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invisibleanonymousmonsters · 4 years

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Fight Club

Character: Jason Todd x Fem!Reader

Summary: Everyone will say Jason Todd is protective of the people he loves. But sometimes independence is more important than protecting.

Word Count: 4,000 [One Shot]

Warnings: harassment, stalking, general daily discomfort that women have to deal with

Y/N was so fucking tired.

It was a miracle that she hadn’t fallen asleep on the bus home from work.

But anyone with half a brain knew that doing so in Gotham was basically asking to get robbed or worse.

Never fall asleep on public transit. Only buy purses and wallets that zip close. Never leave any personal belongings alone in public. Never use an ATM at night. Only take well-traveled and well-lit routes. Always be aware of your surroundings.

These were the unwritten rules of living in Gotham. It was how you stayed safe, how you stayed alive. But even when one followed them strictly, that didn’t insure that they would always be safe.

Which is why Y/N noticed a middle-aged man staring her down on the bus. He knew what he was doing. He knew that he was making her uncomfortable. He was clearly getting off on it.

Y/N just blasted the music in her headphones and pretended not to notice. But she could feel his leering and it made her stomach twist into knots.

She looked down at her watch: 6PM.

Y/N knew she could call Jason. She knew this.

It would take her all of 30 seconds to explain the situation, Jason would instantly understand and then be waiting at her bus stop for her, ready to escort her home safely and glare at whoever had made her uncomfortable.

But Jason was probably sleeping still.

Last night, he’d returned from patrol needing stitches and had so many bruises scattered across his face that Y/N kept messing up her counting. She was also suspicious that his right hand was broken, but Jason brushed if off so smoothly that she let it slide.

The point was that Y/N had managed to force pain meds on her boyfriend. Jason always slept until late afternoon after patrols anyways, basically becoming nocturnal since he often wouldn’t get back until 5AM.

The meds were meant to make him sleep all day and force him to recover.

The stubborn part of Y/N didn’t want to prevent Jason from getting his much needed recovery and rest.

Except this guy didn’t plan on just staring at her.

When he saw that she was getting off at the stop that was just announced, he too stood up from his seat and moved to the other exit that she wasn’t using.

Y/N was aware of all of this, making sure to track him subtly through the corner of her gaze. It was from the conditioning that all women unfortunately had to go through, whether they realized or not.

Without turning around, she caught his reflection in the window of a building she walked past. He kept a distance to remain unsuspicious, but it was obvious that he was following her.

Y/N tried to subtly walk faster. But she also realized she couldn’t go straight home now. Even with Red Hood being her live-in boyfriend, there was no way she was letting this creep know where she lived.

She started taking a strange route, making weird turns. But it was hard not to lose him without fully running, which she didn’t want to do until it felt absolutely necessary.

But then she came upon a coffeeshop that she knew had a front and back entrance.

She quickly went inside and pretended to get in line for coffee. But when she looked for the man in the corner of her eye, he wasn’t going to come in. Instead, he decided to linger outside and wait for her to come out.

Y/N subtly left the line and made for the back exit.

‘Now it’s time to run,’ she thought to herself.

Y/N was grateful that she had decided to wear stylish sneakers today instead of heels.

By the time she reached the steps of her apartment building, she was breathing heavily. She had been looking over her shoulder every few feet to make sure the creep didn’t get smart.

When she reached her door, she made sure to be quiet in case Jason was still sleeping. Then when she reached the bedroom and quietly opened the door, her mountain of a boyfriend was still passed out in bed with his face pressed into her pillow.

Y/N decided to get started on dinner and quietly moved about the kitchen.

But no matter how much she tried to concentrate on her cooking, her mind kept returning to the man who had tried to follow her home.

What would he have done if he found out where she lived?

Did he plan on grabbing her before she got there?

Did he just get off on making women scared?

Was he planning on raping her? Abducting her? Killing her?

The more Y/N thought about it, the more her fear shifted into rage. Why was it so much more unsafe for women to just merely exist in the world?

But she had no intention of telling Jason.

He would be furious. Not at her, at a man who thought it was OK to even make his girlfriend feel uncomfortable and unsafe – let alone any woman. He would go on a hunt for him and teach him a lesson.

Jason Todd was protective of the people he loved and the innocent – of which Y/N was both. But he also had a bad temper. And whoever was the reason for it starting up better run for their life because Red Hood was not a merciful man and his morals were unpredictable.

So, no. Y/N was not planning on telling her boyfriend, who was also secretly a vigilante with rage issues, about the man who ogled her on public transit and tried to follow her home.

But Y/N was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear said boyfriend finally wake up.

Next thing she knew, someone was slowly wrapping their arms around her waist.

Y/N jumped.

Obviously it was Jason. She knew that. This was not uncommon behavior for him.

But after the day she had and being lost in her thoughts, the feeling of someone’s touch scared the life out of her.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jason immediately muttered in a whisper at her reaction. “It’s just me.”

Y/N turned around in hopes of easing any worry before he asked any questions.

“Sorry,” she gasped. “I didn’t hear you wake up.”

But Jason narrowed his gaze at the crazed look in her eyes. He could somehow feel her heart racing as he gripped her torso, and traced lines up and down her rib cage with his thumbs in an attempt to soothe her.

“What happened?” He asked as he brushed some hair out of her face.

“Nothing. I’m fine. I was just in my head and zoning out, so you scared me.”

Jason was basically a human lie detector. So he raised an eyebrow at her attempt.

“Y/N,” he warned.

She sighed and shook her head. “Promise you’ll just listen? That you won’t freak out?”

Now Jason was even more worried. “Y/N, what happened?”

She sighed again, knowing it was pointless to ask him not to freak out when it came to her. Now all she could hope for is that she’d be able to calm him down.

Y/N explained what happened to Jason: the bus, the following, the running to make sure a threatening stranger didn’t follow her home.

She could see Jason’s body getting more and more tense, and his expression angrier and angrier. His hands clenched into fits. His posture straightened with purpose.

“Did he grab you? Did he touch you?” Jason asked as soon as he was sure she was done with her whole story.

“No, but…” her words died out.

“He didn’t have to for you to feel violate,” Jason offered her.

Y/N nodded and hung her head.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Jason asked softly.

“I…I don’t know. I wanted to you to rest.” Then Y/N really thought about it. “And despite his intentions being very clear…there was still a voice in my head telling me not to overreact, that there was a small chance I was being paranoid.”

“Y/N, even if you had been wrong, I would’ve rather you felt safe than worry about being wrong. I wouldn’t have been mad at you, or even annoyed.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Y/N.” Jason sighed and pulled her into his arms. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I just love you and want you to be safe.”

She nodded into his shoulder.

———

For the next week, Jason was waiting for Y/N every day after work at her bus stop to walk her home. She didn’t ask him to or even suggest it. But Jason knew she was still shaken after the incident. And the last thing he wanted was his girlfriend living in fear.

On the eighth day of him doing this, Y/N finally spoke up.

“Jason, ya know, you can’t do this forever…”

“I know,” he smirked.

“Why are you smiling?”

“How would you feel about me teaching you some self defense?”

Y/N stopped walking and turned to face him. “Are you messing with me?”

“Nope.”

———

The next weekend, Y/N found herself in the bat cave with her boyfriend, both of them in workout clothes.

“First things first, you have to gain your strength. I can teach you all the moves I want, but you have to make sure your body is in the right condition to defend yourself. And I don’t mean just physically. Confidence is key, beautiful.”

Y/N rolled her eyes at the last part, but still smiled.

“Did we have to have an audience?” She asked as she looked over to see that Tim was on the computer, and Dick and Barbara were working out together.

“Ignore them.”

The next couple of hours, Jason taught Y/N all of the basics of self defense. Especially the tips that benefitted women.

Eye strike. Knee to the groin. Heel-palm attack. Elbow hit. How to escape from a bear-hug attack. How to free herself from a choke hold. How to get out of a headlock.

Y/N was covered with sweat. Meanwhile, Jason looked as put together as he had when they started.

“OK,” she finally said with hands on her hips as she tried to catch her breath. “But if someone that’s the same size as me tried to attack me, I don’t have a chance.”

Jason tilted his head to the side. “And who said that?”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “J, come on. Look at you! Do you really think I would be able to get away – no matter how hard I tried?”

She looked her boyfriend up and down. He was built like a tank, standing at 6’3 and with an almost inhuman width. Just his thighs seemed bigger than her torso.

While Y/N loved cuddly with her giant teddy bear of a boyfriend, she had mercy for anyone that decided to pick a fight with Jason Todd or Red Hood. They didn’t stand a chance.

“Size isn’t everything,” Jason told her with a wink.

She rolled her eyes again.

“Dick! Barbara! Can you come here for a sec?”

“What’s up?” Dick asked with Barbara by his side.

“Y/N thinks that she’d never be able to take on someone bigger than her,” Jason shared with them.

Barbara didn’t even bother trying to hide her laughter.

Dick smirked. “It’ll take a lot of training, Y/N. But don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to kick Jason’s ass. Until then, let us know if he’s giving you any trouble and we’ll handle him for you.”

Jason glared at his older brother, but chose not to give his usual sarcastic retorts. He turned his attention back to Y/N instead. “Dicky here is 5’10 and about 175. Meanwhile, Babs is 5’6 and can’t weigh more than 120.”

Barbara crossed her arms. “Didn’t you ever learn that it’s not polite to comment on a woman’s weight?”

Jason gave her an apologetic look but he knew she wasn’t actually offended. “The point is that I’ve seen Barbara hand Dick his ass more times than I can count. Not to mention guys twice her size.”

Then he looked at the couple and gestured to the sparring mat. “Would you be so kind?”

Dick didn’t seem to have any issue with facing off with his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Barbara looked excited.

As the two of them began sparring, Jason lowered his voice down to Y/N and pointed out Barbara’s strategies and moves. Then he would explain how she was manipulating her smaller frame and turning it into an advantage.

Next thing Y/N knew, Barbara had Dick on the floor.

Dick was beaming up at his girlfriend with nothing but pride and awe.

“See?” Jason muttered quietly in Y/N’s ear.

Barbara laughed and held a hand to help Dick up. He jumped back onto his feet and gave his girlfriend a kiss.

“What’s going on?” A voice said at the bottom of the stairs.

They all turned to see Damian had entered the Bat Cave.

“Teaching Y/N some self defense,” Jason shrugged.

Damian sighed. “I do not understand why society does not train women to defend themselves – especially when they are not protected from evil men.”

Y/N laughed. “Not everyone was raised by a league of assassins, Damian.”

But then Damian’s words hit her again in a different way. She spaced out for a moment.

Jason looked at her with concern. “You OK?”

She just nodded.

He wasn’t convinced, but let her be. “I think that’s enough training for today.”

Jason’s brothers convinced him and Y/N to stay for a family movie night.

They used Jason’s old room to shower, since Y/N was covered in sweat by the end of her self defense lesson. Jason gave her some of his old clothes for her to wear that he’d left behind.

When they got to the theatre room, Jason could tell how exhausted Y/N was. She was going to be sore tomorrow – probably for a few days, actually.

She curled into Jason as they grabbed one of the love seats. In moments like these, Jason was always amused how she seemed more like his pet cat than his girlfriend.

Dick and Barbara cuddled together, as well.

Damian brought a book, pretended to already be bored, and acted like he was forced to join family movie night.

Tim brought in his laptop so he could continue to work.

Alfred brought them snacks every so often.

Even Bruce came in halfway through the movie, making his entrance so subtle that they almost didn’t notice.

But lo and behold, not even 15 minutes into the movie, Y/N had passed out.

Jason ended up having to carry her to his car after the movie – not that he minded in the slightest – and drive home as smoothly as possible, so he didn’t wake her.

———

A few days later, Y/N found Jason reading while lounging on the couch in the living room of their shared apartment.

She hopped on beside him, laying across his chest and sliding underneath his book.

Jason chuckled at her antics and put his book down, realizing she wanted his full attention and not just to snuggle while he continued to read.

“So, I was thinking…” Y/N began.

“Mhmm,” Jason hummed.

“I’m not the only woman in Gotham who’s been harassed. You of all people know that – probably better than I do.”

Jason’s amusement disappeared as he listened to where she was going.

“Did you know that in most big cities, there are almost always more women than men?”

“I did not.”

Then she sat up straight, but remained close to him. “But Gotham is the only major American city where there are 20% more men than women.” She waited for him to interrupt, but he just continued to pay close attention. “Researchers believe it’s because of the high crime rate in Gotham, and therefore it’s even more unsafe for women to live here than men.”

“Makes sense,” Jason agreed. “Why are you telling me this?”

“When you started giving me self-defense lessons and then Damian made the comment about no one training women, I kept thinking how other women don’t have a family of vigilantes to keep them safe or teach them how to defend themselves.”

“I’ve seen enough of this city to know that you’re right,” Jason commented darkly.

“Exactly.”

“You still haven’t explained why we’re talking about this…”

“Right,” Y/N smiled embarrassingly. “What if we – I don’t know – started a center for women to learn what you taught me. Completely pro bono. Like a…”

“Fight Club?” Jason offered with a smirk.

“Well, not exactly. But kinda,” Y/N giggled.

Then she frowned as her mind was still working all of it out. “I just don’t know who could teach it. You and your family are already too busy. Teaching women how to defend themselves is a little beneath you…”

“First of all, it’s not beneath us. But you’re right: Dick barely has a second to spend with Babs. Tim is so sleep deprived that he’s just gonna collapse one day. It also wouldn’t be smart for our cover and show that all the Wayne kids can hold themselves in a fight. People might start putting things together...”

“Right,” Y/N agreed and looked further disappointed.

“Hey,” Jason said with an encouraging smile and lifted her chin to look at him. “It’s a good idea. And between my brothers and me, we know plenty of retired heroes that would be more than willing to help out.”

Y/N’s eyes brightened. “Really?”

He nodded. “Dinah, Roy, Wally and Artemis. Hell, I bet if Bruce mentioned it to Diana, she’d smuggle in some Amazons to really show ‘em.”

Y/N smiled at the idea.

“You should tell Bruce,” Jason added.

“Bruce?”

“He has a habit of blindly writing checks for a good cause. I bet he’d just straight up buy you a warehouse to hold classes in.”

She frowned. “I don’t – won’t he feel like I’m taking advantage of him?”

Jason laughed. “I know he’s shit at showing it, but Bruce likes you. And I think he’d be more than happy to help.”

Y/N’s eyes glazed over. “Bruce Wayne likes me?”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t let it get to your head…”

“So, you think this is a good idea?”

Jason couldn’t help himself when she looked this adorable and excited. He grabbed her torso and flipped them so her back was on the couch and he was now hovering above her.

“I think it’s a great idea,” he told her softly before kissing her.

But before Y/N could push the intimacy any further, Jason pulled away from her lips.

“I have to tell you something,” his voice suddenly went serious.

Y/N’s smile dropped. “What? What is it?”

“I know you didn’t want me to…”

Then she sat up, lightly pushing Jason off of her. “Christ, Jason. What did you do?”

He took in a quick breath. “I found him.”

“Found who?”

“The guy who followed you.”

“Fuck,” Y/N put her hands over her face. “Jason. God. What the fuck.” “I know! I know. I should’ve told you sooner.”

Y/N rubbed her face and looked at him. “Please, please tell you didn’t kill him.”

Jason had the audacity to roll his eyes. “I didn’t kill him, OK? Happy?”

“No, I’m not happy! You went after him when I explicitly asked you not to!”

“Did you forget that the guy you’re dating is also a vigilante? In what world did you expect me to not look him up?” He shook his head in wonder. “I mean, the idiot’s face was all over the public transit database I hacked when I looked up the footage from the cameras on your bus – not to mention the footage from half the storefronts you walked by.”

Y/N only glared at him.

“Don’t be mad,” he requested.

“Well, I am.”

Jason sighed. Then he scooted closer, hoping she’d allow it. “Look, I get what’s going on. And I get why you want to help all these women.”

She eyed him, but let him continue.

“I’m sure it’s hard to believe, but I know what it’s like to feel like you can’t protect yourself.” He cleared his throat, catching himself. “I know it’s not the same as what women have to deal with on a daily basis. I’ll never really know what that’s like.”

Jason kept all the terrible things he’d seen on patrol to himself. But there were things he knew would terrify and traumatize her. Because of this, Jason wasn’t as oblivious to the suffering of women as the majority of men were. Or maybe he just chose to actually acknowledge it and care.

He took in a deep breath. “But I just hated the idea of someone doing that to you. And I know there’s probably a million times its happened and you haven’t told me, or you didn’t even notice because you’ve gotten so used to it. I just…I couldn’t let him get away with it.”

Jason paused to let her process his excuse. He’d be the first to admit it wasn’t a good one.

But Jason Todd was fiercely protective of the people he loved. And Red Hood’s sole purpose was to protect the those who couldn’t protect themselves – no matter the cost.

So when his girlfriend was troubled enough to lose sleep or zoned out constantly to rehash what happened, he was going to do something about it.

Jason was fully aware of his anger issues. But he also learned how to redirect them to be something a bit more productive.

“So…what did you do to him?” Y/N asked nervously.

He gave her a look, silently asking her if she really wanted to know.

“Jason…” she warned him.

“He had a record, OK? Let’s just say you weren’t the first woman he’s done that to. And a lot of them weren’t as lucky as you. So he got what he fucking deserved.”

“And what is that?” She pushed, refusing to let him gloss over it so easily.

Jason rolled his eyes. “I roughed him up a bit, alright? Told him I’d be watching. Scared the shit out of him enough that, hopefully, he won’t ever pull that shit again.”

Y/N let out a laugh and shook her head at him.

Jason would take her amusement over her anger any day, even if she was teasing him.

“What?” He asked through a grin.

She bopped his nose. “So protective over me.”

Jason had enough of the distance between them.

He moved her body so she had no choice but to sit on his lap. “‘Course I am.”

Then he kissed her. But when he pulled away, his face was rather thoughtful.

“You’re not going to feel helpless forever, ya know.”

They were words to comfort her. Because deep down Jason knew that promising to always be there for her wasn’t going to make her feel better. She wanted him as her boyfriend, not her bodyguard – despite Jason being more than happy to be both for her.

“I know,” Y/N confirmed with a shy smile.

-------------------------------------

Whatcha think?

#jason todd x reader #jason todd reader insert #batfam #batboys #batman family #dick grayson #barbara gordon #damian wayne #red hood #red hood x reader #red hood reader insert #jason todd fic #dc #tim drake #red hood fic

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lore-of-the-silvereyes-rwby · 4 years

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Ironwood Summary

Here we are at last the final conclusion of this long character analysis series, for now. This is mostly going to be my own opinion of the character based on the research I did for the analysis. As well as some ideas of what may happen to the character in future volumes and overall standing of what the character was always meant to be and represent in the rwby narrative. Also keep in mind that this is only an analysis of Ironwood’s character pre Volume 8 so there won’t be any spoilers used in this analysis or summary

(Before we begin i want to thank @spacecapart for his art to be used in this summary as i feel this piece summarizes how i feel about Ironwood)

When I started researching and writing on July 31st 2020 for Ironwood and the months that followed I feel like I have gained a better understanding of what exactly Ironwood’s character was meant to be while making sure my overall opinion of him wasn’t biased but honest and neutral.

For the most part Ironwood’s life was just sad because, well it was never really his to begin with, since he pretty much had no say in it. Based on what I saw and learned about him with the help of additional lore as well as the current story Ironwood was just a tool and a plot device in the narrative.

He started as a tool for Mantle(pre Atlas) which planted the seeds that made him this cold inhuman person that we see at present due to its old toxic ideologies of imperialism and militarism combined with a Nietzsche's philosophy that survives and thrives through Ironwood once he become a de facto king when Atlas became an official kingdom.

Then he became a tool for Oz to protect and safeguard the current status quo without benefiting from it. Though it was with good intentions Ironwood couldn’t help but feel insulted that he was being restricted and kept in check by someone who does not share his belief or ideals of what he considers right even though they weren't his beliefs or the best to begin with.

Finally after all was said and done he became a tool for the very enemy that he swore to fight and defend against. Due to his toxic upbringing in Atlas and his bitter resentment for Oz he tried to take matters in his own hands only for it to backfire immensely into the events that we see in the show. As I Stated in “The Hero that was never meant to be” Ironwood was more or less the most prominent catalyst for all of the events and conflicts in the show that Salem took advantage of and prospered from simply due to Ironwood’s elitist and violent mindset.

All of this just contributes to Ironwood being a plot device since that he’s essentially just a philosophical mouthpiece for Atlas as the show has somewhat made it clear that he is basically the physical embodiment of Atlas if it were a person with both a voice and need to survive. Which wouldn’t be so bad if Atlas wasn’t the Remnant equivalent of a fasciest imperialist dystopia. Most of Ironwood’s character flaws mostly stem from the fact that his is simply the product of his origins and refusing to change or find a compromise for the better.

Another thing that I believe should be taken into consideration is his overall effect in the plot. Added by how the narrative has been structured with its main conflict I think it's safe to assume that no matter what, Ironwood was always a character that was set to fail ever since his introduction. This is mostly due to the fact that most if not all of his power comes from control and authority over others. As well as his lack of actual experience when it comes to war and conflict.

As I stated in I am power with my own estimate of Ironwood’s age(47-50) based on his rank’s promotion requirements he has at least 30 years of experience from both his huntsmen and military career: 34 if we were to count his academy days of training. Now you're probably asking; “If he has that many years of experience in his career, then why are you saying he has none?” Well it is quite simple based on 2 factors; his professions and the time that he was born in.

At present he is both Headmaster of Atlas academy and the Atlas equivalent of the joint chiefs of staff of the Military. I think it's logical to assume that Ironwood gained the status of Headmaster first and General later due the needs of Oz. Given the importance of the relics hidden in the academies it would be a pragmatic choice for Oz to ensure that there was always a guardian and supervisor over the vaults as well as training the worlds next gen huntsmen(the agreed upon nuclear deterrent).

Since his profession shifted from field combat to school administration upon becoming headmaster most if not all of Ironwood’s career from this point on saw very little combat opportunities and would soon be filled with politics once he became General further diminishing his combat skills. Also since Generals are the face of the military they mostly handle diplomatic and public affairs as well as deal with civilian contractors to ensure the military has the resources and gear needed to sustain itself.

This means that Ironwood went from fare soldier, to desk jockey, to financial benefactor throughout the entirety of his 30 year long career. But the two thirds of his later career basically had no relevant or beneficial experience that would be suited for the war that he had been preparing a long time for. Ironwood’s lack of practical experience is also more damaging when you realize that the very little he did have also wouldn’t be of much help in the first place as well.

This is mostly due to the fact that Ironwood was born at the beginning of the high golden age of peace and prosperity for Mantle/Atlas and all of the concerning conflicts happening at least 5 years before the show’s start very late in his career at an estimated age of 45, with the white fang terrorists groups targeting SDC assets that he wanted for war.

Also his career at that point most likely focused on policing and enforcing Atlasian laws rather than doing actual combat and even then he was trained to fight grimm instead of human combatants and even if he had to fight people they most likely are that of combat inexperienced and petty criminals that wouldn’t actually put up that much of a challenge and even then most of the fighting was done by disposable robots that he can command with the press of a button.

Overall Ironwood was really unprepared to even fight anyone in general, let alone wage a war against Salem. Even if he had powered up that army to the maximum it really wouldn’t solve anything. Ever since the first episode of the series the message was clear; You're not going to win with just strength and power alone, but with acts of mercy and honesty. As well as just enjoying the simple things in life and just simply living life rather than just surviving. After all this time Ironwood forgot to live life and be satisfied with what he had. Because of this he’s just going to keep on pushing the limit until he loses everything that he has and drag everyone else with him. Simply because he wouldn’t admit to himself that he has no idea about what to do or accept that he wasn’t the most important piece on the board.

Which sadly brings me to the very likely truth that it is guaranteed that Ironwood’s part and time in the story is coming to an end and his death is drawing near. This has been foreshadowed in the beginning of volume 6 where the true plot and crisis of the story had basically made Atlas and by extension Ironwood irrelevant to the story when it's been made clear they can’t just simply kill Salem and win with brute force as he had hoped. Because of that Ironwood was no longer important to the story as they show and fandom have hyped him up to be. Even if he still had an actual role in the plot I’m afraid to say that Ironwood’s story (even if it wasn’t that much) has already been told and judging by the direction he is going by it’s only going to get worse for his character (moraly wise) to the point that his death may be a blessing in disguise for remnant.

To start we need to look at the essential core concepts that make up Ironwood’s character. If we remove all of his actions and focus on his archetypes we get a character that is A) Half robot, B) the de facto leader of an inefficient military(let's be honest it's just a glorified security force for rich douchebags.) C) A school principal and D) someone who essentially hails from what can be considered the most evil and inhuman kingdom of his world that values power and is placed into a story and conflict where none of those things even matter given what we know about the true stakes and consequences of the plot and this is essentially all that we even know about him in relation to the story.

Which brings me to this point that in my opinion he wasn’t much of a character to begin with. This is mostly due to the fact that we really don’t know anything about him besides the summarized 4 points from the last section. We don’t know anything about him like how he became involved in the plot, how old he is, when and what caused him to be a cyber, does he have anyone outside of work or any family that he cares about and more importantly why does he fight in the first place and what motivates him to do so and what does he hope to gain? These details to me are important as to give depth to a character as to better understand why they are the way they are. Otherwise they are either a philosophical mouthpiece or a living ideological caricature. As I stated before in Ironwood’s case he is just that for Atlas, just a simple tool that it can use for whatever it needs.

Which also brings up another subject towards his contributions to the plot; What exactly can he do and was he really even that important to begin with? As I stated before Ironwood really doesn’t have much to offer besides the Military which has been proven to be useless and unneeded. But if it was to be needed that doesn’t automatically mean Ironwood should be the one leading it. For example should he be removed from power and replaced and the heroes really need the military wouldn’t it be simple just to involve the new commander and chief or appoint someone they can trust to ally with them. So yeah the military part as well as the academy are what give an individual like Ironwood any relevance but that doesn't automatically mean they’re that important or crucial to begin with.

Simply put Ironwood has always been a character in the wrong genre. Had he been placed in any other circumstance he may have had a point and could have succeeded but in the case of his story he doesn’t have one. Ever since his debut he has always been this source of contradictions and antagonism and contrast when it comes to how the world and characters have been set. Due to this Ironwood has always been this source of escalation and conflict as he only follows his own beliefs and tries to force others to comply with them. As well as the truth that he really has no idea of what to do since he was never really prepared to handle anything like this and added by the fact that he won’t admit or consider the possibility that he is not that needed or important. If he continues on with this type of thinking it's only going to warrant his end as simply put by Oscar he really is just as dangerous as Salem.

Before I explain his overall purpose and status in the Narrative I want to go over several ideas for what may be next for Ironwood throughout the rest of the series which will be explained further by the reasoning I will use in the narrative part.

Fate and status for Volume 8 and the rest of the series

Death

I think it's safe to say that Death flags have been hovering over Ironwood for a while or at least since Volume 7. But is it certain? Most likey. I say it’s near mostly due to my belief that his story has essentially been told and he really doesn’t have anything left to contribute to the plot at this point. The impact of his death whether it will leave a positive or negative impact remains uncertain. But the way of his death to me is certain; he’s going to die by the hands of another character(specifically a hero). I know most people would have hoped for a heroic sacrifice or a redemption by death but I don’t exactly see Ironwood doing such things. (Which I’ll explain in the next 2 bullet points)

If it hasn’t been made clear Ironwood has made more enemies than allies simply due to his inability to compromise or let go of his Atlasian ideals and ego. As well as his refusal to accept the fact that he really isn’t that important or necessary in this conflict or at least in the way he wanted to be. If he further descends into his own little world Ironwood is going to cause more problems and do more damage that can never be undone and the only way to stop it would be if he was out of the picture. Because of this Ironwood is likely to die in V8 or by the end of the Atlas arc but it is also possible that he may die at another point later in the series.

Redemption Arc

The chances for Ironwood’s redemption are slim but they’re there, but probably not in the usual way that everyone expects to happen. To help clarify the possibility of redemption we will be using the trifecta structure of redemption arcs. This includes; How the character sees himself, how they see the world, and the stakes and how they change over time. As well as the Scale and Values of his motivation. To help better understand let us take a look at Ironwood’s motivations and goals from V2 and how they contrast and differ from V7 Ironwood.

Volume 2 Ironwood’s motivations upon first glance are simple; stop the threat and ensure stability and security. However if you watch closely there is an ulterior motive. From this we can determine the true Values of his goals and the Scale of what he is willing to do to achieve them and they go as such;

His values as of V2 are security via large Military foundations and amassing complete control and influence over forign nations while promoting the agendas of Atlas imperialism.(similar to the Galactic empire in its early years from Star Wars) With the scale showing that he is willing to go to such lengths as propaganda and political manipulation and betraying allies to get what he wants(the greatest example of this being subverting control from Ozpin)

From this we know that Ironwood sees himself as this perfect savior that can do no wrong and should be the one in charge. While his views of the world being that everything is below him unless they match those of Atlas. With the stakes at the time being the possibility of losing imperial expansion and the threat of domination from a superior force that could shatter the foundations of his ideology and culture.

While Volume 7 Ironwood’s motivations being; whatever it takes to preserve his perfect and ideal society even if it means sacrificing everything else before his valued culture is destroyed.

The values of this Ironwood definitely differ from previous versions of the character. As V7 Ironwood’s motivations have shifted from saving lives and defending them from Salem to preserving the very little bastion of control and authority that he has over Atlas. With the scale showing that he is willing to turn on allies and go as far as to abandon a whole heavily populated city and potentially the rest of the world in order to preserve the one thing that he has complete and unconditional control over.

Because of this a lot of Ironwood’s views have changed by the end of V7.

Due to his streak of recent failures his views of himself changed from being the perfect leader that he thought he was, to accepting reality that he isn’t said leader and is prone to failure. However because of that thinking he no longer feels that he should hold himself to that set standard anymore and do what he thinks is needed to get his desired results. Which leads to the fact that he still views himself as the one that should be in charge but this time he does not feel compelled to be fair or considerate of either allies or people.

His views of the world really haven’t changed as much. He is just more honest, open and direct about his views by V7’s end where it's pretty clear that he values his military industrial complex that is Atlas over people's lives regardless of their affiliation.(It should be noted that Mantle is still apart of the Kingdom of Atlas as a whole so consider the fact that he is abandoning the part of it he deems is an acceptable loss without even trying to save it)

But the greatest and significant of changes for Ironwood in the plot are the stakes. Prior to being told the truth about Salem’s immortality he honestly thought that he could win and kill her and be free to pursue whatever task he could set his mind to now that she was gone. After being told and with the clear indication that his power(Atlas) was at risk he essentially is doing what raven did; cut his losses and settle with what he has and run. As such the stakes for Ironwood at this point are to preserve the very little power and control that he has currently at his disposal and sacrifice and do whatever he can’t to maintain it even if it means letting the rest of the world die or be under Salem's control.

This is just speculation but Ironwood’s chances for redemption are pretty slim but not impossible. But the key start and major factors to make that redemption possible is for him to yield power and let go of Atlas. As I stated before, Ironwood relies heavily on his control over Atlas as he believes it to be the only means to maintain and sustain a war as well as the only way of enforcing his authority. To reiterate Ironwood true power and relevance to the story is his complete and unchallenged command over the Kingdom of Atlas and at the risk of sounding cliche; “All who obtain power are afraid to lose it even a hero” If there is to be any hope of defeating Salem and or maintaining peace in Remnant it can not happen with Ironwood being in power. Which may be more difficult than it seems which leads us to the possibility that he may not be redeemed and should he live past the Salem conflict with this type of thinking.

A New Enemy

For a character to be redeemed the character needs to want change for better but given his personality and recent events Ironwood at this point doesn’t feel or believe that he should change as he now has an ends justify the means mentality with the belief that he is this grand savior believing his way is the only way. Because of this it is very likely that he may stay an antagonist throughout the remainder of the series and possibly long after the main conflict.

The Third Faction; Okay I think it's a safe bet to say that no matter what Atlas was always going to be an antagonistic force that was being set up as early as V1. And unfortunately for Ironwood he ended up being the face and voice of said force that was there before he was ever given a name or a design.

Because of this setup it is possible that Atlas under Ironwood will become its own faction that may try to counter salem but at the same time will possibly sabotage the allies aka the main heroes and the rest of remnant since Ironwood’s paranoia has increased to the point that he doesn’t trust anyone anymore and most likely will reject any offer of aid or promise of an alliance since Ironwood believes his in own hype that much that he will eventually become a problem that has to be stopped which will possibly lead to the end of Atlas. Which brings us to what might happen to the character post Salem and Atlas.

Post Salem Insurgency; This is speculation but it's possible that after Salem is defeated and Atlas is destroyed he would continue to be a threat for the rest of Remnant as he will be forced to answer for war crimes and step down from power with the possibility that he may never obtain it again.

Given what we know of his personality Ironwood isn’t the type of guy to yield power or think he did anything wrong due to his ends justify the means montra. As such in the years following Salem's defeat and the possibility that Atlas may no longer exist or at the very least no longer subservient to Ironwood’s authority its most likely that he might end up in charge of a paramilitary consisting of the very few soldiers that are still loyal to him and start raiding and terrorizing settlements, cities and kingdoms all over remnant just to rebuild his military complex and infrastructure as a means to reclaim the status and power that he was stripped up.

How and why any of this would happen if it ever does is debatable but should it come to be Ironwood is going to need to compensate in order to survive if he becomes a legitimate threat which brings us to a very likely scenario based on his original inspiration

Full Cyber

Given what happened near the end of V7 and recent V8 concept renders combined with the Tin-man inspiration I do believe that there is a very likely scenario that Ironwood will be more machine than man at some point in the series assuming he doesn’t die yet. This is pretty much a given scenario due to his favoritism for machines than people and his new found ideology that humanity is weakness now it is very likely when given the chance that Ironwood will willingly become full cybernetic(Possibly to the point of just simply being a brain in a new metal body)

While this isn’t exactly an ideal outcome for the character but at the same time this would actually make Ironwood a credible threat as he would now be able to enforce his authority on his own now without relying on others to do it for him. Based on the research from the I am power post Ironwood is relatively a very weak character in comparison to a majority of other characters that we have seen so far and this is especially true when compared to the villains and main heroes. One key aspect to remember is that Remnant didn’t need the military only Ironwood did because on his own he’s screwed no matter what the situation.

Ironwood relies to heavily on his Army as it is the only thing that gives him some ambiance of a fighting chance but ultimately he is very ill suited to lead and manage said army that when you think of it are possibly full of people that are probably more capable than him as well as able to back up and defend their position of power on their own. Whereas Ironwood can not if he were to be overthrown by the military. In other words a fully cyberized Ironwood would actually be beneficial for him as it would make him a formidable threat beyond just simply being the guy who has the world's only military. Depending on what kind of enhancements he can get he would at least be on par with characters like Ruby Qrow and Yang and at the very best on the level of pre maiden Penny. Because as he is right now Ironwood would surely die if he were to face any character that is not within his capabilities. But this is my theory and observations but until we see more Ironwood’s best bet is going full cyber.

Role in the narrative & what we can learn from Ironwood

To start I think it's pretty clear that Ironwood in narrative is just a foil for most of the characters in the show. Especially with greater comparisons and emphasis on these 3 characters; Ozpin Ruby & Salem. While at the same time he is also the character representation that embodies Atlas the most and as such much about what we know and learned about Atlas is mostly due to Ironwood’s actions as he is the culmination and development of Atlasian culture. Unfortunately though this as far as his character was ever going to go. Which makes it all the more tragic and sad when you think about the role that he was supposed to serve.

We will first be breaking down each Foil comparison between Ironwood and the 3 prominent characters to plot as to better under his place in the narrative.

Ozpin

Of all the characters that exist in the RWBY story I do believe that Ironwood tried to emulate and be his own version of Ozpin(or any past incarnation). However unlike Ozpin Ironwood is biased, lacks actual experience and above all takes shortcuts to get faster results at the expense of others. I know that this mostly stems from good intentions but what exactly qualifies Ironwood to even think that he should be the one in charge to handle this Salem conflict. This is one of the greatest problems that is addressed in the show about Ironwood. He really believes that it's his destiny to lead by replacing Ozpin and win.

But I ask again; What exactly can Ironwood do that would qualify him to even be worthy to take up Ozpin’s task?

That's just it really, there is nothing about him to warrant such a thing. When it comes to the foils between the 2 it's about being this Big Good character that should lead and the themes of Grey morality that R.T. has tried to implement into the show. But when it comes down to it Ozpin is the true Big Good while Ironwood was simply a pretender. Ironwood has always been a narrowed focused character that cares about the conflict itself instead of the people that are caught in the crossfire. And unlike Ozpin who has based all of his decisions and plans from experience and human nature, Ironwood had based his for a need to simply be right and in control.

In short Ironwood had wanted to be the next Oz as he believed he was more suited to do what Ozpin couldn’t even though he lacked the skills, experience, and power to do so which brings us to the next foil.

Ruby Rose

This might be stretching a bit but when it comes to the plot there is no greater foil between characters than who is the real hero of the story. In this case is the hero of the series Ironwood or Ruby? To help answer this inquiry we need to know what exactly a hero is. Webster's dictionary defines a hero as a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent, endowed with great strength or ability.

While other sources would say what qualifies A hero can be as simple as a person that saves lives and stuff, but a hero can be anyone that does something they have fear of but are brave enough to still do something. Bravery is usually the biggest trait of any hero. This person has usually overcomes huge obstacles to survive or to rescue others.

A hero is selfless, a genuinely good person, and someone gets the undivided attention of all of us and causes change.

A hero takes action to help others at considerable risk to themselves, however, if that action also helps themselves, then they are not a hero because they are acting out of self-interest. Courage is admirable, but unless it involves risk or sacrifice in order to help others, then it isn't heroism.

So in short the true hero of the series is actually Ruby not Ironwood or any other character in the series. Not because she is one of the main characters or because this is a story from her perspective but because she has the ideal and pragmatic skills and abilities needed to handle the current situation of the plot as well as doing what Ironwood has failed to do himself confront fear and be brave. As I stated in paranoia over reason most if not all of his choices have been based on fear rather than actual logic, reason, or bravery. Which is further highlighted by facts discussed in I am power that Ironwood is really nothing without the military and doesn’t stand a chance on his own.

This is indefinitely a stark contrast to ruby as she has proven since her introduction to be capable of handling the threat of Salem as she has the talents skills abilities power and above all the spark that inspires others that compels them to do great things for the right reasons which Ironwood failed to do as all of his action have had a certain goal that would only benefit a certain few with him being the one who would benefit the most. This is mostly due to how the 2 have responded and chose to handle the situation.

When it comes down to it the main plot is defeating monsters that dominate the world who happen to have a leader controlling them. Remember the whole reason why Salem is even a credible threat is because she can control said monsters and the first premise before she came on screen for the first time was learning how to fight grimm. This is something that Ruby was training and preparing for since she was a kid with the added bonus of having the powers needed to handle the situation with ease while Ironwood has only been preparing for a war with other people rather than monsters and crush rebellions rather than being a guardian peacekeeper that Oz meant for him to be.

Because of this Ironwood has contributed more to the problem more so than Ruby did as his actions were done in favor of Atlas and his own self interests were as Ruby makes honest mistakes out of ignorance and optimism. Which brings me to the next foil that Ironwood shares more qualities with than anyone else

Salem

I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for this but if you think about it Ironwood is basically a syfy dictator version of Salem’s fantasy dark lord. Face value it doesn’t seem likely but given what we know about their current lore, history, personally, and world building these two can be twins to some extent. The examples are as followed;

They’re both headstrong and blunt individuals who go too far in their endeavors when simple and easier solutions were present

They’re both isolated however Salem is isolated by circumstance and force while Ironwood is isolated by choice and paranoia which is ironically the results of their cold upbringing and history

They both lead organizations with questionable intentions that border on dark and immoral with goals that are based on self entitlement rather than rightfully justified or earned

And to top it off they essentially command armies of soulless killing machines

From these examples we have plenty of foils between the two with them being pride, isolation, tragedy, authority and probably the most important foil in regards to the plot War & Conflict. However when it comes down to it Ironwood is on the short end of these foils when compared to Salem.

In terms of tragedy these two have let their past misfortunes dictate and influence their decisions resulting in a sense of entitlement that they have been wronged now the world has to compensate them for things to be right. For Salem she had a cruel upbringing for unknown reasons and life being unfairly cruel while Ironwood was lifely forced into servitude and was never really himself as he wanted to be. Salem’s tragedies are the result of grief and dealing with forces that she couldn’t comprehend. While Ironwood’s is the result of unchecked ambition and ignorance.

Similar to Oz, Salem has more experience being a leader that can exert their authority and will over others while Ironwood lacks the experience and therefore can’t do the same. The Grimm under Salem’s command are more of an oppressed hivemind that she leads with little to no resistance unlike her human subordinates. Thus Salem has more direct control and authority over those she commands and has the abilities necessary to keep them in line with her goals. While the people under Ironwood’s authority have a voice and mind of their own that don’t align with his ideas. Due to this he isn’t much of a respected leader as he thought he was. Because of this Ironwood is mostly kept in power by rules and regulations with everyone blindly following suit.

As for war Ironwood was without a doubt unprepared for it. This is mostly due to 4 reasons;

He had no idea of what he was doing

His opponents are of better a quality than anything he can make or round up

He was preparing for the wrong war that should never have come to pass.

He was to prideful and sure of himself that nothing can go wrong

When it comes to the 1st reason Ironwood was more or less a pseudo soldier in a time where militaries are pretty much obsolete. This is because militaries are used as power projection of a nation and convey the message to another nation to not cross them. Due to the timing there was no real reason or excuse to justify having a military during a point in time where people are more interested in developing a culture and living life rather than fighting in needless conflicts. As such there was no practical reason, competition, or threat to justify Ironwood’s demands for a large military when he came to power or ensure that it was of a better quality than whatever hypothetical enemy that he would face.

Salem on the other hand has had experience commanding armies before and probably has instigated several wars and conflicts prior to the founding of the current 4 kingdoms thus Salem would have at least accumulated centuries to millenniums of war experience that surpass Ironwood’s brief 30 years of service in the Atlas military. Given that Salem was already a crafty and manipulative person during a time when gods were still around, she most likely would have seen the mistakes and flaws that Ironwood has made and exploited them.

Leading into the 2nd reason Ironwood was pretty much in command of a terrible military. As stated in the 1st reason there was no real threat or competition that encouraged those in power besides Ironwood to remilterze. As well as the current military most likely being filled with people who don’t want to fight a war and most likely enlisted for economic reasons. Because of this and his paranoia Ironwood had to find a surrogate army to prepare for his war that in his mind could happen at any time. However this resulted in cheaply made Androids that can be assembled fast for quick deployment. Due to this Ironwood traded quality for quantity as not only was no one going to fight in his war but believed war was on its way soon. Out of misplaced desperation Ironwood hastily assembled a low quality army that never stood a chance.

In comparison to Salem’s main military force there aren’t that many differences. However the Grimm are slightly a better quality than what the Atlas military has to offer. This is mostly due to the fact that the Grimm are a semi sapient species that are capable of learning and adapting as well as possessing some level of self preservation with individual grimm being around longer than most of their kind becoming even more deadlier than them. While the androids that Atlas uses aren’t as they were made to be cheap and disposable and are mostly effective in large numbers.

The 3rd reason for why Salem is doing well during this conflict with Ironwood is mostly due to the General preparing for the wrong type of war than the war that he is actually fighting in. After all is said and done Ironwood has solely been preparing for a war with other people rather than for monsters. This is because the Atlas military before Ironwood took charge wasn’t meant to fight a war. Not all militaries are formed or created to defend the people. Atlas is the type of military that serves only in favor of the best interest of the state of government rather than the people.

Because of this Ironwood had spread misery and divided the people turning them into enemies. Salem would later take advantage of this division that Ironwood created as he was more focused preparing for war than managing the welfare of his citizens. This is speculation but most if not all of the weapons like penny and the Atlesian knights were solely made to fight human opponents as opposed to the grimm that Salem commanded. This is because Ironwood feared and distrusted people more than the monsters he fought.

The 4th and final reason why Ironwood never stood a chance is due to the fact that he believed in his own hype more than he should have. From key dialogues to certain character interactions and in universe lore Ironwood has always presented himself as this towering figure with unlimited power; A god among men so to speak. This shows us that ultimately Ironwood’s ego and pride have been inflated to the point that his overall common sense is non-existent. This is further explored and shown in the control tactics that he uses specifically these ones; Strength and Intimidation in Numbers;

Some aggressors like to dominate a situation by having a number of associates or friends present to support their position. The superior numbers alone may constitute an intimidating presence. They can also back each other up and challenge an individual in turn during a proceeding. In addition, they may also put pressure on a person to make a decision before they're ready. At worst, the strength in numbers tactic may be used for direct or indirect bullying or harassment.

Ironwood's overall strategy is simply sowing fear and doubt into an enemy that he doesn’t understand with large and unnecessary shows of power wasting resources to cover a wide variety of unknown enemies that pose a threat to him regardless if they are with Salem or not. This is best seen with the thousands to millions of cheaply made androids that are only effective in large numbers and the one ship of the line that was too big to be suited for warfare as they function as more of a forward operating base with their great size giving them the intimidation factor without other supporting fleet vessels like frigates or corvettes.(FYI by my count from V6 ep13 there were at least 41 of those ships hovering above Atlas doing nothing)

This is even confirmed by Ironwood in V3 ep3 where he claims this to be the case with this line of dialogue;

“The people of Vale needed someone to protect them, someone who would act. When they look to the sky and see my fleet, they feel safe, and our enemies will feel our strength.”

This sort of tactic would probably have been useful if it was applied in a conventional warfare plot with people being his opponent as this is a real life tactic used in militaries and the navy especially in the modern era. The problem however is that the plot isn’t about conventional warfare nor is it a battle between people but with monsters where these tactics are meaningless to them. These tactics are ineffective when compared to Salem’s psychological hit & run terror tactic being used in a setting like RWBY’s are quite effective and more useful than anything Ironwood can come up with. Even though they rely on opportunity and time to become a practical threat the end result is a huge payoff to the one who applied them with that being Salem.

To sum it up when it comes to the foils of war between these 2 characters all you really need is the right tactic, strategy or plan and everything falls into place regardless of whether you have an army or a handful of misfits all it takes is careful thought and patience something of which Ironwood has shown to be lacking.

In conclusion what we learn from these foils are Leadership, Heroism, and War and how no matter what Ironwood was always on the short end of these traits and was never going to reach his ideal scenario for each of these ideas as he had set high expectations that were well above his capabilities and now he’s paying the price.

The Atlas Meta Narrative’s influence on Ironwood

Based on my research and what I have stated before; the greatest source of Ironwood’s flaws and antagonism is largely due to the influences of his home kingdom; Atlas.

Just like Ironwood Atlas is also a foil setting and culture to the other kingdoms and the rest of Remnant. The reasoning for this is best explored in the established lore and other expanded material. To help better understand, here is a brief summarized history and development of the Kingdom of Atlas;

Before Atlas came to be it first started as Mantle who began as a group of desperate people trying to survive. Taking advantage of the cold climate of Solitas they were safe from the Grimm and had an unknown amount of time to develop both their technology and culture without restraint or interference. Eventually this progress was stalled due to a Grimm incident in Mantle that forced the current leaders of the kingdom to make radical and unnecessary regulations that suppress basic human emotions and rights instead of putting the effort to protect the people.

When the Great war started Mantle joined only to ensure that its like minded imperialist ally Mistral would supply them the resources needed to survive. Because of this and the extreme measures they enforced on their citizens to control them prior to the war Mantle was most likely considered the most evilest faction during the war. When the war came to an end with Mantle suffering an embarrassing defeat it led to an age of cultural segregation and discrimination upon Mantle in the post war era.

Following the war Mantle entered an age of isolation and economic depression due to distrust and suspicion from the other kingdoms as they would only view them as this inherently evil and tyrannical force that can’t be trusted. Because of this the lingering scar of the toxic ideology of pre-war Mantle survived and is echoed in its spiritual successor; Atlas where it continued what Mantle couldn’t survive and thrive under the same core ideology that they had 80 years ago when they were still Mantle with only minor changes made to prevent the other kingdoms to intervene and possibly destroy their so called perfect culture.

After they lost a scar had remained and an echo was created that still lingers to the present. Due to cause and effect Atlas at its core was developed to be this amoral conservative xenophobic dystopia that was being led by corrupt individuals that were in pursuit of their own self-interests rather than serving their citizens and were kept in power by blind followers that couldn’t see their real intentions. As a result Atlas became a culture of exploitation, expansion, repression, and subjugation for the well being of the political entity that is the state at the expense of its people and others.

In relation to Ironwood as I stated before is a byproduct of this system and is simply one of a long line of blind followers that eventually supplanted the leadership and chose to continue the machine that is Atlas and replaced cogs needed to keep it running as he was once forced to do throughout his life because he doesn’t know of anything else.

Because of this upbringing and the history of his origins Ironwood was more or less viewed as indifferent in the eyes of his own people and evil in the eyes of others. Leading to a clash of beliefs within Ironwood that resulted in conflicts with others and the main meta narrative theme that we were meant to learn from him; The essence of Being.

The Essence of Being

Essence is defined as the core nature or most important qualities of a person or thing. Essentially the narrative lesson that we can learn from Ironwood is the age old lesson that has been echoed from R.T. longest running series but with a more individual focus. That's right, Ironwood's journey and arc in the story is an inverse and modification of the classic RVB question; “Do you ever wonder why we're Here.”

But in the case of Ironwood it's more focused on an individual person asking and the age old question of Why am I here and what is my purpose and how do they justify and understand it.

As I stated before Ironwood was simply the wrong character in a different genre from a writing and story perspective. But in universe from the perspective of Ironwood it's simply a matter of him asking; “Why am I alive and here, and why am I this instead of that in a world like this?” At some point everyone questions the reality and circumstances of their situation and it's probably common questioning on a world, setting, and reality like Remnant. For Ironwood it’s possible that he’s asked these questions more than anyone. As for the reasons why he would question his existence go as follow;

Why was I born in Atlas?

How do I prove I'm good when others think I’m evil by proxy?

Why I’m I so weak when compared to more skilled & powerful people?

Why was I made to be reliant on others that can’t rely on themselves?

I’m I respected only for the rank or the man?

Does anyone really care about me or I’m I being used by sycophants?

Will anyone care when I’m gone?

Why won’t anyone give me a chance?

How do I justify and understand the reasons why I'm here?

Does any of this matter in the end?

The core of Ironwood’s journey, actions, motives, and story wasn’t about saving the world, the balance of grey morality of people, or even the preservation of a certain culture, but instead is about cementing a legacy to escape the harsh reality that everything we do will eventually be undone. It's such a freighting thing to fall but is even more freighting is to admit it

In a way Ironwood's story is somewhat relevant to this line from Monty Oum in regards to immortality; “The goal isn't to live on forever; it's to make something that does.” CRWBY has even stated that Ironwood is a forward thinking individual/ A dreamer if you would. Because of this Ironwood was more focused on where he was heading rather than focus on where he was and what he was doing Causing a lot of problems to happen and escalating events to the point that we see them in the shows present. This oversight and negligence is because he continued to believe that, like everything else in his life, it would be righted by the sheer force of his will.

But sadly he is just only one man put on the world for a brief moment of time that is rather minuscule and insignificant on a cosmic and meta level. Everything changes and legacies are either forgotten or are repeated. In the end time and death are the ultimate victors as they undo everything and the cycle repeats itself for better or worse and individuals like Ironwood are just caught in the middle repeating and doing the same thing that has probably already happened and will probably happen again. All it takes is just a matter of time.

My Thoughts and conclusion

For the most part I was pretty much cautious when it came to the character and felt that he was more or less a side character trying to be a main one. The problem with that however in my thoughts is that well he doesn’t really have much to go on to warrant such a status. As well as how the plot has been structured Ironwood was never going to get what he wants. He may have had good intentions but at the end of the day he is only human with his own wants and needs.

Overall I do feel that his part in the story is over. Mostly because he tried to take the lead of it. Meta understanding aside Ironwood’s time is coming to an end and I hate to say it but it probably would be for the best. Not just everyone else in the show but for himself as well. As I stated Ironwood’s life is Sad because well it never was really his to begin with. It's illogical because he was ill equipped to be a part of the setting that he was in. His death is more than guaranteed because he has nothing left to contribute to the story that can’t be done by anyone else. At this point with the overall message of death in the show it would be mercy and relief for Ironwood as Death is not the worst thing that can happen to you.

I still hold hope though as I’ve come to understand and see why people are fascinated by his character. But for that hope to be possible Ironwood has to let go of Atlas as it has been the main source of conflict between him and everyone else.

Well that's it I’m done for now as this is an analysis of Pre V8 Ironwood and maybe after V8 I may add more research of V8 Ironwood and see how much i got right in the initial analysis. After doing this I hope to do an analysis on Qrow Branwen and other RWBY characters hopefully in a much shorter amount of time as opposed to the months it took me to do Ironwood.(then again this was my first character analysis) Until then be on the lookout for additional bonus content for Ironwood such as;

Character comparisons from fiction

Character comparisons IRL

How you can fight & Kill Ironwood

A more indepth look of his new cybernetics

What Ironwood should have done

His relationship with other characters

The possibility of an Ironwood spin-off

That's all for now. Let me know what you think and thank you all who helped made this analysis possible.

#rwby #rwby ironwood #james ironwood #general ironwood #rwby8 #rwby analysis #rwby theory #rwby thoughts #rwby atlas #rwby salem #rwby ozpin #rwby ruby rose #qrow branwen #rwby spoilers #rwby qrow #Ironwood analysis

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iohourtime · 3 years

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Shukan Asahi: Okada x Yamada Special Talk

Source: https://dot.asahi.com/amp/wa/2021100100014.html?__twitter_impression=true

(Rough translation - I paraphrased a little bit. Please let me know if anything is wrong. I also skipped the intro, which didn’t add much info.)

Okada-san played the “Demon Hijikata”. What kind of presence was Okita Souji?

Okada: Okita was very much a genius, so normal people could not understand what he was thinking. However, Hijikata and Okita acknowledged each other, so Okita did not feel scared when Hijikata got angry. Okita was played by Yamada-kun, so it was easy for me to do. He is reliable as an actor, so when the director told me “I am thinking about having Yamada-kun play Okita”, I thought that was great.

Where do you place the most trust in him?

Okada: Since I know the human body pretty well, he asked me “What is the best way to slim down?”, I said “Dehydration”, which was the toughest method (laughs). Then he actually did it, which I thought was impressive. He lost around 8kg of weight.

Yamada: I didn’t even know the word dehydration [at that time].

Okada: It is a method used by bodybuilders, first you take in a lot of water, then suddenly stop and the water will disappear from your body*. Since the blood becomes thick, it is not good [for the body]. In addition, Yamada-kun was not eating to [further] lose weight, so he did both methods…

[* In the Esse interview, Yamada said he stopped drinking water 3 days before the death scene. He also went to the sauna at the hotel, and as expected, he fell down. I know he is playing a dying character, but did he have to go that extreme?]

Yamada: You told me that potassium can also reduce the water in the body, so I took it as well. I did all the things I learned. However, it was really like hell.

Okada: You only ate chocolate?

Yamada: Almonds.

Okada: Ah, I did say nuts are good. You were rolling your tongue and eating little by little like a squirrel.

Yamada: One time, at around 3am, I had excruciating pains in my stomach, so I went to the hospital. They didn’t find anything wrong but I guess that was the price to pay. But I felt good about that too. It was like the character was starting to come alive.

Okada: Normally, if you don’t eat, you start to feel heartsick and lose your will. However, even though Yamada-kun had such a hard shooting schedule, you never lost the will to play the role and I thought you endured a lot. Although we meant to shoot the scenes where you were the thinnest at the end, the schedule [didn’t allow for it].

Yamada: When I filmed the scene just before my death, I also had to film [another scene] where I was healthy on the same day. I wanted my face to look fuller, so I ate a lot. I was trying to gain back the 8kg I lost within 1 week, so I ate about 5-6kg of rice every day. Although my body felt very heavy, I enjoyed [the experience]. I don’t hate being forced into a corner.

Okada: When you were rail thin, you never said a single thing in frustration…

Yamada: I couldn’t possibly show that sort of thing at the place where Okada-san was the center (laughs)! But I never thought about saying stuff like “This bastard”. I thought I would just grin and bear it.

Okada: There’s not much more I can say about Yamada-kun’s skill as an actor. The one thing I would add is that his earnestness towards the role was very amazing. That’s his personality & character.

Other than the body, what advice did you get from Okada-san?

Yamada: I was watching Okada-san to a somewhat disturbing extent. I was really trying to learn about each thing. For example, Okada-san can peek at the camera lens and know the angle of view. Isn’t that weird? (laughs)

Okada: I did ask you, like “Do you know the angle of view?”

Yamada: I was like “Angle of view?!” I thought I didn’t study enough. You told me everything you thought I would not understand and I am very grateful for that.

Yamada-san, what is Okada-san to you?

Yamada: He’s absolutely larger than life. I worship him not as a senpai. Although I’m the type who thinks that I can do whatever others can do because they’re also human like me, I cannot copy Okada-san. Like after he finished filming, he would just sleep a little and head to the gym*; although it sounds kinda bad, he’s like a monster. Really (laughs).I wonder if I will ever reach this level even after many years.

[* He just told the story on Ariyoshi x Monster - They finished filming at 2am & had to reconvene at 5:30am. In 3.5 hours, Okada managed to sleep and go to the gym and that’s why Yamada thought he was inhuman.]

What was the atmosphere on the film set?

Okada: It was an old world where angry roars were flying around. I think it was probably different from what Yamada-kun experienced before..

Yamada: If the young people of today were to jump into this, they may lose heart. You need to really hate to lose and really be motivated to live in this world.

[T/N: I’m a bit confused as to whether they’re talking about the actual film set or the Shinsengumi times. I guess maybe the Shinsengumi atmosphere bled into the set? Sounds a bit horrifying but it is a testosterone filled film. 😅]

How would you link the unity of Shinsengumi to your “Group Bond”?

Okada: If you bring in the really strict rules that Shinsengumi implemented to the group, like whoever broke the rules would have to commit seppuku*, it will collapse.

[* Seppuku is the act of ritual suicide where the person cut across the stomach with a sword. For Shinsengumi, people could be executed by beheading or allowed to commit seppuku. Basically seppuku is the honorable way to die.]

Yamada: You’re not wrong (laughs).

Okada: Shinsengumi was a strong and unusual group. It only lasted 6 years, that’s why it was beautiful and powerful. For those of us in V6, we are made up of gentle people who all wanted to do this together for a long time rather than aim to be the bright light. How long has Hey!Say!JUMP been around?

Yamada: Next year will be our 15th anniversary.

Okada: From now on, I think it will be interesting for Hey!Say!JUMP, King & Prince, SixTONES, and Snow Man. You’re going to fight for the national idol throne. We were wondering and looking forward to find out “Who will take it!”

Yamada: We are race horses (laughs).

Okada: That’s right. These 4 groups know what their situation is like, and I think you have discussed this amongst your groups. Although it is tough, it is probably fun to be creative. What is JUMP doing?

Yamada: Recently, we are starting to find our niche individually. However, I think our rule is to try and bring something from those places back to JUMP. For example, I’m a part of “Moeyo Ken”, so people may say “Yamada Ryosuke, who played Okita Souji, is part of the group called ‘Hey!Say!JUMP’”, and that brings the topic back to the group. As for the “National Idol” throne, whether we can win will depend on how much power we can each bring by following that rule of JUMP’s.

#moeyo ken #shukan asahi #okada junichi #yamada ryosuke #interview #translation

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dmsden · 4 years

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Beyond Human - RPing Fey and other alien entities in a believable fashion

Hullo, Gentle Readers. There is a LOT going on in this latest Question from a Denizen, which was submitted to me Anonymously. My secretive friend asks this. “Would be interested in hearing your opinion on portraying fey creatures. I've been trying to figure this out and have ended up stuck on 2 specific questions: How would one go about portraying different fey as an actual alien and otherworldly species? As a dm when portraying the individual fey I'm not sure what personality traits and behaviour characteristics to use. I don't want them completely loopy and crazy but also don't want then to feel like just an ordinary person either. Also in a game where there are a lot of fey how would you make each npc fey both unique but also still keep that otherworldly aspect. One problem, and this is true I think whenever you try to portray characters from a different race, is that all individuals in that race will potentially become cookie cutters. Each sharing the exact same traits and mannerisms. So how do you stop each npc from appearing to be no different while still keeping the mannerisms and behavior associated with them that gives them their otherworldly feeling?"

Whew! That is a lot to unpack, but I will do my best.

To tackle the second question first, I would treat your fey like any other NPCs you make that are not humans. No one should be a cookie cutter cardboard cut out, but, at the same time, there are certain traits that are common enough amongst the non-human races that you don’t want to jettison those entirely or else they might lose a little bit of what makes them seem like a member of that race.

A dour halfling might be interesting, but you want them to be the exception, since the norm for halflings is rather happy go lucky and cheerful. Likewise, if all of your dwarves are open and friendly, one might wonder why they’re often portrayed as a bit on the suspicious side. You can make sure that you include those traits that the NPC’s people are known for, but then vary and give extra traits as well. For example, let’s say we need 5 halflings for a caravan. Halfling one might be the dour doomsayer mentioned above, and you might also make them the one who works with the animals and to have a penny whistle that they play beautiful, mournful tunes on. Halfling two might be everyone’s favorite cook, a cheerful fellow with bright green eyes and quick fingers. Halfling three might be the one with the most common sense in the group, the even keeled brewer who keeps everyone rooted with pithy sayings and solid advice. A fourth one might be a bit of a prankster, but also the first one to buy you a drink or to laugh when they themselves get pranked, as well as a fiddler of great skill. Number five is a bit parental, something of a mother hen, and to know all the best herbal remedies you can find in the woods. Each one is distinct, but you’d believe them all as halflings, I’m willing to bet.

Your first question is a bit of a challenge, but I do have some advice on how to portray an entity like an archfey. There are ways of making them otherworldly while still making them a believable entity.

Firstly, remember that they are likely immortal for all intents and purposes. Sure, they could be killed, but they are unlikely to simply die. This tends to skew their ability to comprehend the concept of haste. They are much more likely to move, think, and act more cimcumspectly than the PCs might like. If they are trying to get an eladrin lord to send troops to aid them against the orcs attacking their lands, it might be challenging to get them to commit quickly. They may want time to think about it or send the PCs on a quest to prove themselves worthy allies. After all, when you can legitimately retreat and defeat your enemy by outliving him and his whole family, it’s hard to get someone to understand the need for speed.

Also, most fey, especially archfey, are completely amoral by the standards of mortals. Appealing to their better nature is unlikely to work, as they may not have one. They may see nothing wrong with solving the problem of a rampaging group of satyrs by shunting them to the Prime Material Plane, so the PCs who are likely trying to get a Fey Queen to recall them are going to face an uphill battle.

One thing that might be useful is to assign any of your fey some kind of aspect that you can use as a guideline. For example, in my LARP, I play a powerful fey called the Gourmand who embodies the aspect of Gluttony. Whenever I roleplay him, I make him incredibly predatory...his hands twitch like spiders, his head rocks side to side like a cobra, and he hunches forward. I speak in a deep, gutteral voice, and, before anything I say, there’s a certain amount of licking and smacking of lips. He’s cruel and has no compunctions about bargaining with PCs to do something awful...in exchange for which he helps them get things they REALLY want. He’s pretty repulsive, but that’s part of the idea. I think it’s pretty obvious when I’m playing him that he’s like no one else and very inhuman.

Another thing that comes directly from this is that each of these qualities can be exploited by your players, or by you. Let me show you what I mean.

The immortality aspect also means that, things that happened long ago are likely very fresh in the fey’s mind. If your eladrin battled the drow long ago, the PCs are likely to be able to use this if the orcs they’re fighting have drow allies. Alternatively, you could have the fey remember an ancestor of one of the PCs that they either liked or hated and give them some personal RP based on that.

If the PCs know the archfey is immoral, they can dispense with trying to appeal to the goodness in them. They can, instead, show them what benefits the archfey is likely to gain, which is more likely to appeal to them.

And if the archfey is the embodiment of something, the PCs may be able to goad the archfey into doing something that aligns with their nature. If, for example, the enemy included some kind of monster that was unique, they might appeal to the Gourmand’s hunger to eat something that no one else has ever eaten.

I hope this advice helps. Being convincingly alien is always an RP challenge, but it can definitely be worth the work. Let us know how it goes!

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ieattaperecorders · 4 years

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I’m seeing a lot of TMA Star Trek AU on my dash, and it seems largely TOS-based. I love TOS, but allow me to propose: Star Trek Voyager AU.

The crew in Voyager aren’t on a scientific mission, they’re survivors lost 70,000 light years from Earth. It’s campy fun Star Trek stuff, but instead of having the resources and support of the Federation, the crew is alone - trying to get back to known space, forced to depend on one another. Found Family ensues harder than you can possibly imagine.

Captain Sasha James!! Janeway is capable, cool-headed and good at managing the crew on a personal level, but it’s hard to really know her. The pressures of her role mean she wears masks even with people she cares for, which fits Sasha perfectly.

I’m inclined to put Tim as her First Officer – it’s a good role for him, and the Captain and First Officer must be a dynamic duo. Science Officer works for Jon, though with the reduced crew and vulnerable situation, he might end up with multiple roles. I like the idea of Martin as medic (and I’ll get more into that later, because oh boy.) Georgie can take Neelix’s role, (though she refuses to stop saying that the Admiral is the official Morale Officer and she just interprets for him.)

Half Klingon Melanie King!! Half Klingon Melanie King struggling with anger issues and frustrated with people who define her by them!! Who had to push and fight to keep from being dismissed because of her heritage!! Half Klingon Head of Engineering Melanie King!!

THE BORG. THE BORG, GUYS. Think of the possibilities that threat could present to these characters.

Danny Stoker was assimilated by the Borg. It was Tim’s motivation to join Starfleet. He refuses to talk about it until the day the crew is cornered in Borg-occupied space and makes contact with a drone that bears a disturbing resemblance to him.

(Danny Stoker as Seven of Nine and, like, twelve paragraphs of JonMartin under the cut.)

Tense standoffs ensue and the crew escapes with the Danny-drone still on their ship. Sasha (the only one Tim told about his brother) makes the risky call to subdue him and sever his link to the Collective rather than killing him.

Now Tim has the brother that he thought was gone forever, but he’s profoundly changed. He doesn’t seem like the Danny he remembers, he might even be a threat. Meanwhile Danny is lost without the Collective, struggling with the idea of individuality as well as his memories/emotions regarding Tim.

They have to negotiate around both their traumas if they want to heal and recover, but at least they have a chance to know each other again. (And the rest of the crew helps.)

Now, the chief medical officer on Voyager is a hologram - intended to be turned on only in emergencies, but left running nearly all the time due to the lack of medical staff. Over time his personality expands beyond his original programming, the others start treating him less like a computer program and more like a member of the crew, and friendships eventually develop. (It’s one of those “am I a person? What does it mean to be a person?” stories. Voyager has a lot of that.)

There’s two directions I could see that going. One is Helen/Michael slots into the role. (Either or both, who says the Emergency Medical Hologram doesn’t have two interfaces?) Personality-wise they’ve got the campy smugness, and the whole “am I a who or a what?” thing works super well. I mentioned Martin as a medic and the idea of him having to put up with Helen’s bullshit/getting to irritably banter with Helen is very good.

BUT ALTERNATELY, Martin is the medical hologram. Instead of leaning into the “inhumanity” angle, we lean into the angle of being initially overlooked/not seen as one of the crew, then slowly making meaningful connections. (Can squeeze in a “self-worth outside of what you do for others” character arc too.)

Jon is for sure the first one to treat Martin like a person. It’s a reversal of S1 Jon being an ass to him, but it feels appropriate for Jon - who can sympathize with creatures that aren’t human, even when others don’t. There’s another fun parallel - in canon, Martin continues to treat Jon like a person even as he becomes less and less human. Here, Jon treats Martin like a person from the beginning and he becomes more and more of one.

Plus, come on, think of all the “Jon gets injured and Martin has to overclock himself/push past his intended limits to save his life” scenarios. Think of Martin getting a crush on Jon early because he’s Nice To Him, panicking and trying to hide it. Think of Emergency Medical Hologram Martin taking an interest in poetry instead of opera.

The Lonely may not exist in this AU but I bet being turned off feels a lot like it : (

I like Vulcan/half Vulcan Jon, so we can slot him there. (He’s not a parallel for Tuvok, that wouldn’t fit - he’s just Jon and he’s Spock and he’s on Voyager and you’re all going to have to deal with it. Besides, “half Vulcan/caught between two worlds/struggling with the concept of Emotions” is so good for Jon.)

Now mix half Vulcan Jon in with Hologram Martin and imagine the pining. IMAGINE IT.

Jon refuses to accept he has feelings at all, let alone romantic feelings for someone else. And Martin? He isn’t even sure he’s capable of love, if what he’s feeling is real or some flaw in his programming. Jon’s nice enough to him – sometimes Martin thinks he even sees him as a friend, but surely there are limits? The absurdity of a holomatter projection thinking that it’s in love with him must be too much for even Jon to indulge.

They’ll get there after four or five seasons of mutual longing, of course. Probably in some intensely dramatic circumstance.

In fact, that’s a thought - something something backup drive holding Martin’s personality is stuck on a planet that’s incredibly toxic. (Maybe filled with poisonous fog because, of course, gotta keep the aesthetic.) Something something Vulcan physiology, Jon is the only one who can survive on the surface long enough to get it.

He has Martin’s mobile emitter with him while he goes after the drive, and the whole time Martin is trying to convince him to stop. It’s too dangerous, the planet is killing him, Martin’s given up on himself but he doesn’t want Jon to die too.

“You don’t have to do this, the default program for me is still on the ship, it can be reset.”

“That is not you. Your personality, your experiences, everything you’ve gained over these years would be lost.”

“But it has all my medical knowledge. It can do my job just as well, you’ll still have a doctor - -”

*losing all pretense of a Calm Vulcan Exterior* “I did not come here to retrieve our doctor, I came to get you back, and I am not leaving without you!!”

(Of course they get back safely and Jon immediately collapses upon returning to the ship, then it’s Martin’s turn to make sure he doesn’t die.)

Also it’s Star Trek so holograms can be solid, they’ll get those fabric rustles in don’t worry.

#tma #star trek au #tma star trek au #i cannot believe this lives in my brain now

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cosmicjoke · 4 years

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Ash and others perception of him:

This is gonna get long, and I keep amending it, sorry. It’s difficult for me to work out what I’m trying to say, but here it goes.

One of the things I find most interesting about Banana Fish is the recurring theme throughout of what the other characters think of and how they perceive Ash, and how, almost all of them to the letter are completely wrong. All, of course, with the very notable exception of Eiji.

Almost everyone speaks about Ash as if he’s some sort of otherworldly being. They often use terms such as “devil” or “Satan”, or “demon”, or “angel” when talking about him. This occurs with Dino, Yut-Lung, Blanca, Foxx, and any number of other characters. Even Ash’s friends, like Shorter, Sing, Cain, and his gang, talk about him like he’s almost inhuman. And, more important still, there seems to be an across the board notion between all of the former characters that Ash will eventually, one day, become like them. That he’ll become a monster. A “Prince of Darkness”. There’s even a notion among readers/viewers of Banana Fish that seems to buy into this notion. That without Eiji and his influence, Ash would eventually succumb to the dark side, as it were.

But I think it’s something a little different than that. Because, deep down, that isn’t who Ash is. It isn’t what he has inside him. Ash never cared about money, or power, or control. He never had the desire or wish to dominate people, the way all of his abusers wanted to dominate him, and control him. Despite the perceptions and beliefs of all of these characters regarding him as this incredibly dangerous, wild beast, what Ash actually is, is just a young kid who’s been horrifically abused and who is struggling every moment of every day simply to survive. And the only one who seems to ever really understand this about him, the only one who ever really sees this about him, is Eiji. Eiji even has that moment of internal dialog where he’s talking about how Ash has had to put on this facade of an ice cold heart, but that he knows it’s only, in reality, a defense mechanism. To keep himself from losing his mind. To keep others away from him because he’s been repeatedly hurt and betrayed by everyone in his life, especially adults. To simply keep himself alive. Ash shuts down when he kills, not because he doesn’t feel anything, as he keeps accusing himself of, but because he feels too much. The very act of killing is so horrific to him, he’s naturally so repulsed by it, that he’s had to learn to shut off his own emotions in order to simply survive. We know that killing has always been a terrible thing in Ash’s mind from Dino’s own words, near the beginning of the story, when he’s talking to Ash, and he reminds him about how he used to always cry with every “job” Dino gave him. One can easily infer from this that he’s talking about forcing Ash to take out hits on people, to kill people. Ash cried about it then because he hadn’t yet learned to detach himself from the act for his own sanity. Of course, as this continued, as Ash was made to do more and more terrible things to survive his own, horrific situation, it gradually and consistently eroded away at his own self-esteem, until we see how he regards himself throughout the course of the story. His deep self-loathing and disgust at himself. The tragic irony, of course, is that Ash’s own self-hatred is proof in itself of his good heart. He hates himself for killing because it’s always been something he understood to be bad, to be wrong. He’s never had a problem understanding the nature of killing. He’s never had difficulty understanding what it is, or what it means to to kill. He’s never had a lack of empathy or sympathy. He was never a sociopath, or a psychopath. He doesn’t care what the reasons for it are, or that he’s justified in it. It still tortures him, to know that he’s taken a life. It haunts him and eats away at him in the worst ways.

Ash relaxes around Eiji, because Eiji is the only one who knows that Ash isn’t this wild, out of control, vicious animal that everyone else seems to think he is. He knows that the cold, frightening facade he puts up is just that. A mask, used to protect himself and those he cares about. And because he knows that about Ash, he treats him just like a regular boy, which is all Ash has ever wanted.

The thing about this notion that Ash would become like Dino, or Yut-Lung, or even Blanca if Eiji hadn’t come into his life is, I think, wrong. Eiji doesn’t give Ash his humanity. Eiji gives Ash a sense of normalcy and a sense of what it’s like to be treated like a normal kid. He makes him feel human, because he treats him like he’s human. But even before Ash really knows Eiji, we see how deeply he cares about and is willing to sacrifice for those he loves. When he goes after Skip after he gets abducted, and willingly gives himself up to Arthur and Marvin. We see he’s formed deep and loving connections to people, like Skip, and Shorter and of course his brother Griff. We see him show genuine, anguished emotion over all of them when they’re killed. He cared about them deeply, and it wrecked him when they died through their association with him. That isn’t the reaction of a monster. That’s the reaction of a human being who’s lost someone they love. It hurts him to his core.

We see him go out of his way to spare the members of his gang who moved against him by working for Dino, telling them to get lost instead of shooting them. He spared Arthur even, during their turf war, when he took over all of Arthur’s gangs. All of those acts of mercy eventually came back to bite Ash, because all of those people then turned around and betrayed him and tried to kill him. And that really informs the one moment in Banana Fish in which Ash’s morality seems to waver somewhat, when he’s taking out members of Arthur’s gang in systematic fashion. Even during this point in the story, Ash gives those guys ever chance to save their own lives by telling his own gang to get the word out that if they skip town, no one will come after them. Ash and his crew will leave them alone, as long as they don’t join forces with Arthur against him. After that, those who fail to heed his warning or accept his leniency, yeah, Ash goes after them without mercy. But that, again, ties back into what we see earlier, with how Ash’s previous acts of mercy towards Arthur and others resulted in the situation he then found himself in. The fight he has with Eiji, when Ash screams at him that if he shows any of Arthur’s gang mercy, they’ll just kill him, is founded in Ash’s own, brutal experiences. He knows that if he lets those guys go who beg for their lives, that they’ll just run back to Arthur, regroup, and attack Ash and his crew again, not only risking Ash’s life then, but those who have placed their trust in him as their leader. Ash’s actions here, as harsh and merciless as they may seem, are actually based on his own past experiences and logic. He isn’t killing Arthur’s gang because he wants to. Or because he’s trying to gain power. Or because he thinks it’s fun. He’s doing it because past experience tells him if he doesn’t, him and those who follow him are going to pay the heavy price of their lives. It’s not even really revenge for Shorter’s death. It’s defense through offense, protecting the lives of himself and his gang because he’s been forced to take action by Arthur’s refusal to leave him alone. Even then, Ash is willing and wants to simply fight Arthur one on one to end the war, so no one else has to die. He’s willing and even expects to die himself in order to save the lives of not only his gang, but Arthur’s gang. That shows a strong moral conscience. That shows goodness of heart. It’s only again when Arthur betrays him and has his entire crew try to gun Ash down in the subway that Ash kills the rest of them. That’s pure self-defense.

Beyond that point in the story, Ash, from beginning to end, constantly displays a deep and powerful moral conscience, constantly going out of his way to help others, and tries very, very hard never to hurt or kill anyone he doesn’t absolutely have to. We see Ash consistently unable to turn away when someone he knows or cares about is in danger, like Max and Ibe when they get captured in the mental facility Ash had just fought tooth and nail to escape from, literally running back into the line of fire to rescue them, directly putting himself in danger in order to help them. He’s constantly pushing other characters out of the way of gun fire, putting himself instead in the line of it. That’s a knee jerk reaction. It’s just what he does naturally. The same as Eiji. He’s constantly into firefights in order to lead others away to safety, sacrificing himself physically to rescue others, sacrificing his own privacy and mental well-being for the cause of others, when he tells Max to use the photo’s of him being molested as a child to spare the other kids who’ve been through the same thing. Ash only kills either in self-defense, or in defense of those he loves and cares about. Even in heat of the moment situations, like when members of Sing’s crew shoot Eiji and try to kill him and Ash, even when Ash seems to have lost it, repeatedly shooting their already dead bodies, when Lao comes at him with a gun, Ash doesn’t kill him. He has the presence of mind to simply shoot Lao in the hand. He isn’t ever an out of control wild animal. That’s just what people have made Ash believe about himself, which is one of the most tragic aspects about him. That he’s been manipulated into seeing himself as a monster, when he never was. When Lao screams “He’s not human, he’s a monster!”, Ash doesn’t even defend himself. He agrees with it, even though it’s so blatantly untrue. That shows the ravages on Ash’s mental and emotional state from the abuse he’s suffered. But even with all of that, he never became like those who abused him. He never tried to hurt anyone who didn’t try to hurt him first. By contrast, everyone who claims Ash is some sort of demon, everyone who claims him to be this inhuman monster, all themselves tried to hurt Ash and those he cared about when he himself had never done anything to them. Ash never did anything to Dino, or Yut-Lung, or Foxx, or any of those people. He never went after any of them until they went after him first, or those he cared for. Even towards those who failed him so miserably and set him on the path he ended up on, like his father, Ash showed incredible compassion and care towards, despite the awful way James treated him. When Ash had every right to hate him. But he didn’t, and in fact was immensely distressed when James was shot.

As an example of how intrinsically Ash differs from the other characters who deem him a monster or a demon, I think comparing him to the character who most resembles him is a good case in point. That of course is Yut-Lung. Yut-Lung suffered his own horrific abuses and cruelties at the hands of the people who were meant to care for him, namely of course his brothers. And understandably, he wanted and was justified in taking revenge on them for what they did to him and his mother. But here’s where he and Ash diverge from each other. Yut-Lung has in him a capacity for deep pettiness, jealousy, and resentment. Failings which he acts on again and again throughout the course of the story, without hesitation, and failings which Ash himself never displays even the barest hint of, despite having suffered similar and even worse abuses in his life. Yut-Lung tries with absolute commitment to kill Eiji, over and over, simply because he can’t bear the idea that somebody actually loves Ash. He can’t bear to see Ash have even a little happiness, in a life of otherwise complete sadness and pain, because he himself doesn’t have it. He can’t stand the idea that Ash might find “redemption” through love. And so he tries with all of his considerable power to take it away from Ash. It’s the definition of pettiness and cruelty, which is something Ash, even in his darkest moments, never showed a capacity for. I don’t think Ash ever had it in him to be so ugly and unkind and vicious. He can be manipulative, of course. But he only ever used those manipulative abilities to defend himself and others. He never used them to hurt anybody who hadn’t first hurt him or those he cared about, or at least tried. He never tried to hurt someone simply because they had something he didn’t. He never tried to take something away from someone simply because he didn’t have it too. He never resented anyone for having a better life than him, or for having love when all he had was pain. And therein lies the difference between someone like Ash and Yut-Lung, and it means everything.

Ash sees himself as a monster because everyone’s always told him he is, those people projecting their own monstrosity and ugliness onto him. Trying to twist him into what they are, trying to force him into a position where he has no choice but to do terrible things in order to survive. They try to corrupt him because they themselves are corrupted and cruel. But somehow, despite all the horror of Ash’s life, he never becomes like that. He never loses that part of himself that recoils at violence and abuse, that agonizes over having to make the decisions he has to to survive. He never becomes petty, or cruel, or hateful. He never becomes unable to love. Like Ibe says about him “He’s such a good kid. He’s just such a good kid.”. I think Ash is able to resist becoming like the monsters who abused him because he had in him an innate goodness. I think Eiji could see that in him from the start, when everyone else could only see a savage animal, or a beautiful commodity. It’s also why I think Eiji was so profoundly drawn to Ash, because he could see that goodness in him from the start, and why he had the opposite feeling and reaction toward Yut-Lung, because he saw the pettiness and cruelty in him. It’s why there were so many people who deeply cared about Ash. Eiji, and Max and Skip and Shorter, and Sing, and his entire gang, and Cain, and why someone like Yut-Lung didn’t really have anyone who cared about him, except I suppose Blanca and Sing to an extent, but not with nearly the level of real love and respect Ash garnered. Not with nearly the same loyalty. And that’s also why both Sing and Blanca sided with Ash eventually, against Yut-Lung. As deep a capacity for cruelty and petty envy as Yut-Lung had, Ash had an equal capacity for kindness and love. He just doesn’t realize it about himself because he’s been manipulated into thinking the opposite, and because he was so savagely abused and put into such nightmarish circumstances, that he had to do awful things just to keep living. And that’s a massive tragedy. That Ash is the only one who won’t forgive himself for having to do the things he’s done, despite the very real and justified reasons for those actions, is further testament to the goodness in his heart. Ash can’t and won’t give himself a break, can’t and won’t forgive himself for it, even as everyone around him tells him he should. Because Ash always was and always would have been a good kid, with a good heart, who understood from the beginning the awful reality and seriousness of taking another life. He understood that in a way Dino and Yut-Lung and even Blanca never did. Those things were always going to weight him heavily down with awful, crushing guilt and remorse. He hated himself for having done it, and saw himself as worthless because of it. He was never what the others thought of him as. He was never this “prince of darkness”, never this demon, or devil. He was just a young boy trying desperately to survive.

It’s Eiji who sees that about Ash, where everyone else fails to. Even Shorter doesn’t understand in the beginning of the story why Ash lets those guys go who tried to kill him. Even Shorter, I don’t think, understands the toll that killing takes on Ash. It’s Eiji, and only Eiji, who sees Ash for who he really is. It’s why he’s the only one Ash can actually be himself around. The only one who LETS Ash be himself. Why it’s only around Eiji that we see Ash really able to genuinely smile, and relax, and let down his guard. Because he knows Eiji isn’t going to try and make him into something he’s not, doesn’t see him as something he’s not, and isn’t going to try and get something from him. Who isn’t going to try and control him, or mold him into what they want him to be, or what they think he should be. He understands why Ash acts the way he does, why he does the things he does, and he doesn’t judge him or condemn him for it. He accepts it, and tries to help Ash forgive himself and love himself.

Even without Eiji coming into his life, I don’t think Ash ever would have become like Dino, Yut-Lung, Foxx or Blanca. I don’t think Ash ever had the capacity to become a monster like them. His heart was always too big, and he always cared too much, felt too much, to become that. What Eiji did give Ash, which Ash never had before, was the knowledge of what it is to be loved. He gave Ash a sense of what it was to be treated like a human being, not an object to be admired, or a weapon to be used. He acknowledged that Ash had feelings. That he had emotions and thoughts of his own. He treated him like he MATTERED. He didn’t make Ash human, because Ash was always human. He didn’t give Ash morality, because Ash always had morality. But he was the only one who saw those things about Ash, where everyone else failed to, even Ash himself. And because he could see that about Ash, he was the only one who ever made Ash feel like a normal boy. The only one who ever made Ash feel like who he really was. The only one who ever allowed Ash to BE who he really was.

#Banana Fish #Ash Lynx #Meta commentary

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jiminisjamin · 4 years

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Pairing: Min Yoongi x Female Reader

Rating: Angst (with fluff sprinkled in)

Warnings: Major angst, fluff, suggestive content/language, language, mentions of alcohol, major character death, mild-violence.

Summary: All her life y/n has watched her friends find their soulmates; it always seemed to happen by chance, something indescribable telling them they needed to go to the store right now- a gut feeling that led them to the person they were meant to share the rest of their life with- and y/n had never met her perfect half. She was starting to lose hope when she was walking through the halls of her new college, only to be drawn to a haunting, dark, and lonely melody.

AU: Soulmate (I don’t know if this is an AU that’s out there already but I thought of it so to explain it briefly; every decision you make is leading you towards meeting your soulmate, every decision you make, everything you say, leads you to eventually cross paths with your soulmate. When you meet your soulmate, your heartbeats link together, as your lives are inherently tied together in general. [I guess you could kind of think of it like the red thread of fate]).

A/N: So yes the poem in the very beginning is Sonnet 116, and like I kept all the original grammar and capitalization and everything but I took away the line breaks (I’m sorry at the time I’m making this its way too late for me to think for proper names).

Word Count: 2,469

Song: Maybe We’re Meant To Be Alone (Bad Suns)

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove.”

A door swings open, the creak thundering through the silent halls. The man keeps his head down, ducking it slightly and shrinking in on himself, pulling his hoodie tighter around himself, a low moan falling past his lips as he clutches at his side. His hand quickly become soaked, sticky with his own blood as he stumbles, falling against the wall leading down the thin hall that seems to stretch for miles in front of him. He opens his mouth to shout, but before he can, the same door swings open, and he stumbles forward, not bothering to look behind him as multiple footsteps echo behind him. They’re not rushed- but calm and uniform, slowly shadowing his own erratic steps as his voice gets lost in his throat, unsure of where he to turn next. Without much thought, his feet carry him down a path he’d gone so many times he could do it in his sleep. His hand grabs the handle, staining it red as he pulls down and pushes the door with his shoulder, collapsing into the room. He just barely catches himself with his hands, kneeling in the middle of the room, gasping hoarsely as he falls to his side, his eyelids slowly lowering as he hears the door open slowly. His gaze raises to the door, briefly noting the figures standing at the door, watching him as his chest rises and falls with each jagged breath, his hand shaking slightly, lips parting slightly to let out a low gurgle. The sound is disturbingly human and inhuman all at once, the vague shape of a word forming beneath the blood that trickles out the side of his mouth, staining his teeth, his lips and face, dripping onto the rough, unforgiving tile underneath him. His eyes turn from them, wandering mindlessly as he continues to murmur incoherently.

And then it stops. His hand, his pleas, his pained gaze glazing over as his last action turns them towards the center of the room before stilling, his mouth parting slightly wider as the last breath trembles past his lips. With that, their rapid footsteps can be heard as they quickly exit the building, their presence barely missed by the guard that strolls down the hall, shining the light down to the slightly ajar door, sighing as he curses to himself, mumbling about kids never closing up behind them, he moves forward, reaching out and grabbing the handle only to shudder and pull his hand away, the flashlight dropping to the ground as he stares down at the red stain that coats his palm. He shouts out, the words echoing down the halls when he looks up, his gaze falling on the slumped figure laying in the middle of the room. As he movies forward, he leans next to the boy, his hand landing on his shoulder as he shakes him gently, growing more rapid as he doesn’t respond. He shouts out again, finally gaining the attention of his coworker who runs down towards the rolling flashlight, pushing the door all the way open as she looks down, her jaw dropping. She picks up her phone, dialing the police as a string of curses falls past her lips.

“O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand'ring bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.”

Police and paramedics file in, their eyes immediately landing on his body as they quickly get to work, pushing the security off to the side as an officer moves forward to begin interrogating them.

“Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come;”

The paramedics make quick work of getting his body into the ambulance, rushing him to the hospital as police stay, closing off the entire hall as they began searching for any signs of evidence.

“Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom.”

They scour every inch of the building by the end of the month, but are unable to find anything leading to who murdered him- not even finding anything leading to a potential motive. Although, they missed the most important clue- off in the far corner of the room, he was overlooked: crouched in the shadows, shrunken in on himself, he kept his head down, eyes closed as he willed the sight in front of him to go away, unable to continue to watch them scramble, he stayed there, waiting.

“If this be error and upon me prov'd, I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.” Y/n looks up at her friends, watching their expressions carefully to gauge their reactions. Namjoon nods, his eyes widening slightly as he hums.

“So, why are you reading this to us?” Y/n pauses, biting her lip as she stares down at her phone.

“I like it,” she murmurs, smiling up at them. “You know, Joon, I think I’m gonna meet him this year.” She nods to herself, smiling slightly.

“Shakespeare?” Namjoon groans, slapping his boyfriend’s arm.

“Not the time for jokes, Jin.” Seokjin looks at y/n and grimaces.

“Sorry, y/n.” She waves her hand dismissively, staring out the window as the bus slows.

“It’s fine. I just…I have a good feeling about this college, you know? Out of all the ones I could’ve gone to…this feels right. You know?” Namjoon’s expression shifts to an awkward smile.

“Y/n…not to be negative, but isn’t this the only college that accepted you?” Her gaze snaps to meet Namjoon’s as the bus comes to a stop, and she laughs, nodding.

“Yeah, it is. If that isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.” She stands up, slinging her bag over her shoulder and dashing to the doors. “Come on guys, don’t want to be late.” Seokjin frowns, watching as she gets off the bus and practically dashes into the building.

“Were you this excited for your first year of college?” He asks Namjoon, reluctantly gathering his things and joining his boyfriend in the aisle as they walk in line with the rest of the passengers needing to get off. Namjoon shakes his head, glancing over his shoulder.

“She’s not excited for school, I don’t think. I think it’s more of the people, you know?” Seokjin nods, smiling slightly.

“Still hasn’t found hers?” He shakes his head, slinging his duffel over his shoulder. “Poor kid. Almost everyone has their soulmate by now.” Namjoon nods, shrugging slightly as he stretches, stepping onto the concrete below them.

“I’m sure she’ll meet them.” He looks down at the ground, his eyebrows furrowing as he looks back to the building. Seokjin reaches into the compartment under the bus, unloading his suitcase, looking around for Namjoon’s as well. “Hey, Jin,” He takes his bag from him and they move forward.

“Yeah?” Seokjin asks, shifting closer to Namjoon and grabbing his hand as he looks away, ignoring Namjoon as he smiles at him. Before Namjoon can continue, they both stop, watching y/n sprint out of the building, her eyes slightly wide as her bag drops from her hands, panting as she crouches in front of them for a moment.

“Did,” she wheezes, placing her hand on her chest and frowning as she takes a second for some deep breathes before continuing. “Did either of you grab my suitcase?” Namjoon frowns.

“Did you not get it?” Her jaw drops open as she watches the bus pulling away and she raises her hand to point.

“H-hey,” she starts waving, pushing past the pair as she resumes running. “Hey! Wait! You have my suitcase!” They turn, dumbfounded as they watch her chasing the bus down, waving her arm in the air frantically.

“Well…” Seokjin looks over at Namjoon. “I mean, I’m sure she’ll catch up, right? And we don’t want to be late to our lecture…right?” Namjoon frowns, watching as the bus’ lights come on a few blocks away, and he shrugs.

“It looks like it’s stopping anyways. We’ll catch up with her later at her dorm. Most of Y/n’s classes are at night, anyways.” Seokjin grimaces.

“She took nighttime classes?” Namjoon nods. “Why would she do that?” Seokjin glances behind his shoulder as they turn, heading towards the campus building.

“I don’t know. Something about how her sleep schedule would fit better to them anyways?” Namjoon shrugs, waving his hand. “I’ll text her once we’re done with classes.”

Y/n doesn’t notice as the two walk off, her sights set on the bus. She catches up and the doors slide open and she climbs on, taking a moment to catch her breath in-between explaining, “I’m sorry. I left my suitcase- could I just?” The bus driver shrugs and she moves forward quickly, avoiding the eyes of annoyed passengers as she grabs her bag from her no longer empty seat. She ducks her head and turns quickly, sprinting off the bus and clutching her suitcase to her chest, holding onto her bag tightly. She moves forward quickly, her mouth dropping open when she notices Namjoon and Seokjin had left her. Y/n shakes her head and pushes forward, shoving the door open and stumbling through the doors. She curses, setting her suitcase down and pulling the handle up.

Y/n curses, looking around to try and find someone nearby to ask for directions to dorm-housing. She chews her bottom lip, pulling her phone out and glancing down at it, typing her password in and sending a quick text to Namjoon.

Y/n: Hey, do you know where dorm housing is?

She puts her phone back in her pocket, sighing as she moves forward slowly. Her gaze scans the seemingly impossibly empty building and she groans, moving towards the first hallway that she sees. She pauses for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing as she leans forward, glancing down a dimly lit corridor. She huffs, letting go of her suitcase and pulling her phone out, glancing down at it and opening up her messages with Namjoon. “Ugh. He hasn’t even read it yet.” She frowns, putting her phone away and grabbing her suitcase.

Before Y/n can turn around and look for someone to help her, she hears a soft, dark tune echoing down the halls. Her heart leaps into her throat, and she moves forward quickly down the corridor, the old, fluorescent light flickering above her as she does. “Hello?” She calls out, moving more cautiously now as the lighting is dimmer and the sound of the piano grows louder. “Hello? Is anyone there? I’m a little lost…um…it’s my first day here?” She bites her lip, noticing a slightly ajar door near the end of the hallway. She takes a deep breath and steps forward. “Hello?” The song comes to a sudden stop and the door creaks slightly as it slowly begins to close. Y/n scoffs, pushing forward and swinging the door open. Her gaze falls on a rather pale figure sitting at the piano, hunched over the keys in a suit far too large for him, deep red tie slung over his shoulders.

Y/n clears her throat. “Sorry to uh…interrupt. I just…I’m kind of lost and I was wondering if you could help me?” The man sits up straighter and her turns to look at her.

His lips are parted slightly, dark eyes staring up at Y/n. “U-uh…I’m…I’m sorry?” Y/n smiles, moving forward and holding her hand out.

“I’m Y/n.” He takes her hand and shakes it.

“Hi, I’m Min Yoongi.” Y/n nods, sitting down on the bench next to him.

“So…that song was really pretty. Are you a student here? You don’t look old enough to be a professor.” Yoongi shifts, a small sigh falling past his lips.

“I…uh…I’m a student.” He murmurs. “I’m…a music major.” Y/n’s smile widens and she glances at Yoongi briefly.

“So, what are you doing here?” Y/n chuckles, “I mean, an empty room with only a piano?” Yoongi shrugs, looking away as he scratches the back of his neck.

“I…I spend most of my time here.” Yoongi murmurs, placing his hands back on the piano. “I couldn’t tell you why,” he laughs lightly, his eyebrows furrowing as he turns back to Y/n. “So, um…Y/n, right?” She nods. Yoongi’s eyes wander past her face and to the door, his eyes glazing over briefly. “You said you’re lost?” She hums in response and Yoongi’s lips press together and he looks back at her. “Where are you trying to go?”

“I’m looking for the dorms,” she replies, smiling slightly as his gaze darts away from her quickly.

“It’s on campus housing,” he replies, “so it’s actually just outside this hallway. When you first enter the building…” Yoongi pauses for a moment, almost as if catching his breath, “you just go up the staircase and then to the right?” Yoongi shakes slightly and offers a soft smile. “It’s…unconventional.” He frowns. “But, yeah. This is the main building, actually. It’s mainly studying facilities and such.” He clears his throat, turning his attention to the piano. “That’s why…this. This is a music room, really. But you can’t…you know, lug a piano around. So, there’s a piano here. Most other instruments the students just carry down here.” Y/n hums.

“You must have that piece remembered, then?” He nods slowly.

“Most of my music is memorized,” he shifts in his seat and clears his throat. “I don’t really have much access to music anymore.” Y/n’s expression twists in confusion and she puts her hands on the keys.

“How is that?” She murmurs, “I thought you were a music major?” She chuckles, pressing down on a key. “Don’t you need…music for that?” Yoongi looks off in the distance, his eyebrows furrowing.

“Yeah.” His voice is so quiet Y/n can barely hear his response. “Anyways, I really should get back to practicing…uh, if that’s okay?”

“Oh- oh, yeah. Sorry. Thanks for the help, Yoongi.” She stands up, clearing her throat and moving over towards the door. “I’ll see you later, yeah?” Yoongi shifts to sit in the middle of the bench, not answering her as he begins playing the song again, his shoulders hunching as he shrinks in on himself. Y/n pauses by the door briefly, something tugging at her heart. She shakes her head and scoffs, shutting the door behind her.

As she walks away, the song becomes more distant. Y/n can stop the small smile that spreads across her face as she pulls her phone out. She types her password in quickly and opens the notification.

Namjoon: I’m sorry Y/n, I was in class. Meet me by the doors and I’ll show you where the dorms are.

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mary-is-writing · 3 years

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Chazzawrites Challenge

Day 20.- What are your favourite books/authors?

I appreciate that this question is in plural, cause yeah there's no way I can pick just one.

This is ended up being REALLY long so I'll put it under a cut

First, let's talk about books!

Frankenstein is one of my all time favourites. I love how different it was from what I had in my head before reading it, cause we all know this story of the monster who torments the people of a town, but in reality it's not that much of a horror story, it's a tragedy. The tragedy of Victor who doesn't know when to stop, and the tragedy of the creature who was dammed to be alone forever. It's such a good story to show how horrible lonliness can be and how blame gets twisted, creating a circle of non stop revenge. More than anything, I love how human the creature is despite their inhuman nature, which shows that humanity is a thing that's gained, not born with. Since you gain it, you can lose it, and there are times where Victor loses his, and sometimes you can't say which is the human and which is the monster. 10/10, would totally recommend, a must read for everyone.

I don't think I've said this before, but I'm a BIG FAN of Jules Verne. I haven't read all of his works yet, but To the Moon is one of my favourites. One thing I love about his writing is that he shows you the actual calculations amd mechanisms of the machines he creates (long live sci-fi like this) and the book is just filled with mathemathics from begining to end. I don't like nor do I hate math, but since I used to be very good at it when I was younger it was always a pleasure to follow the problems along the characters. The plot is very different from his other works: there's no real sense of danger whatsoever at any point, but it clearly doesn't need it. I also love the fact that the book actually helped the NASA creation and scientists to launch the first rocket to space, it's such an amazing bit of history.

Sherlock Holmes, just all Sherlock Holmes in general: Study in Scarlet, The adventures, The Baskerville's Hound, the case of the redhair's club, of the lady and the translator, the whole thing with Moriarty, eveything is just *chef's kiss*. The mysteries and the way they are presented, easy and simple, as well as the super charismatic characters is what makes me love Doyle's writing. Holmes and Watson are the reason why the trope of the dynamic duo is one of my favourites, too. I like how many adaptations there are of SH as well, they're always so fun to check out.

Finders Keepers by Barbara Nickolae has a special place in my heart cause it's the novel that made me want to become a writer. A detective mystery that becomes a murder mystery and that had me literally holding my breath near the climax, is nothing out of the ordinary, and yet is such a good book.

Red Rising is a trilogy by Pierce Brown, and its my favourite YA saga. The Hunger Games is good but the end was really flat for me, Divergent and Maze Runner both progressively get worse when I read them, and I tried to read other sagas but just couldn't get into them. But Red Rising is everything I'd like in one. Each book is just, yes. Yesyesyes. A great first book, an amazing sequel and an ending both thrilling and fascinating. Bloody and sentimental, complex and wholesome, dramatic and at times hilarious, I absolutely love that trilogy. As many dystopian sagas, it touches themes of abuse of power, corrupted systems and a revolution to stop them, but does so in a way that's different from any other sagas I've seen: it understands and tries to change that system from the inside out. It also has Sevro, my favourite fricking best boi gremlin in all literature, so that's a plus.

Now, about authors!!

Mary Shelley, Jules Verne and Arthur Conan Doyle are obvious, as well as Pierce Brown. I'll add here Fitzgerald for his amazing work in The Great Gatsby, and Oscar Wilde for literally any of his works. To show off some of my country's writers, Juan Rulfo, writer of Pedro Páramo, is my pick. And since we're talking about authors and not books I'll add Eiichiro Oda, author of One Piece, my favourite franchise in the world.

#writeblr #writeblr challenge #chazzawrites challenge #writing #writers #books #authors

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cameoamalthea · 4 years

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Writing Nonhuman Characters and what makes “Otherworldly” Creatures Otherworldly.

A brief analysis of “The Last Unicorn”

The Last Unicorn is a book that depicts the magical creatures within it as truely inhuman and explores the difference in nature between a mortal, human bing, and immortal magical/fey being.

The book begins telling the reader what unicorns are and their nature.

Unicorns are immortal. It is their nature to live alone in one place: usually a forest where there is a pool clear enough for them to see themselves‌—‌for they are a little vain, knowing themselves to be the most beautiful creatures in all the world, and magic besides. They mate very rarely, and no place is more enchanted than one where a unicorn has been born. The last time she had seen another unicorn the young virgins who still came seeking her now and then had called to her in a different tongue; but then, she had no idea of months and years and centuries, or even of seasons. It was always spring in her forest, because she lived there, and she wandered all day among the great beech trees, keeping watch over the animals that lived in the ground and under bushes, in nests and caves, earths and treetops. Generation after generation, wolves and rabbits alike, they hunted and loved and had children and died, and as the unicorn did none of these things, she never grew tired of watching them.

The first paragraph establishes that they are outside the cycle of life and death, and since they can’t experience the cycle of life she is an observer. The story begins with the unicorn overhearing that there are no other unicorns in the world and she sets out to find them. Her only hint as to their fate comes from a butterfly who tells her “They passed down all the roads long ago, and the Red Bull ran close behind them and covered their footprints.”

The unicorn leaves her timeless forest and enters the world to find the other unicorns. When the unicorn meets a human magician the book begins to contrast between the unicorn and humanity.

Unicorns know nought of need, or shame, or doubt, or debt‌.

We also learn some lore surrounding their magical nature. When a harpy, another magical creature, is attacking the unicorn advises the magician:

“You must never run from anything immortal. It attracts their attention.” Her voice was gentle, and without pity. “Never run,” she said. “Walk slowly, and pretend to be thinking of something else. Sing a song, say a poem, do your tricks, but walk slowly.”

However, the book does not focuses more on the capacity of magical beings to feel. Although sapient, immortal creatures like the unicorn, do not experience the same emotions as humans. This is first illustrated in a scene where the magician laments the death of woman killed by the harpy.

“The poor old woman,” he whispered at last. The unicorn said nothing, and Schmendrick raised his head and stared at her in a strange way. A gray morning rain was beginning to fall, and she shone through it like a dolphin. “No,” she said, answering his eyes. “I can never regret.” He was silent, crouched by the road in the rain, drawing his soaked cloak close around his body until he looked like a broken black umbrella. The unicorn waited, feeling the days of her life falling around her with the rain. “I can sorrow,” she offered gently, “but it’s not the same thing.”

Even primal feelings such as fear are not in the unicorns nature. Beyond being incapable of human emotions, she does not experience the same drives as animals which by nature have a fear response in order to avoid death. Yet, the unicorn does not fear anything.

The unicorn had never been afraid of anything. She was immortal, but she could be killed: by a harpy, by a dragon or a chimera, by a stray arrow loosed at a squirrel. But dragons could only kill her‌—‌they could never make her forget what she was, or themselves forget that even dead she would still be more beautiful than they.

The unicorn first experiences fear when she meets the Red Bull. A creature older than the unicorn who herself is ancient. Characters describe the bull as a “demon”. The unicorn states that the bull recognizes her in particular as it’s query when they meet it did not know her. It does not recognize her beauty. Later, we learn from King Haggard, the Bull’s apparent master that. “He serves anyone who has no fear‌—‌—‌and I have no more fear than I have rest.”. The Red Bull then is a great old one, a primal force of pure fear that can only be mastered by one who does not feel fear. However, by it’s nature everything fears the bull. King Haggard is an exception because he is emotionally numb. Unable to feel anything, joy or pain. He is empty and restless. The only thing which ever made him happy was seeing a unicorn so he bayed the bull gather them for him. When the bull comes for the unicorn, the magician changes her into a human girl. As she slowly gains humanity the longer she stays human, the inhumanity of unicorns is again highlighted. When rebuked for being cruel by ignoring the prince who become infatuated her she responds:

“How can I be cruel? That is for mortals.” But then she did raise her eyes, and they were great with sorrow, and with something very near to mockery. She said, “So is kindness.”

Over time, as she becomes more human her capacity for feelings grows. That is what it means to be human. The unicorn herself is aware of what she will lose if she becomes a unicorn again, how her nature will change. Telling the prince, who she has come to love, that:

“I will not love you when I am a unicorn, and you will love me only because you cannot help it. I will be more beautiful than anything in the world, and live forever.“

However, the fact she was human once has changed her. When the unicorn returns to her true form and faces the bull again the Prince gives his life attempting to protect her. The unicorn now knows what it is to love, and can now feel the full weight of grief.

Prince Lír leaped into the path of the Red Bull. For a moment, he disappeared entirely, like a feather in a flame. The Bull ran over him and left him lying on the ground. One side of his face cuddled too hard into the sand, and one leg kicked the air three times before it stopped. He fell without a cry, and Schmendrick and Molly alike were stricken as silent as he, but the unicorn turned. The Red Bull halted when she did, and wheeled to put her once more between himself and the sea. He began his mincing, dancing advance again, but he might have been a courting bird for all the attention the unicorn paid him. She stood motionless, staring at the twisted body of Prince Lír... Suddenly the unicorn screamed. It was not at all like the challenging bell with which she had first met the Red Bull; it was an ugly, squawking wail of sorrow and loss and rage, such as no immortal creature ever gave.

The implication here is although immortals can feel sorrow, no immortal being ever felt what the unicorn feels in that moment. Rage, loss, heartbreak. These are human feelings.

Because the unicorn is so overcome with these emotions she no longer feels fear and is able to defeat the bull and free the other captive unicorns. She uses her magic to resurrect the fallen Prince, but cannot stay with him. She is a unicorn again, forever, and cannot belong to anyone or be with anyone.

However, the experience of being human has changed her forever.

I have been mortal, and some part of me is mortal yet. I am full of tears and hunger and the fear of death, though I cannot weep, and I want nothing, and I cannot die. I am not like the others now, for no unicorn was ever born who could regret, but I do. I regret.”

Through the books exploration of what mortals experience and what immortals do not, Peter S. Beagle brings to life an inhuman protagonist who feels otherworldly and is portrayed as fundamentally ‘other’.

#unicorn #The Last Unicorn #fey #magical creatures #writing #essays

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aspoonofsugar · 4 years

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(1) Hello! I have a question related to your BSD meta. There were posts where you explored interaction between Chuuya, Lovecraft and Q, which was really interesting to read. You pointed out that both Yumeno and Lovecraft represent Chuuya's different parts, but first I thought that Yumeno is more like Dazai, that is to say his extreme version. It seems to me that Q and Lovecraft are the monstrous version of Double Black duo.

(2) Yumeno is monstrous for their mind and Dazai is dangerous for his intellectual abilities, and Lovecraft is not properly human, also stronger than others just like Chuuya. Also the moment where Q cursed Lovecraft with their ability somehow reminded me of relationships between Dazai and Chuuya, like how Dazai provokes Chuuya by mocking him and then pays for it (gets beaten up). So is there really such parallel between these two duos? What do you think?

Hello!

I like this analysis! I think what you said makes sense and is interesting!

In the meta you mention, I precise that everything written there must be taken with a grain of salt because only future chapters can confirm my interpretation of Chuuya’s arc. As a matter of fact we can’t be sure about the meaning of many details until we see if/how the character develops. The same is true also for Q, who has appeared only once so far.

All in all, as I have written here and here, I think Q will definately be important for Dazai and they (together with Akutagawa) probably represent the past Dazai is running away from. It is also possible that, when we will discover more of Q, other similarities with Dazai will emerge. After all, Q is taken in by the mafia as a child, exactly like Dazai. What is more, they feel inhuman because of their ability and Dazai too thinks of himself as different from others.

All in all, in my original meta I defined Q as a symbolic representation of Chuuya’s possible final objective (protecting people weaker than himself) and Lovecraft as a personification of Chuuya’s shadow (the monstrous inside himself he must conquer). I think Q is also symbolic of Dazai’s objective as well (helping orphans and kids). This is why it is interesting that both Chuuya and Dazai only partially save Yumeno:

However, even if they are saved, they are not really safe because the two people who should take care of them are still stuck in their own limitations.

Chuuya is still too blinded by his emotions to recognize in Q a person who needs help and Dazai still leaves them behind. In other words, these two adults are still too wrapped up in their respective extreme perspectives and do not really manage to integrate them. On one hand Chuuya is animated by deep emotions, but he is limited by the fact that he applies them only to his little group of loved ones. On the other hand Dazai has a better rational understanding of the fact that people of different groups are still people, but he has trouble expressing healthy feelings towards them and so he goes back to logical solutions which make sense, but are also pretty cold.

All in all, Dazai has still a long way to go before he can become the person Oda wanted him to be. When it comes to this, Q potentially representing (as you suggest) a part of Dazai and sharing traits with him might be interesting. As a matter of fact, by trying to be a better person, Dazai is actually trying to save himself. So, in a sense, him succeeding to save Q and also Akutagawa (who he left behind) might very well be seen as him finally saving himself. If Q is really a part of Dazai, it would also be interesting Dazai extremely cold reaction to Q themselves. It is obvious the kid brings to Dazai’s mind unpleasant memories and I wonder if these memories are really about Q or about Dazai himself.

Apart from this, I wonder if some similarities can be found between Dazai and Steinbeck aka the other character present in the battle. Personally, I think they share some similarities, but they have not been explored and I am not sure they will. These similarities have mostly to do with them both having been taken in by the leader of a group (Mori and Fitzgerald) with whom they have a complicated relationship. As a matter of fact both Dazai and Steinbeck dislike their previous bosses, but they are actually similar to them. However, Dazai has chosen to try to become different from Mori, while Steinbeck is currently trying to emulate Fitzgerald. What is more, Dazai has left his previous group and has abandoned people by doing so. Steinbeck is instead the one left behind by Fitzgerald.

As you can see, these similarities are pretty vague and were not explored in the battle. What might have been slightly compared is their relationship with their respective partners. As a matter of fact Steinbeck is shown to have a good relationship with Lovecraft and he is unwilling to betray him:

However, he ends up being useless in the fight and he is not able to help his partner. Dazai has instead a rocky relationship with Chuuya and does not hesitate to trick him and to annoy him to no end. However, he supports him perfectly while they are facing Lovecraft. This is made clear through his conversation with Steinbeck. Apparently Dazai is leaving his mouth lose and is revealing details which might endanger Chuuya (like that he can’t control his ability etc.). That said, through his chit chatting he is finally able to gain a hint from how to win against Lovecraft.

All in all, since Lovecraft and Steinbeck’s relationship has not been explored, it is difficult to say more. However, I wonder if we will discover more about their bond in the future. In that case, it would be interesting to see if they foil sukouku further.

Thank you for the ask!

#bsd #asksfullofsugar #psychedelic-silhouette13

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lirusstories · 4 years

Text

Stories: Please Read

Edit because I’m a fuckin moron that forgot the Soul-Mate Aus for Little Fortune. Sorry about that.

Alright so sorry about this, I swear I’m halfway through the first Chapter for both Run Boy Run and New Beginnings. But anyway here we are, these are the 14 stories I’m working on, and yes I am well aware that it’s not a good Idea but fuck it, I’m havin’ fun so Anyway. These are the title’s and they will have Descriptions of who is in it and what the Au is and also, yes all of them have soul-mate Au's (y'all couldn’t even rip this from my cold dead hands) many of them are different ones from each other. (Also each of them are embodiment's of something for each other which will be explain at the bottom) Also some of these are inspired by or have parts that are inspired by @oh-itskitkat and I’ll put Links to the ones that Inspired what and if they inspired the story are something that will happen in the story. Also please go check out her shit, it’s amazing. Everything will be under a read more because This post is long as fuck.

1. The Kings and Their Queen which you can find here @thekingsandtheirqueen

2. No Place Like Home

I legit Cannot explain this you just gotta read it. But I can tell you that it’s a non-traditional A/B/O au and a Hero X Villain Au

Characters: Liru, Anti, JJ, Illinois, Yancy, Emile, Remy, Virgil, Jack, Jackie, Marvin, Henrik, Chase, Dark, Wilford, Jamie, Sammi, Oliva, Roman, Remus, Patton, Thomas, Logan, Janus, Robbie, Yan, Ethan, Tyler, Mark, Kira, and the rest will be added later on.

Soul-Mate Aus:

1. Soul-Mark Au

2. Every so often you will get flashes of what your soulmate is seeing at the time, but your soulmate doesn’t know when it happens.

Inspired by: https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/613250836029734912/so-youre-just-gonna-up-and-leave-without-a

3. Once Upon A Dream

This one can’t be explained without spoilers so your just gonna have to read it.

Characters: Liru, Henrik, Jackie, Marvin, Chase, Jack, Yan, Robbie, Anti

Soul-Mate Au: Soul-Marks

Inspiration for scenes:

1. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/617661429060911104/those-arent-birds-please-do-not-stealrepost

2. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/616741587195658240/ill-wait-here-then-please-do-not

3. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/614495447412834304/just-a-little-while-longer-please-do-not

4. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/613412510108909568/a-much-needed-break-please-do-not-stealrepost

5. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190358452918/purring-is-simply-soothing-or-self-soothing

6. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/617016760676335616/catching-up-please-do-not-stealrepost

7. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190596652918/tending-the-garden-please-do-not

4. Run Boy Run

This one can’t be explained without spoilers so your just gonna have to read it.

Characters: Liru, Anti, Jackie, JJ, Marvin, Chase, Jack, Henrik, Robbie, Yan, Remy, Virgil, Remus, Wilford, Roman, Remy, Emile, Jacques, Angus, Sam, Shawn, Patton, Logan, Magnum, Janus, Wilford, Dark, Mark, Thomas. (Maybe some more Iplier ego’s not sure yet but we’ll get there when we get there)

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. Soul-Mark appearing through Touch

2. Remembering Past Life through touch.

5. New Beginnings

Multiverse type thing. JJ, Dark and Wilford are from the same universe, Jack and Marvin are from the same one, Logan, Patton, Janus and Virgil are from the same one, Roman and Remus are the same one. Something bad happens in each of their universes resulting in them winding up in the main.

Universe’s

Main: Liru, Anti, Yancy, Jack, Chase, Thomas, Mark, Henrik, Emile, Remy, Robbie

1920 ish(don’t hate me because I doubt anything will be accurate): JJ, Dark, Wilford

Hero Vs. “Villain”: Jackie and Marvin

Medieval Fantasy: Roman and Remus

Pathos, Ethos, Logos and their dark strange son: Patton, Janus, Logan, Virgil

Characters: Liru, Anti, Jackie, Henrik, Chase, Jack, Marvin, JJ, Yancy, Emile, Remy, Yan, Robbie, Roman, Remus, Janus, Patton, Logan, Virgil

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. Telepathic Soul-Mates

2. Soul-Mark appearing through Touch

Inspirations:

Story: https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/612154125154664448/how-did-i-get-here-please-do-not-stealrepost

Universe’s

Hero vs “Villain”

A. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190615542808/head-in-the-clouds-please-do-not-stealrepost

B. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/183388705923/its-magic-bro-please-do-not-stealrepost

Medieval Fantasy :

https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/614616863892209664/speak-softly-for-words-carry-please-do-not

Pathos, Ethos, Logos and their dark strange son:

https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190331869898/in-the-athenaeum-please-do-not-stealrepost

6. Family Against All

Scp au type thing (I’m using what information my brain can retain but I know alot of it is inaccurate, please don’t hate me).

Liru is a lot shyer and quieter in this one. She is avoiding the SCP Foundation heavily because they are looking for her after an incident where she lost temporary control of her abilities which had caused a temporary rift in the fabric of reality. Mark and Jack are still YouTubers in this and Chase is too.

Liru will find the more innocent or even objects of SCP's and take them home. She also has some that the SCP foundation hasn't discovered.

Henrik doesn't tell his brothers where he works. He tells them he's a doctor though and leaves it at that.

His first chapter will him discovering Anti and just straight up Freezing in his tracks because that's his little brother. And he doesn't know why he knows or knows how he knows he just does. and repeat for Jameson, and Marvin and Jackie(but they're older siblings except JJ of course) And when he discovers Robbie he nearly loses his shit but manages to keep it together because Holy Shit Thats A Child.

He's never met them before. And now he has to figure out why he knows them before anyone else can figure out that they aren't doppelgangers or something and has to figure out why there is a 6 year old child that never talks but when he does he's screaming for his mom.

Characters: Liru, Anti, Jackie, Henrik, Chase, Jack, Marvin, JJ, Robbie, Yan, Dark, The Googles, Bing, The Host, Bim, Wilford, Mark(Maybe the kids)

Soul-Mate Au: Telepathic Connection through knowing soul-mates Preferred Full Name, has to go both ways before connecting.

7. A Burning Soul

It's a Hero x Villains Au, Jackie is the "Hero"(unknowingly works for the bad guy) and Liru, Celine and Yancy are the "Villains" who are in a polyamorous relationship and are trying to get Jackie to switch to there side so he can be protected. A bit more insight is that Jackie was threatened with the safety of someone close to him to be a "Hero" and the other "Hero's" He works with are there to keep him on a leash. While Celine, Liru and Yancy(mostly Liru because she's the one he interacts with the most) Try their best to convince him to join them so they can help him.

Characters: Liru, Celine, Jackie, Yancy, Robbie, Yan, Virgil, Remy, Emile

Soul-Mate Au: Where you have a splotch of color of your soul-mates soul where your soul-mate touches you skin to skin for the first time. It burns when touched for the first time so there's no missing it. It will only stop burning when you accept your Soul-Mate.

8. A Chase Down the Rabbit Hole

This started because of the one-shot I made for Chases birthday and now it’s gonna be a story. I can’t really tell much without spoiling a lot of it so here are the characters in it and the soul-mate au.

Characters: Liru, Chase, Henrik, Jackie, Jack, Anti, JJ, Marvin, Angus, Jacques, Shawn, Sam, Jaym, Katie, Gabriel, Roman, Remus, Kiara, Uma (Possibly the other sides but eh we’ll see)

Soul-Mate Au: Gains Mark Through First Touch

9. Death and Her Soulmates

Alright so the first one is Gonna be Called Death and then whatever soulmate is in it. It's all connected to one story though but they come in one-shots. For instance Liru and Remus would be "Death and Green Sword" or if it's Liru and Roman It's "Death and the Red Shield". Anti and her would be "Death and the Angel" or her and JJ would be "Death and the Master of Time". Robbie and her would be "Death and the Lavender Boy" (every time I see the words Lavender boy my mind sings it to the tune of "Calendar girl") Thomas and her would be "Death and the Rainbow Heart" and the ones that don’t Involve her Would be “The Lightning bug and The Angel”(Jack and Anti) The entire character List is in the story.

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. Markings gained through touch.

2. The ability to send gifts to your soul-mate/s once a year (You choose something and it appears to them but nothing “living”)

10. Sacred Motives

Inspired by https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/616607308121849856/you-got-your-ass-handed-to-you-by-a-man-in-a

Alright so for what led up to “You got your ass handed to you by” “a man in a cat mask, yes!”. Marvin was getting an Artifact back that belongs to JJ that humans have taken. It's not the only artifact as well. Humans had raided a sacred place, where a bunch of important artifacts were and they stole, which now they are trying to get back. And they’re gonna get more than they expected.

Characters that are in it:

The "What do you have?" “Humans: Your artifacts!” “NO!” is:

Liru, Marvin, Chase, Anti, JJ ,Robbie, Sammi, Jamie, Yan, Yancy, Emile, Remy, Virgil

The "don't know that the sacred artifacts belong to the other side" is:

Jackie, Henrik, Jack, Oliva, Wilford, Dark (unwillingly dealing with the other bullshit because Wilford and Jack are somehow friends)

and the “why did you encourage her to get entangled in mortal affairs, Remus”:

Roman, Remus, Labadon, Logan, Patton, Thomas

Soul-Mate Aus:

1. You can see numbers over your soul-mate’s/soulmates’ heads indicating how dangerous they are 1-100 anything higher than 100 is “Most-likely” Inhuman. The number is in their favorite color and their hand writing.

2. The first thing you soul-mate says to you becomes written on your body.

Inspiration for scene:

https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/181356373658/h-he-got-me-good-huh-doc-mein-gott

11. Little Fortune

So the best way I can explain it is that It started with Anti meeting Liru at a Park and because he had nothing better to do he just kinda sat and talked with her and after that they just kept meeting up Until Anti actually takes her on a Date one night. She gets into a fight with her Acquaintance on the phone(she's visiting Brighton for work) So Anti invites her over so she doesn't have to go back to the hotel room(I should mention that they are ego's in this) So the go back to the Septic house and she stays the night(nothing dirty happens don’t worry) And the others wake up before Anti and Liru and notice that there are heels by the front door so of course they rush up to Anti's room only to see them both Dead asleep on his bed just cuddling(Anti's the little spoon). They freeze at the sight and due to both the door slamming open and the light bleeding in they both wake up. After an explanation and a near attempted murder on Anti's part they let her stay for the time being and despite the fact that they were supposed to erase the memories of anyone who finds out about them they don't because they see the way she reins in Anti before he can even start. And over the months she keeps visiting and they all begin to notice something is a bit strange about her. And on top of that they have to juggle trying not to let Jack find out about her and trying to ignore the feelings that they gain for her(can't wait to write those parts:) ). And the thing is Liru doesn't even notice something is off about her but Anti does and just assumes she knows and thinks that she'll tell him when she's ready. And more often than not she is seen at their house even when she goes back to Oregon, Anti just keeps bringing her over via teleportation.

Characters: Liru, Anti, Jackie, Henrik, Chase, Jack, Marvin, JJ, and some will be added later on.

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. Songs sung by your Soulmate are stuck in your head.

2. Music that’s stuck in your Soulmate’s/Soumates’ head/s is stuck in yours as well.

3. You have accessories/an accessory that represent your Soulmates/Soulmate

Inspirations for scenes:

1. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190358452918/purring-is-simply-soothing-or-self-soothing

2. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/616293064973189120/not-all-angels-have-wings-please-do-not

3. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190866033653/never-too-old-please-do-not-stealrepost

4. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/615127312520871936/on-the-11th-of-april-a-drop-of-sunshine-fell-to

12. Songs of the Lost Souls

It's kinda a Hero and Villain x "Civilian" type things and it's Jackie and Anti but the others are also into her(Liru) The Characters in this are Jackie, Angus( the survival Hunter) Marvin, Jacques(the french "ego" from passepartout), Henrik, Chase, Jack, Anti, Shawn Flynn, JJ and S34N(he's an android "underdevelopment"(he was considered to be to human) who Anti accidentally saved).

This takes place in some random metropolis that Liru Moved to to get away from a rather bad past. She's friends with Jacques, Shawn and Sam(S34N) and they Helped her get a rather expensive apartment that she doesn’t need to pay because Jacques already has(“To help a fellow painter out.” “Jacques I Will throw you off this balcony. WHY?!”) Jacques, Shawn and Sam are all types of Artists, Jacques is a rather Famous Painter, Shawn is a hand drawn animation artist. Sam is a sculptor.

Liru’s Older brothers are Roman and Remus and they live in Florida with Roman’s husbands and their three adopted children but they came from Oregon. The reason why Jacques paid for her apartment is because he wanted to help her out of her bad situation despite the fact he knew virtually nothing about it. So the story starts a few days after she moves into the apartment. Also I should mention that Marvin helps out Jackie in his fights against Anti when Anti is particularly aggressive.

Characters: Liru, Jackie, Angus, Marvin, Jacques, Henrik, Chase, Jack, Anti, Shawn, JJ and S34N(Sam), Roman, Remus, Patton, Janus, Thomas, Emile, Remy, Virgil, Sammi, Jamie

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. When you and your soul-mate touch for the first time, what your song together is will be written on your body with your’s and your soul-mates handwriting and favorite color. And it doesn’t matter how small it is or if it’s in a different language you can always understand it.

2. When your soul-mate is singing you can’t get the song they’re singing out of your head.

3. When the two soul-mates finally sing their song together that their souls essentially connect to each-other finally and it allows them to gain certain abilities they have. Like in a human sense if one could speak Spanish and the other couldn't and when they sing their song together for the first time the person who couldn't speak Spanish now can but not as well as the original. And say the one that couldn’t speak Spanish was really flexible but the Spanish speaker wasn't so when they sing together for the first time the Spanish speaking one becomes somewhat flexible.

Inspirations for Scenes:

1. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/611367312035119104/under-my-umbrella-please-do-not-stealrepost

2. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/610901204242972672/somewhere-in-time-inspired-by

3. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/616210494266671104/10-million-fireflies-please-do-not-stealrepost

13. Soul Pack

(Harry Potter au sorta it doesn’t take place in his time) I do not have a description for this so when It comes out I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Characters: Everyone, every single one of them will wind up in it.

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. Telepathic Connection since birth but gets stronger the more you know your Soul-Mate.

2. Whatever you write on your skin appears on your Soulmate’s/Soulmates’.

14. For The Divine

It's Kinda different from the others. This one is where Liru, Roman and Remus start out as humans and the others are Gods or Divine beings whatever you wanna call them. And the others are looking for the last pieces of themselves(aka soulmates). And eventually they one by one begin to stumble upon Either, Roman, Remus or Liru.

With Roman, Remus and Liru. Roman and Remus are Liru's Legal Guardians (although she is 21 in this, they're 34 though they don't look it, just like Thomas doesn't look like he's thirty in real life.) Roman, Remus and Liru inherited everything that they're family owned after they all mysteriously died off,(Remus killed them but Roman doesn't know but he suspects but he never said anything because that is A. his brother and B. He thought they deserved it as well(they did) Liru knows because she remembers him telling her that they ever laid a hand on her he's kill them all(He did) and she never said anything because she knew that they deserved it as well. and this was when Roman and Remus were 19.

They both quickly adopted Liru before they could put her in the system and when Liru was in school one day and a teacher made a horrible remark about her brothers taking her in, she mentioned it "Offhandedly" to Roman where Remus would hear. And the next day when Roman and Remus(for the sake of appearances) went to go talk to the teacher about it, the teacher had already been murdered the night before by some of Remus' "Friends". Roman is both a Fashion Designer and Model, Remus is a Painter, Liru is a Fashion Designer(Both Roman and Remus model for her when she needs help figuring out what to do with it) and Painter, she also makes jewelry and Masks to go with her and Romans designs. They all base their outfits/paintings/statues around the animals that represent there Soulmates.

Characters: All of them Minus Jaym and Katie.

Soul-Mate Au’s:

1. You have an animal(or in their cases, animals) that represent your soulmate/s

2. Gained Telepathic Link through getting to know your Soulmate. The more you know and trust them, the stronger the Link and the more control you have over it.

Inspiration for Scenes

1. https://oh-itskitkat.tumblr.com/post/190596652918/tending-the-garden-please-do-not

Alright now for the embodiment thing.

So I was Originally Only gonna do it for the Sanders but It just bleed over into the others. But anyway so it's essentially that they are an embodiment of certain things for there soul-mates For example, Logan Is Logic (so when any of them actually stop and think instead of diving right in Logan can tell) or Anti is Curiosity (for instance if on of the were to notice something they are unfamiliar with and they can't help but investigate Anti can tell) Or Robbie is Child-Like Wonder like the feeling you get when your a kid and you see presents under the tree on Christmas morning or Like that one Here Be Dragons from that SCP Unity episode Mark did. Robbie can feel when they feel that but at the same time it doesn't necessarily mean that they have to be a feeling or something you use. For instance Damien is the Embodiment of the Day and he can get a sense of where is soulmates are and whether or not they are in danger.

Tags:

@kittican

@antis-gauge

@flowers-zombie-rob

@trixie8264

@animallover4000

@i-maybe-exist

@nightanjel

@thegamerbook

@smolbean-pma

@the-chemist

@therealtiger77

@immabethehero

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abeltownshipslittlebitch · 4 years

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The Eye of the Hurricane

I got this idea after listening to Hamilton and thinking a lot about how Venus Rising ended. Because of how it ended, it was heavily implied that both Five and Captain Myers were infected with the red fungus from Venus stuff, so I decided that would be a perfect angst story.

Five’s POV, 1st person because that’s the only way I can write plus it helps keep Five gender neutral. Present tense. About 2.8K Words.

Since I already said that Five and Peter totally were dating in the Venus Rising shorts in a sperate post and I’m not a bitch who backs down, that will be the stated relationship. Also, the song is Hurricane Workshop, and I took the liberty of changing some of the lyrics so please don’t be mad when you see the lyrics aren’t the exact same. This is like half-assed edited. It’s 3:20 AM where I’m at, so please be kind if you spot any errors! Thank you! Also please for the love of all things good, read the trigger warnings. This is angst for a reason!

Also I suggest reading this on a computer instead of mobile device because things are looking kind of wanky from my viewpoint on my phone, even though it was fine on my computer. So just thought I’d let you know.

Trigger warning: Character death, suicide, murder, self-hatred, guilt, guilt complex, mentions of blood, angst not with a happy ending, one use of the word “fucks”

In the eye of a hurricane there is quiet for just a moment A yellow sky.

Space is not forgiving. It’s endless and dark and cold. Its beauty is deceitful. Its emptiness is ever consuming.

It takes everything in me to tear my eyes away from the endless expanse of burning stars and stifling darkness. I breathe, grounding myself. I look down at the blaster in my hand. It’s so hard to think already, my mind reeling. Bits of bliss flitter through my thoughts, reminders of home, reminders of loved ones. With each inhale come the scents of places millions of miles away. I taste honey on my tongue, hear the laughter of friends that have long since gone.

When I was seventeen a hurricane destroyed my town. I didn’t drown… I couldn’t seem to die.

They’re dead. They’re all dead.

Peter’s dead. Ellie’s dead. Steve’s dead. Amelia’s dead.

And now Captain Myers.

I didn’t want to. Really, I didn’t. But things weren’t adding up. Her speech patterns, her words, dripping with honey and faux hope. It wasn’t her. I tried to chalk it up to paranoia, to trauma-not even from the death. I’ve seen more than enough of that on earth to become numb to it, but I thought maybe I was traumatized from the horror of those creatures in the mountain. I’d never seen anything like them before. I tried to tell myself I was just overthinking, but I knew. It wasn’t her.

Neither was the red that was growing under her fingernails, the red she tried to hide from me.

But she couldn’t hide the bliss that covered her face, and I couldn’t ignore the ringing of voices that echoed in my mind. I remember home far too vividly. I remember happiness more intensely than I have in years, with colors too bright and sounds too perfect and air too clean to be real. It’s a fantasy that tries to disguise itself as something I once knew. That’s what tipped me off. It felt too good to remember.

I knew if I was infected, then so was the Captain.

That’s why I shot her. That’s why her body lays in the floor of the next cabin, covered in red fungus that engulfs her like a blackhole that engulfs that which gets too close.

My breathing is shallow. I had to.

I. Had. To.

I fought my way out. Took everything down far as I could see.

I’ve always been good at this, doing what needs to be done. Some things you just have to do in order to survive and that’s what I did. People needed me on earth to be strong, to bear the burden and carry the weighted guilt so they wouldn’t have to.

So I did.

I learned to move on quickly. I don’t feel guilty about Captain Myers. I had to do it. I don’t feel guilty.

I don’t.

I don’t!

My nails dig into my skin. I can barely understand the words that spill from my tongue. They feel foreign, inhuman.

I’m not guilty. I don’t feel guilty! I’ve done this a hundred times. It’s done now and I have to move on!

Anyone I lost to sickness, to pollution or war between groups hellbent on gaining food and property in a world too far gone to save-I moved on. Even now that I have time to cry, I’m don’t. I can’t. I don’t even know if I remember how.

Still my chest tightens at the thought of all we’ve lost. It betrays the lies I tell myself. I smell honeysuckles and roses when I breathe in, but it hurts. Each rose-scented inhale is met with an exhale of thorns and tightening vines. Or maybe the fungus in filling up my lungs. I’m not sure.

I took this mission to help save my family back on earth. They aren’t my real family, not by blood, but they became family. And I won’t be coming back to them. I failed them.

I already failed my family before I became aware that I was infected. Peter was my family. Peter was my everything, despite the snide remarks and eyerolls and teasing that bordered on cruelty. It was our way of acting out while remaining somewhat professional, since this job does-did-mean a lot to him.

I respected that. I respected him. And then I just stood there and watched as Steve went feral and attacked him, killed him.

My throat burns, and I almost feel relieved when I taste bile on my tongue instead of peaches and strawberries. Something akin to a cry rips from my lips. It’s ragged and raw and why am I still unable to cry, damn it?!

I should have been faster! I should have been better!

I fought my way out. I looked up and the town had its eyes on me.

I was gifted with creativity as well as ambition. Knowing the ins and outs of basic survival saved my life and others’ lives more than once. Hydroponics, water filters, hunting, farming. My knowledge is what helped me gain friends, despite my violent tendencies and willfulness to kill to survive. Those who allied with me on earth before I joined up with Pandora Haze seemed to think my pros outweighed my cons.

They were right, especially when they found out I’m incredibly loyal to the people I call friends.

Not loyal enough, though. I let the one person I truly, deeply cared about on this mission die.

They passed their tools around. Total strangers moved to kindness by my ideas. Took enough for me to book passage on a ship at was England bound.

The help of those around me is what gave me the resources to build different hydroponics and gardens for smaller communities. It’s what got someone at Pandora Haze’s attention too. My skills got me noticed, and when they saw how good I was at the obstacle courses and at problem solving, as well as with combat, they asked me to join with the space department because I “showed promise and seemed more than capable to help in saving the human race.”

I never saw myself as a savior of any kind. I still don’t, but they offered payment-food, medicine, tools and tech. Joining is how I met everyone on this mission, and even if fate hadn’t had led me to meeting them, I couldn’t pass this job up, not even the world is literally burning from the inside out and wars are being started over clean water and warm clothes.

One of my friends, Sam, seemed suspicious. He was afraid, mostly because we’d been together for years. He didn’t agree with some of my methods of getting supplies, but he trusted me, and I trusted him. He and I formed our alliance first and the group grew from there. For a long time we were all the other had, so of course he was concerned.

But he became less worried when I kept coming back like I promised I would.

He didn’t want me going on this mission. He said it felt wrong, that he just knew something bad would end up happening to me. I didn’t listen. I had too many reasons to go and not enough to not go.

First reason for me to go was that Peter was going. He is-was-one of the people I enjoy being around in Pandora Haze’s space program. I don’t get to see him much outside of work because it would raise suspicion, and there’s a strict “no dating between coworkers” rule that would cause us both to lose our jobs if anyone found out. This was the one way I could be around him, even if we couldn’t act like we really cared for each other.

The other reason I decided to come was because the pay for this mission was incredible. I’d have food and medicine for not only myself, but for the people in my family. Sam, Archie, Jody, Lem, Ed and his daughter-all of them. We’d be set for at least a few months. That’s more than a lot of people can ask for in the wreckage that we called home.

I fought my way out of hell. I fought my way to revolution. I was louder than our flag when it fell.

So I came here, did this mission which was supposed to be simple, supposed to be easy, supposed to be safe. I feel safe. I feel warm. It’s a deep sense of calmness that threatens to pull me under like the blackness outside would do if I were to open the airlock. I can hear the whispers even louder now, and the taste of sweet fruits on my tongue is ever stronger, mixing with the occasional chocolate I would half with Sam when we were allowed such luxuries.

I can see it in front of me-home, happiness. I still see the pain and destruction and fire, but it seems so much tamer now. There’s less chaos, less bloodshed. I look down and don’t see the stains of the lives I’ve taken in order to stay alive.

It feels good to see this, good to feel this.

That’s why I bite down on my tongue, hard enough to make it bleed, nearly hard to enough to bite it clean off. But my brain stops me, basic survival instincts stopping me from doing too much damage. I don’t have the energy to fight it, and thankfully it’s enough to bring me back down, push the voices of those I love to the back of my mind until they’re nothing but a dull buzz that resonates in my ears.

They’ll be back. This isn’t the worst of it.

It makes me sick to think that, because the voices are not of just of the people I left on earth, but the people I’ve lost.

We wrote in secret. Love letters we hid well. I fought for the people I love and defended them well. And in the face of ignorance and resistance, I fought for new systems to be put in existence.

On earth things are still terrible, people dying, people fighting over resources that will grow more scarce day by day. We won’t be able to stop what is to come. Humanity will fall. After joining up with Pandora Haze, I met many people who tried to come up with ideas to save the world, save humanity.

A smart woman named Janine always had a solution, a plan that was perfect to even the smallest detail. I never talked to her much, but I believed in what she said. She gave people hope, but not through sweet words or circling stories or empty promises. She spoke the truth, told us the work that would need to be done in order to fix things. I think she could have fixed things, had she come up with these ideas quicker. They were perfect, after all. I did whatever I could to get her plans into motion…

But even perfect plans can fail. People are too unpredictable now, all morals thrown out the window. There’s no sense of loyalty, no sympathy or humanity or humility. Venus Colony was supposed to be our big breakthrough.

And when my prayers to God were met with indifference I picked up a gun. I wrote my own deliverance!

I suppose I’m a part of the problem. I was willing to kill and destroy to protect the people I love. Many of the people back on earth have already lost the ones they cared about, so now all they can worry about is themselves. I’m sure I would have ended up the same way if I didn’t know of certain ways to survive in small communities or groups. I survived because I fought, I killed and destroyed and stole and did everything possible to stay alive.

And even that wasn’t worth it. I’m still dying, blood pooling in my mouth from biting my tongue and pain just barely overshadowing the sickly-sweet way everything feels. I can feel the red fungus growing under my fingers. I wish it hurt. I wish it didn’t feel like the not-quite soft sweater Jody knitted for me for my birthday. I wish it didn’t feel like the blanket Archie gave up to keep me warm when I had pneumonia. I wish it didn’t feel like safety and goodness and peace.

I wish it didn’t. I wish it hurt.

In the eye of a hurricane there is quiet for just a moment A yellow sky.

I look down. It’s almost time. I never thought of myself as a coward, but I don’t think I have it in me to use the blaster. I don’t know why. I’ve thought about dying more than once, and most of the scenarios were violent and painful. I mean, you have to think about it in this day and age. Death has always been inevitable, but now death is always on your heels, and it will catch you when you slow down.

I slowed down here. It’s almost caught me. It’s just waiting for me to decide how I’m going to go.

There’s another way I’ll do this, I think. I don’t know if I deserve it-a peaceful death. After all I’ve lived through, after surviving this long when everyone else on this mission has died in horrendous and agonizing ways, a part of me thinks I should die painfully, slowly. It’s only fair…

But I can’t.

I was twelve when my mother died. She was holding me. We were sick and she was holding me. I couldn’t seem to die.

There are bracelets in a compartment in the Captain’s deck. I have one of them on. I don’t remember why they were created, what specific reason. I don’t remember who created them either. Amelia’s got some sick fucks working for her, which is probably why she didn’t think my body count was as bad as I believed it to be when I was hired. But whatever the case, I’m glad they’re here.

The bracelets are mechanical, and with the push of a button, needles will poke out, dig into my skin and administer a lethal drug. It’ll be quick. It’ll be painless.

It’ll be a death I don’t deserve.

It’ll be a death that was much more merciful than the deaths I’ve witnessed today.

The friend who would tell me not to do it is in the ground.

At least I’ll get to see them again. I hope I’ll see them again.

I hope I’ll see Peter again.

I wonder if I should leave a message for those back on earth. Will they even see it? Will they even hear it? Can I even trust myself to speak?

I shake my head, closing my eyes for a tad second before opening them again. No. It’s best they just get the message that Captain Myers made. It was safe. It was clean.

Besides, I don’t even know what I’d say. What can you say in a time like this?

The enemies I’ve made won’t have anything on me now.

I swallow down a mouthful of coppery blood, but even it isn’t strong enough to silence the raging voices, begging me to just give in. The fungus is becoming thicker under my fingernails. Red is clouding my vision.

It feels so good, so peaceful. All pain fades away like a distant memory.

I wish I could cry. I wish I knew what to say. I wish I wasn’t alone.

I wish this didn’t all feel so good. I feel euphoric, almost to the point that I don’t want to leave. I can see them all, feel it. It’s so beautiful, so overwhelming and crushing and amazing and I wish it wasn’t.

My breathing is shaky, but the one coherent thought I have it simple…

This ends here.

I can hear what the voices are saying in response.

“Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it.”

I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory.

My finger hovers over the button. I’m shaking.

I’m smiling.

I look back out at the glass window, at the stars that burn for me, someone who will never get to write of their beauty, who won’t even have the pleasure of remembering it to tell to my friends when I get back home.

I’m going home. That’s what I tell myself. I’m going home.

Space is not forgiving. It’s endless and dark and cold. Its beauty is deceitful. Its emptiness is ever consuming.

But its there, a sight to behold, too beautiful and chaotic and breathtakingly terrifying for any human’s mind to understand.

This is the eye of the hurricane. This is the only way I can protect my family.

I feel a tear slide down my cheek, and while I don’t mean to, I laugh.

“Wait for it! Wait for it! Wait for it! Wait!”

I press the button.

@dorkylittleweirdo @midwestern-runner-five @runnerfiveready @running4chaos @poeticllamasofdestruction @pocketsizerudy

#zr #zombies run #zombies run fanfic #runner five #runner 5 #venus rising #venus rising spoilers #tw: suidice #tw: character death #tw; guilt complex #tw: self-hatred #angst without a happy ending #sad #song fic #Hamilton inspired

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zetalial · 5 years

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FMA fanfiction recs!

Hey, so in my recent fma survey, I asked people for FMA fanfiction! And they delivered, yay! Thank you. I decided to make them into a nice list for all to see.

You’re very sweet, Anon but I’m afraid it’s already too late. This ended up quite, quite long. And I’m amazed at how long some of these stories are - if you’re looking for stuff to read, hopefully this list will occupy you for a while, (especially if you check some of the author’s other works).

Most of these I have not read, but hey, they were recced so they’ve got to be good, right? Range of ships and stories from both canons. I’ve included the ships but haven’t included ratings so be warned that some of these may be explicit. (The author will probably indicate it themselves though.)

Full list under cut!

-Fullmetal’s Company by Roseveare | 18434 words | Gen, takes place pre-series. | Ed should have never flashed the silver pocketwatch in a warzone.

-A Wicked Game by Tierfal | 59921 words | RoyEd, Modern!AU | Roy has lucked into the all-expenses-paid vacation of his dreams – all he has to do is convince a bunch of happy couples that he's head-over-heels in love with Ed Elric. What could possibly go wrong?

-Be light from now on by Merel | 2363 words | GreedLing, Modern!AU | “Let’s go inside, sweetheart.” Cat café

-Number 28 by Sevlow | 63347 words | Gen, Parental RoyEd, divergence | As of today, Edward Elric had been missing for four months, two weeks, and five days. Warnings for angst, some gore, and Chimera!Ed.

-In the Gaslight by UnorthodoxCreativity |13542 words | RoyEd | Ed hates military parties. This is no surprise. But when a certain bastard of a colonel takes it into his head to make Ed's night a happier one, well. Ed's not complaining.

-Through the Gate by PreelikesWriting | 3 part series totalling 252736 words | Harry Potter crossover with BH Ed Pre-promised day covering books 5-7 of the HP books. Last part is still incomplete. | Edward is transported to the Wizarding world and must fight his way back home.

-Playing God by the Flamel Cult | 44445 words | Harry Potter crossover | I thought the dull aching was something other than my demise. As it turned out, I was sorely mistaken. Perhaps I should listen to Alphonse more; maybe then there wouldn't be another bloody tragedy that would, inevitably, end it all. For good.

-snipers solve 99% of all problems by silentwalrus | 134066 words | Harry Potter crossover, incomplete post-Promised day | Ed had thought, after the whole Promised Day, homunculus, entire country harvested for alchemical batteries thing, the batshit quotient of his life would have settled down some. He really ought to have topped out the meter with that one. But no. The bullshit is just getting started.“Are you fucking kidding me,” Ed demands. “The wizards?”

-Harry Potter and the Eastern Sage by LiteratureWork | 141609 words | Harry Potter Crossover Brotherhood incomplete | Nicholas Flamel was famous for creating the philosopher's stone, but like Lockhart's smile it was all a lie. Flamel stole a part of the stone and it took Edward 642 years to get it back along with the souls inside of it, one which was his brother. But after traveling to Hogwarts to retrieve it, Dumbledore has other plans for the ancient hero.

-Reversed by Autzulfrost | 162206 words | Harry Potter crossover post 03 anime | At the end of the first anime, Ed is sent back to London. But he's a kid again and through a twist of fate gets involved with the wizarding world. Will the alchemist help save wizarding Britain? Will he find a way to return to his home and true family?

-Stray Hayate by Famousfault | 3436 words| Harry Potter crossover | Hayate had no idea how he had ended up there, but he had no other choice but to accept the situation. Harry at the other hand is not quite as satisfied with it.

-Demon Alchemist by Metisket | Series, 88462 words | Brotherhood divergence covers whole series | Al died in the transmutation. In which Ed becomes Central's local vigilante, thereby becoming Maes's problem. Roy finds something poetic in this.

-No Crueler Punishment by Gomboc123 | 2504 words | Post-promised day humour | Instead of taking away Roy's vision, Truth decides to take something much more precious from Roy, and defaces him in the worst way possible.

-The Bond we Share by DiaHonkers | 23750 words | What if Brotherhood where Ed and Al share a body incomplete | The Fullmetal Alchemist was a weird person. He joined the military at only 12 years old. But the weirder thing about him was that he changed personalities in the blink of an eye. One moment he could be screaming his head off at you and the other he would be profusely apologizing. He would constantly talk to himself, and his commanding officer didn't bat an eye. But what they didn't know that it wasn't just one person. It was two.

-Another Journey by Isil'zha BLZ | 254486 words | Whole series rewrite. | The Elric brothers embark on another journey, but this time it's different than the ones they've been through before. A reimagining of the FMA story that combines elements from both anime to create what is (hopefully) the best of both worlds.

-A boy named Ed by BelloftheSea | 302732 words | Post-canon but Ed is young again without memories of his old life. Incomplete | Ed knew he was different. It wasn't just that he was smarter than the other kids or even that he had automail. No, it had more to do with the way people would occasionally look at him, like they were expecting somebody else. It was the way his mechanic cried the day she met him. It was the way his dad would sometimes slip – and call him Fullmetal.

-Nothing Gold by Rydia Highwind | 23230 words | EdLing Post-canon, AU ending | Ling has gained immortality. Ed has not.

-Unto the Shores of Acheron by LAXgirl | 99904 words | Gen, post 03 AU | Everyone thought Edward was dead. But when someone tries to resurrect him, no one's prepared to deal with the soulless look alike that's created instead, or its hurt and anger when his original half unexpectedly returns from the other side of the Gate.

-Nequitia Est Manus by Azei | 103304 words | Divergence story incomplete | Madame Christmas meets a blonde brat with a fondness for drinking all her whiskey and giving her more headaches than Roy ever did. AU in which Ed fakes his death at the end of episode 26 and uses it as a means to stop Father's plans from the sidelines.

-Beast of a Burden by Shoulderpads | 66416 words | Diverges Pre-canon, BH incomplete | Alternate universe where Ed and Al don't get the chance to try and bring their mom back before they're taken to the labs as subjects for chimera experimentation.

-The Colours of the World by MaiKusakabe | 114228 words | Harry Potter crossover Post Promised day, incomplete | 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.

-Confirmation Bias by Cryogenia | 3327 words | RoyEd vague timeline. | (No summary)

-Phylactery by Shade40 | 250666 words | Post-Promised day AU, incomplete | Six years after the Promised Day, Selim is Homunculus and child. As he studies alchemy, Selim realizes it is possible to resurrect his family. The Homunculi deserve the same second chance that he was given, but while they struggle to embrace their newfound humanity, an unknown player comes with a deal that divides them. Post-FMAB with bits from 2003 series.

-Inhuman Beings by wllw | 3173 words | Mid BH, Pride + Kimblee centric | At the edges of his vision, the shadows followed him.

-The Twelve Days of Disaster by MEOW-I'm-A-Dog | 47932 words | A series of oneshots about Christmas that go from crack to full cocaine. Written on a whim, not to be taken seriously unless you want to. Characters: Breda, Ed, Al, Havoc, Fuery, Hawkeye, Falman, Mustang, Hughes and the occasional Armstrong

-At Gate’s Edge by Winds of Water | 455478 words | RoyEd 03 AU where human transmutation went awry and Ed is a ghost. Incomplete | Love's never easy as it is, but it's twice as hard when you're separated by life and death.

-Grand Arcanum by The-Immortal-Moon | 343781 words | Series AU and roleswap blending 03 and BH. Incomplete | Brothers Edward and Alphonse tragically lose their bodies in a failed attempt at human transmutation. Now, they partner with their childhood friend, Winry, and scour Amestris in search of the Philosopher’s Stone.

-Abandon All Hope, Ye who enter here by Anonymous | 17171 words | Dark! Au from end of 03. Ed being held by Dante. NonCon. | Everything went wrong. Al is gone, Dante has the Stone, and Ed is a prisoner to the fanciful whims of his new captor.

-Love Can Melt the Ice by Winryofresembool | 63640 words | EdWin Modern!Au | Edward Elric, a hockey player from Amestris, participates in his first ever Olympics. The only thing he's planning to get from there is a gold medal. However, when he accidentally bumps into a childhood friend, a talented figure skater Winry Rockbell, he learns there are things bigger than hockey.

-Our Embalmed hearts, our desolate kingdoms by spooky_bee | 155853 words | Neon Genesis Evangelion fusion with FMAB RoyAi | "He leans back, palms connecting with the concrete, and looks up over their city, their desolate kingdom. In the rain, Central City might as well be the ruins of Xerxes, empty and grey, and he and she may as well be the last two people on earth."Or, Love in the Time of Giant Robots

-Talking With Ghosts by em-witchwood | 2801 words | EdRiza, Post FMA 03 | Out of all of them, she was probably the only one that didn’t regret all the things she had never said to him, because she’d said all that she wanted.

-We That Are Young by Stoplight Delight | 277131 words | Pre-canon | It's a well-known fact that innocents make poor soldiers. Fortunately, Riza Hawkeye's childhood was not entirely innocent. She had to grow up fast... though she wasn't the only one. The early years of the Colonel and his First Lieutenant.

-Tempest by Bookwrm389 | 16810 words | Gen, vaguely mid-series Parental RoyEd | Ed is adamant that he doesn't need a father. And it's only when he's about to lose the closest thing he has to one that he understands how very wrong he is.

-Flames of Consequence by EnviousMonster | 67018 words | Gen, Envy lives AU post BH. Incomplete | Where Envy survives and is given a second chance to become something more than they were made to be. Will contain depictions of violence, emotional and mental duress, etc.

-Stock Market Crash by VIKAN | 29301 words | Gen, vaguely canon timeline | Stranded in the middle of the Eastern Desert, Roy Mustang must try to get himself and a concussed Edward across it safely before he completely loses his mind.

-Mendacium by ChaoticClueless | 15558 words | My Hero Academia crossover with BH Ed. Incomplete | Edward didn't want to help Truth. He didn't want to go to a different world to defeat yet another Father. He didn't want to become a vigilante there.He also wanted his brother back. The choice was obvious, even if Truth is a massive asshole.

-Reverti Ad Praeteritum by Batsutousai | 288908 words | EdRoy Timetravel story, BH | Unwillingly forced to serve as a human trial for a crazy alchemist experimenting with time travel, Edward Elric finds himself standing across from Truth in the moment it takes his leg from him. Armed with the knowledge of what's to come and burdened with guilt for the choices he'd made as an adult, Ed sets out to fix every mistake he ever made and save every life they ever lost, no matter what it takes.

-Best Kept Secret by MoonStarDutchess | 523815 words | RoyAi BH canon-compliant incomplete | What if Roy and Riza were secretly married through the entire series? This story tells you that.

-Ash Like Snow by Laora | 6723 words | Harry Potter Crossover | His sanity is crumbling away, but then, so is the entire wizarding world.

-Penance by Laora | 125965 words | Harry Potter Crossover around Promised Day | The Gate was opening; the black arms stretched toward him and Pride. Ed knew he had no say in the matter. He would be pulled to this parallel dimension, alternate universe—whatever it was—and Amestris would be left to die. Truth merely grinned.

-Jiǔ by agentcalliope | 3131 words | Roy-centric piece, RoyAi | the nine steps Roy Mustang takes towards acceptance

-Homefront by hlwim | 50895 words | BH AU, some RoyAi | Miss Riza's arrival in Resembool has the potential to ruin everything.

-Infernia by mitsys | 3899 words | Royai, Pacific Rim AU | Some stories aren't told in headlines or newspapers, but in the touch of hands and minds. They linger together in the Drift, lines melting together into the seams, and they don't mourn the lost letters. They've been writing their story long enough to do it without words.

-Wooden by tobu_ishi | 1928 words | Gen, Post 03 anime, Ed in other world | He never realized how useful automail could be until he was an entire world away from it, or what a pain simple daily tasks could become.

-Mirrorworld by Tramontana Keeper | 305134 words | EdHei, Pre-CoS AU | Ed managed to prove that he was truly from a different world, and Alfons finds himself captive in Ed's dream of opening the Gate.

-Fragile Worlds by The Prettiest Frog in the Pond | 5635 words | Gen, 03 anime AU | He'd been stuck in this place for months now, but no matter what he says, nothing changes. He's Edward Elric. He's been Edward Elric all his life. So why won't they believe him?

-One Foot in by Firewind | 7008 words | Gen, 03 anime AU | Envy shows Ed why it's unwise to break a deal with homunculi.

-The Circle by Elfpen | 3007 words | Gen, promised day | Edward Elric teaches alchemy at Central University. A particularly horrible student leads them down a path of dark discussion, which somehow, leads Edward back full circle.

-Ignis Fatuus by Mikkeneko | 5787 words | Gen. | Edward attempts to break apart a chimera made from an animal and a child.

-Abstention by Asidian | 11117 words | Vague timeline | An assignment to snow country under Colonel Mustang is bad enough for the damper it puts on the Elrics' search for the Stone, but downed supply lines lead to cut rations, and Ed discovers that he can't take the deprivation as well as he'd like to pretend.

-Never break the chain by haganenobeato | 4199 words | RoyAi BH, vague timeline | The nights were not kind to Riza Hawkeye. Sleep felt elusive following the failed operative to capture a homunculus after Gluttony swallowed the Colonel whole with Edward alongside him. Before she could gather her bearings and make sense of what was happening, Mustang’s men were transferred at different cardinal points in Amestris with herself at the center as Bradley’s assistant.As for him… he had been changed.

-Men and Angels by Laora | 56333 words | Timetravel AU | Trisha can't understand; she's terrified, but she has to stay calm. Her boys are gone, replaced by her sons from the future...and something, she knows, is terribly wrong.

-The Really Ridiculously Good Looking Summer Festival by VerboseWordsmith | 45594 words | Modern!Band!AU RoyEd | Quasi-indie newcomers, Fullmetal Alchemist, just hit number one with their second single on the Amestris Hot 100 Rock chart and they've been added to the lineup of this summer's Transmuted Tour.

-To Love is to Sacrifice by Konfessor2U | 6372 words | Edvy, BH | Edward is held captive as a human sacrifice and Envy is set to watch over him.

-Not in His Job Description by alightintheshadows | 1331 words | Gen, BH Post-promised day, Parental Roy | General Mustang receives visitor much too early on a Sunday morning, but he doesn't mind in the slightest.

-Aftermath by Asidian | 32148 words | Elricest, vaguely post-series | Not even a year after Al receives his new body, Ed requests a mission that will take him far from his brother's side. When things go terribly wrong, they must pick up the pieces together.

-Ignis Aurum Probat by writing_addict | 34827 words | How to train your dragon AU, FMAB, incomplete | Edward Elric is born early into the dead of winter, on an island twelve days North of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing-To-Death. He comes into the world sickly and small--and endlessly defiant, burning with the kind of rage that can shake the foundations of the universe. The gods themselves hear that scream, that roar of fury and thunder promising to remake the world as they know it, and wonder. Fifteen years later, Ed brings down the Night Fury that's been plaguing his people for generations, stands over it with the perfect opportunity to make the kill...and spares it.

-Satellite by SpicyReyes | 103170 words | EdRoy, Timetravel, BH incomplete | A rogue alchemist, desperate to restore the alchemy of the famous Fullmetal Alchemist, pushes Truth into playing a new game - one that has Edward Elric waking up on the floor of his house where a transmuted abomination should have been, just in time to save his younger self and brother. He might have a chance to do everything again, now, though...He would never hold anything but bitterness for the title of 'dad,' but maybe an older brother could make things better.

-With Eyes Anew by Rider_of_Spades | 500 words | LustScar FMA 03 | "She’s not your second chance– she’s your first." On the implications of being in love with a Homunculus.

-Son of the Desert by ShanaStoryteller | 10445 words | Ishvalan!Ed AU, BH EdRoy | Every time Edward sees the circle on the back Mustang's hand, he wants to scream, wants to reach across the desk and shake him, wants to wrap his hands around the older man's throat and ask if it was worth it, if this desk and his rank is worth the screaming, crying, writhing, burning bodies of his people-

-Tears and Rain by BeautifulFiction_FMA | 196772 words | RoyEd FMA 03 vague timeline | When Ed stops an assassination attempt on Roy's life, he foils one of the opening moves in a massive military intrigue. Can he and Roy stay one step ahead of those who want them dead, or will they both lose the fight to survive?

-The Lost Language of Swans by Mirabella | 2258 words | Elricest, Wingfic Post-series | They smuggled Al out of Central and back to Rizembul, where they rented a small house with room for Ed's books and Al's wings.

-For the night has been unkind by CoolJellyBean25 | 159980 words | RoyEd PostBH AU, Incomplete | Even with the straitjacket off, Ed never feels like it's really gone.

-conflicted by the very air i breathe by writing_addict | 149707 words | some RoyAi, BH AU, incomplete | Edward Elric vanishes after what was supposed to be an ordinary mission. A year later, Roy Mustang gets a call that changes everything.

-World without Roy by Manalfedz | 41482 words | Gen, BH AU, incomplete | Wherein...Roy tries not to freak out in an alternate world where everything has gone horribly wrong.

-A sudden alchemy by LadyMerlin | 5388 words | RoyEd Modern!Au | The one in which Roy is a Knight in Shining Armour

-A Pyramid Scheme by PhantomRose96 | 1662 words | Gen, immediately Post!BH | “Why didn’t you run?” “Sorry?” “Why didn’t you run away, Fullmetal?”

-From Ashes by JordannaMorgan | 22864 words | Gen, canon-compliant set right after the human transmutation attempt. | Edward and Alphonse had a long journey to make before they ever left home.

-Babylon by BeautifulFiction_FMA | 261096 words | RoyEd, post FMA 03 AU | Two years after retrieving his brother's body from the Gate of Truth Edward Elric is still paying the price. Will his debt ever be repaid, or will it finally cost him everything?

-Havoc’s Foolproof Plan by 1stTimeCaller | 9187 words | vague timeline, some RoyAi shiptease. | Havoc's love life is constantly interrupted by his womanizing boss. So he decides to try it on with the one woman who is immune to Mustang's charm.

-The Ordeal of Being Known by budgeWrites | 20254 words | FMA 03 AU LustScar Lust and Scar both live, Incomplete | On conquering demons, remembering how to live, and coming home.

-Focus by Sevlow | 37665 words | Gen, vague timeline | Mustang, Edward, and all the other Alchemists of fair Amestris are starting to lose their grip on their own minds and bodies. The Amestrian military is in chaos as dozens of its higher-ranking officers start losing their minds to an unknown sickness.

#fma #fullmetal alchemist #fma 03 #fmab #fma 2003 #fma fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic recs #wow there's a lot here #you guys recced so many!#thanks so much!#there's all sort of ships here #I've made a point to mark them out

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