#i know that in the modern age archers tend to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes

[soren-apologist]

archers being skinnier and weaker compared to melee fighters is such a funny trope knowing that in real life armies they tended to have a lot of upper body strength, considering that their jobs were to use bows with over 100 lb draw weights, then run away to stay out of enemy range.

with the four characters in the greil mercenaries that can use bows (shinon, oscar, boyd, rolf), it’s interesting to see that boyd is the only one with the sort of musculature you might expect for that sort of role. oscar and rolf are both justified in that the former is a mounted unit, who tended to be pretty lean to account for the flexibility necessary to fight on horseback, and the latter is literally a teenager, but idk what shinon’s excuse is. no wonder he gets his shit wrecked by ike

[cantillat-moved]

@more-than-a-princess is there a muse that you wish gets more attention? what is something everyone should know about your muses before interacting? can you sort your muses from youngest to oldest?

1. is there a muse that you wish gets more attention? Let me see... Besides the Code:Realize ones? I feel I could use my OCs more, or Gray. They are all good beans that deserve more love. Gray is an interesting although her mindscape can be a little unusual to get to – still, leagues and bounds easier than Angra (that one when it isn’t for memes can be harsh on my mental health if done properly). Hilda is an interesting muse to work with, although I feel her voice is still uncertain at some spots. She is barely mentioned in canon and is defined as “Luvia’s softer twin sister” but even so I believe she should have a strong personality, to be assertive and exuberant in her own right – perhaps I should think in FGO terms and give her a pseudo-servant status like her sister and see if I can get an inspiration from some deity? I don’t know yet. Kuzunoha is also other rather elusive muse: a divine kitsune, a “benevolent trickster”. She was saved from a hunter by a onmyouji (monk) and, as a human, was by his side and tended his wounds, eventually getting married, having a son together but leaving once the husband found out her secret. Their son eventually grew up to become Abe-no-Seimei, Japan’s most famous onmyouji and mystic, who protect people from evil spirits and other mystics. Remember that mystic rock that broke out of nowhere last year? It is the stone that it is said that Seimei sealed an evil youkai within. tl;dr: elegant kitsune who likes to see people striving but still has a playful bit in her.

12. what is something everyone should know about your muses before interacting? I think the one thing people should know about my muses is that most of them have a modern verse (as I rambled here) and I’m also always open to make crossovers/AUs/verses to accommodate my rp partners. Hell, I even had a Star Wars verse with the Big Bad Wolf with a friend for shits and giggles and it was so much fun. I also usually hold back some of my muses when I don't know much about my rp partner. For example, you'll never see Angra being inappropriate and doing innuendo jokes without permission, or Archer sassing people without consent. Same goes for ships: even if there is a ship in canon, I won't assume there is one between our muses unless we talk about it. I'm all about 'em healthy communication and relationships out of character.

15. can you sort your muses from youngest to oldest? Technically speaking, my youngest would be Sieg, he is a homunculus so when he jokes “I was born yesterday” it isn’t too far-fetched. Special situations aside, the youngest would be Gray, followed by Soma Cruz (Castlevania) and then Komaru Naegi. Then comes Amami, Kirigiri, Aiguille, Shirou, Hajime, Narukami and Nero. And when it comes to oldest it also have the special cases like Dracula and Valvatorez, who are vampires, Kuzunoha that is an immortal youkai, but the oldest among these, I kid you not, is Angra. Muramasa died as an old man and was brought with the mentality of the time he died, so mentally speaking he is the oldest. Saber Emiya also died as an old man, but not as much as Muramasa and his mentality is younger. Proto Arthur’s aging was stilted thanks to Excalibur so he is also another one with ambiguous age along with Archer.   Now, to the more “reasonable” ones: the oldest is Romani Archaman (FGO) who is mentioned to be mid-30s in the game, followed by Kiritsugu (who died at 34) and Waver, who is 29.  Then comes Van Helsing and Rufus in their mid-20s.

[oitommothetease]

Invisible String (9/?)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female reader (Modern AU)

Word Count: 2k words

You weren't a morning person, hell, you weren’t even a person in the morning. Therefore, when you woke up to two kids playing with your hair and jumping on your bed, you wanted to strangle them or shove them on the floor. But again, you loved those little demons so you just groaned loudly, clearly irritated and you decided to keep your eyes closed, hoping that your ignorance will make them leave you alone. You squeezed your eyes shut and didn't open them until you heard a familiar voice chuckling.

“Carol told me you aren't a morning person, but this-” James didn't finish his sentence, his lips breaking into a cheeky grin, and as much annoyed as you were at his teasing, you kind of thought he looked gorgeous. Who looked so gorgeous this early in the morning? A smile made its way to your face and you instantly wiped it off, feigning offense.

“Carol? You're already on a first-name basis with my sister?”

“Aw, don't worry, doll. I'm just trying to be friendly with your family or should I say my future family as your mother reminded me ten minutes ago,” he pestered, moving towards you to hand you the cup of coffee in his hand. Bucky winked teasingly when you accepted it, and you mumbled a ‘thank you’.

That pet name made your stomach do some somersaults and you didn't trust yourself enough to speak. It's not like the first time he called you ‘doll’, in fact, he had been calling you that the moment you started fake dating. But it was something about the way he said it as if the word was made for you and nobody could say that word unless it wasn't voiced by him for you. He didn't notice the flush in your eyes and even if he did, he didn't mention it.

“That’s it. You’re done hanging out with my family,” you articulated, “You are officially infected.” 

“Don’t be like that, doll. Come on, breakfast’s ready.”

At the age of 18, when you were finally a college girl, you decided that breakfast was a myth created by Satan. When you lived with your parents, the breakfast consisted of extravagant food like pancakes, waffles and fruits. Once you moved away for college, your breakfast shifted to coffee and maybe a toast if you had the time before your first lecture. And the second you were independent, coffee became your boyfriend, keeping you up at night and also, your best friend, keeping you up in the morning without dozing off in classes.

So, sitting again at a dining table with your family and fake boyfriend/boss was very awkward, to say the least. But of course, your sister had the magical ability where she took an awkward silence and converted it into an uncomfortable conversation.

“We hope we didn't wake you up last night. Nick and I tend to get loud sometimes,” Carol joked and you coughed, choking on your food, and James laughed awkwardly. 

James' hand instinctively came to your back, running calming circles with his palm and you shot a deathly glare to your sister. 

“Oh, we know all about that,” James teased, bringing your chair closer to him. Your eyes widened and you whipped your head towards him so quickly that your neck hurt. What was he saying? This man, your boyfriend, fake boyfriend was a completely different person than your boss (not that you were complaining). He was funny, charming, he made you feel comfortable and something else you weren’t ready to point out just yet.

You could see yourself falling for a man like James. No, he is your boss and sort of criminal. Get your shit together, you told yourself.

After the very awkward breakfast, thanks to Carol. Your mother told you to show James around town and you would have said no but that meant you’d have to stay at home with your family, which was worse. So when James accepted your offer to go to your favorite burger place nearby, you were relieved.

“This burger is amazing, but nothing compared to Barry’s,” James stated. 

You nodded your head, chewing the remnant of food in your mouth properly before speaking, “Nothing compares to Sally and her food.”

You liked being with James, everything about him made you want this, the real thing with him, not the whole faux boyfriend play. You wanted him and you were sure that he didn’t. One look at him was sufficient for anyone to know how handsome he was, and how oblivious he was to the waitress ogling him. He didn’t spare her a glance, he was probably used to the attention that he stopped caring about it. Of course, if you weren't overthinking at the moment, you would have noticed that he didn't care about anyone else - well, except you. 

“The waitress was totally checking you out,” you informed James. You were very jealous, but you wouldn't stop your crush on your boss to stop him from living his life. He had already sacrificed a lot for you, you didn't want to cock-block him on top of that.

“No, she wasn’t,” he huffed, looking at you for any sign that this conversation displeased you the way it did him.

“I swear she was,” you said, “You should ask her out. She’s cute.”

 “No, I’m taken.”

“But you’re not taken, James. This isn’t real,” you retorted and it hurt you so much to say. Sometimes you wished you could be a selfish bitch but you couldn’t do that to James. He deserves someone who would cherish and love him, not give him a faux relationship. “You should ask her out.”

 “Do you want me to?” James asked, his voice was laced with desperation that you couldn't understand. Why would he care about your opinion?

Bucky hoped that you would say no, he needed a sign to know that you wanted him too. His tone was despondent because he was hoping that this could be more. He really wanted it to be. But when you said yes, everything came shattering down for him. You didn’t want him and God, he was so frustrated that he could cry. What sick game was the universe playing with him? He felt like a rat stuck in a cage with cheese right outside, in front of him. Even though he was so close to you, you were still out of his reach.

“You know what?,” he pondered, “Now that I think about it maybe I should ask her out?”

“Like right now?” you questioned, taken aback by his sudden and unexpected change in demeanor.

“Yeah!” he cheered enthusiastically, “No time like the present, right? You can get home by yourself?”

He didn’t wait for your answer, already walking back towards the restaurant, and you murmured a ‘yeah’ which he didn’t even notice because he was already jogging towards the burger place.

When you reached home alone, tears welled up in your eyes, and you ran up to the bathroom to avoid stumbling upon your family. Maybe you shouldn't have pushed him, maybe if you didn’t then he wouldn’t have pursued the waitress. He wouldn’t have gone if you didn’t shove him towards the cute waitress. Why were you such a good person?

Your thoughts were brought to a halt with frantic knocks on the door. Instantly, you wiped your eyes and opened up the door to be met with your sister’s kids. Izzy and Alex didn’t give you any time before getting a hold of your hand and rushing you outside to help them set up the trampoline.

Your family was already out there, and you hoped your face didn’t say, ’I've been crying in the bathroom.’ Your sister and her husband were seated on a blanket which was spread out on the grass, sipping wine, and your parents were admiring their grandchildren.

“Auntie Y/N!” Alex exclaimed and Izzy added, “Help us fix the trampoline please.”

You agreed because those two were the only people in the world that considered you their friend without asking for anything in return. Moreover, it was a good distraction, if you stayed in a room thinking about James, then you would probably lose your sanity. So, once you started setting up the trampoline for the kids, it became somewhat fun, and you almost forgot all about James, and how he must be talking to that girl and how that girl must be flirting with him. You hoped he didn’t call her doll, you knew you were being unreasonable and immature, but you couldn’t help yourself.

Izzy and Alex made their way towards their parents and whispered something about you being so in love with James that his absence made you angry.

You ignored them and the way your sister smiled, you were so focused on fitting the trampoline spring that you did not realize someone was standing behind you until two strong hands came around you, taking the spring from your hand and attaching it to the corner. 

You knew it was James, no one would touch your hand so gently, any other man would have snatched the spring from your hold and mansplained it’s process to you. But James wasn’t doing that, he wanted to be near you, to have your attention fully that is why he took the spring from you. He didn’t undermine you. No, he desired you to notice him, the guy who has been trying all weekend to get you to like him. He wanted you to see Bucky, not your boss, James.

You could feel his head looming over your shoulder, you dared to crane your neck in his direction to find him already looking at you with a smile on his face. You were so dazed in his eyes that you didn’t notice that he was wearing a white shirt instead of the one he wore in the morning. You did not notice that he didn’t leave you to get the waitress’s number, instead he got a customized shirt that read 'I heart Y/N'. You only noticed him.

Furthermore, you didn’t care about anything else at the moment, just him. Bucky eyed your lips longer than he should have and leaned a bit towards you; a question. You answered his question by closing the distance between you and crashing your lips with his. His hands engulfed around your waist, flushing your back against his chest and he kissed you feverishly. 

The kids were right.

You were in love, and that love was reciprocated by the man who was holding you like you were his archer and kissing you like you were the source of his last breath. But both of you were too unaware to realize that the other felt the same way.

Everyone could see that, your mother looked over at your father and your sister looked at her husband, smiling, reminiscing the way they fell in love just like you and Bucky. The kids looked at you both with hope, aspiring to have a love like that in their future, the kind they saw in movies and in the couples around them.

What you didn't realize was that there was one other set of eyes watching you from a car in the distance. Rumlow finally found his rival's vulnerability, and he was going to do everything in his power to exploit and eventually kill Bucky’s weakness, his love, you. 

TAGS:  @bananapipedreams​ @akkinda10​ @rivers-rambles21​ @emmabarnes​ @valsworldofcreativity​ @boofy1998​ @marvel-3407​ @mybuck​ @priii​ @coffeebooksandfandom​ @ladydmalfoy​ @shaking-a-jar-of-bees 

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

Ive never really understood the hype surrounding Taylor Swift - I mean, I like some of her songs, but im not big on modern pop music so generally she just doesn’t really click for me. But I find it interesting that theres quite a few of Beatles/Swift blogs - like, they should have very little in common given that they’re from completely different eras and all, but somehow people seem to find a lot of semblance between the two. << and thats not me shitting on any of these blogs btw! Hope I don’t come off as rude or condescending there <3

Anyway, I was just wondering what got you into Taylor Swift? (I think ive read your post on how you got into the Beatles)

Hi, anon! Don't worry, I don't think you're rude or condescending! I agree they don't have too much in common and I don't really like their music for the same reasons.* I do have a playlist of Paul songs that have similar vibes to Taylor songs but it's mostly lyric-based. (Also the Beatles For Sale songs actually have quite the Taylor-tinge because Paul and John were not immune to Country Music)

I saw @stewy say once that a possible reason there are a good handful of us Swiftie-Beatle People on here is the appeal of a vast discography, which I agree with. If you have an artist/group with 200ish songs, it's just really fun to really dive into their work and explore all the facets. I also think: we're talking about the most popular band of all time and one of the highest-selling artists of the 21st century. They have a lot of fans so there's bound to be overlap, regardless of musical differences.

Moving on to your question: Getting into Taylor was an extremely personal experience for me and so my explanation is probably going to be kind of long so I'll put it under a read more.

It was spring-summer 2014, I was 15. I had heard the more popular songs of hers starting with Love Story and enjoyed pretty much all of them (I always found her hopelessly romantic point of view fascinating) but before I got a Spotify account in 2013 it was difficult in general for me to really get into an artists' entire discography so most of her songs had flown under my radar.

At the time, I was in this very weird sort of codependent online friendship with this girl who was basically my first real best friend and my first more or less crush. She was very depressed and I was very much in an I Could Fix Her™ mood, except that I obviously couldn't fix her and it made me feel like I wasn't enough and she had begun pulling more and more away from me and not replying to my messages and it was simply driving me insane. I consider it the saddest period in my life.

at some point during this period, I started trying to connect with other people (all online, I didn't know how to talk seriously to anyone IRL) and explaining the issues I'd been having, and one of the people who brought me joy and whom I actually felt not drained talking to was a huge swiftie. And IDK the fact that she loved Taylor and the fact that talking to her made my life better (and also the fact that I liked all the Taylor songs I knew at that point) just made me decide to give her a listen. And I think that whole "large discography discovery" phenomenon really helped me at the time (funny, because her discography has doubled since then). It gave me something new to focus on; there were just so many songs to discover, all telling such rich stories. I also have always loved bridges, they are almost always my favourite part of a song. And Taylor, god-bless her, loves them too and always puts her ALL in them. Like pretty much every bridge of hers brings the song to the next level, and even a lot of her songs I don't adore tend to have great bridges (Stay Stay Stay and Paper Rings come to mind). I think one of her most underrated qualities is how good she is at song structure and really building up an entire musical journey with a song. She also almost always adds cool ad-libs in her second and third choruses to keep the songs interesting and dynamic (or at least since she's gone pop). Anyways, back to the story: Then Taylor announced 1989 as her next album and released Shake It Off, and it was just like this great happy thing for me to look forward to, when I had very little keeping me going. The era was promoting a lot of happiness which in hindsight was slightly fabricated and it was just a really great thing for me to latch onto.

At the same time I was coming to realize that I was gonna have to pull away completely from my friend and all those break-up songs just… Hit, y'know? Like, some people seem to think Taylor's a one-trick pony because she likes to write break-up songs but to me, break-ups are just like this moment where you as a human can potentially feel every single emotion, and Taylor's songs have covered every facet of the concept. Here are some songs I remember from that period, that all meant a lot to me at the time because they explained my own pain to me so well:

Haunted, for the absolute terror you feel in the first moments you realize someone is probably gonna leave you. Come on, come on / Don't leave me like this / I thought I had you figured out / Something's gone terribly wrong / You're all I wanted.

I Almost Do, for the inner turmoil you feel when you know you have to stay away from someone for your own good but you really, really have to resist just running back to that person. We've made quite a mess, Babe / It's probably better off this way / And I confess, Babe / In my dreams you're touching my face / And asking me if I wanna try again / With you / And I almost do.

Last Kiss, for that absolute sadness that comes simply with remembering everything that was good and not comprehending how it could've possibly ended. I still remember / The look on your face / Lit through the darkness / At 1:58 / Words that you whispered / For just us to know / You told me you loved me / So why did you go / Away?

Forever and Always, for that feeling of desperately wanting to hold on to what you still have but at the same time realizing it probably isn't going to last and having no idea how to fix it, plus feeling like the other person doesn't even care. So here's to everything / Coming down to nothing / Here's to silence / That cuts me to the core / Where is this going? / Thought I knew for a minute / But I don't anymore.

Dear John, my all-time favourite song, for that moment you find clarity and realize that you deserved better and that you were headed in an extremely dark direction because of this other person. [DISCLAIMER: my friend did NOT abuse me nor did we have some inappropriate age difference. But the way she would ignore me and her general moodiness really affected my own mental health and self-worth problems] You paint me a blue sky / And go back and turn it to rain / And I lived in your chess games / But you changed the rules every day / Wondering which version of you I might get on the phone / Tonight / Well I stopped picking up / And this song is to let you know why.

(She's covered more aspects of break-ups in other songs [cheating, divorce, feeling awkward around your ex amongst others], these are just the ones I remember being really important to me when I was first getting into her)

She really helped me feel a lot less alone during one of my loneliest periods and I really can't thank her enough for that. Soon after this, I started crushing on a girl in my class and Taylor's love songs started to take on a new meaning for me as well.

What's crazy to me is, when she went on hiatus for a few years, a part of me thought maybe I'd grown out of her and no longer had much in common with her, but when reputation came out I was pulled right back into my love for her as a person and musician and then when Lover came out I found that she was still explaining feelings to me better than I ever could (specifically with the songs The Archer and Cornelia Street). And now with folklore and evermore she's simply absolutely perfected her story-telling and I find myself deeply moved even by the songs I don't directly relate to. I feel like she has this amazing ability to find the absolute truth in the specific. I've never had a summer romance with someone who already had a girlfriend and mostly wanted to go back to her, and yet the bridge of august feels so real to me, y'know?

Back when we were still changin' for the better Wanting was enough For me, it was enough To live for the hope of it all Cancel plans just in case you'd call And say, "Meet me behind the mall" So much for summer love and saying "us" 'Cause you weren't mine to lose

It's hard to explain but looking at this, like it's so much more than the story it's telling. It's talking about how when you're young you really need so little to feel satisfied; how sometimes the idea of someone maybe spending time with you is better than actually doing things with other people; and how if someone using you without much thought can make you feel like you're not even entitled to grieve what you lost. Sorry. I'll stop. Don't want to go insane.

So, all of this is very personal and unique to me, but I think really the main thing that draws me to her is how vulnerable and honest she is about emotions, how eloquently she can explain the pain of being alive to me. Some people think she isn't the strongest singer, but I think, much like John actually, one of her greatest assets is how good she is at projecting emotion. The song happiness is a song I think has some lyrically weak moments but her vocal performance on it is so raw and devastating that every single line works even when, looking at it on paper, it feels like it shouldn't.

Hope this rambling made sense to you, lmao?? I love talking about Taylor though so thanks for the ask! Also very open to giving song recs if you do want to check her out more but I won't unless solicited to lmao *Sort of off-topic but I do think there's a relation between my fascination with the Beatles' history and my love for a great break-up song. I like pain I guess :)

[sonxflight-a2]

☯ Gemstone Headcanons ║ @kathexismania​​​​​​​​​​ ☯

Agate: What or who will your muse protect with their life?

Given the fact he’s incredibly self-sacrificing, it can be pretty much anyone (that also can explain why he chose such a spectrum of professions in Modern AU rather than follow the path of his passed father in politics). But his beloved ones and family, either by blood or found one, will obviously be in the first place. This is one of the few matters he considers himself to be selfish about, as he knows he would rather take damage/die in order to save and thus nonetheless hurt them, but be certain they’ll remain alive.

Amazonite: How do they go about comforting or calming down others? Are they good at it?

Jack/Ryou’s way of comforting/calming down is mostly non-verbal, for he considers the words can do more harm than good when it comes to such matters, yet it doesn’t mean he won’t be able to give advice/reassurance once he sees the other is in need or straight out asks for it (his modesty will always demand him to firstly listen and then talk). His acute empathy serves to be a great assistance in it + nurtured wisdom allows him to say the right things, so he can be mostly good at it both in general and when it comes to the people, close to him.

Amethyst: Do they have a good intuition? If so, do they typically heed it or not?

Definitely so, and he’ll always make sure to heed to it rather than doubt it, as his sixth sense appears to be right about the most of matters, especially when it comes to the possible dangers (about which he can be both grateful and jaded with). Still, it doesn’t mean he can’t be an unheeding dumbass at times yet is luckily prone to make the right conclusions from life’s harsh lessons, no matter the verse. 

Apatite: Do they find it easy to communicate with new people, or do they avoid it as much as possible?

Despite Jack/Ryou having an undeniable introvert nature, it doesn’t exactly hard for him but certainly can be very wearisome, especially when he needs to make an effort to maintain his calmness if he feels it's tested (one of the reasons he initially couldn’t stand Hanzo’s impulsive nature in Modern AU as it totally drained him out, till they knew each other better and he grew somewhat adapted to it).

Aquamarine: How insightful are they?

His insightfulness will be related to the way he perceives his intuition + its strength will depend on how well he recognizes the situation or person (for example, when he hid the fake swords all over the desert, thus outwitting Aku while allegedly getting caught into his trap), even though he will nevertheless appear to grow more insightful as he/his mind will age.

Aventurine: Are they the opportunistic sort, or do they typically let chances slip by?

It would all depend on circumstances tbh, as one time Jack/Ryou can be resolute to take the immediate risk and at other will be prone to develop a solid plan, due to possible inability to solve the problem head-on. His both adaptive and steadfast character allows to explore either of such ways.

Blue Topaz: Are they the courageous sort? Do they find they can overcome obstacles in their way with relative ease?

Yes and no. He’s an obviously courageous, at times straight out bold type when it comes to the obstacles (both in actions and words; his pokerfaced ‘I fear no man’ he threw at Scotsman once he claimed him to be a coward + ‘Come get me’ catchphrase is more than enough to be a proof), but is more than aware his path is far from an effortless (he’s just not that kind of the man who’ll look for easy ways, which is both his blessing and the curse tbh).

Cat’s Eye: What sorts of things soothe them when they’re worked up?

Besides the quiet peaceful environment and tea? Anything he can get his hands to be busy with, without him being actually mindful about what he does due to having sufficient skill and motoric memory (for example, he tends to weave to soothe his mind / at times play electric koto in Modern AU once stressed) + quality time with his beloved one if he appears to have such (either sexual or not) as their presence is already enough to somehow soothe him.

Chalcedony: How do they consider their allies in regards to themself? Do they reach out to them, or do they typically keep to themself?

Most definitely keep to themself, not because of his pride but due to his protectiveness and unwillingness to burden/bother them with his own problems/distress (make them feel his pain if you’ll add his empathy here). Although, Jack/Ryou won’t deny the help once persuaded enough / knows the situation and believes it won’t go out from the control once he’ll accept it.

Citrine: How open are they to new ideas or cultures?

He’s very traditional while being rather open-minded as he treasures his culture and nonetheless respects the other ones he was lucky to be introduced to during the years of his training / his family’s journeys across the world in Modern AU when he was young. Moreover, his curiosity towards them allowed him to gain a sufficient amount of knowledge not only in foreign  languages (which he canonically knows over 5, including Greek, Russian, Mongolian and English) but about different traditions and customs in general (which played a significant role during his time as PSIA agent in Modern AU).

Diamond: Do they find themselves getting sick often or do they have a relatively strong immune system?

Absolutely has a strong immune system, while having a rather hard time once he will get sick. He’s either a feverish mess (which is very seldom but still present, especially in verses where his partial divinity is able to act up) or as healthy as a bull, there’s no in-between.

Diopside: Are they a creative person in any way? How so?

He’s musically-inclined regardless of the verse, both in vocal aspect (which demands me to provide an example of how I imagine his full singing voice to possibly sound like) and in relation to the musical instruments (koto & bamboo flute for main verse / electric koto & piano for Modern AU). He’s not a very good artist, however - most of his drawing skills are related to draftsmanship and calligraphy since the prior purpose of his training was to get a decent warrior, able to repel the demon and get back his homeland by oneself.

Emerald: Do they suffer from any sort of mental illness?

Obviously PTSD in relation to 5th season, Post-Aku, Modern and Akira verses + there are definitely some signs of masked depression in Modern AU.

Fluorite: Are they able to concentrate easily no matter where they are or do they need a quiet space with little distracts?

He’s very quick-witted and able to think on his feet, but still needs to get a better focus in some situations, thus enough quietness and detachment. His need for undistracted concentration will mostly relate to the circumstances when he needs to approach and overcome the obstacle/problem that seems to be completely new for him to solve (for example, when he sought the way to reach enchanted well, without being pierced by arrows of guarding it blind archers).

Garnet: What are they most passionate about and who are they most devoted to?

His goal/work/purpose and the ones he’s close with (family, friends, beloved ones, etc.). He’s very dedicated and loyal to either no matter the verse, and, even though his choice between them may appear to be obscure at first, he still tends to favor people over the ambition (there are so many times he sacrificed the chance to go back in time in order to help someone else, g d i  b o i).

Iolite: Are they financially responsible or do they tend to blow their money as soon as they have it?

Despite his family being the high-class individuals, Jack/Ryou isn’t attached to wealth yet not exactly a wasteful type either - that one kind of people who tend to live a rather modest yet at the same time quite an elegant life once circumstances allow it, even though he can manifest some of ‘rich people quirks’ in Modern AU (an example is him having his own special sort of jasmine tea which is cannot be obtained in ordinary supermarkets).

Jade: What are their opinions on luck? Do they believe in it?

He most likely believes it to be one whimsical force and relies on his strengths rather than the fortune intervention, even tho there were definitely the moments he considers to be nothing but its pure manifestation.

Jasper: What do they typically do to relax?

Same that he does in order to soothe oneself + meditation and cooking also seems to relax him once he has a necessary amount of time for either.

Kyanite: What is their temper like?

I often compare him to the ocean, as Jack/Ryou appears to be very patient and not so easy to irate, yet his temper can be incredibly devastating once he’s not able to contain a tsunami which is his repressed emotions, specifically his anger. In general, he’s an epitome of Bruce Lee’s quote about the nature of water ’...Now, water can flow or it can crash’, with addition it can also terribly burn you once boiled (aka he can endure a lot of bs, yet still has his limits and is wise to be mindful).

Lapis Lazuli: How aware are they of others and of their surroundings?

His awareness of the environment is mainly high, both in relation to his empathy and nonetheless acute senses. Jack/Ryou is exactly that kind of person who appears to be very seclusive and quiet, yet sees and hears everything and thus isn’t prone to be caught off-guard (while he also might be paradoxically oblivious when it comes to the other’s evident romantic interest in him lol).

Moonstone: What inspires them? Why?

His mentor and parental figures, either blood parent(s) (especially his father, who he considers to be his role model both in his main verse and Modern AU) or the one(s) he has in particular verse. Even though Jack/Ryou knows he’s his own person, he nevertheless looks up to them and tends to reminisce given by them life lessons once he’s in need of guidance/advice.

Onyx: How do they handle hostility from others, whether verbally or physically?

While he can tolerate verbal hostility more than well (thanks to the Scotsman), he tends to grow disgruntled and taciturn if he has to witness such behavior for too long (not to mention he’ll put the person at their place once it will overcome the limits of his patience) + when it comes to physical hostility, his combat skills are more than enough to cease such treatment. However, he won’t tolerate either of such once it witnessed in relation to his family/beloved ones and is prone to get protective of them no matter the situation (just imagine Ryou hearing as someone talks unfair shiet about Hanzo and straight out roasting them back while being completely unperturbed at the outside, he can and will do such no matter of verse).

Opal: Are they the emotional sort?

Not exactly. Jack/Ryou is obviously not an emotionless automaton (I would even say quite far from such if consider how actually gentle and soft he is), but tends to be very watchful towards his already restained feelings once he’s not comfortable/well-known with the environment, especially in the verses where he appears to be older than the age he found himself in the future (aka 25 years old). Once appearing in the company of the person he completely trusts to, however, there can be seen much more vibrant variety coming from him, even though he still doesn’t like to show his sorrow/anger openly.

Peridot: Are they open to new growth and change in any way, or are they resistant to it?

Certainly open. If he wasn’t able to grow and change in some of his aspects, he would never make this far in the future (for example, his temper was much more impulsive at the start of the series, but he grew to be patient the longer his journey went) and eventually defend Aku, same goes for all of his other verses.

Prehnite: Do they find it easy to recall their dreams or do they hardly remember them?

Dreams or nightmares are easy for him to remember once he has them. Jack/Ryou’s mind and memory are more than vibrant enough for him to have quite vivid visions and he can recall them pretty accurately if the other will ask about it, even tho he tends not to focus on.

Rose Quartz: Do they typically hold grudges? Are they the type to compromise as best they can during a conflict?

It really depends on the relationships Jack/Ryou has with the person and how heavy their fault towards him is. Some light misdeeds he can forgive without the actual confrontation and any grudges; others, heavier ones, may distant him away or even force him to cease any companionship he has with that person. If Jack considers the other his family/beloved one, however, he will always try to find out the actual reason for their misbehavior and at the end forgive them and/or make a compromise, no matter how hard and long it will require for his forgiveness to come (if it will be possible for Jack/Ryou to do this, of course; there are some things he can’t fully forgive even to people, dear for him).

Ruby: Do they typically keep their heart on their sleeve?

Only with his most close and trusted circle as Jack/Ryou knows he may not be afraid to seem vulnerable among them (even though ingrained reticence still can force him to be quite defensive, especially in Modern AU).

Rutile Quartz: Do they have a habit of looking for the source of a problem? Are they the type to attempt to solve it if they’re able, or do they try to avoid it?

He does seek the root of a problem and is persistent to try and solve it, especially when it comes to the important matters of people he treasures, yet nevertheless neglects his own troubles and is prone to avoid them if they’re not so significant.

Sapphire: What makes them happiest? Is there a reason why?

The stable and content wellbeing of his loved ones + the fact he knows he has an actual home where he’s waited and welcomed are sufficient to bring him serenity and peace in any verse, even when it lasts for a rather short while. He strives to reach at least some semblance of stability/be reassured he’ll reach it at one point, for it helps him to maintain the balance and is certain to turn either very restless or numb once there’s none of such reliance in his life (the sword and its significance, as well as its loss e.g.).

Smoky Quartz: How is their physical endurance? Are they the active sort of person or not?

His endurance is high no matter the verse + he’s clearly active sort of person and can’t stay completely immobile for too long, even when he needs his time in peace and quiet (except for the period when he’s asleep, of course, but even this is not so passive due to the fact he’s a fairly light sleeper).

Spinel: Are they a worry-wort or are they carefree?

Oh, definitely a worry-wort due to a number of reasons regardless of the verse, let him try and maintain enviable composure / appear to be unperturbed.

Tanzanite: Do they heal quickly or do bruises and cuts tend to heal slowly?

His regeneration is evidently much more accelerated than it for ordinary human no matter of the verse, even if there are still scars that remain after both relatively deep injuries and shallow cuts (the most evident and agonizingly gained one is located at the right side of his lower abdomen, which he sewed up himself both in 5th season’s verse and in Modern AU).

Tiger’s Eye: Are they self-confident or wracked with doubt?

Oddly enough or not, diffidence is his tragic flaw. The bitter truth is, even tho Jack/Ryou always tries to aid/emotionally support people close to him, he doesn’t actually believe in himself very much (just look what his conscience produced in 5th season  y e e s h) and is full of self-doubts despite him often claiming otherwise. That’s also one of many reasons he priors the others before him (’I believe in myself... because they believe in me’).

Topaz: Are they the type to cheer on others or do they prefer to be center stage?

He actually prefers to play an encouraging/supportive role, but still can accept the leading position and is able to handle it pretty well once necessary, thanks to his responsible solemn character (after all, he’s the prince/heir of the noble clan and had been raised as such).

Tourmaline: Are they the understanding sort or do they have trouble connecting with others?

He’s both, in a way that Jack/Ryou can be incredibly socially awkward (mostly relates to his main verse due to the differences in eras and his solitary tendencies) yet is surprisingly good when it comes to the understanding of others (his politeness and caution can also help when he needs to approach someone).

Turquoise: Do they strive for success or do they typically prefer to go with the flow?

Obviously strives for success in his own ‘watery’ way, cos again ‘water can flow or it can crash’ aka ‘if I can’t destroy the obstacle, I’ll find the other path or mean’ (same goes for his relationships; if he cannot make his beloved one change some of the aspects he’s somehow bothered with, then he’ll eventually accept them rather than remain stubborn and thus harmful).

Zircon: How wise are they?

Jack/Ryou is fairly wise, however, his wisdom manifests itself at its most high point in his Post-Aku verses (where he nevertheless has a sage mind despite remaining in the youthful body), while in Modern AU he claims to lack the necessary amount of such (tho I believe he’ll be prone to gain it over time as he will lean more towards his flexibility rather than obstinacy).

[blueinkblot]

*internally screaming*

So, thanks for @ofvisitorsthefairest for asking about and letting me spill about Signs of Change a little bit.

The main idea of SoC is that it’s the formation of the (Western) Zodiac as a super-team of people who eventually become immortal. They do start out mortal, with their own parents and siblings, but they are soon chosen by gods and made immortal. The main plotline of the story is as cultures grow and clash, the Zodiac are meant to fight one another like overpowered chess pieces as the different pantheons clash along with their cultures to keep their dominance. (Oof, now I’m not sure how I’m going to handle Judeo-Christian religions - maybe they stay immortal, but they fade in power as the gods did) They get their Zodiac moniker (and their individual signs) when the different pantheons come together and recognize that they’re no longer the powerhouses they used to be (as the world comes into the “modern” age) and the Signs are allowed to be as they please. They part ways for a while, but the end of the saga comes when they find each other once again and settle down together.

But I’m having trouble getting started with it since I’m starting back in Ye Olde Classic Days (like the ancient days) and having to have all the people come together.

The basic ideas I have for the characters so far are:

Aries: Southern American. Incan/Mayan/Aztec? Not really sure. SHORT. Wields a bullwhip and some sort of knife

Taurus: Mongolian. Dark hair, green eyes. Stubborn. (They’re one of the ones I did the ask on). Gender fluid, pansexual. Uses a blunt force weapon like a mace or a bat. They were Turkish at one point, I think, and I think I had named them Yagmur (which, as I found it, is pronounced “yah-moor”, I think - it’s a feminine name and I had made them female at that point in development)

Gemini: Twins. Literally, Victoria (brown hair and green eyes) and Elizabeth (blonde hair and blue eyes). They’re from somewhere in Britain (or pre-Britain, think the tribes before the Romans got there. Would be cool if they could interact with Boudicca, if everything works out) Victoria runs with the punk crowd towards modern history, and Elizabeth tends to stray more posh.

Cancer: Irish. Big, reddish hair (no, stop it, she’s not Merida). Trans woman, lesbian

Leo: Ethiopia? Nigeria? Libya? Tunisia? Algeria? (The last three are sort of where Carthage was in the ancient world unless I’m wrong, and Queen Dido is another awesome ancient figure that it would be cool to include). She becomes a fashion designer/model/icon in the modern day

Virgo: Marie! (She’s the other one I did for my ask) French, very prototypical blonde hair blue eyes. Can do parkour and is especially skilled with throwing knives. Tends to be the one that the other signs come to for relationship/love/sex advice, but her real advice is just “tell them how you feel” and when she’s asked how she’s so good it’s just “luck, really.”

Libra: MAAAAAAGIC. Literally she’s the “mage” of the group. Not sure of her origins yet. She’s got white hair and violet eyes (pale, though, not super dark, and I swear I thought of this before I knew of the A Song of Ice and Fire series/GOT show). Has a weapon that ties into her magic but she can also use for melee if she “overheats” her magic. (Has narcolepsy?)

Scorpio: Middle-Eastern, probably Iranian. Dark hair, fuchsia/deep purple-red eyes. Eventually (i.e. once the team assembles) she’s going to wield a khopesh, I think, because of how the sword resembles a scorpion’s tail. Has to be once the team has assembled or once she has personally gone through Egypt since khopeshes (is that how you make that plural?) are Egyptian. (There will also be a lot of weapon cross-over with other Zodiac characters as well).

Sagittarius (Oh, hey, that’s my sign!): She’s an archer of some sort. Demi-ace or grey-ace, not sure, and pansexual. At first I had her as Ancient Greek, or Roman, but they felt too easy. Then there was “The Eagle Hunter,” which is about a Kazakh girl training to become an eagle hunter, but I’m still not super sure where she’s going to hail from. I might even take a closer look at Native North American people since I know some of them hunted with bows.

Capricorn: She hails from India! At one point she wielded a staff, fun fact. She’s a polyglot and has a propensity for learning (especially literature), fuzzy sweaters, and general coziness. Likes warm drinks (esp. fall-flavored drinks, although she won’t turn down a peppermint mocha or latte or hot chocolate), and piles blankets on herself to go to sleep. Lesbian.

Aquarius: I’m still doing research into Pacific Islanders and Polynesians to better understand their cultures (since they're all fascinating and I want to choose them all but she can only be raised in one culture). Lives to be around the ocean. Passionate mathematician and physicist (likes all the sciences but those are her favorites). Will, at one point in the story, have a Samoyed and will, at another point, dye the end of her hair teal.

Pisces: She is Japanese! I at one point named her Sakura but wasn’t sure of the name. She will, at one point in the story, wield sais (fun fact, they’re the original weapons I envisioned for her). Also a polyglot (like Capricorn, they’re study buddies), she enjoys history and religious studies. She has brown eyes and black hair somewhere between her chin and her shoulders. When she was mortal she had an older brother (who in one writing either was in the military or was going to become a samurai, I can’t remember).

So! Info dump, I know, but I’d love to hear people’s thoughts/ideas.

This is also like one of the ideas I’ve had the longest (and the most sustained interest in getting published) and it’s really precious to me.

[laughinglullabies]

Inelaa Locte - Contacts Wanted!

basics ––––

NAME: Inelaa Locte.

AGE: 19.

RACE: Keeper Miqo’te.

GENDER: Female.

SEXUALITY: Straight.

MARITAL STATUS: Taken.

SERVER: Balmung

physical appearance ––––

HAIR: Thick and black, often left down to fall in soft waves and curls around her face. When hunting, she keeps it bound back in a strict ponytail, and there’s often flowers and trinkets wound in the strands - leftovers from playing with her siblings.

EYES: Bright & shiny silver doe-eyes.

HEIGHT: 5′6″, give or take a half ilm.

BUILD: While healthy and nourished, Inelaa’s youthful figure has filled out with curves that haven’t left in the aftermath of her pregnancy. She presents as a healthy pear with a little more chub that she’s still working to get rid of.

DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Like her aunt, Inelaa’s most distinguishing trait is her tail - a full seven-and-a-half fulms long, featuring soft black fur. When hunting, it is dressed in a leather and webbing ‘netting’ that tames the fur to something more like a thick rope, and she can control the limb very well. Additionally, there is a scar along her back gained during her coming of age trial.

COMMON ACCESSORIES: A magitek harp that was a gift from her mother on her 18th Nameday after so many years apart, and a few trinkets gifted by her beloved that she wears on a cord around her neck.

personal –––-

PROFESSION: Whimsical Bard and sometimes Host at the Keeper’s Kiss. Dreams of performing professionally, but does not like the thought of advancing a career with a little one.

HOBBIES: Child care, hunting, and music. Enjoys catching fish with her hands. Likes teasing people.

LANGUAGES: Common, hunt-speak, and smartass.

RESIDENCE: Alternates living-quarters with her mother in the Mist, and her beloved in the Lavender Beds.

FEARS: Leadership, isolation, finding out her father is dead.

relationships –––-

SPOUSE: "That’s none of your business!” She grins. “Still, he’s my sun and I am his moon.”

CHILDREN: "My daughter, Nii! Well, Y’niisa. I wanted her to carry her father’s legacy.”

PARENTS: "Moma is Kiipa Locte-Nulstat, and Papa is Obera’a Polaali.”

SIBLINGS: “I um... I have quite a few! Do you have the time? I should get you something to drink!” She quickly darts off, forgetting to answer the question on her return.

OTHER RELATIVES: "Ah, there’s Papa Gen ( @genpaw​ ) and his mate, Tikka! He’s more an adopted Papa, but that doesn’t make him any less a Papa, and Tikka is more like a sister since we’re so close in age. Then there’s Ahnaa ( @locteshadow​ ), and um... Anton ( @supermegachefbarguy​ )! There’s also Uncle Leroy ( @leroymurrand​ ) and Auntie Keim ( @purple-eel​ ) and Uncle Kweh ( @snow-and-sea​ ) and... oh, you might need another drink? Sure!”

traits –––-

extroverted / introverted / in between

disorganized / organized / in between

close minded / open-minded / in between

calm / anxious / in between

disagreeable / agreeable / in between

cautious / reckless / in between

patient / impatient / in between

outspoken / reserved / in between

leader / follower / in between

empathetic / unemphatic / in between

optimistic / pessimistic / in between

traditional / modern / in between

hard-working / lazy / in between

cultured / un-cultured / in between

loyal / disloyal / in between

faithful / unfaithful / in between

additional information –––-

SMOKING HABIT: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

DRUGS: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

ALCOHOL: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

possible hooks –––-

Keeper of the Moon: Inelaa absolutely loves meeting her fellow Miqo’te, and she can spend bells upon bells asking all the proper questions! Expect a little playful competition if you’re a fellow archer - Inelaa’s the star archer in her clan and she likes to show off!

Musician: Inelaa is fascinated with music of all sorts, and will sit and listen to an instrument for bells. She loves to learn new ones, though prefers to fall back on her voice and small harp. She’s happy to become anyone’s #1 Fan!

Social Butterfly: This girl is never one to cling to the walls for too long. Her happy demeanor and cheerful ways are remarkably infectious, and she’s delighted to meet new people and shove them at other new people. It’s never all about her - expect to be the spotlight if she latches on, and get ready for an adventure!

'Are you my father?’: A hook that has potential in different ways. Inelaa and her father were exceptionally close, and his long-time absence has always been a point of sorrow for her. Not actually her father, but charmed by the girl enough not to correct the mistake? Sure! Actually her father, but maybe age/travel are making memories a little rough? Cool! Actually her father, returned as he promised? Great! This one requires discussion, but also unlocks interactions with her mother and aunt both! Woo!

Any other ideas! I’m very open to all kinds of connections for Inelaa. There’s a lot I can work her into unless it’s very much not her thing.

what I’m looking for ––––

Mostly, just a little more development for the character. She’s a happy and perky young lady who is head-over-heels in love with her beloved and is a very happy mommy, but she needs to get out of the house and socialize!

If you need a little joy in your day, this baby has it in spades!

oocly, I am ––––

I’m a PST timezone player who has a slightly erratic schedule due to fluctuating sleeping patterns - which is to say that the only pattern I have is that there is no pattern.

I don’t mind any length of posts! One liners through to multi-para is fine, though I prefer snappy, quick replies when at events, especially busy ones.

I am available for both in-game and Discord role-play. Discord tends to be a slower medium and I do enjoy in-game a bit more, but I’m absolutely open to any and all forms of medium.

I am open to all themes when it comes to this character. She is best suited for bubbles and sunshine, but I’m okay running with all other themes as well. I have no issues with sexual content, but please mind that Inelaa is monogamous.

a warning ––

Inelaa is an alternate character that I play between leveling Flidais and when the urge hits me. It’s considerably easier to interact with her on Discord, but if you should run into her in game, please know that I am absolutely always in character with her.

Additionally, my putting up this LFRP ad in no way negates the other characters that I have, nor the roleplays that I may have with them. All of my characters are available to play with!

you can contact me via ––

You can always reach me here on Tumblr, either through messages or through asks. If that’s not your style, feel free to contact me via Discord @ ♦ AshadelMG ♦#2352. You can also catch me in-game, though I frequently forget to slap up the RP tag!

[ussjellyfish]

dragon queen, 5

one night stand and falling pregnant au

oh nonnie, pregnancy fic is totally my weakness, thank you. 

Alice, Robin and Maleficent have a conversation. Kind of fluffy and all found family. (I love Alice, she’s precious). 

Dragon Queen and Curious Archer, though it’s mostly just Alice and Mal making friends. 

“One of the best things about parties here is buffet gets all mixed up. This bit, with the fish, that’s from Arendelle, and these funny cakes? they’re straight out of Wonderland, minus the magic powers, I think. I hope.” Alice balanced another cake on top of the first and smirked. “Guess we’ll find out.”

“If I end up miniature, put me somewhere outside before the magic wears off, I tend to return to form all wings and scales.”

“Well that’s an idea, a wee little dragon.” Alice chuckled, imagining a palm sized little creature breathing fire. “Cakes unfortunately make you bigger, so we’d have to hope you were in a good mood before the castle got squashed.”

Maleficent raised an eyebrow. “Can’t say I’ve ever been accused of stepping on a castle, burning one, razing…” She raised her hand in a submissive gesture.

Did she have pointed teeth?  She couldn’t really have pointed teeth. Maleficent had totally normal teeth. She was human. Human-ish, human right now.

“These cakes aren’t magic, I promise.”

“Then the castle should remain intact.” Maleficent handed Alice a napkin. Such a mom thing, of course, she was a mom, some kind of dragon mom and she did hang out with Regina a lot, which made sense because Regina was totally a mom.

“Champagne?” Alice offered, holding out the flute. “I hear it’s the good stuff.”

Maleficent took the drink and gestured towards the tables. Somehow they’d ended up together: Papa, her Nobin, the dragons, and some lovely dignitaries from the Realm of Untold stories. They seemed to have stepped out of some sort of Eastern European fairy tale and they only talked in Elvish. Robin thought it was maybe Lithuanian, because she’d been through there when she was cursed and backpacking.

As they sat down, Lily looked at her mom, eyes wide. “Mom!” she hissed.

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing at all. Thanks for grabbing me some more champagne.” Lily’s glass was full, but she downed it, guilping it all like cold tea.

Robin’s eyes got big and Papa looked from Maleficent to Lily as if he knew something. Papa was really good at figuring things out. When there were things to figure out, which it seemed like there was. Interesting.

Was this a thing? It was just a diplomatic dinner, something where Regina would give a nice speech and there would be food. Why wasn’t Lily letting her mom drink her champagne?

“Is this sushi?”

“I don’t know what sushi is, dear. It’s a salmon dish from Arendelle, one of my favorites.”

“Which you–” Lily stopped again, learning in. “Really shouldn’t be eating because it’s raw, you know that?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

“I put the app on your phone, I told you how to use it. Smoked fish isn’t cooked and you really shouldn’t–”

“My phone’s somewhere safe.”

Alice leaned in close to Robin, her lips brushing her cheek. “I bet she’s got it in a cave or something.”

“She doesn’t have a cave.”

“She does, it’s underneath the library, Auntie Regina trapped her there for decades.”

“Well that’s romantic.”

“They’re so not romantic.”

“Uh-huh,” Robin rolled her eyes over her champagne. “Tell her what romantic might look like, Detective.”

“Oh no, I prefer to be left out of this,” Papa said, shaking his head. “Whatever has occured between the Good Queen and the dragon is between them and none of our business.”

Alice raised both her eyebrows. “So something did happen? They got all flirty with fireballs and stuff?”

“We don’t pry into the private affairs of others, Starfish.”

Alice shot a look at Lily and Maleficent, who were still arguing and paying know attention to anyone else. “It’s not exactly private if they’re discussing it in front of us.”

Robin stole a cake from Alice’s plate and shrugged. “Mostly they’re arguing about where Maleficent should keep her phone.”

“You said it was precious,” Maleficent insisted, eating the salmon she wasn’t supposed to eat.

“Phones are expensive,” Lily started, waving down the waiter for more champagne, because she seemed to need it. “But it’s really of no use to you if it’s in your horde somewhere.”

Robin nudged her, whispering, “Told you she was hiding it.”

“Well, they are a little jewel-like, I suppose.”

Maleficent rolled her eyes. “If someone needed me, I’m easily summoned. Any idiot with half a brain and a–”

“Mom, don’t announce how you’re summoned.”

Now that was interesting. You could summon a dragon? “Sorry, pardon me for butting in, you can really be, like, summoned? What’s that like?”

Maleficent stopped arguing with Lily and turned her head, looking right at her all predatory. “It tingles a little.”

“Do you know who summoned you? Is there like, a message?”

“I don’t think it’s like texting,” Robin said, because she knew more about magic.

“It’s not that specific, most of the time.”

“So having a phone would be more useful,” Alice offered, taking out her own and holding it up. “See, here’s Robin telling me to get marmalade at the store yesterday. If she just summoned me, I wouldn’t know I needed to go to the store, just that she wanted me to come home.”

The dragon lady took her phone for a moment, and her smile grew. She twisted her fingers and a fresh jar of marmalade appeared in front of Alice’s plate. “I concede that your messages might be useful, but, so is magic.”

Grabbing the jar, Alice opened it with a grin. Marmalade would go brilliantly on her cake. “All right, you can have a point for that.”

Robin tried to help. “What would you do if you needed someone to know something specific, like…you wanted to tell Lily something. Can you summon her?”

“Nah, she’s not a mythical figure from fairy tales, I don’t think she gets her own summoning spell,” Alice piped up, spreading marmalade on her cake, because why not? It was going to be better with marmalade.

“So what would you do?”

Maleficent set down her fork and dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “Inhabit a reflective substance near her and tell her what I needed to.”

“You could just call me.”

“It’s not my way.”

Lily looked up at the ceiling, as if somehow the great wooden beams could help her. “You lived without magic, you’ve used tools. Phones are a tool. Part of this world, and they’re really helpful. You can learn a lot from having a tiny computer in your pocket.”

Staring at her daughter, Maleficent’s eyes grew soft, almost liquid blue. “Living without magic was a cold, lonely hell.”

“This isn’t without, it’s in addition.” Lily reached for her mother’s hand, wrapping their fingers together.

Alice’s eyes stung a little. Parents and their children got to her way too fast, especially when they were good to each other. She could just hear Nobin teasing her for being soft.

“You get to keep your magic,” Lily continued, “But you get the bonuses of the modern world too. Indoor plumbing, Netflix. Apps that answer all the questions you might have about the weird shit that’s going to happen.”

Robin mouthed “weird shit”? And Alice shrugged, they shouldn’t be listening, but it was really hardly a private conversation, and she was curious, dreadfully so.

“I’m getting more food, just think about it, okay?” Lily stood, touching her mother’s shoulder. “I’m sure you can use magic to make the damn phone fireproof so you don’t have to worry about melting it.”

Standing up a moment after Lily, Papa leaned down and kissed Alice’s forehead. “I’ll talk to her.” That promised, without a word.

That left the three of them and the Elvish half of the table. Alice wasn’t supposed to ask, Robin was going to make that face as soon as she did, but she couldn’t help herself. Not that Maleficent seemed to care about privacy. Maybe she needed a chance to talk about it as much as Lily did.

“So, why can’t you eat raw fish? Is that a dragon thing?”

The sharp pain was Robin kicking her ankle under the table but Alice smiled and ignored it. Robin was too tentative and never found things out.

“In dragon form I ate nearly everything raw, perhaps scorched on the outside. This body is more picky, but no, the restrictions are rules from this world. No drinking, no raw fish, no coffee.”

“Do you like coffee?”

Maleficent tilted her head, like the iguanas did at the zoo when they were about to be fed. “I do, it hadn’t reached the Enchanted Forest yet, though I’d had it in the far south. Here, everything’s so easy.”

“Couldn’t you just magic it up if you wanted to?”

“Never turned out right. Rather like wine. Some things are better if you let them grow and age instead of pulling them from the air.”

“So you must miss it?” Alice started to ask why she couldn’t have it but Robin squeezed her hand, stopping her.

“You can have one cup a day, usually. I mean, you’ll want to talk to someone.”

What did Robin know? How did she have this figured out? What did she know about coffee and dragons and stuff?

“Who would she talk to?” she demanded, looking from her to Maleficent. Both of them ignored her, having some kind of conversation beneath their words.

“That obvious?”

“My mom was a fake midwife, before she became a real one. Kinda heard a lot about everything.” Robin grabbed the coffee pot from the middle of the table and filled the mug in front of Maleficent. “Lily’s not exactly subtle.”

Midwife. Pieces clicked together like she’d finally seen why the chess pieces were where they were. Dragons got pregnant, apparently, and Lily worried about it.

“She’s concerned.”

“She loves you.”

Maleficent took a breath and smiled, really smiled, all bright and happy. “I’m not accustomed to anyone trying to protect me.”

“It’s a little freaky. You’ll have to give her some time to get used to it.”

Yeah, it bloody well would be freaky if your mom got pregnant when you were Lily’s age. Not really unheard of, everyone’s age was all messed up. Papa was young, Queen Regina was apparently at least fifty years older than she looked, so was Zelena, and the Charmings.

“Who’s the father?” Alice asked over her champagne. “Are you excited?”

Robin’s elbow slammed into her ribs.

“Ouch.”

“You can’t just ask that.”

Alice began to protest, but Maleficent’s warm hand settled over hers. “It’s all right. I don’t mind. I haven’t told the father yet. She’s been very busy.”

“She?” That was far from the weirdest part of this conversation, but it was kind of cool if some kind of magic existed where two women could make a baby. Did one of them have to be a dragon? Did that mean she could have a little baby who would look like Robin some day?

“Zorro.”

“Zorro? Zorro’s a girl? That’s brilliant.”

Robin chuckled. “All the fairytales have to have a twist.”

“Anyway, congratulations, before I forget.”

“Thank you.” Maleficent squeezed her fingers before wrapping both of her hands around her coffee. “Lily’s right about the app thing, whatever that is, isn’t she?”

“They’re useful, if you have questions, or if you like tracking things. There are even cute things where it compares the size of your baby with a fruit or a cookie or something.”

“Why would you want to compare a baby to something edible?”

“Makes it less scary.” Alice offered. “Compare it to a marmalade sandwich and suddenly it seems like you can handle it.”

“I think that’s the idea,” Robin agreed.

“So, what’s Zorro like? All swashbuckling and mysterious?”

“She can be.” Maleficent stared upwards, towards the head table and Regina, Snow, David, Emma, the other version of Papa, and Henry. “Kind of brash, really, the first time we met, she wandered into my castle, brave enough to face the dragon.”

“No wonder you liked her. It really means something when someone isn’t afraid of you.”

Robin nuzzled her cheek and whispered. “I’ll never be afraid of you, Tower Girl.”

Blushing a little, Alice took Robin’s hand. “So you haven’t told Zorro?”

“We haven’t had the right moment.”

“Is there a right moment?”

“It’ll never be perfect,” Robin said. “You just have to be brave.”

“Is that what you did, dear?” Maleficent’s smile went soft and indulgent.

“We both had to be brave enough to work it out, luckily for us, it was all true love and rainbows,” Alice teased, and Robin rolled her eyes.

“There were rainbows, but it definitely wasn’t easy.”

“It never is. All kinds of love and complicated. Even when it’s true, or as simple as the love of a mother for her child. Lily grew up far away from me, and since I found out about this little one, I can’t help worrying that somehow I’ll lose this one too.”

“No, no, don’t think that. We’re at the end of the book now, everyone gets a happy ending. Look at Regina, she was evil, now she’s good, and we all love her. She won’t let anyone take your little dragonling.”

“Auntie Regina’s pretty trustworthy that way, I promise, if you tell her, she can help,” Robin added.

Something shifted behind Maleficent’s eyes and she blinked twice, but that didn’t stop a single tear, running down from her left eye. “She’s found her place now, hasn’t she?”

“She’s happy.”

Alice grabbed her napkin and passed it to Maleficent. “It’s okay.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s really going to be okay,” Alice insisted, starting to ramble about how much they’d all overcome to get here, this crazy mashed together realm, but Maleficent knew that. She knew things were different now. Everyone, even formerly villainous dragons had a chance at their happy ending. “We all work together on things here, so, if you need a village to help protect a little wee dragon, then consider yourself family.”

Arms went around her quickly, strong, warm arms that smelled like a campfire on a cozy evening.

Hugs were apparently a thing that they did, and as far as hugs went, it was a strong one, tight and heartfelt.

“Everything all right?” Papa asked as Maleficent eventually let her go.

“Just getting to know each other,” Alice said, smiling at him.

“Turns out these two have a lot in common,” Robin said gently.

Lily’s concerned took a little longer to settle, but she sat, slowly losing the tension in her posture. “Making friends?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I guess we did.”

“Okay.”

Maleficent touched Lily’s cheek. “It is, dear.”

Robin leaned in close enough that only Alice could hear. “Did you just volunteer us to babysit a little dragon?”

Giggling, Alice shrugged. “I might’ve.”

“Just checking.”

[bforbookslut]

ARC Review: No Good Deed by Kara Connolly

I have given this book ☆☆☆☆☆. 352 pages. It will be published 18 July 2017. It belongs to the Young Adult Fantasy and Retelling genre. Delacorte Press published it. I would recommend it to fans of The Lunar Chronicles and retellings as well as snarky heroines. I would definitely purchase a copy of my own. The blurb reads: “Fans of Dorothy Must Die will love this reimagining of the legend of Robin Hood. Girl power rules supreme when a modern girl finds herself in the middle of a medieval mess with only her smart mouth and her Olympic-archer aim to get her home.

Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England.

Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?

Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past—or doom civilization’s future.”

“It was the only thing that home and here had in common—me and a bow. It was my anchor across eight hundred years.”

Verdict:

This is going into my reads of the year and a definite recommendation for July reads. No Good Deed is an easy, light and fast-paced read that is set to entertain and delight with Kara Connolly’s flair for snarky writing and a very, very headstrong heroine. Although, with all the YA that we have out there, I expected something a little edgier with a little more grit but the very fact that it’s light-hearted and an easy read, makes it a recommended one for the entire year.

Simply put, No Good Deed stars Ellie Hudson who accidentally time travels back to the past and gets sucked into a Robin Hood-esque medieval England setting with bandits in the forest and relentless knights who hunt down said bandits. She meets a knight Templar who has retired from his position and is settling down to become a friar, a mouthy little kid named Mulch, Will Scarlet and Little John and their band of merry men. There are snarky nuns who could freeze you to the spot with a stare and Kings John and Richard.

No Good Deed delights in bringing a contemporary and updated version of the tale of Robin Hood that is more suited to younger readers than the usual tween-adult audiences of YA fiction. It’s so clean and so simple to read, it has no shock factor and it lacks romance. It is exactly what the blurb sets out to be, a story about how a modern girl left the legend of Robin Hood in England and inspired and changed the lives of the people in Nottingham.

This review is a lot shorter than my normal reviews mostly because No Good Deed is so easy and fun a read. It sounds like a negative, I promise you it isn’t.

[may contain spoilers]

When I picked up No Good Deed, I had completely forgotten that it was a retelling of Robin Hood until I got the line where she passes herself off a man and gives her names as

“Robert, son of Hood.”

Note that her last name is Hudson, therefore, son of Hood. And her brother’s name is Robert and therefore, Rob Hud. Honestly, Kara Connolly was so clever with writing this that I didn’t see it coming at all, even though these names were mentioned time and time again. And seeing as I’d forgotten it was a Robin Hood retelling, I merely thought the whole Robin Hood, Nottingham setting would mean she was on the sidelines or perhaps helping the legend; not actually becoming the legend.

One thing that did bother me quite a bit was that throughout the entire novel, Ellie was still wearing her “modern day” clothes which included a sort of sweater/jumper that she ripped at the hem and turned into a tunic as well as her skinny jeans and sneakers. And none of the people in medieval England seemed to find her garb strange or even questioned why she wasn’t wearing something more time appropriate. I would have liked to see Ellie in a dress or at least actual medieval England men’s wear for more than half her time there. She did put on a dress once. Just once and it reminded me very much of Merida from Brave because Ellie’s dress was so form fitting that it was difficult for her to draw her arms back and shoot as well.

And perhaps, that was the soundest reason for her to remain in her modern day “girl” clothes instead of wear medieval England “man” clothes, lest the audience forget that Ellie is a girl and not a guy, and that Robin Hood in this retelling is a girl under a man’s appearance. I tend to forget at times, honestly.

Another thing that sort of bothered me was that there was so much opportunity to further develop the story beyond the 352 pages that Goodreads says it will be.

There’s the story of the missing brother, Robert, who is a mere plot device and can be replaced by any other character important to Ellie and also go by the name of Robert. He is nothing; just a means for Ellie to stay strong and continue fighting and also, a name to be used. He magically pops up at the end of the novel for a typical happily ever after.

There’s Ellie’s Olympic qualifier background that serves once again, only as a plot device for her to be exceptionally good at archery. No one in medieval England questions how or why she is so good at archery. They just accept her prowess. Maybe because they’re so hellbent on surviving. But even when her comrades find out she is a girl, they just roll with it. Which works in a fairy-tale but just makes absolutely no sense to me. There are some great opportunities for Ellie to have heart to hearts with her merry men and maybe grow as a person.

The Guilbert, James and Isabel trio was heavily underutilised. I would have loved to know more about any of these three, especially since it was clearly said that they have history and are historied but that’s all we know, that they knew each other as children and when they grew up, they went their separate ways.

Typically being me, I’d love to have seen more of a relationship developed between James and Ellie since there was so much allusion to feelings between the both of them. Hell, even future Ellie met a James look alike that saved her brother’s life or something like that.

I ship Ellie and Guilbert. There’s some enemies to friends to lovers shit right there.

Despite these setbacks, No Good Deed put all the right elements together and did not focus on a relationship aspect as most YA books tend to do these days. Instead, it featured a strong female lead that constantly gets herself into trouble because she has no filter and has no need for a filter. She does what she wants, when she wants and that’s empowering. She doesn’t take shit from anybody and best of all, she has a moral compass. It’s literally, steal from the rich and give to the poor. While using the skills that she has been blessed with and not killing anyone.

I’m not overly familiar with the Robin Hood legend and all its nuances; I’m most familiar with the movie versions (cue Disney and Kevin Costner) and that has already been filtered through one writer’s lens.

But if Robin Hood really were a girl, I’d like her to be Ellie Hudson.

Goodreads || Kara Connolly’s Website ||

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. As this is an ARC copy, things that I discuss may vary and be different than in the published copy.