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moonbaby26 · 8 months ago

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Title: The Victor

(Chapter 5 of Doflamingo’s Marine Series)

*Crossposted to AO3 Here*

Chapter Pairings: Doflamingo x Reader, Aokiji/Kuzan x Reader, Smoker x Reader is in the past, Doflamingo x Tsuru (platonic)

Chapter Warnings: foreplay without payoff, references to more physical abuse to reader, alcohol abuse

Chapter Synopsis: After the confrontation over you between Doflamingo and Aokiji in Sabaody, both men are now left dealing with those resulting emotions in their own ways. And you still find yourself caught in the middle, the three of you all having to find the next way forward.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

————————————

————————————

This morning had been more than rough. You should have given into the nausea of last night and puked these toxins into the bushes. Instead of trying to be so tough to hold it in. Because what did dignity matter when you still felt this awful?

You’d been a little confused on your way to the gym too as you’d seen Kuzan walking the opposite way in the rain. Towards the harbor actually with an awfully serious look about him and his umbrella open above his head.

He hadn’t even seen you, you were sure. But you’d been in a crowd of other sailors. Vergo had volunteered you to give assistance in some basic haki training happening this morning.

And said class was thankfully being held inside the gym, in comparison to the poor luck of the muddy recruits now running past you all in the yard. You could hear Akainu’s whistle and yell towards them even now over the distant thunder.

“Too slow! Double time it you slugs!” He was screaming.

Oh, you did not miss that part of the rookie days.

The haki class itself had been pretty uneventful at first too. Not very many students, just those who had shown any aptitude at all and had been recommended to keep training by their commanding officers.

Of course Vice Admiral Vergo was well known for his advanced level of armament, so he’d been a guest teacher for today while still in Marineford. And for the entire morning you were only moving through the group as his assistant, giving pointers here or there where you could to the other marines to help improve their form.

If you hadn’t felt like such utter shit, you would have gladly asked Vergo to spar with you by the time lunch break came too. You knew he was above your level, but that was the only real way to learn and push past your own limits sometimes. You’d hoped you’d get another chance before he left to head back to G-5 base at least.

But you’d been sitting on the gym floor with your legs criss crossed, headache still going strong despite your best efforts to rehydrate as you ate the meager rations they’d brought in from the mess hall for lunch. It was too inefficient for the class to cross campus all the way there and come back. So the kitchen workers had just brought you all some sandwiches to get by on before training would start again.

And you were eating your sandwich and thinking about nothing at all. A rare privilege really, when suddenly you felt like you were being completely stared through.

Someone else’s haki had focused on you? You were still pretty bad at being able to know the difference. But your muscles did tense a little as you glanced up slightly.

And as your head turned, you realized Vergo had walked to the edge of the room and was now on the phone with someone. Holding a small receiver in his hand, so the voice on the other end could not be heard.

Vergo’s sunglasses always hid his eyes, much like someone else you knew. But you took another bite of your sandwich as you pretended to brush crumbs off your shirt instead of looking at him directly.

It was so stupid, but you were trying to seem completely unbothered as you could barely hear the Vice Admiral’s voice over the other chatting sailors. But this classroom was not that big. Just open floor with exercise mats and mirrors, nothing to really absorb sound well. And why did you even care?

“No. She’s been here with us all morning.” He said.

Okay, that was a bit more interesting as you tried to remember how many females there were in the room then. Maybe only another two or three? Yes, it was actually only two others. You saw them now, off in another corner together. Not at all where he was looking.

He was absolutely looking at you.

And you were watching a seam on the side of your boot by then, wondering why your heart rate kept increasing. You really strained your ears to listen further.

——————————

Doflamingo’s grip on the other end of that phone was incredibly tight. Enough to push some of the blood from his knuckles. But he did not break the snail’s receiver the way he’d done to the pen earlier. His voice was still low through his gritted teeth as he continued, “That piece of shit had the gall to come after me in my own house, Vergo.”

It was inexcusable of course. And even now the mansion staff were still trying to shovel the chunks of ice away floors below him. Doflamingo had shredded that frozen wall in a hateful fit not long after Aokiji’s departure of course.

The warlord had then immediately stormed upstairs as well. His mind forgot nothing, and he’d still recalled your number perfectly from before as he’d dialed it again then.

And he’d been pacing in his office, one fist clenching and unclenching, blood vessels pulsing on his forehead as the snail had only rang and rang.

He didn’t know what you had done to rile the admiral so thoroughly. But he was certain that you’d had some culpability in it all. Because you were just that infuriating.

It was fine if you had shown Aokiji what couldn’t be had. Doflamingo had even encouraged this, just as he’d given you permission to go out with the other man at all last night.

It would have been no different than when he’d paraded your body in front of Disco at the auction house. Because the obvious focus still should have been on the “could not have” aspect of it.

But the admiral that he’d nearly just traded what surely would have been debilitating blows with, had not arrived here on just the thought of you alone.

No, that was the resolve of a man fighting for you. You had done something to make Aokiji feel as if you were still his to be defended. Doflamingo could see this no other way.

And even as he’d finally hung up that unanswered call to you, to ring Vergo instead, the memories from yesterday had still been so vivid as well.

Because you’d told him that you wanted him then. You’d told him that it was him alone that you thought of when you opened your legs at night. And he had believed you.

All this frustration for one goddamned bitch.

But Vergo was loyal at least, fully dependable in contrast to you as the vice admiral had answered right away. Vergo’s own snail was encrypted of course, fully safe while Doflamingo still paced and vented freely as soon as the other man was there to listen.

Yet Vergo assured him that you’d been in sight all morning. That you were there right now in fact at some asinine marine class. If you’d put Aokiji up to this today, that conversation had to have taken place elsewhere.

But still Doflamingo wanted more. His current feelings couldn’t be sated with words alone. He needed to know that some sort of punishment would be carried out. Retribution for this pain in his chest that he couldn’t expel.

He hated you for it. The same way that he’d hated you as his finger tips had smeared through your tears in Disco’s office. Your wounded silence taking away all his pleasure as you’d broken too easily before him then.

“So what did you say, haki class was it?” Doflamingo grumbled in renewed question, trying to shake that mental image of you and your tears again. His hand was now running back through his hair.

Fuck you and this feeling. No one could be allowed to humiliate him this way. So you needed to feel it in exchange, but even harder of course.

“Yes, training in armament.” The vice admiral replied.

“Then put on a lesson for me, Vergo. A decisive one.” But even through his cruel sneer, the warlord still found himself placing extra rules that he normally wouldn’t have. It was maddening.

“But not too far…I just want her to feel this. Go for the sternum, the ribs maybe. At least once hard enough to bring her down to her knees. The rest you can leave to me for later. I’m not done with her yet.”

“I understand.” Vergo simply agreed in his usual flat tone, no judgment at all towards those heightened emotions still radiating from his master. “I’m sorry you had to experience this. I’ll take care of it.” He did add dutifully as well.

“Thank you, Vergo.” Doflamingo answered with another exhale. Finally sitting back down then at his desk, though still feeling no better for it.

Yes, he also knew that in a way, this was exactly what he’d asked for. He had wanted to know the extent to which Aokiji may be a future problem. But in his mind, it’d been more him trying to gauge your lingering feelings for the admiral. Not the other way around.

He had truly underestimated your own hold on that man. Doflamingo had underestimated you.

A mistake he would not make twice.

———————————

“She what?” The incredulous, yet fully serious voice came as the large transponder snail on Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s desk now glowered into the room.

“I told you to tell her at the end of the meeting, not the beginning, if you were going to tell her at all.” Vice Admiral Garp chuckled at the predictable response, his big fist full of another round of potato chips before he shoved them into his mouth from the bag.

Sengoku scowled at the loud crunching sounds that followed. Garp sitting across from him in the office and generating a mess of crumbs. It was only the two of them here, plus the now angry female on the phone as Tsuru continued over the snail’s speaker.

“And you were just going to let me find all this out myself weren’t you?”

“The reception in Lyra is terrible, Tsuru-chan.” Sengoku tried. She was still stationed abroad. And even the high powered snails here at HQ had trouble reaching those distant mountainous islands like the one she was now on. “There was no point in-“

“Who brought her to the infirmary?” She cut him off again.

“Kizaru.” Garp answered, just speaking as he still loudly chewed. “Just an excuse to get back out of the damned rain I’m sure. The man bitches about it every time.”

“He’s also a terrible gossip. So this will be everywhere already then.” Tsuru sighed, the irritation from her still palpable.

“I mean, it is pretty goddamned funny.” Garp responded, knowing when he was likely pushing her too far. But he didn’t exactly care either. He feared no one. “Akainu about blew a gasket. If he didn’t want to be puked on, probably should have moved a little faster!”

“It was just his boots.” Sengoku clarified before Tsuru could react further. The fleet admiral was regretting letting Garp in here at all by this point.

This had been a previously scheduled meeting for an update on the rebellion in Lyra that Tsuru was currently addressing. But with everything that had recently happened with her own subordinate, Sengoku knew that Tsuru would want to know.

Firstly, the whole mess in Sabaody yesterday that you had been involved in. Tsuru hadn’t liked that at all of course considering which warlord was present for it. And now, just today some training incident that had gone off the rails. It was still confusing as to why it had escalated that quickly. But Sengoku was leaving this solely to Tsuru if she felt there needed to be any followup on it.

All Sengoku knew at this point was that Vice Admiral Vergo, visiting from base G-5, had moved his haki class outside to the yard to have more room for sparring exercises.

But somehow you and Vergo had taken things above and beyond everyone else. Blame, fairly or not, was also being put more heavily on you for choosing not to tap out when faced with a higher level opponent.

And at some point you’d been hit hard enough to land where two of the admirals were still supervising rookie drills. And you’d thrown up on Akainu’s boots, forcing Kizaru to talk the literal hothead back down while whisking you off to the infirmary.

The only thing Sengoku had heard since then was that you likely had some cracked ribs and a possible concussion. Luckily only that, but the fact that for two days in a row now you’d become the center of some utter fiasco was still worrying.

At least worrying to himself and Tsuru anyway. Garp seemed to find it entirely entertaining.

“She’s just a kid.” The more amused Vice Admiral replied. “You know we did the same shit back in our day.”

“Speak for yourself.” Tsuru grumbled, her impatience with him evident as usual. But she had grown up through the ranks with these two men, and she could also speak freely with them as she worried aloud.

“It’s not either incident alone which is the worst of course.” Her tone was changing the more she thought too. She sounded more troubled now. “The day I left her in Mariejois, I had concerns. And after that day I could tell that something was wrong. I thought it was that stupid boy Smoker. If it was, then you’d be right for once, Garp. Just children figuring things out.”

She sighed again. “But then you tell me he is involved with the auction house now. And that the day after dealing with him alone there, she’s now acting out enough to pick fights with Vice Admirals?”

“You think it’s related?” Sengoku asked her.

“If Doflamingo upset or humiliated her, then yes. Her risk management falters quickly in those circumstances. She’d fight to her last breath to regain some sense of control or power in times like that. It’s a stress response for her.”

“But by the reports we have, there was no physical altercation between Doflamingo and your captain in Sabaody.” Sengoku offered.

Tsuru made a doubtful sound on the other end of the line.

“I don’t know why you still let that pink shitbird get under your skin so much, Tsuru-chan.” Garp grunted at that.

“He’s not a rookie pirate anymore. And his influence is only growing now that he’s a warlord too. I’ve learned the hard way never to discount him.” Was Tsuru’s rather cold response. “I’ll deal with it though. But please keep an eye on her for me in the meantime. It may be time to ship her back my way. I didn’t expect to be away from HQ this long. Base life doesn’t suit her very well regardless. She needs to get back out in the field.”

“Setting sail and bashing some pirates’ heads together is always the best medicine for all ailments.” Garp could at least agree somewhat to that.

“We’ll look at who has ships heading towards you next and let you know.” Sengoku replied, though fully realizing this would likely not be the last time he’d be hearing your name in relation to all this now.

They were getting too old for these new generation dramas.

——————————

You were essentially trapped now. The nurse on duty had threatened you with strong sedatives if you refused to stay in this bed at least another hour.

Their excuse was the need to continue monitoring you for signs of head injury. But if it was a concussion, you’d had stronger ones. Vergo’s fist had left you briefly seeing stars for sure, yet you hadn’t fully blacked out.

It was only that strike just below your chest that had done you in. Partially off center, and into ribs that Doflamingo had already weakened with his tantrum of yesterday.

Even with your own armament up at the time, it was like Vergo had pushed energy straight through that barrier. Stronger than a bullet as he’d knocked you from the sparring area to win with an immediate out of bounds call.

Anyone else in your shoes would have tapped out long before then of course. But you just couldn’t. The more he’d hit you, the stronger you’d hit back. The more pissed off you’d been.

But it was still too much. And certainly too much for today as you’d been on your knees in the mud before you’d really known what had happened. Finally losing your lunch right onto those boots then in front of you as Akainu didn’t back away quickly enough.

Of course it was not in that admiral’s nature to move for anyone though. So why would he have? But he didn’t expect that resulting vomit as you’d coughed and struggled to breathe after Vergo’s last incredible strike.

Akainu had never liked you at all either. And for a moment you had felt the mud heating up dangerously below you as his temper had flared.

Kizaru had grabbed you by the back of your shirt to get you out of the way then. Like picking up a stunned kitten really. An embarrassment in its own way as he’d also then volunteered to drag you to the infirmary against your will.

And now you both remained here. You laying in one of the infirmary beds, watching the timer the nurse had set, and Kizaru sitting languidly in the chair next to said bed. One of his long legs crossed over the other as he seemed he truly had nowhere better to be.

“You don’t have to stay.” You said for probably the third time now.

Kizaru’s arms were crossed over his chest, just perfectly unbothered in that almost annoying way of his. “It’s still raining. I’m fine here.”

Why they only ever called Aokiji the lazy one, you weren’t fully sure.

Maybe if he’d stayed quiet it wouldn’t have been so bad. But Kizaru couldn’t do that either.

“So…” His voice started up yet again. “This is what, three for three now of Captain (Y/N) related incidents? And the last two nearly within twenty four hours. You’re starting to outdo yourself.”

You really couldn’t tell if he was making fun of you or just noting this as interesting enough to comment on. But either way you didn’t like it.

“Well, are you going to write me up for something?” You asked flatly, not knowing what he expected you to do about any of this now. You were well aware that people were still talking about your dust up with Smoker in Mariejois. And of course the auction house yesterday, and now it would be about you, Vergo, and Akainu’s vomit boots today.

Troublemaker was another moniker of yours you often heard in not so quiet whispers.

But Kizaru’s demeanor never really changed at your attitude. He just answered you with a question of his own. “If Aokiji never reprimands you, then what right do I have to discipline you either?”

Your eyebrows raised a little as Kizaru turned his head to make eye contact with you through those transparent sunglasses before he kept on.

“I don’t know what Aokiji’s dragging his feet for though. You always get him flustered. It’d just be the sensible thing for him to go ahead and admit it right?”

How your body could still have had the energy for that flush of heat to go immediately to your face when you’d just been pounded into the mud not long ago was a feat in its own right. But you didn’t hesitate much.

“Aokiji and I are just friends.” You said with the plainness of someone repeating a legal statement.

“Uh huh,” Kizaru answered, tilting his head a little as if working out a stiffness in his neck brought on by the cheap infirmary chair. “And water isn’t wet.”

———————————

Hours later you’d finally been alone in your room again. The sun had long since set and you were hurting all over as the remnants of mud darkened your shower drain.

When that was done, you refused to even look in the mirror as you dried off. Your body was a battlefield by this point. Even you weren’t sure which bruise was from who anymore. Unless they truly looked like Doflamingo’s bites or sucks, it was anyone’s guess.

Karma wasn’t something you really believed in. Because you’d seen too many good people suffer and too many bad people win. But if you had done something to truly merit this, you could still only wonder what that would have been.

Especially when an abrupt knock came at your door.

What in the fuck now? Was your first tired thought as you dropped your towel to grab a robe instead. You did tighten it well and pull the collar high before you went to the door.

There were no peep holes in these doors. Something that wouldn’t normally matter as you cracked the door just slightly, expecting one of your female neighbors at most.

But your breath caught in your chest as you saw that familiar admiral coat at your eye level instead.

And Kuzan said nothing, just looking down at you as you opened the door wider in surprise.

Yet you could smell alcohol again as you heard girls laughing in the distance. They were just entering the barracks from the outside. They’d be coming around the corner into your corridor shortly. They’d see him at your door, and you only in your bathrobe.

So you grabbed that stupid man by his marine tie, jerking him towards you as he did not resist. The door slammed shut as he disappeared into your room. Those girls not even noticing the sound over their own voices before they entered the hallway.

“What the hell are you doing!?” You fussed up at him. You’d already had to argue with Kizaru of all people earlier, likely the biggest gossip on base about these very kinds of things.

And Kuzan was just going to show up unannounced to make this all even harder?

But he was just staring at you for that moment. He actually looked sad, sincerely so. In a way that had your anger melting away as his dark eyes stayed focused on you.

“Kuzan?” You asked him, more concerned then.

“I’m sorry.” His words finally came. He looked distracted, bothered. It was different things all at once.

He moved away from you too, going to sit on the edge of your bed as the closest thing to take his weight off of his feet.

“You’ve been drinking.” You stated the obvious. It was much worse than he’d been last night. But you’d seen this before. You knew what it meant.

“What happened?” You asked him carefully, fearing the worst.

He was still watching you. That heavy look, his legs were spread. “I just…I just want you.” But he was almost fighting himself. Changing the meaning with just a few additional words. “I…want you to be okay.”

“You’re drunk.” You tried again, still not understanding at all where this could be coming from. “You can sleep it off here if you need to.” You would still protect him of course.

It wasn’t just about you. You did care about Kuzan’s reputation as well. He’d had his struggles with alcohol as most knew, but normally only when really triggered. He’d be sober by morning and no one would be the wiser. You could sneak him back out of here. It would be fine.

“(Y/N).” He just sounded more insistent.

You watched him carefully. That chilled vapor was coming from his mouth then. He needed to control himself. Your anxiety did increase as the room’s temperature continued to drop.

“Kuzan, you need to rest. Lay down.” You tried to sound more forceful as the chill bumps started across your skin.

“I can’t…because I can’t help you if you keep lying to me.” His eyes were so sharp, even if his voice was not.

And at this you did feel that first real tinge of fear.

He stood again not long after. And when he did, you saw those ice crystals sparkling across your bedsheets from where his hands had been.

But you stood your ground as his long legs crossed the distance between you so easily.

This man would never hurt you. Not on purpose. You knew this even as your own breath started to turn to vapor as he came to stand in front of you once more.

And his arm moved around your waist then. The other onto your shoulder. He was steadying himself. But it was so cold. It was as if that touch went straight through the thin robe direct to your skin as he said these new words.

“Doflamingo…what is he to you?”

The world stopped.

Maybe your heartbeat with it. Your legs felt numb. His grip was on you harder. He was the one holding you up now instead.

But you couldn’t make a sound. There was ice on your lips. Even before his own soft mouth had covered yours.

You didn’t even know if you were letting him, or if you really couldn’t move any longer. The taste was so familiar, but masked with the alcohol. That intense cold like drinking him into yourself as you felt the pain beginning in your lungs.

Ice crystals were forming inside your airway as you finally raised your hand enough to grip the side of his face. You dug your fingernails in.

It wouldn’t hurt him, his cheek was more ice than skin now. But he did feel it.

As soon as his lips parted from yours just that slightest bit, you forced that frigid air back out enough to speak.

“Let me breathe.” But even as you said so, you hadn’t moved away from him at all.

And he understood. Not apologizing yet, but you could feel the ice beginning to withdraw. He was reigning himself back in just enough even as his face remained pressed against yours.

He did let you breathe as requested then. Your body heat reclaiming your lungs bit by bit as you felt his hand wandering up from your waist. He rubbed your back to assist in the gentle thaw as his power continued to recede.

But you still had to answer him. Even as numb and fearful as you still were. Did Kuzan think you were a traitor? Would he hate you? You had no idea how he knew about Doflamingo yet, and maybe even more importantly what he knew.

“We’ve had interactions.” You tried to start. The cold still stung your throat. “But it’s all new...”

Kuzan made a sound. He had lifted his head enough to look down into your eyes again. “So it’s true?”

His voice was different then. And you didn’t like that harshness. You wanted the softer man back from out of all this ice. “My loyalty is to my friends, to my crew, Kuzan. That won’t change.” You promised, but it sounded more like begging. “I’m a marine.” You said, as much trying to comfort yourself as him in this moment.

“He’s a devil…he really is.” He said. “Why…why would you let him…did you let him?” And it was clear that Kuzan was still so unsure of which answer would be worse.

To live with the knowledge that Doflamingo had taken you against your will, or the equal torture in the realization that you may have actually wanted the madman to do it.

Was this the debate that had plagued Kuzan today as he’d poisoned himself with drink until he could stagger to your door? But still, why? How did he find out?

“It’s a bit of both.” You finally answered, unable to lie any further when faced with this weakened king right before you. Because he was a king to you. Kuzan commanded more respect with his selflessness than the Heavenly Demon ever could through cruelty.

But that logic didn’t make you immune to Doflamingo’s flames and that growing desire for him either. Far from it. It was as if the two of them combined could have made the perfect man for you. Fire and ice.

And what a selfishly deranged thought to think though. Especially when faced with the true pain that your indecisiveness between them could cause.

You didn’t give Kuzan time to reply. You didn’t want him hurting any longer. You resolved yourself to relieve this as much you could for him in this moment. At the very least you could do that as some form of atonement for whatever he’d suffered through today.

You’d had no idea he was still holding onto these kinds of feelings. But maybe so were you. Because this vulnerability was still something that Doflamingo couldn’t fully give you.

If the warlord even had a side like this. If he really did, wouldn’t he have just cut it out as a weakness long ago?

Kuzan had not forsaken any such faults though. You knew he hadn’t in the way his knees weakened as soon as you’d started kissing him again.

He wouldn’t stop you either. He didn’t want to stop as the two of you moved together to fall back onto your bed.

It felt so old and so new all at the same time. You knew just how to undo his tie. Your fingers remembered every button in his vest and his shirt. All those prestigious layers of that marine uniform cast to the floor one after another.

He wasn’t sobering up by any means, but he was more focused then. Wanting something too and controlling the ice so much better now, letting your hands move freely across him as you finally reached bare skin.

His broad chest, breathing for you as you kissed across it. But that milder cold still remained, assisting you even as it now dulled all the aches and pains across your own body. Your bruises, your cracked ribs, all these things that were meaningless to you in this moment.

When your hands ran down his flat abdomen to his belt, you did glance briefly back up to him. You saw that briefest hesitation in his eyes, but then he nodded.

You had his permission to go further. And you didn’t waste it, unbuckling the belt to open it, along with the button and zipper of his white pants soon after.

When it was all loose, he raised his hips to help you in sliding them off. His shoes had already come off sometime at the beginning. Socks now joining them with his pants on your floor.

He was just in his boxer briefs then. Not the instant nudity of Doflamingo who seemed to like nothing between his cock and the open air but those ever tight capris pants.

You couldn’t help but keep contrasting the two men even then as you gently started to massage Kuzan through his boxers.

But were you taking advantage of the weakened admiral in the same way that Doflamingo would so gladly have done to you now? And how could his hold already be this strong for you to even be thinking these things? The warlord was still in your bed in your own mind even as another man now laid down into it.

“It’s been a while,” Kuzan breathed out as you felt him beginning to tighten beneath your touch.

And at first you thought he meant since the last time you and he had actually been together like this. Because yes, that’d be years ago now.

But something in the needful way he still looked at you made you second guess that. Did he mean the last time since he’d been intimate with anyone at all?

“How long, Kuzan?” You asked gently then, realizing he may have neglected himself entirely. Which was completely unnecessary. Kuzan could have about any woman on this base if he actually tried. And he could be a complete flirt when he wanted to be.

“Almost five months.” He admitted honestly. “A girl at a bar. I didn’t know she was just trying to get back at her boyfriend though.”

“Ouch,” you said affectionately before admitting your own previous record. “Smoker made me wait three months then dumped me.” You half smiled.

It was something how quickly you could both tell each other almost anything again. Just like it used to be as you fell back into those old rhythms. But there was still that massive shadow hanging over you both. And he hadn’t forgotten it either.

“Did you and Doflamingo…” Kuzan started, even as his abdomen tensed, he was hard beneath those boxers now.

And of course he had a right to know. You could imagine that getting seconds from a pirate was not on any admiral’s wishlist to be sure. Also with the extra baggage of it being unprotected sex as well unfortunately.

You hadn’t been in the position to demand a condom in either instance of course. Just praying that the pirate was wealthy and intelligent enough to have the right medicines on hand to keep himself clear of STD’s. Your marine issued birth control pills were a necessity you’d always kept to the daily regimen of as well.

Why Doflamingo had insisted on going in raw and not pulling out either you weren’t sure about yet. Whether that was just his reckless nature, or something more specific to you was far too soon to tell.

“Me and him? Twice…” You answered quietly, not without guilt still in your tone. Even if Doflamingo hadn’t gotten to finish you that second time in Sabaody.

Kuzan groaned. You knew if he was sober the reactions would have been so much worse. So maybe the alcohol was still a blessing in its own way. As it was now he just looked somewhat miserable again even as ice crystals still sparkled across the mattress around you both. “I just…don’t understand.” He told you.

“I don’t really either,” you admitted too. “And I don’t even know if I can…well, take you right now because of that. I don’t have any condoms here anymore.” You and Smoker had been together long enough to trust that each other were clean. And you were just trying to be up front. Plus you were still torn anyway. You probably couldn’t have endured him without serious ice to numb you again anyway.

But your hands worked fine. Your mouth worked fine if he wanted that. All he had to do was show that it was still okay.

“You don’t have to do anything for me.” He breathed instead as he reached for you then. “That’s not why I’m here.”

And he was then kissing you again, disregarding his erection as you felt him loosening the belt of your bathrobe. His cold hands slipped beneath it as he so gently pulled that last barrier from your shoulders.

You saw him lean back enough to look at you as it fell away. A light frown downturned his lips as he looked across all the damage.

Kuzan sighed, fingertips tracing some of it with the cold growing a little more around you again. “Of you and me, I was always supposed to be the more self destructive one…when did that change?”

Probably around the time that he’d first left you you thought to yourself. It had been so hard then. You had to get even tougher to keep going. But when you didn’t answer him, he just shifted you both so that you were now on your back in the bed, him above you as he straddled you.

And in some way, being under him made you feel so young again. Like true innocent affection despite still being nude in bed with him right now. How those two things could coexist made about as much sense as anything else right now as he started kissing your collarbones.

You knew he was being so careful with you too, even as his lips moved lower to suck one of your breasts gently. His chilled mouth teasing you unintentionally as your hand reached up to stroke through his hair and down the back of his neck.

Kuzan had always joked about really liking breasts whenever he flirted with girls. Doflamingo had focused on yours a bit too. But not in the same way that Kuzan made them a real priority as soon as they were available to him.

If you had to pick a part of your body that Doflamingo had seized on most, well it was just the main attraction at this point. He just wanted to fuck you and nothing else as far as you knew. Whether by cock, tongue, or fingers, that man wanted to be inside.

Kuzan had never been that way though. He wouldn’t say no to the privilege of course, but he’d never been in a hurry. He would get there when he got there. It wasn’t about any specific endgame. It was just about being together.

And yet…even now as Kuzan’s mouth worked your chest and his hand slid protectively over your hip, you didn’t feel like this reunion changed a thing between you.

It didn’t feel like tomorrow would be any different than yesterday or the day before that. Maybe he had missed you. Maybe this was his own form of penance if he thought in any way that his prior actions had put you on a road to falling into the grasp of a man like Doflamingo.

But somehow you still knew that when the sun came up this ice would be melted again and he would be gone. Back to only being your friend.

“Kuzan…” It may be your only chance to ask, the alcohol dropping enough walls for him to answer you once and for all. This question that had plagued you even on the nights that it was Smoker instead who would have been above you like this.

“Hmm?” The admiral turned his head, just resting it against your chest then to listen to you.

You knew he could hear your heartbeat too in that position now as you brought your fingers back into his hair.

“Why did you really leave me…why wasn’t I good enough for you then?”

And he made another sound and you realized he had closed his eyes. But his expression looked somewhat miserable again. He didn’t want to talk about this.

“Kuzan.” You raised your voice a little.

His eyes opened slightly. He was using your chest as something to rest against all the same. “I’m sorry…I’m just an asshole.” He murmured. “I couldn’t stay. I can’t have a family. None of it. My path doesn’t allow that…it’d just end only one way. I’d lose them…lose you.”

“And nothing has changed now, has it?” You knew the answer already. But you both needed to say it.

“No. It hasn’t. I can’t…”

“You can’t love me.” You finished for him.

“No.” He breathed. “Not that way.”

“It’s okay…” You heard yourself saying. Even with the pain that went through your chest at the final confirmation. “Nobody can.”

He lifted his head, just enough to look at you again. His eyes looked so tired. “That isn’t true.”

You smiled just barely. “It doesn’t matter. Doflamingo isn’t capable of it either I’m sure.” And before he could interrupt you for saying that name that he still didn’t want to hear, you asked something else.

“So are you going to out me about him? I am still a marine like I said. He put me in a bad spot, but I did what I had to so that I was the only one he hurt. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m not a traitor, Kuzan. And if it does go too far, I know you can stop me. Is that what you really came here to tell me?”

And for the first time Kuzan had a trace of fear in his own eyes. But he was also too tired to do much more than interlace his fingers in yours then, with his head still on your chest.

“Hina is the only other one that knows. That boy told her what he saw and she told me. She won’t out you.” He took another breath though. “But I went and saw Doflamingo in Sabaody this morning…”

And an additional streak of fear cut through you at those words. But the most terrible thing of all was that you actually felt a concern for the demon himself. You had almost asked if Kuzan had hurt Doflamingo, if he had frozen him before you bit your lip to stop such insane words from coming out of your mouth.

“We didn’t fight. It came close.” Kuzan said, though his expression didn’t say how much he may have noticed your near slip. “But I thought about it the rest of the day. All day at the bar until I finally realized…”

He’d closed his eyes again. There was a new defeat in the way he’d draped across your body now. “I still don’t understand why it has to be true…but I realized he’s just the kind of man you like to fight with. And you love to fight so much…you always have. So he didn’t just choose you. You’re choosing him. Aren’t you? You wouldn’t give that rush up even if I begged you to…”

You were speechless.

Kuzan nuzzled further into your bare chest however. He somewhat clumsily reached out to pull the blankets around you both as well.

“I’ll leave in the morning. I trust you…whatever you do.” He murmured. “But I’ll kill him the moment he goes too far. Don’t let him hurt you again…if he does there’s nowhere that pirate could hide from the ice age I’d bring.”

————————————

Late into the night, the rains had finally moved on. But the stress in Doflamingo’s mind had not. He knew that Vergo had carried out his orders just as asked. They hadn’t gotten to talk about it any more as he’d had to go into phone meetings as Joker the rest of the day. But no news was good news. It meant that everything was completed as expected.

The warlord had decided to let the hours pass by even further after that too. Trying to think out his next plans before he’d make any other move.

He’d busied himself with readying to sail for Dressrosa in the darkness. The Sabaody house would be out of play for a while as he’d gathered the things from his office.

Even this morning’s threats from Aokiji hadn’t been enough to fully deter him though. He was apparently willing to risk it all as the longer the day had gone on, the more he’d realized that he wanted…no, needed to see you again.

He would absolutely still be holding you to that agreement of staying with him a few nights in exchange for the release of those slaves as well. Just not at Sabaody as things needed a longer pause there now.

The warlord had other houses though. Plenty of them that he could choose farther from Marineford. Somewhere more difficult for unwanted company to interrupt everything he wanted to have all the time in the world to finally do to you. He was sure his opportunity would come.

He hadn’t been boarded on his ship long at all, navigators setting course for Dressrosa as he’d headed below deck and away from the now clear, starlit skies. He’d actually considered just getting a quick nap in as he entered his captain’s quarters to sit alone on his bed as well.

He was more than tired after such a long day. He had more work he could be doing instead of sleeping though. The door was already shut and locked as he removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

The right eye was dry, the left stung even more than usual.

He sat in silence, opening only his right eye after another moment. He rubbed at the left eye, then blinking it to see only shadows and haze through it as always before closing it again to lessen the stinging.

Leaving his glasses on the nightstand, he laid back onto the bed regardless. He’d kicked off his shoes and put his arms behind his head, probably falling asleep within a half hour at most.

At least until one of the snails rang anyway. There were always several wherever he slept. Different snails for contacts all over the world.

Doflamingo actually just rolled over for once though, burying his face in his overstuffed pillow. Maybe that nap needed to be a few hours after all. But the snail just kept ringing.

And with that amount of persistence he finally had to lift his head up to look. His right eye trying to focus on which snail it was before that eye did widen in realization.

A specific marine snail that hadn’t rang in quite some time was now vibrating among its peers. Doflamingo’s hair was still messy from rolling around in the bed as his strings brought that receiver quickly to his hand. And the snail with it as he pulled it onto the mattress beside him. Hurrying to catch the caller before they might finally stop.

“Well,” He said, already feeling that bit of adrenaline starting to rile him back fully awake too. It really had been a while. “What am I in trouble for this time?” He asked, with his hand partially going over his eyes in habit, as if to hide them even over the phone as he lay on his back again.

“Doflamingo.” Tsuru’s voice carried over. Not angry, not pleased, just fully Tsuru as she answered him. “I had thought you’d outgrown this childish fixation. You’ve been bothering one of my crew again.”

“Do you mean short skirt?” He smiled at her usual bluntness, but it actually wasn’t a harsh expression on his face. There was a little nostalgia here. It’d been years since he’d said that older nickname in front of Tsuru.

“I told you not to call her that again.”

“Captain is a lot more boring of an honorific, Tsuru-san.”

Of course, he should have been far more upset at this surprise. Because the moment that Tsuru would become involved between the two of you was inevitable, but also an entire new difficulty level that he may not currently be prepared for.

And yet, it wasn’t at all like being confronted by Aokiji this morning. Doflamingo truly didn’t mind hearing her voice again. Regardless of the circumstances.

“So what accusations am I facing then?” He actually yawned as he stretched within his bed, even without removing his hand from his eyes. “Apologies if you’re going to have to be more specific.”

He could hear Tsuru’s resulting frown even without looking back to the snail, himself always irking her whenever he insisted on being so purposefully informal in their interactions. It was such an old game he never tired of.

“Firstly, did you misbehave in Mariejois?” Her tone was sharp.

His lips parted slightly. If she was asking, then she was already quite sure that he’d done something. And she was even a step ahead of what Aokiji had been then. But of course he’d expect nothing less from Tsuru.

“She sat with me at the meeting while she gave her little report on the war for you. So professional. I did try to trip her, but that didn’t even work.” He admitted with another rare, genuine smile.

“Brat.” Tsuru grumbled. “But that can’t be the whole of it.”

“You’re the one that had to dangle her in front of me. I don’t know what you expected.” He dared to taunt a little without actually admitting more.

“As I said, I thought you’d outgrown that stupid fixation. You’re too old for this nonsense. Keep to your harems in Dressrosa and leave my crew alone.”

He laughed abruptly. Tsuru actually still saw this as a boyhood crush that he refused to release? He had teased her before about you in the North Blue days, yes. So he knew where she was coming from with this. But it was still something else entirely to hear her say it.

“But my pool girls at the castle can’t fight like she can. They can’t send you or even admirals to gut me like she can. It’s a completely different game. You know how much I like a challenge.”

“You can feel challenged all the way to Impel Down, boy.”

“Feh,” He was still smiling. “You’d miss me and you know it. Besides, we’re on the same side now like you always wanted. Why can’t it just finally be water under the bridge?”

“You’re still a pirate. And you don’t take care of your toys, Doflamingo. You break them and then you discard them. That girl has been with me since she was a teen. And unfortunately, I know you’ve had your attention on her since then too. But it doesn’t give you any right to her. You think everything belongs to you. That’s not how this works.”

He did frown a little then. But he wasn’t afraid to dig deeper, maybe even complaining to her actually about the injustice he still thought he’d suffered this morning. “You know you aren’t even the first marine to give me this speech today. Though it sounds a lot less patronizing coming from you.”

And there was a pause there. Which actually delighted him a little, with him having even a rare sliver of information that she did not.

“It was your Admiral Aokiji. I guess that’s her new marine beau again already? He came to my house in Sabaody this morning to bitch at me about having that little skirmish with her at the auction house. I suppose I must have made him jealous. He really was an asshole about the whole thing.”

But he couldn’t catch that woman off guard for long, as she absorbed this revelation easily. “Then I hope his ice gave you a wake up call. Just stay out of it. He’s not someone to be trifled with.”

“Neither am I,” The warlord’s pride did force him to remind her then, but he still wasn’t cold in tone. Not to her. “All I’m hearing though is that you all think I’m not good enough for her. It’s insulting. But let’s talk hypothetical since you took your precious time to make this call about her anyway. What happens if she falls for me instead? Do you excommunicate her from your little sailing brigade? Again, per the World Government, you and I are allies now. No matter how much you still call me a regular pirate. There’s nothing regular about me, Vice Admiral.”

It really had been some time since they’d conversed for this long. But Tsuru was always his match and more when it came to verbal debate as she responded without hesitation. “You’re fantasizing about things that can’t be. I have no doubt that you could hide behind your charms for even months or more if you chose to. But she’s not as ruthless as you’d require. And if it did become public, her rank would be frozen at best. She’d lose all credibility. And she’s worked far too hard to throw that away for a man who can’t even love her.”

Doflamingo felt his teeth grit. It was simultaneous to that slight twist in his chest again. Yet he didn’t lose his temper. “You’re so practical as always. But tell me the truth then. If I said I wanted to at least try, would you still do everything in your power to stop me? I don’t care what the world thinks of me. A kingdom of my own was my goal for so long. And now I have one thanks to Riku’s madness. So I’m chasing my next treasure. And I’m starting to think that it’s time for Dressrosa to have a queen. I could give her everything. You know that I could. Would it really be so terrible for her?”

She finally sounded more irritated then, maybe even surprised for a single moment. This was of course the first he was confessing these new intentions to anyone. But it was only natural that she’d be the first to know as Tsuru answered him. “And the moment she does anything at all to challenge your ego, or your ideas of people only existing in tiers beneath you as your servants at best, would you kill her, boy? Because I don’t think you understand how to function any differently than that. A woman is not a toy, not a puppet, not a pet.”

But she still took another breath, and here showcased the real reason why Doflamingo had tolerated this old marine mother for so many years. “I know you’re lonely. I know it hurts you. But forcing more people into your family against their will is only going to lead to another Minion Island. She’s a marine. She’ll always choose to save others even at the expense of herself in the end. Because that’s what we do. Even if you can only see that selflessness as betrayal to your own aspirations.”

His smile was fully gone as his hand slid away from his eyes then. If the snail copied the look in them now, it was what it was. Tsuru had seen these eyes before of course, and the pain that lived inside them.

“Rosinante never loved me, Tsuru-san. It’s not the same. And I know when things are worth risking and when they aren’t now. I’m smarter than I was then. She doesn’t have to be involved in anything unsavory.” And that was of course putting it lightly. “I don’t need another soldier. I already have plenty.”

“How long has this been going on then?” She asked, seeming to start to accept how very deep into this obsession he already was. How serious he really was.

“Since you recruited and flaunted her in front me years ago.” He responded, as if still blaming Tsuru for all of it too.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. I made sure she was oblivious to your leering and your dirty comments back then. Because she had a right to grow up without that burden on her self worth. She was still a child.”

“But you still let Aokiji have her.” He retorted, and it was more spiteful there.

Tsuru sighed. They had already been through this too. Years ago when it had first happened. “Don’t you dare lecture me on morality, boy. I’ve raised enough daughters. There does come an age where they’re going to go out and find a partner whether you approve of it or not. And if you don’t let them, the rebellion and self destruction they’ll choose instead would be even worse. I knew he wouldn’t hurt her. Just as much as I knew it wouldn’t last. And it never will now either as long as he’s still wishing to remain an admiral. That’s his own choice after what happened to Zephyr. Kuzan doesn’t want to be close to anyone.”

Doflamingo’s eyebrows lowered. This didn’t make sense to him. And Tsuru had never divulged that extra tidbit before. Aokiji was afraid? “He was ready to try and kill me this morning if I so much as sneezed. He wants her that bad and yet he still chooses to be without her?”

“He chooses distance because he does care about her. You wouldn’t understand. And the only reason I’m telling you this at all is so that you don’t resent her for someone she’s not even going to have. I know how that mind of yours works. You’re the most jealous thing that ever breathed.”

He sneered a little. “Sometimes I think you lie about which devil fruit you really have. You see through everyone don’t you?”

“Not everyone. I know you commit far more crimes than I can put evidence to at this point. But if the question is just how you’ll react to something? Please, you haven’t changed at all.”

“Why do you always have to be so difficult?” He exhaled, even as that tension faded again. “What do I have to do to convince you? You talk about your daughters, but what about me? You keep telling me ‘no’ over and over, you know it only makes things worse on this side too. Let me pursue her, even if you think this will never work. Fine, I’ll walk away when I’m done. Just like Aokiji did. But if you keep blocking me, you know it just makes me want to tear right through those walls.”

“You still never answered me on how long this has been going on. You hadn’t asked me about her since you’ve been a king. Now all the sudden you’re fixated more than ever. Why?”

“It was Mariejois of course.” He confirmed. “The very moment you left her alone with me, Tsuru-san. Can’t you at least commend my patience? It only took that many years for you to think I’d forgotten about her.”

“And then Sabaody.” She said, taking her own deep breath, seeming to accept this as her mistake. Obviously she didn’t know the extent of what had happened in either instance. She only knew that his desire for you had been fully rekindled because of it.

“So, I answered you.” His voice was fully serious now. “You do the same. What do I have to do to prove to you that I can play house with her without any casualties? You never know, she might even like it enough that she decides being a queen is a better gig than being shot at by pirates all day long as a marine.”

Tsuru still scoffed. “I can’t hand her over to someone whose going to inevitably destroy her. I don’t know how more plainly I can say that. You’ll never have my blessing.”

And there was a deeper desperation that must truly be there for him to use this comparison now. “But I’ve never truly hurt you. We’ve argued, and we’ve pitted our soldiers against one another like pieces on a chessboard over and over. But I never have gone for your throat, have I? And I won’t. And you know why.”

The silence in that moment made him smile again. Aokiji had been such a prick to think he was truly lying about this this morning. “I didn’t force you into my family.” Doflamingo kept on. “All those years ago, when you took that wounded boy you so pitied into your heart willingly. So let me do the same for her. I have room for you both in what’s left of mine. Because a boy will always need his mother figure. But now this man wants his queen as well.”

“I don’t think there is a heart there anymore, Doflamingo. Even as remnants. But, I’m not going to waste more breath on what you clearly have already decided. So I’ll say this. I can’t stop her. But I will tell her the truth. Everything I know about you. And unfortunately, it doesn’t break any written protocol we have for a marine to fraternize with a warlord given your government immunity. So I can’t formally punish either of you. But as I said, it absolutely would be a social stigma that could ruin all she’s accomplished. And I’ll warn her of that too. In short, I’ll do all I can to show her the terrible choice you would really be.”

“I can accept that challenge.” Doflamingo did smile again then. This was the best it would possibly be then. He was realistic enough to know that. So honestly, it almost did feel like a victory.

And Tsuru always had the perfect read on every situation as long as she had enough information to do so. The ‘Great Tactician’ they still called her.

So Doflamingo also believed her when she said that Aokiji would not take you back. Not fully or publicly anyway. And the warlord could live with this too. Because it meant that you’d never truly belong to Kuzan, even if he still wanted you. Because half measures weren’t enough for you. You were an all or nothing kind of woman.

And Doflamingo would now be the only one of the two of them willing to go all in.

His grin had stretched from ear to ear once more.

He’d won.

“Well anything else to berate me with before I hang up? I think I’m actually going to sleep well for once tonight. So thank you. I do enjoy these late night chats. We should get them back on a regular schedule again shouldn’t we?”

“Mind yourself, boy. Nothing’s changed. Slip up and I’ll have some nice chains for you on your way to Impel Down.”

“Love you too, Tsuru-san.” Doflamingo laughed, that word of course sounding so unnatural just by the nature of the man it came from. But he still liked to say it to her for how much it pissed her off each and every time that he did.

And as she immediately hung up on him to prove her reaction indeed remained the same, he just smiled into his pillow as he buried his face again. There was a large weight off of him now. He’d be back to sleep very soon.

He’d actually let you sleep uninterrupted tonight as well, wherever you were. He could call you again tomorrow and start this chase all over again.

——————————

T⨂ BE

CONTINUED

——————————

Thanks for reading!

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cozage · 8 months ago

Text

The Moss that Grew in Gloom

Chapter 7: Day One

Start From Beginning | Next Chapter | Masterlist | Read on AO3

Word Count: 3.5k Characters: female reader x Zoro --

When you awoke, Zoro was on the mat in the corner, his back leaned against the wall. He was snoring softly, and you found yourself smiling at him and his disposition. He seemed so comfortable in his own skin; you had to admire that about him.

You shook the thoughts from your head and walked into your bathroom to prepare for the day. You weren’t supposed to be praising him. Cold as ice, just like your father. It was only three days. Once your father was back, Roronoa would fall back into line. It was better to call him Roronoa. It was less personal; it didn’t allow for any doors to be opened. It was better.

After having a few moments in the bathroom to center yourself, you felt prepared to take on the day.

That feeling immediately vanished when you opened the door and found Zoro beginning to wake from his sleep. You considered trying to silently dart out the door, but his eyes squinted open and those stormy eyes found yours instantly.

Cold as ice, just as your father. What would he say in this situation?

You stood a little taller and cleared your throat. “I suppose you didn’t even bother to try and return to your bedroom last night?”

Your words didn’t affect him at all. He simply let out a half smile. “I wanted to be here when you woke up so I could tell you.” His hand turned a dark metallic color. “Almost a full hour last night. I didn’t want to wake you. Figured you could use the rest.”

You bit back a smile. You were proud of him and his progress. But your father rarely let his emotions show, and you would only survive these next two days if you kept the distance he did.

You gave a sharp nod. “Very well. We can continue with the next steps after breakfast.”

The surprise in his face made your chest ache. But he quickly recovered, and so did you. You walked out of the room to head down to the dining room, not looking back to see if Zoro was following you.

As you got closer to the main level, the smell of bread, eggs, and bacon floated up the stairwell, making your stomach rumble.

“Can’t believe you’re hungry after last night,” Zoro joked as he quickly caught up to you. “I’m still stuffed.”

“I recommend you try to eat something,” you said cooly. “We will be out for a while today.”

“So you’re going to help me push haki into blades?”

You scowled, mimicking your father when you had asked him that same question years ago. “Not quite.”

You could feel Zoro’s irritation rise behind you. “I thought you said-”

“You will be practicing, but not with something so dangerous or precious as blades.”

You could feel his glare on you, but you didn’t look at him. You let the smell of food be your only guide.

The dining table was set lavishly, but only for three. Your father must’ve told Perona of his departure before he had left.

“Perona!” you gasped. “This is exquisite!”

She beamed at your words. “I figured we might as well go all out since that old meanie isn’t here right now!”

“You’ve certainly outdone yourself,” you complimented. “Did you pick those flowers from the gardens?”

“Sure did!”

There was a stark contrast between the pink flowers she had gathered and the black flowers, but you didn’t comment on it.

The food was well prepared, too. If you hadn’t known better, you would have assumed your father had made it.

“Mihawk has been teaching me how to cook,” Perona noted as you all continued to eat. “I never liked being in the kitchen, but Mihawk said-”

“If you can’t cook, you can’t live,” you finished with her, smiling to yourself.

Perona wasn’t so bad in small increments. She was kind and she cared about those around her, even if she didn’t always have the best way of showing it.

“It’s a good skill to have,” Zoro agreed. You could tell he was trying to find some way to be included in the conversation.

“One you should learn,” you retorted. “You can use your armament haki while doing the dishes as training. Perona, feel free to make the water as hot as you need to. I’m releasing Roronoa to your care for the morning.” You shot him a quick look, trying to look as disapproving as your father. “I expect an edible meal for lunch.”

Zoro’s eye twitched. “You said you would-”

“This is part of your training,” you said, cutting him off. “Do it, or you will get no further help from me.”

You left the dining table then, walking briskly and confidently up the stairwell. You needed some time away from him, time to clear your head. It was the only way you’d make it through these next few days.

You settled in your all-too-familiar chair and picked up a book. A sense of normality would help make you feel more like yourself and be able to guard against the whims of Roronoa Zoro.

It was almost lunchtime before a knock came at your door. You started for a moment, thinking your father may have come home early, but that wasn’t the secret knock he had created. Your eyes flicked back down to your book, trying your best to ignore it.

The person knocked again.

“Come in,” you said, letting out a loud sigh.

Zoro opened the door, his eyes instantly finding yours. It was so easy to melt under his gaze, but you stiffened instead.

You raised an eyebrow in question, as if you were being inconvenienced.

“I’m done helping Perona,” he said. “Little witch had the water temperature at scalding levels, by the way. Thanks for that.”

Your eyes returned to the book. They had to, or else they would linger on him for too long. “Did you use haki to shield yourself like I asked you to?”

He nodded, trying to hide a scowl. “And helped Perona to prepare lunch. It’s ready now.”

“I’ll be down in a moment.” Your eyes stayed on the page, but you could see him lingering in the doorway. “Go without me.”

He hesitated as though he was going to say something, but then decided against it and shut the door without another word.

You descended the stairs a few minutes later after finishing the chapter of your book to find Perona sitting alone at the table.

“Finally! I’ve been waiting here forever! What took you all so long? I sent Zoro up like ten minutes ago!”

Your brow furrowed as you looked around the room, finding it empty. “I sent Zoro back down here ten minutes ago.” Roronoa, you corrected yourself silently. You were supposed to refer to him at Roronoa.

Perona huffed in frustration. “He’s always getting himself lost in this castle. Why can’t he ever find his way!”

You shrugged. “He’ll join us when he figures it out.”

You had to be cold. It was necessary for survival. But still, a part of you softened in realizing that he had found his way to your room with ease, if Perona’s timeline was correct. Perhaps that is why he was so hesitant to leave.

He had known how to get to you. Your heart involuntarily skipped a beat. Perhaps you should go looking for him and help him find his way back to lunch. But that’s not what your father would do, so you remained at your seat and began to eat lunch.

“How was his help this morning?” You asked Perona, trying to remain indifferent.

“He was more hurt than help in the kitchen!” She groaned, covering her face with her hands at the memory. “I started making more dirty dishes than I needed to just to keep him away from the food.”

You smiled at that. Zoro didn’t seem like the kind who would be any help with cooking. Perhaps you could assign him kitchen duty again, this time focusing on cutting vegetables uniformly. That would certainly keep both of them out of your hair and at each other’s throats for the rest of the day.

As if your thoughts summoned him, Zoro raced down the stairs, huffing and out of breath.

He gave you a glare. “How big is this damn castle?!”

You shrugged, suppressing a smile. “Big enough for you to get lost in. Though I believe that could be done with a two-bedroom cottage.”

Zoro’s eye twitched, but Perona let out a howl of laughter, and that made the cheap shot worth it.

“Eat.” You motioned to his seat. “We have work to do after lunch.”

“Don’t want to put me on kitchen duty again?” He grumbled, but he did as he was told.

“Would you like to be put on kitchen duty, Roronoa?��

He looked over at you, shocked with the formality you had given him, and studied your face for a long time. You almost looked away, but you kept your gaze fixed on him, waiting for a response.

“Please no!’ Perona cried. “I swear it’s more of a punishment for me than it is for him!”

You ignored her, watching Zoro intensely, waiting for a response.

“Whatever training you want me to do, I’ll do it,” he finally said, breaking eye contact and digging into his lunch.

“Then we will train in the courtyard after lunch to give Perona some reprieve.” You gave the bubble-gum haired girl a wink, and she let out a huge sigh of relief.

Zoro shot you a look of confusion, pausing mid bite. “I thought we would train at-”

“The courtyard.” You finished for him, adding a sense of finality that you knew he would not challenge. You couldn’t leave the grounds anyway. It wasn’t safe with your father gone.

After a rather quiet lunch, you sent Zoro to the courtyard to start warming up while you retreated to the training room. You picked up a few stuffed animals and retreated out of the room. He was never going to do this. You could see him starting a fight the moment you walked out the door. He didn’t understand that there was a process. But you would stand your ground, just as your father had with you.

You took a deep breath and walked into the courtyard. Zoro had already managed to work up a sweat and lose his shirt. He didn’t bother to stop what he was doing, but his eyes glanced over to you.

And then down to the teddy bears you were holding.

“Are you planning on making those things into scary monsters that I have to fight?”

You resisted the urge to banter back. “They are for training.”

“Scary.” He finished up his final set or workouts and sheathed his swords. “Can I only cut them if I have haki infused into my blades?”

You set the bears down on the cobblestone patio. “I want you to infuse them with haki.”

His eyes narrowed. “Is this some kind of joke to you?”

You flexed your jaw, trying to swallow back any emotion. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

His eyes flashed with hurt, but just for a moment. “Why do I have to do this?”

You stared at him for a moment, as if the answer were obvious. Your father did that to people a lot, and it seemed to be effective in making them second guess themselves. “Blades are easily breakable. Bears are not. If you infuse too much or too little, the bear will not break into a million pieces. But by all means, Roronoa, if you think you can go straight to swords, I will not stop you.”

You turned and began to walk away. He reached for you, and you quickly dodged away from him, turning back with fire in your eyes.

But he had fire in his eyes as well. “It’s Zoro. I told you to call me Zoro.”

Your lips pressed into a thin line. “You are my pupil, and you will be addressed as such. Blurred lines don’t help anyone.”

He scoffed. “You can’t be serious. What has gotten into you?”

“Nothing has gotten into me,” you hissed back. “You came here to train. So train.”

“You said you would help!”

“I am.” You turned away. “You won’t leave this island with broken blades now. You’re welcome.”

You walked back into the castle without another word. You had hoped that maybe he would have stopped you, but he stood there stunned into silence.

You retreated into your room and sat back down in your chair. Distractions. You needed distractions. You pulled out your book, trying to ignore the fact that you had a clear line of sight to Zoro’s training, should you choose to look out your window. You were curious if he had taken the teddy bear advice, or if he had thrown your directive completely out and was trying his own method. You were too scared to look down and see.

You tried to read your book for an hour before you gave up. The words were swimming across the pages, your mind easily wandering out the door and down the hall to the courtyard. You should go check on him, see if there was any progress.

You probably had been too cruel to him. And while you had good reason, he had no idea why you were responding so coldly to him. Zoro hadn’t learned much at all when your father had given him instructions and left him alone. No, he flourished under your steady guidance and ability to recognize small victories. There were ways to be a good teacher and still keep yourself emotionally distant…wasn’t there?

You put your book down and walked down the stairs, glancing out the door to the courtyard before you took a step out.

It wasn’t pretty. One of the bears had been torn apart. You weren’t sure if his haki had done that, or his frustration. Stuffing laid strewn about the area as if you had gotten an early snow.

But Zoro was still there, trying his best to infuse the stuffed animal. He was failing miserably. But he was trying.

You silently opened the door and stepped outside. “Would you like some pointers now?”

“Depends.” He didn’t seem shocked to hear you. It was as if he knew you were coming. “Are you going to be an asshole about it?”

“Are you going to accept my help?” You shock back, instantly irritated.

One eye cracked open. You could tell he was fighting between an appropriate response and what he wanted to say.

“I will,” he said through gritted teeth. Appropriate response it was.

You sat down across from him. “Show me what you’ve been doing. And we’ll go from there.”

He bit back a response and closed his eyes, trying to focus. He was able to instantly shroud his hand in armament haki, but he gritted his teeth as he tried to force his haki into the bear. He was acting as if it were something to be conquered, rather than an extension of himself.

You supposed it would be hard to have him act that a teddy bear was an extension of himself without knowing that beforehand.

“I see,” you whispered. “You can stop now.”

He opened his eyes, looking at you with caution. You couldn’t blame him for being wary.

“Did the stuffing massacre happen from an attempt at haki or were you just frustrated?”

His lips quirked up at your joke. You started to grin back, but stopped yourself. This had to be professional.

“The haki tore his head off,” he said. “I did the rest. It was the closest I got to a success.”

It wasn’t very close at all, but you didn’t comment on that.

He looked at you skeptically. “Can this actually be done, or did I do something to piss you off?”

You took the bear from his hands and pushed haki into it. The brown fur instantly became metallic black, and you looked at him expectantly.

“Got it,” he grumbled. “What am I doing wrong?”

“We’ll do that tomorrow.” You knew what you had to do to help him, and you weren’t prepared for that yet.

“You said-”

“I need time,” you admitted, showing a shred of vulnerability. “I don’t have the reserves to help you today. Let me build it up and we can work tomorrow. Together.”

His hard face softened at your words, as if he could sense a small piece of your wall being peeled away. “How should we train now?”

“Relax,” you said. “Prepare mentally and build your reserves. With any luck, we’ll last until lunch time.”

His brow furrowed. “What exactly are you planning?”

You gave him a small smile. “A training exercise on the act of extending your haki. That’s all.”

“You say it so devilish, I’m almost nervous.”

You let out a laugh. “You should be.”

“Is that a challenge?”

Your face was neutral, but you knew he could see the mischief dancing in your eyes. “Only if you want it to be, Roronoa.”

It was too easy to fall into this with him. The easy jokes and quick banter was practically second nature with him, even though you had only known each other a few weeks. But the spark went out of his eyes at your last word. His name.

“Call me Zoro.”

“It’s easier if I don’t.” Ice flooded through your veins. You had gotten too casual again.

“Everyone calls me Zoro,” he argued.

You picked up the stuffed toys that were still intact instead of responding. “Tell Perona I’ll take dinner in my room tonight.”

“What? We eat together.” You could hear the frustration in his voice.

“I need to concentrate tonight. Unless you want one of us to end up like your stuffed friend over there.” It was partially the truth. You did need to concentrate and build up resistance to the possibility of an influx of haki. But you could do that anywhere. It was an excuse to be alone.

“Fine.” He let you walk away again, but this time you were relieved.

As you hid in your room, you could hear Zoro and Perona fighting downstairs, but you refused to go investigate. It wasn’t until hours later that there came a knock on your door. Zoro.

“Dinner.” He opened the door and brought in a tray of food.

“Leave it on the table.” You kept your eyes closed, still focusing on building up energy.

“Figured we could eat together,” Zoro said.

Your eyes snapped open and you glared at him, irritated that he broke your concentration. “I need to be alone.”

“No you don’t.” He had that smug look on his face, as if he was capable of seeing right through you. “You can eat with me for twenty minutes.”

You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath in and resettling. “Go away, Roronoa.”

“You watched me struggle,” he mused. You could hear the creak of your bed, and you bristled at the thought of him being near your things. “I feel like I should get the option to sit and watch you.”

“Get out,” you growled. “You’re distracting me.”

He let out a chuckle. “Now you know what it’s like.”

“Roronoa-”

“Come eat with me, then I’ll leave.”

You didn’t move.

Neither did he.

You tried to focus; tried to build your energy. But it was distracting having him in here. You could feel his presence, normally so serious and stoic, almost amused now as he watched you.

“Do you mind?” You snapped, finally opening an eye.

“I think what’s distracting you is hunger, actually. Let’s eat.”

“Please, Roronoa,” you whispered. “Please leave.”

You locked eyes with him. A battle of the wills. But you were begging, not challenging. If you had dinner with him alone again…who knew where that would end up. You could see from the corner of your eye he had brought wine too. You definitely couldn’t sit with him and have dinner and wine in your room.

“You really want me to go?” His voice was soft, and you felt a pull in your core.

You nodded, knowing your voice would betray you. You wanted nothing more than to be close to him. Which is exactly why you had to stay far away.

He could see the pleading in your eyes, and he relented. He got up from your bed with a sigh and grabbed one of the trays-his tray.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Early.”

You nodded, though you knew he didn’t see you respond. He was already closing the door. You grabbed the food and nibbled at it, not having an appetite. He had left the wine, but you resisted opening it. You needed a clear head.

Only when you crawled into bed did you notice it. A red rose, lying on your nightstand. Perona only picked flowers of the pink and black variety. Zoro must have set it down before he left.

Surely all pupils brought flowers to their teachers, didn’t they?

If you'd like to be added to a tag list for this story, comment below or send me a message :)

#one piece #one piece imagine #one piece scenario #one piece x reader #one piece x you #zoro x reader #roronoa zoro #zoro #zoro x y/n #zoro x you #cozage #✧˚zoro✧˚

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wordy-little-witch · 8 months ago

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Buggy's Haki is weird, I bet.

I'm definitely in the "Buggy's Observation Haki is NEXT LEVEL" band camp, but like. I also really love the idea of his Haki being oversensetive, and nobody quite REALIZED. Roger may have had suspicions, but his grounding techniques were rather limited because his Haki awakened a little later in life and so he never had a need to completely shut it down. He does his best, but it's not enough.

Buggy learns relatively early on that his Devil Fruit requires a strict level of spatial awareness. A lot of it is instinctive, knowledge essentially deposited into his brain once the fruit hit his stomach, once otherworldly energy unfurled and braided into his body, mind and soul. He is the only person on the crew with a Devil Fruit, and so he learns a lot of his methods by trial and error (and the occasional meet up with Whitebeard's crew).

Buggy winds up trying to use his Haki with his Fruit. He thinks of it as a liquid, blue and bubbly and alive, poured into a Buggy shaped mold. It covers his skin, his ears and eyes. It fills his mouth, and he breathes it in with every gasp or calming inhale. It sinks into his cells and stains his blood and muscles with blueblueblue. It's easier to keep track of his pieces this way, with his own energy so densely imbued in his form.

This becomes a habit of his. Not only does the Haki help him with control of his Fruit but it also helps dull the sensory input of his Observation. The world isn't quite so sharp and loud with his energy coiled so tightly. He can still check the surroundings and react properly, thinking of some of his energy as the strings of a puppeteer or tentacles of energy. It works for him.

It is not, actually, a common thing to be done.

Mihawk, for one, is absolutely stunned when he realizes what Buggy does, is furious when he learns why. The suppressing method he came up with is actually both nigh impossible and also quite dangerous. Were it not for his Devil Fruit, it's highly likely that the oversaturation of Haki in his body would have caused it to deteriorate, especially given how potent Buggy's energy really is.

Crocodile, while rarely using Haki, is also a little blindsided by the truth of the matter.

Buggy's use of Haki is both highly advanced and unrefined. It's a unique variant that shouldn't be feasible in the least, and yet he's mastered such a dangerous and improbable method.

Because of his energy being coiled so tightly, his Armament both suffers and leaps up by numerous levels. His control is so finely tuned that it can spread not over skin but over his very cells, thus minimizing the color change and enhancing the underlying strength of his body.

Buggy is running on fumes, has been for years, if not decades, because of his control there. He's essentially burning the candle from both ends and chop-chopping new wax chunks in the middle. He oscillates for overstimulated (Haki released) and understimulated (Haki contained).

Mihawk refuses to let such a thing slide.

Buggy may not be the strongest Emperor crowned, may not even be the strongest pirate on the seas, but he has some things others can not fathom - brain cells, a working survival instinct, and creativity.

Winners right history, and Buggy is holding the quill.

#buggy the clown #buggy headcanons #one piece #cross guild #one piece headcanons #roger loved both of his cabin brats i just know it #he just also made mistakes #and the boys suffered for it

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fictionfixations · 2 months ago

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secret yanqing avatar

okay so this is for the people who didnt know (i just found out) that you can unlock a yanqing pic by dueling his boss fight and having specific characters do the last hit (from this post)

below is the chat he has with you after you do everything to unlock it (scrolling down will show what you need to do to unlock it)

Yanqing: Trailblazer, do you have time to chat? Trailblazer: I'm quite free right now. Chat away Yanqing: [pleased yanqing emote] Great! Thanks I don't know if it's because of the pressure of the Wardance ceremony or something else I keep dreaming about dueling different opponents ...I don't remember much about the dreams, but... I think I lost so many times Yanqing: Trailblazer, do you have time to chat? Trailblazer: I'm quite free right now. Chat away Yanqing: [pleased yanqing emote] Great! Thanks I don't know if it's because of the pressure of the Wardance ceremony or something else I keep dreaming about dueling different opponents ...I don't remember much about the dreams, but... I think I lost so many times Trailblazer: This is a manifestation of being overwhelmed by stress Yanqing: I see Even though I was dreaming, the opponents each time were different I remember there was a spear trial, an épée trial, a greatsword trial, a glaive trial... I even fought myself once But no matter which trial it was, I keep feeling it had the vaguest of connections with you, Trailblazer It's like you brought these opponents to face me... Trailblazer: I admit, I sent all the opponents you faced while dreaming Yanqing: Trailblazer, you're such a joker It was just some hazy dreams that I had "That which one thinks about during the day is what one dream about at night" These dreams must be a projection of my desire to spar with you, Trailblazer So, I'm thinking... Can you... Trailblazer: I completely understand now. You want me to come and give you some guidance Yanqing: Exactly If you have the time, please enlighten me It feels so much better to say what's on my mind. Thank you. I shall bother you another day Trailblazer: Sure. Talk next time

LOOK AT HIM HES SO CUTE

he is precious bby

so anyway its (idk if you can use 5 star dan heng, i used 4 star him because i didnt feel like doing it twice if 5 star didnt work)

Wardance...? Use ally Yanqing to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

Wardance: Soulsteel Trial Use ally Jingliu to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

Wardance: Greatsword Trial Use Sushang to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

Wardance: Épée Trial Use Luocha to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

Wardance: Spear Trial Use ally Dan Heng to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

Wardance: Glaive Trial Use Jing Yuan to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

Wardance: Armament Trial Use ally character Feixiao to deal the final blow in a victory against Yanqing.

i dont think it counts if you fight like a low level yanqing cause i tried like against lvl 50 i think for sushang cause i didnt have her built but the achievement didnt appear so i had to pray she didnt die (i tried using aven but he kept killing yanqing before sushang could cause of his follow up so i used double harmony for more dmg and prayed that sushang wouldnt die and it WORKED 😭)

..apparently it can count on lower level? i dont know. in any case i didnt face any trouble after switching to a higher difficulty instead so 🤷 idk i guess. uh. if you do decide to do a lower level be cautious? you might need to do it multiple times for it to register that u did it and give the achievement??

#honkai star rail #hsr #star rail #yanqing #hsr yanqing

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illuminatedquill · 10 months ago

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The Measure

A Sabine Wren Analysis

Natasha Liu Bordizzo, the actress for Sabine Wren, recently gave an interview discussing Sabine’s narrative arc towards becoming a Jedi (snippets of which can be found here).

I’m not going to discuss the argument whether Sabine should or shouldn’t be a Jedi although, speaking for myself, I’m absolutely for it even though, yes, I’m frustrated as to not knowing the reason why she wants to be one. What I am discussing in this post is the interesting commentary that Natasha provides on Sabine’s battle with the bandits she encounters while on Peridea:

"During the interview, Bordizzo also said the fight with the bandits was a key moment because Sabine started out trying to fight like she always did, and she almost lost. It wasn't until after she drew her lightsaber and had to try to focus on the person she wanted to become that she was able to make a connection. This is not only a great metaphor for life, but it is also true to Sabine's character and honors her history. After all, learning to use the Force through battle is such a Mandalorian way to grow in the Force."

This is a level of nuance that I hadn't noticed before in the fight scenes with Sabine so, naturally, I had to go back and re-watch all of them to see if the narrative arc rings true.

And it does. There's a deeper context to those scenes now that I'd like to analyze and what that means for Sabine's ongoing narrative arc for her character, not only in this season but, potentially, in the next one. For Sabine, it isn't so much the ongoing struggle with touching the Force that is driving her inner conflict - it's the reconciliation between the two natures within her: the inherent Mandalorian nature she was raised on and the newly emerging Jedi nature that Ahsoka is trying to instill.

Let's go to the first one in Ahsoka 1x01, where Sabine duels against Shin.

Sabine's first big fight in the Ahsoka series sees her do something strange: she doesn't pick up her Mandalorian armor or blasters. It's a far cry from the Sabine we know in Rebels who wouldn't be caught dead without her usual armament, especially since it would be specifically useful in a duel like this against a lightsaber wielder.

Sabine grabs her lightsaber first. This is important to note. She effectively eschews her Mandalorian upbringing in favor of the Jedi training, believing it to be the best choice in this situation.

It's a definite sign that things are different for her this time around; Sabine is trying something new. The recent visit from Ahsoka and the promise of finally being able to find her old friend, Ezra Bridger, has reignited a desire within her - to be something else.

To be something more. The classic call to adventure that every hero feels before going on their journey.

But, as we all know now, this battle doesn't end well for Sabine. Shin is well-trained and stronger in her capabilities than she is. Sabine is left on the cusp of death, saved only by the intervention of her master, Ahsoka Tano. It puts quite the dent in Sabine's confidence and she struggles to make up for it in the battles to follow. Matters aren't helped by Ahsoka, either, who continues to show a reticence in furthering her training.

It's Huyang who breaks through Sabine's excuses for why she continues to fail with this simple line:

Huyang: The only time you are wasting is your own.

With Ezra's life on the line, Sabine has to decide, once and for all, who she wants to be. There's no more time to waste, no more excuses to be had. She accepts the lightsaber back, but her confidence is still shaken from her duel with Shin.

So, she falls back on old ways. She finds her Mandalorian armor and equipment and wears it once again.

Her reunion with Ahsoka later on is the first time we see the former Jedi Knight express something else other than disappointment with her former Padawan. Which connects to how Ahsoka sees Sabine and her issues, as revealed later on in Ahsoka 1x06 during a conversation with Huyang:

Ahsoka: I don't need Sabine to be a Jedi. I need her to be herself.

Sabine has always been an interesting character because she is simultaneously focused and driven, yet fractured, unsure of herself and her innermost feelings. It's an aspect of her character that was shown during Rebels - especially in the standout Trials of the Darksaber episode - but in Ahsoka we really see her issues stand out in stark relief. Struggling with her training as a Jedi, Sabine's flaws become detrimental to any further progress. This wasn't an issue during her time with the Ghost crew since they operated as a team, with each member covering for the other's weaknesses. But now she only has herself and Ahsoka to rely on, with the latter still not finding it easy to trust her.

Ahsoka hones in on Sabine's true problem: she feels as though Sabine is trying to be something she's not. Not in the sense that Ahsoka doesn't believe that Sabine shouldn't be a Jedi - rather that Sabine is trying to follow in what she perceives to be how a Jedi should fight and act (presumably based upon her experiences fighting alongside Kanan and Ezra), which clashes against her Mandalorian nature.

To be a Jedi is to be in tune with your feelings and yourself. It's not necessarily following some Code but in understanding your place in the wider universe and how you can best contribute to it. And that is something Sabine seems to be searching for during this post-war period: her sense of purpose, her sense of self that goes beyond what she knows. It heavily implies to me that Sabine is dissatisfied with how she currently is and seeks to attain the best possible version of herself.

The problem, as pointed out succinctly by Ahsoka, is Sabine's trying to do that in the wrong way. She's cherry picking parts of herself and the Jedi path, trying to see what works and what doesn't. What Sabine needs to do is embrace all of herself, even the parts she doesn't particularly like.

She needs to be herself. All of herself.

Even with reaffirming her Mandalorian identity and answering the call to adventure, Sabine continues to grapple with balancing her Mandalorian side with the Jedi side. As we reach the climatic events of Ahsoka 1x04, we see that struggle continue with her second duel with Shin - only this time, it's better balanced. Her Mandalorian armor and weapons make up for the gap in skills between the two combatants and Sabine fights the mercenary to a draw this time.

This is pure speculation on my part but it's not a stretch that Ahsoka had always been aware of Sabine's deep feelings towards Ezra (regardless of whether or not you think they're romantic, what Sabine feels towards him is still substantial considering what she did to find him). She approaches Sabine the wrong way in trying to get across how dire the situation is, suggesting that if the outcome is fixed then the best they can do is destroy the map, thus stranding Thrawn - and Ezra - in another galaxy, permanently.

Even though Ahsoka understands Sabine's issues and how she's struggling to find herself in the midst of this new path, the former Jedi Knight doesn't see how this approach is wrong. In not counseling and guiding Sabine through setting aside her personal feelings for Ezra, it made her vulnerable to them. It's a mistake long in the making since she found out Vader's true identity; the Jedi do not forbid emotions or feelings for others - they only forbid the attachments that come with them. Sabine's feelings towards Ezra should have been viewed as a strength, not a weakness.

It's an integral part of being herself, just like Ahsoka needs her to be. But she didn't figure that out until it was too late. Sabine handed over the map to Baylon, and the galaxy's future spun onto darker paths. She's arguably at her lowest point, not only within the series narrative but also her life. And Sabine knows it.

So, what changes for Sabine? How does she come to reconcile the two conflicting natures within her and become fully open to the Force by the series end?

She reunites with Ezra.

I've written before how finding Ezra changes many things for Sabine; how it restores her in so many ways that are hugely beneficial to herself and the path she now walks. He's a part of her that was missing for so long and having him back, alive and well, brings her not only back to her old self but also gives her the confidence and determination to truly step forward in her Jedi training.

There's a lot of expectations that have always been heaped upon Sabine; whether through her family, Clan Wren, or via Ahsoka, her Jedi Master. All of them had a specific version of her that they wanted to see realized. But only one person has ever seen and accepted Sabine for who she truly is, with no expectations placed upon her in return.

Ezra Bridger.

Rewind to the Battle of Lothal's conclusion; Ezra and Thrawn disappearing into a galaxy far, far away. Sabine and Hera watching his final farewell message to him, listening to what he's asking but not really understanding until later. And then Sabine, with Ezra's private message to her and her alone, realizing what he is truly asking: to find and bring him home.

Reuniting with Ezra in the present, I suspect, helped Sabine remember who she is and allows her to finally embrace the final missing part of herself, literally. Because Ezra Bridger did not ask Sabine Wren the Jedi to come find him. He had no way of knowing the path she would undertake in his absence.

No, Ezra Bridger trusted above all else, Sabine Wren - his closest friend and partner. He asked her to do the impossible, just as she was. He wouldn't have asked her to become a Jedi on his behalf to find him. He didn't need her to have Force powers or know how to properly wield a lightsaber.

He just needed Sabine to be herself and nothing else. That's who he trusted.

And that's who came to find him. Sabine Wren, his friend and partner - as herself.

When Shin and her bandits come to strike at the reunited pair, this growth in Sabine is immediately evident; she's much more confident in this fight, not struggling with the bandits at all in contrast to her first encounter with them. She smoothly switches from her blasters to the lightsaber when the situation demands it.

And then there's this fun scene:

Now that's a Mandalorian Jedi, if I've ever seen one.

The combination of Ezra's Force pull along with Sabine's use of the flamethrower to fend off Shin fully shows how she's combining both the Jedi and Mandalorian natures within her. They're no longer clashing - they're working in tandem to give her an edge in the fight. And she doesn't even have the Force yet.

The past and the future come to a head when Ahsoka arrives, at last. With her renewed faith in herself and in her Padawan, Sabine is finally given the final boost she needs to achieve what was previously thought impossible:

Ezra Bridger and Ahsoka Tano are, arguably, the two most important people in her life at this moment, much like how Kanan and Sabine were to Ezra during Rebels. Both represent different sides of her identity: Ezra, knowing her as the Mandalorian, and Ahsoka, knowing her as the Jedi padawan. When they're brought together and reaffirm their faith in her - Ezra's never wavering during his exile and Ahsoka renewing hers - Sabine can genuinely be herself. And that is what she needed the most to continue with her journey.

Sabine doesn't need to focus on being a successful Jedi or a Mandalorian. That's not the point of her journey. It never was.

She just needs to succeed at being herself. And with Ezra and Ahsoka having faith in her (you know Ezra would be understanding of what she did), then Sabine is more than ready to face the trials ahead and become the best possible version of herself; not strictly Mandalorian or Jedi.

Just as Sabine Wren, whoever she decides that is.

"Everyone fails at who they're supposed to be. A measure of a person, of a hero, is how well they succeed at being who they are." - Frigga, Avengers: Endgame

#sabezra #sabine wren #ezra bridger #ezrabine #ahsoka tano #ahsoka show #star wars rebels #shin hati #natasha liu bordizzo #eman esfandi #ivanna sakhno #star wars #ahsoka meta

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palestinegenocide · 8 months ago

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Biden ‘quietly’ gives massive bombs to Israel — even as establishment voices say, Stop the genocide

The devastating news from Washington this week was that in spite of lip service against Israel’s war on the people of Gaza, the Biden administration “quietly” approved the transfer of more massive bombs to Israel.

Biden is sending along more than 2000 one-ton bombs and 500-pound bombs, the Washington Post reported (per Common Dreams).

“This is cowardly,” Yousef Munayyer wrote. “If you are going to be full backers of genocide, own it. We see you and history sees you as well.”

“This is obscene,” Bernie Sanders wrote. “We must end our complicity: No more bombs to Israel. The U.S. cannot beg Netanyahu to stop bombing civilians one day and the next send him thousands more 2,000 lb. bombs that can level entire city blocks.”

We can only imagine how horrifying such armaments are here in the West. Gazans don’t have to imagine. These instruments of annihilation have generated a neverending nightmare. Even the Washington Post says these bombs “are almost never used any more by Western militaries in densely populated locations due to the risk of civilian casualties.” But Israel has used them extensively.

Which is why more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority women and children. Israel justifies the slaughter of civilians by arguing that a majority of Palestinians approve of Hamas’s attack of last October. So, collective punishment is policy.

At least Biden’s hypocrisy is being reported in the Washington Post. And we are seeing a broad movement in progressive circles to end Israel’s immunity to international law.

Harvard Law School’s student government voted for the university to divest from Israel. The global activist network Avaaz has got half a million signatures calling for a cutoff of U.S. aid to Israel.

America is Israel’s biggest arms dealer. You are giving American weapons to a government that is blocking life-saving aid and violating international law. This will only stop when you demand it stops.“

Public opinion is also horrified. A Gallup poll finds that 55 percent of Americans oppose Israel’s months-long military campaign (while 36 percent approve). “A mere 18% of Democratic voters approve of Israel’s effort.” And 75 percent disapprove.

Gallup poll published March 27 shows that American Democrats’ support for Israeli actions is plummeting over three months.

Biden is not only defying his base. The liberal political establishment has now turned against Israel’s war. The head of the Democratic party think tank, the Center for American Progress, called for a cutoff of aid.

The United States, by its own imposed standards, cannot heedlessly deliver offensive weapons as the Israeli government continues to bombard and starve innocents on a mass scale. These actions have nothing to do with self defense; they are clearly intended as collective punishment and are resulting in the complete devastation of Palestinians as a people.

The former top State Department human rights officer told NPR that it is time to apply the same rules to Israel as other countries. Charles Blaha:

[T]he State Department has said publicly that the same policy applies to Israel as apply to every other country. In practice, Israel gets special treatment…. You may recall the Biden administration suspended items that could be used in offensive air-to-ground operations for Saudi Arabia because they were causing civilian casualties. Those civilian casualties are nowhere near the civilian casualties that Israeli air-to-ground operations have caused so far. Yet unconditional transfers of air-to-ground munitions continue.

Joe Rogan called it “genocide” and a “holocaust” this week. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Israel was going too far. Atlantic Editor Jeffrey Goldberg, trying to run from his own past, ran a piece saying, “U.S. Support for Israel’s War Has Become Indefensible.”

And at the Stimson Center this week, when Barbara Slavin said it’s not genocide because it’s not equivalent to the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda or the Nazis killing 6 million Jews, Lara Friedman of the Foundation for Middle East Peace shot down that defense.

The definition of genocide under international law does not require it to meet that bar… It does not have to rise to, Trying to kill every member of a race in the world [to be a genocide. The idea that] ‘it can’t be genocide if it doesn’t kill everybody.’ That isn’t what it means under international law.

So the genocide is having consequences, even in the cowardly seat of empire.

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ellekhen · 6 months ago

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Hand, Hearth, and Home

Chapter 53 - The Strings of Fate

Chapter Summary: After the harrowing past few days, the Last Light Inn takes a rare opportunity to celebrate their little victories.

Featuring @the-cutest-deviant's wonderful drow paladin, Evael! ^_^

Pairing(s): Astarion x Male Tav (Main); Past OC x Male Tav Rating: Explicit Length: 278K+ words; Chapters 53/?? (Master Post)

Excerpt below:

By the time Church has returned to the square’s bonfire, it seems that the Harpers have reined in the carousing for the evening. It even looks like some are passing around restoration tinctures to those no doubt taking over for the night’s watch.

Church watches this all with mild interest as he trudges back down to their riverside camp, his mind preoccupied by Isobel’s revelation as well as Art’s foreboding message.

“Had a nice night?” a voice drawls from ahead of him.

“Astarion,” Church smiles before he even finds the rogue, leaning against a shadowed wall. “Exactly who I wanted to see.”

“Am I, now?” the elf replies airily, examining his nails. “I’m surprised. I thought you might be seeking out a certain little drow tonight.”

The inflection in his voice grabs the tiefling’s full, surprised attention.

“Hang on,” Church laughs uneasily. “Astarion, it was just a dance, I…”

He feels cold guilt and regret weigh in his gut. Gods, he missed another chance to dance with Astarion. He didn’t even think about it…

“Oh I completely understand!” Astarion says unconvincingly. “With those long, fluttering lashes, eyes of baby blue, and that little laugh,” he scoffs. “How could you resist?”

“Gods above,” Church groans, stepping closer and grasping both of his hands. “Astarion. Please look at me?”

The sulking elf rolls his eyes but levels them at the tiefling with some difficulty.

“He was a sweet man,” Church admits. “And you’re right, I can’t resist an invitation to dance these days.” He squeezes his hands earnestly. “But there’s only one person who has my heart — and it’s you, in case you had any doubts.”

Church smiles ruefully at the rogue, swaying the both of them in place. “I wish I had invited you to dance. I wish I had all the time in the world to make it up to you.”

At Astarion’s silence, he squeezes his hands again and imploringly catches his eyes, feeling his stomach twist in his desperation.

“Love, please,” he chuckles anxiously. “Do you want me to beg? Because I will beg.”

Astarion scoffs, but even he can’t disguise his pleased smirk.

“As much as I’d enjoy the sight of that, I will spare you the indignity of performing such a thing in front of our allies,” he says loftily. He tilts his head back in the direction of camp. “It’s getting late. And cold. Let’s away to your tent, and then I will know for certain who has your gaze tonight.”

Church huffs a laugh, but his words do give him an idea…

“I’m going to make this up to you,” he says decisively. “It’s something I should have done long ago.”

Astarion raises a bemused brow as the tiefling takes him by the hand, leading the elf back to their sanctum.

—

“I… can we try something?” Church asks tentatively once they have settled in for the night. Their armaments sit inside the entrance of Church’s tent, ready for the next day’s endeavors.

Astarion raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Oh? And what would that be, sweet thing?”

But through their parasites, Church can feel the trepidation in the elf’s mind and heart as he considers the possibilities.

“It’s nothing sexual,” Church clarifies hurriedly, and the elf visibly relaxes as his mouth perks up in a rueful smile. “But I… think you’ll enjoy it?”

He sighs at the elf’s bewildered expression. “You once told me that you wanted to know what the world sees when they look at you,” he says softly. “What I see.

“Look… my drawings… I’m glad you enjoy them, but they’re far from perfect,” Church continues. “They won’t show you in motion, in color, and with all the details that I’m privy to.

“But I want to show you what you look like,” he says. “Through my eyes — literally.”

Astarion’s mouth forms a small, “Oh.”

Church smiles at him, tapping the side of his head. “We’ve already done something similar with our memories. Now that my tadpole is three times stronger, I’ve been wanting to try projecting what I see in the present directly into your mind. Painlessly, if possible.”

“Oh,” Astarion gawks at him. “Oh, well…” he grumbles to himself. “...why didn’t… I think of that…?”

Church shrugs guiltily. “To be honest it occurred to me a while back, but I wanted your permission. Our minds belong to us, and I didn’t want to intrude or presume.”

“Gods, if there was one thing you could presume… do it now,” Astarion blurts eagerly, before backpedaling with a nervous titter. “I mean… yes. Please, love.”

At that last, ardent plea, Church nods, tentatively reaching out to brush back a lock of Astarion’s silver hair. They kneel facing each other, and the tiefling takes the elf’s hands loosely in his as he concentrates on his tadpole — and Astarion’s.

—

For a moment that now familiar, iridescent aura blurs all of Astarion’s vision. And then —

— he opens his eyes.

It’s surreal to be staring back into that strange face — far more lined and textured than Church’s drawings, but recognizable as…

…his. It’s his. It’s still him, despite everything.

And, thank the gods… he still looks exquisite.

“Oh,” Astarion murmurs in shock, and it’s bizarre to see the face’s lips move as he speaks. “Hello, again.”

He tries in vain to swallow the ache behind his palate, blinking away the unwelcome moisture building in his eyes.

“Gods,” he breathes. “I missed you.”

He marvels at how his face and throat move along with his voice. He admires even how a traitorous tear overflows his eye, crawling down his cheek.

“Oh, yes,” Astarion says airily, clearing his throat past the ache building within it. “I can see what all the fuss is about.”

His vision jitters slightly as he hears Church chuckle in front of him.

The tiefling says nothing else, but his warm thumbs continue to press and stroke the back of Astarion’s trembling hands.

“After all these years…” the vampire spawn murmurs, voice choked. “How did I go two hundred years without seeing this face?”

And still the tiefling remains silent, but from the shakiness and blurring of the image Astarion can tell that he’s trying to blink as little as possible.

…or maybe he’s fighting back tears.

“Relax, darling,” the elf whispers, watching as that pale elf’s alien lips form those words.

“Sorry,” Church apologizes sheepishly. “Anything you wanted to—?”

He trails off as Astarion leans closer, baring his teeth and examining his fangs critically.

“They don’t look too terrible, don’t they?” the vampire spawn remarks.

Church laughs. “You wear them well — along with everything else.”

Astarion’s hand twitches in an aborted attempt to reach out and touch that face. He quickly redirects his hand in the right direction as he pokes at his own cheek, but he hums in dissatisfaction.

“Touch me,” the elf beseeches the tiefling. “I want to know what you see when you touch me.”

Church hesitates as he carefully reaches his hand up to rest against Astarion’s cheek, his thumb stroking lightly upon it. The elf sighs and leans into the hand, and it's bizarre to know and see that his eyes have fallen shut but still see himself through Church’s eyes.

“If only you thought of this before,” the elf muses. “It certainly would have made for an intriguing situation in bed, knowing what it looked like…”

“…to go fuck yourself?” Church huffs an incredulous laugh. “I’m sure you’d make yourself blush. Personally-speaking, I’d hate to see what sort of faces I pulled when you were doing things to me…”

“They weren’t so bad,” Astarion hums, still reveling in the tiefling’s warm, soothing touch. “I found them quite satisfying. You’re expressive. Helped me know when I found the right spots and…”

He sees himself smirk at Church’s embarrassed blush.

“…you’re beautiful to look at,” Astarion finishes.

His words hang in the air as the tiefling savors them.

“So are you,” Church’s smile shines in his voice. “But I’m sure you can see that plainly now.”

“Nothing plain about it,” Astarion hums thoughtfully. “You never even stood a chance, did you?”

“Absolutely not,” Church chuckles ruefully.

Slowly, the two of them sink down to recline upon their sides, still facing each other as they share Church’s vision. They continue to lie there in silence for a while longer, the tiefling contentedly tracing the elf’s features with his fingers as he has likely done numerous times before with his graphite.

“What are your favorite parts?” Astarion asks softly, before adding in a leer. “Besides the obvious ones…”

“Your eyes,” Church says automatically, and his thumb brushes against the elf’s cheekbone as long eyelashes blink slowly back at him over red irises. “They’re arresting, yes, but they tell me so much beyond what you say aloud.”

He chuckles. “You didn’t like when I said it before, but your lines…” he traces one as Astarion rolls his eyes with a grimace. “They’re so beautiful,” Church whispers. “My drawings of you were never complete without them.

“Your little freckle… here,” Church brushes his thumb upon it. “I love how it moves with the subtlest of your expressions.

“And your lips,” Church says softly. “Even when you don’t say a thing, they speak stories.

“And your jawline, your ears…”

“You’re just naming every part of me now!” Astarion scoffs.

“I can’t help it!” Church laughs. “I love every part of you. I…”

He doesn’t finish that sentence, and Astarion surfaces from the shared vision just enough to see the tiefling blush and frown as he glances away.

“Can I try to do it back?” Astarion asks him curiously. Church looks surprised.

“Well, you can give it a try,” he says carefully. “But without the extra tadpole power it may take a little more effort from you. Just don’t strain yourself.”

“Gale mentioned some nonsense about constellations,” Astarion sniffs. “Can you show me what the hells he means?”

“‘Constellations’ was my word,” Church informs him good-naturedly. “But yes.”

He nestles closer to Astarion and begins to murmur his instruction. Eventually his spoken words turn into communication solely through their tadpoles.

Astarion supposes the strange magic he sees in the air looks sort of like constellations. In his opinion it’s more of a complex, undulating spiderweb, with the glowing bugs crawling around inside and spinning more threads as they go.

“This here is my vision connection, essentially,” Church explains, plucking at a shimmering strand. “I’m going to form the link again, and then hypothetically you can just reverse the flow…”

Astarion sees his own face again, eyes closed and brow furrowed in concentration. By the flicking of Church’s gaze, he knows that the tiefling is stealing a moment to admire him. (Because of course he is…)

“Do you feel the connection, love?” Church asks him gently.

Astarion does. It’s like a beam of light pulsing steadily from Church’s brain into his own from their two matching spiders. He follows their threads to his own, and imagines empowering those too.

“And do I just will it to…?”

But even before Astarion finishes asking, he winces past a pressure in his brain. There’s a sucking sensation as he opens his eyes, vision swimming as he focuses upon Church’s concerned face —

— and then the tiefling gasps.

“Oh,” Church says aloud. “H-hello.” He laughs delightedly. “You did it!”

His bright gaze flickers as he studies himself with a fading smile.

“Gods, it’s not quite like looking in the mirror,” he observes. “It’s bizarre…”

“I also quite like your eyes,” Astarion cuts in conversationally.

Church blinks. “What?”

“I always think to myself they’re like twin suns,” Astarion muses. “Sometimes they just stare too powerfully into me. It scared me, but now it warms me.

“And those freckles,” he purrs, and he leans forward to brush his lips against the tiefling’s cheek — not quite realizing how bizarre that sight must have been from his end. “I want to eat them up. They shift just like your constellations when you make any face.

“Your nose,” Astarion flicks it and Church grumbles with a grin. “Sometimes I want to bite it, it’s a lovely thing.

“And oh, your lips…”

Church blushes furiously as Astarion kisses them so sweetly.

“Oh… wow,” the tiefling laughs. “I’ll be honest, this is a very new experience…” he murmurs sheepishly. “Do I really make that face? Gods…”

He hums into another kiss, and another.

“Mmh… Astarion…” Church sighs, his eyes so, so soft as he gazes at him, lips parted in breathless awe.

“Gods… do you see how you look at me?” Astarion whispers fervently to him. “How am I supposed to do a damn thing when you look at me like that?”

Eventually their heads begin to ache and they break the connection between their tadpoles.

That night, Astarion meditates upon what he just saw of his face — committing every detail he can to memory.

And then, when that’s all done, he thinks of Church’s smile…

…and does the same.

Start from the beginning!

#churchstarion #astarion #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 oc #baldur’s gate fanfiction #oc x astarion #bg3 #tav x astarion #tavstarion #astarion x male tav #Churchverse #hand hearth and home #bg3 tiefling #bg3 warlock #smut and angst #archfey warlock #bg3 male tav #bg3 act 2 #whump

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luckycheesefoodie321 · 5 months ago

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They’re really opening the doors for even higher levels of Luffy’s power (from a Whole Cake perspective)

Like we know that there’s a whole other awakening or whatever they call it to devil fruit, and Luffy’s is particularly evolved given his is Nika.

But the way Oda gradually opens the door for that possibility.

Obviously you enter the New World knowing the fights are gonna be harder but Luffy (putting aside the other circumstances that affected his performance) defeated Hody quite easily. Caesar was also a relatively quick defeat.

Then you get to Dressrosa and he activated Gear 4 for the first time and you’re like ok, new level. This is gonna be the New Thing Luffy uses to defeat opponents for the next little while (which is what Gear 2 and 3 were like from Enies Lobby until timeskip) with maybe a little customisation here’s and there.

But it’ll usually only be restricted to the final boss or the second to last boss and then the final boss might get a little customisation via a new move.

But then here comes Cracker with his more powerful Armament Haki (??) where Haki has been established to have different levels, and Luffy has to whip out Gear 4 when you’re only a quarter of the way through the arc. He hasn’t even MET Big Mom yet. He doesn’t even know there’s a bigger boss on the horizon.

This is different stakes. Different metrics to judge the fights by.

Even tho we pretty much JUST left Dressrosa (where Luffy barely even used Gear 2 in Zou), Luffy needs another level up bc that’s just how much more difficult his opponents are. I know he has 2 other versions of Gear 4 in the Whole Cake arc, showing the need for him to adapt. BUT ALSO the fact he ends up having to use Gear 4 so often shows how tough he has it.

And given that rate of acceleration in his power ups, and knowing how much Kaido had been hyped up by this point, you have to wonder how much MORE he needs to power up in order to tackle that beast.

So the door is slipping open bit by bit until you are forced to face the fact that if Luffy doesn’t have another level up past this, then he will absolutely lose (I say this as someone who absolutely watched the Gear 5 awakening despite only being up to Fishman at the time XD)

#one piece #monkey d luffy #manga #anime #gear four #gear five #whole cake island #Wano arc

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we-are-warshaper · 3 months ago

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I want a Mech game for Shapeshifters

Let me explain. Most mech games have a bit of customization to their armament, if not the mech itself. Preferably in games where you build the mech out of components and then decide on it's weapons to take into the level/mission. I want that for shapeshifters. Assume a human base form or the like, and let me shift different parts of it. Maybe in the vein where the transformations aren't permanent, but they last long enough that you have to prep them ahead of time. So one mission you start with horse legs, a wolf maw for a hand, and A big burly thagomizer for an arm. Next mission you want to be more mobile so you swap both arms for wings, but need to lose the horse legs as well for weight concerns. Leg weapons are limited by your maneuverability cause while you're gaining this great bursts of speed and aerial ability, you no longer can support such robust weaponry. Have each transformation have a cost on say your total magic reserve, add weight or the like, and even have their defensive properties determine health and speed. So yeah, I want a game for Shapeshifters where you build them like a mech. Let me just mash Prototype and Armored Core together.

#warshaper #shapeshifter

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demifiendrsa · 1 month ago

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Metaphor: ReFantazio details ‘Fast & Squad’ battle system, party formation, gauntlet runner, facilities, more

■ Fast & Squad: An Evolution of Command Battles

Fast & Squad

The “Fast & Squad” battle system allows players to fight in dungeons in a way that has not been possible in turn-based battles to date.

Players can switch between real time action that directly attacks the enemy when navigating in the dungeon, “Fast,” and the turn base command battle, “Squad.”

Fae Sight

Fae Sight is an ability used by the protagonist’s partner, the fairy Gallica. It can detect its surroundings and understand the danger level of enemies.

It allows you to understand the strength of the monsters that await you in dangerous dungeons, allowing you to choose the way you fight.

Fast

“Fast” is an effective way to fight a lower-ranked enemy you have already fought previously.

On the field, you can also use the lock-on function, dash, and evade. If you wipe out enemies with “Fast” while watching out for their attacks, you will be able to comfortably proceed with your dungeon exploration.

In addition, since the “Fast” attack style depends on the Archetypes equipped by the player, finding a specific “Fast” fighting style that suits you will also be important in navigating the dungeons.

Squad

Enemies indicated in yellow or red through Gallica’s Fae Sight are monsters that pose a danger to the protagonist. Strong enemies cannot be defeated through “Fast” battle, so it is effective to shift to the “Squad” command battle.

Also, continuing to attack in “Fast” battle allows you to stun the enemy and start a command battle with an advantage.

Command Battle

In this game, command battles can be fought by configuring a party of up to four people.

The number of members in your party increases to seven as the story progresses, making it possible to create a variety of party configurations that fully utilize each character’s individuality.

While fighting in turn-based mode usually involves selecting actions from multiple commands, in this game, commands can be selected with the touch of a button, allowing the battle to proceed at a faster pace.

During command battles, the protagonists can transform into awakened Archetypes. Each Archetype has its own special skills, and equipping Archetypes with skills that strike the enemy’s weaknesses allows you to get the advantage in battle.

At the same time, each Archetype is unique and has various strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages.

In command battles, party configuration is the key to dungeon exploration. Furthermore, during command battles, players can make various choices, such as handing over their turn to the next member, switching between front and back rows, and switching party members. Players are required to assess the battle situation and use a variety of tactics to fight.

In addition, the difficulty level of battles in this game is intentionally made to be high, designed to emphasize the tension of deliberating and selecting commands to earn a great sense of accomplishment that comes with victory.

■ Dungeon Infested with Powerful Woes

A Labyrinth That Lures Travelers to Their Death

On your journey to claiming the throne as the protagonist, you will face numerous perilous dungeons.

Dungeons are filled with powerful enemies and numerous obstacles that stand in your way. However, valuable treasures and powerful armaments make it worth the challenge.

There are two types of dungeons in this work: “main dungeons,” which you’ll traverse as part of the main storyline and “side dungeons,” which appear in side quests and other challenges.

■ Awaken the Archetype, Heroic Images Residing in your Heart, and Fight!

What is an Archetype?

The protagonist faces their own fears, forming bonds with their supportive followers to awaken the power of heroic images, Archetypes, by building a relationship of trust.

By awakening Archetypes, the protagonists can transform into Archetypes during command battles if they have them equipped.

Archetypes are diverse, each with different abilities and personalities. There are a variety of archetypes, from the basic Seeker, who is an all-rounder in battle, the Mage, who strikes weaknesses with offensive magic, to the Thief, who can plunder resources. Players will have to decide which Archetypes to awaken and how to configure their members to create a stronger party.

■ Party & Archetypes Formation

Party Configuration

The protagonist party members are rich in unique characteristics.

The Archetypes possessed by the party members and the combination of Archetypes will greatly change the strategy in Turn Based battles.

Archetype Configuration

When a party member awakens a new Archetype, said Archetype will be available to swap with other Archetypes. By analyzing the dungeon you’re headed to and the enemies that dwell there, equip party members with appropriate Archetypes that fit the situation, allowing you to face even stronger foes.

■ Bonding with Followers Will Be Your Source of Strength

Form Bonds, Earn Supporters

The protagonist will meet and befriend various people over his journey. As he continues to deepen these bonds, these followers will become his strongest supporters. Interaction with these followers is also an important part of the journey, as the strengthening of these bonds can lead to Archetype awakenings as well as the acquisition of various other abilities.

Followers’ Stories

Interacting with followers will unlock their side stories and allows for a deeper storytelling experience.

Each follower has their own unique story and background, and following their stories in addition to the main story is part of the appeal of this game. It’s up to the player to decide which followers to prioritize interacting with. The way the journey is spent will greatly influence party development and the story experience.

■ The “Gauntlet Runner,” a Leg of the Journey

No one can safely travel the dangerous area between large areas, referred to as wastelands, as bandits and monsters roam there.

A “gauntlet runner” is a large armored vehicle designed to move safely through such a wilderness. It is a vehicle with a self-propelled mechanism powered by magic, or a “mobile base”, if you will. The protagonists will travel around the country in their gauntlet runner to gain support.

Spending Time in the Gauntlet Runner

While on the road in your gauntlet runner, you can take various actions in the vehicle, as if it were a campervan. You may cook, read a book, talk with your friends, or take a nap if there is nothing to do. Inside the vehicle, the protagonists can use multiple areas such as the war room, kitchen, lounge, and other facilities, and by stepping out onto the deck, they can experience the vastness of the world they are traveling through in their gauntlet runner, making the journey a travel experience on itself.

The variety of activities and events that occur with gauntlet runners is a unique feature of this game.

■ Places to Visit Along Your Journey

The Old Castle Town Martira

Martira, Old Castle Town, is a pastoral town that is a complete shift from the Royal Capital.

This town is famous for its local cuisine using a specific type of larvae, served to entertain tourists.

At first glance, the town appears peaceful, but the surrounding desert is home to a monster called the “Giant Sandworm”, instilling fear among the residents, not to mention a certain incident that is also endangering them.

The protagonists will be confronted with the events taking place in this town.

■ Events at the Places of Stay: Various Facilities in Town

Recruitment Centre and Bounties

In each town the protagonists visit, there is a facility called the “Recruitment Centre,” where requests such as defeating monsters threatening the town are posted.

There are chances of obtaining valuable items as well as bounty rewards by completing the requests. However, be warned that these requests will be dangerous, so it will be important to be careful in which ones to accept.

Tavern and Informant

Each of the towns the protagonists visit has a tavern, a place where the people of the town relax.

The protagonists will probably stop by the tavern for a meal during their stay in various areas.

In these taverns, there are also informants who sell a variety of information. The information available ranges from local specialties to information on the demons that haunt the area.

Although information can be expensive at times, it is important to use the informants to find out enemy traits in preparation of dungeon exploration and use this information to form a more effective party.

Weapon and Former Shops

In addition to acquiring them in dungeons, equipment for party members can also be obtained at weapon and armor shops in town.

In addition to buying and selling armor, you can also have unidentifiable loots from the dungeon appraised. It will be a must-stop shop before and after exploring dangerous dungeons.

Inn

You can relax after a tiring trip at inns. It is a good place to check if there is anything left to do in the day’s activities and to think about future travel plans.

In this game, it is a place where you can choose to end the day and welcome the next.

■ Events at the Places of Stay: Quests

Complete Quests, Help Those in Need

The protagonists must “conquer the main quest within their designated period of stay” in each region, but side quests will be key in making that happen. Side quests are requests from people you meet on your journey to hunt, explore, investigate, and earn various rewards for completing them. You’ll encounter strong enemies as part of some these quests, while others offer rare equipment. Among the abundant side quests, players are free to choose which ones to take on first.

To complete the main quest by the deadline, utilizing side quests will be an important option in strengthening the party.

■ Field Map

Town Map

Opening the map allows you to check the places you have visited previously.

The map shows the player’s location, and the player can instantly move to their desired spot by selecting a registered location within the town their currently in. This function allows for convenient traveling around large cities and their various facilities.

A Journey Around the World

In order to save the cursed prince thought dead, the protagonists decides to partake in the “Royal Tournament”. To become the king, they need to be the most popular in the country, and in order to win the trust of the people of the country over powerful rivals, the protagonist embarks on a journey around the world.

The time limit to decide for the next king is about six months. Will the protagonists be able to gather the trust of the people in the given time? And what can they accomplish in that period?

Realistic Daily Life on the Road

In this game, the concept of “dates” exists so that players can enjoy a realistic experience of daily life while traveling. In today’s world, travel often has a fixed itinerary, such as three days and two nights. Similarly, players can enjoy spending time at each place of stay in this game as if it were a modern person’s travel experience.

During the journey, the protagonists will visit a variety of places, including bustling, developed cities like the Royal Capital, pastoral towns, and waterfront cities. And at each place of stay, various encounters and incidents await: the people who live there, unique facilities, local specialties, and sometimes monsters that threaten the locals.

What to do, when to do it, and where to go within a limited period—the choice is entirely up to the player. The “realistic sensation” of travel unique to this work can be enjoyed to the fullest.

■ Places Along the Journey

Royal Capital Grand Trad

The capital of the Kingdom of Euchronia, which is where this game takes place.

A city where many people come and go and where various Tribes live. The well-maintained streets and bustling markets give an impression of splendor.

On the other hand, there is an execution site in the backstreets of the town, and people with nowhere to go cower by the side of the road.

In the world of this game, the gap between rich and poor and discrimination are widespread. Even here in the Royal Capital, various problems have arisen, and it seems that more than just a few people are living with anxiety.

■ Challenges for the ATLUS’ 35th Anniversary

A Commemorative Work as the Culmination of ATLUS

ATLUS is a consumer game company that was founded in 1986 to plan and develop home video games.

The Persona series, the flagship title of the company, has sold more than 22 million copies worldwide (as of March 5, 2024), and has gained the support of many users both in Japan and overseas. And in 2024, ATLUS will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the launch of its own brand.

ATLUS has been involved in several games that take place in the modern age, such as Shin Megami Tensei and Persona, providing players with a unique setting and experience.

With gaining worldwide support from Persona 5, ATLUS now takes on the “fantasy RPG” genre.

This game is a “fantasy drama” that could not be fully depicted within the framework of a modern story. This commemorative work is not simply a nostalgic return to our roots—rather, it is the culmination of ATLUS as a commemorative piece of work, taking our policy of “originality and empathy” and presenting it to players in this “fantasy RPG” genre form. “If you stand still in fear, you will not be able to move forward.” The scenario and gameplay are built around such a message.

Metaphor: ReFantazio will be created and delivered with the same mindset as the previous titles up to Persona 5: a unique experience that will satisfy curiosity.

■ Accomplished Creators Gather

The previous title, Persona 5, sold more than 6.4 million units worldwide.

A completely new fantasy RPG from proven creators who have won accolades at numerous game awards.

Director: Katsura Hashino (Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5)

Character Designer: Shigenori Soejima (Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5)

Composer: Shoji Meguro (Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5)

Pedigree

Persona is a JRPG series in which players experience familiar events such as school life, friendship, and romance in a modern Japanese town, while simultaneously confronting ocular incidents such as mysterious rumors and urban legends. The story is about a group of boys and girls who meet and grow up after awakening their Personas (the “other self” that lies dormant inside them and appears in the form of an “inherited god or demon”) and defying numerous difficulties.

This series has sold a total of 22 million copies worldwide. Of these, Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 were directed by Katsura Hashino, with Shigenori Soejima as the character designer and Shoji Meguro as the composer. Persona 5, the latest in the numbered series, has been the biggest hit in the series, selling more than 6.4 million copies worldwide and receiving worldwide acclaim.

Renowned Artists Join

In addition to the creators of the Persona series and other popular ATLUS titles, leading artists are participating in this work, providing a unique art and sound experience for you to experience.

Concept Artist: Kazuma Koda (NieR: Automata)

Gauntlet Runner Deign: Ikuto Yamashita (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Metaphor: ReFantazio is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PC (Microsoft Store, Steam).

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