#moon knight meta tag:

[einno-arko]

(I wanna tag @my-secret-shame cause you inspired me to make these 😭)

[humming-fly]

Inktober Day 26 - Discarded

Once again I've started rereading @post-it-notes7's fic Heart and Soul and am as always having a Wonderful time with it unlike the protagonists

(will probably go back in and add the shading later but for now it's 2am so it's gettin posted!)

[fdelopera]

I....I tried to write a response to the latest Moon Knight discourse and ended up writing a 10 page annalysis on the first four years run of Moon Knight. I'm not good at things...

BUT ANYWAYS.

I haven't read City of the Dead yet (I will read it because I need to see the directions Moon Knight is being taken by each writer so I can keep up my scarily intense spread sheet), but I have seen the discussions and images.

While Marc is not practicing his religion, he is still wrestling with G-D.

He has wrestled with his own sense of self, his spiritualism, his upbringing, his family, his own life and death, and even swaying from being materialistic and giving up everything.

He wrestles with G-D constantly. Challenging the teachings, circles back to them, follows them, breaks them... Every step of his way has been in direct defiance or on the path.

He ran from his father's teachings to be violent and live a life of destruction and pain. In doing so, he learned guilt and forgiveness. He learned the value of life when he took it.

In his death, he saw his own mortality and then rejected it.

I also am starting to wonder if his relationship with Khonshu (comics only) is in his own mind a reaction to his relationship with G-D and his culture.

He serves Khonshu for the life he was given but he resents Khonshu for the path he has taken. He views the powers he was given as a gift and a curse. He goes long stints of ignoring him then grows angry when he calls out and Khonshu doesn't answer.

He argues with Khonshu, rebels, defies him, and always comes back. He hates him and he honors him. He wears the outfit, the mission, the symbols, but he is not going to pray to him or follow the path as dictated.

The biggest difference is that Marc would never declare Khonshu a superior god or outright worship him. He view Khonshu as a being that has a higher power, but that cannot control him. He was not made by Khonshu or in his image. Khonshu is a being that has latched onto him like a parasite and Marc speaks to him in challenge to his ideal of G-D.

I always found it interesting that Marc, written as a Rabbi's son, would fall in with an Egyptian god. A god that was probably around and being worshiped during the exodus.

I've always seen Marc's relationship with Khonshu as another way for him to fight who he is. Who he was supposed to be and who he turned out to be.

Steven, on the other hand, has never been a big Khonshu fan. He loaths the jerk and sees him for what he is (something the show got right). He accepts Khonshu because he recognizes that he can give Marc what he needs to thrive. Keep him alive. Keep him from harming them. Keep him fighting and searching for himself.

I think Steven is not exactly practicing the religion, but upholds a lot of the culture. He's fancy and snotty, but he likes the comfort of ritual.

You are 100% right that Jake is probably the one that keeps the faith in their system. He guards their soul and keeps them humble. He probably would have gotten along with their father to a point. Be a member of the people and help those that need it.

I don't see Marc as an atheist or a true agnostic, but at times he would probably claim he is. I think he is a man that struggles with his religious upbringing so hard that he accidentally embodies it.

While Moon Knight is about a lot of things, I think catholic guilt needs to stay with Dare Devil. I think Moon Knight is about finding and struggling with identity. Always has been. Identity of where you come from, who you are, who you were supposed to be, who you are spiritually and with yourself. Perhaps that is a very Jewish thing to seek?

And I think that this gets written very poorly at times and often forgotten. He will never stand outside of a church and moan about failing god and his culture. But he will put on a kippah and wonder about who he was supposed to be if he had seen that his father was not a coward, but a man trying to change his own path in a world that fell down.

Your analyses are brilliant, as always. What a gift to receive this in my inbox!

Marc's Jewish journey is the journey of so many Jewish people, especially in the decades following the Holocaust and the attempted eradication of the Jewish people.

MacKay describes this beautifully in his run. He captures the sorrow and anger that many Jews have felt towards G-d for the pogroms, the Holocaust, the thousands of years of persecution. Why has G-d abandoned us? Why should we worship a G-d who feels like He is indifferent to us and our suffering?

Marc's anger at G-d is understandable. He witnessed his father, an Orthodox rabbi, be measured and compassionate in the face of antisemitic violence. Marc wanted to take up the Shield of David and destroy those who would hurt his people further.

But that is not the way, not anymore.

After the Romans destroyed the Second Temple and razed Jerusalem to the ground in 70 CE, Judaism had to change. It had to adapt. The Temple was gone, the priesthood was destroyed, and the Jewish people had to figure out how to continue to offer up to G-d. Without the priests offering sacrifices to G-d in the Temple, how would the Jews continue on as a people?

Out of the ashes of that war, Rabbinical Judaism was born. Torah study became the way that Jews offer up to G-d, as it still is today. Judaism became a religion of learning, debate, and discourse, not a religion of war. That is how Judaism would survive.

It's understandable then that Marc would look at the nearly two thousand years of history that came after the destruction of the Second Temple and see only weakness. Jews were slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands. They were sold into slavery and forced to emigrate to Europe. They were sentenced to live in squalor in ghettos and slums. They lived in constant fear of violence at the hands of Christians. And once they seemed to have reached a place of equilibrium, a new Christian power would rise and force them to flee, convert, or die. Pogrom after pogrom, ghetto after ghetto, Jews were marched throughout history towards what was intended to be the utter end. The final solution to the "Jewish question." Then they would die by the millions in the kind of coordinated extermination that only the Romans had been able to attempt before.

Marc looks at Jewish history and he rightly sees a history of pain. He is filled with righteous anger at the way his people have been persecuted, and he wants to lash out. But his rabbi father tells him no, that is not the way. That is not who we are as Jews.

And so Marc rejects the G-d of his father, and he joins the military. He needs a place that will let him channel his anger. And when the military rejects him, he becomes a mercenary. And finally his anger reaches its logical conclusion: death. And yet he does not die. He is resurrected by a god who allows him to pursue justice in the way he has wanted to, through blood.

But Khonshu takes Marc’s righteous need for justice — “tzedek, tzedek, tirdof” (justice, justice you shall pursue) — and the old god twists it into a desire for vengeance and retribution.

Marc has never worshipped Khonshu as a deity, but he does contractually serve the old god as an entity of vengeance. He sees Khonshu as a means to an end — as a means to protect the vulnerable and enact justice on evildoers — and yet he knows deep down that this end doesn’t justify the means he used to get there.

There is a responsibility, a burden, to being a Jew. We are responsible for leading a moral and ethical life, and we are responsible for working towards justice and equality in society. Our duty is to community, not to individualist desires. We have an obligation to the mitzvah of tzedakah, which comes from the word tzedek (justice), and means charitable giving that advances social justice. We have an obligation towards “tikkun olam,” or “repairing the world.”

These are all aims that Marc has pursued, and yet he’s pursued them out of a place of personal pain and anger. He has burned his life down more times than he can count, which has only fueled that pain and anger more.

Yet he’s still trying. And he’s starting to recognize what that pain and anger have cost him. As MacKay writes in the panels above:

“You couldn’t understand before why I take being the fist of Khonshu so seriously, when it’s cost me so much. Cost me everything. It’s because I don’t have anything else left. If I’m not the Fist of Khonshu, whatever I choose to understand that as, then I’m just Marc Spector, the man who makes the wrong choice every time. The man who threw away his religion, his heritage. Killed what family he didn’t bury. The man who brought harm and trauma to everyone who ever cared about him. The man who can’t breathe from the guilt closing over his head, thick as seawater and twice as bitter … I’d rather be anyone else other than that guy.”

While MacKay’s assessment of why Marc is part of a system is pretty problematic in these panels (really wish he hadn't included the line, "No wonder I developed DID," because that only increases stigma), MacKay does get the essence of the Jewish guilt that Marc feels.

Jewish guilt is not guilt for individual sin, like it is in Catholicism. This is one of the big problems that I have with the way that David Pepose is writing Marc in "City of the Dead." Feeling guilty about sin is a Christian notion, and doesn’t really figure in Jewish thought. Jewish guilt is the anguish we feel when we choose selfish, individualist aims that harm our community, our people.

And this is the beauty of MacKay’s run. MacKay understands Marc’s experience of guilt. MacKay’s Marc feels that he “[brings] harm and trauma to everyone who ever cared about him.”

And the natural resolution to that guilt, the way Marc is trying to atone for his actions that have hurt so many, is the establishment of the Midnight Mission. Marc starts the Mission without Khonshu’s direction. This is not part of his contract with the old god.

I think that in the Midnight Mission, we see Marc’s effort to reconnect with his Jewish faith. This is Marc trying to give tzedakah, this is his attempt at tikkun olam. He wants to serve the marginalized and disenfranchised, as he once did (during Moench’s original Moon Knight run). He wants to help his community, his people. And so he opens his doors to those that society has also rejected, and he gives them a home.

And this is really the path forward for many Jewish people. This is how we can channel our sorrow and anger at a legacy of thousands of years of persecution. This is what it is to be the "chosen people." As Jews, we are chosen to have extra responsibilities based on the covenant with G-d. A simple understanding is this: we are not "chosen" to be special; we are "chosen" to do the dishes. As Jews, it is our duty to pursue justice and help those in need.

And it is incredibly meaningful that Jed MacKay, a gentile, has taken the time and done the research to really understand this.

[iniziare]

Tag drop: Jing Yuan (incomplete, but the rest will be added behind the scenes) (... and a little return of Yelan's aesthetic, for I've missed her desperately)

[greasydumbfuck]

Masterpost

My name is Story and this is one of my many sideblogs created to escape the people I already know (/hj or not), specifically dedicated to overall Marvel-related fuckery.

As a disclaimer, I play with canon characters as if they are my Barbie dolls (not in the sense that i kill spiders with their dismembered legs). What I mean by that is that whatever you find here will most likely not align with canon in any sense and I am probably well aware of that. And yes this is a self-insert/self-ship/x reader friendly blog because I believe people should be allowed to have fun.

I don't fuck with proshippers (idk what an "anti" is, i just think you shouldn't want to fuck kids) or -phobes of any kind nor with people who don't properly tag their shit (very enticing i know). Other than that I like to imagine I'm a fairly okay person to be around and talk to so if you feel like there's something we may want to talk about, be my guest.

Background image by Luckius on opengameart.org

Current Things include:

A spidersona (Meta Menardi)

A version of said spidersona that im selfshipping with frank castle because oh good lord

An........ eddiesona? a persona that takes on a similiar role to eddie brock in a friend's spiderverse au

A persona who takes on the role of the punisher in another friend's au (this persona is trans) (im not) (its complicated)

An au thats literally just my self-insert hanging out in frank castle's van (theyre best friends) (he hates her) (not really)

[necromonica]

why do i have the urge to redraw a sailor moon scene as kirby characters. what part of the 2010s infected me.

[thebeautifulfantastic]

describing each mcu disney+ tv series in one word:

wandavision: introspective

the falcon and the winter soldier: reconstruction

loki: redemptive

what if: hypothetical

hawkeye: nostalgic

moon knight: revolutionary

ms marvel: joyful

she-hulk: forced

[foamywishes]

Finished sailor moon redraw!

Just a silly meme redraw I've been long overdue on drawing tbh. Honestly this sums up a lot of his work both in my ficts and in the anime.

Poor Kirby looks so disappointed in his grandpa, and Myra just....is plain baffled.

Super forms because why not? Gotta play up the magical girl aspect lol.

Snowfoot D'nnos belong to @starlightfyre Myra belongs to me

Made in Procreate and Clip Studio Paint Please do not copy, trace or reupload my art in anyway. Thank you

[stevenslilwave]

IT WAS RIGHT THERE ALL ALONG OMG

Oh lmao

Never fully know if anyone is reading my tags fkdndsk but YESSSS

That scene originally made me kinda do a double take and think about exactly what's being said by Khonshu, and I think at the time I didn't know Jake existed and then eventually I had that spoiled for me, and finally everything connected in my brain after I watched the scene again lol

Did Khonshu likely know about Jake and Steven when Marc originally made the deal? I'm pretty sure?? But I like that there's confirmation of it hidden in plain sight from the very first episode lol

[smorzinc]

PLUSHIE TOUR!!!

in the first corner, you know her, you love her, THE HAJ!!!! given to me after a cute girl took me on a date. when she dropped me off she popped open her car's trunk and revealed this behemoth. i didn't know they were this big.

next up, we got Echo the Orca! her and her little offbrand Lego orca buddy were gifted to me for my 18th birthday. she's also the only plushie with her own name.

rounding out the roster we have Dusa from Hades! she talks. remember to Hold Dusa Like Hamburger.

next is this little fucker i bought at the mall. i don't know what's up with the fuzz and i almost didn't buy him because of it but fuck it. branding. i learned almost immediately after buying him that my high school principal has literally the exact same one in his office.

i also got a little Meta Knight. he guards my Mega Man shrine

this one is beautiful. he deserves all the love. he's also my oldest plushie, like ever. had this guy since childhood. his nose split open like a month after getting him but this hot glue has survived the test of time. he is my son.

Red Boy was handmade and literally thrown at me by a different friend for a different birthday. he's just a little dude.

bird. he came from the sea and sits in the moon.

if you have even one plushie you love, make a plushie tour, and tag it "#smore plushie tour". tag a friend or two in the post too, force them to make a plushie tour. I wanna see a bunch of Little Dudes and the stories behind them.

@blairelythere @utterlyunoriginaluser @z0mbi3dgutzz

[jojo-schmo]

Question when did you start shipping Metadede?

Lemme think back...

I created the Forgotten Land Roleswap AU on Twitter in April 2022 with just Bandee and Dedede swapped. I didn't have Dedede and Meta as the main protagonists until May. I did not ship metadede at the time and only learned about its existence when I was researching moves for the Combo Mode concepts (their replacement for Mouthful Mode in a hypothetical Roleswap game). Thanks, Kirby Fighters 2. >:3

By August I was tagging drawings that could be interpreted as shipping even if it wasn't my primary intent when making it because I was trying to respect the Tumblr tagging system and get it away from anyone who didn't want even the suggestion of it. I was curious about it but I still wasn't really a shipper- just exploring their dynamic both in and out of battle.

By September I was actively drawing metadede with shipping as the primary intent. I had watched and analyzed the footage from Kirby Fighters 2 a lot by now. The fan art had me twirling my hair and kicking my legs at all the fun and interesting ways they could interact with one another.

By December, I was totally cooked. I consumed all the fan art and comics I could get my tiny lil hands on. Metadede fluff was pouring out of my eyes like laser beams. It's just too fun. I am not immune to the king/knight, red/blue, sun/moon dynamic and I am proud!!!

Now the metadede tag is stuck with me for a long time!!! Muahahahaaa! >:D

[duketectivecomics]

[ID: An edit by @redroseworks advertising Duke Thomas Week 2023. The background consists of two panel edits of Duke in his Signal costume facing outwardly from the left and right side respectively, and a third Duke in the center in his civilian clothes facing the viewer straight on. There is a dot overlay on these panels and they are broken up into triangular comic panels. The dates and themes for Duke Week are listed in text boxes spread throughout, & are listed in further detail in the post below.]

Once again, it’s

Duke Week 2023!

Further info for this year’s Themes, Rules & Guidelines are under the cut! Be sure to spread the word!

Themes for 2023 (Sept 24th-30th):

Day 1 - Rebellion

From his rough start with Dr. Thompkins, to his rocky team-up with Black Lightning & the Outsiders, Duke’s always been quite the Rebel! Here’s a day to commemorate our Rebellious Rockin’ Robin!

Day 2 - Civilian Life

Duke’s time as a vigilante is full of intrigue & adventure, but what about his time outside of the mask? This day is all about exploring Duke’s civilian identity!

Day 3 - Fav Quote

From his introduction in Batman (2011) all the way up through his more recent appearances in Batman: Urban Legends, there’s plenty of quotes to pull from Duke. But which ones stand out among the crowd? Which ones have resonated the most with you? (And here’s a link to our Duke Reading guide in case you want a refresher!)

Day 4 - What is… Normal? (Meme/Free Day)

A free day for folks to share general Duke work, or of course, memes! This past year I’ve seen an influx as well with more general batfam fans questioning just how ‘normal’ or ‘sane’ our favorite bat is. And to that, I want to invite y’all to come on over and find out!

Day 5 - DnD, Wizards & Knights (oh my!)

One of Duke’s oldest special interests! He’s always been a bit of a fantasy nerd. This day is all about celebrating Duke’s hobbies of fantasy gaming and reading!

Day 6 - We Are Robins (Of the Future)

We’ve celebrated the We Are Robins of the Middletown collective before, but this year we’re predicting where they could go! Duke’s first team will always be an important part of his past, but how could they fit into his future?

Day 7 - Sun vs Moon

And to finish out this year’s Duke Week, we end on another note of duality. Duke’s a bat who operates mainly during the day, and occasionally is called upon at night. The bright sunlight of day may reveal something different about our hero compared to the cool moonlight of night.

Rules & Guidelines:

Tag your posts with “#dukeweek2023” &/or “#duke week 2023” for the event. For Best results use it as one of the first five tags & “@” this blog too. If the work is not reblogged here w/in 24 hrs, feel free to send it directly my way by DMing it to me!

Any medium of fanwork is allowed! Whether it’s fic, art, edits, mixes, meta, or more! In this same vein, multiple works for the same day are also allowed, provided they’re on-theme!

HOWEVER, No NSFW! The character is a minor at this point in canon and we want this week to be as inclusive to fans of all ages as possible.

Fics & ficlets that are posted on tumblr will also need a Read More cut to be up for reblogging. Use the : read more : function (no spaces before the colons) & press enter/return to add a cut to your fic! If linked through Ao3 or other fic websites, no cut is needed. Please provide adequate warnings as they apply to your fic, thank you!

Reposted/stolen art or edits will not be accepted or tolerated.

Got any questions about the event? The ask box is always open! (& remember to reblog & spread the word! Let’s have a GREAT DUKE WEEK!)

[jaggedcliffs]

#hey OP why would you hurt me like this I am a (relatively) good person and do not deserve this pain#marc treating steven like the little brother he lost and trying so hard to protect him and keep him happy and safe#the way he feels and has been told over and over again he failed to do with RoRo is just so fucking painful#also that last gif with marc literally physically stepping in front of steven to protect the embodiment of his own love and happiness like??#also god steven I know you don't understand marc yet but flinging accusations like 'you ruin everything you touch'#when we know that marc's mom repeatedly called him variants of a selfish killer who planned his brother's death and a disgusting human being#and all the while marc just takes all of steven's insults and doesn't even defend himself#because he has been conditioned since he was a child to believe that it's all true#and steven keeps unknowingly echo-ing all of those words and thoughts right down to accusing marc of lying about their mom to upset him#even after witnessing marc's memories of his abuse with his own eyes before being carefully dragged out of their childhood bedroom#and it just makes the moment when he finally understands the whole truth and truly empathizes with marc outside their mom's shiva#when he finally accepts his role in marc's life and reaches out to him to reassure him#and is the first person to ever tell marc that what happened to his brother wasn't his fault#it makes that moment so much more fucking powerful#so anyway I'm forever going to be in awe of the relationship and character development on this show (via @potcpoi)

You’ve got to live a happy, simple, normal life. You understand? [But it was all a lie, wasn’t it?] So what? What does it matter?

[chaos-and-ink]

Just an agender (any pronouns) guy who loves to draw, write, and talk about Matt Murdock and Frank Castle with a side obsession of Moon Knight.

Commissions: Closed for Now Shop: Closed for Now

My Fandom Talks - Everything I write that relates to fandom. Typically metas, text posts, incorrect quotes or me ranting and raving about my guys.

My Work - Anything I create. This can include personal art, writing, poetry, fanart, photoraphy, clay sculptures, etc. My Fanart - All of my fanart is tagged under this. My Writing - All of my writing is tagged under this. Fanfics I post to AO3 will also fall under this tag.

Ask Box - Anything regarding my ask box will use this tag. Whether I'm calling for submissions or answering them.

Personal Post - Post about myself that is non fandom related. Feel free to filter this tag out if you just want Moon Knight and fandom related things.

Link to my Cardd: Here (Insta, Tumblr, Spotify, Pinterest, Ko-Fi) I have really cool pinterest boards btw AO3: Here (ChaosAndInk)

*Mutuals, feel free to request my discord, I love chatting

Always Next to You: HERE Summary: Matt didn't need a service dog. And certainly not the floppy-eared angel named Charlie that Frank was certain could help him. He was doing just fine. A couple extra bruises, a few close calls in traffic, maybe a lot of missed steps and curbs… but other than that, he was fine.

[fattybattysblog]

Friend, Please (Chapter 15)

Fandom: Kirby/Kirby Right Back At Ya!

Gen | Teen

Characters: Meta Knight, Dark Meta Knight, Velka | Arcta Knight (OC)

Summary: They should be used to desperate people making horrible decisions by now, but somehow it always goes too far before anyone does anything about it. A person fell prey to the empty promises of dark, powerful hearts to become Arcta Knight. As they make their mark on Dreamland, Meta Knight grows anxious about the encroaching danger and leaves suddenly to prepare for a duel like no other.

AO3 | SqWA | Quotev

Tags: AU - Canon Divergence, Blood and Violence, Swordfighting, Original Villain Character, Gijinka Kirby Characters

@ocappreciationtag

(Cover art done by Dean, edited together by me)

What Once Was

She had deep indigo eyes.

Pale as the moon and frail… Every time he spotted her in the training yard, he wondered how she made it through the first trial at all. Maybe Sir Arthur saw something in her and made an exception?

Meta often arrived at the yard just as she was finishing her training. She’d leave discouraged and exhausted, not even noticing him half the time and giving a half-hearted greeting the other half. Her presence was like a ghost, there but not truly seen, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.

This time, he arrived at the same time as she did. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden hue over the training yard. She stood at the entrance, her small frame dwarfed by the large wooden gates. She looked as though she hadn’t slept, carrying dark circles beneath her eyes.

Meta hesitated for a moment, watching her. She seemed lost in thought, staring at the practice dummies with a mixture of determination and dread. He took a deep breath and approached her, his boots crunching softly on the gravel.

She dropped a heavy bag beside her, filled with supplies and half secured. Meta cleared his throat so she would hear his approach.

“Good morning,” he said, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice, turning to face him. Her expression was guarded, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. “Oh… good morning,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Meta offered a small smile, hoping to put her at ease. “Sorry to startle you. I’m Meta, another squire. I’ve seen you training here often.”

She nodded, returning her attention to the dummy ahead of her. She took the basic sword off of her hip, bracing it in her hands. “I’m not very good at it… I’m Velka.”

Her name… I’m almost surprised I recalled it at all. I can barely recall my own name before I was Knighted.

Meta frowned slightly, sensing the depth of her self-doubt even through the mask she put up. He stepped aside, giving her room to practice. “Everyone starts somewhere. It’s about perseverance, not just skill.”

Velka looked up at him, her indigo eyes searching his for any sign of insincerity. Finding none, she gave a hesitant nod. “So I keep hearing. I’m doing everything I’m told but it never seems to work.”

“Do you want to train together today?” he offered. “Maybe we can help each other improve.”

She seemed taken aback by his suggestion, a mixture of surprise and suspicion flashing across her face. “You’d want to— ? But I don’t think I’d be able to teach you anything?”

Meta shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Why not? We’re all here to become Star Warriors, aren’t we? I would like to help either way.”

For the first time Meta had seen, a small smile tugged at the corners of Velka’s lips. “Alright then. Let’s give it a try.”

After that… It’s a blur of countless days where we were at the yard sparring and practicing various techniques. It’s hard to make out many details.

Meta noticed that while Velka’s movements were often hesitant and lacked confidence, she had a natural grace and agility that could be honed with practice. He offered gentle corrections and encouragement, doing his best to boost her morale.

Beyond that, I can’t grasp anything else there, I have to leave the training yard.

Through their training they had began to talk more. Despite her frail appearance and the doubts of those around her, Velka was determined to become a Star Warrior. She spoke of Sir Arthur with the fervor of someone meeting their greatest hero. He who had seen potential in her and had given her the chance to prove herself.

“I want to prove that I can do it,” she said quietly during a break. “I want to prove that I can be a Star Warrior too. But sometimes, I wonder if I’ll ever be good enough.”

Meta placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “The most important part is your passion. The rest will come with time and effort.”

“It’s just difficult. I feel like I’m somehow incapable of grasping what they teach us. No matter what, it just… it rolls off me,” she shook her head and dropped it in her hands. Meta frowned, folding his hands on the table and flickering his eyes between her and her standard sword.

“We’ll find out what works for you…”

“Eventually… Well, what about you? Why did you want to be a Star Warrior?” Velka asked, moving the topic away from her for her comfort. Meta straightened his back and looked ahead with a stern and determined expression.

“I want to face the strongest Knight in the galaxy,” he nodded sharply.

Velka’s eyes were wide, blinking in surprise at him. “You want to fight Sir Arthur?”

“No, no. Sir Arthur leads the Star Warriors, but he’s not the strongest. That title belongs to a Knight from a long time ago. Back when there were still Ancients,” Meta’s tone was hushed, as if letting her in on a secret. He leaned in to keep their conversation covert. “He was called Galacta Knight.”

“Ooh…” Velka whispered in awe.

“I believe I’ll beat him one day… I believe we both will achieve our goals,” Meta said with conviction, his optimism infectious. A smile gradually grew on her face and she brightened, the determination to succeed blooming inside her.

She was always trying so hard. Where did it change? Why did she take this route?

-----

For a while, they were inseparable, finding comfort and strength in each other’s presence. They worked together on tasks and training, even taking some of their courses together when they had the chance. Meta was far more advanced than she was, but he was willing to hang back to help her.

However, as time passed, Meta’s focus grew sharper and more intense. His ambition to become the best drove him to train harder and longer, often losing track of time and everything around him. He became consumed by his desire to surpass even the greatest warriors of the past, and his relentless pursuit of perfection began to take its toll on their friendship.

Meta spent hours every day perfecting his techniques, losing sight of anything that wasn't in favor of his goal. Before this moment, he hadn't known how he could ever face Galacta Knight. He was content just being named the next strongest through his efforts.

That was until he learned of something grand. A place that was known to grant wishes and make dreams come true. A planet called Popstar. His goal became something far more tangible now and gradual achievement wouldn't cut it. He needed to push and progress more and more every day.

Velka joined him every morning, it had become their routine by now. Bt She was left there without warning whenever Meta finished with his work. She struggled to keep up and match his pace, pushing herself far beyond her limits. But no matter how hard she tried, Meta was far ahead of her. Lost in his own world of tunnel vision self improvement.

There was a point that Meta lost track of her entirely. Traversing the memories, he found little else of her. A pleading look, a practice sword clutched in hand. Increasing amounts of bruises and cuts.

A voice cut through his session, pulling him from his focus. He grumbled softly and lowered his weapon, turning to find Velka at the edge of the yard. She appeared in awe, though there was a wrinkle of concern in her brow.

“You've been training for hours. Don't you think it's time to take a break?” her voice was tinged with concern and desperation.

“No. I need to get this right,” he said, turning his back to her gripping his weapon in both hands.

He hadn't been so short with her before. But he had no time to dally. His training continued alone. Days turning into weeks. Meta’s obsession with improving only grew. Velka’s only companion in the program moved on without another word to her.

Without another word? No, there has to be something, I wouldn’t have left it there, would I?

Meta struggled to think. He could only find one more instance of interaction between them. He was leaving the yard, where else would he be? And as he left he was carrying an armful of broken practice swords.

“Meta,” a soft voice chimed as he passed. “Can we talk?”

He paused, finally turning to face her after so long. Though once he could disconnect from his tasks and relax, he was too distracted for warmth and companionship. He looked at her with a distant, determined fire.

“What is it?”

Velka hesitated, scanning his face for a moment. “I… I heard you were going to be in the next Knighting ceremony.”

Meta nodded. He continued past her, taking the broken pieces somewhere to be tossed. “I will be. I can’t get any better without a real battle. I’ve learned everything I could here.”

“Well… I admire all the progress you’ve made. I wanted to ask if you would… If you’d train with me one last time? Before you left?” Velka said. She didn’t appear very prepared. Meta didn’t give it any thought at the time, but now he was sure that she simply wanted to spend time with him after so long of being cast aside.

He dusted his hands off and looked aside. His expression softened for a moment, fighting with the determined fire that burned in his chest. “I really have to go.”

Velka stammered, struggling to find the words to explain what she really wanted. “B– Meta, please. I–”

“I’m sorry, Velka. You’ll get better eventually, you don’t need me,” he urged. 

“H-How about you visit sometime? I want to see you after you become a Knight, hopefully I’ll be one too? Please, just come back to visit. Once?” Velka begged, dropping her practice sword to clasp her hands together, stepping up to him. Her eyes started to sparkle with sorrow and desperation, tears threatening to slip. 

“Alright… I’ll try to return,” he sighed. It was the last thing he said to her, leaving her at the yard in the fading twilight. She watched him as he left, he could feel her eyes on his back.

As soon as he was Knighted, a war broke out. Meta was swiftly set out to battle against Nightmare’s forces for the first time. And not a thought of Velka ever crossed him again. He could make the excuse that he was young then and too ambitious for his own good. He could say the war changed so much at once… No matter the reason. He forgot her. 

(Previous Chapter) | (Next Chapter)

[dumbass-duo-showdown]

ROUND 2

So I’m back! Bracket time!

Reminder the time zone being used is CET

APPLE BRACKET

Aka Cartoons, Anime, and games associated with such (fire emblem and ace attorney)

Day 1 22/4, finished

Part 1: 5pm

Reigen Arakata (mob psycho 100) vs Corazon (one piece), finished

Lord Garmadon (Lego ninjago) vs Heinz Doofenshmirtz (Phineas and Ferb), finished

Iroh (avatar: the last airbender) vs Bob Blecher (bob’s burgers), finished

Iruka Umino (naruto) vs Darkwing Duck (darkwing Duck), finished

Part 2: 8pm

Hakoda (avatar; the last airbender) vs Ice King (adventure time), finished

Greg Universe (Steven universe, he won an extra battle because I forgot him at first) vs Splinter (teenage mutant ninja turtles), finished

Bruno Bucciarati (JoJo’s bizarre adventure) vs Greil (fire emblem: path or radiance), finished

Professor Kukui (Pokémon) vs Phoenix Wright (ace attorney), finished

Day 2: 24/4, finished

Part 1: 5pm

David Evans (Inazuma 11) vs Loid Forger (spy x family), finished

Tim Lockwood (cloudy with a chance of meatballs) vs Oscar Proud (the proud family), finished

Shouta Aizawa (my hero academia) vs Donald Duck (ducktales), finished

Sailor Uranus (sailor moon) vs Skipper (penguins of Madagascar), finished

Part 2: 8pm

Sully (monsters ink) vs Kouhei Inuzuka (sweetness and lighting), finished

Alibert (wakfu) vs Meta Knight (Kirby), finsihed

Gru (despicable me) vs Zenkichi Hasegawa (persona), finished

Kanan Jarrus (Star Wars: rebels) vs Mr Ping (kung fu panda), finished

BAPELSIN BRACKET

Aka live action media, books, and video games & graphic novels not associated with anime (so no light novels or tie ins)

Day 1: 26/4 5pm, finished

Bobby Nash (9 1 1 on fox) vs Benjamin Sisko (Star Trek, deep Space 9), finished

Subject Delta (bioshock) vs Atticus Finch (how to kill a mockingbird), finished

Paul Blofis (Percy Jackson) vs Gomez Addams (the Addams family), finished

Lee Everett (telltale’s the walking dead) vs Waymond Wang (everywhere everything all at once), finished

Part 2: 8pm

Joel Miller (the last of us) vs Calvin’s dad (Calvin and Hobbes), finished

Pyrrha Dve (the locked tomb) vs Common Wubbox (my singing monsters), finished

Doc Louis (punch out!!) vs Riki (xenoblade), finished

Bob Cratchit (a Christmas carol) vs Mo Folchart (inkheart), finished

Day 2, 28/4

Part 1: 5pm

Alfred Pennyworth (Batman) vs Asgore Dreemurr (undertale), finished

Dave Seville (Alvin and the chipmunks) vs Chimney Han (9 1 1), finished

Glamrock Freddy (fnaf: security breach) vs Bail Organa (Star wars) , finished

Kim Dokja (omniscient Reader’s viewpoint) vs Hal Wilkerson (Malcom in the middle), finished

Part 2: 8pm

Lee Scoresby (his dark materials) vs Dream (sandman) , finished

Thrushpelt (warrior cats) vs Barret Wallace (final fantasy 7), finished

Domingo Montoya (the princess bride) vs Terry Jeffords (Brooklyn 99), finished

Rupert Giles (Buffy) vs Pollination Tech 9 Smith (the sims 2: strangetown), finished

QUICK QUESTIONS

WHY THIS PAIR UP? I’m a bringer if chaos, also it was random

What time zone? CET!

How do I do propaganda? Well first you reblog with a text post, don’t put the propaganda in the tags. Or send me an ask! I will make sure to reblog it with the right tags

Hey I saw you made a mistake, what should i do? First, don’t use anon asks to correct my spelling and if I misuse slang. Just tell me directly. If it is 2 hours after a poll has launched, I will redo it immediately. But I will write down the mistakes I make and correct them later on

CODE OF CONDUCT

Previous battles

Main Rounds

ROUND 1

Second chance/dad mansion break in

ROUND 1

The only way to show how the battles (second chance) will happen cuz it’s random AN EXTRA NON DAD BATTTLE?!?!?!?!?!?