#she was a warrior who chose peace

[impossibleprincess35]

All of this.

My grandmother told me, a long, long time ago, when I was just a wee bairn, that all too often, people argue - not because they disagree on the end goal - but because they disagree on how to get there.

I just do not believe the conflict between Obi Wan and Satine is actually about who is objectively wrong and who is objectively right. What it's about is that they are ultimately, fundamentally, on the same side. To get lost in their argument is to see the trees not the forest. Their arguments are amplified by their feelings, because they were in love. That's about being romantic foils. But they are also ideological foils, and that's what gets people sometimes. They want someone to be correct. I don't see it.

They're on the same side. They are mirrors, taking different paths. Navigating a dangerous terrain, they chose their methods. Neither is rewarded. Neither is punished. The result is the same for the both of them.

It's not about winning the argument. They're on the same side. They help each other.

[writeriguess]

Hi dear! Can I request a Barbarian!Katsuki x Dancer!Reader. Katsuki is from a fierce, barbarian tribe and Reader is from a smaller tribe, better known for their exquisite dancing rituals and healing techniques. He stumbles upon her by chance while she practices her mating dance in the woods and he decides it's fate. They get to know each other and fall in love. His tribe is a bit surprised that he chose a small and un-warrior like bride, but they go along with it and they have a grand wedding. Thank you!

The Savage’s Dance

The rustling of leaves whispered through the dense, moonlit forest. Fireflies flickered between the towering trees, their golden glow barely illuminating the path Katsuki Bakugou had taken. He had wandered far from his tribe’s encampment, his senses heightened as he scouted for threats—or perhaps, for something more. The battle-hardened warrior had never been one for aimless walks, but tonight, instinct had pulled him into the woods.

Then, he heard it.

A soft, rhythmic pounding against the earth. The sound of bare feet moving in a mesmerizing, deliberate pattern. It was accompanied by the delicate jingle of beads and the faintest rustling of fabric against skin. Katsuki narrowed his crimson eyes and stepped closer, his movements as silent as a stalking predator.

There, in the heart of a moonlit clearing, a woman danced.

Her body twisted and arched, her arms lifting toward the sky before sweeping down in a graceful arc. The dim light of the fireflies caught the smooth curves of her form, highlighting the sheen of sweat that clung to her glowing skin. Her hips rolled in hypnotic waves, and the bells at her ankles chimed in time with her movements. Katsuki’s breath hitched.

She was beautiful.

But this was no ordinary dance. Even someone as unversed in such things as he could tell—it was a ritual, something sacred. A mating dance.

His fingers clenched around the hilt of his blade as heat surged through his veins. His people had their own ways of claiming mates, but this? This was something entirely different. Something… enchanting.

The dancer twirled, her long hair fanning out before she suddenly froze. Her dark eyes locked onto his, widening in surprise. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath, her exposed skin glowing in the dim light.

“You…” she breathed, taking an uncertain step back.

Katsuki smirked, stepping into the clearing. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

She studied him, her gaze flickering over the sheer size of him—the powerful muscles, the numerous scars, the heavy furs draped over his shoulders. He looked every bit the warrior he was, the kind of man who had seen more battles than peaceful moments.

“You’re from the Skullcrushers,” she finally murmured, her voice laced with wariness.

His smirk widened. “Damn right.”

The Skullcrushers were a fearsome tribe, known for their strength in battle, their untamed warriors, and their brutal ways. But her people—the Moonveil tribe—were different. They didn’t war. They didn’t conquer. They healed. They danced.

And yet, here she was, standing before a barbarian, caught mid-dance.

Katsuki tilted his head. “What was that?”

She hesitated before answering. “A ritual. A mating dance.”

A slow, pleased chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Hah. So I was right.”

The heat in her cheeks deepened. “It wasn’t meant for you.”

He crossed his arms, clearly amused. “Too late for that, sweetheart.”

She gaped at him. “You��”

“—Looks like I showed up at just the right time,” he interrupted, his gaze darkening. “Maybe it’s fate.”

Her heart pounded against her ribs. This man—this dangerous, untamed force of nature—was looking at her as if she belonged to him. As if the dance had been meant for him all along.

And, gods help her, she wasn’t sure she wanted to argue.

The next few weeks were unexpected.

Katsuki kept coming back.

Every night, he found her. Sometimes, she was dancing. Other times, she was gathering herbs or tending to the wounded. And each time, he would sit nearby, watching her with a gaze so intense it made her skin burn.

She tried to ignore him at first. Tried to pretend that the massive warrior wasn’t standing at the edge of her world, waiting for her to acknowledge him. But it was impossible. His presence was too much.

One night, she finally snapped. “Why are you here?”

He didn’t hesitate. “I want you.”

She nearly dropped the bowl of healing salve in her hands. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he said, stepping closer. “That dance—your dance—I’m claimin’ it.”

She scoffed, trying to push past him. “That’s not how this works.”

Katsuki grabbed her wrist, gently but firmly. “Then tell me how it works.”

Her breath caught. His grip was warm, solid, but not forceful. Not cruel. His crimson eyes burned into hers, full of want.

“I’m not a warrior,” she whispered.

“Don’t care.”

“I’m not strong.”

His lips twitched. “Bullshit. You’ve got a different kind of strength.”

Her chest tightened. “Your people—”

“They’ll deal with it,” he cut in. “They’ll respect it.”

She hesitated. “And if they don’t?”

Katsuki smirked, his hand tightening around hers. “Then I’ll make ‘em.”

The Skullcrushers were surprised.

Katsuki had never spoken of taking a mate before, let alone one from a peaceful tribe. They expected him to choose a warrior—a battle-hardened woman with bloodstained hands. But instead, he brought home a dancer.

They whispered. They stared.

But none of them dared question him.

Not when he stood beside her, his expression daring anyone to speak against it.

Not when she looked at him with something softer than any of them had ever seen in their ruthless leader.

And when the wedding came—a grand celebration with both their tribes joining together, their traditions merging in a way no one had ever expected—the doubts faded.

Because when she danced for him that night, under the watchful eyes of both their people, there was no question.

She had been meant for him all along.

[byunpum]

Safe heaven

Pair: Neteyam x Human!reader (sully family, others na'vi)

Warning: Neytiri being a bit(a lot) controlling, forced pairing, cozy moments, comfort moments, All characters are adults.

Note: I had this draft half done, and decided to finish it today. Let's see what you think, I left it open ended. If it's received good feedback I'll continue…it's a short story. But how did you find it so far?

AVATAR MASTERLIST | Ko-fi

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4[final]

Returning to the Omaticaya clan, where Neytiri was born, grew up and raised her children, was the best thing she could have done. After the confrontation with the RDA, things seemed to calm down. After a year of living in the Metkayina clan, the Sullys returned to their clan in the jungle. They were accepted immediately and things seemed to be running smoothly. But lately something was making neytiri anxious, and it was the future of her children. Tuk and kiri were still very young, they were just starting to live, lo'ak was still in training, he was not far away from becoming a man. But neteyam was already a man, he was at the perfect age to find a mate and make a family of his own. And neytiri was going to handle this. She wanted neteyam to make a good choice, neteyam was next in line to be Olo'eyktan. As the son of toruk makto, that was a position he had to take, and he had to have a good partner by his side. The mate neteyam chose also chose the position he wanted to belong to, and neytiri wanted him to have the best place in this clan.

Neytiri was given the task of introducing them to the best women in the clan, and with the best references. Many girls were after neteyam and she knew it…she had heard how the girls talked about how amazing and handsome her son was, but neytiri had to find the girl she found perfect. But whenever she introduced a new girl to neteyam he would just say hello…talk to her for a few minutes and that was it. He showed no interest in them, it was as if another ordinary clan member was talking to him. But this did not stop neytiri, that was until she met Lekka. She was a majestic na'vi, she was very beautiful. Not to mention how skilled she was at hunting, a true warrior. Neytiri thought that this girl would be the perfect match for her eldest son, besides the girl had told him that she was very attracted to neteyam and that she was interested in him. So neytiri took this sign as a good opportunity to introduce them both to each other.

Today was a hunting party, neteyam with the Na'vi hunting party had a good day. The hunt had been a success, and they were having a small celebration in the clan, just outside the hallelujah caves. A nice hidden place and perfect for carrying on the omaticaya traditions. The whole clan was there, including some humans. Of course, the Omaticaya clan already had to coexist with the good humans, who had helped them fight this battle between species. The laughter, the dancing filled the atmosphere with peacefulness…neteyam was with his group of friends, moving away for a moment to get a drink. It wasn't until he bumped into his mother. -"Neteyam I glad you're here," said neytiri, next to her was this girl, lekka. Neteyam had to admit she was very pretty. But… he wasn't impressed. -"Hi mom…" neteyam speaks nervously, he already knew where his mother was coming from. It wasn't the first time she introduced him to a na'vi girl. Neytiri laughs a little, taking the girl's arm to bring her closer to Neteyam. - "May I introduce you to lekka, she is the daughter of telup" speaks neytiri. Neteyam makes the 'I see you' sign waving to the girl.

Neteyam could see how nervous the woman was, she was shaking a little bit. And she was looking down, he felt a little sorry for these girls. Her mother always put them in this embarrassing situation. -"Nice to meet you… it's a pleasure. My name is neteyam" neteyam speaks. -"Yes… I've heard a lot about you," says Lekka with a trembling voice. Neytiri apologizes to the couple of guys, telling them that she was going to go get more food, but it was a pretend to leave them alone. According to her everything was going as she had planned. Neytiri proudly approaches the group that was waiting for her and watching from afar. Mo'at, Tsu'tey, Jake were looking at her walking towards them, with a big smile on her face. Neytiri approaches and sits down next to Jake. -"And what do you do now?" asks Mo'at, the woman didn't have to look at her daughter to know that she had done something. -"Me? nothing…the essentials," says neytiri, she is proud of her work, she has just introduced an amazing girl to her son.

"You know that's not going to work, right?" says mo'at. Listening as neytiri chokes a little on her drink. "Mother what are you talking about, of course I do" says neytiri, looking to jake for support. But he just shifts his gaze, trying not to be included in the conversation. On the other hand tsu'tey looks curiously at the two women. "You're trying to get neteyam together with that girl…you can tell he doesn't like her. Besides…this trying to get together never works, look at you," says mo'at. Now it was jake's turn to choke, but from laughter. He knew mo'at was referring to how he and neytiri met. Meanwhile tsu'tey made a groan of annoyance and leaned back on the log behind him. - "I witnessed that, and I agree with mo'at" complains tsu'tey watching as jake continues to laugh.

"Hey…but this is different. Neteyam is different, I know what I'm doing" says neytiri, sitting up more in her seat. She was getting upset, no one in her family understood her. But she wanted neteyam to make the right choice and take her rightful place again. "Love…I know why you're doing this, but it's not necessary. Neteyam will eventually find a girl he likes, you should leave him alone" jake says, but he can see how neytiri is looking at him with a pout. Grimacing for him to keep quiet, jake just laughs a little and keeps drinking. he knew neytiri was stubborn and didn't care what anyone else thought, she was going to do it. Jake watches as neteyam is talking to the girl. You could see how uncomfortable he was, fidgeting a little. His tail was curled up at his heels and he glanced at the group of friends from time to time. - "He looks very nervous," says tsu'tey, he was also looking at the boy. - "Why is he…neytiri" speaks mo'at, looking at his daughter. Neytiri rolls her eyes, and now looks at her son. She clearly noticed how uncomfortable the boy was, but she supposed it was normal. He had never talked to that girl before, he might be nervous because of how cute she was. -"They look good together," says Neytiri. - "Yes they look good…but he doesn't look good" jake grimaces, the interaction his oldest son was now having with that girl was horrible.

"Mo'at?" y/n taps the woman's shoulder, getting her attention. - "Oh, what's wrong?" says mo'at, turning to look at you. All the group's attention was now on you. -"I'm going to go rest, I've finished doing the chores you told me to do," you say, laughing a little.

You had been one of the human children born here in Pandora, just like Spider. And it was normal for you to have interacted with the na'vi from an early age… but while spider preferred to be playing with the sully children, you preferred to go look for fun elsewhere. And that's where you met mo'at, the woman noticed how every day you would go to her hut and watch her in awe as she worked. Or when she was doing her daily chores, you always followed her. She never complained about you, you were quiet and calm, so your presence pleased her. One day mo'at invited you to approach her, and that's when you started asking questions. Which surprised mo'at, you were a very intelligent child, for such a young age. Something told mo'at that she had to help you, and accept you. So she dedicated herself to become your guardian…she would teach you, take care of you and make you join the clan. She would never be your mother, but she would care for you like one.

"Oh thanks, I'll look at the results later" says mo'at, stroking your hand a little. -"Hey, why don't you stay a bit to celebrate… kiri is over there," says jake, waiting for you to accept. You had grown up with his children, you were practically a daughter to him. For some reason, neytiri had no problem with you when you were around his children, she thought you were good. But only that. -"mmm no thanks, I want to go rest" you apologize, and say goodbye to everyone. Starting your way to the lab. -" She has helped you a lot, hasn't she?" speaks tsu'tey, looking at mo'at. The woman was still looking at you from afar, with a proud look. - "You know…she has a great future. She's smart and a quick learner," mo'at says. -And not only in the medical field…in technology she is amazing, you have to see how she helps norm, she is very smart" says jake. Everyone is silent for a moment. -"Besides…she's a very sweet girl, she's good" says mo'at while he continues eating. Neytiri doesn't say anything, she just listens curiously and then turns all her attention to her son neteyam. When she looked, she saw that the boy was no longer there. Instead there was a lekka alone, waiting for the boy to return. Neytiri stood up quickly, approaching the girl. "Where is neteyam?" asked Neytiri, looking around to see if she could find her son. -"I don't know…he said he was going to look for something, and he hasn't come back," says Lekka. Neytiri was going crazy, she didn't know what she was going to do with that boy.

After talking to mo'at, you decided to go to your favorite place. You knew you had told mo'at you were going to rest, but you didn't dare tell her where you were really going to go or do. Walking secretly, as you went deeper into the jungle, you thanked Pandora's nature for being so bright. It was a spectacle for your eyes, walking faster to get to your secret place. Not far away, about 20 minutes walk, there was a crashed plane. You were sure that it was from the first war that the RDA had with the clan, because it was very deteriorated, and the first time you had found it you had to clean some skeletons that were still inside. After a while this had become your secret place. You reached the entrance of the plane, opening it carefully… pushing open a door you had made out of metal. Entering and pointing at it as you closed the door. Approaching a machine you had created not long ago, stretching the rope so that it would turn on and start doing its job, oxygenating the area. This machine allowed the air around it to be clean and safe for you to breathe, at least 10 feet away. The plane had some closed areas, so that the good oxygen didn't get out, but still the pandora's air came in. But still, it was safe for you.

This was the best thing you did…invent. As Norm used to say, you were a little box of surprises, always inventing things and improving others. Since you were little you had been like that, your head was full of ideas and this hideout was the representation of that. Although it didn't have the best structure and your goal was to sign it completely, you were still working on it. Taking off your oxygen mask, placing it on the wall. To start getting more comfortable, he had to be here before long. Or so you thought, looking out the broken window a little. Not getting too close, without leaving your safe zone. You see that no one is around. You sit down near a small table you had down at night, starting to work on the new oxygen mask prototype you were making. You were so busy, you didn't hear the first knocking on the front door. Knock, knock, knock… the knocking got louder and you panicked. Keeping silent, and turning off the lights you had on.

Carefully approaching the door, to see who it was. -"Hey…baby it's me" you hear his voice, and smile a little relieved that it was him. You turn on all the lights and open the door quickly, meeting the boy. Neteyam was at the entrance, looking around, making sure no one was watching him. -"Hey get in quick…the air is getting thinner," you say, taking his hand and pushing him into the plane. Neteyam laughs as he enters carefully, lowering his head as he passes through the door. As soon as he enters, he can feel you wrap your arms around his neck, trapping him in a soft kiss. Giggling against your lips, as he holds you around the waist. Sitting carelessly on the floor. - "Y/N…love" neteyam was laughing, as you pull away caressing his face. Arranging his hair, looking at him carefully, studying his mood. He looked somewhat exhausted and overwhelmed…something seemed to be bothering him. -Are you upset?" you ask, watching as Neteyam lays his head on your chest.

He was sitting on the floor and you were standing between his legs. This allowed a perfect height for him to lie on top of you. -"I am… but it's not you," says Neteyam, as you hug his head closer to your chest. - "Well…anytime you want to talk about it, I'm here," you say. He closes his eyes for a moment, then pulls away from you. "hey, take this," neteyam pulls out of his small pouch, a piece of food that he had wrapped in a leaf. -I saw that you left quickly…you haven't eaten anything," says Neteyam, watching as you take the piece of food and walk away from him, sitting down right in front of him. "Mmmm yeah…I was going to eat with you, but…you looked busy" you open the leaf, but neteyam could see your raised eyebrows. -"Oh, that…this is lekka…you know how my mom is about introducing me to girls" says neteyam, taking your foot in his hands to start massaging it. He didn't want you to bother with him, he wasn't to blame.

"mmm she's very beautiful, I've heard how good she is" you speak, taking a bite of the meat. Now looking up to see neteyam, he was looking at you with a soft smile on his lips. His little eyes are sparkling, as if he is looking at the most beautiful thing in this universe. -"But she's not as beautiful as you…you know that," says neteyam, watching you grimace. Trying not to laugh or choke. Neteyam reaches out his hand, to wipe some sauce from your lips. - "I'm serious… you are so beautiful in my eyes" says the boy, leaving you speechless. He always left you speechless.

You two had grown up together, although you preferred to be with mo'at. You also went to play with spider and the sully boys. Even when you were growing up you preferred to be with neteyam, nothing ever happened. You were just good friends, it wasn't until neteyam had to leave the clan that you noticed that your feelings for him were much greater. Just like neteyam, you promised each other that you would see each other again. And so he kept it, when he returned to the clan the first person neteyam went to look for was you. From then on you had not separated, starting this relationship on the quiet. You used to meet here on the plane, and only here you could be together. Outside you were just good friends…but here is your secret hiding place, you were yourselves. This situation was time consuming, and sometimes it could be exhausting for the two of you.

After eating, and making jokes about hunting neteyam. You both decided to lie down and talk for a while. Neteyam was leaning back in a rather large chair in the plane. While you were lying between his legs, with your back against his chest. Netayam was holding your hand, playing with your fingers, looking at how strange and beautiful they were at the same time. - "Hey…did you notice that now the walls of the plane are sitting more" you speak, listening as Netayam answers you with a 'hmm'. - "I won't close all the windows though, so you can still get your air in and be comfortable in here" you speak. - "you're great baby… I don't know how you have all these ideas" says neteyam, kissing your hair. "I don't know, it's just natural" you laugh, feeling Neteyam wrap his arms around your torso. To pull you closer to him, kissing your shoulder. Lately you had been wearing the na'vi outfit that kiri had given you, and neteyam loved it. He could feel you better this way, without the horrible human clothes you used to wear.

"Baby… how about if you stay to sleep with me here…today?" asks neteyam, you can feel how his tail gives you some taps on your feet. He felt nervous about your answer, it wasn't the first time neteyam proposed this to you, but you always denied it. Saying that norm was waiting for you in the lab. It was partly true, but not that much. -"Mmm I'm not sure" you start to speak, but neteyam interrupts you. -"It would only be today… I don't want to leave you" neteyam hugs you more tightly. Norm wasn't necessarily expecting you, but you knew he was going to ask a lot of questions the next day. Just like neteyam, he knew what he was expecting and even more so coming from his mother. But he didn't really care, he wanted to rest with you, to spend more time with you.

You think about it for a moment… it would be fine if you stayed here. This place was perfectly equipped, besides… you also wanted to stay with him like this. - "Well… it's okay. But we have to get up early, ok" you look up, seeing how neteyam was giving you a big smile. In one swift movement neteyam, grabs you by the waist and lifts you up to get on top of you. You were all giggles, feeling him start to kiss your neck, and chest. "I'm at your service sweetheart" neteyam says excitedly, lying on top of you letting his head rest on your breasts. Breathing deeply of your scent, wrapping his arms all over your body. Sometimes he could forget that he was almost twice your size, and that lately he had grown muscularly. -"You're crushing me," you tease, feeling him release you. -"I'm sorry" he laughs, kissing your lips one last time before settling back. You were his safe haven in this world.

In the hut…

"Hey, have you seen neteyam?" neytiri asks jake. They had gone to sleep very late, noticing that they had never seen neteyam return. Neteyam was still with them in the family hut, although he could go and do whatever he wanted. Noticing that all the kids had arrived but him. "No, maybe he went off to do something else, or he's with someone else," said Jake, not really paying attention to what he said, he was too busy sharpening his knives. But this made neytiri even more curious and she started to think. Maybe neteyame saw lekka again, and she told neytiri that she hadn't seen him so she wouldn't be embarrassed. Or was neteyam with another girl? Or he was getting tired. Neytiri didn't want to look like a stalker mother, but she had to know what was going on in her eldest son's head.

P.S What do you think of this story? I would like to know what you think. <3

[xiibiibby]

Vampire: Prodigy — Romance Options ❤️

Little update post!

So, as I've said, I don't want to spoil too much about the romance options in the game before the demo, but I'll give you a little peek at 'em in the meantime!

🩸 Lucan — The Untamed

Lucan is a fighter, a liar, and a walking disaster wrapped in cool leather, muscle, and bad decisions. He has no love for vampire hierarchy, but he plays along when it benefits him. As long as the ones on top keep paying him to knock heads and giving him a cushy place to stay, he won’t complain. Unlike most of the elite, Lucan never pretended vampires were noble creatures. He sees them exactly for what they are—bloodthirsty predators hiding behind their wealth and politics. Their games never interested him, only the fights that came out of them.

🩸 Marcella— The Rebel Aristocrat

Marcella was once part of the system, a high-ranking noble from one of the last great vampire houses, seated among the elite of the Vampire Council. She thrived in that world—power, luxury, and the safety of well-maintained order. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. She had control, influence, and the respect of her peers. And then, everything fell apart.

🩸 Aldric — The Bloodsworn Knight

Aldric is a warrior first, a strategist second, and a man last. Bound by duty and unshakable loyalty to the Council and his Court, he upholds order, discipline, and strength above all else. Unlike the aristocrats who scheme behind velvet curtains or the rebels who cry for revolution, he sees the bigger picture—the fragility of vampire society, the cracks forming beneath them, and the enemies gathering beyond their borders. If vampirekind is to survive, they must be stronger, stricter, unbreakable—and Aldric will see to it that they don't crumble under their own arrogance.

🩸 Vanya— The Healer

Vanya is a medic, a scientist, and a woman desperately searching for a cure in a world that refuses to believe one exists. She was never meant to be a soldier. She wasn't raised to wield a weapon, nor was she trained to hate. But war doesn't care about her intentions, and she's seen too much blood to turn away now. Born into the Lazarus Order, Vanya was expected to follow in the footsteps of the hunters before her—to fight, to kill, to purge the disease of vampirism from the world. But where others saw monsters, she saw a sickness. A condition. Something that could be studied, understood, maybe even cured. This belief has made her an outlier, a heretic within the Order. While the rest of the Lazarus Order seeks extermination, she pursues a solution. She hunts not for sport, not for vengeance, but to gather data, to test her theories, and to prove that there is another way.

🩸 Hadrian— The Skeptic

Hadrian’s hatred for vampires isn't philosophical, not political—it is deeply personal, carved into his body and burned into his mind. As a child, his family was slaughtered by vampires, their home reduced to a nest of gore and torment. He was left alive—not as an act of mercy, but as a plaything. They toyed with him, tormented him, and fed from him for days. By the time the Lazarus Order found him, he was malnourished, broken, and barely clinging to life. But there was something still burning inside him—rage, hatred, and the will to never let himself be powerless again. They gave him a choice: become a hunter, or let the past consume him. He chose the hunt. Hadrian doesn't believe in peace between humanity and vampires. He's seen too much, suffered too much to accept the idea that these creatures—leeches who live only to feed on others—could ever be anything but an enemy. Treaties are meaningless. Alliances are temporary conveniences. The only way to ensure humanity’s survival is to eradicate the threat entirely.

🩸 Corvin— The Half-blood

Corvin is a man caught between two worlds, yet belonging to neither. His mother, a human woman, gave birth to something that should never have existed—a child with vampiric hunger but a beating heart. His father, whoever he was, left nothing but a legacy of rejection. From the moment he could understand the world, Corvin knew he was an outsider. Humans saw the hunger in his eyes and feared him. Vampires saw his diluted blood, his mortality, his limitations, and despised him. There was no middle ground—no place that would take him in as one of their own. So when the Lazarus Order gave him a choice, he took it. They didn’t accept him, not truly, but they could use him, and that was enough. Better to be a weapon than a mistake. If he could prove himself—if he could hunt vampires better than anyone else—then maybe, just maybe, he’d carve out a place for himself.

🩸 Seraphiel— The Last Bloodbearer

Seraphiel is a remnant of an age long forgotten, a being who's watched civilizations rise and crumble into dust. Older than most can comprehend, they're one of the last carriers of the divine blood—the sacred essence that birthed the first vampires. For centuries, they remained in self-imposed exile, watching from the shadows as vampire society decayed into arrogance, betrayal, and inevitable ruin. They had no desire to meddle, no reason to intervene—until now.

And there you have it~!

I've only shared little snippets of their bios since I don't wanna spoil too much about them. But if you have any questions pertaining to any of 'em, feel free to ask! I'll answer so long as it doesn't spoil anything major.

Thanks for reading <3 I'll have more to share regarding the project soon!

The wonderful character art was drawn by dariakonnova!

[whitejays-galaxy]

Designing the entire disaster lineage as cats🐱(Reupload)

I accidentally made some design errors, so I had to redo them... To make up for my mistake, there's a small surprise in the end ^^

The disaster lineage:

This is their actual size chart

My favorite trio:

Dooky and Quiggs becuz they deserve more love:

Ref sheets:

Horizonstar/step(Yoda): 

Name Meaning:

"Horizon" carried the meaning of him being the leader of his clan, a beacon of light in the distance, "Step" meant he was always one step ahead of his clanmates, thus using his knowledge and power to help his cats.

Frostshard(Dooku): 

Name Meaning:

I chose "Frost" because of his cold, collected, haughty demeanor, and "Shard", his presence being able to hurt others, like when you touch a broken shard of glass. It also represents his sharpness.

Sagepelt(Qui-Gon-Jinn):

Name Meaning:

"Sage" symbolizes his wisdom of the living Force, spiritual sanctity, vice, and virtue, which some knights thought he was delusional, while others respected his high moral standards.

If you look at a sage plant, the leaves are fuzzy, and they often grow in large swishing bushels, hence the suffix "Pelt"

Hazeldusk(Obi-Wan-Kenobi):

Pls ignore his traumatized face

Anyway

Name Meaning:

I chose "Hazel" because of his pelt color and warm/comforting personality. "Dusk" has a deeper meaning; Hazel trains Skyfire, who turns to the dark side and brings Dawnclan's legacy to an end; therefore, Hazel teaches the one who brought the "Dusk" of Dawnclan's era.

Skyfire(Anakin Skywalker): 

Name Meaning:

I chose "Sky" because of his godlike abilities, for in many countries and religions, the sky was where the gods lived, "Fire" because of him being ferocious yet warm/loving like a small bit of flame in a hearth. It also foreshadows how he would fall, consumed into flames.

Tawnyrain(Ahsoka-Tano):

Name Meaning:

I chose "Tawny" because of her pelt color, and "Rain", symbolizes her abandoning the teachings of Dawnclan when she goes into exile, like the rain washing over dust and grime, the corruption of Dawnclan ways, coated over her innocence and pure heart. 

Long yap incoming...

<Lore>

<Dawnclan/ The Jedi Order>

Dawnclan was created over a thousand years ago by four Force-sensitive cats: Sunspirit(Cala Brin), Tigerblaze(Rajivari), Valorsoul(Garon Jard), and Eclipseshadow(Ters Sendon). 

"True justice cannot be driven by emotion. We knights can set our passions aside, and seek the truth without fear or favor." - Sunspirit

"When Dawnclan's order began, I saw we must be dedicated to peace. To calm our emotions, and end war across the galaxy. If we fought, it should only be in self-defense. That is the founding principle of civilization." - Valorsoul

"So much is fleeting. But I remain. And I remain the cat I was." - Tigerblaze

"I am Eclipseshadow, keeper of the histories. A founder, and chronicler, of Dawnclan." - Eclipseshadow

<About Dawnclan>

-They walk the dreams of their ancestors in Starclan, a clan created by the light side of the Force.

-A Force-Sensitive kit is taken to the temple at a very young age, training in the basic forms of dueling.

-Padawans(apprentices) train for approximately two years with their assigned Master, the names usually ending with a 'Paw'(a universal suffix meaning apprentice or student)

-Knights must at least have trained an apprentice before they can be selected for the Dawnclan Council, a group of the most talented cats.

-A Dawnclan knight is forbidden to take a mate or have kits.

<The Dawnclan Code>

There is no Emotion, there is Peace

There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge

There is no Passion, there is Serenity

There is no Chaos, there is Harmony

There is no Death, there is the Force

<Darkhaven/ The Sith Order>

It is hard to know the birth of Darkhaven, yet one thing is for sure, evil has lurked since no beginning nor end.

The official name of these dark warriors was created by Hellfire, a soulless she-cat whom many say was the embodiment of evil itself.

The Fate Wars, the first great war in the Galaxy, led to the victory of the knights of Dawnclan, who built their main camp on the ruins of Darkhaven.

After the events of the Fate Wars, two more happened during the history of the Galaxy: 

The first was the Cold War: in which former Darkhavener Corvidheart(Darth Revan) challenged the Emperor Vortexvoid(Emperor Vitalle) to reclaim balance on both sides.

The second was the Grey Wars: Darkhaven leader Stormcutter(Darth Malgus) brought the Dawnclan order to its knees and took over for a long time. This caused a rebellion act against the Darkhaven Empire by normal citizens, and as a result, the Republic was born - an invisible group that consisted of various clans and tribes to discuss peace and to help each other in crisis.

Many years passed after the Grey Wars, and one by one, the warriors of Darkhaven were hunted down by the knights of Dawnclan.

Nightshade(Darth Bane), the last known leader of Darkhaven, and the maker of the Rule of Two, swore revenge. They will always lurk in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. 

Her apprentice Plagueshadow(Darth Plagueis) continued her work in silence, training the dreaded Lightningstrike(Darth Sidious), who would create the most feared and powerful Darkhavener of all time: Lord Deadsoul(Darth Vader)

<About Darkhaveners>

When a Dawnclan knight falls to the Dark side, their features grow haughty and sharp because of the Dark Forest water.

Only Darkhaveners have orange eyes.

They usually have red crystals on their foreheads but in rare circumstances, purple or black could be seen also.

They communicate with the Dark Forest, an everlasting place of the Dark side of the Force, with murky water and wizened trees.

They have the Rule of Two, only allowing a Master and an Apprentice to live.

<The Darkhaven Code>

Peace is a lie, there is only Passion

Through Passion, I gain Strength

Through Strength, I gain Power

Through Power, I gain Victory

Through Victory, My Chains Are Broken

The Force shall set me Free

About Kyberclaws:

They glow red hot at the tip when unsheathed at battle mode. But they can't use them for long, or the heat would kill them(Yoda/Horizonstar has a record of using them for a full thirty minutes)

They are functioned by the Kyber Crystals on their foreheads and could cut through anything except Beskar Wood( a tree known for its silvery wood and toughness, used by the Mandalorian cats)

A Dawnclan cat develops this ability once they are 6 moons old, as their bodies mature enough to withstand the claw tip's deadly heat.

About crystals on foreheads:

The Crystals are the main source of the Kyberclaw's power, and when forcefully taken, it would cripple the owner for eternity(like a bird without wings)

When a Dawnclan cat dies, the Crystals turn a dead-looking grey, devoid of all power.

About Droids in the Au:

They are animals that are neither living nor dead(such as rats, foxes, shrews, badgers...etc)

Their commander controls them with the Smoke Crystals(used like comlinks)

About Starships in the Au: 

They are huge birds of prey tamed by the cats.

Alright... the surprise... I'm actually astonished you scrolled all the way down here.

Cuddle Pile!!!

This is one of my oldest Aus that I'm working on; it's a mix of my two favorite fandoms: StarWars and Warriors(cats)

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this👍

See more of my Cat Au designs here :3

The Disaster lineage (Yoda, Dooku, Qui, Obi, Anakin, Ahsoka + lore)

Prequel villains (Sidious, Dooku, Maul, Vader + Lore)

Kit-Fisto

Plo-Koon and Ahsoka

Sifo Dyas and Dooku

Disaster trio(Obi, Ani, Soka) doodles

Smol comics(ft. Qui, Rael, Sifo, Dooku): pt 1

Aayla Secura and Quinlan Voss

Luke and Leia

DO NOT COPY ANY OF MY CAT DESIGNS

This is a PERSONAL AU and they mean so much to me

[mads-weasley]

I'll Find You

Hvitserk Ragnarsson x Shieldmaiden!Reader

Masterlist

A/N: enjoy!

Summary: Hvitserk is caught between both sides in the Battle for Kattegat. Torn between the woman he loves and his brother, he must make a choice.

Word Count: 3.2k

The Battle for Kattegat, the Battle of the Ragnarssons, raged across the misty field. The metallic smell of blood and harsh sounds of battle hung in the air: the clashing of swords and axes, battle cries, and screams of the wounded.

Who knew it would come to this?

Brother turning against brother, neighbor against neighbor. (Y/n) was caught in the middle, her heart torn between both sides. At one time, she'd promised to never leave his side, but when he jumped ship, he chose to leave her...to leave the people who loved him.

She remembered how his lip twitched as he stared back toward the shore. Toward Ivar. She'd reached for his arm, already anticipating his decision, but she was too late. Her fingers barely brushed his sleeve as he moved out of her reach. That was the day everything changed.

Even now, as she fought through the crowd of warriors, she unconsciously scanned the battlefield for his figure. A cry came from her right, and she turned to see another shieldmaiden with her axe on the way down. (Y/n) managed to lift her shield just in time, and the axe hit it with a loud crack, the impact sending painful shockwaves through her arm. With a grunt, she blocked another swipe and kicked the woman in the stomach before bringing her axe down into the shieldmaiden's neck with a bloody squelch.

(Y/n) readjusted her grip on the shield, wincing. It only took a moment for her to gather herself and sprint farther into the fray. She lost herself in the battle, and each slice of her axe sent a warm spray of blood across her face, the stray strands from her braid sticking to the substance.

Amid the battle, she saw him. He was a little ways ahead of her in front of the small river that separated Ivar and the rest of their forces from the fight. He fought like he always had, without restraint. (Y/n) had always called him her berserker because he truly was, but he never would admit it liked the nickname. There seemed to be two different men inside Hvitserk: the man on the battlefield and the man he was off. The latter, a highly observant and caring man she'd come to love.

She remembered the quiet moments they'd shared in England while fighting with the Great Heathen Army to avenge his father.

"Is England what you'd thought it would be?"

His lips tilted into a small lopsided smile, and he glanced over from where he sat beside her. "Not really. You?"

"I didn't know what to think," (y/n) sighed, looking back at the small river before them. "But it is beautiful."

The steady flow of the water filled the silence, and (y/n) felt peace for the first time in months. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, basking in the gentle sunlight that cascaded from the heavens. In all their time in England, the sun was not out often.

Feeling eyes on her, she glanced over at Hvitserk. Their gazes met for a moment before he quickly turned away, his cheeks reddening.

"I am glad you came with us, (y/n)," he admitted softly, his upper lip twitching out of habit.

(Y/n) slid closer and leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. "I couldn't imagine staying in Kattegat while you were here fighting. If something happened to you, I-"

She trailed off as her throat tightened. The mere thought of his death...it was more than she could handle. Tearing his gaze away from the river, he gently cupped her cheek and turned her face toward him.

"The gods are not done with me yet, my love."

Making her way to him, (y/n) watched Hvitserk fight with the ferocity she'd seen since he first picked up a sword. The berserker in him had taken over. He effortlessly blocked the slashes of swords and axes of his enemies like it was all one big dance, and he knew the choreography.

(Y/n)'s focus was shattered when something collided with her side, sending her sprawling to the ground. Coughing, she pushed herself to her feet and turned her attention to the warrior who shed his shield in favor of dually wielding two axes. He swung one of the axes toward her head, and (y/n) barely had time to duck, feeling the blade whiz past her ear. She rolled to her feet and sidestepped the other axe aimed for her ribs.

With a grunt, she twisted her body and lifted her shield just in time to block the incoming blow. Her axe followed, and the man howled as it caught him in the arm, blood splattering across his face.

He staggered back with a snarl, but (y/n) didn’t let up. She closed the distance between them in two quick strides, knocking his remaining axe from his hand with a powerful swing, then brought her blade down on his shoulder. The man grunted in pain and dropped to his knees, unable to fight back any longer.

As he fell, (Y/n) turned, scanning the battlefield once more. Her heart skipped.

Hvitserk.

Her breath hitched as she watched him take a blow from an axe handle, sending him reeling backward and falling hard to the ground. Without hesitation, she surged forward. The world seemed to slow as she fought her way through the sea of warriors. Every instinct screamed at her to get to him, and her mind finished the sentence she hadn't dared to in England.

"If something happened to you, I...I would gladly follow you to Valhalla."

When she reached him, her legs nearly gave way. There he was, sprawling out in the dirt, his eyes wide as he gasped for air.

"Hvitserk!" she shouted, her voice cracking as she dropped to her knees beside him. She quickly turned him over, her hands shaking as she tried to pull him into a sitting position.

He continued to wheeze as he struggled to catch his breath. Hvitserk's gaze was unfocused, blinking as if he couldn’t make sense of the blurry figure in front of him.

"Breathe, Serk! Breathe!" She yelled, rubbing his cheeks gently. "Breathe!"

Little did she know he couldn't hear her. His mind replayed the events of the past year: England, jumping ship, his last conversation with Ivar.

"What do you fear most, dear brother?" Ivar asked. "The loss of thought or memory?

"My thoughts and memories seem to be the same. Every time I think, I always remember the day I jumped out of Ubbe's ship."

When I left her...it went unsaid.

Ivar shrugged, making a pushing motion with his hands. "But you didn't jump. The gods pushed you."

"Don't take it away from me," Hvitserk snarked. "I wasn't pushed. I decided to do it."

"Ah. And I think you still regret it."

Hvitserk paused, his mind wandering. "My only regret is that I don't have any children...and"

"(Y/n)?" Ivar chuckled and tilted his head, his lips quirking into a smirk. "You regret leaving her."

He did. More than anything. But he had to live with the consequences of his actions. "Yes," he said quietly, his gaze falling to the dirt.

Ivar's smirk turned sinister. "She will be there today. Are you willing to do what it takes?"

Hvitserk glanced up at him, his lip twitching as he tried to contain his anger. "What?"

"You heard me," he shrugged. "She chose her side, and you chose yours, poor Hvitserk. Will she hesitate to kill you?"

He didn't know, but Hvitserk did know that he could never raise a hand against her. If she felt differently, he would gladly let her strike him down.

The memory dissipated suddenly, and he became aware of himself once again. Something was holding his face, but the blur of his vision made it impossible to see exactly who.

Then he heard her voice. It was muffled, but unmistakably hers.

After a moment, he finally got control of his breathing and pulled sweet oxygen into his burning lungs. He blinked as his vision and hearing returned to normal. Her eyes were the first thing he saw.

(Y/n) leaned over him, her brows creased in concern as her voice became clear. "You have to get up! You're okay! You're okay!"

She glanced behind her and quickly disappeared from his view. He heard the familiar sound of clashing swords and iron meeting flesh.

'What is happening?' he thought. Then it hit him. The battle.

Hvitserk rolled over and pushed himself up, still gasping, and grabbed his sword and shield. Staggering to his feet, he found (y/n) battling one of her own warriors, who looked confused as to why she was defending the traitorous Ragnarsson. She kicked him in the chest and sent him flying to the ground with a thud. He wouldn't be a bother for a little while. Finally turning, (y/n)'s eyes met Hvitserk's, and relief flooded her body.

He was okay.

She barely had time to catch her breath before a new enemy charged toward her, forcing her to raise her shield. She blocked the blow, gritting her teeth as the impact jarred her shoulder. Hvitserk, now steady on his feet, roared and stepped forward, deflecting the warrior’s second strike with his axe.

Their eyes met again, just for a moment. The battle roared on around them, but between the chaos, it felt like the world had paused. Blood smeared both their faces, and their chests heaved with exertion, yet they stood there, staring at each other.

She still loved him. He could see it in her eyes as they looked upon him with a familiar softness.

Before either of them could say a word, another figure rushed toward (y/n), axe raised high. Hvitserk’s instincts kicked in, and without thinking, he lunged forward and knocked the assailant aside with his shield, sending the man crashing into the mud. He didn’t pause to finish the enemy off, and his attention snapped back to (y/n).

As the battle raged on, Hvitserk fought with every ounce of his strength, cutting down those who came too close to them. He knew she didn’t need saving and was capable of handling herself, but he couldn’t stop the fear that gripped him every time she was too close to death’s reach...too close to Ivar's reach.

He shoved a warrior aside with his shield just as another came for (y/n). She didn’t see him coming, but Hvitserk did, and he swung his axe in a wide arc, catching the man’s shoulder and sending him crashing to the ground.

(Y/n) glanced over her shoulder, her lips curling into something like a half-smile of thanks, but it didn’t last. She turned her attention back to the fight, but the brief moment made Hvitserk’s chest tighten. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he needed her to understand.

He was sorry, he still loved her, he still wanted a future with her...

Then, the horn sounded.

A sharp, unmistakable note. The retreat. Bjorn's forces were losing.

Ivar was winning.

But that wasn’t what shook Hvitserk to his core. It was the realization of what that meant for (y/n). If she didn’t leave now, Ivar would hunt her down the very moment the battle was over, just like he would do to Lagertha, Ubbe, Bjorn, and all the other leaders.

She wouldn’t survive.

His heart raced in his chest as he turned to her. She was scanning the battlefield, looking for her next warrior to fight, unaware of the danger closing in around her. He reached for her and grabbed her arm, his grip tightening as the horn's echo lingered in the air.

“You need to go,” he said, his voice raw.

(Y/n) shook her head in defiance. “I’m not leaving you, Hvitserk,” she replied, pulling her arm free of his grasp.

His lips pressed into a tight line, and he shook his head. “You have to. Ivar won’t let you live. He’ll come for you, for all of you.”

Hvitserk’s chest tightened. Blood smeared across her face, but the fire in her eyes was unmistakable. He knew her. He knew how stubborn and fierce she was. But he also knew what Ivar would do.

"Ivar will hunt you down. He'll kill you without hesitation. He won't care that you're..." his voice faltered. "He won't care what you mean to me."

Her eyes softened at the admission, and for a moment, the noise of the battlefield around them faded away. She reached for his cheek, brushing away the dirt and blood. “And you’ll stay with him?”

Hvitserk closed his eyes for a moment, leaning into her touch. He wanted so badly to walk away with her, to take her far from this madness. But the pull of his brother, of the bond they shared...even with all the brokenness...he couldn't let it go.

“I don’t have a choice,” he admitted. “He’s my brother. If I don’t stand with him, I’ll lose more than I already have.”

(Y/n) swallowed hard, blinking away the sting of tears. “You’ll lose me, too,” she said gently.

His eyes opened, meeting hers with a conflicted gaze. “I lost you the day I jumped ship,” he murmured. “And it’s haunted me every moment since. But I have to see this through...I can’t leave him.”

A small, sad smile tugged at her lips as her hand fell from his face. She could see the pain etched into his features. “I know,” she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "You're being torn apart. I can see it in your eyes."

Her words broke something in him. He dropped his forehead to hers, his breath shuddering. “My love,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

(Y/n) closed her eyes, savoring the closeness she'd longed for for months. She cupped his face again with her free hand, her thumb brushing against the roughness of his cheek. “I know,” she said softly. “I know you are.”

The horn sounded again, louder this time. A reminder that their moment was slipping away.

“Stay alive, my love,” he whispered, his lips brushing her skin lightly as the words left his mouth. “Stay alive. Please.”

(Y/n) couldn't speak as emotion washed over her.

“Now go,” he repeated, pulling back just enough to look at her. “Please.”

Her lips trembled, but she nodded. “Promise me that you’ll find your way back to me someday.”

Hvitserk's lip twitched...a ghost of the smile she remembered. “I’ll find you.”

With one last lingering look, (y/n) stepped back, her hand sliding from his face. “I’ll see you again,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears threatening to fall.

Hvitserk nodded, his eyes never leaving her. “Go,” he urged.

And then, with one last look, she turned and ran. Hvitserk watched until she disappeared into the chaos, and his heart broke a little more with every step she took away from him. Only then did he turn his focus back on the battle, gripping his axe tightly. With a loud roar, he charged the nearest enemy.

The berserker was back.

6 Months Later

The battle was over. Ivar had been defeated at last.

Hvitserk stood beside Bjorn and King Herald in the square as King Olaf stood before them, a blue flag in his hand.

"Here's to the new year of all our lives, Bjorn Ironside," he announced, handing the flag to the eldest Ragnarsson.

Hvitserk couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. It was finally over. After all the time he spent with Ivar, he could finally have peace, he finally got his home back. The people of Kattegat would no longer have a cruel dictator ruling over them.

A commotion rippled through the onlookers as figures emerged from the edges of the square, and Hvitserk’s heart skipped when he saw them...Ubbe, Torvi, and…her.

(Y/n).

For a moment, Hvitserk froze. His heart thudded against his chest, and he felt an overwhelming rush of relief. There she was...alive. After everything. His breath caught in his throat. He wasn’t sure what to do at first. So much had happened, and in the chaos of battle and their long separation, he hadn’t allowed himself to fully imagine this moment. He watched as she took a few tentative steps forward.

Then, as if something within him finally snapped, Hvitserk took a breath, his eyes locked onto hers, and he quickly walked toward her. When they were mere feet apart, Hvitserk’s resolve faltered. He didn’t wait any longer. His arms went around her instinctively, and he lifted her off her feet.

He felt the warmth of her against him, the familiar weight of her body, and everything else fell away. For that brief moment, there was nothing but her...alive, in his arms. His breath came in a rush, his chest tight with emotion as he held her there, not caring about the stares of those around him, not caring about anything but the overwhelming sense of relief that surged through him.

"I found you," Hvitserk whispered hoarsely, his voice cracking slightly as the words escaped him. It was the promise he'd made when they'd parted on the battlefield months before.

(Y/n)’s arms wrapped around his neck and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Her touch was the thing he didn’t even realize he needed. After everything he had been through, the battles, the loss, the guilt, her touch was the only thing that made everything feel still...like he could breathe again.

Slowly, he lowered her back to the ground, his hands lingering on her arms, almost afraid to let go. But she wasn’t waiting for him to speak. Her warm hands came up to his face, her fingers brushing over his bloody jaw, and she smiled softly, the tears in her eyes making his heart beat impossibly faster.

"I think I'm the one that found you," she smirked, tearily gazing up at him.

A breathy laugh left his lips as he opened his mouth to speak, but the words failed him. What could he say? Everything felt too small to capture what he was feeling in this moment.

"I—" he started, his voice low and rough. But before he could finish, he closed the space between them. His lips brushed hers softly at first, gentle and lingering. The kiss was tentative as if they were both savoring the moment, tasting the reunion. Hvitserk’s fingers lightly cupped her face, gently tracing the curve of her jaw.

When they pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you," he murmured. "I'm never leaving you again."

(Y/n) smiled through the tears, her fingers brushing the blood on his face as she leaned in again, this time with more confidence.

"Good," she whispered against his lips.

She then fully pressed her lips to his, and this time, Hvitserk didn’t hesitate. His hands slid down her back, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. There was a heat to it now, the emotions spilling out in the press of their lips.

When they broke apart again, Hvitserk’s breath was a little uneven. His eyes locked on hers as he gently touched her cheek. "Marry me."

She nodded immediately, tugging him down towards her with a wide smile. "Yes."

message or comment if you want to be added to the tag list!! <3

[bumblingbabooshka]

Forever wishing we had an episode about why Tuvok chose to go into security instead of science (especially since he started out as a science officer like Spock and T'Pol)

I don't think it has to do with violence...Like, an outlet. He isn't a violent person. I think it has to do with him liking puzzles so much...the strategy of it - the endless combinations...and perhaps just a bit the thrill of it being life and death. That pressure to make the best possible choice every time. And him growing orchids specifically to be displayed - competition and beauty... In 'Learning Curve' he says "The strongest tactical move is always the one in which you will reap the highest gain at the lowest cost." You can tell that he's really a tactician and I think because of that he'd solve problems a lot differently than Worf, or Tasha Yar. Also, there's his decision to mind meld with Suder in 'Meld' - the fact he can't leave it alone is so character-building to me. He has to know why Suder did this, it isn't enough to catch and capture him if he doesn't understand the motivation behind such a brutal action. It fits into his portrayal as a detective in 'Ex Post Facto'. Someone who'll pursue the truth diligently no matter who it implicates. There's also the fact that despite Tuvok coming off as a very cold and uncaring person in episodes like 'Learning Curve' where it's implied he might be willing to allow others to die if it'd be the best move tactically - he's shown to be very willing to protect others like in 'Innocence' where he sides with the children against the adults, going so far as giving one of them a phaser to protect herself and 'Muse' where he stays up for 10 days straight trying to find B'Elanna and Harry or even how in 'Random Thoughts' when Nimira (someone he's only met just recently) says she needs his help and he replies "Then you shall have it." Noss falls in love with him partially because of how he immediately saves her without even knowing her name AND he's with Janeway when she makes her decision to help protect the Ocampa, ultimately agreeing with her logic that it's the right thing to do. It's interesting for a Vulcan to be in Security. Sarek in TOS is against Starfleet partially because he views it as being a forceful, militaristic organization which doesn't achieve real peace. In TOS we don't see any other Vulcans in Starfleet - I'm not saying there aren't any (I think we'd hear about Spock being the first if that were the case) but Sarek's attitude might be a cultural one which I'm sure shifted over time, especially with Spock's rise in fame, but I can't help but wonder how it affected Tuvok's decision to change from Science to Security, if at all. Especially since he's shown to be a very traditional person. Does it seem a brutal occupation to a Vulcan? Vulcans have a reputation for pacifism, does it lead to him being underestimated? He had already established a family by the time he re-entered Starfleet, how did they react to him going from a professor to that? Speaking of brutality, In general there's a violence to the other security officers' pasts. Tasha lived amongst ceaseless violence at every turn for 15 years, Worf is very proudly Klingon and lives by their warrior's code, Odo was raised/working during Cardassian's violent occupation of Bajor...but Tuvok doesn't have anything remotely like that in his past, which is also interesting. You might be tempted to think a Vulcan who'd take a job like that would be accustomed or connected to violence but again, that doesn't seem to be the case with Tuvok. If anything, he's very much representative of the opposite - staunchly, unabashedly Vulcan. He nearly underwent the Kolinahr, only stopping to raise a family instead. He uses the word "Postpone" when he speaks of this, implying he hasn't ruled the Kolinahr out as a possibility in the future. It's very interesting to me!! I wish it was explored more...

[rachetmath]

Remnant Sucks

Deidamia(SOD): Speak human. What do you wish to be destroyed?

Juane All the Grimm.

Deidamia(SOD): Huh.

Jaune: Yes. All the Grimm. Wiped. Destroyed. Cleared off the map. Is there a problem?

Deidamia (SOD): No. In fact I am impressed you would choose that and wonder why.

Jaune: Grimm are deadly creatures. They adapt quickly. And they shouldn't be a problem but-

Deidamia (SOD): Humans?

Jaune: Humans. Absolutely. Like we kind of are the problem.

Ruby: Jaune how can -

Jaune: Ruby a woman- a human woman decided to go against Gods. GODS. Just to get one man back. That led to her being immortal. She then persuaded thousands of warriors. Hunters of the past. Our predecessors to fight off said gods again just because she didn't like what they did to her. All that death by one woman!

Ruby: Um.

Jaune: Then when said man came back into her life, and he saw the monster she became she killed him and probably her daughters. And that was the beginning.

Ruby: …

Jaune: But let's be honest with ourselves, The Grimm only strike when they sense negative emotions. Why is that?

Yang: Who cares why? They're just monsters.

Jaune: You mean the same monsters who knows when to avoid conflict. Can gain enough intelligence to almost become sentient. And the more they learn they become effective killers. I don't think ‘monsters’ are enough words to describe them.

Yang: …

Jaune: And we know why. We are just Creation's creations, we know no longer have anything to do with Destruction. Meaning?

Weiss: Meaning the Grimm are only following the purpose they were made for before our predecessors were born.

Jaune: Which is killing whatever Creation makes.

Ren: And I mean we earn it sometimes and I can't blame them for how fragile the world is.

Blake: I mean -

Ren: Blake before Faunuses we already were divided. And not just by race.

Jaune: Even to this day we have issues and we solve it with mostly violence. Basically the Grimm are just trying to prevent the world from ending again. Or because they were here first and we just started taking shit.

Ruby: Okay I see your point. Once we get rid of the Grimm the world will be at peace.

Nora: Naive child.

Deidamia(SOD): Ignorance.

Ruby: What?

Oscar: Ruby you know once the Grimm are gone there might not be any use for hunters.

Ruby: Not true we can still hold the peace.

Jaune: Yeah, too bad semblances can divide us.

Nora: Like Ruby compared to the average humans, we might as well be freaks. And even if we try, not everyone gets a semblance. Hell a majority of people barely have aura.

Ruby: Damn.

Jaune: And to be more honest, we failed to do our jobs. Like Hazel's sister died because of a teacher's negligence. Cinder turned out the way she is because of poor conditions and no one helped her. We saw hunters who not only failed at their jobs but attempted to sleep with either one of you girls even though they were tasked with guarding a train.

Weiss: Okay besides those amateurs-

Jaune: Those were pros.

Weiss: Who we don't know.

Jaune: So who do we know as failures? Okay, Qrow is a failure. Not because of his semblance but his choices. Man is a damn idiot. He allowed a fall maiden to be on the brink of death and got Clover killed. Why do you think Maria is better than him? James halted the world to make a new tower, only to abandon that idea when Salem arrived. I say his plan was good but our priorities weren’t in order. Like Tyrian, Salem’s minion wasn’t important but Robyn's dumbass Hill was. Why? And Lion sold us out to save his own ass. And who chose them? Ozpin! And don't get started on Goodwitch.

Oobleck: Mr. Arc-

Jaune: Shut the hell up Luigi.

Oscar: He’s not wrong.

Jaune: Basically Ruby we might as well retire cause at the rate we’re going we might as well be the next upcoming villains.

Ruby: F*** you.

Jaune: F*** your mom. Who also died for nothing. Like Pyrrha. At least Penny died saving people.

Blake: Come on guys we-

Nora: Blake, Harriet almost killed thousands of people under Jame’s orders. Hell we almost did that ourselves, remember? Argus? Pyrrha’s home town?

Ren: And Atlas we had way more to do with the situation. Considering we were following team RWBY’s lead.

Yang: Now wait a minute Nora and Ren, we did that for good reasons.

Ren: No, we did that because Weiss was too scared to go home by herself. Or because for some reason a woman is more understandable while a man is just a destructive creature.

Jaune: Again even though said woman is the reason the world ended before.

Oscar: Not to mention we have Emerald. Out of everyone we could have chosen, we chose Cinder's bottom bitch. That's how low we went. No offense.

Emerald: Non taken?

Ruby: Okay. Um. Um-

Jaune: Ruby, let's be honest here. The Grimm are minor compared to our species. Like we have so many isms in our vocabulary it might as well be a disease name in itself for how it affects the minds of humanity.

Weiss: But Jaune -

Jaune: Shut up hell up Atlasian I already got deal with you entitled mother fuckers enough. Especially Mantle, the only mother fuckers worth were the Faunus. And I put that on Adam Taurus.

Adam: *in hell* Finally one human gets it.

Weiss: We're not-

Jaune: James. The Ace-op. And Cordovin. Need I say more.

Deidamia(SOD): He's not wrong. You humans might well be your own worst enemies. Like all you are just… … ew.

Jaune: I know right. We might as well take each other out. It's that simple. I'm just delaying the impossible.

Deidamia(SOD): And with that note being said I will grant you your wish Jaune Arc. Also you-

Jaune: Ozpin told me ahead of time. I will take my chances.

Deidamia(SOD): Good. Bout damn time he did something useful. Considering he had options.

Jaune: Don't get me started.

[derww]

pili is on clown's tower when he sees the roof of aimsey's house blowing up. he jumps, hearing belated noise, lands lightly on his paws, and rushes to the place still shrouded in smoke, listing those who were inside.

yellow. blue. bad. and–pangi, he saw him at the door just a couple of minutes ago! while he did not know what had happened, his allegiances had long been determined, and he draws out his greataxe and empties one potion bottle after another on the move. health. speed. strength. haste...

the first person he sees is ros – she keeps her back straight and proud, and her butterfly sticks to her side, but her stance is shaking. the second one is pangi, no mask, no sunglasses, and an open expression on his face, with obsidian and end crystals in his hands. they are surrounded by those present. tubbo's mutilated and charred corpse lies against the wall.

pangi smiles broadly, spreading his arms, and deliberately slowly approaches ros, gently asking her to return what she stole, while ros hides behind a shield and moves further and further away. pili's almost there when ros turns and runs away, and pangi follows her. pili dumbly stares after them for a couple of moments – bad notices him and, leaning into his ear, begins to explain that tubbo threatened to kill, and stole, and mocked – before rushing after them.

ros is not helpless, the kingdom has trained her to be a warrior, and she knows how to protect vulnerable spots and counterattack, but pangi, weak, funny, silly, helpless pangi is faster – where there used to be gentleness and courtesy, sharp edges and clear movements appear, the greataxe flies in his hands, too fast for such heavy weapon.

he pierces through the shield with a crash, crumbling in half through her blocking with a halberd – the blow passes just a little, plunging deep, but coming out of the flesh without causing lethal damage, and joe broski heals her, stitching meat together, making the blood stop, removing any damage that is too severe. ros is covered in blood, and she's flying head over heels, but she's still clutching her halberd and gritting her teeth in pain, eating one golden apple after another, illuminated by a light glow.

pili's breath catches in his throat. he's a cat, he sees, but he's too far away – in half a step, he drops to four paws and picks up his pace – pangi shortens the distance, and he's in front of ros and swings with his greataxe once again –

pangi told him where he is from, of course. about lifesteal smp being dangerous place, full with murderers and wars, the world who raised him the way he is. that he fought and killed and chose to be more peaceful because he wanted to. pili believed him, of course, but seemed to never realize how serious it was.

– ros is more dignified than most. she defends herself, and she clings to every opportunity, and she runs, but pangi crushes her back, and when she is half-lying, elbow-deep in a muddy river, primal horror is frozen in her gaze, and she covers herself, no longer even with a weapon, just with her hand – and pangi, laughing, lowers his greataxe down.

and – freezes, breathing heavily. when pili is here, it's obvious from the torn body and glassy gaze that ros is dead.

pili is angry, but at first he is ready to defend himself, knowing how fighters in the heat of adrenaline are ready to pounce on anyone, not only an enemy, even an ally, and he had no right to miss pangi's hit right now. but pangi, staring at ros's corpse, probably hearing only the hum of his own blood in his ears, turns to him and-

in just a second, he was once again the one pili knew so well – a smiling and spontaneous friend, innocent and in need of protection. a partner through any kind of turmoil.

– oh, hello, pili! – he says casually, mechanically wiping his own face. blood methodically drips from his smeared greataxe. – i didn't know you were around, it's been a long time, – he scratches his head, – here's the deal... – he stops and stares at ros's corpse under his feet, blinking stupidly. he laughs awkwardly, – oh, fuck, i shouldn't have killed her, should i?

there was something different in how pangi was moving and behaving. he was good in being silly and funny – too good, the way it felt wrong.

it was hard to see pangi's emotions when he weared his – muzzle – gas mask, along with sunglasses covering almost the entire face, but pili still was able to notice other things – ways he was all jumpy and swinging his tail when nervous, how he was peaceful and relaxed and happy, and how anger was making him unnaturally motionless, with slightly wooden movements and an overly obvious emotion in his voice. today he had no mask, not planning to do anything needing it, taking a day to plan and get ready and – and look where they were.

– she's my target, – pili says lowly; after running for a long time, his breathing is short. his communicator is buzzing – it's bad, he warns him that half the server is coming here. he's not sure how he feels, – i left them all to you, but she is my target. this is my personal business.

and pangi, not an open book but much closer to it, with readable eyes and an open mouth, looks at him with a guilt.

– you're right, pili, I'm here to blame, – he says mournfully, – i couldn't resist killing ros, and it was wrong. i'm sorry.

pili looks again – ros corpse in the murky water, scales burned from the explosion, shiny greataxe, blood on clothes and hands and face, and regretful expression on pangi's face.

he smiles tightly.

– i could never be mad at you, pangi, – he confesses, – i'll kill her next time. let's get out of here before they come here.

pangi beams.

– okay! – he doesn't argue, – i'll kill everyone else next time!

he's still laughing, as if there's nothing serious in all this, when pili pulls him by the hand away from the crime scene.

– i missed it, – pangi admits, – really, really missed. but its fine cuz we can fight as muh as we want now! they will come to die by my hand. do you want this world to burn down, pili?

he shakes his head.

– if that is your wish, pangi.

[protagaster]

Hi, I don’t know if someone has asked this already but I just wanted to know how everything started in you au?

Why is Penelope the one fighting in war while her husband is at home?

I know is a warrior!penelope au but i would like to know how that works in your story?

I also really like your take in the au it’s so cool!

Hello my friend! Thank you so much for taking the time to ask about the details regarding the AU :)! It makes me very happy to see you interested!

It's recounted with a bit more detail in the prequel (titled 'A King with no Queen') but here is the main gist of it.

Buckle up, it's gonna be quite a ride:

First things first, everything starts off exactly the same as it does in the Iliad. Paris chooses Aphrodite as the most beautiful of the Goddess', leading to Aphrodite taking Helen away from her home and husband (Menelaus) and forcing the mortal woman to be with Paris. From there, just as it goes in Homer's tale, Menelaus and Agamemnon force all of Helen's past suitors to fight with them in the war against Troy; this is because of an oath Odysseus himself proposed in order to keep the peace regardless of who Helen chose to be her husband, quote: "all the suitors should swear a most solemn oath to defend the chosen husband against whoever should quarrel with him".

Everything progresses as it does, with all of our favorite Greek heroes, including Odysseus, fighting in the war. This is where things begin to swerve for the AU.

That first year of war the men actually succeed in sneaking Helen out of Troy's palace thanks to their cunning and spies. They place her on a tiny ship that would sail her back to Sparta as quickly as possible and spend the night celebrating in their hidden camps without a care in the world. Unfortunately, the Trojans were quick to notice Helen's disappearance. While they were unable to keep her from leaving Troy, they decided to settle their seething anger with the next best thing. That night, while the Greek armies were full and drunk with merriment, the Trojans sneak into their camps thanks to the information provided by their [the Trojans] own spies. Right then and there the Trojans attacks.

This leads to the Greek men getting horribly injured, to the point where almost all of them are no longer fit for war. In exchange for Helen, the Trojan armies kidnap most of the Greek heroes (Menelaus, Agamemnon, Diomedes, just to name a few) and keep them alive as a warning and form of ransom against Greece and the Gods who support them. Odysseus, who was speared horribly in his shoulder, was spared from capture only thanks to the relentlessness of his Ithacan men.

Only a small handful of men are both spared from injury and allowed to continue to fight (Achilles and Patroclus to name a couple, that detail is just for you @somereaderinblue). The rest, by order of the Gods themselves, are forced to return home as they are no longer of use for combat.

Odysseus, Eurylochus, and the rest of the Ithacan army that was drafted return to Ithaca. Despite the damage they have received, things look hopeful and the future appears to be bright.

However, Greece still needs an army.

This is a timeline where, by Hera's orders, the Gods slowly work to give the women of Greece more autonomy by allowing them to partake in activities one thought to be only for men. Two of the Gods working hardest to meet this goal are Ares and Artemis, who have collaborated to teach women the art of combat and bearing arms.

Ares, who has never been in his parent's good graces, is in extra trouble now due to agreeing to support the Greeks on Hera's request but then turning around and supporting the Trojans upon Aphrodite's say. Hera declares that the only way to make it up to her is by drafting his eligible female warriors (those of age and with enough skill and experience to survive) to fight in the men's stead.

This includes Penelope, who had passed his trial back when she was still a young Spartan Princess and in turn became Ares' personal pupil (look at Warrior of the Heart if you would like more details). With a combination of Ares' order and Helen's plea, who feels the war is all her fault and wants to learn to fight in order to save her husband, Penelope is forced to leave behind Ody and Tele (a girl in mine and Blue's AU) in order to fulfill her duty.

That's how our version of the Warrior Penelope AU came to be! I'm sure you all know what happens from there ;)

P.S - Here are a few fun facts, not at all relevant to the AU, but still I wanna share em:

Hermione, Helen and Menelaus' daughter, actually snuck herself onto her mother's warship in order to join them in saving her father

The only reason Clytemnestra agrees to save Agamemnon is to kill him herself once they return home, since he still sacrificed their daughter before he and his men headed off for war

Patroclus was surprised when he saw Penelope for the first time. After how much Ody spoke of her, Patroclus had assumed for a time that she was a mere fiction of his imagination, a coping mechanism to keep himself sane (thank Blue for this one!)

On #3's note, Patroclus, Helen, Clytemnestra, and the rest of the Greek army immediately saw the similarities between Penny and Ody when Penny refused to shut up about how amazing her husband is and how much she longed to see him again

[rexxdjarin]

I uh…actually think people being overtly critical of bix’s ending are incredibly annoying. spoilers below:

after all she’s been through, all the trauma and everything she did alongside Cassian….she chose this as her ending. she wanted peace.

in this instance, we actually see a female character who has experienced true horror, get a peaceful happy ending. that’s not something we often see in Star Wars.

we so often get a female warrior, a fighter, someone who has seen trauma and survived it. but honestly? so many of them go on to face even more trauma. Leia, Ahsoka etc. least of all Padmé, who fucking died!!

we don’t get peaceful resolutions for so, so many female characters in this universe. for once we should be happy we actually got one. especially one that was of her own choosing.

it’s important we remember how survival and moving past the worst traumas of your life can very much be their own kind of rebellion.

this is what bix chose. and she gave up her relationship with Cassian for the greater good, knowing she could still have her own happiness raising their son in peace, even without him beside her.

she killed her torturer. she hammered an attempted rapist to death. she fucking survived. that alone is its own win to her.

treating her as if because she became a mom and chose to have a future of peace instead of fighting that should be seen as some weak choice….I really think you’ve lost the plot.

remember even if you don’t want kids personally, the story isn’t about you or how you feel about that. in this case, Bix and her son are a symbol for the peace and the future that the rebellion fought for and what Cassian died to bring the galaxy.

if you can’t see that, then you are the issue here.

[tf-rechargeandrebound]

Ok I redesigned them for the last goddamn time

TFR Autobot designs ^^ (I'm sorry if the colours look fucked up idk how to fix exporting stuff)

Character profiles beneath the cut

Optimus Prime

Allegiance: Autobot

Alt mode: Freightliner semi truck

Occupation: Autobot commander, current Prime

Likes: Cybertronian history, reading, Earth’s general vibe, long drives, peace and quiet

Dislikes: His position as Prime (he’s not very vocal about it though), snakes, icy roads, large social functions, taking breaks from all that gosh darn paperwork

Once a humble dock worker named Orion Pax, Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobot Resistance, and is being counted on to save his home from the Decepticons. Any Autobot would describe him as wise, kind, stoic, somewhat stern, and a great leader who can sometimes get grumpy when stressed or tired. His most trusted officers and family, such as Elita-1, know that he’s also rather socially awkward and a bit of a bookworm. He cares deeply for every single Autobot under his command, and has grown to care for Earth as well. He generally dislikes needlessly reckless behaviour from those around him, as he can’t bear to see even more lives lost to the war. He often doubts himself, his role as Prime, and his actions, even if they were right. At the end of the day, Optimus wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with his loved ones.

Elita-1

Allegiance: Autobot

Alt mode: F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet

Occupation: Autobot commander

Likes: Astronomy, meteorology, flying, Earth rain, stargazing

Dislikes: Megatron (everyone hates him but she hates him on a very personal level), confined spaces, caves, snowstorms

Before she was Elita-1, she was Ariel, and before she was Ariel, she was a miner designated AR-1. After escaping the mines when she was young, she was taken in by an old dock boss named Kup who offered her a job at the docks, where she met a young mech named Orion Pax. Elita and Optimus Prime are both co-commanders and conjunx enduras. She’s much more of a social jokester than he is, and is extremely popular amongst the troops. She’s cunning, loyal, intelligent, and a fierce warrior who always stands up for what’s right and puts others before herself, all while being someone who’s willing to lend an ear to anyone who needs to vent. She’s truly the definition of an Autobot.

Bumblebee

Allegiance: Autobot

Alt mode: 2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Occupation: Special Operations scout

Likes: Earth pop culture (especially video games and 80s music), open roads, making friends, adventure, summertime, stories about pre-war Cybertron, carwashes

Dislikes: Being teased for his height, sharp objects, confinement, failing a task or mission

Bumblebee is one of the youngest and most promising soldiers in the Resistance. Raised by Optimus and Elita, he chose to join the fight against the Decepticons once he came of age, a decision that they respect but don’t fully approve of. His oddly small stature makes him ideal for espionage-based missions, and he’s nearly mastered using his size to his advantage while in direct combat. Bee is an extremely upbeat and friendly bot, and while he may be small, he has a big spark that cares deeply for everyone around him. He often recklessly puts himself in danger to protect others, which usually gets him injured, but the injuries are worth it, in his opinion. Overall, Bumblebee is a dependable, determined, and brave Autobot, just like his caretakers.

Wheeljack

Allegiance: Autobot

Alt mode: 2015 Chevrolet Silverado

Occupation: Autobot Science Division, Chief Engineer

Likes: Science, inventing, researching, stunt driving (he doesn’t do it much anymore, though), lab work, reading scientific reports, explaining things he’s invented or fixed, explosions

Dislikes: Listening to his body when it tells him to take breaks, not knowing about a subject, distractions from his work, long fights

Wheeljack is one of Cybertron’s greatest scientific minds. He’s a brilliant, eccentric engineer and a good-natured bot who others like to be around. He can easily become engrossed in his work, and has little regard for his own personal safety, as he frequently patches himself up and regularly visits the medbay after his daily experiment blows up in his face. He often looks out for the youngsters around him, and ends up fostering a strong paternal affection towards his human ally Sadie. While he’s not on the front lines as much as he once was, he’s still quite a capable fighter and a force to be reckoned with.

Ratchet

Allegiance: Autobot

Alt mode: MXP-170 ambulance

Occupation: Chief Medical Officer

Likes: Peace and quiet, napping, organizing his equipment, Engex, bossing people around

Dislikes: People or bots who annoy him, his equipment being disorganized, comments about his age (unless he makes them), hotshot young bots (except for Bee), busy cities

One of Iacon’s best and most dedicated medical professionals, Ratchet is an elderly, cranky old medic who’s constantly trying to keep his fellow Autobots out of trouble. He’s no stranger to wartime, as he's a veteran of the Quintesson War that took place before the majority of his comrades were even protoformed. Having raised both Optimus and Wheeljack, they’re two of the only bots who know that, despite his prickly exterior, Ratchet is actually quite a softie deep down. Still, Ratchet has a nasty temper, and he often doesn’t work well with others, preferring to do things “his way”. When the situation is dire enough, however, he’ll accept help from those around him. Occasionally, he’ll be relaxed enough to lightheartedly joke around with those he’s closest with, but overall he’s a tough, no-nonsense, hard working old bot.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

JoJoFromJerz's Are you f'ng kidding me? Substack:

Facts: January 6th was not a regular tourist visit, it was not legitimate political discourse, it wasn’t peaceful or patriotic, it wasn’t perpetrated by the deep state, the FBI, Antifa, drag queens or furries. Those who attacked the Capitol are not “heroes”, “patriots” or “warriors”, and Ashli Babbitt is not a martyr. It was a violent and deadly domestic terror attack intended to assuage the battered ego of a madman loser which was fueled by a perpetual proliferation of lies and conspiratorial propaganda in an effort to stop the certification of the 2020 election.

Which. He. Lost. It was incited by Donald Trump, perpetrated by HIS rabid cult, and it claimed the life of Ashli Babbitt because she CHOSE to threaten the lives of members of Congress and she was stopped in that effort by a police officer’s bullet. No matter how many times MAGA tries to rewrite the events of that day, no matter how they water it down, downplay or diminish it, we still have the truth. We still have what we saw with our own eyes, what we heard with our own ears, we can still see the physical scars and we can feel the emotional trauma the officers on the ground that day carry with them as we speak. January 6th was a very dark day for this country. It’s not a matter of comparing it to any of the other dark days we’ve walked through or endured. There’s no definitive list of the worst days we’ve ever known.

There was a physical attack on the citadel of our democracy, and it was horrific, but it was the intentional and deliberate attack on the bedrock principles of our Democracy itself which has forever scarred this nation. Yes, we ultimately prevailed that day. The attack was thwarted. The physical threats were put down, and the rioters were jailed. Unfortunately however, the more insidious side of the goal of that day has not yet succumbed to the efforts to squash it. Quite to the contrary, those behind the attack are more determined and more emboldened than ever. Their objectives are the same, even if their tactics and language have changed. They are still coming for our Democracy. They are still seeking to destroy what it is that makes this little experiment of ours so uniquely special.

Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) posted on X that “voters are long over January 6th.” Walker is wrong, as lots of voters aren’t “over” that day.

[sausage-rolll]

My take on the promised consort.

I believe that Radahn held the stars in place when Ranni began fearing her fate. She never wanted to become a puppet to the two fingers, and Radahn knowing this attempted to hold off her destiny for as long as possible. Though he likely knew that it would be an inevitability. The only other two living empyreans were cursed afterall. 

There was no way that Miquella or Malenia would be able to take Marika’s place, the two fingers weren’t even the slightest bit interested in either of them. Malenia was already claimed by the God of Rot and Miquella was perpetually in a state of adolescence. Ranni seems to be the only one who was ever actively bothered by her fingers and I believe this is because they had an intense desire for her to be the next god, assuming Miquella and Malenia as lost causes due to their curse.

I think this is when Miquella came to Radahn with a proposition. He will be seeking godhood. Even if the two fingers had no interest in him, even if the world thought him too small and frail to ascend, he was going to find a way, no matter the consequences. He was determined to become the next God and lead the world into an era of abundance and peace. To fix the mistakes of the past.

He only had one simple request.

“Promise me, you’ll be my consort.”

If Miquella were to ascend then Ranni would be free of her duty. She’d be able to live in peace knowing that she’d never have to be controlled by another's will. She wouldn’t have to become a god, she wouldn’t have to succeed queen Marika. And to top it all off, Radahn would get to play the role of his hero Godfrey. Ushering in a new era alongside a new god.

It was perfect.

That was, until the night of the black knives. The night the world was thrown into chaos. The night that the first demigods fell. And the night that he lost his sister.

Radahn likely wouldn’t have known about Ranni’s plot and would have thought her dead alongside the other victims of the night. Ranni was gone, and with her, so too was Radahns need for Miquella’s age.

I believe Radahn, fueled by grief, rage and the mad taint of his greatrune, denounced Miquella and struck out on his own as a warrior of the shattering. He didn’t need peace, he didn’t need Miquella. All he wanted was to fight. All he wanted now was endless war.

Maybe that would be enough to dull the pain of his loss? Not only the loss of his sibling and father, but also the loss of his purpose.

-

Now picture Miquella. Making the final preparations to begin his ascension. Only there’s one problem. His consort has abandoned him at the very last moment. As it turns out, it seems Radahn never really cared for Miquella or his visions for a new age, he was only really in it for his own gain. 

Imagine how devastated Miquella would be. Knowing that yet another one of his plans had fallen apart at the finish line. That the person he trusted to rule alongside him didn’t even hesitate to abandon him when it was no longer convenient for him.

His ascension to godhood would never happen. He would never be able to heal his sister. He would never be able to bring forth an age of compassion. He would never be able to right the wrongs of the past.

He had failed again.

Now imagine how furious this would make his people. How angry his followers and his sister would be to see Miquella rejected at such a pivotal moment. To see him mourning a consortship and an age that would never come to pass.

Is there really any wonder that they chose to march towards Caelid and deliver the promised consort by force?

[discordiansamba]

rotating an AU idea that I like to call "zuko and toph and do terrorism while rookie avatar aang feels like he's getting in over his head already" in which the hundred year war never happened because roku chose not to spare sozin, only to die shortly thereafter. the air nomads continue to thrive, but the air avatar dies of an illness in their childhood.

avatar korra guides the four nations into a time of prosperity, fueled by technological revolutions from the fire nation, agricultural innovations from the earth kingdom, seafaring knowledge from the water tribes, and diplomacy from the air nomads. she dies under mysterious circumstances, followed shortly thereafter by the loss of the earth kingdom and fire nation avatars- so the white lotus has a vested interest in the survival of the young air nomad avatar, Aang.

he grows up with his mentor, monk gyatso- but is also taught the four elements much earlier than previous avatars. he befriends the children of the southern water tribe's chieftain, the daughter of which is taught waterbending alongside him by his masters hama and pakku (who never see eye to eye). when he is fifteen, gyatso decides it would be a good chance for aang to see the world with his friends-

-starting with the newly formed republic city.

(or: it's an era swap without being a true era swap.)

aang is hopeful that his time as the avatar will be as peaceful as korra's was (you know. aside from the 'died under mysterious circumstances' thing). this may be wishful thinking given the recent unrest in the fire nation- mysterious assailants invaded the palace in the dead of night, resulting in the death of fire lord iroh and his heir, prince lu ten, and the disappearance of the young prince zuko.

the case was never closed.

iroh's brother, ozai, ascended to the throne in his place. his reign has been plagued by trouble ever since- in the form of a pair of masked terrorists known collectively as The Blue Spirit. as the Avatar, it's Aang's duty to stop the pair- which is a lot harder than it should be, given that nobody knows who they are.

at least he has the peaceful refuge of the Jasmine Dragon, run by old man Mushi and his nephew, Lee. the heiress of the Beifong family, Toph Beifong, and the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, Yue, are almost always there as well during their breaks from the Republic City Academy for Fine Young Ladies. even the bodyguard the White Lotus sent to Republic City with him opens up and just acts like a normal person while they're at the Jasmine Dragon.

(her name is Suki. she's a Kyoshi Warrior. Aang and Katara are pretty sure Sokka's in love with both her and Yue.)

...now if he could only figure out how The Blue Spirit always manages to have a leg up on them.

[paulyenvol6]

Bound by Flame (Chapter 7)

Contains: angst, fighting

Worcount: ~3.26k

Masterlist of this story

The next day Daemon woke up with the first sunrays and despite trying to snooze away he couldn't and spent some minutes staring at the ceiling until he he couldn't take it anymore and decided to start his day.

He didn't want to wake his sweet wife though so he quietly grabbed some clothes to put on and then sneaked out of the room. But he definitely wouldn't just leave her like that after what had happened yesterday. He hoped that his lessons and punishment had taught her something but still, he couldn't rule out the possibility of her escaping again and so Daemon ordered his best-trained and most-trusted knight Ser Kylan to guard her chambers. If she wanted to get out before Daemon returned she would be allowed to do so but only if Kylan accompanied her, whether she liked it or not, and he would make sure that she later would be by his side at all times.

After giving this task to the warrior Daemon chose to eat in the dining room and made his way there. Usually he didn't get up so early but today something had torn him from his sleep and he couldn't point at what it was.

At this hour there weren't that many servants scurrying around the corridors yet which was why the rogue prince felt a little odd while heading to the dining room. There were several men and women inside though who set the table and covered it with the most delicious specialities such as figs and apricots and walnuts and little cakes and so much more.

He sank down on a chair and waited while the servants, who clearly hadn't expected the lord of dragonstone to be up at this hour, swiftly prepared the table, then bowed their heads and went to stand by the door in case he might need something. Daemon contendly reached for some blackberries and chewed the sweet fruit with relish. He had been a little concerned after waking up so early for no particular reason but now he was at peace. It probably had had to do with the weather, he thought and crossed his legs.

But then a few minutes later while he was chewing on a slice of bread the door opened without someone knocking it before and a guard hasted through it.

"My prince.", he shouted and Daemon turned to him with small eyes.

"What.", he spoke shortly.

The man held his chest trying to catch his breath but then pressed:

"T-There is…. There is a dragon, my prince. Heading towards the castle. By now he probably has landed."

Daemon couldn't fully hide his surprise and frowned at him. But he was quick to react and stood up.

"Seize anyone who intends to enter the castle, is that clear? And don't let anyone near my niece, under no circumstances."

Despite having a strong idea of who his uninvited guest was, Daemon had to make sure that Maera was proteced and kept safe at all costs and he couldn't be certain whether there were any other people about to approach dragonstone so he decided not to take a risk and have her guarded with his best people. He passed the knight and left the room with fast steps. He had to see if his assumption turned out to be true and then Daemon found himself in front of the castle gates.

The dragon had just landed and a smirk played around his mouth. Of course it was him. Viserys, his fool of a brother. It surprised Daemon to see him on a dragon because he wasn't much of a dragonrider. So all of this seemed to be of great importance to his brother if he even mounted his dragon again.

Viserys had climbed off it now and he truthfully looked a little stiff and rusty while doing it but he managed to do it and then spotted his brother. With a disturbed expression on his face and an eagerness in his steps he walked towards him and grabbed Daemon's shoulders once he was in his reach.

"You little shit, you – " he started but seemingly was too angry to finish the sentence so instead he shook his brother a few times.

"Where is she? You'll bring her to me at once, Daemon."

His response wasn't what Viserys had hoped for because the rogue prince chuckled lightly and didn't seem to care about his brother's tight grip around his shoulder.

"Daemon!" he shouted. "How is she? Is she fine? Did you do anything to her? Why the fuck did you do this and bring her here without my permission, how could you? Can you even imagine how worried I was?"

Daemon laughed again. "So many questions… Where do I begin?"

"Don't test my patience," Viserys hissed at him.

"Your daughter is a little beast, did you know that? Pricky and stubborn…. And defiant," Daemon stated slowly and his brother's head turned red with fury.

"Tell me NOW, Daemon. Stop playing your stupid games and answer my questions."

He slightly pushed him away from him but still dangerously glared at him.

"You remember our little conversation, don't you? I told you that I wished to wed Maera and now I did."

Viserys laughed out but it was an unhappy and cold sound.

"You're lying to me. That's not true."

But Daemon just lifted the corner of his mouth. "She's my wife by law. A septon performed the ceremony in the sight of gods. In the tradition of our house which I honour and respect so much, dear brother."

Viserys took a step back, disbelief and blank fear drawing his face now.

"It's not true. It can't be true, no…" he mumbled to himself and Daemon didn't care to object again. Then all of a sudden the king came forward and grabbed his shoulder once more.

"TELL me you're lying to me."

"I can't," Daemon stated almost indifferently. "It was a lovely day, you know? A clear sky. My friend believes it was a sign from the gods that this marriage will be a successful one. The septon made us man and wife in the backyard and afterwards we feasted in the hall until the sun set. And then I made her a woman. I bedded her and if I'm lucky I've gotten her pregnant already."

It clearly was too much for his brother and for a moment he feared that he might have a heartattack. Viserys held his chest and stared at the ground while trying to calm himself.

"No Daemon. No, you are… No."

Daemon didn't know if he seriously wanted an answer to his murmering and so the rogue prince rolled his eyes.

"Did you have any further questions?"

Viserys lifed his gaze and stared at him with disgust that was visible in his glossy eyes.

"Did… did you harm her, Daemon?"

His voice was croaky and thin and Daemon thoughtfully prentended to think with his thumb connected to his lips.

"Not more than necessary. As I said, she's a little minx."

Viserys let out something that sounded like a mixture of a cry and a sigh while Daemon patiently waited for his brother to collect himself so far that he was able to speak again.

"How could you, gods be good?? Oh I can't believe this, no… Daemon, how… How could you be such a monster?"

Daemon sighed and pushed his brother's hand away from his arm.

"Spare me, dear brother. You're exaggerating. She's doing fine and I'm certain that soon she will be such a good tame kitten for me that I won't have to do her any harm ever again."

Viserys panted heavily like he couldn't get enough air and walked back and forth as if he wanted to calm himself.

"No… No. Y-You can't possibly…"

Daemon watched him with an annoyed expression because he definitely had more productive things to do than stand here witnessing his brother's reaction to these news.

"I want to see her. Now," the king eventually hissed out, his face still red like a tomato.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that.", Daemon answered calmly.

"She's my daughter, Daemon. I swear to you, if you won't bring me to her, I – "

"She's my wife. If I choose not to let her see her father, then this is what's gonna happen. I'm her husband now and so things have changed, brother. I'm the one she has to obey to now. Not you."

Viserys flared his nostrils and threatingly grinded his teeth.

"I am your king. And I command you to bring her here at once."

"May I give you some advice, Viserys? Get used to these news. Maera is my wife and there is nothing you can do to change that fact. No matter where you intend to take her or even hide her from me, it won't change anything. I married her and I claimed her maidenhead so she'll be mine for the rest of my life. And that makes me the person who is exactly in the position to decide who she gets to see and who not. Your… title doesn't change anything about that or do I have to remind my king of the laws?" Daemon spitted.

Suddenly Viserys' face softened and tears welled in his eyes. He chuckled in disbelief and shook his head while observing his brother.

"She is your niece. She grew up with you, seven hells, she trusted you. She used to… t-to bounce on your lap as a child."

Daemon smirked croakedly, his eyes flashing. "She bounces on something else now."

His brother breathed out loudly. "You're a monster. A fucking monster, Daemon and I swear to you the gods will punish you for this."

"Shut up about the gods, brother. They won't be able to stand in my way," he whispered which made his brother angrily grab his arm.

"I would just like to know how you can live with yourself. Is there anything human left inside of you? Daemon! You watched her grow up, is there no love you feel for her at all?"

"I love her. More than anything in the world which is why I wed her. She's all I've ever wanted."

Viserys shook his head as if Daemon just didn't understand his point.

"If you love her, then why did you kidnap her? Why did you force her to wed you and why did you rape her?"

The rogue prince rolled his eyes and folded his hands behind his back.

"First of all, I did not kidnap her. She went willingly. And with the rest of it… She wasn't obedient so I had to make her. Because she doesn't know what she needs. But she will soon. She will understand that all I want is to protect her and cherish her. Perhaps you will understand that as well some day."

Daemon inhaled loudly. "You will have to excuse me now though. As much as I enjoyed this lovely conversation, my presence is needed now. You wouldn't want your daughter to feel lonely while eating her breakfast, would you?"

"I will not leave this island until I've seen her," Viserys growled.

"Then you can prepare a nice place for you to sleep outside, dear brother."

He attempted to turn around and leave him but the king stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

"Stop. I will send my army if I must. They will seize Dragonstone within a day and then you'll be arrested."

"And charged with what crimes?" he said more loudly now because he really was tired of this conversation.

"For wedding her against her will and raping her."

Daemon sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you? She said the words in front of the septon. There are countless people who can confirm that. And I don't think I have to remind you of the fact that it is a man's duty to claim his wife's maidenhead in his wedding night. I didn't do anything that broke any laws."

Viserys buttom lip trembled because he knew that is brother was right. Although Daemon hadn't had his king's permission to marry her, techniqually his action hadn't been illicit. Especially now that they were already wed. Also, Maera was over 16, had married her uncle who was of noble birth just like she was so no judge or septon would ever object and question this match. There was no possibility to annul this union now and even in his fury Viserys realized that there wasn't anything he could do to undo this mess.

So the king slumped down and tilted his head. Daemon waited for a moment to see whether he would say something else but he seemingly didn't so he slowly turned around and started to walk back to the castle. While his brother's back faced him Viserys opened his mouth one last time.

"May you burn in all of the seven hells!"

~~~~~~~~~~

It was only 7 days later that Maera found out about her father's visit.

These past days had been horrible with her strolling around Dragonstone (Daemon granted her this at least), reading in the library and staring at the walls during the day and Daemon taking her body every night before they went to sleep.

It wasn't like he merely used her without paying mind to her because he made sure that she finished every time as well but Maera hated it nevertheless whereas her body enjoyed the pleasure she was receiving.

And she hated herself for it.

How could she like what he was doing to her? How could she moan or sigh or wish for more. Every time when she stiffly laid in bed afterwards trying to find some sleep the girl cursed herself for reacting to him like that and swore to herself that next time she would stay strong and not let her body's reaction overtake her mind. But Maera failed each and every time and it burdened her like nothing else in this world.

During the day she tried her best to simply ignore her husband. She gave short answers when he spoke to her, refused anything he offered her and avoided him at any chance. Often Daemon became angry then and forced her to come with him, for instance when he had intended to show her around Dragonstone's caves but Maera had refused. He had flared his nostrils and took her anyway. It hadn't been terrible because she was happy to finally see something else other than the insides of her chambers and the ever same looking trees outside the castle but of course she pouted the whole time and didn't speak a single word which made her uncle furious.

The days passed slowly, hours felt like days and then on a sunny and dry day Maera found herself sitting next to Daemon while they ate supper in the dining room.

As always she had her head lowered and didn't let out a sound except the noise of her chewing her food. Daemon next to her had just poured himself a cup of wine and he thoughtfully examined the liquid.

"You know that your father used to hate the taste of wine?"

Maera frowned at the seemingly unreasonable topic and kept her eyes down though she thought that soon she might have to answer him.

"Even on his wedding day he couldn't bare it and gave his cups to me or to Aemma in secret. Our cousin always used to make fun of him saying that he wasn't a real man."

Maera felt a lump in her throat. She missed her father so terribly. She hadn't seen him in more than a week now and there wasn't anything hinting at a reunion in the foreseeable future. He would be able to fix everything. He would talk to Daemon and he would listen. He would have to obey his king and then her father would take her home and everything would be the way it was before. Daemon didn't notice the absence of mind of his niece and instead chuckled quietly to himself.

"A shame, really. That he can't be with us right now."

Maera's eyes filled with tears at once and she felt like throwing up. With these words Daemon had hit a nerve and her blood was boiling. How could he say this while keeping her on this island? It made her blind with fury and now Maera slowly raised her gaze.

"I hate you," she whispered and at first wasn't certain if he had heard her because he didn't react. But then the prince tilted his head to the side and exhaled loudly.

"That's a shame as well. That, and the fact that my brother and I have raised such a rebellious little girl that tends to forget about her manners all the time. I told this your father when I saw him, you know? I told him how badly you're behaving."

For a brief moment Maera didn't understand the content of his words until her expression changed and she widened her eyes.

"What?" she pressed.

"What," Daemon repeated.

"What did you say?"

The rogue prince sighed as if she was a stupid child who couldn't understand the easiest concept and crossed his arms in front of him.

"I said that I told him about your behaviour."

"When?"

She had a bad suspicion but needed to make sure that it actually was true. Daemon moved back in his chair.

"When my dear brother paid me a little visit a few days ago, sweetling. He wanted to check on you."

A sob left her body and she pressed her hand over her mouth.

"He was here!?" she cried. "Why didn't you let me see him?"

"Because I didn't feel like it. I thought you needed more time to settle in and a visit from your father would've merely disturbed you."

Maera felt in disbelief. Her father, so close to her here at Dragonstone. He had come to get her, to free her from Daemon's claws and yet his mission had failed.

"No… Daemon, why…" she whined and suddenly felt her head aching so much that she would've liked to hold it under iced water.

"Why couldn't you just let me see him? Only for a few minutes? I would've been good, I wouldn't have tried to run away," Maera complained.

But Daemon just rolled his eyes and didn't look regretting or ashamed at all.

"And how was I supposed to trust you, mhm? After you've lied to me, tried to escape and pouted at me all the time. Did you expect me to give you a treat for that or what?"

Maera felt so tired that her eyes became glossy and she didn't have the energy to hold herself up or listen to another of Daemon's outbursts. She was still so incredibly enraged and there were a million things she would've liked to scream at him but suddenly she felt too exhausted. Suddenly all she cared about was to rest in silence and not being involved in another debate with her uncle.

"I want to go to sleep," she breathed and feared that she would start to cry. How could he be so evil? How could this man be the same person she had known as a child? This was a question she had asked herself a million times those last days.

"Fine. Go. You're upset and perhaps a good sleep will heal your troubled mind."

Maera instantly stood up and stormed out the room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist:

@smashee0789 @classicsimpforaaronwarner @hangmanscoming @ninihrtss @coffeebooksrain18 @aleemendoza2425-blog @chiminies-noona

Also shoutout to the person telling me that I've messed up the commas in all of my past stories ahhaha. None of my teachers have ever corrected me and I didn't know that it was wrong so now I feel kind of stupid. But thank you to the person who pointed it out <3