#recreate kingdom hearts ending

[seijunkurosaki]

Don't think twice

Cuz twitter gonna die, I will now try to post here more... I'll really try, seriously I dunno how to use some of the function here and I need to fix some of the codes just to have a good IU design for this art blog.

Model and stage by Jakkaeront

[thefreshprinceofjunes]

part of your world - the little mermaid (1989) // kingdom hearts II (2005)

[cats2019forthenintendoswitch]

Early Adventure Time episodes: Ice King "kidnaps" Wire Princess, a vaguely humanoid heap of scrap with a smiley face painted on its "head" which he obviously made. Finn wants to stop him on the principle of kidnapping being bad, while Jake argues that since his "victim" is an inanimate piece of junk, no one's getting hurt and it might even quell his kidnapping thirst. After a series of shenanigans, Ice King attacks Jake, at which point Wire Princess speaks, revealing that not only was she alive, but consenting to the kidnapping as well, because of Ice King's fluffy beard. But now that she has seen him attack Jake, another fluffy thing, her heart is wavering and she must journey alone to find the true meaning of fluff. The end gag is Ice King screaming "She was alive?"

Middle Adventure Time episode: Raggedy Princess' kingdom is being attacked, and the assailant is revealed to be none other than Wire Princess, whose quest for fluff has turned destructive. PB appears excessively distraught by this, and it's revealed that she created Wire and Raggedy Princess (then known as cloth princess) in a recreation of the monkey experiment to best gauge her approach to ruling, in the early days of the Candy Kingdom. However, when the Wire Princess AI realized the candy people were more driven to Cloth Princess' caring nature, it logically concluded the only biological need of candy people is "fluff", and so tried her best to imitate Cloth's behavior, while Cloth Princess' deeply ingrained love for her citizens caused her to attempt to physically care for them. Declaring the experiment a failure, PB mind-wiped them both, gave Cloth Princess a new kingdom and name, and put WP in sleep mode, as well as left her in Ice King's junk pile. Jake, who has been listening, says "PB, that's messed up, man". Although they deliberate whether to reboot her again, she ends up being smashed by a gumball guardian or something. While everyone staress in shock, Raggedy Princess says "That's messed up, man. Also I didn't have time to say this earlier but I'm fine with either Raggedy Princess or Cloth Princess. So, um, yeah. Anyway, I'm going to call the cleanup crew"

Late Adventure Time episode: A strange techno-magical maze appears out of the blue in the Ice Kingdom. Finn and Jake explore it and find imagery of both softness and some sort of pre-apocalypse university, ultimately discovering it was created by Magic Woman/Betty mind-melding with Wire Princes, who was trying to reverse engineer an AI with love magic infused through Simon or whatever. She inadvertently mind-melded then, accidentally creating the semi-physical maze with her magic powers, and in turn realized that WP was, in fact, not only functional and aware this whole time, but she also had a slowed down perception of time. Finn and Jake sever the link after fighting some techno-nightmares. Magic Woman, despite only having been mind-melded for a day, has experienced a whole year, and appears distraught. But this is only momentary, as she declares that her accelerated madness means that her magic will grow exponentially stronger, and runs off appearing to have a plan. Finn and Jake are worried about Wire Princess going haywire (the pun is pointed out), but she clarifies (her voicebox is working now, but not much else) that actually, since she didn't have or understand emotions for most of her aware existence, she was just fine then. She then goes on a beautiful monologue about how, since she's now bonded to one, she finally, truly understands emotional beings and their complex needs. She renames herself "wire knight", and downloads her consciousnesses onto Finn's arm. A later episode has BMO and Wire Knight debating the trolley problem

[raphsmuneca]

𝓔𝓮𝓷𝔂, 𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓷𝔂, 𝓜𝓲𝓷𝔂, 𝓜𝓸𝓮

[Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe] The Introduction

NSFW/18+/suspense/romance/softsmut/agedturtles

Yes, I’m back! 💕

The Introduction

𓆉✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

‘It’s been 5 years now?! Well damn.’

For five unbearable years you’ve had to put a clutch on your womanhood because of the world’s most dominant MAJOR DICKS! Their names? Jerk, Asshole, Pansy, and Half-Wit!

Jerk, aka Leo, ughhh…. What is it with his monarch-like superiority? Given your exceptional teamwork, he’s never satisfied. If his balls were cowbells the resonant clanks would create structural damage to the roads that kept Manhattan’s traffic flowing. You’ve never seen a whiner less creative than he. When you first met him he was vehemently constructing new schemes for the new world of criminals, but now? He is just as boring as his daily cup of tea: green, no milk, no sugar, no steam, just cool green tea. Bleh!

And what of the orifice of all arses, you ask? Care to venture a guess? No need! He’s the one caricature in your mini series of sketches that remains as solid as his “musk-les.” Parodying his temper should make him easier to describe, yet he remains the same insufferable individual. No imaginary weapon or wily tool could crack through that thick skull. He was like that hidden underwater kingdom Aquaman was reaching for; except you lacked Atlantean armor and power. ‘Damn you, Raph!’

Then there’s America’s unrevealed gifted scientist and mathematician, “Dr. Pansy, MD.” He’s Mozilla’s next Firefox “X.” You’ve been treated like nothing but a demi-decade, shrinking violet by this blind scholar. He’s a walking firewall! You speak, he hums. You cry, he hums. You laugh, he hums. The same bland expression on his face makes you question both your humanity and belonging. His focus is strong, but it’s never on you. There was a time Donnie would join conversations to be heard, but now he's as unresponsive as a deaf mule.

And then there's the “half-wit” - I'm not mincing words!! He's obsolete and shows poor judgment, failing to consider the consequences for the rest of us. Are you all emotions and no substance, Mikey? He’s 25 and still can’t grasp the concept of responsibility! I know he means well, and his heart will forever be in the right place, but we don't need a showman; we need someone to hold down this fort since it's falling apart. And, as crazy as it sounds, he's the only one who can wake the rest up. Let's be honest, Mikey's the bass of this beat, and without him, there's no sound.

……

Here we are, after one of our misadventures led us to a faraway planet, at an unknown time, arranging our pre-planned escape, but I must choose to wed one of the four aforementioned idiots. However, with a twist of their own alien-like minds, they have decided that before my chosen one and I can marry, we must first make amends and recreate a romance for their benefit. They possess the technology to alter the ending, yet they permit the victim to select an ending of their liking before taking the next step, which, under my circumstance, means we are trapped in this hell. For their honeymoon, the newlyweds are allowed to travel anywhere in time only this once. That's our one gate! We've been stranded here for three weeks, with all escape attempts unsuccessful.

This is it! I have to choose one of these duds and pretend to care in order for us to make an escape; the problem is, which one do I choose, and how does that story play out?

I managed to convince them to let me tell all four untold stories before making a decision to improve our chances, but, why is it so difficult to go through with this? Because in the last year my bond with any of the turtles has declined. I struggle to hold conversations with them, let alone pretend romantic interest, even if our lives are at stake!

I’ve got quite the parody in my sketchbook, but they lit a candlestick to my ass with this one!

Here we go…

(Part 2 Leo’s Version <-)

Parts 3, 4 & 5 will be added accordingly… DO NOT REPOST!

@thelaundrybitch @eveandtheturtles @margoteve @m1dnyt3-w0lf @raphslovemuffin80 @leosgirl82 @happymoonangel @replicasey @inspiredwriter @fyreball66 @dressycobra7 @avery73 @raphaelsrightarm @android-cap-007 @moonlightflower21 @waterstar2016 @iheartchv @foxflamewarrior

[6point5crows]

Kuwei is a character often mischaracterized by the fandom, having been boiled down to just being “Wesper home wrecker” and the hurdle for Wesper to get over. People hate Kuwei because that’s all they seem him as, a tool to give Wesper issues. This shows a lack of understanding for his character as a whole and shows that people will not take the time to understand certain characters.

To begin, his whole life had been spent on the run and hiding. Running from the government due to being Grisha, running from Fjerda, being captured by Fjerdan, trapped in Fjerda, being captured by the Crows, running with the Crows, hiding the whole run of Crooked Kingdom, running from death itself, running away to Ravka, and now hiding out in Ravka. He lives in a constant state of holding onto what little self-preservation he must have left just to keep fleeing at a moments notice, never to turn back and face what chases him because everyone tells him to run and hide.

Why?

Because he’s just a prop to everyone. To Fjerda, to the story, to Ravka, and even to the Crows. He’s just a prop— a bargaining chip— a job. He’s hardly treated as human by anyone in the books, and is constantly spoken about as if he’s an item to be exchanged. Even the fandom speaks of Kuwei like this sometimes, or maybe they hardly take a moment to remember him at all.

Not to mention how much trauma he must have gone through? We don’t know what happened with his mother but we know Fjerda killed his father— Likely in front of Kuwei. Then they tortured him and tried to force him to recreate a drug that Kuwei didn’t even know how to make in the first place. Then he’s saved by kids his age only to discover their plan was just to trade him off to somebody else originally because to them… he’s just a prospect for money. And who knows what would have happened then? Would the Kerch government have gone to torture him too? Force him to do what the Fjerdans were doing? Maybe sell him off once more? What if it was back to Fjerda? Then he was put under constant fire and attacks, always in danger, tucked away somewhere without light and warmth for so long.

If he wasn’t friends with death before, he definitely was now.

Furthering on that, he had to watch as every single country became so after him, that the only solution was to fake his own death in front of them all— like a rabbit in front of wolves. Something which if done wrong, could literally end in his death (though maybe at this point, he was okay with that. It’s not like he’s really been living that whole time anyways). Or the plan could go wrong and somebody could make a grab at him. What if the Crows betray him and instead let him be sold off? What if they all fail? So they have a mock auction— which was real to everyone but Kuwei and the Crows— so Kuwei got to see just how much countries were willing to fight over him. Even if he knew the outcome of this auction, it would not be any less terrifying to hear as the price of yourself be called out. To hear you be auctioned off. To listen as you were reduced to nothing but money.

Then he was back on the run to Ravka, finally able to see the sun, finally able to relax. Right? But after all that, could he ever really relax? Could he ever exist as if any of this was normal? He’s still technically hiding in Ravka, without the freedom to go anywhere else. If he did, he would be killed, sold, used, tortured. And after all that… he’s still just a background character for all these stories. An item. A prop.

Yet he’s meant to represent a Phoenix— of rebirth and fire, to live even when all says he should be dead. To show that Grisha do not need to slouch in captivity or be used, to show that there is hope to fight back. He is meant to represent the fire in Grisha’s’ hearts, to build a better world and to use all of this attention he’s gained to help free the Grisha.

And yet he’s still on the run.

And yet he’s still traumatized.

And yet the fandom and characters still treat him like a prop.

Kuwei is more than just Wesper, Kuwei is more than just a prop, Kuwei is more than everything he’s been reduced to.

[ifuckinglovedinosaurssomuchjesus]

Chaos Theory Thoughts:

Episode 1

I like the intro, a recreation of a deleted Dominion scene where Rexy disrupts traffic. Surely she'll appear in the show proper at some point? Wouldn't be surprised if they're contractually obligated to put her in every Jurassic World product.

I cannot stress enough that this is just the ideal aesthetic. Dinosaur footprints creating potholes in an asphalt road that a truck has to avoid. This kind of casual urban anachronistic prehistory is my entire jam, I want to live in a world where Sauropods block traffic.

I like that Pachyrhinosaurus gets the obligatory "wow" moment this time around. It's a fine if unremarkable design, but it's really nice to see in the flesh after the little screen in Fallen Kingdom name dropped it as one of the species taken off the island.

One thing I already prefer about Chaos Theory over Camp Cretaceous is that everyone is a fully fledged adult. It tugs on the heart strings to see them grow and I always just feel a bit more comfortable connecting with characters around my age. Darius worked with the DPW in that four year gap between the end of CC and now. Is it bad that I wish we got to see that instead? The "getting wrapped up in illegal trafficking" plot is nice and all but I desperately just want an episodic series of the DPW dealing with dinos.

Kinda hate this scene, not gonna lie. The franchise's dead-set insistence on treating every herbivore as a harmless cow is a teeth grinding pet peeve. Yeah, go up to a wild agitated elephant and pull a thorn out of its foot, you absolutely won't get popped like a grape.

Allosaurus vs Pachyrhinosaurus. I like that the Allo is pretty outmatched, and it runs away after taking a couple smacks to the ribs. The franchise can forget that carnivores have survival instincts at times. Plus we get to up the score to 3-0 for Ceratopsians against Theropods!

A fun twist on a franchise trope, now it's the car chasing the dinosaur!

I like the themes of drifting away from old friends and the loss of relationships over time. The writers understood that it's a big time jump, the characters have grown up, to use that to drive the emotion is... surprisingly mature.

I adore this scene, as Ben's antics and rant in the dead of the night begin to illuminate the danger they're in before he's vindicated by an ominous shadow in the window, gives me chills.

Enter the Atrociraptor. Unfortunately they don't quite live up to the tension, the attack in the cabin is just a bit too contrived. They're loud and smash into everything like they're half blind, victims of falling bookshelves and railing on stairs. Very clumsy assassins.

[danger-high-voltage]

What I Want for the Kingdom Hearts Missing Link Ending

The final cutscene is a recreation of the cutscene from Dark Road where the elderly Player passes on while watching Xehanort on the beach of Destiny Islands. Except the camera focuses on Player's heart floating away before the scene fades out.

Next we cut to a scene of a woman preparing a meal. When she's done she says, "Sora, dinner's ready! Sora?"

[valtharr]

Imagine someone made a mod for Kingdom Hearts 2 where they perfectly recreate the world of Dark Souls. Rip all the textures and sound files and dialogue and so on from Dark Souls, recreate the whole world within KH 2. Rebuild the maps, apply the textures, place NPCs, which will give out the dialogue if spoken to. They're also taking KH 2 enemies and reskinning them to look like Dark Souls enemies. They're replacing the names and descriptions and illustrations of KH 2 items with those of Dark Souls items. But, critically, they're not actually changing anything about the actual gameplay. You are, for all intents and purposes, still Sora fighting Heartless and Nobodies, but they all just look different. It looks like Dark Souls, but plays like KH 2. Instead of slow, deliberate combat, it's fast-paced, flashy, and mostly airborne. Instead of only being able to level up at bonfires, and risking losing all your Souls when you die, you automatically level up as soon as you have enough EXP. Instead of respawning at a bonfire after dying, and having to make the trek back to where you died, you can just respawn there immediately.

Now let's say we have someone who already KH 2 on PC, and is interested in playing Dark Souls. They heard good things about the games, and really want to play them. But then, they find out about that mod. And they're like "hey, nice, I can just play that mod! I don't have to learn any new game mechanics or control schemes, and don't have to spend any extra money!"

Do you think this person would get an authentic Dark Souls experience? Do you think they'd get what it is about Dark Souls that people actually like?

Sure, they may still have fun. I mean, they probably will. After all, they already like Kingdom Hearts, and they're essentially just playing more Kingdom Hearts.

But also... they're essentially just playing more Kingdom Hearts!

They'll probably have fun with that, but they're denying themselves an opportunity to find something new that could be fun for them! Something different! Something that they can't get from just playing Kingdom Hearts! They end up settling for a cheap, surface-level imitation of the looks of Dark Souls, while completely ignoring that a team of game designers has worked really hard to create a set of game mechanics that can convey the appropriate feel of Dark Souls! They will travel the same spaces and fight (visually) the same bosses as people who play Dark Souls, but they won't actually get what made those spaces and bosses special in the players eyes. They'll never have the same kinds of stories to tell that Dark Souls players have to tell.

Anyway, that's what it's like when people homebrew D&D for a genre it's not meant for instead of even looking at games made specifically for that genre.

[firestorm09890]

more disorganized organization xiii warrior cats thoughts

Vexen medicine cat would be really funny. Zexion medicine cat apprentice is the next logical step which I think recreates the early Jaypaw Leafpool dynamic which is even funnier because Jayfeather was the first character I was ever obsessed with

also completely erases any competition for Saïx though. so. congrats Zexion you get to live

wait I just realized none of these bastards are canonically specialized for healing. the closest would be Vexen (knows how the body works) and Zexion (highest magic stat and only true caster, and cure/cura/curaga are spells)

back to Saïx, even though I think the "Luna Diviner" title is lame as fuck and doesn't represent Saïx very well, when you consider the line in kh2 where he asks Sora if he can hear the euphoria of the hearts gathered in kingdom hearts + the part of that one short story where Saïx asks Axel if he can hear the world's screams and Axel goes "what the hell are you talking about", I think he probably CAN actually hear that shit. which means he's definitely one of those cats constantly being plagued by visions of dead ancestors

that's the medicine cat's job though and generally cats who can hear that stuff from early on end up going into the medicine cat role but look at Saix he is NOT about to be a fucking medicine cat. middle manager assigning missions is basically the same as deputy assigning patrols, he's the deputy I've decided

actually... Vexen doesn't seem like a very spiritual guy... maybe it's like Mothwing and her apprentices, where he only does healing and Zexion handles all the prophecy omen StarClan stuff as well. He would be into that

I think Roxas being an apprentice to Axel sounds about right but idk about Xion... could be a situation where her mentor is Saix and he's being absolutely shitty about it but if the Chain of Memories crew is still alive in this setting I think. maybe. he should not be the one mentoring her.

Vexen can't do it though if he's the medicine cat and Xion's going to be a warrior

wait would this au have Vexen be Xion's biological father

then who's the mother

the worldbuilding of this group is in shambles

I have backstory for Zexion (abandoned kit found on the edge of territory) and no one else

okay that's not true I have one for Xemnas

Xemnas is the leader. he started out as a loner and then joined the clan and either charisma'd his way to being leader or there was a violent coup, which would imply... a number of things

like they'd definitely be put in their place after a coup if there were any other clans around

why is the group so small? why are they exclusively growing the group by recruiting outsiders when warrior cats almost all hate doing that? if we start with an established group where Ansem the Wise is theoretically the leader and Xemnas takes over after they collectively beat Ansem's ass, what happened to the entire rest of the clan? also where are the women

Lauriam/Marluxia and Elrena/Larxene's deal is somewhat similar to Jay's Wing/Jayfeather, Dove's Wing/Dovewing, and Lion's Roar/Lionblaze, but instead of reincarnations they're time travelers. I don't think they get magic powers as a result because they didn't get any more special powers than the other org members in canon

I'll come up with warrior names for all of them I promise

[one-winged-dreams]

Charming

ship: so i stayed in the darkness with you (adri x terra) source: kingdom hearts word count: 933

the FIRST of the v-day content, I decided to just do one for terra and one for angeal because i can't think of anything polyship related ;_;

tag list: @dearly-beeloved @camellias-and-coriander @rebel-wolf13 @sunstar-of-the-north @mahitoslittlebird @goldenworldsabound @edencantstopfallininlove @adoredbyalatus @dorothys-wife @faerie-circle-ships @kylars-princess @little-miss-selfships

"So… I'm gonna give you your gift now, okay?"

Terra arched an eyebrow in Adri's direction, taking in the characteristic color scheme of black and purple on a frilly dress that was outright thematically appropriate for the occasion.

He only allowed himself to be distracted by the sight for a moment before shaking his head and blinking, the secondary detail brought to his attention being the pose - Adri standing with a bright blush on his face and his hands behind his back.

"U-Uhm," Terra cleared his throat, finding a light blush begin to creep up his own cheeks, "you sure? You don't have to…"

Adri shook his head, biting his lip apprehensively for a moment.

"N-No. It's better to do it now." he seemed to mutter something about 'before I lose my nerve,' but Terra pretended not to hear it. "It's… Well, it's something I'd like to… WEAR. While we're out today."

"Wear…?" Terra asked, tilting his head in puppy-like curiosity.

Adri's blush deepened.

"Ah! Uhm, I hope it's okay, I still don't know if you're the type for accessories or anything. I've been trying to figure that out for a while now, actually?" he laughed nervously.

Terra smiled shyly, chuckling.

"Just a couple of years by now," he light-heartedly teased.

Adri returned to the chuckle, though not any less nervously.

"Y-Yeah, I know…" he said, looking down wistfully before shaking his head again. "B-But anyway, uhm… It's a matching set. Here's yours."

Blinking, Terra watched as Adri pulled a black box out from behind his back while simultaneously taking note of the fact that one of his hands still remained hidden. With a sort of tentative curiosity, he accepted the box, looking up at Adri as if to ask permission to open it. When he received a shy nod in return, he did so, unsure of what to expect.

Inside was a silver bangle, custom to his size, it would appear. It didn't take Terra very long to notice the charm that was nestled in the cushioning of the jewelry box, a perfect recreation of the charm at the end of Black Magic, Adri's keyblade. It was hardly the first thing Terra would have expected as a Valentine's Day gift, a soft breath leaving him as his eyes widened by a margin.

"Adri…" he started, unsure of how to express himself.

"A-And I don't want you to think it's some egotistical gesture on my end or anything! L-Like I said, it's part of a set, uhm… And this one… Is mine," Adri let out his own breath, bringing his hand out from behind his back at last and holding it out to show a matching bangle, this one with a charm replica of the one at the end of Earthshaker.

If the first part of the gift reveal hadn't completely knocked the air out of Terra's lungs, this addition to the gesture had. His eyes widened further, and his blush increased.

"That's…" he once again found himself incapable of speaking, overcome by an array of emotions.

"God, I hope you like it. I was worried it would be a stupid idea, augh, if they're not your thing, I can return yours. I hope you don't mind if I keep mine, though…" Adri clasped his hands, wringing them nervously as he looked down at the floor.

Finally, Terra swallowed the lump in his throat that had prevented him from speaking. Or that's what he told himself, at least.

"Well," he started, "I sure would hope that you keep it. Because I'm definitely never going to take mine off. I-If I can help it, I mean," he stated as steadily as he could manage.

The way Adri's head lifted, his brown eyes practically sparkling, was enough of a bonus present to make Terra feel almost guilty.

"R… Really? You actually do like it?" Adri asked, seemingly needing reassurance that Terra wasn't just trying to make him feel better. Not intentionally, at least. He had long since learned to trust again if not mostly just Terra. The rest of the group as well, but it seemed Terra especially.

Regardless, if it was reassurance Adri needed, then Terra would provide. He immediately tucked the box under his arm, clasping the bangle around his wrist with purpose. The way he stopped to admire the way it looked around his wrist, however, wasn't so much a show of reassurance as it was a genuine emotional response.

A smile crept across his face as he took in the shape of the charm, and suddenly, his arms were around Adri's shoulders without a second thought as to how he could express his gratitude.

"They're… perfect," he spoke into Adri's hair, no amount of shyness getting in the way of placing a kiss on the top of his boyfriend's head.

He should have probably expected to hear a sniffle, spinning the image of emotional tears before he could even consider they might have been inevitable.

"I'm glad…! I love you…!" Adri whimpered into his chest, wrapping his arms around Terra's waist.

"I love you too…" Terra returned the sentiment, smiling gently before pulling himself away with an amount of reluctance. "Come on. Aqua and Dae have probably already met up with Demyx and Bee. If we hurry we won't be TOO late."

Adri blinked, still seemingly the only one left in the dark.

"Okay, but can you tell me where we're going NOW?" he asked as Terra put a hand on the small of his back and began nudging him forward.

"And leave you the only one unsurprised? Definitely not."

[msbilberry]

Mirror for the bride of the King under the Mountain.

MsBilberry

Summary:

Erebor was retaken, Thorin and his nephews survived, and now restoration work is in full swing in the kingdom. Bilbo begins to feel lonely and unwanted and looks for a reason to return home. But it’s very difficult for him to do this, because his love for Thorin, which he never admitted, breaks the hobbit’s heart. And then, one not very wonderful day, the reason is found - Bilbo learns a secret that was hidden from him until the last: Erebor is preparing for the wedding of the King under the Mountain.

Chapter 1 of 5

Of course, the fact that Erebor was successfully recaptured and was being restored right before our eyes could not but rejoice. It is amazing how quickly the dwarves resurrected the former appearance of this mighty kingdom, recreating it even more magnificent and perfect than before. No less surprising for many was the fact that Thorin, the son of Thrain, a mighty warrior and now the rightful King, worked equally with everyone, from moving stones to working in a forge.

However, for those who were closely acquainted with Thorin and knew him well, this was not something out of the ordinary. All 12 dwarves from the squad, during their long journey together, managed to get to know the future King well enough to understand that in his soul he remained the same as they remembered him that evening in Bag End, when their long adventure was just beginning. The fourteenth member of the group, the hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, also seemed to understand this. Thorin's dragon sickness finally subsided, and the fact that he managed to survive the Battle of the Five Armies finally freed Thorin's mind from thoughts about gold and riches as the meaning of life, gave him strength and inspired him to restore his kingdom. Still, Bilbo felt some discomfort. Something has changed in Thorin's attitude towards the hobbit, but what? Bilbo could not give himself an answer to this question that tormented him so much.

Yes, Thorin had become distant, they no longer spent as much time together as before. There were no more long conversations until dawn, no more gatherings around the fire when you could sit closer to Thorin and slightly, as if by chance, snuggle up to him, as if by accident. Now Bilbo could not even see Thorin for a whole day, because he was either working in the forge, or sitting with Balin and other visiting dwarves in the library for papers, or receiving important guests. And then he even began to go with his nephews or Dwalin on visits to other kingdoms, leaving Erebor for a long time. However, maybe these visits were not so long, but for Bilbo, who realized that Thorin was not in Erebor and that he had gone somewhere far away, these days became real torture. He spent hours sitting by the window in his bedroom, which had a stunning view of the Mountain. But neither the wonderful view, nor the richly decorated room that was assigned to him, nor even the delicious food that was now in abundance in the kingdom, pleased Bilbo. And okay, everything else, but the fact that the hobbit wasn’t happy with the treats was definitely a bad sign!

Bilbo didn't understand why he was here. Now that Erebor had been retaken and its restoration was underway, the hobbit was no longer needed here. He probably already looked out of place under these stone arches, replete with inlays of precious stones. He is just a little hobbit, who was once invited by 13 dwarves on a journey and given a unique opportunity to take part in a real adventure. His mission here is completed and he must leave. This thought, although heartbreaking, firmly took hold in Bilbo’s mind and he gradually got used to it. And it broke his heart for only one reason, whose name was Thorin. Bilbo could not, did not want to part with him. The hobbit really wanted to see his cute mink again, return to his native land and again become just Bilbo Baggins from Bag End. But he understood that even if he left, his heart would forever remain here, with Thorin. The little hobbit’s little heart belongs to Thorin, and he doesn’t even know about it. Bilbo needed to leave, but he still couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was looking for a reason to delay his return home, and since all the dwarves from the detachment, and even those whom he had met already here, after the battle, were only glad that Bilbo was still with them, the hobbit still remained in Erebor , tormented by melancholy and a feeling of loneliness and uselessness.

And Thorin continued to solve state issues, only occasionally devoting some of his precious time to Bilbo. But Bilbo was happy with these crumbs too. At such hours they talked again, walking in the fresh air or sitting in the huge library by the fireplace. Sometimes Bilbo caught the gaze of blue eyes on himself, when, as it seemed to Thorin, the hobbit did not notice that they were looking at him. When they were alone, Bilbo always thought that Thorin wanted to tell him something, but did not dare. And when the king did start a conversation, it concerned exclusively matters of national importance and political issues. Bilbo was not interested in these conversations, but he listened carefully, because it was Thorin, his Thorin, speaking. And it doesn’t matter at all what was discussed, just to hear this velvety, familiar voice. Always hear. And at such moments the hobbit felt a lump in his throat. He again remembered that this could not last long.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb: June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history. Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever seen:

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

Review:

A girl willing to go to great lengths to rescue her sister from an evil king soon finds herself working together with the king's half brother in order to stage a coup and destroy the king. Based and inspired on real historical events/figures, the story is set in 1506, Josean, in which the evil tyrant King Yeonsan rules. Known for his cruelty and horrific abuse of women and girls, King Yeonsan will kidnap married women and young girls to abuse, traffic, and use as playthings. When seventeen year old Iseul's older sister is taken to become the king's latest prey, Iseul will do anything to get her back. The king's power is absolute and to challenge him would mean certain death. Prince Daehyun has not only witnessed but committed many horrifying acts in order to simply survive in his half brother's rule. He has been forced to shut his emotions off in order to just survive... having to watch King Yeonsan's rampant executions and abuse of people... and Daehyun has been bidding his time, patiently waiting to stage a coup and dethrone his brother. Daehyun and Iseul's path cross and despite their dislike for one another, their deeper hatred for the king will bond them together as they seek to free themselves of this monster. All the while a different monster is on the loose, a killer known as Nameless Flower, prowls the street, leaving behind dead bodies and messages to the king. Can Daehyun and Iseul make it out alive or were their chances impossible to begin with? This was such a heart wrenching and brutal read, especially since it is based on real history and on real atrocities committed. I cannot even begin to imagine the horrors that had occurred. The story was a fantastic look into this moment in history and despite how hard it was to read at some points, I was absolutely gripped until the very end and was so happy with how things turned out. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who enjoys stories based on history, heart wrenching stories, and just a good read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[recusant-s-sigil]

So you know how the card combat system in CoM is never brought up again in the mainline series (non-mobile games)? This got pretty long, so it’ll be under the cut. Spoilers for Union Cross. TLDR: Ven’s presence in Castle Oblivion is what made it have the card system.

According to the 8th of Ansem the Wise’s secret reports in KH2, “[Castle Oblivion] consists of 13 floors above and 12 floors below ground, with the contents of its ‘White Rooms’ transforming in response to its visitor’s memories.” Those memories are etched onto cards, created by sampling specifically Sora and Riku’s memories. Who is the first person we see create these world cards?

Marluxia, who also teaches Sora how to use the cards to his advantage in combat for some reason. Come to think of it, why does Marluxia show Sora how to use the cards? In-universe, I mean. And how do the CO-assigned Org members know how to use them as well? But I’m getting off-track. We’re here to talk about why the cards are the combat system, not how the characters know how to use it.

Castle Oblivion is a place tied to the Age of Fairytales by its inhabitants, both as the Castle and as the Land of Departure. Ven is from then, as are Marluxia and Larxene, who both end up there. Eraqus is (probably but not confirmed to be) descended from Brain. Xehanort calls the Land of Departure a second home and is also related to a Union Leader, Ephemer. Remember, the contents of the White Rooms reflect the memories of the Castle’s visitors, so what then would happen if someone resided there? Would their memory, no matter if they consciously are aware of it or not, affect the whole castle to such a degree that the combat system reflects that of a bygone era?

Did you know that Kingdom Hearts χ, the browser game, used cards as its combat system? Ever wonder why Flick Rush exists? Dark Road also uses cards in its combat system, though it’s less a game of War and more “hit the enemy with sleights as fast as possible before their turn arrives”.

In Unchained χ and Union Cross, instead of cards, your player character uses Medals, which function basically the same but are exclusive to that specific game. Medals don’t show up anywhere else in the series, unlike cards.

At the end of Union Cross, it’s revealed that the events of Unchained χ were taking place inside a datascape, a digital recreation of the real Daybreak Town. Makes sense, then, that Medals only appear in that specific stretch of time/gameplay. We also discover that Dream Eaters, both Spirits and Nightmares, are actually wielders whose hearts have been kept safe by their Chirithy, transforming it into the technicolor Pokémon ripoffs of Dream Drop Distance. Only makes sense that they’d use cards for Flick Rush in that case, right?

Ever wonder why Luxord’s title is the Gambler of Fate when his attribute is time? Cards and dice, the main weapons he and his subset of Nobodies use, have been associated with fortune-telling since they were invented. Card reading, especially Tarot, are popular forms of attempting to predict the future or find out something important about yourself and others pertaining your/their destiny. But in this series, destiny is never left to chance, meaning no need to gamble. Perhaps Luxord is hoping to game the system while staying within the rules.

Back to world cards. Doesn’t the way they work seem oddly familiar? They use the memory of a person to project a world for them to interact with within a single location. Sounds very much like the Book of Prophecies creating worlds from the future it saw (the memory of that future etched in its pages) for wielders to collect Lux from the safety of Daybreak Town, since the actual worlds are too far away to get to besides using a Corridor of Darkness or similar.

I could go into how Skuld, Sigurd, and the Dark Road Norse Name crew connect to this (and possibly speculate about Sigurd’s role in Missing-Link), as well as the strange pods in CO/the Mansion and the significance of the Master’s Defender Keyblade being the one used to lock away the LoD but that’s more research than I could possibly stomach right now so I’ll save that analysis for another time. Besides, that’s more related to fate in general and not specifically cards so it’s probably best to keep that separate anyways.

If you made it this far, I want to thank you for reading! This is something I’ve had on my mind for a while and it feels great to finally get it down on paper (or rather, in a post).

[lucyav13]

Characters

This chapter will be dedicated to all those characters who accompanied us on our adventure for the pure hearts, so I hope you like it :) 

Queen Jaydes, Grambi y Luvbi

(Image credits to its author)

Queen Jaydes is the kind-hearted (but strict) queen of Underwhere. As ruler of The Underwhere, she possesses power over life and death. Queen Jaydes is named hence the god of the underworld in Greek mythology, Hades, as well as "upset," meaning "unenthusiastic" or "bored" (both qualities she possesses). Fun fact: she bears a certain resemblance to the Queen of Shadows.

Following Dimentio's defeat, Jaydes travels to The Overthere upon learning that Luvbi has returned to life. There, she promises to give Luvbi all the love she can and encourages the heroes to visit her to judge her when they finish her games, as thanks for her hard work.

Gambi

His name is a portmanteau of "grandfather" and "Nimbi."

Just as Jaydes is based on Hades, the ancient Greek lord of the underworld, Gambi may be based on Zeus, the sky god and ruler of Mount Olympus in Greek mythology. Additionally, as The Overthere also borrows from Christian theism, certain aspects of Gambi are shared with God, such as his position as head of the angelic Nimbis and his conflict with Bonechill (whose story closely resembles that of Lucifer). However, Grambi is not credited with creating the world or life and is neither omniscient nor omnipotent.

Luvbi

Her name is a combination of the words "love" and "Nimbi." After Bonechill's defeat, Luvbi assumes his true form to save all the worlds. After saving all the worlds, Luvbi recreates herself as a true Nimbi girl independent of the white Pure Heart. (A/N: I have a theory that explains how, so check out the Pure Hearts chapter ;))

Fun Fact: Luvbi plays a similar role to TEC-XX from the previous game, in that they both make a sacrifice to help Mario and his friends at the end of Chapter 7, only to be inexplicably revived upon Mario's defeat the final boss.

Kalamarx

After the heroes defeat Mr. L in the heart of the Whoa Zone, Squirps reveals to them that he is the prince of a forgotten kingdom, Squirpia, and that his mother, Squirpina XIV, was entrusted with the Pure Heart by the Ancients. She then placed Squirps in a hibernation capsule for 1,500 years, so that he could lead the heroes to the Whoa Zone when they arrived in Outer Space. After relaying his mother's message to them asking them to save all worlds, the prince hands over the Blue Pure Heart. The post-chapter narration reads that, his quest finally done, Squirps lay down near the statue of his mother and closed his eyes to rest. He was presumed dead by the heroes; however, returning to Outer Space at any time afterward reveals that he had only fallen asleep, and the player can replay the chapter as normal.

After beating the game, the heroes can find Squirps in the Whoa Zone near his mother's statue, assuring her of the world's safety and that he would restore Squirpia someday.

Tipptron, with her tattle says: His full name is Squirp Korogaline Squirpina. It seems he is actually the prince of a space kingdom... He dreams of ascending the throne someday. I'm sure he has what it takes...

Some fun facts: Squirps' reaction to being fed a chocolate bar can be seen as a callback to Gourmet Guy from the original Paper Mario, who acted similarly when fed Cake and also impeded Mario's progress in Chapter 4 of that game.

He is also somewhat similar to Flavio, as both claim themselves to be gourmets and are initially hesitant to accept the edibles Mario brings them.

Excluding enemies, Squirps is the only character in the game who flips into 3D as the player does; this is the case even when they visit him in the Whoa Zone.

Squirps is the second character in the Paper Mario series to fall asleep and be mistaken for dead by Mario and co., with Admiral Bobbery being the first.

[darlingzelda]

Fenn Luxure x MC (Retsuko) Part one

   “Why won’t it change....!” Retsuko mutters to herself, waving her hands over a bronze goblet of water in an attempt to change it from water into mead.  

        She had already been there twenty minutes after the lesson had ended, practicing under the sharp eye of Toa until she was to manage the difficult bit of magic. This happened quite often, as Retsuko was not particularly gifted in magical skill.  

        “Envision the taste, smell, hue, and texture of the liquid you are attempting to recreate.” Toa instructed, standing in front of her with his arms crossed and a hint of sharpness in his voice. His blue eyes were particularly icy as they zeroed in on her cup. “If you cannot do this simple task, there is no possibility that you will be able to pass the practical exam next week. I expected more from a hardworking student such as yourself.” 

Retsuko’s red eyes were focused on her goblet until she heard a familiar voice floating down the hallway through the open door.  

“Ah yes, it has been far too long, hasn’t it? I have not stepped out into town for quite a while, I’m afraid~” 

        She knew the voice immediately, recognizing the carefree lilt and tease with which it spoke.  

        Fenn. 

        “But Prince Luxure, your romantic date was to be with me today! Can’t you give your next lecture to Prince Avari and spend the day with me instead?” a woman’s voice squealed, and Retsuko’s attention snapped to the conversation being held by Fenn and his numerous admirers.  

        Toa even noticed, turning a doleful, icy scowl in the direction of the door. “Must he hold these bothersome conversations in common places of learning...? How very like him.”  

        “Oh, how I should like to, but alas-” Fenn sighs loudly, and Retsuko could picture the theatric face he must be making with those expressive amethyst eyes of his. “Guy happens to be in Avari with his valet and the other princes simply will not cover for me anymore. How very unfortunate. Truly tragic.” 

        The girl Fenn was speaking to begins to protest in a whining voice, and Fenn- the slippery fellow he was- managed to leave her in the hallway and be on his way from there.  

Toa gives a long-suffering sigh of resignation and waves his hand in Retsuko’s direction. “Go. I cannot hold remedial lessons while that lout is traipsing around the hallways. You must practice on your own from here.” 

        Retsuko gratefully got up from the front row of seats where she had been concentrating in favor of heading to the refectory for a light meal. Sherry, Thoma, Rio, and Violet had already finished their lessons for the day, so she supposed she might join them for a bit before heading back to the common room to study. 

        As she wandered through the halls, feeling rather light of heart, she felt a pair of arms suddenly wrap around her shoulders from behind and squeeze her tightly.  

“Halloa, treasure!” 

        “Fenn!” she choked, whirling her head around to see the Luxurean prince with his body draped over hers in a very Fenn-like form of greeting. His violet eyes were filled with mirth as he squeezed her, a playful smile gracing his features. “What are you doing???” 

        “I saw you and opted to say hello, treasure. Why, don’t tell me you didn’t want to see me! I should very much feel disappointed were that the case.” Fenn sighs theatrically in response, his face contorting in a rather adorable pout. Retsuko had to shake off the feeling of her racing heart at the point-blank range from which Fenn was teasing her.  

        He was known for being rather a womanizer of sorts, spending each day with a gaggle of different women and being very open with his personal bedchambers for napping partners. It made a little sense, of course, considering how he was raised.  

        The kingdom of Luxure very widely practiced polygamy, and most of its occupants had multiple spouses. Even the King, Fenn’s own father, had a thousand-and-one wives.  

        “Well, hello, Fenn, if that’s what you wanted-” Retsuko squirmed, wiggling her way out of his embrace with difficulty and managing to extract herself from his arms. “But I should really be going. Rio and the rest are waiting for me, I’m sure-” 

        “Must you go just now?” Fenn sighs again, looking thoroughly disappointed and pushing strands of silvery-purple hair from his eyes. “I happen to have time for a nap, and I am rather tired- will you not sleep by my side? I have need of a napping partner for today, as it happens-” 

“What?? No, Fenn!” shaking her head vehemently, she turns to leave before he can rope her into any other entanglements. “Goodbye!” 

        Fenn sighs to himself as he watches Retsuko scamper off, his violet eyes following her until she disappears from his sight. “What a pity. I should very much have liked to nap with Treasure.” 

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ 

Fenn returned to his chambers alone, opting to avoid his avid fangirls for peace of mind.  

        He sat atop the deep purple velvet chaise by his balcony window, appearing to be lost in deep thought as his valet, Violet, stepped into the room. “So this is where I find you, Fenn! I have gone on a wild goose chase hunting you down, you know!” she scolds, narrowing her brilliant purple eyes in her Master’s direction. “You are to be teaching a lesson soon, what has gotten into you lately?” 

        “Oh, halloa, Letty.” Fenn looks up as if breaking away from his thoughts, a laugh escaping his mouth as he leans back lazily on the chaise, spreading his limbs to stretch. “I have caught Treasure in the hallway, but she has escaped me once again.” 

        “You leave that poor girl alone, Fenn!” Violet plants her hands on her hips, a frown pulling her wine-colored lips. “She has enough going on as it is without you badgering her to be your sleeping partner.” She plants a sheaf of papers on the bedside table and looks up, catching Fenn in a rather unusual serious expression.  

        “I should like for her to be more than my sleeping partner, truth be told.” his voice loses the carefree lilt it usually carries as he stares at no spot in particular on the ceiling. “You know her well, do you not, Letty? Tell me all you know about treasure’s preferences.” 

        “Her preferences? What are you blathering on about, Fenn?” Violet purses her lips, settling down on a velvet seat opposite the chaise. “Retsuko is not likely to be caught anywhere near you if you carry on your romantic jaunts with these women that follow you around everywhere. I gather she needs someone who will commit to her, and you, Fenn, are not the sort to tie yourself down to one woman.” 

“One woman...” Fenn’s expression remains stony as he considers what his valet is telling him.  

        Retsuko would only consider him if he were to stop entertaining other women, in other words...? That could easily be done. He had no real love for his trysts, they were only mere distractions from the aching loneliness that plagued him ever since he was banished from Luxure. 

However, if it was Retsuko he so desired, he would have to make the decision to cut ties with Luxurean norms and become solely dedicated to her alone. 

TO BE CONTINUED…...

[hells-sirenqueen]

Queen of the Damned Hell

Rebuilding a Dark Kingdom in the Shadows.

Once Divine Lucifer left her pocket plane, Lilith couldn't help find herself quite excited for the first time in eons. She was finally going to have Lucifer at her side and there was no one, not even God could stop her!

Well he could try, but she knew that Lucifer was dead set on coming back to her. He owed too much of a debt to her to think otherwise.

She promised that there would be a crown and throne prepared for him and she intended to keep that promise.

Stepping out of her bedroom, she snapped her fingers. The abyss that surrounded her realm was lit with torches that gave the darkness a glimpse of life. Going by memory, she used her magic to recreate her palace, using a gothic theme with red and black everywhere.

The grand staircase, the marble foyer, an many more important rooms It wasn't until she got to the throne room that she was creating things on a whim.

She paid special attention to this room. This room would be nearly as big as the ball room. Flags that had a crescent moon and a snake wrapped around the moon was their coat of arms.

Walking further into the room, she created a lovely golden throne for Lucifer and a golden one for her as well. She placed a hand on the back of Lucifer's seat, eyes closing for a moment.

"You were always meant to be at my side, Lucifer. I don't care what your siblings or God have to say about it. You know it too. I can see it in your eyes. Your heart yearns to be accepted and loved. Well, worry not. I offer you something that not even your supposed brotherly love can give you. Intimacy, acceptance as you are and praise until the end of our days." She hummed softly leaning to the side as her magic created a shadow of an outline for a crown she would create for him. The bones she collected from his former wings were the foundation, followed by some gold and onyx minerals. Once they were finished, she had a gold crown with an underlayer of onyx.

Decorated at the front were a pair of wings that were etched into the gold and an eye between the wings. This design was also on either side of the crown to show in memory of his lost wings before he called out to her. The defining act that solidified that she was more important to him than his brothers.

She knew how much he leaned on them, especially on Michael. Oh, well, Lucifer wasn't going to need him once he was at her side.

Lilith would be all that Lucifer would want or need. He had many years to decide whether striking a blade through her heart was worth it or not. If she were to thank Lucifer for anything, it would be for freeing her from her imprisoned mixed body that God trapped her in.

Awakened once more from the cursed gates of Heaven, or what was left of it, she found herself in a better form than she was punished with.

A Queen of the Night, retaining the appearance of a mortal, for a time, but a pair of horns to honor her fallen form. Lilith gave his chair a light pat. It was only a matter of time before his time assisting this cycle was enough. Soon, soon she would have him in her arms and crown her darling as King. Then she wouldn't be so lonely anymore.

Her plan was fool proof.~

ll @themosthatedbeingg ll