#series: the power of memories

[khthepowerofmemories]

the narrator cries

Inspired by this post

Back on my Master of Masters feels fam.

[daddy-long-legssss]

That's Where You're Wrong

"This were the last song we did for it. I think something we've always struggled to do is get a record that– I mean they've all got their own identity but I dunno know ... there's always an exception or something that is leading onto something else perhaps. I guess on the last album it would be 'Cornerstone' and on the album before I guess it were '505' or something. I think this is that song and maybe on this one where it doesn't quite– I mean it fits in but it's got summat else about it. I always wanna do that like get a blueprint and make this album neat and tidy but it never works out being neat and tidy with us."

[x]

[kazz-brekker]

i was pondering the enormous backlash to the humanization of the orcs in rings of power from annoying people on the internet and realized that i'm pretty sure my first exposure to "maybe we shouldn't portray a whole race of beings as totally evil" in fantasy was actually the urgals in the inheritance cycle. i don't think that it was an arc christopher paolini had planned from the beginning because from what i remember the urgals are pretty much orc ripoffs in the first few books of the series since they are just evil foot soldiers for main villain, but i do remember my 9 year old self having my mind blown when some of them showed up in a later book and were like "hey we're actually sentient beings with language, a culture, and free will, and we don't appreciate being used as cannon fodder by a tyrant, want to team up to defeat him?" and that was oh, probably fifteen years ago, so it just goes to show that humanizing supposedly evil races in fantasy stories is not a new concept at all.

[deiaiko]

#20.8 Spar

"Are you up for a spar, Viole?" Novick asked after they finished snacking on the garlic bread. He was always competitive, especially when he was introduced to new people. However, Dan and Gyetang also looked excited to join. From what Agni caught, they were curious as to how talented Viole could be to have  earned his status as a slayer candidate, which was understandable.

Still, Agni huffed in amusement. His team still chose to train even though he had called today off. Though Agni wasn't against it. He felt like it'd be good for both him and Grace, since exercise always took their minds off things. Bam seemed a little reluctant, but he went along with it, especially after Grace said it'd be a good bonding experience.

Everyone moved to the training area and they made a quick bracket match. Grace reminded Agni not to overexert himself in this spar, even though Agni insisted that he was fine. But he understood why Grace was worried, since he would be too if Grace were in his place.

The first round was Dan against Gyetang. Both of them had improved a little bit from the last time Agni watched their spar. Gyetang was able to read Dan's movement the moment the spar began, and act accordingly to counter his attack. Though in the end Dan still gained the upper hand once he was able to render Gyetang's fuuma shuriken useless.

The second round was Grace against Agni, which would have ended fairly quickly if Grace used his reverse flow control. But since he didn't, he and Grace had shinsu enhanced martial art combat instead. Agni could tell that Grace was avoiding hitting his leg. In a real fight, Agni would use that to his advantage, but on this occasion he appreciated Grace's thoughtfulness. However, none of them went easy with the other, so they dragged out the fight until Agni ran out of stamina.

The third round was Bam against Novick. Despite it being the first match, Novick went all out on Bam by using his ultimate moves as a start. Still, Bam kept up with him, though he kept on the defensive. It wasn't until Novick and Grace encouraged Bam to attack that things finally got more interesting. Novick was slowly pushed onto the defensive, though Agni knew that Bam was still holding back. However, all of Novick's attempts at challenging Grace seemed to pay off, and Agni could see that he was still able to keep up. However, Bam's attack pattern was different from Grace, and one of his bangs took Novick off guard, allowing Bam to subdue him. Even though Novick was clearly still okay enough to keep going and break himself free from Bam, he raised his hand in surrender and ended the round.

Since this spar was for the team to get to know Bam, and everyone knew that Grace was the strongest, the fourth round was voted to be Bam against Dan. Having seen the first round, Bam was able to predict Dan's attack. However, that didn't mean that Bam was prepared to go against Dan’s speed. Bam tried to use reverse flow control on him, but Dan was too slippery to get caught in it. He was used to having to deal with Grace's, so he was able to read Bam's aim. Dan didn't waste time and successfully pinned Bam down to the ground the moment Bam let his guard down. However, it seemed to trigger a fight response from Bam, and he summoned a bang behind Dan. Agni intervened by creating a barrier to null the shot which could cause serious injury, but the bang had already been snuffed out before it exploded. Agni looked at Grace who exhaled in relief with his hand half raised, before calling the match over. Everyone else was too stunned by the outcome until Dan offered a hand and pulled Bam up to his feet. Then Gyetang and Novick finally cheered and congratulated them both.

As they waited for Bam to cool down after two matches in a row, Novick challenged Agni to a spar. It was understandable, since Agni usually was too busy to join their afternoon routine. However, Agni was still worn out from his previous match and a little under the weather, so he aimed to end this one as soon as possible, especially because Novick was a tank which would put Agni at a disadvantage if the match was dragged out. As soon as the match began, Agni activated his lighthouse flow control to stop Novick and teleported behind him. He froze Novick's limbs before he was able to reinforce himself with shinsu, and pointed a knife at his neck.

"Not going easy on me, huh?" Novick chuckled as he admitted defeat. 

Agni melted the ice on Novick's limbs and stepped away to the spectator seats. "I would be at a disadvantage, otherwise."

Since it ended too fast, Novick challenged Dan next. Compared to what he had with Bam and Agni, he went relatively easy on Dan. But in the end, Novick still came out as the winner since Dan was built for agility, not power.

As if saving the best for last, Novick finally challenged Grace for a spar. It went as it usually would. Grace was just humoring Novick, but at least he managed to make it believable and kept Novick on his toes. Agni had seen what Grace was actually capable of, after all. Practicing with them like this was actually wasting potential on Grace's part. He would grow stronger quicker if he faced an opponent that was on his level or above. But Grace looked like he was having fun, so who was Agni to ruin it?

The last match was Bam against Grace, which everyone had been looking forward to. Grace assured Bam that he could go all out with him, which prompted Agni to reinforce the barrier that surrounded the training area even more than usual. At first, neither of them made any move to attack, but it was interesting to see the differences in their mirrored stances. 

"You can have the first move," Grace taunted.

Bam summoned two bangs and released them toward Grace. They were easily blocked. 

"Is that all? I know that you can do better."

Agni thought it was harsh of Grace to say that. A regular on this floor that could control two powerful bangs was already considered a prodigy. But Agni understood the frustration. He himself had been far harsher on his younger self. Their teams were far behind, and would not survive had they lived during wartime. It was a scary thought.

Grace decided to step forward, and Bam switched to his reverse flow control stance. However, nothing happened as Grace kept on closing their distance. Bam frowned and ran forward, pressing his palm in front of Grace's chest. Grace didn't move away from the touch, looking at Bam with anticipation.

"Go on," Grace said when Bam hesitated a moment too long.

Bam bit his lip, before releasing his flare wave explosion. Grace's eyebrows twitched in pain. Even though Agni could feel the wave, it was not as destructive as he had predicted, even with his lowered standards.

"One more time, but you have to give it your all." Grace very rarely used his strict voice, but when he did, it was a clear warning that he was displeased. "If you refuse to, then I will start to go on the offensive."

Bam inhaled sharply and forced himself to release another flare wave explosion that was finally close to the level that Agni predicted Bam could do. Grace covered his mouth and coughed, and Agni saw a glimpse of red. However, Agni kept firm on his seat, since Grace was smiling at Bam.

"That's right, don't hold back." Grace jumped back to create some distance and got in his defensive stance again.

Bam got more serious after that, and his bangs were formed with more concentration. Grace carefully landed a few blows and slowly shifted to offense, while still creating some openings for Bam to take advantage of. Their exchanged blows got fiercer, and it was finally clear that they were having fun.

Not too long after, Bam was starting to run low on stamina, but at one point he managed to sneak behind Grace and hit him with another flare wave explosion. However, Grace saw it coming, so he repelled some of the waves to decrease the damage that he took. Unfortunately, it fired back at Bam and injured his arm. They decided to stop the match then, as Bam seemed really close to passing out. Grace held Bam's shoulders to steady him on his wobbly feet, and gently lowered him so they both sat down on the floor. Agni approached them just in case his help was needed.

"Are you okay?" Grace asked, getting more frantic when Bam suddenly looked like he was having a heart attack. Agni froze in his steps when a red exoskeleton grew and enveloped Bam, healing his injured arm. But Grace seemed less surprised and just comforted Bam until the exoskeleton disappeared.

Agni squatted down next to them and whispered to Grace, "What the heck was that?!"

"Blue Thryssa, incomplete form." Grace looked thoughtfully at Bam, who was staring back at Grace with a confused and scared look. "Your wound healed now, see? It's fine."

"Are you sure?" Bam rubbed his healed arm. He winced, "It's, uh…talking to me?"

"Hmm, maybe I can help you understand it." Grace sat down cross-legged and got in his meditative state, placing his palm on Bam's back.

Everyone else had come closer around them as well, curious about what was happening. A moment later, a transparent blue horn started to form on Grace and Bam's left temple. It surprised Agni because he thought Grace had lost the powers that he had absorbed when they traveled back in time.

When Grace opened his eyes, he gave Agni a look that said they would talk about it later. Bam came back to his senses a moment later. Dan and Gyetang could no longer contain their curiosity and began asking Bam and Grace questions, but the topic soon drifted to more general conversation because Bam was just as lost as they were. Agni called the sparring session over and Dan went to prepare dinner. Bam and Gyetang joined him in the kitchen, and the sight of them getting along together was heartwarming. 

Agni took a seat in the cafeteria, and Grace followed to sit next to him. Agni released the fish from his lighthouse bowl to roam around the kitchen, while Grace exhaled and stretched his arms. All the bruises on his skin were almost healed already.

"Well…?" Agni prompted Grace to start talking.

"Hm." Grace leaned back on his chair and rubbed the back of his neck, "After seeing what Bam is capable of, it made me think about how far I've come."

There was sadness in those golden eyes that tugged at Agni's heartstrings. Both of them had been broken so many times that no amount of fixing could bring both of them to what they used to be. Velt came and swam between them, nuzzling onto Grace's arm before settling on Agni's side. Her company was appreciated, and Agni gave her a few pats. Grace smiled as he watched them.

"About the Blue Thryssa though…" Grace stopped himself when Novick approached them and took a seat nearby.

Agni and Grace shared a quick glance. Honestly, Agni would prefer to talk in private with Grace when they brought up their time travel stuff, but it wasn't like they were actively trying to hide it either. Novick also didn't seem to mind, as his attention was more at whatever was happening in the kitchen.

Grace shrugged and continued their conversation, "It was like…I felt my own Thryssa resonate, and it said it doesn't have any recollection since, you know. It felt like I had just woken it up."

Agni hummed thoughtfully, "Could it be that you didn't actually lose them?" 

"Maybe? I couldn't feel any others though." Grace tried to do something with his left hand, then frowned when nothing happened. "I can't transform it either."

"Oh, hm." If Agni recalled, the transformation was when they were with the beastkin. "I guess you have to get yourself or Bam to get it from Doom."

"I thought the same."

"Well then, guess I will have to update our plan soon."

Masterlist

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☕ Buy me coffee ☕

[spelldealer]

speaking of my awesome playlists i uploaded some new ones semi recently

[fowlblue]

Thinking about Fowl Senior again…

Do you think Tim ever worries about the fact that Britva isn’t like… dead? The fact that he’s still out there, totally fine except for losing the potential of a lot of money. Artemis and Co. didn’t lay a finger on him.

Like, regardless of whether or not Britva would be hunting for revenge, would Tim stress about it? Would it keep him up at night?

I think it would.

[simplegenius042]

"What Kind Of Love Are You?" OC Quiz & "Every OC List Got The ___"

Tagged by @adelaidedrubman @imogenkol @voidika @shellibisshe and @aceghosts

Tagging @socially-awkward-skeleton @noodlecupcakes @josephseedismyfather @inafieldofdaisies @icecutioner @derelictheretic @shallow-gravy @direwombat @strangefable @rhettsabbott @josephslittledeputy @cloudofbutterflies92 @skoll-sun-eater @cassietrn @carlosoliveiraa @g0dspeeed @wrathfulrook @afarcryfrommymain @strafethesesinners @turbo-virgins @raresvtm @softtidesworld @starsandskies @ladyoriza @la-grosse-patate @florbelles @titiagls @minilev @yokobai @thewanderer-000 @omen-speaker @justasmolbard @alypink @thesingularityseries and @nightwingshero + anyone else who'd like to join.

Four results for my OCs for this quiz and four OC Lists for four of my series.

JOAQUIN COBALT (THE UNTITLEDVERSE)

This feels accurate for Joaquin considering he begins The UnTitledverse as an adolescent, and the series follows his growth and youth to adulthood. Joaquin has the weight of the world (or rather multiverse) on him, but, he still has time to be a child, to be a teen, to be his own identity, with Maisie, Mario, Calvin and all his found family and friends to share the weight.

SILVA OMAR (THE SILVER CHRONICLES [FAR CRY 5 & FAR CRY NEW DAWN])

Religious themes (including the trauma) for Silva go brrr! Like what else is there to say?

HAOYU ANABUKI (LIFE, DESPAIR & MONSTERS)

Yeah this makes sense for them. Haoyu is someone who's not used to love and when it comes it is gonna be the most life-changing thing for them. For once something they will have to make a commitment towards keeping if they want it. Haoyu is also the type to go in a panic as well as overthink; including full-on denial.

MARISSA "RESS" BISHOP (A RADIOACTIVE CALAMITY OF LOVE, BOMBS & GORE [FALLOUT])

While this definitely suits Ress at her best, I don't think it encapsulates everything about her. Because while Ress' love is bountiful and ageless and endless... there's also the fear of losing it all, because Ress will outlive everyone she knows because her own natural mortality outlasts everyone else's. The only person that would be around the longest with her (and meet her at what would be considered old age for a hybrid species like them) would have been her older half-brother, Ore... but even that is cruelly taken away from her by their father Urias and his Occult. Yeah, so while this definitely does shine a light on the happiness and thrill Ress would feel with her lover (prime example being Piper), it doesn't acknowledge the grief she'd eventually have to face.

Now for the OC List, I decided to go with OCs from all four/five of my series; The UnTitledverse, The Silver Chronicles, Life, Despair & Monsters and a shared list with my Fallout series A Radioactive Calamity Of Love, Bombs & Gore and my original series An Old Ballad Of Chance And Ember Hearts Trilogy (which includes my Wings And Horns WIP that this trilogy spins off from). So yeah... enjoy! [NOTE: This will include art/doodles, reference pictures (for the art/doodles that I still haven't been skilled enough to draw) and faceclaims]:

THE UNTITLEDVERSE

Lisa Cobalt | Malcolm Darling | Mario Emmet Jester | Madame Callaghan | Lillian "Lena" Elliot Greenpeace | Allyson "Alice" Darling | Edward Carmine Calvin Dearing | Joaquin Cobalt | Rick Thompson

[My (Incomplete) Art: Malcolm Darling, Mario Emmet and Jester]

THE SILVER CHRONICLES

Oscar Lapis | Father Adam Omar | Silva's Third Eye Elsa Omar | Paul Yellowjack | Silva Omar Azriel Omar | Nadi Sinclair | Kamski Neon Alexander Khaos | Gavin Turquoise | Mercy Omar-Seed | Ezekiel

[My (Incomplete) Art: Silva's Third Eye (or at least what its spiritual physically looks like if you're potent in the Third Eye... or a certain New God shitting bricks at the sight of this hungry symbiotic cretin)]

LIFE, DESPAIR & MONSTERS

Yan | Frederick Rosemary | The Unity Hatter | Icarus Galatos | Hatsukami Hinode | Xavier Tulip | Haoyu Anabuki Rico | Eden "Evie" Bloodleech | Sonya | Sir Enigma Malvolio | The Court King Denise Redwood | Lora | Cecil Royce | Corvus Targaryen

[Image Reference Credits: Vecna from Stranger Things, The Stupendium in "The Toybox", The Core from Amphibia, an edited Mad Hatter from Alice In Wonderland, Kraang One's Exosuit from Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie and artwork of that Jester King done by CristianAC on Steam]

A RADIOACTIVE CALAMITY OF LOVE, BOMBS & GORE + WINGS AND HORNS

Elrand Brandt the Vault Dweller | Aggravor the Accursed | Arcane Urias Xiang Ba'al | Vega the Resident | Marissa "Ress" Bishop Alph Dolen the Lone Wanderer | Ryder the Courier Six | Discord the Mad Kin of Carnage Ortega "Ore" Brantley | Archangel Metatron | Finidy Mona the Chosen One | Nate Gust Sarid the Sole Survivor

[Image Reference Credits: Vecna from Stranger Things, Annihilus from Marvel Comics, Kagetane Hiruko from Black Bullet, LorenzoArt's Caedis from Instagram, NCR Veteran Ranger from Fallout: New Vegas and art of Archangel Metatron that I found posted on Quora]

[Faceclaims (which might or might not change): The UnTitledverse: Beanie Feldstein for Lisa Cobalt, Scarlett Johanson for Madame Callaghan, Elizabeth Gilles for Lillian "Lena" Elliot, Sean McLoughlin for Greenpeace, Anya Taylor-Joy for Allyson "Alice" Darling, Benedict Cumberbatch for Edward Carmine, Laurence Fishburne for Calvin Dearing, Isiaiah Stannard for Joaquin Cobalt and Aaron Moten for Rick Thompson. The Silver Chronicles: Mario Casas for Oscar Lapis, Brad Garrett for Father Adam Omar, Juliana Alves for Elsa Omar, Gabriel Garko for Paul Yellowjack, Mina El Hammani for Deputy Silva Omar, Aria Goodson for Azriel Omar, Aïssa Maïga for Nadi Sinclair, Andre Royo for Kamski "the Good Doctor" Neon, Taron Egerton for Alexander Khaos, Matthew McConaughey for Gavin Turquoise, Emily Tosta for Mercy Omar-Seed and Álex González for Captain Ezekiel of Security. Life, Despair & Monsters: Daniel Padilla for Icarus Galatos, Hatsukami Hinode & Xavier Tulip, Hikaru Utada for Haoyu Anabuki, Wilmer Calderon for Rico, Nathalie Emmanuel for Eden "Evie" Bloodleech, Rami Malek for Sir Enigma Malvolio, Odette Annable for Denise Redwood, Karen Fukuhara for Lora, Mia Goth for Cecil Royce and Daniel Radcliffe for Corvus Targaryen. A Radioactive Calamity Of Love, Bombs & Gore: Jason Statham for Elrand Brandt the Vault Dweller, Yvonne Strahovski for Vega the Resident, Beyonce for Marissa "Ress" Bishop, Sam Blanckensee for Alph Dolen the Lone Wanderer, Halle Berry for Ryder the Courier Six, Jessica Alba for Finidy Mona the Chosen One and Steven He for Nate Gust Sarid the Sole Survivor.

[braceletofteeth]

Mork, if the memories make you suffer or make you cry, please forget about me.

[amischiefofmuses]

Still losing my mind a little over the fact that Wade is in the Original X-men animated (even if only for a moment) and that I probably saw at least this glimpse of him as a kid- Oh young me, you had no idea he would be very significant in your teen years and then TAKE OVER YOUR GODDAMN LIFE AGAIN as an adult.

[vetrenar]

Me, ready to explain how we still miss many key pieces of Knives's story puzzle and that while he's more fleshed out in Stampede than in 98' anime he still isn't as sympathetic as manga's Knives but it's all the part of creators' Grand Scheme and pretty sure is going to change cardinally in the future:

Me, realizing that for all this to be confirmed, I need the second season, and it's still far away:

[muninnhuginn]

putting the mob psycho cast in a severance au would legit be so fascinating

[khthepowerofmemories]

Sometimes I just need pure, painful angst to process existence. So, here's this:

Title: Just a Dream/Lovely (Companion pieces)(Lovely previously published)

Long after Akio's disappearance and Haru's diving through time to try to find him, both reach their inevitable ends.

Ship: Akio/Haru

Word count: 1263

(Just a Dream (Caleb Hyles and Annapantsu, originally by Nelly)

(Akio)

Akio looked out over Daybreak Town from the clock tower, watching the people go by and seeing the reflection of the clock’s pendulum. One of the rare, quiet times that Akio had beaten Superbia back. He knew it was only a matter of time before Superbia would take back over, but he’d gladly take a few moments to exist in his own body for once. He wouldn’t question it at all. Rather, use the time how he could.

A clock tower. A connection to time. Time that had been snatched out from Akio’s fingers–that much wasn’t anyone’s fault. Superbia made a mess of things as he left, but he hadn’t been the one to pull them back in time. That was fate itself. Sometimes, Akio wondered if he could manage to snatch those strings back and follow them home.

The strings were still there. Just torn and faded…

It wasn’t long before this world was to end–before this ‘Keyblade War’ would occur. Funny, really, that Superbia couldn’t bear to say goodbye to this world that they had made their home under Superbia’s hand. Ironic. That’s why Akio was here, in front. Because it was time to say goodbye to what Superbia loved.

And of course, Superbia had done what Akio had wanted. Left quietly. Left little mess behind.

Akio caught sight of his face in the reflection, one that he didn’t see often anymore. And for once, it belonged to him. Superbia couldn’t bear to see it, and so he never did. Akio, on the other hand…liked visiting the people he knew in his features.

But either way…he wondered how Haru and Tori ended up being? Were they…were they waiting for him? He hoped not.

He realized recently that he wasn’t going to make it home, no matter how hard he fought, how hard he tried. Superbia was right. From the position they were in, it was better to do what they could to make sure that their future came into being. Any thoughts of going home? Nothing more than a dream.

Yet still, wherever they went, Akio saw Haru’s face–would try to chase him down when he was in control, only to find nothing there. Hallucinations got worse and worse as time went on.

Akio had managed to mourn everyone else, everything else, but he couldn’t…he couldn’t let go of Haru. He knew that it was just a dream, but…he wanted to see him again. He still loved Haru with all his heart, wanted nothing more than to see him again, and knowing that he would have to start fresh because he would never meet him as he was now.

He wanted to see Haru again. Tell him about what had happened, why it did. Maybe, given a chance, Haru could help him fight Superbia back into control…but there wasn’t a chance.

Akio put his hand to his heart. If only he could head home…that would be worth everything to him.

“You had your chance to say goodbye?” Superbia’s voice took over.

It’s your world you’re saying goodbye to.

Superbia. “I’m afraid you misunderstand.”

Huh?

Akio felt their body shift and summon a Keyblade. They lifted it, pointed toward themself. 

What are you–

A familiar, searing pain shot through his heart, and Akio felt himself torn away. He watched in shock as his heart left that body. 

Wait!

“I’m sorry, Akio. You can’t handle it. Now you’re free.”

No, wait!

Wait–

He knew he wasn’t heard as he slowly felt himself losing consciousness, weak. 

“I can’t survive this,” he said to himself. “Not again…”

Seeing them again…really was only just a dream, huh?

Maybe someday, somehow, he would make things right. When, or how, he didn’t know. But he hoped…

He hoped that somehow, as his heart fell to an endless sleep…

He would dream of home.

"Well, I hope someday I'll make it out of here, even if it takes all night or a hundred years." -Lovely, Lauren Babic and Seraphim

(Haru)

Haru looked up at the strange city around him. Huge. Sprawling. Very different than his own world, but still rather quaint. There was a quietness to this place, the buildings built in a very unique style. He'd been here for a while now.

Now that he was here...the method of time travel that Yen Sid told him of no longer functioned. Laughable, really—he had been warned not to use it in a certain way, and yet he had. But how could he not. He’d gotten so close he could almost reach Akio, if he could just reach out to his heart and grab his hand—

But he’d jumped through his own memories to reach him one time too many, it seemed—and an eternity here in Quadratum seemed to be what awaited him. He had seen others from the other worlds, but it seemed they could never continue forward. Perhaps, even, they might not be able to die.

But, Haru wasn’t going to give up that easily. No. He had come so close to finding him, so close—entering his own memories to try to reach his heart, if only it would stay still for long enough—

He had to find Akio and bring him home. There was…that was the only choice. He…

He couldn’t bear to keep living without him. It had been so long now. His heart ached at even the thought of his name, but…

He had gone through time, looking for traced of “The Master of Masters”, to no avail. It seemed that even with that moniker rather than a name, Akio was still cautious, still good at hiding.

But now that Haru was here in Quadratum, he could not move through the flow of time, or to other worlds. None of his powers worked. The only thing he had going for him was his Keyblade, but there was nothing that needed fought. It was…

He felt so useless. He put a hand to his heart. He hoped that one day, he’d make it out of here. Even if it took a hundred years—no, a thousand, even, if he lived that long. But…

He shook his head. Such a silly thought to have. He knew he wouldn’t leave this place. It was over.

He had not found Akio. It was too late. He had done too much, reached too far. Made one mistake too many. And so, here he was.

There was no way out of here. Death was the only way. Because maybe…

Maybe if he were someone else, there would be another chance. Right? Maybe, if he was someone else…

That person could find him. Somehow. Even if they didn’t know—

No. But…his death was coming regardless. It seemed he did not have the same immortality of the other people here, and he had been wounded on the way here. His heart had not recovered from the broken Keyblade, and physically…he was failing.

He hadn’t found Akio. The end…

It hurt to know that he had failed. Failed himself, failed Tori, failed Akio.

But…they didn’t have the technology here to properly find all the damage to his body, let alone repair it. They told him he would die. Told him they could make him comfortable. He told them he’d rather die on the streets alone to in a hospital. So…that’s what he would do. That’s where he had gone.

Quadratum. Perhaps it would have been a nice place to live, but…it was a terrible place to die.

[single-malt-scotch]

i am saying this purely for meta discussion and not as a negative criticism to the series and its admins but i think fans may need to consider that some of what the life series post-SL has tried to come off as "random" and undetermined is not random and is actually targeted/assigned to players at times. i know there is no solid confirmation on this happening (as in i dont think any admins has strictly said it) but after seeing some of SL having strangely targeted tasks, then the WL quiz bot having oddly fitting questions (and the way the bots worked, they did have to be "assigned" clearly to players so they couldnt be stolen), and now very obvious super powers that are practically made for certain people-- yes i think i can go with the assumption that many parts of these newer gimmicks are targeted at certain players and are not random at all.

whether or not this is a good thing is up for debate, and i do not at all think theres something wrong with it in the sense of, us as viewers not knowing for sure if theyre determined or random. but i think it really defines a shift in the series. especially if we look back to moments like the quiz, where references and questions were made by fans (yes, fans, as much as the artists were commissioned/requested to work by grian directly they are fans) brought into question fan influence on the series itself going forward and so...

i already talked abt the flow of the smp series changing but, knowing this it does add on to the feeling that the series really is more about the gimmicks rather than the natural core survival elements, for entertainment. because we are at the point where gimmicks arent *about dying* or the vanilla survival mechanics, theyre just additions of Something going on that some times has no effect on dying anyways. its about the reactions to the gimmick and whether or not the fans like the gimmick. and, i can easily see how that would start to take away some of the actual randomness and instead assign things like the super powers, as theyd be catered to the players more in in turn more likely please fans because it fits.

i already personally disliked how some of SL's tasks were due to this (tho i had issues that were less abt how they were assigned), but on the other hand today's wildcard imo was well crafted and fun, and did not actually cause blatant issues compared to previous ones like the snail. still, knowing how 'fitting' the powers were for some, made it feel like an entirely separate series crafted specifically for the fandom fun of powers that fit our fave guys and not at all something related to the Life series as it has been.

[lith-myathar]

.

[3-aem]

Everyone in fandom constantly fighting over ships and stuff but yall haven't known true suffering until you go over the m/f side of a half dead to fully dried out fandom and are stuck drinking the dust coming out of a rusty 89 year old faucet.

[llycaons]

yeah wq and wn are both good choices (tho not perfect for different reasons - wq did end up giving in and sacrificing herself, in the end :( and I don't think wn would have the mental fortitude) but ultimately I've gotta go with lan wangji, reigning champion of self-repression for the 20th year running