#more arcane art on tha way!!

[alittlecartoonie]

pov viktor is your favorite arcane character but you’re gay

[contrivedcoincidences6]

Cold, Cold, Cold

AlistairXWardenSurana

A little thing I could not get out of my head about Neria on the Deep Roads considering the traditional end for a Warden. No beta! Just had to get it out of my head!

****

"Come, or go, we belong together. Lying here forever, in the cold, cold, cold. Lay low, shake your limbs forever. Lying here together, in the cold, cold, cold." - The Family Crest, Cold, Cold, Cold

****

The Deep Roads were everything Neria had heard they would be. The air was oppressive, heavy with the scent of taint and rot. There had been a time, only months before though it felt like a lifetime, where she imagined herself growing old in the tower. Maybe she would have become First Enchanter someday, but she had not imagined much excitement in her life. There had been idle daydreams but until she met Duncan they had been farfetched. 

Yet now she stood staring her destiny in the face. Assuming she didn’t die by the Archdemon a day would come when she would enter the Deep Roads, never to return. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be alone when that day came. At that thought she turned to look at her fellow Warden who seemed to be on a similar train of thought. His brow creased, sword and shield in front of him bracing for whatever was to come. Seeming to feel her gaze upon him Alistair turned to look at her and shot her a crooked grin that didn’t quite cover the melancholy. 

They walked for some time, the only noise that accompanied them was the rattle of their armor, Shale’s heavy footsteps, and the sound of distant Darkspawn. Through the tainted bond, she could feel them, far off for the moment. They’d been traveling for hours, encountering many groups of Darkspawn and other dangers along the way and she was exhausted, her mana all but gone. 

She’d replaced her staff with her greatsword hours before, only able to keep it aloft with her recent knowledge of the ancient arcane warrior arts, she’d spent many hours as they traveled to Orzammar training with Alistair and Sten, learning how to use her magic to lift the sword and their instruction on how to wield it. It was a useful talent, especially considering how many Darkspawn needed killing in the Deep Roads. 

Her sparring with her fellow Grey Warden had also produced a whole new set of pleasures. Many times their sparring sessions ended in passionate embraces that brought heat to her cheeks at the thought. Her mind wandered to the night before when they’d sparred in Orzammar in a training ring that had been put aside for the party’s use. It had been the most daring they’d ever been, making love on the dusty floor. Anyone could have entered which had made it even hotter. A sudden shiver went up her spine, and not the nice kind she’d gotten moments before, as a group of Darkspawn drew near. She shook the more pleasant thoughts from her mind to focus on what lay ahead.  “The Darkspawn have sensed us,” she whispered to her companions, covering their weapons in frost and taking a battle stance. 

The ensuing fight wasn’t a challenge, a handful of Genlocks fell to the party’s might in a matter of minutes. Despite the ease of victory, Neria was tired, and looking into her companion's faces she could see the same exhaustion.  “Time to make camp, Sten will give you your watch assignments. This rest will be short so take advantage of it,” she commanded and everyone was ready to comply. Except for Shale. 

“Why does it stop? Is it’s puny form tired already?” Shale questioned as Neria scouted the area for a good spot to put her tent. 

“Yes, don’t worry there will be much more squishing when we wake,” she responded tiredly. 

Shale grumbled at this but didn’t argue and began a slow patrol around the area. 

A strong pair of armored arms wrapped around her waist as she began to set up her tent. Their tent. 

“Sten put us on separate watches again,” Alistair complained into her neck. 

Neria chuckled and ran her fingers through his hair, grimy and sweaty much like her own but that was no different than usual. 

“It’s a sound strategy,” she reminded. 

Alistair let out an exaggerated sigh and laid light kisses up and down her neck. 

“Not even waiting for the tent are we?” Neria asked with a laugh as she laid her head back onto his plate armor. It wasn’t comfortable but it was the most contact she could get through their armor. She longed to take it all off but in the Deep Roads, they all agreed they needed to keep as much armor on as possible, even in sleep. 

“Ah, dinner and a show I see?” Asked a smooth voice with an Antivan accent. 

Alistair groaned in disappointment and let her go. He turned a glare on Zev who stood behind them looking quite pleased with himself. 

“No show tonight Zev,” Neria said lightly, ignoring her partner’s glare at the assassin. 

“What a shame, we could use some entertainment after today’s march,” Zev added wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Don’t you have a tent to set up?” Alistair ground out.

The Crow shrugged and replied, “Not much point in setting up a tent, no? There won’t be any rain in these cursed tunnels.” 

He was right of course but Neria continued to set up, wanting the couple hours of being in Alistair’s arms.  

She ignored the back and forth between Alistair and Zev as her fellow Warden tried to get the assassin to go away and Zev became more amused with Alistair’s consternation. Usually, she found such interactions fun to watch but her head was pounding and her body weak and all she wanted to do in the world was take what little armor she could and lay in her lover's arms, something she knew wouldn’t happen for some time to come. 

Wrapped up in her thoughts she didn’t notice Zev’s exit as she finished setting up the tent until Alistair laid a gloved hand on her shoulder. 

“Are you okay, my dear?” Alistair whispered, his breath a soft caress against her ear as he crouched next to her.

Neria sighed and let herself rest against his bulk for a moment before responding. 

“No, I feel like this place is sucking the life out of me,” she turned in his arms and laid her head on his armor, imagining the heartbeat and warmth that lay beneath, “I can’t stop thinking, assuming we survive the Blight, I’ll die here. Driven mad, under a pile of Darkspawn.” 

His arms tightened around her and he said, “Yeah it’s been on my mind a bit as well,” he let out a short humorless laugh, “It’s hard not to think about it here.”

“When the time comes-” she stopped short feeling suddenly insecure. 

“When the time comes?” Alistair prompted and rubbed her back with his gauntleted hand. 

The Mage sighed and continued her thought, not looking up into his face even though she could feel his eyes on her, “Can we go together?” 

Cold metal lifted her chin until she met his lovely hazel eyes. His lips met hers before she could take back the question and it stole the breath from her lungs. Outside of their tent, Alistair’s kisses were generally sweet and warm but this was passionate and felt like a promise of its own. 

After many long moments, they pulled away gasping for air and he laid another small kiss on her cheek before saying, “Of course we will, we belong together.” 

Swiftly she pulled him back down for another fierce kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as best she could in his heavy armor. 

The sound of a whistle from across the makeshift camp broke them apart. Neria shot off a rude gesture in the direction of the whistle, took Alistair’s hand, and pulled him into their tent for just a couple hours of peace amongst the horror. 

[springvaletales]

Midnight Milestones and Lavender Bread

As they sat together on the kitchen floor, backs against the center island while they waited for the fire to cool enough to put in the readied dough, Michael wondered what he had been afraid of.

Vashael hadn't said anything about his scarring when he'd woken up alone and followed the smell of lavender and herbs to the kitchen. He hadn't said anything about the borrowed shirt loosely folded on a nearby chair so it wouldn't get dirty, or the flour so hastily tossed about on the counter that some of it missed and landed on the flooring. He had only removed his own shirt, draped it over the chair, and asked what they were making. Still a little stunned by the lack of reaction (and for being caught - he'd tried so hard to be silent), Michael had mumbled something about lavender bread and shuffled to the side to let Vashael reach the dough.

They worked in silence, for a little while, folding the tacky mixture over and over its filling of herbs and lavender. Despite the late (early?) hour, Vashael seemed content to take the strange turn of events at face value. Michael tried to let him. The anxious fire that had awoken him from slumber still simmered beneath his skin, and he didn't feel ready to talk about it. He didn't think he'd ever be ready. This silence was a blessing, actually.

….

"…they don't frighten you?" Michael finally gave in and broke the silence as he added another small pinch of dried lavender buds. There was little question as to what the 'they' he spoke of was. He was usually so careful about not revealing his upper arms, even when they embraced between the sheets in the dim light of a lantern. Vashael shook his head as they brushed hands folding the dough once more.

"No." He replied with a shrug as he looked the shorter man in the eyes. "Why would they? They're just scars." Michael was quick to turn his eyes away, and his hands pulled away from the dough to curl into loose fists on the floury countertop. The runes burned into his skin were ancient, but not lost knowledge. The previous emperor had so often used the magical binding to keep prisoners of war and politics captive wherever he pleased that anyone with even a passing interest in local history or arcane arts could recognize it.

Or it felt that way, at least.

"They're…proof of what I am." Michael said quietly. It was supposed to be an argument, but it came out too soft; even to his own ears it didn't sound convincing. "The product of a monster."

"They're proof of what you were." Vashael had stopped kneading then and reached over to take up Michael's flour-covered hands. "A captive to a monster." He intertwined their fingers loosely and leaned down to touch their foreheads together. "He did not make you. He hurt you." Michael stared up at the prince for a few seconds, unable to turn away from those earnest golden eyes, and struggling to categorize the emotions that were sent rushing through his veins by this statement.

Relief, perhaps, for hearing the reassurances that he was not something just as bad for having survived the torment of something worse? Grief? He had never truly gotten to confront the enormity of what he'd lost. There had never been time to stop moving forward (recovering, relearning, fitting in, keeping up) and look back toward what had been taken.

Maybe even a tiny bit of fear, for being so thoroughly seen so quickly. He'd barely said anything, and Vashael had read between every proverbial line with ease.

"They're just…scars…" He whispered, almost afraid to once more break the silence that had started to slowly fill back in between them as they stood in the moonlit dark kitchen. Vashael smiled wide and proud, his face awash with the pale blue light from the warlock's own eyes, and Michael felt the anxious flames recede. Slowly, Michael's fingers tightened from a loose entwining to a hold, and Vashael's responded in kind. The human took a deep, shaky breath, and the fire that had driven him out of bed that night suddenly seemed to cool.

The bread dough was forgotten for a little while (in favor of…more important things), and when it was finally remembered, Vashael re-lit the embers of the kitchen fire with a quick puff of fire breath. And as they sat together on the kitchen floor, hand in hand with their backs against the center island while they waited for the fire to cool enough to put in the readied dough, Michael smiled and wondered what he had been afraid of.

[geekgemsspooksandtoons]

My take on Sonic 4

Here it is. Again, my depressing and messy fanfiction that's "All aura" of what I want Sonic 4 to be. Major spoilers for the third film and with all the concept art and deleted scenes being released. I think it's just best I post this now. Be warned, the ideas I wrote are...REALLY heavy. And I trust the writers of these movies far more than what I would do. Or even people who can predict the story and think of something more reasonable. I'm just REALLY excited for Sonic 4.

Again, with how they handled Shadow's story in the third movie. And they did so in a way that felt respectful of the source material and suitable for PG audiences. And I strangely like it more than the game itself in some ways...here's what I wrote.

I'm just going to write this down now because more concept art has surfaced. Especially of the mid credits scene. And I think it's best I just officially write this now. This is going to be messy. And I've said this is going to be a depressing messy fanfiction that's "All aura". It's essentially a Metal Sonic film with Amy in a role. And I don't think that would do her justice. Just gonna write it down.

. It's maybe a month after the third film. It takes place immediately after the third film and the mid credits scene.

. Turns out during Robotnik's "Sacrifice" he had discovered time travel is a possibility. Going back to the storyboard animatic during that scene for the third film. And the "Leaks" I heard about recently that the last act of Sonic 3 was going to involve time travel because in the concept art, the Eclipse Canon was going to blast Earth.

. Turns out maybe Amy is from another world or future. Where she tells Sonic about what's going on. Turns out, Robotnik was saved by Shadow and that Shadow is alive. But because of this, Robotnik had discovered a way to finally take over everything. He's captured Shadow and either using the time stones or Little Planet. He's maybe doing time travel or merging the other worlds.

. But also, he's built what he considers his greatest creation. Using the quill he got from Sonic and combining Shadow's Chaos Energy. Metal Sonic is born. He's mostly the main villain of the story.

. But during the course of the story. While Metal is loyal to Robotnik. Metal becomes more self-aware. Not at the point of becoming Neo Metal Sonic. But something else, he's becoming more self-aware about who he was based upon. He's developing emotions. But it's more so negative emotions. Mainly about the fact he's meant to beat Sonic and there comes a bunch of twists.

The whole course of the story is that Metal Sonic is essentially Sonic if he never had Longclaw, Tom, or any of his friends and found family. He's Sonic if he snapped. He's Sonic if he was so mentally ill, Metal is essentially a REALLY mentally ill robot. Robotnik made him so good, that he didn't think that Metal would become so self-aware about his own life and purpose.

There's the idea he may get Sonic's memories. But he's never experienced any of them.

. During the course of the story. Rouge appears on Earth and works with GUN (More so Rockwell) to track down Robotnik and Metal Sonic. Rockwell REALLY does not like these animal people. But it's because of Rouge she's slowly warming up to them. Rockwell is in charge of GUN after Walters is in a coma. He's still alive so he could be in a Shadow spinoff.

. Amy Rose is either voiced by Erika Henningsen (Hazbin Hotel) or Ella Purnell (Arcane).

Rouge is either voiced by Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Infinity Train) or Toks Olagundoye (Arcane).

Metal Sonic is voiced by Kyle McCarley (Infinity Train).

. In a twist or...whatever the Hell I would've done. Metal finds out in multiple timelines. He's been killed by Sonic always. He's always been beaten EVERY TIME. This revelation pretty much mentally messes him up so bad. That he starts becoming more self-aware.

Either connected or a new thing. He discovers a timeline where HE DOES WIN. But to win, he did things so irredeemable that Robotnik was actually surprised.

In that timeline, Metal straight up murdered all of Sonic's family and friends. He started with Tom, he went to Maddie, Ozzie the dog, Racheal, her husband Randall, and even Jojo (The little girl from the first film), along with Wade, and finally Tails and Knuckles. Killing them all is what straight up broke Sonic, leading to Metal finally killing him.

Because of this information and how more mentally unstable he's becoming. He kills the other robotic Sonic's because he realizes he needs to be the ONLY Sonic.

When Sonic finds out in this timeline, that all of his support is dead. And seeing their graves. Metal reveals to him (And he finally speaks. Imagine Simon Laurent's voice with a bit of a robotic filter on it) that he killed them all. And how I just wanna write this down.

"I exist...because of you. I am supposed to surpass you. I exist only because OF THAT REASON. I HATE YOU because of that. But you kept beating me. EVERY TIME. And I realized the only way to beat you was to break you. So...I killed them. I killed them all. Your family...your friends. And then I killed you...that's how I became the only Sonic."

. Because of this information, Metal Sonic straight up goes on a quest to kill Sonic's entire family. Realizing it's his best possible chance to finally complete purpose. During this, Shadow is found or escaped. And it's essentially Sonic and Shadow vs Metal.

. During this whole story, when Stone finds out Robotnik is alive. He's so glad but Stone sees how far Robotnik has gone. To where he fully supports killing so many people. And somehow, it's essentially being a middle finger to Robotnik's heroic sacrifice at the end of the third movie.

Stone gets into a fight with Robotnik and even makes Ivo's nose bleed. But maybe Metal throws Stone out a window and someone like Tials maybe saves him.

. During their fight, Metal says all of these EXTREMELY hateful things. Calling Sonic a parasite, a mistake, and how Metal even tells him, "I never asked to be made! You were born and I exist!" Like, he hates Sonic existing so much. He hates the idea he was based upon someone else and his whole purpose is to surpass that person. But he never could. And now he's willing to go so far to win.

He's trying to actively hurt people in this scenario causing so much destruction, injuring people, trying to piss Sonic off. Even telling him. "Either you die or I die."

. During this fight, Metal tries to murder Rockwell, taking her up to the sky by grabbing her legs and telling her, "I remember killing you. And I'll gladly do it again." He drops her hundreds of feet from the air. But Rockwell is saved by Rouge. Which helps Rockwell truly warm up to people like Rouge. She's essentially Topaz from Sonic X. This is her character arc.

. Maybe before the fight or so or after it, Metal kidnaps Amy (She's still a major part of this) and despite she shouldn't. She tries to talk to him about what he's doing. And how the REAL Sonic wouldn't do this. Metal tells her he's the REAL Sonic. But she answers back with what she was talking about. Because of this, he starts thinking about what he's doing. Yet he ignores that.

. On the Stardust Speedway or whatever the Hell is going on. This story is like a mismash of Sonic CD, Sonic Forces (Replace Infinite with Metal Sonic), and Sonic OVA. Sonic and Metal race each other, and Metal is actively trying to kill Sonic. He's trying so hard, that during this race, he sees his chance, and Sonic is in super form. And Shadow is in his super form too. But Metal has taken energy from the emeralds and while he's not Neo Metal Sonic or Metal Overlord. He's as strong as the other two hedgehogs.

It's kind of like the intro to Unleashed. But Metal, Sonic and Shadow are essentially fighting and so many warships are being destroyed in the process.

. I don't know, Robotnik is trying to shoot at the Earth and shattered it into pieces. Because worlds are merging.

. During the last act when Metal is on the verge of finally completing his task. He beats Shadow, and he manages to get Sonic out of his super state. Sonic is so tired, and maybe he just falls. No one is helping him. He's gone somewhere.

When Metal realizes he's finally completed his purpose. Amy comes up from behind him and asks him, "Is this what you really wanted? Are you proud of what you did?" And tells him the hard truth that he never would've been the REAL Sonic. Because the REAL Sonic would never listen to Robotnik and do any of the heinous things he's done.

When he finally thinks hard about it. He looks at his hands and glimpses of his one timeline self when he actually did murder Sonic, there's some blood on his hands in this glimpse.

Because of this, oil starts leaking from Metal's eyes. He's essentially crying and fully realizes Amy is right. He was NEVER going to be Sonic. Whether he's the only one or not. And murdering Sonic made him fully realize that.

This utterly DESTROYS him.

. Turns out, Sonic was still alive. Maybe saved by Shadow. But when Sonic goes back to Metal. And this footage is all live somehow, Robotnik completed his Eggman Land crap. And he's been recording everything on Stardust Speedway and all the destruction.

What Metal says shocks everyone.

"I'm not the real Sonic. I never was. I want to die...I need to die." And when Robotnik tries to control him, Metal straight up digs his own hand into his chest, taking out a device that Robotnik put in him in case if Metal every betrayed him. Metal tells him this one thing. "I don't have a father. I never had a family." Because of this, Metal then (By himself) tries to destroy Robotnik's plan however he can, resulting in him nearly being destroyed. And the whole world is watching.

Robotnik put out the live watch to show Metal beating Sonic to the whole world. And now the whole world is watching Metal actively betray his own father.

During this whole thing, Metal is damaged from fighting Sonic and Shadow. And the last act, he falls, his jet engine fails. He falls into some place where there's lava or acid. He is barely hanging onto a ledge.

Sonic tries to save him. But Shadow is trying to hold onto him. The whole world is watching. When Sonic puts out his hand to pull Metal up, Metal extends his hand at first. But he pauses.

He then slaps Sonic's hand away.

Compared to Sonic giving Knuckles and Shadow his hand. Metal simply rejects it. But the reason for doing so is when Metal tells him this.

"Let me die...please...I need to die. Let me die doing the right thing. Because I realized...there is only ONE REAL Sonic."

He essentially pushes him off the ledge and falls into the acid or lava. The thing slowly destroys him. He's finally gone.

Robotnik's greatest creation was also his greatest failure.

. Because of the whole incident. More animal people are on Earth. And Amy lives with the Wachowski's. And Shadow is live Randall and Rachael.

Robotnik is now all alone. He's essentially become an even more game accurate Eggman. But at the cost of no friends or anyone helping him. He tries to ignore it, but it eats away at him. His low empathy finally got him there...

. Either the end implies we can do a Sonic Adventure adaptation with Chaos. Or maybe Dark Gaia with a Sonic Unleashed adaptation and Sonic handling his toughest battle as the werehog. Or somehow try to do both.

[dragoon-mid-jump]

FFXIVWrite 2023 Prompt # 18: A Fish Out of Water

a fish out of water (phrase): a person in a completely unsuitable environment or situation.

Rating: General

Word count: 717

First, Ishgard. Then, Eulmore. Now, Sharlayan.

This wouldn't be the first time U'reksh Tia felt out of place in a city he was supposed to be staying in for an extended period of time. Ishgard was practically devoid of miqo'te before they arrived, and after the Banquet and the scattering of the Scions, he really had nothing going for him there. The only one who actually did at that time was Y'dehlya and her Azure Dragoon mantle. It didn't help that most of Ishgard wasn't friendly towards outsiders.

Eulmore under Vauthry always did have an off-ness to him, and part of that was how lavishly, or not, the people lived. The only people who truly belonged in that Eulmore were the wealthy folk that were able to pay their way in. Anyone else, meaning anyone from outside who managed to get in through lots and noticed talent, had until they were no longer useful or needed, if they did something that displeased the local authorities, or if someone higher up just didn't like them. He was only able to enter then due to being Alphinaud's "bodyguard", and even then, their group was under the talent/usefulness scrutiny until they were kicked out .

And then there was Sharlayan. The nation of scholars. The keepers of wisdom. The masters of the arcane arts. The place of origin for most of his companions in one way or another, whereas he was just a boy from a remote village in the middle of the desert with nothing to his name before he met them all.

And Sharlayan was the same place that scorned the idea of their involvement in aiding Eorzea in her plights, to the point they made a show of it during a meeting with the Elder Seedseer, ending in Alphinaud and Alisaie getting disowned by their father when they pleaded with him to reconsider. If he already felt out of place among the Scions for his background, being in territory that was unwelcoming made it worse.

Thus did he confide these feelings to Thancred one night when his father-figure among the Scions found him sitting alone outside the Annex.

"So, that's been eating at you, huh?" Thancred replied, rubbing his chin. He sat down next to him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Well, Reksh, do you remember that I was a street urchin picking pockets and snatching purses for a living in Limsa before Louisoix found me?"

"Yeah, but that was over half your life ago."

"That doesn't mean I've forgotten how I felt when I first set foot here myself, and I actually did have nothing but my basic skills and the clothes on my back. Me, a random street thief, barely a man, taken in on a whim by the head of one of Sharlayan's most powerful families to study espionage, even if it is common for Sharlayans to take in wards. No 'Warrior of Light' status or anything like that. We're...more alike than you think."

"I didn't think about it like that."

"Reksh, you're the first to jump into action and among our best and strongest fighters, and yet at the same time, you don't give yourself enough credit beyond that. Neither of us had anything when we first came into contact with the Scions, but we trained, and we learned, and we put those skills to use as best we could in their service, even if we failed in the end. Hells, we're both still learning now, after all that we went through on The First. Speaking of, what is it the others called you back there? Our 'Cid away from Cid'? Don't tell me that those Ironworks fellows have just been keeping you around for manual labor and muscle."

U'reksh was taken aback. "What, no! I learned so much from everyone there! C'mon, I figured out the machines in Azys Lla when I was helping Alisaie with the tempering cure!" His ears dropped a little. "With help from Raha, but he has that Allagan blood blessing and he studied the Empire's history."

"You see? More than you give yourself credit for."

U'reksh laughed. "Thanks, Thancred."

He ruffled the boy's hair and scratched behind his ears. U'reksh closed his eyes and smiled, leaning into his hand and purring.

Thancred smiled. "Atta boy."

[zexxcandell]

Debt Collecting

(Reply to the quest provided by @eliceynbirch​ )

The Black Eyed Walrus was your typical seedy under the docks bar.  All manner of men, women,and who knows what made their way down here for the kind of quiet drink that made sure the constables wouldn’t look twice at it.  It was old, it was gross, it was unkempt, but it was the shadowy aesthetic that would be pirates craved and discovered they were not ready to be in.  Owned by Maggie, a one eyed crone who’s stories about her past life made men pale and ill treated women their hero, she’d come into possession of the dockside establishment via a strong bite and the early retirement of the previous owner.  Maggie was just Maggie, she didn’t have a last name that she was willing to share and by the muscle she hired to keep things in order no one pushed to ask about her personals.  Maggie was as much the bar as the bar was her. 

Despite how it looked, it held a huge part of Maggie’s heart and she’d be damned if anyone was going to ruin it.  The biggest source of pride of the crone’s was the large plate glass window she had purchased to look out onto the old dock outside and shadowy waters of the harbor.  It had cost quite a bit of gold and took some brave craftsmen to come down and install it for her.  She loved that window that she had painstakingly painted the visage of the bar’s namesake, a large walrus with a large black ring about it’s eye.  The literal personification of the woman in paint and time.  Maggie loved that window and her art as much if not more than the bar she never left.  

Sadly, a large figure was currently being launched through the window in a shower of glass and roar of a brawl within the bar.

Twenty minutes ago…

“An you are?”

“Zexx, Zexx Candell.”  A calloused and sea salt worn hand reached between the bottles of rum and liquor to grasp the other man’s hand firmly.

“Hoarse, Hoarse Darby,  pleasure tha Candell,” the sailor nodded genially as he broke the grip and lifted up his fresh bottle to his lips again followed by a hard pull of the alcohol.  Darby was young, dumb, and likely full of a troublesome substance but his thick corded arms and bald head did the trick to know him a tough bastard. He liked it that way. He also liked it when free drinks followed winning a few rounds of dice with a stranger.

“Likewise, mate, you took me for quite a ride there,” Zexx replied with a wide toothy grin.  If not for the thick salt and peppered beard, the laugh lines of the man would have been very clear.  But for all the smiles and laughs, his one blue eye was slightly red and carried a sadness that only comes from true loss.  “I swear I can roll better.”

“In mah experience that more ya drink tha better the dice seem ta follah,” Hoarse replied with his own grin on his reddened face, his nose showing easily a future of alcoholism as he toasted his cycloptic benefactor.

Zexx let out a bark of a laugh as he lifted his own bottle and took a short pull, a hard grimace following as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.  “Shame yer friends, didn’t want to play any more.  Though probably better for me to lose to one of you than all of you.”

A few drunken nods joined an oily grin as Darby wiped his own mouth with his own palm.  “Aye, but thems lookin fer tail more’an drink an games.”

“And they plan to find it here?”

“Right?”  Darby laughed and leaned forward into the table, his head bowing forward as a soft jangle of metal could be heard as he guffawed.

“Oy there, what’s that then?”  Zexx asked as he tilted his head looking to his gaming partner.

“Eh?  Oh this thang, pretty lil bauble I picked up recent,” Darby nodded as he sat back up drunkenly and reached inside his shirt to produce the silver anchor talisman.

Peering across the table with a whistle, Zexx held out an expectant hand.  “Fine piece of jewelry there mate, mind if I take a closer look?”

A hard tug pulled the leather thong from around Darby’s thick neck as he swayed drunkenly across the table to lay it in Zexx’s hand who nodded softly as he lifted it to look at.  “Simple make, but damn fine.  Where ya happen upon it?”

Darby leaned back in his chair and kicked his bare feet up on the table, to wiggle his toes with a sigh as he rested the bottle on his belly.  “Tha thing?  Reason why ahm alrigh on tail myself.  Some ‘hore had it an I ask where she got it says somethin bout an uncle or something.”

Hoarse snorted as he shook his head while taking a swig.  “Yer uncle?  Ya righ ya filthy bitch.  So I confiscated it up righ.  Brough me hell o luck out on the blue.  An tonigh!”  

The sailor waved to the moderate pile of gold he’d picked up from his companions and the one eyed man across from him.  Zexx nodded softly as he held the pendant still in his palm, he’d never been much for arcane work but he knew enough to know this was more than a bauble.  This said sages all over.  

“Sounds like quite the girl,” Zexx murmured as he set the anchor between them.

Darby nodded with a laugh, “Oh yeah sweet as o bee hive, feisty as one too!”  The sailor leaned forward with a dark, drunken grin that held a lot more information about what happened between him and the girl than he was saying.  His free hand reached forward to pick up the bauble again.  “Ah tell ya, she had thighs tha dra-”

Darby’s words were cut short as a strong hand grabbed him by the wrist and pinned that hand to the table.  Shock sobered him up for a brief moment as he followed the hand up and into the face of a no longer smiling Zexx.  Shadows framed the one eyed man as he pinned Hoarse’s hand, as a dark anger radiated from the man.  Darby never even had a chance to shout as Zexx’s free hand grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed it swiftly into the old birch table with a crunch of a nose and snap of a jaw.  The same hand grabbed hold of the stunned sailor and lifted the head to smash again into the table for good measure, a spray of blood and teeth following this hard slam.  With a grunt Zexx pulled the head up and tossed the sailor back into his chair which amazingly kept standing as Darby flopped back loosely with a ruined face and blank stare.

Zexx peered behind his shoulder and around the immediate area for a moment, the chorus of the bar still a low din as this was not quite an uncommon occurrence around this place.  Spitting in the direction of the sailor, the swordsman would sweep up the bauble before swiftly moving to Darby’s side of the table.  Keeping a quick on the bar and for sight of Hoarse’s friends, a moan sounding behind him as the stun was starting to wear off on the man.  Turning about swiftly to plant his fist between the eyes of the sailor before ripping a bandana from around Darby’s neck and ‘knapsacking’ it for the coin on the table.

A final clink of coin and swift pull of the ends finished the ‘golden lunch’ Zexx had prepared with a snort and grim smile.  So far so good, Zexx though as he lifted the money and gave a final look to Darby.  A new soft moan given to signal just a bit of sadism on the hero-for-hire’s part, a swift jab delivered to the broken nose for good measure.  A wet smush and moan as Darby finally fell out of his chair with a clatter.

“Wha tha fuck?”  His blue eye widened as Zexx looked up from his unconscious quarry and turned to find Darby’s five mates who had been at the bar glaring at him.  Their hands were holding bottles, a couple of girls, and a lot of fists.

“Shit.”

Now...

Zexx coughed hard and spit, struggling up to his hands and knees from his prompt exit of the bar.  Rolling over onto his rear he sat a moment to catch his breath, tasting quite a bit of blood in his mouth again as he spit to the side again and stared back the way he came from the Walrus.  

Inside was a madhouse of fighting, blood, and a thundering shot followed as someone had finally drawn a pistol into the air to either find some order or put down a brawler.  Zexx guessed it the latter.

Breathing heavily and painfully, the swordsman would struggle to get up and scramble away down the dock his old boots thumping on the wooden dock.  His left hand squeezing tighter again about the anchor in his palm, happy for keeping it and the luck it was sending his way.  The loss of coin wasn’t in the plan but sometimes you gotta buy an exit.

Zexx stopped for a moment and leaned on one the dock posts as he tried to ease the ache in his ribs from breathing and even moving.  The big sailor had packed quite a punch or six and definitely finding his way through a window was not the most comfortable way to vacate the premises.  As his pain slowly eased thunder resounded the docks and the post he’d leaned on exploded in a shower of wood and muck causing him to stumble away in a panic.  Flipping about he’d easily find the bloody and angry culprits to be three of the five mates of Darby’s, one with a smoking pistol in hand.  The second man lifted his own pistol now to pull the trigger for the loud Kul Tiran salt shooter to blow past Zexx’s ear.  A quick check found the ear still there as he turned to run again, the loud thumps of feet and curses following him as he booked it past the moored ships.

As much as Zexx wanted to just run it was very obvious from his previous beating and wounds there was no way he would outrun them.  Fight or die was taking precedence over flight now as he rounded to down a dock, seeing a head of him quite a few rows bobbing in the black water.  Could he row?  A thunderous shot ringing about with a swish of a bullet was a clear indicator that he could definitely row.  Reaching one of the boats, his booted foot kicking the knot hard to loosen it before pulling it off the tie off, which followed the rope as a bullet tore it from the dock and sent it spinning into the water.

“Crap in a hat,” Zexx muttered as he readied to leap into the boat.  Thankfully he had some help in getting in the row as thick muscled arms grabbed him behind and tackled him forward into the boat below.  The swordsman made a perfect landing pad for her his pursuer as the boat dipped into the drink and sped away from the dock further out into the harbor.

There was some muffled threat and yell Zexx heard as he painfully breathed and tried to steady his rocking brain with the rowboat drifting too and fro.  More pain flooded his body as a punch struck him in the back and another in the kidney before he struggled to right himself away from the sailor.  A quick twist on his back and an elbow caught a defensive arm of the attacker and let Zexx follow with a roll to his back to face the sailor.

Darby’s mate was already clamoring up to his feet with a well experienced ease of fighting on the sea, his feet loosely planted as he let his body roll with the pitch of the waves.  Fists raised to taunt and egg Zexx on to stand, who replied with breathing heavily as he felt around behind him in the boat for purchase to get up.  Bloody and ragged breath flowed from the one eyed hero as he finally gripped onto something. 

“Get up ya bastard!  Get up ya fuck!  Ah’m gonna smah ever bone in ya!”  A short kick was sent into Zexx’s leg as he winced and struggled back onto the seat of the row boat.  Leaning forward a moment to catch his breath and Zexx made what might have been perceived to stand and fight.  Instead it was to level the short harpoon gun at the sailor who suddenly went white in the face before going red as the short fisherman’s spear went through his left eye and skull.

A familiar thump of dead meat rocked the rowboat again as the current took it further from the docks and into the harbor from the Walrus.  Zexx dropped the gun with a clatter of metal and fishing line before slumping back with an exhausted sigh.  His hand ached just as much as the rest of him as he lifted it up in front of his face to let the anchor uncoil before him, a new appreciation of the elements coming.  Behind that swaying talisman came a glint of something on the still form of the other man, a curious brow raising at what luck had befallen him now.

Two days later…

“Sorry again on the delay of retrieval, had to wait for Darby to arrive back in port before I could track him down.” Zexx spoke calmly in the office of Madame Kestavin sipping at a cup of herbal tea she’d been gracious enough to have for him.  Though he was a mass of bruises, bandages, and strong scent of herbal salves miraculously he was healing quite quickly and easily.  According to the medical staff he’d been seeing he was lucky to not be in traction for the rest of his life, but instead somehow a few days rest and medicine he’d be right as rain.  Lucky him.

“As for your girl’s items,” the anchor pendant was set gently down on the desk followed by another necklace of gold marked with a well sized ruby.  “I was able to retrieve the pendant but as for the gold it wasn’t in the cards.  Fortunately though, I was able to grab this and had it appraised before coming down here.  I think you’ll get roughly what you were owed for it but I’ll understand if you’d rather take it out of my reward.”

Zexx sipped at his tea again with a wry smile at the woman as he tried to cross his legs and winced loudly before putting his leg back down to sit easier.  

“Are you satisfied?”

[thisweekingundamwing]

TWIGW March 18-24th

Happy Spring, amazing fandom!

Check out all the cool stuff we have for you this week below, and remember to show the creators some love!

Thanks for all you do!

-Mod CB

Fanfiction:

A Little Piece of Gundam Wing

The archive is being ported to AO3! Check it out!

Amberly with @yourbloodlikewine

In This Light

Duo spent the last semester working in his older brother's coffee shop. He's resigned himself to a boring spring when a stranger appears, shaking up his entire life. Eli left home last fall, choosing to spend the last six months living out of his van on his travels from the Midwest to the East Coast. By the time he arrives at Ink's, the novelty of traveling alone has started to wear off. Still, the last thing he's expecting is to meet someone who's going to change all that for him

Pairings: 2xOMC, 3xOMC, Solo x OMC,

Warnings:  Rape/Noncon, Original Characters - Freeform, Alternate Universe, child abuse mention, Sexual Assault Mention, homophobic parents, Re-Written Characters, Drug Use, Violence, off screen murder, gratuitous author indulgence

@anaranesindanarie

The Shinigami and The Silencer

They say a person only needs three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.  I had all three, despite my rough start in life. I had a lover, a hobby that I loved, and I had a hope… hope that my lover would get better, that we would be together forever. But he didn’t. He died in a hospital bed, cold and alone as I watched through a window, my body covered in chains. I wasn’t even allowed to bury him as the prison sent his body off to be cremated. My heart broke that night and the next day, on the way to my execution, I killed five of my guards before the others opened fire. I was dead before I hit the floor, my blood staining it. Why was I being executed you ask? Let me tell you the story of The Shinigami and The Silencer.

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Major Character Death, death, angst

@claraxbarton

Singularity

Dr. Trowa Barton has a problem - he's this close to figuring out the secret to manufacturing a nanocarbon black pigment that could compete with Vantablack.  But he's also hit a dead end, and he's tired and maybe a night of drinking beer and painting Beagles is exactly what he needs to get his research back on track.

Pairings: 2x3, 3x5, 2x3x5

Warnings: Art, Science, Chemistry, singularity - Freeform, AU, ex-lovers now friends, Threesome, Threesome - M/M/M, drunken sexy times, sober sexy times, weird art, i mean. maybe it's not weird. to each their own, nanocarbon black, paint pigments, what are these tags, Quatre is a good wingman

Silver Strand

Summary: The world had shifted, boundaries had been crossed, right and wrong had long ago been abandoned. A dark story of revenge, love, loss and drug smuggling. AU set in Coronado, California in the 1970s. Based on/Inspired by Joshuah Bearman’s “Coronado High”

Multiple pairings including but not limited to: 1x2, 2x5, 2x3, 2x3x5, 13x2, RxH, 9xS, 6x4

Warnings: Angst, drug use, Vietnam-era politics

@claraxbarton , @kangofu-cb

Bad Company

"The only hell and the only paradise are the ones we build ourselves." - Unknown Years after the wars, Preventers has decided to tackle one of the most powerful and oldest of all the Terran crime syndicates. Embedded dangerously deep in an undercover operation targeting the violent and bloodthirsty Sinaloa Cartel, Trowa Barton is pushed beyond even his flexible morals - and when his new "partner" arrives in the very unexpected and unwelcome form of Duo Maxwell, the one person he'd been trying to protect at all costs, both men must deal with the realization that preserving peace for humanity is turning into a bloodsport.What follows is race against time to uncover the evidence they need to bring Sinaloa, and its beautiful but deadly leaders, down - all while keeping each other alive in the process

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Post-Canon, Undercover Missions, Undercover as a Couple, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Human Trafficking, Gang Violence, Canon Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, Moral Dilemmas

Foopy, kirallie

Knights of Avalon

Multi-series crossover fic

The Galaxy is a weird, wonderful and dangerous place. There is far more to history than anyone remembers.

Warnings: Very AU, Stargate pushed up to movie in '04, sentient weapons, many dates have been played with to fit

@kangofu-cb

If You Let Me

If Trowa could give the new residents one rule for surviving the ICU, it would be ‘Don’t Touch Anything. (Especially The Patients.)’.  In reality, he’d actually give them a lot of rules, possibly with diagrams for clarity.  But his main rule essentially covered the bases. When you worked in one of the largest ICUs, in the biggest medical center in the country, at a hospital known for taking on unstable patients for the most complex and risky surgeries that were performed no-where else, new residents were a menace. Until he meets Dr. Maxwell, the newest anesthesia resident.

Pairings: 2x3, background HxD

Warnings: Alternate Universe - Medical, Doctor/Patient, Nurses & Nursing, Fluff and Smut, this is literally my feel good thing guys ok, I mean I'm not saying there won't be any angst, but basically this is all WAFF, Explicit Sexual Content

@ladyjstruth-blog

Friend Zone

Duo and Hilde's wedding is fast approaching but after a heartwrenching breakup, how will Trowa and Quatre get through the weekend?

Pairings: 3x4, 2xH, 1xR

Warnings: Drama and Romance, Post-Canon

LadyLilyAnne, Melfice13

The Trials & Tribulations of a High Society Shinigami

Duo was a very caring woman, an open book so to speak, always there to help those that needed it with a smile on hand. The problem was she was surrounded by insane men who needed to be watched over like kids and her fellow women left her to it. Resigning herself to being the team mom Duo did her best, but she hadn't planned on Heero admitting he loved her. Things are weird now...

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4

Warnings:  Fem Duo, oblivious characters, Developing Relationship, Obssessed Relena, Obssessed Zechs, The Pink Thing, Explosions, Non-Graphic Violence, Duo and Trieze Have a Weird Friendship, Non-Chronological, Related Drabbles, gratuitous cursing

LavenderKisses

Stay

Duo watches Heero leave his bed every time the phone rings. All he wishes is that, for once, he would stay.

Pairings: 1x2, 1xR

Warnings: Angst, Songfic

Lil_1337

2018 Comment Fic_Feburary

Drabbles and short fics written for the Live Journal community Comment Fics which can be found here: http://comment-fic.livejournal.com

Multiple fandoms/pairings, please see chapter specific warnings

Lthanz

Life is War

Multi-series crossover fic

Sequel to 'Life is Fringe'. Five years later, Max, Chloe, and Kevin have settled into their new lives. However, they soon find themselves caught up in a power-struggle between two powerful men competing to control the fate of the world. Loyalties will be tested but a greater threat looms in the darkness, ready to strike.

Characters: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Kate Marsh/Original Character(s), Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Kate Marsh, Olivia Dunham, Treize Khushrenada, Natasi Daala, Lucrezia Noin, Lady Une

Warnings: Science Fiction & Fantasy, War, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Crossover, Multiple Crossovers, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, pricefield

Luvsanime02

The Taste of Peaches

A @gwcocktailfriday submission

Relena's had a long day, and so she stops off somewhere for a drink or two.

Pairings: none

Warnings: AU- modern setting, introspection

Maldoror

The Source of All Things

Center, a planet where magic and technology blend. Or more accurately, fight tooth and nail. A planet of Sources, holes in our boring dimension letting through arcane power, chaos and pseudo-deities. In this hot-house of myths and very real dangers, Trowa and Quatre find a mysterious man at the end of a shamanic voyage. Portents suggest this Heero Yuy is crucial to Center’s survival. He’s important enough to have some interesting enemies after him, at any rate: a devious killer and thief called ‘Shinigami’, and a very irate Dragon. Beyond them looms an even greater threat. Indeed, the greatest of them all.

Pairings: 3x4, 2x5, eventual 1x2x5

Warnings:  alternative universe, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Plot Twists, fairly graphic depiction of sex, Mild description of self-harm, Mathematical Magic, weird science, crones - Freeform, Magic and Technology brawling and eventually screwing, Eventual Threesome, Kinda, Insanity of arcane origin, The universe is a pile of marbles and other dubious allegories

Two Halves

The two kingdoms of Sanq and Lin were at war for years; a conflagration involving magic, armies and political murder. The conflict left both nations devastated and strewn with refugees. The king of Sanq finds his infant son, lost at birth, among the death and the ruin, a miracle he barely dared to hope for. But there isn't just one boy, there are two, clinging together like two halves of a whole that cannot be separated. Decades later, the truth behind that second child’s existence will put a hole in the world, or possibly save it.

Pairings: 1x2

Warnings: Fantasy AU, medieval setting with magic, starts with our heroes as children, Cousin Incest, sort of, eventually, being royalty this is in fact the norm and rather expected of them, Canon-Typical Violence

Merula31

Sleepless

It started that first night that I got him out of the hospital. I don't know where he found the time between raiding my gundam for parts and fixing his, but he did. He slipped into my room, managing not to wake me up until he got into bed with me.

Pairings: 1x2

Warnings: Yaoi, Lime, Implied Lemons, post war-ness, Angst, Sappy, POV Alternating, Spoilers, but if you haven't seen the series by now - what's wrong with you???, Original Character(s), Preventers (Gundam Wing), but no action, well - not THAT kind, Suicide Attempt, Misunderstandings

@miss-m-muses

The Cabin

Trowa’s debut novel became a best-seller and now he is failing at writing a follow up. In order to find peace and quiet to write, he rents a secluded cabin near a small town to find inspiration. Yet writing becomes hard when he keeps hearing howls from the woods in the middle of the night and even harder when he meets a charming diner owner named Duo…

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Explicit Sexual Content

@noelleian

Open Book for @weiclown (Moreena)

One would think being skewered on a rapier was the worst part, but then Quatre was always full of surprises.

Pairings: 3x4, 1xR

Warnings: Humor, Canon Compliant, Takes Place Between the End of the Series and Odds and Evens, Trowa's POV, Injured!Quatre, Delirious!Quatre, Love Doctor!Duo, Iatrophonia - Fear of Doctors and Hospitals, At Least Sally Has Her Shite Together, Fluff, Friendship

@noirangetrois

The Story of Wrong

Duo recounts his experiences during the war in order to explain... well, why he was wrong.

Pairings: 1x2

Warnings:  Angst, Drama, Tragedy, slight AU, Spoilers, very dark, Heero and Duo don't dieI,  promise, Yaoi, slowburn, Mental Instability, Mental Health Issues, Mental Breakdown, If those are in any way an issue for you then go ahead and skip this, Eventual Smut, VERY eventual, this is mostly canon-compliant but I've changed a couple things here and there

@passingdestinies​ (MorbidBirdy)

Animus

A ghost of Heero's past takes possession of his life, relationships and his identity.

Pairings:  1x3, 2xH

Warnings:  Post-Canon, Psychological Torture, Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content

PubLicEneMyNumBah1

Super Robot Wars GQ

Multi-series crossover

Long gone are the Ancient Ones and the will of Mankind triumphs, yet with catastrophes and wars that beset them, will their reign soon end?

Original Character(s), Mecha, Giant Robots, Gundams, Crossover, Multiple Crossovers, Action/Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Alien Invasion, War, Canon Rewrite, Space Battles, Cthulhu Mythos, Pseudoscience

QMC

Over Tea & Other Things

The first fan-fiction piece that I wrote back in 2010 on FF.net. I've edited it a little. "Tea" is the first of a series I decide to write about general moments and life rather than on any significant story line or plot point. They're all stand alone pieces so I'll keep them here as chapters rather than in separate posts. Comments are welcome. :)

@remsyk-blog

Souls for the Bayou for @maevemauvaise and written for @fandomtrumpshate

For Trowa Barton, exploring the bayou is the ultimate adventure. Drawn to its borders since before he could walk, he spent his childhood learning its paths and uncovering its secrets.  But a chance encounter sets him on a path that spans across time, challenging everything he thought he knew, plunging him deeper into its mysteries than he ever thought possible.

Pairings: 2x3

Warnings: Supernatural - Freeform, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, Bayou, Cajun, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Mystery, Slow Burn, Technically Speaking, Young Love, Use of accents, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, I don't want to give it all away at once, Fandom Trumps Hate

Robot_Qwerty

Finding Home Again

Harry Potter crossover

Morgan lost any family he had left during the horrors of the Canadian Civil War, he lived on his own and carved out his own existence at eighteen years old. Adventure and magic only existed in fairy tales and daydreams, survival is all he knows anymore. The Civil War ends a little before the Eve Wars. So when the new laws after the Eve Wars come into place, his world was turned upside down and Canada's new government left little choice to the die-hard patriots. Finally escaping to the Sanq Kingdom wasn't the sanctuary he had hoped it would be. Add the former Gundam Pilots to the mix and he might just find his escape, or will he never find the freedom he craves?

Pairings: 4x5, 1x2, 3xOMC, Sx11xOFC

Warnings: Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Mental Health Issues

sylvieforaday

Neighbors

A/U - Meilan is learning, not everything happens the way you thought it would. Sometimes you fall for the perfect girl next door when she gets knocked off her pedestal.

Pairings: Meilan x Relena

Warnings: None

@the-indomitable-bhg, @passingdestinies (BHG and Morbidbirdy)

End of Line

The Grid, the legendary Tron System, has always intrigued Duo Maxwell. After years of dreaming and months of tireless work, he finally receives the final part he needs to unlock the door to the digital frontier. A blast of a digitizing laser later he finds himself in the world of his dreams. However, soon that dream becomes a nightmare as he comes to realize that his existence in this new world is both a danger to him and to the programs who reside there. With the help of Security Program Trowa and a mysteriously damaged and glitchy program named Heero, he embarks on a journey through The Grid to seek help from a mysterious entity known as the Gatekeeper. Will he be able to get out of the Tron System, or will the organizations who are hunting him manage to derez him first?

Pairings: 1x3, 3x4

Warnings: Slash, AU, Angst, Post-Tron: Legacy, Action/Adventure, implied sexual violence, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Complete

white_fox

Life Is A Highway

On an impulsive plan to travel from California to New York City to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Heero Yuy did not plan to pick up a hitchhiker in nowhere Texas. Faced with some setbacks and a growing attraction to his passenger, Heero goes through more challenges than he planned on facing.

Pairings: 1x2, 1xR

Warnings: light slash, Fluff, Road Trips, Dubious Morality

Snippets:

@lifeaftermeteor

LAM!verse - Duo and Trowa chatting

@ransomedbard

Snippet Saturday

Photo Edits/Manipulations

@gundamwing-ellesmith​

What if Gundam Wing was real? - Chang Wufei’s office ft. Sally

What if Gundam Wing was real? - Une

What if Gundam Wing was real? - Sally’s table ft. Wufei

@kangofu-cb

Whose Line photo edit - “Gundam Wing, where everything’s made up and the ‘canon’ don’t matter.

Multiple Contributors

Come at me Yuy

Headcanons / Meta / Discussions:

@lifeaftermeteor

L1′s origins and history

@ransomedbard

GW and cars headcanon

Fanart:

@downwarddnaspiral

Relena ice skating

@duointherain

Duo

@hackedmotionart​

Just Wild Beat

@huehanya

Gundam Wing re-watch comic

@lemontrash

Heero doodle

@noelleian

Human Sandrock

@noromax

Wufei

Calendar Events:

Cocktail Friday

https://gwcocktailfriday.tumblr.com/

A new prompt every Monday!

Submissions should be posted Fridays between 3 and 5pm EST, and tagged with @gwcocktailfriday

Interview with a Creator by @remsyk-blog @interview-with-a-creator

Remsyk has created an online interview for fandom creators to fill out and then she features one each week so that everyone in the fandom can learn a bit about each other.

If you haven’t filled out her interview, go! do! now!

This week’s featured creator is @cosmostar - check her interview out here!

Calling all GW COSPLAYERS by @ahsimwithsake

Metrowing—our gundam wing cosplay group that comes to metrocon (Tampa Florida) every year—will be hosting a panel at Metrocon 2018!

We’re looking for additional cosplayers to round out the cast for a Q&A panel on Friday 7/20 at 4 pm.

If you’re interested, please private message me here on tumblr. I can provide you with more information and set you up with a group Skype chat with the metrowing cosplayers.Help us celebrate 25 years of Gundam Wing!

Check post for more information.

NHK is running a poll for the 40th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam!

Voting is open here

You can vote for your favorite series (TV, OVA, and Movie only), mobile suit (pick 3), characters (pick 5), and songs (pick 2). Unfortunately the site is in Japanese but with the help of Google Translate, it’s easy enough to navigate. Let’s vote our GW boys to the top!

Gundam Wing Stream Rewatch by @the-indomitable-bhg and @amyole

Post found here - they are currently looking for interest/time suggestions/platform suggestions.

[rafaelribeirosoares]

Thas Rea Serrar.

The forest and the blade. We elves always prided ourselves while navigating through the forests. Some of us were rangers, experts in tracking, hunting and even infiltrating. The Farstriders took great pride in their skills, and although our kingdom had a Thalassian name, we weren’t at the top of the food chain even back then…

Chapter 7

Remember when I was excited to leave Fairbreeze? When I wanted to leave the village in search of knowledge and adventure? Well… I must say that for an aspiring adventurer… I was in a very bad shape to cross the forest at the pace of the Elven Rangers. My pride, however, did not allow me to ask them to slow down, much less stop to gather some air. We took an eastern path, parallel to the main road, off the sights of merchants and travelers. The Farstriders moved with great excellent through the beaten path. Vakrai led the group while cutting whatever tall grass was in the way. I assumed it was also to be some kind of initiation for him, as the others moved with less tension. The journey past the Elrendar river went by as calm as it could possibly be, with a just an unfortunate encounter with a couple of feral Dragonhawks, which had to be scared off as we ventured through the wilds. Once we crossed it through some rocks that allowed passage without ourselves getting wet, our group stopped to eat, and in my case, recover my breath, thus finally having Halduron briefing us on what we were about to do.

Years after my first adventure… some places still remain untouched by the flow of the time.

“Gather around Farstriders…” Halduron glanced at me as I had already found a seat on a medium rock, “and appointed Magic Apprentices…” The other two elves came around, Vakrai with a piece of bread on his hand, a bite of it already being chewed on his mouth. “These are Valaden and Braedin.” Halduron waved towards the two other Elves whose names were still a mystery just a moment before. With their hoods covering their heads, their features remained slightly hidden. The long nose and braided black hair that descended by one shoulder on one proved to be Braedin who introduced himself in a more gallant way. “Greetings, young mage. I’m Braedin of the Farstriders. Such a pleasure to have you with us during this mission.” I remember that I was quite aroused at the time. Braedin’s words were pure seduction for such a young damsel like myself. I was simply not used to such behavior. “Save your songs for another time Braedin… We’re here for a reason of homeland security.” Valaden, the other Farstrider in the group remarked, hiding his concern as he steered the group’s attention to the matter at hand. He was slightly taller than Braedin, and his long blonde hair descended down to both shoulders. It was probably knotted above. “Of course, Valaden. There’s no harm in introducing ourselves though.” Braedin stepped closer to me and looked me in the eyes. “Our lives may yet depend on the young one’s decisions.” Valaden let out a small laugh. “I might as well be dead already, if I’ve come to depend on the younglings.” As the tip of an arrow began to draw on the ground, Halduron said these exact words: “Then perhaps you should let your experience guide them, instead of shoving them away Valaden. Now, come close and pay attention.”

In the ground, Halduron had drawn the Elrendar river, the nearest Elven and Forest Troll villages. We circled around the drawing while Halduron remained in one knee, drawing the representation of the map crucial to the mission. “If you look Southwest, that’s Suncrown village, we’re to stay out of sight of any locals so that we don’t raise any suspicion.” The Elven Ranger followed the path down in the ground with the tip of one of his arrows. “We will follow near the lake, at the end of it we will pass straight through the Farstriders Enclave, no questions asked, no answers given.” He turned around and looked directly into Braedin’s eyes, whom in turn quickly deflected such stare. “Once we’re past the Enclave, we will be on our own and into enemy territory. Our mission is to infiltrate the villages around Zul’Aman and find out if the Forest Trolls are planning anything. We must gather intelligence about their activities and we’re in no way authorized to engage the enemy. This is reconnaissance only. We will be in and out of there before any of those long tusked beasts may even notice us.” Halduron rose up and guarded the arrow on his quiver. “Vakrai, you remain at the tip of the arrow, Braedin and I will follow, then the Apprentice and for last, Valaden will be at the rear.” He then addressed me, although his gaze was focused somewhere else. “While the Forest Trolls aren’t versed in the arts of the arcane Leafara, you should know that they possess a magic of their own. However primitive they are, it still might prove just as deadly as any magic cast by one of our finest Magi. You are here to ensure that we remain undetected for the entirety of our mission. And in the last resort, to counter any magical source thrown at us, should that be the case. If things worsen, leave the combat to us.”

I didn’t have anything to say. This was clearly a military operation to which I had no previous training beforehand. I felt… out of place. “Briefing is done. Everyone grab something to eat, freshen up and we will depart shortly. I want to spend the night in the Enclave, already with the results of our investigation so don’t wander too far off.” Once we were dismissed for the time being, each of the elves took a spot for their own. They seemed… tense. If it was about the mission itself, or the strange rumors in the Human Kingdoms, I did not know at the time. Vakrai stood by my side, awfully calm for his first mission. “Could it be… That you, Leafara Zeralae…. are actually nervous?” Ah! He mocked me! At the time I didn’t even pay attention to his attempt in lifting my spirit. I explained to him that magic could be different in nature, but it was still perceptible in the eyes of any magic wielder and therefore, I was wondering how to intercept that magical nature, used by the Forest Trolls. “Oh… I don’t understand much about magic, but…” He reached out to his backpack and retrieved a fresh pastry. “If there’s something I know, it is that we must keep our bellies filled before a mission.” He handed it to me, and I just couldn’t help myself but eat it right away. As I was eating, I asked if there was something of interest to Braedin at the Enclave. “What? Lea you should not talk with your mouth full…” I chewed for a moment longer then I repeated the question. “Ah, yes. Braedin seems to be quite famous among the ranks of the Farstriders. Much more so about his conquests of the flesh, rather than honoring our duty to Quel’thalas.” Oh, so that’s what Halduron was talking about earlier. The mission sounded to be clear enough not to take any detours, nor waste any time. “We must be focused. Forest Trolls are cunning too, just like us Elves, they know the trees and paths just as we know them. I’ll keep an eye on you Lea… Just don’t get too far from me.” As Vakrai said that to me, I felt… Warm. Alas, I wasn’t able to properly answer to his kindness, as Halduron and the other two Elves came by, their belongings already prepared for departure. “You two, it’s time to move. Vakrai, lead on.” I grabbed my bag and went along with them, following the formation indicated by Halduron earlier as I was still pushing down the pastry that Vakrai had handed to me.

We passed next to Suncrown village, and went alongside the lake down south. At the other side, there was Dawnstar Spire. Much of its story had yet to be revealed, although at the time I already wondered what kind of purpose that building had.

We then reached the Farstrider Enclave. The circular building offered only two entry points which led to the main hall, and ramps led up to higher platforms from there, where sentries stood by. We were spotted right away as we descended from the lake, going Southeast. There was movement within the Enclave, and they even signaled our group, using the reflection of the sunlight on a glass. Our group continued to move on nonetheless, but Halduron reached to his chest with a fist, then rose the same fist up high. The sentries ceased the signal right after. Braedin looked especially eager to find someone watching over from the Enclave. He pulled his hood back and instantly a sentinel of the Enclave, rose up to the nearest platform. Formidably agile, the Ranger reached one of the highest columns of the building, with a sense of longing. She then pulled her hood back as well, revealing long blonde hair that went way past her breasts, braided into one single strand of hair. Without any other gesture, Braedin pushed the hood forth, covering his head. And we continued down on our path without even mentioning what had just occurred.

The Forest Trolls, are now what’s left of the Amani Empire, they’re scattered among some villages, while their capital remains to be Zul’Aman.

The first wooden buildings of the Amani were now visible ahead. We used the tall grass to our advantage. Luckily for us, the shade of the trees provided even more coverage for our group. Our formation grew tighter with each passing step, as Vakrai led us onto the first hut. The huts were rounded, and as we later came to find, they barely contained more than one division at all. Although Trolls were intelligent individuals, their society was primitive compared to other sentient races. Vakrai went around the hut and we waited for some signal. A moment later, and two knocks on the wood of our side. Halduron and Braedin followed through, I entered after them, and lastly, Valaden as well. Though the hut was not empty, it lacked any kind of comfort. There were some rags on the surface, probably where the Trolls slept on. Bags and crates on another side of the building, with grain, fish, and meat correctly separated. And, of course, a shrine of some sort, with piles of skulls, probably from animals, and drums. Trolls believe in ancient, powerful spirits called the Loa, and they worship them with fervor.

 “Strange… There’s no sign of the Amani, yet there’s fresh fish here.” Halduron pointed as he went through the crates and bags of food. “The torches are alit as well… What is this statue supposed to be?” Vakrai said as he inspected the shrine. “Some kind of deity that these savages worship. We should proceed and check the other huts, there’s something unusual going on here.” Valaden announced what we all thought. We should be quick. “Anything magical has caught your attention Leafara?” Halduron quickly followed. Not at the time, I answered. Everything was just extremely calm in my own sense of judgment. “Very well, lead the way to the next couple of huts Vakrai. We must get to the bottom of this. It’s not common for Forest Trolls to leave their houses unattended for, they’re extremely territorial…”

We ventured outside once more, Vakrai led the group while Halduron and Braedin protected me, who was in the middle of the formation, while Valaden covered the rear. However, as we came upon the next couple of huts, and onto a ridge that led below to the center of the village right in front of Zul’Aman, we first heard a gong, and then, as we hurried over the cliff, the clash of metal and cries of a battle ensued. The Amani led a desperate confrontation against a tide of undeath. Desfigured corpses ravaged across the battlefield, running with both legs or even with all limbs. Skeletons wielding both shields and swords, provided defense against the Amani Axe Throwers as the undead warriors marched forward. Huge spiderlike creatures provided a ranged offense by throwing their webs from medium distance, webbing up a few careless trolls, while others emerged from the ground, catching their enemy by surprise with their claws and mandibules. “By the Sunwell…” It was all Halduron could say for the moment that we gazed upon the unexpected battlefield. The gong echoed once more, and the Trolls began to retreat while holding their own. They were a fierce race with amazing regenerative capabilities, and cuts and wounds that would otherwise be fatal to Elves, proved to be way less deadly to them. Bear riders came from both flanks and tore down the skeleton formations, giving time for the Trolls for a safer retreat. The bears were armored with huge tusks, wooden shields and voodoo masks protected their bodies as well as their heads, while the trolls smashed the skeletons with their clubs. “We should leave this place!” Valaden said between clenched teeth. “This goes beyond our purpose… We should head back while the Undead have the attention on the Trolls.” At the other side of the battlefield, a man stood atop an armored skeletal horse was overseeing the progress of the battle. Its long grey hair and terrifying armor, gave away that he had some kind, if not the entire leadership of the Undead assault on the Amani. “There! There’s someone overlooking the battle from the other side… Wait… There’s something familiar about—” Braedin’s knees dropped to the floor and interrupted Halduron. “I feel… Tired… So tired…” Vakrai quickly came to check on his comrade. “Stand your ground Quel’dorei! There’s a group of undead coming our way!” Valaden shouted, alerting the rest of the group already with his bow at hands.

In between more than a dozen ghouls running on all fours, an arachnoid like those seen in the battlefield ran among them. Behind them was shadowy figure in tattered robes and with a staff at hand. A necromancer, responsible for the current fatigue hailing Braedin. An attempt to flank the Amani and prevent their escape, ended up in endangering us. Talk about being at the wrong place and at the wrong time. “Ready your bows Farstriders! Release at my signal!” Ordered Halduron firmly. “Tend to Braedin, apprentice! His ailment is magical in nature, see what you can do about it and do it quick!” At this moment, I just froze. It seemed like everything had stopped… Not stopped, but the flow of time had been decreased to a bare minimum, just a little above zero. The attack was imminent and I did not know what to do, what to think, as the Undead came for our lives. While my eyes moved frantically, watching as the enemy came to us, I saw a strange figure, atop the highground that led into the mountains that gave Zul’Aman its natural protection. It called to me. But I could not make sense of the words. After concentrating, the image grew clearer. A humanoid sit upon a black horse… And not just any kind of horse, its eyes had a red glow on them and the horse seemed to be made of metal through and through. The humanoid was wearing armor, but even what protected him or its physical attributes, lacked any resemblance to anything I’ve ever seen. With huge paws, somehow he was holding what seemed to be a very thin sword on his right hand, while holding a device that contained two platforms, which were then linked by a cord and a pillar in between them in the other pawlike hand. Its head was filled with fur in a color between yellow and brown, styled much like an Elf’s would be if its hair wasn’t combed. However, its face was a bestial one, with a snout and whiskers going sideways below it. Its yellow eyes did not instill fear, but they were surely able to do so.

It started with senseless whispers, but the sound became louder and louder. And when I finally was able to make sense of it, I understood it! The creature looked right at me, its eyes flared with an immense glow and it was if I was right in front of it! “Awake, Leafara Zeralae!” The mystical creature yelled with a roar and a crow, appearing from nowhere, cried out and went right into my eye!

I was transported back into the scene, the flow of time had resumed but my thoughts were incredibly faster. I closed my eyes for a second and focused on Braedin, with two quick finger signs, I removed the curse upon him after understanding the matrix of the spell. Within a second, Braedin rose to his feet and had his bow and arrows ready to shoot at Halduron’s orders. “I knew Rommath had sent you for a reason…” Now facing the imminent threat ahead, Halduron pulled the string of his bow backwards. “Aim to their heads Farstriders! Release!” And a volley of arrows went forth towards the group of Undead advancing. Three ghouls fell down right away, arrows went right in and out of their heads, leaving their corpses completely unanimated. Another two received the arrows that were meant for the necromancer but were clearly unaffected by them and continued to move on. “Guard your bows!” Halduron shouted. “Unsheath your blades!”

The four elves braced for the incoming attack, but I wasn’t about to stay idle while they risked their lives. I’ve casted a Frostbolt and managed to hit an incoming ghoul, freezing its superior right limb and allowing Valaden to finish it off quickly. Halduron gracefully avoided the charge of one ghoul and sliced its head with quite the elegance, stepping back again, grabbing one of the arrows pierced in another ghoul’s chest and stabbed its head with it, leaving the undead creature to fall down towards the surface. Vakrai held his own against another pair of ghouls, stabbing them consequently with his dagger and with an agility that did not befit the person that I once knew back at Faibreeze village. He ultimately had cut the monsters tendons and muscles, rendering them incapable of movement, thus finishing them with a quick stab of his blade in their heads. Against three on his own, Braedin severed the limbs of a ghould and kicked it back, dodged the following attack of another, but got wounded in his right leg by the third one. Valaden helped him out and parried the attack of another, while Braedin sliced the neck of its aggressor and Vakrai finished off the remaining ghoul by behind it, having grabbed its head and removing it from its body with his blade. The arachnoid however, had shot its web and was now imminent for Halduron who was dealing with the remaining pair of ghouls. Without even knowing, another Elf got in the way. It was Rommath!

“In need of a little help, Halduron?” Though the Elf was caught in its web, his own form turned to ice, and so did the web following back at the unaware arachnoid who in its turn, froze entirely. As the necromancer was casting yet another curse, I still managed to interrupt his casting using a Counterspell. Valaden shot the dark wizard right in the eye, while Vakrai and Halduron finished the remaining ghouls. “It seems yet another wave is coming. We should get out of here now.” Yet another image of Rommath appeared right in the middle of the Quel’dorei group. I was speechless. I spoke his name, I was thankful for his presence among us, but I couldn’t make any sense at the time. “Calm down Leafara. Our story won’t be over here.” There was still another wave of Undead coming.

Back in the battlefield, the Forest Trolls were retreating into Zul’Aman where they would be able to barricade themselves and create numerous chokepoints where to hold the Undead at bay. Most of them had managed to run up, as the bear riders were now retreating as well, after breaking the ranks of undead into bone and sinew. Although they were reforming, the knight with grey hair had left the battlefield at that point. It seemed like the Amani were deploying totems, magical ones that created bursts of fire, igniting the grass and flesh into an inferno which began to run wild across the battlefield. I could never have imagined that we ended up in saving Troll lives, our enemies for thousands of years so far.

“Rommath! Your presence here is most welcomed my friend!” Halduron proclaimed boldly and with great satisfaction. “What news do you bring?” Rommath’s tone paled immediately. “Not good ones. Quel’thalas is in great danger and we must get to Silvermoon as fast as we can! The Ranger-General and her forces are already dealing with the Undead.” This time however, the wave of undead was larger in number. More than twenty ghouls for certain, half a dozen arachnoids (which I forgot to mention, are indeed called Nerubians), and three necromancers at the back of their formation, were then headed towards us, still clinging to catch the Trolls on their retreat. “We can’t waste any more time here, we need to reach Silvermoon and warn Anasterian!” Yet another image of Rommath appeared from the woods, it blinked rapidly, teleporting himself a few yards in between a second. As he moved right in the enemies’ formation, a series of explosions of arcane energy were unleashed as he blinked among them, causing mayhem across their midst. Ultimately the ghouls charged at him and the image simply dissipated into thin air. But it was all that my tutor needed. His real body being among us. From within his red robes, were about half a dozen mana gems, he waved his hands over them and somehow drained the immense mana contained within. The gems were absorbed into his own being, his fingertips glowed blue, and it almost seemed like his hands were about to fall apart, as cracks reached out to his forearms. Rommath reached to the sky and uttered the words: “Belore’melorn!” And from the sky, multiple blazing boulders descended upon the second wave of the Undead. Limbs were scattered, blood splattered on the ground and the surface shook furiously, leaving nothing but ashes, the smell of burned meat and charred bones in their stead.

Rommath looked exhausted and at the time, I think he even lost consciousness. Halduron quickly took a hold of him and ordered the retreat, now that it was available. Valaden helped Braedin as well, since he was injured and Vakrai led the group out of there and into the wilderness, away of the carnage of battle.

Soon everything would change. Soon the entire world would be thrown into chaos. Soon the blood of our people would spread across our land.

With Blood & Magic - Thas Rea Serrar #wow #warcraft #bloodelf #sindorei #fanfic #fanfction Thas Rea Serrar. The forest and the blade. We elves always prided ourselves while navigating through the forests.

[mialbowy-blog]

Wrong Party

It became exceedingly obvious that a mishap in communication had occurred. I was, probably, mostly to blame. Though, I don't know why the noticeboard had social events so close to dungeon raids; maybe, unlike every other town on the continent, they just listed them as 'Raids', so they'd be next to 'Parties'?

Anyway, getting off topic. They were looking for someone capable of magic for a party. I excelled at slight-of-hand and misdirection, the pinnacle of party magic. Match made in heaven—chaotic heaven.

I thought it a little odd that a few burly men and a slender elf were having a party, but minority rights had been a big part of the struggle recently. Ask me, everyone should have the opportunity to hire magicians, for whatever reason. Society wouldn't crumble from a few more coins in my purse.

Sorry, I'm very passionate about my beliefs, always get sidetracked when they come up. So, there I am trundling behind them and we go off into the woods. No problem, don't want to cause a fuss. I get that. But, we start going off the track and so I ask, not so much worried as curious, “Where are we going?”

The leader—the biggest and burliest of the men, easily confused with a bear (no pun intended)—replied, after a hearty laugh, “T' Ol' Gregg's Dungeon.”

I liked to think of myself as knowledgeable about the various social scenes and, well, I did have some notion of certain… niche… scenes. “Oh,” I said, and some of my (not so much concern as intense concentration) must have showed because they all had a hearty chuckle (except the elf, who had more of a giggle.)

“Yer scared? Can turn back if ye are. Wouldn' blame ye.”

“No, no, not scared. Intrigued at the, um, new experience,” I said back.

My response only amused them further, and earned me the nickname 'Lamb', which I hoped referred to my optimism rather than my upcoming slaughter. Though I do confess, I wondered if it was part of their lingo I didn't know about. After all, they did have bears, and lambs were kind of like little bears? But wouldn't I just be a cub instead of a different animal entirely?

Back on the tracks, we went along an increasingly well-trodden path towards a mountain. Made me think about if a dwarf ran the place, and what kind of things they'd have—what with their penchant for metal and leather.

I became aware of the sobering of the others when we came close, though I didn't sense their tension and mistook it for anticipation. In hindsight, they probably did anticipate what was coming in their own way.

Not wanting to disrupt the mood, I followed behind in silence. The elf took the lead, taking us around the base of the mountain, slinking through the tree line. Given what I'd heard happening at some of those kinds of places, I thought it a plausible safety measure, if a bit over the top. After all, who was gonna start a fight with three guys who looked like barbarians or warriors or paladins, and an elf that had a giant bow on his back?

I didn't have long to dwell on that thought before the elf found the back entrance: a narrow crevice between two boulders. My mind wondered if it had been intentional. Inside, the lighting consisted of hissing torches, casting the hallways in quite the ambience. Adding to it were distant moans of pain as well as the occasional scream. I couldn't help but reaffirm that I had milder tastes.

Part of my cluelessness then came about as I kicked a stone by mistake and they rounded on me as one, with fingers pressed to their lips. Well, surprise parties were definitely one of my strengths. Hiding something in plain sight was practically a prerequisite to be a magician in such a competitive industry.

We skulked around a lot more, the elf with his super hearing steering us clear of anyone or anything that might ruin the 'surprise'. Honestly, I started getting sore feet, and the dark paths with patches of acrid smoke left my eyes drooping and watering.

Eventually, the elf really tensed up, and it looked so unusual for him, or for any elf for that matter. Always look like they're water balloons in disguise, elves did, no offence meant. Just the calmness they always had, and it left him.

He motioned us to the corner, and the men had a peek around too, exchanging serious glances.

I asked, as quietly as I could, “What do you want me to do?”

The leader held on to a look of concentration as he took another peak around the corner. “Well, we want t' get the ring off him. Ye got any spells to do tha'?”

Hearing that, it clicked into place that it must be a bachelor party. An old friend getting married, gotta sneak in and steal the ring to keep him from marrying some dragon of a woman. What he was doing in a… niche… place didn't matter to me, I'd hit one of my familiar routines.

“Just the thing,” I said, smiling. I had an excellent smile. Part of the job required a very convincing smile, because it made people relax. I guessed it reassured them, because they nodded and moved out the way for me.

Though I couldn't see their faces as I strode around the corner, I'm sure they had an expression of horror.

The room looked rather ornate, opulent even. Fine rugs and golden details—candlestick-holders, goblets, crown—as well as short men dressed in metal armour that certainly resembled guards made it seem… almost like a royal chamber, of sorts.

But I'd hit my stride and nothing could topple me. Part of being a magician meant looking confident and no one stopped confident looking people, because I made it all the way to what could, conceivably, be called a throne, without so much as a twitch from any of the occupants.

“Good day,” I said, bowing slightly. “May I shake your hand?” I asked, while reaching out to shake it anyway.

Green, cold, and slightly scaly, it definitely didn't resemble any hand I'd shaken before. Fortunately, instinct didn't care about any of that and went through the steps. I gestured at the lady, who was also green, and looked scaly, and asked, “Is this your bride-to-be?” while taking my other hand back, subtly sliding the ring off. “Stunning, a rare find indeed,” I added, really flourishing my gesture. “I'm in awe!”

The ring slipped off the end of his finger, rolling down my fingers and into my palm as I closed it.

Then, I realised that, somewhere along the line, I had gotten something wrong, because the ring pulsed with a kind of arcane power. I'd held magic items before; every magician struggling to make ends meet thinks about a little charisma-boosting amulet or something. The ring, though, took not only the biscuit, but the jar along with it.

If the man noticed, and he almost definitely did, his stupor lingered from my sheer stupidity.

So, I went on with the show. “I'm afraid your friends confided in me that, in their eyes, you can do better,” I said, gesturing back at the corner where the four of them consisted only of heads around a corner. “So, they hired me to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life.”

I showed him the ring, holding it between my thumb and index finger, before dropping it into my palm and flicking it down my sleeve, then showing him my empty hand.

“That is, unless your love can overcome my magic,” I said, showing off an excellent grin.

A flick of my wrist brought the ring back up and I palmed it into my other hand while doing general gesturing. Small secret: if a magician is gesturing, it's probably to move something from one hand to the other.

With another flourish, I flicked the ring up and caught it with my thumb and forefinger again, showing it off in the other hand. One of the guards moved their pike under their arm and clapped. I usually got a better applause than that, but I had to work with what I had.

I spun it into the air, looking like a little golden ball, and as it fell down I clapped around it, and it was once more in my sleeves. After showing off my empty hands, I flicked again to bring it back up onto my palm, and showed off a few intricate back-and-forths between my two hands.

Nearing the end of my routine, it suddenly occurred to me that I'd have to improvise the ending. Thinking faster than ever, I extracted a coin from my pocket during a bow and kept it hidden in my palm.

“Now, for my second to last trick,” I said, once more approaching the man. “Your hand?” I asked, though still grabbing it anyway. I held it out and open, and put the ring down on it. “If your love is true, then no magic can take this from you,” I said, slowly curling his fingers around it, and raised a hand to go with some weird chanting as well as distract him while I switched the ring with the similar-feeling coin.

I stepped back, and pretended to cast some bogus spell, acting as though pulling on his hand. At the least, I did a good job because his hand jerked towards me—all thanks to his belief. Taking another step back, I rubbed my hands together and took a breath and did the same, really overacting. Another handy skill for magicians, that.

One more time, and then I half-collapsed, breathing heavily. “Truly, my magic is no match for your love,” I said. “Show us, show us that you have kept a hold of your love.”

Everyone looked at his hand, the fingers unfurling, and I shot up and ran.

The men and elf stared at me as I barrelled around the corner. “Run!” I said, half sliding and half falling into the far wall.

For a day's work, it paid rather well.

Written in response to the prompt:

Black mages use the dark arts. Necromancers raise the dead. And you? You're a magician mage, trained in the more entertaining fields of magic. You never told your adventuring party about your specialication...

Found here