#kyral castle

[charlizekkelly]

Castles, knights and book signings. This was truly surreal to experience because my little writing dream isn’t a dream, it’s a reality.

[amplexadversary]

Completely self indulgent post but here's one of the post-canon scenarios I have in my head for G Gundam.

Maybe skip this post if you don't like dark themes. Not all of what I've outlined is dark (most of it isn't), but I do cross the line past what appears in the show in regards to DG cells and abduction.

The shuffles all get roped into restoration projects on Earth between the 13th and 14th gundam fights, partially to have something to do alongside their training, partially out of inspiration by the common points of the Kasshus' and Master Asia's goals, and partially because netting their countries some decent publicity is likely to earn them favors during the Gundam Fight's off-years.

Sai is contacted by Kyral about an effort to clear out the infamous buildup of trash and cadavers on Everest; he wants Sai to leverage Neo China's help as something of a reparation kind of deal and Sai goes sure why not.

Sai recruits Argo because Bolt Gundam is built to withstand the cold, and he thinks Argo and Nastasha could help reverse engineer that quality to enable the use of their Gundams as both heavy work equipment and protection from the harsh environmental conditions that normally prevent this kind of operation.

George gets involved because someone he knows has a distant relative who died on the mountain a century ago, and they wanted him to check in with the forensics team on the project. This detail is important because eventually it becomes clear that there is a mystery to solve (that I myself haven't figured out all the details of yet but broadly know the setup and conclusion); DG-infected people are disappearing and not being investigated due to stigma. Our heroes are naturally going to be pissed about this, and will need an "in" with the field if they want to do anything about it.

First massively self-indulgent element: The forensics/body identification team inexplicably includes the real-world author Kathy Reichs, who somehow exists in this universe, and there's a little side bit about her having written a Bones book right before the 12th fight that featured a cooked cadaver found inside a gundam after entry into the Earth's atmosphere. There are a lot of weird coincidences in the book that parallel the DG incident, which creeps everyone out, but the similarities are merely born of the writer threading the needle of being believable and interesting in a way that became very true to life.

What does become relevant is when the Shuffles eventually meet up, she's able to explain the implications of a bunch of weird shit the fighters discovered (also Marie Louise read her book, and one of the in-universe liberties Reichs took writing about the gundams' black boxes that she explains in the afterword leads to ML realizing something important; that Neo Germany does not have its gundam's remains.)

While the Everest project is happening, Domon, Chibodee, and Allenby all want to continue their training somewhere on Earth, and receive a proposal from (an OC of mine who is) a historic preservationist (and an acquaintance of Allenby's): she has acquired the grounds of an abandoned castle in Europe* after submitting a plan to restore it, and needs to hire people to help with the labor.

*the castle is probably somewhere in Germany because I also want this pitch to have drama over Schwarz (pre-13th fight), Schwarz (Kyoji), and Schwarz (the next guy who was supposed to inherit the mask when the older ninja retired). Also Germany is fucking pretty.

In exchange for the help of the three gundam fighters, they and Rain get paid, plus room and board anywhere on the grounds, plus full access to the grounds and miles of sparsely-inhabited countryside for training purposes, and the privacy and ability to practice with their gundams that comes with being in the middle of fucking nowhere. Rain sets herself up to work a clinic in the next town over as well as practicing pro re nata wilderness medicine (I'm convinced every medic supporting the gundam fight would need to be able to do this.)

The group involved in the Castle project sticks around for a time, makes some good progress, and engage in occasional Shenanigans that come up when you put a bunch of weirdos in a Situation.

They aren't in town a lot save for Rain, but when they are they eventually start to pick up on gossip and news about the Mysterious Disappearances correlated with DG cell infection (as well as details that turn out to be important later). Eventually Rain brings this to Domon and Chibodees' attention and they decide that, yeah, this is tied to the DG, this is their problem, they should convene with the rest of the Shuffle Alliance about it.

Also of course Schwarz is involved because I'm the one writing this; the culprits' DG-tissue harvesting operation relies on having him captured and helpless, using cells from his body to "update" other victims' DG infections to a less aggressive strain. One thing I haven't decided is whether I want a reinstantiated Wong to head this shit, or make up my own morally bankrupt opportunistic asshole looking to twist the DG to their own benefits. I also need to decide where on the planet the center of all this insanity is, and it needs to be a place that isn't going to have any unfortunate implications (because that's a genuine risk with dark story elements)

... That's about as much as I have that is thought-out enough for me to explain. I return to thinking about this scenario a lot because it puts most of the characters way out of their element (and has a bunch of details that appeal to me specifically), and it kind of evolved into an incomplete plot outline that I don't currently have any plans to flesh out.

I think it's an interesting enough direction to go, because it follows through with a lot of the themes present in G, but takes advantage of the genre shift to avoid DBZ-crazy power scaling and adjusts the conflict more to a matter of where the main characters' prowess is most effective (Both in and out of the gundams. I'm assuming there are a ton of guys similar to Michelo's gang that just need fighting interspersed with everything else I described. In fact, kicking Some Group of Douchebags out of their protection racket is probably how team Castle even gets ahold of evidence related to missing persons.)

[tsarisfanfiction]

Fic Rec Bingo

Okie dokie, this is the Fan Rec Bingo - idea courtesy of lightvials on twitter, but I don’t have a twitter that I ever use, so I’m filling it out here instead.  Let’s see if I can fill it all out!

I did, and then some.  To save poor dashboards, it’s all under the cut!  If I know author tumblrs they’ve been mentioned - I know pitifully few so if anyone knows the ones I don’t, let me know so I can mention them, too!

A fic you love without knowing the source material: The Dragon-King’s Temple by Kyral (Stargate SG-1/Avatar the Last Airbender)

Through the spite of the spirits or plain rotten chance, a door that would have been better left untouched has opened. On the other hand, with Fire and Earth as one's allies, sometimes escaping is the easy part. Rated: Gen.  AO3 Archive Warning for Graphic Descriptions of Violence. Characters: Zuko, Toph Beifong, Janet Fraiser, Sam Carter, Jack O’Neill, and more Words: 196311.  Status: Complete

I very rarely read fics without already knowing the canon, but one that I think counts would be a Stargate/ATLA crossover, because I know nothing about Stargate and I have yet to finish ATLA!  This was recommended to me due to the creativity of the author regarding a language barrier (something I always enjoy, and my friend knows that).

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A fic series with a premise that shouldn’t work but it does: Crazy=Genius by blackkat (Bleach/Harry Potter)

Minerva McGonagall isn't about to let Harry go back to the Dursleys after his first year. She finds an alternative, and along the way, Bazzard Black finds that he might have more family left than he'd ever thought. Rated: Teen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Bazz-B, Harry Potter, and more Words: 21682.  Status: Incomplete

Okay, I cheated and picked a series.  Not my fault blackkat decided to make this universe a series of oneshots rather than a single entity and you’re certainly not getting me to only pick one of the five already published ones.  Bazz-B being a Black and also kinda a wizard is a brilliant concept, and having him adopting Harry is pure gold.  Not sure how crazy Quincy adopting poor, neglected Boy Who Lives works, but it does!

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A fic you’ve reread several times: The Guardian (Director’s Cut) by SGTBrowncoat (Naruto)

Itachi Uchiha receives his first mission in ANBU: protecting a certain trouble making Jinchuriki. He bonds quickly with the boy, but dark forces rise to threaten Itachi, Naruto, and those they care for most. Rated: T.  Canon-typical violence Characters: Uchiha Itachi, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Shisui and more (includes Uchiha Itachi/Inuzuka Hana background pairing) Words: 35945.  Status: Complete

Back to my first ever fandom, here, and a really fun non-massacre AU fic, with lots of Itachi and Shisui goodness.  There are a fair few ANBU-looking-after-kid-Naruto fics but this is by far my favourite of them!  There is a sequel, but unfortunately it’s not finished and hasn’t been updated in a long time (I live in hope!)

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A fic you still remember many years later: While The Ring Went South by Thundera Tiger (Lord of the Rings)

What happened after the Fellowship left Rivendell but before they came down off Caradhras? Behold the missing scenes. Rated: K+.  Canon-typical violence Characters: Legolas, Gimli, Aragon, Gandalf, the whole Fellowship Words: 149624.  Status: Complete

I refound this fic completely by accident the other week, after first reading it (according to when I favourited it on FFN) in 2011!  It was just as amazing as I remembered, and is really the standard I hold all other LotR fics to, especially ones that involve the entire, pre-Moria, Fellowship.  It has a sequel but sadly that’s not been updated in some time (but again, I live in hope!)

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A comfort fic: There May Be Some Collateral Damage by metisket (Bleach/Harry Potter)

Ichigo’s been ordered to go undercover at a magic school to bodyguard a kid named Harry Potter, and this would be fine, except that he’s about as good at bodyguarding as he is at magic. And he considers it a good day, magic-wise, if he hasn’t set anything on fire. Rated: Gen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Kurosaki Ichigo, Harry Potter, Weasley Twins, and more. Words: 61209.  Status: Complete

I have no idea what this means by ‘Comfort Fic’ but if I want a laugh and Umbridge getting a pile of comeuppance, this is definitely the fic I’ll turn to.  As the A/N says: ‘sending Ichigo to Hogwarts is basically the same as swinging a wrecking ball directly into the side of the castle’.  Beautiful chaos is what we get.  Beautiful, beautiful chaos.

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A cathartic fic: See You Again by cookietosser (One Piece)

Rocinante has been through a lot in his life. Adding uncontrollable time travel into the mix? That's just the icing on the cake. Rated: Teen.  AO3 Violence and (canon) Character Death Warnings Characters: Donquioxte Rocinante|Cora-san, Trafalgar Law, Heart Pirates Words: 15755.  Status: Complete

You want to rip my heart out and trample it into lots of little pieces while still making it all better because Law and Rocinante?  Well, this little time-traveller’s wife AU fic is just the one for all that.  Sad moments, frustrating moments, happy moments, all wrapped up in this oneshot!

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A fic you’d print and put on your bookshelf: Thrower of the Dart by Vathara (Artemis Fowl/The Avengers)

What might have happened instead of Artemis Fowl book 6, if it'd happened in the Marvel Universe. Megalomaniacs ahoy! Rated: Teen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings Characters: Artemis Fowl II, Tony Stark, and more Words: 101272.  Status: Complete

It’s long, it’s epic, and it would nestle in perfectly at home alongside my Artemis Fowl books on the bookshelf!  It’s not so much a rewrite of book 6 as a complete replacement of it, with a new plot and an all too familiar villain!

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A fic you associate with a song: Goodbye, Brother by Serena Estelle (Bleach)

Ilforte's final moments as I like to picture them-with his brother. Rated: T.  Canonical character death Characters: Szayelaporro Granz, Yylfordt Granz Words: 3073.  Status: Complete

Might be cheating, because the author actually names a song in their starting A/N, but this definitely brings to mind Exile Vilify by The National, and I fully recommend listening to that (on loop - there is a 10-hour loop version on youtube) as you watch this for maximum tear-jerking effect.

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A fic that inspires you: Magic of the Rose Cross by Awensweth (Harry Potter/D.Gray-Man)

In Harry's 4th year the Triwizard Tournament is brought back to live, but the appearance of a fourth mysterious school about which only Dumbledore seems to know brings new secrets with it for everyone. Who are the students of Rose Cross? Rated: Mature.  AO3 Chose Not To Use Warnings Characters: Harry Potter, Allen Walker, and more Words: 66632.  Status: Incomplete

I have been inspired by many, many fics, but I chose this one in particular because it was the main one that inspired me to join the HP/DGM Triwizard Tournament wave of the early 2010s - indeed, The Combat School is one of my most popular fics, but without this and other fics of the trope, I probably would never have written it!  That’s not to say I’ve copied this fic - aside from the base trope I tried my best to make my own work unique against the others, and hope that I succeeded!  Sadly, this fic is incomplete and hasn’t been updated for some time, but it’s still worth a read.

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A fic that brought you on board a new ship:  Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by MsChunks (Boku no Hero Academia)

Uraraka and Bakugo have a secret. It’s not what their classmates think it is. Rated: Teen.  AO3 Chose Not To Use Warnings Characters: Bakugo Katsuki, Uraraka Ochako Words: 182478.  Status: Complete

Putting Bakugo and Uraraka together was something I’d never considered, and I started this fic with some trepidation after a friend recommended it to me, but said friend has never steered me wrong with fics and didn’t start now!  Fake dating, Uraraka actually being badass, the most terrifying couple in class 1-A?  That’s this fic.

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A fic you wish could be a movie: Mission Impossible by Loopstagirl (Thunderbirds)

Being selected for his first solo mission should have been exciting for Captain Scott Tracy of the Air Force. But there was something else at play. Something dangerous and deadly. Something that could cost him more than his life. Rating: T.  Warnings: Violence Characters: Scott Tracy, Gordon Tracy Words: 55048.  Status: Complete

Air Force!Scott?  W.A.S.P.!Gordon?  On a joint mission together?  Yes, gimme, gimme, gimme.  Gimme Scott’s awkwardness alone on a boat of WASP personnel, gimme Gordon’s horror when he realises the suicide mission pilot is his older brother, and now give that all to me on screen!  And we can’t forget the Hood, of course!  Might be a bit higher rating than the current Thunderbirds stuff, but hey, I’m old enough.  Gimme.

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A fic that led to you becoming friends with the author: The Gabriel Project by Aceidia (Bleach)  - @thetwelvecaesars​

When Szayelaporro knew Aizen's reign in Heuco Mundo was coming to a close, he took matters into his own brilliant hands. He reincarnates himself and the other nine Espadas into a new life full of surprising turns and irony. Yet, the harmony and ignorance is not forever as they begin to remember. Rating: M (violence) Characters: Szayelaporro Granz, the Espada Words: 116030.  Status: Complete

Well, this fic sparked off a friendship that’s still very much there, even if neither of us write much for Bleach any more!  What started off as a challenge to identify who the Espada were turned into essay-length PMs about anything and everything, and then RP groups and now random emails about whatever at random times of the day (different timezones don’t help)!

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A fic you’ve gushed about irl: Living Like Kings by CLynnB (Thunderbirds)

The world wants to know more about the Tracy brothers. So Lady Penelope takes it upon herself to show the world just who they are. Through YouTube. Rating: Gen.  AO3 Author Chose Not To Use Warnings Characters: Lady Penelope-Creighton-Ward, Tracy Family (background Pen/Ink, Scayo, Virg/Brains) Words: 35348.  Status: Complete

I love social media fics like this one, and my poor boyfriend got the brunt of it while we were on holiday... he knows basically nothing about Thunderbirds except for what he’s heard from me (which is a lot because he’s amazing and lets me gush).  I mean, Tracy boys playing “The Floor Is Lava?” and tackling each other to the ground?  Gimme.

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A fic you associate with a place: Thunderbirds Meet Thunderbirds - Alan trip in to the movie verse by ak47stylegirl (Thunderbirds) @ak47stylegirl​

Crazy stuff always happens to Tracys, don't they?  Add felling into a different world to the list. Rating: Gen. AO3 No Archive Warnings Characters: Alan Tracy, Tracy Family times two Words: 25599.  Status: Incomplete

This might be a little random, but this fic was one that I found while I was ill on holiday to the Lake District last autumn.  Sadly, it’s the only trip there I’ve ever done where I couldn’t climb a single fell (and my car’s clutch burnt out after having to reverse up a pass... thanks bus coming the other way), and this fic’s updates while I was there kept me sane!  This has actually very loosely inspired a fic of my own which is in the making - which might get posted in the next year if I’m lucky...  Still waiting eagerly for this fic’s next update :D

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A fic that made you gasp out loud: The Colours Of The World by MaiKusakabe (Fullmetal Alchemist/Harry Potter)

When Roy Mustang went to retrieve his eyesight from Truth, he wasn’t expecting to end up doing a job in exchange. It couldn’t even be an easy job, of course, because Edward’s assessment of Truth was a pretty accurate one. Rating: Mature.  AO3 No Archive Warnings (but watch for canon-typical violence) Characters: Roy Mustang, Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, and more Words: 120578.  Status: Incomplete

Badass Roy yesss.  Twists and turns and Truth is a pretentious you-know-what but Voldemort’s even worse so where does that leave poor Roy except caught in the middle and very much a war veteran at this point... much to the horror of a few wizards!

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A fic you found at the right time: Seafaring Heartless: Exit North Blue by Avian Swallow (One Piece)

Pirates may be considered evil by the majority, but Law had met quite a few of the world's navy who were corrupt to the core and putting up a very thick facade. He reasoned that if he was going to manipulate and scheme his way into that goal, at least he was going to be honest enough to admit it. Rating: T.  Canon-typical situations Characters: Trafalgar Law, Bepo, Penguin, Shachi, Heart Pirate OCs Words: 159644.  Status: Complete

Is there ever a ‘wrong time’ to find a fic?  (a 100k+ at 4am debatable, but shh).  When I craved Heart Pirate content, this fic (and its sequel, still in progress but updating) appeared!  Only loosely clings to canon at the moment, thanks to some SBS revelations, but with well developed OCs to fill the faces we have no names or personalities for at the moment!

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A fic that you would read fic of: Only a Boy by Riddle Lee (Harry Potter/Merlin)

Merlin has changed Camelot forever but while that part of his life is complete, destiny has a new task for him. Now he has to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, hide the fact that he's the Merlin, and defeat a Dark Lord that's messing with magic he knows nothing about. Rating: T.  Canon-typical situations Characters: Merlin, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, and more Words: 340998.  Status: Incomplete

An amazing universe with Slytherin!Merlin, no Harry Potter/Boy Who Lived, and the good old ‘hiding real identity’ trope to underpin the whole series.  Currently just into the start of Merlin’s third year at Hogwarts, aka “The Prisoner of Azkaban”.  This universe has so much to give, although Riddle Lee is doing a fantastic job at it.  It’s incomplete and slow to update but does update!

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A fic that made you laugh out loud: HOW’S THE COMA GOING by ossicle (One Piece)

Kidd and Penguin keep trying to murder each other and Law is done with their shit. He assigns them to take care of each other’s injuries so they’ll learn to get along. It doesn’t work. Rating: Teen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings Characters: Eustass Kid, Penguin, Trafalgar Law (background KidLaw) Words: 2062.  Status: Complete

Oh this one had me in stitches basically the whole time.  Kid’s bedside manner should not be mimicked in the slightest, but a beautiful bonding fic in typical pirate fashion - beat ‘em up ‘til they have your approval.  Poor, poor, Law.

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A fic with a line (or two) that you’ve memorised by heart: On Their Side by Gumnut (Thunderbirds) - @gumnut-logic​

She trusted these boys with a great deal. Rating: Teen.  AO3 No Warnings Apply Characters: Colonel Casey, Virgil Tracy, Gordon Tracy Words: 1116.  Status: Complete

I think I have basically the entire thing memorised.  This one also falls into several other categories, most notably ones that made me laugh and ones that I’ve reread several times, but it really belongs here on this list.

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A fic that gave you butterflies: it’s a long way forward so trust in me by aloneintherain (Miraculous Ladybug)

Six times Marinette carried Adrien (plus one time he carried her). Rating: Teen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings Characters: Adrien Agreste|Chat Noir, Marinette Dupain-Cheng|Ladybug (all sides of the love square) Words: 5611.  Status: Complete

Aaah I have a weak spot for strong!Marinette and this fic ticks that box time and time again, with a side of blushing!Adrien and general love-struck Adrien/Chat.  I mean, what more could a girl need?

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A fic that embodies something you value in life: Team Itachi by Killer of thy Cookies (Naruto)

What if the Third Hokage stopped the council before they could order Itachi to commit the Uchiha Clan Massacre? Itachi is one of the village's strongest ninja, and has now been given the task of being a Jonin sensei, assigned to Team 7 with his little brother Sasuke, the 'dead last' Naruto Uzumaki, and fangirl Sakura Haruno. This is Team Itachi. Rating: T.  Canon-typical situations Characters: Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and more Words: 155092.  Status: Complete

(Yup, another non-massacre AU.)  Loyalty.  Honestly, there are so many fics that have loyalty in them, especially in fandoms like Naruto, where loyalty is a pretty big thing anyway (alongside friendship, of course), but this one is Itachi staying openly loyal to the village because Sarutobi actually saved the clan, and of course lovely bonds between the team!

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A favourite AU: A Son By Any Other Name by carryonstarkid (Thunderbirds)

Cursed as a child, Scott Tracy lives a life in which everyone he encounters must follow all of his given commands. Rating: Teen.  AO3 Chose Not To Use Warnings Characters: Scott Tracy, Tracy Brothers, Kayo Kyrano, and more Words: 83429.  Status: Complete

I rarely read AU fics - my preferred sandbox is the canon one, or a nice slice of canon diversion, rather than completely taking characters out of their home and dumping them somewhere entirely new.  This fairytale AU, however - reminding me very much of Sleeping Beauty except instead of sleeping it’s, well, what the summary says - is fantastically well done and addresses the strain such a thing would put on even the closest of family relationships.

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A fic you stayed up too late to finish reading: As N Approaches Infinity by Corisanna (Bleach/Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

Despairing as yet another timeline goes horribly wrong, Homura wanders into Karakura. There she discovers that while the spiritually-aware people of Karakura were distracted by Ichigo Kurosaki and Xcution, Kyubey had managed to contract the Kurosaki sisters as magical girls. Drawing the attention of the shinigami could be just the advantage Homura needs. Rating: Teen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings but watch out for canon-typical situations for both fandoms (especially Madoka) Characters: Akemi Homura, Kurosaki Karin, Kurosaki Yuzu, Urahara Kisuke, and many more Words: 465297.  Status: Incomplete

There are many fanfictions that have kept me up til dawn.  Many.  This one, however, has literally robbed me of all my sleep and I’ve still been unable to finish it in one sitting.  It’s good, the pacing is fantastic, and with Homura as our leading lady, that means those time resets really hit hard when they happen (and they happen.  They really, really, happen).  Might be incomplete, but is still updating - and there’s plenty to keep you occupied in the meantime!

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A fic that made you feel seen: A Seed Once Grown by Darkestwolfx (Thunderbirds) - @darkestwolfx​

Believe it or not, they did have a garden on Tracy Island. It looked a little like a… tip. And that was being kind. Rating: Teen.  AO3 No Archive Warnings Characters: Ned Tedford, Tracy Family Words: 4785.  Status: Complete

Okay, so I’m taking this literally because I spend a lot of time feeling invisible on the internet so having a fic written for me from someone I’d barely spoken to before was a whole pile of screaming.  Not that it’s the first time someone’s written a fic for me, but the other ones have been done by friends I’d already known for some time, and not someone in a fandom I’m just starting to find my feet in.

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Free space: whoo boy, fun time!  There are a few fics on the top of my head that didn’t fill any of the above prompts (or got beaten to the punch by another), so my wildcard space is going to be a few fic links without the extra detail because I’ve already spent about 12 hours on this to get to this point (did I get sidetracked and re-read a bunch?  You bet) and I’d quite like to also get some fic written today, too!

Eight-Day Week (JoJo Spotting) by TrufflestheMushroom (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

The Trouble With Eastern by teaandtumblr (One Piece)

Remembrance by ClioSelene (One Piece)

Legacy by MaiKusakabe (One Piece)

A Fleeting Smile by AnonymousTwit (Boku no Hero Academia)

Too Loud For Comfort by vaporeon_ninja (Boku no Hero Academia)

A Dragon’s Hoard by Chezka (Boku no Hero Academia)

Nine Lives by P_Artsypants (Miraculous Ladybug)

Chat’s Eye View (Love Letters To Paris) by Icka M Chif (Miraculous Ladybug)

Gabriel’s Lament by Chaotic Neutral (Miraculous Ladybug)

What The Cat Dragged In by Kyral (Avengers/Miraculous Ladybug)

Weekend Warrior by BlackDog_66 (Avengers)

Fitting In (Tiny Spaces) by aloneintherain (Avengers)

Autonomy by beetlebee (Naruto)

Great Minds by ScreamingViking (Final Fantasy VII)

Dear Kunsel by Sinnatious (Final Fantasy VII)

Cracks in the knight by authorettejasmin (Magic Kaito)

To Wrap An Elvish Princeling by Jael (Lord of the Rings)

There are more, many more, and I’ll probably post a few more recs around - you can also find some on my blog and I’ll try and get that updated with a few more at some point because there are many more than that!

[tales-of-eridao]

The New High Enchanter

(Thank you to @patchworkheart for helping to design Rosk.)

Today was the day where the class finally received their actual tools to work with going forward. Each of the young mages in training, after years of hard work, would receive a personalized conduit for their power. They each came forward as they were called, accepting the weapons presented to them gratefully.

Faz took up his new bow, feeling its weight and the high quality of the wood, running his finger along the string. Embedded in the center of the bow was a yellow mage crystal, attuned to his power to work most efficiently with him above all others.

Next came Maolik, who accepted his short sword with glee. The moment he touched it, the red crystal in its hilt flashed, igniting the blade with an aura of magical fire. He quickly earned a swat on the back of his head from Kyrall, prompting him to return it to its inert state before running off.

Then came Jatun, who took up her staff with pride. Held at the end of it was a cool blue crystal, which she looked to with a glistening hope in her heart, knowing that she would use this to help her kingdom prosper.

However, students came forward and took their tools one by one, until Umbin was left... with no items left to hand out. The instructors saw this and began to discuss, until it was determined that it must not have left the enchanter’s workshop.

Jian came forward calmly. “Umbin dear, why don’t you go up and fetch your staff from whichever enchanter created it. We must stay here to help the other students after all. Besides, this is a rare opportunity to see an enchanter at work! A servant shall show you the way.”

Umbin nodded, soon being led through the castle to parts of it that he’d never been to before. Through hallways and up stairs he was lead, until finally he found himself at a corridor, a single person sitting at the end of the hall at a desk with a large book.

“Excuse me,” Umbin said with a cough to the seated man, who looked at him with a bored expression. “My staff wasn’t with all of the others, so they sent me here to get it.”

The man grumbled, asking Umbin’s name and what he had ordered, flipping through a large record tome to try and figure out whose responsibility it had been to make the staff. The entire process felt a bit drawn out, and it wasn’t long before Umbin began to wonder if the real reason the teachers had sent him was because the hadn’t wanted to deal with this themselves.

Finally, he found it. “Ah... you need... Rosk.” The man scowled as he said the name, turning and pointing to a particular hall, one that was separated from the others by an engraving on the arch above it: “High Enchanter.”

“Good luck. That one’s an eccentric...” With that, the record keeper returned to ignoring Umbin, who stared down the hall with an anxious feeling in his gut. He’d heard that the new High Enchanter was strange, but otherwise he knew nothing of what to expect inside.

He walked down the hall, coming to a large door. Steeling up his nerves, he politely knocked at it, nerves tensing as he wondered what would happen.

The door creaked open, and a young woman stuck her head out, eyes wide and ears twitching slightly. “Yes? How may I help you?”

Umbin blinked at the surprisingly normal response. He’d been expecting explosions, yelling, anything but this. “Ah... m-my name’s Umbin, and ah... you didn’t send my staff down with the others... so...”

“Oh! My goodness, I’m terribly sorry! Master Rosk has been very busy with a new invention, and your staff must have fallen by the wayside! Please, come in and we’ll try and get you settled, yes?”

Umbin followed the woman, surprised that she wasn’t Rosk herself. Stepping inside, he found the room very dimly lit; any windows had been covered up, the only real light source being a large furnace in the back. Toiling away in the center of the room was who Umbin assumed was High Enchanter Rosk. It was very hard for him to tell Rosk’s gender, as the enchanter seemed to have a remarkably mixed appearance. Rosk was slim, without any curves, like a male, yet had a face and tail that looked closer to a woman’s. In addition, Rosk’s hair was cut very short, which was highly unusual for anyone.

Umbin’s thoughts were quickly snapped by the woman who had let him in. “Please excuse them, they tend to get absorbed in their work.”

The young mage blinked at this, surprised that she hadn’t used he or she for Rosk. Granted, he’d heard that some in their society had begun to feel that they did not fit within the terms of male or female, so he figured that this was probably what they were doing as well. While he found it odd, Umbin knew there was no reason to judge them over this.

“Oh! While we wait, allow me to introduce myself! I’m Master Rosk’s assistant, Rehai! A pleasure to meet you Umbin!”

Suddenly, there was the sound of something being bumped against, and Rehai’s arm flicked to the side, brandishing a small object. A green glow shown from the tip, and that glow was soon shining from over by Rosk, holding a flask that had been knocked over in midair while the enchanter looked at it in silent surprise before letting out a sigh of relief.

Umbin watched Rehai levitate the flask back onto the table it had been knocked from, using something he had never seen before. It resembled a miniature staff, one the size of a twig, with a small green crystal at the end. Noticing his attention, she smiled and held it out to show him.

“I see you’ve noticed my wand! It was Master Rosk’s first innovation, a tool that allows casters with weaker magic to still cast our aura. It’s not as powerful as a staff, but it’s much more precise!”

Rosk came over to them silently, staring at Umbin with curiosity. They didn’t speak a word, and Umbin quickly became very uncomfortable that such a high figure in the kingdom was just... quietly looking at him.

“Er... hello... ah, High... Enchanter... um, I’m Umbin, and I’m here because... I uh... I didn’t get my staff today.” The young mage in training was burning up with embarrassment, hoping that he hadn’t just made a fool of himself.

Rosk merely closed his eyes for a second before nodding, turning and walking off again. Rehai gave a soft chuckle. “I know that Master Rosk’s behavior can be off-putting to those not used to it, but they are an amazingly kind person. They just have different ways of showing it than most.”

Rosk returned, holding a staff with a faintly glowing pink crystal at the end. He held the staff out to Umbin in an odd way, holding it by the crystal and pointing the shaft to Umbin, as though to put as much distance between them as possible. Still, he took the staff, smiling in relief as the crystal glowed brighter as he held his new tool.

“Thank you so much, s-... er... High Enchanter!” Umbin, feeling happy, held out his hand to Rosk, who jumped back slightly at the motion with a sudden yelp. They acted as though Umbin had suddenly thrust a dagger at them, putting them completely on edge. Rehai stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Sorry about that. Master Rosk doesn’t like sudden movement.” She turned to the enchanter. “Rosk, it’s okay. Umbin just wanted to shake your hand as a display of gratitude.”

Rosk blinked, pulling a random mage crystal out of his pocket and fiddling with it, its aura growing a soft and soothing white as they did so. Then, somewhat hesitantly, Rosk brought his hand out to meet Umbin’s, taking it gently and giving it a single brisk shake before pulling away. With that, Rosk walked back to his work area, still fiddling with the crystal and its aura.

“Well, thank you for visiting us, Umbin, and sorry for all of the trouble to get your staff,” Rehai said as she took his hand with a bright smile. “I hope that we can see you again once you begin to blossom into a full mage! Until then though, I think the master would like to return to work.”

Umbin quietly nodded, leaving the workshop to head back to rejoin his class. As he walked, he thought about how strange that had been. Still, as unusual as it had been, he couldn’t help but smile. Rosk may be eccentric, but it was clear that there was more to them than what Umbin had seen in that brief exchange. He found himself curious to know more about the strange new High Enchanter.

[brumaguard-remade-blogs]

i wanna go back to kyral castle again soon to see what its like on a normal operating day but i dont have anyone to go with and GOD if you weren’t obsessed with that shit like i am it’s SO FUCKING BORING there is legitimatley nothing to do there except go to the torture dungeon museum and wait for the joust of war 

[animatronicappreciation]

hi! just thought you'd be interesting in knowin the theme park kyral castle here in victoria, australia was recently renewed and bought by new owners a couple years ago. there's a neat animatronic dragon in the foyer which there's footage of and apprently there's some other animatronic knights and things gone (the wax dummie torture chamber seems to be gone though, but i may be wrong.) i'm going there on the 28th for the timeline festival, should i take pics if i see anything?

That would be wonderful if you sent pics our way once you go!! :D Hope you have fun!

- Mod Rat

[dookaroo]

OH SHOOT I forgot to do requests. if it's any reconciliation I'm going to kyral castle for the timeline festival tomorrow I'll take pics of their animatronics

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW

HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Spending time with my family and visiting places including North Melbourne, St Kilda, Lakes Entrance, Bairnesdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Kyral Castle, Kyneton Bushland Resort, RACV Goldfields Resort and Creswick Woollen Mills.

Attending local gigs and continuing to support local bands including ATLVS, Furious George, Pridelands, Hara Kiri, Above the Fallen, Earthbøund, Weighbridge, Spectral Fires (RIP!), Foxblood, Tapestry, Red Lotus, Ebonivory, Diamond Construct, Windwaker, Make Them Suffer, To Octavia, The Motion Below, In Vanity, Elision and The Gloom In The Corner.

Working on my health, fitness and wellbeing goals by attending weekly boxing classes at CinFull Fitness, group fitness classes (RPM, Body Balance, Body Pump) at YMCA Casey ARC and YMCA Casey RACE plus using spa, sauna and swim facilities.

Attending several group social nights with Aspergers Victoria including dinner at The Pancake Parlour (Malvern East), lawn bowls, BBQ’s, Dungeons & Dragons and Board Games (Cards Against Humanity, Monopoly, UNO, poker), held at Power Neighbourhood House in Ashwood.

Nickelback’s Feed The Machine Australian Tour at Rod Laver Arena in February.

Celebrating my 33rd birthday at Kelly's Cranbourne with family and friends in March.

Completing a sleep study at Frankston Intergrated Health Centre to determine how bad my sleeping problems are and work out any possible treatment solutions for them in May.

Completing a Creative Writing short course at Balla Balla Community Centre in June.

Participating in a research study on Power Posing to improve social confidence and emotional regulation, held at Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre in July.

Attending The Australian Beatlez (Beatles tribute band) at Mulgrave Country Club in August.

Attending Good Things Festival for the first time, held at Flemington Racecourse in December.

LOWLIGHTS & UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES

Having frequent anxiety/panic attacks mostly at work and in some social situations.

Feeling constantly fatigued with low energy and motivation to do things when my depression and anxiety is at its worst.

Having the front windscreen of my car smashed in one night and having to fork out $450 to repair it the next day.

Adjusting to changing and starting new antidepressant medication. Side effects include nausea, light headedness, fever, profuse sweating and increased heart rate.

Dealing with some specialists and allied health professionals who have not been helpful. At times, they are not the easiest people to open up to about my experiences. Some of them could be quite judgmental, cold, harsh, condescending and patronising. It can be quite expensive in the fees they charge for their services, even with the Medicare rebates.

Getting emotional and having a mental breakdown when things have gotten “too much” or overwhelming in my life including dealing with difficult customers at work, unexpected bills or expenses, having trouble making decisions, feeling pressured by societal and parental expectations.

[themotleygeek]

😱 From @chaosium: OK, so Australia is at last getting a convention in a castle too! RUNEQUEST CON DOWN UNDER (III). November 11, Kryal Castle, Victoria (www.kryalcastle.com.au) This will be a 9am to 9pm event with a day's events ticket for $60 inc lunch plus a dinner and LARP ticket for $60. Agenda includes Kyral Castle events (normally $70 for a single ticket!), design panel events, game session, auction etc. Plus giveaways from Chaosium! This event is endorsed by Chaosium and organised by the RPG Review Cooperative. More details forthcoming... #RQConDownUnder #RuneQuest #RPG

[tales-of-eridao]

Feasting with New Friends

After having been shown around the different parts of the Mage Academy, the instructors led their class to their final stop on the tour: the mess hall.

Many mages of the older classes sat about the large hall, chatting, laughing, and of course eating their fill. The group were quick to disperse to claim their own meals and seats.

Jatun and Umbin stuck together, naturally, with Jatun taking the lead as always. The twins grabbed their meals, a delicious, steaming Bovaphant steak with a garnish of exotic spices and vegetables. For them, this was a typical dish.

Maolik, on the other hand, was astonished by the fancy cuisine, never having laid eyes on anything so well-prepared in his life. Back home, he’d have been lucky to see fresh Bovaphant meat, let alone a portion this large.

Not having any reservations, he plopped himself down in the middle of a random table, one that happened to have a group of older students already sitting at it, and began to devour his meal. The other mages looked at him with confusion, wondering if he was even aware of their presence.

Faz, meanwhile, was finding himself in an awkward position. Despite his robes and his status as a mage, he still felt out of place. He was too old for his class, but too inexperienced to be among people his own age here. Not to mention the fact that he honestly still felt like the little thieving street punk he’d been not too long ago.

As he tried to find somewhere, anywhere to sit that wouldn’t make him feel uncomfortable, someone rudely bumped into him from behind, causing him to pitch forward and drop his plate.

He turned to snap at the offender, to find two mages his own age.

“Ha! Look at him! Someone his age in a first year class?” one retorted to the other.

“Oh, look at the way he carries himself! Doesn’t he look like a rat?” 

“Yeah! What do you bet that he’s just a filthy little street rat?”

The two snickered, and Faz clenched his fist, gritting his teeth. He wouldn’t take this. He wouldn’t sit here while these punks insulted him, even if their words did bite into his mind, worsening his doubts.

Before he could lash out though, two smaller figures jumped to his sides.

“Hey! Leave him alone!” Jatun interjected, dragging her brother along by his hand. “Who cares where he came from, he’s a mage just like everyone else!”

Umbin stood there, unable to say anything but doing his best to give the two a stern look. While he didn’t have a lot of nerve, he didn’t want to stand by while his classmate was insulted.

“And just what is going on here?” The two upperclassmen looked up, gulping as Harpek stepped up behind the three new recruits.

“These guys called him a street rat and said he doesn’t belong here!” Jatun pointed to the mages, who began to try and make excuses. They were silenced as Harpek raised a hand.

“I would have thought you lot would have learned by now that, in here, it doesn’t matter where you come from, so long as you do your part! And it’s not just unbecoming of a mage to behave as you two are, it’s disgraceful behavior from anyone if you ask me. Now be off with you, unless you want me to tell Kyrall about this lack of respect for your fellow mages.”

The two sputtered apologies before retreating away from them, ears folded back in fear. Harpek looked down at his students with a kind grin.

“Jatun, Umbin, nicely done! It’s the mark of a good mage when you jump to defend the innocence. And Faz... ah, if you two will excuse us...”

Jatun and Umbin left to return to their seats and Harpek knelt down to look Faz in the eye.

“Don’t let them get to you, and never doubt that you belong here. And if you ever do begin to feel doubt about that, just remember that I’m here for you... after all...”

Harpek leaned in and murmured in Faz’s ear. “We street rats have to stick together.” He pulled away and gave a wink before standing and walking away, humming merrily.

Faz stood in shock, before shaking his head. He looked to the steak that he’d dropped, frowning. They’d been told that they’d only get one plate... well, it wouldn’t be the most disgusting thing he’d ever eaten.

Then, he caught someone calling his name. The two classmates who had jumped to his aid were waving him over, gesturing to an empty seat by them.

“Hey! Hey Faz! You lost your meal, right? Come have some of ours, we don’t need it all!”

The older boy stared at them for a second, wary of their kind gesture, but couldn’t think of any reason to turn them down. Hesitantly, he went over to take them up on their offer.

Meanwhile, up above the Academy in the castle sat a large, regal man. His fur was shiny and smooth, a large bushy beard gracing his face. He dined on the leg of a Crag Hen, a massive hunk of meat on a hefty bone, as a mage stood on either side of him. The crown atop his head glinted in the afternoon sun.

A hooded mage slipped up to King Eridin the Third, clearing his throat to catch the monarch’s attention. The king swallowed his mouthful and sat down the leg, wiping his mouth before turning to smile at the hooded figure.

“Ah! What news has the council for me today?” he chortled in a jolly fashion, sitting upright to give the mage his full attention.

“Pardon the intrusion, my liege, but I regret to inform you that High Enchanter Halme has been found guilty of treason. Unfortunately, he has fled the city. We do not know his location.”

The king’s jovial smile faded into concern. “Oh dear... how dreadful... I always liked Halme, such a cheerful fellow... such a shame that things turned out this way... well, there’s nothing for it, I suppose.”

He cleared his throat, putting on a more stern expression. “Very well, if that’s how things are, then so be it! Send word for all mages operating outside of the city to keep watch for him, and to apprehend him at all costs. We will also need to seek out a new High Enchanter... I will make a decision on this tomorrow.”

The hooded mage bowed. “As you wish, my liege.” And with that, he was slipping away to spread the word.

Eridin let out a sigh as he returned to his meal. “Oh, what a to-do...” He set to thinking about what to do regarding the lack of a High Enchanter as he dined, pondering how best to replace the void left by his dear friend’s treason.