#see all the enemies crawling around (my strategy is to battle all of them to get my stats up)

[radarsteddybear]

Video games that I own that I want to play:

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (pretty sure I'm fairly close to the end)

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (I'm at the very beginning of this one, but I did start it to make sure that the game cartridge works)

Super Mario RPG (I'm having trouble getting into this one)

Super Mario 3D All-Stars (namely Super Mario Sunshine, because I've played Super Mario 64 DS and Super Mario Galaxy; the camera in this version of SM64 is proving to be a Problem, and I'm finding that I vastly prefer SMG on the Wii than the Switch (not that that will stop me from completely SMG on the Switch at some point)

Paper Mario: Sticker Star (I started this years ago when it first came out, got stuck somewhere, and gave up; I want to give this one another go)

Super Paper Mario (I played and beat this one years and years ago, but after playing TTYD, I want to revisit it)

[lyrabythelake]

The Perils of Brotherhood (Warriors & Wind)

Warriors gets overwhelmed by Wind’s blatant hero worshipping, and he says something he regrets. aka I set myself a challenge to write a fic less that 500 words and failed miserably. Like really badly.

___

Wind latches onto him quickly at the beginning of their journey. Warriors doesn’t know why Wind chooses him to take a liking to, but he’s never had a family before, and he can see Wind becoming the brother he’d always wanted when he was younger.

Wind is very open about his feelings, and Warriors is taken aback at first. People don’t show their emotions in the army, they bottle them up and swallow them whole to use as fuel for battle later. Wind is like an open book; his feelings are written cleanly in his eyes and the lines of his face, whether happy or sad or somewhere in between.

Wind talks about him all the time to the others. He says things like,

“Wars says Biggoron swords are unduly heavy and impractical,”

and,

“Wars says tea is for losers, and coffee is the drink of real soldiers,”

before proceeding to drink an entire cup of coffee with an expression of obvious and utmost disgust.

When there’s a vote on which direction they should take or which battle strategy is the best, Wind will look to Warriors and raise his hand whenever he does. When the group has to split up, Wind will practically jump to Warriors’ side and insist on being put in the same group as him.

“Looks like you’ve got yourself a shadow,” Twilight teases, and he agrees with a proud smile.

He’s always (mostly) liked attention, and Wind is really sweet and pretty cool too, so he doesn’t mind. He remembers how he looked up to Impa when he was younger and, although he would never admit it, used to braid his hair the way she did just to be more like her. He’s honoured to take that same role with Wind.

But there’s a bitterness to their relationship too. It’s something he can’t quite put his finger on until one conversation a few weeks into their adventure when Wind mentions his pirate friends.

“You must miss them,” Warriors says over breakfast. All nine of them are sitting around the campfire having their own tired conversations. “You must be excited to get back to them once all this is over.”

Wind hums his agreement. “I don’t think I’ll stay with them for long, though. I’m thinking of joining the navy.”

“You are?” Warriors is more than surprised considering the amount of times Wind has expressed his fondness for his contradictory life saving the kingdom with a bunch of pirates.

“Yeah. I think I can do more good that way, you know? I want to be like you and become a captain or something.”

And all of a sudden, Warriors has flashes of Wind in the same horrific situations he’s had to face over the years. Him against a sea of bloodthirsty enemies, terrified and seemingly alone on the battlefield. Him making the choice to run his best friend through with a sword for an unthinkable betrayal. The feeling like a thousand ants crawling over his skin as he stands in front of those violating portraits, and Cia running an unwanted hand over his shoulder—

“Oh,” he replies faintly.

Later, the nine of them are crouched behind a bush, looking onto a Moblin encampment.

“I just think stealth is safer in this situation,” Warriors argues. “What if they’re infected? We don’t want to go in guns blazing.”

“It’s nine against eight,” Legend deadpans. “Any one of us could take on these mindless bunch of animals on our own.”

“We’ll vote on it,” Time mediates. “All for Warriors’ plan?”

Warriors, Wind, Sky, Four and Time raise their hands.

“Stealth it is, then.”

Except something new is stirring in Warriors’ gut. Something bitter, petty and more than a little cowardly.

“Actually, I change my mind.”

“What?!” hisses Four. “But it was your idea in the first place.”

“Legend is right. It’s unnecessary.”

“Um… actually, I change my mind too,” says Wind, and even though Warriors had been expecting it, a flash of anger rises within him.

“Of course you do,” Legend snorts.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“He’s right,” spits Warriors. “Have a shred of independence for once, it’s embarrassing.”

He sees in Wind’s window-like eyes as the metaphorical knife plunges into his chest and twists. The regret he feels is instant, like being plunged into a pool of icy water. He looks around him at the others and the sheer shock that hangs over them like sudden, unwanted fog. Time looks composedly horrified, Twilight wears a look of sad disappointment; Hylia, even Legend is glaring his disgust.

He can’t look at Wind anymore, can’t face that instant shattering of trust and love they built up for each other. So, before anyone has a chance to catch their bearings, he turns and runs into battle.

 ____

“Wind’s really upset,” Twilight says, approaching Warriors where he sits cleaning the blood off his sword, sulking, separate from the rest of the group. It’s childish, he knows, and he almost hates himself as much for not gathering the courage to apologise yet as he does for saying what he did in the first place.

“I know,” he mumbles.

“He doesn’t understand.”

Warriors nods. It doesn’t surprise him that Twilight knows what this is about. He’s seen how he’s a mentor to the children in his home village and he’s probably experienced the fear that comes with having them look up to him in the way Wind does to him. He probably even heard their conversation earlier by the campfire.

“Man up, Captain,” Twilight orders. “No one likes seeing either of you like this.”

Twilight leaves him alone once more, and Warriors pauses in his cleaning, takes a deep breath. His head is telling him to plan out his apology before speaking to Wind, the way he likes to strategize and plan everything in his life. But he’s also aware that it might be more honest, more believable if he didn’t.

So he goes in guns blazing.

Wind sits on a log by the fire next to Sky, pressed against his side with his arm wrapped around him comfortingly. When Warriors approaches, a sudden blade-like silence cuts through their low conversation, and six and a half pairs of eyes turn to look at him. Wind doesn’t lift his gaze, keeping it fixed firmly on the ground.

“Wind?” he asks. “Can we talk, please?”

Sky tightens his hold on him and Wind’s face scrunches up slightly, but he still doesn’t look up. He looks utterly distraught, and Warriors’ stomach clenches with a new, violent wave of guilt.

Eventually though, Wind nods and stands, albeit reluctantly, and Warriors leads him away from the others.

Truly, Warriors doesn’t know what to say to make this better. He feels like he’s broken a part of their relationship, shattered Wind’s unwavering trust in him, and he doesn’t know what he would do if it was irreparable.

“I want to apologise,” he starts. “And I want to explain.”

Wind pauses, fiddling with the pendant around his neck. Then he nods. Warriors wishes he would look him in the eye, but he’s also fearful of what he might see in those large, blue eyes.

“You’re like a brother to me, you know that, right?”

Wind frowns.

“Maybe,” he mumbles.

“And… and you know what it’s like, with Aryll. How you want to protect her at all costs?”

Wind’s expression smooths out slightly as he nods again.

“I’ve not always been… happy, Wind. There are things I’ve done—thing’s I’ve had to do—that I wouldn’t wish on anyone, let alone you. When you said this morning that you want to join the navy to be like me, it really… I don’t want you to go through what I did.”

Wind finally looks at him then, his eyes narrowed and full of frustration.

“I had to rescue my sister from being kidnapped when I was twelve years old. I put a sword through Ganondorf’s head. I can look after myself.”

Warriors’ eyes widen at that.

“I-I know. I’m sorry, Wind, I really am. And it’s not an excuse to have spoken to you like that. I didn’t mean it.”

Wind hesitates for a moment, and Warriors isn’t sure whether he’s going to punch him or storm off to be with the others. But then, miraculously, he launches himself at him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“What you said was really mean,” Wind tells him, his voice muffled in the material of his tunic. “It made me feel like an idiot, and I don’t forgive you.”

“Okay,” Warriors replies, tentatively hugging him back. He wasn’t expecting forgiveness, he doesn’t deserve it. He also wasn’t expecting a hug, though.

“But maybe I can stop being so needy all the time.”

“You did nothing wrong,” Warriors assures him.

“No.” Wind pulls back and looks at him. “Aryll used to be like that with me when we were younger. She used to follow me everywhere, it got really annoying, I’ll stop.”

“Okay,” Warriors agrees quietly, because secretly, maybe, Wind’s blatant hero worship of him had become a little overwhelming over time, as endearing as it might be.

“But you have to promise to tell me next time when I do something you don’t like or if you’re upset about something. Because that was humiliating earlier, and I can handle the truth.”

“Okay,” Warriors agrees again, and he means it. He also thinks they may have all gotten it wrong and Wind might just be the most mature of all of them, in a way.

“Now, can we go back; I can’t wait to see the others chew you out for this. They’re so angry, you have no idea.”

Warriors groans, but Wind grabs the material of his tunic sleeve and starts dragging him in the direction of camp, and he reckons it’s definitely worth it.

[alreadyblondenow]

The morning and evening star | Johnny Suh

Johnny Suh x female!Reader  

▸ too much fluff, too much smut, angst, prince of Egypt AU, slave reader ▸ Part of NCT Historical AU Collaboration hosted by @puppywritings ▸ In ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh is referred as “Morning and Evening Star”

Summary: Fighting the battles for his kingdom and for his ill father, Johnny, a prince of Egypt was given a beautiful gift the night before a great war starts. The given gift, which is you, gave the prince a very hard time but soon your heart softened the moment you allow yourself to get to know him. As you both fall in love sooner than expected, you thought that Johnny will give you your freedom but he can’t because that means letting you go. Johnny treated you as a gold and you became his most precious jewel. He kept you inside the palace, gave you a place to paint on and kept you in his life for as long as he can. But not long enough. 

Word count: 8,441k Warnings: Smut, Smut, Smut, its a Johnny fic what do you expect?, mentions of slavery (if that bothers you, please click away), mentions of blood, mentions of death, mentions of sadness, self doubt, possessiveness, unprotected sex, oral sex (female),  rough sex, slight exhibitionism, fingering, mentions of bruises, spitting. Mentions of other idols, and Johnny’s parents. Pregnancy, (if that bothers you please click away), mature themes, murder, family betrayal, mentions of gods bc hello its Egypt A/N: Pure fiction. Inspired by my favorite movies that I grew up watching with my family during family movie nights.. haha. (Troy, prince of Egypt, Exodus: Gods and kings, Tangled, and Gods of Egypt) 

Taglist:  @doyounglover  @puppywritings  @commentgirl @mischiefmakerliesmith5  @wonderfulkoreanpop  @ethaeriyeol @suhpersonic @sunshinedhyuck @sighreal @jb-hope94​ 

To William, thank you so much for this wonderful collab! I’m lucky enough to join last minute and I hope this fic gives justice to your wonderful collab. Thank you so much! 

On a beautiful quiet night in Egypt, under the dark sky that's full of stars, a young prince is out on the terrace to look at his kingdom and admire it even with the slightest light. The moon shines beautifully and so he expects that that is a good sign that the night will be even more beautiful.

A royal banquet is waiting for his presence. Another gathering where the richest families in Egypt wish the young prince to bring peace, victory, and finally put an end to this war against the enemies.

“I can already feel the weight of my father’s crown mother, what should I do?” Johnny asks his mother as they accompany each other to the royal banquet.

“You do the right and wises thing, my son. Be a better pharaoh than your father,” his mother advises. Caressing his son’s face before they enter the room and telling him to have long patience with the ignorant people who are going to have a word with him tonight.

When everyone welcomed both the prince and the royal wife, they all cheered happily, shouting and howling for the prince while the blaring sounds of percussion and tambourine started playing. Men and women were always mesmerized by Johnny’s perfect built, architects and sculptors are dying to make him their inspiration and make him a big statue. Even the beauty of every gold he’s wearing in his body right now has no match for his natural handsomeness and godlike features.

“My son, who has fought many battles for me over my reign since I was declared ill, will be the one who will lead you to peace and victory,” he pats Johnny’s shoulder before he continues and looked to his assistants. “So before a great war starts tomorrow, I present to you this gift,” he nods and signals his assistant to bring it in.

And when people started to make way for the gift, loud grunts, and nonstop whining were heard across the room… while the people just watched the guards drag her in to be presented to the prince. “Amusement my prince,” one of the assistants says and pushed her further in front of the prince.

Johnny then lowered himself to check the gift that's been presented to him. Left and right he turned the girl’s face to admire it, and when he finally smirked because he liked the gift, the girl spits on his face. Loud whispers of shocked people surrounded the room, telling the girl that she has no respect for the prince of Egypt. Of course, Johnny can’t let his people see that it’s alright for a slave to disrespect him, and so he did something… something he’s not going to be proud of but will surely wow the people watching.

He grabbed a glass of wine, drank a mouthful and spit it on the girl’s face in front of everyone, and poured the remaining wine from his cup on her clothes. “Be careful slave” the prince says, pointing a finger that has a big golden ring around it to remind her who she’s talking to. “Dry her off and lock her in my room. Go,” he commands and the guards responded immediately.

The royal banquet carries on without even bothering further about the slave. Everyone drank delicious sweet wine, chattered nonstop about their richest and the things they desire in life and bid the prince of Egypt good night before they all went home.

But even though the night carried on as it should be, his mind can’t stop reminding him about the awful thing he did earlier. And so after the royal banquet, he asked for a tray of fruits and brought it to his room… for you.

Behind the thin curtains of his bed, he sees your silhouette and shook his head as a sign of disappointment to himself before he apologizes to you. He joined you in bed, sat so far away but still, he saw that no one tended to you, that no one helped you or even gave you dry clothes. “Why must you disrespect me like that?” Johnny left the question as he disappears for a minute and returned with a damped cloth and his sleeping robe. He hands it to you because he wouldn’t dare touch you without your permission, but instead of accepting the kindness that the prince is giving to you, you rolled your eyes at him, sat up and kept your distance.

“I’m sorry” he whispers but you heard it. “I may be a fool or I act tough in everyone’s eyes, especially my father’s but my mother did not raise me like that,” he added and reached for the damped clothed and came near you. Johnny wiped your face carefully like he is not the future pharaoh of Egypt and humbling himself for you.

After cleaning your skin, you shamelessly removed your clothes in front of him and looked straight into his eyes to search for lust and to finally finish this long night. And just like those men and women, architects and sculptors who lusted over his body, Johnny… lusted for you.

If you strip away every gold in Johnny’s body tonight, you will see goosebumps around his skin. He very much wants to have you tonight and pleasure himself but he still feels very guilty about what he did earlier. Almost as if he felt that he’s not worthy of you.

“If I give you pleasure tonight and have me as much as you want and as many as you like, will you free me?” you ask crawling near him wearing nothing but a cheap necklace. The prince then caressed your face, traced the curves of your body while looking directly into your eyes, showing you that he wanted to accept your offer so bad but not tonight.

“Tempting. But tonight, you rest” he says softly, trying so hard not to kiss you down the mattress and hurt you so good for the whole night. But even though he would rather do filthy things to you, he reached for his robe and made you wear it to bed. “May I be forgiven before I sleep tonight?” he says, smiling weakly and pushing you slowly to the mattress. He sat next to you while waiting for your answer.

“Only if you forgive me from what I did”

He chuckled and got up from the bed to leave you finally so you could get your rest. “Then it's settled. Let’s start again tomorrow when I come home… if… I’ll still be alive” he says, and left a sweet smile.

They say that men who will go to war the next day never get a peaceful sleep not unless they exhaust themselves from pleasure and eventually sleep like a baby. And that’s when you realized that the prince of Egypt sacrificed his sleep for you. Now you feel even more guilty because you took away his very chance to sleep peacefully for the last time… if he dies in battle tomorrow.  

But for Johnny, knowing that he put a decent woman in bed and earned her forgiveness is better than pleasure or getting to enjoy lust before a battle. You were sleeping like a baby, he thought. The whole night he sat on the chair beside his bed, guarding you, and admiring you. Until the sun finally showed up and it's time for him to go.

The battle was bloody as expect but Johnny did not expect that their army will fall on the first day of the war. His soldiers needed to take him back to the palace and protect him from there, even though he wanted to fight until his dying breath. Not run like a coward and let his men die.

The soldiers brought him back safely, but Johnny was not pleased. He arrived at the palace furious and more than angry to his general that he yelled at the nurse who is supposed to treat his wounds and his maids to clean all the blood and dirt on his face and body. Johnny is hurt, physically but his pride is crushed, and that hurts even more than his wounds.

He was repeating the battle plan and their strategy in his mind over and over again to look for holes, to look for people to blame but he just can’t. Until eventually he fell asleep even though he’s in so much pain.

“You” the head of the nurses points at you, “you treat his wounds. Or else his majesty will die because of infection and it will be on your account “ she gave you the things you needed to treat a wound properly, complete expensive materials and ointments to heal the bruises faster but the problem is you don’t how to use them. You’re not stupid and you know a thing or two, but the person whom you’re about to treat is not just anybody, and that makes you nervous alone.

Quietly, you entered his room. It was cold and only a few candles are lit and you see his majesty curled up in a ball. Vulnerable, in pain, and suffering emotionally.

Before you even touch him, this scenario reminded you about his kindness the other night. How he touched you so delicately and how he wiped the traces of expensive wine on your skin so gently. Now it's your turn. You started by stripping off his armor, the golds, and silvers that protect him until he’s exposed with nothing but the minimal cloth that covers his manhood.

Carefully, you wipe away the dirt on his face until his handsomeness is visible again, closely you make sure you did not miss a spot and clean him well. Touching his big arms almost felt like you’re committing a great sin, his chest looked so strong even though it’s covered with bruises now which you’re going to take care of in a few minutes.

Then he wakes up and he sees you treating his wounds.  

Glad to see that it’s you who’s taking care of him because for some reason you make him soft. He let out a sharp sigh and in an instant, you were shaking for you thought he will shout at you. But no. “I think I may have a broken bone, can you help me get up?” he weakly asks you.

“O-of course,” you slightly panicked but you did your best to support him with all your strength.

“Give me some water,” he says and you followed, helping him drink so he wouldn’t move too much. "You know you’re not a maid here. You’re a gift. A gift to me” he says sternly like he wanted you to take his pride. “Thank you. For taking care of me in my vulnerable state, sleep beside me I’m in pain”

And without hesitation, you did. This time, it's you who’s guarding him to his sleep. Although it hurts you to watch him suffer like this, you didn’t have a choice but to further take care of him.

On the next day, the nurses treated him the right way and adjusted his broken bones which made him feel better in an instant. You thought you will be released by then because you’re completely useless to his majesty, but you realized that he’s only keeping you for his pleasure and nothing has happened between you two yet.

So in the meantime, you decided to make yourself useful and learn the basics of treating a wound and make sure you know exactly what you’re doing whenever his majesty feels any discomfort.

He healed for days. Did not speak for days. And still, he hasn’t touched you. Oh you wish he would already so you can guarantee your freedom. Your family should be worried by now and probably thinks that you’re already dead. You can’t help but think about your family, your ill father and your younger brothers who need you, in which you can only sigh as you think about it while you take a breather at the palace terrace.  

“I bring good news,” a voice disturbed you and your thoughts, “we are winning the war,” he said weakly.

“Ah. But you don’t sound so pleased? May I ask why?” you turned around to face the prince and slowly came closer to him.

“Because I am here resting and healing while my men fight in the war when I should be leading them” the disappointment in his voice is obvious. He pulled you closer to seek comfort, holding you by the waist and keeping himself calm by smelling your unique scent.

“Lead them once more when you’re healed. For now, rest so you can go in battle with them again. You’re next to your father, and if you die on that battlefield then who will lead us?” bravely you soothed his strong back, feeling him shiver once your fingertips made contact with his skin and your warm palm gives him great calm.

“You remind me of one specific person,” he says, and you wonder if it's one of his lovers, “you remind me of my mother. Who is a great queen of Egypt” and right then and there you feel guilty for judging a loving son who respects his mother so much. Hearing those words from him made you happy and proud of yourself because now you feel useful.

He pulls away from his soft embrace and looked deeply into your eyes, asking for permission to do something to you but he’s not saying anything. It’s his eyes who are doing the talking. “You may,” you said and let out a nervous giggle before the prince finally planted a kiss on your lips.

A kiss that’s wet and quick but made your whole body warm and you wish he would kiss you a little longer but who are you to request?

“I’ll take you somewhere private,” he said when he stopped the kiss and smirked.

And so in the middle of the night, you followed the prince to that private place he told you. Hand in hand you walk in the dark, exchanging whispers when you ask him something and he answers you.

“Close your eyes” he whispers and you followed immediately. Feeling him walk away for a few seconds and then he’s right behind you, feeling him motion you towards somewhere. And when you opened your eyes, what you just saw took your breath away.

A sky full of stars shining brightly and beautifully. You can’t take your eyes off of the sky because you’ve never seen anything like this and even though your neck already feels tired from looking up, you look a little bit longer and savor this very moment. “So this is where the prince of Egypt go whenever he’s tired? I assume?” you asked, smiling like a fool because you’re still mesmerized.

“Yes. This is where I think, hum a few songs, and be myself. No judging eyes, no wars- it’s quiet right? The only part of the palace where it’s really quiet. When I become pharaoh my room will be placed here and I will curse who dares to ruin my peace” he giggles to himself and points at the nearly done construction. The future bedroom of the new pharaoh, big, lavish, and peaceful. It suits him.

“I’m so tired of worrying and thinking about the future” he admitted weakly, closing his eyes and resting his head on yours. Embracing you from behind and caging you with his strong arms. Of course, this bold move made you nervous, the prince of Egypt is keeping you in his arms right now, who wouldn’t?

“Then you must rest,” you said and he only hummed and let out soft sighs.

“Can I have not only your lips but your whole being too?” he asked with the utmost care, careful not to offend you or make you feel like a whore. Then suddenly you feel his lips on your skin, cold lips that felt heavenly, soft lips that you imagine to be on yours. but he’s placing sweet kisses on your neck that made you gasp sharply, close your eyes and accept what he’s doing.

With heavy breaths and soft moans, you try so hard to let out a few words “Do you even need to ask? You’re the morning and evening star you should do as you please,” you croak.  

And because you have given him your consent, his kisses became intense that you’re sure you felt his teeth brush on your skin. And because of the pretty sounds that he’s making it is very much obvious that he is enjoying himself especially now that his big hands are roaming free around your body. Kneading your breast and telling you that they’re soft while his mouth is near your ear and he nibbles your earlobe as he pleases.

He twirls you and made you face him before he devours your lips once again, kissing you with want and with a mixture of lust while motioning you towards the huge bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, making you stand still in front of him, “Virgin?” he asked shamelessly, you shook your head 'no' shyly. “Shame” he added before he stands up and removes his robe, exposing himself to you. Now you understand why everyone in Egypt lusts for him.

Gently he runs his hands on your shoulder, untying the knot that secures your dress and letting it fall down at your feet. “Beautiful,” he says.

The night wasn’t exactly hot but the prince made you sweat in bed the whole night. He was careful but all the things that he did to you were rough, he was very stressed and tired indeed. The way he kisses you, the way he bites your neck and mark you his, the way he holds you in place while he thrusts so roughly. All you can do is whine deliciously, groan and let out sharp gasps and heavy breaths.

Again, he was rough but you loved everything that he’s doing.

“Last one and I promise to give you rest,” he said with ragged breaths. Lips on the side of your face while his big hands knead your breast from behind and preventing you to fall on the mattress. You arch your back as much you can so you can manage to take the overstimulation and sensitivity but the prince is fucking you good that your knees are about to give up.

When he is so close to his sweet release, he pushed your body on the mattress and slapped your left ass cheek one too many times before he pulls out and pumps his cock away from your hole.

Weak. Tired and aching. You curl your body and hug yourself as you wait for the prince to cover you with his warmth again. But not long after he came down from his sweet release, he is holding you by the ankle and the next thing you know he is hooking his arms around your legs, spreading your folds and running his fingers on your wet slit while watching you lose your mind and beg for him. His tongue was heavenly and he was licking you slow like he’s waiting for you to calm down and accept the pleasure that he’s doing. Up and down, he licked you slow and listened to you wherever you want him on a certain spot. And when you had your sweet release and let out a high pitched moan, you did not beg for him to stop and you chose to overstimulate yourself.

“You sleep in my arms tonight,” he says, kissing you sweetly before he lies beside you and spread one arm to keep you close.

Although you're both exhausted and tired from pleasuring each other, that is not the reason why you and the prince stayed up until the sun is rising. The whole time, he was playing with your fingers, caressing your body and feeling his fingertips glide on your skin while he listens to you. Listening and not just hearing you talk. He was keeping the conversation with you, throwing you a lot of questions, hard and easy ones. It was his first time knowing someone he fucked.

“Tell me more” he says, leaving a kiss on your shoulder as you enjoy your comfort while you lie on your side and admire his godlike features. He was asking for more stories about your childhood because he didn’t have one. He was giving you kisses in exchange for your stories that make him feel alive and present in this world.

“Are you not tired?” you asked him with a smile.

“Talk until I fall asleep” he drags you near him so he can cage you with his strong arms and keep you close until he wakes up. He closes his eyes and waited for you to talk again, drawing small circles on your back so you know that he’s still awake.

“Paint, I love to paint,” you said, and told him stories about how the colors make you feel alive and whenever you paint, you feel free. You were talking and talking and talking until you got too carried away and did not notice that he had finally fallen asleep and you decided you should too.

In his arms, you slept well and dreamt about home. You see how your family welcomed you home and their faces were clear as day, almost as if you’re not dreaming. Ever since the prince showed you kindness, you’ve been sleeping better and for that you are thankful. But for now, your beautiful sleep needed to be disturbed for a very sweet kiss woke you up.

“You smile in your sleep,” the prince says, greeting you good morning and seeing his naked body first thing in the morning. You sat up from the mattress and covered yourself with the Egyptian cotton blanket, squinting your eyes to protect it from the bright sun. “Good morning my gift,” he greets you again, caressing your thigh under the blanket. Oh its too early to commit sin but the way he makes you feel good with his finger is inviting. “Spread your legs,” he says, and so you did.

Up and down he moves his two fingers in your very wet slit, you almost feel sorry for ruining these expensive sheets with your juices, but what can you do? The prince wants you soaked. “You were so amazing last night that I dreamt about you,” he came closer to you and removed his fingers to join you under the blanket and position himself in between your legs.

“You had me under the stars last night, are you going to have me under the sun too?” You asked with a playful tone, giggling under the covers with him and enjoying the closeness of your body. He is a big man, but his warm body feels good on top of you. Skin to skin, chest to chest, while his manhood is inside you. “You’re rather gentle now,” you added, letting out a soft moan and smiling weakly at him.

“It’s too early to be rough” he smiles and grabs your waist, thrusting deeper while he kisses your neck and marks you wherever he wants especially on your chest area, or swipe his tongue on you and devour your sweet lips.

“Thank you, I still ache from last night” you inform him, returning his sweet kisses with a smile and soft giggle that is soon replaced with a delicious moan.

“Apologies then, what do you feel now?” deeper and slower he goes. Making you feel every bit of him by stretching you so good while he holds your hand and kisses them while he thrusts. “Not going to l-last longer” he says and gave you a few sharp thrusts, making your breast bounce then did not hesitate to pull out and pumped his manhood away from you, ruining the expensive sheets with his thick cum.

He feels so warm and weak, groaning while you watch him pump his cock in front of you. What a sight. The prince looked so hot. All naked and glistening as the morning light shines upon him. “Do you know it's a crime to stare at me like that?” He asks with a smile. It was a joke but you can’t help but think that you’re lucky enough to see him like this, to look at him with lustful eyes to hold him whenever it pleases you.

“W-were not yet done?” you ask when you saw him spreading your legs again, oh his stamina is unbelievable. He didn’t answer your question but instead, he kisses your lower abdomen and kissed your body and breasts until he reaches your lips. And there’s that feeling again that the world is stopping whenever his lips touch yours, you like what’s happening and you don’t care if you’re not home anymore. Or maybe that’s the lust talking.

“Where did you learn how to kiss like that” it was not a question, he just simply wanted to let you know that your kisses do something to him. And while kissing you, the prince felt something he has never felt before. He was quite sure that it’s called admiration and want. He is slowly becoming possessive with every swipe of his tongue on your lips, he is slowly falling into your charms with every touch of your hands on his chest and the way your hands roam around like he is yours.

“I know I promised your freedom but can you stay a little longer?” he kisses your hands and kept them close to his heart. A gesture that is saying he is requesting, asking politely, and leaving you the decision because he respects you.

“I’ll stay” you answered without hesitation because it is what your heart wants. He has been nice to you, although he needed to put an act first but his true colors were inviting. “With two conditions,” you added, stopping him from attacking you with kisses.

“No lies and don’t die whenever you go to war,” you said sternly to which he’s very happy to hear.

After that beautiful morning, you and the prince spend your entire day naked in his comfortable bed, enjoying the lovely weather of Egypt and its calm breeze. Talking and exchanging stories, knowing each other deeper and accepting each other through honesty.  

Then night after night the prince have you on every corner of his room or wherever he pleases. Making beautiful and lustful memories all around the palace. And whenever you’re both clothed and decent, he walks with you and shows everyone that you now have a special place in his life, something you’re never going to get used to but slowly it sinks in. You started dressing up in expensive clothes because he says so, giving you expensive jewelry all around your wrists and your neck. But most importantly, he is giving you more reasons to stay with him.

One fine day while you were waiting for Johnny with a book in your hand, he arrived very excited and was in a rush to bring you somewhere. Perhaps another secret place where he can fuck you? Or a surprise picnic? You really have no clue. But when you finally arrived at the place where he is very much excited to show you, every wild guess disappeared for you know exactly what the place is for.

Different colors of vibrant pigments, all came in different sizes. Paintbrushes from small to big ones made with soft hairs. And the canvas… is the place itself. “Johnny, this place is huge. I feel so small,” you said, feeling dizzy with how high the walls are but you are very much excited to paint on those.

“Paint all you want from now on, I know how you miss your home. I hope this will suffice” he gently pats your head, cup your face, and kissed you. “I have to go somewhere… dangerous again” he informs you, hoping to get a positive reaction from you.

Well, you can’t stop him and you know that all too well. You were quiet and if you’re being honest you don’t know what to say, but you do know that you want him to go home in one piece. “Remember your promise,” is all you can say to him.

“I won’t die” he giggles and intertwines your fingers with his.

When the prince left the next morning, you can’t help but worry for him and be scared that something bad might happen. But whenever you remember his bright smile when he promised you he won’t die, your heart warms instantly and you can finally get on with your day.

Using the gifts that the prince left you, you painted for hours and hours, from sun up until sundown. Sleeping on the floor next to the paints rather than the huge and comfortable bed because you can’t handle the cold there. And whenever you’re taking a rest from painting, you still spend your time alone rather than make friends and talk to the maids.

It was lonely when Johnny is not around. You don’t know when will he arrive, and worrying will do no good so you waited patiently instead. Day after day you did the same things. Paint, eat alone, be alone, paint some more and sleep on the cold floor.

Until finally, a pair of arms surprised you, encircled perfectly on your waist and you can finally feel that familiar warmth again. You put down the paintbrush and tried turning around to welcome him home with kisses but he stopped you. “I look filthy” he said, but you did not care and still turned around.

To your surprise, you almost did not recognize him. His face is full of dirt and blood, small and big bruises on his face but thankfully no broken bones this time. He was quiet. No sweet kisses for you and obviously he’s tired. “We both look dirty” he giggles and reached for your hand to wipe off the paint from it, “what you did here is beautiful” he said and pulls you to a hug which you returned without having second thoughts.

He recognizes your paintings. He is sure that it's from your home, memories from home to keep you happy perhaps. Johnny searched for anything or something that says you missed him too while he’s away, perhaps a sunflower? But he found none. Little did he know, that you missed him terribly too that you chose to sleep on the floor.

After your quick reunion, you washed his face, treated his wounds and decided to take a warm bath together. The silence was deafening and so you talked and talked until he finally says something.  

“Do I make you happy?” he asks sincerely while scrubbing your back and pouring warm water on your skin. Bathing with him brings you a different kind of calm. You nod your head ‘yes’ to answer his question, caressing his thighs underwater. Then you feel him kiss your neck softly and encircle his arms on your waist underwater.

“I’m setting you free” he says.

And those words made your heart ache in an instant that you turned and faced him with worried eyes. You should be happy by now because finally you can be free and see your family, but why are you sad? He just came back and now you’re going to be separated again?

“But” he added which made you nervous even more.

“It pains me to let you go. That���s why I promise to take care of you and love you day and night… if you choose to stay” you always see him as an honest and sincere man but now his sincerity is different. It has a mixture of hurt and hopelessness like he already knew you’re going to leave him that’s why he made such an offer and confessed in the middle of a huge bathroom and while taking a bath.

“A few months ago, I told you I’ll stay and that’s not because I’m doing you a favor but because I really wanted to stay with you. I’m still choosing to stay-“

He cut you off with sweet kisses until water splashed on you and him, there are tears in his eyes but it wasn’t visible because of the water. Happy tears that only you can give him.

And that is how your story with Johnny started. It started with doing what your heart wants with all honesty, choosing to love each other and stay together. After that very momentous bath, he became Johnny to you and not the prince of Egypt, but the man you chose to love from now on.

YEARS LATER    

Life with Johnny was never easy but it was full of love and he had kept his promise. Everyday, day and night he loved you more and more each day. And eventually, fucking was replaced by passionate love making which something you both love doing.

“So good” he groans and lets out soft moans while you bounce your body on top of him, driving him crazy and make him beg for more. You intertwined your fingers with his, sucking his fingers while your roll your hips deliciously. He can be rough with you in order to drive him mad, but you, you need only lustful eyes, your womanhood, and your tongue.

“Ooooh-“ he groaned a little louder than before and shoots his thick cum inside you while you drill your hips make sure you won’t miss a drop. “I hope you get pregnant this time” he said with ragged breaths, encircling his arms around you and placed sweet kisses on your face and on your lips.

You’ve been trying to have a child now but the gods are not in favor of it, so you and Johnny decided to try until you succeed. Usually, one round is not enough for the both of you but when you both realized that it’s going to be like this forever, there is no need to exhaust yourselves anymore because you can simply make love again tomorrow.  

“If you don’t mind me asking, how many babies are we going to have in the future?” your question made him laugh. The sound of his giggles vibrates on your body because you’re too close with each other and you can’t help but laugh with him too.

“A lot,” he simply answers your question and kisses you before he covers your body with a thicker blanket.

Life with Johnny is sweet, not because you’re now comfortable and he showers you with gold. But because he showers you with the love you deserve and he now takes care of your family too and even provided your father’s medicine. Even though you haven’t seen them in years, now they know that you’re in good hands for you write to them and let them know that you’re well. But for Johnny’s safety, you didn’t dare tell them that you are in a relationship with him.

It may be sweet and comfortable for you, but it is not always like this. Of course, there are hard times that you have to face with Johnny. Like when his advisors see you as his whore and not someone whom he truly loves, when his father did not accept you and almost took away Johnny’s right to the throne, and when you planned on running away so the people around him can stop doubting him as the future ruler. All these problems but Johnny chose you. Always.

“I love you”

He whispers and caressed your face while watching you sleep. Having one last look before he starts his day without you and faces yet another stressful day.  

Now that his coronation is getting near, many people have been seeking his attention and had been trying to rebel against him. He may be a great fighter, and he honors the throne, but the people around him do not see him as someone who can rule and solve the nation’s problems.

Heartbroken. That’s what he feels when he thinks about being king in the next few weeks.

“My uncle and cousins are active lately, seeking the people of Egypt’s hearts, courting them, and feeding them lies. My own family... is planning to overthrow me” he informs you. Frustrated and stressed beyond you could have ever imagined. It pains you to see him like this.

“I am no advisor. But be strong my love and still do your best to rule, prove them wrong” you encourage him, trying your best to give him strength. But all he gave you is a sly smile and a kiss on the forehead, leaving you to go and study more about the things he should know for his kingdom until eventually, you find him asleep on his desk. Shivering from a cold night and all you can do is put a blanket around him.

After a few weeks, Johnny is crowned king of Egypt. A celebration that’s very beautiful but you’re not allowed to stand near him because you’re a slave and people will recognize you. But you know all too well that Johnny imagines you being on his side.

They say that the crown is naturally heavy but if it weighs too much that even your heart can’t carry it, then you are not fit to rule. And that is exactly what Johnny feels right now, but trying is the most important thing for him. Running away from his duty is not him. He will continue to try and be a better pharaoh than his father.

“Where have you been?” you giggle and soothe his strong arms that are encircled around your waist. Accepting the kisses he’s giving to you for it has been far too long since the last time you’ve been together alone. He had been working hard for his nation, he looked tired than ever.

“It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful” he says while looking at the sunflowers you painted on the walls. A thousand sunflowers for the gods, in exchange for Johnny’s safety… or a child, if they permit. “I visited our room last night, but you weren’t there. I knew you were here but I needed to go already. I’ve missed you so much” he turned your body so he could see you finally, cleaning your hands full of paint with his own clothes. A gesture that simply tells you that whenever he’s with you he’s just a simple man who loves you so much and not the king of Egypt.

“I’ve been sleeping on the floor. I’m in a rush to finish this so I can finally offer something to the gods and they can grant me my wish” you rake his long hair away from his face.

“Now, now, that’s not how a future queen of Egypt should behave, my love” he smirked and you rolled your eyes, picking up the used paintbrushes and cleaning them.

Then you realized he said something.

“Say that again, my love” you request as you watch him come closer to you with a smile. “Was that a question? You never addressed me as someone-“

“Will you marry me? Be the queen of Egypt and become my wife? Be my best advisor, help me to be a better man?” he finally said it. Straight forward and will all honesty, as always.

“Y-yes. Of course, I would like to be your wife. But your people won’t allow it,” you answered excitedly. Eyes with tears that continuously flow. He cupped your face and thanked you for saying yes, not caring about your concern for he doesn’t care what others will say.

The celebration of being engaged is continued in your shared room with wine, fruits, hope, and dreams. It was a night a fun night with your future husband where you enjoy the company of each other after such a long time. Johnny made sure that you made the right decision and promised you a better life.

“What more could be better? We have everything already Johnny” you put a grape in his mouth before you lie beside him.

“What was your prayers to the gods again?” he asks, out of nowhere. To be honest you did not expect he would be interested. “Maybe I can give it to you instead?” he added and it instantly made your heart full.

“My first prayer is, for your safety wherever you go. Nothing scares me the most than knowing that wherever you go, your life is always in danger my love” he tightens his embrace, silently thanking the gods for bringing you into his life.

“And the second?”

You breathe deeply first before you answer him, “A baby… but your safety comes first” you said sternly, pointing at his chest and drilling your pointer finger on his skin so he knows how scared you are. He caught your hand and kiss it one too many times.

“I love you, I promise to be careful so we can make babies during our marriage,” he promised sincerely.

On the next day, Johnny’s first agenda was to tell everyone about the good news. At least its a good news for him, but not for everyone. His father, advisors and other members of the elite society were disappointed upon hearing that he wants to marry a slave.

When Johnny became king, all of Egypt starved. That’s why everyone thinks that being married to a slave and throwing a big wedding is not appropriate.

“Do you think I’m a pushover? I am the morning and evening star, your king, and I kept this nation together and kept it safe with all my power. You owe me your lives. And I am not seeking your approval, I am simply telling you that I am to be married to the woman I love. Besides, I don’t want to see your faces on my wedding day and ruined it for me”

Silence ate the room and only the sound of afternoon winds surrounds the room. “Dismissed” he commands and they immediately left, leaving Johnny alone with his thoughts.

The wedding was simple and private because it is what you wanted and thankfully Johnny is not a fan of grand celebrations too. You both thought that the gods will spare your wedding day and give you a peaceful day just this once. But no, because a murder took place in the palace and it happened while you and Johnny are enjoying your wedding night.

He is deep inside you, thrusting roughly but with care at the same time. Hands on your waist to keep you in position as he fucks you from behind and leave kisses on your shoulders.

You were moaning so good, while you grip the sheets and part your lips, telling your husband how you feel and beg for more.

Until his advisors entered the room uninvited and have no care for privacy. Johnny quickly covered your body and hid you behind him. “YOU HAVE NO RESPECT!” He shouted so loud that you were sure everyone in the palace heard him.

But still, his advisors did not move an inch and waited for him to stop shouting.

“Our king... y-your parents have been murdered”

And that is when everything turned black in Johnny’s eyes. He put on his robe, ran towards his parent's room and saw the gruesome murder.

He didn’t understand why but he was heartbroken and very much angry that he punished all the guards on duty that night and everyone staying at the palace except you.

Well, you wouldn’t think that you’re not being punished. You’ve been feeling sick for days already and you have been having morning sickness more often. Then you realized you haven’t bled yet and immediately called a nurse, a good friend whom you can trust to confirm if you are with child.

You are.

And that is your punishment. Knowing that your prayer has been answered but Johnny is grieving and is away from you. Not seeing your husband and knowing that he’s out there punishing people, punishing innocent people makes your heart break. Apparently, asking for a peaceful life is too much.

Finally, Johnny found out who plotted his parent’s murder. And it is no other than his cousins who wanted him to give up the throne. And because of that, his anger grew much worse. Now he does not only punish people but also put them to death for Johnny believes that he is being betrayed by the people around him.

It has become the darkest time in Egypt.

“The is the only place that I can show my weak and grieving side. I’m so tired, my love. This is not me but all of Egypt is mad and wants to kill me. What can I do?” You hush him and gave him a tight embrace which he accepted and returned. “Do you want to kill me too?” He asks you and you can’t believe you’re hearing this from him.

“Never. I did not paint a thousand sunflowers for the gods so that I can wish you to be gone” you sat on his lap and reached for his hand, putting it above your belly. Hoping that he understands what you’re saying.

He did. But he wasn’t happy.

And all you can do is understand him because he is going through so much right now.

“The gods must hate me so much to give us a child during these dark times” he said bitterly.

You didn’t have a choice but to get up from his lap and place a kiss on his temple. You may miss him. So much. But it is useless to have a conversation with someone who’s full of hatred towards the world.

“I’m sorry, my love. I’m blinded with anger” he tried reaching for your hand but you refuse and lie on your side of the bed. Closing your eyes and remembering the happy memories you had with him over the years.

“Do you know what’s on my mind?” you did not answer him, “I would like to give up the throne and live a simple and fruitful life with you but I can’t. Kings don’t run away from battles” he says. Keeping you close and leaving kisses on your clothed stomach. Chanting apologies and saying how much he loves you before you both sleep.

Day after day, Johnny became even more scared for you and especially for your child. Now that you have a chance to be a family, Johnny is even more obsessed with fixing everything using his own ways but everything is not going according to plan. The assassins weren’t satisfied yet and they have been killing innocent people that Johnny trusts. And his cousins won’t admit the crime that they have been doing for Johnny lacks proof. It frustrates him greatly.

Now that you’re with child he stays with you from sun up, to sundown. He doesn’t care if people are uncomfortable with seeing the king with a slave, all that matters now is your safety. He is scared to the bone that he carries his sword around him and does not go to sleep so he could guard you in your sleep.

“I used to do this during your first nights here. I guard you in your sleep and watch you smile as you dream. But that’s maybe because back then we have peace. I’m sorry I can’t give you a peaceful life”

As Johnny continues to think of many ways on how to protect you, he kept you hidden in your museum and watched you paint. It calms him. And as he looks around the place, he looked long and hard at your artwork and remember the days when you used to miss home. Then he realized that it is the only way to keep you safe. The only problem is you will not agree on it.

“You do know that when I leave and they found out that you’re all alone now, they will not stop until they kill you then take your throne” you said sternly. Hearing his plan about sending you home makes you angry and misses him already.

“As long as I fight until the end. The only way to stop them and keep you safe is to give them the satisfaction of killing me. No one knew about our child, please listen to me my love. This is the only way that I can give our child a peaceful life” he begs.

You don’t want to admit that he is right and you don’t have any other choice now. But leaving him pains you greatly, that even just thinking about it scares you.

Eventually, you and Johnny plotted your escape and made you go home safe. With the help of your family and a few soldiers, they managed to get you out of the palace without anyone noticing it. But you can’t let go of Johnny’s hand. You kissed and kissed until there's no more time left to be together. You said your goodbyes and final promises to each other and accept your fate.

“I’ll find you in our second life, whatever happens. Live my love, live happily” he says and removed your tight grip before he disappears with his soldiers. And that is your last memory of the man you loved.

It was the darkest moment for the both of you.  

Johnny knew that being away from you will not be easy and it will make him weak in an instant. In fact, it made him crazy. Everyday, he goes to your museum and seeks comfort with your paintings. Constantly thinks about you and pray that you are well and healthy.  

“Finally, you’re safe” he murmured.

After a few days, the news that the king is dead has spread all across Egypt and everyone celebrated. Everyone except you and the few people who knew the truth about the assassination in the palace. Hearing them celebrate sickens you for they don’t know how Johnny struggled to keep his nation alive and safe and that he is not the enemy, the true enemy is the one sitting on the throne now.

Hearing that he was assassinated in your museum broke your heart for you knew that he longed for you until his dying breath.

After all, the thousand sunflowers you painted for the gods did not go to waste. But it was your second wish that they granted and not the first.

[wonlouvre]

Hiii can i ask for a mingyu x fem!reader royal au, where the reader is more to boyish personality?

Undefeatable

pairing: prince!mingyu x g.n. reader (but they’re also royal and vagina bearing) genre: royal au, fluff, angst warnings: violence, blood word count: 1.1k (oops)

💌: here is the last request from my very first round of opening requests! thank you so much for all who participated! hopefully i get to open requests soon because your requests and ideas really made me happy! i hope you, anon, and everyone else likes this anon! thank you everyone! <3

“Aren’t we the same Prince Mingyu?” You ask with a piercing glare. “Aren’t I as royal as you are?”

“Yes. I never—”

“Then stop telling me what to do.”

That particular heated argument Mingyu had with you remains vivid inside his mind. He had no intention of ordering you around or much less offending you by questioning your value and capability. He doesn’t even remember what led you to assume such. All he ever wanted to convey was for you to lessen your engagement with combat during the war. It’s getting more and more dangerous and the chances of you coming out of there unharmed is slim to none. 

You and Mingyu grew up with the knowledge that you’d marry each other someday. It was a perfect match. The two of you have both the intelligence and skills in ruling and protecting your respective kingdoms. But most importantly, the two of you have the same drive and ideals for the advancement of ending all armed conflict that’s harming thousands of innocent citizens.  

Your wedding was simple and instant due to the circumstances. The marriage symbolizes the union of both kingdoms that will work together to ultimately end all wars. Both your parents have entrusted the important duty to protect the future of your people to your enjoined hands. You and Mingyu have been on the same page from the very beginning. 

But for Mingyu, there is more to how he feels towards you than the ambitions at hand. He has admired you for the longest time. He fell in love with how graceful and kind you looked when you smiled at him at that one party. He fell in love with how selfless and compassionate you are in extending help to those who need them the most at one of the villages devastated by the war. And even during battles, where dirt, sweat and blood always blemishes your skin; he has never felt more in love. 

Mingyu loves you and watching you everyday go all out fearlessly to fight this never ending war is scaring him to the bones. He wishes that he could have said something during that day to make you stop. He wishes you were here beside him instead because he believes there has to be some way other than violence. He’s currently strategizing with the rest of the advisors. While you’re great in formulating strategies like him, Mingyu recognizes how your combat skills are undefeatable. Mingyu is the brain and you are the whole army yourself. 

He’s silent with arms crossed as he listens to the voices in the tent exchange ideas. His frown could make everyone around him think he’s in deep thought when he’s really not. The chorus of shouts and clanging sounds of metal outside sounds like there won’t be a ceasefire anytime soon. 

“Your Highness!” Not until a panicked and sweating guard barges inside screaming, almost toppling over the first aid boxes at the entrance. 

Mingyu can already sense that there is something wrong. He immediately unlocks his arms from his chest and walks towards the guard he’s awfully recognizing. He’s one of your guards assigned to always be right behind you. He’s about to ask what he is doing here when another group of men are shouting to move out of the way. 

When they finally enter, your unconscious body and forehead profusely bleeding greets him. 

Mingyu’s breath hitches and his legs give up on him that the only way he can hold you is by crawling to where your body is brought down. He takes you in his arms and wipes your blood with shaking hands to get a better look at the wound.

“They were fighting with an enemy when their neck got locked in a chokehold before getting striked with a shield,” one of the guards reports but Mingyu is deaf to the words.

He just cradles your head close to his chest as the medics rush to take care of your wound. He can see that you’re fighting the lightheadedness, definitely not backing down even at a time like this. 

“Hey,” he calls and it pains him to see you struggling to open your eyes because of the blood running down your face. “It’s okay.” 

“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but please let us move them to the bed.”

Mingyu nods and stands to his feet to carry your limp body on the medical bed. He moves aside when you’re completely settled and lets the medics attend to you. He exhales a shaky breath and closes his eyes, thinking and thinking. When he opens them again, he offers one last glance at you before grabbing his sword and telling your guards to follow him. 

All he can see is red. 

“We’re ending this war before sunrise.”

The Prince kept his word and when he returned to the tent as the sun started to rise above the horizon, you had gained your consciousness back. He meets your eyes and flashes you the smile you’re afraid you have fallen in love with. You sat up from the bed when he started taking slow steps to be near you. Your eyes follow him as he drops his sword, helmet and shield. The shirt under his armor was drenched in sweat but he could care less. All he wants is to fall on his knees and shrink small under your arms. 

And as if you have read his mind, you allow his face to rest against your stomach and his arms to snake around your hips. You’re still quite dizzy but you can see him clearly. You can feel his warmth and that’s enough to make you believe that you’re alive, he’s alive.

“It’s over,” he whispers when he raises his head and sits up. 

Tears are brimming on your eyes as you nod. You touch his bruised lip tentatively and he gives your fingers a kiss. He leans close to your face, nose grazing yours. A shiver runs down your spine when you feel his lips lightly touch yours. You don’t grow weak to others but when it’s Kim Mingyu, it’s a whole different story. 

You take it upon yourself to fully capture his lips with yours and Mingyu is glad enough to let you. You both remain careful to not get carried away because you’re both badly wounded. But this kiss you’re sharing is passionate enough regardless of that. 

When you retreat to take a closer look at the wounds on his face, Mingyu’s love for you can be seen through his gaze. Although he has avenged your forehead, he can’t help but still get bothered by the blood stained gauze wrapped around it. You notice that which is why you squish his cheeks with your hands and make his eyes come back to yours. 

“I love you,” you bravely confess before apologizing, “and I’m sorry.”

Mingyu’s smile is wide and bright unlike the sinister one earlier during the battle. His canine can be seen making you smile back. He pulls your chin up and kisses you again and the words he mutters against your lips lets you breathe a breath of relief. 

“I love you too.”

[sellyoursoulforagoodfic]

Monstrous Secrets Chapter 10

Eris Vanserra x reader

Word Count: 934

Summary: The first battle and Azriel.

Everything was so overwhelmingly loud. Between the shouting, screaming, and the clanging metal you could hardly hear yourself think. Good thing your fighting skills were all muscle memory by now.

You fought mainly by taking to the air and diving down upon unsuspecting Hybern soldiers, an effectively uncommon strategy that few ever saw coming. Within minutes of the battle starting, you were covered in the blood of the dozens of soldiers already butchered by your blade and by your siphon. You may not have had Cassian’s overwhelming power, but it was rare that males like these expected such brutality from a female, and you never hesitated to use that to your advantage. 

And then blinding pain shot through your left wing as an arrow pierced through the dark membrane there. It was only by the skin of your teeth that you managed to land near Keir’s Darkbringers instead of in the middle of Hybern’s ranks.

There was no time to assess the wound since, despite the proximity to your allies, several enemy eyes landed on you the second you touched ground. They quickly became familiar with your sword and the uncommonly large claw atop your good wing as you used both to slice their unprotected throats. By the time you had them handled, an unsteady hush fell over the battlefield.

This fight, it seemed, was won.

~

So used to dealing with your own injuries, you didn’t bother to seek aid in the medical tent. They were busy dealing with more critical cases anyway, and you didn’t need the others mothering you over something you could patch up just fine on your own. You’d retreated to your private tent as quickly as you could after the brief meeting with Rhysand’s Inner Circle, wings clenched painfully tight against your back to hide the wound within the membrane folds.

Teeth gritting the entire time, you shed the upper half of your armor in favor of a sleeveless, cream tunic but didn’t bother to wash yet; it’d be pointless given the blood that would shed while you were stitching the hole. Besides, you needed to give that wound as much time as possible to close before the next battle.

You had thread between your teeth and a cloth to the still-bleeding wound when Azriel of all people strode in like you’d invited him. “As you can see, I’m in no mood to argue with you, Shadowsinger,” you snarled around what would soon become sutures.

“Rhysand sent me to check on you.” No doubt because you’d left so fast, and because the two of you hadn’t gotten along since the whole Eris thing came to light.

“Wanted us to talk, more like.” Your voice was strained as you started sewing the skin back together.

He said nothing.

“If you’re--ugh--expecting me to apologize about who my husband is, then you’ll--ah!--be here until we’re both naught but ash.”

Still, science. Not out of the ordinary for Azirel, but under the circumstances it made your skin crawl. “How could I not notice?” was what he finally managed to ask, so quietly you almost couldn’t hear him over the pain induced pounding of your own heart.

You didn’t look up from your work. “Because Eris has a lifetime or five filled with avoiding his own father’s spies, and I know you well enough to stay in your blind spots.” It really was just that simple.

He hesitated. “Let me help,” he requested, those scarred hands reaching out for your tools. 

“I’d rather like to keep my wings, so thanks but no thanks.” Perhaps you were cruel to imply that he’d go so far as to clip your wings, but you just couldn’t trust him after the way he’d been acting. To put it plainly, it dredged up too many bad memories, and your current state wasn’t exactly one that inspired a lot of warm, fuzzy feelings.

“I would never--”

“And I don’t care, Azriel.” You sighed, hands falling to your lap as you looked up at him. “I’ve seen how you look at me now. Like I’m a monster for being with the man that let the woman you love get hurt.” You ignored the way he flinched at his feelings being stated so plainly. “But Eris wasn’t the one that hurt her, and neither was I. We were all trapped by our bad choices, but I’m past caring if you forgive me. Mor is the one I’ll let judge me, and she’s the only one. You are nothing but a reminder of why I hid myself from the lot of you for so long.” A scoff forced its way out of your throat. “Even now I can see the disgust in your eyes and the way your shadows are writhing like they want to hurt me.”

His eyes visibly widened in shock.

“You’re not the only one that can read them, even if I can’t control them.”

“You’re right,” he admitted after a moment. “I can’t forgive you.”

“So be it.” If you weren’t in so much pain, you might have been saddened by his words. As he was slipping back out into the night you told him, “If you want to do anything for me tonight, don’t tell them about any of this.” He was smart enough to know that ‘them’ meant any of the rest of your little found family. “They don’t have time to worry about me right now on top of everything else.”

He only nodded, and when he was gone, you knew that you’d likely just lost him as a friend forever.

Cauldron, you missed Eris.

[justxright]

Zeke Yeager x Reader - “Traitor”

Chapter 3 - “A Flash of Thunder”

Summary : It’s been weeks since you willingly left with The Beast Titan in order to survive in exchange for information on the Scouts and whatever strategy they had. Over time you had grown close to the Beast Titan, also known as Zeke Yeager, whom told you the truth about everything in the world. Now as battle grows closer to you and Zeke, you have to make a decision whether or not you’ll leave with him or go back in the arms of your older brother, Levi.

Warnings : Spoilers for season 3-4, gore, mentions of SMUT, and a bit of Stockholm syndrome.

The tent you slept in grew cold as the wind lingered on your backside side while the wind crept in through the tent’s entrance. Drowsy and half naked you turned over to notice the empty spot next to you. Where’d Zeke go?... Usually the man was always asleep next to you keeping you warm, but suddenly it seemed he had vanished.

The cold wind froze your bare skin and you quickly reached somewhere in the tent to search for your sweater. Well, his sweater. You hastily threw the sweater on and crawled towards the entrance of the tent. Peaking your head out, you could see the fire was lit and the smell of black tea seemed to be brewing, or at least that’s what you thought it was. Zeke never really told you what is was.

There he was. The man you had been staying with for nearly a month now was there sitting on one of the boxes. However, he was not alone. Your eyes widened as you saw them. Reiner and Bertholdt. They were back so soon? Reiner noticed you peaking your head out and slowly waved. “Good morning Y/n. Sorry, Zeke didn’t want to wake you.”

You shook your head and coughed awkwardly. “Oh no, it’s no worries. It’s still a little dark out so I figured it was still nighttime.”

It was so weird seeing Reiner and Bertholdt like this. All this time, and you wouldn’t have guessed it. The Colossal and the Armored Titan were them this entire time. You had only found out when Zeke told you everything the second day you had been with him. It made you reconsider everything about going home. Eren was the ‘Coordinate’ or the ‘Founding Titan’. Something they do desperately needed in order to return home to Marley.

It only broke your heart even further the day Reiner and Bertholdt came back to Zeke with Ymir. The minute she had seen you though, she talked about how Levi had so desperately wanted to find you. “Why are you here Y/n?! Don’t tell me you’re a Titan shifter too!”

Visible confusion spread across your face that day. She was a Titan shifter like them? No it can’t be. Reiner had her keep her mouth shut while he continued to escort her away. “Shut up, she's no titan shifter but let’s just say she’s traded it up.”

Ymir scrunched her eyebrows in confusion and shock. “W-Wait! Hold on now-! Y/n?” Suddenly being pulled away, Pieck had held your hand and managed to get to to walk away. “Ah, don’t worry now Y/n. I promise that things will be okay. You’re making the right decision here...”

“Y-Yeah...” Ymir’s yelling and bickering echoed as you walked away from her. Levi was mentioned and you knew that might drive Zeke nuts. It certainly drove you nuts. Hearing that he was so desperately looking for you while you willingly stayed because you thought this was the best decision for humanity. Let’s face it, the people living within the walls really did have no future if Titans were to roam the Island forever. Or perhaps maybe if Eren handed over the coordinate, Marley would negotiate and leave this island to rot powerless. Either way, you also didn’t want to leave Zeke.

Suddenly snapping back into reality, you left your thoughts alone. What’s done is done. You loved Levi, but he didn’t seem to care too much for humanity and you did. Now you only hope that he’d understand your reasoning if you guys were to cross paths again. Turning slowly from his seat, Zeke turned his head and smirked. Seeing the bruises around your neck made him want to go back into that tent and finish what he had started. He knew you’d grow to like him, and he definitely grew to like you after you got pass the skittish, timid phase with him. “Good morning darling, care to join us?”

Butterflies seemed to flutter around in your stomach as he looked back at you. Nodding your head, you got up from the tent and walked out to sit by Zeke, who immediately threw his arm about you. Visible hickeys were littered around your neck and you felt Bertholdt”s eyes stare them down. Yes, it was slightly embarrassing but you knew it was exactly what Zeke wanted. He wanted everyone to know that you were his in all ways possible. Pieck even teased you the other day that Zeke won’t ever neck your neck clear up again. 

The smell of tea and honey filled the air while the sound of pouring liquid accompanied it. “Here you go darling.” Zeke handed you a cup of tea, the warmth of it in your hands made the rest of your body heat up. You took slow sips, but little by little since the tea turned out to be broiling hotter than it usually is. As time went by, you listened to the three men talk about Annie and the reveal of her identity. Honestly, the reality of it al seemed so surreal and it was almost impossible for you to wrap your head around. Titans eat humans in desperate hopes of regaining their humanity. Just like Ymir ate Marcel... and gained his humanity and powers. 

“War Cheif Zeke.” A distorted voice came from below the wall that made you jump in your seat. The rapid sounds of footsteps echoed as the three men, including yourself, ran to the edge of the wall. There she was, or at least the titan form of her. Pieck had grown to be one of your good friends. The kindest being you had ever met and despite being a “devil” from the Island, there was never a moment where she wasn’t kind to you. Zeke especially trusted her with you. The relationship between him and Pieck was solid. They just had that brother-sister bond that made you feel relaxed. Something you and Levi had, only he was much more blunt and rough about your feelings. “Enemy troops are approaching. They’ve reached the foot.”

Slowly, your throat went dry when you heard her words. They’ve reached the foot...enemies. All your friends are enemies. Right, you weren’t on their side anymore, and they don’t even know it. Levi doesn’t know it. Had he given you up for dead yet? No, that was very unlike him. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin don’t even know what’s coming for them. All your friends would no longer be your friends after this battle. But you figured if you finally got your hands on Eren, then maybe this could all end. After all, you finally saw light in Marley’s point of view after Zeke had repeatedly told you over and over again what their plans were.

There was a slight pause before Zeke nodded at Pieck and took you, Reiner and Bertholdt back to the fire pit. He poured you all a fresh batch of tea in each cup before clanking the cups together as if it were a celebration. “My brave warriors.” He spoke triumphly. “It’s time to settle this here and finish our mission once and for all.” Reiner and Bertholdt both seemed relaxed and prepared, but deep down you knew they were both terrified and you know that Zeke didn’t want you involved. You would be staying on Pieck’s gear with the rest of the boxes so that you’d be safe. In case of emergencies too, Zeke allowed you to fix the ODM gear he had taken from Miche while he was with you. That way, in case something happened to Pieck or himself, you could escape.

Everyone slowly took a sip from their teas, sipping slowly from the yummy sweet boiling hot tea, until Zeke had startled all of you. “Ah-! Hot!” He covered his mouth and looked at you slowly. “Ah, sorry. Perhaps I boiled the tea too harshly. Careful dear.”

Reiner raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Oi, what about us chief?” He chuckled and nudged Bertholdt.

Zeke rolled his eyes and turned to give him his famous bored look. “Oh please, I couldn’t care less about you being hurt. You’ll end up regenerating anyways.” Standing behind you, he suddenly put his hand on your shoulders and began to lightly massage them. “My dear Y/n is not able to regenerate. Which is why she’ll be staying with Pieck. I will not risk her getting hurt.”

“Oh please. I’ve seen her fight with my own eyes.” Reiner crossed his arms and spun the liquid around in his cup, probably a learning habit from Zeke. “She’s a killing machine.”

Blushing, you giggled lightly and shook your head. “Oh stop, you’re exaggerating Reiner...” Your voice was like silk to Zeke, but he didn’t like the way you softly spoke at Reiner. Nor did he like that he was praising your skill, making you want to go back into the field and risking your life. Absolutely not. Zeke will not allow it. “Hey Reiner... shut it. Y/n will not risk her life for our plan. How many more people have to die for your mistakes?”

Your heart completely stopped, and you saw the life from Reiner’s eyes drain while Bertholdt just stood there completely lost for words. Those words definitely hit Reiner hard, but you knew not to interfere with those stories. “Come now, Y/n. We must prepare.” He brought you away from them slowly and back towards the tent. Once you were fully in, he took you by your chin and kissed you softly. “I’m sorry if that was intense back there. I just can’t risk you getting hurt.”

The usual familiar feeling of your face being caressed by his fingertips made you bite your lip. “Oh no... I understand.” You took your hand then rested on his cheek. “But I also don’t want to lose you either... So be safe?”

Zeke’s heart raced as your fingertips touched his face and your gentle look stared at him. It was a feeling that no one ever gave him, and in his mind he promised he’d be safe. He would end this all so that he could finally bring you back home with him and end this Paradis Island nightmare. Sure it’s been nearly a month or more, but he was certain about you and he’d do anything to make you his. No woman at home ever suited him. So ignorant and void of the world. They either cared about his title as a war chief or his Eldian blood that he carries. Most Marley women did not want him because of that.

He remembered the horror and heartache of his former friend Tom, who had a wife, child and stable family. However, it fall apart because his wife had found out he was an Eldian, and because their son carried his blood, she had killed herself and the innocent child. Zeke feared that if he had a child with a woman from Marley, she might have second thoughts about caring for a child with Eldian blood and might eventually kill them. Afterall, acts like that were not uncommon.

“Oh Y/n, my dear...” His voice grew softer with you as the days went by. “I know I was rough on you that first week, but I’d do anything for you. Honestly, you’ve stolen away a part of me that you’ll always have.” A wave of electricity zapped through him as he finally had full control over you. Never did you ever think twice about the things he said, and you never thought twice about giving all your trust to him. “I will be safe. Don’t you worry.”

Zeke moved in both his hands into your hair and began to caress it, while you gave him a smile of relief. Of course you knew he’d be okay, he is the war chief. Nobody could ever outsmart him. “Now then, go get ready and meet with Pieck at the bottom of the wall. She’ll be waiting.” He leaned in to kiss the top of your head and embraced you in one last hug. “Stay safe, and stay put understand? Then this will finally be over.”

The smell of cigarettes and black honey tea hit you in the face while he embraced you. You prayed and prayed as he held you in his arms. Please be safe... you’d miss the smell of him and you’ll never be able to get it back from if he didn’t survive. “I will be safe, don’t worry.” Your voice echoed in his mind as you mumbled your last words to him. Softly speaking as you always do.

And with that final embrace, Zeke let you go. It was time to end this battle on Paradis Island.

•

The wind grew silent and the earth was too still. Even though you were sitting in a rather comfy box and being transported, you knew the sky and earth would collide and rumble. Zeke’s plan was just all too perfect, and you were about to witness the death of everyone you once held dear in your heart. Pieck stayed out of sight, preparing to roll the boulders to Zeke while you sat in the luggage on her.

Both you and Pieck waited for the signal. Then you heard it. The transformation of Reiner. They found him...

Then it grew quite once more and then you counted.

3...2...1...

Suddenly the ground shook and the scene around you grew brighter than it did before. You looked up from where you were and the sky was blinding yellow. Lighting stuck the Earth, and dozens of Titans appeared with it, surrounding the Scout’s only exit. The center piece of all those titan of course, was the the Beast. It was just as terrifying as you remembered it. The grin spread across its face didn’t help the situation either.

The long arms of the Beast reached out and grabbed the boulder. The position and the pitch itself was all too perfect as Zeke threw the boulder miles towards the wall, and perfectly blocked their only exit. Back and fourth, back and fourth. It felt like hours while you sat in Pieck’s luggage, watching and seeing her collect boulders for Zeke. Until you heard that familiar roar of his titan. The roar you heard when he took you with him to the outskirts of Wall Rose and made you watch him turn Connie’s village into Titans.

Suddenly, all of the 2-5cm titans that surrounded the walls began to run full speed at the wall’s entrance in attempt to kill the scouts that were stuck. This is power... Everything was at the mercy of Zeke and nobody else could interfere with it. Oh but it didn’t end there. Zeke picked up the barrel next to you that carried Bertholdt inside, and threw it further into the walls. Good luck...

Zeke just threw in the Cossal Titan and you knew what would happen from there. It was a god of destruction and a part of you prayed that Levi would make it out alive. The other part prayed that he wouldn’t have gotten involved in the first place and stayed to clean the stables back at home.

The last part of you prayed that you wouldn’t have to reunite with him on the battlefield.

Note : I can’t thank you all enough for the positive messages and love that you guys been sending to this story. It baffles me that this story has been sitting in my mind for weeks, and when I finally wrote it out, it got this much love. Seriously thank you guys, I can’t thank you all enough. <3

Tags : @mother-ting-ting

[four-loose-screws]

FE8 Novelization Translation - Chapter 17, Section 1

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

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I call this a “section” because it is not a separate part of the chapter in the book, but divided from the rest of the chapter by a scene break.

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Chapter 17 - The Demon King's Shadow

There were five Sacred Stones total, and all of them were passed down within each of the nations of Magvel. Eirika and her army had safely obtained Renais' Sacred Stone, but Grado, Frelia, and Jehanna's Stones had already been destroyed.

They now were seeking the last one, and so they decided to march to the Theocracy of Rausten. Their guide was none other than Princess L'Arachel.

Once they left Renais, they traveled in peace for a long while. They were not attacked by any enemies nor any monsters. They were also blessed with good weather, and L'Arachel was in a fantastic mood.

"It's good to return home sometimes. I wonder if Lord Uncle is doing well?"

Dozla was walking alongside her. His guffaw echoed through the air. "Pontifex Mansel is sure to be very surprised! You've grown into an even finer young woman than you were when you left home, Lady L'Arachel!"

"Oh, Dozla, stop it!"

*Can I ask you somethin’?" Rennac was trudging along behind them. He said with a bored, apathetic look on his face, "This Pontifex Mansel person will pay me my money, right? Every gold coin his niece has avoided paying me…?"

"Oh, that's right, Eirika! There are many exceptional bards in Rausten. And the one we all talk about most, Saaga, is so amazing that he moves me to tears no matter how many times I listen to him perform. I want you to hear him as well!"

"...Uh-huh..." Eirika turned back and caught a glimpse of Rennac out of pity for him. 

He looked utterly exhausted and worn out as he muttered, "...She ain't even listenin’." 

Eirika didn't know whether L'Arachel really didn't hear him, or whether she just pretended not to, but either way, L'Arachel's voice gradually became more and more cheerful.

"But this time, it is my turn to tell the bards of my many adventures! Our services for the greater good are sure to become a beautiful poem passed down for many generations to come!"

"If so, I wonder if I will be in this poem as well?"

"Oh, Dozla, of course! You will go down in history as my loyal servant!"

"Ohhhhhh, what an honor that will be! You have moved me greatly by saying so!"

"You don't have to record much of anything about me. Just pay me." Rennac muttered.

"We will soon reach the Narube River. Dozla, do you remember when we crossed it? Monsters were trying to attack a boat traveling upon it, so we gallantly rushed in and saved some ordinary citizens who were trying to escape…"

"We should be able to rendezvous with the Frelian Army here." Innes forcefully cut into their conversation. He unsurprisingly seemed to be fed up with L'Arachel's cheerful banter.

Eirika smiled and added to show that she heard what he'd said, "Yes. And when we do so, it will make all of our battles from here on out much easier."

"Of course. We will be teaming up with Frelia's most elite unit."

The Frelian Army had departed their home country following a different route from Eirika's army, and were now going to Rausten as well. Eirika had received a report from the pegasus knights that they should be able to meet up somewhere within the vicinity of Narube.

They would combine with the Frelian Army to bolster their numbers, then obtain Rausten's Sacred Stone so they could capture Lyon this time with all of their forces. That was her army's current strategy.

No matter how powerful Lyon's Dark Stone may be, they had nothing to fear if they had two Sacred Stones. The army he led was now nothing more than the survivors from Grado, so his numbers and weapons likely wouldn't compare to Eirika's. L'Arachel and all of the other members of her army were making cheerful expressions because they could feel hope for the road ahead.

But their cheerful march did not last for much longer. The moment they reached the Narube River, they froze. Two ordinary citizens were cowering alongside the road.

They were a young girl and an elderly man. The exhausted man was comforting the girl, who appeared to be his granddaughter.

The girl noticed Eirika's army and pulled back in fear.

Eirika dismounted her horse and quietly approached her so as not to surprise her. "What happened? Do you live around here...?"

"...You're not with the Grado Army? You're not, right?" The tension drained from the girl's body with a sigh of relief. 

But on the contrary, her words made Eirika's army nervous. "You saw the Grado Army? Somewhere close to here?"

"Yes."  Terror flashed through the girl's big eyes, and she nodded. "They attacked us suddenly. A group of soldiers wearing Grado’s armor came here… and set our village on fire. They killed all of the men who tried to stand up to them… Just when we thought it was all over for us, Frelia's pegasus knights rushed in and saved us. But… the Grado Army is so strong it's terrifying… most of the soldiers from Frelia were killed."

"What? The Frelian Army was killed by the remaining soldiers from Grado?" The color drained from Innes' face, and he pulled in closer to the girl. 

His angry expression spooked her. She shrunk back closer to the old man, then nodded. "Y-Yes…"

"Not all of them were defeated, right? For every last member of Frelia's elite to be gone…"

"No, there is a unit still fighting. But only one. The other units were all defeated. There's still a few friends in our village who have yet to escape… The last of the Frelian Army is still doing everything they can to protect them. Please save them! Please…"

"Understood. Let's go, Eirika!" Innes shouted.

However, Eirika was worried about the look on the face of the crouching old man that the girl had protected. His face was twitching like he'd suffered a horrifying experience, and his lips moved as if he was trying to say something.

Eirika approached him, bent down next to him, and gently said, "You're okay now. We will defeat the Grado Army and save the villagers. Please try to relax and…"

"...No match… for him." The old man muttered something in a muffled voice. 

"Huh?" Eirika responded.

"You are… no match… for him. You are no match… for a terrifying person… like him…"

The man was shaking all over, and continued speaking in a mumble. The words that she only just barely managed to make out were ominous. "No… he's not… a person… He's not... human… He's… a monster… He's… the Demon King…"

"The… Demon King? What does that mean?" Eirika felt a chill crawl down her spine for no discernable reason, and her voice lowered to a hush.

The old man's eyes were wide open, and his breathing was shallow. 

His granddaughter noticed this and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, then she said to Eirika, "I'm sorry. Grandfather rushed right out when the village was attacked… and seems to have seen him. The commander leading the Grado Army…"

"Their commander? Who could it have possibly been…?"

"I didn't see, so I can't say anything at all, but… Grandfather was saved by the Frelian Army when he was in danger. Still, he's absolutely terrified. I have no idea what he saw."

"...Can you tell us what kind of person the enemy commander was…?”

The moment she tried to ask the man for more details, L'Arachel suddenly cried out, "Look at that! There's someone over there…"

Eirika looked up in the direction L'Arachel was pointing to.

A black shadow rose over the grass.

Or so it appeared to be at first glance, for it radiated a gloomy aura all around it. Then Eirika realized that it was someone she knew well, standing with his back slightly hunched over, not moving a muscle. 

Eirika whispered before she even knew what she was saying, "Lyon…?"

Grado's prince was staring at her from beneath his long bangs. His eyes were cold and unfeeling.

Eirika's heart was filled with a sense of relief. Even though they were currently enemies, they could communicate with each other from the heart. ‘I'll always be your ally…' She could hear his voice clearly even now.

'I want to talk with him. I want to ask him for the answers to all of my doubts.' With her mind focused on only that one thought, she tried to walk over to him.

But Ephraim saw her moving and sharply yelled at her to stop. "Stop, Eirika! Don't get anywhere near him!"

"Brother…?"

Ephraim stood in front of her as if to shield her from something, and glared at Lyon.

Lyon's expression abruptly softened. Considering Ephraim's threatening look, his was so gentle it was strange. "Hey, Ephraim… What's the matter? Why are you making such a scary face…?"

 "Lyon! How dare you appear before me with such a calm look on your face!"

Lyon tilted his head at Ephraim’s violent words like he didn't know what Ephraim meant.

"You remember the time we met in the capital, right? Don't tell me you forgot!" Ephraim's voice became more and more harsh with each word. Lyon, by contrast, was calm, and even smiling.

"Of course I remember! I would never forget… Ephraim, we're finally meeting again after so much struggle… Why are you so mad? Did I do something to upset y-?"

"Shut up!" Ephraim sharply cut him off.

Eirika anxiously looked for an opportunity to stop her brother. If he continued to speak with such hostility, they would lose their chance to talk with Lyon.

However, his anger was so fierce that she couldn't carelessly call out to him. All she could do was watch over them, with all of her apprehensions weighing on her mind.

"What did you say then? That you were the one who instigated this war… and that you were the one who invaded Renais and killed my father? That was what you said, right?!"

"Ephraim…" Lyon suddenly made a sad face in response. 

Eirika couldn't stay silent any longer. She softly placed a hand on her brother's back and said, "Please stop. Brother. Don't talk like that."

"Eirika…"

Ephraim turned around and said in a strong tone to warn her, "He's not the Lyon we know. He's being controlled by an evil power. Probably the Dark Stone…"

"That can’t be… You're not yourself today, Brother…" Eirika could feel that Ephraim had made up his mind.

Eirika didn't know exactly what their conversation in Grado Castle had been like. Everything she knew was from her brother's report. She didn't think that he had lied to her, but they couldn't say there wasn't a chance that he lost himself when he was agitated, and interpreted everything Lyon said as animosity, even though Lyon might have come seeking reconciliation.

"Why are you looking at Lyon like he's suspicious? He's our dear friend, isn't he?"

"Eirika…"

 "Lyon said that he will be our ally no matter what. Isn't that right, Lyon?"

"Yes, of course! I'm so happy, Eirika. You really are very kind. Why don't you come… closer…" Suddenly, Lyon's body stiffened. He bit his lip, signaling that he seemed to be enduring intense pain. But he couldn't suppress his voice, and a quiet groan escaped his lips.

"Lyon? What's the matter? Are you alright, Lyon…?" Eirika remembered that Lyon's body was not very strong.

Since long ago, he often broke out with fevers, and his swordsmanship never improved significantly. He was even embarrassed, and it made him feel inferior. But though his body was weak, because he possessed superior intelligence and sensibility, Eirika thought he should be more proud. Yet he still seemed to lack confidence in himself and be troubled by his weaknesses.

Lyon's face twisted, though now it was less in pain and more in anger. "Gah…! Don't get in my way…!" The moment Lyon shouted in frustration, his knees gave out, and he fell atop the grass.

Eirika tried to run straight over to him, but his sharp voice made her feet stop moving.

"Get away from me, Eirika!"

"Huh?"

The anger vanished from Lyon's face. In its place a desperate, pleading expression formed before he shouted, "You can't come near me! Hurry, get away…! If you don't, then I'll…"

"Lyon! What's wrong? What's happ-"

"I'll destroy you… Run… Hurry out of h-" Lyon cut his words short, and hid his face.

Eirika was utterly shocked. She was worried about his health, but he had told her to run. She found it hard to decide what to do, and didn't move.

Lyon slowly raised his head. On his face returned the same cold smile he had when he first appeared. He said in a calm voice, "Sorry for worrying you, Eirika. I’m alright now. That was just a light spasm."

 "...Lyon?" If they were true, then those words should have reassured her, but for some reason, they only made her feel all the more worried. She took a step back against her own wishes.

This was not Lyon. That was the first thought that immediately came into her mind. Lyon didn't smile like that. He would never coax her in such a terrible way 

"Be careful, Eirika. Don't leave any holes in your stance. He's not Lyon." Ephraim said. 

Lyon… no, this being with the same face as the prince, laughed in amusement. "I'm not Lyon? Don't say such strange things, Ephraim. Oh, I get it. You don't like seeing me with so much energy? Would you be satisfied if I suffered a more severe spasm? You always looked at me like you would. You said that Lyon is a weak, pitiful child. But that was just your impression. You did not know anything about me…"

"That's not true." Ephraim refused to be provoked by Lyon’s attempts to agitate him, and responded in a calm voice, "We were friends. Of course, that doesn't mean we knew everything about each other. It wasn’t that simple. But I knew what was most important. You… Lyon was not the type of person to ever deceive or betray us. He wasn't a terrible creature like you, trying to enchant us with whatever words we wanted to hear. He wasn't a horrible person like that. You are not Lyon. You cannot be him.”

Lyon tilted his head to the side and stared straight at Ephraim, but, little by little, his expression began to change. The smile he was directing at them twisted into an arrogant smirk that could even be considered brazen. “Hmph… I see. It seems that human feelings are not something that I can underestimate.”

Eirika could not believe her ears. His tone was more sarcastic than any she’d ever heard before in her life. 

“Pretending to be human was more fun than I ever expected it to be, but… there’s no need to keep up that facade any longer. You saw right through me, Prince of Renais. This body no longer belongs to Prince Lyon.”

“Damn you! ...I knew it! So you have taken over Lyon’s body?!” Ephraim shouted. “I don’t know what you are, but get out! Get out of Lyon’s body right now! Or else I’ll…!”

“Or else you’ll what? Come now, what are you going to do, you foolish prince? Prince Lyon’s heart is already almost entirely gone. I’ve eaten it all up…”

“What did you just say…?”

“Didn’t you hear me? I ate it. Though it resisted and screamed, I ate it up. For a descendant of Grado, he had such a weak heart…”

“Damn you…!” The anger disappeared from Ephraim’s voice. He tried his very hardest to keep himself together, but his voice still shook slightly.

Eirika was taken utterly aback. This was the first time she’d ever seen her brother tremble before an enemy.

“What are you?!”

“You still don’t know? You really are an utter fool, prince of Renais. You should remember your legends that have been passed down through the ages. The name of the enemy you sealed away.”

“He can’t be…” Eirika whispered.

“The Demon King… of ancient times…” Ephraim growled.

He burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the air. He'd already given up his human facade, and a malicious aura radiated around him.

He was the being known as the Demon King, that had existed eight hundred years ago and was feared by humanity. He’d led countless monsters and did as he pleased with the continent of Magvel. The fire his monsters breathed burned down the villages and towns, and drowned the people in the depths of despair.

What became the people's final hope was the five Sacred Stones and the hero Grado. He led his soldiers, challenged the Demon King to battle, and in the end, succeeded in sealing away the Demon King’s soul. This finally brought peace to the continent, and humanity created new towns atop the ashes. The hero Grado founded an empire, and the brave soldiers that fought with him each built their own countries. 

That was all supposed to already be a thing of the distant past, and become legend. The Demon King wasn't supposed to be resurrected ever again. But the seal had been broken, and the Demon King revived. And he’d even taken the body of a descendant of Grado, the very man who’d defeated him.

The Demon King said with satisfaction in his voice, “Prince Lyon will never appear again. This body has already yielded to me. It is mine now!"

But then the Demon King clutched his chest with one of his hands. It appeared that the gesture meant that Lyon’s heart continued to try its hardest to resist, and the Demon King was trying to keep him suppressed.

“Don’t worry, I will grant you your desire to kill Prince Ephraim of Renais, and claim Princess Eirika. That was what you wanted, is it not?

“Damn you…” Ephraim tightened his grip on his lance, however, before he could launch his attack, the Demon King vanished.

“He ran away…?” Ephraim looked around.

Eirika turned her head towards him. “No, Brother. He’s not running, but trying to lure us somewhere. I think his target is more likely the people of Narube that haven’t escaped yet and the survivors of the Frelian Army. He wants to attack them and lure us to him.”

“You’re right. Let’s hurry, Eirika. We must save Frelia’s unit!”

“Yes, we must…” Eirika nodded, but did not feel like giving the order straight away. 

Ephraim noticed her expression, and looked at her. “What’s the matter, Eirika?”

“Brother, I wonder what Lyon’s… No, the Demon King’s final words meant. About Lyon’s desires…”

Ephraim winced and said, “It was just part of an enemy’s plot to make us falter. Don’t worry about it. It’s more important we think about the Frelian Army and the people of Narube first.”

“...Yes, it is.”

Ephraim was right. Their allies were fighting desperately to protect the citizens. Rescuing them came first.

[the-last-kenobi]

Hellooooo! "Dragging themselves along the ground" with anyone you want? I hope I'm doing this right oop

Always happy to have you Screamakin! And yes, absolutely.

The battle is a normal one — normal for them, at least.

Yoda’s lineage through Count Dooku have always had a flair for causing and attracting trouble.

Place Dooku on one side of the war, position his Grandpadawan as one of the highest ranking Jedi Generals on the other side, and his own Padawan and Grandpadawan below him running the fastest-moving legion in the Republic, well.

The most dramatic battles go to the most dramatic lineage.

Anakin is carving his way up the narrow canyon, refusing to allow his troops to be boxed in and slaughtered. His face is covered in soot and dust that only makes his scowl more pronounced.

Rex had chucked his helmet aside hours ago after it cracked in an explosion; now he fights bareheaded and with one fractured wrist, his jaw set.

Ahsoka darts all over the line like a spark from a fire. Her twin sabers dance and carve their way through droids almost constantly.

The time for joking and tallying up kills passed sometime early in the morning when the first landslide, triggered by a bomb, had buried dozens of droids and men alike. When strategy had begun to fail them.

When Obi-Wan had been forced to leave them, springing up to the rim of the canyon to face Dooku alone, while Anakin and Ahsoka advanced on Ventress.

Anakin glances up for the hundredth time, catching another fleeting glimpse of his friend dueling the Sith, blue on red, beige on black.

They engage and disengage, run and return, and on the ground the Seps and the Clones battle for ground while Ventress and Anakin and Ahsoka lead the way, clashing from time to time.

It’s only a matter of time before—

And then somewhere high above there’s a deafening crack. Part of the cliff wall begins to give way right beneath Tyrranus and Kenobi.

The Sith leaps clear.

The Jedi does not, struggling with all his might to hold the earth together while the combatants below flee, trying to avoid impending death.

“Master Obi-Wan!” Ahsoka cries out, pausing briefly to look up at him in shock.

Rex tackles her as Ventress descends on the Padawan like a vulture. Before Rex can move to defend them, Anakin attacks Ventress, his face bloodless with fear. “Don’t—you—touch—them,” Anakin snarls at her, their sabers spitting sparks as they collide inches between their faces.

She laughs at him. “Foolish little Jedi. You and your Master. One of you is about to watch the other fall, mark my words!”

Anakin bellows in denial and flings her backward so hard there’s an audible crunch when she hits the ground.

Ahsoka is up again, still taking down droids but distracted by the scene above.

Dooku is watching calmly, red saber held loosely in one hand, as he watches his Padawan’s Padawan fight for his life and the lives of those below him.

Obi-Wan is weakening.

Everyone can see it.

Anakin can feel it.

“Master!” he screams up at them, not even knowing if he can be heard. “Hold on! I’m coming!”

Obi-Wan has his arms spread wide, his legs braced as he trembles with the effort of holding the cliffside together — long enough, just long enough — his lightsaber is still alight, held out parallel to the ground. There is no room in his mind to worry about defending himself.

“Obi-Wan!” Anakin slices another droid in half and leaps over its crumbling body to stand on top of a fallen tank. He’s a visible target up here but that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.

He reaches upwards and into the Force, feels his power combine with his Master’s.

There are still men fleeing.

They have to hold the canyon wall. Have to.

Anakin feels sweat rolling down his face, sees the distant silhouette of Obi-Wan still struggling on the cliff’s edge, balanced on earth that wants very much to fall.

But they’re nearly there. Rex and Cody are directing the battle, hurling a desperate attack to the enemy, driving them back, giving the Clones room to move.

Soon they will be safely out of the way.

Just as Anakin thinks this, Rex screams, “CLEAR!”

Anakin looks up at Obi-Wan and sees his shoulders slump in exhaustion and relief. The older Jedi begins carefully to maneuver himself along the ground, moving himself out of the way, now that the others are safe and there’s time to concentrate on himself.

And then with a lazy flick of the hand, Dooku uses the Force to send Obi-Wan flying over the edge and into thin air.

Anakin screams.

Obi-Wan is falling, falling.

He’s trying to slow himself down but he’s drained from holding the cliff together, and the cliff is crumbling now without the Jedi holding it up— Anakin throws himself frantically into the Force again, shoving his arms into the air, but it’s not enough.

Obi-Wan is swallowed by the roaring tide of soil and stone, and with a thunderous crash the wall collapses, sending dust flying into the air in a thick cloud.

And burying a Jedi beneath its weight.

“No!” Anakin doesn’t hesitate.

There’s still hope.

There has to be hope.

Obi-Wan cannot die like this—

Ahsoka is by his side. They leave the battle to the capable hands of their men and abandon their posts entirely, running into the debris and desperately reaching out for Obi-Wan.

Their connection with him is so thin.

Anakin quails at it.

How dare it be so fragile? Obi-Wan is too important to die like this!

There’s only dust and blindness and mountains of freshly fallen earth though.

There’s nothing—

Ahsoka suddenly veers right, her lightsabers raised aggressively. “Get off him!” she screams.

Anakin looks, and feels his heart stop once again as he sees Obi-Wan, covered in dust, bleeding, half of his face obscured by blood, crawling across the earth.

And standing over him with an amused expression was the Count, one hand extended, holding an invisible tether around Obi-Wan with the Force, keeping him from moving.

Obi-Wan coughs, his breath rasping, and spits out blood.

He’s hurt, he’s so so hurt—

The bloodied palms scrape the earth helplessly.

“Obi-Wan!” Anakin cries, and he gives Dooku a look full of rage and pure loathing. “Let. Him. Go!”

Dooku only smiles.

Obi-Wan lifts his head. His red hair is barely visible through all the dirt, but his blue eyes open cautiously, blinking against grit, and settle on Anakin.

A look of foggy relief enters those eyes.

He sees Anakin.

He knows he’s safe.

Anakin doesn’t. Anakin doesn’t know; his heart is pounding so hard it feels like it’s trying to escape his chest with brute force, and all he can think is Obi-Wan Obi-Wan Obi-Wan—

His best friend struggles to move closer to them, and his injured face creases with confusion as he discovers that he can’t get any closer.

“An...” he coughs, looking up again, his forehead wrinkled with bewilderment. “Anak...Anakin?”

“I’m here Master,” answers Anakin, his eyes darting between Dooku and Obi-Wan, the cat playing with his all-too-helpless prey.

“Let go of him!” he orders.

Obi-Wan wheezes for breath and hangs his head, still trying to move, dragging his fingers through the earth.

His hands leave bloody furrows in the ground.

“I swear, if you don’t release Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka threatens, but doesn’t finish.

Obi-Wan looks around at her.

“‘Soka?” he whispers.

He looks so very tired now.

But he doesn’t stop trying to get to them.

“I’m here, Master,” she calls back. “You’re going to be okay.”

“Put him down and fight me!” Anakin roars at Tyrranus, brandishing his lightsaber.

“Oh, Skywalker,” drawls the Count. “Didn’t this one ever manage to teach you to choose your words more carefully?”

And without hesitation, without even the flicker of an eye, the Sith closes the fist that was holding his hostage still, and with a dreadful crack, Obi-Wan’s neck snaps.

He falls dead.

Sprawled in the dust, one hand still outstretched, trying to reach Anakin.

It’s over before anything can be done.

“Down like a dog,” Dooku says with satisfaction.

Anakin and Ahsoka stand paralyzed, staring at Obi-Wan’s corpse with horrified eyes. Unable to move, to think, to understand.

Dooku raises his red saber in a mock salute. “I believe you wanted to fight, next?”

[writtingfiction]

Sylvan x blythe pleaseeeeeeeeee anything u want

Oh lord, if you leave it broad like this I will try too hard to think of what I could do, and when I do find out something to with it, it ends up being long...

pairing: Sylvain x Byleth

words: 2.6 k

Sylvain knows what he said to Byleth years ago doesn’t paint him in a very good picture, even though he said he was kidding, he knew that she didn’t think he was. Maybe that’s why he didn’t see her as often as he did after that. He wasn’t surprised with the lack of her presence despite her being his professor. Sylvain envied Byleth for her lack of crest until she got to the monastery, almost wishing he had the same life. However, the grip on his heart when he learned that she went missing during the battle against Edelgard’s forces, made him want to weep.

The shock and relief Sylvain felt when seeing Byleth again, his chest heated, finger gripping his lance harder and his mask ever steady on his face. He couldn’t show just how much her presence means to him, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t be happy to see her. It’s when he gets the chance to see her up close that he realizes just how much he has changed since then.

The teal hair practically shines as the sun rises. She is as graceful as she was 5 years ago. She’s able to dodge the thieves attack smoothly. It’s almost as if she never vanished so long ago. When Byleth makes eye contact with him, he can only smile. However, when she approaches him during the heat of battle to check on him, he struggles to pull out words.

“Professor!” He grins as wide as he can. “Still looking as pretty as ever.” He gives her a quick wink. Sylvain doesn’t acknowledge the slight disappointment in her eyes when she turns back to fighting the thieves.

—— —

Sylvain hummed as he sharpened his blade. It’s been at least a month or two now since they’ve taken back the monastery without Edelgard knowing. Nonetheless, the further they went on their mission to take her down it wouldn’t be long before they found out. The various shouts he heard throughout the monastery told him that they were going out again. Letting out a tired sigh before he got up and joined his friends.

“Sylvain, there you are. I was just about to look for you.” Ashe said.

“Ashe, my knight in shining armour.” Sylvain said light hearted. Ashe can only grin wider.

“Y’know, have you kept up with your dancing skills?” Ashe said out of curiosity. “Professor did have you win the White Heron cup.” Sylvain could feel a groan in the back of his throat. Did he want to admit he did keep up with his dancing skills in private? When he knew no one would bother him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, my friend.” Sylvain said. Ashe let out a laugh.

“I’m just saying, I have a feeling the professor might put you on dancing duty.” Ashe spoke and Sylvain felt the embarrassment climb up his chest.

“By the Gods, I hope she doesn’t.” Sylvain said.

“Hope who doesn’t what?” Byleth spoke. Both of the young men jumped.

“Professor!!” Ashe said. Smiling ear to ear. “Just discussing the battle plans for the upcoming battle.” Byleth nodded.

“I’m glad you were. In fact, Sylvain, I wanted to ask you if you still remember the dances from the White Heron cup? It has been 5 five years after all.” Byleth said. Sylvain wanted to eat his own armour.

“Of course I do, professor. How could I forget dancing with someone as beautiful as you?” Sylvain said, pulling out his charming lines.

“Do you want me to make you wear the outfit again? I’m sure there’s an extra outfit around here somewhere…”

“NO! I mean, no. That won’t be necessary.” Sylvain said. The former blue lion students could see the mischievous smirk on Byleth’s face fade ever so slightly.

“A pity, but I hope the armour is easy to move in.” Byleth said, waving the two boys along to follow her. “You’ll be doing a lot of supporting.” Sylvain let out a nervous laugh. He wasn’t this nervous for an upcoming battle for years and he didn’t like what it meant.

— — —

The sounds of panic shouting and rushed footsteps of a scout climbing the stairs to the counsel room should have been their first sign of how bad the news was going to be. The door burst open and Dimitri almost has half a mind to throw his lance at the scout who’s already winded.

“Your highness…! Byleth…! The empire… the empire is here with forces!!” The scout breathes out barely. The entire room is quiet, it takes a moment for the news to settle in before everyone looks to Byleth. Their trusted professor and now tactician to lead them through this. Sylvain sees the gears turning in her head, she wasn’t expecting this, at least not so soon.

“Ready the forces, take what civilians you can and escort them to the back of the monastery. Edelgard is not among them?” Byleth speaks. The scout nods.

“The emperor is nowhere to be seen. It’s only a small force however, General Randolph is leading the forces. We have about four hours.” Sylvain sees Caspar tense, he doesn’t know why but there must be a connection.

“Then we win this one. Ready who you can to fight, the rest can protect the civilians. Make sure anyone who can’t fight stays away from the scene of the battle. Ready what you can of the ballistae and the magic, we will need them.” Byleth casts out orders for the scout who’s only able to nod and run out the door. Byleth then turns to her former students. “I want the rest of you to prepare, I will call a meeting at the edge of the gates in two hours to propose a strategy. You’re dismissed.” Sylvain is almost too happy to leap out of his seat as Ingrid calls out Caspar for his tenseness from earlier. Sylvain wasn’t the only person to notice then.

“Wait—Caspar, do you know this General?” Ingrid said, raising from her seat. There was anger ready to be released behind her voice. Caspar on the other hand only gave a sheepish smile.

“General Randolph is my uncle through marriage, that’s all. It will be odd to fight against him is all.” Caspar said. There’s a heavy tension through the room. Annette speaks up.

“He is your uncle?!” It’s more out of surprise than anything.

“Can we trust a former black eagle?” Felix snarls. Dimitri stands and speaks.

“I will not have a traitor amongst my inner—“

BANG

Byleth’s hand hits the table. Everyone is quick to look over her and fall silent. Byleth stares at them all, nothing to give away what she felt. It was almost as if everyone has first met her again.

“I will not have animosity and infighting among you. If you have a problem, I will address the issue but I will not allow you to fight one another, is that clear.” Byleth said coldly and clearly. There were silent nods from everyone. “So, does anyone here think that Caspar has told the empire about us being here?”

No one spoke.

“Does anyone think that Bernadetta said anything to the empire?”

Nothing reached Byleth’s ears.

“Then you are dismissed. I shall see everyone in two hours by the front gates to reconvene.”

Sylvain walked out of the room, heart in his hand. He doesn’t think he had been so scared before by someone. He spares glances towards his friends and he can see the lingering fear among them. Dimitri almost seemed less scary even for a moment. Caspar and Bernadetta must have been horrified when Ingrid had called out Caspar like that, never mind the quick judgemental comments coming from Felix and Dimitri. He thinks he can hear Bernadetta cry as he heads down the staircase.

— — — —

Sylvain inhaled sharply as he muttered the words to a spell under his breath. Fire licked at his palm and he could feel the heat wash over him. It reminds him of the first he had cast the spell, dark and cold in the well he was thrown down into by his brother. The fire in his palm grows brighter and bigger. His eyes lift from the flame to the dummy in front of him. He is ready to cast the flame upon the poor dummy but loses his focus when Byleth interrupts him.

“Sylvain,” Byleth calls to him. The flame disappears as he looks at his former professor. “Time is up. Are you prepared enough to fight?”

“Yes, always,” Sylvain says with conviction. He could almost see the smile on her lips.

“Walk with me, we can flag anyone down as we make our way towards the gates,” Byleth said. Sylvain nods and walks with her.

The two of them converse with ease talking about his skills in magic and how he has improved within the last five years. Something seems to make his heart race the more they talk. He thinks it’s the battle that’s coming soon, but there’s a feeling that maybe, just maybe it isn’t that.

“Everyone here?” Byleth asks towards the group, and with a quick look around, everyone was in fact there. A small frown is on Sylvain’s face as he takes the mental note that Dedue is not there. “Good. Now, let me start with our defences and how things will unfold…”

— — — — —

Even with knowing the plan was to cast fire down upon the shrubbery, he couldn’t help but run towards her. Byleth was struggling against a heavily armoured enemy. He saw how she had cast magic against the enemy but had missed. Perhaps it was due to the exhaustion and trying to keep the plan together. Or, maybe because she wasn’t able to keep up with her former students turned friends as they rushed forward.

Byleth sidestepped the shining silver axe that came down towards her. Sylvain grimaced the way it had barely missed her. His arm raised and curled his fist into his chest as he chanted the words for the spell of fire. His palm warmed up before the heat crawled up his fingers, wrist, and arm. A red sigil appearing in front of his body glowing a bright red, a small but bright flame licks at his hand just as the sigil disappears. Just when the heat becomes unbearable he extends his hand towards the enemy, the small flame grows bigger and bigger heat reaching his face with how large the fire became. With one word the fire is sent towards the enemy, singing the grass as it flies through the air before hitting the heavy armour melting it against the enemy’s skin.

Sylvain could see the relieved sigh escape her chest. She turns to face him and he hears her say ‘thank you' but it’s short-lived as he sees a sniper release an arrow from the distance. He’s moving before he can say anything. His voice is stuck in his throat as he reaches her, pushing her away from where she stood as an arrow hits his shoulder. There’s just enough force from the arrow to knock him off his feet and send him to the ground. Sylvain’s hand goes to his shoulder grasping the arrow tightly.

“Sylvain!!” Byleth cries out.

His head swivels towards her, eyes just barely catching the second arrow coming towards him. A groan comes the back of his throat as he rolls onto his side not hindered by an arrow. The second arrow just misses him, hitting the dirt where his head was. His chest is beating against his rib cage. His eyes are wide as he realizes how he barely dodged death. Firm hands grab at him, lifting him up to his feet. Sylvain is moving swiftly in what he assumes Byleth’s arms and his head is spinning.

Sylvain locks eyes with Byleth and her lips are moving but he can’t hear anything. He could probably guess at what she’s saying as she’s tugging on him. Follow her? He’s taking steps forward and it seems to calm her a bit as she drags them towards the middle of the battle. He can feel the faint pulse of aching in his shoulder but it doesn’t hurt. The adrenaline must be coursing through his veins to hide the real pain.

Sylvain stays close to her throughout the rest of the fight, and before he knows it, the fight is over and he’s rushed off somewhere to be taken care of.

— —— —

He’s stuck with doing nothing for a solid two days straight before he’s cleared for the battlefield after his third day of rest. Sylvain lets out a pained sigh as rolls his shoulder, eyes barely lifting to the doorway when hearing footsteps approaching his room.

“Oh, Professor! Thanks for stopping by.” Sylvain says with a large smile.

“You–How’s the injury?” Byleth said.

“It’s healing well, I’m being cleared for service tomorrow. Besides,” Sylvain pauses, a smirk on his lips and a wink is sent her way. “I’ve got this scar to show off as a medal for keeping you safe.” Sylvain can see her brows furrow as she frowns.

“Didn’t you want to kill me?” Byleth says in such a way it makes his stomach twist. He looks down to the ground.

“I certainly meant it when I said it…” Sylvain plays with his fingers, an old habit he did when he was nervous or felt vulnerable. “But, when the thought came to mind that you could have died, I reacted without thinking. That doesn’t mean that I never stopped being jealous of you, though. You got to live your entire life without the knowledge of your crest, meanwhile, I went through so much trouble all because I knew and everyone around me knew. My brother giving me the most trouble.”

“I remember five years ago with the incident about the lance of ruin,” Byleth said. Sylvain lets out a dry laugh, hands curling into fists.

“Yeah, he was not happy to learn that I had a crest. He got cast aside, almost treated like an outsider. One winter, we were out and you know what he did? He pushed down into a well.” Sylvain explained and he could see the way Byleth grimaced. “Even as a kid, I understood why he felt to act as he did. Even all the girls that throw themselves at me as the years went by. They don’t care about me, all they want is the crest and nobility status that comes with it.”

“You’re wrong…” Byleth said. Sylvain shook his head.

“Yeah, yeah, I get you. Even though it might be a bit late to admit but, their empty praise is best served somewhere else. Besides, it was unreasonable to resent you. I’m really sorry professor and thank you for everything. Seriously, thank you.” Sylvain looks to Byleth and he sees something. A sparkle in her eyes betrays something but with all the time he spent around people and knowing their true intentions he still couldn’t tell anything about her.

“You’re welcome, take care of yourself properly now. We’ve got some dancing lessons to catch up on.” Byleth says it to lighten the mood and he can only laugh. Heart beating a little faster in his chest as she giggles with him.

“You got it, professor.” Sylvain gives her a smile, a real genuine smile. Byleth smiles in return, before waving goodbye but not before saying;

“You should smile like that more often, you look relaxed.” To say his heart was beating against his chest because of her this time wouldn’t be a lie.

[madegeeky]

Cris Tales Overview

The Good (the stuff I liked):

The art style is really beautiful and although it looks very similar to many other types it feels fresh and original.

I fucking love the fighting mechanics. Crisbell has the ability to move time backwards or fowards in just one specific spot. So, for example, you can poison an enemy, speed up time for them, and then they’ll get hit by all that poison damage all once. Or you can get someone’s shield wet and speed up time so it becomes rusty. It’s really interesting and I find it really interesting.

I adore running around. The screen is set up like this: | / \ | The left is the past, the middle is the present, and the right is the future. It’s so cool to run around and see what a city looked like in the past and what it will look like in the future. (One area is flooded in the future and it’s great to see the fish swimming past as you run around.)

Your little frog friend can go to the past and the future and he becomes part tadpole for the past and a big round frog in the future. Watching him crawl around as a tadpole is adorable.

The quest are quite interesting because they’re things like “we need blueprints from the past so we need to find where they were stored and then send the frog into the past and get them”.

One of Crisbell’s powers is friendship and I about died when it was introduced.

The Bad (the stuff I found annoying):

I love the art style, yes, but I hate how they do the running animation. Instead of doing a side step animation, they just have her continuing to run forward, which means she looks like she’s floating instead of running. It continually catches me off-gaurd and I hate it.

I am intensely bad at strategy and a lot of the battles require you to plan out your actions far in advance.

They are surprisingly stingy with health and revival potions which means even the early battles, when you’re still trying to figure things out (and you’re bad at strategy) can be a bit tough.

The Ugly (the reasons I’m not playing any more):

I don’t know what age group this game is written for but it’s not adults.

The story is so simplistic and they feel the need to spell things out in a way that I find extremely aggrevating.

They preach about having to make ~tough~ decision but they’re the sort of decisions that are about as deep as a puddle. They’re not decisions than an adult is going to do anything but roll their eyes at. (Hm, should I save the shop of the doctor for the town or the house of our sort-of-friend we met two minutes ago. Hmmmm, what a hard choice.)

Normally I’d just be like “oh, this a game for kids then” but, at least in my opinion, if you’re trying to sell it as a “love letter” to classic JRPGs, you’re deliberately attempting to draw a crowd that has nostalgia for such things which are almost all adults at this point.

So either they wrote the game for kids and then deliberately misled people. Or they wrote this game and somehow think this is a story that is good for adults? Like, I don’t need violence and all that, what I need is nuance and depth and complexity.

So, anyway, yeah, I won’t be playing this anymore which is a damn shame. I really did like the whole past-present-future mechanics but the story has only gotten more and more grating the longer I play and I just can’t do it anymore.

[villainanders]

I'm pretty new to video games, and I'm having a really hard time with some of the dragon age (specifically origins) fights. Just wondering if you had any tips or would recommend any mods?

Anon I am simultaneously the best and worst person to send this ask to but I will do my best to help you.

The best person because I'm super new to video games and while DAO wasn't LITERALLY my first video game, it wouldn't be insane to call it that either. I was doing so much dumb shit that I literally had to stream my game through Discord while @wickedjaime coached me through the Redcliffe castle crawl the first time I played lmao. So like I know your struggle anon lol.

I'm the worst person because I'm still a total noob and I suck at combat BUT I am now capable of getting through Origins fights (this is definitely the hardest DA game for combat) on easy without any real trouble... maybe one day will work my way up to normal lol.

I don't play with any combat mods but I'm pretty sure there are supposed to be some good ones. Tagging @apostatefrog because I believe I've seen her say she plays with combat mods so maybe she has some recs? If anyone else has any mod recs or tips also feel free to add onto this for anon!

Anywho here are the tips I can give you. Full disclosure that I was doing a lot of really embarrassing dumb shit at the beginning of playing this game on account of being a complete noob that you are probably not doing. I'll still expose myself here though in case you are so I can save you from yourself the way Wicked saved me from myself.

(the rest below the cut)

1. This is going to be one of the only pieces of real advice I can give you that isn't just warning of Dumb Bitch Behaviors I've done but try to flank your enemies whenever possible. If you're not using this already, the game actually does light up the backs of your enemies like this

(that little black area in the back of the red circle around the darkspawn) so try to attack them from there. I think its a pretty good strategy to do this with your rogues while your warriors attack from the front and take the bulk of your damage.

2. I really recommend, especially early on when you're still getting used to combat, that you pause frequently during combat and figure out what each party member should be doing. Like I would pause, go around assigning who to attack and what move they were using to all my party members, unpause for that to play out, and then pause again to figure out the next move. This is like... a lot so you probably don't want to do it all the time for your own sanity if you're not that into strategy but it helped a lot in hard fights.

3. If you're not already, stock up on health potions. Tbh in early game buy as many as you can from merchants when you see them and make sure you have at least one party member with some skills in herbalism (I think your mages come with some herbalism skills iirc but I'm pretty sure it can be whoever) so you can collect elfroot and have them make health potions. Also make sure your mages have healing spells and are using them to help out your party members! Later in the game the Revival spell in the Spirit Healer specialization is.. a game changer. God bless Wynne.

4. Try to use Tactics if you're not already. I'll be real I'm a hypocrite and I never use them EXCEPT to make it so party members drink health potions when their health is below 25% and so my mages will heal injured party members but I do encourage you to try things out in there regardless its a good place to strategize without my inane constantly pausing strategy.

5. Similarly to health potions, stock up on injury kits and use them whenever a party member "dies" during battle so they won't be super out of it for future fights. If you're out of injury kits and the party member has a lot of injuries, you can also just go back to camp if you're in a place where you're able to and they'll heal there.

6. Exposing myself here but when I was first playing I didn't realize you could change what your party members were wearing :') so I had Leliana fighting magic zombies fully STILL in her Chantry sister robes. So anyway you probably don't need to be told this but regardless change what your companions are wearing so they can um. Not die lmao. Also recommend giving Leliana a bow and arrow instead of the knives she comes with.

7. Again exposing myself here but I barely understood what the different skills and abilities were for and gave myself skills in a bunch of different weapons which is not how this works at all lol so be sure you're picking what weapon your characters are using and sticking with it when giving them abilities on level ups.

8. LAST AND MOST EMBARRASSING. It actually turned out the biggest reason why I was having so much trouble in Redcliffe is because I had been fucking with my settings and was actually playing on Normal instead of Easy lol so. uh. Probably not applicable but never hurts to check lmao.

Anyway that's my sage advice, hope any of this was in any way helpful and I hope you have fun playing DA!!!

[razorblade180]

OC test: Survive pt1

Each character has been split off from one another by hard light fields to form a circular ring divided evenly; with a safe zone in the very center. They can all see and hear each other, but that’s it. All characters will face grimm at the same time. The type of grimm is dependent on what will give that individual trouble. Once a character defeats their grimm, it is their choice to what zone they want to go to next to help. The test is over when a winner in every zone has been decided.

Aero:Anybody getting Saw vibes from this, or at least something sinister?

Kovu:It did say “a winner” meaning the grimm might own us.

Summer:Remember the good old days where a test was make breakfast? I do...

Veronica:Just don’t fuck up and you’ll be fine. I’m ready for everything!

Sienna:Aren’t you technically a civilian?

Veronica:Pfft, I can still kick butt. I’m a Xiao Long!

Jacquelyn:I think the test is beginning.

Yujin stretches out her wrists and grabs her sword. It was soon after that ten pools of grimm opened up with Ursa Majors clawing out, fully armored and foaming at the mouth. One final pool had a King TaijituYujin wasn’t expected anything less, yet she was still upset. “I am sick and tired of these stupid things! Why all at once!?”

“Because it’s called survival...” Tenzen said, witnessing dozens of baby deathstalkers marching towards his as hives of lancers swarmed above. “Guess I’m playing exterminator...” he syched himself up, before a Beringel came stampeding in. It beat on it’s chests and let out a roar. “And....fighting baby King Kong...”

Jael hadn’t wasted any time making headway on her test. She knew herself pretty well and what she could handle. That still did not entirely prepare herself to fend of eight fully grown manticore in aerial combat. “So this is a manticore? Yeah, about what I expect .” She said , dodging their fireballs. “Air or land, they seem pretty dangerous. Guess I got no real advantage, yet.”

Sparrow was on the ball. Military training served him well. Armed only with an Atlesian pistol and a fishing rod, he controlled the battle ground. His mother had taught him long ago what his limits were and how to make up for them. A single Sphinx flew down to swipe at him. The young man back stepped and shot a high powered round at its foot. The beast roared before trying to fly.

“Oh no you don’t!” He casted the line right in the Sphinx’s mouth and yanked back down on the injure foot. “You’re gonna move the way I want you to!” Another round hit its front paw, making the creatures spin around, using its snake tail. Sparrow had already dropped the line and cought the second beast. He didn’t hesitate to press his gun right to its eye and blow up the head of the...tail. “Whoo! Still got it!”

While several of the kids quickly understood their enemies, others were left a little perplexed. Sienna was one of these people. “Uhhh I know Remnant is a big place, but since when do grimm look like roaches?” She stuttered.

The question got many to take a glance. Yep, roaches, but not the small kind. These roaches looked on par with the size of house cats. The black insects with bone white wings scattered around the floor. Several stood on two legs while grinding their human-like teeth together that made a shrill noise Sienna found personally irritating. The only Kovu alone seemed to grasp that situation.

“Don’t run! Walk in big circle! They’ll be huddled up that way!” He shouted. Sienna followed his instructions without question. The heard of roaches began following her on two legs while the others reached outward.

“Ohhh don’t like that!” Sienna looked at Kovu with a look that said, “what I’m the actual hell” very apparently. “Kovu-”

“They’re called Feasters. Do not let them swarm you and do not run! They will get on all of their legs and be much faster. Also don’t jump! They fly; just whack them with your chain.”

Sienna did just that. “I hate this I hate this I hate this, they’re so many! And that stupid noise!!!! Agh, my ears!” She winced. A second of stopping prompted the infestation to lunge at her like a wave. Sienna quickly tumbled backwards and kept walking. The last thing she wanted was for those things to take a bite of her. All things considered though, this was manageable. The benefit of no semblance she supposed. “How we looking everyone?”

“Peachy!” Veronica yelled, rider kicking a Tar Maw, a voracious gator like grimm that had a bond white back with black carvings. It’s red eyes glared and the tar black underside dripped like a leaky faucet. The sixteen foot beast opened its gaping mouth, hurling up grimm fluid before diving into it and through the ground subsequently; as it the dirt itself has become as flowing as water. Veronica phased through the ground to try and hit it from underneath but was shocked to see the beast diving down for her. Along with two more smaller but equally dangerous Tar Maws. Quickly, Veronica shot upward through the ground and into the air to barely avoid the the creatures that burst through the ground almost as forceful as her.

“As if one wasn’t enough.” Veronica snarled. Her body rolled forward midair to deliver a swift axe kick to one of the grimm’s hid, knocking it into the others. “I think Summer and I finally agree on something! I miss breakfast tests!”

“Glad you see it my way...” Summer groaned, watching a Arma Gigas rise. She looked over to her brother’s section to see the same exact expression of annoyance. Of course he had one as well. Nick looked at her as if she could do anything about it. “I know, it sucks.”

“Royally.” He added. Nick armed himself with Mort Froide and placed 15 upright ice glyphs around it in a diamond formation. His next move was summoning a gigas blade in his left hand before running towards the emerging knight that has yet to form from the shins down. With limited options it swung its blade which Nick proceeded to jump onto an continuing his charge towards its face. “I’ve killed one before. I can do it again!” Nick jumps at the face to slash it but is knocked back by a headbutt. Fully formed, the gigas bends its knees to prepare a jumping slash. However, blades of ice rockets out of the glyphs, wedging themselves between the knees and ankle armor space to stall movement long enough for Nick to recover. He runs his head and grunts, “Gah, okay. This one has a bet more heft. Noted...”

Valerie watched her two closest friends head off to fight their grueling challenge. “Always setting the pace.” She faced forward towards a fresh Nucklevee, free of any armor but still big enough to be a problem. “What, is this some kind of generational test? Too bad dad isn’t here. He’d love this!” Valerie leaped forward, twirling her battle axe before smashing it into the ground to break up the floor. “Can’t let move easily.” She leaped again.

The Nucklevee shot it’s arms out into the crushed floor and then upwards, it’s hands full of rocks. They flew up and over Valerie before crushing the rubble. A cloud of dirt and debris rain down and struck her back, throwing her balance off. Both arms came plummeting downwards to wrap her up and slammed them into the earth.

“It’s thinking!? But it’s new!” Valerie struggled trying to break free of the elastic grasp. “Huh?” She looked up to see the horse mouth exhale a plume of black smoke along the floor and headed right to her. “That’s not good...” through pure strength and will, Valerie got to her feet and started pulling with all her might. The arms wiggled and where dragged up from the ground but would not break. The fog crawled closer and closer until the edges of it began stinging her skin on her ankles like fire. “Gah! Aw screw it!” She yelled, taking a deep breath and releasing the tension of her struggling. Her entire body slingshotted forward through the smoke and to the best, striking it with a double kick to the skeleton like face. It’s arms finally loosened enough for her to escape. She went to sever an arm until the beast turned around and struck her with it’s massive hind hooves. Val tumbled back and onto her legs. A strange numbness and pain resided in her ankles. Moving felt...odd. Valerie looked up to see the fog continue to spread and the beast beginning to charge. “Tsk..” Maybe it was best her father wasn’t here after all?.

In a other section, a much better circumstance was taking place for Lucas. The man effortlessly weaved around the onslaught of razor sharp feathers, bouncing some back to clip the Nevermore wings that sent them. It helped, but only a little considering he was dealing with an entire flock. Multiple enemies that used a wind ranging attack with multiple projectiles. Quite the headache for one who sees the future. So he did what he always did, not even try.

“One thing at a time Lucas. This moment, right now.” He said to himself as more feathers rained. He transformed his blade into a whip and began flailing it to deflect only what he could see and hear coming his way. The moment he found an opening he would swimg the whip around the bird’s neck and yank it down for him to cleave it. A simple strategy, effective. However, it was time consuming. Not a problem for him specifically, but his mind could only think about the people around him. He hadn’t been paying close attention to all of them, but the screaming grimm he could hear outside his zone let him know they weren’t all getting lucky in this test. “EVERYONE OKAY!?”

“NO!” Aero cried as he crashed to the ground, his wings covered in webs. The flexed it off the best he could while avoiding Soul Suckers, enormous spider grimm that had a real bad habit of draining aura and turning people into soulless husks that were robbed of will. Seven of the bastards shot dense web at him in an attempt to do just that. Aero spread his wings and slammed them towards the ground, rocketing himself upward with one powerful flap. “I AM NOT EQUIPPED FOR THESE!”

“They have spider grimm!?” Lucas said with concern. “That’s just sadistic...”

“You’re telling me!?” Aero looked over to Mona’s section, who was dealing with a single Goliath. Her spry nature allowed her to maneuver around its legs, quickly attacking. Unfortunately she was up against a Goliath. Simple daggers might as well be paper cuts. “You hanging in there Mona!?” He asked before having to dodge more webs.

“Worry about yourself Bird Boy!” She yelled sprinting. Mona went into a one armed hand spring onto its trunk and rolled onto its back, sliding down it with her dagger running through it shallowly before hitting armored bone; killing her momentum and hurting her shoulders. “Shit!” She winced. She yanked her blade out and jumped off as the Goliath’s trunk tried grabbing her. “Uuuggh this big bitch might as well be made of clay!” She pulled out her second dagger and took one giant lunge that sent her flying like a bullet. Mona began spinning like a sideways buzz saw as she went by the grimm’s left and right leg, making an average size gash. Not enough to cripple it but enough to piss it off.

The thief couldn’t stop her speed correctly and ended up tumbling along the ground and barely missing a tree. Her head buzzed loudly and her vision blurred enough to not realize the two ton monster charging until it was severely feet away. “Oh f-” she tried blocking. The tusks were aimed right for her blades but suddenly, her entire body was shot up in the air and away from the attack. “Aaah! What the heck!?”

“Stop screaming!”

Mona was spun around to see Eliza hovering with the power of wind. “How the- you finished!?”

“Yeah I had those gross centipedes and a couple annoying alphas with majors as well.” Eliza said. She causally pointed behind her to a zone charred beyond belief. “My semblance was useless so I had to go all out from the start. Guess you’re in a similar situation? Let’s waste this thing.”

“Hmm you’re lucky I like the way you look. I’ll take you up on that, not that needed help.”

“Whatever you say. Maybe I should’ve checked in with Kovu!” She looked his way. “But considering with Carmine said I’m sure his challenge-”

“oPeN UuuP...” gurgled a cold, torn voice. One that reached all ears, freezing grimm and human alike. It came from Kovu’s section. There the young man sat pinned and shaken up. Nothing but the dust barrier against his back and his own bubble-like barrier in front of it, constructed from his golden aura. The thing gnawing it, a very big and very aggressive Hound. It’s teeth grated against the aura, barely cracking it but cracking it nonetheless. “oPeN UuuP...”

Kovu’s face dripped sweat. His arms were completely stiff from trying to maintain his gaurd. “Guys, I don’t want to sound needy, but...” he grunted.

Several of his friends began working harder on their matches. Yujin and Veronica in particular had a fire lit inside them to make sure Kovu would be okay.

“Hang on Kovu!” Yujin yelled. “Just give me a bet of time and-”

“I thought you wanted to be a huntsman?” Carmine interjected, gaining Kovu’s attention. “I thought you wanted to try and catch up to me, but you’re asking for help this quickly? Not only that, but now you’ve caused others to worry more about you which could make them rush and make a mistake that’ll be disastrous. Hmm, I thought better of you than that.” She said bluntly.

He said nothing. Veronica on the other hand. “Hey!” She had a few words. “Isn’t that your cousin!? You of all people should be-”

“Worried?” Carmine finished. “I’m not saying I’m not, but I’m more worried about the thing behind me, I’m case none of you payed attention.” Carmine looked over her shoulder to the massive grimm pool that all but filled the entire area and continued to flow.

Of course nobody else noticed. It wasn’t big enough to caste a shadow over them all until this moment. Once again eyes looked to see the danger but it was their ears that heard it before anything else. A deafening roar that shook the ground like a disaster. Carmine fully turned around to look at her opponent. It was cruel. Downright evil to the letter. What could she have possibly done to earn-

“Leviathan!?” Tenzen yelled.

“I know right? It’s ridiculous.” Carmine said, a bead of sweat running down her head. “I rather switch with Jacquelyn.”

“Hehe, is that a fact?” She laughed nervously, witnessing the creation of a fully realized dragon staring her down as the shook off excess fluid. Yet another huge thing that nobody but Carmine was aware of apparently because they were once again floored. Not necessarily at the beasts even though they were scary, but because that was two people’s test!”

Yujin looked briefly at Carmine in awe. “You can take down Leviathan!?”

“What? Hell no! Are you crazy!?” Carmine said, unapologetically. “That thing is a kingdom killer! Look it’s flattering that you all seem to think I’m super badass but you do know I’m one person right?”

“Well when you say it like that I sound stupid. Didn’t Ruby beat one of those?” Yujin said, dodging.

“My mother flashed her eyes while a giant robot sucker punched it with a drill. Her eyes didn’t even do much but make it stuck for three seconds. Nobody just beats a Leviathan!” Carmine brandished her sword to face it. Her eyes looked back towards to see her cousin still struggling. “....Did you all know Kovu has never beaten me in a fight? He’s always been a pretty average fighter. That being said, I could never knock him out or keep him down for long. He’s resilient as hell. Almost like surviving is his special talent.”

“Carmine...” Kovu uttered.

“Surviving doesn’t mean winning. I’m definitely not about to win this and I doubt Jacquelyn over there is coming up with a grand slam plan to solo a dragon. Buying time though, I can do that all day.” The leviathan shot out a breath of immense flames. Carmine dove out of the way immediately. “Do not make me do this all day. I’m tired. Twenty minutes at best. More than enough time for anyone to lend a hand and then some, right?” Without another word, she got to work.

Carmine was an odd ball. If she had said anything like that to a stranger, it may have come off as rambling. But those around her in this test, they got the girl’s message. Kovu most of all, while Jacquelyn understood from the start given her enemy. Twenty minutes. Nobody was to aid her for that long or to worry. Carmine had temporarily removed herself the equation. One less thing for other’s to worry about.

“Twenty one.” Kovu said. “I got this mutt right where I want him for twenty one minutes.” Sure he was being optimistic, but this barrier bursting wasn’t game over right away. Like Carmine said, he was resilient.

Jacquelyn couldn’t help but smile. Part of it was the touching pep talk. The other was nervousness because no way was she about to put herself before kids. “Ah what the hell. I’m the winter maiden. A badass one at that. Thirty.” Her eyes glowed.

“Of course they want to out do me” Carmine chuckled. Alright everyone, nothing fancy! Those who know they can win, will. All others, do this test, survive!

Finally the stage was set. Everyone was on track. “Right!!!”

[jonathanvik]

Starlight Dream - Chapter 9

A fire burned through Seina's chest as the bullet pierced straight through her body. Her opponent continued to fire, sending more shots through her chest. Every breath was agony, barely able to breathe. She pulled out her pendant, hoping she wasn't too late.

Through blood-soaked lips, Seina croaked out her transformation chant. "Change... Change...," she gasped through punctured lungs, "Magical... Love Dress... Up..." Light engulfed her, changing her into her magical girl form. Much to Seina's relief, the pain vanished, though it left her a little tired.

"What?" The vampire thug, Jentin, gaped in surprise. "You're alive? But she shot you through the heart, twice! How are you still standing?!"

"She's a magical girl, obviously," Takako said, bored. "It takes more than that to kill one of us."

"But, I." Panic filled Jentin's features for a moment before turning  back to confidence. "Nevermind. We still have a magic girl on our side! We'll just cut her to pieces."

"Maeko is a magical girl?" Aiko asked, surprised. "What's going on?"

From the shadows, a female vampire appeared, wearing a smug expression on her face. Something about the woman was vaguely familiar. "That's right, Seina. We have duped you. We sent her to train with you in order to learn your every weakness." She gave a cruel laugh. "Don't you remember? Love, friendship and affection are weaknesses. Your naivete will be your death, Seina!"

Seina's face twisted into a scowl. How had she allowed Takako to foolishly trick her? As usual, the vampires corrupted everything good in the world to hurt her. Just like her parents.

"Kick her butt, Seina!" Colten said, fuming. "I know magical girls are evil, but betraying you like that is a low even for her kind!!"

Takako snorted. "I'll do whatever it takes to beat you. You are my hated enemy, after all."

"You!" Being told that Takako hated her hurt more than Seina had expected. She'd really believed they'd been friends. Unexpectedly, it brought tears to her eyes. She rubbed them away and directed her anger towards the girl that had fooled her. Seina would enjoy punching her stupid face in.

"Understand this, Seina, it's my job to dispatch rogue magical girls, and that's what I'm going to do." Takako pointed her pistols towards Seina's heart. "I'm not playing around this time. Let me show you what I've learned since our last battle."

"Yes! Kill her!" The female vampire said. "Today, you pay for every humiliation you made me suffer through!"

Seina blinked. "Sorry?" Did she know this woman? Before she could inquire any further, Takako unleashed her bullets onto Seina. Like last time, the shots flew wide. Had the girl not learned anything from their last encounter? Her body jerked as something started pressing on her with crushing force, and Seina found herself unable to move.

"Each of those bullets creates a gravitational force with the strength of a black hole," Takako said, smirking. "That should make this easy."

"Shinobu, now!" The vampire woman said, and a middle-aged man appeared from the manga shop. Much to Siena's surprise, the shop vanished to reveal an empty building. He extended a hand, and Seina gasped as blackness engulfed her vision.

"Where am I? What's going on?" With some effort, Seina moved her head around, trying to understand what was happening. She froze as a strange gurgling sound echoed in the distance, sending a chill down her spine. Her heart almost beat out of her chest as a strange white figure with pale skin and stringy black hair wrapped around her body, screaming as centipedes emerged from their mouth, crawling all over her.

---

"We did it!" An almost hysterical laugh escaped Lilha's lips. "We did it!"

They watched as Seina stood petrified, twisting and turning, eyes widened in fear. Sweat dripped down Shinobu's head as he forced Seina to see her worst fears realized. With her gravity bullets in place Takako doubted her rival could escape easily. Still, they couldn't waste his opportunity. It couldn't hold Seina forever. Trapped or not, she was a formidable opponent. She'd break the illusion eventually.

"Seina!" Colten tried flying to his partner's aid, but Aiko stopped the fairy before he could attempt anything foolish. A scowl appeared on Mr. Kiyojiro as he watched, helpless to do anything to rescue his charge.

"Easy. Let's finish this. Let me show you my power." Jentin hefted his axe, a wide smirk on his face. His muscles bulged grotesquely, growing in bulk and volume.

"Yeah, get her boss!" Jentin's buddies said, cheering him on.

 "My power allows me to increase my natural strength a billion times! You don't have your speed to save you now!" The vampiric brute swung his enormous axe towards Seina's exposed neck. Its head, unsurprisingly, snapped off, not even leaving a scratch on the magical girl's neck.

Takako rolled her eyes. "A billion times zero is still zero." Why did they need these jokers again?

"Eh?" Seina blinked, confused. She took a step forward and collapsed over as Kiyojiro inflicted even worse fears upon her mind.

"You idiot!" A vein appeared on Lilha's forehead. "You almost broke the spell!"

"Sorry." The big vampire wilted under his queen's glare.

"Takako, finish her quickly." Lilha said. "I don't want her escaping. You, hold the girl's friends hostage. If she escapes, I want some insurance."

Takako's eyes widened as Jentin appeared behind Aiko and grabbed her arm hard, making the tiny girl howl in pain.

"Oops, did I break your arm?" Jentin gave a cruel laugh. "Too bad."

"Aiko!" Colten said, trying to pull the brute away. The vampire only gave a contemptuous snort and slapped him away. Mr. Kiyojiro ran to the fairy's side, glaring at the perpetrator. He cursed, helpless to do anything.

"What are you doing?" Takako seethed beyond furious. "This wasn't the plan. Leave her alone." The brute stepped away, giving his queen a nervous glance.

"Why do you care?" Lilha asked. "Besides, it's necessary if we are to kill Seina. Don't get soft on me. Do your duty as a magical girl."

Takako hesitated, looking towards Aiko as she gritted her teeth against the pain. What was she doing? Lilha was right. She was a magical girl. The life of a measly mortal girl shouldn't matter a toss to her.

"Yeah, do your duty!" Jentin said, taking pleasure as he squeezed Aiko's arm tighter, causing more screams of pain.

It'd be so easy to pull her pistols and blast Seina with them, but Takako found her limbs powerless to move. She watched as her rival squirmed in fear and pain, an ugly pit forming in her stomach. Takako had wanted to defeat Seina the entire time she'd known the girl. Why did it feel so ugly and horrible now?

"Takako, please," Aiko said through clenched teeth. "Don't do this."

"Seina, please! Wake up!" Tears were in Colten's eyes. Mr. Kiyojiro looked at Seina with an intense fearful worry. Takako knew if Seina died, it would break the rough man's heart.

"Do it," Lilha said, impatiently. "Kill her already."

After a moment's further hesitation, Takako made a decision. "I will." She summoned her white pistol and pointed towards her target and fired. Seina's body collapsed to the ground as Takako released the gravity holding her.

The magical girl blinked for several moments and looked at her hands, momentarily confused. "Huh, what happened?"

"What?" Shinobu touched his chest and blinked as he saw blood on his hand.

"I'm reuniting you with your son," Takako said. "I can't bring the dead back to life, sorry." Shinobu released a strangled croak, but it sounded relieved, almost happy. The vampire collapsed, dead.

"What are you doing?" Lilha asked, both fearful and outraged.

"Winning my way." Takako pointed her black pistol and blew Jentin's head off. The giant collapsed, and Aiko pulled herself away from his grip.

"Are you okay?!" Colten said, flying towards the girl, grasping her in a tight hug.

"I'm fine." Tears were in Aiko's eyes.

"Healing shot." Takako fired a bullet into the girl's chest, repairing her broken arm. Aiko gave her healed arm an experimental swing and gave Takako a grateful nod. Seina watched this entire exchange, completely confused.

"This isn't over, Seina," Takako said. "I still intend to defeat you. But, I'm winning through my own strength."

"You traitor! I won't forget this!" Lilha spat and ran off into a nearby alley. Her useless goons followed suit, also promising vengeance.

Seina continued to study Takako, still confused. "So, you're not working with the vampires any more?"

"No." Takako put her hands on her hips. "I fight dirty, but not that dirty. I have standards for my evilness. Stop wasting my time and fight me already. I'm eager to show you what I've learned since we started training together."

Seina nodded. "Okay. I don't understand you at all, but I'm relieved you saved Aiko. Thank you."

"Whatever." Takako rolled her eyes, but a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Seina summoned her staff. "Let's do this."

With blinding speed, Seina rushed towards her. But Takako was ready, shooting gravity bullets in front of her. Her opponent darted away, but still got caught in the edge of their pull, grinding her almost to a halt.

"You're strong, but can you take this?" Takako fired her next barrage of bullets. They flew past Seina's head. Aiming with two guns proved more difficult than it looked, so Takako chose a different strategy. The bullets exploded, shooting an array of magical beams that fired in random directions.

Seina broke past the gravity well and weaved around the beams, but they proved too numerous to dodge all of them, she flinched as one slashed across her chest. Takako continued her barrage, leaping high into the air and firing down towards her opponent. Beams rained down upon Seina from the exploding bullets while she summoned more gravity wells to impede her opponent's movement. Seina's body moved in slow motion as a black hole bullet struck her in the chest, leaving her exposed.

Takako continued to fire into Seina's chest, her bullets unaffected by the intense gravity. Her opponent staggered as the bullets struck her, yet Seina proved resilient. Making her shots immune to gravity made them less powerful and effective, but they were doing damage.

She's so tough. A flicker of doubt struck the back of Takako's mind. She could do this forever, but Seina refused to surrender.

Through sheer brute force, her opponent started to break past the gravity restraining her. She used her staff to deflect the bullets and lasers shooting towards her. In one final push, Seina had broken free of the gravity well. While Takako was quick, she needed to switch between summoning gravity wells and attacking, leaving gaps in her attack. Sweat glistened down Seina's head as she reentered normal space.

Takako cursed, keeping her distance. If Seina entered close quarters, Takako knew she was in trouble. Seina ducked and weaved as countless beams shot around her, focusing on confronting Takako head-on. In a blink, she was beside her opponent, staff raised to strike. With a flick of her hand, Takako aimed her black pistol towards her own chest and fired  just as Seina's staff impacted on her chest. A grunt of pain escaped Takako's lips, but she remained on her feet.

"You can make your body tougher, too?" Seina's eyes widened in amazement.

Through clenched teeth, Takako grinned. "There's nothing my bullets can't do." She fired on herself again, giving herself a blinding increase in speed, moving faster than even Seina could see. Her white pistol fired upon Seana, striking her against the chest, staggering her. With her full power, Takako's bullets could actually injure her opponent. Blood trickled down Seina's lips, but she rubbed it away with the back of her hand.

Despite her opponent running circles around her, Seina smiled. "You've really gotten much stronger. Your abilities are amazing, Takako."

Takako beamed, placing her white pistol against her shoulder. "As I said, I'm unbeatable. How about you surrender already?"

"Not a chance." Seina's smile disappeared, subtle anger blazing in her eyes. "Too much is at stake. I can't allow your ilk to harm my world and the people I care about."

"Even though you saved Aiko, I'm still not going to forgive you, Takako," Seina said. "How many people have suffered because of your cowardice? You might not hurt people personally, but you've allowed monsters to thrive. Countless people have gotten hurt because of you!"

Cowardice? The hand holding her white pistol shook. Was she a coward?

No, I can't be a coward. Magical girls are beyond morality. Yet, Seina's accusatory eyes burned into her, making her hesitate. This slip-up allowed her opponent to close the distance. Despite hitting herself with another defense bullet, Takako felt her ribs shatter as Seina punched her with full force. She tried fighting Seina off, but the girl's superior fighting skills made shaking her off almost impossible.

"Ouch." Aiko flinched as Seina delivered another punishing blow to Takako's chest.

"Go, kick her butt!" Colten said, cheering her partner on.

Mr. Kiyojiro shook his head, disappointed. "That's what she gets for ignoring the basics of defense. I warned her." During the exchange, her friends had moved to a safe distance, not wanting to get caught up in the fighting.

"No, I can't lose yet. Healing Shot." Takako said, blood staining her mouth.

Energy revitalized her as she restored her power with a shot from her black gun. Another shot quickened her speed, firing hundreds of point-blank shots into Seina's chest. She smirked as it was Seina's turn to stagger. A punch flew past her head as Takako dodged away, moving to a safe distance. Seina grimaced as she moved, moving with some sluggishness, helping Takako's escape.

"Ouch." Seina rubbed at her wounded chest.

Takako took pleasure in causing her rival serious injury. Yet, it wasn't enough. Seina had a great deal of fight still in her. She could hurt Seina, but not without great personal risk. She needed to get close to cause any real damage. No matter, Takako had a plan for that, shooting herself with another speed boost.

Seina's movements slowed to a grind as Takako summoned more gravity wells with her white pistol that engulfed half of her rival's body. Her black pistol pumped shot after shot into her while Takako circled around her. While not hitting vital areas, the shots caused Seina a great deal of pain. With some effort, Seina slipped out of the gravity well. But Takako disappeared before she could retaliate with her own attack.

"That's just cheap!" Colten said, fuming.

"Anything to win." Takako's lips quirked into a smirk. "You're just a brute, after all. Without your mighty strength, you're nothing but a target." That was what Seina deserved for fighting a more experienced magical girl. Instead of moving to attack, her rival stood still, eyes closed.

What is she plotting? Never mind. I've proven this fight is over with. After shooting herself with another speed boost, Takako went on the offensive. She purposely made her movements confusing, ruining any chance of predicting where she might be.

Now! Takako summoned another gravity well, and Seina didn't even attempt to dodge. Her rival was making this too easy, and Takako pointed her black pistol towards Seina's exposed chest. She gasped when she realized Seina had her staff in her other hand. Pain exploded, and Takako staggered as Seina struck her across the head. Takako had been in mid-movement, leaving her unable to dodge. She crumbled to the ground, dazed.

Too late, Takako realized what Seina had done. The girl had moved at the last moment, positioning herself so her head and staff missed the gravity well, leaving her in a better position to strike back. Incredible. Takako hadn't even seen her move. She laid on the ground, helpless. Without a shot to strengthen herself, Takako's body couldn't withstand the blow. She tried lifting her black pistol to heal herself, but Seina only kicked it away.

"No!" While Takako could just re-summon her weapon, Seina wouldn't give her a chance. She was dead, looking up at Seina with fearful eyes.

"You have some nice tricks, Takako," Seina said, eyes cold. "But that's all you have, tricks."

"What now?" Aiko asked, eying her friend with worry.

"We need to kill her." Mr. Kiyojiro said. "She'll only become a danger again."

"It's the only way," Colten said, nodding his agreement.

No! Despite the disorientation, Takako tried squirming away. Anything to save herself. A boot from Mr. Kiyojiro stopped her, pinning her in place.

"Please." Tears flowed down Takako's eyes, terrified out of her mind. Worse, Takako saw  contempt in Seina's eyes. Her rival was considering the possibility of ending her right here.

"No! We are not doing that!" With surprising force, Aiko pushed Mr. Kiyojiro off her. The bodyguard stumbled, surprised by the girl's tenacity.

"Aiko?" Seina's eyes widened in surprise.

"Leave her alone!" Aiko used her body to protect Takako.

What? Takako couldn't believe her eyes. Aiko was defending her.

"But…" Whatever the bodyguard was going to say, Aiko interrupted him.

"No! What are we, vampires? Takako doesn't deserve being shot down like a dog. She saved me, remember?"

"But, she'll only try and kill me again. She's still evil, even if she saved you." Seina paused for a moment and shook her head. "No, you're right. I'm being stupid." Much to Takako's shock, Seina placed her black pistol back into her hand.

"Healing shot." In an instant, Takako regained her health, glaring at her savior. "Don't think this changes anything between us!"

"But, thank you, Aiko." Takako said, turning her attention towards Aiko and giving her a warm smile. "You saved me."

"Takako, you're my friend," Aiko replied. "I don't want anything happening to you. We had fun together, didn't we? There's no need for us to be enemies."

Takako gave a derisive snort. "Shows what you know!" Though a small smile formed on her lips, eternally grateful the girl had saved her.

Though not pleased, Mr. Kiyojiro didn't argue. "For your sake, don't show your face around here again."

"No, she should." Aiko glared at the bodyguard. "We still haven't finished that movie we watched the other day. I just found another copy of it." She gave Seina a nasty look, daring the magical girl to contradict her.

"I suppose." Seina rubbed the back of her neck.

"Good! That's settled." Aiko said, her voice smug.

What the heck is going on? Was she meant to be friends with Seina now? The whole situation left her very confused. As per her habit, Takako fell back into the familiar.

"Don't think we're friends, Seina," Takako said. "I'm still going to beat you. Next time won't be so easy!"

"What a handful of a girl." Mr. Kiyojiro said, scowling.

Before anyone could say anything else, Takako used her black pistol to teleport herself far away from the scene, thankfully alone again.

---

A rat scurried across the street as Ume walked around an ally. People dressed in almost rags huddled around a fire near a bombed-out building. The country had recently been at war with a neighboring one. While victorious, the cost had been high. Suitable living spaces were sparse.

Despite this, the citizens made the best of their situation. They laughed around a cooking pot and poured out stew for anyone hungry. It was the best they could afford. Children ran around in the streets, playing a game only they understood. It brought a smile to Ume's lips. It quickly shifted to a frown when a group of soldiers walked by. The mood in the camp immediately shifted. Mothers grabbed their children and hid them from sight. The men went on high alert, watching the approaching soldiers with wary eyes.

The soldiers smirked, enjoying the instant fear their presence caused. One brutish-looking man stepped up, a club in his hand. The man thought he might have some fun with these helpless civilians. He thought wrong.

 Ume stepped out from her hiding place and the brute froze in terror. His fellows quickly abandoned him, fleeing for their lives. The people, however, watched her in awe.

"P-please... I..." The soldier trembled as she approached, trying to come up with some excuse for his actions. It didn't matter. The man was already dead. Seconds later, the brute's eyes widened, gripped by a terrible pain in his chest. Moments later, he collapsed, no longer breathing. Ume had never tolerated bullies.

While shocked at the soldier's sudden death, the townsfolk gave her a grateful nod and smiled at her. They knew what her coming meant.

"Oh god, it's her!" A man said. He pointed a gun towards Ume's face, knowing full well how useless such a gesture was. Other soldiers moved to surround her, trying to stop her from reaching her target.

"Move," Ume said. This one word promised death if they dared defy her.

The men continued to point their weapons towards her, but one man lost courage, tossing aside their weapon, fleeing at full speed. Soon, the others followed suit, allowing her to enter the mansion unimpeded.

Inside was a sickening display of trappings of wealth. Priceless pieces of art lined the walls, several resorted to their former glory. The sight of such pointless opulence twisted Ume's stomach. The more wealth she saw on display, the angrier she became.

After taking another staircase, she reached a set of double doors. She sensed her target was behind them and pushed them open. The men inside froze as she entered. Sitting on a throne was a round-faced man in his late fifties. He watched in abject horror as she approached. Around him stood several other important men. It seems Ume had caught them in a meeting.

The men guarding their leader were more loyal, shooting their sidearms at Ume's head. Another tried escorting their leader out while the guards kept her distracted. It was useless, however. Ume appeared in front of the fleeing men, stopping them cold. The president trembled in fear, realizing escape was impossible.

While pulling his leader away, the bodyguard withdrew a sidearm, firing into Ume's face. The gun clicked empty after the man had unloaded the entire clip into her. The bullets hadn't even scratched her. Desperate, the bodyguard withdrew a knife and charged. It was his duty to protect his president, and he'd die before failing that mission. Despite herself, Ume felt pity for such misplaced loyalty and only threw the man aside with one arm. The impact left the bodyguard dazed, but still alive.

"Please! I'll do anything! Please don't kill me!" The president trembled in fear, voice desperate.

"I gave you one order, and you failed." Ume's tone was icy and unrelenting. With a hand, she gestured to the fine furnishing. "While you live in sickening wealth, your people starve and live in burnt out buildings. Every day they fear for their lives. A single out-of-place word might get them killed. Anyone that dares even question your word disappears, never to be seen again. I've seen and heard everything."

"I freed your people from those monsters so you could create a better future. Instead, you became no better than your predecessors. Worse even. You squandered the opportunity I gave you."

Somehow, the president regained his courage. "How dare you! You have no right to tell me how to rule my country! You're a stranger to this world. You can't tell us how to live our lives."

"Silence." The rebuke made the president flinch, and Ume continued. "I wasn't asking for a paradise free of suffering. Just a society where the average person could live in contentment and happiness. A world where no one lives in fear! It is my duty as a magical girl to protect the common folk and stop suffering."

Ume extended a hand, summoning her weapon. It was a pen sized wand made of a pink chrome-like metal. On its tip was a heart-shaped jewel that sparkled under the light of the chandelier above them. "And now, your rule is finished."

"What?" The president made a strangled cry after seeing what the magical girl gripped in her hand. It was a heart. Ume released it and it plopped to the ground, staining the rich carpet in blood. A strangled cry croaked from the president's lips, and he grasped at his chest. The man collapsed dead moments later. The entire room froze in stunned silence.

Gingerly, Ume withdrew a handkerchief and whipped her hand clean. After examining her handiwork, satisfied she'd cleaned all the blood, she pointed a finger towards a younger man, the one who'd been the vice president.

"You. You're the leader of this country now." Ume said, a warning in her voice. "Learn from your predecessor's mistake. When I return next year, this country better be in a happier state. Or else, you're next."

"Yes, I understand." The new president croaked these words, terrified out of his mind.

"Good, don't disappoint me." With a flick of her hand, she vanished from the office.

"Do you think it'll work out?" Her fairy partner, Hope, said. "The replacement seems hardly better. It isn't like he'd done anything to make things better for his people either."

"I know, but order needs to be established right away," Ume replied. "I'd rather not have the country fall into civil war." From her experience, civil wars were messy and hard to clean up. "Either he learns his lesson, or I kill him, too. Eventually, I will find someone who can do the job."

Hope nodded. "Another world freed from suffering!"

"For their sake, I hope so," Ume replied and pulled out a box of pocky sticks. It was chocolate, her favorite, and she bit into it. "Any news to report?"

Hope nodded, giving a cunning look. Her fairy partner had secret contacts by home, allowing them an advantage in undermining the Devil Princesses' plans. "Yes, Emiyo has left Starlight Dream and is currently in Sector 8. It seems your efforts haven't gone unnoticed."

"Perfect." She chomped down on another pocky stick. "I figured I would lure a lieutenant out eventually." Though, Emiyo was a different caliber of magical girl compared to the chaff she employed.

"According to my source, Universe number 108 in sector 8 has had an unusual drop in suffering. A magical girl named Takako left to investigate, but never returned." Hope said. "They suspect you're involved. That's one reason Emiyo left home."

"Really? It wasn't me." This caught Ume's interest and she paused eating her snack. Few forces in the multiverse were powerful enough to kill a magical girl. A potential ally? She'd accept anyone if they helped her rid the cosmos of the Devil Princesses.

"108 is where she's going after checking up with the remaining magical girls of Sector 8," Hope said.

"Excellent." Ume finished her snack and got to her feet. "We can set a trap there. Emiyo won't be an easy foe, but she'll die like all the rest." She pulled out a picture and placed a hand against it. It showed a younger version of her laughing with another girl with blond hair and bright green eyes making a peace sign. A silly frame of stars and hearts surrounded it. Terrible memories followed, and a nasty smile grew on Ume's face. She'd take a special pleasure in killing the lieutenant. She'd been involved in Hinata's death.

"Let's go." Ume returned the photo to her pocket. Hope waved her paw and summoned a portal away from this grim place. She looked forward to visiting universe 108 and meeting someone capable of killing a magical girl. After many lonely days fighting by herself, the possibility of gaining a new ally and friend was a welcome one.

[hysterialevi]

His Name Was Isaac - A RDR2 Fanfic

Fanfic summary: During a mission to avenge his mother’s death, Isaac hunts down the men responsible for her murder and kills them off one-by-one, only to discover that his last target is taking refuge among the Van der Linde gang. In an attempt to kill them, Isaac attacks the gang and unknowingly becomes enemies with his own father, who is in the process of fighting his own battle for redemption.

Point of view: third-person

Author’s note: Alright guys, here’s the first part of my Isaac fic! I’m not 100% sure if I’ll continue this one so please let me know if you like it. I hope you enjoy :)

Next chapter

This story is also on AO3

AMERICA, 1907

WEST ELIZABETH

Bang.

The man collapsed to the ground.

His body twitched, his face contorted, his chest spurted blood, and within a few heartbeats... he was already gone from this world.

He was dead.

Just like that.

And soon, his friend would follow with him.

Smoking pistol in hand, his assailant cocked their firearm one last time and brought their attention to the final survivor in the room, preparing to take them out.

They crawled helplessly away from their pursuer and attempted to grab the weapon of one of their fallen comrades, only to cry out in agony when the other man pressed a boot on top of their fingers, practically grinding them to dust.

“You ungrateful son-of-a-bitch...!” The victim growled through gritted teeth, his eyes wet with tears from the pain. “I knew I shoulda killed you when Whitley first brought you here...!”

His attacker disregarded the comment and simply continued to twist their heel into his hand, causing a disgusting crack to emit from their joints.

“...You expect me to be grateful?” The other man replied, his tone low and venomous. “You signed your death warrant the minute you killed my mother all them years ago. You pieces of shit ain’t even getting a fraction of what you deserve.”

The injured man remained on the floor, his jaw tightly clenched due to the ongoing pain throbbing throughout his hand.

“We let you live...” he whispered, desperately attempting to bargain with him. “We gave you a place to stay. We kept you fed. Goddammit, Isaac -- we raised you!”

Isaac glowered at the absurd statement and knelt to the ground, making sure he was face-to-face with the other man.

“No,” he corrected. “You used me. You took everything I had and then forced me to give you more. And now...”

He applied even more pressure onto the man’s hand, causing him to start weeping.

“...you’re gonna die for it.”

Knowing there was no way he was going to talk himself out of this one, the man resorted to cowardly insults and intimidation, trying his best to scare Isaac out of going after the rest of the gang, but to no avail.

“If you’re thinkin’ about tracking Whitley down too, you can forget it. He’s already long gone. He ain’t nothin’ but a ghost nowadays.”

“You think?” Isaac said. “Well, I’m not too worried about it. I managed to track you down, didn’t I?”

His victim shook his head in anger. “It’s been ten years since Whitley left our gang, Isaac. Ten. How the hell are you gonna recognize him? You’ll never find him!”

Isaac let out a chuckle and rose from the ground, finally taking his foot off the man’s hand.

“Have no fear.” He reassured, taking aim. “I already have.”

Bang.

~~~~~~~~~~

THREE DAYS LATER

RHODES, EVENING

“Blackjack!” The dealer announced after checking his cards, earning a series of groans from the two players sat around him, along with the spectating crowd. He happily removed their chips from the betting position and retrieved their cards, stacking them proudly amongst his own.

“Alright, everyone, place your bets.” He instructed once everything had been reset.

Not too confident about his luck, the first player decided to adopt a safer strategy and presented a smaller amount of chips than the last round while the second player, Eli Whitley, decided to go higher.

He scooted the chips into the small circle drawn onto the table’s surface, biting his lip in uncertainty.

“Okay, no more bets,” the dealer said, shuffling the cards. “Let’s begin.”

Placing a total of two cards in front of each player, Whitley ended up with a six and a jack while the other received a king and a queen, leaving them in a much more favorable light than Whitley himself.

The dealer addressed Whitley first, throwing a quick glance at his cards.

“We have a sixteen.” He observed.

“Hit me.” Eli said, taking a third card. This one was an eight.

“Bust.”

Whitley sighed in disappointment upon seeing the result, leaning back as the dealer took away his chips before moving on to the next player.

“Twenty.” He noted.

The player held a hand up. “I’ll stand.”

Keeping his cards in hand, the dealer returned to his own pile and began flipping them over one by one, only to end up with a nineteen.

The second player grinned proudly at that. “Well, alright then!”

“...Dammit.” Whitley muttered to himself. Tonight was not his night.

Repeating the cycle as always, the dealer cleaned up the table once again and put everyone’s cards back into the stack while also giving out the appropriate number of chips, only to perk his head up in interest when a third man joined the game.

“Welcome, sir.” The dealer greeted.

“Evening, gentlemen.” He replied casually, settling down two seats over from where Whitley was.

The new player caught Whitley’s attention.

He appeared to be much younger than everyone else at the table, and had a head of wavy, blond hair as well as a thick layer of scruff outlining his jaw. He carried the look of someone who was no stranger to traveling around the country and also kept a beautiful revolver on his waist, allowing it to hang just beside the rim of his rugged duster coat.

Though, what really intrigued Whitley was the man’s eyes. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something strangely familiar about them. Like... he had seen this man before. No names were coming to Whitley’s mind at the moment, and he was fairly certain he had never ran into this young man in the past, but everything about him just screamed, “you know me.”

Well, Whitley supposed it wouldn’t hurt to ask and turned to face the new player, curious to learn who he truly was.

“Hey there, partner.” He said, leaning forward. “Have we met before? You seem... familiar.”

The player simply carried on with the game, clearly not sharing Whitley’s sense of recognition.

“I don’t think so, mister. I’m usually pretty good at remember peoples’ faces, but...yours don’t ring any bells.”

Still, Eli was determined. “What about my name? You know anyone called Eli Whitley?”

The young man’s expression paused for a moment upon hearing his name -- as if he suddenly remembered who Whitley was -- but then returned to its natural state as he placed a small stack of chips in the betting ring.

“I’m afraid not. Sorry, mister.”

Whitley furrowed his brow in disappointment and confusion.

“Hmm... strange. Perhaps I’m mistakin’ you for someone else.”

The young man smiled in a friendly manner. “No worries. I guess I just have one of those faces.”

Letting their conversation drop there, Whitley fell back into silence as the dealer continued on with the game and began making his way around the table, starting with the new player.

“I see a twelve.” He examined.

“Hit me.”

The dealer placed another card down. “Eighteen.”

The young man held a hand up, signaling a stand. He moved on to Whitley.

“Fourteen.” He announced. Eli decided to take a risk and placed another stack of chips in the ring.

“I’ll double down.”

The dealer gave him an extra card, presenting a jack. “Bust.”

“Damn...!” Whitley cursed under his breath, shaking his head as his chips were whisked away. He could hear a few scattered moans of discouragement coming from the crowd.

“Welp...” He said with a lighthearted shrug, “I never did have much luck with gambling.”

The young man laughed softly at that and slid his cards back to the dealer.

“No, you didn’t.”

Whitley froze at the comment.

Wait, what?

What the hell was going on with this guy? Didn’t he just say that he had no idea who Whitley was? And now he was talking as if he knew him? Perhaps there was some sort of misunderstanding in their little exchange that Whitley failed to catch.

Eli jolted his head in the young man’s direction, admittedly somewhat perplexed by what was happening.

“Hang on a minute, I thought you didn’t--”

Just before he could finish speaking however, a fourth player decided to jump into the game and occupied the seat between Whitley and the blond haired man, blocking his line of sight. Eli tilted his body so that he could see around the newcomer and leaned back a tad, only to find himself staring at nothing more than an empty chair.

“What in the world...?” He murmured.

Whitley was beside himself with bewilderment.

Where did the man go? Who was he? How did he disappear so fast? Was he even real? Or did Eli just have one too many drinks tonight?

Well, whatever was going on, Whitley started to suspect that Blackjack wasn’t the only game being played. Clearly, the young man knew significantly more than he let on, and Eli was beginning to suspect that his true intentions were far from innocent.

Deciding to call it a day, Whitley returned his cards to the dealer and stood up from the table, fully determined to find that young man now. He had about a thousand questions swimming through his head at the moment, and by God was he going to get some answers.

~~~~~~~~~~

A WHILE LATER

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE RHODES, MIDNIGHT

Squeak.

Squeak.

Squeak.

That was all Whitley could hear as his lantern swayed back and forth with his horse’s movement, causing his shadow to warp into all sorts of ominous shapes on the dirt road beneath him.

At the moment, Eli was trying to locate the young man in the fields just outside of Rhodes, but the nightfall in this area was brutal. Even with a flame to help guide the way, the darkness still managed to swallow the light of his lantern whole, and it also nearly enveloped his vision completely.

There was nothing around him except for endless fields of grass shrouded by utter blackness, and in the distance, Whitley could’ve sworn he saw an abandoned barn standing behind a misty layer of fog.

“...Jesus Christ...” He muttered, admittedly feeling on edge.

What was he doing out here? Was it even worth it to find this boy? For all Whitley knew, that young man could’ve been absolutely no one special, and he could’ve just been wasting his time out here like a complete moron, searching an answer that didn’t exist.

But no... it wasn’t that simple. It couldn’t be. It was clear that the man knew who Eli was. He knew his face. He knew his name. And somehow, he knew Eli would be in Rhodes tonight.

Whitley just had no idea how.

Pushing further into the night, Eli decided to make a beeline straight for the barn and lightly whipped the reins on his horse, urging it to go into a steady trot.

Despite all the fog surrounding the eerie structure, Whitley managed to spot the soft orange glow of another lantern sitting outside the barn’s doors, indicating that someone else might’ve been there, too.

Even if it wasn’t the young man, Whitley still felt a wave of relief rush over him nonetheless. There was no denying that these empty fields made him uneasy, and with the odd encounter he had at the Blackjack table earlier, he wanted nothing more than to return to his room until the world realigned itself.

Cautiously approaching the barn, Eli squinted through the darkness and held his lantern up a bit, hoping to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead.

Not too far away from him, it looked like there was another horse hitched by the barn’s entrance, and -- if Eli’s eyes weren’t deceiving him -- a person sitting on top of it as well. Their back was turned to Whitley at the moment, but there was no one else accompanying the stranger as far as he could tell, so he assumed it would be safe to introduce himself. Perhaps they were another lost soul, hopelessly trying to find their way around these winding meadows.

“Um, excuse me, sir?” Whitley called out, getting off his mount. “Or ma’am...?”

He walked over to the other horse, curious to see who this stranger was.

“I apologize for intruding, but I was wonderin’ if you could help me find my way back to town. It’s a hell of a lot darker out here than I first anticipated, and I seemed to have gotten myself turned around. Would you be so kind as to--”

Finally standing next to his new friend, it didn’t take long for Whitley to notice that the stranger was no person at all, and in fact, a simple scarecrow that had been placed on top of the saddle.

“What in the hell...?” Eli whispered in a baffled voice, observing the decoy.

That was when someone suddenly shot him from behind, planting a bullet in his leg.

“Shit!” He hissed, falling to the ground as smoke rose from his shattered kneecap and the horses whinnied in fear.

Tightly clutching his leg, Whitley heard the distant sound of someone cocking their gun, followed by a chain of footsteps emerging from the shadows that eventually led to his side.

“No wonder you have such bad luck with gambling,” a familiar voice remarked. “You’re far too predictable, Whitley.”

Holding onto his wounded knee as he writhed on the ground like a worm on a hook, Eli gazed upwards at his assailant and saw the same man from before, only with a completely different temperament this time.

As opposed to the casual, laid-back demeanor he carried during the game of Blackjack, he now lacked any empathy in his expression, and didn’t seem to hold even a shred of remorse in his conscience. His blue eyes were narrow with a sense of hatred, and the angled light coming from Eli’s fallen lantern cast a number of shadows across the man’s face that only seemed to sharpen his glare.

Whitley let out a series of rapid, shaky breaths, attempting to speak through the pain.

“W-Who the hell... are you?” He groaned out. “Why are you doin’ this...?!”

The young man kept his pistol aimed at Eli and slapped his horse with the other, scaring it off as a way to ensure Whitley had no means to escape.

“I’m surprised you don’t remember.” He answered vaguely. “I know it’s been over ten years, but seein’ as how you was drowning your sorrows in the parlor house back there, I figured you hadn’t forgotten.”

Eli sighed in frustration, his voice becoming more ragged due to anger. “Enough games, sir! Just gimme your name so I can know what the hell is goin’ on! Haven’t you played with me enough?”

“Not really,” the young man disagreed, “but I ain’t got any more time to waste on you. So consider yourself lucky. For once.”

Circling around Whitley like a vulture observing its meal, the young man finally decided to come clean and crouched next to Eli’s face, making sure his revolver was ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

“Fifteen years ago or so... you and your ‘associates’ may have robbed a small cabin...? Killed the owner in the process, too. A young woman, barely into her twenties. Her name was Eliza, and she had a son as well.”

He paused, holding up a finger. “Oh, but you didn’t kill her son. Instead, you took him in. Forced him to work for your gang, and then dug another grave by his mother’s to ensure his daddy wouldn’t come after him.”

The man aggressively pressed the barrel of his pistol against Whitley’s temple, nearly digging it through his skull as he growled his next words.

“Any of this ringin’ a bell now?”

Suddenly realizing just who this man was, Whitley’s eyes sprung wide open in remembrance as he gaped at his captor with a horrified look, finally understanding what all of this was about.

“...I-Isaac Morgan?” He breathed out in disbelief. “Is that you? My God... y-you was just a little boy the last time I saw you.”

Isaac nodded as confirmation, appearing satisfied with the answer. “If I recall correctly, you left your gang members behind ‘cause you couldn’t... ‘deal with the guilt anymore.”

Whitley closed his eyes in shame, unwilling to relive the tragic memory.

“...It was one of our first jobs, Isaac. We never meant to kill Eliza. We only wanted her money. But people just panicked, things got escalated, and -- for God’s sake -- it was an accident! Okay? The trigger went off and we couldn’t just undo it!”

Isaac shrugged at Eli’s confession, evidently not taking a word of it in. “I don’t care. Your ‘accident’ cost me my family, my home, and my childhood. And there ain’t no way in hell you can give any of that back, so I’ll just settle for takin’ your life. But before I do...”

He took a handful of Whitley’s collar, yanking the man’s face closer to his own. “...Tell me where Mackintosh is.”

Eli furrowed his brows at that. “Shay Mackintosh? How on earth would I know?”

“You and Mackintosh were practically brothers before you left the gang. You must know something!”

Whitley raised his hands in a diplomatic manner. “Look, I haven’t spoken to Mackintosh in years! I have no idea where he could be!”

Isaac pulled the hammer on his pistol down, afterwards pointing it at Eli’s other knee. “Well, you better give me something.”

“Wait!” The other man exclaimed, starting to panic. “Just wait! I’ve... I’ve heard rumors of him runnin’ around with the Van der Linde gang recently. Apparently, he’s one of them now.”

Morgan wasn’t quite finished with interrogating him yet. “The Van der Linde gang? Who are they? Where can I find them?”

“I don’t know,” Whitley answered truthfully. “I’ve never met them before. All I know is if you wanna find them, you gotta find Dutch van der Linde first. He’s their leader. He’s the one in charge.”

“...Dutch van der Linde...” Isaac repeated to himself, taking a mental note of the name. “Alright, then. I’ll go find him. And Mackintosh, too. Seems you ain’t completely useless, after all.”

“But what about Baumann and Blackmore?” Eli questioned, confused as to why Isaac stopped his interrogation there. “Aren’t you gonna look for them as well?”

Isaac stood up from the dirt path and patted any dust off his coat, averting his aim back to Whitley’s head.

“No need. They’re already dead.”

[writing-the-end]

WS Chapter 56- Let’s Get Down to Business

Previous Chapter

Masterpost

Totally inspired by Mulan, both Red and my favorite disney princess! All the minesonas are together, the hermits are here, and the battlefield is ready! Just one last bit of red angst, brought to you by JoeHills

Red belongs to @theguardiansofredland​

Ecto belongs to @cooler-cactus-block

Mentioned: Pierre belongs to @cabbagesenpai​ , Star belongs to @thatonewannabedragon​ , Bre belongs to @mintyhotchocolate​ . (If there are any others i missed let me know! Credit where credit’s due!)

Morning sunlight rises over the tents and small cabins within the battlefield. Not much after the sun has fully appeared over the horizon, black wings jet across the camp- followed by a second smaller pair of wings. 

Red groans, wishing Avon had never found that damned bell she has. “Wake up everyone! We need to get as much training in, we never know when the hellspawns will arrive!” 

“I was the best fighter ever seen in any world, I don’t need training.” Etho groans, face dragging along the ground as Avon pulls him by the feet out of his tent. 

“Key word ‘was’. Let’s see if that still stands.” Avon chuckles, tossing his feet to the ground and joining Ecto on the dunes. The two clasp hands, pulling each other into a half hug. The warriors share a moment of silent conversation in their eyes, enemies turned friends. And now friends turned generals of a small army. 

“A stick? That’s a pretty dinky weapon, man.” Mumbo looks at the staff Ecto hands him. 

“Ugh, again with the weird english words.” Iskall hisses, thwapping his friend in the ankles. Beside the other two architechs, Grian lets out a giggle at Mumbo’s pain. 

“I don’t trust giving any of you a weapon in our world.” Ecto mumbles, rolling her eyes and handing off a staff to Ren. 

“Just like a lightsaber. Thanks dude!” Ren gives her a wink, spinning his staff and planting it into the sand. 

Avon pulls off her cloak, draping it over a cactus and getting a feel for her staff. It’s lighter than her trident, but it reminds her of her earlier days. Jessie flits off the warming desert sand, wrapping around her neck and curling her tail around her bicep. “Avon, I don’t think you made enough sticks for everyone. I don’t have one.” 

Ecto glances to the other wanderer, and both bite their lips. Avon avoids Red’s anxious gaze, the way he bounces on his feet to get to training. She looks anywhere else, fearful eyes meeting with Pierre, flitting to Star, before staring down Impulse. “Red… Ecto and I talked it over, and we aren’t sure you’re ready for the rage of war.” 

“Wha-what do you mean?” The entire desert gets quiet, everyone staring at the three. Making it even worse. “But I can fight! You saw it in the mansion, in the nether! I want to help you all!” 

“Red, we don’t want you to get hurt.” Ecto whispers. “This is more than just a woodland mansion, or even our botched infiltration to the nether. This is war.” 

“This is for the best, Red.” Avon pulls Jessie off her shoulder, plopping the dragonet into Red’s open arms. “Just… try to stay out of trouble. Stay safe, okay?” 

Avon and Ecto turn away, yelling for the hermits and other fighters to begin sparring. To get back to business. Red backs away, sniffling as she tries to keep her tears from catching the sunlight. Is she really that useless? That her own best friends would rather she stay out of their way? Stay out of trouble? Jessie chirps, purple tongue lapping at Red’s warm tears. 

He turns away, feet slipping as he runs across the sand. Away from the army, into the campground, tripping over stakes and vines. He collapses into a pit of water, Jessie floundering to the surface as Red sinks lower. Feeling warm tears sting and mix with the water. Salt against fresh. 

Red thought he was a part of the team. A part of this all. That he wasn’t useless to them, to anyone anymore. He could be a friend, a part of this battle. To get justice, make the nether pay for Mama Gummi’s death. But he’s been sidelined. Too weak, too useless. He was an idiot to think that he was anything but that. He should just stay out of trouble. Always out of trouble- that’s all that caused this anyways. 

He’s not sure how long he’s underwater, curled in a tiny fish ball. Jessie had crawled out, but he could see her curled up in the sun. Laying in the grass just above him. Even Jessie will eventually be something more. More than just a baby. She’ll grow into a massive dragon, with firebreathing and massive claws and wings. She’ll be useful. Red flinches when a hand taps his shoulder, peeking from over his shoulder. 

A hermit has his head shoved underwater, glasses floating away from the bridge of his nose. His hand opens, inviting for Red to take it. And for some reason, Red does. Something about his face, his calm smile and jovial eyes eases Red from his wallowing.

“You’ve got quite the lung capacity to stay under there.” The hermit hauls Red out of the water, plopping her onto the grass beside Jessie. 

“I can breathe underwater. It’s not that incredible.” Red mumbles, not willing to meet his eyes. 

“I dunno, that’s pretty sweet in my mind. I’m Joe Hills. My friends just call me Joe.” He offers a hand, his other reaching out and petting Jessie. The dragon chirps, pressing into his palm like a kitten. 

“Red. Why aren’t you training with the others?” Joe stands up, and Red follows him. He isn’t sure why, but Joe just exudes a feeling of comfort, easy and friendly. Standing near Joe alone makes Red’s spirits rise.

“I’m not really the kind of person to fight with weapons. I’m more of a ‘pen is mightier than the sword’ kind of guy. What better way to beat your enemies into submission than with a damning remark on their ill actions towards the safekeeping and prosperous balance that nature provides us?” Joe summits a rise in the plain, plopping down on the grass. Red sits down beside him.

“I think I understood about half of those words, Joe.” The two look out across the battlefield. The training has split off. Some remain with Avon, working on strategy and further practice with fighting. Others have spread across the field, Ecto traveling between groups as they build up traps. Bre works with Stress, setting up potion dispensers. Pierre and Etho play with fire charges.

“Hey Impulse can you help me test this redstone trap?” Tango waves his friend over to the other side of the forest. Impulse takes off from the campground below where Red and Joe sit, watching the work. 

Red isn’t really keen on this whole fighting thing, but she understands that all attempts to talk have faltered. But she asked for the traps to be survivable. Maybe if the hellspawns see that a battle will cause harm, they’ll stop. It’s her hope, at least. But just another thing he can’t do right. He can’t even kill right. She sits, watching Tango explain the setup to Impulse. Tango is covered with redstone, the same color as his red eyes. Impulse was working with water, so he’s a little cleaner. Both laugh, and a glint of something metal appears in Impulse’s hand. 

Red squints to see what it is, but Impulse disappears from view. The ground beneath him has dropped away, and black vapors escape the pit. His head only reappears as he jumps around within the trap. “Is that…?” 

“Wither roses. Quite a poetic flower, I must say. So beautiful and delicate. Yet so...deadly.” Joe hardly looks up from his notes on the field. Red can’t take his eyes off of Impulse. His veins turn black as the wither roses deliver the sickness, and he grabs onto a ladder that was set above the trap, pale hands shaking as he climbs out. He still clutches whatever’s in his hand. 

“He looks like he’s not going to make it!” Red stands, realizing that Impulse is covered in wounds. The wither races across his body, penetrating into his heart and lungs. And the entire time, Tango can hardly breathe. Not from fear. Tango is laughing so loud Red can hear it from the hill he’s atop. Impulse’s writhing stops, but Tango’s cackles don’t. Horror etches across Red’s face as he realizes what’s happened. What kind of sick friend laughs as their friend perishes from wither sickness? Why would Tango not help him? 

A loud crack echoes from the forest, forcing Red to cover his ears and cringe. Joe doesn’t even flinch, used to the crackling noise. He glances over his glasses, seeing the horror on Red’s face be replaced by confusion. 

Impulse is standing up, brushing wither vapors off his shorts and playfully nudging Tango. Tango’s now on the ground, clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. Red wipes her eyes, blinking away the tears as if that was causing her to see things. “What happened? How is he alive?” 

“We’re all carrying totems of Undying. Once Xisuma warned us that there’s no respawn in your world, we all keep them around.” Joe pushes his glasses up his nose. “Do you not know what a totem of undying is?” 

Red shakes his head, and looks back at the pair. Impulse and Tango are looking at the trap that just killed the former, smiling quite proudly at the redstone work. He can see a glint of gold, covering Impulse’s cheek where a thorn had scratched him. The trap is deadly, but it’s possible to escape. Impulse closes it up, so no one else falls in for now. “What is a totem of undying?” 

“You’ve been carrying one around the whole time.” Joe points the feather end of his quill to Red’s backpack. Pointing at the golden statue, haphazardly tied onto the straps like a knick knack. Red sits down, plucking Fred off his string. Running his fingers across the smooth gold, ringing the emerald eyes. “When the holder’s heart stops beating, their soul perishing, it activates the totem. It breaks apart, and the magic instilled in the metal brings them back from death, gold melting into their wounds and healing them. It’s quite a beautiful sight to see up close.” 

Red’s lips form a thin line. Scar gave him this. Why did Scar think he’d need this, or was it a precautionary measure? The idea of having to use such a tool scares Red. But now, he just wants to keep it with him at all times. Red tucks the totem into the pocket of his vest. Just in case. “I’m not going to die. I’m not going to use this. I’m not useless.” 

“You should prove that to your friends. Look across this battlefield, little fish. What’s something we’re missing?” Joe lays out his journal, showing the map of the field. 

Reds eyes look around, noting the traps and offensive moves. His mind remembers something that Blu said, long ago. When they first met the hellspawn. “I’m the most dangerous. But why?” 

He watches a drop of water fall from his hair, quickly drying in the sun. The nether is the realm of fire. The hellspawns are made of fire, of lava and magma. Red remembers the way Blu recoiled from the blast of water that night. The steam and crackling of Endo when he washed over her with a wave. “Water. I can stop them with water! I can defend us all...with water!” 

Joe looks up, grinning as he gazes over his glasses. “And you can do it in a less deadly way than any of their blades of blasts can. You aren’t useless, and I don’t think your friends feel that way either. You just haven’t embraced the strongest side of you.” He nods to where Ecto and Avon are training together, using fire charges to simulate hellfire. 

“Thank you, Mr. Joe Hills!” Red leaps from the hill, running down and through the campground. “I won’t forget this!” 

Red feels the wind brush through his hair, feet pounding across the ground. As joyous and determined as he ever felt. His emotions take over, and soon he’s no longer running. He’s swimming, water pulsing across the grass with him. Easing him over the stakes that would trip him, the pits that would cause him to stumble. 

Crossing the battlefield, he raises ice walls, defending the hills and mounds that archers and fighters plan to make their stand upon. Moving water creates a trench, a moat around the campground, protecting them from all sides. Safe from attacks by land from the nether. Red hasn’t felt this much power, this much energy in his whole life. 

And he nears Ecto and Avon, struggling to defeat one another and avoid the hellfire surrounding them. Always dueling, equal matches for one another. Ecto shoves Avon backwards, and she narrowly avoids falling into fire by spreading her wings and flying. Avon tosses a fire charge, igniting the grass around Ecto. Trapping her. “You’ve been caught by the nether Ecto! Again!” 

Red lets out a holler, the water building up into a wave. The crest of the wave, and Red, comes crashing into the battle. Hellfire extinguishes into sputtering smoke, and both of the wanderers are swept off their feet. Red sees both of them look at her, and she snaps her fingers. “I won’t stay out of trouble. I am the eye of the storm. I am the trouble!” 

Dual whips of water lash out. Both Ecto and Avon narrowly avoid the strike, Avon blocking hers and Ecto dodging to the side. Both are shocked, glancing at one another before looking at Red. The three wanderers, the three friends, sharing a silent conversation without a word being spoken. Seeing the strength each has. The strength that makes them a team, that makes them friends. 

Red begins to laugh, followed by Ecto. And finally, a giggle bubbles free of Avon. Fire burns bright in all their eyes, and Avon launches her trident at Red. He easily blocks the attack, and deflects it towards Ecto. 

The wanderers duel, all three together. Playing like children, laughter ringing across the battlefield. No matter what happens, what the end of this war gives, they’re still together. They’re friends. Allies. 

Wanderers.

[mamthew]

My full review of Persona 5: Scramble. Some mostly minor spoilers scattered throughout, though I try to flag them in advance.

When Persona 5: Scramble was announced, my expectations were fairly low. As it was yet another Warriors spinoff of a better-known series, I expected Hyrule Warriors but with Persona characters. I thought we’d get the P5 crew, maybe even a few from P3 or P4, maybe a villain or two, mindlessly tearing through thousands of enemies in essentially interchangeable levels, justified by a threadbare, 6-hour story. The demo, then, blew me away. It was just…the beginning of a sequel to Persona 5, maintaining the locations, presentation, and characters of the original game, but with a beat ‘em up battle system. I began thinking of Scramble as a direct sequel to literally my favorite game of all time, including everything a sequel might entail. 

Having played through almost all of Persona 5: Strikers (I have started but not bothered seriously attempting New Game+ in Merciless difficulty), the game we ended up getting was halfway between those, I think. They managed to recreate the presentation of P5 impeccably, with gorgeous menus, beautiful battle effects, entertaining scene transitions, etc. However, the half of the game that isn’t dungeon-crawling is deceptively scant. The story centers around a road trip across Japan, but each city isn’t nearly as realized as P5’s Tokyo, with only about 3 rooms apiece, and some of the later ones not even getting a hub at all. The hubs really only exist to have shops, with none of the time management, minigames, or relationship building in a mainline Persona game. Still, it’s the only Persona spinoff I’ve played that has a real-life component at all, so I found it refreshing to get to wander Sendai, Okinawa, Osaka, and other towns in a game I’d initially not expected to have any towns at all.

The dungeons are where this game shines, though. They’re actual Persona 5-style dungeons, made occasionally even more dynamic with the addition of platforming and sidescrolling sections reminiscent of Nier Automata. The battle system uses the bones of the system in every warriors game, but slowly builds on it with more and more complexity until it’s not only a unique system, but is honestly one of the more engaging action battle systems I’ve played in a minute, in which you’re constantly trying to time dodges just right for extra hits, which can then open the option to either get in an extra hit with your character, which heals some SP, or switch to another character for an extra hit with them, which increases the rate at which the special gauge increases. As Joker, you have an array of Personas you can switch between on the fly, shifting your moveset, your stats, and your strategy as you go. Each of the other characters has their own gimmick that makes them unique and fun to play and sets them apart from Joker, who otherwise would have access to all their elemental attacks and stat spreads. Strategically placed objects around dungeons can be used to pull off special moves in battles, as well, letting you jump up to chandeliers and drop them on enemies or dive off of walls and tackle enemies. The battle system takes a little too long to actually become complex, but once it actually reaches that point it’s really rewarding. The bosses, too, are fun, with designs deserving of the Persona name and strategies that make full use of the environments. You can even replay them at different difficulty levels as the game goes on. I’ve never played a Koei Tecmo game with this much polish, and the battle system makes me hope the Warriors team goes to try an actual Platinum-style character action game. I think they’d knock it out of the park.

I’m a little split on the story of this game. The bones of the story are good. The characters are all written perfectly, and seeing them interact again was enough that I actually teared up a bit when I first booted up the game. I enjoy the new characters, and they work well with the party. The pacing is solid and it has a good emotional core. The villains are decent for the most part, and the ending is pretty satisfying. Several of the villains directly correlate to specific party members, too, which gives us further insight into those party members, and lets us watch as they see themselves in someone else and recognize where that other person broke off from their path. The game is in part about trauma and the ways it drives individuals to lash out at a world they’ve always believed to be cold and unforgiving, which could be a powerful message if done well. In this game, though, it’s not done very well at all. The ultimate message – if this game could be said to have one – is that individuals without support networks are driven by trauma to make bad decisions. That’s not…necessarily untrue, but it’s not…necessarily true, either. This message is probably at its worst when the game gets into inadvertently ableist territory with a character near the end, who -spoilers until the end of the paragraph- tries to essentially enslave mankind because her dissociation due to trauma convinces her that she has no emotions and therefore the species as a whole should have no emotions either. It’s…frankly a really gross bookend on a game that, until that point, had managed to avoid most of the issues with male gaze and homophobia that the original game had.

Every message in this game, though, is too individual-focused to function as a real message or social commentary. It even undercuts the sharp themes in the original by showing people in similar positions of power as the original villains just…choosing not to fall to corruption and consequently avoiding all of the problems that would arise from their power discrepancy. For a spoilery example until the end of the paragraph, the villain in Persona 5 who’s a CEO is a villain because his need to make profit drives him to exploit his workers, paying them less and working them more. The villain in Strikers who’s a CEO is a villain because his father was abusive and that led him to think people must be controlled. One is a real-world problem applicable to any CEO. The other is a story that exists only in the fictional realm.

This wouldn’t be such a glaring issue if Persona games – and especially Persona 5 – weren’t known for their social commentary. That’s not limited to the main games, either. Persona 4 Dancing was a rhythm game with a story about parasocial relationships and the pressures they place on public figures. Strikers ostensibly touches on parasocial relationships, but doesn’t…really have anything to say about them.

The game does try to make a statement sometimes, but everything it tries to say is disjointed, at odds with the previous game, or inapplicable to real life. The villains’ deeds don’t really have much similarity to each other, either, unlike in 5, and it’s stated outright that several of them would not hold any power at all without the supernatural world, which both prevents their stories from saying anything about the real world, and flies in the face of the purpose of Persona as a series. The supernatural worlds in Persona games are the collective unconscious, which means that the worlds are used to give the characters and the player visual representations of abstract concepts. The Palaces in Persona 5 are not the sources of the villains’ power; that comes from regular old societal hierarchies. The characters in Persona 4 were experiencing their inner turmoil before they were sucked into the TV world, and the midnight channel only made manifest what was already there and unseen. Conversely, the first two villains in Strikers are only in the public eye because they use supernatural means to make people like them. That the supernatural means involve smart phones doesn’t say anything about technology, because that’s not how technology actually works. In a follow-up to a game that was as furious at the world and desperate for change as Persona 5 was, it’s a glaring departure for the characters to just…befriend “the good cop,” or -spoilers again- push the mayor who’s based on Margaret Fucking Thatcher to run again but do things the “right way” this time.

That being said, I’m not actually that upset with this game. I have a lot to say about its missteps because I have a lot to say about Persona 5, but the gameplay is legitimately fun, and I do really love seeing the characters again. I’m more bemused than upset with the game’s fumbling of…the thing that made me fall in love with Persona 5 to begin with. Part of that is because the game is still so solid and fun, and the characters are written so well that I can overlook the issues. Even deeper, though, is that the last few years has radicalized so many people that the statements made in Persona 5 are simply…more visible in the mainstream than they were when it released. Late show hosts rage about the exploitation of waged workers. Video game streamers remark on the cruel arbitrariness of the current system. Shows about cops are being pushed to justify their existence to an increasingly disillusioned public. I think if Persona 5 released today, it wouldn’t have the same impact it did in 2017. To my mind, the game no longer carries the responsibility it once did. So this game is fun and doesn’t really matter, and that’s actually okay.

But if Persona 6 isn’t a return to form, I’ll take it back.