#i can’t wait to hear duel of the fates in a theatre!

[weregonnabecoolbeans]

Who’s going to watch The Phantom Menace in theatres!! I am very excited for this.

[storyswap-color-au]

StorySwap Color - Final Episode!!!

Swappy arrives at the castle once again. The puzzles were already solved, so there’s no need to do those again. Once they’re at the throne room, Swappy and Papyrus encounter once again… That is, until a bone blocks Papyrus’ to prevent it from breaking the mercy button. Sans comes into the scene, being all like “alright, here’s the deal: we aren’t gonna kill anybody.” Papyrus is both surprised and glad by Sans’ appearance, HE CAME TO VISIT!! The two skeletons have a back and forth, until Undyne bursts in holding a spear and is like “SANS DON’T YOU DARE HURT PAPYRUS– Oh hey kid”

Swappy waves, and Sans is understandably confused by this, but Papyrus is like “UNDNYE AS WELL??? IS THIS A SURPRISE PARTY???”, to which sans replies with “yeah bro, we’re celebrating the kid’s birthday” “I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS THE HUMAN’S BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUMAN!!!”, Undyne frowns. Then Asgore kicks in, concerned over the well being of Papyrus (and Swappy). Sans and him share a look, but Sans shrugs it off, he winks and says “hey, no hard feelings, ‘gore, i’m over it.” Asgore coughs, he’s like “Papyrus. Please give this human.–”

But he’s suddenly interrupted by chara, who bursts into the scene as well, being all like “Don’t fight each other!! Let this human live!!” somehow avoiding all tsundereness about it, Asriel also appears to back it up. “YEAH don’t hurt Fr- I mean, the human.” Papyrus is so confused, but Sans is like “oh hey, i know that squeaky pubescent voice. oh, and asriel’s.” Chara is ticked off, but Asriel is glad to meet Sans properly for the first time.

But then Alphys and Toriel also come in and ready to protect Swappy, begging Papyrus not to kill Swappy, but he’s all like “WHY WOULD I DO THAT? I WASN’T GOING TO KILL THEM, WE WERE JUST GOING TO DUEL!” Everyone looks at Papyrus with a blank stare, perplexed. “WHAT? WHY WOULD I TAKE SOMEONE ELSE’S SOUL?! THAT WOULD BE MURDERING.” Everyone laughs nervously, looking to the side awkwardly.

Toriel looks at Swappy, being like “Child, you heard Papyrus, crossing the barrier may be a bit too dangerous as of now. You can stay with us, if you’d like!” … Swappy stares blankly, they really do want to go back to the surface. But knowing what happened before, they nod silently, agreeing to staying here for now. Surely they’d find a way, one day. Everyone is relieved to hear that.

Asriel then brings up why did everyone know to come here anyways, Undyne mentions “A weird talking flower told me that Sans was gonna kill Papyrus, so I OBVIOUSLY had to come to save him.” Sans just chuckles about it, why’d she hear a flower? Alphys and Toriel are like “Excuse me, did you just say a flower?”

Oh dear! It looks like everybody’s been imprisoned by Florescent’s vines! Swappy is taken aback; didn’t they do everything right this time?

“Don’t worry, darling, you played your role just fine! But now, it’s time for someone else to have their spotlight! BEHOLD, AS I TAKE THE FORM OF SOMETHING SO FABULOUS, YOUR FEEBLE HUMAN MIND CAN SCARCELY COMPREHEND I- wait a moment.”

Florescent looks up to one of his victims, and notices Chara, another human. “Well, well, well! Isn’t that an intriguing development! TWO humans, for the price of one!”

Chara struggles in futility, trying to wedge themselves out of the vines as Florescent cackles, delighted by it all, in a sick, twisted sort of way. “Let me go, you… you insolent weed!”

The aforementioned insolent weed starts to comply with Chara’s request… only to summon a spiky thorn pit below the two humans… which is promptly burned away by a fire attack. “Get your filthy vines off them, you damn dirty flower!”

Asriel bursts onto the scene, followed by Royal Guardsmen and other monsters that Swappy met on their journey. Chara looks around, tears welling up in their eyes for the first time in… how long had it even been? Well, it didn’t matter now. They were just happy to see everyone here! “You guys… you all cared about us this much?” It all seems like it’s going to be a nice, happy ending, and everything would work out, but… suddenly Florescent starts chuckling.

“Oh, no… human, how could you do this?!” He says in a faux-dramatic voice. “Look at me, I’m positively shaking…”

Well, he certainly was shaking, alright. Shaking and wiggling until suddenly, his face inflated to about 3x its usual size, gaining an uncomfortable amount of humanoid detail as he sported an Oscar-winning grin. “I’ll admit, kids! You almost had me! But don’t you know, a story is nothing… WITHOUT A FEW PLOT TWISTS~!”

“All these souls…”

The face started to melt, becoming more and more skull-like.

“… are MINE now!”

He began to cackle, as everything faded to white.

“Don’t touch that dial, folks! W E ‘ R E  J U S T  G E T T I N G  S T A R T E D !”

The pure whiteness fades out as smoke dissipates into nothing. Chara and Swappy cough the bits of smoke that entered their mouths out before looking around… not only was Florescent nowhere to be found, but they were in a new location entirely. They were… outside. How odd.

“Look, as much as it hates me to say this, I think we might have to team up to stop… whatever’s happening right now.” Chara says, seconds before a cane extends from out of the darkness and yanks them out of sight.

“Sorry, but Chara’s going to have to get ready for their part in the grand finale! You, however… you have front row seats, darling. Toodles~!”

Swappy walks through the dark outside area, through a giant set of wooden double doors that sported elaborate designs relating to the art of theatre. The typical happy and sad masks were there, but their eyes were more ovular and widened, and the happy one seemed to be missing an eye-hole.

Once inside, Swappy would be treated to an enthralling organ composition as they walked past rows and rows of seats filled by empty, doll-like simulacra of their various monster friends. Once they got to the front, true to the voice’s word, a spotlight was cast down on an empty seat near the organ, which was actually ginormous! The stool alone looked to be about the size of a small house.

After sitting there, listening to the music for a moment, their chair suddenly lurched back, then flung Swappy on top of the stool to see… the keys were pressing themselves. At least, for a moment they were, since they stopped a few seconds after Swappy stuck the landing. The giant music sheets flipped through themselves for a moment before stopping on a peculiar page… there were only six notes, and the time signature was 6/8.

Suddenly, the page flipped once more, and on the new page was… a little bedsheet ghost made from notes and lines used in music writing. It had what seemed to be hair covering half of its face, and it looked down on Swappy with glee.

“Ah, you’ve finally arrived! Now, we can finally move past this drab pre-show and get to the main event!” A voice rang out from nowhere in particular. The pages moved again, this time seemingly being more of a flipbook animation for this little ghost. It floated in a figure-8 pattern before the ink started… smearing… into something comparable to a rorschach blot test.

“It won’t just be like old times, it’ll be BETTER! More drama, more action, an intense struggle of man and monster, over the fate of… well, EVERYTHING~!”

Something burst out of the organ, knocking the book down onto the keys and providing a neat little bridge. Swappy runs up as more stairs twisted downwards to allow them to get up to the main platform. Fireworks sprinkled the sky with light as the human made their ascent…

Finally, at the top, Swappy stood before a figure sitting on an elaborate throne, with spotlights that previously swiveled around to light up the sky slowly lowering down to point at him. Florescent was humanoid, now, with dark hair and an eye-catching outfit that just SCREAMED “I’m fabulous to a degree that mortals will never reach for as long as they live on this earth.” Needless to say, Swappy was a bit taken aback by this.

“Ahahaha! Getting stage fright, sweetheart? How cute.” The figure stood up, slamming their heels onto the ground as they bounded down the mini-set of stairs to stand closer to Swappy. “But it’s too late now! The show’s starting, and I’d hate to disappoint a certain someone in the audience…”

Swappy would find the figure to be correct; the stairs that helped them reach this platform had disappeared, leaving only an impossible drop to a sea of ravenous audience members screaming and cheering. Delighted by all of this, the figure summoned forth a dazzling microphone. “Beauties and gentlebeauties… puts your hands together, clap and cheer like it’s the end of the world, for the grandest of returns…!”

Cue battle transition.

“It is I… METTACRIT!”

The fight begins against Mettacrit. He talks about how long he’s been waiting for this moment since he failed blooky and the Fallen Human, he misses them too much. He knows that Swappy has been keeping them in their SOUL and he wants to get them out of it, even if it means Killing Swappy to do it. He doesn’t really want to, but the two are trapped, so he tells Swappy to give up.

Of course, Swappy doesn’t agree, which causes Crit to say “I’ll force you out!” As he brings Chara out again, he grins. He forcefully takes out their soul and puts them aside. “Fallen human, I got you a body and a SOUL!”. Swapy is horrified by his actions. Crit laughs, as he shifts into his second form.

Swappy struggles, they can’t move, however… Two voices speak in Swappy’s head, and say “You can still save someone.” Which means LOST SOUL time.

After saving everyone, Swappy saves Metta after calming him down, as he’s finally accepting that maybe, they’re actually gone. The fight ends, Metta apologizes to Swappy.

“I could feel them… but… I suppose I need to accept that they’re… gone…” Swappy doesn’t hug them, they look to the side… “I suppose I can only thank you… … actually, what is your name?” Swappy replies with “Frisk”, to which Metta seems weirded out– just what kind of name is Frisk.

Mettacrit, after a moment of reflection, sighs and says “I guess I should bring everyone, including them.” he says as he looks over at Chara’s body. Swappy immediately brightens up, since, hadn’t Chara died in front of their very own eyes. Mettacrit assures them that he didn’t, he only took their SOUL, they aren’t dead really.

After breaking the barrier, Mettacrit restores the SOULs, and after waving goodbye to Swappy, he leaves as the screen fades to white…

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Index

[docholligay]

The Revue of Defiance

Holy shitsnacks y’all this was HARD. I was tasked by @yamadara87 to write a fic that was the Revue between Michiru and Minako, and it was a TALL ORDER. But I think there’s some really intriguing things in here, even if I am no songwriter! I love a good challenge now and again, and this was definitely *cracks knuckles* I would love to hear if you liked it! 

For the song: Bold is Mina, italics are Michiru. 2200 words.

“I tire of the things I am meant to do.” Came the echo through the dark theater.

It should have sounded reasonable, and maybe it was, but there was an air of threat as it passed her lips, a rattlesnake shaking its tail. Her eyes were sharp and glimmering, a bit of broken sea glass that had not been worn smooth, only sharpened against the rocks as it had been battered by the waves.

Mina was surprised, and she was not, that Michiru should be her opponent. Her world had been a series of strange events ever since the henshin rod  had been placed in her hand, since she became aware of the thing inside her, that granted her power and whispered its desires, that screamed the things that had happened and were bound to repeat.

And maybe that was why they were here. As she had plunged down the elevator, heard the whirring of the machines, felt the rouge soft against her face, she had wondered how someone had come to challenge her authority. How someone had asked for a duel.

She should have known it was Michiru. Of course, Venus said, from somewhere inside her. Neptune is rising against her princess, because that is what Neptune does. You cannot change what is fated to be.

Mina pushed it away. She would change everything. She would not be cruel, as Venus had been. She would correct Michiru, who loved more than Neptune ever had. She stood defiant against destiny and drew her Zweihänder from the intricately filigreed sheath on her back.

“I stand on the stage I was born to defend.” She swung the sword in front of her, an easy arc from her shoulder and through the rest of her body, natural as breathing. “I, Minako Aino, will rewrite the story that was. I will bring us to the light!”

She raised the sword to the sky, meeting Michiru’s eyes, who perched above, hand on the edge of the catwalk, watching, waiting.

“Ara,” she smiled, in that way that was not a smile so much as a concealment of her fangs, “Here to bring me in, Commander?”

In defense of Michiru, Mina would later think but only Haruka would say, it had been a hell of a week. Sometimes she wondered if it wasn’t only their historical enemies that were set against them, but their historical selves. Venus wanted Neptune to rebel, she wanted Uranus to be a coward, she wanted Mars to be resentful, and she had no proof of this but the feeling in her soul.

Sometimes, she felt Venus pulling the line, and she had felt that when Haruka had been hurt.

There was the click of heels from above, and Michiru walked down toward her, the stairs of the stage spilling in front of her as she took each step, roaring like waves, as the softly-filtered lights hit her feet, growing brighter and brighter as they came to her face.

Her heels climbed up her legs like vines, ribbons turning over and over as a prima ballerina or a Greek warrior, and Mina could not decide which she thought it was. Her teal skirt was neat and wool and pleatless, eschewing the schoolgirl spring of what most of them had worn for a Continental cleanliness of design. It melted into her bodice, silver trim like seafoam on the grommets of the dark navy, silver ribbon lacing at the front, a white lace blouse like furious seacaps barely contained underneath. Her cape was trimmed in deep cream fur, the teal of it deep against bright of her button.

It occurred to Mina, at that moment, that it was her first time standing on this strange and wondrous stage, almost certainly made for the Moon’s enjoyment, against an Outer. The Inners she had fought had formal combat dress similar to her own, though there was a bit more gold and flash on Mina’s, in the same way Rei’s had held a few more calls to her spirit and Sight. But they were all pleated skirts, banded in white, with jackets that buttoned up the front and sashes across their chest, boots rising to their knees. .

Michiru fastened the buckler to her forearm as she descended.

“Love and loyalty, twin roses that climb the vine. And yet, to let one raise, sometimes, a flower must be thinned.” She drew her dagger, the silver of it shining in the light. “I fight for the flower of love, against all others. I am the creature born for the stage, shining brilliantly as carved marble. I, Michiru Kaioh, will stand in the role I decide!”

“The rules are known,” came a voice, cold and far away, “if the cape drops from your shoulder, you are defeated. We begin, the Revue of Defiance!”

Defiance wouldn’t have been Mina’s first choice against Michiru. Then again, any time Michiru was moved to fight instead of giving her normal fatalistic shrug was dangerous, so the revue itself may have been immaterial. Still, she had defeated Rei in the Revue of Pride, and so nothing was impossible.

Her eyes flicked to the dark of the audience, knowing the other girls were there, knowing that she could not hear them, knowing that they could only watch and wonder.

The spotlights rested upon them, and there were two tense breaths before the music began, grand staircases sweeping around the two of them, and Mina stepped back into fighting position.

“You don’t have to do this, Michiru.” She said, though she knew Michiru’s heart could not hear her.

Michiru looked at her with those siren’s eyes, dagger still glittering, and began to sing.

A pruned rose grows best, so I was always told A prize cultivated, a well bred child So I was and I am but obedience grows cold There are roses that grow both thorny and wild

She was fast, and Mina narrowly missed the dagger at her neck, whirling about and slamming her sword down onto Michiru’s buckler, who launched at Mina’s cape. Mina back against the bannister of the stairway, but brought up her leg and shoved it against Michiru’s stomach, leaving her reeling against the opposite bannister.

Mina stepped forward, letting the stroke of her sword do the work, but Michiru jumped onto the bannister, the blade only brushing the tip of her skirt. She grabbed hold a rope behind her and twisted her ankle about it elegantly, heading upward as Mina called after her.

There is so much I see though I don’t have your sight Past upon past and an old destiny But I will raise my sword, focus my might Slice open the knot of the past carefully

Can you? Venus asked.

Mina grabbed at the rope next to her, sailing after Michiru, and gave the only answer she could give.

“I have to try.”

They hung in the air, still whirling one after the other, and if Mina could have heard the crowd, she would have heard Usagi gasp as their blades clashed. Michiru swung to a bit of scaffolding, swinging behind the iron crosses that built the stage. Mina took a stab that even she would have called ill-considered, in a review, and her sword stuck in between the bars that stood between them.

Michiru took the opportunity, and swung toward her,but Mina whirled back, freeing her sword, and jumped onto the scaffolding behind her. Their blades met again and again, the high pitched yelp of them echoing across the stage, the shuddering, crying scrape of steel singing along to the melody as they fought.

I never wanted to play princess nor soldier We can make a different road Set the mask of neat composure Living by a newer code

Michiru clashed brightly against her, twisting behind her, nearly knocking her off balance.

“You cannot save someone within the system! I will not be told what I am to be any longer!” the curls hung in her face, and she brushed them aside, a bead of sweat forming on her brow. “I love her!”

“I know you do!” Mina panted. “We can make this into our world, Michiru! One where we are a team.”

She swung at Michiru again, who barely dodged the edge of her blade into an elegant backbend before slipping down the scaffolding and staring across the stage again, the backdrop of a cool, white, stone palace dropping from the upper theatre and settling in behind them. Mina dropped down after her, and Michiru whirled on her toe as if she were on pointe, the two of them facing each other, blades pointed.

Oh, I refuse I refuse To let the past define me And what I am And who I am Lies only in my hands

“Venus wants me to hate you, Michiru,” she ran forward, “but I don’t. I won’t.”

Mina slid to Michiru’s side, nearly tripping her, and their blades both grated a deep chasm into the other’s button at their shoulder.

They both stood for a moment, staring. Neither had a fight like this, something based as much in will as in talent, standing so close to their hearts. Michiru tossed back her hair, her shoulders square and resolute.

My hands were made for the work of leisure My soul t’was promised to a heart not mine Neither has brought me love nor treasure So I shall seek my own divine.

Mina shook her head, studying Michiru’s stance, her movements, her thoughts. She was more difficult to read than the others, but she was getting tired. So was Mina, for that matter. But she would carry the sword on, and she would protect Michiru from everything Venus wanted of Neptune.

There’s more than me, and more than you You think you’re breaking what you’re building Backwards is on the same track, too Hate in the past you’re just distilling

Michiru jumped toward her, and Mina sliced down across her side, just barely nipping a hole in Michiru’s blouse, feeling the same slight breeze as a long rip tore up her skirt, both them growing tattered, trying to save someone who never wanted to be.

“Michiru,” Mina stared at her, as they both staggered, “You can’t save her by quitting. She’ll just go on without you.”

“No!” Michiru lunged at her again, sloppily this time, the fine born blueblood, the soldier of still, deep waters now blown up into an unmanaged hurricane. Dangerous. Unpredictable.

Mina’s responsibility.

You don’t know-- I know that you love her Enough to make a mistake

“Michiru, you annoy the hell out of me.” Mina twisted, a new strength coming into her as she felt the pressure of Michiru’s buckler against her blade, and moved again, freeing it. “You’re a snob, you’re difficult, you refuse to play with the rest of the team.” She took a swing, and Michiru tripped, falling over a staircase that had appeared behind her. “You try not to be understood more than anyone I’ve ever known.”

Michiru rolled away from her and stood up quickly. “I am only what I was made to be!”

Oh, I refuse I refuse To let the past define me And who I am And what I am Lies only in my hands

Mina crouched against the bannister and looked up at her. “But I’ll tell you one thing I do know.” She tensed up.

You can’t light the sky with the flame inside You’ll only burn the things you love

“You are no traitor, Michiru. Whatever Neptune was.”

She leapt.

I’ll stand to Venus and save us both the lie That destiny wants to give--

A bright button flowed through the air, coming down on the other side of the stage with a bright metallic ting. The curtain fell in a grand crush of velvet, covering them both, as Michiru fell to her knees, shoulders shaking, staring only at the grains of wood that ran through the stage.

“Position, Zero!” Mina went to one knee at the center of the stage, sword in front of her, and bowed her head for only that ceremonial moment before rising. She walked slowly over to Michiru’s side, pretending not to notice the edges of the old sea making their way into Michiru’s eyes, knowing that the greatest kindness she could give her would be seeing nothing at all.

Mina held her hand out to Michiru.

Michiru sat back on her feet, staring at her lap, and the traitorous dagger that rested there.

“Haruka.” was all she said, not looking up.

“I don’t want her to be hurt either.” Mina held her hand out, refusing to let it drop. “But we have to do this together. And you have to be you.”

Michiru gave a weak chuckle. “Everything I am is dangerous to her.”

Still, she stiffened her exhausted arm, holding out that hand. “She’s a soldier too. And let me tell you what, Haruka loves you, as a snobby rich girl, who’s difficult, and impossible to understand. And,” she gave a sigh, “I don’t want you to be anyone else.”

Michiru looked up at her and gave a smirk. “Certainly.”

“No, really, you keep me on my toes. No one like you, anywhere.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead, “And this proves it. Let’s do our best to protect her. As a team. Not as enemies.”

Michiru took her hand, and rose to her feet.

[indulgenceweave]

Extra Credit Prompt #22: The Saint of Georgie’s Duel

In which Saint Celeste helps those pious in need.

Extra Credit Prompt #22: Vicarious

What? You want to hear the story of the Saint?

Aye… what a tale that was.

Y’see, there’s these mighty fighting pits in Ul’Dah- the Coliseum. Such a bloody and awesome affair it is. But you already know that, so we’ll get to the good part.

One fateful evenin’, there was a lad named Georgie. Had the poor luck to run afoul of the Monetarists. Pricks like to settle their affairs in different ways, bit of a personal taste thing. Well, poor Georgie was shoved into the Coliseum. If he won, his manager walked away with all the cash. If not, he was properly punished. Y’know how these things work.

Well, Georgie was doing pretty well for himself at first. First round was up against a trio of Coeurl pups. Easy work. After that came a bear. Georgie managed, but just barely. And then came the real competition.

Twelve, you should have seen the man. Absolute meat train of a Roe, purebred Gladiator material. Arms like Garlean Trains, yeah? The point is, ‘e was easily thrice the size of little Georgie. Ant, meet boot, right? We were all waiting for the bloodbath.

Then the Coliseum gate on Georgie’s side, no shit, exploded. Might as well have been glass. The Blades were right ready to step in, but the Monetarist held ‘em back. The crowd was held in suspense. The Coliseum is great for blood, but there’s nothing quite like a bit of theatre.

Who was standin’ behind that shattered gate? Not a Mage who’d taken the Black, nor any kinda magiticktock tank, but a girl. Barely looked in her twenties. All pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes. Dull grey armour, not that we could see that. Shite, how she shined.

When she stepped onto the coliseum, she didn’t say a damn word. Just stared down this Roe giant like she was waiting for him to get on ‘is knees. Georgie got the fuck out of dodge. Ain’t seen him since, but that doesn’t much matter. 

Now, I can’t make this clear enough- if she weren’t covered in plate in all but ‘er noggin, I would’ve expected the giant to snap her like a twig. But then she drew her blade, closed her eyes, spoke a little prayer…

You ever seen a blade go up in flames? It’s usually nothin’ crazy. Bit of oil on the metal and that’s that. But when that girls’ blade went up, I swear everyone in the stands had to take a step back. Interestin’, now that I think about it, that the Roe didn’t seem to notice…

Anyway, you wanna know what she said? I’ll never forget it. “My faith guides my blade, Tattered River. Do you have faith?” The Roe went into a red rage like naught I’d ever seen. We later learned that was his name- Tattered River. Not a single way she’d have known that when we didn’t. But she knew.

The fight was something else entirely. This monster of a gladiator could barely so much as look at the girl, let alone strike her with his blade. There was a few glances here and there, but between a shield almost as big as her and a sword that burned like the sun, she blocked and parried through all of them. Never once swinging back.

Finally, River’s rage got the better of him. She ducked under his swing and spun back into him, giving him a good shove with her shield. He tripped up, and landed clean on the back spike of his axe. Right through the heart. Without a single word, not even waiting for her winnin’s, that woman walked right back out of the ring. The Blades never found her.

Hm? Why do we call her the Saint?

Oh, right. Well, we learned later that she didn’t just appear in the Coliseum then fuck right off again. She’d been appearing all through Thanalan. Helping folk out. She has a mighty skilled hand with conjury, they say. Savin’ folk from almost certain death. No one ever saw her move from place to place. She’d only ever appear right when she was needed to help exactly who needed it- but only if they had faith in the Twelve. Just as she did with Georgie. 

That’s why we call her the Saint. She’s been helpin’ out the good and faithful, appearin’ like a light in the dark just when she’s needed, and disappearing without a thought of reward. I guess helpin’ folk is it’s own reward, eh?

Still, occasionally you’d like to thank a lass like that. I wonder if she’s like them ol’ tales, where she’s really just someone normal walkin’ among us. Sure could be usin’ her in the war, but I’m not about to look a gift Chocobo in the mouth.