#i ship my character with alphinaud

[circusredmage]

The plains of Shaaloni stretched beneath an unforgiving sky, where the land seemed to hold its breath, dry and cracked, save for the soft, distant shimmer of Lake Shaal.

Amidst the backdrop of these stark contrasts, the bustling sound of the workshop and the scent of metal and dust filled the air. Erenville and Wuk Lamat, alongside the gathered workers, moved methodically as they assisted in collecting fireshards, their attention sharp and their steps measured. It was delicate work—gathering the shards without disturbing the fragile balance of their power. The task had the group split, some helping with the transport, others overseeing the process, and some, like Blaise, quietly observing from the sidelines.

Her gaze swept over the scene, watching as Kien and G'raha worked alongside the locals, their movements confident and practiced. Krile and Tokki were busy directing the workers, each one contributing in their own way to the complex task at hand. Alisaie was speaking with Erenville, her voice authoritative yet calm, as usual. Wuk Lamat hovered nearby, making sure the process went smoothly.

But Blaise’s eyes kept returning to Alphinaud.

He was focused, as always, but there was something different about him today. His usual sharpness, his quick wit, even his occasional teasing seemed absent. He moved with a sort of mechanical precision, his every action seemingly calculated, but there was a hollowness to it. She noticed the way he avoided meeting her gaze, the way he kept his distance—physically and emotionally—since her arrival in Tural. She couldn’t help but wonder what had changed between them.

It had been months since they had last shared a space like this. After the events in Radz-at-Han, she had found herself in the unexpected position of needing to distance herself from him—though it hadn’t been her choice. The last letters she had received from him had been distant and infrequent, each one colder than the last. She understood that their lives had been taking them in different directions, but somewhere along the line, she had come to feel that she no longer held his attention the way she once did. He had his work in Garlemald, his duties as a Scion, and she had… well, she had tried to find herself again after everything that had happened.

When she first arrived in Tural, she had hoped for some sense of reconnection. But it seemed as though Alphinaud’s attention was always elsewhere. He had been distant, his thoughts consumed by whatever had been plaguing him during the journey. Their exchanges had been polite but clipped, and his gaze had often wandered when they were together, as though the words he wanted to speak were locked behind an invisible wall.

The distance wasn’t born from anger or resentment. At least, that’s what Blaise told herself. It was as though an invisible chasm had formed between them, one that neither of them seemed able to bridge. The Alphinaud she had known—the one who once teased her with his endless questions and sharp remarks—was absent. Instead, she saw a version of him weighed down by responsibility, and perhaps, by something even deeper.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft chuckle beside her. Tokki, always quick to notice when Blaise’s mind wandered, stood a little too close. Blaise blinked, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion.

Tokki’s smile was knowing, but gentle. "Something on your mind, Blaise?"

Blaise’s lips quirked into a soft smile, her gaze shifting back to Alphinaud before returning to Tokki. "No... nothing at all," she said quietly. She had learned long ago how to wear a mask when necessary. "Just thinking."

Tokki’s eyes followed her line of sight, her gaze sharp as always. "You know… you could always call him over," Tokki teased. There was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes—a hint of sympathy, perhaps even understanding. "He wouldn’t mind."

Blaise couldn’t help but chuckle at that, the corner of her lips lifting in a small, knowing smile. "I can take care of it," she replied softly, her tone confident but not forceful. There was a sense of resolve in her voice, as though she had already made up her mind.

Her gaze lingered on Alphinaud for a moment longer. He was packing his things, preparing for the journey back to Tullioyal. His movements were slower than usual, almost hesitant. Blaise had spent enough time with him to know that this wasn’t his usual rhythm. Something was weighing on him, and whatever it was, it had kept him closed off from her.

Taking a breath, Blaise stood straighter, brushing off the faint unease that had settled in her chest. There was no use in pretending that everything was fine when it wasn’t. She could feel the distance between them like a tangible thing, but that wouldn’t stop her from doing what needed to be done. This conversation—whatever it was going to be—was long overdue.

She crossed the distance between them, her steps measured and calm. The bustling noise of the workshop faded as her attention focused entirely on Alphinaud. She saw him glance up just as she drew near, his eyes widening for a brief moment in surprise before settling back into something more guarded. His expression shifted, a small flicker of uncertainty passing over his face before he set down the satchel he had been preparing.

"Alphinaud," she said, her voice soft, but carrying a weight of unspoken understanding.

He froze for a moment, his gaze drifting toward her with something close to hesitation. Blaise could see it—the tension in his jaw, the tightness around his eyes. It wasn’t anger or frustration; it was something else. It was… vulnerability. And perhaps, something Blaise had sensed in him from the very beginning: fear.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words seemed to get caught in his throat. Blaise gave him a small, reassuring smile, but her eyes remained soft, patient.

"You seem distracted," she began, her voice steady, though it carried the weight of all that had passed between them. "Is something bothering you?"

Alphinaud met her gaze, his lips parting as if to speak, but he hesitated once more. "It’s nothing," he said finally, his voice tinged with the weariness she had come to associate with him lately. "Just... a lot on my mind."

Blaise studied him for a long moment, searching for the truth behind his words. His expression was guarded, but she had learned to read the subtle signs. She had watched him long enough, lived through enough of their shared history, to know when he was keeping something back.

She took a breath, her gaze unwavering. "You’ve been distant since I arrived," she said gently, her voice low. "And I... I can’t help but wonder why."

The silence between them hung heavy, and Blaise could almost feel the walls he had built around himself. But she wasn’t going to let him hide from this anymore. Not when it was clear that something had changed between them, something neither of them had addressed.

Alphinaud shifted uncomfortably, his fingers twitching as if he were about to reach for something—anything—but he stopped himself. His gaze dropped to the ground for a moment, and when he looked up again, there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. For a split second, Blaise thought she might have pushed too far, too fast.

“Alphinaud,” Blaise said gently, breaking the silence. “Would it be alright if we spoke privately for a moment?”

He blinked in surprise, but after a beat, his expression softened, and he gave a small nod. “Of course. Let’s step away.”

Without another word, they moved together behind the workshop, where the noise of the others gradually faded into the distance. The air here was cooler, the scent of ceruleum and earth mingling in a more peaceful quiet. Alphinaud cast a sidelong glance at Blaise as they walked, his expression still somewhat guarded but less tense than before.

When they reached a small, secluded spot, Alphinaud stopped, turning to face her. The space felt intimate, private, the kind of place where things could be said without the weight of the world pressing down on them.

Alphinaud stood still for a moment, his eyes searching hers, waiting for her to speak. But Blaise, though calm, seemed to hesitate. She could feel the tension in the air, not only from their conversation but from the distance that had crept between them over the past days.

"Alphinaud," she began softly, her voice gentle but earnest, "there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you."

He raised an eyebrow, his usual composure slipping into something more vulnerable in the quiet of the space between them. “What’s on your mind?”

Blaise looked at him, really looked at him, as if seeing beyond the walls he had built around himself. His posture was stiff, and there was an edge to his gaze—like he was keeping something locked away, something he hadn’t said aloud. It had been there for days now, ever since her arrival in Tural. She had noticed it—the distance in his smile, the quiet shifts in his mood, the way he withdrew from her presence at times.

"You've been distant since I arrived," she said, the words gentle but undeniably direct. "And I... I need to know how you're feeling. I know it’s not just about Vrtra and me—there’s something else. Something that’s weighing on you."

Alphinaud’s eyes flickered with something unreadable for a moment, and for a brief instant, Blaise thought he might brush it off, might deny it. But instead, he let out a quiet breath, his hands clasped in front of him as he glanced away for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

“I…” He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t think you’d notice, to be honest. But yes, I’ve felt… conflicted. About everything, about us, and about where I am. I don’t want to burden you with it, Blaise.” He shook his head, as if the words felt too heavy to say aloud.

Blaise stepped closer, her voice unwavering. “You’re not burdening me. You’ve always been there for me—when I needed you, when I didn’t know where to turn. I just… I want you to know that I’m here for you now. You don’t have to carry whatever this is on your own.”

Alphinaud shifted again, glancing away for a moment. “It’s not about you, Blaise. It’s about everything. My path, my duty… and the things I’ve had to sacrifice along the way.” He paused, his eyes meeting hers again, a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze. “I’ve always thought I knew what my future held, what I had to do. But I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been wrong. If I’ve been too focused on what others expect from me.”

There was a weight to his words, a burden that he hadn’t been willing to share with anyone—perhaps even with himself. Blaise felt the truth of it in the air, thick and heavy, and it made her heart ache. She took another step closer, not for comfort, but as an offering of understanding.

“You’re allowed to doubt,” she said softly. “We’re allowed to question, to change course. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. You never did.”

Blaise couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, the sound light and teasing. “For what it’s worth,” she said, her smile turning playful, “the course you’ve chosen so far has definitely felt like the right one.”

Alphinaud looked at her, surprised by her sudden shift in tone, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion. Blaise stepped a bit closer, her expression shifting to something more sincere.

“What you did for Garlemald—what you’ve done for so many—changed the lives of people you’ve never even met. It’s one of the reasons I never asked you to write back,” she continued, her voice soft but steady. “What you were doing, Alphinaud… it was bigger than any of us. It wasn’t just about me, or even about us. It was a cause that could change the world.”

She paused, letting the words settle between them. “You were doing something monumental. And I understood that.”

Alphinaud blinked, his eyes meeting hers with an unreadable look. He hadn’t expected her to say something like that—especially considering the distance between them. Her words seemed to reach deep, stirring something within him.

Blaise, noticing his reaction, gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her horn, her gaze softening as she stepped a bit closer. Her smile remained, but there was a quiet intensity in her eyes now.

“May I share a secret with you?” she asked, her voice dropping slightly, as if the air around them suddenly thickened with the weight of her words. “Do you promise not to tell anyone?”

Her tone was serious, though the vulnerability in her eyes softened the request. It was clear she wasn’t asking lightly.

Alphinaud paused for a moment, the air between them thick with anticipation. He could sense the importance of what she was about to say, and the sincerity in her voice was enough to make him nod without hesitation.

“I promise,” he said quietly. “You have my word.”

Blaise took a deep breath, her gaze shifting downward for a moment as though she were weighing her words. She felt a deep pull within her—a need to finally speak the truth aloud. After a few moments of silence, she looked up at him, her eyes steady but soft, like she was about to share something vulnerable.

“Vrtra and I… we’re no longer together,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. The words seemed to hover in the space between them, delicate and raw. "It was a decision we made together. There’s no anger between us, no resentment. Just... understanding."

The air between them seemed to still. Blaise could see the shock in Alphinaud’s eyes, his surprise at hearing such a personal revelation. She continued, the calmness in her tone belying the depth of the emotion she had carried for so long.

“He... cares for me deeply, Alphinaud. He always will. But the truth is, we share different lives. And though I care for him in return, our paths diverge. He will live on, long after I’m gone, and... I can’t keep holding onto a future I know will never be mine to share. Vrtra knows this”.

Her words hung in the air, settling between them like the softest of burdens, and for a moment, neither spoke. Blaise could sense the swirling emotions within Alphinaud—surprise, perhaps sadness, even a flicker of something else—but she didn’t rush him to respond.

Finally, she smiled softly, the sorrow in her eyes tinged with a bittersweet understanding.

"I’m not angry at him, Alphinaud," she continued. " “We’re still friends, and he’s offered me a place in Radz-at-Han. He’s given me a home, as a way to say thank you for everything I’ve done for him and his city. It’s just... love sometimes isn't enough to make two lives fit together. I’m still here, and I’ll find my way. I need to follow my own path too."

Alphinaud stood still, processing the weight of her words. He could feel the sincerity in her, the quiet strength she carried even when facing such personal loss. Something shifted in his chest, the heaviness he had carried from the past lifting, if only slightly, as he saw Blaise in a new light—stronger, yet still vulnerable.

For a long moment, there was silence. Finally, Alphinaud spoke, his voice gentle.

“I... I had no idea, Blaise,” he murmured, his words almost an apology.

Blaise shook her head, a faint but knowing smile on her lips, her fingers lingering for a moment as she spoke.

“It’s not your fault,” she said softly. “I didn’t tell anyone—not Alisaie, not Kien, not even Tokki. Part of me was too embarrassed. But... I’ve made peace with it, really. It’s just a part of my journey now, and I don’t regret it.” She paused, her gaze drifting toward the distant sky, as though gathering her thoughts.

She exhaled, a quiet laugh escaping her as she finally met his eyes again. “I guess I was worried about being seen as... fragile, or weak, maybe. As if the failure to make it work somehow reflected badly on me. But you know,” she added, a little lighter now, “I’ve learned it’s not like that. I think I was just afraid of how people would see me, but it doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve come to terms with it. And... I’m not ashamed of it anymore.”

Her smile grew a little warmer, though there was still a trace of something tender in her eyes. “It was part of something beautiful, but it was always going to end. That’s the way of it. And I’m okay with that now.”

Alphinaud was quiet for a moment, processing her words. His gaze softened, and after a brief silence, he finally spoke.

“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Blaise,” he said gently. “It’s not easy to face things like that, and it’s even harder to let them go. But you’ve done both.” He took a small step closer, his voice sincere. “I admire that. I truly do.”

Blaise’s smile deepened, grateful for his understanding. She met his eyes, her own words coming slowly, though they were filled with warmth.

“Thank you, Alphinaud. It means more than I can say.”

The air between them felt charged, a quiet understanding settling over the space. For a brief moment, things felt as they once had—a time when their bond had been simple, unspoken, unbroken. Before everything had changed.

Blaise let out a soft breath, her gaze softening as she took in the sight of Alphinaud standing before her, a mixture of the familiar and the new. She could see the growth in him, the person he had become, and for a fleeting moment, she felt like they were standing in the same place they once had, before the distance had crept in.

She reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her horn, and the motion was almost automatic. Her heart was a quiet ache, the pull of old feelings she’d tried to bury for so long, and yet, there was something peaceful in it now. Something less urgent, less painful.

“I’ve missed you,” Blaise said softly, her voice laced with a quiet sincerity. “More than I ever let myself admit.” Her gaze dropped for a moment, a small smile tugging at her lips. “More than I thought I would... after everything.”

Her eyes lifted to meet his, and though there was a gentleness in her expression, there was no rush to fill the silence that lingered. It wasn’t the desperate ache of a heart longing to return to what it once had been, but rather the recognition of something lost—and now, slowly, found again. They weren’t the same people they had been, and perhaps that was all right.

"I didn’t think I’d say that... but I’ve missed the way things were. Even if I know we can’t go back to it." Her voice faltered for a moment, but she steadied it, her smile softening. "But... I’m glad we’re here now. Together. As we are."

Alphinaud stood there for a moment, the weight of her words settling in his chest. There was an undeniable softness in his eyes, but also something else—a quiet acknowledgment of the gap that had existed, the one they had both tried to navigate in their own ways. He took a slow breath before speaking.

"I missed you too, Blaise," he said, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. There was something raw in the way he spoke, an openness that hadn’t been there before. “I—” He stopped himself for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. His gaze softened, flicking to the ground before meeting her eyes again. “It’s... really good to hear that. To know you are well, even after everything. Even if we are not quite where we once were.”

Blaise felt a flutter in her chest at the vulnerability in his words, something she hadn’t expected to feel after all this time. She nodded, her expression softening as she considered his words. The gap between them, the distance that had once seemed so insurmountable, now felt less oppressive, less final. “We’ll get there,” she said, her voice steady, but carrying an undercurrent of something hopeful. “It won’t happen overnight. We’ve both had our own paths to walk, and... well, we’ll figure it out as we go. Together.”

Her smile brightened, but there was something quieter in it now, a gentleness that reflected the acceptance of their shared journey—their past, their present, and whatever might come next. The words didn’t feel like promises made in haste, but rather a mutual understanding that time would guide them, just as it had brought them here.

And as they stood there, together but not quite as they had been, the future felt like something they could face, one step at a time.

[nights-at-crystarium]

Hooooo boy ALRIGHT *rubs my hands together*

I'd already committed to making Fragments when I realized that building up a new character (wol/oc) could be done through other characters. Perhaps that's not even needed in some short and simple npc ship story, which this story's grown out of. My ambition's proportionate to your support and encouragement, seeing that people like what I do, I felt more confident to indulge and go deeper, write a proper ShB love letter, as I like to refer to Fragments nowadays.

At the same time I don't wanna overhype something that's never been in the plans. I'm adamant about keeping this story focused, anything that gets more than 1-2 comic panels is relevant to Vivi in some way, hence you won't see, let's say, a detour to uriancred even though I ship them. Try to please everyone, end up pleasing no one. If we at some point asked ourselves "what does this have to do with wolgraha?" that'd mean the story's lost its direction and crawled apart. And, why, yes, wolemet has EVERYTHING to do with wolgraha, glad that I realized it before it was too late!!

That being the logical reason, I also can't force myself to write about those who don't quite make it to my blorbo tier. Alisaie gets a lot of attention, while Alphinaud's just. There. Sorry :'> Still he has reasons to stay out of this, they just don't vibe that well with Vivi.

I may be unable to give equal amount of screentime and thoughtful approach to everyone in the ShB cast, but those who got lucky to be relevant to Vivi AND feed my brainworms will get their due tributes.

There's a risk that you won't unsee this once I point it out: the comic's still in the introduction phase where I shamelessly grab a character to tell something about Vivi. Of course I'm trying to be subtle, I also must respect said character, consider what they would and wouldn't do. ShB has brilliant, masterful characterization that's super easy to work with imo. Everyone feels like a person, you just analyze them a bit, see what makes them tick.

Speaking of real, I just can't imagine them sitting at a dining table in their battle outfits. What the fuck. No. Hence I gave them some casual clothes. I like it when things are grounded, when they make sense. I ask a lot of hows and whys.

On the topic of the Scions (not) being yesmen to the wol: that's simply the whole premise of Fragments, they mix like oil and water with Vivi. The writing process went like: Vivi falls for Exarch. Why not for ARRRaha? He doesn't only like Exarch, he likes the First as a whole. Why? He's happy to leave the Source behind. The Scions belong to the Source. Scions = duty = bad for Vivi. Why duty bad for Vivi? Oh he's just a pathetic piece of shit who wants to be Free. I gave him the archetype of a manic pixie dream boy from the start, then I just overanalyzed what it means for a guy that's supposed to be a selfless nodding hero.

Conflict's more fun to explore than total agreement. Are we there to be entertained, or what? That being said, conflict for the sake of conflict could become just as bland, balance is key as they say.

[genericpuff]

Oh nooo the mention of the XIV figures is a grim reminder that the sample LO piece in photos is most likely the best looking on ;-;

HAHAHAHAHAHAH

okay but have you seen the new alisaie and alphinaud dolfie dream figures

now THAT'S expensive, holy fuck 😭 but to their credit, they're also like, fully poseable dolls with props, the LO figures just stand there and they don't look great for the cost they're demanding (it's the fact that they're limited edition and are only making like 800 of them that they're likely charging so high to ensure they make back the production costs)

a better comparison IMO would be to SE's static figures which are still often either poseable (usually just the heads / arms ) or come with additional accessories that can be swapped out like the faces / weapons / etc.-

unfortunately due to manufacturing costs (and shipping when they offer free shipping deals) figures are always pretty expensive, but they could at least, idk... look a little better for that price? I'm gonna assume the solo figures will at least be cheaper (but boy do they look cheaper to boot) and honestly the H x P figure isn't awful, I'm just not a huge fan of the faces (again Persephone has that Tim Burton face going on and I've just never really been into that a whole lot tbh). A pal actually pointed out that you can see a little crater where Hades' nose is displacing Persephone's skin and that's just so fucking funny LOL (and when you see it up close, again the characters look like they would be gross to touch, they look sweaty) 🤮

It seems to at least be a decent size as well but it's hard to tell from the photo comparisons. I said it in my previous post and I'll say it again, even the figures aren't consistent in their designs and that's all owed to Rachel's lack of character design consistency throughout the series LMAO

Again, I'm not planning on spending my money on this, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little tempted. But that's the ADHD "must hoard all the things" brainworm taking shape as the Vow of Resolve at play, definitely not the Vow of Reason if you catch my drift LMAO

[koukouture]

I will forever think about this now because yeah this applies to an astounding amount of characters in ffxiv whom you could see their friendship with WoL as more of a convenience and how they use WoL as a tool. I think Aymeric is obviously guilty of it (bc of the above image) but I also think to some extent the Crystal Exarch is guilty of this (yeah ik it's not for HIS benefit but he still did kinda use WoL and he would not have taken it well if WoL stopped being a hero)

So many characters that are "friends" with WoL kind of only see them for what they can do. I think to some extent even the Scions are like that. Actually come to think of it, the Scions are the most egregious case of this because WoL is their champion. After we killed Ifrit that solidified WoL as something to be used and thrown at any danger that came at the world.

A lot of characters The Exarch included only know WoL as the hero. For what they can do for everyone else and it makes me insaaaannnneee. Likes yes OBVIOUSLY Exarch/G'raha admires the WoL as a hero and sure he got to know us for a time- but he just thinks that we are the hero from the books. WoL is inspiring; they give people hope and they give people the strength to push on but that's all he knows them for. Listen, I'm still on post Shadowbringers, but so far Exarch has done nothing but sing our praises as hero and yeah I'm sure he has good intentions but it's still a little dehumanizing that to him that's all WoL is. Everyone is free to make their WoL's relationships with the other characters whatever the hell they want ofc, but I kinda read a lot of the characters this way just because it's so easy to water down one person for only cherry picked parts of their whole personality. Celebrities are the best example of this but we also to this to the people around us every single day.

I think Aymeric and WoL's relationship has also sort of been put into question with this moment (for me at least) because now I'm thinking "Oh my god, Aymeric did extend his friendship to WoL for either his own gain or for that of Ishgard's" and it's not a rag on him I love Aymeric but he is a politician. I don't doubt he admires WoL for all they've done for Ishgard, but I also don't think that if Aymeric hadn't pushed us we wouldn't have ended the Dragonsong war. I wouldn't say he manipulated us, but he didn't exactly have any qualms about making us battle on the Steps of Faith for Ishgard- yk, the closed off nation that's pretty hostile to outsiders- despite not knowing us for super long at that point. He thought that we could get it done and was like "Sure. You can fight for my country" and yeah I think Alphinaud's handling of the whole thing was also to blame- but Aymeric being okay with letting an outsider deal with things that should be handled by the Temple Knights is kinda sus to me now lmao. Like you are in charge of Ishgard's military shouldn't YOU have dealt with this???? Okay lol.

Listen, obviously I still love Aymeric and Exarch/G'raha but I think the potential that they only see WoL for their deeds is great and would make for an interesting hurdle to get over in a relationship. Actually, you can literally just slap this onto almost any character you want to ship with your WoL and it will be an interesting point of tension. The possibility that they only love WoL for being the hero and not in spite of it.

Anyways I need to thibk about this more bc I just finished the little Elidibus plot of Shadowbringers which is sort of about how heroes are remembered and how history can easily twisted and/or forgotten so uh yeah. I have lots of thoughts and I am very normal.

[xenodile]

Alphinaud and Alisaie are my favorite characters in FFXIV and I ship them both with my WoL but I do not trust anyone else that does the same because they invariably get it Wrong. I've only seen one person on twitter that really Gets It.

Alphinaud is a petty, selfish prick that came to Eorzea with a messiah complex because his grandpa saved Eorzea five years ago and now Alphinaud wants to prove himself by doing the same. He's got a massive ego because he was the youngest and smartest kid in school but didn't actually have any friends because his male peers couldn't stand how much a smug arrogant control freak he was, while his female peers just fawned over a cute boy that was trying so very hard to prove how smart and mature he was, so he has no idea of how to actually view other people as equals, and it only gets worse when he actually succeeds at saving Eorzea with that self-important mindset. The only person he actually has any respect for is his sister, and even to her he's an arrogant control freak.

He has a grudge against Minfilia because she's the actual leader of the Scions and inheritor of Louisoix's staff and legacy, which Alphinaud feels belong to him as Louisoix's grandson, and he makes no effort to hide that contempt by controlling the Warrior of Light, working independently of the other Scions, telling her how to run the organization, and ultimately forming the Crystal Braves to replace the Scions.

His relationship with the Warrior of Light is one that starts as manipulation, he needs a pawn to set his plans in motion, so he waits until the Warrior of Light is isolated and without guidance to step in and introduce himself as the brilliant leader that will save the day and outlines how everything will be fine if they listen to him. In the course of this he develops a fondness for the Warrior of Light, but not really as a person, more a favored tool or a pet. He sees them as his property and is more than happy to rub the WoL's willingness to listen to him in Minfilia's face.

This all changes at the Bloody Banquet, when the Crystal Braves are seized by Lolorito, Raubhan is maimed, Nanamo is "assassinated", those loyal to Alphinaud are killed, and the Scions are framed for it all. Having his perfectly laid plan that he shamelessly copied from his grandfather fall apart overnight and having a tremendous amount of blood dumped on his hands is a severe wake up call. It forces him to acknowledge that he was playing with people's lives as though they were disposable, including those that trusted and wholeheartedly believed in him. He also meets Estinien, who doesn't respect his noble heritage, who doesn't immediately listen to every little thing he says, but is nonetheless willing to help him try and fix things. It changes how Alphinaud views other people and makes him start actually respecting others, as well as makes him second guess his own brilliance because his plan was not as perfect as he thought, and a lot of people got hurt because of it.

Alphinaud has the classic arc of pride going before the fall, and his recovery from that self-righteous worldview that lead to it happening, and his relationship with the Warrior of Light becoming one of mutual respect after initially seeing them as a tool. And this extends to all people, as he sees the cost of war, of how the actions of those that believe themselves righteous, wise, or justified costs the lives of innocent people, Alphinaud becomes more of a humanitarian, valuing each and every person sometimes more than he values himself. He's characterized by the regret he feels for his selfishness and spends the entire rest of the story trying to atone for it.

Alisaie, by contrast, is a stubborn, asocial bitch with a chip on her shoulder who came to Eorzea to see what's so special about it that the one person she truly respected and admired went and killed himself for it, only to be disappointed. Growing up with Alphinaud means Alisaie has a very deep set inferiority complex. No matter what she does she'll always be comparing herself to her perfect, top of the class, most popular* boy in school twin brother. She similarly had no friends but it was because she was so busy pushing herself to keep up with Alphinaud that she neglected all social interaction, made worse by the fact she she's a lesbian that kept getting hit on by older girls because they thought she was her brother, only for them to then be disappointed she's actually just Alphinaud's sister. The only person that doesn't treat her as second banana and respects her as an individual is her grandpa, so she's understandably distraught when he leaves home when she's 11 years old and dies a few months later in a foreign country. It would be hard for her not to start feeling like there's no reason to live.

When Alisaie arrives in Eorzea, she's already very misanthropic. She wants someone to blame for Louisoix's death and is holding the greater populace of Eorzea responsible, so when the combined populations of three nations aren't shining beacons of moral purity and enlightenment, she feels pretty justified in hating the world and resenting her grandfather for abandoning her in favor of a bunch of savages. She still wants to believe in him of course, she's still grieving and wants to find some meaning or closure for the death of the one person that made her feel like she was worth anything, so she delves into the Binding Coils.

It's here when we start seeing the cracks in Alisaie's worldview. She's so fixated on Louisoix and his loss, and so deep in her own self-loathing, that she's blind to the good in the world. She doesn't recognize that there are people that really do like her and care for her, because in her self-doubt and isolation, she convinced herself that her grandpa was the only person that even knew she existed. Urianger gets the WoL to go after Alisaie, and Alphinaud pulls strings to make sure her investigation goes smoothly because they both care about her. The servants her parents sent with her nearly die trying to help her because they believe in helping her find closure, but she doesn't even remember their names because in her eyes, everyone around her might as well not exist because she thinks they don't see her as a person.

Alisaie's frustration is rooted in helplessness. She couldn't "catch up" to Alphinaud, no matter how hard she tried in school he was always smarter and more well liked. She couldn't stop Louisoix from going to Eorzea, and now he's dead. She wants to find the truth behind the 7th Umbral Calamity, but she can't get past the Allagan defenses without help.

At every step she feels isolated because she's not good enough, not strong enough, there's always someone or something better that renders her efforts meaningless. But once she starts making progress with help, she starts to turn around. She initially begrudges the Warrior of Light just because they're the nearest person when she's frustrated that she needs help, but it quickly gives way because getting answers and actually accomplishing what she wants, even if it's indirectly, is a euphoric feeling when she's spent so much of her life feeling like she can't do anything at all.

Alisaie is given three foils across the story of Binding Coils: the Warrior of Light, Nael van Darnus, and Bahamut.

The WoL is proof of Alisaie's weakness, the hero she has to rely on to actually achieve anything because she herself is powerless, but by the same token, is proof that Alisaie isn't alone. The fact she has someone willing to help her, who is in turn evidence of other people willing to help her, shows that her doubt and lack of confidence are self-imposed and she's capable of more than she believes. The Warrior of Light inspires her and gives her something she wants to become, the person that CAN make changes and in turn help others, moving her away from the selfish focus on her brother being adored by others,

Nael van Darnus is initially framed as the one responsible for Louisoix's death, leader of the XIVth legion that invaded Eorzea, the one that started the Meteor Project, and Alisaie is set to hate him. But then it's revealed that Nael is actually his unnamed, unknown twin sister, who carried on her brother's legacy after he died to bring forth the Meteor Project and both her Bahamut's puppets the entire time, showing they too were powerless in spite of all they did. This is obviously reflecting how Alisaie herself ended up isolated and alone as she pushed herself to try and match her idealized idea of Alphinaud's competence and talent, and how self-destructive that kind of idolization of a loved one is. (Which in turn also plays into Alphinaud mimicking Louisoix in the main story)

And finally is Bahamut himself, the dreadwyrm, the elder primal. Unilaterally the single strongest entity in the world, if not the game as a whole, who spent the past several millennia trapped in a cage incapable of acting until he broke free in a single moment of rage and grief. This is the final step in changing Alisaie's worldview, as she sees even the most powerful entity in existence can also be helpless, unable to do anything to protect what it loves, letting hatred and resentment brew in its heart until it's blind to everything around it, just like Alisaie herself was in the wake of Louisoix's death.

The expedition forces Alisaie to understand that strength and agency are not the same thing, and power does not guarantee success or prevent failure. She understands that value in reaching out to others when she feels weak or alone, and how she in turn can be there when others need that help.

But that's not the end of the road for her development. While she takes what she learned in Binding Coils to heart, she still develops a bit of a fixation on the Warrior of Light as the hero that allowed her to come to this revelation and gave her the closure she needed, and she starts to think of them as invincible. They become the new goal she aspires to chase, like she used to chase Alphinaud to be recognized and adored like he was, now she wants to stand on equal footing to the Warrior of Light and be recognized by them. However, Stormblood and Shadowbringers both give her pretty harsh wake up calls that the Warrior of Light is in fact, not invincible. She's reminded of Bahamut's helplessness when her hero in turn stumbles and must rely on her and the other Scions in their moments of weakness. Her goal shifts away from wanting the WoL's recognition for her strength, but to be someone they can always look to for support and be capable of providing it, because Alisaie knows she can always look to the WoL for support.

And the reason I type all this out, when I feel the need to explain it all in such exacting detail, is because I see so many depictions of them that just don't get it. Depictions that reduce them to stupid kids with no emotional depth, that write them off as innocent and naive with no capacity for wrong doing. That simplify them to "hot headed fight girl with a crush on the main character" and "kind hearted fancy lad with no common sense" with no understanding or even acknowledgement of their development and the nuance of their stories.

Which is why I just don't trust anyone else with them, except that one person on twitter that remembers that Alphinaud was like one more win away from becoming a RPG villain in his own right.

[that1nkyone]

For the Send Me A Character prompt: Alphinaud Leveilleur?

First impression: This guy seems like he's got good intentions, but man he seems like a stuck-up smartass. I'm sure they'll give me more backstory for him, but right now I'm like 'why are you in charge?'

Impression now This is my son. This is my little bro. He's a smart and resourceful cookie. He is a nerd and dumbass. He wants to do right by everyone and isn't naive about it anymore. I will protect him with my life. I wonder what new challenges he'll get in the future?

Favorite moment It's a tie between him throwing himself into the sea, and him rounding up the Eulmoreans and helping them with the expectation that the help won't last long-term - and then the citizens deciding that they do want to do better, and his reaction to that. I'm sure there's many more that don't come to mind right now.

Idea for a story ..... Phoenix!Leveilleur twins, a la the Dominants in XVI or some kinda aether shenanigans - OR the twins get pulled into a Hildibrandt questline and are the horrified witnesses alongside a WoL who is now Genre Savvy enough to know what to expect. In a more general take, anything to do with his character arc in Heavensward, and how he transitions from seeing the WoL as a chess piece in his grand benevolent scheme to a person he ends up looking up to.

Unpopular opinion I don't think he needs Pictomancer in his arsenal. He just had a job change, let Krile shine some more. Also, I think he's permitted to forgive his father if he wants to make that work. (The WoL can be Mad in his Stead. <3)

Favorite relationship I don't ship him with anyone, but I do enjoy his rapport with Alisaie and Krile. They don't let him live anything down. And of course the WoL. (EDIT: I FORGOT ARENVALD LET THEM HANG OUT AGAIN)

Favorite headcanon He will collapse at a Drop of alcohol. This isn't even because he's 16, I think even when he's an adult he will have the constitution of a wet leaf.

[anneapocalypse]

14 and 20 for that ship meme!

14. Opinion on the importance of marriage?

It completely depends on the ship. I don't think every character would or should get married no matter how in love they are, or maybe they would get married under certain circumstances but not others. And for others, maybe marriage is extremely important!

(Spoilers for Red vs. Blue, Dragon Age Origins, and FFXIV: Heavensward ahead.)

I don't see Agent Carolina from Red vs. Blue, for example, as the marrying kind, and in my Mainelinaverse marriage is never going to be a thing. However I actually make an exception for Kimbalina, not just because I think it's something Kimball would want but because the institution of marriage even being a thing again is a sign of Chorus rebuilding and being A Society again. I still think it would take Carolina a good few years on Chorus to get comfy with the idea. But I do like the idea that she and Kimball eventually get married.

My Dragon Age OC Ilana Tabris never wants to get married and never does. She and Zevran spend the rest of their days happily and polyamorously in love and never marry. My other Tabris, Talith, is excited to get married and devastated at what happens on her first wedding day, and twelve years later marries Orlesian refugee Briala to offer her political protection and only after the wedding bells do they fall in love!

And as for Ariane in FFXIV... I do think marriage is something she's open to, though not something she'd rush into, and I think it is in her future with Urianger post-Dawntrail. (Fun/sad fact: Count Edmont tells her after Haurchefant's death that he was planning on proposing to her, which leaves her with even more heartbreak and messy feelings about what could have been--she totally would have said yes, but also never would have really fit in in Ishgard.) I think with Urianger the way it eventually comes up is probably that Ariane asks him if he'd ever want a kid (the answer's yes), and that discussion segues into "Do we want to get married?"

20. Who’s the ship’s biggest in-universe supporter?

Hah, that's a good question! Thancred and even Y'shtola both give them a nudge a certain point, but it's more in a "can you two get your shit together" kind of way. Alphinaud is weird about it at first because he's kind of had a crush on Ariane in that way teenagers do even though he knew it was absolutely never happening because he's too young for her. Alisaie is just kind of "Good for them" about it.

I'd actually have to say the biggest supporter is Ryne! (And I'm going to be so self-indulgent here and share a few snippets from a WIP because I feel like it.) Urianger has become like family to her, and he talked about Ariane so much during those three years, Ryne almost felt like she knew her too.

Minfilia had never met Ariane, but she had been hearing of her, ever since Thancred came and took her from Eulmore. It was Thancred who first told her of Ariane, the Warrior of Light. Not the ones who had brought on the Flood, but a Warrior of Light of a distant star, both like this world and different. He told her of other companions too, a group called the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and of the one who once led them: Minfilia. The first Minfilia. His Minfilia, he called her. Then she met Urianger, who lived with the pixies. He spoke often of Ariane, calling her a "dear friend." One day, he said, she too would be brought to the First, and when she did, things would get better. Ariane was kind, Urianger said, and caring, and clever, and a skilled healer in multiple disciplines; in fact it was in part she who had inspired him to take up astrology, even in a world with no night. "Ariane sounds wonderful," she said to Thancred once, and Thancred let out a sort of laugh. "She's… quite lovely," he said, sounding as though there was something he wasn't saying. Minfilia had come to know the sound of that. "Though I dare say she sounds especially lovely when Urianger speaks of her." "What do you mean?" Minfilia asked, instantly curious. "Oh, nothing," Thancred said with a short laugh. "He's very fond of her, is all."

Ryne is very quick to notice that Urianger's fondness for Ariane is not one-sided, and she bonds with Ariane quickly too when she arrives, both because she's heard so much about her and because Ariane reaches out and treats her kindly and is clearly trying to get to know her as a person, not just as the Oracle of Light.

So when she realizes they aren't spending time together anymore after the First is saved... it really shakes her. It's like realizing something's wrong between two family members that you love dearly.

He was with Ryne at her astronomy lessons when the girl looked up suddenly, and said, “I haven’t seen you with Ariane very much lately.” “Ah…” he said, considering how to reply. 'Twould be fruitless to deny it; Ryne was an observant child. “’Tis true, we have seen little of one another of late.” He had meant to keep his voice light, but Ryne looked at him with an expression of some alarm. “You haven’t quarreled, have you?” “Nay,” he was quick to assure her, then added, “…not precisely. If we have been distant, the fault is mine.” “But you’ll be all right, won’t you?” Ryne pressed. “You’ll work it out? The two of you care so much for each other.” Urianger was at a loss as to how to reply. He longed to assuage the girl’s worries, and yet he could little assure of her of that of which he was himself uncertain. He reminded himself that Ryne could handle the truth—nay, deserved it. (As had Ariane. Had he only found a way to share it with her, without risking everything.) “Ariane hath asked time to herself,” he said at last. “There are times when another may ask the gift of our absence, and if we care for them, we must grant it. She shall return when she is ready… and until then, I shall respect her wishes.” Ryne nodded. “I see…” and Urianger could tell that it still troubled her. Nevertheless, she said no more.

[faelune-home]

FFXIVWrite 2024 #2: Horizon

(A/n: Last year I did some writings focused on my second character settling into a study position with the Students in Sharlayan, and her getting to meet the Scions one on one and take her own measure of them.

At the time I didn't get the chance to properly write a piece with Estinien, so despite it being a year later, I finally have one! The prompt idea came from remembering Estinien finishing off the endw patches saying he’d just sail straight west and land wherever, and reminded me of general sailing idea of just heading for the horizon.

I meant to edit and post my Yuri focused mini series writings from last year onto Ao3, but in the end, I forgot to do that, but maybe I can do it now with this piece to cap it off now all the Scions have been met. I'll have to see once the month is done.

I do still need to think as well about how I want to integrate Yuri into Dawntrail with the Scions group...she hasn't even finished the endw patches >.>

Word count: 1063)

The final Scion Yuri had yet to meet properly, and yet it seemed in a way she already knew him. At least in passing.

His reputation preceded him - a bizarre vagabond that was known to linger around Kugane some time ago, picking up work and travelling around to the various islands dotting the Ruby Seas and the coastline of mainland Hingashi taking out bandit groups or dangerous monsters. His payment mostly taken in food and lodging, and concessions for the small dragonet in his company, any actual coin often left to the less fortunate clients.

Yuri’s time working in Kugane and building up some experience and money was brief, and she hadn’t quite crossed paths with this freelancer, but she’d certainly heard of him. It didn’t surprise her much when Fhara or the young twins shared tales of Estinien that matched up with the stories she knew.

And so, she already knew one way to break the ice between them.

She found him looking over the shipping schedules by the harbour, mumbling about how it mostly seemed to be set for Limsa Lominsa or Thavnair. A brief cough to catch his attention, to which she then held out the board of freshly grilled squid, prepped onto skewers for easy eating. He took the board, though he wore an obviously suspicious expression.

“Did someone put you up to this?” he asked, not yet moving to take one.

“I did myself. Fhara’s made it a point to talk about all her friends, and I’ve had the chance to meet them all by now other than yourself. Properly,” Yuri added at the end, well aware he’s lingered with the group but never quite pitched in unless prompted by someone else - mostly Alphinaud.

“Fair enough. So this is just a conversation starter,” he noted, finally taking up a skewer and biting into it.

“Yes. I knew from the tales in passing back in Kugane that you were fond of them.”

His eyebrow arched, curious.

“You’re from there?”

“Not quite, I’m from the mainland. However I spent some time in Kugane in the care of a shopkeeper, for general life experience building. You became something of a local celebrity with your skills and work efficiency, and your little dragon companion. He was popular with the young children.”

That earned a fond smile from the man. “He’s already back home, enjoying some time with his mother at last. I may pass on the information next time I see him, though I can’t say when that will be.” Yuri glanced back at the departure table, remembering that he’d been looking over the information when she’d arrived.

“You’re planning to leave already? Do you have somewhere in mind?”

“Somewhere new, to my eyes at least. So probably not Kugane any time soon. Mayhap the mainland, though it seems ships there are sparse other than for locals. There’s also the Southern Isles, though most of them are apparently beset by beasts.”

“I wouldn’t imagine you would worry about ornery fauna, you could more than handle it,” Yuri noted, head tilting in curiosity. He was already halfway through the skewer board’s contents, picking up the second to last piece.

“Aye, well it isn’t just about the danger, it’s about the people that may still live there, or those that used to and wouldn’t want outsiders trespassing. I’d clear it out if they asked, but finding them is a different story. Maybe it would be better just to try some other direction then.” He bit down on the squid, pulling it off whole in one swipe.

“Sharlayan doesn’t seem to have many unfamiliar destinations then, mostly common shipping partners,” Yuri said, looking over the board and seeing the same two ports listed over and over, with only a sparse few directed to Kugane, and one for Tuliyollal, though both locations were dated so far into the timetable’s future, it wouldn’t exactly do to wait in Sharlayan for the days to come if one wanted to travel as soon as possible.

“Aye. Mayhap I’ll be better going to Limsa then and seeing her offerings. With all the travelling their pirates do and all the lands they’ve seen, it's a more connected port than anywhere else in the world.”

Yuri blinked, sensing how final his statement sounded.

“You wouldn't leave right now, would you? On such sudden notice?”

“Why not?” he shrugged, “All the better to take advantage of the winds and wherever they may lead.”

Yuri gawked at the man’s casual disregard. “But what of the other Scions, your companions, would you not tell them first? Or would you just leave without them knowing?”

“If they cross my path, then aye, I’d spare a few words. But why put all the weight into a goodbye when we’ll no doubt stay in touch. If they have need of me, they can find me.” He held out the empty serving board to her, keeping the skewers in hand.

“My thanks for the meal. If you’re set on spending more time with Fhara, I’m sure we’ll meet again. That one always has a habit of getting under everyone’s feet, and she has a nose for finding her companions when they’re away from her.”

“So I’ve learned,” Yuri mumbled, “Strangeness keeps strange company.” There wasn’t any malice or frustration in her words, just a sense of quiet acceptance. Even for as brief as she’s known Fhara and her Scions, she’s already gained some measure of the group and their type.

Estinien for his part seemed to smile in agreement. “Think yourself lucky, if she deems you a friend, you know you’ll be well looked after.” Spying a ship coming into the harbour, and scanning the board once more, he nodded.

“That one’s bound for Limsa once it unloaded its cargo and passengers. May as well take it. And if you’re truly so concerned, you can let the Scions know in my stead, though I’m sure none would call ahead to send their well wishes save Alphinaud.”

These Scions had a strange bond indeed. Mostly centred around Fhara, Yuri was noticing, though they had their own curious connections with each other. And as he marched off toward the port, Yuri had to wonder where she would eventually fit.

She ignored the voice in the back of her head asking when she considered it a matter of “when” and not “if”.

[finalfartasy]

I just hope everyone knows if you ship your wols with the two CHILD characters alphinaud and alisaie I am throwing up all over you until you drown in my puke you nasty bitch

[emc2beans]

I may have missed Gwynedd's nameday but I didn't forget about Llewellyn! To celebrate, I am posting Chapter 0 of a fic I'm working on. Sort of a 'what are some of the other characters doing while WoL is busy WoL-ing' with some OC x Canon because I can't help myself.

Join me as I dump further emotional turmoil on some teens and 20-somethings who are already going to be traumatized by the narrative.

***

Chapter 0: Meet the Grufuds

(Takes place post-Heavensward)

The streets of Limsa Lominsa were buzzing with activity, from the stalls of Hawkers Alley down to the docks themselves. At present, Alphinaud was doing his best to keep up with the towering Warrior of Light, Gwynned Grufud, as they sought to fill a list of requests given to them by Tataru. It was mostly things that they would have had a hard time finding in Revenant’s Toll. Additionally, their main reason for venturing to the capital of Vylbrand was the fact that there was an important shipment to pick up from the shipyard. A crate of rare tomes sent from Sharlayan, at Scions’ request, that required an escort back to the Rising Stones. Tataru had informed them that they were scheduled to meet with the captain of this particular vessel at a certain time, but Gwynedd was adamant that they could be there as early as they wanted and would not elaborate as to why she was so certain.

The ship itself was easy to find. It was much larger than the other mercantile vessels and sported a long, pointed prow covered in plates of what was likely pillaged Garlean steel. On the steel was engraved The Hullripper, completing the image of this imposing ship. As Alphinaud expected, the gangplank had not been lowered.

“I believe we are still a bit early.” He wanted to give Gwynedd the benefit of the doubt as she was friendly with many of the crews that frequented the Lominsan docks. 

“Give me a mo’.” Gwynedd smiled and put two fingers to her lips. She blew two short whistles, then waited. From the deck of the ship came a chorus of three shrill whistles, a perfect call and response. A few moments later, the gangplank was lowered and Alphinaud could hear faint giggles coming from on deck. Gwynedd waved him along as she quickly jogged up the gangplank. Alphinaud followed behind, unprepared for what was waiting for them.

“Gwyn’s back, Gwyn’s back!” Five children, the youngest at about six and the oldest looking to be around eleven or twelve, swarmed the woman. 

“Where have you been? Did you really fight a dragon like you said in your letters?” A little miqo’te girl asked as she climbed up Gwynedd’s clothes to reach her shoulder. 

“How did you kill Titan? And Leviathan? Tell me!!!” A slightly older hyur boy bounced excitedly as he shouted his questions, clinging to the leg of Gwynedd’s trousers. 

“Who did you bring with you? Hi!” A floppy-eared viera girl leaned around Gwynedd to wave at Alphinaud. 

“Yes, I did fight a dragon, Nari. I’ll tell ye the stories later, Screech, but I’m here on business.” She pulled the hyuran boy off of her leg and turned to Alphinaud.  “Meet my little siblings. Siblings, meet my friend Alphinaud.” Gwynedd proceeded to introduce the children from oldest to youngest; Matia (viera girl, 11), Cavato (lalafell boy, 10), Syrus a.k.a. Screech (hyur boy, 8), Fiona (elezen girl, 8), and L’nari (miqo’te girl, 6). “Now then, where’s the captain?” Gwynedd asked, looking around the deck. 

“Muu-uumm! Daa-aaadd!! Gwynedd’s home!!!” L’nari shouted, making Gwynedd wince. The doors leading below deck swung open and out stepped two older roegadyn. 

“Gwyn! Gods, lass, how long’s it been since ye left us?” The woman clad in a dark green jacket and tricorn hat hurried over and pulled Gwynedd into a tight hug. 

“Too long, Mum, too long.” She replied, smiling at the pair. The man, Gwynedd’s father, took his turn embracing his eldest daughter and then plucked the little miqo’te from her shoulder. 

“L’nari, wha’ ‘ave I said about climbin’ folks?” He asked the girl as she wriggled her way around to hang onto his back instead. Gwynedd chuckled heartily and put a hand on Alphinaud’s shoulder. 

“Mum, Dad, I’d like you to meet Alphinaud Leveilleur, pretty certain I’ve mentioned him in my letters. Alphinaud, allow me to introduce Captain Angharad Grufud and her first mate Rhodri Grufud, my parents.” She beamed with pride. 

“A pleasure to meet you. Gwynedd has told me much about you.” Alphinaud felt extremely small next to the three towering, muscular roegadyn. Of the two, Gwynedd definitely looked more like her father in both face and stature, being solidly built and sharp-jawed. 

“Aye, and am I to understand that you two are also here for that crate of Sharlayan books? Your brother’s been itching to get at them, Gwyn, should nobody show up to collect.” Angharad smiled. 

“Don’t worry, Alphie, I’ve only got one more sibling on this ship.” Gwynedd said, sensing her companion’s confusion as to just how big this family was. “You and he are about the same age, if memory serves. Come on, I’ll take you to say hello.” She led Alphinaud towards the captain’s quarters at the back of the ship. With no warning, she kicked the doors open and charged inside. “Welly, I’m ba-ack!”

“Wha- hey, Gwyn- ahk! Put me down!” The occupant of the room protested. Alphinaud carefully stopped the swinging doors and entered. Inside, Gwynedd had a younger roegadyn man in a bear hug, fully lifting him off of the ground. Laughing heartily, Gwynedd put her brother down. 

“This is my baby brother, Welly!” She slapped her brother’s back firmly. 

“Llewellyn Grufud, pleasure to meet you.” He offered a handshake and a smile to Alphinaud, who returned the gestures in kind. 

“Alphinaud Leveilleur, and the pleasure is mine.” Alphinaud could definitely see that Llewellyn and Gwynedd were related, but Llewellyn lacked his sister’s roughened edges. He was also much shorter, and built from lean muscle rather than being broad and chiseled from stone like most roegadyn. He had a gentle face, piercing sea-green eyes, an adorably lopsided smile, soft-looking lips… Alphinaud could feel the tips of his ears turning red. Twelve preserve, had he been staring? He pulled his hand back and cleared his throat. 

“Ah, right, you must be here for the books! One moment, please. I’ll go grab them from the hold.” Llewellyn moved towards the door but Gwynedd’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

“I’ll get it, I know what I’m looking for. Why don’t you show Alphinaud all your fancy navigation stuff.” She waved at the map laid out on the center table and the instruments sitting on it, then made a quick exit.

~~~

Llewellyn internally cursed his sister for leaving him awkwardly alone with, and for embarrassing him in front of, someone new (and cute). At least she had suggested discussing something Llewellyn was competent in. He explained the finer points of his modifications of the standard route from Limsa to Kugane, all while Alphinaud listened with rapt attention. His attentive, deep blue eyes followed along as Llewellyn traced the line of the route, the sunlight coming in from the window sparkling through the elezen’s platinum-white hair. Alphinaud asked him a question and Llewellyn was grateful for the distraction. Suddenly, the doors creaked open again. 

“Hope you two didn’t get into any trouble while I was gone.” Gwynedd grinned, the large crate of books tucked under her arm. 

“No, no, Llewellyn was just showing me how he charted the ship’s next course. It was fascinating.” He glanced back at the other teen, a light pink dusting his cheeks. “Perhaps, if you ever find yourself near Mor Dhona, you could come to the Rising Stones and I’ll show you some of the books on astral triangulation we have there.” Alphinaud suggested. “Only if you’re interested, of course.”

“Sure!” Llewellyn reigned in his enthusiasm. “I-I’d like that.” 

“I look forward to it. Until then.” Alphinaud smiled warmly and went back out onto the deck. Gwynedd gave her brother a thumbs-up and followed her companion out, closing the doors behind her. Llewellyn wanted to scream, both at the elated feeling in his chest and at his insufferable sister’s behavior.

~~~

As he unpacked the Sharlayan books, organizing them based on which of his fellow Scions had requested which book, Alphinaud’s mind began to wander. He had never realized just how much family the Warrior of Light had; she had never even mentioned being raised on a ship. It shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it did, as Gwynedd had been protective and nurturing towards him since their first meeting. She likely saw similarities between himself and her brother, Llewellyn. 

Alphinaud recalled his recent introduction to Llewellyn Grufud. The rough, warm skin of hand, his genuine smile and brilliant teal eyes, and on top of that he was very tall. Llewellyn even seemed interested in some of the same things he was and he hoped that they would have the chance to talk again. The sudden, giddy flutter in his chest made Alphinaud pause. He did want to see Llewellyn again, to get to know him better, but was there something else beneath the simple desire for friendship? It wasn’t as if Alphinaud lacked friends, it was just that the Scions were all much older than him and his schoolmates back in Sharlayan were often… behind him in terms of academics and maturity. 

He recalled the times at the Studium where male classmates would mistake him for his sister, the confusion undercut with excitement when they flirted with him. That excitement was something he would always quickly squash down. Not that he thought there was anything wrong with the idea of two men being romantically involved, but he had his family’s reputation and future to think about, something his father had so often impressed the importance of upon him. Sharlayan was not terribly accepting of deviance from the prescribed norms, either. Alphinaud put the book in his hand down with a sigh. 

Even if he was going to allow himself to consider the idea of dating another boy, he was assuming a lot in terms of what Llewellyn was interested in. It was better to hope for a comfortable friendship, like the one Alphinaud had fostered with Arenvald back when the Scions were still at the Waking Sands. He felt a little bit better as he formulated this course of action, firmly ignoring any emotions that would change his course. 

[driftward]

Title: The Flow of Battle Characters: Zoissette Vauban, Y'shtola Rhul, Scions of the Seventh Dawn Summary: The thoughts and feelings of one sorceress as she and her comrades sweep the plains of Paglth'an Notes: YOTP May entry: Mission Fic. Look, I was busy.

The smoke and fire of battle swept around them, and they in turn swept through it nigh effortlessly, as though it were no more than fog parting before a mighty ship, tall and proud and powerful. Cautious, for there was risk in the fog of war, but undaunted, for the skill of its crew were more than measure for the task.

And she knew no ship could sail higher than Zoissette Vauban.

That the work needed to be done was as unpleasant as it was necessary, but despite that, there was a certain thrill to battle that Y’shtola found herself drawn to. The execution of proving the mastery of her skill, the elements coming to her as easy as breathing and scattering the enemy as though they were leaves on the wind. The levin sensation inside of her as she called upon the forces of aether and shaped them into that which would be needed to arrange the battlefield to her desires.

And with the assurance brought by the presence of her Warrior of Light, why, there was no challenge she could not rise to, no enemy force she would not overcome, no stratagem they could not defeat together. It was a joy watching Zoissette in action, whether she served as a dauntless glacier that Y’shtola could stand astride, safe and secure in the protection her shield wall provided, or as a terrible driving blizzard of weaponry and spellwork that Y’shtola could stand in the eye of as they delivered defeat to their enemies.

And defeat was delivered, giving them a moment of respite. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn rallied around Zoissette, and Y’shtola waited patiently alongside the rest as Zoissette eyed the ravine and considered their options.

She came to her conclusions quickly, and turned to the group.

“Thancred, take the twins and head up that ridge. We are covered by cliff wall from the other ridge, so they most likely picked that one to put their ranged capabilities on. Keep them from firing on us.”

Thancred just nodded, as he began to jog in the direction Zoissette was pointing. Alisaie punched a hand into her fist as she moved after him, and Alphinaud began paging through his grimoire for the spells he would need.

“Everyone else, with me. Urianger, back line, provide support. G’raha, forward picket, by my side. I will take the vanguard. We center around Y’shtola.”

Zoissette looked to her, and she nodded in response. “I am to be your magical artillery, then? Very well. I shall show the Telophorai a thing or two they shan’t soon forget.”

With nods all around, they plunged into the ravine.

Zoissette proved to be correct, which was expected. On the ridge above them, Y’shtola could glance archers being stunned by red magicks while Thancred lived up to the namesake of his profession, rushing in and disabling gun emplacements before they could be brought to bear. And she was certain if she looked closely, she could see Alphinaud providing succor through his puissant spell casting, but she paid them no further mind. Each team had a job to do, and hers was to bring down the might of the elements upon their enemies.

The dance began anew. She trusted Zoissette, as she trusted each of them, and that trust would not be betrayed today. She did not flinch when a small group of addled Garlean troopers broke formation to make for her, and Zoissette was there in barely a blink, planting her shield as aetheric wings sprayed out from her like sea spray from the bow of a dreadnought. The enemy broke upon it, and scant moments later, Y’shtola’s spells scattered them. She had learned the hand language from Zoissette, and so she knew the signs as they were made to her, and without hesitation she directed lightning to sweep around as Zoissette and G’raha plunged into another group.

And when they pulled back wordlessly, she pulled back with them, unworried. Urianger covered them, his spells bolstering their defenses and slowing the enemy advance.

Zoissette was stalling. A habit of hers. It drove Alisaie crazy, but Y’shtola found she minded it not at all, for she knew what the woman was doing.

Analyzing.

She continued to throw spells into their enemies, waiting. Looks and subtle hand gestures were exchanged as Zoissette directed the team into positions. Figuring things out. Taking the time to think. And then, Y’shtola spotted it, the subtle shift in Zoissette’s posture.

The puzzle was solved.

“Y’shtola, fall back, target that dragon. Urianger, gravity on that group of soldiers, keep them occupied. G’raha, to its flank,” said Zoissette, even as she charged in shield first, to slam her steel into the face of an enemy.

They did as they were told, quickly and without question. G’raha harried the creature from the side while the Garlean conscripts found themselves confounded by Urianger’s spell works, and Zoissette moved quickly amongst the enemy, keeping them from organizing any effective counter-attack.

For her part, Y’shtola pulled deep on the elements. The battlefield seemed to fade away, as she focused, trusting Zoissette and the others to keep her safe. Aether was threaded before her staff, wisps of fire materializing from the air in strands and being woven into a mighty braid that she grew into a massive fireball high in the air. It swelled so large that it began to wobble on itself, too much energy in too small a space, threatening to become unstable and lash out.

Just before it would have been a moment too long, she released it, and a second sun fell in the ravine, a powerful raging gust of air flowing before its shockwave as static crackled in the air, its fellow astral elements of levin and wind being unable to resist being pulled into existence as well.

Soldiers and dragons and more fell, opening the way to dive deeper into enemy territory, and Zoissette wasted no time in exploiting the opportunity.

“Come to me!” she called out, and they followed.

Y’shtola smiled thickly at herself. The work was unpleasant. The reasons unfortunate. But the opportunity to exercise her mastery thanks to the efforts of puissant allies who knew how to capitalize on her talents, well.

That was its own tiny sublime joy, and she would secret it away. Pleased with herself, she was quick to stay with the group into the next fray and beyond.

It was later, onboard the airship, when each of them were able to take their rest and reflect on the actions of the day. Y’shtola could feel the day’s exertions in the very marrow of her bones, and exhaustion was writ in the forms of her comrades as well.

But she waited by a railing, taking her ease, reflecting, watching as Zoissette went to each of them one by one. A hand to a shoulder here, a murmur of commiseration there. They were all ‘tins in the same skip’, as Zoissette would say, and she looked after them as much, if not more, as they looked after one another. She had shed her awkwardness over the years, and replaced it with an earnest, naked honesty that the others had come to learn to appreciate.

As Y’shtola had.

At last, Zoissette came to her side, leaning against the airship railing and looking outward at a world that was going by swiftly. But she was not watching it, not really.

Y’shtola reached up a hand and touched it to her shoulder, and Zoissette quietly reached up and touched it back.

They had fought side by side. They had been where they were needed. They had worked together for common goal. Another day’s battle won, another struggle yet to come.

But they were here for one another, and for Y’shtola, that was all that mattered just now. And it warmed her to know Zoissette knew that, and felt much the same.

As they shared touch and gentle conversation, Y’shtola knew that tomorrow’s troubles would come all the same. But that, too, they would face together.

[happy-tori-friends]

Please elaborate on your ffxiv au 👀

- 🐑 Anon

its nothing concrete but i just like ffxiv...

some spoilers for everything - including endings shadowbringers and endwalker (everyone should play shadowbringers its so good)

i imagine its like an isekai just for funsies, so dont and did have to adjust to not having their abilities. and also being turned into the ffxiv races. they basically wake up on the cart/boat (i think alphinaud and alisae will be going to limsa via the boat in this au... idk if i'll ever write it but if its something ppl wanna see i am Willing...). tho they all have the echo. technically dungeons are meant to be 4 player but for our intents and purposes we're gonna ignore that. its My AU i get to make the rules

as for jobs... splendont is a marauder/warrior, splendid is a gladiator/paladin, flippy is an arcanist - for jobs he'd be a scholar and fliq would be summoner (tho fliq would also do reaper i think)

idk what the twins would start as but theyd end up switching to rogue/ninja asap, tho lifty would go machinist in heavensward and ive toyed with viper shifty. probably archer for a starting class just for gridania rep. i started at maurader on lifty just for easier access to rogue but that doesnt really matter. rip to splendid who is all alone in ul'dah.

now races... the twins are miqo'te, specifically keepers of the moon (bc thats what i made lifty)... maybe wildwood elezen. and flippy... xaela au ra (im an au ra lover... my main's an au ra and i have a secondary character thats also an au ra who i made to pair with estinien bc i like him was the second option for shipping my main w b4 i went with my beloved g'raha. i was gonna put a picture of my main, honoka miyashiro, here but i forgor. lovingly known as honk.) i was thinking au ra for super bros but i think flippy au ra is better. still not sold on elezen tho. maybe hyur? 23rd the 2nd benchmark comes out maybe i'll make them in that? theyre gonna questioned for their names but... oh well.

ive done arr a few times but ive only played the 2.1+ patches very little (im not done with post endwalker yet either i just started 6.4 but i started levelling reaper after the last trial) so i dont remember Too much (im gonna new game plus some things + i could stream ffxiv lifty's adventures) but i do remember many key moments. i'll put a cut here bc im gonna get into story events

i pulled up to the inn to look at the unending journey. but the openings are basically the same except flippy and dont are working together + the twins are too, and the city-states all send out envoys to each other for funny 'oh hey we all had the same idea lmao' moments and they all get directed to go to investigate sastasha (not b4 the twins take up rogue, getting disappointed when they realize they're actually supposed to maintain the code) where they all meet again and everyone is like 'yay thank god you're okay' and of course after copperbell and beating up some dick, all the scions show up and say "hey you're pretty cool join our club :)'

okay i haven't thought too much about story things in main arr + what grand company they join. but. i think if i go the route of different events being focused more on different characters in place of the wol, splendid being the one to be framed for poisoning nanamo might work best bc he does start in ul'dah + being framed like that kinda fucks with him mentally - 'i should've been more diligent, i shouldn't have just picked something up and kept it, how could i have been so blind?' and being considered traitorous + seeing all that happened at the bloody banquet is. well it's... a lot, especially for him (though he probably thinks he should be used to it considering canon htf but in see what develops he did get sick when he saw mime's body. i think. may in fact be misremembering).

splendont holding the twins close to him as they want into ishgard bc its cold and they can barely see through the snow... and the twins thinking 'we've done something good for once, we were celebrated as heroes and this is what we get?'

stormblood i dont have too many thoughts on either but if i go the route of flippy (or well fliqpy really) being the one to be zenos's main rival... i think fliq and zenos would have fun banter. also he would 100% do the reckless thing with yugiri and try to kill him with very little plan.

i think when there's split paths they do split up (aka at the beginning of expansions where there's different quest chains to start with) but thats all i've really thought about so far regarding some beginnings... i do know that i want splendont and the twins to be the ones to go to amh araeng bc them witnessing tesleen would be - that is if i even end up having flippy and splendid in shadowbringers bc they might stay back to help tataru and stuff... but having did there would make it a bit more painful so i dont know. splendont is considered the shard of azem here, (dont ask how if its an isekai its just how things seem to be rolling) and the one feo ul bonds with so it all ends up working out. also the exarch barely managing to bring all 3 (or 5) over when he finally gets it right is funny.

back on the subject of them having seen tesleen transform, it genuinely freaked them the fuck out and fearing it could happen to dont, lifty and shifty probably beg splendont to let them dispell some of the lightwardens' aether especially when y'shtola mistakes him for a sin eater and after qitana ravel where y'shtola is sure it is being absorbed and tells him to inform her of any side effects. but splendont says 'Absolutely Not. i can deal with it i'm not letting Anything happen to you.'

after malikh's well when he starts having pain and getting sick they beg him again, but he again puts his foot down. they fight about it, and the twins spend the night in a different room in pendants (they cant see ardbert anyways and have just thought splendont was seeing things).

things are tense throughout kholusia, and its very clear that lifty and shifty are afraid of what will happen when they kill the final lightwarden. then their fears are proven true when innocence is killed and splendont starts to turn because he cant contain the light and the sky they worked so hard to bring night back to reverts to the eternal day.

and despite the tension, despite the pain, he looks at them and says 'i promise... i'll be fine. i didn't want this to happen to you.'

'you fucking moron, this wouldn't have happened... if we shared the light,' shifty retorts but he and lifty are too afraid to get close, especially with urianger being weird. and all this time theyve gone with this in hopes of finding a way home, and now they might lose splendont and it feels like they'll never get home.

there's a lot of emotions going on with the exarch reveal bc they also dont want him to sacrifice himself just for splendont either but theres no other choice is there and then emet-selch comes in and that little bit of hope is dashed. and though ryne delays the inevitable it is still, at that moment, inevitable. they do their best to help the scions look for a way to save him but it's very clear that they're pessimistic, heartbroken. afraid that it's true that everyone they hold dear to them is destined to be taken away. if theyd fought harder, if they could have been more convincing...

i have more thoughts about shadowbringers (mostly with the twins being afraid splendont is taking up emet's offer) but i'll skip to the end so if i do write it i dont end up spoiling everything. but after ardbert fuses with splendont, lifty and shifty join him to fight hades alongside whoever else the exarch summoned... and when all is said and done and it's revealed that splendont is no longer being corrupted by the light, after they return to the source and have reported to tataru and krile, and they take a moment to breathe... they plead with him to let them bear some of his burdens, just as they let him do. even if it's for their sake, neither of them want him to do anything like that ever again, and they make him promise. they all cry about it, even dont, because Fuck that was probably so stressful. he does tell them what happened with ardbert though.

endwalker... endwalker. ultima thule in particular. while fliq would be the one to fight zenos at the end if i go the 'everyone has a part to play', and probably the one that gets posessed in 'in from the cold' i think i want dont to be the last one standing in ultima thule and extend it a little bit, in particular so lifty and shifty can sacrifice themselves for him. and at the very end when they are alone again he tells them not to scare him like that again. lifty responds with. 'it was like that for us too. that's why we made that promise. your burden was to go forward, and we helped you bear it.'

'we came back anyways,' shifty adds, but he 100% expected to just. be dead forever. theres a lot of crying again. ffxiv makes me emotional so it makes the characters emotional.

also in elpis splendont being like 'i am a familiar of azem.' and shifty confidently goes 'yeah and we're his familiars' and lifty facepalms. 'thats absolutely not how it works, shifty.'

of course none of this is fully set in stone. flippy and splendid might not even be included at all bc a lot of my thoughts are mostly dont lifty and shifty save for zenos n fliq (if i go this route, one of the twins would be made a pugilist and start in ul'dah) bc i dont have many ideas for the twins to have wol major moments other than thinking about them being framed for poisoning nanamo instead of splendid. this also got really long... i'm gonna have to do this arent i? ffxiv au yes or no poll when.

[plounce]

as someone whos played ffxiv for almost 8 years now i gotta say its SO exciting to see youve started playing. i really enjoy seeing you talking about trc and kurofai (unfortunately i know absolutely nothing about xmen so it goes right over my head) and so im excited to see any thoughts you have about the ffxiv story and characters!

HEEHEEHEE. most of my ffxivposting has been in a thread on my twt priv, but after the recent botslaughter im gonna try and move it over here.

im at the beginning of stormblood. here are my thoughts:

as i said previously, in ARR i was very meh on alphinaud. i have a grudge against his ARR va (due to critical role), i was like "WHY are we starting a PARAMILITARY ORG", and i was kind of like hey. im playing a 6ft tall elf lady with a huge axe. you fancy little twerp dont boss me around. the end of ARR was soooo crazy and good though, really kicked the plot into gear for me, and those cutscenes were like WHOA!! OMG THE GUY FROM THE BEGINNING CUTSCENE... and in heavensward he became my little boy. because he basically reversed all the things i didnt really like about him. new VA. constant regret and shame about the crystal braves. and everyone was like awww hahaha youre a nice little boy. and he is. he is a boy. and he's polite. and he got a new outfit that covered his midriff, which i appreciated.

minfillia... im sorry. her VA was so insanely bad. and i never really DID anything with her that made me feel attached to her. she felt very bland and generic. i was like okay cool 👍 see ya. i also think her outfit was so blaaaahhhh like it gave me girl next door final fantasy character, NOT leader of an NGO, which would have been more appealing to me.

y'shtola: one of my mutuals is constantly posting her very cute WoL/yshtola fanart and i thought i would like a bit more than i presently do... i like her! i just feel like she hasnt gotten to do very much that isnt going "hmm.. aether." i think it's delightful that she shares a VA with sera from dragon age. bitches with bangs 4 lesbians

urianger: when i first saw urianger i was aghast. i was like. PEOPLE ARE HORNY FOR THAT THING? but now that ive seen more of his shb/edw outfit im like aha i see. you have gender. you're either like "do not perceiveth me" or "dripping with gold in a lightweight backless gown". i really enjoyed his undercover outfit with the WoD. i don't think he did anything wrong. he was like "yeah i did lie to everyone and help manipulate events to send minfilia to a different data center. i feel absolutely awful about it, i wish my trolley problem principles had not made me deceiveth thou all, i am a horrible villain, pray do not feel compelled to forgive me" and i was like nah youre good 👍 like she isnt DEAD. plus he always tried to help me a little bit when he could. i like his funny voice. i like how in ARR he was voiced by fenris dragonage. take those goggles and hood off again mx tism

tataru: if lalafells didn't look like that. i would be shipping my WoL with her. i think she is so cute and fun and a delight. she is a joy. my girl JUGGLES!!!!! she makes OUTFITS!!!!!!!!! she has A KETTLE WITH A FANCY NAME!!!!!!!!!! and she works so hard. im so glad she got to come with us to ishgard. she is my joy. my light...

thancred: i have heard tell that he really leaves behind his initial lothario characterization, and i really have not seen it in forever, which made ARR thancred perfectly fine to me. i was prepared for him to be much more egregious. i wish i knew him a bit better before he got possessed. i was like oh okay! yeah i guess i havent seen him in a while. which made me sad because i love possession storylines i think they are so juicy. his ponytail and rattee (like a ratstache but a goatee) are funny to me. thancred nakey images were funny. there was a moment towards the end of hvw when he came back and i talked to him in ishgard between convos with nobles and he said stuff that was very commiserating and i was like okay i have decided you and my WoL are complaining friends. sipping the haterade together. i think he's like 5'7". like with alphinaud, the character development in this game has really surprised me with how effective it feels. i look forward to seeing him grimly yet compassionately fail forward even more. and to be a single dad. aforementioned mutual (who i know through klapollo) is into thancred/urianger so im also looking forward to confining them into the yaoi compartment

cid: HE IS MY FRIEND :) i love how he's a short king. i like how he was simply like "fascism and imperialism are bad. i am going to go fight against it by building big airships :)" no qualms no struggle just knew what was right and went and did it. he's like a gay older coworker who you go out for drinks with sometimes and invites you to barbeques. i enjoy him and nero's turbodivorce saga.

alisaie: i completely forgot to do all the bahamut raids in ARR so when she showed up post-hvw i was like oh it's time for the girltwin! and she was like "oh we've worked together already :)" and i was like oh god. we only had one conversation. oops. so far i think she's a delight. i have heard that she's a bit of a lesbo. good for her. love that she gets a sword and she gets to be the mean one of the two twins. i cant wait for her little red jacket. looking forward to more >:)

krile: have not seen much of her so far but i LOVE how she has a cloak with cat ears, so cute. LOVE how she teases alphinaud. im like yes... shared character history... quite fun...

ysayle: I LOVE YOU DRAGON ELSAGARD I LOVE YOUUUUUU BIIIIIIIIITCH... I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU. i love her style. i love her political convictions. i love her gap moe with the moogles. i think my WoL had a crush on her. i think it's messed up that during the scene where the WoL and alphinaud are prying the eyes off of estinien, she touches alphinaud's hand. she should be touching MY HAND!!!!!!!!!!!! all love to haurchefaunt but I BONDED WITH HER.

estinien: i know many people like estinien. every time he spoke a word at ysayle i felt like a barking like her guard dog. DONT YOU SPEAK TO MY GIRL IN THAT TONE YOU BROODYBOY SMELLMAN. SHUT UP. i assume he softens up now that he is retired from All That. i thought his relationship with alphinaud was very sweet - i liked when he taught alphinaud how to gather firewood. i think my WoL only tolerates estinien because alphinaud is so attached.

haurchefant: i was still barely reading dialogue in ARR when he was introduced. so he showed up and was like OMG HI AGAIN BESTIE!!!!!! and i was like oh! that man! one of my friends is gaymarried to him so he's like my gay brother-in-law. i am a lesbian and my WoL is also a lesbian so we were hagging/tyking (dyke tyke) out with each other. the facial animation on the WoL when he croaks was astoundingly good. i call him horsey

aymeric: well he certainly is competent, principled, and nice. one of the more handsome elezen men in the game. i know he's implied playersexual so i really need him to stop inviting me to dinner because i have had conversations with dude friends like that before and it is so painfully awkward. i think it is great that he committed fratricide AND popecide. wahoo!

lyse: i really enjoyed yda. yknow. i thought she was such a fun cockney karate bimbo. i didn't know she was lyse. i've heard about lyse. and how she is conspicuously the only blonde blue-eyed ala mhigan. and how she is a source of some of the collar-tugging politics in stormblood. sigh. so. i am now burdened with her.

raubahn: I LOVE RAUBAHNNNNNNNNNN I LOVE HIMMMM i love how he has a small adult son. i love how he is trying so hard. i love how he is so righteous and hardworking. the misery lolorito and ilberd put him through during hvw made me so mad on his behalf. when lolorito was like "oh, how we laughed at how upset you were!" i was like RAUBAHN. HE IS THE PERFECT HEIGHT FOR YOU TO JUST PUNT ACROSS THE TOWN SQUARE. PUNT HIM RAUBAHN. YOU DESERVE IT. and i love a one-armed king. kurogane swag

lucia: i think she is cool and fun. hahaha dont potentially be in love with aymeric queen youre so hot and cool and butch

matoya: SHE'S SO COOL. I LOVE HER DESIGN. HER VOICE ACTING. AND HER RUDENESS. AND OF COURSE THE FROGS

moenbryda: i thought she was so fun and cool. i was like cool!! new character!! big funny woman i love it!! and then near bluefog she dished about her childhood a little and i was like... is that a deathflag. and it was :(

okay thats all the npcs i can think to have anything to say about.

i was pleasantly surprised by the way that lalafells are not the lolibait/shotabait i had grimly prepared for them to be. they are just short funny guys for the most part. moving past that, i then got slammed into by the giant brick that says "BEAST TRIBES". i heard that the new writer has made their writing a lot better (apparently the alliance leaders acknowledge that they have been basically been doing genocide on these sentient beings, which is helping me push forward through stuff)! i do their quests really regularly because i like helping them out. i would really love to see someone with more expertise on the subject write about the presentation of indigenous peoples in ffxiv, because i think that there is a lot going on that is vital to critically inspect.

i have to go eat dinner now. but i will try to post more thoughts on here as i have them >:)

[glitchy-npc]

B, K and U from the fandom asks?

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

This ones tough, I adore crackships and I'm easily influenced. So as far as canon ships I can't think of any I was blindsided by. I am pleasantly surprised how well Tegan gets along with other, sometimes very different Sidesteps tho.

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

I don't play FFXIV anymore but Alphinaud's journey from being young and arrogant, to a leader that makes mistakes, to a young man humbled by life but never broken by it will always be one of my favorites. He goes thru so much growth between expansions.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Isabela - Dragon Age. She's a hot as hell pirate so that would have been enough on its own but she's also an extremely competent badass with a deep empathy for all people and their right to freedom. What's not to love?

Ortega - Fallen Hero. They're a lying liar who lies and a caring carer who cares. -slaps the top of their head- you can fit so much love and secrets in this bad boy. I want to put them in a jar and study them.

Leonard "Bones" Mccoy - Star Trek. He's a grouch so I automatically love him but he's also deeply passionate about his role as a doctor. His care for all people is always forefront in his mind but he's also a badass. Him staring down Khan and ever so politely informing him the best way to kill him while a scalpel is held to his throat is seared into my brain forever.

Thanks for the ask!

[sie-sharp]

*cocks the gun* a #21 PLEASE. ( from @tsunael )

Ha, no fair, you have insider info! You just want me to mention him.

in any/all verses, with any/all ships, have your character/s speak about that ship's intimate & sexual dynamic, and how they feel about it.

Oyuun (current MSQ progress - end of 2.4): "What did you want to ask me about Urianger? ...shhhhh! Keep your voice down!" Her face flushes a bit red as her eyes dart nervously around the room, seeing if anyone heard the offending question. She pulls her hood up just slightly.

"I don't -- what I mean is, we're just friends. A-and you know, we're both Scions. Even if I were interested, it would be quite unbecoming of the 'champion of Eorzea' to pursue... another scion. And Alphinaud would certainly be displeased if I caused a scandal that sank the Crystal Braves..."

The red on her face deepened, her eyes looking slightly down. "Ahem, not to say Urianger would return my affections in that scenario. There's this rather lovely Sharlayan scholar come to assist us, and she is quite enamored with him. He'd be a fool to deny her." Her brow furrows for just a moment, before relaxing.

"So uh, of course, that means there's no intimacy. But... between me and you, there's been a few times at the Waking Sands that I've wanted to climb under those robes and show him that these lips are good for more than just incantations."

She sighs, then smiles. "Maybe one day. Heh."

[morocosmos]

5, 12, and 22 for Estinien, since we're talkin' about him c:

Character ask game

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' by florence + the machine. it's kind of an estimeric song, kind of a 'post-dragonsong war estinien' song too. the soaring trumpets and flutes in the instrumental bridge feel like free falling.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

We've discussed this already ehehe, i headcanon estinien as aro because of how well it contextualises his approach to love. how much family means to him (giving alphinaud the older sibling treatment within less than a day of knowing the boy, how he came to empathise with nidhogg) why he's so damn awkward and skittish when it comes to aymeric (yet he does love him, very much so). as an aside, i didn't arrive at the headcanon of him being autistic on my own, but i very much agree with it and think it's neat.

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don't like?

Hmmmm in spite of the above, there's a wide array of ships i'll read that involve him! i guess it's because i like seeing the guy put in a new situation and watching how he'll react. any interactions with the scions are fun to read too, especially with urianger and alisaie.

That said, i didn't 'get' estimeric until fairly recently, because a lot of fics i've read about them portray estinien as incapable of loving anyone except aymeric (which, no!! just no), or far too into romance for someone who has to keep his emotions in check lest nidhogg snap his soul up whole. it feels ooc to me when estinien approaches romance without some kind of awkwardness, that's when i start to tune out of a fic.