtar has been in regular contact with him. I really do wonder where exactly the Darkfriend social happened, timeline-wise, to the rest of the season thus far.

10. Ah, goodbye, Uno. I'll miss you, but you went out like a boss. Given the changes that were made to the plot, this does make a ton of sense -- Uno is not a man who backs down easily and he's also not a plot-relevant character really... ever, at any point. He's a fun character for flavor but someone who can be sacrificed to illustrate a narrative point without needing to change any of the story in the future.

11. Changing Logain to being able to see men who can channel as opposed to ta'veren makes a lot of sense on a practical level -- Mat was sitting right next to Rand, so if he saw ta'veren, then he would have seen both of them glowing; making it about Rand being a channeling focuses Logain's attention and memory in on Rand specifically.

12. Rand being kept out of the knowledge loop here kinda cracks me up because "Rand is on an information diet" is something that kept coming up in the books and it frustrated me so much because, in the books, it was consistently a result of his allies just never being willing to tell him a fucking thing ever unless he bullied them into it or spied on them. It makes a lot more sense here that he doesn't know what's going on with anyone else's plotlines! Taking something frustrating from the books and making it make sense is a really good habit that the show has been doing.

13. Lanfear continues to be the funniest girl in the world. She is just on cloud nine so far in s2, cruising along living her best life. Also, we see that her inn cheekily has her personal symbols as their sign.

14. Given how much Rand is experiencing the class divide in Cairhien and how much he's seen the poor get mistreated and looked down on by the rich and titled, I almost wonder if he isn't going to get a bit of Mat's arc from the books when he finds out that Elayne is a noble and needs to realize that she's not like the Cairhienin nobles.

15. Mat escaping from one abusive situation only to land right into another one definitely reminds me of the Tylin->Tuon pipeline in the books, of course. The main difference being is that we're dealing with mother figures in the show and not 'romances' (please take that word with a very large grain of salt). Possibly the biggest way that they can set Mat x Tuon up for success is actually showing us her relationship with her mother and how toxic and cruel the environment that she grew up in is. I feel like not killing off the old Empress at all and instead having Tuon take over a faction of the people and split off them off from the Empire would give us a sense that she really IS Not Like The Other Seanchan, instead of just wanting people to believe Mat when he says it despite there being no evidence in Tuon's actual behavior (I'm trying to remember who originally suggested that idea, but it was a while ago, so I have forgotten; I'm sorry!).

16. Liandrin grinding in to Mat how worthless and what an awful friend he is will, presumably, be some pretty good setup for him to show himself to be both loyal and vital in the final episode, though there will probably be more pain for him in the upcoming episodes (maybe involving what happens with Min's viewing about him stabbing Rand).

17. Lanfear is buzzing on such a high of getting show off of her Personal Dragon to a fancy group of lords and ladies at the start of this party.

18. Rand's conversation with Moiraine's sister is particularly fascinating! There's a queen of Cairhien but I suspect that it's not a Damodred (maybe I'll be wrong and Anvaere is the queen! We'll see!). That Anvaere reaches out to the mysterious ~outlander lord~ and shares so much with him is very intriguing, especially if we end up seeing her again later in the season (once Moiraine arrives in Cairhien?).

18. Here is where the cracks in Lanfear's illusion of perfect happiness with her New Lews Therin are beginning to show: he's keeping secrets from her, he's doubting her, and then he just leaves her behind. She is probably getting some very unhappy flashbacks right about now.

19. I wonder if Rand's bad experience with Logain here will inform his choices in the future. In the books, there isn't really a good reason for him to give Taim free rein over the school, but if it's more of a "Taim vs Logain" situation and he already doesn't trust Logain (and Taim appears less affected by the madness), then him trusting Taim might make more sense.

20. Mat being released from a prison cell and not knowing where to go and then (temporarily in this case) returning to his prison gives me echoes of "Mat inexplicably appears by magic in Ebou fucking Dar, a place that treated him like shit for months" from A Memory of Light, lol.

21. Perrin feeling wary about getting too wolfy because of his encounter with Ishamael feels like a much better reason that we got in the books... though I wonder if we'll follow it up by having him meet... shit, the guy who lost himself to the wolf; do not remember his name. But I'm thrilled to have him hanging out with Elyas and the wolves (Hopper?) for now.

22. Liandrin calling Mat Cauthon, agent of chaos, "nothing if not predictable" feels like it needs to bite her in the ass at some point.

23. Yeah, on rewatch, the sex dream is definitely Lanfear feeling like she can finally show her possessiveness and anger in Rand's dream. She is MAD at him for keeping secrets and leaving without her, but she can't show it when he's awake because it doesn't fit her carefully crafted persona. She does NOT like her men with an air of mystery -- she wants to know every tiny thing that he's thinking and feeling. I wonder if Rand actually did light the roof on fire or if Lanfear helped it along -- she's definitely taking advantage of his vulnerability in the aftermath of the fire. "If you ever leave me like that again, I will kill you." Yeah, that's absolutely Lanfear.

And, you know, her inn burning down does mean that she doesn't have to worry about dealing with it anymore. Now that she's had a taste of Rand in fancy coats, I think she probably wants to try to figure out a way to make it happen again.

24. Nynaeve's dream does have a couple of painful easter eggs in it -- Mat gets a wound over his eye; Perrin gets killed by an axe.

Nynaeve does forcibly bring back the arches in the books too, just without so much happening in the illusionary life. But I liked this a lot because of how much it gave us from the other characters who believed that Nynaeve was dead.

25. So, my theories about what we might get in episode four. Wow.

Rand's trajectory... I don't think he's done with Logain. But I feel like ep4 is going to be a big one for him, based on the title (Daughter of the Night). Rand may find out the truth about Selene in this episode, which would be a. be a pretty big betrayal but also b. might make him realize that it's not likely that the Dark One is actually dead.

Moiraine is presumably on her way to Cairhien right now, but it doesn't seem like she thinks Rand himself is there, but more that she's investigating the poem situation, so they may run across each other by accident.

Everyone is going to get to react to Nynaeve powering her way out of the arches (like a boss). I am very curious if Lan is going to spend an episode in the Tower before going after Moiraine... but if Actual Lan goes to the Tower... hard to imagine he wouldn't tell Nynaeve, at least, that Rand is still alive. He knows how deeply Nynaeve cares about the Two Rivers kids.

Unless Liandrin tricks Nynaeve, Elayne, and Egwene into leaving the Tower before Lan arrives there?

Where are Mat and Min going! Mat can't be going after Egwene & co to save them because... nothing to save them from at the moment. Where would Liandrin want him to be led? Falme? I mean, maybe, but he can't channel, so it's not a secure prison for Mat like it would be for the girls.

Perrin's storyline is going to teach us more about the Seanchan and wolfbrothering, I imagine. Maybe some scouting. He can truthfully tell any Seanchan soldiers (if he runs across any) that he's taken the oaths.

Will we follow right on from episode 3 or is there going to be a timeskip to give the characters some time to travel to new locations?

[bodacious-energizedprotodermis]

the conversation that Lionpaw and Brambleclaw have about Lionpaw being upset with Hollypaw is fucking weird.

was it always supposed to be Hollypaw who caught on to Lionpaw sneaking out with Heatherpaw? or was something else supposed to happen, possibly in addition to that, that would have some cat who was not Hollypaw doubting Lionpaw's loyalty?

because.

Brambleclaw talks about Hollypaw like he would any rando cat in the Clan. not like Hollypaw is Lionpaw's sister, and Brambleclaw's daughter. he doesn't even ask why his children - or even just why two of his Clanmates - are having such a serious disagreement. he's the Clan deputy, this sounds like something he should care about.

I recall in New Prophecy Sandstorm confronting Squirrelflight about squashing the arguments between her and Brambleclaw if only for the sake of them being able to work together for the good of the Clan (Brambleclaw also should have received a similar talking-to, but whatever).

instead, Brambleclaw draws comparisons between himself and Lionpaw and having to prove himself over and over to his Clanmates because, yknow. Tigerstar.

but...it falls kinda flat if you remember that Hollypaw is ALSO Tigerstar's kin???

"You can't force Hollypaw to believe in you. You have to show her that you are worth believing in."

what??? would he say something similar about Tawnypelt???

this book is fucking weird about kin btw. Hollypaw keeps thinking about potentially fighting her newborn cousins in ShadowClan someday and gets very conflicted about it. she also thinks about her friend, Willowpaw, and how having relationships in other Clans is messy (something she relays to Lionpaw about his relationship with Heatherpaw).

but, fuck Mothwing, I guess. so far she's never brought up in the context of kin in another Clan or loose relationships with a cat in RiverClan. she meets both criteria!

on that same note, after all of Lionpaw's wonderings about Hawkfrost's death in the previous book, he hasn't thought about it at all even though he gets to talk to the ghost himself all the time. not a big deal, it's just odd that he totally forgot. he hasn't once thought of Hawkfrost or Tigerstar as being his kin. did he forget? did he read ahead?

I'm not done with the book yet tho, so catch me next time when all my gripes have been refuted and I look stupid. it's gonna take a little while, Dark River is a bit of a slog with the crushing ableism and weird character choices.

[hellcatinnc]

Toma - Second Times A Charm??

Some Spoilers Ahead.

So decided to randomly pick one of the love interests I hadn't done much with and the one that one out was Toma. I did his story in Amnesia Memories and was creeped out by his yandere bullshit. That being said I tried to do Later x Crowd and she was so nice to him that it sickened me so I left it after maybe a chapter and its taken me lik 6 months to come back to him now. I said fuck it I push through it I'm thinking its been enough time that even though I know what he did its not effecting me I think as much not to try..... TRY key word to see how he is romantically I mean come on compared to Yang's story I just did Toma is a freakin pussy cat. I took some screen shots of some moments I need to get off my chest so far though..

Exactly I agree with her so much what does Toma have Ikki don't have.... NOT A DAMN THING!! Ikki is life..... Thought was funny how she called Toma a stalker though.

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I have alot to say about this... first off the fact that he admits he knew he was a bad guy to her and that he lost control says volumes about him. He is also giving her a way out that if she loses feelings for him or that she gets scared to just walk away and he will not harm her. He also wants to be punished for what he did he feels like he shouldn't be treated like nothing happened. He wants to be happy but understands he has to take consequences for his actions. However what the hell lately when these Japanese guys say good girl it just makes my heart beat much faster.. what are these men doing to me and now Toma joins that group sighs I hate to admit I liked it... but I did!

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I just couldn't not bring this up I mean its like addressing the elephant in the room. Dude still has that damn cage on his balcony SMH. Then he talks about being strapped for cash yet at least he admits that cage was costly and unnecessary next time maybe he will think twice before impulsively buying stupid shit. However when she wanted him in bed with her snuggling he admitted to having no control around her and he wanted to be locked in the cage now too damn funny. Guess this means new kink sessions with Toma we will turn him into a submissive that bows down to the MC so he can get a taste of his own medicine. However I don't see him being submissive least be fun to put the cage to use then... (OMG what is wrong with me this man should not be someone I even thought about that with lmao)

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Aww look at that he learned to stop smothering her and locking her away from the world. Maybe those 3 months away from her after did him some damn good, who knows maybe he saw counseling and is on meds now.

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I love that he hasn't forgiven himself he knows what he did was fucked up and is determined to not let himself off so easy even though she acts like it didn't happen. I actually respect him for this think my heart warmed up a bit to him for this. I mean this is the man that I loved in him before the dark shit he did this was the best friend of hers talking. Anyways that he promises not to tie her up or anything again lets see if he sticks to his promise. Only time will tell.

[bayofwolves]

The Return: Revised — King

You guys know about Path of the Heroes. (Probably. it's the name of an original fourth Spirit Animals arc I'm writing.) But what you might not know is that another part of the project is to take the existing three arcs and rewrite them. Not entirely, but tweaking and modifying for continuity's sake. There are some pretty big canonical divergences in Path of the Heroes (Shane is alive, for one), and since my writing starts after canon has ended, I have some explaining to do.

This may take ages, but that's okay. Since the original course of events stays mostly the same, I can easily just do rewrites of pivotal chapters for now.

Such as this one.

I completed this a while back in the summer. I guess I just never posted it, despite being so proud! This is the last chapter of The Return, where we get the long-awaited reveal of who the mysterious Redcloak is. Personally, I wish the author had given this chapter to Abeke instead of Rollan. I needed to see what was going on in her head! That was really what motivated me to redo this one.

This sets things up for the next development of Abeke and Shane's relationship. From the moment the Greencloaks get on the ship at the end of The Return to the climax of the final battle in The Burning Tide, the two inadvertently end up in the same vicinity, leading to some talks and growth in their relationship. They're healing. Abeke hasn't forgiven him yet, but she's noticing more and more how he's changed for the better.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, here's the rewritten final chapter of The Return!

Content warning for suicidal ideation and dissociation.

Quick notes:

The title of this chapter has been changed from 'Redcloaks' to 'King'.

Shane and Tasha are cousins, which is mentioned here. Shane's mother, Queen Gwyneth, had two siblings; Tasha is the daughter of her brother. Thus, with Drina deceased, Shane missing and Gar leaving no children, Tasha is set to take the throne of Stetriol. There's a lot more to this, but I'll go into it some other time.

This is not the final cut -- this chapter will receive some more edits before being fully published as part of the project. Think of it as a sneak peek.

Okay, enough preamble. Read it under the cut!

Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts

Book 3: The Return

Chapter X — King

.𖥔 ݁ ˖☾𖤓☽.𖥔 ݁ ˖

The chill wind that rose from the sea seeped into Abeke's bones. She shivered and pulled her cloak more tightly around her shoulders, but made no move to leave her spot at the ship's rail. Her gaze, fixed on the fading shape of Zourtzi in the distance, remained unbroken.

She felt hollow. She had no desire to move, to speak, even to think. She doubted she would be able to if she tried. It took all that remained of her willpower to draw in shallow breath after shallow breath. All the life had been drained out of her, the very moment Zerif's black spiral had begun to pulse on Uraza's brow. So there she stood, watching the conquered fortress grow smaller.

Perhaps the tears would come later. So far, she didn't have it in her to cry.

The absence of Uraza was like a wound, the ugliest wound she'd ever been dealt, throbbing with every dismal beat of her heart.

She was so lost.

So alone.

Abeke brought shaking hands up to her eyes and pushed until she saw stars. She willed her heart to simply stop. What life was worth living without her spirit animal?

Soft footsteps sounded behind her. Abeke didn't need to look up to tell that it was Rollan. She knew his footfalls, his voice, his face, even better than she knew her own.

She didn't turn as her friend walked over to her, his steps measured and unsure. It was unlike him to move so carefully around her, Abeke thought. She could feel the pity radiating from him without even seeing his face. It all made Abeke want to jump over the side of the ship.

Rollan made no sound when he reached her side, only wrapped an arm around her shoulder. At the contact, a little warmth bloomed through Abeke's body. It almost brought tears to her eyes.

"How are you doing?" Rollan spoke. Concern was etched into the familiar curves of his face. Abeke wanted to lose herself there, in the steadying weight of his brown eyes, but she couldn't hold his gaze. She glanced away.

"Empty." The sun-tipped waves of the sea rolled below them. Abeke found strange solace in their neverending flow. "Lost. Alone." Her voice didn't sound like her own. It was as if someone else was commanding her body, as the real Abeke hovered above and watched everything play out. Like a ghost.

Rollan was silent for a moment, before he spun her towards him and pulled her into a tight hug. Abeke let herself be pulled and positioned in his arms, like a doll. But as the hug stretched out, she felt the sheet of ice that covered her heart begin to melt away.

"You're not alone," Rollan mumbled into her neck. Abeke dropped her head to his shoulder and hugged him back with all the strength she had left.

When they finally pulled back, Rollan's eyes were wet. Abeke's own throat had started to close, so much so that she didn't trust herself with words. She returned to leaning over the rail, but this time, her arm brushed Rollan's.

"She was there, and then in the space of a heartbeat, she was gone," Abeke recounted. She lifted her eyes to the smoke rising from Zourtzi – the last place she had seen Uraza. "She looked at me like I was a stranger. It was as if our bond had never existed." Abeke forced herself to keep her eyes on the horizon. She knew that as soon as she closed them, she'd see nothing but the moment Uraza leaped for her throat, replaying over and over.

"We'll get her back," Rollan said fiercely. "I promise."

Turning her head, Abeke regarded her friend through a film of tears. The love and worry in his expression was almost overwhelming.

Abeke sniffed and swiped at her face before the tears could fall. She didn't know how to respond – couldn't – but Rollan seemed to understand, like he always did. They stood side by side in the silence Abeke needed.

Awkward footfalls met her ears not long after, and Abeke felt Rollan turn through their connected arms. "Hey," came Tasha's voice. Her dark hair and green cloak came into Abeke's peripheral vision as the younger girl stopped at her other side.

"How's Kirat?" Rollan asked softly over Abeke's head.

"Fine," Tasha murmured back. "The Redcloak medic is tending to him." The exchange fizzled out, and Abeke soon felt the weight of both her friends' gazes.

Abeke blinked down at Tasha's brown hand, covering her own on the rail. When had that gotten there? "Abeke," the Stetriolan girl was saying. Unlike Rollan, who was always in sharp focus, her voice seemed to come from a long way off. "We're here for you."

Abeke pulled her head to the side. It was all too much.

A third set of footfalls sounded on the deck behind the three. Two short steps, strong and curt.

Curiosity compelled Abeke to look. As one, the three Greencloaks turned to take in the newcomer.

It was the Redcloak.

Abeke's eyes flicked over his sweeping scarlet cloak, his black leathers, the smooth wood of his mask. She had seen plenty of Redcloaks, even on this ship, but only one wore a mask so strange. Only one of them had no face.

Some of the fog that had settled over her body since Uraza was taken seemed to lift. Who really was this mysterious warrior that had saved them time and time again?

Something deep in her heart told her she already knew.

"Is everyone in your party all right?" the Redcloak asked. His voice was deep and raspy, almost reptilian in quality. Abeke tried to compare it to the voice she remembered from her past, the voice that still sometimes spoke in her dreams, but recognized nothing.

She realized after a moment that his gaze hadn't strayed from her.

"We'll survive," Rollan said for all of them. His voice rang clear in her ears. She glanced to either side of her, noticing the wariness in Rollan's face and the way Tasha nervously clung to her wrist. "Now, how about explaining what's going on here? I think it's about time for some answers."

The Redcloak tipped his head to one side as he considered Rollan, his oddly pale eyes glinting under his mask. "Soon," he said simply. "Be patient. We're taking you somewhere safe."

"Yeah, and where is that?" Rollan countered, bitterness lacing his words. "If you haven't noticed, nowhere is safe anymore. Zerif can get to us anywhere. In Zourtzi, in Stetriol and even at Greenhaven."

Tasha drooped beside her. A distant part of Abeke wanted to comfort her, but what comfort could she give?

Strangely, the Redcloak seemed to droop as well. "So the rumours are true," he said with a sigh. "Greenhaven has fallen as well."

There was something so intrinsically familiar about his stance, his speech, his whole bearing. Abeke had mulled this over for many nights, but now, with him standing a mere ten feet away, she felt everything in her threaten to spill out. Her heart ached, and she had the strangest urge to reach for him. Could it really be him? After so long?

The masked figure stared out to sea for a brief moment. "You should rest. There are more battles to come."

Then he turned and made to stride away. With her heart in her throat, Abeke pushed away from her friends and staggered forward. "Wait," she called hoarsely. "At least tell us your name."

The Redcloak turned around and fixed Abeke with his uncanny eyes.

"You've saved our lives again and again." The pounding of her heart was deafening. She could barely hear herself over it. She stepped forward again, then gripped onto Rollan's shoulder for support; he had hurried to her side. "Tell us who you are," she repeated, "so that we might thank you properly."

The Redcloak hesitated. "I'm called King," he said at last. Was it her imagination, or had his posture softened a touch? "I am the leader of the Redcloaks."

King. A hush fell over Abeke's mind. King.

As he watched her with wide eyes, Abeke heard Tasha speak from behind her. "Thank you," she said quietly. "We are forever in your debt."

King only spared a glance to acknowledge her. He tilted his chin again, then moved to walk away once more.

Abeke watched as he stopped still, his back to them. She watched him slowly turn back around. And with her heart thundering in her ears, she watched him fix his eyes on her.

His next words came soft, low. "I used to be known by another name."

Not of her own volition, Abeke found herself shaking her head from side to side. No. No.

The Redcloak drew back his hood, revealing light blond hair. Then he reached behind his head and unfastened his mask. "You knew me as Shane."

The mask fell away.

Abeke couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. She didn't react to Rollan's gasp of shock and Tasha's startled cry of "Cousin?" Her surroundings melted into waxy darkness. All she saw before her was Shane.

Though it was unmistakably him, the boy she used to know was barely recognizable. His normally tanned skin was pale, like he hadn't seen the sun in months. Knobbly green ridges had replaced his eyebrows, giving him a fearsome, monstrous look. Worst of all were his eyes. Gone was the keen blue stare that Abeke remembered so well. Instead, she was met with glowing, reptilian yellow-green. They were twice as large as they should have been, and bordered by pebbled scales. Slitted pupils stood out at their centres, holding her captive. A shudder of revulsion rolled over her.

"What happened to you?" Rollan's voice came in a horrified whisper.

Abeke hardly registered the words. Her breathing was coming in ragged gasps, and she felt the prickle of sweat all over her body. Her hands were already slick with it. She clenched them into tight fists, ignoring the way they trembled.

Of course.

It was him all along.

He and his Redcloaks had fought for them in their every hour of need – but now they were at their mercy. They were still in the dark about their motives, and now they were surrounded by them. Abeke's heart seized with panic. Her thoughts flew to Tasha, Shane's rival for the throne, and Kirat, belowdecks with the rest of the Redcloaks. Would they be safe with Shane? What if his only reason for helping them was a twisted desire to collect the newly reborn Great Beasts for himself?

The memory of the mysterious red-cloaked figure coming to her defense in Amaya sprang into her mind. He had saved her life from Arax. In Zourtzi, too, he had protected her from Zerif. Was it possible he still cared for her?

Abeke swiftly banished those thoughts from her mind. Shane was the enemy. He would always be the enemy. And this reveal was proof he would never stop lying.

I'm called King. Abeke shook with barely repressed tension as she remembered his words. An image of Shane with the Devourer's crown atop his head and a wicked smile on his face flashed through her memory. I am the leader of the Redcloaks. She saw him at the head of the Conqueror army at Muttering Rock, almost obscured by their black masses, seated astride his giant crocodile. How did she not see it before? How could she be so foolish?

She knew who the Redcloaks were.

They were enemies.

Shane's eerie eyes bored into her. Abeke recognized them now as crocodilian. How could she believe, even for a moment, that he might have wanted to change for the better? The symbol of his betrayal was branded over his once-handsome face.

But Shane wasn't the only one who was different now.

Abeke was done taking chances.

And she had nothing more to lose.

Whipping the bow off her back in one swift motion, Abeke brought an arrow to the string and pointed it straight at her former friend's heart.

The world came back into startling clarity the moment she did so. She heard a scream from Tasha, heard Rollan clap his hand around the girl’s wrist to hold her at bay. Abeke kept her eyes locked with Shane's. Was it the rocking of the ship that was causing her aim to waver?

"I had hoped it wasn't you," she rasped. "I had hoped you weren't tricking me again."

Shane was silent, slowly bringing his clawed hands up.

"Abeke, he just saved our lives," Tasha said urgently. "Maybe we should –"

Abeke stared at her in blind fury. "Do you know the last time Shane saved my life?" she snapped. "He used it as a way to sneak into Greenhaven and betray us. He used me. I was nothing but a tool to him." Tasha recoiled in the face of her anger, eyes wide with shock. Guilt flickered through Abeke, but she had no time to apologize. Resolutely, she turned her attention back to Shane and tightened her hand around her bow. "It'll be no different now."

"That's not true," Shane protested, with such force behind his words that it surprised her. "You were never a tool to me." His raised hands lowered and spread in a pleading gesture. "Much has changed since we last spoke openly… as I'm sure is obvious. Everything I've done with this mask, this cloak, this name, was not to deceive you, but to start anew and atone for my mistakes."

Abeke tilted her head to the side, steeling herself. She wouldn't let Shane's honeyed words ensnare her again. She was past this. She was stronger than this.

Her sweaty hands were making it hard to keep a firm grip on her bow. Could she shoot him, here and now? Did she have it in her?

With every passing second, she was less and less sure.

Behind her, she heard the worried voices of Rollan and Tasha. They were calling her name, trying to summon her out of her trance. It reminded her painfully of the last time she'd confronted Shane – the duel they'd fought in front of Kovo's empty prison. That time, too, she hadn't been able to finish him off. Something almost like instinct wouldn't allow her to.

She felt it now, some deep force within her, causing her arrowhead to tremble as she looked into the haunting face of her former friend. She let out a short scream, hoping to dispel some of her rage and pain. Sudden tears obscured her vision. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you," she challenged. Her voice came out raw and broken.

Shane stared at her for a long moment, and though it was impossible to read any emotion in those slitted eyes, Abeke thought she sensed immense sadness from him. "Let me speak plainly. The end is near."

Abeke gave a wry, husky laugh. Indeed, Erdas must be in her final days for the two of them to reforge an alliance.

"I know this is difficult, but I need you to trust me. To trust us," the boy said gravely. "There's something you need to see. It may be the key to saving Erdas, and perhaps the key to saving Uraza as well."

Abeke's eyes widened in shock. Hesitantly, she lowered her bow a few inches.

Shane wanted to help Uraza?

His slitted yellow-green eyes tracked her movement, unreadable, before they returned to hers. Something almost like hope lit his face. "Give me this chance, and I promise you, I won't let you down."

Abeke considered him for a long moment. Once, Shane had been a friend to her, a steady comfort even across opposite sides of the war. He had traded that all away for victory, using her as a pawn in his schemes before tossing her aside. He had made promises, and he had broken them. But now he stood before her, after saving her and her friends so many times, with a vow to save her spirit animal as well. Abeke looked at his changed appearance and felt horror. But now, she wondered if a better change was brimming below the surface.

Her bow fell to her side as the fight suddenly went out of her. She stared blankly at it for a moment, then took the arrow from the string and slipped it back into her quiver. She had thought about shooting it across the waves to release some of her tension, but decided against it. No need to waste an arrow. After all, she thought, turning dark eyes up at Shane, there are more battles to come.

She would place her trust in him for now. But for the sake of her friends, for Rollan, for the children they were tasked with protecting, she would be on her guard.

Slinging her bow over one shoulder, Abeke glanced over to Rollan and Tasha. Rollan, who knew her so well, must have read something in her hollow gaze that she herself was oblivious to. He was at her side in a heartbeat, touching her hand with his. Tasha followed in his wake, putting a hand on Abeke’s shoulder with more uncertainty. Abeke stood still with them for a moment, surrendering the worst of her pain and anger to the ocean wind. Surrounded by the best things she had left in her life, she could breathe.

Abeke looked down at her friends, giving them a weighty nod. Tasha returned it, then Rollan. They were with her. They would face this together. The thought renewed her strength.

With a deep breath, Abeke locked determined eyes with Shane. "Where to?" she asked.

Shane took a step forward and looked out across the water. "We sail for the Place of Desolation."

.𖥔 ݁ ˖☾𖤓☽.𖥔 ݁ ˖

[duck-in-a-thrift-store]

Room/character closeup #2 (going in order from most to least popular based on the poll)

~Eddie & Steve's room~

Edit bc I accidentally posted this before I meant to: spoilers ahead for my full house au, as can be expected

Did you notice the pattern on the rug bc it's important to me that you notice the pattern on the rug I spent a good bit of time searching for this one specific rug guys I'm serious about this. Is it incredibly dark humor? Yes. But it is humor nonetheless

Anyway

One of my first priorities/things I took into consideration when working on this room was that I didn't want it to be too bright or have any sort of potentially eyestrain-y patterns. Steve has suffered repeated head trauma and I wanted his room to be a safe space where he doesn't have to worry about triggering a migraine or fucking with his vision or getting dizzy just from his surroundings. Hence why they have a darker, more subdued palette than most of the other rooms (which I guess you don't know yet since this is only the second one I've shown you but just trust me on this)

Beyond that, I admittedly had a pretty difficult time trying to figure out what I could do that I felt like both Steve and Eddie would vibe with decor-wise while still being a cohesive theme

Didn't want it to lean too far either way into metalhead freak or preppy golden boy territory, and besides I do think Steve's whole aesthetic isn't entirely his own and is at least partly influenced by the expectations placed on him, so I tried to go for a fairly neutral sort of vibe here

For some reason I settled on some blue jean lookin ass wallpaper, a rug patterned with the our-dimension-version of the critters that very nearly took their lives, and a few choice items to put on the walls

First off, the ship painting

This was sort of an unexpected last minute addition, partially bc I thought it looked nice with the rest of the room and partially as a character reflection

I wholeheartedly believe that Eddie Munson would fucking love anything pirate related, he probably was a pirate for Halloween at least once growing up, and he just thinks sailing ships are super cool. Plus the painting just felt like it would appeal to a fantasy nerd lol (it reminded me of the chronicles of Narnia actually but that's not really important)

And as for Steve, at least in this au but I know I'm not the only one who thinks so, he really likes water. Being in it, on it, around it- he likes swimming (refer back to his noted complicated feelings about the pool from my basement post), he likes the beach, he likes the ocean, and he likes sailing. He hasn't been many times but I'd totally buy the Harringtons having been on a yacht or some shit at one point or another. This character note may or may not be related to both his job at scoops ahoy* and him being on the swim team in high school, which is one of those things that at this point I honestly don't know if it was at all canon or if it's just one of those headcanons that become so popular in fandom that it feels that way, and at this point I can't be bothered to fact check it

*I think either he had a prior interest in sailing-related stuff and that was part of what initially drew him to that job specifically, or that working there sparked an interest which only grew with time, like maybe some of the silly slogans and terms used in ice cream flavors and maybe even the uniform stirred his curiosity/memories of going out on the water with his folks during the summers before they decided he was old enough to be left home alone for weeks at a time, and he started looking into actual sailing and found out he really liked it. (He can't stand the uniforms now though bc they trigger traumatic flashbacks, for both him and Robin)

Next, the bass/electric guitar on the wall, which I feel is pretty self explanatory honestly. It's Eddie's (although he does offer to teach Steve how to play- haven't decided yet whether Steve takes him up on that)

And then there's the horses (photo? painting?)

This is where the whole "horse girl eddie munson" thing came from; the whole idea was initially born of me trying to decide what I could put on their wall, liking this poster and asking myself if Steve and Eddie struck me as people who were into horses. As it turns out the answer was "hell yeah" and it spiraled into an entire fic idea of its own, which can be found here. As for this au, the background of them both having a "horse girl" phase/being into the idea of cowboys is still a thing, but obviously it doesn't progress the same way as that did (steddie cowboys my beloved but these particular multiverse variants are stuck playing house with their traumatized found family and slowly realizing that they actually enjoy co-parenting >:3 and this way everyone gets to stay together)

Also, speaking of the steddie cowboys thing this inspired, Eddie is trans in the full house au but Steve is a cis man (unlike in the other au). However Steve does have some gender moments here and there, like the kids "jokingly" calling him mom and him lowkey vibing with it (oh no I'm already doubting my ability to stick to the Steve being cis plan- bigender Steve agenda where did you come from??)

But yeah basically both of them are secretly horse nerds lol and that's something they discover while they're arguing over how to decorate (aka when they agree on this poster) and end up bonding over

And now for a note about their placement in the house (specifically who they share a floor with)

I've already explained that/why I wanted them on the same floor as Dustin Lucas & Erica, although I don't think I mentioned that Lucas and Steve are really close in this au* and it goes without saying that Dustin is super close with both of them

*it just feels right to me; also Steve was the only one of his friends to come watch his basketball game and Steve did chew Eddie out about that whole situation at some point but by now everyone is pretty much on good terms

Sometimes when any of the kids- but especially any of those three- have bad nightmares or can't sleep, they bunker down in Eddie & Steve's room,* the door of which is always open (metaphorically that is, but once they start dating... well let's just say the kids better knock or they're going to have yet another reason to be scarred for life lmao)

*some may think they're too old for stuff like this but I say- fuck that. A major theme of this au is acknowledgement of how these guys have had a large portion of their childhood stolen from them and the people around them are working to help them get it back, to let them just be kids and to make them feel safer than they have in a long time, so they're allowed to be "childish" and that's going to play a part in many of the events and details of this au. The same goes for the older guys too btw; like with this example specifically if Robin or Steve is the one waking up from a nightmare they find the other and both crash on the couch together for the night. You're never too old to seek comfort from your loved ones

[oceansprompts]

𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕪 𝔾𝕠𝕕𝕤: ℝ𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝔸𝕔𝕥 𝟙

Quotes taken from Summerfall Studios' Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, from Act 1's first two opening scenes. . . change pronouns and text as needed. . . I tried to keep this lore-specific spoiler free, but spoiler warning.

❝ Four hours in a rented gym that still smells like socks and childhood trauma, and where did it get us other than -- bored? ❞

❝ You know, I had a dream where this exact thing happened. Except we were on stage. And naked. ❞

❝ We could be the Naked Band, coming soon to a really private auditorium near you! ❞

❝ I know you've kind of been at loose ends since you left. I was just hoping tonight would cheer you up. ❞

❝ It's... it's just a sobering dose of reality, you know? What if it never get easier? What if I never figure this out? ❞

❝ You will... You're too hard on yourself. ❞

❝ I think you fit. You know that, right? ❞

❝ Is the world too much, or is it just me? ❞

❝ Everything I set upon, unravels at my feet. ❞

❝ Everything I've learnt, wasted on a girl, who doesn't know how to be free.❞

❝ Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just... I heard you from outside. ❞

❝ I'd give anything to join you. ❞

❝ All the steps I didn't take, and paths proved untrue. Is there any path through? ❞

❝ Though I'm about to wreck, you still have your life ahead of you. ❞

❝ All things that lose their way can find it again. ❞

❝ I also know what it feels like to be lost, to feel as if you have no place to turn. That's why I had to come inside. ❞

❝ I just... I didn't want you to think I was deranged or something. ❞

❝ Weirder things have happened, I guess? ❞

❝ May I ask you why you feel so... adrift? You're so young. Surely your life is just beginning. ❞

❝ Well, you know the story: nothing ever work out like you think it should. Times ten. ❞

❝ I hope to see you again. Perhaps soon. ❞

❝ I didn't know where else... I'm so sorry! ❞

❝ Wh -- what happened? Who did this? ❞

❝ I didn't want to do this to you. I... not like this. I'm so, so sorry. ❞

❝ Oh, um... I can wait. Take your time. ❞

[ sighs ] ❝ She really is dead, huh? Maaaan. ❞

❝ Look, I can see you know squat about this. So I'm gonna explain quick, but then you gotta come with me, okay? ❞

❝ No no no, wait! Where did you bring me? How did we get here! ❞

❝ I'll just wait here, and, uh, not touch anything. ❞

❝ Ha. My, my, you have had quite the day, haven't you? ❞

❝ Someone died in my arms. Where is this? How did I get here? Who are you people? ❞

❝ If you were real, you'd be all-powerful. You wouldn't be hiding, or... ❞

❝ Mm. Don't pay much attention to those old tales about us. They weren't very true to begin with, and... well, truth be told, we've diminished since those days. ❞

❝ That doesn't mean we're helpless, of course! Far from it. Yet, at the end of the day, we too are just people. Trying to get by. ❞

❝ Oh, I know, I know. Once we roamed marble halls, and now? Fashionably appointed apartments. We have wi-fi! ❞ [ chuckles ]

❝ We move with the times. We have to, if we're going to remain hidden and survive. ❞

❝ Oh, no. No, I'm not trying to make you believe anything. Not at all. ❞

❝ The only thing I do need you to grasp is that you are here. This is real and, like it or not, it is happening. ❞

❝ I know this will all come as a shock, and I'm so, so sorry to say it, but... I'm afraid you have to die. ❞

[ laughs ] ❝ What do you mean? What do you mean "you have to die"? ❞

❝ You can't do that. What about a trial? You aren't the police. Wh-why hasn't someone called the police? ❞

❝ You can't hide from this reality. ❞

❝ I'm not hiding! Though, a little lost here... ❞

❝ If you are lost, little girl, this bears explanation. ❞

❝ You must know I didn't do it! ❞

❝ Is this weird this is in song? ❞

❝ Did I... hear that correctly? ❞

❝ You've been quiet this entire time. Why speak up now? ❞

❝ Then we need to find out. Don't you want justice? ❞

❝ Oh, I thought we'd agreed this was justice. What would you have us do? ❞

❝ Wait, wait. I'm going to get some help with this, right? Some direction? ❞

❝ What do you want me to say? I can't possibly do this? This is unfair? You know all that already, right? ❞

❝ So I'll do my best. That's all I've got. ❞

❝ Otherwise, do whatever you must to find the true killer... if they exist. ❞

❝ And do help yourself to a cookie. ❞

[innerpalaces]

The Life of a Cannon Fodder Mother-in-Law - 44

Chapter 44: The Step-Mother-in-Law 11

Ge Guangyu walked into the yard step by step and saw that the house was bright and open, the yard was cleaned spotlessly, and even the stove in the kitchen was wiped clean.

Compared to the Ge family, this place was much cleaner and tidier. Especially recently, the Ge family was as messy as a doghouse, and the house was much more dilapidated.

Liu Yuniang pulled her into the house: "You will live here from now on." Ge Guangyu had been sleeping with her grandmother for as long as she could remember. Her grandmother was old and would snore and grind her teeth at night. It was not unbearable, but occasionally she still wanted a room of her own that she can decorate by herself. Now, was this a dream come true?

"Your brother lives next to you, and the courtyard on the far left will be used as a guest room. In the future, your cousin can stay for a few days when he comes over." After listening to her mother's words, Ge Guangyu went out and looked at several rooms one by one. Then she thought of something, and asked, "Mom, did you clean it all by yourself?"

Liu Yuniang smiled: "I hired someone. Otherwise, how could I handle it?" She pulled Ge Guangyu out to unload the carriage, "Don't stand there. We just moved in, so we have a lot to do." The carriage contained new furniture and bedding, as well as some bright materials. She stroked them for a long time and said, "Mom, can I pull them out to make curtains?" "Go ahead." Liu Yuniang said with a smile: "But don't use it all, we still have to make new clothes." Ge Guangyu was very happy. The mother and daughter unpacked casually and then went to pick up Ge Guangxing when it was time.

The old madam was already waiting there. As early as when she saw that Ge Guangyu didn't come home at the usual time, the old madam guessed that the siblings probably wouldn't come back. It was okay for her granddaughter, but she still valued her grandson and can't leave him. So, she waited here on purpose, thinking of  saying a few words of concern.

When the former mother-in-law and daughter-in-law met, her expression turned haughty. The old madam snorted coldly: "I'm not here to see you, I'm waiting for my grandson." Liu Yuniang pretended not to hear this and went directly past her into the clinic. Being ignored by her former daughter-in-law, the old madam was furious, but couldn't find fault. After all, they are no longer mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and she cannot afford to act like her elder. When her ex-daughter-in-law arrived at the door of the clinic, the old madam immediately rushed forward as if she had caught her handle. "Don't delay Guangxing's business!" Liu Yuniang shook her off: "That's my son, I'm more worried about his future than you are. " Ge Guangxing was saying goodbye to his master. When he saw the entangled mother-in-law and daughter-in-law at the door, he hurried to them: "Grandmother, you should give my mother some face in front of outsiders." The old madam: "..." "It was your mother who wanted to come and make trouble for you. I stopped her for your own good." Liu Yuniang pulled Ge Guangxing's sleeve: "I bought a house and moved today. I was afraid that you couldn't find the way, so I came to pick you up." She added: "The house hasn't been cleaned up yet, and I haven't bought any vegetables. Let's eat outside today. Just consider it a celebration."

The old madam was speechless. Is divorce a good thing? The mother and son walked away talking and laughing, and the old madam stamped her feet in anger. However, the master her grandson followed was here. He came here basically every day, so it was not difficult to see him. A little later, the Zhang family arrived and put all the things in their proper places that day. Half an hour later, everything was set up, and the empty and deserted feeling from the beginning was no longer there. On the first night in her new home, Liu Yuniang slept well. The siblings were very excited and didn't fall asleep until dawn. There was no snoring in Ge Guangyu's ears, it was extremely quiet, and she was still a little unaccustomed to it. The same went for Ge Guangxing. During the time he lived with his father, he felt like a pickle in a jar. He was squeezed so tight that he couldn't move. The room was dark and very depressing. It was really uncomfortable. Furthermore, the bed was also very different from before, especially for Ge Guangxing. He used to have to be careful when turning over on the small bed he slept in, but now the bed was extra spacious, the bedding is new. When it was bright outside, the room was also bright. Hearing the movement in the yard, Liu Yuniang opened the window and asked: "Is it too bright to sleep?" Before the siblings could answer, she had already added: "I will make a curtain for you to hang across the window later. When you sleep, remember to put it down, and it won't be so bright." Ge Guangyu: "..." In the past, her grandmother only scolded her for getting up too late, but her mother was afraid that she would get up too early. There was nothing in the kitchen, so the siblings had no choice but to go out and buy food. After sending them off, Liu Yuniang went to the street carrying the basket. She bought pots and pans, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, and filled half a carriage. When she returned to the house, she found a familiar carriage parked there, owned by Yan Songyu.

While she asked the coachman to help move things, Yan Songyu opened the curtain. Liu Yuniang turned around and said, "Oh, a rare guest! Are you here to be a good person again? Do you want us to reconcile as husband and wife?" In front of the coachman, Yan Songyu couldn't say much, so she only replied: "Manyue, you really misunderstood me too deeply." At this time, the driver had already left. Yan Songyu walked into the courtyard and praised: "It's very good." Liu Yuniang said bluntly, "I heard that there is a landscape every three steps in the Li family's yard. What you said is so false." Yan Songyu was not embarrassed and said: "Manyue, I came here today because I have something to say to you." She emphasized: "I never wanted to separate you and your husband. After leaving the Ge family, I sincerely hope that someone can spend the rest of their life with Ge Gen. You are a good person and you helped me raise Guangping. I am nothing but grateful to you...I have absolutely no intention of harming you." She said it sincerely. Liu Yuniang nodded. "Are you done?" She glanced at the kitchen. "I still have so many things to unpack. The young lady has been the wife of a wealthy family for many years, so she should have some discernment." This was not a good time to visit. A normal person would get up and say goodbye. Being rudely ordered to leave, Yan Songyu's face looked particularly ugly for a moment, and she said, "Manyue, I came here to persuade you to reconcile with your husband." "It's none of your business." Liu Yuniang sneered, "We have quarreled so many times because of you over the years. Even if you don't know, you must have guessed it. Why are you pretending to be a good person now?"

 Yan Songyu frowned. "That wasn't my intention." "But it was all because of you." Liu Yuniang looked at her seriously. "Yan Songyu, you sent those junk things over and exchanged them for the Ge family's savings. Even if I were a saint, I couldn't tolerate Ge Gen's behavior. You have also been the daughter-in-law of the Ge family. You should know how much the family can earn every year. You took those things, so you should have known that we would quarrel because of you. Saying, this was not your intention....you are so shameless. Do you even believe this yourself?"

"If nothing else, the jade pendant given to you by the Ge family this time is my dowry property. Even if you didn't know it at first, you should have heard Guangping say it recently. That jade pendant means a lot to me. If you are really sincere, you should return it to me first!" As she said that, she stretched out her hand to her.

Yan Songyu was a little embarrassed. "That birthday gift was given in public. Even if it is not very valuable, it is not easy for me to take it. Let's do this. I will find an opportunity in the future..." "You are talking nonsense again!" Liu Yuniang said mockingly: "When will this happen? With your current capabilities, I am afraid that I will never get the jade pendant in my lifetime."

Yan Songyu really came here today to bring the couple back together. Actually... this matter may implicate her. 

If Master Li were to know that Ge Gen and his wife had gone so far as to divorce just to give him a  gift, he would probably hate her immediately. Therefore, the best way was to bring the Ge couple back together and pretend that those things never happened. But Zhang Manyue refused to change her mind. Not to mention going back, she did not even hide the disgust in her eyes when she mentioned the mother and son of the Ge family. Yan Songyu was panicked, but she did not show it on her face.

"I will do it as soon as possible. Manyue, I really want to help you."

Liu Yuniang pointed at the door, "I am living a good life, I don't need help." Seeing that Yan Songyu refused to leave and still wanted to pester, she emphasized: "If you don't leave, I will go find your man later and tell him about the good things you did behind the scenes." This is a threat! However, Yan Songyu couldn't find a way to solve the problem and didn't dare to push anymore: "Manyue, I'm kindly helping you. Even if you don't appreciate it, you can't harm me like this!" "If you stay any longer, I might really go and have a chat with Master Li." Liu Yuniang said with a half-sincere smile: "I'm just telling him the truth. I can't bear to see Master Li being deceived. How can it be considered harming you?" Yan Songyu: "..." She really regrets coming here today! Zhang Manyue used to have a good temper and would selectively listen to what she said, but now it was completely different, like a firecracker, exploding at any time. "I'm leaving. I just hope you keep your promise and don't go out and talk nonsense." To be honest, Yan Songyu really didn't dare to stay.

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[coupleofdays]

Alright, it's time to finally compile my thoughts about how the premise of Tron Identity fits, or rather, doesn't seem to fit, together with Legacy, and my thus far failed attempts to make them fit. Long post with spoilers ahead.

First of all, I would like to state that I'm not opposed to the retcon that Quorra isn't in fact the last surviving ISO. I like to compare it to Superman: Depending on which continuity you're reading, Kal-El is either the only survivor of Krypton's destruction, The Last Kryptonian, or he's one of several survivors, including Supergirl, Krypto, Zod, the whole bottle city of Kandor, etc. Both of these premises are compelling to me: There's certainly a poetic tragedy of being the absolute last survivor of a calamity that wiped out your people, but I think that many people can also relate to the concept of a small group of survivors of a catastrophe trying to preserve and perhaps re-establish their culture. Similarly, Quorra being The Last ISO is interesting, but I see plenty of story potential in her being one of several survivors, perhaps trying to find and rescue her kin trapped in the Arq Server. And from what I can recall from watching Legacy recently, I think that they technically never outright say that Quorra is the last of her kind, though it is of course very heavily implied.

EDIT: Okay, Kevin does specifically call Quorra "the last ISO". Nevermind, then.

With that said, I think the main problem with the idea that Kevin Flynn created a backup server to which he migrated a bunch of ISOs can be summarized thus: Why the hell didn't he tell Sam? I guess the question could also be "why didn't he tell Quorra?", but I honestly have a difficulty seeing a scenario where Quorra isn't aware of the Arq Server in some way. I think that one of the very first things Kevin would tell Quorra when they meet after the Purge would be that he's saved other ISOs, I just can't imagine why he would keep her thinking that she's the last survivor. And even if he didn't tell her for some reason, I still think she would have suspiscions, since I imagine that most of the ISOs remaining on the Grid would notice if Kevin suddenly sneaked away some of them without telling anyone.

I have tried to figure out some explanations for why Kevin never told Sam about the Arq Server, and I have seen some possible explanations by other Tron fans, but none of them seem to hold up perfectly, for reasons I will explain below:

Kevin did tell Sam, we just never saw it in the movie: Okay, I guess there could be some moment when they're talking, like on the Sailer, and Flynn says "Oh, by the way..." I would probably have to do a rewatch of Legacy, but I suppose it could be possible that Sam isn't motivated by "I have to save Quorra, she's the last of her kind" and instead by "I have to save Quorra, so she can reunite with her fellow ISOs". The big problem with this idea is that once Sam got out, I have to imagine that his top priority would be to check on the Arq Server as soon as possible. Even if Sam procrastinated for whatever reason ("I have to start building a themepark ride!"), I imagine that Quorra would be on his ass about it every waking moment, for obvious reasons. But as I understand it, the premise of Identity is that the Arq Server hasn't been visited by anyone from the outside since the end of Legacy. It's been running by itself since 1989 up to our current present day year of 2023, perhaps even longer, and that's why it's in danger of running out of power. I don't think that works if Sam is aware of it.

Kevin thought the Arq Server had stopped functioning/was destroyed/was stolen: This was a scenario I saw someone else here on Tumblr suggest, and it's certainly a tantalizing idea. The idea of some as yet unknown third party carrying around a copy of the Arq Grid in their pocket is particularly fascinating, but I would assume that Kevin would tell Sam about it in that case: "When we get out, we have to find the person who stole the backup." Kevin believing that the server was destroyed or nonfunctional in some way is probably the scenario I have the least problems with, though I imagine that in that case he would at least have told Sam "I tried to make a backup, but..." I think it's especially interesting to imagine a conspiracy where someone inside the Arq Server somehow managed to "hack" it to fool Kevin into thinking it was shut down, perhaps some unscrupulous ISO who wanted to rule it for themselves?

Kevin forgot: And I don't mean "Oops, it just slipped my mind", I mean that something happened to his memory that erased his knowledge of the Arq Server. I had actually started sketching out a piece of fanfiction in which Kevin at some point before Legacy is temporarily captured by Clu (though later escaping, of course), and during his capture Clu manages to access this particular memory from Kevin's identity disc, and erases it for evil reasons. I liked the idea that Clu would know about the Arq Sever and was plotting to visit it once he got out, while Kevin was no longer aware of it, only regaining the memory when he reintegrates with Clu, and being unable to tell Sam before he disappears. However, I couldn't fit this together with the timeline of when Kevin meets Quorra (as I understand it, according to Tron Evolution that happened very shortly after the betrayal and purge). For the reasons stated above, Quorra would have to be aware of the Arq Server, and if Kevin got his memory erased after meeting Quorra, I have a hard time believing that she wouldn't mention it to him at some point after he escaped from Clu.

So there you have it. I really wish I could fit together Identity and Legacy in some way, since I really do like the game and all the concepts it introduces. It's possible I have missed or misunderstood something in my thoughts described above, and I'd be more than happy if someone points it out. It's also possible that the creators of Identity will come with some explanation in the promised sequels, that this whole thing is an intentional larger mystery that will eventually be revealed.

[changelingsandothernonsense]

Wips on Thursday

Thanks for the tags @mareenavee and @paraparadigm

Since I'm a good 14 hours ahead of everyone else it's a wip Thursday! We have art and writing today because I've been hyperactive.

Art first!

Currently playing around with Teldryn's ears and Vivec's overly complicated jewellery. Why do I make complicated jewellery? I'll never know! I do it every time. I don't even know which one I'm going to work on today!

I also have some writing from Teldryn's POV!

This hasn't been edited yet, just brain farts.

Teldryn poured another flagon of Mazte and slammed his feet on the table. Another evening with absolutely nothing interesting going on whatsoever. He’d contemplated taking off about a dozen times over the last few weeks. It’d been twelve years since he came crawling back to this gods-forsaken island and it seemed like he might finally be free, whatever that means. He chose well, no one would be caught dead on this frozen, ashen rock outside the truly desperate. Which was probably the best description of his circumstances he could come up with. He smiled to himself as he pulled down the old scarf that covered most of his face and took a drink, finishing half the tankard in one go. It was getting late, and he was only mildly buzzed. He should stop. He should stop right now. He’d head outside instead for a smoke then retire for the night. Finishing the last of his drink, he readjusted his scarf and headed for the door.

It opened in his face, smacking him right in the nose.

“Nchow!” he growled, grabbing his nose, it was bleeding but not broken-this time. He looked around to see who his assailant was, planning on giving them a piece of his mind! Probably fucking Slitter again! He saw a figure descending the stairs, a large bag in one hand. Their frame was smaller, more feminine, not Slitter. Whoever she was, she was heavily armed, well stocked, likely had a fat coin purse. An opportunity? He wiped the blood from his nose with his glove, pulled the scarf back over his nose and followed her down the stairs to the bar where she was now seated.

“Oh, thank the gods!” The stranger must have gotten the last available room. The Netch was overly busy tonight since Gjalund and his crew sailed into town on their monthly supply run and it looks like they had an extra passenger, he was intrigued. If he played his cards right, maybe he’d have a ticket off this rock! He sat beside the stranger, who had now pulled off her hood, revealing a shock of dark auburn hair. Nice. He decided to turn on the charm. “Teldryn Sero, blade for hire. I can assure you I’m worth every coin,” he held his hand out towards the woman expecting her to shake it.

She glared at him instead, eyes narrowing at the gesture.

“I’m not hiring any lackeys,” she muttered, turning back to her food.

This was going to be harder than he thought. “This isn’t Skyrim outlander, the ash wastes are dangerous in ways you wouldn’t expect,” it had been a long time since he’d had to pitch himself to a potential patron, he didn’t want to come on too strong. Maybe he was slightly too buzzed for this?

“How do you know I’m from Skyrim,” she quipped, though she did not look up from her plate.

He grinned behind his scarf, there was only one boat that regularly made the tip out to Raven Rock, everyone new who stopped here at least travelled through that frozen excuse for a province. “Lucky guess,” he watched as Geldis approached the bar, a full jug of his own personal brew of Sujamma in hand. The barkeep rolled his eyes at him, the fetcher.

She finally turned to him, rested her chin on her hand and cracked a wide smile. He liked that, “And if I were to hire you, how much would that set me back exactly?”

“Five Thousand,” he raised his hand in a five fingered gesture, his tone deadly serious. He was joking of course but she didn’t know that.  He didn’t need the coin but why not see how far he could get? He knew he’d made the wrong move when her expression darkened. He had to salvage this! “I know, I know, you could buy a house for that much, but I can assure you, I’m worth every drake. I am full of surprises.”

She got to her feet and glowered at him, “How about you take those Five Thousand Drakes and take a long walk off of the pier.” She stomped off towards her room, leaving her bag behind.

Fuck.

And that's the week!

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

I love your asexual explanation if it had more weight in reality I would be more understanding.

...however....

...I know too much...

I probably just don't like fake bitches and the commander was a real one that tried to make an informed decision for the sake of everyone else. It was a poor one, don't get me wrong.

Volo....

He wants to become the gods of the next world because he thinks the Pokemon world sucks despite the fact that the internet hasn't even been invented yet and he only knows one freaking area like damn you haven't even seen the rest of the world. what.. does he look at people who are being happy and goes "that is fake??" I can't imagine the pain that he must have think that he's gone through to apply it to literally everyone.

He's going to fix this usurping God? how??? HOW does he know anything about being God?? What makes him think that he has the qualifications for that??

It's the equivalent of looking at somebody's cool art piece and then trying to destroy that cool art piece to make a better art piece without even knowing how to make art

Oh yeah and that art piece is the state of reality of which you exist on.

The commander wouldn't have made that decision if Volo wasn't being a stupid bitch.

(Sorry I've been holding this unkept rage for a while because people don't realize the gravity of what Volo was trying to do.

I should probably delete most of this but you seem like the type that would enjoy it so...*shrugs

Maybe discussing this with you might make me stop being so angry at this because you're so insightful.)

qhkjhkjh ok first of all "I love your asexual explanation" took me OUT. is that what it is. ghskjshskjh i guess so

anyway like. and to start off with this is NOT me trying to defend volo. he's evil and deranged and most of all kind of pathetic and these are INTEGRAL parts of his character. but. i really do think that in the end he's someone with severe clinical depression in an era where that isn't really a recognized Thing you can get Help For and who also has been given esoteric knowledge about the nature of the gods that rule reality that apparently everyone else has forgotten. so instead of going "everything is terrible and it's pointless" it's "everything is terrible... and i know an extremely drastic way to fix it." that's at least the angle i come at him from.

and as for the second part... this is i think something that's more my take than like, canon or fanon, But. usually the way i come at it is that volo didn't want to make himself god, he wanted to make giratina god. he wanted giratina to usurp arceus and create its own ideal world, wherein he would presumably be rewarded with some sort of immortal high-priest role or something i honestly don't think he thought that far ahead.

anyway though i think that's why everything he does feels so drastic and out of left field. it's cause his perception of reality is like incredibly distorted and he's been trapped in this volo-giratina-togekiss echo chamber to the point where he thinks this is a normal thing for people to want. nice going dude!

[shidoukanae]

Speaking of S2 finale thoughts,,, based on implications i've picked up/the possibilities for what comes next,,,,

!!!

Things that could happen in the last chapter of the season:

-Lyla finally gets to meet Twilight and Twilight is the person who saved her when she collapsed.

-Twilight reveals they know Lyla's been to the novel world. And, considering they've predicted her life ~5 years ahead of time and it seems strange they wouldn't be aware of things like Sienna hearing a voice in their own novel, maybe it's likely they were predicting meeting Lyla soon

-Twilight is older!Fian who time-traveled/world-traveled and has been waiting for the right moment to approach Lyla in this world based on instructions future!Lyla has given him. Which has been lampshaded potentially because Lyla confused Twilight with Fian when she went between worlds so like,,, it could be a thing,,,,

-The more boring answer is that Lyla was saved by her brother (i think she has two? so not the glasses brother but the other one) or an unrelated stranger. Big doubt on this tho because it just doesn't make sense narratively

-The season ends with us getting Lyla's real name. That real name is Helene (suggesting Lyla is the original Helene reincarnated). The reason why her real name can't be Lyla is because it's heavily, HEAVILY implied "Lyla" is NOT the same as Lyla (as her soul doesn't match Lyla's body and Fian is unable to use his teleportation powers on "Lyla", further suggesting both Lylas are entirely different people).

-Adding evidence onto the above theory of Lyla = OG!Helene:

=Helene and irl!Lyla live eerily similar lives. They both are rich gals from "royal families" who have morally-bankrupt siblings (with glasses and similar hair colors, at that) while being fearful of their highly influential mothers. Both of them are isolated by and angry at their families but are constantly kept powerless by the "high society" that chains them in place. They're also both hinted to be the ones best suited to inherit their individual families, though less so on Lyla's side so far.

=Fian loved the original Helene after she came and rescued him from a shitty situation. Coincidentally, Fian falls in love with Lyla after she too rescues him from that same shitty situation. But since Lyla hasn't met Paris or Daniel in the same situations OG!Helene did in the original novel (lampshaded by Paris saying him witnessing Fian's awakening subdued all feelings he had of hurting Fian due to feeling an instinctive bond towards Fian), naturally they have no interest in her and have migrated to Ellie/alternate!Helene as their love interests as a result

=Lyla and "Lyla" are not the same person. The sea witch (idk her name yet noooOOOO) states that Lyla's body and soul are different. Fian Friendship Pact'd her with her "Lyla" name, but since (i guess???) his powers can only teleport him to souls of people and not their bodies, him being unable to teleport to her further cements that "Lyla" isn't somehow a reincarnation of Lyla de Belliana but instead is someone else entirely.

=Paris and Phillip, who have both interacted with Helene and Lyla at separate times (and coincidentally have a romantic fascination with both those gals respectively), note that Helene and Lyla are alike in some unexplained way. Paris doesn't elaborate but Phillip suggests they both share an aspect of "being lonely". Which. Huh.

=OG!Helene was kindly and saintly and used her powers for good. Granted, there's not much we know about her but it seems she cared deeply for Fian (enough to be at his side when he died and exchange last words with him) and probably held hostilities towards Paris for killing Fian. Which sounds pretty similar to Lyla!

=If Lyla = OG!Helene I'm not sure where current!Helene fits into this. How can both Helene's coexist in the same 'verse if this is true? And if OG!Helene got pulled back into her 'verse in the body of her dead sister, does that mean current!Helene is someone else? But that can't be right, can it? Especially when Paris still holds romantic feelings towards current!Helene like he did in the novel and Helene still is treated like a saintly person like she was in the novel? Is it possible she maybe swapped Lyla's soul with her own somehow? Idk but it's all a bit curious...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things that probably won't be resolved by the S2 finale but definitely should be at some point:

-The mysterious gift that Helene gave Ellie in exchange for the magic explosives has yet to be shown. Really sus when you think about it.

-The sea witch's gemstone introduced in the very early chapters has yet to reappear in the plot. But considering it canonically contains the memories of an actual character in the plot (specifically, a gal who seems to have a lot of influence in mermaid society and who was Sienna's teacher), it's just gotta come back into the plot bet

-Paris has yet to act on his intentions to get closer to Helene as he hinted on. I suspect he's gonna do some crazy shit to try and win her affections because he's falling in line with his OG novel self and it's gonna be entertaining af to watch Helene handle him the way she always does

-Lyla just got a funny little pocketwatch from Ellie that's a replicas of Christopher's. That's gotta come back into the picture at some point even after she's yeeted to the real world again

-we still don't know what OG!Helene said to Fian at the part where Lyla stopped reading or why OG!Helene lost control of her magic enough to end the world. We also don't know her relationship to OG!Paris and OG!Daniel. So like. Maybe Lyla should. I don't know. READ THE ORIGINAL NOVEL IN ORDER TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON HOW OG!HELENE GOT TO THE THRONE OR SOMETHING????? (i say this very lovingly btw bc i get why the story has been avoiding looping back to this considering it's not something Lyla really has much context to atm/time to digest in the real world)

-We're going to have to get Lyla's irl name at some point. And she's going to have to tell it to Fian in order to attempt bringing her back home (tho probably at the cost of not being able to return in Lyla's body. which,,, she might be very hesitant to do considering she's already afraid of Fian seeing her irl self,,, now imagine how afraid she'll be of letting everyone else from her friends to her other "family" from seeing her)

[wcrpbubble]

[DISBELIEF]: after the receiver has done something completely unexpected (and reckless) the stunned sender cups their face in their hands while trying to get them to explain why the hell they did it. -For Ellie.

ellie is not someone to take risks often. she prefers to weigh her pros and cons, if the benefits outweigh the overall risk, the usual things that scientists tend to do before embarking on an experiment or other notable venture. there is always logic behind her decisions (usually) and ellie has spent the better part of her life relying on the science of those decisions. they've gotten her this far, after all - but logic tends to fall to the wayside when it becomes life and death.

they hadn't predicted the carnos - but the idea of gassing the mountains had already moved forward. no turning back. the teams on the borders of the forests had been prepared to face smaller creatures trying to escape, but not something the size of the carnosaurs. two of them had burst from the tree line of the forests not terribly far from the base, trying to escape certain death in the trees - and ellie hadn't even second guessed her split second decision to make it her problem. she had grabbed a weapon from one of the fallen soldiers who hadn't had a chance to stop them, firing off wildly in the direction of the carnos to grab their attention. desperate to keep them from continuing in that direction, given the villages and general population that lived not terribly far away.

"----the base!" she says to whoever the hell is in charge of this section, twisting wildly around toward the soldiers picking themselves off the ground. "back to the base - prep the gas for one of those hangars -"

and then ellie does something very, very uncalculated, stupid, and foolish.

"hey, you big, dumb, idiots! this way!"

and now that she'd grabbed their undivided attention and pissed them off to hell and back with a few gunshots, ellie runs.

she hadn't thought this far ahead, frankly, but it's pure instinct that drives her to run. her body protests almost immediately as she dives into the forest, hearing the heavy footfalls of the dinos chasing behind her; it practically vibrates the ground, their hefty steps, but she doesn't dare look behind her. she's still semi-recovering from nublar, which is why her body protests so much at the sprint she's maintaining through the underbrush.

the gas hasn't gotten to the very edges of the treeline yet, but she can't just lead the carnos deeper into the forest at the risk they would recognize the threat as they had before. the base isn't far, but she also can't just lure them down the road - carnos can top speeds of 30 miles per hour on flat surfaces. the one advantage she has is they haven't yet adapted to keeping that speed in a dense forest, which is the only way she's certain she can stay ahead of them.

well, she's semi-certain.

her lungs and legs burn equally as she pushes herself to her limit, jumping over fallen logs and pushing through branches that tear at her skin and clothes. it's possibly the worst scenario, the one they'd been afraid of in the long run of this particular plan. if she can just get enough gas in the carnos to slow them down in the forest, force them to inhale the gas enough to fell them. problem is, she doesn't have a gas mask so running into where they've already dropped the cannisters risks also gassing herself. she chances a brief glance over her shoulder - the carnos are still in pursuit, closer than she'd like, and ellie isn't sure she can maintain her current speed to make it to the damn base despite the fear of being dino food prominent in the forefront of her mind. shit. shit. shit. shit.

frankly ellie is certain she blacks out somehow, fear and adrenaline washing her memory away from that moment until she suddenly bursts free of the forest near the edges of the base. her legs feel unsteady but she pushes onward, seeing several military jeeps filled with soldiers and weapons lined up facing the forest. she's a bit hard to miss emerging from the trees with the two carnos roaring behind her - she doesn't stop, even as her feet hit concrete rather than dirt, even as she hears the gunfire, not even when she reaches the open doors of an empty hangar the soldiers are directing her and the carnos toward. gas is already starting to fill the room and ellie has to fight to hold her breath long enough to cross the space - it's hard to see, but she hits the normal sized door at the other end of the hangar as the carnos rush into the airplane doors of the hangar and are blasted with the gas.

even then she doesn't stop - not really, until she collides with alan grant and half collapses into his arms, coughing in the wake of the gas. she sucks in great lung-fulls of air as her legs shake, tremble, and finally give out - but alan is there, his hands at her face, holding her up while her mind finally finishes catching up. she's practically hyperventilating, ignoring the burn of superficial injuries along her skin from the branches as she tries to find her voice between breathing and coughing.

"i - they - the village - i had to - . . . " it's all ellie can get out, the words breathless, not much of an explanation but she silently begs alan to understand she definitely hasn't just run a marathon from carnosaurs for her health. all her nublar injuries are on fire, and ellie feels like she might very well sink into the asphalt of the base beneath her feet.

@fosillium

[crossroadsdimension]

I know it hasn't come up here a lot because a lot of the posts I've made in the last couple of years have had something to do with Final Fantasy XIV (or other FF games, since I've played 16) -- but I'm a Pokemon fan. Not on a competitive level, but I definitely like to dig into the lore and the story and go on a collection spree when the games let me.

(That last bit is why I haven't completed Legends Arceus yet because I've been trying to perfect as many entries as possible. I've got the last of the Nobles on my hit list and I'm terrified because I've heard he's...big. I'll face him soon, is the plan.)

But with Pokemon Day coming up on Tuesday, I figured I'd throw my hat into the ring for guessing at what games they're going to be announcing next for the main console stuff. Personally, I don't expect they'll get a lot of attention because The Pokemon Company has a lot of pies to put fingers in, but I hope for at least one new main series game teaser. Two at most.

What games, though, is a question, because I'm seeing 4 options here.

Black and White Remakes (or Sequels depending on what they decide to do with the plot)

Another Legends game (potentially Jhoto, which I'm seeing rumors for, or maybe Unova.)

Let's Go Jhoto games

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers remake (wishful thinking on my part, I know.)

I'm gonna go ahead and put my thoughts as to why for each of these under the cut cause this post is gonna get long.

So, firstly -- Black and White Remakes/Sequels

Thinking they'll announce this is honestly pretty obvious. With all the hints that Scarlet and Violet dropped in the Indigo Disc DLC, what with the location of Blueberry Academy and the Elite Four kids being from Unova (Lacey being Clay's kid, Drayton being Drayden's grandson, etc), you'd be a fool not to think about this being a possibility. Not a guarantee, certainly, but a possibility all the same.

How they could tackle Unova, though, is another question, because either they're gonna remake Black and White wholesale and leave B2/W2 to collect dust, or they're going to continue the storyline further forward from where B2/W2 left off. I mean, I'd love to see how insane Ghestis got after we trounced him so thoroughly and the Shadow Triad spirited him away. The ninjas said their boss was broken when you run into them in Iccirus City post-game, after all. I'd love to see how far he spiraled!

But that's just wishful thinking. We're probably just going to get a bog-standard B/W remake. Whether or not it's in the same style as Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, well...we'll have to wait and see.

(But I would love it if the acknowledged Ingo's absence from the Battle Subway somehow...and maybe gave us an in-game event if the game acknowledged that we completed Legends Arceus? One where Ingo comes home?)

Speaking of -- a new Legends game

With how popular Legends Arceus has gotten, it wouldn't surprise me if they continued the trend of games that cover some of the Pokemon world's history. What region and what story are probably going to be up in the air, but I could see it going either for Jhoto or Unova. Both because they're due for remakes (either the Let's Go variant or the bog-standard generation remakes we've been seeing) and because of the hints being dropped about Unova. And if they do the "protagonist gets time traveled" bit again, Jhoto would make more sense just because of Celebi's presence. Although I'm gonna withhold judgement until we get more info. I think, at this point, I'm just wondering who else from a battle facility is gonna get ripped across time and space and lose their memory in the process. Because first it was Anabel from the Battle Tower in Hoenn (via Ultra Wormholes to another dimension), then it was Ingo to Hisui (via space-time rift because of the absence of Ultra Beasts)....

...if Emmet was with his brother at the moment the rift opened and swallowed Ingo, I wouldn't be surprised if they fell together and were separated in the rift, I'll be honest. He could pop up in the next Legends game for all we know.

Moving on! Let's Go Jhoto

Considering it's been a few years since Pikachu&Eevee, we're probably overdue for another Gen 2 remake. And if they pair up a region remake and a Legends game, that means that Legends Jhoto and Let's Go Jhoto could be a pair, like BDSP and Legends Arceus. What Pokemon you'd have as your partners, though, I have very little idea. I remember seeing someone suggest Togepi and Wooper, which...I'll accept the first one, but I'm not so sure about the other.

Now for some wishful thinking.

It's been 4 years since Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX was released in March 2020. I don't know about you guys, but I would love to see the Explorers games get the same treatment. An announcement at Pokemon Presents would be something I plan to squeal non-stop about. But I'm not expecting it, because not a lot of people are talking about wanting a remake for it on social media right now.

I'll be honest with you, I'm mostly putting this here because I'm nostalgic and I want to be able to play as a Vulpix in a Mystery Dungeon game on my Switch. And cry when the Emotions hit, because Explorers is very good at making the Emotions hit.

And those are my speculations! I'm not expecting anything to come from making this post, nor am I expecting to see these during the Pokemon Presents on Pokemon Day 2024. But I wanted to get my ramblings out in the open somewhere because I think I'm gonna explode if I just sit on them in a house where I'm the only Pokemon fan.

[mikebennet]

with @aresmelaina  | the daybreakers : mike finds ares in the wake of his being brutalized. he plucks a daisy, trampled.

mike bennet -it still feels strange but then, mike's been in so many quickly-shifting circumstances in his life, he knows he just needs to shake himself out, find the places to settle, and he'll be fine. there's periodic smashes and booms and gunshots lighting up the air, but where he is, there's only the guy he's got propped up so he won't bleed out from the grade-school patch-up mike's done on him- Hey. You back in thinky-land yet? We cain't sit here no more.

Ares Melaina -The taste of dirt and grass fills his mouth, coating his tongue, his throat. Everything feels like it was underwater, adding a blurry sheen to his surroundings as Ares stares ahead with dazed, unfocused eyes. When the other man speaks, Ares raises his gaze, it takes a moment to focus- You're not one of us. -He hadn't protested being bandaged up, his mind hadn't really registered it, his body acting in autopilot. Like someone waking up from a dream, Ares blinks, focuses- You're one of them. You're helping me. -he reaches out, grabs the guys arm- Help me. I have to get out of here.

mike bennet I'm one of you now, bubba. -he looks Ares over, and shakes his head slow- I don't reckon you're in any state to be moving too fast, not yet. But we're good. We're- -he gestures, waiting for Ares to come back into focus long enough to see; they're near one of the pits containing a dead Daybreaker, hidden behind a scrubby bush- Anybody coming past here is liable to be distracted by Ronboy lying dead in that there hole over yonder. I don't know how you made it this far. I figure from the state of your knees you crawled. At least they gave you back your ginch when they was done with you, kid. -he waits; Ares may not even have realized that's all he's got on, his muddied and bloodied up briefs-

Ares Melaina I'm out? -Ares blinks, looks around. His brows furrow, as he gets a bearing of his surroundings. He can't quite place where he is, his mind drawing up blank. He shakes his head, then looks down at himself. He doesn't react for a moment, as if quietly taking in the state his body is in, and then leans his head back, pulls his legs up to his body and wraps his arms around them- That was Luc's jacket. He's gonna kill me. -Ares breathes, in and out, sucking the cold air into his lungs. It's like his bearings are returning, slowly- Who are you? If you're one of us. What's your name? I'm Ares.

mike bennet Name's Mike. Bennet. Might mean something to you, lil Ares. -the kid seems oddly resigned, like it hasn't upset his equilibrium too much being shot and ... whatever else happened to him, that Mike's surmising with all of the Daybreaker modus operandi knowledge at his disposal- You likely just got taken for a ride while you was out, Ares, and I don't mean the state fair. But something tells me this ain't your first time with that kind of thing. If I had to guess, I'd say ... prag? You got that look. Like you was down for a nickel with fellas who was in for life.

Ares Melaina -It doesn't. Not right now, anyway. He hugs his legs tighter to his body, his blue eyes flicking over to Mike- Why are you saying that? -He can't make sense of it. Ares shivers, the cold beginning to settle in, even as he is curled up- I wasn't out. I know what happened. I- -the thought of prison makes the inside of his throat prickle. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, plucking blades of grass off of it- How do you know that?

mike bennet Because I did my own stint up at FCI Ashland and you, lil Daisy- -he smirks; he'd found the stick-and-poke and recognized it for what it was- you ain't never gonna get that fresh fish look off you.

Ares Melaina -Ares spine straightens out instantly. He stares at Mike, eyes wide, but not with shock but something else- Don't call me that. -There is a tremor in his voice as he speaks. A warmth in his gut. Spit gathers in his mouth, pooling on his tongue- I'm not that anymore.

mike bennet Yeah? Nah. -a lifetime of unhurried, bordering-on-sociopathic ease in high-danger situations means Mike isn't put off by this, nor does he feel any inclination to urgency despite the sounds of battle around them, the cries and screams, the deep roars of earth and buildings being punched through and torn up- You still know how to be a sweet lil bitch. How bout you open that there pretty mouth for me, Daisy. Open wide.

Ares Melaina -It feels like his heart is thrumming up into his throat. The chaos and battle raging on around them seem distant, in their sparse strip of forest, and Ares barely registers it. He is still staring, right at Mike, who seems so unnaturally calm for what is happening- No. -Ares says, and then he moves. From his sitting position, onto his knees. He swallows the spit down but his mouth seems to refill when he opens it, keeps it open, long enough that he can feel the spit dribble down the corner of his mouth-

mike bennet Ahhhhh. It's awright, we'll get there. -Mike watches Ares move, like a wounded animal trying to make sense of its injuries, and makes no move to interact, just observing- You're not looking so hot there, bubba. Thinking about what just happened? Since you wasn't out for it. Probly wish you had been, huh.

Ares Melaina -Ares swallows again, his throat straining against it. He can feel the bile churning in his body, somewhere- Don't do that. Don't let me think about it. -he remembered all of it. The hit had been enough to daze him, his face shoved into the dirt had choked him, but he'd felt it. He hugs his arms to his body, as if to conserve warmth- I didn't want it. Any of it. I'm not like that anymore. I'm not Daisy. -he breathes in- Why are you doing this?

mike bennet Me? Now you're hurting my feelings. I ain't doing shit. I got here when it was all over, and I patched you up and got the both of us nice and hidden here while I waited for you to come back round. -Mike reaches out, clamping his hand on Ares' shoulder, wondering if the kid even knows how hard he's shaking- Listen. It's over. The Daybreakers didn't take you back to the Factory, Whoever did you, they got it in and then ... who knows. He got dragged off by one of your friends and killed, or he thought he'd come back for you later, it's a mystery. But you're here. Not there. That's something.

Ares Melaina -Everything seems to shift. A new tone, and Ares finds himself wanting to lean into it, away from the injuries and lingering feelings, and forget what Mike had told him just a minute ago. So, he did.- I'm sorry. -he apologized, his body still trembling from the cold and the blood loss.- You're right. You're- I need to get out of here. I need to- Nicki. I need to find Nicki. She's somewhere. She's waiting. I just- -it was as if something in his brain suddenly jumped, connected- Bennet. Clint Bennet. You're- you're something to him. You're a Bennet.

mike bennet -Mike watches in fascination as Ares not only apologizes to him, but then jumps to wanting to care for somebody else, then makes the connection that Mike had - reasonably, he thought - expected to come first- Right in one, I'm a Bennet. Clint's my baby bro. So you know you can trust me. -he grins, feeling the drying blood on his own face stretch with the expression, and shucks out of his overshirt to leave himself in his singlet- I don't got no britches for you but you can at least have a shirt. Makes a man feel mighty vulnerable fighting in his skivvies.

Ares Melaina -Ares doesn't question it. He wants to trust Mike, and so he does, pulling the overshirt over his body and shivering from the residual body warmth seeping into him as he tugged it tight- Thanks. Thank you. -there is relief on his face, as he finally gets up from his knees and onto his feet. Pain radiates across his body, sending needles up his spine, and for a moment he feels like he can't breathe, but he's standing- Did you see a woman? About as tall as me? Black hair, down to her shoulders? That's Nicki. She's- we got separated. I have to find her. She doesn't know I'm okay. She needs to know. Can you help me?

mike bennet Oh. -Mike raises his eyebrows and gets slowly to his feet, unfurling like a gorilla, all his weight in his thick shoulders and heavy arms as he pulls to full height and rolls his neck- That Nicki. She enjoyed some Daybreaker hospitality, or at least adjacent to it. Not that I. -Mike taps his fingertips to his chest- No sir, not me. You two was together and got separated? I'd say good chances of the two of you serving the same purpose, Daisy.

Ares Melaina No, she's not. She wouldn't get captured. She's- -Bile burned at the back of his throat, threatening to rise. His head still felt clouded, but the implications of it were fully understood. Ares stared at Mike and then suddenly grabbed his undershirt, twisting his fingers into it- You need to help me. I need to find her. I need to. Help me.

mike bennet You're not going anywhere. You're thready on your feet as it is. I take you back in there, in the thick of the action, and you're going down and ain't gonna be on nobody's pecker this time. -he shoves his arm below Ares, wrangling him around so they're standing side-by-side, Mike holding much of Ares' weight- Frankly I think best thing you could do is sit right here till the fighting's ended one way or t'other. But you seem riled up as a wet hen, so. Let's go take a look-see and figure out who's winning.

Ares Melaina -He doesn't have the physical energy to fight being shifted around. The image of Nicki is rolling around in his mind like a sharp pebble, but he finds himself leaning on Mike. He knows he isn't in a condition to fight. That was why he was supposed to leave in the first place- Okay. Please. -Ares put his arm around Mike, taking advantage of his weight being carried- If we see her. Can you help her? If she needs it. You're one of us now. That's what we do.

mike bennet Well now. -Mike looks at Ares, his expression faintly bemused, and he scuffs one hand roughly over Ares' already mussed hair, dirt and leaves ground into it- Ain't you just a fat lil puppydog in person form. Yeah, Daisy. If I see your girl I'll help her, like you do. -he looks around, but the fighting is all contained within the ranch by this point, leaving the surrounding tree-filled areas clear, so Mike totes Ares towards a place where the trees are closer to the fence- You still with me?

Ares Melaina -That seems to bring some relief to him, even if a core of worry is still there.- Thanks. I mean it. -He leans on Mike as he walks, falling into step beside them as they close in one the fence. The gunshots and screams get louder- Yeah. I'm here. -Ares gaze dots over what he can see. People running, but too far away to see if they are the Daybreakers or people from the ranch. A body or two on the ground- Are those Daybreakers? Not anyone from us?

mike bennet Nobody I don't recognize, which means none of yours, pup. -he rephrases almost without a pause- None of ours. Only Daybreakers. You think Nicki might have skedaddled?

Ares Melaina She wouldn't run. She would stay and fight. She said she would. -Ares is glad Nicki isn't amongst the bodies. He breathes in and out, slowly, as if to steady himself- She gets reckless sometimes, but she's been careful recently. Maybe she's out here looking for me. -he hesitates- I should've been in there, fighting.

mike bennet Doesn't look like you were in any state to fight. Looks like you was trying to do the smart thing and git gone, and you ended up getting got.

Ares Melaina I got hurt, before the fight. I ran into one of the traps. I wasn't supposed to be here. -he swallows when he watches a person run away, followed by three others. He doesn't like watching- You were a Daybreaker? And you left because of Clint, right? Your baby brother?

mike bennet Yessir. Ain't nothing draws a body to places he don't expect like the blood in his veins. -there's something about the way Ares had said that, and mentioned a Luc earlier, that makes him say- You got yourself a brother?

Ares Melaina Yeah. Lucien. My older brother. -the mention of Lucien makes him swallow. Ares hesitates, then leans his head on Mike's shoulder- You two got separated, right? When the apocalypse started? Or before that? It's good you two ended up together again. -it feels almost mundane, talking about this, but it's calming-

mike bennet Before the apocalypse. Well before. We was kids when I lit out from the shitshack we called home and the peckerwood we called father. -he's still looking around, voice casual when he asks- You friends with Clint? What's he like?

Ares Melaina We haven't talked a lot. -Ares brows furrow as he tries to gather what he knows about Clint- He's made a lot of friends here. He works hard, people like him. I think he's been through a lot. -Ares blinks, then turns his head- He's with you. The Daybreakers. Was. You guys captured him. Is he okay?

mike bennet Okay enough for me to git him out of there and all the way here. -it's not much detail he gives Ares, but Mike's pretty sure Ares will take what he's given- Clint always did have some of that mopey look about him. But I ain't surprised people like him. Which kind are you and your bro? You don't seem much mopey.

Ares Melaina Luc is the mopey one. He's an author, likes to read a lot of books. He's the gloomy sort. -Ares hopes Clint is okay. There is a loud bang and Ares eyes widen slightly when he sees smoke bubble up from somewhere. He's holding tightly onto Mike, like a lifeline, but makes an effort to untug himself- That was the shed. Fuck- can't you go inside? -his voice is pleading- You can fight. I'll be okay. Is Clint in there?

mike bennet Clint ain't in there, no, he was in ... rough-ish shape when I sprung him from the Factory. -another carefully-worded statement about what had happened to Clint, and who had been responsible for it- I ain't so inclined to leave you here, bubba. But if that's what you really want, I can go join in the fighting, yeah.

Ares Melaina Zack said you guys tortured people. -Ares had tried not to think about it, and probably still had it on his mind too much. But if Clint was alive, he had to be okay- I'll be okay, it's what I want. The pit is gonna distract people, and I'll keep low. -he looked at Mike, his blue eyes wide and earnest- We need you. Please?

mike bennet We did. That's the Daybreaker way, is torture. And me having been locked up for some time, it's a way that I understood. That you would too, Daisy, I reckon. -on a whim, Mike clasps the side of Ares' face, watching as those big blue eyes don't waver a single bit at the overfamiliar and potentially threatening touch- You keep low, then. If you need me so bad. I'll go see what I can see.

Ares Melaina I know. It's what makes sense. But it can be different. -he stares at Mike, not even flinching at the sudden touch, simply accepting it- Yes. Please. Just... I'll wait for you here, to come back.

mike bennet I know you will. -a pause, then- There's a good, good boy. -and Mike's up, and gone-

[invinciblerodent]

I think after defeating Ketheric is the first time in the story when I'm letting my boy let his unending kindness.... falter a little bit. Just a little.

Semi-coherent 3 am ramblings under cut.

It seems like almost an "act 2 end" staple for me, but... this "midpoint climax" in many games IS, I feel, the natural point for a lot of good-aligned, well-intentioned protagonists to crack a little, and Arvid is no different.

Like. He just came back from what was essentially his *worst fucking nightmare*, having fought the avatar of a quasi-god (and learned that he's gonna have to do that, oh, two more times, just for funsies), having talked his boyfriend out of exploding himself (which was a very shitty, if short conversation, because apparently Gale is nothing if not easily convinced by the words "choose me, the one who loves you"), and overall having a CONSIDERABLY WORSE THAN AVERAGE TIME FOR THE PAST, OH, SEVERAL DAYS (with the Shadowfell, and the watching allies die left and right, and the GOING BACK TO THE MIND FLAYER FLESH-CABINS WHICH IS FUN), and already everyone wants MORE from him.

You know, as if this whole day wasn't, like, one deeply traumatic experience after the other. As if these past weeks hadn't been pushing him slowly towards a breaking point.

The dream visitor is acting... kinda suspicious and cagey, as per usual (she's dodging questions and speaking in confusing metaphors while doling out insurmountable-seeming tasks, which is just 👍👌🤙🖕), Wyll is immediately having himself a little storytime moment that he probably should have thought to have weeks ago ("btw my eye is a sending stone that enables Mizora the Literal Devil to track my every move" IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL, MAN, YOU COULD HAVE, IDK, MENTIONED THAT SOMETIME OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS OR SO), Gale is understandably feeling wild and wired after that weird, partially self-imposed near-death experience (which, idk about you, but an "I'm glad we survived babe, are you okay" would have been at least appreciated BEFORE the whole "YO DID YOU SEE THAT POWERFUL ARTEFACT, I WANT IT" thing), everyone in that damn room wants something else from him ("hey, sorry I was an asshole earlier after you saved my life, why don't you help me more! Won't tell you how or why or with what tho!", "hey you're back having done what's supposed to have been impossible, so what's up with Thaniel, the issue you solved literally a week ago already, I wasn't paying attention lol", and the likes, even Withers is being fucking weirder than usual)...! Jaheira and Astarion seem to be the only ones to offer any kind of praise, or optimistic feedback, which is already weird...!!! But the others? "Oh, hey, you're back. So, when are you gonna do that again (or this other, different thing for me)?"

Like... thanks? I guess I'll just go fuck myself then???

The poor boy just wants to take the most intense bath of his life (sit in a lake somewhere for a few hours, get the illithid-sludge off his body and scrub his skin until it's no longer blue but flushed, raw, and purple, maybe then he's going to feel clean again and less *hyper-aware* of the wriggling in his skull), get roaring drunk to at least momentarily forget the monumental task ahead, cuddle up to his dog, owlbear, and/or boyfriend, and go to sleep in a fetal position for the next 48 hours. Maybe cry a little or punch something, he hasn't decided yet.

Just... everyone seems to be forgetting that he's just Some Guy. Even if he turned out to be some chosen one, he's unaware of it. As far as he knows, he's just a random priest from the countryside who only ended up in the city like a year ago because the church there needed a new healer, and suddenly, after getting abducted and his BRAIN wormed, he's everyone's go-to guy for god-killing. He barely knows anyone, has no family (or really friends or personal connections deeper than the superficial outside of the party), nobody misses him where he's from (which is no longer his home, but neither is Baldur's Gate), and he doesn't even know if he's doing the right thing at any given time, messing with forces he doesn't understand. But everyone just wants MORE, and MORE, and MORE, and he's giving more and more, as much as he can, only he's not sure how much more he has left.

So yeah, he's gonna snap at- and be a bit short with Art, even if Halsin doesn't like it. Yeah, he's gonna be a little snide to the cagey gnome that all but told him to fuck off previously. He's gonna be a little impatient towards the skeleton-man doling out poetic brain-teasers for him to solve while he's still bleeding profusely, from several wounds. He's gonna give a couple fewer fucks about Isobel's reunion with her gf after having already figured out who she is (it's. Not like that was a hard feat. Those dots were not particularly hard to connect. He has an intelligence of 10 and he still figured it out.) than he would otherwise. He's, like, happy for them and all, but would be MANY TIMES happier if someone just handed him a sandwich and a glass of water, and said "hey, good job".

I have not yet gone back to camp or left the building after the return last night, but I'm hoping there's gonna at least be a chance to unwind before we'd march on. :/