#malumae

[infintasmal]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐘𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋

@malumae : ‘does it ever bother you? that you are only a pale imitation of who you used to be?’ The Dragon Republic

" No. " The answer is quick, cold, without thought or feeling. Who did she used to be? A child on a burning ship. A sword, dazzling in the low light. Transcendent flash. Sword Champion. Captain, teacher, traitor traitor traitor. Why should she be bothered? This is fate, this is penance, this is punishment. The glittering shell has fallen away, only the sword remains. She can hardly remember what it was like to shine as she might have.

Her gaze, cloth covered, turns toward the voice. Another shade, far removed from what he had been. "We have both fallen far, you and I. But I can no longer see the path I once tread. That person is gone now. And I do not mourn her passing."

[draconicfool]

"Tell me how you plan to leave without your doctor when you don't know where you're going?"

It's a rare taunt from the doctor. Rare that he is ever anything but playing that sweet demeanor with the forced accent. Maybe it's just because it's Blade this time. A reminder, he thinks, of something that he would rather forget. But then again, that isn't his fault. But the response Eros gets is. And it has him irritated in turn.

He fidgets with the vials in his garter, looking each one over. Making sure they're secure. Even with the scripts one could never be too careful. Never know when paralysis or simple poison was going to be needed.

And then he's tapping his boot against the ground. Watching the other before he crouches down to look him over. Making sure that the bandages and other things are properly in place. Not that it really matters when the man doesn't seem to need actual help from the Hunters' doctor. But all the same.

"It's a surprise." And his hands would go up as if he were a mime mimicking a little flash of confetti. "I was told not to tell you. I'm driving."

@malumae || c.

[wingsoar]

୧‿︵‿︵  Send me a 👀 for my muse’s reaction to your muse checking them out. | accepting

@malumae asked: "#this would be crack" prove it, he's doin it alright: 👀

Robin   gave   most   people   the   benefit   of   the   doubt   but   this   man's   intent   was   blatantly   obvious.   His   crimson   stare   seemed   to   scan   her   up   from   head   to   toe.   Causing   the   songbird   to   self   consciously   fold   her   arms   over   her   chest.

"D-Do   you   have   no   shame?   ....."   Perhaps   she   was   going   to   have   to   text   Firefly!   Suggest   a   good   scolding   for   his   behavior.

[venstm]

@malumae continued.

He exists as a dichotomy between past and present, the culmination of his previous life manifested in imprisonment, adamantine shackles bereft him of his freedom, his world extending only as far as the darkness; those dreams and memories inextricably woven. Dan Heng’s banishment was extricating, to witness the vast cosmos both as infinite possibilities and a constricting, liminal space. The time between their paths crossing is unpredictable but he cannot forget the tactile memory of cloudpiercer’s shaft pressing firmly into his hand and the fetid scent of death searing at his senses. Whether transient or harrowingly drawn out they were invariably steeped in a macabre red. Alike the cascading stream of his past incarnation’s memories, those of ren begin nebulous and with each laboured breath they take on a terrible clarity. He cannot forget, even as he brandishes denial and calls it his truth, his mind is not a place he can escape from. ❝—  there is nothing for us to talk about.❞ those terse words are something Dan Heng had recited before. Once, his belief in them had been unfaltering, all that was left for them was the collision, the haunting last breath before ren’s life ended. Now, there was a part of him that was ambivalent, that could no longer rely on that sequence to remain unchanged. It is with that hesitation that he becomes transparent, the limpid waters of his gaze tempestuous. Dan Heng observes him attentively, an ingrained response to his guttural voice; as quarry might it’s inescapable predator. His features might be compelled to remain reticent but the blanched skin drawn taut over his knuckles and his bated breath are traitorous things. There is so much to talk about, a life-times worth, yet he remains dithering at the cross-road between uncharted territory and the visceral flood of relief at eluding him. When did that feeling become so unfamiliar?  Then you’re clearly still running. His body no longer keens beneath the impact of ren's blows, his ire relentless but consistent — a variable he could predict. As the other turns on him, through the dark undulation of his hair Dan Heng is transfixed by his gaze, his pliant skin invites it to bury its rancour beside his fluttering heart-beat. He had devoted himself to emphatically separating himself from that past, to cast even a cursory glance back was to tempt the dragon’s jaws to close around him. Was there ever going to be a time where the ground beneath him felt solid enough for his stubbornly moored feet to turn back without the encroaching shadow of trepidation submerging him. He meets ren’s gaze, anchors himself in the intensity of that hue, in the lethal edge of his pupils. As his breath is expelled, soft, like the golden light dispersing between narrow branches and the visages of friends the past still harboured with such a painful fondness, he could almost envision it. The high elder and the craftsman, two who shared such a profound bond, the vestiges of which still lingered in the echoes of their present. His expression is complicated, as if that distant memory unfolded before his very eyes and he was but a bystander to his previous incarnation’s candour.  ❝ It could also be that I’m wrong. ❞ he reciprocates the sincerity within Dan Feng’s memory with a precarious brush with his own subsiding reluctance. He witnessed himself immured in ren’s eyes, a countenance both wholly familiar and an anomaly where he could have sworn the ethereal features of the vidyadhara’s high elder stared back at him. ❝ I used to be certain.❞ Dan Heng’s disquiet is patent, unable to find his answer wading through the shallow waters of his own heart nor in the other’s gaze. ❝ … that has changed.❞ 

[be777oved]

@malumae plotted starter

"I don't understand why this is necessary." His arm is starting to ache from holding the weight of the blade,

Two hands now, pointing the impossibility sharp edge towards the heart of a training dummy.

'Pretend your opponent is someone you dislike,' Had been their earlier advice. So now Sunday tries to imagine the center of the dummy is the chest of that damn bartender.

He feels stupid. Even with the stellaron hunter's careful guidance, he knows that he must look stupid in the eyes of someone who has already mastered this skill. Moreover to a level of which he could never even hope to achieve. Not in a hundred million lightyears.

...Why are you wasting your time?' He wants to say. But his lips remain pursed, willing himself to continue in spite of his protesting muscles. Because what might happen if he disappoints them? Much like when the siblings had been found in the rubble and whisked back to the safety of Mr. Wood's garden, Sunday always got this impression like their kindness was... conditional.

The razor sharp edge barely nicks the sandbag. "If our success comes down to my ability in hand-to-hand combat, I'm afraid this plan is beyond any means of salvation."

[shenceyuan]

@malumae - hi. continued from here.

greenery sways just outside the window of this little room, the movement slow and blurry like that of a brushstroke, shrouding their little secret in colour. the rustling of leaves is a soothing melody that graces his ears but cannot deafen the bounding pulse thrumming in his wrists. jing yuan could only hope ren would not slip the tips of his fingers across his wristbone, lest he becomes privy to his inner fluster. it will not be the first time he has been reduced to a flustered mess by the stellaron hunter, but those were instances where he was willingly vulnerable. right now, however, the confession has stunned him into silence; liquid gold blinks dumbly, heart in his throat, and the moment stretches longer than it should. the general is not one to remain stagnant in his stupor -- instead, he quickly picks up the pieces to regain his composure and come out of the situation with a grace that he honed over many centuries. it did not come easily to him in his youth. he was brazen, forthcoming, and full of vigour back then. those days were simpler even if war ravaged the alliance, and the abundance ran rampant with its plague marks. a gut-wrenching, treacherous thought crosses his mind then as he draws their joined hands close to his chest; what if he'd finally fallen victim to mara, and this was a nasty twist of reality as a result of it. all jing yuan had held near and dear to his heart, under lock and key to preserve his sanity when his whole world crumbled to pieces, between his fingers, beyond salvageable. but, warmth radiated between his fingers now and ren was very much real. mara could not trick him so easily. jing yuan lets the stellaron hunter's hand fall in his lap as he scoots closer still, raising his palms to cup his cheeks instead, and there is no hesitation in how tenderly he brushes his lips just above his left brow. he stays there for a moment, inhaling deeply through his nose, inhaling him, and all panic-riddled worries of mara claiming him before he could have this evaporate. this is his, it's still his to claim.

"this moment is mine to cherish," his voice is velvet soft as he drags lips past his temple and against a cheek. "just as you are mine to cherish, ren. i don't know what i did to deserve this, but i will claim it -- you -- because i love you." and perhaps it's selfish. perhaps it's possessive. out of character for him, even, as the divine foresight has carried himself with humility, grace, and selflessness that carried the xianzhou luofu into peaceful times. but, if fear struck his heart that mara could take this away from him -- then it is perhaps time he got a bit selfish.

[moonraging]

for @malumae continued from here.

A light-hearted chuckle was all that she offered in response, her posture easy, barely an ounce of TENSION clinging to the sloping of laxity of her shoulders.

The Stellaron Hunters were renowned for their misdeeds and seemingly outlandish DOGMA alike, but where they failed to pose an immediate threat to the Alliance, Feixiao could find it in herself to garner some measure of RESPECT for their dedication and efficacy.

"Don't mind me. It's just that it's rare to cross paths with you bunch. I would have thought that a Pathstrider of Finality would know better than to cross paths with The Hunt."

[reallyrandomtj]

Moved to THREAD: @malumae || ren's response HERE

The General remained silent as golden eyes carefully observes Ren picking at his wound for shrapnel, he turns to look away and close his eyes only to simply hold out a roll of bandages for the injured man to use when ready to do so, the blood that dripped down the others arm didn't bother him at all but the silence gave Jing Yuan's own mind a chance to wonder into old unpleasant memories.

“your pity disgusts me & i need no more reminders of how little help you were in the past.”

Those words were what caused Jing Yuan to slowly open his eyes, realizing his hand was now empty he brought it back to rest upon his knee as he stood up and folded his arms, taking a moment to lean against a nearby wall so he was physically out of others man reach.

"Is that so, Ren?" Jing Yuan sighed softly, closing his eyes to speak his truth "I'm not afraid to admit that I could have done better looking back on things after nothing can be done about it. But in the moment, what you call inaction was essentially a mix of confusion dealing with a very unfamiliar situation and little guidance on top of witnessing those I cared for were suffering that involved a very sensitive topic for all of us... not just you." he paused slowly shaking his head, did he even remember ever saying this to Ren before?

"Baiheng, dead. Both you and Jingliu, mara struck. Dan Feng, a forced rebirth... I could do little to protect any of you, I don't even believe that my attempts to set Dan Heng free from the shackling prison was enough to scratch the surface to try make up for my 'inaction' as you call it. I failed you all, correct?" he would open his eyes to stare in the others direction; mostly to check if Ren was done with the roll of bandages so Jing Yuan could collect them.

"Better things to do? Of course. A Generals work is never done ~ However, if you believe that 'we are done' here then I suppose we are? I wouldn't want to disgust you any further" Jing Yuan calmly kicked, with his foot, off the wall and calmly approached the other "Or remind you of the past despite being one yourself... am I wrong, Ren?" gentle golden eyes stares into crimson that, could easily burn him, only to collect the ball of bandages and take a few steps back.

[shoreskept]

𓂃 ଓ ; @malumae / continued from ✦ ( ren & jingliu )

he commands her as though he has any right to, as though the ground they stand upon is any more his than her own. as though it is not drenched in just as much of his own sin as it is her anger.

" i'm afraid i cannot, " her voice is ice, cold and unfeeling as the hollow woman that wields it. but there is a rush to this, a candle to her everfrost, the stirring of anger and— deeper still— grief.

for she has cauterized her every wound that still remembers what it means to mourn, told herself such a thought means nothing to her any longer, but the cold ache of severed limbs is heavier in some moments than others. it is heavy here, before this still-breathing evidence of all that was and is no longer.

but weight is nothing to anger, to hands that clamor hot and hungry up her spine and shoulders, that reach for her eyes. jingliu watches him, wonders if he can see them too— the war she fights every moment, the war she may never have had to were it not for—

" what part, " ice cracks with veins of crimson, teeth bared and voice a low rumble in her throat, " of stay out of my way is so unclear to you? "

she might move to remind him, to tear open old scars and draw a dozen new ones, but she does not. just watches, only watches. mara paints another future in her mind's eye, holds it before her like a glittering fruit, warm and beating and red in its open palm. jingliu's jaw clenches, eyes darting frantically beneath their veil.

her fingers itch for a sword, for the bite of ice against her corpse's palm, the feeling so faraway that she cannot find it. she itches, the violence beneath her pale skin begging to tear free of it.

it takes too much not to tremble. he may well wish to see her suffer, and she does not deign to appease him.

" move, " the word grits in her throat, " i will not warn you again. "

[infintasmal]

Local War Criminals Sentenced to Cruel and Unusual Punishment: has the Shackling Prison gone too far?

[draconicfool]

Shoi-Ming shifted his weight, albeit a bit uncomfortably before taking a deep breath and summoning the rather large ax he wielded. Something that since his gauntlets had been made- saw very little use.

"It's- a little silly but I was wondering if there was anything you could do to help me on- on the fact I wish to use this more than my current weapons which bring me...much closer to battle than I would like to be."

@malumae || c.

[wingsoar]

Send 🍾 + a question for my muse to answer your question while drunk. | accepting.

@malumae asked: 🍾 oooh robin, what’s your absolute favorite thing to do apart from singing? is it nerdy? are you a little geek? is it embarrassing?

".....My   favvvvooorite   thing,   hmm?"   She   slurred,   resting   her   cheek   against   her   open   palm.

"If   not   singing   mmmmmm   ....   then   dancing!   hehehehe.   You   wanted   me   to   embarrass   myself.   Didn'tchaa?"   And   then   a   pause,   brows   furrowing   for   a   brief   second.   "W-wait   ...   how'd   you   get   in   here?..........   eh,   whatever!"

time   for   another   drink!

[starblazes]

🎲

( setting prompts / accepting !! )

           𝐈𝐍  𝐀𝐋𝐋  𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒,  Stelle  had  not  expected  anyone  uninvited  to  be  there.  She  was  there  to  help  Huohuo  and  Guinaifen,  after  all.  Nearly  a  system  hour  had  passed  since  the  trailblazer  had  arrived  and  she  had  yet  to  see  either  of  them  in  Fyxetroll  Garden.  A  part  of  her  wondered  if  this  was  intentional;  some  kind  of  prank  to  spook  her.  She  could  see  Guinaifen  pulling  a  stunt  like  that  for  content,  and  maybe  Sushang  would  play  along;  but  she  doubted  Huohuo  was  capable  of  something  mean,  even  if  it  was  mostly  harmless.

            Stelle  began  to  tap  her  foot.  Though  she  was  not  usually  prone  to  impatience,  she  found  the  atmosphere  of  the  Garden  somewhat  eerie  and  off  when  compared  to  the  rest  of  the  Xianzhou  Luofu.  The  presence  of  loose  heliobi  notwithstanding,  the  trailblazer  couldn't  help  but  feel  as  though  she  were  being  watched.

            Sure,  by  now,  that  it  must  be  one  of  the  girls  trying  to  scare  her,  Stelle  folded  her  arms  and  called  into  the  darkness:  ❝   You  guys  have  exactly  five  seconds  to  show  your  faces,  or  I'm  leaving  you  here  to  the  ghosts.   ❞

            She  waited.  Five  seconds  passed.  And  then—  ❝   Alright,  fine.  It  was  nice  knowing  you  Guina—SHIT!   ❞  Just  as  Stelle  turned  around,  she  nearly  rammed  straight  into  someone.  It  took  her  actually  looking  up  to  stare  into  his  steely  gaze  for  her  to  realise  who  it  was.  ❝   Blade?  What  are  you  doing  here?   ❞ She  tried  peeking  around  his  frame.  If  he  was  here,  then  did  that  mean  Kafka  was  here  too? 

[be777oved]

@malumae replied: headlocking him immediately

woe. miseries. after a minute he pulls out his phone and starts googling how to get out of a headlock.

[iniziare]

❤️ oh let's ignore how i am terribly late with this. i offer you platonic. antag. romantic. familial. anything really - i will admit i'm a sucker for angst and rarepair / "crackship" interactions buuuut... hello !

Ah, a wonderful introduction/hello! You're not late at all, if anything: I'm the late one. I... really actually always am. But out of that list, it seems like we have plenty to choose from, and I'm sure something will pop up, wave and smack us right in the face (I think one is staring you right in the face, do you see the option?) And I'm looking forward to it! Thank you for reaching out! <3

Prompt: Send in for ship interest // @malumae

[f-y-b-k]