#help i accidently locked myself out of the main story quest i was going for

[chumpovodir]

at its heart, legend of mana is a cute anthology of sidequests and stories that let you experience the strange and wonderful world of fa'diel - there really isn't another game quite like it

don't worry about the artifact placement or map system. don't. don't worry about the mana levels and what they mean. yeah it's not explained anywhere how they can effect the entire progression of the game. just dont worry about it. dont worry about it. don't worry abo

[zynita]

My Decade in Books

I was tagged by the lovely @brightbeautifulthings and her blog is filled with exactly that, so please jump over and give her a follow.

The 2010's were good years - they weren't perfect by any means and they involved a lot of growing up/learning what it means to be an adult, but I think that I came out of them a much better person and better prepared for what the world has in store for me. Looking back, I read a lot of amazing books! When I went back to make my choices for this post I was surprised to find that I read 333 books from 2012 through 2019! 2012 was the year that I created my Goodreads account and since then I have used it to track my reading progress over the years, so looking back at 2010 and 2011 may be a bit hazy, but there are a couple of special reading moments near and dear to my heart that I can share. So let's get into this~

The Rules: Respond to the prompt “My Decade in Books” however you want and then tag some people! I decided to share a book and/or series which defined the year along with some of my memories/reasons as to for doing so. You can do that or make up a response that is entirely your own, there is no wrong way to go about it.

2010: Yep, like many I got caught up in the Twilight craze and while I still find sparkly vampires a bit odd/silly, this series did motivate me to start reading again on a regular basis. Prior to that, I had been in a car accident in the late fall/early winter of 2006 and then my daughter was born April 2007. Unfortunately, my mental health was not the greatest as I was dealing with post-partum depression in combination with my pre-existing depression and possible/slight post-concussive changes. In 2010 I was given a boxed set of the series as a birthday gift and reading it ultimately helped spark my interest in books again - this was one of the first steps to breaking out of my apathetic depression. I will always be thankful for Twilight because it showed me that I was still capable of feeling real living breathing changing emotions.

2011: This year was marked by the completion of my Associate's Degree in Accounting/Business Administration that spring and acceptance to continue studying accounting at the local state university. My daughter was 4 years old and about to start preschool. We were able to get a place of our own moving in with my wife (then girlfriend) into a cute 2-bedroom apartment - we became a family. One of the best memories I have from our time living there was how at night I would read the story of the boy wizard who lived in a closet under the stairs to our daughter. This series would go on to define so much of our lives as it became her favorite for a number of years - the first major book series she read entirely on her own, eventually going on to do so in Spanish as well. We became a small flock of Ravenclaws and she has bloomed into quite the reader herself. I will always have a soft spot in my heart and memory for this series because of the story it tells and for the part it played in our story.

2012: I previously read King's Dark Tower in the mid 2000's and the story deeply resonated with me. When I found out that King was planning to release a new Dark Tower book, The Wind Through the Keyhole, I knew that I had to reread the series. The series' story feels dark and gritty, the tale of a knight from a world that has moved on fulfilling his quest to reach the Tower, revered as the center of all worlds. There is a certain tragic nostalgic romance to the story of an old knight in a dying world haunted by his past questing with what initially seems to be an unlikely group, only to eventually come together as something more - as ka-tet. This is a series that I know I will return to in the future.

2013: If you go through my Tumblr history, specifically on my book blog, you will come across my reviews and a large portion of my reviews written in 2013 dealt with my read through of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series - 22 books and 1 novella (Guilty Pleasures through Affliction). I first picked up Guilty Pleasures during a book sale in ~2011 and I recall reading it and a couple of the subsequent books (maybe 3 of them at most). At first, I was drawn in by Anita herself but when I came back to the books in 2013 and read the entire series I found myself intrigued by the many characters around Anita and her relationships with them. The series started as one thing and developed into something different - changing focus from a supernatural police procedural to being more character driven. This doesn't mean that Anita doesn't still go out and hunt the bad guys, but it is no longer the absolute main focus of the story and I am okay with that. Anita and her relationship struggles helped me to understand/come to terms with the concept that love isn't the same across all relationships, that people love differently and that is okay. It helped me to become comfortable in the knowledge that I can love others and it doesn't compromise/lessen the love that I have for my wife. For that reason alone, I will always have a strong admiration/fondness for Anita Blake. I plan on reading the two most recent releases (Crimson Death and Serpentine) some time this year!~

2014: This year was a very very difficult year for me and my wife and I spiraled into a deep depression. Due to my mental health difficulties I failed to complete my bachelor's degree program and had to leave school. I ultimately wound up doing nothing more than sleeping, playing video games, and attempting to read when I could. I remember that I was scrolling through Tumblr and I saw a post praising The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I was immediately enamoured with the cover, the starkness of the black/white/red, a circus, magic, and intrigue, I had to read it. My first read through took me 4 days because I never wanted it to end. This book helped me break a major reading slump through its beautiful lyrical prose of opponents turned lovers forged and bound within the fire locked behind the blackened gates of the traveling Les Cirques des Reves. I have read this book a total of 4 times and each time has only further deepened my love and appreciation for it - this book is my ultimate comfort read (though it may now have strong competition from her sophomore novel, The Starless Sea).

2015: At the behest of my love and my pseudo brother (I basically adopted him as the younger brother I never had) I picked up/started reading Robert Jordan's epic fantasy saga Wheel of Time which was ultimately completed by Brandon Sanderson following the death of Jordan. The series made up a great deal of my 2015 reading though I did make time for other books as well. What I particularly loved about the series was a combination of the richness of the world and the complexity of the characters. We witness these characters as they mature and grow into themselves ultimately becoming worthy of the title of ta'veren placed upon them by the Wheel. With the Amazon TV show on the horizon, I will likely pick up the series again and with subsequent readthroughs comes the opportunity to pick up on little things/foreshadowing that may have been missed before.

2016: This was another year where I didn't read a lot of books (only 38), but the majority of the ones I read were ones that I really enjoyed and Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate Series was a notable favorite. While I was working on my bachelor's degree I had the opportunity to take an upper division English course focused on Victorian Era literature and what started as a spark of interest became a warm comforting fire. Parasol Protectorate combined two genres which I had enjoyed on their own (historical fiction and paranormal/fantasy[?]) into something which felt entirely unique. I fell in love with the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the series - so much so that I have returned to Carriger's Victorian Era with my current read through of her Finishing School Series, an upcoming re-read of Parasol Protectorate, and a first time read through of the sequel series The Custard Protocol.

2017: So much of 2017 is honestly a blur... I was hired in July 2015 as a medical transcriptionist but over the following years would continue to gain increased responsibilities (with associated pay increases) allowing for some pretty notable things to occur leading up to my girlfriend and I getting married!~ We had been dating/living together in addition to having been friends for so much time before that it just made sense for us to get married and I can't picture my life without her in it. My favorite read that year was E.K. Johnston's That Inevitable Victorian Thing for so many reasons. The novel plays with history as we know it and speculates on what would have occurred had colonialism never taken root and instead a utopia was formed under the British Empire - an empire without racism, homophobia, and classism built upon mutual respect and harmony. This book is full of diversity/representation/LGBTQIA+/etc. while exploring identity, orientation, and relationships in a respectful/open-minded manner. I have already slated this book for a re-read as soon as I finish my current read through of Carriger's works.

2018: This book is probably one of the most important books I have ever read. I can't remember how exactly I came across it but I knew that I had to read it as soon as I read the synopsis. I then shared it with my daughter (who was then 11 years old) and we decided to buddy read it. This book...this is the book that I wish I had had the opportunity to read when I was that same age attempting to learn about and understand my own sexuality. This book has also allowed my wife and me to have a continuing, open dialogue with our daughter (now turning 13 in April). I actually Tweeted this basic sentiment to Ms. Blake upon finishing the book and she actually replied to me!~

Since then my daughter has read the book multiple times and we bought her a hardback copy for Christmas. Maybe one day we can attend a signing and thank Ms. Blake for Ivy's story personally.

2019: My favorite of read of 2019 was Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity. ((I know, I could have easily posted and gushed about Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea which I absolutely love but given that I had previously mentioned The Night Circus I felt it prudent to discuss something else.)) When I was book blogging in 2013-2014 I remember seeing a lot of posts talking about it and its unique approach to storytelling. I remember picking up the ebook but I was so caught up in reading other things at the time that it sat on my TBR shelf. Fast forward to last year and I finally decided to take the time and read it. Color me 100% floored and angry at myself for waiting so long to read it! I fell absolutely in love with Verity/Julie, with the story that she wove, with the friendship between her and Maddie. The synopsis describes the book as "harrowing" and "beautifully written," descriptors that I wholeheartedly agree with. My wife knew how much I enjoyed it and I received a copy of the hardback edition which will eventually grace my bookshelf (sort of kind of need to buy one first).

So that is My Decade in Books! I am very bad about tagging people in things, but if you saw the post and feel so inclined to make one of your own please do and tag me in it to check out. If you stuck through this post to the end, I greatly appreciate it and wish you well in the new reading decade.

*Zyn/Melanie*

[recentanimenews]

Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch Is A Charming RPG That Made Me Sob

  A few weeks ago, my son was born. And if you've ever been a parent or have been around infants in general, you spend a majority of your time together playing a game called "Oh my god are they breathing?" Night and day, you feed and change and watch them, checking for the tiny rise and fall of their chests as they sleep, unaware that you're currently the most paranoid person on the planet hovering above them. But, despite my constant half-sleep, I fell in love with this stinky little potato person and have found myself firmly becoming a Dad Guy, a guy that gets emotional at the slightest mention of love or children or parents or a combination of those three things.

  So maybe I wasn't in the best state to play Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, a game that starts with a child losing his mother. Or maybe I WAS in the absolute best state to play through it, because y'all, I have sobbed through portions of this game. 

    Recently re-released for the Nintendo Switch, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch concerns a young boy named Oliver who lives in Motorville. After being rescued from an automobile accident by his mother, his mother tragically passes away from a heart problem, leaving Oliver distant and depressed. However, he's soon visited by his doll-come-to-life named Drippy who tells him that he has to save another world from a sorcerer. Oliver doesn't seem so hyped about being the Chosen One until he finds out that every person in his world has a "soulmate" in the other one, and that he might be able to bring his mother back by visiting a great sage that looks a lot like her.

  From the beginning, the wonderful art style of the characters and the setting seemed remniscient of the work of Studio Ghibli, and it turns out that my Anime Spider Sense wasn't lying because Studio Ghibli collaborated with developer Level 5 to create the animated sequences. Level 5 used Ghibli as inspiration when designing just about everything else, too, and I'd consider this a wise decision as Wrath of the White Witch looks both unique amongst its RPG peers and classically Ghibli. So even when you're running around the overworld, trying to dodge (or run into battle with) monsters, the experience is sublime. I don't fully recommend using "IT'S LIKE YOU'RE ACTUALLY PLAYING KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE" when telling others about this game, but I also don't don't fully recommend it. 

    So, I've established that the game is gorgeous (and written by Akihiro Hino, who directed Dragon Quest VIII, one of my favorite Dragon Quest games), but how does it play? Well, here's where it might divide people. When you collide with a monster, the battle area is free to roam around in, as you control human characters and one of many "familiars" that you can switch in and out. Each character and each Familiar has their own set of customizable attacks and abilities (which you gain as you level up or complete certain objectives,) so you'll want to mix and match to take on all beasties. For instance, Oliver is great from a distance, but he'll get eviscerated up close. So you'll want to consistently pair him with Familiars that are a bit...punch-in-the-face-ier.

  At first, this system feels a bit chaotic, but you soon get the hang of it as battles are plentiful. Then, as the difficulty moves up, the chaos returns and I was forced to get the hang of it yet again. Eventually, I stabilized into being perfectly mediocre at monster fightin', but every once in a while, I found myself overwhelmed, as if my skill level, the game's battling system, and the AI of the enemies weren't lining up. Again, this isn't so much a con as it's just a battle system that takes time to get used to. It's good, and can have a lot of depth, but you have to be willing to practice a bit to feel like you're mastering the art of the Familiars. 

    As for the characters that you're not locked in combat with on a regular basis, they run the spectrum from delightfully designed and enchanting in personality, to just kind of Garden Variety Ghibli Cute. Oliver is a pretty standard child protagonist, and the main villains Shadar and the titular White Witch almost looked like Nintendo 64 Legend of Zelda characters (and I mean that in the best of ways).

  Oliver's human allies are fun but not totally memorable, and they often left me wishing we got more characters like King Tom, the giant cat ruler. Plus, bosses like the Guardian of the Woods and Moltaan set the bar pretty high, design-wise, so going through a roll call of standard RPG supporters when it came to the people that Oliver pals around with was fairly disappointing at times.

    But none of this was enough to lose me, as the core of Wrath of the White Witch is about Oliver growing up through helping people. And buddy, that is a theme that I can get behind. See, Oliver has the ability to restore pieces of people's hearts, helping the downtrodden and distressed to continue on, whether their motivations are touching or comical. So in this way, Wrath of the White Witch tells a story about not just loss, but moving on from loss and contributing to the world in positive ways. This is where a lot of my aforementioned crying took place, not just because I have a son now and I can't fathom being taken away from him, but because there's so much there that I want to impart to him.

  Wrath of the White Witch doesn't provide a lesson plan for helping someone through grief. Grief is often unknowable and personal and affects us in a variety of weird, unexpected ways. However, it does provide a portrayal of grief that is aspirational, where we cope with it even without knowing that we're coping. Where we continue to help those around us because the good people around us are all we have. Where, even when we've lost what's most important to us, we're still important to others.

    Though I'm not the biggest evangelist of Studio Ghibli, I'm so glad that they're around to give us movies that don't talk down to the younger part of their audience. And I'm glad that I got the chance to play Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, an RPG that I needed right now.

  REVIEW ROUNDUP:

+ Beautiful visuals that are either created by Studio Ghibli, or Ghibli-inspired

+ Wonderful themes about grief, loss, and redemption

+ Exploring the world and its various areas is never tiring

+/- Battle system is extremely fun, but takes some getting used to

- Some of the side character designs feel uninspired in comparison to the rest of the game

   You can pick up Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch for the Nintendo Switch here!

  Have you played Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch? What was your favorite aspect of it? Ever played any other Level 5 games? Let us know in the comments!

  -----------------------------

Daniel Dockery is a writer and editor for Crunchyroll. You should follow him on Twitter!

    Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[kyloren]

Mileven post-S2 fanfiction recommendation list: PART IV

This is a continuation of my ever-growing Mileven Fanfiction Rec List (see instalments I, II, and III). If your fanfic isn’t featured, apologies. Message me and we’ll amend that grievance in the next rec list instalment. 

* marks the ongoing stories. 

canon: 

interludes by veausy: “They stood like that, dimly lit by the hallway lamp, until Hopper cleared his throat. “Mike,” she breathed.” 

+ its sequel: idylls by veausy: ““You should get a Mike,” El offered. Didn’t everyone have one?” 

snowbound by hannahberrie: “When El invites Mike to spend the day at the cabin, Hopper finds himself supervising a sleepover he didn’t sign up for.” 

.. ._.. ___ …_ . _.__ ___ .._ (i love you) by AriaCessair: “El wants to learn about kisses, but the end result is much more than she expected.” 

anything short of a miracle by youheldyourbreath: “Mike has spent the last year in abject agony over losing Eleven. And then, he gets her back.” 

the 436 kiss by youheldyourbreath: “Mike and El have 435 kisses that are short, sweet and perfunctory. Kiss 436 is not that kind of embrace.” 

we were just kids when by DarkBeauty_890: “Hopper arches a brow, giving Mike a once over. He sucks in another puff of his cigarette, before stubbing it out and scratching his nose, “Elle’s not here. She and Red went out to go see a movie about an hour ago.” Mike clears his throat and doesn’t break their locked gaze, “I’m actually here because I wanted to talk to you.”” 

the invasion* by ValBirch: “Hawkins, 1985. On the day of her first birthday in Hawkins, El starts having nosebleeds, even when she’s not using her powers. That night, Will’s nightmares return, but they’re different this time. Everything is different this time.” 

winter, spring, summer, fall* by returntosaturn: “A collection of first experiences for El during her first year in Hawkins, outside of the lab.” 

radio static* by Archer of Ecclesia : ““Mike,” El had scarcely noticed her seizure of the radio. Garble filled her ears. Her grip around the radio tightened as she quickly switched it off, breathing shallowly. She almost threw the device across the room when the garble continued, and worsened, more severe than ever. Or, a new creature lurks in Hawkins, Indiana, this time, closer to home than ever.” 

to find you again* by MuffinLove03: “Finding her was only the beginning. In a town still vulnerable to inter-dimensional threats and sketchy government agents, it's going to take a lot to keep her safe and bring her home. But he was prepared to do whatever it took. He promised.” 

the artemis institute* by Arnarkusaga: “Starting from the night the gate was closed and detailing the events that follow, including unexpected doings at the Hawkin’s Lab, and a mysterious underground resistance movement.” 

kissing cousins by pathvain_aelien: “Mr. Clarke at the Snow Ball.” 

+ its sequel: eleven’s story* by pathvain_aelien. 

snowed in by luxuriousvoyage11: “A bad snow storm makes for an unexpected sleepover at the Byers.” 

only this by Val_Creative: “Eleven and Mike and their relationship through Hopper’s eyes.” 

a ghostly encounter* by PlaidDino: “The boys (and Max) go Trick-Or-Treating on Halloween, but these Ghostbusters find themselves being followed by someone in a ghost costume.” 

the best night of your life by wheezy: “Her lips are parted in an almost smile and Mike sends a prayer he won’t have to wait 353 days to kiss them ever again.” 

funny business by rainingcatsandkisses: ““On one condition” Hopper had said when El had asked if Mike could walk her home instead. “You come straight home. I’ll be waiting at the turn by Pinewood. And,” he’d added darkly, staring at Mike, “No funny business from you, Mr. Wheeler. I will know.”” 

i think we’re alone now by cali-chan (girls_are_weird): ““Listen, I’m no t supposed to leave you two alone here. Hopper will have my head if he finds out, so just… behave, okay?”” 

day two hundred and five by Someone_else_before: “In which Mike has a birthday, El has a daydream, and Hopper says, “Soon.”” 

eleven, mike, and the flu by loti_miko: “She quickly put the blindfold over her eyes, her surroundings going dark, and in an instant she was at Mike’s. He had his eyes closed; his cheeks flushed bright pink, a colour quite distinguishable even in the darkness of The Void.” 

el byers and the secret crush by Someone_else_before: “Eleven moves in with the Byers’, learns to adapt to ordinary Hawkins life, and tries to figure out why Mike has been acting so oddly since their kiss in the cafeteria.” [post S1] 

+ its sequel: dustin henderson and the secret crush by Someone_else_before: “Dustin is head over heels for a girl in his class, and he asks Eleven to use her powers to help him in his quest to win her over.” 

stay in the dark by ceruleanstorm: “Mike’s waited 23 days to see Eleven again after she saved the damn world. But there’s a big reason El isn’t as excited to see him.” 

pretty scary, pretty good by nonoma: “His girl’s going to be the scariest girl at Hawkins High.” 

behind enemy lines by therealfarklenation: “He was stepping behind enemy lines, praying he wouldn’t get caught. She welcomed the risk with opened arms, praying that he wouldn’t stop.” 

the first summer* by Kiddo7: “It’s the gang’s first summer all together, and Mike can’t wait to show El all that it has to offer.” 

prepping for high school* by DarknessFallsLikeFeathers: “Mike is excited to be able to go see El at the cabin and help her with her studies. However, summer break is around the corner and a new challenge shows up on their doorstep.” [I, personally, am on the fence about how I feel about this fic: it’s interesting, but it also is featuring an OC quite prominently, so…*shrugs* take that as you will.] 

green-eyed eleven by Brown Eyes Parker: “Eleven experiences her first bout of jealousy when a new girl moves to town.” [from a post-S2 hindsight, this is really funny. it’s funny cause it’s true.]  

not knowing what it was by 27vampyresinhermind: “We were just kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was.” 

you feel it too* by Maiasaura: “Mike and Eleven were more alike than they knew. Mike had been broken for years, and Eleven broken her whole life. The events of November, 1983 only fully destroyed them both, and a year apart only further drove the wedge.” [beware: this one is super depressing. like, all the content warnings apply.] 

alternative universe: 

roller coaster day by SmoothFluffle: “She was beginning to doubt herself as she listened to the anxious boy in a cap list the most atrocious accidents that happened to people while being on the metal ride. Suddenly, she wondered if this roller coaster thing was such a good idea.” No Supernatural AU. 

cigarettes, eggos, and the secrets between us* by salavibes: “Popular, high-school bad-boy, Mike Wheeler finds himself falling for the shy and nerdy new girl who’s hiding a deep secret. Will they ever set aside their strikingly different personalities and pursue a relationship? Also what happens when they begin to both change each other in ways they never expected?” bad-boy!Mike AU. 

crossover: 

may the force be with you* by serendipitous_rambles: “El has always dreamt of seeing the galaxy but simply can’t leave Tatooine. But she has powers she doesn’t even know she has. Yet plans have been discovered of a Death Star that could result in the deaths of millions. Along the way she meets a smuggler called Mike, and some trusty resistance pilots Will and Lucas, along with their engineering best friend Dustin (who just can’t get his droid Steve to shut up). An adventure in a galaxy far far away with rebellion, hope (and a disgruntled old Jedi Hopper).” Stranger Things x Star Wars AU. 

the second coming* by TheDevotchka: “In 1983, the so-called ‘Loser’s Club’ defeated It, a monster who had plagued the town of Derry for millennia. In 1984, the new Librarian of the Hawkins Public Library makes a series of phone-calls after the suspicious and unpleasantly familiar disappearances of three children. Seasoned monster hunters, the Loser’s Club teams up with another group of unlikely heroes — Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will.” Stranger Things x It Crossover. [okay, so I lied. This one isn’t really Mileven…so far.] 

+ bonus: Wherein Mileven are not quite Pure™: 

sex ed by Phantasmoplast: “El hears a new word for the first time, and decides to ask Mike what it means.” 

+ its smutty outtakes: sex ed chapter 5: shower and sex ed chapter 8: homework. 

dessert by wynniethecat: “When El teases Mike under the dinner table, he decides he needs to teach her a lesson about proper table etiquette.” 

+ you know, if you want aged-up!Mileven smut, just go check out wynniethecat’s profile. She has tons of it. 

+ bonus 2: Wherein The Party is prominently featured: 

you fight like a baby(sitter) by nicefacepotter: “With his reputation ruined, Steve’s main source of social interaction is a group of middle schoolers. Now that group of nerds wanted him in their D&D campaign. What did he get himself into?” 

in the aftermath it is quiet (as we wait for everything to begin again) by Dontfloatthe100: ““So,” Steve says as he scrapes the last of the eggs off his plate, “you must be Eleven.” El nods as she finishes up her own. “Hmm. I thought you would be taller.””  

fun with jim and jane* by clarabelle: ““Mouth breather, huh? Another new word you picked up?” “No,” El says, and she sounds almost wistful. Probably thinking about that Wheeler kid again.” 

time and time again by sporadicallyceaseless: “Five times Chief Hopper gets called into the school because his kid is a goddamn menace.” 

20 questions by liadan14: “A few questions Eleven asked before she turned eighteen, and one she didn’t.” 

+ its sequel: just can’t face myself alone again by liadan14: “Dustin and his friends grow up in fits and starts. These are a few of them.” 

don’t lock her in by SmoothFluffle: “El gets locked in inside a school closet.” 

.

.

imma gonna be making these till i’m old and grey, aren’t i?

UPDATE: part V is out.

[mllemaenad]

Personally... I feel that WEaWH tries to remove itself from TME because it realizes that TME is fucking irredeemable garbage, and tries to make its WLW representation less appalling. So I'm entirely willing to overlook continuity errors for the sake of one relationship between women in the entire series that can go well.

I’m sorry, but I don’t believe that. I’m not going to argue with you on the merits of The Masked Empire, as you’re entitled to like or dislike any media you choose, but I don’t think Bioware is trying to distance itself from the novel. I also don’t think their motive is positive representation, or that they’re seriously suggesting a happy ending. However, even if they were I would call the choice to reunite Celene and Briala without any serious examination of the issues that drove them apart … disquieting.

1) On distancing themselves from the novel.

To begin with the obvious, several of the Dragon Age novels provide not only context for the quests in Inquisition, but also promotional material maintaining audience interest between games.

It’s hardly an accident that Asunder is a prequel to In Hushed Whispers/Champions of the Just, The Masked Empire is a prequel to Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts (as well as giving you a roundabout introduction to Solas) and Last Flight provides you with some context on why Weisshaupt is just no help at all during Here Lies the Abyss.

They do kind of want you to buy all their stuff. And if you started with Inquisition and liked what you saw, they want you to run back and buy all the earlier stuff for context. Video game tie-in novels aren’t generally considered high art, so they’d need serious reasons to want to reject the novel as part of their canon. Just in case, I checked The Masked Empire’s Amazon page, and it’s currently got 4.4 stars – so it doesn’t look like something they’d be particularly desperate to ignore. They’d rather you bought it and gave them money.

To move more to the specific, the game references the novel constantly. In addition to devoting a whole main quest to resolving its plot, it also includes cameos from Mihris, Michel and Imshael, which really serve no other purpose than to provide a bit of closure to the people who read the novel and wondered what became of them. This is actually more than it provides for, say, the characters of Asunder: Rhys and Evangeline appear only in a war table mission, Adrian doesn’t appear at all – and who knows where Shale has wandered off to.

It also references the murder of Briala’s parents directly:

Cole: She’s still behind the curtains in the reading room, watching the blood pool on the floor.

Briala pulled the red velvet curtain aside. Her hands shook as she did. There was a pool of red on the floor of the reading room, staining the rich Nevarran carpet. It had spread almost to the curtain.

At the other end of the pool were Briala’s parents.

– The Masked Empire

If they really wanted to distance themselves from The Masked Empire, they wouldn’t put that in there. If they wanted to say that that this didn’t happen, they’d have retconned the story – or at the very least not mentioned it.

In fact, the choice of words is particularly distressing. Cole senses pain. When he says Briala is ‘still behind the curtains’ he’s emphasising that the trauma and anguish are still very much with her, making a reconciliation, particularly a reconciliation that utterly fails to address a thing that they have confirmed happened, even stranger.

 I would say that one motive for their choice to reconcile the two characters is simplicity. I like parts of Inquisition, but honestly it’s over ambitious. They set up a series of continent-wide catastrophes, each one intensely political: the mage rebellion, the Orlesian civil war, the collapse of the Chantry.

Each one probably requires its own game for a satisfactory solution. I realise they were probably going for something similar to the galaxy-wide political collapse in Mass Effect 3, but the Dragon Age games are at a serious disadvantage because they lack continuity of characters.

Mass Effect 3 had its own problems, of course, but for example – I think most people have fun curing the genophage for the krogan. But what they remember is Mordin Solus and ‘There’s a reaper in my way, Wrex!’ When it worked it was able to build on characters who were present across the series.

Inquisition is faced with trying to find resolutions for groups of people that have no direct connection to each other, and whom the protagonist has never seen before (even if they player has). This is hardly the only time their attempt to fix everything in a single quest ends up making no sense.

2) On positive representation

I’m afraid I don’t think what we get in Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts is especially positive. I think it’s … kind of infantilising, really, and has a whiff of sexism about it. I mean – again, I’m not asking you to like The Masked Empire. But this:

“It would have been a locked suite in the palace for a few years, nothing more!” Celene kept her voice low, aware that Michel and Felassan had stopped planning and were looking their way. “It would have changed nothing for us.”

“Your hair still stinks of the smoke from the people you burned,” Briala said. “That is a change.”

The dead leaves crackled under Celene’s feet as she stepped forward. “How many wars can our empire survive in such a short time? I wanted my legacy to be the university, the beauty and culture that made us the envy of the world. Instead I may be known as the empress under whom Orlais fell. You have the luxury of mourning Halamshiral’s elves and holding my heart hostage. Sitting on my throne, I see every city in the empire. If I must burn one to save the rest, I will weep, but I will light the torch.”

Briala swallowed. “You’re not weeping, as far as I can tell. Nor are you sitting on your throne. She stepped away, her movements fast and jerky. “With your permission, Your Radiance, I shall go indulge myself in my luxury.”

– The Masked Empire

… is at least an argument between adults, with the details of what they believe laid out. Celene honestly believes that the empire and her legacy are worth 'a few thousand elven lives’: she believes that maintaining the strength of Orlais is worth thousands of lives in sacrifice, as is the vision she has for the country’s future. Briala is facing up to the fact that this is the bargain she’s made: stay with Celene and she might see an elven scholar graduate from the university – but she’ll likely also see elves burn every time there’s a crisis, because elves are the most expendable people in the empire.

Briala wavers throughout the novel, obviously, because there is genuine feeling between herself and Celene. But the discovery that this has all happened before, that this is not the first time Celene has shed elven blood to impress her rivals and gain power, and that her own parents were among the victims, brings her to a decision.

You don’t have to like it, but these women are serious about what they want and believe.

But in Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts we get stuff like this:

Sera: Elves-elves-elves, but it’s really a pissing match with an old lover. Don’t know the rest but that explains a lot.

It’s hardly coincidental that they chose Sera to say this. Sera the commoner, who despises the nobility. Sera the Red Jenny, with contacts in every corner of Thedas. True, Sera’s background has led her to reject a lot of elven culture, but her biggest objection is usually to ‘moping’ about the past. This:

Briala thought for a moment. “Celene and Gaspard saw an army, but that would be fighting their fight. With the paths, I could get food to alienages where elves would otherwise starve. They would let me move ahead of an oncoming army and warn the target, or move behind them and attack their supply lines.”

– The Masked Empire

… sounds more like the practical stuff she favours: she’s said getting revenge would be a preferable option, and this is getting food to the poor, terrorising the nobility and giving little people a shot at being part of something bigger. But now we can’t take it seriously, because Sera has reduced it to a lovers’ tiff.

That isn’t meant as a criticism of Sera, to be clear. They do this when they want a mouthpiece. This is the equivalent of having Cole approve of Cullen.

And as for it going well, this is their epilogue slide:

Where once war raged, there is now a shaky peace. Orlais is resurgent, the empress a patron of arts and culture.

Many attribute this recovery to her lady love, though others wonder how long their reunion will truly last.

– Epilogue (Inquisition)

I mean – maybe they’ll forget about this. They have been known to forget their epilogue slides. But it doesn’t read as though the intent was to write a strong and loving partnership. Rather it looks as though they are selling the relationship as tempestuous.

That’s one place where I am very uncomfortable. This is the revolt of an oppressed people, and the politics an empire. And there’s a sense that they’re saying ‘Oh, those women and their emotions! Today they love each other; tomorrow they’ll hate each other; the day after they’ll probably love each other again. You never know, with women.’

I appreciate that Bioware is fairly progressive, for a game company: the character choices, the romance options, the NPCs – they are trying to represent a variety of races, genders and sexualities. But it doesn’t mean they never fuck up. I mean, there’s a bit in Mark of the Assassin where Isabela tells Hawke that Gamlen has been sexually harassing her and two responses blame her (You find something inappropriate?/Break him. And wear pants.).

Given that they are already struggling to resolve a massive plotline in a ridiculous amount of time, I’m not surprised they fell back on this. It’s narrative shorthand, and that can be handy for desperate situations. But it’s still sexist shorthand, and I very much wish they hadn’t done it.

3) Removing The Masked Empire from the equation doesn’t solve the problem

I mean, it makes some of the bigger issues like Briala’s dead parents a little easier to miss, sure, but it doesn’t make the problems go away.

I appreciate that representation is important. I do. But romantic relationships between women are not the only representation issue at stake, here. There’s no single source for the elven people, of course, but it’s easy enough to see that Bioware has borrowed from the experiences of Jewish, Romani and aboriginal peoples living under empires and/or colonialism.

And have we ever established that it is shit to be an elf. The city elf origin story in Origins is an abduction/rape/murder combo. The Dalish clans in Origins and DA2 can be slaughtered. It’s terrifyingly easy to kill off clan Lavellan in war table missions, and even though this is the protagonist’s family the game doesn’t make a thing of it. There’s a whole side quest in DA2 about a serial killer who targets elves, and who keeps getting away with it because no one gives a shit. We are up to our eyeballs in codex entries on the treatment of elves.

And here we have Briala, the leader of a rebellion in Orlais – one of the nations best known for oppressing the fuck out of the elves and trying to destroy their culture.

Even without The Masked Empire this is:

a) providing only the most minimal description of the nature of her rebellion and what she hopes to achieve.

b)allowing her to be dismissed as primarily involved in a lovers’ tiff.

c) pairing her with a woman the game actually says massacred the Halamshiral elves.

d) using the massacre as evidence against her because she was sleeping with Celene, rather than as evidence against the woman who actually committed it.

That’s … all pretty shitty, even at the simplest level. The game doesn’t address any of this. It doesn’t even force the characters to discuss what happened before throwing them back together. It spends as much time tsking at Briala for destabilising Orlais as it does Celene and Gaspard. It loves the idea that they’re all as bad as each other – which allows the player to justify just about any ending.

And this is a thing they do repeatedly: they tsk at the mage rebellion as well. They seem to be very good at describing the sufferings of the elves, the mages, the casteless dwarves … but don’t approve of them actually doing anything about their oppression. At least not anything more forceful than writing a stern letter of complaint (for those lucky literate characters!) to the local lord or revered mother.

And so minimising the problems of Celene and Briala’s relationship, and waving a locket around (which, even out of context, does not seem like a forceful enough declaration of love to startle Briala) does … not strike me as very respectful of peoples who have suffered under empires, and who have had to fight tooth and nail for every sliver of justice.

It’s not that I want to exclude a healthy, positive romance between two women in order to have Awesome Revolutionary Briala. I just don’t understand why we couldn’t have both.

Couldn’t Briala show up with a new girlfriend? Do it properly: give her a codex entry and make her active and important in the quest. Show the two of them both being affectionate and working together for the cause. Make sure that at least some of the possible quest endings leave them alive, together and continuing to better the lot of the elves.

I can understand that you may not like The Masked Empire and may want to exclude it from your personal headcanon. That’s absolutely fine, obviously. But I do not believe that was Bioware’s intent in writing the the Briala-and-Celene reconciliation, and I still have serious issues with it.

[fanfictionlive]

Seeking beta reader for Skyrim fanfic

Hello! Just what it says on the tin — I’m seeking a beta reader who would be willing to help me out with a Skyrim fanfiction I’m working on. :) I’ll give an overview of the fic, point out the type of help I’m looking for, and then let’s see if we’re a good fit! Thanks for your time.

The Fic

Plot/Concept

I will be narrativizing the Skyrim quest-lines (predominantly the Companions and the main) from the perspective of a blind Bosmer Dragonborn — who also happens to be a werewolf already before joining the Companions. She’s native to Valenwood, so there’s all that lore (e.g. The Green Pact) woven in.

Also I do stress that she’s blind, so my main challenge and goal is to describe how she interacts with the world, how she gets stuff done (e.g. sniping via archery), and just describing layouts and actions of things to the reader without using sight. It’s been fun and compelling, for me, so far.

I want to explore the individual, emotional elements of the Skyrim game. Like, in the game, you encounter a dragon for the first time then go to Whiterun like three days later and are all “yeah sure I don't care let's go fight another one.” But wouldn't Helgen have been a terrifying experience? Or how would it feel, having to seek the fragments of Wuuthrad, an axe that was used in ancient elven genocide, as an elven member of the Companions? Also just fluffing up and fleshing out the Companions, in general— so you don't go from Whelp to Harbinger in four seconds and without even getting to know your shield-siblings.

Content

Overall Rating: T/PG-13 (I think?) Romance: There will be a (very) slow burn romance element involved. (It will also be a hate-to-love situation because I am an ooey-gooey marshmallow.) There will be no smut. At most, I will fade to black if needed. Violence: Canon-typical violence, and descriptions thereof, will absolutely be present. Again, with the POV character being blind, there won't be much visual gore… but tactilely- or audibly-described gore, yes. Language: Some foul language will be used. I don't swear, myself, but I can't justify a character not swearing when she, for example, gets taken by surprise and locked in the alcove of a cave and has to watch her friend get ambushed and killed. Potential Triggers: Violence, mainly. Also brief mentions of cannibalism (due to Elder Scrolls Bosmer lore and the Green Pact). There is also past trauma that caused the main character to lose her sight, for one, and also become a werewolf — each an accident/injury/incident that left some psychological marks. Status: In-Progress Current Length: 4 chapters (1 prologue, 3 chapters) at 22,608 words Projected Length: Novel. This thing is going to be long, and separated into 2 or 3 parts. Posted: AO3 and soon to FF.net

Summary

An empire-wide runaway, the blind Bosmer archer, Lir, doesn’t make a habit of staying still. As soon as things get too real, too difficult, too close to the chest, she picks up and moves on. (If only she could do the same with her little, ah, full moon problem.)   But when she stumbles her way into the frozen, fracturing country of Skyrim, and to the city of Whiterun— home of the legendary fighters, the Companions— she gets a little too close to quite a lot, altogether too quickly.   And when Lir runs this time, little does she know, one of those whom she left behind... follows.

The Beta

I Need Someone Who:

loves Skyrim/Elder Scrolls like I do, who doesn't mind researching and fact-checking; someone familiar with the setting to make sure my lore, geography, etc are correct

is familiar with the Companions questline and NPCs

is willing to be in it for the long haul bc this might take a while

And Who Will:

mark what takes you out of the writing/story: confusing wording, voice/characterization is off, no conflict/tension, something is repetitive/redundant/inconsistent, telling vs. showing, etc.

mark where you felt the pacing was wrong: too fast/slow, feels too “one note,” not enough of an arc, scene goes on too long, a plot point or character action feels unexpected/out-of-nowhere, etc.

mark emotional feedback: essentially stream of conscious reaction to let me know when or if something got to you and how (bored, sad, anxious, happy/sappy, etc). Just what worked for you and what didn't

watch for the small grammar/spelling mistakes (e.g. missing words) and correct them

point out syntax or word choices that may not work, and let me know why you think so (e.g. “She's blind, would she describe her cheeks as ‘redder’? ‘Warmer’ might make more sense.” Or: “Would she know [X word]? I think it may be more her voice to use [Y word].” Or: “This is roundabout. She's taking a long time to introspect how she feels about [Z thing]. Would she really do that right now?”)

If That’s You:

Then let’s see if we're a good fit! Message me privately to let me know the following (and also reply here so I get double the notifications and can't miss it!), and then I'll send you a short scene to review. If you don't like how I write and would rather pass, just say so and we'll part ways. :) If you do jive with it, give it a go-over and then I'll see if how you beta jives with me. That way if we don't mesh, it was no huge time wasted on either of our part. ;)

Time available to give

Email address for google docs invite

How you are comfortable helping (if there's anything I listed above you don't feel fit/able/confident covering, just let me know.)

Anything else you'd like me to know, or that you'd like to ask me!

Thanks!

submitted by /u/lilomo [link] [comments] from FanFiction: Where Magical Ponies battle Imperial Titans http://ift.tt/2zyfky5

[exikat]

Would It’ve Been Better?

An original short story by yours truly! Takes place in the Fight For Life universe (my own creation)

Enjoy!

When I was much younger, I sat in awe holding my baby brother in my lap as Pappy recounted tales from when he was much younger and able. How he survived a tragedy when he was a young child that resulted in his entire family being ripped away from him. How his adopted younger brother also survived, but was also brutally slain later on. How he grew up on the streets having gone from riches to rags and ended up becoming no more than a petty thief and how he went on an adventure with some pretty powerful people.

That last story, he never used real names. He never did. That’s why when he told my dad these same tales when he was a kid, he didn’t believe him. But deep down, I know. I know they’re true. Pappy never gave actual names to anyone in his stories, all I know is that he called the party he was part of “Boss, Blondie, and Angel.” He never talked about his slain parents or brother and sister without using some sort of way to mask that they had been murdered rather than killed by accident. He didn’t talk about his adopted brother much, but that was the one he did voice in name. Xilan. That’s who my brother is named after. This was the only one of the stories that Father believed since Pappy could provide a name.

Pappy told of his misadventures on the streets and with his party along the way, how he had become best friends with Boss and Blondie while Angel was kind of strange but he liked her anyways. Because of all of the wonders he filled my mind with, I’ve wanted to become an adventurer for a majority of my life. I wanted to be a knight too, so I ultimately decided I wanted to be a one woman militia or a mercenary knight. There probably wasn’t any “mercenary knights” in existence but I wanted to be one anyways, they sounded cool in my head! Kinda stupid, huh?

I peered my head into the library where both of my grandfathers sat, showing my brother a photo album.

“Hey, Pappy?” I called, causing him to glance up, his strange long hair framing his face.

When I say strange, I mean strange. His hair is stiff as if he had put some sort of product in it, like, if you grabbed the base of a section of hair and made it stand up, the entire lock of his long hair would stand along with it like, really big spikes. He refuses to say why though.

“Ah, hello Aya my dear. I haven’t seen you all day, where have you been?” He asked me and I shrugged.

“I’ve been around… Anyways, I wanna ask you something.” I told him as I stepped further into the room. He blinked, tilting his head the slightest bit.

“And whatever might that be?” he asked, leaning forwards a little to stare me in the eyes. Gramps and Xilan listened silently in anticipation awaiting for my response while Pappy stared me in the eyes. I took a deep breath and told them.

“I want to become a knight.” I had subconsciously straightened my posture as I stared at them.

I was asking Pappy because he knew what it was like to fight and roam around the country, though I was half expecting him to shoot down the idea like my father does every time I bring stuff like that up with him. Pappy however, simply grinned.

“Oh? But you’re only eighteen. The legal age for anything within the military or protection is nineteen you know… At least here in Saonoka anyways. In Tolo it’s twelve.”

My eyes widened the slightest bit.

“Really?! That young?!” I asked and he simply laughed with a nod.

“Indeed that young. You remember how I told you about Boss? She was from Tolo. She joined around that age and was second in command of the army by fifteen.” He told me matter ‘o factly.

“Pappy now that’s just unrealistic!” I replied with a huff, he put his hands up in defence.

“I couldn’t make this up if I tried, child.”

After a little while longer of talking, Pappy agreed to allow me to become a knight when I turned twenty, which was too long to wait but I got there eventually...

I stood there, staring up at a relatively new looking building despite how long it’s been standing here in Saonoka. Pappy told me a story of how there was supposed to be a castle underneath this one, but he had never seen it himself. Boss and Blondie had apparently been there before! He didn’t know all the details though…

I ended up not becoming a knight, but a plain ol’ Mercenary instead. I’m twenty three and have already made a pretty big name for myself, taking on any quest big or small from slaying dragons to fetch quests. The reason I was here today was because I had been summoned. From the rumors I heard, my client looks rather young for her age for sixty eight, three years older than Pappy. I steeled my nerves as I stepped through the gates and was promptly escorted to the main room. A lovely looking woman with slightly greying raven colored hair, dark skin, and azure eyes looking quite distressed greeted me as I walked in. When she saw me being brought in, she stood up. There is no way she could be my client, she doesn’t look older than forty!

I bowed and as she approached,

“Stand.” Her voice was soft and soothing, so I complied, my back becoming as stiff as a board. “So you’re the mercenary I’ve heard so much about, hm?” She asked me, a kind smile on her face. Now that she’s much closer I can see a few more wrinkles which add a bit to her age appearance, but still pretty youthful looking for who she is.

“Indeed, I am Aya Lukar, Mercenary and next head of the Lukar family.” As I said my suriname, I noticed a bit of light come into her beautiful blue depths.

“Ah, so you’re Eric’s granddaughter? He’s written so much about you.” She told me, I could only raise my eyebrow in questioning, but she did not elaborate more on the subject. Sure Pappy was of a noble family, but why did she of all people bother to remember him?

“I’ve called you here today because I have a mission for you.” Her expression became grave as she spoke, “My grandson has been stolen away by a dragon.” She told me, I blinked, and was about to speak when she suddenly continued. “It lives all the way on the far side of Tolo and I’ve already gotten permission to send someone to retrieve him, but nobody has been brave enough to go.” She added, worry for her grandson even more prominent. “So I beg of you, will you go rescue him? He meant the world to my son, daughter in law, husband, and I.” Meant…? As in past tense? … Oh yeah, the two before her were her brother and sister in law who both died in their sleep a long while ago, her husband, and the former head mage, had been practicing magic when something exploded and he went missing and was later assumed dead, her son and daughter in law had a carriage accident when her grandson was a baby so he doesn’t even remember his own parents. All he has left is his grandmother, and vice versa. I nodded in response to her request.

“I’d be happy to fulfill your request.“ I replied with no hesitation as I gave my brightest smile.

“Ugh, I never knew going across two countries would be this grueling!” I whined as I plopped down under a tree, doing my best to catch my breath. I was too used to Saonoka’s ever changing climates, things changed rapidly there, but being in a hot, muggy, sunny climate for this long isn’t something I’m used to. I had been traveling for five weeks to make it here, and i could see my final destination up ahead. A cave. Funny how all the stories of girls being stolen away involve abandoned castles and towers, and the one time this happens to a boy, he’s brought to a cave? Well… At least there’s no stairs.

I reached the gaping hole in the side of the mountain, took a deep breath, and stepped inside. It smelled like the sea and burning in here to be honest. In the darkness I could just barely see the body of a giant breathing creature asleep, it’s head was facing my way and it’s burning hot breaths heating my skin. In it’s paws however I see the body of a man, he looked as if he was being hugged by the sleeping dragon… Wait, no, he was. It was indeed using him… as a teddy bear. Wow, something I never thought I’d see. I approached him, he seemed to be sleeping, but alive, he had scruffy black hair and slightly dark skin. Not like his grandmother’s, but not as pale as I had seen his grandfather being. I lightly shook him.

“Hey.” I whispered. Slowly his eyes fluttered open. He had heterochromia? That’s odd. One eye was a pale bluish gray, the other was a vibrant bloody red.

Instead of looking glad or relieved, he looked rather annoyed.

“What took you so long?!” He whisper yelled at me, taking me by surprise.

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve been here for I don’t know how long being used as a comfort object by a dragon, you’d better have an explanation as to why you hadn’t been here to get me sooner!” Wow. Rude much? Just who the hell does this guy think he is?! Just because he’s important doesn’t mean he can sass his rescuer like that. I narrowed my eyes drastically at the raven haired man before crossing my arms over my chest.

“I see that you don’t actually need my help, sir. If you did you’d be more grateful.” I shot back, raising an eyebrow, he looked furious.

“Fine, fine. Just get me out of here, this thing is too much of a hugger.” He hissed. I smirked.

“What’s the magic word?”

“... Please.”

“Okay~” I moved forwards silently and helped him unclasp the dragon’s taloned feet from around his torso. He was well built, kinda thin, and had that princely air to him when he wasn’t being snuggled to death by an affectionate fire breathing reptile. We managed to make it out of the cave together with no actual conflict… It was anti-climactic, I kinda wanted to have an epic fight with the beast, take it’s head as a trophy and all, but that would’ve endangered him and as much as I wanted to, then I would’ve committed treason and then there would be complications to my career and I really didn’t want to deal with that… You don’t know pain until morality conflicts with convenience.

I watched as the man slumped down in camp, releasing a small sigh of relief.

“Dragons are quite troublesome when they act similar to a cat, you know.” ‘he grumbled in annoyance before looking pointedly over at me. “... I suppose I owe you thanks. What is your name, girl?” You could smell the snootiness wafting off of this blue blooded brat as he looked over me with a judging gaze.

“My name’s Aya... Aya Lukar.” I replied. He nodded.

“I’m Zero Ciel Skalata.” He told me with a shrug.

“Why two last names?”

“My grandparents combined their last names during marriage and that was passed down to my father.” He explained in a matter-o-fact manner, puffing out his chest a little.

“Well then. I hope you’re prepared to walk back home.” I told him, beginning to turn to look at the fire. It had already grown dark.

“Of course I am. I am of Tolonian blood so I was built for hardship. You’d better keep up girly.” Was… was he trying to make himself look good? If so, he was failing miserably. This only worsened my view of him.

Days dragged on and on, he was surprisingly quiet and complicant the entire time though. That was a pleasant surprise for someone who was so cocky about his abilities, odd as well but nice.

“Aya.” He spoke up about three days into our journey back to Saonoka. It was nightfall and we sat by the fire.

“Mhm?” I hummed in reply, glancing up from the dirt where I was just scribbling random stuff. He looked more curious than usual.

“You mentioned some stories that your grandpa liked to tell… Mind sharing?” He asked, tilting his head the slightest bit.

“Oh? And where does this come from so suddenly?” I asked in a teasing manner. I had learned that doing that usually set off the raven haired man, but not today.

“I just want to know something. My grandmother tells me stories from back in the day as well, so I’ll share one of hers if you tell me one of his.” He offered. I gave a sigh and thought for a moment.

“Well… There’s plenty. Like when he met Boss and Blondie, his childhood, his brother and their thieving ways.”

“... Is his name Eric?” I looked up before nodding.

“Yeah. Lord Eric Lukar of Nokima.” I responded “How’d you know? He’s one of the lesser known nobles.” I asked, though Zero began… laughing?

“Oh boy is Grandmother gonna find this funny.” He said.

“What? Find what funny?” I asked, lost and confused by his words. He calmed down a little and looked at me with knowing eyes.

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know~?” He asked, and I huffed a little, I didn’t have the energy to get it out of him today.

A few days later, we arrived in my home city of Nokima. It was still kinda being rebuilt but it was still home.

“Wow, haven’t been here in a long time...” I said aloud. Zero glanced over at me,

“You live here?” He asked. During our journey he had grown much more friendly and less in your face about his position. It’s kinda weird not having him insult me every five seconds but nice nonetheless. I led him to the rebuilt Nokima Manse and knocked on the door with the knocker in a specific pattern to let my family know it was me. Almost immediately I heard someone fall down the stairs, scramble up, and open the door, and there stood my idiot little brother who pulled me into a hug.

“Aya!” He chirped.

“Hey Xilan.” I told him, patting his head lightly. Almost immediately, his green eyes locked onto the prince who backed up a little under my brother’s stare.

“... Care to introduce me?” He asked

“Ah, yeah. Zero, this is my little brother Xilan, Xilan, this is Zero. I had to rescue him from a dragon.” Xilan narrowed his eyes before looking to me

”I’ll go get Pappy.” He told me, rushing off. I lead the man inside the manse and he gazed around the room, though bit back any rude comments he may have had about my home.

“Ah, welcome home dear.” My Pappy made his way into the room, Xilan in tow. Zero’s eyes lit up for a moment.

“Wow, you look the same as how grandmother described you, milord!” He said.

Pappy blinked before looking elated for a moment.

“Aw, does she still talk about me? That’s nice to hear, it really warms an old man’s heart.” He gave a kind smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you your highness, Boss’ written frequently about you in the past.” He told him, my eyes widened,

“Wait, ‘Boss’?” I asked, earning my Pappy’s attention and he simply nodded.

“Indeed. Boss is his grandmother. Terrifying woman but really nice once you know her.” Pappy told me.

“Why didn’t you just say outright that she was the queen?!” This got Pappy to laugh,

“My dear… Would it’ve made it a better story?” He asked, his eyes crinkling as he smiled widely before turning to speak once again with Prince Zero.

That is literally the only thing that ran through my head for the last long while.