#not gonna tag this with XIV write

[haellen-o]

FFXIV Write Prompt #1: Envoy

(figured i'd take part in this after some convincing. though its only unofficially, no 24 hour time limit and no sticking to any orders. Just whatever tickles my fancy and what prompts i like)

“To walk a land bereft of world ending danger…” Halcyon smiled softly, holding an elps flower in their hand “Tis an odd feeling after such a long time” They spun the flower slowly, examining it… Who knew such a small thing could’ve been so important to the survival of the very star itself

They stood there for a time, listening to the crashing waves against the rocks, the sound of birds. And the quiet chatter of sharlayan… A gentle smile crept across halcyons face “If only you could’ve seen the beauty of this world, maybe things would have been different?” They mused idly to themself

“I was wondering where you were” a familiar voice called out from behind

“Ah, Y’shtola” Halcyon turned with a gentle smile “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I was merely curious where the hero of the star had gone after their battle, most would be celebrating” Y’shtola joined halcyon on the edge of the cliff. Enjoying the sounds

“I came to think, to contemplate… To unwind” They responded “It's not everyday you summon your best friend and the man you would’ve wanted to be your boyfriend from beyond the grave to help deal with an existence ending threat” A short laugh escaped, followed by a deep sigh “It's not everyday you realise you’re truly the last of your kind” They said with a solemn tone

Y’shtola had no idea how to really comfort that… How do you comfort a being far older than you who is the last of their kind?, still. Y’shtola placed a comforting hand on halcyon's shoulder “Try not to bear that weight alone will you? I can’t ever begin to understand how you feel. But you’ve got friends who are willing to help you whenever they can”

Halcyon smiled, a gentle warmth filling their body “Thank you” They responded simply, returning their gaze to the ocean as the two stood there for a moment in silence

“What will you do now?” Y’shtola asked

“Well… My duty I suppose” Halcyon laughed “i am the Fourteenth seat of the Convocation of Fourteen. Shepard to the stars, it is my duty to travel the world and know its cultures and people. While my kin and fellow members of the convocation may be gone, I still remain to walk the lands. As azem has always done” Halcyon paused, face twisting in thought “No… Shepard to the stars is too forward, it sets a bad precedent…”

“For the warrior of light? I don’t believe anyone could argue your title” Y’shtola laughed

“My deeds go far and wide, tis true. But there are corners of this world where my deeds have not yet reached, my words yet touched” They let out a small grumble of thought, bringing their hand up to cup their chin between finger and thumb “Something to get one’s head around i suppose”

Y’shtola chuckled slightly again and shook her head “Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually. You have a way of managing that even when it comes to the most obscure of thoughts. I shall leave you to think” Y’shtola bowed her head and began to walk away

“Y’shtola?” Halcyon called out, glancing back

“Yes?” 

“Apologies for earlier, my wounds were deep and no healing magic you could conjure would heal them” Halcyon said simply 

Y’shtola shook her head “Think nothing of it. I’m glad you’re okay at the very least. A temporary discomfort outweighs your survival. I believe” Y’shtola smiled softly “If you need me. I’ll be with the others. An envoy from the new world arrived and i’m curious what business they have in sharlayan” With that y’shtola continued walking away

“Envoy…” Halcyon mumbled, eyes widening “That’s brilliant!. Envoy…” They mumbled to themself, the fog cleared and the thoughts were finally crystal clear “Halcyon. The world walker. Last of their kind. Envoy of the sundered world…” Halcyon looked out to the ocean, holding their hand out and letting the wind carry the elpis flower away “Yes. That will do quite nicely i think” Halcyon put their hands behind their back with a triumphant smile

The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of grass and ocean far past them… It was time to enjoy this new world and truly discover what it had to offer, to meet new people and break bread again. No longer obsessed with stopping the evil that lurked in the shadows… Though maybe one more adventure wouldn’t hurt “What would you think of this world had you the chance to explore it. My old friends?” They mumbled idly again, thinking of the past once more…

[endmerit]

I've been thinking a lot recently about what the different narrative themes of Final Fantasy XIV's expansions are.

While the base-game of A Realm Reborn has a story where a lot of rebuilding is happening (which is also appropriate considering the game's out-of-universe situation back then), I still wouldn't say that it has a strong narrative theme of rebuilding... but at the same time, beyond just establishing the world and the story's antagonistic forces and putting all the wheels in motion, I guess the theme of rebuilding and "By striving to help people around us and to unite with our neighbors we can not only stand against bigger common foes, but also improve all of our own day-to-day lives." is the strongest thing it has going for it. Striving to improve society somewhat can improve society somewhat.

For Heavensward, while there is that on-point Tweet of "Church sucks because they won't let you fuck dragons!", and while someone with a cynical and dry sense of wit could go with "Christianity has always been and still is oppressive, destructive and outright evil to everyone both within its system and outside it, and we should kill the Pope.", I think the healthier themes to take are along the lines of "Cycle of revenge will at best lead to mutual destruction, but definitely to your own one at the least.", and "Power either corrupts leaders who cling to it, which leads to further destruction, or they manage to stay humble enough to allow younger generations to build bridges and settle old grudges." ...but to be fair, both sides of Heavensward's conflict have such outlandishly evil leaders that simply killing just both of them does most of the heavy lifting of ending a literal 1000-year conflict, so you know.

Stormblood, I think, has easier theme to pin: It's about generational trauma caused by war and its aftermath. Stormblood's story takes place in 2 different nations that have been conquered only about 20 years ago, which means that while the older generations still remember the days of freedom and have understandable reason to hate the oppressing foreign regime, there's already a full generation of children and young adults who have grown up knowing only this rule and trying to make the most of their lives under it. This then starts the spiral of old guard hating the youth for "betraying their nation and families" and young generation growing hateful towards the old guard because of it and further siding with the oppressing regime. This premise takes Realm Reborn's and Heavensward's constant background-theme of "United we stand" and writes itself as far to the other direction as the writers can take it with "When a nation turns against itself, and its generations against each other, it is doomed to fall to its enemies." It's a heavy expansion full of people who hate each other and their lot in life and even now, years down the line, it's still feel-bad to think about.

Shadowbringers, while mine and many others' favourite expansion, I had to think a lot what the main theme to take actually was. On a more surface-level the story dares to ask questions like "What if angels were actually zombies?", "Even if it seems hopeless from the get-go, you should always try to settle your differences with talking first." and "How many millions of people is it okay to murder if the reward is a return to 'The Good Old Days'?" ...but at the end of the day I think the key-word of the expansion is Legacy. Something along the lines of "You can't fully grasp how important and loved you are to the people you have touched in your life with your every seemingly small kindness, and how far they would go in a heartbeat to save you, just like you have already saved them." ...told from couple of very different directions.

Endwalker then has the unenviable challenges of not only holding a candle to the previous expansion, but altogether wrapping up the "Main" plot that's been built up for almost a decade, while still having its own thing to say... and it comes in swinging AND sticks the landing by first asking an all-too-relatable question of "Does anyone know where to find any happiness and reason to live? Every day I look for them but all I find is more despair and suffering everywhere." and then giving its own answer of "It's the little things that make life worth living. Find your strength and source of hope against world's daily despairs from the friends around you, because if you shut yourself off from everyone, you can't expect others to care about you either." Additionally, especially the theme of "Try to trust in others enough to both offer AND accept help when it's needed." plays a heavy part in the patch-story, but the main takeaway is that Endwalker's theme is a bit more complicated than simply "Get rid of Twitter, your life will improve."

Which brings us to where we are now, still close enough after Dawntrail's release that I'll do the compromised courtesy of trying to keep details vague instead of outright spoiling them. I don't think it's a controversial opinion that the first and second half of the 7.0 story felt quite separated from each other, and it took me a long time to think about this expansion's connecting theme, but ultimately I think the story has 3 different takes to the theme of "You have to let go." First take of that theme comes from Wuk Lamat's journey in the first half, and how in every new location she (and other groups involved) visit and people they meet, she is further taught that "In order to live in peace with all the communities and cultures around you, you cannot be unreasonably rigid in doing things exactly your way, ignoring the lives and opinions of people around you just because you think you know better. You have to have some flexibility." In the second half, then, the theme is expanded upon via 2 other authority-figures, first of whom does the exact opposite of what Wuk Lamat learned in the first half and DOES ignore everyone around him, "Fighting only for myself", failing to learn and acknowledge that "From the day you were born, no matter who your family is, you had no need to prove your right to exist. Only you can let go of that idea if you feel like you do, no-one can do it for you." ...and then, while the 3rd person also has the Shadowbringers' theme of "Try and reach a solution with talking, even if it seems hopeless at first" going on, they also carry the most straight-forward version of the main theme with them, that being "You have to accept that all living things will eventually die, you cannot keep paying higher and higher price of never accepting it."

...that said though, what with all the magic and magical technology and everything else already established in the game's setting, the last stretch of the main expansion's story does muddle that last theme a bit with reasonable questions like "Really, we decided to solve the problem like that!? Couldn't we really have been able to improve upon the old existing solution to keep paying that higher and higher price??" which... would then have no doubt started a very different, also very questionable for different reasons, moral path. Regardless, I think there's currently something of a divide with the themes and in-universe realities in the game's story which, I have to assume, will be expanded upon in the upcoming patch-stories.

[wingscreation]

Bird daughter 🌠

[fooltofancy]

wip wednesday while i am as they say in the throes - no tags we post and flee like. me. (consider this your blanket tag if you'd like, though. SHOW ME THE THINGS.)

[cattaliatayuun]

Real photo of me my WoL upon receiving a copy of Encyclopedia Eorzea vol.1

[scionshtola]

i have been struck by the middle of the night urge to get my life together. my body is counteracting this with Tummy Hurts. it’s effective

[lesenbyan]

I will not start a project with denim when I've been awake for 19 hours. I will not start a project with denim with I've been awake for 19 hours. I will not start a project with denim when I've been awake for 19 hours. I will not-

[ambalambs]

I finally finished this Miko fic and its a long one lol so I honestly don't expect anyone to read this. I just like having a place I can scroll through thats dedicated to my ocs so im just adding this to my little dragon hoard.

It was near midnight when Brynstan Lockett rose from his bed and made his way to the kitchen. This was a common habit of his. Despite his need to rise early in the morning and tend to his land, he somehow always found himself getting up at some point in need of a glass of water.

Or perhaps that was just the excuse he gave himself. Truth be told this habit didn't seem to really take hold until his eldest son had joined their family all those years ago. Brynstan would wake only to find himself checking on his children sleeping securely in their rooms as he made his way to the kitchen. There he would quench his parched throat, give one passing glance out the window, then make his way back to bed.

But on most nights not all his children would be in their bed. He often would find Miko absent from his. And as he glanced out that little window in the kitchen Brynstan would always find the boy sitting there on the front porch, alone and gazing off into the distance.

It would be much the same this night as Brynstan passed over his usual checks and instead made his way straight to the sink. He yawned deep as he rubbed the back of his neck and barely watching as the water filled his glass. As he brought the glass to his lips he paused, his gaze lifting towards the window before him and training onto the young man that now sat just outside.

For a moment surprise coursed through him as he nearly forgot Miko had returned home just that day. A short visit after such a grand adventure, he had said. It had been quite some time since Brynstan expected to see his son sitting just outside. The familiarity of it was almost jarring and an emotion rose up in his chest he had not anticipated.

There had been so many nights like this of seeing the young miqo'te boy sitting outside alone. Some nights Brynstan would join him and they'd sit and chat until he'd shoo the boy off to bed. Other nights he'd leave the boy be knowing he'd come inside when he was ready. The night was, after all, a Keeper of the Moon's time. But now at this moment, as Brynstan watched his eldest son in silence, memories of specific evenings passed through his mind. Memories of evenings that sitting with his son had held such significance in his life he knew some part of him had changed with each one.

---

The first night was of course different from the others. It just so happened to be the night they first found the lad. Well, he found them to be plain. It was a harsh winter that year and the snow was deep. This evening it was pushing near blizzard winds as the snow fell so Brynstan and his wife were keeping themselves warm inside. Brystan was standing by the window as he watched the snows, his mind already forming checklists for the morning. The chocobo in the barn would be kept warm enough but this cold wouldn't do their land well if it kept up.

His wife, Fiona, sat nearest to the fireplace mending some old shirt of his and humming as she stitched. They had just put their toddler to bed and the house was blessedly silent except the crackling of the flames and the deep roar of the steady winter winds. Fiona sighed heavily and paused her stitching as she placed a hand to her belly. Brynstan glanced at her and gave her a knowing smile as she looked up and met his eye and smiled back. Fiona then resumed her stitching and Brynstan turned back towards the window when something small and dark stumbling through the snow caught his eye. Brynstan froze. It was a small thing. An animal? No its gait was too much like a person. But so small? A fiend? Seemed passing strange for anything as beastly as a voidsent to pass through so close to their farm. Brynstan watched as the staggering form hugged its way against the wall of the barn, travel to the front of it, and then discreetly enter.

"There's something in the barn," Brynstan found himself saying aloud.

Fiona nearly jumped at his sudden declaration. "What? What do you mean?"

Brynstan quickly tore himself away from the window and headed for the door and grabbing his jacket and the lance he kept propped up on the wall beside it. He wasn't well trained in the art but it was a well enough weapon to wield if the situation called for it. A situation such as this.

"I'm going to check it out. You stay here."

Fiona had put down her stitching by now and was making to stand up when Brynstan held up a hand. "No, I meant it, you stay."

"The hells I will. What are you going to do out there on your own? What is it did you see?" She questioned as she tottered a moment trying to regain her balance.

"It's probably just some fox or something but I can't have it spooking the birds. I'll only be just a moment," he told her, though he hoped he sounded more convincing than he felt. With that he pushed his way out the door. The wind was stronger than it looked and he stumbled a moment as he squinted against the snow. The snow was deep as he pushed through it and forcing a trail to the barn. He'd need to shovel tomorrow, he noted.

Once he got to the barn and quickly got inside, he rushed to light a lantern before whatever creature inside could make its move against him. Lantern in one hand, lance in the other, Brynstan held the light high and scanned the barn. All was quiet except the soft kwehs of the chocobo in their stalls. Strange, the birds didn't seem troubled by whatever visitor had intruded their abode. Brynstan slowly and cautiously made his way further in. He paused a moment listening and the chocobo next to him cooed as it pressed its beak against his cheek.

"Where'd it go, girl?" He asked in a hushed breath. Just then he heard a sniffle and some shuffling just up ahead in the shadows. His heart was racing as he made his way towards that sound now, brandishing the lance as best he could. There was more sniffling and Brynstan swallowed thickly as he slowly rounded the corner behind the last stall. He cursed his feet for crunching so loudly on the hay strewn about the ground as he lifted the lamp a bit higher to illuminate the dark corner. He froze when the light fell upon a small crouched and bundled figure pressing itself as tightly as it could into the corner. Bright yellow eyes fearfully stared back at him.

The two just stared at each other for a moment both too afraid to move until Brynstan's brain caught up with just what exactly he was staring at. The small figure was a child. A miqo'te child to be exact if the small pointed ears atop its head were any indication. The fear in Brynstan steadily began to subside as he stepped a little closer to the child.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" He asked a bit harder than he intended. The child flinched and curled closer in on itself. Brynstan stopped immediately. As he took in the frightened thing he suddenly noticed the jacket and clothing they were bundled in was heavily stained in dark and dried blood. "Are you hurt? Where did you come from? Do you need some hel-"

"Bryn, what is it?" Fiona suddenly appeared beside him. Brynstan jumped and whirled around nearly catching her with the point of his lance.

"Seven Hells, Fiona!" He rasped. His heart was racing all over again. "Didn't I say!"

"You say many things, dear," Fiona teased.

"And do you ever listen?"

"Selectively," she grinned and then looked past him to the small child. Immediately her good humored smiled fell from her face and her eyes grew wide in horror. "Oh Bryn! They're just a child! They're freezing!" Quickly Fiona pushed past him and retrieved a clean blanket that was draped over the side of the stall. She slowly approached the small miqo'te as one would approach a frightened rabbit. The child squeaked and huddled as far into the corner away from her as they could, all the while shivering violently from the cold. Fiona shushed gently and reassured them they were safe. The child watched her closely with wide eyes but as she calmly coaxed them and showing them the blanket, the more the child seemed more inclined to ignore fear for the comforts of warmth. As they began to stretch out from their curled ball of a state, their face came more into view revealing their cold blue lips.

Brynstan crouched down beside his wife and set his lamp down between them. "The lad is nearly ice," he whispered.

Fiona nodded briefly. "Is that blood?" She whispered back. "There's so much of it, it cant be his do you think?"

"Couldn't be. We ought to get him inside though and make sure some of it isn't."

Slowly Fiona closed the final gap between her and the young boy. He flinched but relented as she wrapped the blanket around him. "Hush now you're safe now. It's alright," she softly whispered to the boy. He seemed to almost collapse against her then as exhaustion started to overtake him. His eyes fluttered a moment just as Fiona scooped him up into her arms. The two adults gave each other a look before making their way back to the house.

After some time Brynstan sat in an armchair, leaning forward, his elbows rested on his knees and hands folded in front of his mouth in thought. He watched Fiona sitting in front of the fire with the boy laying on the floor with her, bundled in blankets and his head resting on her lap and sound asleep. She gently brushed her fingers through his hair as she gazed down at him.

"We'll have to inform the Wood Wailers. If this was the work of Garleans they'll need to know," Brynstan reasoned. "Twelve, they never come this far into the wood."

Fiona didn't respond but kept watching the young boy.

"The Wailers will know what to do with him, too," he continued. "How far do you think he traveled on his own like that? To think there was a Keeper village so close."

Finally Fiona looked up at him. "We aren't just going to hand him over to the Wood Wailers."

Brynstan blinked at her dumbly. "What? But why not? Fio, what are we going to do with a Keeper child?"

"Come, Bryn! He's just a child! He hasn't even grown into his tail yet. I'm not about to let the Wailers drag him off to some orphanage in Gridania. A small thing like him they'd eat him alive," she said, a heavy and tired breath escaped her as she looked back towards the sleeping boy again. His lips were finally gaining back their color and his ears flicked lightly as he dreamed.

Brynstan tried to deny it but he could already see he was facing a losing battle when she spoke again, "Besides, he said his father would be coming for him. If we send him off that poor man may never find him."

"Do you really believe he's coming?" Brynstan asked, his clasped hands falling away from his face to rest on his knees. Fiona met his gaze then, her eyes wet with tears she fought to keep at bay. They stared at each other for a long moment then. Both knowing. Both accepting. No matter what came, this boy was now theirs.

---

The second night to come forth in Brynstan's memory happened nearly two months after finding Miko in the barn, and it was the first of the soon many nights he'd found Miko sitting outside. They had shared what information they could get from the boy with the Wood Wailers and, although not much had come of it, the vigilance of a patrol was comforting. At the very least the guard accepted Brynstan and Fiona's requests to leave the boy in their care, at least until his family came to claim him.

The boy in question, however, turned out to be incredibly helpful. Brynstan was surprised to admit it but the boy was a quick learner and eager to make himself useful. He spoke very little and had a shyness about him. Fiona seemed to have a way with him that Brynstan could not seem to master. So often he'd catch the boy's soft whispers or small smiles only in her company. Still though, they found it a trial to uncover the boy's name. A few days after he had begun staying with them their young son, Dustan, coined the name Miko for the lad which Brynstan was grateful for. Calling him "Boy" just felt too harsh on his lips when he'd try to order him about the small chores around the farm. Miko didn't seem to mind it, though, and quickly took to the nickname with ease. Even so far as to introduce himself to their newborn daughter with the name when she finally came.

Even then Miko had been an immense help that Brynstan had not expected. The boy seemed just a natural at being there at the right time to lend a hand for most anything he was capable of. Brynstan remembers several moments of Miko tending to the little girl all swaddled and soothed to sleep when the boy began to hum songs Brynstan didn't recognize. Each time he'd also catch Fiona watching them with such love in her eyes that Brynstan also couldn't help but begin to share the same affection.

And so it was on this particular evening that Brynstan had just taken his turn to change and calm the baby back to sleep and tuck her back into her cradle. He made his way to the kitchen as habit would carry him when a glance out the window he saw that familiar small, curled up figure of Miko. The man paused a moment, surprised and curious as to what would lead the boy to sit outside in the cold so late. He quickly grabbed a quilt off the sofa and made his way outside to join him.

Miko sat there, knees drawn up close to his chest, his arms wrapped around them and his face tucked close as if trying to keep his lips warm. The old barn cat sat curled up against his side but despite the warmth from the little creature Miko still shivered lightly. Brynstan made his way over and carefully wrapped the quilt around the boy even though he didn't seem to acknowledge his presence beyond a brief flick of an ear towards his direction. Brynstan then sat down next to him, carefully eyeing him with a curious look. Miko just kept staring off ahead of them and when Brynstan tried to follow his gaze it merely looked towards the treeline of the woods.

Brynstan looked back at him, "Can't sleep, huh? Something on your mind? You've seemed distracted all day." Which was true. There had been many times that day while tending to the chocobo Brynstan had to grab Miko's attention. The boy seemed lost in thought or zoning off towards the woods in a way he'd never done before. It made Brynstan worry.

The boy sniffled dryly and shrugged, still not removing his gaze from that treeline.

Brynstan sighed and reached out to give the barn cat a brief scratch behind the ears. "It's cold out here, y'know. If you need to talk about something you know you can talk to me, Miko. But I'd much rather we do it inside where you won't catch a cold."

Miko blinked and seemed to be thinking something over. His face squished against the top of his knees and he mumbled, "Rhaj'a."

Brynstan leaned in a bit towards him to catch his words easier. He hummed questioningly. "Rhaj'a? Is that your name, son?"

Miko gave a small nod and glanced nervously in Brynstan's direction. Brynstan gave him a small smile. "It's a nice name. Would you prefer we call you that from now on?"

Miko seemed to think for a moment but eventually shook his head his eyes dropping sadly. Brynstan then noticed there were tears beginning to brim up in the little boy's eyes and he was once again looking towards the woods.

After a moment Miko finally spoke again, his voice a small croak as he forced the words out. "He isn't coming. Is he?"

Brynstan's chest tightened then. "He" meaning Miko's father, it was obvious. And the way Miko asked it wasn't really a question but a need for confirmation. The grown up needed to tell him the fact. His small heart needing to accept it but unable to grasp the uncertainty of a loss with no proof. And what could Brynstan tell him? Not even he knew what could've happened to the man and who was to say he was either alive or dead. But it had been long enough now none of them could hope to expect the miracle to come.

Brynstan had dreaded this moment and half hoped the boy would've managed to move on and forget and remain content in this new home they made for him. But that was a cruel wish to hope for. So instead he sighed and softly said, "I'm sorry, Miko. I don't...I don't think so."

Miko's eyes squeezed shut then, the tears falling past his lashes as he buried his face further into his knees. Brynstan couldn't bear it then and reached out to him, holding him in a tight embrace. Miko cried softly into him but never made a sound but Brynstan knew right then and there as his heart broke for the boy that this boy was his. This was his home and the Twelve as his witness this boy was now and forever his family.

---

The third notable night happened during the second winter since Miko had joined the family. It was Starlight Eve and with it came a light dusting of snow. The day had been filled with preparations for the holiday festivities. Fiona had been baking up a storm and all three of the children had been a whirlwind of excitement. So much so they were put to bed early if only to give Brynstan and Fiona a moments reprieve for the evening before the next day.

But something in Brynstan seemed to spur him to staying up a bit later. As he glanced out the window to see the small miqo'te boy sitting outside, he realized he was expecting, no, hoping to find him out there this evening. The lad was bundled up in his jacket and a scarf wrapped messily round and round his neck. He seemed to be fiddling with something and it was holding his focus intensely. Brynstan snatched a couple of peppermint scones from the bin full of freshly made sweets for tomorrow and made his way out to join him.

Miko quickly looked up and beamed brightly at him as Brynstan stepped outside, carefully and quietly closing the door behind him. "Aah someone is too excited to sleep I gather," Byrnstan said as he sat down beside the boy.

"How could I not be? Aren't you excited too?" Miko exclaimed in a rush. Brynstan shushed him with a chuckle. He then held out one of the scones to him and Miko eyed it wearily. "Didn't Mother tell us all not to touch those until tomorrow?"

Brynstan paused mid bite into his own scone. "I shall incur her wrath should she take notice of a couple missing pastries," he shrugged. Miko giggled and gladly accepted the scone.

They had come to learn last season that Miko's village had never celebrated Starlight. Which wasn't much of a surprise in all honesty. After all, in what way would a Keeper of the Moon village come to inherit a holiday borne of Ishgardian origins. So the whole celebration had been quite the wonder to Miko that year. All the food and sweets, the songs and decorations, the gift giving. Brynstan had never taken much notice to it all when it had become such a common spectacle over his lifetime but to witness the boy experiencing it all for the first time truly ignited a festive spirit he hadn't expected in himself. So this year the boy had an idea what to expect and he had been absolutely buzzing with anticipation.

"So did you already finish writing your letter to nymeia?" Brynstan found himself asking.

Miko shook his head. "No, I couldn't decide what to put in it. Nor did I want Mother writing it for me. She's been teaching me the letters but its...difficult."

"That's fine, lad. The Starlight Sentinel shall still stand regardless. And there's always next year. Perhaps by then your penmanship will improve."

"I hope so," Miko grinned as he set aside his snack and continued to fiddle with the thing in his hands.

"What is it you've got there?" asked Brynstan, leaning forward ever so slightly as if it could help him see just what Miko seemed to have in his hands.

Miko didn't seem the least bit shy about it, however, and proudly held up his crude creation. It was made of pinecones and twigs and twine. Perhaps some leaves thrown in as well? It had the shape of a four-legged creature. To Brynstan's eye it looked almost like a misshapen cow. "It's Dalamud! Menphina's wolf!" Miko beamed. But then he frowned and lowered his creation back to his lap. "Or it was supposed to be. Turns out I'm not very good at this."

Brynstan laughed. "Well it's got a close enough likeness to it. But what brought on this creation so late?"

Miko sighed. "Well during the winter solstice all the kids in the village would make Dalamud figures and give them to each other. I never got to give any out before since none of the other kids would take mine. But I thought maybe this year I could give one to Dustan and Bayla and you and Mother! But I don't know when the solstice is..."

"So you thought to make them for Starlight?"

"Yup!" Miko beamed up at him. Brynstan smiled back despite the tug at his heart. It was good Miko was able to talk about the home he had lost. There were times he would even speak about his real mother and it wasn't shadowed by the sadness or loss. It relieved Brynstan that if anything, the boy wasn't being claimed by the grief.

"I think that's a brilliant idea, son," Brynstan told him as he gently bumped their shoulders together.

Miko giggled and turned back to stare at his creation. He then quickly held it out to him. "Did you want this one? Sorry it's ugly. I think I can do the next one better."

Brynstan held out a hand. "It would be my honor." Miko grinned and gently placed the makeshift wolf upon his palm. Then he reached back down to start munching on his neglected scone.

"We should really get you to bed, though. You don't want to be too tired for all the festivities tomorrow," Brynstan told him as he started to stand up.

Miko sighed and nodded. "Do you think those people who were doing all that singing last year will be doing that again?" He stared up at him with the biggest and brightest of eyes.

"The carolers? Oh I imagine they will. They tend to always have someone around town to sing something every year."

"Do you think I could join them? Or try to? I've been trying to learn some of the songs. Or maybe I could play the violin for them?" Miko asked in a rush as he hopped up to follow Brynstan inside.

Brynstan chuckled at his enthusiasm. "I'm sure there's no harm in asking. But for now I need you to scurry off to bed before we get caught red handed with the crumbs of these scones on our scarves." Miko laughed as quietly as he could at that and Brynstan gave the boy a soft nudge back inside the house.

---

The fourth night was not the most pleasant of memories. It was the one moment in Miko's young life he had ever expressed any form of teenage rebellion. Brynstan recalled that night with a grimace.

Miko had come of an age when most children in his village would have been welcomed to join in on the hunts. He had taken it upon himself to uphold that tradition and brought home a deer. He had looked so proud as he carried his burden back to the farm but Brynstan recalled now how quickly that bright familiar smile of his had died in an instant at their reaction. Gridanians had to follow strict rules of the wood, after all. To poach could incur the elementals wrath and Brynstan had been filled with instant worry for his family's safety the moment he laid eyes on that deer.

They had called upon the Wood Wailers to express their concern. Miko sat in silence at the dining table as the adults discussed. Brynstan could tell Fiona had tried to comfort the boy, to reassure him he wasn't in any real trouble, that they were just trying to be careful, but whether Miko was really accepting the matter was another thing entirely.

Now as Brynstan got up to check on his sleeping children as he did most nights, he came to Miko's room and found his bed empty. He could feel a twinge of frustration run through him at that. After everything that happened that day why couldn't the boy just stay in bed for one night. So he stomped his way to the front porch not even stopping to take a glance out the window to make sure Miko was even out there. There would be no mistaking where the boy would be. And as Brynstan burst through the front door there he was, once again sitting and hugging his knees and clutching an old scarf in his hand. He wasn't curled in on himself like he had done those few years ago but he looked prepped to pounce if he needed. His ears were pressed flat back against his head and his eyes stared daggers toward the treeline.

"Miko, what are you doing out here? You should be in bed," Brynstan sighed.

Miko pursed his lips and his grip on his scarf tightened, the tip of his tail flicked with agitation.

Brynstan let out another tired huff at the lack of response and moved to sit beside him. "Listen, son, we've already said what needed to be said. The day is done let's not dwell on it."

"I don't see what the big deal was. It was just one deer," Miko snapped.

"And one deer is all it could take to anger the elementals," Brynstan squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"The elementals have never bothered the Keepers," Miko pushed and leveled Brynstan with a glare.

And oh that look ignited a fire in the older man. Miko was never one to talk back and this sudden side of him was not something Brynstan expected nor thought he'd have to prepare to deal with, especially so soon. At least not with Miko. He assumed he'd get that lip from his other son.

"That may be so but this family is Gridanian, Miko. Whatever you do could affect this family and you have to think about that. The elementals do not discriminate. Man, woman, child, it matters not to them, they will spread the Greenwrath for even the smallest of harm to their woods. You could bring back a rabbit and they could curse this whole house. Even your brother and sister. Is that something you want?" Brynstan fumed, gesturing to the house behind them.

"Of course not!" Miko cried, his voice cracking slightly. His nose was beginning to flush as frustrated tears started building up in his eyes. He quickly looked away from Brynstan and trained his eyes back on the forest again, his grip on the scarf in his hand turning his knuckles white.

Brynstan paused realizing just how harsh his response had been. The lad didn't deserve that. But gods, Brynstan was afraid. He sighed then trying to calm himself as he ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, son-"

"Yeah Son," Miko scoffed and immediately the pair of them froze. Miko's eyes grew wide as if he had shocked even himself with the outburst.

Brynstan felt as if the boy may as well have just slapped him. "Yes. Son. None of this has anything to do with that. You belong here. If your mother or I have done anything to make you feel otherwise-" he paused unable to form nor process the words he meant to say. All the while he spoke Miko had begun to curl in on himself, turning his face away from Brynstan and burying the side of his cheek against his knees. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Miko's shoulders began to shudder. As Brynstan watched him a moment, realizing the boy was crying, a sudden weight dropped down into the pit of his stomach. His eyes fell upon the scarf clutched so tightly in Miko's grasp and filled with immediate recognition. The scarf was small and darkly stained. It was the very same scarf Miko had been wearing when he first showed up in their barn. Fiona had done her best to clean the stains from it but blood is tricky.

The realization of Miko's crouched and ready pose, the scarf in his grasp, the eyes so focused on that treeline. Was he aiming to run away? A sudden rush of panic overtook Brynstan for a moment. Miko was a capable child. He proved just today he could hunt and fend for himself out there and the amount of time he already spent in those woods on his own it was basically a second home to him. But he was still just a child and to be out there alone? Brynstan couldn't bear it. Was this situation truly all so bad that not even all these years of care and love could keep him?

"Miko, please," Brynstan whispered. He reached out a careful hand to grip Miko's shoulder but the boy quickly jerked away. "I'm sorry, son. Truly I am. I didn't mean-" he sighed again. "Rhaj'a..."

Miko visibly tensed and his shoulders stopped shuddering. Brynstan could barely hear the small muffled gasp as he continued. "I know today was...well it wasn't how things should've gone. And I am sorry for that. Really I am, son. The Wood Wailers said they'll bring a Seedseer out here just as a precaution but things should be alright." He paused a moment and in the brief silence he kicked himself for not being better at words. But Miko just sniffled and still didn't turn back to look at him.

Brynstan let out a tired breath. "Listen, what do you say tomorrow we get in touch with the Trappers League? I'm sure they'll let you join them for their hunts if we ask, what do you say to that?" He tried to sound more cheerful. To push that hopefulness onto Miko, the fear of him running away still coursing through him. He had to try something, anything to get his boy to stay. But in the silence Brynstan's worry grew. He tried to push it down, just pretend it isn't there. And at the end of his desperation all he could say was, "You are loved, Rhaj'a. Your mother loves you, your sister, brother. I love you. You're home here, alright?"

What else could he say? When Miko still didn't turn to look at him or show any sign of response, Brynstan relented. He stood with a sigh and opened the door. "Let's just...sleep on it for now. In the morning we'll all have clearer heads and I'll take the two of us into town and we can meet with the league and- oof!" In a rush Miko had sprung up from the deck and squeezed Brynstan in the tightest hug he'd ever given him. His face pressed hard into his chest and Brynstan could already feel his tears seeping into his shirt. But that didn't matter. Brynstan quickly hugged him back and squeezed just as tight. But just as quickly as the hug started, Miko immediately pulled away and rushed inside and bolted to his room.

Brynstan watched him go, his chest tight from the sudden rush of emotion and relief that Miko didn't just bound off for the woods. He was still here under his roof and that was enough. As he stood there wiping his own eyes of the tears that also had began to form and letting out an exhausted breath, he thought to himself, Do better, Brynstan. You have to do better. And with that he made his own way back into the house.

---

The fifth night had come many years later. There had of course been many nights the two would still spend chatting into the late hours on that porch. But none of true note until this night. The seventh umbral calamity had already come and gone. The farm had finally begun to flourish again and life had settled down to the same old routine.

Brynstan stirred from his bed at the soft sound of a violin playing just outside. He knew exactly who was making that music and swiftly rose to join his eldest son outside. Miko immediately stopped playing the moment his father caught his eye and he smiled at him as he set the instrument aside.

"Please, you don't have to stop on my account," Brynstan told him as he sat. The moon was bright this night and it almost seemed to illuminate the entire land before them.

Miko shook his head with a soft smile playing at his lips. "Nah it was just a distraction. I'd rather replace it with you anyway."

"Oh I'm a distraction now?"

Miko lifted a hand and pinched his fingers together. "Just the teeniest one." The pair chuckled as Miko dropped his hand and turned his gaze up towards the moon.

Brynstan followed his gaze a moment then looked back at him when the silence fell hard between them. Miko had grown much over the past few years. He was still small as most miqo'te men are but he was a man grown now. It was moments like this that made Brynstan suddenly feel very old, and he smiled softly at that thought.

"What's on your mind, son?" Brynstan finally asked. There was that tale tell look in Miko's eyes when he gets to thinking too hard about something that Brynstan recognize all too well.

Miko bit his lip a moment, his fang catching, before he finally took a deep breath. "I've been thinking," he started. "I think I want to try adventuring." He looked at Brynstan then to gauge his reaction.

Brynstan merely nodded thoughtfully. In truth he had sensed something like this coming. As Miko grew up so too did his wandering spirit. He could see it in the boy's eyes when he'd listen to stories about far off lands or about heroes and their grand adventures. Miko was also helpful to a fault. The town had grown familiar with their ability to call upon him to help with any task no matter how miniscule. An adventuring life in truth wouldn't be too outrageous for someone like him. There were dangers to such a life, yes, but the lad had proven himself more than capable many times. Even more during the calamity...

"Does this have to do with those dreams you've been having?" asked Brynstan. Not long after they had taken in Miko it became obvious he had some kind of unique gift. Headaches spurned by visions of moments in the past would plague him and although it was unusual and unsettling at first, it was never something that they paid much mind too. There were of course tales of others with such a gift, rare as it was. But they only increased in intensity and frequency when the calamity drew near. And ever since Miko had claimed he kept hearing a voice calling to him from his dreams. Dreams of a crystal.

Miko shrugged. "In part, I suppose. Whatever it is I do feel like it's calling to me. As if there's something I must do or see. But I won't ever figure out the answer to whatever it is by staying here. But..."

Brynstan softly smiled at him. "But it's hard to leave."

Miko smiled back at him, shyly.

It wouldn't be an easy thing to let his son go, but Brynstan could see it so keenly in Miko's eyes he needed this. He needed to go out there and see that grand world. The good, the bad, all of it. Brynstan knew he was ready for it but he'd be lying if he said he didn't want him to go either.

"Have you told your mother?" he finally asked.

Miko scoffed. "Oh no not yet. She's going to butcher me."

"It seems likely," Brynstan laughed. "But she'll understand. She probably knows already. I swear sometimes she's the one with the crazy visions instead of you."

Miko chuckled and looked back up towards the sky. "Yeah probably. But gods do I want to go out there, Dad. I want to see it all."

There was a wistful way he said it that only starstruck adventurers do. Brynstan sighed then and took a more serious tone. "And pray tell where would this new sprout begin his grand adventure?"

Miko looked back at him. "I was thinking Gridania? It's the nearest city and I'd still be in the black shroud. So still close enough to home."

"And how will you make your coin?"

"I'm good with the bow. I'm sure that can get me started with some jobs to start. Or I have my music!" Miko grinned as he plucked a couple strings on his violin. His smile fell though when he noticed the pointed look his father gave him. "C'mon adventuring is the way I'll make the coin. It's a profession. I'll go to the guild and figure out what I'll do from there."

"Sounds promising," Brynstan muttered.

"I can do it, Dad. I know it."

Brynstan held up a hand. "No no I know you can. I think that's what worries me the most."

Miko eyed him a moment then smiled softly. "I won't be gone forever. I'll always come back."

Brynstan nodded. He turned his own gaze up towards the sky this time. "You said the dreams you've been having were only partially your reasoning for choosing this. But, son, I know you. And I need you to promise me now that the other reason isn't because you want to storm off on some revenge path against the Garleans." Brynstan finally met his eyes then.

Miko's bright smile faded for a moment as he leveled his father's gaze. "I promise," he said flatly and pointedly. Brynstan held his gaze for a beat recognizing that flash of familiar anger behind his eyes that only seemed to happen when the Garleans were mentioned. But quickly Miko chuckled ruefully and waved him off. "I mean if I happen to be forced to knock in a couple of their heads along the way I wouldn't be opposed. But no. I'm not going into this for anything like that."

"Just the call for adventure then?"

"Just so."

"You're truly the embodiment of Oschon the Wanderer," Brynstan declared with a soft laugh.

"And wander I shall!" Miko beamed.

Brynstan shook his head at him with a grin. "You know I should've seen this coming. You Keeper boys are known to never stay put."

"Oh now you're the expert on what Keepers do?" Miko teased.

Brynstan chuckled and gave Miko's shoulder a small shove. The two laughed lightly for a moment as they turned their gaze back up towards the stars. They basked in that silence a moment then, lost in their own thoughts. Brynstan's full of worry for his son, of how he would fill the void of his absence, who would take his place to fill in his hands on the farm, the concern for whatever dangers he would face on his travels. Miko's lost to that awaiting journey, of what wonders he'll see, what people he'll meet.

"Y'know your sister will miss you," Brynstan finally said.

Miko nodded. "I know. I'll miss her too. But I'll write. I'll write everyday if that'll help."

"Has your penmanship improved?"

Miko made an uncertain noise and shrugged. They both smiled at that. "Will you be alright though? With the farm, I mean."

Brynstan waved him off. "Oh don't you worry about that. I've still got your brother and the Tollers have plenty of sons to spare. I'm sure I can recruit a few of them for the harvest."

Miko nodded in agreement.

"But I will miss you, too," Brynstan finally said, still not looking at Miko but keeping his eyes towards the sky. He could feel Miko's eyes on him but he dared not meet his son's gaze.

"Me too," Miko finally replied softly. They sat together quietly then until after a moment Miko took up his violin again, playing a soft and familiar tune into the night.

---

And now, as Brynstan brings himself back to this present night, he finds himself opening that front door to join his eldest son once again on that front porch. He doesn't say a word as he joins him, both leaning their backs against the wall of the house this time and gazing up at the moon. It was bright again this night and the sky was clear. The stars shining like little beacons against the darkness. Miko sat with one leg outstretched before him, the other bent and his arms hugging it close. He didn't look towards Brynstan when he approached but his ear turned as always to acknowledge his presence. Brynstan didn't mind. The silence of his son's company was enough. But he still couldn't help himself to at least break it after a moment.

"The moon is bright tonight," said Brynstan, simply.

"Yeah. I keep thinking if I look hard enough I'll see a little loporrit running around up there," Miko said as he squinted his eyes.

"Well, any luck?"

"None, unfortunately," Miko sighed. Brynstan glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Miko looked tired. Brynstan had seen it the moment he had returned that morning, strolling up the path on his chocobo. He had greeted them with his familiar bright and lighthearted smile they all knew. Quick to joke and laugh, but there was a shadow to his bright eyes now that wasn't there before when he had left home for the first time. It weighed on Brynstan, just as the sight of that scar across Miko's face glared at him, the very sight of it a sudden and unforgettable reminder of just what his son had been through.

Brynstan swallowed dryly at the thought and cleared his throat. "So does it feel different looking up at it now that you've actually been up there?" He tried asking to distract himself from his wandering thoughts.

Miko shrugged. "Not really. From here it's still beautiful."

Brynstan nodded. They fell silent again, an odd thing Brynstan thought. Miko seemed short of words tonight. Perhaps he talked himself weary earlier when he shared his stories with them. His siblings wouldn't seem to give him a moments rest with all their questions. But it was nice, this silence, Brynstan had to admit.

"I found him," Miko suddenly said, cutting through that silence like a knife. "My real father. I found him."

Brynstan stared at him a moment, his breath catching in his throat for just a moment. There was no change in Miko's expression, however, as he kept his eyes trained on that far away moon. "I see," was all Brynstan could muster.

Miko drew in a heavy breath and finally dropped his eyes. "Turns out the Garleans had taken him. Dragged him straight back to their homeland and put him to use in the ceruleum mines. He died only a couple years ago. I guess the cold finally caught up with him."

It took Brynstan a moment to notice his mouth hanging slightly ajar. He quickly snapped it shut and swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry, son. That's-" once again he was failing at his words. As he watched Miko he couldn't quite read his expression. He seemed almost disconnected by the fact he was sharing. But then his brow furrowed deeply in thought before he spoke again.

"Y'know I think the hardest part of it all is knowing all this time he was still out there. He was just right over there and I was already a warrior of light. I-"

"Miko, no. Don't do that to yourself," Brynstan immediately jumped in knowing exactly where this was heading.

"I know, I know," Miko quickly recovered. "It's just... do you think he heard about me? About the young warrior of light out there liberating Doma and Ala Mhigo and wondering when he'd find his way there to liberate him too?" Miko finally looked up at Brynstan. He could see the sudden pain in Miko's eyes then. That same pain he saw in the eyes of that small child asking if his father was coming. When Miko spoke again it was almost a whisper. "Do you think he knew it was me?"

Brynstan sighed then, mulling over what to say. "Son, there was nothing you could've done. You didn't know. How could anyone know? And if you did find out sooner what then? Would you have abandoned the scions to carve your way into the tundra to save him? You'd have been outnumbered one to thousands trying to get to him. You wouldn't be sitting here now, having saved all you have, if you had."

Miko closed his eyes and nodded solemnly and leaned his head back to rest on the wall behind him. "I think that's why it's so hard to accept. I've done so much, saved so much, brought hope to so many, but I couldn't even save my own parents."

Brynstan sighed then. "You were just a boy."

"If I had known what I was back then-"

"Stop that." Brynstan nearly growled, his patience wearing thin.

"It hasn't been just them, though, Dad. Ever since coming back from Ultima Thule I cant stop thinking about all those I lost. Haurchefant, Minfilia, Papalymo, Venat," Miko paused a moment. Brynstan watched him as he closed his eyes. All the names and faces passing through his memory, before he finally spoke again, "hells even Zenos."

"Zenos?!" Brynstan blanched. "Why the hell would you spare a thought on that monster?"

"He wasn't a monster-"

"After everything he did to you?" Brynstan gestured angrily at the scar on Miko's face.

Miko rolled his eyes and sighed. Brynstan stared at him hard waiting for him to respond, but Miko seemed to hold his tongue a moment trying his best to decide how to explain. "He was what I could've been," he finally began, meeting his father's eyes. "If you and Mother hadn't found me and taken me in. If you hadn't raised me with so much love, taught me how to love and hope inreturn, I could've been him."

Brynstan gaped at that, suddenly at a loss for words.

"In the end, all Zenos had was me. And I never once offered him a hand or a chance to know better. Maybe everyone would've been right. Maybe he was already a lost cause. But I should've at least tried." Miko let out a tired sigh then once again rested his head back against the wall. "Maybe that's the balance for a warrior of light. You save so much but lose just as much in the end."

"You're heart is much too big, Miko," Brynstan said softly. Miko glanced at him, a tired but bright smile pulled ruefully at his lips. "No matter what you think, you would never become like him. You have always tried much too hard to be good without any help from anyone. It's just your nature, son. And when it comes to not saving some, you're always trying. You're just one man. One man can only do so much. Even one as strong as you."

Miko's shoulders seemed to soften as Brynstan spoke.

"And besides," Brynstan continued. "Look at the family you made out there. Those scions. Look at how much you've gained from it all, son."

Miko chuckled then, the smile that stretched across his face true and genuine. "I know. They're pretty great."

Brynstan found himself smiling then too. From the moment Miko had come home all his changes had been so evident. Straight down to the way he carried himself, there was a maturity there. His son, a great and powerful warrior of light who had slain gods! How terrifying and powerful he was now. Never in his dreams did Brynstan believe such feats would be told about his own son. Especially now as he watched this young man smile at him, all he could see was that small boy he'd raised.

"They'd be so proud of you," Brynstan found himself saying, speaking once again of Miko's parents, his eyes brimming with tears, "I'm proud of you."

Miko's bright grin softened. "Thank you."

"My boy, the warrior of light," Brynstan seemed to chuckle to himself as he looked back up towards the sky.

Miko was silent a moment at that. Then said, "Warrior of light. Im not sure what that even means anymore. Light is supposed to guide, like a beacon. To bring life and sanctuary and hope. But light also casts shadows and the brighter the light, the greater and darker the shadow. So I guess I'm just afraid what kind of shadow I cast."

Brynstan chuckled lightly again. "A Zenos shaped one, it seems."

Miko shoved his shoulder lightly at that. "Okay okay."

"You've let your bard skills go to your head. You're beginning to think too much like a poet."

"Well maybe a poet I shall be in my retirement."

"Twelve have mercy on us," Brynstan prayed as Miko rolled his eyes at him. They fell quiet again then as a thought stirred in Brynstan. "Say, earlier today when you were telling us about your duel with Zenos, you mentioned him asking you if you found fulfillment on your journey."

"Mhm." Miko kept his eyes towards the sky.

"Well, did you?" Brynstan pressed.

Miko didn't respond right away but kept looking towards those distant stars. Then a bright and brilliant smile spread across his face as he finally looked back at him. "I loved it, Dad. Every second of it." He then let out a light laugh.

There it was. The light Brynstan had been hoping to see. There it was in those bright yellow eyes and the hope and joy that followed. That desire to go back out there and experience more. To not yet let that journey end.

But then Miko's ear suddenly turned away, hearing something Brynstan could not. Miko quickly turned to look in the direction of what caught his ear. "Oh!" He exclaimed, "it seems we have a visitor." He then lifted up a hand and suddenly a great blue bird landed upon it. Brynstan jumped at its sudden arrival and stared at it in awe. Its belly was bright white like the moon's light and its long tail feathers gently drifted off behind it in the breeze. There was an eeriness to the intelligence behind its eyes though that left Brynstan somewhat weary.

"I didn't expect you to come by so soon," Miko said to the bird, his voice gentle. "Were you already feeling a bit lonely, my friend?"

Brynstan watched them as Miko then closed his eyes and gently pressed his forehead against the bird's. And it too also closed its eyes in turn. It was a moment Brynstan couldn't bear to interrupt and as he stared at his son, the moonlight illuminating him, he saw him quite literally in a different light. Here was the hero who knew more about life than he would ever know. Who had seen and experienced and felt things beyond what Brynstan could ever imagine.

But this man was also still his boy. That same little boy freezing and blue from the cold that he swore he'd never stop loving.

[pyrodraws]

[archaiclumina]

Elu's Master Post 2 - El-ectric Boogaloo

(no I am not sorry for the bad pun.)

Henlo frens! I’m Elu! I'm probably old enough to be your aunt! I'm happily married to this ⋆˙⟡♡ rad dude ♡⟡⋆˙ and the proud co-owner of a menagerie of cats!

I made this blog to house pretty pictures and reblog the cool creations our community makes! That's it's purpose! That's what it does!

Some other stuff to know:

This whole blog runs via schedule and queue! I love the queue! I worship the queue! I keep my queue well stocked! It reblogs aesthetics for my OCs and writing set in the world of Hydaelyn!

I also like to schedule my reblogs of other people's creations instead of reblogging things immediately! It's just what I like to do! I have a few blocks of time I use each week to check out the FFXIV tags and my mutuals' blogs, during those blocks I schedule posts with supportive tags to pop up at random throughout the week. Why do I do this? Well, it costs me absolutely nothing to be kind to strangers, and it makes me feel nice too, so I like to do it and I think I'm gonna keep on doing it! (Suck it, Ayn Rand.) If for any reason this behaviour bothers you, feel free to block me!! nw! I’m a big proponent of curating my space the way I like it and have no issue with others doing the same! No hard feelings! c:

Which brings me to my next point. I come here to decompress and so I try to keep it a positive and stress free place. I rarely even talk about my own real life issues on here, and I actively shy away from discussing topical subjects with most people who I haven't known a long time! Although I tend to happily follow back any member of the XIV community who follows me, I do actually curate my own space very closely! I tend to block folks who post things I find squick, or behave in a manner that makes me anxious. There's no ill will intended. I just want to keep the vibe on my dash aligned with my own personal preferences.

[raccoonfallsharder]

fanfiction masterlist i guess ♡

*this masterlist is OLD! find the new masterlist here

here's what you need to know about what is behind this cut: lots of smut, always with feelings and fluff, praise kinks, dirty talk, maybe some light d/s, enthusiastic consent. a few clean headcanons/minifics & fan art of your amazing OCs

(it's all rocket raccoon, all the time) also, please let me love your OCs (doodle requests temporarily paused)

If you would like to be added to the fanfiction update taglist (or removed), please let me know via comment, message, or ask! ♡

recently updated

headcanon 8 - rocket, lylla, & drax [NEW posted 9/17] headcanon 9 - dad glasses [NEW posted 9/21]

Reconnaissance for Beginners: An Instruction Manual (Fourteenth Visit) [ONESHOT. added 9/18] Part Three of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel

Chapter 1/6 Year Zero: Seed [NEW posted 9/24] florescence ❀ (a meetgroot)

Chapter XIV. Exactly Like a Flower. in which comfort is shared. [WIP 9/27] Chapter XV. Galaxy-Breaking Shit. in which more comfort is shared, and life is good. Briefly. [WIP 10/5] Window Across the Galaxy

I can't keep up with updating my kinktober prompts on a daily basis (I'm honestly amazed I've managed to keep up with the writing as well as I have and I've only been doing this for a few days) So for now, please find them with the tag #rfh kinktober and when the month is over I'll make a masterlist. [NEW all month] based on @flightlessangelwings’ Kinktober 2023 Prompt List

[complete works behind the cut ♡]

spoilers: I have a preferred trope/formula that I lean into quite hard (girl falls first; raccoon falls harder) and while I do really love tragic fanfic, I firmly believe rocket's suffered enough of that so it's only happy endings here (even if it takes a minute to get there). Well, more or less, anyway.

Domestic Scenes in Space Travel

reader x rocket fluff, medium-burn?? (at least for Part One), smut. comics-based but you don't need any comics background knowledge to read this - you just need to enjoy fluff + smut + rocket (and be 18 i guess). multiple parts. see notes for summary + warnings.

The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl Part One of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel [COMPLETE 5/5 chapters] Summary: In Rocket Raccoon: Grounded (2016) / Issue #3, Rocket asks a stranger on the ferry to "make sure nobody does anything weird" to him while he naps, and the stranger just, like, abandons him while he's sleeping?? get in loser we're gonna fix it Chapter One (The First Visit) Chapter Two (The Second Visit) Chapter Three (The Third Visit) Chapter Four (The Fourth Visit) Chapter Five (The Fifth Visit) complete post - The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl

Outer Space Safety & Spaceship Maintenance Training (Ninth Visit) Part Two of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel [Oneshot. COMPLETE 8/21] Sequel to The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl [domestic fluff, dirty talk, oral sex - mind the ao3 tags.] Summary: Study Night. or - why study when you can seduce your hot local Space Pilot into oral? When you were a kid, you imagined yourself growing up, working a cool job, living in a cute house, getting a big dog, marrying, and having kids of your own. You've currently got none of those things, but you are getting regularly railed by a raccoon-shaped cosmic adventurer, and he's currently showing you around his spaceship. Which is kinda better than anything you could have dreamed up for yourself. [comics-inspired, though i'm fucking around with timelines/continuity and you really don't need any comics-context to ride this ride] complete post - Outer Space Safety & Spaceship Maintenance Training

Reconnaissance for Beginners: An Instruction Manual (Fourteenth Visit) Part Three of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel [Oneshot. COMPLETE 9/18] [domestic fluff, dirty talk, orgasm delay, bf/gf silliness. - mind the ao3 tags.] Summary: Date Night. in a gesture of true romance, rocket takes you to a dive bar. of all the stories he's shared with you, his favorites are the ones where he gets saved by the space princess. not that he'd tell you that. ˖⁺｡˚⋆˙✧⋆���°✩☼⋆｡°✩☽︎ loosely based on Rocket (2017): The Blue River Score. domestic bf/gf silliness & fluff. extensive smut. comics-knowledge isn't needed but HIGHLY recommend starting at the beginning of this collection for context (The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl).

florescence ❀ (a meetgroot)

[WIP: Year 0/5] [mcu-based, slight au, medium-burn, eventual smut circa chapter four. tentative allies to friends to lovers. the middle is angsty but there are only happy endings here. no use of y/n.] Summary: “The only chance we got is to get to the other side of the universe as fast as we can and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to live full lives before that whack-job ever gets there.” Rocket & Groot leave their friends behind on Knowhere, despite the latter’s protests, and end up hiding out on a nothing-planet (with a non-extradition policy) at the edge of the Shi’ar Galaxy. It was the flowers that drew you in.

Chapter 1/6 Year Zero: Seed [NEW posted 9/24]

Blackmail Material

[WIP: Chapter 2/4] reader x rocket pwp with feelings; smut & fluff & love confessions. MCU-based, post-Endgame, friends-to-lovers. Summary: a classic tale of "this fuckin raccoon found your sex-toy." as per usual: girl falls first; raccoon falls harder. see notes for summary + warnings.

Chapter One: Blackmail Material Chapter Two: Self-Sufficience [NEW posted 8/29] Chapter Three: Firearms over Flowers ???

Window Across the Galaxy

[WIP: Chapter 15/25+] [NEW chapter posted 10/5] rocket x oc angst/hurt/comfort; slow burn + eventual smut with feelings. MCU-based. slight AU starting pre-GOTG volume 1. enemies to friends to lovers but only one of these idiots thinks they're enemies. see notes for summary + warnings. could become 1 part of a 2-part series, if I have the energy/inspiration. Summary: Rocket is captured by a Ravager crew hoping to get rich off the excessively large bounty on his head. Throwing a wrench in everyone’s plans is the Terran girl they hired to do some freelance assessing on a recent haul of goods they’ve seized from a Xandaran luxury liner. Oops.

Chapter I. A Delicacy. in which our reluctant heroes meet atop a crate of Sovereign porn in the bowels of a Ravager ship. Chapter II. Monster For A Pet. in which one hero wrestles with his inner Groot, and the other is quite possibly a moron. Chapter III. A Kindness.in which Rocket gets in his own damn way: not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. Chapter IV. Got There First. in which our heroes obtain an arsenal and street food. Chapter V. Things No-One Has Said Before. in which one hero refuses to babysit and the other refuses to leave. Chapter VI. Two and a Half Billion Units. in which we lean into the “they were roommates” trope. Jolie has misgivings, while Rocket has fantasies - about getting rich, of course. Chapter VII. I'm Here.in which we visit Knowhere. Chapter VIII. The Care & Feeding of Human Pets.in which our heroes practice breathing and we lean into a new trope: “there was (technically) one bed.” Chapter IX. Scrapmetal and a Dream. in which we redefine homemaking. Chapter X. Thin Fucking Ice. in which our heroes get fucked. Not in the good way. Chapter XI. Let It Be. in which Xandar is saved and good lives are lost. Chapter XII. So Much It Hurts. in which we try not to fuck up the vibes. Chapter XIII. Don’t Wait. in which a lost sister is found and Drax grapples with the concept of sarcasm. Chapter XIV. Exactly Like a Flower. in which comfort is shared. Chapter XV. Galaxy-Breaking Shit. in which more comfort is shared, and life is good. Briefly. [WIP 10/5]

Autopilot Systems Check [Oneshot. COMPLETE 9/3/2023] Est Word Count: 1409 reader x rocket soft fluff & domestica. MCU-based, post-Endgame i guess. Summary: reader wakes up in the middle of the night and rocket is nowhere to be found. drabble based on this post/inadvertent prompt.[complete post - Autopilot Systems Check]

Kinktober 2023

based on day 8 of @flightlessangelwings’ Kinktober 2023 Prompt List Kinktober Day 8: Turbulence. rocket needs you to hold. flarkin. still. [NEW 10/8]

Other Duties As Assigned

[WIP: ???] rocket x oc email romance/LDR (lol); slow burn + probable smut with feelings. Begins five months after The Snap. I don't have an intended outcome for this fic yet (just kind of rambling around) so this has the most uncertain publishing date. Summary: Natasha Romanoff is an administrative nightmare - a fact that does not go unnoticed by the (interim) captain of the Milano. First she demands that the remaining two Guardians of the Galaxy be reachable via a primitive Terran messaging system, and then she can't be bothered to read the frickin' emails. Thank fuck she's hired a new assistant.

Headcannons & Drabbles headcanon 1 - rocket & sex work headcanon 2 - rocket & occassional post-sex feelings headcanon 3 - quill & innocence/optimism headcanon 4 (minific/drabble) - rocket & nebula (2014) in endgame/post time-heist headcanon 5 (minific/drabble) - rocket & quill were scooped at the same time headcanon 6 - cinnamon roll peter quill continued headcanon 7 - rocket & nova corps headcanon 8 - rocket, lylla, & drax [NEW posted 9/17] headcanon 9 - dad glasses [NEW posted 9/21]

Fan Art of Your Amazing OCs (and maybe sometimes mine)

Rose (@love-for-faeries-go-burrrr ) & Moon (@glow-autumz) Thank you for letting me draw these two lovelies. You know I headcanon them as interdimensional besties ♡

Brita (@pretty-chips) is such a pure, delightfully fun character with record-store-clerk vibes. Thank you for letting me draw her. She is a glowing sunbeam-soul. ♡ another Brita wearing a terran t-shirt gifted to her by my oc, Jolie Spinner

Moon (@glow-autumz) Thank you again for letting me illustrate some of Moon's rad powers. i am OBSESSED. I appreciate so much you bringing her to life!

Chérie (Cherry) (@aliasrocket) I have a crush. 10/10 would attempt to flirt with (badly). Thank you so much for creating her and letting me doodle her!

Jolie (Window Across the Galaxy) - my gremlin child. just some scritchy-scratchy character concepts. feel free not to look if you want to imagine Jo in your own way. ♡ the "real" Jolie doodle - refined, finished, && in color

Fleuret (I think?) (@elegant-fleuret) is my personal caffeine deity. i now pray to her for the ability to scrap myself out of bed and deliverance from coffee crashes. she is also the dj of knowhere which is possibly the coolest fucking job in the universe and i would like to be her friend.

Star (@cleo-is-babygirl) is a pure fluffy little sundrop and a brilliant self-taught medic/surgeon. she is also the first tanuki/anthropomorphic animal i have drawn other than rocket so i was very nervous but i did my best. thank you for letting me try something new and expand my experience, friend!

Juno (@lazarel-3000) is one of my favorite OCs ever. she is everything. i want to be her && i want to date her (unfortunately she only has eyes for rocket).

[haellen-o]

FFXIV Write Prompt #6: Ring

Haellen idly examined the metal band in her palm. Looking over it with the gaze of someone who’s torn apart and tinkered with many devices, and maintained even more pieces of equipment. Keen eyes making sure there aren’t chips cracks and dents in the dull metal sheen, moving it from her palm to between her finger and thumb as she rolled it gently

She smirked “Such a curious little thing” the simplicity of it amused her

Nero turned to face her “What is?” He asked with a raised brow, following her gaze to the ring and smiling as he saw it “Ah, that?” he asked “What’s so curious about it?”

“Yes…” Haellen mumbled out “Such a tiny piece of metal holds so much with its mere existence” She placed it on the table in front of her and took her right glove off before slipping the metal band onto her finger. Feeling the slightly warmed metal on her skin instead of feeling its presence through the glove

Nero smirked and came over, standing by her side “Like… ?” he asked with a raised brow, wanting to hear her thoughts

She stared at the ring on her finger, thinking to herself. Her well worn  hand visible in the light. Worn down over time as she gradually began to work more and more with her hands. Well taken care of, but not smooth anymore “Promises. Vows. A warmth on cold nights… A reason to smile in the morning” She glanced to nero with a warm smile “Those sorts of things” a simple response dotted the end of her thoughts, she reached for nero’s hand and gently clasped it “What does it mean to you?” 

Nero laughed softly “You really think i can describe what it means to me?” He brought his free hand over to gently cup the back of her hand, bringing it up to the light as he held it gently. His own hands showed the same signs of physical work, though marginally less well maintained. Cracked and worn down through years of work “It’s blind luck that I'm here and I wouldn't ever try to quantify this” he squeezed her hand gently “There were hundreds of others that could’ve been in my position, some even tried… But here I am, standing here in a home with the woman I love… I couldn’t ever value what it means to me with words” He laughed and smiled. Shaking his head “I’d say it's the most important thing that’s ever happened to me. Too important to label”

Haellen smiled, about to say something… And it turned to a smug smirk as the distant sounds of a baby crying out filled the workshop “Most important thing?” She asked with a raised brow and smug smile

“...Okay. Maybe not the most important thing” Nero laughed and smiled warmly “It's my turn. Yes?”

Haellen nodded, letting go of his hand “I do believe so yes”

Nero leaned in and planted a small kiss on her cheek as he passed “Let’s see what this daughter of mine wants now” He laughed gently as he left the workshop

Haellens gaze returned to the ring on her finger. Watching it shine gently in the light “I don’t think it was luck at all” She said softly, smiling gently at the ring before she took it off once more and slipped her glove back on. Putting the ring back on her finger again and returning to her work

[streamafterlaughter]

Fundamental Differing

Masterlist

nav | playlist | main masterlist | pin board

summary: This is the sequel to New Kid, taking place in 1992, six years after you and Eddie graduate from Hawkins High. You’re the vocalist and songwriter for Death Dance Approximately, a punk band of femmes taking the scene by storm. Eddie and Corroded Coffin have blown up in the last few years, and are pretty much a household name. In the Spring, you’re given news of who you’re touring with this year: your ex boyfriend’s band. You haven’t seen Eddie since 1989, and seeing him in this environment has stirred up a lot of old feelings.

warnings/tags: rockstar!gn!afab!reader x rockstar!eddie munson, ANGST, adult themes (drugs, sex, and rock and roll baby) 18+ minors dni, smut will be tagged in each chapter. estranged lovers, mutual pining, mutual heartbreak. this work is in progress

disclaimer: you don’t need to have read NK to understand this one, but it would mean the world if you did! i do not give permission for my work to be posted on other sites. Please inform me if you see my writing posted anywhere besides my own blog (unless otherwise stated.) Reblog to support the author!

this fic is very lgbt coded in many aspects, reader is gender non conforming, has dated both men & women. i ask you be respectful of my choices, it’s fine to read even if you yourself aren’t lgbt, but don’t give my shit for making a character gay/gnc etc, just don’t read it if it’s not for you. thank you!🫶

taglist: keeping the taglist for NK, please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed! @children-of-the-grave @five-bi-five @wiildflower-xxx @beebeerockknot @champagne-glamour @xxgothwhorexx @therensistance @chonkzombie @brxkenartt @sidthedollface2 @bibieddiesgf @gaysludge @eddiesguitarskills @lilpotatobean2 @poisonedluv @kellsck @m-chmcl-rmnc

Prologue

Chapter I: Everybody Get Together

Chapter II: Like A Lover, Not A Dancer

Chapter III: Bleed the Freak

Chapter IV: All The Love Gone Bad

Chapter V: Why Are You So Far Away?

Chapter VI: You’ll Take My Soul Away

Chapter VII: Soft But Estranged

Chapter VIII: It’s Enough To Startle Us

Chapter IX: In The Morning You’ll Be Gone

Chapter X: It’s All Hate And Money

Chapter XI: Consider This The Slip

Chapter XII: I’ll Call You Beautiful, If I Call At All

Chapter XIII: Home Again

Chapter XIV: Away to Nowhere Plains

Chapter XV: Oh, Sweet Oblivion

Chapter XVI: You’ll Cry But You’ll Never Fall

Chapter XVII: Something In The Way

Chapter XVIII: I Gave My Life Away

Chapter XIX: Time Marches On

Chapter XX: A Fine Line Between Hope and Despair

Chapter XXI: Baby, What Did You Expect?

Chapter XXII: Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Chapter XXIII: I Just Might Give My Heart

Chapter XXIV: I’m Not Gonna Crack OUT NOW

Chapter XXV: Just Once, He Talked Back coming Friday, Oct 18 @ 6pm est

[wingedcatgirl]

i've edited my current pinned post into so many different things that i should probably just make a new one rather than edit it some more, so:

i'm just gonna get what enjoyment i can out of this site until it goes away. i'm probably overly pessimistic about when that will be, but regardless of that it's a good idea to connect with me elsewhere if you enjoy my presence.

find me on dreamwidth (rip cohost). consider using retroshare, even. if enough people move maybe the funny shitposts will live somewhere else instead and we can be free.

oh yeah and if you like forums we have one. it is not super alive but your presence might be able to help change that

also we have discord. you can ask for our @ if we're friends (read: have interacted twice ever) or our server links if we're acquaintances (read: you're not a spambot)

all that said. since i'm here, things i'm into include final fantasy xiv, fallen london, tales of symphonia, terraria, kingdom hearts, puyo puyo, miraculous ladybug, cats (the animal, not the musical), and being queer and awesome. i write fanfic sometimes and am also vaguely attempting to work on original fic, so hello to writblr as well. i might add tags for some of these later

fallen london character list because i'm remembering how much i enjoyed this game:

Inessa Fonseca, the Curious Lady (main, Light Fingers, Midnighter, non-canon Seven-Fold Knock someday when i feel like tormenting myself)

Inessa Fonseca in a rather more dire timeline (Seeking alt except the Seeking is canon so maybe the other Inessa is the everything-except-Seeking alt? Heart's Desire)

Lucky Kity (cat, Bag a Legend, I saw @waterlogged-detective's Boots the Cat and was like "CAT!!! i have a recurring cat character what if there was ANOTHER cat in london")

Lila Rossi (sure, crossover roleplay account for our Nemesis alt, i guess) (don't expect her to be as active as dire!Inessa and Lucky)

oh yeah and we do roleplay and ask memes on the sideblog @elakha-house-cube

[styrmwb]

I beat Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

There's gonna be spoilers in this just in case you care, hopefully I tagged it correctly, and also yeah this is a long one (I don't have it tagged game ramblings for nothing)

Anyways, loved this game. My gripes with it are very few, but unfortunately one of said gripes is very major and hasn't changed from Remake; but in the effort to Pretend like my thoughts are organized, I'm gonna section this cause sectioning is fun :)

Actually, one thing I wanted to note here (writing this after like, 3 paragraphs), is something that influences a lot of my love for this game is the fact that it... Doesn't suffer from translation problems like the OG. It brings factors that i never truly appreciated into the forefront, and clears up a lot of confusion. I wanted to put this here because I realized it would be weird to say all of my nonsense without clarifying this.

Gameplay

Rebirth (and Remake) is what I think is What modern FF should be. I absolutely love this style of combat so much. I do wish there was a very small passive ATB charge cause sometimes I get stuck in a situation where I can't do anything, but other than that the rotation of hack and slash then classic menu, and switch between party members is so fun, in the best of times I can make a really cool action scene, everyone showing off their own moves; it's a blast. I'll go a little deeper into the characters when I go to That section, but overall I found everyone really fun in some way, even though end game I ended up using the same party as I did in Remake (and also the OG VII lmfao).

I know to some/possibly most, the amount of open world (and Chadley) and the side quests might feel like a bunch of fluff and garbage, but I actually kinda really enjoyed it? I loved how the world intel all changed slightly as you progressed. Moogles as an example, annoying as they were, did add an extra level of challenge every time you saw them. When you had to catch a chocobo, it was a different style of stealth minigame. Summon crystals all had increasingly complicated patterns. Hell, even the towers were slightly different every time with how you had to climb or even reach them! I think this being the strength solidifies itself when I think of my least favorite intels being the Fiend Intel, because I think they were the most samey the entire game through. The side quests I compare to XVI. XVI's side quests were... like XIV. A LOT of dialogue, run here, more dialogue, fight one enemy or gather 6 items, then go back. Rebirth's quests felt... a little more alive? A little more varied? Sure, side quests are usually going to be the same in these styles of game, but I think of chasing a dog through the region while the dialogue happens along the way, I think of the options to gather more resources than the bare minimum for different rewards and dialogues, picking different flowers, having to pay attention to notes, having to interact with the minigames: it all felt more interesting and like I actually wanted to do them. The varied nature of everything is what made me enjoy it.

Oh and Queen's Blood? Greatest FF card game don't even @ me I had so much fun with it it better stay

Characters

One of my favorite parts of Rebirth is how much it helped or made me love the cast. Even characters that I did not care about or possibly actively disliked, this game made me enjoy. Main characters were all expanded on, side characters were silly, and brought back into relevance when I would never expect (Like holy shit I swear every named NPC from Remake came back which is so cool), and they all make the journey an absolute joy to take, and the world as colorful as FFVII SHOULD be. But let me talk about a cast that went from "yeah I like them" to possibly one of my favorite parties in the entire franchise.

Cloud

I honestly already considered him my favorite character in VII (which is a very hard thing to admit without the fear of people thinking you like him for the wrong reasons), and Rebirth being essentially half the game lets me get to see why again. A man who presents himself as serious and uncaring, but OOPS he actually does care and is really silly but unfortunately has some major mental problems! (please help him he is NOT ok). Sure, they kinda speed up his realization of certain aspects, and maybe they go a Little too hard on the fact that Something Isn't Right, but I really enjoyed seeing his declining mental state, its effect on the world, and his relationships with the party. The Sephiroth juice is intense at this point in the story, and I am very excited to see him in the next game. His gameplay is classic yet fun, with big swordy slashes and huge hits that don't have to be slow (they're sometimes slow).

Barret

My favorite part of Barret in Rebirth compared to Remake is how he didn't wear his sunglasses for most of the game. He's open, he's feeling, he's emotional; he's the big tough softy I love. This is where him and Cloud's relationship really gets to shine, where you can tell there is respect, trust, and concern between both of them. The Gold Saucer and side quests are where I think this is at its strongest, and I love seeing it. His gameplay makes him a really fun support, and just like Remake I had him as a sort of paladin healy tanky type, staying behind with GUN as he takes care of the party, which is really fun and consistent.

Tifa

This game does wonders for Tifa enjoyers (it's me I'm Tifa enjoyers), giving her a lot of focus and emphasis on that caring, observant nature that is her strongest suit. Her concern for Cloud and friendship with Aerith feel very strong here and it makes me happy to see. Her gameplay had her in my party the entire time no other reason, her fast attacks, dodges, ATB filling, and stagger damage multiplier being extremely huge in every single fight.

Aerith

The big one. Honestly, I'm gonna keep my real big story thoughts for later, but I will say I loved seeing her enjoy life, the open world, and helping others in the side quests. She's a great character to see happy :) Also, her scene in the Gold Saucer is probably now one of my favorite scenes in the entire series. It was so fucking stunning that I cannot get enough of it. Unfortunately, her gameplay is easily my least favorite out of the group, as her slow attacks and dodging (yes I know she has an ability to boost her attacks but that takes a while to get to) makes her kind of a slog in my hands, and better off in the computer's.

Red XIII

One of two characters that I did not expect to grow to love as much as I did. I'll prob mention this again later, but... I didn't REALLY know the extent of his change when I played the original. Yeah, I knew he was young for his race, but he always felt like just that wise grumpy dog man (some of this could be on me not reading well enough but between poor translation and Advent Children and the fact he didn't make it into DFFOO I'm gonna give myself a break). Rebirth showed me how much of a joy Red is. Despite the trauma and pain he went through, he's silly, he's excited for life, he has fun and loves his family. But also, despite this and his youth, he doesn't COMPLETELY lose his knowledge and wise nature after his reveal; he just relaxes more. I care about Red so much more than I originally did now because this change was made clearer. His gameplay is also really fun, fast attacks, strong defenses, and even stronger abilities (stardust ray my beloved).

Yuffie

We already got a good amount of Yuffie in Intergrade, so having her again here felt like anyone else from last game. However, I do absolutely love how she was integrated into the main plot instead of just being Girl in Forest. She served as great comic relief (and literally says this!) for her appearance in the story (although I do think there were a couple occasions where it was a bit much but that's ok her arc is next game), and I really enjoyed that she started to become a cared for member of the group (really shown by Cloud in the Skywheel date and her and Barret's relationship). Gameplay was just as fun as Intergrade, the throwing/ninjutsu swapping being a joy, and I loved using her doppelganger attack in combination with elemental weaknesses and Sonic Boom. Yuffie was key for some of the harder fights, the MVP fr fr.

Cait Sith

The other of two characters I did not expect to enjoy, and Cait Sith here is the absolute king of it, as I DID NOT like him in the OG. But here? He's a larger character, he's more sympathetic, he's a little more understandable, and his gameplay doesn't suck shit lmfao. His betrayal I think was done a lot cleaner this time around, where he really Felt like part of the group, and his return was done pretty smoothly but honestly doing anything other than being like "hi hello I'm back!" while Cloud beats the shit out of Aerith is an improvement I really enjoyed his melee/ranged nature being similar to Cloud, and his heavy hitting attacks. Despite the fact that he still had RNG, it was RNG that felt good no matter what and I appreciated that.

Cid and Vincent

Our poor poor "you're not allowed yet" boys. No gameplay section here cause they ain't got any! But that's ok, because for what little role they had, I really enjoyed their presence. Early Cid was very interesting to me, and while i do feel like he loses a little not being introduced as a complete dickwad, I still love having Cid around and giving him a little more connection to the party. He didn't seem as aggressive and %#*^-y, but I kinda hope we get more of that in part 3 when Rocket Town happens. Vincent, similar to Yuffie, gets tied into the story in such a great way. Getting to fight him was super super cool, and I loved that small amount of comic relief he gives by being Overly edgy yet out of touch with the world. I'm very excited to see where both of them go.

Zack

It took me some time to... Accept what Remake did to the timeline. Once I did, I was all in on the train for more Zack. I love Zack! He's my other favorite VII character other than Cloud! This game gave me more Zack, and I appreciate it for that. Not to mention his whole interactions with Aerith and Cloud made me very happy and filled a void in my heart I needed (that fucking synergy attack between the two of them???? DUUUUUDE) Unfortunately however; he didn't get to... get the story treatment I would have liked. Gameplay wise; I don't care much for his charge mechanic, sadly.

Sephiroth

I don't have much to say here. Sephiroth is Sephiroth. He appears, says "pee your pants cloud", then fucks off, and he's really good at that, and that's what he's supposed to be. My grudges against him aren't against him and more against who's writing him. Playing him was hype though, and I enjoyed his counter mechanic which I feel got later reincarnated into Red.

As for people other than in the playable cast, Dio was incredibly fun, Elena felt like a treat and a more threatening than the original but still showing that silly nature (pink gun???? no tactical advantage whatsoever I love it), Hojo is still the scum of the earth as he should be (he never gets better!), I got to actually understand what Bugenhagen is, and so on and so on. Nobody was worse than their original appearance and I loved that.

ALSO CISSNEI GANG RISE UP WE LOVE OUR GIRL AND I'M SO GLAD SHE GOT TO RETURN

Story

So. This is the big part. If I had to choose where my biggest gripe with the game would be, it would be in the aspect of story. This is the Exact Same Gripe I had with Remake, that being the aspect of whispers, alternate timelines, and whatever Sephiroth is cooking. This being.... I don't really like it? I don't think it adds anything?? It's confusing, intentionally vague, and it really ruins the flow that these games have otherwise. Cause aside from this singular (big) aspect? Dude! This game fucks! It takes every story beat that was in the original, and expands on it in a way that i feel makes me love the story and world way more! I feel like a lot of aspects got tied together a lot more smoothly (although again, I also attribute this to not terrible translation), and every experience that I expected from the original was a joy to watch in this game. The swamp, Junon, the boat, Costa del Sol, the Gold Saucer, Cosmo Canyon, Nibelheim, the Temple of the Ancients. These were all done so well. All of the side content and side stories were really fun, added a lot of character to the world. And with the slight changes they did make, like with Cait Sith's arc being changed to be more sympathetic instead of blackmailing and Cloud being controlled by Sephiroth NOT beating Aerith I think were actually done really tastefully and improved the experience (actually thinking about it Dyne's just felt like they wanted to hurt Barret more why would they do that). I just... I wish if they were going to do this whole alternate timeline dealy, they were a little more clear on it? i wish I could feel like it actually mattered to this series, but what i get is "oh wow the unknown journey" that turns into "yeah here are these extra bits that are confusing and don't change anything and actually instead ruin the impact of one of the most well known scenes in video game history)

With that I will talk about the ending. I was willing to ignore the fact that we didn't get to walk through the City of the Ancients more. I was still shaking and nervous until the very end, thinking "oh man what's going to happen???? oh fuck!!!" and what i was instead rewarded with was a constant whiplash of emotions and confusion that left me numb to what should have torn my heart out. I shouldn't have to be left wondering if a character truly died or not for the sake of "OHHH MAN TIMELINESSSSS WORLDS???" that didn't DO anything when I could have gotten either a successful changing of timeline, or a 4K edition of something to tear my heart out, and hearing the absolute pain in Cloud's voice in his speech afterwards. I am Really Hoping that part 3 will clear this up, and retroactively improve an ending and story beats that I think single-handedly knock this game down from a 10/10. I shouldn't have faith in them, cause they've beefed two endings in a row, but I do, because they've shown that everything else they can create are honestly perfect.

Graphics

shortest section in the world this game is beautiful the landscapes are beautiful the characters are beautiful (or ugly when they needed to be and it still worked) my eyes were given a treat this entire 80 hours

Music

shortest section in the world this soundtrack is amazing hamauzu and suzuki cooked and made so many good songs

it's like they knew tifa's theme was one of my favorites and proceeded to give me 20 versions of it also gold saucer getting individual remixes???? a top 5 battle on the big bridge? NO PROMISES TO KEEP???????? GOD FUCKING DAMN.

Unorganized Ramblings/Finale

I really did have a lot of fun with this game. I didn't feel soured until the end for the most part, even during some frustrating game segments (fuck you Rufus and Odin and then Odin again and also that last Fort Condor). I really appreciate getting to see the wider world of FFVII in a modern sense, and I think overall I appreciate what I didn't previously a lot more. I also loved how with the addition of a card game and Gilgamesh, it got to match up with VIII and IX, the other 2 PS1 FFs to really feel like a unified FF vision. This game kept the silliness that the original had on top of its incredibly dark setting for something that I love to describe as the same vibe as Yakuza. I laughed seeing Red get a whole scene instead of a single bit in his person outfit, and then cried at a newfound caring for Cloud, Tifa, and Barret seeing Jessie's poster in the Gold Saucer. The vibes were immaculate and I'm really really excited to see what they do for the final part (which is going to be called Reunion I'm betting my left materia on it)

9/10. The peak of modern FF gameplay that enhances a classic, but fails its mission of being different.

[pertinax--loculos]

OC in Fifteen

I was tagged by the always-lovely @winterandwords for this tag game!

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

Tagging back @winterandwords because I can never get enough, plus soft tags for @dontjudgemeimawriter @frostedlemonwriter, @artdecosupernova-writing, @sunset-a-story and @kd-holloman

In the spirit of keeping with my goals for this year (and also because I need fifteen pieces of dialogue and a lot of my brainrot-WIPs at the moment don't necessarily have that) I'm going to do this for Latrell, of Absent That Night fame (noting these are mostly random lines, not really character-revealing):

I "So here's a fun question," he said, leaning back in his chair.

II "I know." Nox grinned now, flashing startlingly white teeth. "You're gonna help me catch the guy that did." "No I am fucking well not."

III "If you have a problem," Latrell said, breaking the silence, breaking his rule, like he always ended up doing here, in this situation, with Ronan, "Feel free to elucidate any time."

IV "Well, fuck that," Latrell snarled. "I'm done. I'm not working with a fucking criminal, especially one who has yet to provide any assistance. I'm gonna find whoever killed Carrie, but I'm not fucking looping you in on anything else. We're done."

V “You’ve claimed it wasn’t you, and then blackmailed me into helping you prove it, and then assaulted me with the Orn when I protested. Far as I’m concerned, we’ve established fuck all.”

VI “Yeah,” Latrell snapped, swiping up the mug and inspecting it, mostly so he didn’t have to look at Nox’s smug face. “That’s totally what it is, not that I’ve got a fucking felon on my doorstep.”

VII “What,” he gasped out through his protesting lungs, “The fuck?”

VIII “Fair? What the hell would you know about fair? Half the words that come out of your mouth are fucking lies, apparently you spent half of last night fucking following me around, and—” “I wasn’t—” “—and you act like you’re not even doing these things!”

IX “I’m loathe to agree with anything you say.”

X “I do not give a single fuck about your best interests. I just don’t wanna mess up my hands.”

XI "What sort of maniac builds an aquarium underground?"

XII “It’s… complicated, alright? And I’ll go into more detail when we get there. Just figured I shouldn’t spring it on you right after you’ve just met our favourite felon.”

XIII “And because you can’t be lying to me.” Wretched. Pleading. Begging. “You can’t.”

XIV Latrell said, “I’d kill a man for some caffeine.”

XV "Say I believe you." He didn't. He didn't. "Why would you tell me this? Now?"