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juststoriesintheend · 16 days ago

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II. Trial

Chapter Pairing: referenced Master Sol x f!Reader + Osha Aniseya x f!Reader

Chapter Content: flashbacks, multiple POVs, grief/mourning, sexual scenarios, wet dreams, masturbation

Word Count: 4,325

《 [series masterlist] 》《 I 》《 III 》《 IV 》《 V 》

It’s easy to be distracted in the middle of a fight. Rather than focusing on the pain radiating from her sternum, Osha must focus on the saber hurtling toward her face and determine how best to block it. Instead of dwelling on the present, she must fixate on fractals of her past in order to find her equilibrium - her years on Coruscant, the saber forms the Jedi once taught her, the magic of her mothers and their coven. There isn’t time to linger on the loss, on the sorrow, on the anger and betrayal of her former Master when she is too busy molding herself into the perfect acolyte.

But the mask still slips when she least expects it. In the space between sleeping and waking, she sometimes thinks she’s back on Savareen, still wrapped up in you, still breathing in the moments before disaster. Qimir knocks her saber from her hands and she scrambles to grab it, and she sees a flash of Sol’s face, his eyes wide and kind, his mouth twisted into a promise as empty as her heart. She sees him fall dead, hears his final declaration, and it’s like she’s being ripped apart in the amount of time it takes for a star to be born. A thunderstorm slams into the coast and she thinks of her sister, of all the times they huddled together in Mama’s arms when the lightning scared them.

“In order to fight, you must be present. You can’t defend yourself when your back is turned.” Qimir taps his training staff against her shoulder to further enunciate his point.

Osha snaps her head to the left, then the right, cracking her vertebrae. She thinks of all those Jedi who died on Khofar. She thinks of your Master, cut through with Qimir’s blade because she hadn’t been fast enough to stop him. Osha suppresses the thought with enough force to make her hands shake, and that’s when she surges forward to land a double blow, her teeth bared in a snarl.

“I’m present,” she says as she lowers herself into a defensive pose. It’s a unique spin on something Sol once taught her, another piece of him that she’s taken and twisted to make her own.

It gives her strength, she’s come to realize, taking things that he once found sacred and forcing them to serve her. Qimir has rules, but they’re different from those of the Jedi. Here her passion is encouraged, driven to thrive rather than to be snuffed out. Her rage isn’t a matter of concern, but a point of pride.

The Force will set you free, Osha.

And indeed it has.

Mae is a problem that pushes at the very edges of your capabilities. She keeps you guessing even after you think you’ve finally figured her out. She’s powerful, more powerful than you think Osha ever was, and it’s a strange thought to have. Mae pushes when you pull, you lead and she surpasses, a never-ending game of back and forth that feels constantly out of your reach. She is more certain of herself than you are of your own abilities. She’s eager to learn and quick to understand, she’s the apprentice any Master would be fortunate to have, so why is she forcibly saddled with your muddled attempts at mentorship?

Master Vernestra would be a more suitable choice, but she’s adamant that you do this. “You may find closure over Osha Aniseya’s departure and Sol’s death in helping this girl to recover her memories,” she had told you, but you fail to see how. How can you possibly find closure when you’re haunted every waking moment by your greatest failure and deepest desire?

“I don’t remember his name,” Mae says when you ask her about the Jedi in her memories, such as they are.

“It was Sol,” you tell her.

She ruminates on the word for a few moments, narrowing her eyes as if she could somehow see him if she picked at the name for long enough. “He… killed my mother.” And though Mae says it with some level of resignation, you still have yet to accept that such a thing could have happened, that Sol would be capable of it. It punches the air from your lungs.

Your eyes flicker to the incense pot on your table. A few of the broken shards have been carefully plastered together while the rest lay in order of their most likely matches. There’s still a stain on the floor from where the ash had smudged the stone and you weren’t able to get it out of all the little cracks. Neither has the smell of sandalwood diminished in the days since it broke.

Selfishness drives you to ask the question you know you shouldn’t. “Do you know why?” Because there has to be a reason. There has to be an explanation for why the kindest man you’ve ever known would choose to strike down a frightened child’s mother, why he would then kill his fellow Jedi, your friends, his own Padawan, and then turn his blade upon himself. There has to be a line of logic in his choices or else you are lost.

“No.” She tries so hard to remember, but her memories are so fractured that there’s nothing left for her to find in the recesses of her mind.

It’s the first kindling of anger in the deepest chamber of your heart. You pretend that the ugly sting of it is just another stitch ripped open in your too-fresh grief, that Mae’s inability to explain away your love for a murderer doesn’t make you want to raze all of Coruscant to its foundations. No, you are a Jedi who has been gifted with a second chance. There is no such thing as rage or desire or the corrupting whisper of attachment, not for you. There is only the serenity of the Force and vows of the Jedi. Just like your Master taught you.

“What is this place?” Mae’s voice echoes for a moment before quickly dissipating into the mountain.

Your head tilts back to take in the arching walls of stone and steel, occasionally studded with saber scars and great cracks that travel throughout the shrine like the crackling tendrils of a lightning strike. It’s been close to nine years since you were here last, the night of your Trials, yet it still looks exactly the same. “This is the heart of the Temple. The very first Jedi shrine.”

Mae huffs a quiet laugh. “It looks like it.”

She’s not wrong. This place clearly hasn’t been touched in centuries, if not millenia. Dust has gathered atop the shrine’s centerpiece, a pale stone bench with the most ancient Jedi symbol known to the galaxy carved into its surface, and the steel beams forced into the stone that hold the weight of the spire and the hundreds of levels above you look like they’ve shifted several times over the years. Perhaps you’ll keep this visit brief.

“So, why are we here?”

Even for you, a Jedi Knight who has lived in this Temple all her life, the concept of this place is a strange one; it takes you a minute to find the right words to describe it. “The Temple was built upon a vergence. It’s a concentration of the Force, more powerful than anywhere else in the galaxy. To the Jedi, a vergence is like a window into the Force itself. We strengthen ourselves through it, we can see visions of the future or impressions from the past, and we use it to guide us.”

You can feel it even now, the heart of the vergence. It lies far beneath you in the heart of the mountain that once stood here, yet its energy is strong enough to vibrate through miles of rock and ore until it penetrates through your sinew.

The ghost of a non-existent wind whispers through Mae’s hair as she turns. “Mama…” Her body twists in a circle as her eyes are cast wildly about the shrine room, following something you cannot see or even guess at. “I remember…”

Your breath catches in your throat. “You do?”

But Mae only shakes her head, this time pressing her fingers to the star-white spiral on her forehead. “It’s not the Force,” she murmurs, “it’s the Thread. Mama taught us about it, me and… Osha.”

Could it really be so simple as this? You hardly dare to breathe, let alone to hope. “Do you remember her?”

She answers you, not with words, but with the quiet grip of her hand around yours. The Force thrums softly between your palms, like a breeze caught in a cage, but its sound and touch are different from how you know it or even from how you’ve been teaching Mae to wield it. The Force feels less like the steady, beating heart of the universe and more like a song. It feels tangible, not in the way of a cloud or the mist of the morning, but like a canvas stretching thin where you press against it.

Mae finally speaks, yet the words don’t sound like her. “Pull the Thread,” she says as she paws frantically at the air, “change everything.”

“Mae?” You can’t pull your hand free.

“It ties you to your destiny. It binds you to others.”

An actual breeze has started whipping around the perimeter of the shrine room, so dark and thick with dust that it chokes out the light of the lanterns and plunges you into darkness.

“Mae?”

“The power of two.”

The Force all but screams inside your head. “Mae! Stop it! Let go!”

Now it’s not the Force in your head, but Mae, her face a vision before your unseeing eyes, her irises black and endless like the night sky. The power of two - as if you have any idea what that means.

And then you’re falling.

Osha sniffles quietly into her knees. She hears the rustle of Master Sol’s cloak across the floor, then the creak of his boots as he kneels beside her.

“Death is a natural part of life, but that does not make it easy for those of us who survive.”

She waits for a moment, considering this, before peeking out the side of the fortress she’s made with her arms. Her Master’s face is sad and unfamiliar to her. She isn’t sure what to do with an adult who’s sad like she is.

“I miss Mama,” she says.

Sol nods stoically. “It is natural to miss those we have lost. But a Jedi does not mourn death. A Jedi does not fear death. We are all a part of the Force, Osha, and we return to it when our bodies die.”

It reminds her of something Mama once taught her about the Thread. “Is that… Is that where Mama is? And Mae?”

Hesitation dims the hopeful light in Osha’s heart, but Sol is quick to ease her worries. “Yes,” he finally decides. “Your family is with the Force now, Osha.”

Osha thinks it might not be such a bad thing to be part of the Force if it means she gets to be part of her family again. She tilts her head until it rests upon Sol’s shoulder. His hand closes around her a moment later, and it almost feels like a hug, the kind like Mama used to give.

Yet when she wakes, all Osha feels is the emptiness in her bones and the grief of becoming an orphan all over again.

This isn’t the first time Sol’s memory has come back to haunt her in her dreams, but this is the first time it’s left her feeling sick to her stomach. Growing up in the Temple, she’d looked to him for guidance and hope, and she’d trusted the council he gave her like it was the word of a god. All that time, he’d been lying to her and piling the blame on Mae.

I did it because I love you.

The inside of the cave flashes red, then the walls rumble and shake, and then Qimir has his hands on her shoulders. He’s calling her name, she thinks, but his voice feels far away. She can hardly hear him, but she can feel the weight of a saber in her hand and the crackle of energy as the exposed kyber crystal screams inside her mind.

She only has the time to blink before tumbling head first into another memory.

The first time she ever saw a lightsaber that wasn’t Master Sol’s was in the training rooms. A dozen Padawans at least five or six years her senior have been divided into pairs and instructed to practice their forms. There’s a young Wookiee who reminds her of Master Kelnacca in the far corner; she has pretty, plaited brown hair and a purple saber shaped like a tree branch. Next to her is… a Togruta, she thinks, all tall and elegant with white and brown markings on her head-tails. She looks fierce and strong like Mother Koril, and her lightsaber is blue like Sol’s. And there’s a Twi’lek, too, and another Wookiee, and a lot of humans who know how to do really impressive things, and then…

Well, and then there’s you. All things considered, you’re not really any different from the other humans, but Osha likes that you smile when you do something fancy. Maybe you’re not so stuffy like some of the other children here.

“When do I get to do that?” she asks.

Sol chuckles warmly before placing his hand on her shoulder. “First you must train. These Padawans have spent many years learning how to use the Force and find balance in it. You will learn that, too.”

It’s disappointing, but not surprising. The Jedi have a lot of rules and the biggest one is patience. She’s still working on that one.

“There’s so many colors.”

“Yes. Each one represents a different way of connecting with the Force.”

“What about yours?”

When Sol extends his lightsaber to her, he keeps his hand over hers. The blade suddenly flares to life and Osha almost drops it. It feels heavier when it’s lit, but also… powerful, mysterious. She likes that.

“When I was about your age, my master took me to Ilum so I could discover my kyber crystal. It is the heart of every Jedi’s weapon. I walked through snow and ice, and wandered into the deepest caves until I found mine.” The saber hums and collapses in on itself with a flick of Sol’s wrist, but he leaves the hilt in Osha’s hand. She turns it over once, twice, and pretends for a moment that it’s hers. “I didn’t know what kind of Jedi I wanted to be until I found my kyber and built my lightsaber. Blue is the color of justice and protection. It’s a symbol of the light and the fight against the Dark Side.”

Osha thinks it sounds kind of complicated, but she likes the idea of having her own lightsaber in the future. She wonders if it’ll be blue like Sol’s.

“One day you will find your own kyber, Osha, and it will help you decide what kind of Jedi you will become.”

She comes out of the memory with her arms slashing and her throat raw from screaming. She can’t see anything beyond the red, warped scars that her saber leaves behind in the Force, but she can feel everything. She feels the Force soaking into her skin and peeling it back until she’s little more than an exposed nerve. She feels the memory of her mother and the thrumming song of the Thread between her hands. She feels the night of your embrace and the echo Sol’s betrayal, and she feels it so keenly that she thinks she might die.

There’s a Padawan in the class above hers, a girl she’s only spoken to in passing, but her eyes are pretty and she laughs kind of like you do, so Osha likes her right away. Funny how she can be so mad at you but still want you around. It’s incredibly annoying. So annoying, in fact, that Osha finds herself following the Padawan with the long hair and almost-but-not-quite-you-smile into an old supply closet that smells like engine grease and cleaning supplies. The Padawan - who probably has a name, but they’re way beyond names at this point - says something about how pretty Osha’s lips are before deciding to kiss them, just to be sure.

Osha wishes she wasn’t pretending it’s you. But she is. Because she’s an idiot. And a bad friend. And a terrible Jedi. And an overall failure, really. But you’re too busy trying to find happiness in the mouths and hands (and other places) of other Padawans who aren’t Osha. You’re too distracted to even notice her.

Kissing the pretty girl who sounds like you is a weird way of getting revenge that only makes her feel worse in the end, and that’s when Osha starts to think that maybe she was never cut out to be a Jedi. She’s too lost in the idea of you to remember that attachment isn’t the Jedi way. And you’re too lost in everyone else to care.

All the Jedi have ever done is destroy things. They destroyed Brendok. They destroyed her coven. They took everything from her and told her to let it go, and now it’s like they’re taunting her. Sol, Jecki, Yord, you… All of it was a lie and she was too stupid to see it.

A massive chunk of the cave comes crumbling down behind her.

“Osha?”

Her pulse hammers wildly behind her eyes. It hurts. Everything hurts. She slams the meat of her palm into her eye socket and tries to rub the pain away, but it only strengthens.

“Osha!”

It’s too much, it’s all too much. She screams and the lightsaber goes flying - Sol’s lightsaber, the one she wishes she could have killed him with - and the cave dissolves into rubble around her.

You throw yourself to the ground with your arms over your head to avoid the chaotic arc of the red lightsaber as it whips around the cave, but a second goes by, then another, and another after that, and you can no longer hear the the whistle of plasma through air or the ragged and uneven breaths of the very woman who has haunted you since Savareen. You blink, confused, and peer cautiously through the gap between your arms.

Osha is nowhere to be found, nor is her saber… You could’ve sworn it was Sol’s. You’d know the hilt of his blade anywhere, but that’s not possible. It should’ve burned on his funeral pyre or at least been taken back to the Temple to give to… someone. Not you, of course, but someone who knew him, who cared about him in life and loved him in death.

None of this is right. The vergence should have allowed you to recall Mae’s memories, yet your mind is bursting at the seams with Osha’s past and a hint of her present. Your chest is heavy with her grief and your mouth tender to the touch as if it were you that the Padawan from her memory had kissed…

“Oh, Osha.” Your head falls into your hands in despair. All those years she spent pining after you and you never noticed. You were too enamored with the other Padawans and Knights, too enamored with Sol to even consider the fact that Osha might feel that way about you. Only now you know what it’s like to kiss and be loved by her, and you feel like a fool for never paying her more attention.

Mae, however, is thrilled. She’s sprawled across the floor with the most dazzling smile you’ve ever seen. “Oshie,” she murmurs, her eyes glazed over and far away.

You’re happy for Mae. While this isn’t the discovery you had in mind, it’s good that Mae has a new connection to her sister. It should make the recollection of her memories easier now that she has something more tangible to focus her goals on. Master Vernestra will be pleased with the progress and maybe even impressed with Mae’s abilities. These are all good things. So why can’t you escape the steadily growing seed of despair that’s taking root behind your sternum?

The reason, of course, is Sol. Even from beyond the grave, he manages to torment you. You’d be amazed at his tenacity if you weren’t also heartbroken.

A sliver of Osha’s current mindset had slipped through to you in the chaos, fractional pieces of concepts and feelings that have burrowed into your flesh and refuse to release you. You see him on Brendok, a place you’ve never been nor seen a single holopic of yet you recognize it as easily as you might recognize Coruscant. He’s kneeling before you with tears in his eyes. You think he’s dying, but he’s not fighting it. It’s awful.

I love you, you think you hear him say to her, and you feel the most incredible agony when he does.

Then you see his saber. A crack runs along the seam between sheets of steel where the kyber’s been exposed. You can still feel the raw cut of the gem as it digs into your skin and screams for mercy. It’s been bled of all its light until the only thing that remains is the red-tinted shadow of Osha’s rage. The shadow of a Sith.

Suddenly the shrine feels too crowded and too dark for you. The weight of it is suffocating, like a hand wrapped around your throat. You scramble to your feet and in your desperation to flee, you forget about Mae. You forget why you’re here. There’s only the vision of Sol’s face and the jagged, smoldering scars of Osha’s anger carved into the walls around you. And a voice, beckoning to you from beneath the shrine, enticing you further into the darkness.

You run.

Osha’s wedged between your thighs, her mouth hot and insistent on your skin as she draws your pleasure from you, a woman half starved and feasting at the banquet you’ve provided for her. She touches you as if you were the only person in existence, as if you were the only person she has ever known.

Then why do you think of Sol when she fucks you hard enough to make your eyes roll back into your head? It isn’t intentional. You aren’t seeking out the shape of him in your mind, but it comes to you all the same. Osha’s tongue laves over your clit, and you keen, and suddenly you’re picturing Sol in her place, flat on his belly with his hands on your thighs and his mouth on your cunt, and you very nearly come undone in that very moment. The neatly rolled spirals of hair in your hands almost, for a second, feel thinner and smooth, a passing shadow with the texture of Sol’s locks.

“C’mon, baby,” she pants when she finally pulls back. Her mouth is wet and dark, her lips kiss-bruised, and she is so painfully beautiful that you can hardly bear it. “C’mon. Make a mess for me.”

The desperate, guttural sound in your chest prompts her to smile, and when she dives back down, you find yourself careening into wild, open space, crying out the vague syllables of her name even as the ghost of Sol’s could-have-been touch lingers in your bones.

“-sha, Osh-!”

You jerk awake on Coruscant, lying in a pool of your own sweat. At first, the only thing you’re aware of is the pounding of your heart and the agonizing weight of loss between your ribs, but then you’re aware of the gentle snoring in the far corner, of the scent of long-stale sandalwood. And the intoxicating lick of arousal at the base of your spine.

You bury the meat of your palms in your eye sockets with a quiet groan. Of all the times to have such a dream, it has to be the night Osha’s sister is sharing your room?

You haven’t had a single dream of that night on Savareen, not even the first night you were back on Coruscant, although the memories have been repeating in an endless loop in the back of your mind, stuffed in between fractals of grief over Sol’s betrayal and his passing. But you can’t think about that right now. All you can think about is how much you wish he would have at least touched you, even once. Not the way Osha touched you - it feels wrong to pine after the dead in such a way - but a hand on your arm, a finger tucked below your chin, a whisper of his lips against yours…

The muffled grunt of desire that rumbles out of you as a result is shameful. There has to be something wrong with you if, after everything Sol has done, you still wish you could have shared a night with him, learning the way he shows his love, memorizing the scent of his hair and the freckles on his skin. Your eyes dart to the far corner where Mae is sleeping. He killed her mother, you remind yourself. He killed your Master. Where is your decency? Where is your honor?

Perhaps it was struck down on Khofar. Perhaps Sol killed it on Brendok when he chose to kill himself. Or perhaps you never had it to begin with.

When you finally worm your hand under your clothes and down between your legs, you’re overwhelmed with guilt and lust, and they both win out in the end. Your orgasm is unsatisfying and your heart aches, and you find yourself flickering between a mental picture of Osha in the throes of her passion and Sol with his infinite smile. Neither one feels real anymore.

taglist: @wolffegirlsunite @thatlittlered @evyiione @padawancat97

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author's note:

both the ancient jedi shrine & sith shrine beneath the temple is a real thing in canon! the jedi shrine isn't named, but the sith shrine is called the shrine in the depths.

#master sol x reader #osha aniseya x reader #master sol #osha aniseya #the acolyte #star wars #x reader #verosha aniseya x reader #verosha aniseya

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true-blue-sonic · 10 months ago

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Curious to know the difference between Espilver & Silvaze for you (personally I definitely entirely disagree that Espilver is Silvaze but gay 😭)

I must say I've never heard of that statement before myself, though my gut feeling is also that they are not just "the exact same ship with a different person", so to say. It is mostly because Espio and Blaze have quite some differences in personality that affect their interactions with Silver, but I feel like the fact Silver's personality has notable differences between his '06 and Rivals 2 appearances also has an influence on it. And as I wrote this post, I also noted some things about Blaze's personality in '06.

So let's unpack all that, haha! I can understand why at first glance, it's easy to see Blaze and Espio as characters who are mostly just "the same". For example, they're both portrayed as the straight men of the bunch: for Blaze clearly seen in Rush Adventure, where she starts out rather irritable, dismissive, and unamused of Marine, and for Espio with his focused and strength-obsessed attitude compared to Vector and Charmy's goofing around and bickering. Both of them are driven and heavily disciplined, are notably stoic amidst the more zany other members of the cast, work swiftly towards goals, seem more introverted and alright with doing things solitarily, have the occasional moment of wit and snark, can certainly get flustered, and possess a strong desire for justice, among other traits.

But there's also differences between them. Blaze's withdrawal from others came from the pressure she put on herself and 'always having been alone' because of her pyrokinesis, whereas Espio's solitary attitude seems more like an informed attribute to me. Wherever he goes, the Chaotix usually are not far behind, and when he does go solo it's apparently either to go train and hone his skills or because Vector sent him out for a mission. Espio thus doesn't at all seem to have any of the self-loathing Blaze used to have in her pressuring herself: I would say that for him it seems more like a self-imposed desire to become more powerful, which he seems to tackle masterfully and with a level attitude. Blaze also has much more of a temper on her, which makes her easily riled up; Espio meanwhile has a burning desire to snuff out evil, but keeps a calm head throughout. None of these are really traits that affect Silver, but I find it noteworthy to point them out.

But.... to be quite honest, what makes this ask rather difficult for me is that Blaze in '06 doesn't have much to do, which I believe is a common fandom complaint. Silver is the only one to ever acknowledge her, and her role mostly just is to be a satellite around him who keeps him on-track and gives him encouragement and tips. There's very little of her Rush personality (hot-headed, awkward about making friends but getting better at it, not good at accepting help which carries on a bit still in Rush Adventure, etc.) that shows in '06, in my opinion. For example, a noteworthy trait of her in Rush is the fact that she was teased for her pyrokinesis and had high expectations of protecting the Sol Emeralds on top, which caused her to shut others out and put everything on her own shoulders. That is not an experience I would say can be skipped in Blaze's personality: it really heavily influences how she acted in Rush, and affects her to this day even after her growth. But afaik there's no mention in '06 at all of Silver positively impacting her with his apparent acceptance of her and her powers: the trait is merely informed at best, not shown. Basically all development is centered around Silver instead, where Blaze is there to help but does not develop in turn, if that makes sense? And thus, she's more of a blank slate who's very supportive of Silver and who clearly loves and appreciates him as her companion, but whose personality as we'd seen it one year prior is not really there for me. And that makes it difficult for me to objectively compare the differences between the two ships, to be quite honest.

I will readily concede that Espilver and Silvaze could have many things in common: I would say both Espio and Blaze serve as Silver's support in their respective games, where they keep him on track and help him keep up his hopeful attitude. They seem to be well-synced with him, and Silver clearly respects them both. But the main difference for me is that Silver generally is the one making the plans and handing out the orders in Rivals 2, that Espio also follows. Espio only steps in when Silver cannot do so anymore, such as when his powers are almost depleted in the canyon. Silver does not need him for any emotional support or to get advice: he already knows with certainty what he is doing. Meanwhile, though '06!Silver also feels like 'the leader' between him and Blaze for me, he seems much more dependent on Blaze for said emotional support and guidance. He turns to her when he gets stuck about the morality of hurting one person to help many, and she calms him down when he expresses frustration about being unable to defeat Iblis for good, for example. I'd say it is in such things that those little details lie for me: '06!Silver has a lot more focus on morality and world-saving, whereas Rivals!Silver's quality that stands out most is kiiiiiind of being a jerk at most times. He's got his sweet moments, also with Espio, but his temper is very noteworthy in that game; much more than it was in '06, in my opinion.

And to add to that, I feel like the '06 personalities are not carried over so much in later games. In Colours DS, Silver and Blaze start one-upping each other for a bit about how they each could have defeated Orbot and Cubot solo, which I would say fits better with Blaze's withdrawn and occasionally-awkward-and-overly-serious demeanour as seen in Rush. Silver's self-confidence and competitive attitude meanwhile is present in most of his portrayals, and thus also here... but gone are the questions about morals or him needing emotional guidance, which makes a strong part of his personality in '06 for me. Also in one Sonic Channel story, Blaze and Silver get off on the wrong foot at first, and it takes some time for them to see the value in the other being there as their actions sync. I'd say such a story and development fits the two of them better with their non-'06 personalities: Blaze is self-reliant and doesn't accept help easily still, whereas Silver has more of a temper against her at first. It's quite different from '06, where they apparently already are the best of companions and Blaze's role kind of is to give Silver support. But the main source of Silvaze content simply is that game, and there Blaze's personality is rather lacking to me compared to what we learned of her before, and Silver's personality carries more focus on his softer, younger, naive sides. Meanwhile, in the Rivals 2 games Espio offers him his help in the game proper and you can see how they affect each other afterwards, but Silver does not need Espio for emotional guidance or to answer questions about how far you can acceptably go to save a world. For me, that makes both ships just a bit different!

#yeah I found this a really difficult ask haha #a fun one but difficult! There's not a lot of content on especially Espilver to really look in the games and see their interactions #and '06 of course has Blaze with a much more subdued role in the background that didn't really explore her imo #so yeah: I can understand why people would see the two ships as the same (I presume it's because both are 'guides' towards Silver?)#but for me it's not really the case haha #silver the hedgehog #espio the chameleon #blaze the cat #espilver #silvaze #long post

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familiarflower · 9 months ago

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HC Drop:

marlene initially had little to no interest in developing a fighting skill as her father insisted that the 'fighting' was over with and his daughter never needed to fight the way their family had. but it didn't take long of watching denzel learn a few exercises from cloud with a staff that her interest was piqued, if not for the sake of joining in. she quickly joined in on the lessons till curiosity had her asking, after a few years, for a practice sword just to see if she could handle one. in between that summers were often spent at costa del sol or cosmo canyon to visit nanaki and its there that curiosity pricked again at seeing someone shooting a bow and she asked for a lesson. all it took was one summer for her to get the hang of it and to continue excelling over the years. its cloud who surprises her for her seventeenth birthday with the custom bowsword after having spent years monitoring her progress and maturity to handle such a weapon. she named it Lightkore after the flower maiden of mythology. marlene's limit breaks are: Heart Pulse (Lvl 1), Venus Shot (Lvl 2), Ribbon Fire (Lvl 3), Aura Slash (Lvl 4). after receiving Lightkore she doubles down on training with cloud for a period in order to get a hang of the versatility since he had plenty of experience with his own fusion sword, First Tsurugi.

most of the 7th heaven family thought that marlene would take the artistic route for a career with her love of drawing, but after many trips all over the planet with her father and family she sees the various states of rebuilding in progress. between that and the innate 'sense' always lingering she decides she wants to do her part to help the planet and its people rebuild and rebuild better with more eco-friendly means. she graduates early with specialized classes in agriculture, planetary studies, biodiversity and conservation before joining up with the W.R.O. her passion is revitalizing small towns that had been railroaded by shinra development and helping them focus on a more natural means of life through solar powered means, community & personal gardens, and reusing resources as much as possible. later on over the years she also helps establish new towns and becomes one of the favorites to become a head of development in the W.R.O. not to mention a favorite amongst her teams that she works with as she always gets her hands dirty to be involved in every aspect down to digging ditches and lugging construction material.

despite only having a brief meeting with aerith it was a long lasting impact. in homage to the heart of the group marlene continues to always wear her pink bow in a braid like aerith's and eventually grows out her childhood bangs for more subtle face framing ones. the white turtleneck tank shirt remains a staple along with an offwhite midi length skirt (sometimes traded for a beige baggy cargo pant with work) and a soft-light pink jacket falling to slightly below the hip. it sometimes gives her family a double take when they glimpse her from the corner of their eye due to the similarity. however, its driven home to marlene's knowledge when elmyra begins to pass away and mistakes her for her daughter aerith. tifa and barret almost correct the mistake but marlene simply jumps in, takes elmyra's hand and plays along with the role till her passing.

#x. hc #-wheW-#admittedly i feel like regular marls outfit vs what she wears working on site at the WRO is more lightning styled bc WORK #and it needs to be functional

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wildmelon · 2 years ago

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mina for @latteaki's too hot to handle! 🥝

good | perfectionist | ambitious

mina woods (she/her) is a 26-year-old model from del sol valley. she is pansexual. her hobbies include guitar, wellness, and dancing. here are some of her outfits, her download has the rest of them!

would she hit on bruce: she will hit on anyone she thinks is hot, but will not escalate unless she is 99.9% sure it could really go somewhere.

her favorite food is kiwi

she trained as a ballerina but retired when she was 20 due to injury

she's weirdly good at skiing even though she's only been once (probably due to her excellent balance)

mina hates winter holiday music. she never celebrated winterfest growing up so it annoys her to no end.

she's a libra sun, taurus moon, and virgo rising

she can't stand social media and won't become a simfluencer no matter how much her agent wants her to

longer bio under the cut! 🖤

born and raised in del sol valley, mina spent most of her childhood in the dance studio. her mother, a single parent and highly successful businesswoman, had not planned on children and didn't really know what to do with mina. she received little attention from her mom and spent a lot of time alone. mina became highly independent and driven, and her perfectionism served her well both in school and in ballet. at 18 she achieved her dream and was offered a place in the del sol valley ballet.

mina was quickly promoted to soloist and was on track to have an exceptional dance career until a knee injury ended her career abruptly 2 years later. she felt like her entire life had imploded and realized she had almost no one to lean on, as she hadn't spoken to her mother in a long time and her friends in the company didn't understand. mina watched as they went on without her, feeling increasingly isolated and unable to bear their gossip about casting and choreography. she worked tirelessly on her rehab but felt restless and lost until she was scouted by a modeling agency.

at 21, she discovered a love for modeling and even began dabbling in photography. her life took a turn for the better as she found a new community of artists in dsv*. she took up wellness to cope with the residual depression and anxiety ballet had left her with, and started guitar lessons. eventually, she was able to dance again just for fun.

mina's incredibly stylish and charismatic. she'd made a great simfluencer, but she considers herself an artist and doesn't want to be associated with simstagram models. she only does cool stuff like runway and editorial modeling ok. that's why she's not really ~famous~ even though she's very successful.

mina's a flirt but hardly ever takes things past that. she has a deep-seated desire for love but is very guarded both physically and emotionally. she's had one very serious relationship from ages 18-21, but it pretty much fell apart after she was injured and he stayed in the company. it definitely broke her heart. mina yearns for someone trustworthy, caring, and dependable who will provide her with safety and stability.

*fun fact: she is besties with my sim vivienne, a super famous actress, and probably vivienne's only true friend. but no one really knows that since mina's so private.

#sorry this got long af lmao #ts4 edit #sims 4 edit #ts4 cas #sims 4 cas #create a sim #sims 4 portrait #ts4 portrait #my sims #ts4 #sims 4 #ts4 too hot to handle #sims 4 too hot to handle #ts4 thth #sim: mina woods #lush.ts4

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tact-and-impulse · 1 year ago

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Based on this ask, it’s the childhood friends AU that’s grabbed me by the throat! @shepherds-of-haven, I’ve been waiting to drop this. Below the cut and on AO3 as well!

simple charm

The village was nothing like home. The land was flat and unchanging as it stretched towards the horizon. Rope cordons were tied around the fields of barley and vegetables, struggling to remain green under the summer heat. The dusty wooden houses, clustered together, were giving a standoffish air. People had noticed their arrival, withdrawing into their doors and suspiciously eyeing their elk mounts. Only a slight majority of the locals had white hair; others sported lighter shades or multicolored locks indicating mixed blood. A very different welcome than usual.

“This is Maj?” Halek muttered. His father had told him and Naolin that this was a good opportunity to journey out of Uth Baryd, with a few elite fighters for protection on the road. Father was leading a diplomatic mission, to make contact with a gathering of refugees and reunite with their lost kin. For the future sol and sola, it was meant to be practice for leadership and negotiation.

Halek had taken it in stride, but Naolin was obviously unsettled, knuckles gripping their elk’s reins. They’d never left the Reach before, and Maj was in such stark contrast. Nakedly vulnerable, no defenses against demons, and shabbily built. But the villagers were surviving on their own means. Halek respected that.

From the front, their father called out in Uth, before announcing their small party. In response, one of the older folks indicated to a house, a little apart from the rest. Lothar and Hecathe lived there with their daughter, and they would speak for everyone in Maj.

As they approached, the door opened. The man was a full-blooded Hunter though his age could’ve been anywhere from twenty-five to forty-five. A weary expression and years of labor had aged him, and he walked with a slight hunch. He stiffly greeted Yerom, glancing at everyone with skepticism through the formal introductions.

Halek’s attention began to drift and he yawned. He rolled his shoulders, working out the soreness from travel. An elbow jabbed into his belly, as Naolin hissed.

“You shouldn’t be rude, diru.”

“Rude? I’m just tired.”

“So am I, but I’m not yawning!”

“Hey, calm down.”

They looked up, to Yerom’s disapproving gaze. Lothar, however, gave a wan smile. “I suppose you’ve had a long journey.” He invited them inside, calling out to Hecathe. A white-haired woman rushed from downstairs, her hands in a worn apron. She wasn’t fazed by their group, huddling in the cozy living room, but occasionally, she glanced to the upper floor.

“I understand that you mean well.” Lothar said. “But we’ve lived here for years and this is our home, for better or worse.”

Yerom pressed his lips together. “There is safety in Uth Baryd, and you wouldn’t have to fear the Autarchy. You would be with kin.”

“And where was kin, when my father’s generation was nearly wiped out?” He bitterly countered. “Or when my grandfather’s parents were driven out of Haven? We aren’t the only refugees, and we’ve long accepted that we could only help ourselves.”

“It doesn’t need to be that way. Yes, aid should have been provided time and time again, but I swear that we are here to make things right.”

Lothar stared at their entourage. “You didn’t bring many with you. Is the grace dwindling with you as well?”

“We have enough to endure.”

“But it is, and if you’re trying to recruit people, there are none here.”

Yerom tensed. As much as he tried to speak around the subject, the other man had already figured out their real purpose. It was true that they had less exorcists with each century, and the art couldn’t be lost.

Hecathe softly spoke up. “None of us are properly trained and too old to learn. The children are young, but not all of them are full-blooded.”

“It would be good for them to learn about their Hunter heritage though, and anyone eligible can be trained. Your daughter included.”

Now, this brought an odd reaction from the couple. Their expressions shuttered, and Hecathe abruptly stood. Lothar grabbed her hand, squeezing tightly. “You know we have a daughter?”

“One of your townspeople mentioned who lived in this house.”

“Did they say anything else? Who was it?”

Then, Hecathe gasped, looking into the foyer. “Oh, we must have woken her.”

Footsteps pattered. A little girl, younger than Halek and Naolin, dove into Hecathe’s skirt. Unlike her parents’, her hair was raven, except for a pure white streak. She buried her face into her mother’s lap, before sparing a glance to the room. Bright violet eyes glowed with power.

Lothar reached down, to pat her arm. “This is what I meant. Our daughter’s a Mage.”

***

In the Reach, all of the children were naturally Hunters, so Halek was intrigued by the girl. Since the grown-ups were still talking, she was told to give the twins a tour around the farm. That seemed to perk her up, and she opened the back door, looking over her shoulder to make sure they followed. Behind the house, there were fenced enclosures and a handful of other buildings, before the parched land led to the dense evergreen forests of the Shield Peaks. And it was quiet.

Their guide kept moving forward, but her eyes constantly darted to them and unlike their peers at home, she wasn’t awed. She seemed to be figuring them out, with equal measures of curiosity and caution. Naolin awkwardly cleared his throat and even that seemed to put her on edge; she took a hurried step away.

“So, your mom said your name’s Kalmia?” Halek asked.

She nodded, a jerky motion. Then, she veered towards one of the enclosures, setting the boundaries for a group of unruly yellow chicks. She hoisted a sack closer, digging her hands in and cupping what looked like the birds’ food. The chicks began to scream, and she spared an inquiring look at the twins before proceeding to deposit the meal. Given the small amounts, it was probably going to take a while.

Halek drew closer, an armspan away. “They definitely look hungry. Can I help you?”

“...Okay. But you have to do it like this.” She scattered the feed, spreading it evenly. She offered the sack to him, and he took it.

“Thanks.” He tossed a handful, though some of it landed in feathers instead. “Sorry, if I hit them.”

“It’s okay. They eat off each other too. See, over there.” She pointed to a cluster, where the poor target was desperately trying to shake off its siblings.

Halek laughed. “Well, I’ll try not to do that.”

Kalmia peered up at him, before offering a little smile. Her violet eyes were brighter in the sunshine.

“Can my brother join us? He’s dying to, he just doesn’t want to ask.”

“Diru!”

But Kalmia nodded and stepped aside, watching them feed the chicks before she said they had enough. “You can’t give them too much. Thank you!”

“Thanks.” They replied simultaneously, and Kalmia let out a startled giggle.

“That was funny.”

Halek inclined his head towards her. “Yeah, that happens sometimes. We look the same, don’t we?”

“Almost.”

“That’s because we’re twins.” Naolin explained. “Wait, almost?”

She readily said. “Halek’s hair is flat, and Naolin’s hair sticks up.”

Immediately, his hand went to the flyaway strands, while Halek laughed. “She got you there.”

“Diru…”

“Why do you call him that?” Kalmia tilted her head.

“Because he’s the older one.”

“By eight minutes.” Halek clarified. “It just means I’m his big brother. Unfortunately.”

Naolin sighed, an exhale that slumped his whole body. “You’re only saying that because you’re the future sol.”

Kalmia watched them with interest. “Is it fun being brothers? All I have is Zori.” Her earlier shyness was beginning to fall away. “Zori’s my best friend.”

“We can be your friends too.” Halek said and ignored Naolin’s elbow nudging his ribs. Maj didn’t have a council that dictated their schedules, or families jostling their children to get closer to them. It would be nice for once, to actually have a friend separate from that stifling grip.

“Will you come back to visit?”

“I think so. Our father’s planning more visits. Naolin might be a crybaby and stay home, but I’ll go.”

“That’s mean.” Naolin complained.

But Kalmia gave a smile. “Next time, I’ll wake up earlier from my nap.”

“You really shouldn't.” Halek cracked a grin. “At your age, you should nap all you can.”

They talked for a while longer, meandering past the rows of root vegetables and vegetable patches. The barn housed a pair of cows and ten sheep, which Halek requested to see. Kalmia slid the door aside and headed in, with Halek immediately following. Naolin trailed behind, reluctant to pass the threshold.

It was smaller than the elk stables he was used to, but the interior was clean. The animals were resting in their pens, flicking their ears occasionally. Hay was piled about and scattered across the floorboards. Towards the back, there was a ladder leading to an alcove with a window. Halek surveyed everything, asking. “Did you name the cows and sheep?”

“Mama and Dad said I can’t name them. But…” She pointed to the cows in turn. “I think of her as Clover and her as Rosy. Because of their spots.”

“Oh, I get it. Clover has three on her side, and Rosy’s got one round patch on her forehead.”

“Yup! The big sheep I can’t tell apart, but we have one baby who was just born. Here he is.” She went to the edge of the pen, and Halek peered over to see the suckling lamb.

“Cute. Thanks for showing them off.”

“We have cats too, to keep out the mice. I’m not allowed to bring any inside.” She gave a longing look to the alcove.

Halek suppressed a laugh. “Well, we don’t have pets either, if it makes you feel better. Maybe, someday.”

“Maybe. The rest is storage, so we can go back.” When they arrived at the front, Kalmia pointed to the steps. “That’s where my parents found me.”

“So they adopted you?” Naolin mused. “But your birth parents must have been Mages. Do you know anything about them?”

“No.” The word rang with finality, and perhaps, a touch of discontent.

Then, a figure sprinted to them, a blur that leapt for Kalmia in a crushing hug. “Sun above, there you are!”

“Hi, Zori.”

Zori was about a year older than Kalmia, with pale hair pulled into a thin braid, and her dark eyes narrowed at the twins. “Who are you?” She loudly demanded, squeezing Kalmia tighter.

“Zori, you’re hurting me.”

“Oh, sorry!” She let go, but maintained her glare even as introductions were made. “So, how long are you staying?”

“We’ll have to ask our father, but not more than a week.” Naolin replied.

“Huh. Okay.” A dismissive sound escaped her, before she scowled. “Are you sleeping over at Kalmia’s house?”

“Why?” Halek boldly shot back. “Want to join us if we do?”

“I’m asking because you’re both huge! You’ll take up too much space!”

At that, Naolin spluttered and Halek wheezed. Simultaneously, they said. “We’re probably camping.”

“But it’s not safe to sleep outside.” Kalmia seriously said, like she was repeating an adult’s warning. “Lots of people travel on the road, and it’s dangerous.”

“Yeah, and they came from the road, didn’t they? It’d be dangerous if they stayed at your house.” Zori countered.

“It’s okay, they’re nice.” The sentiment was warming.

“We’ll see about that.” Another evil eye was thrown in their direction. “Anyway, I wanted to ask if you’d pick berries with me. The blackberries are ripe now, and my mom said she’ll make pie.”

“I’ll get some for my mama too. Halek and Naolin, will you come with us?” Her violet gaze was expectant, while Zori made a scrunched face behind her.

“Yeah, sure.” Halek smiled back at Kalmia. “Let’s go.”

The girls grabbed woven baskets, handing one each to the twins, before darting ahead and having a rapid, high-pitched conversation. Naolin muttered in his ear. “Are you sure about tagging along? Zori’s kinda…hostile.”

“I think it’s funny, we’ve never been hated on sight before. Kalmia doesn’t care about whether we’re going to be sol and sola. I’m having fun, and besides, we’ve never gone berry picking before.” He spun the basket in his hands, starting to whistle.

They arrived at the base of a slope, the brambles overgrown and heavy with fruit. Zori and Kalmia immediately began plucking off the blackberries, dropping them into the baskets. Halek imitated them, trying to steer clear of the thorns. One large berry split between his fingers, and he popped it into his mouth. Warm from the sun, the tart sweet flesh easily melted in his mouth.

He wasn’t the only one either. In his periphery, Zori had just crammed a handful past her teeth, and Kalmia was quietly chewing as she filled her basket. The latter met his casual glance, a splotch of purple on one cheek. “Have you eaten blackberries before?”

“The ones that grow in the Reach are smaller, not even half the size. And these taste much better.” He indulged in another. “How else do you eat them?”

“Mama makes jam but I like eating them this way best.”

It was true, there was something addictive about fresh berries. He could have spent the rest of the afternoon here.

“Ouch!” Naolin’s hiss drew his attention, and he turned to see his brother cradling his finger, blood welling up. Tears soon followed, along with a shriek from Zori, and that put an end to their little adventure. The Black Shield scrutinized the twins’ juice-stained hands, but Yerom was only concerned about the thorn prick. A bandage and salve from Hecathe sufficed, though Naolin’s eyes remained red and he held his hand at a delicate angle.

By now, the rest of Maj was accustomed to their presence, and dinner was held outdoors. Not a banquet by any means, but every household placed a dish among the variety of wooden tables. A bonfire was lit to keep away the biting summer insects, and as the stars peeked into view, friendly conversations rose. Laughter soared, and calls for dancing to journeying songs. There were games that the twins had never played, to Zori’s smug superiority, and she roundly declared she’d teach them. It was fun, but Halek preferred to try a bite of everything. Pastries stuffed with cheese, greens sprinkled with herbs, other entrees he’d never seen before and had to ask Kalmia what was in them. The pie, of course, was excellent.

All of it was amazingly new. Celebrations at home were repetitive and predictable, but this…he’d remember this forever.

***

Returning home was awful. The Black Shield must have said something, because word quickly spread about the twins spending time with children who weren’t full-blooded. At the end of another boring meeting, the council scrutinized them; Naolin visibly squirmed but Halek glared back. The old people droned on and on, about how it wasn’t proper or whatever to associate with outsiders.

So what? Halek thought. Kalmia and Zori were more honest about wanting to play with them, instead of loitering and whispering and waiting for the future sol to choose them.

And that was exactly why on their next trip to Maj, he steered the elk towards the Metella house. Late autumn had given the town some color, in fallen leaves and the remnants of harvest. It was in a pumpkin patch, that dark hair was starkly visible, and Halek abruptly pulled the reins taut to Naolin’s chagrin.

“Ugh, I feel sick. Did we have to go so fast?”

“Yup.” He replied, sliding off the saddle. “Hey, Kalmia.”

Cradling a gold and green striped pumpkin, she beamed. “Hi! Halek and Naolin, are you here to help us?”

“That was the idea.” Another diplomatic outing, to convince the people in migrating to Uth Baryd. Honestly, with winter approaching, it was a hard sell to Halek. But he wouldn’t complain. It was his only chance to feel like a ten-year-old boy, not a title with the crushing weight of prophecy. And happily, he rolled up his sleeves and joined a Mage girl in the sun-warmed soil.

Gourds were separated from vines, sorted by ripeness and size. Mostly, they did what they were told to by the adults. But Kalmia was pleased by their company, especially because Zori was with her large family. She reintroduced them to the farm animals, including the latest additions. The chickens, now grown, crowded around her legs in a heap of feathers. Hecathe appeared to shoo them away, before offering that they come inside and lend a hand in making dumplings. By the way Kalmia cheered, it was something enjoyable.

The next thing Halek knew, they were in the Metellas’ kitchen, under bundles of dried herbs and flowers. They sat at a wooden table, a large bowl of orange pumpkin innards and stacked circles of rolled dough between them. Hecathe demonstrated how much filling was enough, before saying she’d return soon. It was certainly an interesting task; they’d never cooked before. Naolin was struggling, the dough tearing in his fingers. Kalmia was working patiently, crimping the edges of a dumpling with intense focus. But Halek found a rhythm to the scooping and wrapping, and it was actually fun. He began to fold the sealed sides of his, in his own personal twist. Those were his creations. Strange, he felt prouder about a pile of little dumplings than any test about demon knowledge or marksmanship. But it was a good feeling.

“How are you doing this so fast?” Naolin was in disbelief.

“It’s easy once you get the hang of it. Should I fix yours?”

“No!”

Kalmia noticed, taking one of his dumplings and placing it in the palm of her floured hand. Her face brightened. “They’re so cute! I want to eat them later.”

“How do we cook them?” He was very curious now.

“With butter and greens, or mushroom sauce. Oh, toasty pine nuts too. And cheese! But you can pick.”

“Then, I want to try all of those.”

That made her laugh, and he found himself looking forward to the whole process. With his folding pattern, he tracked his dumplings, through the boiling, sizzling, and plating. Once they were ready, he kept going back for small dishes of different sauces and seasonings, though in the end, he really couldn’t decide on what he liked best. But the ones he made were extra delicious, regardless of what they were enveloped in. He glanced at the others, watching their content expressions as they ate. As soon as they were home, he would make a batch for his mother.

In hindsight, that was probably the beginning of his love for cooking.

***

Years passed, and the diplomatic trips continued. Sure, the council was getting restless that no one from Maj was emigrating to the Reach, but Father insisted this was the right course of action. And once Halek dryly backed him up, everyone’s ears perked at the prophesied savior’s words.

It only made him more eager for these visits. Of course, Naolin never shared in the same enthusiasm, always a little hesitant and looking back at their home in trepidation. But even his straightlaced nature loosened when Halek dragged him over to the girls. Usually, they were found together, in the midst of a small task or the occasional spar with wooden batons. Kalmia always noticed first, stopping to cheerfully bound their way, while Zori trailed after, her hostility congealed into grudging acceptance.

And while the grownups chatted, they’d embark on an ‘adventure’, as Zori liked to call them. Past the edge of town, the trees found purchase amidst stone outcroppings and climbed the Shield Peaks. Rivulets of snowmelt wound between, like silvery threads. The air was clearer, and noise was absorbed by the dense underbrush. Occasionally, a flap of wings or a small bushy tail would rustle their surroundings, as they searched for just the right spot among the rocks and fallen branches.

“Alright, let’s stop here.” Zori puffed out, before launching into the setting of whatever they were going to play. The Castigation, and they were rebels gathering a stockpile. Pioneers to the west, lost after a storm. Mythic heroes, fighting demons. To her credit, her imagination transformed the gray terrain into a more exciting scene, of foreboding danger and heightened shadows.

Naolin, unable to resist, pointed out the little inconsistencies with a slight frown. So-and-so wasn’t alive during this era, actual demons would be scarier, things that would earn a flying kick from an irked Zori and he’d flinch. For Halek, it was easier to go along with the idea, at least until it became too complicated. Then, he’d volunteer to be the sick one they were trying to find a cure for, or the injured one left behind at camp. Kalmia would pat his shoulder, telling him not to die in the meantime; he’d have to stifle his laughter.

But most of the time, it was fun. A recurrent theme was slaying wyverns, to coordinate attacks against wings, fangs, and toxic breath. They called out to each other, darting among the rocks and trees. The boys mentioned a Hunter maneuver, tossing their smaller companions at the enemy. Zori absolutely hated it, wrestling away from Naolin’s timid attempt, while Kalmia’s glowing eyes widened as Halek seized her arms. They whirled around, gaining momentum and she gave a stunned cry when her feet lifted from the ground. Of course, he didn’t really throw her, setting her down neatly, but she took the next step, somersaulting and aiming with her miniature shortbow. Then, she beamed and ran to Halek.

“Can we practice it again?”

“Sure.” This time, he grabbed her by the armpits, and she expected it, miming a draw of her absent quiver. Already, her instincts were good.

A measly distraction came in the form of a blow to his side. “Let her go, you huge monster!” Zori was obviously jealous.

“Betraying me at last?” He drawled.

“Alright, no hitting each other.” Naolin sighed, trying to be responsible, as usual. He was forced to parry Zori’s sudden strike. “Hey! Come on, stop!”

Then, it dissolved into a grand mess without a story, and they inevitably grew tired. They’d return from the mountains with smooth rocks or wildflower bouquets, spoils from their invisible battles. Halek pocketed these souvenirs; he’d never recall the rules of each little game but these were enough to remind him of the ringing laughs and shouts.

Throughout one weeklong stay, Zori became obsessed with a new kind of game. If they had a race or competition, the winner could boss around the loser out of the quartet. Typically, this ended up being Zori, who declared herself as their queen, with Naolin or Kalmia as her servants. The latter didn’t act like this was beyond their usual dynamic, tagging after the older girl without fuss, but Naolin complained.

“She’s such a tyrant, diru.” He sighed after another demand for shoulder massages. “Can’t you win one of these contests?”

“That means I have to try.”

It wasn’t until the next day that the reign of terror ended. They hadn’t left Kalmia’s backyard; a recent trade with Norms had gone poorly and tensions were high. A set of old scarecrows became their targets to stave off boredom, and Zori picked up a slingshot.

“Whoever hits the farthest one gets to be our ruler.” She stuck her tongue out, a pebble pinched between her fingers. It flung wide, scraping the base of said scarecrow before skittering off.

Halek was next, falling short of the closest one. He passed the slingshot to Naolin who gave him a dirty look. His brother really did his best, the pebble cleanly rolling to a stop just in front of the desired target. The wind blew, the stitched face of the scarecrow wobbling. And then, Kalmia took her turn, her face determined. For a moment, it seemed like she’d miss too, but a faint thud and the puff of straw escaping threadbare cloth proved otherwise. A direct hit, right in the chest. She seemed stunned, dazedly accepting their round of congratulations.

“Now, Kalmia’s the Queen and Halek’s her servant.” Zori announced with a glint in her eyes. “So, you have to do whateeever she says for the whole day.”

“Fine by me.” He looked to her, folding his arms.

For a moment, she was stunned. Then, her lips pursed in deep consideration. “Um…can I ride the elk with you?”

“That’s a question, not an order. Your Highness.” He belatedly added, at Zori’s kick to his shin.

“I asked because I won’t be a mean queen.” Kalmia said. “And I still want you to play with me after today.”

Huh. How thoughtful of her. At least, power would never go to her head. “Wise words, Your Highness. Alright, your wish is my command.” He drawled and then lifted under her arms, setting her in the saddle. Ignoring her surprised gasp, he swung his body behind her, taking the reins. A click between his teeth, and they were off.

It was only a lap around the town, so he coaxed the elk into a canter. Kalmia’s wavy hair fluttered, and she tilted her head back to look at Halek. “He’s fast!”

“Too fast?”

She shook her head and gave a delighted laugh. In his periphery, he noted that some of the townsfolk were openly gawking at them. It was a relief to return to the Metella farm, and he dismounted, taking Kalmia with him. Despite her unsteadiness once she touched down, she smiled from ear to ear and he couldn’t help returning it in kind. Then, she asked if he could toss her, so she could actually somersault after her landing. After that fulfilled request, she would just look expectantly at him, and he’d oblige whatever she was indicating, making a show of dragging his feet. But then, her purple eyes would shine and he didn’t feel like it was a chore at all.

The last thing she wanted was a cup of fresh milk, but by the way she glanced towards her parents, it seemed like she didn’t want them to know. She didn’t drink it either, heading towards her room instead. Zori was occupied with the scarecrows, trying to improve her aim, while Naolin was being a good little boy and helping Father with packing. So, Halek shadowed Kalmia, his eyebrows raised.

“Are you hiding something?” He stopped at her threshold, peering inside. She had a neat bedroom, though her blanket was askew on her wooden bed. On the walls, dried laurel bouquets were strung on twine, and a subtle fragrance met his nose.

“It’s not bad. I think.” She lifted the blanket. From under her bed, she pulled out a trundle-like box, containing a heap of rags. A stirring movement, and the head of a gray kitten popped out.

“I should’ve guessed. Smuggled it into your room, huh?”

“She was the smallest one in her litter and she wasn’t eating enough. I thought I’d take care of her.” To her credit, the kitten didn’t look starved, eagerly lapping at the milk.

Halek knelt beside her. “You did a good job. Are you going to sneak her into the barn when she’s bigger?”

“Yeah, soon.” She fondly petted the gray fur. “Before, she was too weak to play, but she likes to cuddle now.”

“Sounds like you’re getting attached.” He teased.

With the milk gone, the kitten blinked sleepily and curled into a ball in Kalmia’s arm. She countered. “I don’t care.” She looked unusually unapologetic as she hugged the kitten.

He reached out to scratch the kitten’s head; it was softer than he expected. A vibration kicked under his touch, the purring startling both him and Kalmia before they exchanged grins. Humming under her breath, she tucked the kitten inside the makeshift bedding, and slid the box back. Then, they descended downstairs, about to return outside. Her gaze turned to him, suddenly wide and nervous. “You won’t tell my mama, will you?”

“Nope.” He ruffled her hair. The gesture surprised her, her own hands flying to the top of her head once he let go. Cute. “I can keep your secret.”

“Thank you!” And then, she sped off towards Zori.

On the way back home, Naolin pointed out. “I know you could’ve hit that scarecrow. Why’d you lose on purpose?”

“Maybe, I just wanted to see what it was like, doing things for other people instead. It’s nice.” It was also bitter, with the fact that such behavior would be discouraged in the future. In silent understanding, his brother nudged his shoulder against his.

***

The instructions had been clear. Venture into the Wastes, kill a demon, bring it back. The last step was currently evading him, but he was so tired. Fresh memories continued to taunt him. Bloody chains, crunching bone, that sinister voice. Half delirious, he picked a direction and kept going.

He didn’t even remember collapsing. He only registered feeling colder and colder, the urge to sleep becoming a heavy blanket. And then, something turned his face.

“Halek?”

Violet eyes stared down at him, as a gloved hand brushed the snow off his head. In a winter coat lined with rabbit fur and dark hair flying away from her hood, Kalmia gasped in disbelief. No, that wasn’t possible, she couldn’t be near the Wastes.

“I’ve got to be hallucinating.” He muttered.

“No, you’re not. Let me start a fire for you.” She shook his shoulder, and that kept him from nodding off until she lit a pile of dry kindling. Most likely, she used magic, but he was grateful, warmth returning to his tired body. She opened her pack, handing him a dry biscuit, which he scarfed down. Around them, the deep woods were eerily silent.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was rusty from disuse, and the uneven crack, growing frequent as the days passed, really wasn’t welcome in this moment.

“I want to ask you the same. Were you planning to visit us? We didn’t know.”

“This is near Maj?” Strange, his body must have gravitated to this place.

“A little deeper in the mountains, but yes.”

“So what are you doing here?”

“I set out a few traps. We’re running low on food, since the traders stopped coming.” She hesitated, and then, she rubbed her coat sleeve over her face. Over the fresh tears dampening her cheeks.

“Kalmia, what’s wrong?”

“It’s the Gray Death. I don’t have it, neither does my dad, but…Mama got sick. And I want to find something that can help her too.”

In all this time, he had never seen her cry. The sight was unsettling, tying a knot under his sternum. He dug into his pocket, searching for whatever spare cloth he had, but the only scrap was spotted with dried blood. “Sorry, this is all I have.”

She gave a warped sound, between a choke and a laugh. “How did that happen? Are you hurt?”

“I was. A demon.” And then, he held his tongue; it was an awful tale, and he didn’t want to scare her. “Anyway, it’s dead now and since I forgot to get proof of the kill, I have to find another before going back to the Reach. If I want to.”

“If you want to?” She echoed, flashing him a concerned look. “Are the council elders that harsh?”

“It’s not just them, it’s everyone. They’re expecting me to bring a Cacophant or something that proves their future savior is destined to save the world, or whatever they believe. And afterwards, what else is there but the same? Just…more and more pressure, to make sure the prophecy is true.” He stared into the distance, the freshly fallen snow glittering in the morning. Shaking his head, he said. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter what I think, obviously. But I don’t have to go yet. Let’s find herbs for your mom.”

Hecathe had always been kind to him and Naolin, and courteous to their father. The Gray Death, however, spared no one, and despite the sinking feeling in his gut, he lifted his boots and began searching the underbrush.

Kalmia trudged beside him, explaining. “She has a fever and she keeps throwing up. I tried cooking soup and that worked for a few days.”

Those words should have been coming from a town elder, not a slip of a girl with a bow half her size to protect herself. “You sound like a grandma.”

“And you sound like a cranky grandpa.” She protested but her voice was amused. Her hood had slipped off; her hair was longer, past her shoulders.

He gave a quick tousle, ignoring the futile scrape of her gloves, and used his stride to his advantage in escaping. He drawled. “Then, if I’m that old, you better catch up.” And he took off, boots crushing the frozen ground.

Her startled bright laugh followed, then her softer footsteps. “Halek, wait!”

And he did have a brief lead, exhaling a cloud of vapor into the cold air. Exhilaration flooded his veins, cleaner and lighter than the survival-based response he was running on for the past few days. Then, the bruised spots on his body flared, his gait slowing. An arm linked through his, Kalmia peering up at him.

“Where are we going?”

“As far as we can.”

They hurtled down the slope, and time slowed. They were aloft, suspended in the air between each step. Pale sunshine spilled into the powdery snow ahead, and their breaths wove around their heads as they gasped. Two kids, running away from their fears. It lasted until they arrived at the bottom, of what looked like an old riverbed, and their footprints stamped divots in the hard ground.

He braced against a tree trunk, his sides aching, and that was why he noticed a hint of green amidst the rocks. He cleared the crust of snow, revealing a frosted cluster of serrated leaves. “Mint. It should help with your mom’s nausea.”

Her eyes sparkled in recognition, and she immediately knelt. “It will, thank you!”

One small leaf clung to his glove; he shoved it in his mouth, the cool burst welcome. As he chewed, he watched her finish gathering what she needed, then turn to search for other herbs. She must have found something because she straightened and worked on snapping the outer edges of a bush.

What if he never went home? What if he stayed here, content to live in Maj and explore the mountainsides with Kalmia? But inevitably, the elders would look for him, and the Black Shield knew about Maj. They’d sunder the village to recover their beloved savior, and the possibility weighed heavily on his heart.

Kalmia strode over, her pack full of mint and bark shavings. “This should be enough.” Then, she hesitated. “I’m going home; do you want to come along?”

“...I don’t think so. Glad you got what you were looking for, but I still have to kill a demon.”

To his surprise, she took his hand, pressing something within. “Here, this is for you.” The neatly folded cloth was better than what he had offered earlier.

“Thanks. I’ll see you later.” He promised.

She visibly relaxed, nodding. “Okay. Safe travels.” She spared a last glance at him before drawing her hood up and hurrying through the snowy trees.

Once she was out of sight, he opened the kerchief. A dented compass, clinging to its purpose. Wryly, he turned in the direction of the needle and headed north.

He did return to Uth Baryd, demon bounty in tow, and once he deposited it at the Mornhaven Gate, the first thing he asked was to send another diplomatic mission to Maj. To bring supplies or food, anything to help. The council argued back, a clamor of reedy voices, and the deep-set frowns didn’t waver. The city walls were barred, preventing even the merchants from entering. They were afraid. Think of the infection, they said, as if the village wasn’t living through it. Cowards and hypocrites. The roads froze over, and while the city seemed to exhale a private sigh of relief, Halek counted the days to spring.

However, the next letter from Maj came before the snow melted, and in smudged ink, Lothar’s handwriting flatly conveyed that Hecathe was dead.

***

Almost a year passed, after the old bats were replaced by slightly less old bats, when Yerom contacted Maj again. Halek noticed the flicker of surprise on his father’s face, at the response. But there was no argument, since they left by the end of the sennight.

The village was dustier and quieter, cloaked in twilight. At first, Halek wondered who the elderly man exiting the Metella house was, before he abruptly realized it was Lothar. The man was bowed under the weight of grief, shuffling with dull eyes. He swayed, looking at their procession without reacting. And then, the door opened, candlelight streaming around a silhouette.

Hurrying towards them, Kalmia carried a shawl. Her legs were longer, her skirt above her ankles, and her dark hair spilled past her shoulders, the white tress tucked behind her ear. She slowed to a stop, draping the fabric over Lothar before making the familiar Hunter greeting gesture. “Welcome.”

Then, Yerom spoke to Lothar, in the careful tone of their initial acquaintance while the Black Shield dispersed to give supplies. Halek gave the elk’s reins to Naolin, heading to Kalmia. She was standing rigidly, her head slightly bent. This formality was appropriate, she’d be like the daughter of a First Family according to his lessons, but he loathed it.

He closed the distance, ruffling her hair and grinning at the odd squeak in response. “Long time no see.”

And then, it was his turn to be surprised. She leaned in, clasping her hands behind his back in a full embrace. “Thank you for coming.” Just as swiftly, she let go and her face turned aside, before he could say anything more.

Slowly, the rest of the town became aware of their return. While the Black Shield was forced to answer the torrent of questions, Halek and Naolin retreated. At least, Zori didn’t care about why they were gone; she had undergone a growth spurt, her pale hair shorn on one side. Still, her love for adventure hadn’t wavered at all, and her first demand was a scavenger hunt. But Kalmia had changed. She didn’t look as aged as her adoptive father, but her eyes contained a new depth, piercing through the make believe scenarios.

After the events of his trial, Halek wondered if that was also reflected in his face. Demons and death had taken their childhood innocence. These small games felt…hollow. But Zori was determined to distract Kalmia in her own way, and she beckoned the twins; so they played anyway, clinging to what remained of sweeter memories.

Fortunately, Maj was open to future visits. Unfortunately for Halek, the council decided it was time for him to delve into preparing for his destined role. Naolin was assigned to conduct diplomacy instead, while Halek remained in the Reach to study and spar.

…If they could tell the difference. Just like when they were kids, Halek coaxed and prodded his brother into swapping places.

“The council will notice, won’t they?!” Naolin protested. “Come on…”

“I’m going to sacrifice the rest of my life to serving them, so just let me go.”

Ultimately, he had his way. He had to restrain himself from whistling, his brother didn’t, but he was thrilled by the successful deception. The whole way to Maj, the Black Shield soldiers didn’t realize they had the wrong twin. However, upon their arrival, violet eyes seared into Halek. During a quiet moment, she murmured to him.

“Did you skip your training to be sol?”

“What are you talking about? I’m Naolin, the younger and more obedient brother.”

“If you say so.” But she knowingly smiled. “Then, you can help me with sorting the vegetables. I’ll show you how to pickle them.” And happily, he followed in her wake.

The peace of mundane routine was a magnetic force, drawing him again every time the delegation left. Naolin complained that the elders were bound to catch on, though they never did, and it continued until the summer before Kalmia’s Flower Day. Kalmia was born in deep winter, about a month following the twins’ birthday. Not that Halek was anticipating that year’s grandiose celebration, with the impending betrothal.

“You’re getting married?” A flower slipped between her fingers, and she hastily picked it from her lap. It was an idle afternoon, the two of them enjoying the crisp mountain air and watching the drifting puffy clouds. “What do you know about her?”

“Not much.” He shrugged. “She’s from another clan, somewhere with a lot of powerful families. She’s a few years older. Supposedly beautiful.”

“Is she nice?”

“Who knows?” He sourly retorted. He wasn’t thrilled to be married off for the sake of producing more full-blooded Hunters, more bodies to fight demons. The future was a bleak image of sitting on a pedestal, looking down on opaque silhouettes like salt pillars, their hands blindly grabbing for a savior.

Something ruffled his hair, and he glanced upwards, to find the circle of elm and edelweiss. It was a simple charm, evenly made and sweetly fragrant. What were the meanings again? Elm was for warding, especially against demons. Edelweiss was for strength, or devotion? In the corner of his eye, Kalmia was somber, but when he turned to her, a shy smile was on her face.

“You’re always welcome in Maj, whenever you want.” Then, she resumed crafting another flower wreath, a pink blush flooding her cheeks. “As long as you send a letter first, we'll know to prepare your room!”

The village was nothing like home. He could place his hands on the dark soil, watch the green things grow ripe, and work as an ordinary person. He’d learn to cook dishes from across Blest, and share them in a cozy kitchen adorned with dried herbs and flowers. If only he was born here, if he wasn’t the future sol-

All stupid and pointless, he berated himself. Out of reflex, he wanted to run away, to nip temptation in the bud. But the clouds shifted and sunlight beamed down as she perfunctorily crowned herself with violets. Staring at her happy face, he said instead. “I’ll bring you something for your birthday.”

She tilted her head, the blossoms catching. “Why though? You don’t have to. It’s enough if you’re at the party…and awake when the cake’s cut.”

“I might just take a nap under your table for that.” He tousled her hair, pulling away before her fingers futilely tried to stop him. While she hastily shook the petals out, he smirked. “Well, if it’s good cake, I’ll try to be there.”

Kalmia laughed and the image was burned into his memory. His hand still carried the aroma of violets when he left.

***

But a winter storm locked down the Reach, and when the sky was clear again, the messenger birds brought the terrible news. Demonkind had returned to Blest, rampant across the continent. Then, word came that it started in Maj. And it was completely massacred.

Halek ran.

He took only the essentials, a ration pack and his spear. He made for the stables and steered his elk on the familiar path. It was a hard ride, but he was numb to the bitter cold and winds. He was purely focused on the road to Maj.

And then, the destruction was laid bare in front of him.

He was dragged back to Uth Baryd without a struggle. He didn’t have the energy to fight off the Black Shield, and the elders’ chastisements washed over him. The first day of his confinement was hazy, as he cycled through horror, rage, and anguish.

Then, he opened the thick books of exorcisms and forced himself to read through the crackling pages. The mourning period had already begun, but he was allowed to attend the lighting of the pyre, a mass funeral in the name of Maj. He went through every name and face, and when a violet ribbon was tossed into the flames, his vision blurred.

“Diru.” Naolin pressed a handkerchief into his palm, but he ignored it, listening to Father’s words about the return of demonkind. The fallen would never be forgotten, as martyrs engraved in the annals of Hunter history. But it wouldn’t bring any of them back.

“I can’t promise anything.” He murmured, and he wasn’t even sure to whom. “But I’ll try not to let this happen again.”

Days turned to weeks, then to months and years. Their home expanded, with Hunter refugees and their families. The elders griped, but vacant houses were filled and there was no complaint regarding more fighters. Halek and Naolin came of age, and the engagement to Moonsilk was finalized, though any opportunity to delay the wedding was readily seized. He became sol, not the best one by any stretch, but he mustered the effort if there was an Endarkened. He owed that much, in the name of an obliterated town.

Sometimes, he looked out at the southern mountain peaks, until the shine of snow was too bright to endure. His attention would catch on the rare sight of purple fabric, but it was never the right shade. When the laurel bloomed, he’d take a flower and count how many days for the petals to brown, hating each time how short it was.

And deep within his chest of drawers, a locked box protected a simple charm of elm and edelweiss.

#shepherds of haven #yes it's a downer ending only because it stops before the game #not for long though 👀#the rest of the tags are my ranting/hinting so feel free to ignore #as i'm writing further along i realize this is the WORST au lmao #that shared past is just another dimension of angst and yearning #especially since she'll be drawn to familiarity given everything headed for her #kinda...makes him giving it all up more believable in a way...

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eljeebee · 3 months ago

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Ugh, I was meant to send you an ask and I darn well forgot, thanks fatigue. Any way, writing exercise. What is each of your characters preferred method of travel (cycling, bus, car, train, plane, teleport, whatever)?

I LOVE YOU KIRSTY!!!

Let's start with my agents:

Agents

Both Priscilla and Albert prefers traveling by car in land. Of course, Moumou is with them in the car.

Tony prefers his motorcycle when traveling alone, but he becomes the driver when he's with his wife and/or Albert (and Moumou!).

All three prefers to travel by private jet provided by their organization if traveling by air. Moumou just tags along.

DLU

For our college students, Louie, Sid, Julie, and Seamus prefers bicycle within the campus.

Individually, Louie and Sid prefers train. San Sequoia has a subway in Anchorpoint Wharf after all!

Coming from a royal family, Julie and Seamus prefers car, either driven by Bernie or Penny. Seamus has been practicing driving car and motorcycle too (he has a motorcycle back in their Del Sol Valley chateau).

Jason, Sophia, and Mason also prefers train. They're near the subway after all. They will also take point to point buses to reach their destinations.

Margaux likes to travel by car and plane (fortunately, she still have privileges to use the royal private jet from time to time, but since she tries to detach from the family, she usually flies first class in commercial planes). Bernie is the same as Margaux, but if possible, he'd prefer to travel by ship, or through his own superyacht. Penny likes cruise, ship, boats, yacht or whatever vessel she could travel in the ocean.

Most of my vampires prefer to travel with their Vampiric powers. Specifically:

Valentina and Percival Asvang travels as bats;

The Beau Sisters, the Aurums, and Helen and Vladislaus Straud travel by mist; and

The Vatores will use their vampiric speed.

However, they will only do this out of plain sight and if necessary. Because of this, Lana Beau will travel with whatever vehicle screams luxury. She travels in a Rolls-Royce that she personally drives (and with her sister, occasionally). Percy once asked if he could drive it. She barred him from doing that and bought him a Ducati ("Here's a toy for you. Don't touch mine, alright?") She'll travel with private jet too, if flying out of the country. She likes to boast her very old money.

The rest either has their own vehicles, like Valentina, who has a Cadillac sedan, Percy with his Ducati, and the Strauds with their Ford SUV (Caleb is the driver), or some of them will commute, like the Vatores and Helen, and Yvonne.

The Aurums are the exception. They always use their power to move around. To keep themselves out of sight, they will cast a charm around themselves.

The Coveys commutes by train, (trains in San Myshuno!) while Lavender Lee prefers taking the bus.

The Fengs prefers to travel by car, and business class in planes.

Bonus:

The Eyes of the Watcher prefers to travel by foot. It helps them practice discipline. The vampire Seeker, when necessary, will travel as a bat. When unable, they will utilize public transport.

#ask lana and she shall answer #very fun ask!#changingplumbob #character development

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bonefall · 2 years ago

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Regarding the Blackstar Sol situation being moved to OOTS, I was thinking this could actually be the perfect way to characterize Flametail and have the setup to his death that he has in canon without him needing a POV. Have it so Flametail is vehemently opposing Sol because he's really hardcore about StarClan and ends up getting driven out for it, so he stays in ThunderClan for a decent part of OOTS while Sol is in power, and like in canon he gets very stressed out trying to contact StarClan trying to figure out what's going on and what Sol's planning. Maybe his sisters are with him in ThunderClan, giving more development to the DovexTiger relationship and we get to see from them how Flametail seems to be changing from his normal shy but fun-loving personality. And rather than just him getting vague messages going nowhere and StarClan wanting to split the Clans for no reason, he's actually starting to figure out what's going on with the Dark Forest as well as important details about the gods, leading to them trying to kill his spirit later on (instead of him being just a random cat they choose to kill because they are evil). Maybe he becomes paranoid (rightfully, they really are conspirators in the Clans and Sol really is doing all sorts of tricks) and rather than demanding the Clans split he's demanding increasingly extreme measures to find and punish these DF apprentices and get rid of Sol. Which leads to Dawnpelt convincing him to relax and his death, except here it's in ThunderClan territory so Jayfeather has an actual reason to be there.

So when Jayfeather lets him die on Rock's behest his wanting to kill Jayfeather isn't merely being petty or ungrateful but about his suspicion regarding the prophecy, that Jayfeather has strange powers and is in league with some other force beyond StarClan - Rock is a god too, he might be just like Sol, and he LET HIM DIE to save Jayfeather for some prophecy? Maybe he knows about the three and he didn't want to turn against Jayfeather since they are close to each other and still see each other as cousins, but then Jayfeather lets him die because of his horrible prophecized destiny and he feels these cats (Sol, Rock, the three, the Dark Forest) are all the same, cats that would subvert the Clans and StarClan). Which could tie nicely into him being a hardliner StarClan cat who ends up initially siding with Ashfur, since they both feared the Three for the prophecy.

I see a lot of opportunity here! Adopted the following:

Flametail, Dawnpelt, and Tigerpaw come to ThunderClan during OotS. Sol's takeover of ShadowClan now comes after Russetfur's death, completely moved out of Po3.

Allows Dovepaw and Tigerpaw to do some more organic bonding, while Flametail and Dawnpelt can work with Jayfeather and Lionblaze to piece together the Dark Forest's effects in the real world

Flametail starts to uncover the plot, prompting the Dark Forest to crack the ice and try to kill his spirit. Jayfeather is stopped from saving him; it may be because of Rock's influence, but it could also be because a Dark Forest warrior stopped him.

Other things I'm taking note of, but I'm not sure what to do with yet...

There is a bit of a parallel here between the two older siblings and Tigerpaw training in the Dark Forest, and Lionblaze and Jayfeather sending their daughter/niece into the Dark Forest.

Lionblaze sent Russetfur into orbit and sort-of caused this whole mess; how do the Tigerkin feel about this? I need to consider that.

Applefur, Redwillow, and Ratscar are currently running ShadowClan right now with no one to oppose them.

I need to make that choice on which of the four Gods Jayfeather is connected to... the obvious choice seems to be Rock; but I want Rock's ancient avatar to die at the lake. Is this protectiveness a reason why Rock stops Jayfeather? Like he knew they would both just drown if he tried?

Hollyleaf needs to return to put an end to Sol's games. This is the moment she should come back, staying consistent with how the ending of Forgotten Warrior has her confronting Sol.

Hollyleaf is Fallen Leaves in my rewrite... must think about how the physics of this works. Is Sol still using the body of Cinders/Harry or did he steal hers?

I'm really feeling like this is one of the last plots of Bonefall OotS and I need to keep that in mind. Either second to last or third to last; the Great Battle is not far behind.

To that end I think Apple, Red, and Rat get exiled for how they opportunistically took over while Blackstar was being manipulated, and ran the place like TigerClan. Ratscar can redeem himself; but Apple and Red are Dark Forest hardliners.

Those aside...

IMPORTANT: How exactly do they restore Blackstar's faith? I can't imagine this will be made easier by Flametail's death; may be worth it to shuffle it to AFTER ShadowClan reforms.

For newcomers; Blackstar and his friendship with Russetfur was a major motivating reason why he improves after TPB. After she's killed in that battle, he feels there's no one to keep him in line and is consumed by his guilt, which Sol exploits.

I'm not really fond of StarClan coming out of heaven to just fix it by revealing themselves to him, or being tricked by a false sign. I think what restores him as a leader should be deeper than that; some kind of assurance that everything he's done in his life has been worthwhile. That it wasn't JUST for Russetfur; his Clan loves him, and needs him.

What sort of situation can I construct to show him that? I'll chew on it.

And lastly,

A few things though that I'm either vetoing or have frayed thoughts about;

I will be making a point out of the Tigerkin and the Firekin not seeing each other as family because of Bramblestar's huge public disowning back at the end of Po3, but affirming that they value each other. (I need to make sure TigerDove is not weird; Dovewing is Lionblaze's child now)

I don't mind Bonefall Jayfeather not being the hardline StarClan supporter he is in canon, since he fights an angel and everything. It doesn't really feel right for canon anyway and I've only ever seen his zealousness met with fandom annoyance; I think he'll work better as more StarClan-neutral. He thinks they are important but questioning them is good and necessary. It'll make good drama for TBC too, since he can get exiled before Alderheart for undermining his leader.

I think it'll be more heartbreaking for Jayfeather and Flametail to always be close, even when he is forced to let him float away. I'm thinking that however it happens, either a Dark Forest cat separating them or Rock telling him that they will both drown if he doesn't let go, it should be something beyond Jay's power.

In fact it would make a good beat for this to make Jayfeather appreciate StarClan, thinking that Flametail will be going there.

#Bonefall Oots #Bonefall Rewrite #Also sorry if I misunderstood that last paragraph I think you swapped a name around someplace #Also I read this ask before posting the Tigerstar's Plot post SO you may notice I had already worked some ideas from this suggestion into i #I wanted to get the plot post out of the way first tho since I had said I was going to do that one next so others could follow along #Hollyleaf's Century

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misscammiedawn · 4 months ago

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Acolyte full season spoilers:

With a disclaimer that Star Wars is not really my jam, I watch it for my partner's sake, I have to say that The Acolyte really frustrated me with how emotionally shallow it was.

One issue is Jedi are disconnected from their emotions (in theory) and so we do not really get to see their rich inner worlds because they don't really have them. All they are is Jedi. They are not allowed to dwell on attachments (in theory) and so you have a two dimensional angle at an emotionally driven character tragedy.

Plot wise the tragedy happened and mostly because every character had a sense of Justice. Sol acted in his self-interest and quest for a version of justice that he saw at the complete disregard of everything, including Mother Aniseya's love, the twins being too old to train and his peers ordering him not to.

Mae wanted justice for the tragedy and wanted to kill all of the Jedi involved.

Osha wanted justice for the (original) tragedy which had her seek down Mae.

The thing is... all of these motivations and the justice that leads to the ironic ending are set 20 years before the plot and are only altered by new context regarding their understanding of that original tragedy. Mae's actions and motivations change when she learns Osha is alive, Sol and Osha change theirs when they learn Mae is alive. Osha's change more when she learns Sol's part in the original tragedy.

Osha's does not change when The Stranger murders all of her friends. Their deaths do not really drive the emotions or plot of the show. He does grow close to both twins by empathizing with them and being the only person to validate their rage at having their entire lives stolen from them, but in the final confrontation neither twin seemed particularly invested in his presence or the potential of him being hurt.

Emotionally the entire story does not really have room for anyone outside of Sol and the twins and there's no room for anyone to be changed by the events of the plot that is happening in the present outside for how it shifts the perspective of what happened in the past.

Which... I don't know. Is fairly unfulfilling for my appetite.

There was no conflict in anyone. No moments where I felt a tension between what a person believed and what they desired. In Andor I felt that constantly. At every point of that show I could tell how Luthen or Mon were feeling as they were putting on their facades, trapped in the cogs of a system they despise.

I could feel Andor's self-centered rejection of the rebellion scrape away the more he realized there was no such thing as the freedom desired within the fascism of the empire.

Here Osha and Mae's love never faltered, Sol's misguided sense of justice never changed even if he felt bad about it, The Stranger felt no kinship in switching his acolyte. I felt nothing when Osha and Mae sacrificed their sisterhood because I didn't feel it. Osha made a decision to sacrifice her love of her sister to do the thing she wanted to do when she was 8 (become a space wizard) and Mae decided to let her this time.

That's the growth. They got to do over an event from 20 years ago and make the right decision.

Which makes it funny. Mae ends the show with her memories of Osha and Stranger erased and we find that she has regressed to back when she was 8 because there's nothing else there. All Mae is and was is connected to her backstory and her accessory to both Osha and Stranger...

And I find that kind of sad, you know?

#camden posting #star stuff #media essays #star wars #the acolyte #star wars the acolyte

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sun-aries · 2 years ago

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Hidden Skills

OKAY my WIP's have been "IP" forever I apologize!

I had two lovely requests from two lovely readers, NTDOFAnonymous and EmotionalShadow, and somehow I sorta made the ideas fit into one? Thank you guys! Your requests have inspired me a lot so I have other stories in the woodwork but I hope you enjoy this one! It takes place about eight years after BMTR

Again, this is part of the Reflections one-shot collection, based on my BMTR fic if you're interested!

Thank you again! Feel free to leave requests :)

It was his greatest battle yet. His opponent was a fierce competitor: his blue eyes sharp like a hawk's; his sword posed to strike. Sweat dribbled down his temple from the exertion - and maybe even from intimidation - but he was still putting up a good fight.

Fortunately for Link, he had a tad more experience.

Light on his feet, Sol capered forward and swung his wooden sword above his head, striking down on his father. Link's lips twitched as he met his waster, their swords clunking off one another and resounding throughout the otherwise empty training yard.

He could see his son's improvement already, especially in the way that he held his weapon. Though the wasters weren't quite as heavy as a steel blade, they still had a bit of weight to them and it typically took awhile before the pages were able to keep them steady and upright. Already, Sol was holding it as if it were an extension of his arm, just as Link did when he was young.

Sol had been training with Eagus for the past year or so, but he was only just a page. He was eager to learn the ways of the sword at a faster pace. To his defense, he was a fast learner and Link easily recognized the itch to improve: it was something he'd experienced after his initial journey in becoming a hero.

And so, for the last couple of weeks, before dawn could rise each morning, they'd run off to the training yard together to practice a bit of swordplay. It'd started off as some basic training: how to properly hold a blade and how to stand, swing and so forth. But once Link saw his potential, he slowly but surely began to impart some of his more secret techniques, and Sol loved every minute of it.

With a sure step forward, the brunet stabbed his sword at his opponent, but his father was quicker. Link caught his wrist, spun on his heel, and slipped his blade right below his son's chin. Sol scowled.

"That was a risky move," Link said before dropping his tip to the ground and stepping back. "Don't let your guard down."

"I almost had you!"

"You were good, but don't doubt your opponent. You don't know what they have up their sleeve. Again." Their blades met in a cordial tap, a common practice between them - one of the many practices Link had inherited from the Hero's Shade. Then, Sol advanced, meeting his father's waster with another bout of attacks.

Their bodies moved so similarly that even an unfamiliar observer could tell they're related. Though he took on his mother's physical traits, it was at times like these that he was a mirror image of his father. They shared the same determination and energy, all driven by a hunger that some might call wild.

Frustrated, he thrust his sword in an arc, but the hero of Hyrule dove into a roll, spinning behind his unsuspecting opponent, and jabbed him from behind. By the light pressure of the blade's tip at the back of his neck, Sol knew he'd been bested.

"Okay, okay, I get it," he grumbled as he spun to face his father once more. "'Don't let your guard down.'" Amused, Link nodded with a smile. "Will you teach me that move?"

"Of course," he said, picking up his son's sword and placing the hilt back in his hand. "It's called the back slice. All you have to do is tuck, roll, and slice. Got it?"

"'Tuck, roll, and slice,'" he repeated to himself before nodding to his father. "Got it."

They slid into position once more, tapping their swords between them before they begun. Cast by the amber light of the torches, their shadows danced on the walls like ancient cave paintings. It was a short while before Sol saw his opening. But when the young prince ducked forward to somersault, he lost his footing and stumbled to the ground with a grunt.

Link hastened to his side, helped him sit up and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. It's a bit tricky and it'll take some practice, but you'll get it." He flashed him a reassuring smile. "You're doing great."

From the outer edges of the yard, a pair of pale blue eyes watched the scene unfold. The early morning was chilly, but the sight lit a fire in her chest.

"I agree," the queen chimed in, and the two turned to look at her with surprised – and nearly identical - looks on their faces. From the clatter of their wooden swords, they couldn't hear her faint footsteps approach. "You were wonderful, Sol."

A light blush dusted over Sol's fair cheeks. "Thanks, mama," he said, scratching the back of his head, a habit he'd undoubtedly picked up from his father.

"Zelda, you're up." She held a fibre cloak tight around her chest, but he could see from the hem of her skirts that she was already dressed for the day. "Is it time for work already?"

"Not nearly," she said, slowly approaching the centre of the yard. "I was just curious as to where my husband and son were sneaking off to every morning."

Link winced. "You noticed?"

"You thought I wouldn't?" she countered with a raise of her brow. Then, she stepped toward her son and placed a hand on his soft cheek. "You performed beautifully, Sol. But take your time. The more you practice, the better you'll be."

"I want to be as good as papa!"

Her smile stretched, little lines creasing at the corners of her eyes, and she momentarily looked up at her husband. "Your father became as skilled as he is from years of trials and hardships. But I'm sure that with him as your teacher, you'll become just as skilled in time."

"Even better," Link added.

Sol flashed a toothy smile. "Really?"

"Really."

"But you'll also need to grow big and strong, which means eating and sleeping healthy." She folded her hands as she straightened up. "Now go clean up for breakfast. It should be served shortly."

Sol sighed and met his father's eyes, silently pleading to stay and practice. But by the look of his apologetic smile, he knew it was in vain. "Sorry, bud, but your mama's right." With his spare hand, Link lovingly ruffled up his son's dark hair. "That's all for today."

"Fine," he said, drawing out the word. "But I'll get it down tomorrow!"

"I'm sure you will." Once the young prince ran off, Link met Zelda's expectant glare and immediately recognized the look. With her arms now folded across her chest and an eyebrow raised in reproach, he knew he was in trouble. But before she could get a word in edgewise, he quickly said, "I'm sorry. I know I should've told you."

"Yes, you should've. I thought we agreed that Sol would train with the other pages. I trained under Eagus's tutelage myself."

"We did. And he still is!" he agreed. "But he's been wanting to practice, so we tried it out and he loved it. And he's doing so well."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know," he said. "I just... it made him happy and I was scared if you didn't approve, then I'd have to let him down." After a pause, he grimaced, scratched the back of his neck, and dropped his head to a side. "But I know that's not fair to you."

With a sigh, Zelda dropped her arms to her sides and stepped forward. "I'm not upset, Link. If I truly was, I would've said something the moment I first noticed the two of you sneaking off," she admitted. Then, guiding his face forward with two fingers, she met his eyes again. "But you must tell me these things. I want to know everything about our children, just as you do."

"I know. I really am sorry. It won't happen again."

"I know. Otherwise, I will surely be angry."

His brow twitched, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Goddess forbid."

Her laugh relieved him the slightest, and now that he was sure she wouldn't try to make good use of all the weaponry in arms reach, he turned away and started to clear up the space. After all, the knights were bound to start filing in at any moment. He hung the swords onto their hooks by the wing of their hilts, and they rocked idly before settling into place.

"How'd you know where to find us?"

"I know you," she said. "And I know you wouldn't give up a chance to practice. Nor to spend time with our children."

"Are the little ones up already?"

"Not yet. Otherwise, I'm sure you'd be training them too."

He smiled, flustered, and shook his head as he offered her his arm. "They're too young. But one day."

Linking her arm with her husbands, she nodded thoughtfully and agreed, "One day."

#aries writes #tp zelink #BMTR #tp zelda #tp link #zelink #loz #fanfic #zelink fanfic #zelink fanfiction #twilight princess #link #zelda #tloz fanfic #zelda and link #princess zelda #tp fic #twilight princess zelda #twilight princess zelink

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king-of-better · 1 year ago

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Number.EX: Kyoto -HAPPYAKUYADERA-

2017 AD. Gai and Mamoru visit the new Kyoto Railway Museum, exclusive guests today as Gai’s return isn't public. LinerGao, restored after being wrecked as part of Repli-GaoGaiGar, is among the exhibits.

Back on the Division Train during the journey back from Jupiter, Mamoru explains recent events to Gai, showing him video of the Global Wall, but Gai is more amazed by the GGG Smartphone he’s using.

Back in the present, the two Captains are driven around Kyoto in BMC Rover Mini Porc-Auto and discuss the battle with Repli-Mamoru and Repli-GaoGaiGar in Kyoto 10 years ago. Learning from Mamoru how Repli-Mamoru tried to help fight the 11 Sol Planetary Masters and was turned, Gai regrets his death.

They arrive at Arashiyama, just past Togetsukyo bridge, the site of the battle's conclusion. Mamoru visited already soon after returning, but wanted to come with Gai.

As they walk, Gai notices where Repli-Mamoru died, a modest patch of white flowers bloom.

Never having seen Animus Flowers themselves, they do not recognise them for what they are, but they in fact sprouted from Repli-Mamoru, but due to his DNA being an optical isomer, their own nature is altered allowing them to root in normal ground. They find some joy in the flowers before leaving.

#gaogaigar #betterman

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lilborealis · 1 year ago

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Songs that I think fit characters, ships, oc’s etc (pt.2)

Eva Pearce-Maneater by Nelly Furtado (I couldn’t find any gifs of her pls forgive me)

If any of you have seen the show Murdoch Mysteries, you know that she was a diabolical villain. She was able to pull one over on Detective Murdoch and use men to her advantage. Maneater is about a woman “who makes you work hard, makes you spend hard, make you went all her love”.

Ocean O’Connell-Rosenburg-Are You Satisfied? By Marina And The Diamonds

“High achiever, don’t you see? Baby, nothing comes for free. They say I’m a control freak, driven by a greed to succeed”=literally a good chunk of her character. As a former gifted kid myself, I know what it’s like to feel that pressure to succeed. Ocean doesn’t realize until it was too late that she wasn’t satisfied with her life.

Hana Kuroo x Kotaro Bokuto-O Sol e a lúa by Pequeno Cidadão

Hana’s another character of mine, a 2nd year on the Nekoma girls team (and Kuroo’s little sister👀). Hana sometimes has a hard time coming out of her shell, unlike Bokuto, who is her absolute opposite. Wonder how Kuroo would react if he realized one of his friends had a crush on his younger sister 😮

Simon “Ghost” Riley-Chamber Of Reflection

Chamber of Reflection is about self-isolation, loneliness and reflection. I’m sure Simon himself has had moments where he questions why he even chose his life in the first place. A life where he can never have peace, always looking over his shoulder. Ghost seems to ice cold on the outside, but after all he’s been through, the man on the inside is considering if his job (or life even) is worth it.

Dipper Pines-Freaking Out The Neighborhood

I’m not entirely sure why this fits but I think it does, maybe on vibes? I don’t know, this song absolutely “summer-time shenanigans with your twin as you solve the mystery of your small town”. Also the line, “sorry, mama, there are times I get carried away” is very Dipper-esc.

Chuya Matsumoto(JJK oc)-GO! by Santigold

Chuya is a second year, with a technique that is based off of a hyena spirit called the Kishi. She’s pretty much “fight first, ask questions later” and is pretty goofy and often not the brightest. Yet, she’s not to be taken lightly. She’s a powerful sorcerer in training, who does not like to be underestimated.

Sayuri Fujimoto (Haikyuu oc) x Yu Nishinoya-make Me Like You by Gwen Stefani

Despite Sayuri and Noya both being liberos, they’re both complete opposites. Sayuri’s also the type to be “romantic feelings? Never heard of her”. But then Noya comes waltzing into her life and she’s just “WAIT NO WHY DID YOU MAKE ME CATCH FEELINGS”

#murdoch mysteries #Eva Pearce Murdoch mysteries #ocean o'connell rosenberg #ocean rtc #oc x canon #Haikyuu oc #bokuto kotaro #simon ghost riley #cod mw2 #cod mw3 #chamber of reflection #dipper pines #gravity falls #jjk oc #yu nishinoya #Bokuto x oc #nishinoya x oc #sun and moon trope #o sol e a lua

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vtusoft · 14 days ago

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Enhancing Quality Through Precision, A Look at Leading Software Testing Services in 2024

In the age of digital transformation, maintaining high software quality isn’t just a bonus—it’s essential. Software testing services have become critical to ensuring seamless user experiences, robust applications, and operational efficiency. According to recent statistics, the global software testing market, valued at approximately $40 billion in 2022, is projected to reach $60 billion by 2028, driven by the increasing demand for quality assurance (QA) and agile software development practices. Here’s an in-depth look at the latest developments in software testing and quality assurance, the importance of automated solutions, and the leading players—like V2Soft—who are making significant strides in the industry.

Key Trends in Software Testing Services

Automated Testing on the Rise

Software Test Automation Services: Automated testing tools have gained immense popularity, especially with the shift to agile and DevOps methodologies. These tools facilitate faster testing cycles, enabling quicker releases without compromising on quality. According to recent data, automated testing adoption has risen by over 20% in 2023, with companies leveraging these tools to improve productivity and reduce time-to-market.

AI and Machine Learning in Testing: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing QA testing software by automating repetitive tasks and predicting potential issues based on historical data. AI-based testing is expected to grow by 18% annually, helping companies streamline test case generation and improve fault detection accuracy.

The Growth of Software Testing and Quality Assurance (QA)

Quality assurance has become a pivotal aspect of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). The focus has shifted from mere error identification to comprehensive software quality in software testing, where every stage, from design to deployment, is carefully tested. Testing as a Service (TaaS) models, which allow outsourcing of testing services, are gaining traction, with the software testing provider market seeing an increase in demand from organizations wanting to focus on core competencies.

Manual Testing Remains Relevant

While automated testing solutions are widely adopted, manual software testing continues to hold relevance, particularly for exploratory and usability testing where human intuition is crucial. Approximately 35% of all QA testing services today still rely on manual testing to validate complex user scenarios and enhance the human-centric design.

System and Application Testing Services

Testing isn’t just about identifying bugs anymore; it’s about guaranteeing optimal performance, security, and user satisfaction. System testing service providers and application testing company specialize in ensuring systems are fully functional, secure, and user-friendly. V2Soft, recognized as one of the best software testing companies in the world, emphasizes both application and system testing to provide end-to-end solutions for software quality.

Why Choose a Software Testing Service Provider?

Organizations often rely on specialized software testing service providers to gain access to the latest technology, experience, and skilled personnel. Here’s why more companies are outsourcing their testing needs:

Cost Efficiency: Outsourcing software testing is often more cost-effective than maintaining in-house teams, which require investments in infrastructure, tools, and training.

Scalability: Testing providers can quickly scale resources up or down based on project requirements, making them an agile solution.

Access to Skilled Experts: Leading software testing firms have access to top QA professionals who are adept at using advanced tools and methodologies, ensuring a higher quality of testing.

The Role of V2Soft in Software Testing

V2Soft, a global leader in software testing services, has consistently delivered high-quality testing solutions that ensure applications meet the highest standards of quality and performance. Their expertise spans across software test automation services, software quality and testing, and open test solutions, making them a trusted partner for businesses worldwide.

With a focus on continuous innovation, V2Soft provides a range of testing services tailored to modern business requirements:

End-to-End QA Testing Services: Covering every aspect from software quality testing to manual software testing, V2Soft ensures comprehensive solutions for any software testing requirement.

AI-Driven Test Automation: V2Soft integrates AI and ML for predictive analytics in testing, helping organizations anticipate and mitigate risks effectively.

Customized Testing Frameworks: Understanding that every business is unique, V2Soft creates customized frameworks for companies to streamline their software testing and quality assurance processes.

Quality Assurance (QA) and Software Testing: A Market Outlook

The software testing industry is evolving rapidly, with trends reflecting the growing importance of QA in maintaining customer trust and loyalty. Some key statistics from recent reports highlight this growth:

Investment in Software Testing: Global spending on software testing is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6%, with industries like healthcare, finance, and retail showing the most significant investment increases due to high compliance standards and customer expectations.

Rise of Testing as a Service (TaaS): The TaaS model has gained popularity, with approximately 35% of testing tasks now outsourced. Companies recognize the flexibility and cost savings associated with on-demand testing services from software testing vendors.

Emergence of Specialized Software Test Agencies: As quality demands become more complex, specialized software test agencies and software testing vendors that focus on specific sectors like finance, e-commerce, and telecommunications are on the rise.

Manual vs. Automated Testing: Finding the Right Balance

While automation brings efficiency, manual software testing remains indispensable for certain scenarios, especially in exploratory, usability, and ad hoc testing. V2Soft maintains a balanced approach, leveraging both manual and automated methods to deliver holistic testing solutions:

Automated Testing for Repetitive Tasks: Automation is ideal for regression and performance testing, where repetitive, high-volume tasks can be streamlined.

Manual Testing for Complex Scenarios: For applications requiring in-depth user experience testing, manual testing remains critical. V2Soft’s testers focus on scenarios where human insights are essential, ensuring intuitive user interactions.

Future of Software Testing Services: Trends to Watch

Hyper automation in QA Testing Software: Hyper automation, combining multiple automation technologies, is transforming software testing, with Gartner predicting that nearly 70% of all testing tasks will be automated by 2026.

Focus on Security Testing: With cybersecurity threats on the rise, companies are investing in more stringent security testing protocols. By 2025, security testing is expected to represent a substantial portion of the testing market, as companies seek to safeguard sensitive data.

Shift to Continuous Testing: Continuous testing integrates testing into every phase of the SDLC, offering real-time feedback and reducing risks. This practice has seen adoption increase by over 40% in the last year.

Conclusion

Why Choose V2Soft for Your Software Testing Needs?

As one of the best software testing companies in the world, V2Soft remains dedicated to providing advanced, reliable software testing solutions. From software development testing to QA testing software, they bring years of expertise and a commitment to quality that sets them apart. By utilizing both automation and manual testing, they ensure their clients’ applications are efficient, secure, and user-friendly.

In today’s digital era, maintaining robust software quality is crucial. V2Soft’s software testing solutions not only identify and mitigate issues but also foster continuous improvement, positioning businesses for long-term success in a competitive landscape.

#software testing services #software service provider

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golfspain · 2 months ago

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Seamless Swings: All About Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol

Planning a golf holiday to Costa del Sol? You’re in for a treat. With over 70 world-class golf courses scattered along Spain’s stunning southern coast, this region is known as the “Costa del Golf” for good reason. Whether you’re aiming to tee off at the iconic Valderrama Golf Club or explore the beautifully designed fairways of Finca Cortesin, Costa del Sol has something for every type of golfer.But a truly memorable golfing holiday is about more than just the courses themselves. One often overlooked but crucial element of any golf trip is transportation—getting from the airport to your hotel, from your accommodation to the golf course, and back again. That’s where Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol come into play. Ensuring seamless, stress-free travel between the various spots on your itinerary is key to maximizing your time on the greens and fully enjoying your stay.In this guide, explore the different types of golf transfers available in Costa del Sol, how they can enhance your experience, and the best options for making your golf trip as smooth as possible.

Why Are Golf Transfers Important?

When you’re planning a golf holiday, transfers may not be the first thing that comes to mind. After all, the excitement is in the courses, the views, and the overall experience. However, reliable Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy your trip.

Imagine arriving at Malaga Airport with your bags, golf clubs, and a full itinerary of courses ahead of you, only to realize you haven’t thought about how to get from one place to another. Public transportation might not always be convenient, especially when carrying bulky golf equipment, and renting a car could add extra stress to your trip. A dedicated golf transfer service removes the hassle, allowing you to focus entirely on enjoying your time on the greens.

The Benefits of Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol

Opting for golf transfers can greatly enhance your trip, offering several distinct advantages:

1. Convenience

Golf transfers are designed to take the hassle out of transportation. With a transfer service, you’re picked up at your chosen location—be it the airport, hotel, or golf course—and driven directly to your destination. There’s no need to worry about navigation, parking, or handling your golf clubs and luggage.

2. Comfort and Space

Unlike typical taxis or public transport, golf transfer vehicles are equipped to handle golf equipment. Whether you’re traveling with just your clubs or an entire group of golfers, these transfers offer spacious vehicles to accommodate everyone and everything comfortably. You won’t have to squeeze your clubs into the back of a small car or struggle with limited space.

3. Local Knowledge

Golf transfer drivers often have excellent local knowledge, which can come in handy. They know the best routes, understand the region’s traffic patterns, and can even provide tips about local golf courses, nearby attractions, or hidden gems along the coast.

4. Stress-Free Travel

When you book a golf transfer, you eliminate the stress of finding transportation at the last minute. There’s no need to worry about train schedules, unfamiliar roads, or whether your rental car will have enough space for your clubs. Everything is taken care of, allowing you to focus on the most important part—golf.

Types of Golf Transfers Available in Costa del Sol

Costa del Sol is a popular golf destination, and as such, there are various transfer options available depending on your specific needs. Here’s a breakdown of the main types of Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol and what each offers.

1. Private Golf Transfers

Private transfers are perfect for golfers who value privacy, comfort, and flexibility. With a private transfer, you have the vehicle entirely to yourself or your group, meaning no sharing with strangers and no extra stops. This option is ideal for those who want to tailor the transfer to their schedule, with the added benefit of having a professional driver who knows the area.

Many private golf transfer services in Costa del Sol offer luxury vehicles with ample space for both passengers and golf equipment. Whether traveling solo or with a group, a private transfer guarantees a smooth and stress-free ride.

Ideal for: Groups, families, or anyone looking for a more personalized and comfortable experience.

2. Shared Golf Transfers

For those looking to save a bit on transportation costs, shared golf transfers offer a more budget-friendly option. In this arrangement, you’ll share a vehicle with other golfers heading to the same course or nearby locations. While you may have to make a few additional stops along the way, the cost savings can be substantial.

Shared golf transfers are particularly popular for travelers who don’t mind a bit of extra company and are looking to meet fellow golfers during their trip. It’s also a good way to make the transfer process more affordable while still enjoying the convenience of a service specifically designed for golfers.

Ideal for: Solo travelers, small groups, or budget-conscious golfers.

3. Luxury Golf Transfers

If you’re looking to add an extra touch of luxury to your golf holiday, many companies in Costa del Sol offer premium or luxury transfer services. These transfers often feature high-end vehicles like Mercedes-Benz or similar models, complete with added comforts such as leather seats, air conditioning, and even Wi-Fi.

Luxury transfers are a great way to elevate the entire experience, making the journey between the airport, hotel, and golf courses as enjoyable as the rounds themselves. If you’re playing at one of Costa del Sol’s top courses like Valderrama or Finca Cortesin, a luxury transfer can make the whole day feel even more special.

Ideal for: Golfers seeking an extra touch of elegance and comfort during their stay.

4. Airport Golf Transfers

Many golf transfer services offer specialized airport transfers, ensuring you get from Malaga Airport to your hotel or directly to the golf course without any hassle. This type of transfer is especially useful if you’re arriving with a lot of luggage and golf equipment.

These services usually offer a range of vehicles to suit different group sizes and equipment needs, and many will monitor your flight to ensure a timely pickup. Airport transfers can also be booked for the return journey, allowing for a seamless end to your golfing holiday.

Ideal for: Golfers who want to streamline the journey from airport to hotel or course with no unnecessary delays.

Top Golf Courses in Costa del Sol and How Transfers Enhance the Experience

Costa del Sol is home to some of the best golf courses in the world, making it a dream destination for golfers. Here’s a look at a few standout courses and how Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol can make getting to and from these locations a breeze.

1. Valderrama Golf Club

Renowned as one of the best courses in Europe and the host of numerous international tournaments, Valderrama offers an unforgettable golfing experience. Located in Sotogrande, this course is a must-visit for serious golfers.

Golf transfers to Valderrama ensure a smooth ride to this prestigious course. Many services cater specifically to golfers visiting Valderrama, offering private or shared transfers with plenty of space for clubs and equipment.

2. Finca Cortesin

Another highly acclaimed course in Costa del Sol, Finca Cortesin boasts world-class greens and an immaculate layout. It’s also known for offering a luxurious golfing experience, making it a favorite for those looking for top-tier service and scenery.

A luxury golf transfer service pairs perfectly with a day at Finca Cortesin, allowing you to travel in comfort and style that matches the course’s elegant atmosphere.

3. La Quinta Golf & Country Club

Located in Marbella, La Quinta Golf offers 27 holes spread across three 9-hole courses, providing a diverse and exciting experience for golfers of all levels. Its stunning backdrop of the Sierra Blanca mountains makes it a picturesque course to visit.

Whether you’re staying in Marbella or elsewhere along the coast, booking a transfer to La Quinta is a simple way to enhance your golfing holiday. Many transfer services in the region cater to golfers visiting Marbella’s courses, ensuring easy access to La Quinta and beyond.

4. Real Club de Golf Las Brisas

Situated in Nueva Andalucía, Las Brisas is another iconic course in the region. It’s known for its stunning design and challenging play, attracting golfers from around the world.

Golf transfers to Las Brisas are a convenient way to reach this popular course, whether coming from the airport or a nearby hotel. With specialized services catering to golfers, you can enjoy a seamless transfer and focus on preparing for your round.

How to Book the Best Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol

Now that you’re convinced of the benefits of golf transfers, the next step is finding the right service for your trip. Booking Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol is straightforward, with many options available to suit different needs and preferences. Here are some tips to ensure you get the best service:

1. Book in Advance

To secure the best transfer services, it’s always a good idea to book in advance, especially during peak golf season in Costa del Sol. This guarantees that you’ll have the type of vehicle and service you need, whether it’s a private transfer for your group or a shared transfer to save on costs.

2. Check for Special Offers

Many transfer companies offer special deals for golfers, especially if you’re booking multiple transfers or traveling with a group. Some even provide package deals that include transportation to multiple courses throughout your stay.

3. Read Reviews

Before booking, take some time to read reviews from other golfers who have used the transfer service. This can provide valuable insights into the reliability, comfort, and quality of the service, ensuring a smooth experience.

4. Choose a Service That Specializes in Golf Transfers

Not all transfer services are created equal. Look for companies that specialize in Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol, as they’ll have the expertise, vehicles, and equipment needed to accommodate your specific needs as a golfer.

Conclusion

When planning your next golf trip to Costa del Sol, don’t overlook the importance of Golf Transfers. Whether you’re traveling to world-famous courses like Valderrama or hidden gems scattered along the coast, reliable transfers can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable holiday.For a truly seamless golfing experience, from booking your rounds to getting between courses, visit Golf Spain. With their expert knowledge of the region’s best golf courses and exclusive deals on transfers, they will help you create the perfect golfing getaway in Spain’s Costa del Sol.

#Golf Transfers in Costa del Sol

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