#salty neo answers

[salty-hakuouki]

Plagiarism on my fic : my statement

A few weeks ago, widemushroom (may be reffered as Saya or Autumn since these are other pseuds of her) contacted me because she had a « hater » commenting on her fic and accusing her of Plagiarising my fanfic « Memoirs of a Sword » and especially the end of the first part « the Kyoto Chapters » and the beginning of the second part « The War Chapters ».

https://archiveofourown.org/works/39929310

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43357633

Her work, « Twenty-Three Nights » is a direct inspiration of my fic, with my consent. She also used my fic for her « Kazama Headcanons » because, as most of us know, she doesn’t play the game and so, she chose my fic as premise for her headcanons. For that, she didn’t let me know. Since the drama, she added disclaimers on AO3 for this fic as well, crediting the inspiration and denying that I associate with her fics. That was at my request, to not have further misunderstanding.

Since this is not dying out and is still discussed, and since my comments left on her « Kazama Headcanon » fic trying to clear the misunderstanding were deleted by Saya under her fic, I am posting here a copy of my statement, that I had screenshoted.

Hi, I’m Neo. Since this comment section turned into an argument, I decided, with Saya’s permission, to break the silence.

Indeed, the first paragraph here describe not the Saito route as stated, but event from « Memoirs of a Sword - Kyoto Chapters », my fan fiction.

The setting for the story depicted here takes its roots specifically in the five last chapters of this fic.

I agree a mention would have been a nice touch, since it originated from my work, and I understand you wanted to protect me and my intellectual property (although I am not sure this concept exists for fics). Still, I think a bit of politeness and respect would have been more civil.

To be completely honest, I do not like « Twenty Three Nights », and have been disappointed in its development. This is part of the reason why I don't mind having my name not associated with Saya's fics. Saya knows that very well since she's been working on that fic for years by now, and we've been in contact sometimes. But my opinion on her works doesn't matter. Because the author is Saya, and she writes the story SHE wants to read. I'm glad my fic inspired another author, and I don't feel like I'm « owed » a story I like because of it. I never commented on this fic past the first chapter (which I proofread for Saya, before she decided to continue on her own) because as my mom used to say « if you can't say anything nice, best choice is to not say anything at all ». Still, I reiterate that Saya and I are cool. It's her story, her choices, her writing style and headcanons. And I support all writers who are confident enough to share their stories with the world on this website.

I appreciate the fact you were defending me and my story, but if it happens again, I'd be really appreciative if we could discuss the issue before going on insulting someone else on my behalf. I don't need a knight in shining armor, and would rather open a discussion, and involve Saya in it, to clear any misunderstandings.

After this statement, the « hater » which turned out to be just a teenager girl with a strong sense of justice, understood the issue and just said that she didn’t like what Saya did with my story and the lack of credit given. She agreed to drop the issue.

Saya took that personally, and even though I asked her multiple times to drop it, and that she could disable « guest comments », she was set on finding out who the person was. It took a turn for the worse, and it escalated. The teenager was really uncomfortable and asked Saya to leave them alone multiple times too, and so I stepped in again, hoping, by sharing my socials, to have a conversation with this teenager and have this issue dropped. That’s when Saya decided to erase my comments, called me a bully and a hater because I wasn’t on « her side ».

Saya and I went no contact, at my request, following that event. I was tired of interacting with someone who sees only people and stuff as black and white, and felt like whatever I do for Saya, it would never be enough, by her standards. But she is still free, as stated, to use my fanfics for whatever she wants to do with them. Normally, she should be using a disclaimer on her all works which use my content to avoid further criticism and harassment. I hope she’ll continue to use them, for her own peace of mind, so that she won’t be accused of plagiarism again.

[queenharumiura]

☠ What does someone have to do for an instant unfollow from you?

♦ What was a mildly annoying thing that has happened to you rp wise?

♚ How many people don't like you?

✮ Have you managed to stay away from drama?

☯ Have you ever tried to bring peace to a situation?

☀ What's your rp pet peeve?

☂ Have you ever been forgiven when you knew you shouldn't have been?

☣ Have you ever rp'd with someone you knew for a fact was abusive but tried to give them a chance/to make up your own opinion on the roleplayer? Did they change or did you understand what people were talking about?

❀ What has made you completely lose your chill?

✂ A fandom that you feel isn't open and accepting?

✦ Thoughts on duplicates following you?

❥ Has someone ever ruined an FC or character for you?

❧ Have you ever been jealous of anyone?

♒ Thoughts on the fandom you're currently rping in?

[Original] ||Accepting|| @thehandworld

LOL so many-- I'll put this under a readmore because it's gonna get long.

☠ What does someone have to do for an instant unfollow from you?

Mmm... the only thing that I can think of is if someone reposts art without credit and without permission from the artist. HOWEVER, I usually do talk to the person and tell them about my concerns first. I don't just unfollow instantly. I at least give them a chance after explaining to them why it's in my rules. If they can understand and say that they'll be more mindful of it moving forwards, we're good. IF they tell me anything like 'I don't care, I want to post pretty art onto my blog' or 'it's the artists fault for posting their art if they don't want it posted elsewhere,' then I WILL instantly unfollow AND BLOCK.

[edit] I remembered a reason for me to instantly unfollow/block someone. If I find out that someone engages in underaged muses doing smut, I will unfollow/block instantly. This is one of the only times that I'll unfollow/block without warning because this-- to put it lightly... is a trigger for me.

♦ What was a mildly annoying thing that has happened to you rp wise?

Hm... mildly annoying... I mostly have things that don't annoy me or REALLY annoy me. The only mildly annoying thing that I can think of is when random artists will come into my ims and be like 'can I offer my services for commission?' I understand that they are trying to promote themselves and such, but... I don't really like it.

It happens a lot on dA, where people will promote themselves in my notes or in my ims because they see that i've commissioned a lot of art or bought a lot of adoptables over the years. Just because of that, it doesn't mean I want to buy from every artist out there. I find it rude for people to just come into my dms to request for me to purchase a commission from them. I wouldn't mind if they simply asked me to look through their gallery, but to ask for me to buy from them? That bothers me a little bit. ESPECIALLY the ones who send me multiple messages hours apart. That one actually annoys me quite a bit.

♚ How many people don't like you?

I have no idea on a number, but I can think of a few who don't like me in this fandom and outside of this fandom. I won't talk on this fandom, but for those outside of the fandom? I can think of many Inu//yasha fandom people who don't like me because that fandom is really bad with stealing art and resposting them without permission. I kept speaking about how bad it is and I got into arguments with people about it. With many of the people saying 'it's the artists fault for posting their art if they don't want it reposted,' I left the fandom. It was stressing me out. I've blocked a good number of them.

There was a time because of the Inu\\yasha sequel and me playing Sesshomaru... and me being mutuals with someone who... had tastes that I don't agree with... I was getting a lot of hate from people accusing me of being a p//edo-apologist. I have since cut-ties with the person once I found out, but I did get hate for something that no one thought to warn me about. This is why for a long time I was terrified of my inbox.

I'm sure the moderator team of a RP group I was once a part of years ago don't like me either. It's a long-ass story, but in simple terms: if you want to talk smack about trans or non-binary people, don't do it on a twitter that you LINKED in your bio page??? That's fucking stupid??? Of course people are going to want to leave your group if one of the MODERATORS is talking like that.

✮ Have you managed to stay away from drama?

I've been in a few here and there //motions to answer directly above

I know that there were two separate occasions of big KHR drama. I avoided those because for the first one, I wasn't in the fandom yet. For the second one, I didn't really visit the KHR discord server often enough to see the drama that was going on. That event caused a number of the KHR fandom to leave the RPC, including Kiril, my favorite Hibari. He was the one that gave Haru her little 'Mi-chan' (her own lil Hibird).

I've literally never had a good experience in ANY RP discord server. All of them ended horribly. Two RP groups crashed and burned because of moderators not doing a good job. Another smaller server crashed and burned because of incidents between the members. The Inu\\yasha one? I never joined it, but BECAUSE I didn't join it, people stopped interacting with me as much. It was like they felt offended that I didn't trust joining the server because 'do you think we'd start drama?'

WELL!!!!! ONE OF YOU DOXXED A GIRL'S DAUGHTER, AND Y'ALL BULLIED AND KICKED OUT MY FRIEND- SO YE, I DON'T TRUST YOU GUYS WORTH A DAMN, YOU FUCKS. Best decision for me to NOT join that server.

TLDR: The fact that I'm not super active in public spaces, I feel, helped me stay out of a lot of drama over the years.

☯ Have you ever tried to bring peace to a situation?

... Yes. The small server that I briefly mentioned above? I did try to mediate between members. I did try to have people see eye to eye, but... it didn't work. A lot of it is the fact that personalities really clashed and ... a lot of hurtful words were said. It didn't end well.

☀ What's your rp pet peeve?

Mmmn... I'm not sure how to answer this... as there are things that bother me or annoy me in the RP sphere, but they are also usually minor things that I am very willing to simply gloss over and ignore, so I won't count those for this answer. As it is a salt meme, I think this is really asking for things that I'm not so willing to overlook.

I won't talk about things like rule-breaking because that's just... an obvious answer.

I suppose something that actually peeves me off is if I see someone reblogging a lot of call\\out posts. I'm sure some of them are very valid, but I've also seen some where I do think a lot of it was simply misunderstandings. I say this because it happened in KHR RPC years ago where someone said the wrong thing because English wasn't native tongue and people took the words out of context, witch hunted them and they left the fandom.

I suppose another thing that really upsets me is hypocrisy. It's aggravating to me when someone is in their rules saying 'Communication is important,' 'vague posting is bad, so don't do it! I'll block on sight!' and 'don't start drama, I hate it!' and also be the ones who DO vague on their blog, they DO actively ghost and block people instead of communicating, and DOXX people when they're upset. Then they go around and STEAL AU ideas from the person who upset them. THAT PEEVES ME OFF. Full transparency? I'm talking about the Inu\\yasha fandom here. THIS is what happened.

You can't sit there in your rules and claim you hate drama and that you value communication but also refuse to communicate. Then you also vague post??? I'll never forget the energy of them going 'if you think this post is about you, IT IS' LIKE WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?????????????????? I was already going to leave the fandom because of the art reposting but when I saw that??? OH, I left in a HEARTBEAT. FK THEM.

I'll NEVER forgive that fandom for what they did to my friend. I saw how hurt she was over what happened. Not gonna lie, a lot of the times, I noticed that people who claim they value communication and hate drama in their rules usually end up being in drama and not communicate. That's my hot take.

Source? //motions to the inu\\yasha fandom. SO MANY OF THEM said this in their rules and yet they propogated the drama with being very cliquey, booting people out of servers without a warning. Or you made a completely new server and didn't re-invite one person. So then their friend who was in the new server invited the person in because they didn't know why you made the new server to begin with. Ghosting people without a warning, ignoring people for weeks or months on end without explanation. Yeah. Okay. You care for communication. Right.

Actually stay true to what you say.

☂ Have you ever been forgiven when you knew you shouldn't have been?

Yes, and i'll elaborate on that in the answer below.

☣ Have you ever rp'd with someone you knew for a fact was abusive but tried to give them a chance/to make up your own opinion on the roleplayer? Did they change or did you understand what people were talking about?

Yes. You know EXACTLY the person I'm about to talk about too. I'm sure you can guess who i'm about to say with two guesses. 'Nya' and '[on anon]: Why are you so rude to people? They just want to be your friend'. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about. This person is EXACTLY the reason why super rarely will ever send an anonymous ask. If I do, it's usually because i'm on the wrong blog. I'll always state who I am.

ANYWAYS, I wanted to reach out to them because I wanted to explain to them that some of their habits were bad in RPC. If they actually wanted to interact with people, there were some things they had to change. Unfortunately, they didn't really follow female muses.

As such, I brought in a male muse and they instantly followed when they saw I was interacting with some KHR blogs lol.

My blood pressure SKYROCKETS whenever I think about them. The person had such entitlement. I remember one time they got mad at me for not responding quickly to messages. I was a college student going for my CHEMISTRY degree. I'm busy! I said that and they were like 'okay I forgive you' HAH!!?!?!?!?! FORGIVE ME???? FOR WHAT!? Ooooooo I almost died from the anger right then and there. I got so mad.

What happened? I was like 'hey that's rude to expect me to respond quickly at all hours of the day. RP is a hobby and I do it for fun, it's not a job. THEY FUCKING BLOCKED ME! BLOCKED ME!!!!

After a few days, they unblocked me and was like 'are you ready to RP with me now?' OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THE VITRIOL I WAS FILLED WITH. My ass really went: "Sure! I'm ready to rp with you as long as you're ready to talk about the way you speak to me"

BLOCKED AGAIN.

I think it was for a week that time? 'Are you ready to rp with me now?' OHHH the sheer anger I had. 'Are you going to block me any time I have an issue?' Blocked again.

They came back like, 'oh sorry I blocked you on accident'. I said "An accidental block 3 times in a row?' Blocked.

Phew... the patience I had with them. In that moment I decided they were a lost cause so I blocked them. I wasn't willing to give them any more chances. I wasn't willing to try to forgive them or anything. Not to mention that they wrote an underaged muse and kept trying to smut. When someone called them out on it, 'age is just a number, nya~'

Look. The immense hatred and disgust I STILL feel about this person is real. We lost KHR people over this person because they kept harassing people.

❀ What has made you completely lose your chill?

The one time some anon accused me of being a p\\edo apologist when I'm a victim of such in my younger years. They accused me because I was mutuals with someone who... wrote such content but they didn't tell me WHO. It took me months to figure out who it was and during that time it was CONSTANT anon hate across my many blogs.

I had PANIC attacks over this. I lost my chill at the first anon ask and afterwards it was just panic attacks.

The other time I lost my chill is up above.

✂ A fandom that you feel isn't open and accepting?

Eh... I honestly don't pay attention to too many fandoms, but I recall many years ago the Dan\\ganronpa was apparently stated to not be very open and accepting and was pretty elitist? Inu\\yasha fandom had a lot of cliques. That's all I can think of.

✦ Thoughts on duplicates following you?

I don't mind it at all! I actually get a bit happy sometimes, because it's like AYYYYYYY FELLOW SISTER/BROTHER WHO LIKES THE SAME MUSE!!!! I feel if they follow me, it shows that they can tolerate and accept my portrayal so it's nice to see.

❥ Has someone ever ruined an FC or character for you?

Yes, Daisuke Niwa. In this case, the NAME and the FC have been ruined for me. I will forever associate both the FC and the name with that person who really annoyed me and was the cause for a number of my friends leaving the KHR RPC.

❧ Have you ever been jealous of anyone?

No, I only felt envy. Jealousy is the worry that someone will take what you have. I've only felt envious- wanting something that someone else had. This is primarily for when I first joined the RPC and a lot of people weren't giving Haru a chance. So I was envious of people who had mutuals to write with.

♒ Thoughts on the fandom you're currently rping in?

There were a lot of ups and downs, but I can say that for the most part, I mostly enjoyed my time here rather than hating it. Sure, there were times that I was really hurt, even recently, but-- I don't regret being a part of the RPC. I had a lot of fun here and made some good friends in it.

[sonic-4-episode-ii]

gonna mention some of our sonics most important/active alters rq

sonic's polyfragmented & has well over a hundred alters so we're just mentioning the ones we have names / ideas for.

also scourge is in here. Is scourge also a guy seperate from sonic? we may never know... (the answer is literally just yes)

Pilot (he/him, neos?)

what they do: fuck all ; took away all of sonic's knowledge and muscle memory abt the tornado so he could fly it.

front tells: has a special salute he offers to everyone - two fingers on his temple, then finger-guns

relationship w/ others: when sonic realized hes the reason it suddenly started sucking at piloting the tornado, it fought him for DAYS. the two are on good terms now but sonic's still salty about the whole thing

description: dark brown fox. fur's only a little lighter than sonic's original quill/fur color

Survival (none)

what they do: keeps the body calm & focused when thrown into a survival/panic state ; fragment

front tells: acts prettymuch just like a hedgehog. snuffl snuffl

relationship w/ others: n/a

description: classic sonic but hes covered in mud

Protection (none)

what they do: split specifically to keep tails safe if sonic shut down during a battle, now helps everyone - including sonic ; fragment

front tells: completely nonverbal ; one-track mind worse than sonic's

relationship w/ others: n/a

description: classic sonic but hes covered in wounds :[

Scourge (it/he)

what they do: one-up sonic at every opportunity. obviously

front tells: usually him screaming "SCOURGE IS BACK, BABY!!!"

relationship w/ others: everyone either hates or loves him ; outside the body, amy thinks he sucks but is glad he's less sexist now, tails used to think he's scary but now just thinks he's kinda lame, and knux... has opinions.

description: YOU KNOW IT BABY!!!!

Cog (they/it)

what they do: exist. tries to keep the body away from drugs

front tells: higher-pitched voice, talks more like AoSTH / classic sonic; uses contact lenses that look like metal sonic's eyes

relationship w/ others: a lot of people jokingly hate em but most r kinda worried for em ; outside, theyre best friends with basically all badniks (though they have a somewhat rocky friendship with omega) and consider them to be its siblings

description: thinner sonic, wilting quills and its bones are painted chrome.

Mary-Ann (they/them)

what they do: split to give tails familial affection when sonic got burnt out, & later got the Secondary Task of avoiding like. CPS and stuff. ; now that they dont have to do that they get to just chill

front tells: softer tone of voice, body language is completely different and a lot slower

relationship w/ others: sonic feels bad abt pushing so much onto her even though it wasnt his fault or choice. theyre chill tho ; outside, they have a kinda-friendship with shadow since theyre the one who introduced him to the fact sonic's a system. tails loves them, and even outside of their purpose they care abt him too

description: porcupine mobian. looks a little more like an irl animal

Fleet (he/it/xe)

what they do: anger/rage/fear holder, used to be a fragment ; fronts whenever sonic goes super out of stress, or if he gets too upset when using the chaos emeralds to go super

front tells: extremely obvious. totally different way of speaking, maine/british accent (maine accent it picked up somewhere, british accent is the body's default); when fronting while super bc of the chaos emeralds, they morph him into what he looks like in headspace, but if he's just fronting due to stress all that changes is his quills are Wayyyyy messier. hard to miss him!

relationship w/ others: sonic tried to force him into permanent dormancy for years, which didnt work and caused him to take over the body for a few weeks ; he probably did meet ebony and pyjamas, both of whom unfortunately misunderstood his entire Him and hurt him a lot, but they managed to make up after xe worked thinks out with sonic and theyre rlly close friends now :]

description: it is fleetway :]

Prime (he/it)

what they do: secondary host

front tells: way, WAY more physically and verbally affectionate towards his friends; more open (obvious) about his emotions, doesnt bother hiding them as much (especially when he thinks it might be funny); a little more over the top with everything, especially his mannerisms - many of which he picked up directly from eggman

relationship with others: GREAT friends with pilot, who sorta acts like his tails when his tails isnt. yk. available (busy boy!!!). NOT FRIENDS WITH SONIC they do NOT get along :[ ; loves tails, LOVES amy, LOVES!!! KNUCKLES!!! LOVES SHADOW!!!! he loves ALL of his friends and he's gonna make it THEIR PROBLEM!!!<333

description: prime sonic! so just sort of different-looking regular sonic. he calls himself prime bc hes convinced hes the first sonic, and is totally smug abt maybe having a single memory earlier than sonic the other one.

Sonic (he/it)

what they do: primary host

front tells: it's sonic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ; rlly easy to tell when hes fronting again after a while bc he immediately picks up from the last convo you had w him (if he remembers) or challenges you to a race (if he doesnt)

relationships w/ others: VERY rocky. didnt accept he was a system for a while - he knew he was one since before the concept was given the name it has now but he was iffy on the whole "other people in his brain" thing and dealt with it HORRIBLY. this is a horrible combination of STC and IDW sonic so you know he was just being a huge inconsiderate jerk to everyone for YEARS. his reaction to the chaos emeralds giving a bunch of his alters their own bodies was fear and disgust instead of joy or even vague curiosity; even though he's repairing his relationships with everyone and going to therapy and getting support from his friends and allat, he still doesnt really like just... not having access to his body all the time. he doesnt like not being at front, it feels Bad, esp. when he misses big important dates. sorry man you got hit with the reverse curse idk what to tell you

description: ITS SONIC!!!

YUP THATS LITERALLY ALL I HAVE FOR NOW!!!

maybe ill make some more stuff with these guys and more specific alters but ive had this sitting in my drafts for like a month now so . it needs to be posted 👍

[azrielsmommy]

Dark Paradise (Part 2)

Pairing: Azriel x Fem! Reader

Summary: Never in the existence of Prythian had there been a rightful heir to two courts, much less a female, but there you are, in the flesh. With war upon the lands, and questionable family dynamics, a certain shadowsinger takes it upon himself to make your life just a little bit more interesting.

Word Count: 3k

Warnings: sexual themes, mentions of assault (not towards reader)

a/n: Hey y'all just an fyi this is set right after the end of a court of mist and fury, like where Hybern sends Feyre back to the spring court with Tamlin after the failed attempt of destroying the cauldron, and she's now like plotting an escape. But Prythian is still like at war with Hybern. So shits going down, but she still hasn't made her way back to Rhys and the night court yet.

Cold sweat slid down your body, forcing you to readjust your grip on the broadswords, one in each hand. Licking your dry lips, the saltiness from the sweat coated your tongue. As you twirls the swords, their flared tips catch the suns rays. You huff out a breathe as you keep your eyes locked on your swordmaster.

He has trained you since you were a mere child, claiming that both you and your brother required proper combat training, rather than rotting away at a desk learning about the lords and ladies of Prythian. Over the years you had mastered a variety of weapons, swords, spears, bows, the list just goes on.

Yet you found yourself to be pushed just a bit more harder than your brother, and you wondered for many years why that was. How come Neo had it easier than me, while I was left to endure more? Learn to fight against harsher odds. The swordmaster never answered any of the questions, he didn't have to.

When you killed your first male, that's when you finally understood why. Understood how much physically stronger the average male is compared to a female. Understood that being a female, no matter the the social status was dangerous, you could be nobility or a librarian, males stop at nothing. And in that moment, drenched in blood, you vowed to never let yourself feel weak ever again.

But here you are, panting as you watch the swordmaster stand seemingly unphased. He stands tall, chin held high with unwavering confidence. It pisses you off. Holding a wooden staff, tip coated in metal, sharpened neatly to a jagged point, he gives it a quick lookover.

"Old man," you twist your blades around, getting a proper grip on them hoping the sweat pooling in your palms wouldn't affect the grip on the weathered hilts.

He smiles at that before lunging at you, swiftly swinging his staff down in a wide arch, you managed to avoid the metal tip by rolling out of it's path. Seamlessly getting up on your feet once more, you waste no time in returning the favour as you released a flurry of attacks, swinging your swords in such fervor even he had some difficulty blocking and dodging.

You must've lost track of time as you sparred, the midday sun beginning to set, bathing the sparring ring in pink and orange hues. Exchanging blows back and forth, neither of you sparing each other any leniency. Just as you were to deliver a heavy blow, the sound of your father voice echoed throughout the room.

"Y/n my dear, that should be enough fighting for today, don't you think?" Barely having enough time, you stop your arm mid-motion, gritting your teeth at the abruptness of the action. Blowing a loose piece of hair that had slipped out of your ponytail from your face, you spin around to face your father. "I suppose so." Your words uneven from your panting.

"As much as I relish in seeing you fight with the strength of a thousand suns," he teases as he playfully pushes against your forehead, causing your face to scrunch as you stumble a few steps back. "I'm off to visit the Summer Court." You raise an eyebrow as you stare at him, waiting for him to continue.

"The loss of alliance with that idiotic beast Tamlin, I've decided to gain the support of the Summer Court before Hybern can wrap his filthy hands around them," Helion reaches a patch of sunlight and outstretches his hands towards the light. The warm rays caressing his tan skin in glimmering beauty. "So to not waste time, you will be meeting with the High Lord of the Night Court." He rolls his neck back, enjoying the warm touch of the sun.

You swerve your head around, searching for your swordmaster, taken aback at how openly your father is discussing sensitive information, but he's nowhere to be seen. You snort, surprised you didn't hear his old bones squeaking as he left.

You walk over to the water station by where your father stands and pour yourself a cup of once ice cold water, but now room temperature due to the blistering heat. "When does he arrive?" You take a swig of water, soothing your dry throat as it slides down. "Tonight."

It takes all of your willpower to not spit out the water. Tonight?! What does he mean tonight, you haven't prepared whatsoever. "How soon is 'tonight'?" You ask wiping away excess water from your mouth.

"Eh, in an hour give or take." He nonchalantly responds with the flick of his hand. Without even a second thought you burst out of the sparring ring and run to your room. You clash into many employees, throwing several 'sorry's' over your shoulder as you sprint down the halls. Finally you make it to your room, drenched in sweat, eyes immediately fly to the bath. Practically ripping your clothes off, you wash yourself, scrubbing your skin with lavender milk soap until there was no chance for any remaining grime to be left.

Letting your hair fall in soft waves, you wear a white top, held up by one shoulder, dipping down to slightly show off your cleavage, wearing a matching white skirt, a slit in it's side to show off your leg. Finishing your outfit you don your neck and fingers with intricate gold jewelry that swirl and loop in all sorts of patterns.

Taking a final look in the mirror you place a gold crown on your head, the small spikes protruding out of your head, the sun reflecting off of the tiny gems in the crown. Taking a couple of deep breaths you waltz your way to the throne room, playing with the rings on your fingers as you anticipate your meeting with the High Lord.

As you enter the throne room and approach your seat, a fleeting thought slips past your mind. Wouldn't it be funny if that man from your dreams accompanied Rhysand here, tonight. You snort to yourself as you ungracefully take a seat in the middle throne.

But for now you wait.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ticking of the clock was driving you mad, it felt as though years had gone by, but reality crushingly sunk in when you checked the clock, and only mere minutes had passed by. You had taken it upon yourself to cure your boredom, passing the time by with checking how many cartwheels you could do in a row without throwing up. Which ended up being 57, a new record!

You had even tried to pick up a new skill by attempting to juggle the rings from your fingers, albeit you weren't very good. Loosing one of them as it ended up in some unseen corner. Now here you sit waiting, with a sour expression on your face, and hair in slight disarray.

Before you could even begin to think of abandoning this meeting, the menacingly large white doors begin to open, groaning as they grated against the floor. A male strolls into your view, yet you can't quite make out his face clearly, the sun doing little to illuminate the darkness that surrounds him. It's as if he's made of the very night sky, soaking up that onyx beauty and releasing it with each breath. The heavy thrum of his power reaches you before he does, it takes you aback, having never felt such raw power. Quickly you send back waves of your own powers, both sun and fire emitting from your very being. If he wants to have a pissing contest then so be it.

He stops before the dais, now fully visible as the shadows dissipate in the light, you catch the look in his eyes immediately, those violet hues capturing you, an amused look swirling in them. Besides his eyes, his beauty was striking, you're certain that he's had many lovers in his lifetime, without a doubt. Yup, that's definitely Rhysand.

Rhysand slyly spoke, voice like a cold drink on a hot summer day, smoothly, enticingly. "You aren't Helion."

"Really, and what makes you say that?" Sarcasm dripped from your voice as you propped your chin on a hand.

"You're much to young to be a...high lady." Rhysand carefully crafts his words, but his eyes speak his true thoughts. "My mind is well beyond my years Rhysand," flicking a hand in the air dismissingly "besides am I not just as capable as my father? Or do you wish to speak to a male rather than a female on such matters?" Raising a brow at him.

Slowly but surely a cheeky grin finds a way onto his face, as he raises his hand towards you. "Not at all, I actually find that I prefer you instead of your overzealous father, quite the lovely change of pace really."

A hum of approval leaves your throat after digesting his words, and the insinuation behind them. You begin to descend down the stairs to meet him, eye to eye, on common ground. Yet try as you might, you can't deny that view, having the most powerful High Lord of Prythian by your feet, it's a rare sight. You're feet land on the floor of the throne room, finally being able to see Rhysand up close. Just as you were about to suggest moving your conversation to one of the study rooms a cluster of shadows spiraled together behind him, forming a portal of sorts as a male steps out into view. Your mind short-circuits as you realize who stands before you, clad in swarming shadows.

It's the man from your dreams. Well you're certainly not laughing, as you recall the silly thoughts you had earlier, thinking about what ifs. Instead there you stand, eyes large like saucers, your mouth probably would've been opening and closing like a fish if you hadn't controlled yourself.

There he stands in all his glory, devastatingly beautiful, just one look at his face makes you want to dance. The planes of his face are elegant and chiseled, strong eyebrows furrowed as he stares back at you, seemingly having his own mixed thoughts. His dark hair falls gracefully over his face, curling away as a result from the heat, some strands sticking to his sweat slicked skin. His eyes are nothing like you've ever seen before. Not just green and brown, no. They are breathtaking, shinning brighter than all the stars combined, the calculated coldness at the center drew you in, yet they teem with emotion. His sparkling eyes are irresistibly charming, your skin growing hot wherever he glanced, feeling as if you were bathed in sunlight.

He was clad in battle leathers, leaving nothing to the imagination as they clung to his body so desperately you thought that they would pop just right off if he breathed too deeply. You completely ignored Rhysand as he spoke to you both, bouncing between waving his hand in front of your faces and loudly speaking to you. You paid him no attention as you watched the man before you, studying the way his eyes roved over every inch of your face.

You shoot out a hand towards him, voice coming out strained, "I'm y/n." You watch as his eyes flicker to your outstretched hand, softly he places his hand in yours. It's callused, rough skin squeezes yours as he shakes your hand ever so gently, like he's afraid that if he grips too harshly you'll shatter like glass. The azure siphon rings cool against your heated skin.

"Azriel." His voice rich and sweet like honey, sending a chill down your spine. He holds on for a little longer before dropping his grip, hand returning to his side. Realizing quickly that you've been ignoring the reason of this meeting you quickly clear your throat before turning to face Rhysand, "Where are my manners, I'm y/n, heir to Autumn and Day Court, anyways enough of the overbearing pleasantries, I'm sure you'd be more comfortable in one of our study rooms." Ushering the two of them out you lead the group towards the nearest study room, as you walk you feel Azriel's eyes burning into the back of your head, it takes all of your willpower to not look behind you and meet those intense eyes.

You barely register the sound of the slap followed with a pained grunt as you lose yourself in your thoughts. This time you look back over your shoulder. You're met with a rather strange scene, Rhysand's clutching his chest as he directs Azriel with a shit-eating grin, the latter remains unphased as he ignores Rhysands pointed looks.

You finally arrive to the study room, closing the doors as the three of you enter. You gesture to the two cream sofa chairs that sit across the matching sofa, a coffee table separating you from them. Taking your seat on the sofa, you use your magic to summon refreshments to the table. You watch carefully as Rhysand and Azriel settle into their seats before Rhysand finally speaks.

"Hybern's attacking Prythian, but I'm sure you already knew that," you nod as sip at your water, "we need as many alliances as we can get, without it Prythian will succumb to defeat, cities and fae of all kind will be pillaged and destroyed. I refuse to stand by and watch as everything we have built become nothing but dust, not after her." His voice laced with pure disgust as he sneered. You knew about the stories that were whispered about him and Amarantha, how he had to please her, you felt his pain and sorrow, making the decision to stay silent you urged him on.

"Helion already agreed to unify with us, but we are spread thin, not enough agreements being made, we came to ask Helion to reach out to other courts and see their stances, but we seem to have missed him." Setting down your glass you catch Azriel, from your peripheral, staring at your fingers, fixating onto your rings.

"Summer Court." You quickly respond as you lounge back into your seat. Rhysand gives you a confused look. "He's in the Summer Court smoothing things over, which I recall was your doing." You smirk at him, the High Lord sending you back a comical look, not too amused by your slight jab at his all too recent activities in the Summer Court.

"Well isn't he just a sweetheart," you chuckle at his comment, "since your father is being sooo helpful with the Summer Court, maybe you can too." "How so?" You question.

"Go to the Autumn Court." Your heart drops to your stomach. You haven't been there in over a century, just the idea of entering that cursed land and seeing that swine Beron along with your treacherous half-siblings sends your head spinning in all directions.

"I have no business there, how do you think Beron will take it if his wife's living proof of adultery comes back after decades? It will raise all hell." You seethe through gritted teeth, body tensing up at the image of Berons face.

"If I had anyone else to turn to for this matter, I would, but we have to know whether we have Autumn Court's support or not, and quickly." You huff, not only in annoyance at having to visit your other "home" but also because Rhys's right. We are running on short time, not much wiggle room left. "Fine." So you oblige, agree to attempt to make a pact with the Autumn Court, or at least you finally get to visit your mother after all these years.

Rhys tells you to pack your belongings as you will be staying in the House of Wind, with the rest of his Inner Circle for the remainder of the war. Claiming it's more convenient for you to be close, he winked before winnowing back to the Night Court, leaving you and Azriel alone to get ready to leave.

As you gather your belongings in your room, bringing what you thought was necessary, along with your twin blades, you feel cool whisps by your ankles. You look down and see that some of Azriel shadows are slinking around your legs, some making it up to your waist as they circle playfully.

"Sorry they sometimes don't listen to me." Azriel rumbles from behind you, as he watches you from the door, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. Eyebrows pulled together in annoyance at the rare un-behaved nature of his shadows.

You giggle at the chilly feeling of them sliding along your skin, "It's alright really, I think they're quite adorable." You throw a quick smile behind you, showing how easily entertained you are by the shadows.

They continue to swirl around you, even as you finally finish packing the last piece of clothing you deemed absolutely necessary. The sound of heavy footsteps behind you draw your attention towards Azriel. He stops mere centimeters from you, so close you could see freckles that dotted his skin that are easily missed if you don't pay attention. Your breath hitches as he grabs your hand, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out your ring that you lost earlier this evening. "How did you find that?" You question, your voice coming out just above a whisper.

He ever so carefully slides the ring onto your index finger, it slides on smoothly, but he holds your hand for just a bit longer, almost like he yearns for it. "My shadows have an eye for shiny, pretty things, they bring them to me." His voice low, making your stomach do somersaults as he gently lowers your hand, before making his way over to your bags. Silently letting out a shuddered breath you pick up your twin swords and securely strap them onto your back.

You stick out your hand, preparing yourself him to winnow the both of you to the House of Wind, but his hand doesn't meet yours. Glancing into his direction you open your mouth to ask what was wrong, but were immediately met with a jacket flying towards your head. Yelping you just manage to catch it before it smacks you square in the head.

"You'll freeze if you walk around the streets dressed like that." He gestures to your outfit, the thin material of the skirt wouldn't even stand a chance at keeping you even remotely warm. Rolling your eyes you slip the large jacket on, the material engulfing you in cocoon of heat. You catch a whiff of remnant notes cedar and lavender from the jacket. Wrapping yourself up tightly you stretch your hand out. "Thank you." You gently smile, he nods back and accepts your hand, gripping it softly he begins to winnow you to the House of Wind.

Darkness surrounds you, as wind rushes around you, blowing your hair around. As the darkness dissipates, and light filters through the remaining shadows you squint your eyes to get a better view of the city.

There you stand, in Velaris, the city of starlight.

tag list: @dr4g0ngirl @tothestarsandwhateverend

[fiendishlywitchy]

Your blog is very cosy 💛, I had fun scrolling it and reading the curated content! You should share more information about the goddesses that are closest to your heart.

Do you ever feel a pull towards one specific goddess? If so, do you practice anything (practical, tangible) to honour her?

And do you look at goddesses as a whole (for example, seeing Hera, Inanna, Juno and similar-field goddesses as one and the same) or do you take them each separately? My ideas about this were always a bit jumbled, so a second person's perspective would help out a lot!

Anon, you are too kind! I want to write and share more information on Goddesses and repost more content but sadly finding female centered let alone exclusive spiritual posts are quite difficult to me; the current environment I feel actually doesn't feel that prone to it. I'm likely starting a Bilingual Witchcraft WordPress because something about Posting solely on tumblr doesn't please me. Likely because everyone tends to have such bad faith reading on the most innocuous shit or act appalled that they've been online for sometimes decades but don't know how to curate their own online content.

Saltiness aside! Onto your questions:

About the feeling of a pull to a goddess and how to go about that; I usually will research about the goddess and tentatively pray to her as much as I can ( I've slipped in a prayer to Santa Muerte and I'm trying to find a good one for Artemis and may take a gamble and actually write one for her as devotional). If you are good at meditating ( I'm merely so-so but I find difficulties committing to it for many reasons), meditate with them in mind. Setting small altars is something I've seen done and have done it back home when I still lived in Africa and when first getting in contact with Hekate.

To answer your second one, I like the metaphor of Goddesses being the branches of one singular Creatix-Goddess or entity; however they are specific branches that grow and manifested in all sorts of cultures and reflect and are nurtured by the people of said culture and many have survived, one way or another, through the extinguishing of their wide spread cults, with the growth of patriarchal spiritual thought. Because Goddeses are specific, taking them out of their background willy nilly is ill advised in my opinion. Even if you aren't reconstructionist in your Craft or spirituality, being aware of Who She Takes Form As, is of highest importance. So in a sense I see them as Unique. I will suppose if you want to embody the Cosmos or this collective energy as One Singular Goddess it could be done; but I'm not too aware of if it's a part of any specific Neo pagan or Esoteric school of thought.

There's also the idea of merely approaching Goddesses as Mental Archetypes of types of Womanly energies to Embody ( such mindset being extolled by Jungians such as Jean Shinoda Bolen) winch is to consider if you are on the fence about Believing there fr or something.

Hopefully this wasn't confusing to you. Have a good day/ night

🌒🌕🌘

[davepetatrains]

LEAKED VIDEO.

//written with someone who didn't want me to tag them 💜

Corbin is sitting on the floor of their room, ash scattered beneath their hand across the hand-knotted rug, knees pulled to his chest as he hugs a Tepig plush, leaning against his bed.

The room is dark and the stars are out. On the floor in front of the window is a satchel from Corbin's boyfriend, Pokeballs spilling out of it.

As he sobs, a pillar of light manifests. Standing in front of him is Hibiki. The server appears unkempt. He walks over, briefly glimpsing the satchel and PokéBalls in front of the window. He sits next to Corbin and listens to the senior student's cries.

Corbin looks up, wiping his eyes. "H. Hi." He winces as the salty tears touch his burned hand, and chokes back a small cry at the pain.

"Hey," Hibiki answers with a low whisper. He doesn't say anymore, hoping that the boy would reach out to him.

"I..." Corbin doesn't quite know what to say. His eyes dart around the room, aware that they're being watched but not knowing how or where. "We.... can't talk. Here. Not here."

His phone is across the room, glowing with notifications, and he glances at it, then buries his face in the Tepig plush, shoulders rising. He can't deal with that right now. Not when they already leaked the video. Not when Sai might be dead. He doesn't want to know. Doesn't want to see.

One more notification shows up, but he's not looking. Can't look.

At this, Hibiki stands up. He trudges through to the phone and cautiously picks it up. He closes his eyes and turns it over, not letting himself or Corbin see the notification. He presses and holds the power button. And then, he turns it off.

The man returns to sit by Corbin's side. He opens his arms, offering the boy a hug.

Corbin sniffs, leaning into him. He normally wouldn't let himself be this way - this uncollected, this... emotional, this *open* - with anyone except Saechi, Nicky, Lyla, Carol, or Benji, but... Well, there's no one else to turn to right now, and... it's not like this is going to matter. He's never going to see Hibiki again. Hibiki is going to leave and it's not going to mean anything. Just like so many others.

Hibiki embraces Corbin. And with the boy, he cries. It's quiet like dew falling from a somber leaf, yet there was a grieving ache in his body. Tense shoulders. Sealed lips. Raining tears.

He would never allow another person to experience this sort of pain. Yet, this was life. No one can control how fate dictates their path. But in this moment, he just hopes he can at least comfort this boy— this child. Let himself be the person Corbin needs. That's all he wants. That's all.

Corbin freezes. "Why are you- no, don't..." He sniffs, looks up. "You're not the one who's..." He looks away, frowning. Seeing others cry always just made him feel weird.

He presses the Tepig plush into Hibiki's arms. "Sorry..." he mumbles.

"Shh…" Hibiki strokes Corbin's back. "It's alright," he whispers. "I understand your pain. You can let it out."

Corbin shakes his head. "They'll see..." he mutters. "They're going to show everyone. They'll..." He sniffles, letting out a short sob. "I'm scared," he whispers.

"Then let them see. You are human too. Let yourself free. You don't need to fear anything."

"I'd say you're wrong but I don't think I have the energy to tell you just how much, and also I'm scared Reshiram might smite me for it." Corbin laughs wetly, burying his face in the plush again. Fuck.

[Is this your savior, Unova? Your Champion? Is this the one you trust to keep you all safe? Broken down, sobbing into a stuffed animal. Subject to the whims of a dragon that hates *her*. Abandoned, lonely, forgotten. A weakling child.

Join Team Neo-Plasma. We'll make this region strong again, I swear it. And no children like her will be allowed in charge again, and no bleeding hearts like Alder will take the reins of the entire region and lead it into darkness and destruction again.]

[fierykitten2]

I do wonder if in Gen 10 onwards Game Freak will start to treat the Paradox Pokémon a bit more “normally” in merch (not as in making Wake and Leaves so common them not being classified as Mythical makes sense but just I guess whatever allows Buzzwole to be in UNITE just happening for all the Paradox Pokémon so they feel a bit less outwardly tied to the whole Past vs Future theme. I have no idea where I’m going with this btw). I think in a way this could mean maybe they’ll lift the Future Paradox Pokémon plushie ban which Miraidon gets away with ignoring purely because it’s a box Legendary (“but then you’ll make them all look fluffy and if they all look fluffy they’ll be indistinguishable from their modern-day counterparts”/“if you’re so salty about there not being any plushies of the Neo Swords why don’t you just get plushies of Virizion, Terrakion and Cobalion?”/“what makes you think anyone who prefers the Future Paradox Pokémon to the Past Paradox Pokémon likes fluffy stuff enough to get a plushie?” question 1: ahh yes I remember when Virizion had three rings of shaved fur on its neck revealing that underneath its dark green fur its skin is silver. Question 2: I might as well just repeat the first answer here actually but also ahh yes I remember when it didn’t take me making the connection between Raging Bolt and Raikou to identify that the beautiful sci-fi goat Pokémon isn’t just a random unique Pokémon made to represent Violet’s Future theme without resembling any modern-day Pokémon (instead that goes to Terapagos and Miraidon). Question 3: I might as well be the Future Paradox’s biggest fan (definitely the Neo Swords’ number 1 fan) and I’m addicted to collecting plushies. Plus I think Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, Iron Boulder and to a lesser extent Iron Treads, Iron Moth and Iron Thorns would be very cuddly as plushies) but the rare times the Future Paradox Pokémon do have a rule breaker, it’s always Miraidon (it can swim! Not even Iron Bundle can swim)

On a surprisingly related note, last night I was thinking that in Gen 10 they should allow the Neo Swords to walk on water like Keldeo because they don’t have one of their own so they can be their own Keldeo (even though they’re already their own Virizion, Terrakion or Cobalion)

[autonomousxselves]

❤️ or ☀️!

salty munday asks

♥ What's the WORST thing that has happened to you rp wise?

I've not so smartly joined groups before that tended to be quite toxic with eachother so it's a little hard to pinpoint a "worst". A couple worsts in my opinion would be a group I had joined to write with that slowly turned into minors writing smut with everyone, one of them lying to me about his age for months almost a year to write it when I didn't even want to at first, and just general animosity. I had two groups of friends who were always fighting over nothing, and one day even saw one person using cropped images to set up the other to look like a neo nazi while he had first posted his own nazi joke. Two of them were fighting in my own discord friend server so I muted them both and immediately someone else dmed me about how only one of them should have been muted and it's clear I've "picked a side" and no longer wish to be friends before he blocked me. It slowly went from rp to hellfire man. The other would be someone who consistently guilted me into writing smut so he wouldn't kill himself (mentioned above) during a time I was vulnerable and worried for him, so I made a lot of mistakes in believing him and just "putting up with it" until it got to the point I just didn't even want to write anymore. The third would be some almost got me to ship reverse!Dipper and Will once but that was my fault /j

☀ What's your rp pet peeve?

It almost depends on the fandom, site, and time period. Like I can think of mid 2010s Amino Warrior Cats rps and come up with quite a few but they aren't relevant to most fandoms. I suppose a general one may be anyone who expects you to answer constantly. Not in a "hey just a reminder/asking can we continue this thread/channel soon?" way but in a "hey @ you haven't answered this in 5 minutes where are you" way. It's part of why despite enjoying dm/discord types of rp, I still vastly prefer Tumblr, because some people expect you to be around 24/7 and the same goes for rps. Especially if it's something like a serious heavy topic or smut like you gotta be in a certain mood to write certain things and I think it's fair if you're not that you shouldn't have to continue. I'll write 5+ threads with you and across multiple platforms, but please give me space and time or ill want to start avoiding you like the plague....

[salty-hakuouki]

Hi ! Yes, it’s Sakura schooldays. Contrarily to the other famous doujin games by princess crown, these ones (I think there’s two) are completely safe for work.

Like other doujin games, it’s only on PC.

There’s no English patch at the moment and last time I checked, it was hard to get in the data to make it possible (for the hacker, not me) so I don’t think it’s going to happen. I want to play this game though. I like the chara design a lot.

Links to VNDB :

Does anyone know what Hakuouki game this is and is there an English patch?

(・・ ) ?

[queenharumiura]

tell me your honest opinion of my portrayal

Your Haru has been growing over the years. In a very enthusiastic and unique way. All of the goodness and silliness in Haru is always there. She has a more grown up feeling which is nice with the personality she owns.

TELL ME YOUR HONEST OPINION OF MY PORTRAYAL ||Accepting|| @musessinabag

Indeed indeed, she has been. Part of it, I feel, is that I'm an old bean who doesn't care what people have to say anymore. I simply do what I want to have fun or do what I want to explore.

Years ago when I first started, I would never have had the guts to make a Primo Generation Incarnation muse, allow Haru to learn how to use flames, or give Haru different verses like a Varia verse. I would've been scared that someone would have something to say.

After one anon told me, 'you have to rely on headcanons to make Haru interesting. She's boring as a character without your headcanons!' that woke something in me that day. It made me realize: AYO, FACK YOU. I'LL SHOW YOU. I'LL BE SHAMELESS IN MY HEADCANONS NOW. WATCH ME!

So yeah, I don't care anymore. Come at me bruv. I'll write Haru how I want and let her explore the different facets of her personality and her potential. The world can fight me. So Haru was truly been changing slowly as I become more bold and shameless with fleshing Haru out.

[onewomancitadel]

How do you feel about other ships that could potentially threaten Knightfall? Theres the possibility of them pushing White Knight since they're the only characters at the moment who aren't paired up yet but some people are also suggesting that Silent Knight is also possible because both Jaune & Neo have lost a partner and think Jaune will help Neo with that but theres the other possibility that Rose Garden is just a red herring like Black Sun and they were preparing for Lancaster the whole time.

Sorry if this turns up in the ship main tags. I censor ship names in the body of text to stop that. Tumblr can be a bit silly sometimes, but I'm a Jaune/Cinder shipper and I only speak of Blake/Yang and Ruby/Oscar positively here.

Thanks for your ask anon, it's kind of a big topic and this post got very long but I hate using cuts because they're so annoying (for me as a reader). Hope you enjoy.

This is where I started writing and I was so salty:

Jaune/Neo is not remotely a canon possibility and it's absurd to consider it, I'm shocked it's taken seriously at all and Jaune/Cinder is treated like a crackship.

I get that Neo is sort of a cult favourite, but don't attribute narrative importance to her where there isn't any. It's fine if you ship it, but I'm discussing canon here!

If anything I think her most important arc is obviously in relation to Ruby (forgiveness arc in the Fallen Place?) and her fractured partnership with Cinder is a dark echo of Ruby and Weiss, as @branwyns has pointed out. So, in how she's been brought back, it's in service to Ruby's struggle.

I also don't know what position Jaune's going to be in, if he's going to be able to offer Neo anything when he's sort of in the middle of an identity crisis. If there is anything there, though, I don't see how it's suggestive of a romance, especially given that Neo's a minor side character. Jaune's a very important character, he's one of the two major male protagonists, his love interest has to be someone important.

I wouldn't call Blake/Sun a red herring as such.

I think it's a childhood romance alike to Jaune/Pyrrha, Ruby/Penny which doesn't survive, and toys with anime tropes. Like Jaune/Pyrrha isn't really fairytale True Love and everything is sad, Ruby/Penny doesn't really happen because the shoujo love interest has bigger things to do (also her Snow Maiden allusion is another post, but the Snow Maiden dies when she finally truly loves someone - Winter, platonic in this case), Blake/Sun ends up being a friendship because it doesn't have, again, intense fairytale True Love (and in a lot of ways I think Blake/Sun is similar to Jaune/Pyrrha, but whatever), and so on and so forth. Jaune/Weiss is also the aborted childhood romance. So on and so forth.

I think that Blake/Yang is probably the romantic key to understanding the rest of the ships, which is that it's a) intense and vulnerable, b) answers thematic questions in the series (Salem/Ozma, Raven/Tai so team STRQ), c) directly plays with the Beauty and the Beast intertextuality and d) also has all of that magical colour matching and union of opposites. Most importantly, I get the sense that the Beauty and the Beast it plays with in the context of the romance is the older, extant French textual source (Beaumont).

The Jaune and Ruby friendship is one of the things I really like in the show, and no, I don't think they're setting up for a romance on that front. Whilst him mercy-killing Penny can lead to some dramatic angst to fulfill criteria a), I think here it's more to suggest their ideological split as respective leaders. In terms of b), there might be more argument here, but then again I don't think Tai and Summer were all that romantically involved and there was sus stuff going on with Ruby's conception. (A baby born of utilitarian need who then becomes dearly loved/must draw on the memory of her mother to use her inherited power is very thematically ironic and interesting).

And on that front, Ruby and Oscar are a 50/50 Salem/Ozma split respectively, whereas pretty much structurally Jaune is a straight up Ozma and Cinder's a straight up Salem, which again, is why they pair better if you're addressing that.

In terms of c) they share no intertextuality. It might be argued on this front Ren and Nora don't, but in their case I'm pretty sure their intertextuality, like the childhood romances, is anime itself, and they're the one endgame romantic example (but involves a reconstruction of the trope with Nora's separation).

And if we're going Jungian, Jaune and Cinder are Ruby and Oscar's archetypical Shadows. That's more evidence for that pairing up.

Regarding the canonicity of Ruby and Oscar, well, a) there's now separation and intensity given the end of V8, with potential Cupid and Psyche elements b) I'm not even sure if I have to cover how they answer Salem/Ozma as fluffy happy children meeting again and fixing the mess, also I think Ruby getting a happy ending answers Summer's bad ending, c) intertextually, the Little Prince (one of Oscar's allusions) loved a rose. The RG's have way more on this than me but this alone is enough. Also d), which is a lesser point, red/green and silver/gold are match lol. No one else pairs with her silver like that.

So yeah, I think RG and Knightfall will probably happen in respect to one another, alike to their confrontations in V5 being very similar.

Now to address Jaune/Weiss. I have some complicated feelings about this topic because I have read meta which addresses the alchemical element of this pairing, but to be quite honest I don't really want to stir up drama in terms of how I disagree with that. More prominently I want to point out that two major Jaune/Weiss interactions both feature Cinder and it's very very suspicious to me. This could be a separate post and I have posted about it before to some degree, but I sort of think Jaune/Weiss might actually be the red herring.

Of course, a lot of people who aren't otherwise interested in their characters or only just a bit take this as totally endgame, and if you have a different opinion you're probably just a crazy shipper. Whilst I am crazy, I think that framing Jaune/Weiss as the only reasonable narrative answer misses a majority of the thematic concerns in the show.

Okay, I'll just put it in this post: Jaune fully realises his Semblance when he saves Weiss. It's a big moment, right? This should basically indicate to us that they'll end up together. Let me readdress my criteria: a) he saves her like he couldn't Pyrrha, so maybe fulfills vulnerability/intensity, b) Weiss is a Salem/Ozma split, Jaune's more of a straight up Ozma; Weiss is a STRQ Qrow, and Jaune's a Tai... c) no intertextuality, other than maybe Jaune being the Huntsman in her story. Blake has a few Beasts, so we can double up on the Huntsman front (Weiss is both Snow White and a Huntress, and she has her own knight). In terms of d), one of the lesser points, their colours don't go together.

So I'm just going to supply these screencaps:

Jaune never mentions Weiss in particular. Not necessarily a huge deal: I'm contrasting this with Blake and Adam, and one of the things that really made me convinced Blake/Yang was a thing

Adam, the sacrificial bull (I'm not sure if the Campbellian bull-leaping in V6 was intentional, but if it were, then it was a sacred marriage for Yang and Blake) is not the same as Cinder. I think the contrast is purposeful.

I think there might be some intentional foiling with Blake/Adam, where Adam is the straight up irredeemable enemy love interest and Cinder isn't - like, the way she responds to Emerald and Mercury leaving is not with possessive jealousy and murderous rage.

Going back to the big daddy, Salem/Ozma, as above. Again, I view Jaune/Cinder as a regenerative answer to Salem/Ozma.

Anyway, Cinder targets Weiss. Earlier in that sequence, Jaune doesn't make specific mention of Pyrrha. Cinder only has reason in this sequence to target an apparent love interest because that's her narrative role to do (and what everybody expects).

It's probably easy to brush off Cinder being involved as just the baddie causing trouble but basically the entire thrust is Jaune and Cinder's interaction; Jaune and Weiss don't really have much to say to each other and it doesn't carry the same romantic relief Blake and Yang do! If anything, I think confronting Jaune's self-sacrifice, Cinder's worldview, and their respective spiritual evolution and subsequent fall is like, the whole point. There's nothing that really feeds into Weiss' character arc here, that's why I remain puzzled; it's a big deal for Jaune, because he learns how to be protective, and it's a big deal for Cinder, because she's had the whole, 'They matter!' thing thrown right in her face, and also she's using a sword like Rhodes so she's in a bit of a personal crisis.

The underestimated thing here is that conflict with his anima here leads to him realising his Semblance, which is the purpose of anima confrontation (spiritual evolution)... so in the background there's Jaune/Cinder stuff going on. Which is why, given what they did with Blake/Sun, Blake/Adam, Blake/Yang, I'm sensing something odd here.

The second sequence, which notably involves Jaune and Cinder's fight over Penny, of course has him kill Penny to stop Cinder hurting Weiss again. That should be indicative, again, of Jaune/Weiss. But I'd expect there to be something again here, but instead the focus is on Jaune and Cinder. I don't know how else to describe this, but all of the angst and pain of Penny is not a concern in Weiss' character. Weiss knows what's happened, though, and it's fair to say she'll be involved in helping establish what happened with the others, but how that goes remains to be seen and is a totally separate topic. But if we're leaning hard on Tai and Qrow there, well, Tai and Qrow clearly have something going on in the sense of a personal dispute.

But the part I want to focus on is where Jaune is helping Weiss to safety which has, um, how shall we say

someone looking verrrrrrrrrrrrry upset - borderline jealous? - and I get that Cinder doesn't like Weiss because Weiss represents all of the failings of Atlas, but wow, that's insanely clever to make your romantic rival also represent everything you hate and rebel against.

You could argue here if you're a naysayer this is about her fucking with Winter, but Cinder's made no indication here that this is about fucking with Winter. This seems personal.

It would probably be easy to say that this is just setting up Jaune/Weiss with unrequited feelings on Cinder's part for Jaune, and then some confrontation ala Adam, but Cinder's not abusive towards Jaune. Also, what would unrequited feelings narratively achieve? In the case of Blake/Sun, Sun's feelings lead to a type of selflessness which helps him mature, and in the Vacuo arc I think that will become relevant, especially if you-know-who's a Maiden. In the case of Jaune/Weiss, his unrequited feelings for her are meshed with the pressure he feels to fulfill a particular masculine ideal. (Which is more evidence against the ship).

Cinder and Jaune have never been in a relationship, there's no trust to break, the only hurt between them is as enemies, and even then when they actually fight they barely hurt each other. In some ways I think the writers are sort of aware that like, yes they need to be enemies but there are probably people who would be upset if they did actually meaningfully harm each other directly, beyond Pyrrha and Weiss who serve narrative roles.

Jaune only chips her mask. She breaks his sword. That's the real harm they do to one another, it's transformative.

So if Cinder's being set up for a redemption arc where Adam isn't, then I think it's probably fair to argue that Jaune/Cinder is being set up as a positive relationship.

Also on this front, Adam was not one of the lead antagonists, he didn't carry the same special narrative role Cinder does as Ruby's Shadow and the Fall Maiden. So to say that her story will play out exactly the same as his when it's been contrasted purposefully is just silly. I mean, he has that big manipulative reveal of his scars to Blake, and it's obvious to us he did that to her a lot.

Meanwhile Cinder's own past, what others know of it, is used against her by Salem and Watts to manipulate and hurt her. So yes she's a very naughty villainess, but she's not an Adam.

I would make the argument here that of the three pairings - Blake/Sun, Blake/Yang, Blake/Adam - Jaune's equivalent three - Jaune/Weiss, Jaune/Pyrrha, Jaune/Cinder - follow a similar, but slightly different pattern.

Firstabble, the anime trope romance which is reconstructed: Jaune/Pyrrha, Blake/Sun

Secondabble, the historical romance which was one-sided: Jaune/Weiss, Blake/Adam

Thirdabble, the endgame fairytale true love: Blake/Yang, Jaune/Cinder.

So yeah I think Jaune/Weiss is only endgame if they decide to be really boring, play into vomit 'nice guy waiting for girl' trope for some bizarre reason that the show has broadly rejected, and decide to break the entire thematic and mechanical thrust of the show.

Let me quickly fit Jaune/Cinder into that earlier ship paradigm: a) very very intense and vulnerable, b) they are literally just straight up Salem and Ozma in reverse, they're even framed the same way, and also Raven/Tai, not explaining anymore but that's the same as Blake/Yang too, c) intertextually, Jaune's been set up as somebody's Prince Charming, and the bloke who cheated into a fucking Huntsman academy and was ostensibly a shit one being the real and best Huntsman/Prince for Cinder's story is endlessly, endlessly amusing. There's also all of the Rhodopis stuff (alike to Blake and Yang's allusion background) I have gone on about ad nauseam and then Jaune's own Joan of Arc influence involves crowns and a saint whom she hears from breaking out from the belly of Satan to free herself, so like, please do not get me started. Then, d), which is the lesser point and why I'm including it but not making a big fuss, Jaune and Cinder's colours oddly match, but it depends how hard you lean on her pin being indicative of her future colours (purple and blue), given that she's transitioned into black. But the orange and blue eyes do match so you can't take this away from me.

I also think that, like Blake/Yang was a pleasant surprise, Jaune/Cinder has the potential to be a pleasant and interesting twist. It's just the most interesting story you could tell, and I think we're due for something transcendentally happy, since that's the direction the show is going in. To be honest, I think that this is the long way around to Salem's happy ending. It's fitting to me that analogues of her in the story also fulfill that in some way.

So yeah I actually think the reason Jaune/Cinder has a chance is sort of exactly because people underestimate it and don't expect it. It makes perfect sense, though. It's very very very clever and I like it a lot.

I mean, where are we right now in the story? Cinder has recommitted to trying to be clever and smart and manipulative, even turning it on her own master. Jaune's mercy-killed Penny, the healer with bloody hands. There are some peope who think Cinder's redemption arc has been rejected, some who think Jaune won't have any angst or pain. I think there's something interesting to do with their respective characters from here. If they redeem Cinder, it almost definitely has to involve him. Everybody before him, Rhodes, Salem, Emerald, Mercury, Watts, only ever wanted something from her or of her. Staying quiet and doing as she's told, and enduring imprisonment. Imprisoning her again under the guise of a false freedom. Safety, food, love, shelter. Watts, his own motive and ends (no idea how people think him interacting with her was the point of no return for her morality). All of these failed attempts should indicate she can't be redeemed, right?

After all, how many tried to climb the tower to free the maiden?

But all of them only wanted something from her: her hand, the riches, the glory. There was just one knight who didn't care about any of that, and only did it because it was the right thing, and then they fell in love.

Which pairing am I talking about? (:

[neowinestainedress]

DYNASTY ⮚ NCT

prev⏐ chapter sixteen ⏐ next ⏐ masterpost

warnings: a reminder that when in this case they talk about medicines and use the word 'drugs' I'm referring to using too much of them (types and quantities), in no way I want to send the message that medication is wrong. so please, always keep in mind that the situation is extremely delicate and i tried to be as accurate as possible with the prescriptions and all the medical conditions documenting myself. this is FICTION, so don't take anything that happens here as something to do in real life. 

genre: fantasy au, royal au, super powers au

word count: 4.679

summary: The apparent calm that reigns in Neo City breaks into million pieces when some members of the Neos find an outsider laying unconscious in the wood. After that, everything they know stops making sense. Menace from the past come back, while they have to rule on their city knowing that the menace of Simon’s dictatorial power is closer day by day. The past they never dared to face will wash over them like impetuous waves. The present is filled with doubts, regrets and the mystery of the lost memories of the nameless girl. The future is even more uncertain.

Can you break the chain with your past even if it’s running in your bloodstream?

a/n: mh I’m dumb and I never asked but do you want me to make a taglist for this story? it never crossed my mind but i realized that since i don’t really have a fixed day to post it could help you keep up with updates? idk, if you want to, let me know, maybe under the masterpost so i have all the people that want to be in it in one place and don’t miss any of you 

“Ana! Come here, don’t stay there.” The red-haired girl shouted from under the beech. Anastasia turned around, taking her eyes off the sea. The salty water was caressing her feet, which moved at the tickling sensation of the wet sand under her. 

“Why do you like the sea so much?” Lucas asked, he was sitting on the sand, his hands moving it back and forth on his side, as his gaze was focused on the girl in front of him. 

“I don’t like it,” she answered with a small smile on her face. “It frightens me.” 

“Then why do you always go so close to it?” This time it was Jaehyun speaking. 

“I don’t know. It’s like it calls me,” Anastasia mumbled, a little bit ashamed of her affirmation. It was quite of a silly feeling, but somehow she always ended there, at the shore. 

“What kind of call?” Liv asked, tilting her head so that she could lay it on top of Lucas’ shoulder. 

“A force,” she shrugged, sitting down in front of them, pulling her knees to her chest. “Almost as if I have to find something, save something.” 

“Or somebody,” Jaehyun muttered mindlessly. 

Anastasia nodded, biting her lip. 

“I dreamt it the other day,” Liv affirmed, breaking the silence between them. At their confused faces, she kept on going on. “This conversation, here, the four of us.” 

“Everything?” Lucas asked, trying to get a look at her faces from the position they were. 

Liv nodded. “Up until what Yoonoh said. Then it changed, I guess?”

“Are you sure Liv?” Anastasia asked, trying to focus on the little twig she was playing with, and not on the strange sensation that was starting to form in her chest. 

“Yeah, I could call it dejavù if this was the past, but, you know.” 

Not knowing why, Anastasia turned around, so fast her neck almost broke. Her eyes drifted rapidly around the beach, scanning every inch. 

“What’s going on, Ana?” Jaehyun asked, worried by her sudden change. 

“There’s somebody,” the girl whispered, so low they could barely hear. 

“Mh, how? There’s just us,” Lucas said, trying to look at where she was staring and see somebody, but there was only the sea, the rocks and the sand. 

“No, I feel it too.” Liv stood up, facing behind her, looking at the opposite side of Anastasia. 

The two boys looked at each other, confusion written all over their faces. They felt nothing. Eventually, they decided to stand up too. 

“There!” Anastasia screamed, pushing Liv to the ground, saving her from an arrow coming from the sky. 

“What the hell is going on?” Lucas exclaimed, starting to turn around and spot any new attack. 

“Yoonoh, down,” Anastasia screamed and he followed immediately, a ninja star grazing the top of his head just to land on a cortex behind him. 

“What kind of twisted game is this?” Liv muttered, concentrating on her surroundings. “Random training on our day out.” 

“How sick you have you have to be?” she screamed at the sky, as if they listened, as if they cared. 

“Liv, dodge left,” Lucas warned and she immediately moved to the right, avoiding a burning arrow coming from behind. 

“Let’s get in a circle, back on back,” Jaehyun told them, and they all moved quickly, facing the four sides as they moved in circle. It was a tactic they learnt by themselves, the six of the fighters having to fight 15 hungry manticores, a strange and terrific mix between a human face, lion body and scorpion tail; if they hit with their sting it was certain death. 

And soon after, the beach became a war ground. It wasn’t fair, they weren’t even all together. It wasn’t fair because that was supposed to be their free day. It wasn’t fair because they were unharmed and their enemies were invisible. So new bruises and cuts were forming on their young skins as a new type of anger built in their hearts. How could the people who put them in the world do this? 

Then all of sudden Anastasia fell on her knees, an arrow was stuck on her side,  and it didn’t take long for her to meet the sand. 

“You hit her, you bastards, you hit her!” Liv screamed as her face cupped Anastasia’s face, stuck in her incapability to help. 

“We have to carry her home now,” Lucas said. 

“We’re far from home, we’re two hours distant, for fuck sake,” Jaehyun screamed kneeling next to the girl who was having trouble breathing. 

“Congratulation, you survived.” A metallic voice filled the hair with those words written in the sky exploded like a firework, but they couldn’t care, one of them was hit. 

The three fighters and Bambi woke up at the same moment. Their eyes sprang wide open, just like their mouths as they tried desperately to steady their breaths. 

None of them spoke, but their gazes wandered on the others, almost as if they felt that something was wrong. Bambi didn’t dare to look up at them, though. That dream felt just like a memory, and she felt an aching pain in her hip. 

“What the hell was that?” Lucas was the first one to speak up. He knew they all felt it, they were connected, they had the same dream, the same memory played in their heads, they were their old selves but Bambi was there, because the girl they called Anastasia definitely wasn’t the young girl they used to know. 

“I don’t know,” Liv whispered, then she looked at Bambi, who was still staying quiet under their strong interrogatives gazes, she could feel them burn on her skin but she didn’t move anyway. 

“Did you dream that too?” Her tone was calm, she could see that the girl was scared and she didn’t want to make her feel worst. But Bambi just shook her head swiftly and whispered that she had no idea what she was talking about. 

“Bambi, we’re just trying to understand what happened. Did you see what we saw?” 

“I don’t know what you saw,” she mumbled, her fingers playing with the hills on the sheets, but it wasn’t enough to calm her down, for a moment she was tempted to take Jaehyun’s hand who was placed next to her but she stopped midway, his cuts triggering her once again. As soon as he saw her staring at it, he hid them in his pockets and stood up. They had to leave anyway. 

“The four of us?” Liv suggested but Bambi was still focused on something else. She didn’t want to think about that dream or about the cuts on Jaehyun’s hands, or the pain she was feeling, body and brain. She just wanted to go back to sleep and have a peaceful one. She just wanted for Sicheng and Kun to come in and kill her pain with those medicines that knocked her down every time. They were like drugs but at least she couldn’t feel the pain for a while. 

“Liv, let go,” the blue-haired boy stopped the girl from saying what she was about to say. “Let Kun and Sicheng take care of her, she’s not in the state to go through our pressure.” And with that he moved to the door, opening it just to close it once again behind him. Bambi was surprised by his statement, she totally wasn’t expecting him to defend her, but overall she was thankful for that because she wasn’t in the state to have this talk with them. 

Liv and Lucas sighed at the same time, he got up and moved the chair he had used the night before next to the wall, and the girl got up from the bed, leaving Bambi lay there alone. 

“We need to wait for Taeyong at least, we can’t leave her alone,” Liv stopped the blonde-haired boy who was stepping out of the room. 

Bambi rolled her eyes, they were once again talking about her as if she wasn’t there. She wanted to remark and say that she didn’t need to be looked after but she knew that they were right. And, putting her pride aside, she selfishly didn’t want to be left alone. She wanted to have somebody with her. She missed Jungwoo and their talks about flowers, astronomy or meditation. She missed the talks about their adventure at the square, the one who seemed to never arrive, but for now, fantasising was enough. They weren’t at their best, but somehow together they felt fine. They shared the same pains, and strangely Jungwoo stopped having so many problems, he kept his mind occupied, he spent the day trying to help Bambi deal with those things, not like he ever did, but seeing his pain on somebody else felt completely different. It gave him a new consciousness. And it helped him go through his struggles, too. 

“You’re awake.” Kun was standing at the feet of the bed, his big warm smile on his face, and her medical record in hand. So lost in her thoughts she didn’t even notice that the fighters had left, giving him their place. 

She nodded, her lower lip trapped in her teeth so hard that a drop of blood fell from it. 

“Don’t do that, you’ll only hurt yourself.” His thumb grazed her plump lips to make her let go. Another nod followed as she let out a breathy affirmation. Her eyes followed Kun’s frame, but she felt on a cloud, as if her body never came down from that weird, painful state she had been in. 

Kun went close to the IV stand to make sure that the intravenous line was closed, he had checked it that morning when he came in to see the situation and found the four of them asleep, one close to the other, the two men in an impossible position. Kun found them cute. He had thought a lot about changing the bottle again, but he didn’t want to risk it on the other side, abusing anxiolytic or any other form of sedatives was dangerous, and also, her body couldn’t get used to it. 

“So, do you want Sicheng, perhaps, or are you fine with me?” His smooth and calming tone gave her peace. She liked him, a lot. He had this kind aura around him that put her at ease. Kun was understanding and never made her feel stupid, even if he had this way that reminded her of a paediatrician. 

“I’m fine with you,” she answered, forcing her face’s muscle to form a smile. It was sincere, but she felt like controlling her body was ten times more difficult than usual.

“Glad to hear that.” Kun sat on the chair next to the bed, they were almost eye to eye, now. Body language was fundamental in these cases, he had to let her know that he wasn’t trying to overpower her in any way.  

“So, how do you feel?” He laid a hand on the mattress, right next to her lap, trying to make it look more natural possible. He wasn’t expecting anything soon, but it didn’t take long before Bambi reached for it, and held it in a tight hold. 

“Wrecked.” Her voice was low, it seemed to be broken by a cry, but on her face were no tears. “Tired.” Their gazes met, she was looking for him, for comfort, for support. And he listened to that silent cry and squeezed their hands tighter. “Mentally drained. Soulless.” And at those words, she couldn’t stand to look at him in the eyes, to see his pity, or disgust or whatever he was feeling at the moment. 

But Kun felt nothing of those things. He wanted to help, he wanted her to feel safe and loved. He wanted to make her pain go away. He didn’t say a thing for a while, thinking she still had something to add, but when nothing rolled out of her lips, he talked. 

“Is it because of what happened yesterday?” 

“Not only that. Yesterday was traumatic, but I’ve been having violent dreams since the first day I came here. I don’t think I had an 8 hours sleep since then.” 

Kun sighed. The situation was worst than what they had imagined. “You could’ve come to us, we have things that can help.” 

“I didn’t want to bother. Plus, every time I talk about my dreams you... you get mad.” 

Kun shook his head. “Yeah, I can’t blame you for not trusting us, but, I want you to know that you can count on me, Sicheng and Jaemin.”

She nodded, smiling at him for a brief moment. 

“Did you sleep well with them tonight?” 

“Yeah, I did,” she murmured, torn between not knowing if she had to say what had happened or not. “At the start, at least.” 

“Why? What happened?” 

“I don’t know.” She bit her lower lip, just to let go when Kun eyed her, reminding her to stop doing so. “We had the same dream.” 

Kun furrowed. “Synchronization of the dreams,” he whispered, more to himself. 

“What? Can it happen?” 

“Yes, it can. But we’ll talk about this another time. I want to know how you feel,” he said, getting up from the chair. He didn’t want to leave her out, but he needed to discuss it with the other three before. She was already stressed like this, it was more than enough.

“Sleeping with somebody may be helpful, but still, for half of the night, you were under benzodiazepine, so I’m not sure about it.” 

“The pain killers?” She asked, hoping he could at least do something for the physical pain. “It hurts.” 

“Where?” 

“My hips a little bit more, but I feel my whole body weak.”

“I can’t put too many medicines in you, they’re like drugs,” the healer told her. 

“But the pain,” she whined, staring at him with pleading eyes.  

Kun sighed, shaking his head and then said, “I’ll give you a pill, but before, you need to drink and eat. I don’t know for how long you can still go on like this.” 

“What are you doing in my office?” Ten was head buried under his desk, desperately searching through files and papers. 

“Ten, I’m talking to you,” Johnny said, making his way close to the boy. 

“What are you doing?” He grabbed him by the shoulders, they were now face to face. 

“For the tapes of the day when she came here. For anything that could lead us to them. If they’re wandering around our territory or – ”

Johnny stopped him. “I know how to do my job, my team, too. If we saw something strange do you think I wouldn’t have come to you?” 

Ten sighed, “No, but – ugh” 

“Ten, you’re obsessing over something stupid.” 

“No, I’m not. We found...stuff.” 

“Oh, like?” He asked, sitting on the desk. 

“Stuff.” 

Johnny huffed, a sarcastic chuckle rolled out of his mouth, “Funny how you come here looking through my stuff but then cut me out of the business as if I’m somebody you can’t trust.” 

“Do I have to tell you what we discover?” 

“Mh, yeah, since I’m part of the group too, and also I should be kept informed so I can notice if something strange happens.” 

Johnny had a point, Ten couldn’t deny that, but his ego and the denial he felt for the whole situation were just bigger than anything else. 

“I don’t want to keep you out it’s just that,” his voice faltered, “things are surreal? Renjun, and Kun also apparently, have a certain theory about Bambi, and as absurd as they sound, they don’t seem wrong.” 

The oldest raised a brow, cocking his head to the side. “Didn’t you prove that she’s not a spy?” 

“It’s not that, or maybe it is, or probably it’s worse.”

“She seems fine, though. How’s she, by the way? I heard what happened.”

“Don’t know, when I left she was asleep, but I don’t think she’s okay or will be anytime soon,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.  He just wanted to take a break, close his eyes, and once he had opened them once again, everything would’ve been back at its place. 

“Boss.” Somebody came into the room without knocking, it was one of Johnny’s collaborators. 

“Yes, Chunwa?” The tall man said, turning around to face her. She seemed anxious and almost scared. 

“We were out, on our monthly meeting with the neighbour city, for the external relation, the cultural exchange and the safeguard of our lands when something caught my eye.” The woman lent the man a plaque. On top, it was written S 5 8 S. 

The two men exchanged a look, trying to suppress the panic that was running in their veins; it was Him, them. Johnny got back to her, his voice more serious than ever. 

“Our territory or theirs?” 

“Theirs. But the thing is that Miss Mantovani told us that they had an inconvenient.” 

“Like?” Ten asked, now starting to worry even more. 

“Attacks outside the city,” the woman started saying. “Strange things started to happen in the woods. It started from a manticore, we all thought they weren’t a thing anymore, but apparently, that’s not true. One of their protectors got badly injured and the wounds seemed caused by one of them.” 

The two men were shocked. Manticores kind of disappeared with Simon, even if some were still locked in the basement of the Palace when their parents took over. They used them against the fighters, it was the hardest and cruellest training they had to deal with. They couldn’t count the time Sicheng had to take care of several critical injuries the six of them used to come home with.   

“That’s crazy,” Ten whispered. It was just like a terrible nightmare coming to life. 

“And that’s not all,” the straight-haired woman retorted, bringing the attention on her once again. Johnny raised an eyebrow as to ask what she meant with that. 

“The citizens there started to have problems with water, people got sick and others had none. But the worst happened the other night, a black-out occurred, the security had no idea how it was possible and when the signal kicked in again, all the cameras were enabled. Somebody got into their system and copied all their records.” 

At that Johnny snapped, they definitely couldn’t risk it. He knew what they wanted, they were searching for something they had, or better, someone. If they wanted to have more time to hide her, they needed to delete the proof of her coming there in the first place. 

“Ten, I need you to run to the dreamers and tell them to focus on finding a way to put in security our CCTV, take the old records, copy them in a private file and delete them from the circuit.” 

“Fine, anything else?” Ten asked, snapping out of his trance. 

“No, I’ll deal with the rest.” And after that Ten left the room, non-wanting to waste any more time. 

“Chunwa,” Johnny called the woman. 

“Yes, boss.”

“I need you to tell the nctizens that water will be cut for three hours, we need to put to work the intern emergency system, and tell them the truth, the neighbour city had contamination and we can’t risk it.” 

“Do I also need to contact the hydraulics?” She questioned, writing things down in her notebook. 

“No, don’t worry. Think about our people, we need to protect them.” 

“Anything else?” 

“For now no. But I still have to talk with Taeyong and we have to decide on further things. One last thing, alert the protectors about the beast, and tell them to warn everybody who goes out of the walls.”  

“Fine, I’ll keep you updated.” She smiled and then stormed out of the room. Leaving Johnny alone in his office. 

“Taeyong?” He called, the screen turning green as the other picked up. “The games began.” 

“Are they looking for her?” Johnny had called the thinkers, Kun and Taeyong in the conference room. They had to talk about what was happening and soon. 

“Of course, who else could it be?” The protector answered his leader who was worryingly analyzing the confirmation that Miss Mantovani had sent them. There were photos of the destroyed properties, destroyed cultivated fields, polluted water and the damaged CCTV. And also they had the plaque Chunwa had found in the woods. 

“But why there?" The leader asked. The city they attacked was pretty far from theirs. 

“From what Bambi told us, they were moving north, so the closest city from where they were attacked was Bellam. It was more logical for her to go there than come here,” Taeil remembered them that it was pretty unusual for her to arrive at Neo City, at least geographically speaking. 

“But why she did come here?” Taeyong questioned. 

“Would you follow the path of the people who tortured you for years? She had to go the other way, run from them,” Taeil remarked. As strange as it could seem she had all the reason to have come all that way. 

“It won't take long for them to come here then.”

“This will be the last place they'll look, we are too far and south. There are at least other three cities she could've gone to. We need to keep in contact with them and know if anything happens,” Ten said, not really convinced. They knew who she was and who they were, and if what Kun and Renjun have been saying was true, Neo City would’ve been the first city they looked for after not finding anything at Bellam. 

“I’ll contact them as this meeting ends and I’ll let you know. I’ll play dumb, so they won’t suspect that we’re hiding something,” Johnny informed them, writing it down on his screen note, to remember it later. 

“But what Taeil said is right. Are they so stupid to believe she would hide close to where they lost her?” This time it was Doyoung speaking up his mind, giving life to something all of them were thinking. 

“But was she strong enough to walk so much? We all seen the state she was in and they know better than anybody else the weak state she was in,” Renjun pointed out. They wanted to leave him out, but at the threat that he wouldn't have told the Dreamers to deal with the CCTV if he wasn’t informed about what was happening, they didn't have much choice. 

“They’ll come here eventually, especially if she is who we think she is,” Kun chimed. 

“What do you mean?” Johnny frowned, not informed about anything. 

“Why do you think she came here? Maybe she wasn’t conscious, but something drove her here. They know that they can’t keep her away from here. If they took her away is because they know the bond is too strong.”

Ten huffed. “Why are you so sure they’re the same person?”

“Why are you so against it?” Renjun rolled his eyes, he couldn’t stand him when he acted like that. 

“Maybe because she can’t be alive?” Johnny was even more confused at these words, what were they talking about? Bambi was somebody they knew? How was that possib – oh, wait. Something clicked in his mind. Bambi was Anastasia? No, that definitely couldn’t be possible. He wanted to ask more questions and see if that was what they meant, but Taeyong had already opened his mouth, bringing the attention to something else. 

“Can we focus on more important stuff? What about the CCTV system?”

“We’re working on it. They’re doubling the protection, already deleted the old tapes and saved them on a private file,” Renjun answered with a proud smile on his face. He was proud of his small team, they had worked hard to be chosen by them. Their role wasn’t on the front line but they were extremely crucial for the team. Maybe the fact that they were Mark’s close friends back when their parents still ruled helped them, somehow they were already more trusted than total strangers, but still, gaining their total trust and showing that they were the best at their job hadn’t been easy. 

“Good,” he whispered. “The chip? Any news?”

“Maybe Hendery is close to getting in. But they’re focusing on the security cameras.”

“Johnny how about the water and security?” The leader turned around on the moving chair to face the protector. 

“The water internal system should start working in an hour, the hydraulics are still working on it. I told Chunwa to warn the citizens not to use water for this gap of time.” Taeyong nodded while he listened to him. “I sent some of the others to check the woods, they’re setting new cameras around. They are camouflaged with nature, the Dreamers just made them and they are connected in my office and theirs. If anything happens we’ll know straight away.”

“They have a motion detector system, and they can recognize humans from animals, especially manticores. We didn’t have the time to properly test them, but they should do their job pretty well,” Renjun intervened in the conversation, explaining to Taeyong how they worked. 

“Wait, so it’s real?” Doyoung asked, referring to the sights of the hybrids. Johnny nodded and handed him a picture. 

“The cuts are typical. And so are the symptoms of the poison of the bite,” Johnny stated as the black-haired man looked at the different pictures of the bite and the cuts caused by the animal. “I told Vittoria to keep me updated, on the conditions and if anything else happens.”

“Should we set a meeting with them?” Doyoung asked. 

“No, it’ll be too suspicious. We can’t panic for anything, or they’ll get we’re hiding something. Just act worried for them, put in some foreign policy matters, tell them that you’re sorry for their people and end it there,” Renjun answered before the leader could. But Taeyong nodded, he agreed totally. They had to look composed and not so touched by the situation. They had a great relationship with the other cities, especially with Vittoria’s. Back then, she helped them a lot when they had to put the pieces back together in their city, they didn’t even know why she seemed to be so interested, but they still needed an adult to at least pull them back up together. But they couldn’t trust anybody and also they didn’t want to put anyone else in danger. If their theories were right, the problem was theirs, and only theirs. It was the revenge they had been waiting to get for ages. The timing was fucked up, and they weren’t mentally ready, especially if the bomb of Bambi was true, but Taeyong knew they would’ve made it. 

“So, what should we do? How do we get ready? And what do we tell the others?” Taeil asked, they couldn’t keep this a secret. 

“We’ll set another meeting later,” Taeyong started to say as he got up from the chair. “Johnny and I still have to deal with some things in the city, and we need to talk with the others around the area to know if something happened to them.” 

“Taeil, I need you to tell the fighters to stop their training half an hour before.” The brown-haired nodded. “Doyoung, Ten and Renjun you can focus on your everyday work, I think we still need to focus on the NCTmentary and the chip.” The leader then sighed and turned to Kun. 

“I know that it’s wrong, but, I think it’s better if we don’t tell anything to Jungwoo and Bambi. They can’t panic, we need to protect them more than ever.” 

“Yeah, I agree. It’s for the best, I guess,” Kun answered. 

Taeyong smiled at Kun for his comprehension and then added, “But, I need you to try and dig deeper into Bambi. We need to know who she is, or else we won’t be able to keep her safe.” 

[1dkreally-moved]

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[moonbeamsung]

Sink or Swim

You plunged deep into an ocean of love for Huang Renjun, the boy who had already fallen for the sea itself.

member: renjun

au: sailor!renjun x gn!reader

word count: 2.7k

genre: angst, fluff, slightly dystopian

warnings: character death/drowning, mentions of water (one passing mention of a typhoon and a very heavy focus on the ocean), light profanity

recommended song: when i was older by billie eilish

author’s note: Not only did the lyrics to the above song inspire this fic, but so did the general mood and sound of it :) I would recommend listening while you read, since I think it really adds to the atmosphere. My creativity took quite a while to cooperate on this one but I like how it turned out and hope you do as well, feedback is highly appreciated as always. Thanks to @astroboy-lele for her help beta-reading this (like 2 hours ago), and enjoy!

taglist: @astroboy-lele @kyuwoyo @rvse-hvvck @nakamotocore @kisshim @hunjins​

network tags: @kpopscape @neo-constellations @culture-cafe @dreamlab-nct @k-dinernet 

The sleepy little fishing village you call home seems to sigh with the tides, waves lapping at the shore in a rhythm not unlike that of steady breaths. It’s the world’s way of inhaling the salty air, sometimes laced with the pungent scent of a fresh catch.

The sport itself is a life force here, the key to any sort of contact with the rest of civilization. Without it, the hill that the small town is nestled into might just swallow up the dozens of small brick buildings, reducing them to nothing but a memory. The murky waters would carry minuscule traces of its existence far and wide, but not even a name could break the surface.

Unfortunately, the village’s dependence on exporting fish leaves little room for the personal aspirations of its residents. At some point in your life, you’ll be called to assist with a certain aspect of the product’s distribution. The elders in charge find ways for even the most unskilled of hand and mind to participate, but they always save the hardest work for those who were born into it: the sailing families.

Quite literally, a love of the sea is in Huang Renjun’s blood.

His great-grandfather was around to see the beginnings of the seaside community, and he became the most famous fisherman known to the village by returning to the docks with large nets in tow, just bursting with sharp fins and thrashing tails. Those were the glory days, and generations later, the Huangs want their young son to follow in his footsteps, to become just as well-known for legendary angling expeditions.

But... he’s not really interested.

He would much rather take to the waves in a boat and chase the horizon, not bothering with casting a net or even a rod. To him, the ocean air is beyond suffocating, like a poison meant to expel any wanderlust from his lungs, to rip it from his soul. Renjun is a fiery spirit, and not even the crashing, slate-colored waters can dampen the adventurous spark burning bright and warm inside of him. It would take more than a typhoon to do so.

You admire that about him, too. How he holds a strong but steady resistance to the traditions of the village, the limited and meager expanse of the world that you’ve both lived in—no, been confined to—all your life.

Just think of the endless possibilities that await, beyond the hazy fog obscuring the fine line between land and sea. The faint shapes that loom in the distance, perhaps a trick of the eye but perhaps another sign of life besides you, seem so close but are still just out of your reach, teasing you both with what could lie outside this languid, ashen realm. Your heart races at the mere notion of such a thing.

The waves are impossibly blue when their image is reflected in Renjun’s dark eyes; you notice this one dreary afternoon as you let your feet dangle above the gentle ripples, sitting at the edge of one of the many docks that tangle through a mess of sailboats and fishing gear. The burnt orange of his threaded sweater stands out against the rest of the scenery, so monochromatic you sometimes swear the world is black and white.

He’s a splash of color, a splash of adventure and determination among a colorless mass of villagers who wouldn’t trade the way things are right now for anything. The dull, scuffed toes of his boots drag along the wooden planks as he trudges towards you, settling down at your side with a small gust of wind. Both anticipating and dreading the impending day when his father would teach him how to take to the seas and steer the boat that’s run in his family for generations, Renjun finds himself at the humble and rickety marina often. Anticipating because that knowledge would enable him to change the course of his own life on his own terms, and dreading because he knew of the harsh disapproval those actions would receive.

But still, Renjun stays right there on the dock next to you, diving past the shallows of his conscious mind and into the darkest, deepest abyss of his own thoughts, letting them bubble and sputter up and puff into the air like sea spray. If both your hearts are oceans of their own, they collide in this moment, as his ambitions and aspirations spill over into yours and settle on the seabed below. He’s chosen you to entrust these secrets with. You, the only other resident of the village with a familiar restlessness in your eyes when the sun disappears below the distant horizon, gaze wistful and longing to do the same.

And as if they’re the precious riches of a mythical swashbuckling pirate, you keep them there, each word a golden coin or sparkling gem hidden away in a long-lost treasure chest. The twilight sky that evening is the most vivid you’ve ever seen it, and daylight is fading fast by the time Renjun finishes telling you everything.

“I never knew there was someone who felt the same way I did about all this.”

The realization sets in late, just as the weathered surface you’re both perched on sways in the wind. You fear for a second that you might slip forward into the icy water; that’s how strong the breeze whipping through the air around you feels. That, or it’s due to the sheer force from your heart as it swells at finally meeting someone you’ve admired from afar for what feels like an eternity, ever since you understood what life was like and what it meant for you here.

Sure, Renjun’s grandfather may have been well-known in the past for one reason, but to you, Renjun is creating a legacy of his own for another, one of more than just adolescent rebellion and defiance. It’s one of undoubtable self-awareness, of an adamant refusal to conform to an existence he hadn’t chosen, and he’s finding a way to alter what he’s been seemingly destined for all his life.

“Me neither,” you shake your head, still in a small fraction of euphoric disbelief. “All that’s left to do now is stow away on a ship together in the dead of night, I suppose.” The comment is joking, but he takes it more seriously than you anticipated. The cloudy sky above brightens with his eyes.

You convene in shadowy alleys when no one’s looking, wasting away the hours as you mutually yearn for just a sliver of knowledge of the unknown, enthralled by the waves in the distance and what lies below and above and beside. Renjun sometimes whisks you away to a steep overlook that provides a panoramic view of the beach, the powdery sand so far beneath your bare feet gray enough to pass for finely packed pebbles. You find yourself melting into his embrace like the sea melts into the sky, blurring the already thin lines between air and water and between friendship and love. The way his fingers encircle your wrist with a curl like that of a cresting wave is telling enough on its own. His heart belongs to two bodies now.

You can’t help but notice all the similarities he bears to the element you’ve never lived a day of your life without seeing, without hearing the undulations of, without smelling or tasting the salty tang it brings to the air. Always moving, a force to be reckoned with, and evidently a possessor of the ability to travel far and wide on even the most fleeting of whims.

He’s utterly himself around the water, too. You’re almost positive he could effortlessly duck beneath the surface, take a breath, and his lungs would drink it in as if it was air. The only place he doesn’t feel like drowning is below the waves.

“Look!” Renjun points out an unfamiliar vessel tied down at the far end of the pier one day, sails torn in jagged lines as if they had been slashed by a larger-than-life creature. Upon closer examination, you find that the wooden bow of the sailboat is splintering and the windows into the cabin are shattered. The name carved into the hull is simply too faded for you to decipher the letters.

“This boat must’ve gone through hell and back,” you comment, your response delayed like an echo. “Who do you think it belongs to, anyway?”

He’s lost within a symphony of thoughts before he answers, “No one.”

Both incredulous and doubtful, you whip around to meet Renjun’s assured gaze. “No one ever comes and no one ever goes, it’s that simple. These same boats have been docked for years. They’ve belonged to the same families one decade after another.” The boy sighs, scanning the horizon for anything that might appear the slightest bit unusual. “The real question is where it came from.”

You have no answer for him.

“Regardless,” he speaks up again, quite matter of factly, “It’s ours now.”

“Ours?”

“Yes, ours. You said you’d sail away with me, right?”

It certainly isn’t the aspiration you would have envisioned yourself pursuing. You could have chosen to quietly obey, to live and work exactly as you were told by a community so rigid that you felt frozen to the bone. Not like the pleasant chill of the ocean, rather a restrictive pair of icy shackles, ever-tightening around your limbs and subduing your mutinous thoughts. But here you are, longing for a little something more both in life and with the only person that understands your heart’s deepest desires like they’re his own. And at their core, they are.

Without fear, Renjun takes a confident stride onto the boat’s deck, turning back to you and offering his hand as you mimic the action. “What are you waiting for?” He asks, eyes twinkling.

A warm thrill courses through your veins, growing hotter with each small preparation you make towards your inevitable departure. It’s an affair of many weeks, but at last you’ve gathered all of the necessary supplies and courage to carry out your plan.

The day finally comes, the day you’ll spring into action and take hold of your futures by the ropes, no one but yourselves telling you how or where to steer.

On the most moonlit night you’ve ever been alive to witness, you and Renjun both slip out from underneath your fraying comforters, unbeknownst to the rest of your households. Save for your two restless souls, the entire village is sound asleep, the unceasing lullaby of the tides casting its steadfast spell on bodies and minds like clockwork. Wooden floors so hollow and dusty that they barely creak under your weight, you successfully glide out your respective front doors in silence like translucent spirits.

No one else in the village had even acknowledged the foreign ship’s presence, but this shouldn’t surprise you, not in the slightest. The thick, colorless fog of life had long since settled around the shoulders of anyone and everyone who allowed it to, ensnaring them in a mind-numbing, monotonous routine. It blocks out the sun and the rain, the light and the darkness. It’s all so sickeningly the same. Empty eyes can’t pay any mind to their surroundings. Meanwhile, yours are full of hope, the brightest in the land.

In the distance, Renjun appears as vibrant and sprightly as ever. His form cascades down a flight of stone steps, leading from the sheer hills clustered with homes onto sea-level ground, and glides over the small dunes of sand separating you. He reaches the edge of the beach and your side a minute later, the thump of his heart keeping time with the tides. A nod, and you’re sprinting towards the docks, fingers trembling in excited anticipation.

It isn’t until after you’ve clumsily set sail that you see the ominous shadows of dark clouds laid out ahead, directly in your path. Even in the dead of night, a flash of distant lightning illuminates the world in a harshly jagged blaze for as far as the eye can see, as it strikes some unknown location out in front of the sailboat.

You’re certain the repairs you’ve spent days and nights working on with Renjun will be enough to keep the ship intact, despite the weather you’re sure to endure if you continue on this route. So you press on, missing the apprehension furrowing his eyebrows.

But because every force of nature has decided to convene against you both for reasons eternally unknown, the harsh winds weave their way in between the threads your careful hands had stitched on the canvas, meant to catch the breeze but being torn apart by it instead. Suddenly you’re struggling to hold on to your balance and you feel as flimsy as a leaf in a blustering current of cold, crisp wind.

Perhaps you should have practiced first. Renjun had not yet received a single ounce of training from his experienced father, and it was far from wise to leave the only life you’ve ever known without any knowledge of how to get to your next one. He’s trying to hide his panic now, wavering between the steering controls and warily glancing up at the gloomy midnight sky. One more flash of lightning, and all goes awry, all at once.

The water around you surges, as if physically drawn to the heavens, and more falls from above. Raindrops pelt down onto your arms and soak your hair, drenching the sails and filling the shallow hull almost instantly. Wave after towering wave crashes down, hard, and you’re no longer certain which way is up. About to lose your footing, you feel a pair of arms wrap around your middle like the snug hold of a life preserver.

Before all vitality can be lost and smothered by the raging ocean, a desperate Renjun holds fast to you, your thin clothes clinging to the damp skin of his hands. The storm is just too much, and there’s no way you’ll see the journey through like you had hoped. It’s difficult, excruciating even, to accept, and even more difficult for Renjun to let go of you like this. He’ll fight until the end, fight the fates and the invisible forces that life entails to hold you for just a few more seconds.

He won’t be able to live with himself, even in whatever afterlife may or may not come after the darkness he already sees, feels closing in on him, if he doesn’t sacrifice his last breath for a final moment of bliss, of you.

The sensation of Renjun’s wan lips pressing into yours overwhelms and surpasses all others, his palms tracing the edges of your figure like the tides trace the sandy shore. Urgently he draws you close up against him, trying his best to shield you from the inescapable terror of the sea. A lifetime’s worth of energy and emotion and passion is expended, making up for all the time in the world he wouldn’t and couldn’t have. The tang of saltwater meets your tongue, and you’re not sure if it’s the taste of him or of the ocean.

A weak tug on your palpitating heart, an internal scream in your ringing ears tells you that you should resent him for this, for propelling you forward in your apparently unachievable fantasies of living the life you wanted for yourself. But you don’t, you can’t. It’s no one’s fault, really. With this thought, a peaceful stillness washes over you amidst the chaos, and your awareness of the boy in your embrace fades steadily, slowly, then rapidly. Reality is getting paler, more black and white than ever, and you’re sinking further and further down towards the ocean floor miles below. The faint light of the moon becomes distorted from underneath the water, blurring with your failing vision. It all slips away, and then there’s nothing.

It’s a shame no one in the village takes notice of the two extra stars that blink into existence on that moonlit night, but yours and Renjun’s souls take their place among the rest, both a warning and a calling to anyone who dared attempt what you did. Two guiding lights pointing any other dreamers towards the hope of a better, brighter future.

[braveandsnipe]

Ask game! 7!!!

Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?

power rangers dino fury + kamen rider revice (it's more i dislike/lost interest more than can't stand it)

i was excited for both of these series, and i would say i enjoyed each shows until around episode 8. i think a large factor for my falling off with both of these series comes from fandom discussion around them, particularly the constant comparisons to the series' respective predecessors (neo-saban; saber).

also, both shows in general just weren't able to sustain my interest.

with revice, i just can't get into it, the only character i like is ikki, and he doesn't do much in the episodes i watched. i've been keeping up loosely with spoilers, and still don't have much interest (and they refuse to give wizard and drive vistamps so...)

with dino fury, i think after my initial excitement, the show was just not that good in my opinion. it's mainly the dialogue, it's trying too hard with all the puns (moreso in season 2 than 1 i think). after letting season 2 sit and thinking back to season 1, i don't think the show "objectively" is terrible. but yeah, definitely not for me.

i hope i answered this correctly lol

send me numbers from the salty ask list

[bridgyrose]

There are tensions between Ruby and her team in Shattering Love? What's that about? How will they take it when Ruby keeps leaving more for Neo?

Ruby sighed as she absentmindedly stirred her coffee. “I… dont have tensions… per se…” 

“You say that like anyone’s going to judge you.” Pyrrha smiled a bit at her friend, glad they could have another coffee date. “Why not just tell your team how you feel? I’m sure they’ll understand.” 

“Okay, but… what if they dont? What if they get offended that I dont like being a third wheel? O-or what if they decide they want me out of the apartment?” 

“Ruby, everything will be fine. I promise.” 

“And how would you know?” 

Pyrrha smiled as she looked down at her own cup. “When Jaune and I started dating, we thought that Nora and Ren would have a few issues with it. And we were glad they didnt. In fact, since then, Jaune has started dating both Ren and Nora as well and he couldnt be happier. All you have to do is let them know and then ask.” 

“I… I guess so…” Ruby grabbed the salt by accident and added a bit to her coffee. “I’m just not sure I can handle being told no on this.” 

Pyrrha looked up and hesitated for a moment. “Ruby…” 

Ruby started adding a bit more salt, not paying any attention. “And I know I have feelings for Weiss and Blake, but I know they really only have feelings for Yang. And even if they say yes, I dont have as much in common with them anymore besides being a huntress and living under the same roof as them.” 

“Umm… Ruby…” 

“And then there’s the fact of everything going on with Neo. I didnt think I’d like her but she’s opened up the possibility of things I could never imagine. We can experiment together and there’s all sorts of things she’s into that I never thought I would be.” 

“Ruby!” 

Ruby looked up at Pyrrha, setting the salt down. “Yeah?” 

Pyrrha pointed to the salt. “I think you’re going to have some salty coffee.” 

Ruby looked over at the salt and took a sip of her coffee before making a face. “W-well… guess that’s ruined now.” 

Pyrrha giggled a bit. “But Ruby, quit worrying and just tell Weiss and Blake how you feel. I’m sure Yang wont mind and the worst they’ll do is say no. Besides, I’m sure they’ll be okay with Neo.” 

“R-right… of course they will.” 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yang checked her scroll and sighed. “Ruby’s going to be busy again tonight.” 

“She’s ditching us for someone else again, isnt she?” asked Weiss. 

“Yeah, she is.” 

“At some point she’s going to have to tell us why.” 

“Isnt it obvious?” Blake looked up from her book, slightly disappointed in her girlfriends. “She’s embarrassed about whoever it is she’s dating.” 

“Who said anything about her dating someone? Could just be a friend.” Weiss sighed and sat down next to Blake. “Although, I wish she’d bring some of her friends around more often.” 

“Pyrrha has her team to keep under control. We all know there’s only one adult there. And…” Yang thought for a moment, trying to figure out who else Ruby would know. “Emerald and Cinder moved. Mercury… I think he’s in jail again. I dont think there’s anyone else that Ruby knows that would be around.” 

“Which means the obvious answer is that she’s found someone to date.” Blake went back to her book, smiling a bit. “And I’m happy for her.” 

Yang nodded, going back to cooking for her girlfriends. “Maybe we can get her to tell us who.” 

“Why? So you can hound whatever boy it is she’s dating?” 

Weiss smirked a bit. “Does that mean we get to hear the ‘big sister’ talk from you?” 

“I’m not that bad!” Yang turned her back on the stove for a moment. “I just want to meet whoever Ruby’s dating so I know what to expect. That’s all.” 

Blake nodded and watched as the pot behind Yang burst into flames. “Why dont you focus on dinner first, love.” 

Yang turned around and immediately jumped back to grab the fire extinguisher, turning down the heat and putting out the fire. “....maybe we should order takeout again.” 

Weiss shook her head and pulled out her scroll. “I’ll order the usual.”