#my space marine soldier girl

[screechingdefendorpuppy-blog]

My Dearest Sevika..

some more of my Hcs for Marine!Sevika and wife reader. added these as reblogs but wanted to post as their own so more people could find it and enjoy.

Bonus cuz I keeping day dreaming

• she send you a polaroid where she is wearing her new scarf along with her uniform.

• once you witness a police raid at your neighbors house and you wrote her about it. She devours that entry to the journal imagining how you would tell her. Giving it more of a dramatic flare spilling some of your chai.

• you send her a recent photo of you and buck (your dog). She keeps it on her at all times right along with the very first photo you sent her when yall started dating. Its a lil faded but she cant get herself to part with it.

• her squad always tease her when she gets her care package. All in good fun! However they will give her space so she can enjoy reading the journal.

•she always shares the baked goods with them. And some gossip that you tell her about.

•your journal entries have made the distance between you bearable. Unbeknownst to you, your entries not only keeps her moral high but the whole squads as well.

And the angst starts now!

• you are currently writing an entry in your journal to sevika telling her about daily life, Your class shenanigans and your new next door neighbors and their mute daughter.

•how you babysit her while they have their weekly date night and she is teaching you sign to be able to communicate better

•You are so into writing you dont notice the car that park in the curb. Or the two soldiers that step out of it.

• suddenly the sunlight is interrupted by a shadow making you look up and come face to face with��Ran

• you first notice the sling on her arm and the scratches on her face. Shes in uniform and…. You breath stops, your pulse takes over your senses

•Rans lips move but its doesnt make any sense.. convoy…extraction….ambush… Sevika.

•Its a good thing you were already sitting cuz you are sure that your legs would’ve given out.

• Captain Sevika has been declared KIA.

(Small Time skip)

• you feel empty, just like the casket that was buried two months ago.

• the journal has since stayed untouched.

•two months of tears, of pain from an invisible wound. Two months of trying to sleep in a bed that feels way to big and cold. A house to big and cold.

•your neighbors jinx and ekko keep an eye on you daily. Coming over with isha for family dinner every night since the funeral.

•its been hard but you are trying to move forward. To be the resilient woman Sevika had fallen in love with.

•but it was hard, not been able to talk to her, to see her, to hear her. Was taking a toll on you

• till one Friday you hear a knock at the door at mid day.

•you open it to reveal isha brandishing her medal and trophy for her school science project.

• she runs inside signing away excited to tell you all about it.

•you smile as you follow along to her story about the fair and how her experiment went off without a hitch.

• finally isha finishes her rambling looking at you with pride. Then you watch as her expression falls into a shy look but s small smile still present.

• “can we…” she stops mid sign second guessing herself

• "can we what hun?" You ask her encouraging her to tell you.

•she takes a deep breath before she signs… “can we tell sevika about it?”

• your heart stops “ t-tell sev…(you clear your throat) tell sevi about your science fair?”

• isha nods her head and looks at you waiting.

• tear prickle your eyes but you smile. They fall down your cheeks as you look at the lil girl and say “I think thats a great Idea.”

• after retrieving the journal you both walk over to the dining table and sit side by side.

• you open the journal to an empty page and poise yourself ready to write for the first time in two months. In that moment you start what you call your road to healing as you start your entry with three simple words.

“My Dearest Sevika….”

[remembrancer-of-heresy]

Conversations on Love

Summary: You catch Fulgrim's attention and you both start talking about perfection.

Fulgrim/fem!Reader

Warnings: light angst and obsession

Word count: 1614

Author's note: he's so delulu, love him

Song: Depeche Mode - World in my eyes

You were one of many remembrancers who had benefited from Fulgrim's favor. A talented individual with a unique style. And yet there were many such talented people on the Emperor's Pride. Each one was determined to prove themselves and meet the Phoenician. How did you manage to do this?

Probably because you did not seek to meet him.

The Pride of Emperor kept a strict record of remembrancers. Not one of you sat idle. All your achievements were known to the leadership. Not to mention the desire to visit this or that hall. Or requests to meet Fulgrim. Of course, all the remembrancers expressed a desire to meet the primarch.

But not you. And in truth, you were surprised by this outcome. And in some ways, you even envied your colleagues. They are not afraid to take steps and are ready to try their luck in their endeavors. You did not consider yourself important enough to personally meet the primarch. Not to mention that you didn't want to distract him.

Besides, you are the remembrancer of the 28th expedition first and foremost. You must record the greatness of the entire Legion. The Space Marines, the soldiers, even the serfs. Each of them contributed to the Crusade. You were just finishing writing about the workers when you were scheduled to meet with the Primarch himself.

You did not feel any deep joy. Rather, a feeling of anxiety and tension. Lord Fulgrim was in the middle of cleaning Laeran. And you were sure that despite the Space Marines' assurances about the ease of the operation, it must have been difficult. But still, the Primarch decided to make time for you.

Perhaps to look into the eyes of a girl who decided that records of the work of cleaners were more important than an opus about the Phoenician. Right now, he was reading your notes. With an incredibly noble and refined, but still cold face. Only a raised eyebrow betrayed his surprise at your choice of topic.

“It’s a rather unusual topic, but I must admit your talent. However,” the man carefully places your notes on the table. You were one of the few remembrancers who still preferred paper. “You can use your skills in another field. Why don’t you write about the exploits of my sons?”

“Thank you for this honour. And yet,” you swallow, rubbing yourself under the beautiful violet gaze. “I’m sure other remembrancers can do a better job than I can. I’m much better at writing about simple, yet important, topics. The serfs make a huge contribution to the expedition. So do the Space Marines… Especially the Emperor’s Children! B-but…”

“But?”

Oh Terra, are you really going to refuse the Primarch? He will laugh at your choice. He probably already despises you, and you will soon be returning to your home world. But since you’ve already started, there is no point in stopping. If you’re going to disgrace yourself, then go all the way.

“I’m a little afraid of war. N-no, I’m downright afraid of it. Bloodshed and all that cruelty are not for me.” you swallow, fiddling with your hands. “I prefer to write about peace. A-and so I joined your expedition, my lord. To show the Legion not only from the point of view known to all. But other sides as well…”

You don’t know what to do with yourself. It would be easier to fall into the ground. However, looking at the primarch, it seems to you that you would rather soar. He was smiling. Not the charming noble smile that he usually gave to mortals. Not the mocking and evil one that you were afraid to see. No, it was a calm and peaceful smile… filled with sadness.

“Peace, that is what we strive for. However, we cannot achieve it without war.” - the man leans back in his chair, relaxing from talking to you. The high spirits suddenly evaporated and you wonder. Are you talking to the primarch or his double. Or is this the real Fulgrim. - “I realized that back on Chemos.”

“Your home world?”

“Yes. Now it is a fragrant land, full of abundance and beauty. But before it was a desert, where every worker was exhausted from labor. A world where parents abandoned their children too early.” - the man speaks more and more quietly, immersed in memories. You can't help but admire this spectacle.

“It was necessary to wage wars to unite Chemos. I am a warrior and strive for perfection in this art. However, I was not delighted to spill the blood of the human race. But sometimes it was necessary. Fortunately, there were other ways. Trading resources, providing protection, political marriages-”

Your mouth falls open in surprise and Fulgrim falls silent. Chuckling at your astonished look, the man smiles. For a moment, you again see the same perfect primarch that millions see.

“Surprised? Yes, I have been married several times. A very effective way to unite cities.”

“Oh. I would never have guessed. Where are -” You pull yourself back, realizing how many years have passed since the Primarch was found.

A feeling of sadness and tenderness grows in your chest. You are just a mortal girl, you should silently assent. But you cannot shake the thought that the Primarch turned out to be much more human than you thought.

“Do you miss them?”

The man smiles, almost patronizingly. His posture and voice are relaxed. But you see how his eyes turn into ice. Usually people close themselves off from their pain, just not to feel it again. But Fulgrim is not an ordinary man, he is a Primarch. Isn’t he?

“You could say that. But human life is too short, and I, the Emperor’s son. Must bring the light of enlightenment to all corners of the Galaxy. I cannot… think about the past.” - the Primarch shrugs. - “Besides, love is imperfect, and I”

“I disagree.”

Fulgrim is silent. His violet eyes are filled with a storm of emotions. Anger and resentment that you dared to contradict him, to disagree. And interest from something new.

The Primarch is perfect, he was created by the Emperor of Mankind himself. The greatest creation of science. People like him know better what is needed for mortals. They understand the world as it should be and cannot be wrong.

And yet you did not agree with him.

“I think love is beautiful and it is what continues to move us forward.” - you are embarrassed by your confidence and lower your eyes to the floor. - “Parents and children, siblings and friends support us. We change for the better for their sake and want to make the world happy for their sake.”

Your cheeks warm and you say shyly to yourself. “And romantic love is wonderful. So much of art is dedicated to this side of humanity.” You almost tremble when you dare to look at the Primarch again. “Without love, there would be no humanity.”

You would be lying if you said that time stood still. Like many mortals, your breath was taken away by the sight of the Primarch. But still, you managed to collect your feelings while sitting in his chambers. Now you dared to communicate with him as an equal. You should have felt shame or fear, nervousness.

But instead, a clear certainty settled in your soul like a warm flame. You were right, you did not doubt. Love is an incredible feeling that could not be denied or pretended not to exist. And you would even dare to call it true perfection.

“An interesting observation.” - the man looks at you carefully and you cannot help but notice how much the atmosphere in the room has changed. But it was too difficult for you to grasp what this feeling was. - “I will take it into account. You may go.”

***

You nod, confused by the whole conversation, and quickly leave the chamber. Leaving the man alone with his dark thoughts. Which he desperately wanted to suppress, to master his feelings.

He was a primarch. Above any mortal. And this was not bragging, but a simple fact. Fulgrim was obliged to lead humanity to the stars. To bring knowledge and art to the forgotten corners of the galaxy, to win every battle. To know perfection.

He was irritated by your unwillingness to submit to his will and to know the true nature of things. He could blame it all on the mortal mind. He could come to terms with the fact that you are not ready to understand the universe. But Fulgrim would be a liar if he said that he did not think about your words.

The man's gaze involuntarily touches the busts of his adoptive parents. They loved each other, did they not? Tullea and Corrin were enchanted by the Primarch and yet… it was their love for each other that turned them all into a family. They painted the dark world of Chemos with their feelings while Fulgrim was still a child.

He did not love them, but he pitied them. As he did his wives. It is an imperfect feeling that the Primarch was forced to give up. His path lies among the stars to glory and victory. So why can't he get your image out of his head? Is your faith in love so strong that it could shake his foundations? Nonsense. An imperfect creature, that's what you are.

And yet the Primarch makes another appointment, ignoring a strange premonition. A moment of weakness, nothing more. Fulgrim is still far from perfect. And talking with you should help the Primarch transform this burning impulse that torments his heart. In the end, he is above it.

[annaphoenix1994]

Violence and Timing

Previous Chapter - Masterlist - Next Chapter

»»-------¤-------««

Soap recognized the distress in Ghost's - Simon's - voice recalling the orders, his worry about Kiera clear with every word that left his mouth. Soap was worried too - worried about how all of this would play out, hoping and praying to his belief that they would all be rescued without complications.

Soap and Thompson continued through the town, subtly clearing out the scattered AQ's that were left to guard the space they had taken over, a strong gust of desert sand scattering with the wind, easily covering their tracks.

As well as the enemy's.

"I've got your six, Sergeant." Thompson whispered after they'd taken out an AQ standing on guard. 

"Copy that," Soap sighed, removing a throwing knife from the sheath on his vest. "Two AQ's up ahead. We can make quick work of 'em." 

"Rog. I'll take right, you take the other." 

"Aye." Soap nodded, crouching alongside Thompson as they got into position, nodding at each other before making their move. "Dropped 'em,"

In a fluid motion, three more AQ soldiers were terminated on cue before Soap and Thompson continued forward towards the designated area. 

Making quick work with the rest of the AQ's guarding the container, Ghost took the last shot that concluded the extermination in order to proceed towards the convoy. With a loud screech of the hinges, the container door revealing nearly two dozen people crammed inside - Teeter being among them, her eyes widening at the sight of her protector. Baby. 

"B-Baby!" She gasped. "Out of my way, please! Move!" She made her way through the crowd, rushing into Soap's arms, both irritated at the bulk of Soap's tactical vest keeping their chests from flushing against each other. "Where've you been, huh? Why ain't you been here sooner?"

"Trust me, babe, I've been desperate." He replied, pressing a needy kiss to the base of her neck.

"Prolly ain't as desperate as me," She grumbled. "Give me a gun. We're gettin' K and that other woman back." 

"Not so fast," Soap said, grasping her shoulders. "Not that simple."

"It is that simple. They did bad things-"

"To you?"

"No," Teeter shook her head. "To her and a lot of other girls," She frowned. "We can't tell Simon." 

Soap huffed before pressing the engage button on his comm,

"Come on, let's go."

"Wh-What about the rest of 'em?" 

"I have a group of Marines coming to take them to a secure area," Thompson spoke up. "Including you."

Teeter scoffed, "Oh, I don't think so. I ain't bein' left behind. Not no more." 

"I don't think you have much of a choice." 

"Whatever choice I got, I ain't stayin' here. I'm going with him." She raised her voice, Soap raising his brows and shrugging his shoulders at Thompson. 

"What she says goes."

"Nice to see you again." Price nodded, his free hand clamping down on his hat to prevent it from flying off at the extreme gusts of wind created by the helicopter blades. 

Teeter nodded, covering her ears, "That sounds good!" She shouted, unable to read his lips and assuming he was asking if she wanted an MRE.

Price furrowed his brows and nodded, unable to compile a response before Soap helped her into the helicopter, urgent to ensure she was safely strapped to the seat. Ghost and Thompson entered last, Ghost nodding at Price and Gaz while he clutched his weapon. "Nik!" Price shouted.

"Where to?" 

»»-------¤-------««

"Gaz, you stay in the heli on overwatch. We'll work our way up the line."

"Roger that. Let's thin the herd and get them back."

"W-What about me? I'll shoot these dunes if you need an extra gun." Teeter offered.

I don't know if I could trust her with an M4 without her killing everything in her path, Ghost thought to himself.

"You should stay here." 

"Yeah, should, but I ain't willin' to stay and watch," She scoffed. "I'm ready to fight if you need a fight." 

"I don't think it's a good idea." Ghost added. 

"You should know I ain't full of good ideas," She shrugged, regaining her balance to present herself to Price. "Please, sir. I-I'm good with any gun and can fight like any man. I want to get Kiera back as the rest of us do. She'd do it for me." 

Price sighed, glancing at both Ghost and Soap, watching the Scot subtly nod, knowing she was perfectly capable of handling herself. "That she would, love, but she also has authority in situations like this. I don't want a civilian getting in the line of fire, especially with AQ." 

"Then you shouldn't have let me on this chopper, sir. Please, I'll get one of 'em hard hats and put on a vest. I'm ready." 

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you." I already can't fathom the thought of something happening to Kiera on my watch and I'll be damned if I'd let it happen again.

Teeter huffed, a frown splaying across her face as she walked to sit on the bench of the chopper, Soap cupping the back of her head before he walked to the exit door of the helicopter, Ghost alongside him as they exited the unit with Price.

"Hey, old man." 

"Farah," Price smiled. "Thanks for the assist."

"We share a common enemy."

"And a friend in need. Are you ready?"

"All set. See you down the road." Farah nodded.

"Cover your ears." Gaz nodded towards Teeter, watching her nod before she did as directed, flinching when Gaz pulled the trigger, the echo from the M4's fire filling the cabin of the helicopter.

Bullets rang throughout the desert air as Farah's team as well as Price and his men made quick work on multiple AQ vehicles with the assistance from Gaz in the helicopter. Out of curiosity, Teeter steadily made her way to the opened exit door to view the carnage below her, her eyes frantically searching for Soap, seeing that he and Ghost were now on a platform-bed semi with Price, the vehicle moving up into the convoy. That's a long way down if we fall...

Out of nervousness, she gripped the safety harness to remind herself that she wouldn't be falling without a serious blow. "Teeter! Stand back. They're firing RPGs at us." Gaz shouted.

"W-What's that?"

"Something you don't want to be in the way for. Get back and hold on!" 

Just as Teeter nodded to follow Gaz's direction, the helicopter jolted upwards followed by a near complete rollover, causing both Teeter and Gaz to fall out of the helicopter, the sound of Teeter's scream causing Soap to nearly get himself shot for losing focus. "Fucking Christ!" 

"Hold on to me!" Gaz grunted, keeping her close to him to keep her from getting hit by a car as their heads were dangling dangerously within a few feet from the concrete. 

"Fuck! What do I do?!" She cried, closing her eyes before feeling the after affects from an inferno against her face. "Give me a gun!" 

"Well, I would if I didn't drop it!" He grunted, feeling his waist for his holster that housed his pistol, ensuring it was loaded before taking rapid shots towards the next closest AQ vehicle.

"Teeter, reach to my belt and get another clip. Running low on ammo." 

"O-Okay!" 

"Guess you have no choice but to be in the fight now!" 

"If our lives weren't on the line right now, I'd say this was fun!" She scoffed, gripping the rope to keep herself upright as she handed Gaz the new clip. "Hey! Flatbed truck coming up fast. Four in the back. Should he get us over it, and we cut ourselves free?"

"Working on that plan," Gaz grunted, desperately trying to steady his breathing to fire as accurately as possible. 

"I'm cutting us loose. Hang on!" 

"I ain't got much choice!" 

With a harsh thud, both Teeter and Gaz landed on top of the convoy's truck, Gaz making quick work to take control of the vehicle, instructing Teeter to climb into the cab on the passenger side. "Looks like they left us a little gift!" She snickered, pulling the Kastov from the floorboard. 

"Do you even know how to use that thing?" 

"Never shot one of these, but I know how to shoot a gun. Ye aim it and pull the trigger, ain't that hard. There's a whole bag of mags here too, we're ready to light it up." 

"Soap is going to kill me." 

"Hey, it ain't like ye made me fall with you. Besides, baby thinks it's hot to see me all wriled up. He won't be able to get enough." 

"Bloody hell," Gaz scoffed, feeling his face flush with embarrassment. "I'll take your word for it. Get that vest from the backseat and helmet. They'll give you some type of protection. 

"Fuck!" Soap shouted aloud, crouching down to reload his weapon while Ghost kept watch on his six.

"Jump, Teeter!" Soap shouted, extending his arm for her to grasp onto before Gaz made his leap, ensuring that she went first. 

"Baby, I ain't a frog!" 

Ghost breathed a chuckle.

"You are today! Move!" 

He caught her by her elbow, pulling her to safety before Gaz did the same.

"Good to see you two in one piece," Price sighed. "Gaz, take the grenade launcher. Teeter, stay low and keep your head down."

"Sweet heat, Captain. What's the word?"

"We're getting close to Kiera and Laswell, so they're changing tactics."

"How so?" 

"We were chasing them, now they're gonna chase us."

"Let 'em try, sir. Let 'em bloody try."

Price pointed, "Check rear - it's Farah."

"Gang's all here. Let's bring this home!"

"Captain! Al Qatala's coming back this way - they'll try to box us in!"

"Not if we can help it! Here they come! Farah, watch it!" 

With excessive firepower and force, the convoy eventually moved to be offroad, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. With another quarter hour of intense gunfighting as well as shooting off a missile launcher and bomb drones, the black SUV was in sight. Ghost's grip tightened on his M4 before he jumped down from the cargo truck, both he and Soap peering to the right for cover while Price and Farah went to the left, Gaz being the first to make it to the SUV and opening the door after the gunfire seized. 

Gaz stood back as Kate held the last AQ in a chokehold, refusing to loosen her grip as she held a personal grudge against him, tears blurring her vision as she acted out of pure rage, Price's pleas of letting him go so that he could finish it sounded as if she were underwater. "Kate! Move!"

"No! He's mine!" She grunted. 

Kiera managed to open the door on the opposite side, distraught of the events that happened as well as being dehydrated. She fell to her side on the dirt below, her mind racing as well as begging to be idle. Her knees curled towards her chest as she forced herself to steady her breathing. She failed to hear the heavy boot steps approaching her, a gentle hand grasping her shoulder and gently rolling her to her back before that same hand gently grasped her chin, his fingers splaying against her cheek. She didn't open her eyes to look at him, nor could she, but she knew it was Simon - knew by his gentle touch and radiating warmth through his gloves. 

She knew she was safe. 

"Kiera? Can you hear me?" 

She didn't respond. 

"Fucking hell," He grumbled, slinging his rifle around to his back before forcing his arm under her knees and one securing against her back. "We'll need a fucking medic." 

"I'm on it, L.T." Soap nodded, requesting assistance through his comm while he and Teeter followed Ghost onto the helicopter, frowning at how he didn't notice what all that happened. 

"Kate, it's over." Price assured her, his face flooding with concern at her anxiousness - something he had never seen before in their work together.

"It's a family reunion."

"Wouldn't miss it." Gaz commented. 

"Farah." 

"Nice moves, Laswell. Are you okay?"

"To say the least, but we're alive. That's what matters."

"Well, we're in Al Mazrah. We need to get somewhere safe - now. We'll have a medic on standby." 

»»-------¤-------««

Simon clasped his balaclava between his fingers, keeping a sharp gaze on Kiera as she began to regain her composure and bearings, continuously wondering how and why she ended up on a helicopter. "Simon?" 

"I'm here, love," He assured her, patting the top of her thigh. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure? I thought we had just said our goodbyes? You know - to go home?" 

"That you were, but that was two days ago. Unfortunate things happened, but you're safe now. We have a medic waiting for you and Laswell." 

"What happened?"

He sighed, "I'll tell you later. For now, just worry about trying to relax until we land." 

He couldn't find himself to tell her what he visibly saw, his heart breaking at the thought. He saw the forced rip in the groin of her trousers, his anger boiling at the thought of someone taking advantage of her - again. I failed to keep a promise to her. 

He immediately began to blame himself for it.

»»-------¤-------««

Once at the base, it would be compared as an act of congress to get Simon away from Kiera. He stayed with her the entire time she was in the medic's tent, supplying her with water every time she asked for it. 

"Good news," The medic sighed, entering the tent. "Babies are just fine. No blunt trauma to her abdomen. I could only do a normal ultrasound, but both heartbeats are there." 

"Thank God." Simon breathed, looking over to see Kiera's eyes flutter shut as she still fought exhaustion. 

"Uhm, there's something I need to inform you about-"

"Not here," Simon cut him off. "Tell me outside. I don't want her to get anxious."

In a way, Simon knew what the medic was going to say, but he also gave himself the benefit of the doubt that his diagnosis would be something that potentially wouldn't affect her mentality. 

Either way, he didn't want her to hear it if it was true. 

"Okay. This way."

Once outside, Simon crossed his arms over his armored chest. "According to multiple witnesses as well as my diagnosis, I-I'm afraid to inform you that I found blunt force to her-" 

"Are you implying that she was assaulted?" 

The medic nodded, a frown plastering on his face. 

Simon turned his back to him, his breathing shallow through his nose as his hands combed through his hair, his fingers twining with each other, seeing red as the nearby truck looked like a desirable target for a fierce thrust of his fist. "God-fucking-dammit!" He shouted. 

"It's likely that she doesn't remember-"

"Oh, she'll remember," Simon scoffed. "She may not remember it now, but she will. Every bit of it." 

"I understand, Sir. We've arranged a flight back to the States to a base where she will be flown back home." 

"H-How did you come up with this conclusion?" He asked, desperate to find a way for it to not be true. 

"I'm afraid I shouldn't go into explicit detail for your sake, Sir. She wasn't the only one I had to investigate this way unfortunately."

"I need to know," He huffed. "But I'm not going to ask her."

He nodded, removing his clipboard to present his report as well as external photos for a criminal investigation if needed. 

Simon hesitated before he took the clipboard, sighing as he reviewed the report, his knuckles turning white under his gloves. 

Deep bruises on her hips, tearing of her anal cavity, nylon burns against her thighs, and prominent bruising around her neck and shoulders. There was more than one who did this to her. "I know this is a lot to look at-"

"Bloody right," He grumbled. "I don't know if I can stay and watch her leave again." 

"They might grant you three days of leave for a case such as this. However, given the time it'll take for you to return to the States, your three days will be up by the time you got there."

"I don't care. As long as I know she's safe." 

"I can speak to your Captain. He'll come to you with the decision." 

"Thanks." 

"I'll give you and her some space. I'm...I'm sorry-"

Simon didn't respond. Instead, he retreated into the tent that housed Kiera, taking a seat by her side as she slept, unaware that Simon's presence woke her up. "Simon?" 

"I'm here, love. I'm not going anywhere." 

"When are we going home?" 

"Soon. I promise."

[nicki0kaye]

basically after my dad's passing, I could not pick up anything I had started prior to losing him. Thankfully, I've had this lil project percolating in the back of my mind for years now. Because this kept me going through a family tragedy, I humbly request if you see this and hate it, please just keep scrolling. I'm going through a lot.

I'll do a full write up sometime, but basically my goal was to get at least one of every type of playable race in 40k onto one ship, living harmoniously and being queer as fuck. From left to right we have; Fighter-caste alien who wants to punch and kiss everyone, pilot-caste alien who is mom and tired, space-elf who is your auntie and does community theatre (murderously), pilot-caste alien first time father who has adopted all the orks, human imperial inquisitor secretly married to space-elf and is therefore your uncle, and in the back, an ex-Space Marine super soldier who has realized She is Girl

We are missing the two space deamons who kidnapped--I mean helped the space marine realize she is Girl, the horde of tiny orks who's imagination literally keeps the ship from imploding, the big ork who loves to cook, the adopted skelerobot who thinks its an ork, the giant murder machine grandpa who is very proud of you and is almost done knitting you a scarf, and the lovingly hand-raised fuckbeast named Baby

🌘  twitter | patreon | instagram  🌒

[ninjakittenarmy]

You know the dumbest thing about the whole “Space Marines can’t be girls” thing is? The whole reason they did it was because female Space Marine models weren’t selling because of misogyny and because they fucked up the head sculpts. So they rebranded them as Sisters of Battle and made that shit about needing a Y chromosome to be gene modded to explain why there aren’t any female Space Marines in form-fitting boob plate power armor with hourglass figures. They couldn’t sell models with armor that looks like girl armor.

My brothers in the God Emperor, it is ARMOR. Big, tanky power armor. It’s not supposed to be form-fitting. Armor is almost ALWAYS unisex in real life. You know what happens when a cop or soldier with tits needs body armor? They get the same vests as everyone else. It just needs to be your size. It’s the same thing with plate armor. Plate armor is already domed outwards to better deflect the force of blows. Plate armor would AT MOST move the dome a bit upwards for a more feminine figure, and only for aesthetic reasons.

Literally all you needed to do is make some good head sculpts for Space Marines who go helmetless for some ungodly reason and for the rest, just say they’re whatever gender you want. Don’t even make separate models, there’s no way to tell.

[malarkgirlypop]

Lemonade Chapter 2 (Eugene Sledge x Fem!OC)

I forgot about this story TBH, I got stuck, I think I need to re-watch the pacific again to get my brain going again. Also the other chapter I posted didn't get much interaction so I thought I would put it on hold cause I didn't think anyone would notice ahaha.

Based on the HBO show and the actors who portray the characters, no hate to anyone involved.

Tag list: @next-autopsy, @xxluckystrike, @panzershrike-pretz (sorry if you didn't want to be tagged in this, let me know if you want off.)

“Something sweet?” I asked, holding out another cup. The men who passed us looked terrible. Gaunt, dirty and detached. The other nurses around me spoke to the men, welcoming them back from their mission. Most of them men smiled back, some even flirted. I tried my best not to cringe at their emaciated bodies, or injuries. My heart hurt, I had no clue what these men had seen but judging from their faces they would never forget. Our bright white uniforms looked pristine to the grime covered marines, we seemed out of place. Sticking out like sore thumbs. But the General decided it would be a good pick-me-up for the soldiers returning from their awful battles. 

“Hi, welcome back.” I said warmly to the marine who had stopped in front of me, handing him a drink. The man stood still, not moving to take the cup from my hand. I smiled trying to think of what else to say, “It’s good to see you.” Still the man stood staring directly into my eyes, glaring. My smile dropped, as I gulped. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. The marine who had been in charge of the stand told the man to move on, even then he didn’t flinch. 

“Why are you here?” He requested. The other nurses around me had stilled. We had been told to be weary, that the men that we knew before they were shipped away were not the same. Some had become more violent, easily provoked. Like they were wild bulls and we had to be careful not to spook them. They were unpredictable.   

“I’m here to serve my country.” I replied to the man, “Same as you.” His intense stare pinned me to the ground. He scoffed, taking the cup from my hand and tipping it back, then throwing it to the floor. He marched away not looking back. I let the breath I had been holding out, Ellie nudging me to get back to work. I plastered another bright smile to my face and continued to hand out drinks to the men. But for the rest of the day the man's eyes were burned into the back of my mind.

“That guy was scary.” Mary said to me as we packed up the stand we had been serving the drinks at. 

“Mary, don't say that! You don’t know what he has been through.” I scolded her, feeling bad that in the moment I was also scared. 

“Girl’s stop chit-chatting and let's go, we have things we need to do.” Ellie said as she folded the table cloth we were using. I picked up the table, folding the legs back underneath to make it easier for me to carry. 

“Hazel that table goes in the far storage tent, once you are done come meet us in the mess for dinner.” Ellie said as the rest of the nurses gathered the equipment we were using to take it back to the kitchen. I gave a sharp nod heading in the opposite direction to everyone else. I made my way through the camp, saying polite hellos to the men I passed. Some of them offered to help me carry the table to which I refused, “No it’s ok I got it.” I smiled at the marine who looked concerned, “Are you sure, isn’t that heavy?” He asked, looking at the table I held to my side. 

“Really it’s fine!” I said moving forward, the table was getting more heavy the amount of times I had to stop, they were making my trip take longer. I moved faster through the camp, stopping a couple of times to readjust my grip. Finally making it to the storage tent, I placed the table down where there was space, not caring much if that was its actual position. I shook out my tired arms. Wiggling my fingers to get the blood moving again. I wiped my brow with the back of my arm, “God it’s hot.” I muttered, fanning myself with my hands. I don’t think I have been this hot in my life, the weather here is so humid it’s like walking into a sauna. It almost feels like you’re being suffocated by the heat, it’s so thick. I finally convinced myself to walk back into the hot sun. I make my way to the mess. I can see now why all of the men barely wear any clothes. All of their uniform sleeves have been torn off to be short, some of the men walk around without any tops on. I wish I could do that, these dresses that they have us in are tight and thick. They are also white which is so impractical when we are dealing with all bodily fluids and they want us to keep them clean. Plus the amount I am sweating and the dirt and grime on my skin from having minimal access to showers really doesn’t help. I arrive at the mess to sit down with the girls before we have to move on to help in the infirmary. I push around the food on my plate, the heat for some reason doesn’t make me hungry and the thought of having a full stomach in this swelter makes me feel uncomfortable. 

“What? Are you not hungry?” Mary asks from beside me as she loads her fork with food. I shake my head pushing my tray towards her. She shakes her head.

“No, I'm about full myself.” She says also pushing her plate away. We sit and chat waiting for the rest of the girls to be done. We have to eat early so that the marines can come in and have dinner altogether and while they are doing that we help out in the infirmary.

I walk down the sandy path to the tent that has the injured and sick men. Mary walks beside me rubbing her stomach with a pained expression on her face. 

“Are you alright?” I ask her. Peering over at her, she looks pale and sweaty. 

“No, I think I ate too much.” She groans, looking ill. I pull her to the side of the path and let the nurses who follow behind us pass. I rest the back of my hand on her forehead, she’s sticky and hot. She’s a lot warmer than me though as I test my forehead heat against hers. A sheen of sweat covers her face, her appearance is pallor. 

“Girls hurry up!” Ellie calls from ahead of us. 

“Do you want me to take you back to your tent?” I queried as Mary took a deep breath shaking her head. “Are you sure? You don’t look well?” I asked again to be certain. 

“I’ll be fine, I just need to get out of this heat.” Mary replied weakly. I took her arm and dragged her along to catch up with the group. We stopped outside the tent, as Ellie went inside to speak to the doctor. 

“They are ready for us, Dr. Alpin will tell you what he needs you to do.” We followed Ellie inside the tent after she had given us the brief. The pungent smell of infection filled the warm air inside the tent. I did my best to breathe through my mouth, trying not to inhale through my nose so the smell wasn’t as strong. I heard Mary retch beside me. Ellie was quick to turn around at the noise. Mary had tried to straighten herself, but she couldn’t hold her gagging. 

“Hazel sort her out, we don’t need her puking on the men.” Ellie scolded, flicking her hand in our direction to shoo us away. I took Mary by her elbow leading her out of the tent. Only making it a couple of steps before she was hunched over and puking onto the ground. I rubbed small circles on her back as she got the remaining food out of her stomach. We made it back to the tent as I let her rest on the cot, I gave her water, and a wet towel to place on her head. 

“You rest up, drink water. I’ll be back soon.” I promised her and she weakly shook her head, her eyes still closed. I dipped out of the tent and went back to the infirmary. 

“Hazel how is she?” Ellie asked as I stood beside her. 

“She’s fine I gave her water, I’m sure she just needs to be out of the heat. She may have heat exhaustion. I will keep an eye on her tonight.” I reported back to the more senior nurse who gave a curt nod at my explanation. 

I was given the task of wound cleaning. I went around to the men who had big open skin lesions. They looked miserable as I washed their wounds with water and covered them the best I could with the little supplies I was given. I did my best at small talk while still focussing on the task at hand. It’s hard work but I like it, getting to help people is my calling apparently.  

After a long evening the girls meander back to their tents ready to get some rest after the big day. I check on Mary who snores softly in her cot, I rewet the cloth and place it back on her forehead. I slump down on my own bed, my heavy lids struggling to stay open. 

My eyes flutter open to the sound of chatter and movement. I yawn and stretch out my limbs. Getting into my uniform for the day. I nudge Mary awake. 

“How do you feel?” I ask her as she sits up looking dazed. 

“I had the weirdest dream, but other than that I feel better.” She smiles getting up and pulling on her clothes. I take my toothbrush outside to clean my teeth outside the tent. I sit on a fallen tree and brush my teeth, Mary joins me. 

“Hazel!” I heard being yelled across the camp. I look around to see who called my name. Ellie strides into view. I groan internally, I like Ellie. She is fair, but she likes me too. That means when she needs a job done she comes to me, she trusts I can get it done. 

“Yes?” I ask shielding my eyes from the bright sun to see her. 

“Can you grab the table again from the storage tent?” Ellie requested. I nodded my head standing from my position to put my toothbrush away before doing the task. 

I head down to the tent making my way quickly. I look down at the floor to ensure I don’t trip and also so I don’t get stopped to talk to by the passing marines. 

“Nurse! Nurse!” I hear being yelled, I lift my head to where the voice came from. A young man stands outside of his tent. He beckons me over with his hand. 

“Yes?” I say to the man. He is taller than me, dark thick curly hair and wide blue eyes. He grins at me as I approach. 

“Can you help me?” He asks in a thick southern accent. I look into the tent behind. I see the figure of another man inside. He moves inside the tent before I can answer him, he holds the flap open for me to follow. 

“I’m not supposed to go inside your tent, Sir.” I admitted. He only grins wider. 

“Oh we don’t bite, Miss.” He teases. I sigh, following him into the tent. I can make this quick, then no one will need to know. I can get the table and arrive back like nothing happened. 

“Now tell me, what is your name?” He inquires. I give him a confused look, wasn’t this an urgent request or did he only do this to bring me into the tent. I stiffen my stance. 

“Hazel Evans, Sir.” I replied politely. He chuckles at me. I shift wearily under his gaze. 

“I’m Snafu, but enough with the pleasantries. I need your help.” He changes the conversation, becoming more serious. 

“How can I help you?” I ask, scanning his body he has no apparent injuries or wounds. 

“Do my eyes look yellow?” He asks moving closer, widening his eyes for me to see. He leans forward, his breath tickling my face. I stare into his large eyes, his sclera appearing normal in colour. I raise my hand pulling down his lower lid to see the interior. The skin appears pink with healthy blood vessels. 

“They look fine Snafu, nothing to be worried about.” I smile at the man reassuringly patting him on his shoulder. 

“I told him that!” A voice comes from behind me, I turn to look at who spoke. My eyes go wide when they land on the tall man. His brown eyes locked onto mine, just like they did at the lemonade stand. I instinctively take a step back stunned. Snafu’s hands rest on my shoulders from behind me. He chuckles lowly hovering by my head. 

“Did Sledge frighten you?” He asks, looking from me to Sledge. I sober myself, shaking my head. I step out of Snafu’s space, my heart rate still beating fast. A tightness grows in my chest as Sledge continues to stare at me with the same angry eyes. His jaw tight, posture ridgid. I slip back on a smile. 

“No, I just didn’t hear him behind me.” I lie. “Hi, my name is Hazel.” I say extending my hand to Sledge. He glances down at my hand and then back up to me. 

“I heard.” He says shortly, not taking my extended hand. I clear my throat dropping my arm back to my side. I give a sheepish grin as my stomach knots. I need to find an excuse to leave. This Sledge guy doesn’t seem to like me very much. If looks could kill, I would've been dead yesterday and today. I gulp, finding it hard to tear my eyes away from him. My eyes scan over his face taking him in. His soft white skin now marred with dirt and cuts, his angled jaw set with anger, his brows knitted together as he stares back at me. I wonder what he sees? I don’t have any makeup on, my thick brown hair is pulled back off my face into a neat bun as the nurses cap I wear is pinned to my head. My white uniform stands out against their dirty pants and topless torsos. I break eye contact first, turning to speak to Snafu who still stands behind me. 

“I have to go, but if you need anything you can always go to the medical tent.” I smile making my way for the exit. 

“Why would I go to the medical tent, when I know you Hazel.” He gives me a cheeky smile, as I give him a laugh, “I’ll come find you.” He winks at me. I turn to leave my eyes catching Sledge’s again, he still stares at me with caution.

[general-kalani]

New commission post, this time gifs! Prices can be negotiated but I'm thinking temporarily $5/two gifs.

Icon commission post here, Dinosaur gif commission post here, Writing commission post here, TWD commission post here

Can be in AUD or USD but if you want to negotiate with any of the options below, lmk! Paypal here and Ko-Fi here

This is an ever growing list and if you ask for a specific movie/show/game/etc I'll do my best to get my hands on it.

Options under cut for what can be chosen:

ANCIENT ANIMALS

Dinosaur (2000)

The Land Before Time (1988 movie)

Walking with Monsters

Walking with Dinosaurs

Walking with Beasts

Walking with Cavemen

Walking with Dinosaurs special - Ballad of Big Al

Chased by Dinosaurs (episodes 1 & 2)

Sea Monsters (episodes 1, 2 & 3)

Prehistoric Planet

Planet Dinosaur

Dinosaur Planet

Primeval

Prehistoric Park

MOVIES

The Hunt for Red October

The Mist

Alien Planet

Dog Soldiers

Dragonlance Dragons of Autumn Twilight

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

Wing Commander (1999 movie)

SHOWS

Babylon 5

Battletech Cartoon

Bitten

D&D Cartoon

Stargate SG-1

Transformers: Beast Machines

Transformers: Beast Wars

Transformers G1

Transformers the Movie

Transformers Prime

Voltron Vehicle Force

Vox Machina (season 1 only atm)

ANIME - LEIJIVERSE

Cosmo Warrior Zero

Galaxy Express

Gun Frontier

Harlock Saga - The Ring of the Nibelung

Interstellar 5555

Queen Emeraldas

Queen Millennia (might not be high quality)

Space Pirate Captain Harlock

Space Pirate Captain Herlock: Outside Legend - The Endless Odyssey

SSX Endless Orbit

Arcadia of my Youth

Space Pirate Captain Harlock (2013 movie)

Space Pirate Captain Harlock: Riddle of the Arcadia

ANIME - IRRESPONSIBLE CAPTAIN TYLOR

Irresponsible Captain Tylor TV series

Irresponsible Captain Tylor OVA series

ANIME - LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES (original series only)

Legend of the Galactic Heroes series

Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Golden Wings

Legend of the Galactic Heroes - My Conquest is the Sea of Stars

Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Overture to a New War

Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden

ANIME - MACROSS

Macross 7

Macross Delta

Macross Frontier

Macross Plus

Macross Zero

Robotech

SDF Macross

ANIME - REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA

Revolutionary Girl Utena tv series

Revolutionary Girl Utena movie

ANIME - SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO/STAR BLAZERS (original series and reboot)

Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (Reboot)

Space Battleship Yamato 2199 - Odyssey of the Celestial Ark

Space Battleship Yamato 2202 (Reboot)

Space Battleship Yamato 2205 (Reboot)

Space Battleship Yamato I (OS)

Space Battleship Yamato II (OS)

Space Battleship Yamato III (OS)

Arrivederci Yamato

Be Forever Yamato

Final Yamato

Space Battleship Yamato (2013 movie)

Uchuu Senkan Yamato (1977 recap movie)

Yamato - The New Voyage

Yamato: Resurrection

GAMES - FAR CRY (only games I own, sorry!)

Far Cry 3 (Can be modded for Jason in Vaas' place)

Far Cry 4 (Can be modded for Sabal and Pagan to switch places)

Far Cry 5 (Can be heavily modded)

Far Cry: New Dawn

Far Cry 6

GAMES - STAR WARS

KOTOR (I and II)

SWTOR

Star Wars: The Force Unleased (I and II)

Star Wars: Rebellion

Star Wars: Republic Commando

Star Wars: Starfighter

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (Classic)

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Star Wars: Jedi Knight series (Dark Forces I and II, Mysteries of the Sith, Jedi Academy, Jedi Outcast)

GAMES - BORDERLANDS

Borderlands (GOTY and GOTY Enhanced)

Borderlands the Pre-Sequel

Borderlands 2

Borderlands 3

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

GAMES - MISCELLANEOUS

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3

Dead Island (Definitive Edition, can be modded to get rid of lens flares and more)

Dead Island Riptide (Definitive Edition)

Generation Zero

Left 4 Dead 2

Iron Harvest

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion (Can be specific matches, races, etc)

State of Decay (I and II)

Strange Brigade

[wutheringmights]

Can we get the latest directors commentary pls?

Of course you can!

All things considered, this chapter actually came together really quickly. I haven't had a free weekend in a while, so that the chapter got done in a little over a month is really cool and sexy of me

My original plan was to have the bit about the war ending and the engineer leaving in secret at the end of the last chapter, and for this chapter to be the scene about Kat plus its consequences. The entire year would have passed between chapters with the reader getting no glimpses into what happened

Obviously, things got screwed up and I had to think of a way to make the war ending work with the Kat scene. I ended up with the idea of showing the passage of time with Link constantly reflecting back on how he failed to see the engineer. And I think it worked really well! For once my bad pacing was a blessing in disguise.

A part of me feels bad that I didn't do more with the friends of the Heroes Spirit, though I already struggle at times to give Midna things to do. I don't think I could have handled more of Ravio or Tetra.

There was going to be way more of Marin, including a bit about how she fades in and out of existence since she's only a dream. The engineer was always going to be the first person who knew when she was back, as he could always sense her presence.

This chapter also has one of my knew favorite lines (which I will highlight because I want to draw attention to it): "He hadn’t been a child for a long time now. But he had been in that comfortable space where he wasn’t a kid but not yet an adult. He always had the sense that if he turned around, he could walk back into a small shape his mother could hold in her arms."

Fort Raven was named after Sir Raven, from the Oracle of Time manga

Where do I start with the Kat stuff?

First off, I almost named this part of the chapter after the pudding bun. I really wanted to highlight the idea that what breaks through Link's disassociation is one person being selflessly nice to him. Like showing someone humanity begets more humanity

Also, the auburn woman who pointed out which direction Kat went in is the same auburn woman who danced with Link and spread rumors about the engineer in chapter 16. This is a detail only I care about.

Okay, so random trivia aside, let's actually talk about Kat

I have mentioned many times before that Kat is based off of Kattrin from Mother Courage and Her Children. Kattrin is a girl who became non-verbal after she was sexually assaulted by a soldier when she was a kid. You can obviously see how that relates to my Kat.

A long time ago, I mentioned that one of the deleted subplots in CTB was about Link dealing with the Waltons wanting to connect with him now that he was the hero. A character who was deleted from that plotline was a slightly older cousin who was also in the army, and was a total asshole of a man.

I bring the cousin up because the cousin's storyline was going to end with Kat-- that's right, he was supposed to play the role that the major with the slicked back hair played in this chapter.

Obviously, this would mean that this bit about Kat being continuously harassed would have gotten a lot more attention and gone on way longer before climaxing with cousin assaulting Kat.

The cousin got deleted from the story when I got rid of the subplot with the Waltons. I told myself that having a random character attack Kat would still work, but it still feels a little sudden to me.

I really wanted to keep this scene not only for the ways it forces Link to respond, but also to show how shitty soldiers are to civilians, especially men in power

And yeah, I wanted Link trying and failing to save someone to be what triggers his wake-up call. Link definitively fucked up. The only thing he has left is being the hero, and he just fucked up saving someone he cares about.

Watching you all speculate about how Kat got injured up until this point was interesting. For a long while, a lot of you thought that the engineer would be involved. I somehow never expected anyone to associate the engineer with Kat's injury.

There were also a lot of people who thought Link was the one who injured Kat. That, I saw coming. It's been interesting to see how people think about what actually happened.

Of course, I was going to have this section go all the way until the end of the next scene, where Link faces the consequences of his actions. You'll have to see next chapter what those consequences will be.

Okay, onto the present--

Up until this chapter, I was utterly convinced that Twilight and Spirit would hate each other from the moment they meet. Then I wrote this chapter and realized that Twilight's protective gene would triumph any misgivings he would otherwise have. Absolutely no way he wouldn't find out about Spirit and not decide he was going to be the only bozo standing in his corner.

I really wanted this bit with Time and Warriors talking to be at the end of the last chapter. In my brain, the pacing just makes more sense that way. I can't even regret pushing it off until this chapter because their talk ended up being so long.

I also had to write this scene twice because the first time, Time was way out of character.

I was initially worried that Time explaining his point of view would be redundant, but after blindsiding you all with his extremely bias POV during his argument with Spirit, this ended up being necessary. My bad.

But also, Time's perspective is so, so... *vague gesturing*

There were a lot of people who were really certain that the child must have hated Link after Link hit him in the temple. Since then, I have been waiting for someone to connect that scene with the moment where the engineer hit the child first. I thought someone would point this point out after Time's argument with Spirit. But, no! No one did! So I had to point it out in this chapter!

I gotta emphasize that Time is not necessarily correct. But I swore that once I got everyone comfortable with Warriors's morality, I was going to start throwing curve balls to challenge your opinion. And as Time puts it, if Spirit can be forgiven, then why not Warriors? Weren't they both responding to shitty situations? And is Warriors correct when he says it's different?

And why am I writing literary response questions for my own fic? Damn.

I originally scrapped the Wolfie scene because it was too cheesy, then I had to put it back in because I had been writing Twilight like the scene was still there

I've been worried that CTB Hyrule has become so iconic for being kinda a hard ass that he's being flanderized, so I figured he could be the one who declares that everyone is safe and sound.

Wind gets a new haircut because it's not real trauma unless your hair changes. The author is someone who changes her hair every time her life falls apart.

And he has a cool anime-esque eye patch because he's thirteen and he deserves a cool anime-esque eye patch

There actually was going to be a scene where Warriors shared his plan for the Triforce with Lana first, but I cut it since I didn't want to have the same argument twice, once with Lana and once with the Chain; it still feels a little out of character for Link to not talk to Lana first.

So the Warriors and Spirit scene

I wanted to convey that talking about everything that happened too soon would cause Warriors to sort of relive his memories and worsen his trauma. I wanted to try showing that without needing to outright state it, hence the dream-like sequence.

I think this was largely successful. People get the idea. Shout out to this story for forcing me to get good at writing trippy sequences, though. I wasn't really planning on that.

I think my favorite part about Twilight taking control is that he still needed Four to do some of the heavy talking for him. Power duo between a grown man and his 16 year old BFF

As I promised, a Triforce quest comes with a lot of morale quandaries that we now have to navigate with the characters, the biggest one being what is the definition of a war won? How do you wish for a war to be over without causing a larger disaster?

Everything about the world building for the Faovarian government and society was designed to add complications to that question. You can't annihilate the army without killing thralls. You can't use it on their ruler because they have a senate who can be replaced. They're an empire made of conquered people, so there's the risk that you could hurt an oppressed state.

But yeah, we're ready to go on another adventure. The boys are sticking together a little bit longer, and now we have to go meet up with Lincoln.

I wanted to get them on the road this chapter too, especially so that I could end with another really important Spirit scene, but I punted that off to the next chapter. Hopefully, the pacing for the next chapter won't be too weird.

And because the ending is different from what I had planned, I didn't know HOW to end things. Then I remembered how much you all liked dog imagery.

One last note: I love reading everyone's thoughts on the story, especially your thoughts on Warriors, Spirit, and Time. I am amazed by how many different takes I have seen. There is no one out there who is thinking the same thing.

On one hand, that's terrifying for me. When I was younger, I was really into the idea that a successful story left every reader thinking the same thing. The part of me that is forever 20 years old is scared shitless that someone is going to have a bad take and get mad at me for it.

The part of me that is older and somewhat wiser wants all of these polarizing opinions. Every reader brings their own experiences to the table, and I want to see everyone reaching their own conclusions about the characters. I love this. I relish in every ask, reply, or AO3 comment. I love your mini-essays and note taking. I love knowing what everyone thinks.

So, yeah. I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on that. Things are a little terrifying, but they have to be in order to be exciting as well.

[tawked]

I finished all of Aliens: The Original Years Omnibus vol. 1!

Brother, you do not understand how badly the release of Alien 3 fucks everything up.

The Trilogy.

Aliens: The Original Years is a collection series of four volumes, each about 1, 000 pages, collecting and in some cases completing every Dark Horse Aliens comic. The first book collects 1988 - 1992, including comics sold with trading cards and comic adaptations of the movies.

It's important to understand that because the earliest attempts at making comics based off of Aliens were part of an ongoing universe but the decision to adapt to the canon of Alien 3 was made later, after that film's release, which is a choice.

See, Hicks and Newt are the protagonists of the Aliens comics, at least the first trilogy, which continues years after the second movie. Ripley has been disappeared by the corporation, Hicks is a broken man struggling to live with PTSD and has no life prospects outside of the Colonial Marines, and Newt has been consigned to a mental health institution where she is abused and is likely to be scifi lobotomized. They end up going back to LV426, because of course they do, with another team of marines, where the plan is to blow up the xenomorphs for reals this time. This is once again revealed to be some corporate bullshit where actually the mission was to recover the alien for use by the bio weapons division. They go on a very clumsy journey from here where, for at least the first two books, the character writing is solid and both characters have fairly satisfying arcs.

Hicks finds new meaning, Newt learns to live as her own person not under the control of others for the first time in her life while still reconciling the trauma of having been lied to by evil corporations since birth, culminating in her metaphorically saving her own innocence by rescuing another little girl from aylmaos. I would never be so incorrect as to call these good stories, but the character writing is usually fairly solid and you can appreciate what the writers are going for in abstract.

I want to note, this isn't a small number of comics. From #1 to the end of this interconnected story-line you have about 370 pages of comic - although that's only about a novel in page length, that's actually longer than many superhero comic runs and represents four years of shelf time.

Continuing Worldbuilding.

More important is the world that the early Aliens comics build. Earth is overrun with Aliens and barely saved, with the majority of the Earth-dwelling population being killed. Older concepts of media and government are essentially gone and the majority of humans now have some space-faring experience. This is a excellent place to launch a science fiction setting, in my opinion, and it becomes a load-bearing concept for future stories. Remember: in the movie continuity, most people do not know about or have a concrete idea of the xenomorph. In the comic continuity, everybody knows about the xenomorph because it overran the Earth.

The focus then shifts from Hicks and Newt to other protagonists engaging in morality tales with the alien. There's one about nightcrawler-style frontier journalists and "treasure hunters" getting ate because they intentionally went to an alien zone and there's one about a pharmaceutical company trying to harvest xenomorph queen royal jelly to make a wonder stimulant. There's a story about doomed soldiers on Earth trying to fight back for the sake of survivors on the overrun planet finding a somewhat noble death at the end, too.

These are fairly boilerplate stories but they rely on the core concept that humanity now knows about the xenomorph and industry has been forever altered by that fact. The Alien movies are (almost accidentally on the part of Ridley Scott and James Cameron, who it needs be remarked are big stupid idiots who never seem to actually understand the scripts they direct, despite routinely taking all the credit from their writers lmao) about capitalism, bureaucracy and soulless corporate or military decision-making, and how those systems often intentionally get people killed for the sake of profit. So, the corporate world of Aliens absolutely restructures itself around the exploitation of the aliens as a resource without fully understanding this will kill people every single time.

There are plenty of other complicated worldbuilding elements going on with the spacejockey and the looming threat of a hyper-advanced alien species one day colonizing the Earth, all this complicated, interesting, "could be very cool one day" ideas.

We are now at 712 pages of consistent worldbuilding.

The Fuck Up.

Aliens 3 releases. Hicks and Newt die in their cryostasis pods and nothing happens to them after the events of the second movie. They just die off-screen between films.

We now have a Crisis on Two Earths situation. The world of the Aliens comics cannot exist if the world of Alien 3.

What does Dark Horse choose to do?

Aliens: Newt's Tale.

Aliens: Newt's Tale is a frustratingly bad comic. It uses Newt dreaming in the cryostasis pod at the end of Aliens as its framing device which is important to note because she later falls asleep and dreams inside of her dream which is just an embarrassingly bad thing to not catch in editing. It aims to retell the plot of the Aliens movie from Newt's perspective until it, again, abandons that because it runs into the problem that a lot of exposition happens while Newt is asleep in the film, so I guess she like... astral projects her mind to faithfully recount events she was never present for and was never informed about lol. Why? Why is it like this? You could've used Ripley making a recording log like at the end of the first Alien movie as your framing device. Why why why?

To establish the horrible writing decision to kill Newt and Hicks off at the start of Alien 3 as authoritative to the comics.

So we hit a Crisis on Two Earths and instead of just continuing on with their own universe and timeline, built across years of publishing and work, they choose to hitch their horse to a movie people ultimately did not like, in part because of its decision to kill off Newt.

When it came time to republish these comics originally, this was addressed by retroactively re-naming Newt to Billie in an attempt to establish them as distinct characters and continue that worldbuilding, but the damage was done. All they did was break their version of Newt and Hicks by having them be different people with ostensibly identical backstories, which imo alienated (lol) more potential readers instead of preserving the readers they had.

They should have, imo, simply ignored Alien 3 and kept doing what they were doing. The plate was hot and the oil was coming to a simmer but they simply chose not to cook.

The Marvel Years.

Marvel recently acquired the rights to these comics and has been publishing them intact, with the characters' identities restored, contradictory bullshit and all. It makes for a frustrating read because comics that simply cannot exist in the same universe are published side-by-side as if part of the same ongoing world and story-lines, but at the very least they are published whole. In fact, some Dark Horse comics that were never completed are published complete in the Marvel omnibus collections. So, it's the best way to read these things, but also a very annoying way to read them because you cannot take anything in one story as true to another story.

The superhero comic-ification of Aliens lol.

[owenthetokencishet]

While I love the concept in the fandom and have many of my own, I am unsure whether or not I'd actually be in favour of female space marines becoming canon.

On one hand, it would be a more popular move than some would like you to believe, and after the experiment with Calladayce Kesh I think GW has realized it could work. Stormcast Eternals, GW's other poster child beginner faction, are already fully gender-integrated, and Primaris marines are basically just sci-fi stormcast. Games Workshop is starting to realize that there's no profit in appeasing their far-right fans. If they quit over this, they will not be missed.

On the other hand, I understand why the canon as it is works. The imperium of man is a fascist state, and the Astartes are the poster children of that state. They're cartoons of the ubermensch. They are a parody of right-wing manhood. They get to be their society's ideal man, but in exchange they are psychologically tortured, physically mutilated, and have every cell of thier body rewritten through eugenics. All to be the perfect killing machine. The "code red" from A Few Good Men, the order that got Santiago killed for not being a good enough soldier? That's real.

Also the current Space Marine range is massive, very new, and complete. GW has built a lot of infrastructure around these models and implementing a subtle change like that would be a lot of work for a model range that is in isolation more profitable than entire games ALREADY.

On the other other hand, IT WOULD BE SO EASY. The introduction of primaris marines has also introduced Belisarius Cawl, a guy who has been experimenting on space marines for ten THOUSAND years. Dude rebuilt the adeptus astartes from the ground up. Do you honestly think, that in ten THOUSAND years of studying, cawl ever wondered if it was possible to make a girl into a space marine? Or something roughly equivalent? Do you honsetly think that fucking weirdo Belisarius Cawl, as self-described scientist, would never have experimented? Like primaris was, it would be a controversial shake-up in the lore. Some chapters would outright reject them, like Black Templars. Black Templars would never allow girl cooties into their crusades. but it's just as easy to justify. The Imperium is facing unprecedented threats, broadening the scope of who's capable of becoming a space marine means more aspirants means more space marines. Integrating female recruits could DOUBLE the number of astartes active in the galaxy. That's exactly the kind of advantage cold hard statistics guy Guilliman loves.

Also I think a story that shows a girl going though all the shit boys do to become space marines is the kind of thing that could make the more manly men™️ among the fanbase go 'oh this is super fucked up actually and maybe not aspirational' and also simultaneously making a statement about how culture at large is somewhat desensited to violence against men.

And I cannot forget. Gigantic ultra-jacked women in even more gigantic chunky power armour. Um. Awooga.

[winterpinetrees]

Being Alive (The Gap Years 2x4)

September 19th

The Elven Capital

Ishtar's life is a miracle. She is alive, the ruler of an entire planet, happy, even. There must be a world where it stays like this forever, but she has a job to do. The war has begun, and her family must be ready for it.

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There is one other Mercuralis alive who remembers living in the palace. Enli is the same height as Ishtar, but shorter than her eldest son. Neither of them have a fraction of the scars she does. Kishar saw death for the first time this week, but his mother has no excuse. The only three Mercuralis adults sit in a room that she hasn’t tried to make match the way it was before, complimenting her husband's tea and pretending their relationship isn’t mangled like a broken limb. 

When the previous coup left her and Ishtar as their family’s last survivors, Enli was left with nothing but a legendary name, an orphaned cousin, and her own trauma. Maybe she could have given Ishtar to one of their allies to raise, but their family were symbolized by an ice-age bull and just as stubborn. Genus Mercuralis would endure, even if it meant a half-grown girl playing the role of a mother. “Playing” is the precise word. Ishtar came of age as a vengeful ghost and fell desperately for the first person to seem to live in the world, instead of occupying space. Is it worse to be like her predecessor, Emer Sondaica, who had such a full life but gave it all up? Or is it worse to have been empty from the beginning? 

Enli has been a much better mother this time around. Her cousin must have needed a test run. Ishtar, for her part, is genuinely shocked to be alive at all.

“The attacks in the human realm,” Enli begins. “I believe you that the Sondaica prince wasn’t supposed to be there, but it’s not him I have a problem with. It’s his humans. There are rules to war. Those three have never heard of them”. 

“Oh yes. Those same rules that left us as the only survivors out of nineteen Mercurali? Marin’s humans shoot to kill at times, but they’re young and desperate. Students at the Conservatory try the same thing”. That’s how she’s explained it to her council, and the lords, and everyone stunned by the trail of destruction three rich kids have wrought. “They are the children of human nobility. That society is as cutthroat as ours, they just don’t do the killing themselves. This must be cathartic for them”. Taking her first prisoner -knuckles against bone, an enemy slung over her shoulder- was like the sunrise. 

Kishar folds his hands. He doesn’t have the grim gray eyes of his cousin Chandra, those are from her husband’s family, but the grief of their world weighs on him just as heavily. “It’s not only them. The scientists were better trained than we expected”. Then he turns to his mother. “They were the threat to my life, not the prince or his servants. I told you he was happy to retreat”. 

Enli turns her head. “Well, the scientists are dead now”. 

There were twelve attacks two days ago, ten of them successful, including in the salt desert city where Marin unexpectedly appeared. They don’t know exact casualties, but she suspects three hundred humans dead across the world along with eight citizens of the elven world captured as traitors.

“Not all of them, but more than the old apex was ever able to do”. 

It turns out that even the void-cursed and gifted can only be in one place at once, and yet the university Cai Sondaica materialized to protect wasn’t even the mission with the highest cost. Ninety-five soldiers died across twelve attacks. They expected some casualties in the underground labs where soldiers could not switch worlds to retreat, but one dead elf for every three dead humans? By tradition, none of them but the handful killed by renegade sparks and royals can be properly honored on a kill list. This is why she’s talking to her cousin. When she says “Ishtar, what have you done,” she hardly notices. 

Most of her high council is thrilled, but that almost feels worse. Arjuna is decidedly neutral on human affairs, and Ryn… Ryn is not talking to her. It’s not as bad as it sounds. He was at the table during the creation of the plan and his firefly seal (the symbol they chose as teens back when her first officer decided it just wasn’t right to drag the Stormson hurricane into noble crimes) is on the document. He’s out at sea. Her vambrace chimes a steady heartbeat of data. He’s alive. He’s safe. He’ll come home when he’s ready.

Enli asks if her daughter is out with Ryn. She saw the boys today, but not Suen. Ishtar keeps her expression level. She does not fidget or shift her stance. “Oh. I can call her back in, if you’d like?”

She sends her daughter a brief message. Devana Marolak thinks she's been watching too much human media, but she has a pager. The Sondaica twins may have been picking pockets in the human realm at her age, but that was centuries ago. She can't afford to take extra risks. Then, with a broad grin, the apex of the twin worlds throws open the great windows of the parlor. Waves crash against the rocks stories beneath the balcony. This face of the building is an artificial cliff with nothing else beneath them. She stands to the side and looks back at her cousins. “You should move out of the way. She’s still working on landing”.

“Impossible. Who taught her? The assassin?”

“My husband would be honored that you think he can fly”. 

A shadow flickers far above them. Something with the wingspan of an albatross plummets out of the sky more like a meteor than a bird of prey. Her heart catches in her chest. Suen rolls out of a dive and rises back to their level. She stretches out her arms, the drag on her spectral feathers slowing her down to only about a sprinting pace. She is an indigo blur between the older Mercurali. Then her clawed boots catch on the carpet, and Ishtar does not look away as her only daughter slams into the floor with a thud worthy of an aurochs. Their mugs of tea rattle on the table. 

No one moves. Suen’s wings fade as she sits up but her eyes stay magic-bright. Whatever impossibility gave Ishtar her toughness wasn’t heritable. Her daughter’s bones are as fragile as the high nobility can get. She looks it too. Ishtar thinks it’s fitting that the first Apex of the united worlds will have the body type that humans expect of elves or fairies. Or maybe her little satellite is just young. For thirty silent seconds, Sue, a decade short of puberty and fifty years away from the start of her gap years, barely even glances at her. She’s running a diagnostic, looking for fractures and sprains. 

Ishtar feels the sparring mats under her sandals. She can take a punch better than even the sparks and could snap an elf’s neck with a twist of her arms. It would be quick, like a scepter through the heart, but there wouldn’t be blood and there was so much-

“Just like in the basketball videos!”

Suen giggles and holds a hand up to her mouth. There’s a small canine tooth on the ground and Ishtar remembers that she is the mother now and she is gloriously alive. “It had been loose for a month, Ma”. 

Kishar kneels down to meet her eyes. Suen towers over most kids her age, but he’s a true Mercuralis giant. “Pretty tough”. She beams and folds her Voyager pilot’s scarf to stop the bleeding. 

“Moonlight. Cousin Enli is asking who taught you how to fly”. 

“His Grace, Hierax of Genus Tiercel,” her daughter says with perfect royal poise, then giggles again. 

Enli raises an eyebrow and mutters in an old language the children don’t know. 

“I thought you were against betrothals”.

“I am. Don’t make this weird”. 

The floor still has a bit of a phantom bounce when Sue gets back to her feet and puts the tooth into her mother’s. In Ishtar’s oldest memories, her own mother says to keep her feet on the ground. Strength comes from leverage. You swing a hammer with your legs to hit an illusionist you’ve sensed through vibrations in the earth. Suen’s been learning to tell where her father invisibly goes since before she would walk, but the human world plays by different rules. She’s seen the tactics in their films, the heroic ones, and checks them against humanity's own list of war crimes. Mercuralis strength is enough to break through the nobility, but wild humans throw money at sports where bones shatter in every game. The children of the wildblood staff pick Suen first when they play as teams because she is lightning-fast and clever and knows how to lead, but those kids are never older than thirteen. An elbow to the jaw from a trained adult could do more than knock out a loose tooth. The butt of a jammed rifle, held by a conscripted boy who would’ve been an athlete if not for their war, could kill. 

So she’ll learn to fly. Maybe Chandra will too, or maybe he’ll keep learning how to weave charms and disguises until even Ryn’s family, impenetrable as the screaming rain around the eye of a storm, will tell him everything. Fedran is a little weaker. His colors are more muddled. He was born eighteen years ago, but only looks a bit younger than his brother. In a few decades they’ll seem the same age, and then Fen will grow up and look like the older sibling for the rest of their lives. A royal family made of a spark, a slightly unstable assassin, and an apex who could stand up to the three-hundred-pound titans on a gridiron football team. And to think it was a scandal when Emer was made apex! As if a weird twin and a habit of running off to jazz clubs was anything compared to this. 

Ishtar puts the tooth into her pocket. They’ll bury it under a tree and some little thing will appreciate the calcium. Not long after, her daughter takes a running start and vaults over the railing of the balcony much faster than Ishtar could manage. Kids these days. 

Back in the Problem Room, Ishtar sees a different sort of triumph. They’ve been chasing young runaways for months, but finally they’ve made an attack of their own. Devana Marolak’s fear of wild humans with guns has been validated, and Amedi is just happy to have done well. The councillors were both in the field on two separate missions. Actually, Ishtar was in the field as well. One of the laboratories on their list of targets was right over the fault line parallel to the capital, and they needed someone with a gentle touch to collapse it without making a bigger problem. The last big quake there was about a decade after Arjuna and her had married. There was a fire. Total mess. Not wishing to burn San Fransisco again, she and Amedi made their exit with only two elves dead and the faintest whisper of a category two earthquake behind them. Across the world, Devana set off a bomb and nearly collapsed a stop of the Moscow Metro. She can’t speak Russian, but the councillor seems entertained by the story of coordinated terrorist attacks. 

Gullin Eburos spent the fateful night in his laboratory instead, testing his project against another dozen overlapping conditions and tinkering with fatality rates. She’s lent an old Mercurali word to the plague: diasu. It’s a dead language, so the meaning can be whatever they need. Really though, it means “to thresh”. As an ancient agricultural term, it meant to separate the grain from its stalk. As her new political tool, it means to remove the useful from that which is dry and brittle and best used to feed an animal or a flame. 

When her first officer asked (declared) if it was wrong to talk about wild humans like that when they’ve taken such a stand against elven eugenics, she reminded him that human religions have used the metaphor for longer. Besides, their love has nothing to do with conquering a world. Their son is a symbol, but not of that. By the time Fen is old enough to have anything to do with politics, the human world will be theirs. 

(Why does Ishtar know anything about human religions? Well, it’s important to know the traditions of a place you’re trying to conquer. Ryn also convinced her to read Moby-Dick and she didn’t want to feel like she was missing half of the context).

Anyway, noble superiority has never done her any good and Ryn could pick Devana Marolak up and throw her if he stopped wanting to play nice. Fedran is her perfect firefly and if any nobles have issues then they should address her as Your Eminence or better yet not talk at all. 

Magical power is tough to predict. At best it’s like height: certainly there is a basis in family history, but it also depends on childhood circumstances and chance. Her exceptional power and Ryn’s…well, he has humans in his family tree, don’t cancel to average. Their son is on even footing with most of the lower nobility, including warriors like Amedi Kebero. Magically, that is. Fen still has almost all of his baby teeth, and Amedi has half a dozen kills to their name. He’s a good kid. Observant. Not in the same empathetic way as his brother, but more looking for systems. A few nights before the coup, Arjuna whispered that he had the mind of an assassin. He’s also really into trains. 

So things feel pretty good in the room named for the fact that it’s where things go wrong. They’re at the bleeding edge of a new era and it’s all too easy to imagine all of that metaphorical blood belonging to their enemies. She keeps the new casualty reports on the table as they discuss everything else. Devana talks about a drought in Asia. Amedi and their seneschal present on commoner resistance where Marin is likely to travel. They talk for hours as though two nights ago they didn’t set off the first rumbles of an upheaval that will lay dormant and stutter but never stop until they’re directing the clean up of a decimated human realm. As she’s preparing to dismiss the council (almost time to sit on her throne and hear petitions), Gullin’s doglike seneschal returns with five cups of spruce beer, even though there’s only four elves at the massive table. Seneschals don’t miss details. Gullin gives his human an amused nod and the young man smiles back with fangs and chugs a glass. They all toast to better luck and easier battles. 

She looks down to her vambrace. Her partner says air pressure is dropping and there’s clouds to the west. He’s already weathering a political storm, and doesn’t need another. The dot on the screen turns back home. 

…………

Suen is like 10 in elven years. Chandra is 8 and Fen is 7.

Ishtar uses the word decimated to describe what’s in store for the human realm. I’m afraid her actual plans have a far higher fatality rate than one in ten. 

The nobility are not big on recreational substances. (looking at you, Zerada). I’m using the word “beer” like in root beer. It’s non-alcoholic and a Canadian thing.

@lokiwaffles @reggie246 @wishndreamer

[gameknigh]

Anyways here is a list of about 200 things I am no longer allowed to do within the UNSC ONI or Spartan Operations, I do not regret any of these

My proper military title is ‘Spartan Sam’ not ‘Princess Anastasia’.

Not allowed to threaten anyone with black magic.

Not allowed to challenge anyone’s disbelief of black magic by asking for hair.

Not allowed to get silicone breast implants.

Not allowed to play ‘Pulp Fiction’ with a suction-cup dart pistol and any officer.

Not allowed to add ‘In accordance with the prophesy’ to the end of answers I give to a question an officer asks me.

Not allowed to add pictures of officers I don’t like to War Criminal posters.

Not allowed to title any product ‘Get Over it’.

Not allowed to purchase anyone’s soul on Government time.

Not allowed to join the communist party.

Not allowed to join any militia.

N ot allowed to form any militia.

Not allowed out of my office when the president visited Boston.

Not allowed to train adopted stray dogs to ‘Sic Brass!’

Must get a haircut even if it tampers with my ‘Sampson like powers’.

God may not contradict any of my orders.

May no longer perform my now (in)famous ‘Barbie Girl Dance’ while on duty.

May not call any officers immoral, untrustworthy, lying, slime, even if I’m right.

Must not taunt the Harvestians any more.

Must attempt to not antagonize ODSTs.

Must never call an ODST a ‘Wanker’.

Must never ask anyone who outranks me if they’ve been smoking crack.

Must not tell any officer that I am smarter than they are, especially if it’s true.

Never confuse a Revian soldier for a Martian one.

Never tell a German soldier that ‘We kicked your ass in World War 2!’

Don’t take the batteries out of the other Spartan’s alarm clocks (Even if they do hit snooze about forty times).

The Irish Spartans are not after ‘Me frosted lucky charms’.

Not allowed to wake an Non-Commissioned Officer by repeatedly banging on the head with a bag of trash.

Not allowed to let sock puppets take responsibility for any of my actions.

Not allowed to let sock puppets take command of my post.

Not allowed to chew gum at formation, unless I brought enough for everybody.

(Next day) Not allowed to chew gum at formation even if I *did* bring enough for everybody.

Not allowed to sing ‘High Speed Dirt’ by Megadeth during airborne operations. (‘See the earth below/Soon to make a crater/Blue sky, black death, I’m off to meet my maker’)

Can’t have flashbacks to wars I was not in. (The Interplanetary War isn’t over).

Our medic is called ‘Sgt Larwasa’, not ‘Dr. Feelgood’.

Our supply Sgt is ‘Sgt Watkins’ not ‘Sugar Daddy’.

Not allowed to ask for the day off due to religious purposes, on the basis that the world is going to end, more than once.

I do not have super-powers.

Camouflage body paint is not a uniform.

I am not the atheist chaplain.

I am not authorized to fire officers.

Not allowed to trade military equipment for ‘magic beans’.

Not allowed to sell magic beans during duty hours.

Not allowed to quote ‘Dr Seuss’ on military operations.

Not allowed to yell ‘Take that Cobra’ at the rifle range.

Not allowed to quote ‘Full Metal Jacket ‘ at the rifle range.

‘Napalm sticks to kids’ is *not* a motivational phrase.

An order to ‘Put Kiwi on my boots’ does *not* involve fruit.

An order to ‘Make my Boots black and shiny’ does not involve electrical tape.

The proper response to a lawful order is not ‘Why?’

The following words and phrases may not be used in a cadence- based, necrophilia, I hate everyone in this formation and wish they were dead, all Marines are latent homosexuals, Arcadian yoga, Gotterdammerung, or any references to squid.

May not make posters depicting the leadership failings of my chain of command.

‘The Giant Space Ants’ are not at the top of my chain of command.

It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission, no longer applies to Spartan Sam.

Command decisions do *not* need to be ratified by a 2/3 majority.

There are no evil clowns living under my bed.

There is no ‘Anti-Mime’ campaign on Harvest.

I am not the Spartan Ops Mascot.

I may not line my helmet with tin foil to ‘Block out the space mind control lasers’.

May not pretend to be a fascist stormtrooper on duty

I am not authorized to prescribe any form of medication.

May not conduct psychological experiments on my chain of command.

The MP checkpoint is not an Imperial Stormtrooper roadblock, so I should not tell them “You don’t need to see my identification, these are not the droids you are looking for.”

I may not call block my chain of command.

I am neither the king nor queen of cheese.

Not allowed to wear MJOLNIR to any army functions.

May not bring a drag queen to the battalion formal dance.

May not form any press gangs.

Must not start any SITREP (Situation Report) with “I recently had an experience I just had to write you about….”

Must not use military vehicles to ‘Squish’ things.

May not challenge anyone in my chain of command to the ‘field of honor’.

If the thought of something makes me giggle for longer than 15 seconds, I am to assume that I am not allowed to do it.

Must not refer to the Commander as ‘Dad’.

I am not authorized to initiate Jihad.

When asked to give a few words at a military ceremony ‘Romper Bomper Stomper Boo’ is probably not appropriate.

Nerve gas is not funny.

Crucifixes do not ward off ONI officers, and I should not test that.

I am not in need of a more suitable host body.

The proper response to a chemical weapon attack is not ‘Tell my chain of command what I really think about them, and then poke holes in their masks.’

A smiley face is not used to mark a minefield.

Claymore mines are not filled with yummy candy, and it is wrong to tell new soldiers that they are.

I am not allowed to mount a bayonet on a crew-served weapon.

Rodents are not entitled to burial with full military honors, even if they are “casualties of war”.

My commander is not old enough to have fought in the Second American Civil War, and I should stop implying that he did.

Vodka, green food coloring, and a ‘Cool Mint’ Listerine® bottle is not a good combination.

I am not allowed to bum cigarettes off of anyone under twelve.

I may not trade my rifle for any of the following: Cigarettes, booze, Unggoy, Kalishnikovs, Covenant Armored vehicles, small children, or bootleg CD’s.

Must not mock command decisions in front of the press.

Should not taunt members of the press, even if they are really fat, exceptionally stupid, and working for the UEG.

I am not authorized to change national policy in the Eastern Orion Arm.

Never, ever, attempt to correct a Spartan II about anything.

I am not qualified to operate any Covenant, UNSC, Banished, or Swords of Sanghelios Armored vehicles.

I cannot trade my CO to the Covies.

Crucifying mice – bad idea.

Burn pits for classified material are not revel fires – therefore it is wrong to dance naked around them.

I cannot arrest children for being rude.

An EO briefing is probably not the best place to unveil my newest off color joke.

Radioactive material should not be stored in the barracks.

I should not teach other soldiers to say offensive and crude things in Sangheli, under the guise of teaching them how to say potentially useful phrases.

Two drink limit does not mean first and last.

Two drink limit does not mean two kinds of drinks.

Two drink limit does not mean the drinks can be as large as I like.

‘No Drinking Of Alcoholic Beverages’ does not imply that a Jack Daniel’s ® IV is acceptable.

“Shpadoinkle” is not a real word.

The Microsoft ® ‘Dancing Paperclip’ is not authorized to countermand any orders.

‘I’m drunk’ is a bad answer to any question posed by my commander.

The loudspeaker system is not a forum to voice my ideas.

The loudspeaker system is not to be used to replace the radio.

The loudspeaker system is not to be used to broadcast the soundtrack to a porno movie.

Shouting ‘Let’s do the village! Let’s do the whole ****ing village!’ while out on a mission is bad.

Should not show up at the front gate wearing part of a Sangheli Combat Harness, messily drunk.

Even if my commander did it.

I am not authorized to sell mineral rights.

Not allowed to use a broadsword to disprove ‘The Pen is Mightier than the sword’.

I should not drink three quarts of blue food coloring before a urine test.

Nor should I drink three quarts of red food coloring, and scream during the same.

J should not threaten suicide with pop rocks and Coke ®.

Putting red ‘Mike and Ike’s’ ® into a prescription medicine bottle, and then eating them all in a formation is not funny.

Must not create new ONI forms, then insist they be filled out.

On Sports Day PT, a wedgie is not considered a legal tackle.

The proper way to report to my Commander is ‘Spartan Sam, reporting as ordered, Sir’ not ‘You can’t prove a thing!’

The following items do not exist: Keys to the Drop Zone, A box of grid squares, blinker fluid, winter air for tires, canopy lights, or MJOLNIR oil.

Shouldn’t treat ‘piss-bottles’ with extra-strength icy hot.

Teaching Sangheli children to taunt other soldiers is not nice.

I will no longer perform ‘lap-dances’ while in MJOLNIR.

The revolution is not now.

When detained by MP’s, I do not have a right to a strip search.

No part of the MJOLNIR armor is edible.

Bodychecking General officers is not a good idea.

Past lives have absolutely no effect on the chain of command.

Take that hat off.

There is no such thing as a were-virgin.

I do not get ‘that time of month’.

No, the pants are not optional.

Not allowed to operate a business out of the barracks.

Not allowed to ‘defect’ to Covenant during training missions.

On training missions, try not to shoot down the General’s helicopter.

‘A full magazine and some privacy’ is not the way to help a potential suicide.

I am not allowed to create new levels of security clearance.

Furby ® is not allowed into classified areas. (I swear to the gods, I did not make that up, it’s actually ONI policy).

We do not ‘charge into battle, naked, like the Celts’.

Any device that can crawl across the table on medium, does not need to be brought into the office.

I am not to refer to a formation as ‘the boxy rectangle thingie’.

I am not ‘A lesbian trapped in a man’s body’.

On Army documents, my race is not ‘Other’.

Nor is it ‘Secretariat, in the third’.

Pokémon® trainer is not an MOS.

There is no FM for ‘wall-to-wall counseling’.

My chain of command has neither the time, nor the inclination to hear about what I did with six boxes of Fruit Roll-Ups. ®

When operating a military vehicle I may *not* attempt something ‘I saw in a cartoon’.

My name is not a killing word.

I am not the Emperor of anything.

Must not taunt officers in the throes of nicotine withdrawal, with cigarettes.

May not challenge officers to ‘Meet me on the field of honor, at dawn’.

Must not make s’mores while on guard duty.

Our Warthogs cannot be assembled into a giant battle-robot.

The proper response to a briefing is not ‘That’s what you think’.

The Masons, and Gray Aliens are not in our chain of command.

Shouldn’t take incriminating photos of my chain of command.

Shouldn’t use Photoshop ® to create incriminating photos of my chain of command.

I am not allowed to give Spartan augmentations

Not allowed to lead a ‘Coup’ during training missions.

I should not confess to crimes that took place before I was born.

My chain of command is not interested in why I ‘just happen’ to have a kilt, an inflatable sheep, and a box of rubber bands in the back of my car.

Must not valiantly push officers onto hand grenades to save the squad.

Despite the confusing similarity in the names, the “Safety Dance” and the “Safety Briefing” are never to be combined.

“To conquer the earth with an army of flying monkeys” is a bad long term goal to give the re-enlistment NCO.

NEVER nail a stuffed bunny to a cross and put it up in front of the Battalion Headquarters sign as an “Easter Desecration.”

Don’t write up false gigs on a Warthog PMCS. (“Broken clutch pedal”, “Number three turbine has frequent flame-outs”, “flux capacitor emits loud whine when engaged”)

Not allowed to get shot.

Not allowed to play into the deluded fantasies of the civlians who are “hearing conversations” from the CMA, ONI, UNSC and SoS due to the microchip the aliens implanted in their brain.

Must not make T-shirts up depciting a Grunt with the writing “Breath Oxygen or Die” in Unggoy to bring as civilian attire when preparing to deploy to their homeworld.

Must not go on nine deployments in six years that require a security clearance that I don’t have, even if the ONI tells me repeatedly that I have one and I have no reason to question them.

Do not convince NCO’s that their razorbumps are the result of microscopic parasites.

Do not lick Spartan IIs

Do not change Smart AI’s avatars to “obscene” things or pictures of my Cat

Do not show up to the UNSC Infinity in a “Anime Bunnysuit and fishnets”

Do not use a 560 year old H&K XM8 because ‘it looks enough like a battle rifle’

Well, that concludes the list. I probably shouldn’t have done some of these, but I definitely don’t regret the second to last (I looked hot AF).

[remembrancer-of-heresy]

The Bloody Trio (Headcanons about main characters)

AU Reverse Therapy

Author's Note: In this post I decided to tell how I came up with the characters and some facts about them.

Tag List: @kit-williams, @druidwolf21, @pluvio-tea

Character: Malina

*collage pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4

Age: was kidnapped saved when she was 23

Height: 5,74 (175)

Description: dark brown eyes, dark shoulder length brown hair with bangs, olive skin.

Distinguishing features: none.

References: I love the Yellowjackets series and Lottie Matthews is my favorite character. This is exactly how I imagined Malina. One day I just rewatched one episode and thought that Malina definetly has the same Bambi eyes. + the actress also starred in Mad Max (an amazing series of films). It is not surprising that this is the image that appeared in my head.

Name: name Malina is a female name of Greek origin meaning "raspberry". By the way in some slavic names a word "malina" literally can be translated as a "raspberry". But this name is also a short version of a hebew name Magdalena (which means “tower”, “soothing” and also “raspberry”). I chose this name because Luka thought it sounded sweet and innocent. The girl is loved by the Space Marines, but it's a very dark, obsessive and unhealthy love. They gave her the name as if she were a pet. The heroine has a real name, but it was not mentioned because the girl had to get used to her new home. And for that, she had to become Malina.

Facts about character:

The girl grew up on the agri-world of Astarte in the Segmentum Obscurus sector. The planet was home to about 300,000 people. Most agri-worlds are polluted places, the sky is orange, and people are forced to work in gas masks. But most does not mean all. On Astarte, the sky is blue, and the atmosphere is not polluted. The planet's main export is fruits and berries.

During the Thirteenth Black Crusade, the Maelstrom merged with the Great Rift and the Red Corsairs have now been sighted further from their home than ever before (from Lexicanum). It was for this reason that the Red Corsairs attacked Astarte.

In fact, her uncle did not find a copy of the book about the Sister of Battle and the Imperial soldier. He was the one who wrote it for his beloved niece. It was the original, there were no copies. He always had heretical thoughts, so it is not surprising why he joined the Chaosites. He believes that his entire family perished under the rubble of the building.

Malina wears rather simple clothes, although made of good quality fabric (the space marines bring her new clothes from looting). Long skirts, shirts, and sometimes dresses of a simple cut, but with cute patterns (she doesn't know that sparkles are literally gold). And of course, she constantly throws a shawl over her shoulders. Malina generally likes to bury herself in a blanket up to her head or hide in Luka's or Virgil's shoulder.

Even after she has finally come to terms with her situation, she still reads religious books. Luke and Virgil very rarely, but still sometimes allow Saint Ignatius to come "to visit" so that Malina can pray with him. This lasts for 15 minutes at most, but that is enough for the girl. However, now she cannot say for sure whether she really believes in God-Emperor or prays because it calms her down like lullabies in childhood.

As her uncle used to say, the girl is very resourceful. She has a rather mediocre education. But considering that many inhabitants of the Imperium do not have it, she stands out significantly. She can read and likes it (especially fairy tales and romance novels). Malina has a sense of humor. And the fact that she jokes with a serious, and sometimes innocent, face makes it even funnier and cute (at least in the eyes of Luka and Virgil).

Malina loves Luka and Virgil. She forced herself to become attached to them, receiving a bit of tenderness from the Space Marines. Besides, it was better than being outside the quarters. She began to behave more freely with them, jokes and sometimes climbs up to the men for hugs. But even so, Malina is still afraid of them, because she understands that they are kind only to her. And other mortals suffer from meeting them.

Character: Luka The Angel

*Collage pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4

Age: around 30-35

Height: 6,98 (213)

Description: blue eyes, beeline honey hair, pale skin, snub nose.

Distinguishing features: has a one scar on the left eyebrow and freckles on the cheeks and nose.

Wears standard Lamenters armour, with the symbol of Chaos Undivided painted on his belt and the symbol of the Red Corsairs on his right shoulder pad.

References: I think Luka's appearance and personality appeared in my head thanks to the art of Natalia Kikicheva. Blood Angel (in the centre), and two lamenters. And I'm also sure that I was also impressed by Varial by @kit-williams and Theo by @pluvio-tea. And Luka's image was slightly influenced by such a character as Raleigh Becket from Pacific Rim.

Name: The name Luka is thought to mean “bringer of light” or “man of light”. The name Luka is derived from the Latin word “lux”, which means “light”. The same name had Luke the Evangelist. Malina sees Luka as her savior while her planet is being torn apart by heretics. He was supposed to be a beacon of hope for humanity as the Lamenter, but he ended up being a traitor.

Facts about character:

Luka had a loving family and always wanted to be a hero. He was one of the most promising Lamenters. Just 2 years after becoming a Space Marine, his first mission became his last as a Loyalist. On one of the death worlds, his small squad was abandoned by the Lamenters as they were considered dead. Due to the extreme conditions, Luka literally ate his comrades. Some of them were still alive.

Luckily for him, the Red Corsairs were passing by. Bacchus didn't even have to persuade Luka, as he said he would go with them when they met (the worst part is that he was smiling at the time, finishing off his brother's head). At first, he lived with three other Space Marines, but later ate them. Bacchus considered them trash, so he didn't care much about it. After that, Luka was handed over to Vergil, who was supposed to be the Lamenter's mentor.

Luka considers Virgil his best friend. He is much easier to talk to and he doesn't even want to eat him. The Lamenter is obviously one of Bacchus' favorites due to his obedience and incredible combat skills (and he was only a neophyte recently). Therefore, he is forgiven for a lot. In particular, because of his character. Even Eurydice can't stay angry with him for long.

One of the few Space Marines who did not change his armor. He only added a couple of insignia to distinguish him from a loyalist. However, it is warriors like him who are the best strategy for boarding. Since the Imperials who see loyalist traitors are immediately confused.

Luka suffers from cannibalistic desires. Lamenters do not suffer from the Black Rage as much as other sons of Sanguinius. However, after the death world, Luka constantly suffers from bloodlust. But it is because of this that his "failure" (if this is not an Imperial myth) disappeared and he became more successful. After he met Malina, he began to suffer from Blood Thirst even more and ate more and more mortals (he also started to eat children which makes him really sad). But thanks to such a sacrifice to the Chaos Gods, he will never be able to harm the girl and she will live with him forever.

Luka sacrifices and performs rituals to the Chaos Gods like all Red Corsairs out of necessity. He does not despise Chaos Undivided, he simply does not care.

Before, Luka was much kinder for a heretic. He constantly saved children and dragged them to the ship. Although his previous neighbors eventually abused the children, which upset him very much (that is why he eventually ate them). And also after the reverse therapy, he began to "court" girls. Or rather, kidnap them. But all his attempts turned into failures. 5 girls died by "accident" (fucked to death, drank too much blood, another space marine killed), but he tortured 3 himself because they behaved badly.

After he found Malina, he did not care about all the mortal girls. He is literally obsessed with her and worships her, which has never happened with any other mortal. Because of this, he has become even more deadly and effective on the battlefield. Now Luka himself leads the warriors to boarding and commands the squad. Luka is extremely emotional and behaves almost like a child. He can be very nice to some people. But at the same time, he is also cruel to others. Luka is unstable and extremely dangerous chaosite. And this is coupled with his angelic appearance.

NSFW Facts:

Luka always wants to see Malina's face. To watch her face twist, her eyes water. To see how she finally starts to quietly make sounds from unprecedented sensations. Not seeing her face is taboo. And he also likes her small breasts. He thinks they look charming.

That's why most often, when it comes to bed, it's the missionary position. Or she sits on his lap, resting on his chest. He just adores how she clings to him. As if he is the only person who will protect her. As if HE is her God-Emperor.

He gets an erection EVERY time Malina calls him "Angel". This is Luka's favorite nickname. But he also loves to hear Malina praise him. That he saved her, how noble and handsome he is. How she gently touches his shoulders, cheekbones and cheeks. Looks into his eyes.

And if this happens during sex, it is harder for Luka to restrain himself. The Lamenter would also like to say something to her, but he is too delighted and obsessed with her at such moments. Therefore, he only moans and growls like an animal. His pupils dilate, and drool flows from his mouth. And the whole process is really rough. The girl is always terribly scared and Luka later has to apologize to her for a long time and wipe away her tears.

But after sex, he hugs her and kisses her entire face, saying how lucky he is. How wonderful and gentle she is. How he will take care of her. Always. That he will kill for her. He is ready to drown everything in blood just to get her a beautiful dress or feed her with berries in chocolate. And yes, if he said so, then he would do it.

Character: Virgil

*collage pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4

Age: more than 650 years

Height: 7,44 (227)

Description: red eyes, bald, grey almost white skin, white eyebrows, shark-like claw teeth, long black tongue.

Distinguishing features: Has several scars on the face. The largest ones locates along the nose. And the second one on the lip to the cheek on the left side of the face.

Has a armor of Red Corsars with the sign of Flesh Tearer on the left shoulder pad. On the belt is a cut piece of human's skin. Has a three stakes with skulls behind the back.

Reference: I think Virgil's appearance came to me spontaneously. I just imagined a typical Chaos Space Marine. But when it comes to his personality or history, I remember this meme. And I think I was also partly inspired by Immortan Joe (more from Furiosa, not Fury Road). If I had thought up Malina and Luka a long time ago, then Virgil’s character and personality were finally formed while I was writing him.

Name: The character was named after the Roman poet Virgil. Or to be more precise, in his image of the guide from Dante's Divine Comedy. Only this Virgil does not embody the human mind. And he is not just a guide in Hell and Purgatory, he literally lives there. And no, in Warhammer our flesh tearer and Chapter Master of the Blood Angels did not meet.

Facts about character:

Virgil had been fighting for the Imperium for quite some time. He was a rank-and-file Flesh Tearer, no different from his brothers. Virgil was not a sociable person, always hiding in the shadows. And in truth, he defended the Imperium as if he was following a manual. He was born an orphan and decided to become a Flesh Tearer in order to become a warrior. He only cared about war.

He did not consider the Black Rage a curse of Sanguinius. More like a gift. Moreover, he suspected that the Red Thirst was a manifestation of Chaos. Virgil always had contempt for mortals. So it is not surprising that at some point he decided to join the heretics. It was a conscious decision after 150 years of service to the Imperium. In his opinion, Chaos could give him more strength and power. And then he met the Red Corsairs.

If Virgil did not stand out in the ranks of the Flesh Tearers, then after serving under the hands of Bacchus, he quickly rose through the ranks. He enjoys power, although he does not seek to take Bacchus's place. He is much happier with his current position.

Although when he was given Luka to look after, he was not at all happy about it. But in the end he got used to the puppy, even finding him funny. But he can't call him a friend, because he never had any friends. For Virgil, Luca will always be a puppy that needs to be looked after, even if he became his leader in an alternate universe. In addition, it was thanks to him that Virgil got Malina.

The Flesh Tearer did not stand on ceremony with girls, simply raping them, and sometimes killing them during the process. But Malina calms him down and Virgil unexpectedly for himself became very attached to her (although, unlike Luka, at the very beginning he saw her as just a pretty face). Now he really does care about her in a genuine way, which is still new to him.

Virgil is constantly angry and almost always irritated. Although, unlike many Space Marines, he behaves more calmly. Therefore, it is very important for him to relax. Because of this, he often uses drugs and constantly goes to apotecary Baphomet for a new injection. Since he no longer tries to control the Blood Thirst, he can now drink blood whenever he wants.

NSFW Facts:

Virgil wants his partners quietly during sex the most. But suddenly, after Malina appeared, he realized that he liked the way she slept.The way her eyelashes flutter, the way her whole face relaxes. The way her lips open just a little. They are so wet with saliva. She is so relaxed. And if he also gets her drunk or uses the right drug (but only a safe one), then her body is more like jelly.

He loves to please her. Virgil thought that the Gods of Chaos gave him such a long tongue to better feel blood and the taste of drugs. Maybe, but now he uses it to devour her pussy. And he is very skilled at it. And if Malina is on her period that day, he can do this for 2-3 rounds. And considering that he forbids Luka to lick Malina, he practically works for two.

He is very slow and careful. Virgil does not want Malina to wake up. And sometimes that is exactly what he wants. After all, Malina is a good girl, she will be quiet. She will try not to make sounds and will even try to fall asleep again. And if she cries quietly, Virgil will get even more excited and will start licking her tears. Because of them, he wants to take care of her.

After Virgil finishes, he looks at the girl for a long time. And is silent. And this process lasts quite a long time, which makes Malina feel uncomfortable. Because it looks very creepy. After that, Virgil lies down on his bed. Very rarely, he kisses the girl on the forehead goodbye.

[letrune]

In 508 GCE, after two years of gruelling fights, the Xiltuk Alliance was brought to it's knees.

"It was insane." Commander Il-thu-3 said on our interview. The commander had been the leader of the Xiltuk armed forces and then the peace talks. "We got used to wars lasting for two or three months, maybe even half a year, but this... This was too much.

Our marines fought on the human colony of Vega Prime in the first landfall, but did not expected such resistance."

"I remember, I was just 19 and lived on a farm with my grandmother." Marlene Yariks, the "Prairie Partisan of Vega Prime", said. She is now 41, mother of two. "The Xiltuk ships landed without warning. I hopped into a ditch when they first started shooting and faked being dead. They were soon in a firefight with the local police, so I threw rocks at one of the marines. His head broke, and I took up his rifle. I haven't even thought about it, just ran between the farm houses. That was when I rounded up the nearby boys and girls, and we grabbed as much ammunition and food as we could. We got away before the first bombers arrived."

The space combat was slow as both nations moved forces towards planets, so Vega Prime became the main combat zone. The landfall, while successful, had shown to Xiltuk that humans are very resilient.

"We kept bombing military centers, yet there were always a soldier somewhere." Aki-la-2, a Xiltuk marine said. "I swear to the twin suns, the humans could hide four soldiers behind two twigs and a rock. We had been there for a month when we started running low on morale. The humans did not even raided the supply lines yet. We occupied a few city blocks and were in firefights, but we could not go on without bombing a whole building down. We just could not do it."

"I was in the house when it collapsed." Robert Alkemeyer, 73 said. "I think the Xiltuks... or the blobs as we called them... had blown up the upper floors. The whole building just... fallen over us. There were like ten of us, and none... none of us soldiers. We lived on canned food and stale water for three months before the front lines allowed ours to rescue us."

"We just could not fight." Aki-la-2 stated. His head hung in shame. "After the third month, we just could not keep going. Every window, a sniper hides there. Every building blown up gave them more resiliance.

I remember, my commanding officer had been on a tour to investigate the front line. We haven't had any assault on us for weeks, and all of us were uneasy. We barely could breathe any more, being afraid that any moment now, a dozen partisans will round the corners with a tank.

This officer came in, said that we have to keep put, keep the lines, more soldiers will arrive. I do not know who fired the first shot, but I remember I shot him three times. I wanted to go home."

"We were hiding in the tall wheat when we first saw that, a whole column of Xiltuk armoured cars just stopping, and soldiers running and starting to gorge themselves on wheat." Marlene said. "There were like five of us and a hundred of them. They were like locusts, just eating the raw wheat. Some officer shot into the air, to which another shot him. He stood there, his blaster shaking, and then he started crying: 'I want the war to be over already! I want my wife back!'. I never forget his face, the way it lit up. Years later I learnt it was how they cried."

"On the fourth month, we started bombing military installations in the Regalos sector." Admiral Herz Pataky stated. "Within two weeks, we had multiple messages from Xiltuk civilians and lower level officers, pointing out military bases we could not see or they want separate peace or begging us to stop the bombardments, they give up. An entire city had declared they rather be occupied than endure the war any more."

"In the fourteenth month, the frontlines moved towards the Xiltuk nation. National fervour and morale dropped faster than the humans could bomb anything." Commander Il-thu-3 stated. "I remember, I had been looking over the map when I got a call. It was my mother, crying, saying that she can't bear it any more. Everyone was lethargic, the police were barely able to keep the rioting, factories shut down, high level officials were taken to hospitals with depression.

Within my own flagship we had multiple grumbles about desertion, and I could accept it. I was in one group of officers who considered simply giving up and negotiating peace. We still had plenty of food but we could not bear being separated from home that long.

Then i learnt that the human prisoners of war, kept in our holding bay, were busy playing some fictional ballgame, like they were on vacation."

In the eighteenth month, Xiltuk civilians, police and soldiers sat down before all the government buildings of the Alliance' homeworld, demanding the end of war. Politicians were beaten up by civilians, multiple officers built a makeshift court of war crimes on Xiltuk political and military leaders, hanging four of them before the newly elected committee declared they will sue for peace. Human forces barely even crossed the borders and bombed four planets when the Xiltuk alliance collapsed due to interplanetary strikes.

Humans have always been endurance hunters. We can endure untold physical, psychological, and emotional trauma. Being so unexceptional, we are mocked by the intergalactic community until war shows how terrifying it is to simply… endure.

[ridley-was-a-cat]

What I Watched Last Month - October 2024

Gridman Universe – Bringing together characters from SSSS.Gridman and SSS.Dynazenon, this sequel movie delivers both a satisfying cap on the stories for each series, and a buttload of mecha-kaiju action that had me clapping like a seal. A sequel like this always runs the risk of ripping holes in the earlier resolutions to create space for more story, but thankfully they avoided that here, creatively bringing everyone together without undoing anyone’s hard work. It was nice to see all the characters again, especially those I thought were gone for good, and the romance sub-plot was really sweet. The action scenes were a perfect blend of 2D and 3D animation, with some great kaiju designs and a ton of exciting fight choreography. The Delicious in Dungeon Easter egg at the end was a nice touch. 9/10

One Piece Fan Letter – Any time Megumi Ishitani directs One Piece, you know you’re in for something special, and this one-off extra episode following a couple of bystanders in Sabaody on the day the Straw Hats returned to the ship post-timeskip was no exception. Despite the short length, it packed a complete story about two very different characters – a little girl trying to deliver a fan letter to Nami, and a Marine soldier torn between his duty and his admiration for Luffy – that fit the space perfectly and put a big smile on my face. Coupled with fantastic storyboards brought to life by movie-quality animation, it was honestly one of the best anime I’ve seen this year. 9/10

Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light – This beautiful short movie from the mangaka and studio behind Natsume’s Book of Friends follows a girl who befriends a young man who lives among the yokai in the forest near her grandfather’s house, with the condition that he will disappear if touched by a human. After watching a half dozen seasons of Natsume, I could guess at how the story was going to play out, but the particular way it resolved left me a weeping mess. A deeply moving love story I won’t forget anytime soon. 8/10

Memories – I picked up this triple feature movie by a trio of accomplished directors as a quick spooky season entry. The first story is a delightfully eerie psychological horror set in space, the second was a fun horror comedy set on earth, and the third was a dystopia with a striking visual style. The first story, Metallic Rose, was my favorite, as it used its limited run time for a perfectly paced and genuinely creepy story with fantastic visuals and a great soundtrack. But the other two accomplished what they were trying to do and were entirely enjoyable in their own way. 8/10

Magic User’s Club – A year after an alien force swiftly conquers the Earth, a group of high schoolers in a fledgling school club train with magic while planning to defeat them. The five kids are a lot of fun, with a wide variety of personalities leading to some amusing misunderstandings and a couple of sweet romantic interactions. I especially liked that the boy with the crush on the club president wasn’t treated purely as a joke, and how the scene where he talks about his one-sided feelings with one of the girls is one of the series’ best written moments. With only six episodes, the story kind of ends just as it was getting started, but it was a genuinely enjoyable short series. 7/10

After-School Hanako-kun Part 2 – Like they did last October, this was a four-episode series of ten minute shorts, where the characters get into silly little situations like having their gender swapped for a bit, or running a cafe when they don’t know how to make coffee, that resolve themselves after a chuckle or two. It’s a fun bonus series, and I hope they make it a yearly tradition. 7/10

[ersatz-anomaly]

What are good shows and movies (preferably in the sci-fi/fantasy/action kind of genres) with little to no sex scenes and a decent at least focus on plot and characters that’s available on Paramount Plus?

I’m thinking about trying the free trial to delay my bingeing of One Piece so One Piece keeps my autistic ass on life support longer but I’m hoping to acquire a small list so I can effectively make use of the free access before cancelling the day before it expires and tries to charge me (every streaming site is mostly barren of good content so I’m not shelling out the wonga unless there’s a good consistent stock of shows and/or movies to make it worthwhile) unless it proves to be an exception.

There was Dirk Gently, Castlevanias first 2 seasons, Umbrella Academy (until the character assassination of Allison Hargreaves), Final Space, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix (off top of our head) before they all got cancelled to give us more Big Mouth 🙃

There was The Tick, Truth Seekers, Star Trek: Lower Decks (which definitely got better as it went on I loved the character arc for Mariner just like I loved Isaacs journey in Castlevania), Invincible and Good Omens on Prime Video.

There was Andor, The Mandalorian seasons 1, 2, and a quarter of 3 until it became the Bo Katan Show, What If, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Loki s2, and Werewolf by Night on Disney Plus