#tag duel tournament

[viviraptor-art]

i'd like to formally thank duel links for this tag duel tournament in general, but ESPECIALLY for rex and téa having a fun interaction! what an interesting tag team o_O bonus:

[cyberslasharpie]

GX girls💙

[mirpuzzle]

They removed the scenarios for when you lose or end the duel in a draw in Duel Links' Tag Duel Tournament. As someone who sometimes loses on purpose just to read what the characters say, I'm disappointed :c.

They'll definitely hear from me in the event's survey when it's available (and if you feel the same, please let them know as well, politely).

On another note, they didn't need to go that hard with the new background music... but I'm glad they did. ♪

[rose-greenhouse]

durbe is gonna be in duel links i am so fucking excited!!

[azaisya]

I think my wizard noble would make an absolutely banger enchantment wizard if he had less anxiety and also morals

[tohwitchesduels]

The battle has concluded and behold the closest battle ever to occur during this tournament with the victory being ultimately decided by the courtesy of one vote. The winner ultimately ended up being-

HUNTER!

Congratulations boy, you aimed for gold.

However, I do have to admit that the battle is so close I'm willing to perhaps even change this score in the future as it really looks like Luz ultimately fell on the ground first not being able to fight. At the same time, Hunter lasted for 30 seconds longer before falling even harder to the ground. At least to say, I may give Hunter a win today but depending on how he and Luz will perform once Amity enters as the wild card (whether she will get to fight them at all if Viney overpowers her; if she defeats both Luz and Hunter or is defeated by both of them all the same; or if she wins against Luz but loses against Hunter making Luz appear as the victor or if she wins against Luz but loses against Hunter making Hunter the victor), one will decide where their place in the rankings will end up being so I congratulate the fans who voted for Hunter but don't get attached to this score just yet as really, it was too close for me (especially with how I'm included in the voting) and I could as well give Luz this win.

SEMI-FINALS OF WITCHES DUELS - Battle 42: Luz Noceda vs Hunter The Golden Guard

Disclaimer: This is not a popularity contest or which character you prefer, in this tournament, you decide who is stronger/better/smarter/etc. opponent.

A longer disclaimer because I don't trust this fan base: please do not use your headcanons on what their relationship is like to you to determine the winner of this battle. I don't care if you see them as siblings or lovers or whatever, canonically they're just good/close friends, so when taking into consideration who wins don't go with the route of "because she's an annoying little sister she will win" or "he's too much in love with her to not fold because of her" none of that please, both of them have already their attitude explained in propaganda and both take this battle seriously so I'm asking for you when voting to do the same.

Also none of the racist white boy favoritism either (adding this because it's a serious issue and frankly the only thing I have on Hunter's side as usually people ridicule and infantilize Hunter so much to make Luz seem like a superior sibling or lover). Make your choices as objective as possible taking into account what happened in the show, not what you told yourself inside your head or once again your preferences and internal biases. This is a witch's duel, not sibling shenanigans or Romeo and Juliet, I specifically didn't include any of those headcanons here (Except for the tag of Hunter Noceda) so they wouldn't be taken into account as I don't care what you like or prefer, none of this has a place here, so also no discourses in the tags about whether or not it's a ship post or sibling post as it's neither. If I catch anyone not following this extra-long disclaimer you're blocked and not allowed to ever vote in this tournament again.

But I will forgive potential misclicks as long as you come forward with it being an actual misclick.

information for both opponents under the cut to those who don't know what they can do in their battle:

Because both of their profiles are large, I will just explain their motivations while the specifics of their moves will be linked in their names.

Luz Noceda

Luz Noceda, the protagonist of our story, is one and only. Unlike other competitors, Luz is a rare example of a jack of all trades who does not specialize in one specific magical track and studies all of them. Normally, Luz specializes in glyphs but according to the lore of my own tournament which happens after the final battle with Belos, Luz no longer has access to glyphs. However, she now does have a magical staff that allows her to still be able to cast spells just fine as proven by Owlbert in Young Blood, Old Souls. Now, since my rules specify how at times you're not allowed to use palismen in the battle, Luz is capable of avoiding this rule thanks to String Bean's shape-shifting nature, as String Bean possibly could transform into an accessory that would allow Luz to cast a spell like everyone is none the wiser, or maybe even shape-shift into an instrument to mimic bard magic (even though Luz has no vibration based spells). Outside of that Luz would also have access to some other supporting artifacts.

The number of spells she has will be right here, so here you go

Luz has never won against Hunter every time they battled, but you know what they say, the third time's a charm right? Luz knows that Hunter is not going to be easy to take down, especially now that he could potentially take her as a serious threat so now she's more determined than ever to put everything on the line and give it her all because she knows that if she won't, then there's no chance of winning against Hunter.

When it comes to Luz's fighting style, she in general prefers to outsmart and outpower her opponents with the raw strength of her magic. Luz has come far ever since she started to learn magic, currently with String Bean by her side she certainly is now more accustomed to spell-casting. Luz is quite proficient with magic now coming up with new creative ways to utilise her magic. She also now has more experience in combat meaning she's more willing to take down her opponents head-on. Luz can however be pretty reckless and impulsive when approaching her opponents, biting more than she can chew and sometimes jumping without thinking. Luz can however be quick on her feet and easily recover and come up with new ways to get an upper hand during battles.

Luz now possesses her own palisman as we all know it which happens to be none other than String Bean. String Bean showed that with her presence, Luz could be even stronger than she used to be, and Luz had plenty of experience with Owlbert beforehand to know how to use a witch's staff. Luz is a true aerial ace as Eda's Requiem episode proves as she could've won the race if it wasn't for King. She of course also knows how to correctly cast spells with staff alone and can use it in combat. String Bean also has a unique shape-shifting ability, allowing her to take on features of other creatures and use them to her advantage. Granted she can't change size with the ability so all animals will be miniature, but it can come in handy nonetheless, and she could change String Bean into other objects (like jewelry or instruments) in case she can't use witch's staff.

Luz shall be allowed a multitude of tools to help her out during battles. One of them happens to be a crystal ball from her oracle class. Luz can use it to conjure up a single ghost that can be used to help Luz aid in the battle and also predict Luz's future. The ghost is usually chill but rather helpful. It's intangible meaning it's immune to physical attacks for the most part (but can be dispelled with special attacks) and can phase through solid objects to get to its opponents and be capable of touching them to inflict harm.

Another tool Luz would be allowed to use is tea leaves from oracle class which would also help her learn about her opponents, what they're capable of, and what they're going to do.

Luz is also equipped with a training wand in case she needs another source of magic to cast spells from. It's like a hidden dagger if someone would take her sword (as in her staff, I'm clearly alluding to Sasha Waybright's example) away.

Another tool Luz is free to use is her iconic bat which Luz can use for offensive purposes. Luz is allowed to have and use other weapons like a mace and a sword to aid her in the time of her need.

And of course, how could I not forget that Luz also has fireworks to help her in a fight to add more to her firepower.

While Luz doesn't have beast-keeping magic at all, she does seem to have an affinity to be able to tame most of the wild beasts as presented throughout the entire show with her knowledge and attitude. This means Luz is not really affected much by beast-keepers sending animals in her direction unless they're directly under the command of their masters (as in like pets. Sometimes some beasts are untamed and would not follow even the beast-keeper).

Luz also has brought snakes to her battle as she managed to tame them just enough so they would not attack her but certainly would attack her opponents. They're not venomous though considering now pressed any charges when Luz brought them to school. She will bring a few of them.

Another animal that Luz would bring with her to the battlefield are spiders. They're mostly used to just scare people during the fight by pouring them all over her opponents. Can be used as a great distraction. She has quite a large number of them and she can even naturally attract them as seen in TtT. The spiders are also not harmful and Luz is not phased by them either.

Smoke Potion - Another tool Luz would be granted to use is a smoke potion she could brew as seen in the First Day. Luz could potentially utilize it as a smokescreen or suffocation attempt.

Hunter The Golden Guard:

Hunter "Insert your preferred surname/s for him", also known as a former and the youngest Golden Guard in history, head of the Emperor's Coven, Emperor Belos's right-hand man. One must know that unlike other contestants (aside from Luz) he's not constricted to specific covens and tracks since as a former leader of the coven that allows all kinds of magic, Hunter will have expertise in all types of coven magic as well, and he's also very dedicated to studying wild magic.

Hunter himself was also known as a genius teen prodigy and is undeniably a child soldier who was raised by both hell and the library to get to the very top. While he was born magicless, it did not stop him from earning his title as the right-hand man of the most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles. Hunter spends days and nights both training and learning everything about magic both as a duty and as fun. He's incredibly knowledgeable regarding all kinds of magic, meaning it's hard to actually surprise him with anything. And since he's a child soldier raised in a magical military with no magic by himself, Hunter had to survive hell even worse than some of the adults that also were part of this coven went through, and he survived it all. Hunter has already been to countless witches' duels beforehand, he made it several times through a maze full of traps, and judging by how he calls getting from the top to the bottom of the mountain alive "a classic", this might as well suggest that this Hunter's version of "summer camp", as he did that numerous times and he considers it "fond memories". Hunter without a doubt has the most experience among all participants when it comes to battling, because you know Belos never gave him a break or easy time and for Hunter to be where he is today is all thanks to his own strength, intelligence, and resilience.

Hunter has defeated Luz with no effort every time they battled, and after getting to know Luz long enough he now knows all of her potential tricks and tactics even more so. Hunter recognizes both strengths and weaknesses of Luz, he knows how reckless yet talented she can be, what are her spells and tricks and how they work and since he was a trained soldier, he knows how to exploit her weaknesses and what's the best way to counter her strengths. On one hand, Hunter knows Luz takes this seriously and she shouldn't be taken too lightly, but he can't help it considering how effortlessly he managed to fight her off previously and how Luz still makes at times similar mistakes. Nonetheless, he is willing to give her the fight of her life.

Hunter certainly has one of the strongest wills among all characters in TOH, as despite going through a ridiculous amount of pain, he is capable of brushing it off and pushing forward, with his only weakness being Belos. Hunter's willpower was even able to withstand Gus's trauma bubble which specifically puts you through your worst memories and even renders you useless, but Hunter resisted its effect and calmed Gus down instead, despite his pain being very fresh and severe and Hunter in fact not being ok with it, but Hunter keeps on going anyway. One must know it's very hard to break him, trust Belos, he tried but didn't succeed. Hunter even managed to resist Belos's possession for some time, which is a lot considering Belos was his abuser and had power over him metaphorically and physically in that moment.

Hunter displayed throughout the series to have some great athletic skills and agility, being able to keep up pace with running Luz without breaking a sweat while proving he has experience in parkour and acrobatics as seen in him flying on staff. Certainly, he can use his skills to evade incoming attacks with his reflexes while keeping up with his opponents and close distance between him and his enemies. He also has plenty of brute strength at his disposal as well, considering he managed to shatter falling debris by just swinging his staff in one hand.

Hand-To-Hand Combat - Hunter has proven to be efficient in hand-to-hand combat throughout the series. While Hunter overall plays more on defense as a protector rather than offense, he is not afraid to throw a punch. This post goes more in-depth about Hunter's proficiency in staff-wielding, but I will explain some of it here too. Hunter as a trained soldier and experienced martial artist has his body be his weapon. He knows how the body works and has great control over it. He defeated both Luz and Eda in his debut with a quick kick while evading their attack, straight-up toyed with Kikimora, and had to be put to sleep to be restrained by coven scouts as he was still fighting and kicking. This also gives him a huge advantage against other competitors who are used to fighting across distance, whereas Hunter fights at a close range.

Back in EC Hunter learned how to be smart, resourceful, and strong, and as I've mentioned before multiple times, he's a child soldier. His opponents usually underestimate him, but he's not the one to be crossed. His victories compromise of defeating Eda and Luz on 2v1 in his debut; immediately defeating Luz in HP once he's recovered; defeating Kikimora in HP; and Tying with Amity in EL after being physically and mentally exhausted, in 2v1 with King (who was rather defeated by Hunter in this duel), while wielding a completely new staff and restraining himself to not kill her but just getting the key; winning flyer derby game on his first try; catching Darius off-guard (which is a feat with Darius's great reflexes); making a strong glyph combo on his very first try; resisting Gus's trauma bubble; kicking ass during Hexside against EC battle; he was defeated twice by coven scouts, which while fair, was also due to his poor condition and the second time he had to be put to sleep to be restrained; handling abomatons and scouts with rest of the Hexsquad during S2 finale; standing his ground and protecting Hexsquad from Belos while being severely weakened in KT; breaking through Willow's vines in FtF with his freshly awakened powers.

Hunter now is sub-merged with Flapjack meaning he does not require staff anymore to cast spells as magic now comes from within. What's more, I allow Hunter to also levitate/fly without the help of any staff. This is more of a fanon ability, but it's supposed to connect him to having the powers of a palisman (but no, he can't turn into a staff, nor is wooden) and abilities of a palisman are usually just enhanced abilities of the holder, meaning flight is in capacity of any witch, but all of them utilise staff since flight on its own is probably hard spell to pull off, but Hunter should do just fine for the sake of this tournament.

It's worth mentioning that Hunter will not be affected by Sleeping Smoke effects as he knows how such a spell works and would not be fooled by it.

And now finally, let's talk about his staff. For the purposes of this tournament, I will give Hunter Waffles. You know Hunter is the best staff wielder in the entire tournament only rivaled by Luz. I already mentioned how Hunter is absolutely proficient with his staff, utilizing it for both offensive and very effective strikes and flawless defense. Hunter is also a real aerial ace capable of flying at high speeds with agility to dodge attacks and is capable of even surfing on his staff as demonstrated when he showed off in ASIAS. His flying skills were also decisive in both forming EE and winning their very first game together.

Return to Masterpost

[fairene]

hello!! i LOVE your work you write the most interesting dynamics and your style always completely sucks me in! i saw you mentioned in the tags that requests were welcome and if it sounds fun, i'd love to read something with lando and a tennis player!reader, not just bc i love tennis lol but also bc it could be interesting to have him with someone who has experienced the same level of pressure. i'd love anything you wrote though!❤️

say less, my love.

pressure / ln4

a/n ⋯ a short pause from the one of your girls dual part. this was a beautiful request, and as a huge challengers enthusiast, i had to put it to paper. thank you so much for the request. also i am aware that the u.s. open takes place in new york, but for simplicity sake, we'll say its in miami.

music ⋯ link

warnings ⋯ no smut, fluff, angst, insecure thoughts, anxiety.

wordcount ⋯ 2.6k (unedited).

“you’re going to do amazing, my love.” lando’s words were soothing as he held you firmly against his chest. it was a saturday night in miami, both of you were dueling your own matches for the weekend. you were in the finals of your tournament held for the US open, whereas he was debuting in the miami grand prix the following afternoon. 

your head shifted into his chest, nose burrowing into the fabric of his shirt with a soft hum. you knew he was right, but the pressure waned on you. how could it not? your entire career balanced on your performance, and thousands of people would be watching you. not only were you lando norris’ girlfriend, but also an up and coming star in your own career. 

you kissed the fabric of his shirt, knowing the sentiment held little, but he appreciated the gesture regardless. his hand found the back of your head, threading his fingers through your hair. his touch was gentle, kind, one reserved only for you. it was moment’s like these that the pair of you found solitude in one another. 

“i know, i just…” you hesitated, lifting your head so your chin rested on the center of his torso. he tightened his hand around your hip, cradling you against the firm shape of his body. 

“what, baby?” he said with a soft tone, velvety to your ears. you couldn’t resist him. couldn’t hold anything back from him, despite wanting to spare him the worries you held. the last thing you wanted him to do was worry about you. especially when he had a huge event of his own.

but all he did was worry about you.

day and night he would dream both through the sun and beneath the moonlight of you. you. it was always you that he was concerned about. you, that he searched for atop his podiums. you, that he would attend all your matches when he could.

this was one of the rare events where they overlapped. he would only be there with you in the morning to see you off before your matches. then, you would reconcile with him in the evenings. post race, post tournament. it would be a tough day to manage on your own, but he felt the same way. you were the light to all of his races, the focal point of which he could relax. his anxiety roared in these conditions, but you somehow soothed him at every turn. 

he needed you. but you couldn’t be there. 

“i want you there.” 

his features softened. there was a cloud of guilt brewing a thunderstorm above his head, threatening to rain down tears in your obvious distress. he hated seeing you this way, and most of all, he hated being the one who caused it. 

“i know.” his thumb stroked across your cheek. “i would if i could.” you believe him. he was your number one fan, just as you were his. a match made in heaven, one might be able to jest. “‘nd i want you there, tomorrow, with me on the radio.” 

you blushed, letting your face drop into the fabric of his sweatshirt. you felt his chest bellow with a deep laugh, centered at his core, letting his lids flutter at your bashful expression. your teeth even went as far as biting at his sweatshirt, which had him grumbling and pulling your hair up into a makeshift ponytail, raising your head to meet his eyes. 

“you’ll be the death of me,” he uttered, saying with pure love. your relationship with him was full of complexities, but overall dominated by your fatuous love for one another. the pressures you both face in consequence of your performances…

“you’re going to win tomorrow.” you sat up on his lap, straddling his hips. you were both in your shared bed in the hotel, lounging in your sleepwear in the messed up sheets. tonight was between you two and no one else. lando slammed that ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door the minute the pair of you walked in for the evening. “i can feel it.” 

“you think so?” he gulped, both his hands coming to run up the skin of your thighs. you shivered at his touch, but you were determined to keep a clear mind. 

“i know so.” you watched his face relax with relief. your words of comfort meant ten times than anyone else's, and you would always give him the truth. its what he loved about you so much. your blatant honesty, your charisma, your ability to power through every obstacle in your life. but he knew just as much as you did that you wouldn’t be able to do any of it without each other. it was one of the many little beautiful things about your relationship.

lando’s anxiety would gnaw at him every chance it got. but since he’s entered a relationship with you, he feels like a fucking king, but he was nothing without his queen. 

“don’t know,” he said, breaking the silence. “you’re my lucky charm.”

you rolled your eyes. “you’ve scored points at every race this season,” you pointed out. it was a fact. he was one of the only contending drivers to have such a prosperous season. you were delighted for him. “with or without me there.” 

but he didn’t like your excuses. he squeezed your plush thighs beneath his calloused fingers, which had you gasping. 

“don’t do that.” 

you quirked a brow. “do what?”

“pretend like you don’t mean the world to me.” 

you blushed and fell forward on his chest, your head falling into his neck. you giggled against his skin, unable to contain your smile. “stop that,” you insisted, blushing fiercely. a hand of his came to hold the back of your neck in a comforting grip. 

“loving you?” you caught his gaze, bleary with love. “i don’t think i can.” 

you were up at 5:30 that morning getting ready. lando was still sound asleep, snores being heard from the ensuite bathroom as your brushed your teeth and fixed your appearance. you wore a white tennis dressed, sponsored by fila, and just left when you made your way to the bed.

your hand brushed over lando’s exposed hip, shirtless in the bed with only a pair of boxers. he moaned in his sleep, pulling a pillow closer. but he was wide awake when he realized the pillow was made of feathers, and not you. 

“come on, my love.” you said to him in the dark room, looming over him with your hair undone and bright white dress. he turned to face you, sitting up against the headboard. his hands came to rest over his head, stretching. 

then he leaned in for a kiss, his hand cupping your cheek. you met him half way, sucking on his lower lip. he groaned, and you felt yourself shift, but couldn’t fall into his trap of desire. 

“ah, ah.” you pulled away before his hand came to snatch you down into the bed. “you promised me breakfast.” 

he fell back into the bed with disappointment. you laughed to yourself and made your way to the foyeur. you didn’t have to wait long when you heard him shifting and getting ready for the day ahead. 

when you arrived to the courts that morning, lando was carrying most of your things. it had you smiling with appreciation, insisting that you could carry your wilson tennis bag. but he refused, saying that you worked too hard for this day to be carrying your own bag. let me help you, and you were sold. 

you caught on to how much the crowds began to fill in. you were a sensation. but the notion would consistently fly over your head. 

you were tense and lando could see that. 

“hey,” his hand came to rest on your back. you leaned into him. “you’re going to do great, baby.” 

you sucked in a tight breath. but what if you didn’t? what if, that these set of matches, would damn your career to near ruin? what if you could never be perfect? 

your breathing became erratic. lando’s eyes widened, jumping into swift action as he covered your body with his. he backed you into a corner where no one could see the pair of you, and wrapped his hands around your body tightly. 

“match me.” he said. the words were so familiar to you. the both of you had discovered a coping mechanism when things got too much, too overwhelming, and too over pressured. you’d fall into each other’s arms and hear one another breathe. 

your lip quivered with tears. but you did as you were told. 

with an ear pressed to his chest, you could hear the steady beat of his heart. the strength in his muscles. the blood rippling through his veins. most importantly, the rise and fall of his abdomen against your own. 

with your thummering heart, you found pace with him. “in and out,” he would soothe, saying into the top of your head where he left kisses in his wake. 

he stroked the small of your back, thumb running circles over you. you fell completely into him. 

“what if i’m not good enough?” 

the words broke him. 

“then the world is full of fuckheads, i’ll tell you that.” his tone was firm, but ebbed with softness as he spoke into your scalp. his attempt at humor had you breaking into a soft chuckle. you appreciated him in this moment. “i’d kill all those fuckers, you just tell me who–”

your head broke away with a smile, finger coming to shush him. 

“lando!” 

“what? it’s true.” 

you loved him. 

“maybe so,” you reached up to kiss both of his flushed cheeks. “but i want you here. with me.” 

his forehead connected with yours. 

“you’ll always have me.” he placed his hand over your heart, and you placed yours over his. 

“always?”

“always.” he promised. 

the matches were flawless. you played to your body’s ultimate limit. you were skating across the base line, the volley line, snapping your shoulder with everything you had for your serves. 

“love, all.” the announcer began. 

you were up serving first. 

this was it. 

the final match out of six. whoever won this, won the title. 

you thought about lando. you thought about his breath against your neck. the texture of his stubble. the pride in his eyes. sweat dribbled from your forehead as you let the tennis ball bounce a few times before you to get a feel for the clay courts. 

and with one fluent swing and leap, the ball was set into the air. 

the cockpit was hot. lando was sweating profusely in the miami air. the humidity had changed their course of strategy at mclaren, but he agreed with his engineers wholeheartedly. there had been a safety car, and he abused it. attack it. 

when he was rounding corner after corner, lap after lap, he only thought of you. he thought of you in your pretty tennis dresses. you and your bright smile. you and your comforting touches, kissing him goodnight. it had his racing heart relaxing, fingers flexing against the steering drive. 

you were perfect. his perfect fucking girl. you were all his– his soon to be championship winner. and he wanted to make you a promise that he would win. he would win this for you. 

‘you’re going to win tomorrow,’ you said idly from atop his hips. you looked towards him with such riveting devotion. such intimacy that he never imagined was possible for someone to convey. but with you, anything was possible. 

the two of you were not so different from one another. the pressures you both faced were immaculate. it’s what held you both so heavily bonded to one another. you needed each other’s comfort. the touch of your hands. the sweetness of your lips. he didn’t give a fuck about codependency. fuck who ever came up with that. 

he’s going to fucking win. he will win for you. whatever it takes, he will stand on that podium in the firelli hat, and dedicate it all to you.

the score was 40-40. 

your body shook with adrenaline, muscles pounding beneath your layer of skin. your body pumped with red hot blood, blood of a future champion. this title would be yours. you knew that the minute you walked onto this court with your opponent. 

he was a smug gentleman. too smug. you wanted to wipe that fucking look off of his face. bruise it black and blue if you could. 

though your anger could be taken out on the court. you let it. 

your strokes were harder. faster. your serve pace was up to 140mph. he couldn’t even get to most of them with how your body contorted mid air, slamming it down and leaving an indent into the clay. you were a powerhouse. a machine. a gauntlet of beauty. 

and when you scored the winning point after an intense rally, jumping high into the air for an ace, you rocked back into the balls of your feet. your hips swung, racket thwanging, and you cheered; “come on!” 

your anger for him was palpable. it blinded you enough to forget the crowds. the only thing you had on your mind was winning, and that you did. 

the stadium lit up and you were met with a flushing amount of cheers. you were handed a towel from one of the members of your team before being swarmed with paparazzi.

they all complimented you. congratulated you. asked about certain points, but there was one member that caught your eye. 

“lando’s in the lead!” a cameraman said from the back. your head raised, brows quirking.

“what did you say?” you forced a path for the man to walk forward. he accepted your invitation, holding up his phone screen in one hand.

sure enough, you saw the standings. lando was in first. your boy was in first. 

your eyes widened. “this is live, isn’t it?” you were panting, wiping the sweat from your forehead with the lemon-scented towel. 

the man nodded, holding a microphone to you. 

“how do you feel right now?” you kept watching. lap 55. 

you kept quiet, and the rest of the paparazzi did too.

lap 56.

your hands clasped together, raising them to your mouth. 

“come on, baby…” you said beneath your breath. this was the longest minute of your life, you were sure of it. 

and when he crossed the finish line, he was only thinking about you. 

lando norris, first time grand prix winner, shrieked with joy over the microphone. 

you did, too, jumping up and down from your place on the court. the paparazzi swarmed you again, anticipating what you had to say for the both of you. 

“he’s incredible, isn’t he?” you gushed with a smile on your face, tears dripping down your cheeks. 

“what a day for you two, isn’t it?” 

you couldn’t agree more. “i’ll cheers to that.” 

you practically ran through the paddock. your tennis dress was still on, your team was irritated that you didn’t stay for press. you didn’t give a fuck. you just wanted to see lando. you had the rest of your life to deal with the press, but he only had one maiden win. 

you were greeted with a plethora of congratulations from the mclaren team. zak brown even caught a glance at you, waving you over. 

“podiums just about to start.” perfect. you made it in time. 

and when you saw him there, standing idly as they played the national anthem, you were brought to the front. the camera panned on you and your weeping expression, hand covering your mouth from your sobs. 

he saw it from the distance and his head snapped down to find you. his own emotions couldn’t be contained, not with you there– you, here, looking beautiful in the sea of people– and the tears slid down his cheeks. 

your face broke into a smile when he saw you. he was yours. 

and you were his. and you were in this together. 

forever and always. 

[adelarsims]

i’m preparing gifts for this simblreen, but simply sending links and calling it a day is no fun – i want to do it with ✨magic✨

so, Morgyn invites everyone to the

✨ Embers Academy Spellcasting Tournament ✨

it's basically a mix of a challenge where you submit your sims to participate, and a gift giving event! i want me and you to have more fun and involvement than just requesting and sending a link

so how will the tournament go? 🔥

it will consist of two major stages: on the first stage contestants will try to score as many points as they can, showing off their skill in different magic disciplines; on the second stage contestants with enough points will be able to enter the main event of the tournament: magic dueling! for the fun of it, you may also see some familiar faces from Glimmerbrook as npc participants!

sim submission rules 🎫

must be a spellcaster, obviously!

the tournament is for students, so they can only be novice, neophyte, or acolyte

any age from teen to elder is acceptable. usually, students are teens and young adults, but who am i to say what story there is behind your sim? by the way, they don’t have to be from Morgyn’s school: guests are welcome, too!

give them up to 3 everyday outfits, one for regular wear and the optional ones for brewing potions and flying / magic duels if you want to. please keep the rest of their wardrobe to a bare minimum and limit cc usage to genetics and everyday outfits. maxis match only please!

schedule and deadline 📃

i hope 2 weeks are enough for submissions, because the deadline is october 6th. the tournament will start on the 7th of october and will roughly take three weeks. on weekdays i will post the tournament gameplay, and on the weekends i’ll post the scores

but what about gifts? 🎁

when the final champion will be announced, i’ll send the set of simblreen gifts to all participants. regardless of whether your sim made it to finals or left early, everyone will get their gifts anyway!

tag so i could see you: #morgyn’s spellcasting tournament

[cyberdragoninfinity]

me: hey tag duel tournie what's up

yugioh duel links tag duel tournament: AI PEGASUS FULLY AWARE OF HIS OWN DEATH MOMENTS...2!

me: OH. OK.

[aceies-desiresxx]

one of my favorite things to imagine in disney twst is yuu (your character) deciding to create a school wide publication. a school digital newspaper for the students of NRC.

the dates of all the upcoming unbirthday parties + plus a nit-picky checklist and particular rules that might apply that week to help out the heartsabyul students who don’t wanna deal with “having their head off”

constant updates of the week’s spell drive tournaments and games , + scoreboard for the season, as well as additional info about scouts and recruiters coming to visit said games to encourage the student athletes to reach out and do their best in hopes of their sports career, even a leader board + and mvps so far

monstro lounge’s weekly specialties and deals as well as hiring info incase students want to earn some extra money on campus, and how to contact azul if you’re from another dorm

reminders of important dates on the lunar calendar for both werebeastmen and scarabia students + the newest imports from foreign lands in sam’s shop that might make their dorm feel more like home

news about the newest fashion trends and movies + plus a gossip column that has features on particular students. it’s worded in a riddle, and all names are anonymous so the student body spends awhile trying to figure out who it’s about

new game releases, paired with student options on difficulty and enjoyment. students handles will be tagged allowing for their streams to reach a larger audience + showcases of student art

history on NRC and spooky stories that will be fun to theorize about. legends of trapped souls on campus ground and interviews from alumni and what they think of it or if they were witness to the history

you can also find info about clubs and their recruitment and how to join, when the housewardens will have another meeting with eachother so you can voice your ideas to them in hopes it will be brought up, dates for large student study sessions and after school help, dates for “leaked” pop quizzes or even large tests that you might’ve forgotten were gonna be later that week. tickets and shows to student performances even dumb quizzes to pass the time. you can find all staff emails and how to even duel your house warden to take their spot. but for some reason that tab doesn’t have a lot of viewers.

this digital publication keeps the student body of NRC well informed and is popularly visited, only gaining more traction as the school year goes on. so ofc students have been trying to figure out who’s been behind it.

all the crisp photos of the spell drive players, the leaked dates of tests, the gossip, sam’s stock. how’s one person able to get the news before anyone else is? no way azul would sign a contract with them, plus even azul doesn’t have access to all this info. if only he had some sneaky eels who love to be as slippery as they are in the water, above ground. or a few ghost friends able to go through walls and overhear things they probably shouldn’t. maybe sam IS in on it, wanting to spread awareness about his goods so he makes profit. even a cat small enough to sneak around when bribed with enough tuna could help out. plus a killer camera from the headmaster. maybe crowley knows what’s going on but is letting things play out. so far it hasn’t gone too far. plus. who would suspect the prefect from another dimension? they have a hard enough time as is. no way they’d be able to keep up.

[hotmusketeerspoll]

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL

Welcome to the Most Magnificent Musketeer Tournament!

We’re assembling the ultimate Three Musketeers cast, with the best version of each character. The finest D’Artagnan, the most seductive Milady, the perfect Athos Aramis & Porthos, the craftiest Richelieu, the cutest Constance, etc etc etc.

Each character will be duelling their opponents until we find tumblr’s favourite for each role.

(We all know that fighting duels is against the law, but the Cardinals have allowed special permission for the duration of the tournament - they’re all convinced that they will win “Best Cardinal Richelieu”, so as long as we keep them distracted scheming against each other, we can run the rest of the competition in peace.)

So how do you define Best?

However you want! The hottest, the best fencer, the drunkest, the largest moustache, the one with the ugliest horse, the most book-accurate, whatever works for you. But let’s be honest, most of these will probably be decided on looks, unless you can make a good argument otherwise!

Who is eligible?

Anyone who’s starred in a live action adaptation of The Three Musketeers, or one of the sequels (eg The Man in the Iron mask), as long as it involves the four main characters (D’Artagnan, Athos, Aramis & Porthos). This includes movies and TV shows, in any language. 

Submissions are now closed, you can see the full list of entrants here

When the tournament starts, you can send in additional propaganda to support your favourite character’s case, in the form of text, pictures, gifs and short videos. You can tag @hotmusketeerspoll in reblogs, or send it in an ask.

Acceptable propaganda: Anything from the property in question, including promotional material, behind the scenes and interviews related to the movie or show. Please don’t submit anything with your chosen actor in other roles - only Musketeer-related propaganda is allowed.

This is a friendly competition, and I won’t be reblogging or promoting any negative propaganda for contestants. Be excellent to each other!

This blog was inspired by @hotvintagepoll’s Dracula Daily casting, and @medievalandfantasymelee’s abundance of King Arthurs and Robin Hoods.

Links to the current polls

King Louis XIV polls

Maria Theresa poll

Lousie de la Valliere poll

Cardinal Mazarin poll

Raoul poll

Mordaunt poll

Philippe poll

Links to previous poll winners can be found here

Tournament Winners so far

Best Captain Treville - Hugo Speer (The Musketeers 2014-2016)

Best Planchet - Roy Kinnear (The Three Musketeers 1973, The Four Musketeers 1974, The Return of the Musketeers 1989)

Best King Louis XIII - Ryan Gage (The Musketeers 2014-2016)

[novaursa]

Can I request a pre-rebellion Ned Stark x Targaryen!reader.

Reader is a skilled swordswoman and essentially sneaks into a tourney (by disguising herself in armour) and she duels against Ned and beats him. Then she reveals herself and he’s just real impressed and becomes smitten.

The duel is similar to this scene from GOT. - https://youtu.be/wE2XFEUXxjk?si=ai7YLWHfo5rFrT_0

Dragonsteel

- Summary: You enlist in the sword tournament under a disguise and steal Ned’s heart.

- Paring: targ!reader/Eddard Stark

- Note: These events happen before Robert's Rebellion.

- Rating: Mild 13+

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @oxymakestheworldgoround

The tourney grounds were buzzing with excitement, a sea of colors and banners whipping in the brisk wind, but you were hidden away, slipping into your armor. It was a fine set—plain and nondescript, save for a small pendant around your neck, bearing the image of a three-headed dragon, its wings wrapped protectively around a tiny sword. It was something you’d carried since you were a child, but to everyone else, it was just a trinket. No one would suspect who was beneath the steel and mail.

This was your chance. You’d watched, eyes burning with envy, as knights from all over the realm tested their skill in the lists. Your father, King Aerys, had dismissed your requests to participate with a snarl, your mother with pleading eyes, and Rhaegar, ever the dutiful older brother, had only sighed and shook his head. But there was fire in your blood, a restlessness that couldn’t be quenched with needlework and courtly dances. So, you took matters into your own hands.

The sword felt like an extension of your arm as you stepped into the ring, the weight familiar, comforting. Your first opponent—a burly knight whose house crest you didn’t recognize—grinned down at you, clearly underestimating the slight, armored figure before him. His mistake. You disarmed him in three swift moves, his blade clattering to the ground as he blinked, stunned.

The crowd cheered, more in surprise than in recognition, and you took a deep breath, trying not to let the rush of victory get to your head. There were still more rounds to go.

One by one, you dispatched your opponents. Some were more skilled, some less, but none could match the ferocity of your strikes or the quickness of your feet. You moved like a dancer, weaving and striking with a grace few knights possessed. You caught glimpses of the royal box between bouts, the glint of Rhaegar’s silver hair and the white beard of your father. They were watching, as were countless others, but you doubted they knew it was you beneath the helm.

Finally, your last opponent stepped forward, and your heart did a peculiar flip in your chest. Eddard Stark—Ned, as you’d heard his friends call him—strode into the ring. He was tall and lean, his face serious and composed. You remembered him from the occasional visits to King’s Landing he made with his father, his quiet demeanor and the way he seemed slightly out of place amidst the opulence of the Red Keep. He was different from the other men who vied for your attention, and you found yourself strangely intrigued.

Ned inclined his head in a respectful nod, which you returned before settling into a defensive stance. His grey eyes narrowed, studying your form, and you wondered what he saw—a mysterious knight with no house sigil, or just another challenger to defeat.

The clash was swift and intense. He was cautious, methodical, his strikes precise, each one meant to test your defenses. You parried and dodged, feeling a thrill of excitement course through you. Here was a challenge, a true test of your skill.

But you were no green boy fresh from the training yard. You pressed forward, your sword a blur as you forced him back. His brow furrowed in concentration, but there was something else there too, a glint of admiration, perhaps? Or was it confusion?

You spun, your blade catching his in a perfect arc that sent his sword flying from his grasp. The crowd erupted in cheers, but you barely heard them, your gaze locked on his. Ned Stark, the quiet, solemn lordling of the North, stood disarmed before you, a look of disbelief on his face.

Slowly, you reached up and removed your helm, shaking out your hair as gasps rippled through the audience. The pendant around your neck caught the light, the tiny dragon glinting like fire.

“Seven hells,” Ned muttered, staring at you with wide eyes. You bit back a grin, enjoying his shock far too much.

The reaction from the royal box was immediate. Rhaegar shot to his feet, his expression a mix of horror and incredulity. “What in the name of the gods are you doing?” he shouted, his voice carrying over the stunned silence. “You could have been hurt!”

You shrugged, not bothering to hide the mischievous smile tugging at your lips. “But I wasn’t, dear brother.” You turned back to Ned, who was still gaping at you as if you’d sprouted wings. “Apologies, Lord Stark. I hope I didn’t bruise your pride too much.”

His lips twitched, the beginnings of a smile forming as he dipped his head. “I’ve never been bested by a… princess before.” There was something warm in his gaze now, something that made your stomach flutter. “You fight well.”

You felt a strange heat rise to your cheeks. “Thank you, my lord,” you said, surprised at the sudden shyness in your own voice. This wasn’t how you’d expected this encounter to go. Where was your usual confidence?

The murmurs from the crowd grew louder as people began to piece together what had happened. A princess—no, the king’s daughter—had fought in the lists, had bested some of the finest knights in the realm, and had unseated Eddard Stark. It was scandalous, outrageous, and thoroughly satisfying.

Rhaegar descended from the royal box, his long strides eating up the distance between you. “Father will have your head for this,” he murmured, but there was a glimmer of pride in his eyes, a secret smile that only you could see.

“Let him try,” you retorted, sheathing your sword with a flourish. “But perhaps he should consider that his daughter is not quite as helpless as he thinks.”

Rhaegar shook his head, exasperated, but he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. “You’re incorrigible,” he sighed, but his voice was soft, fond.

You turned back to Ned, who was still watching you with that same, curious expression. “Well, my lord,” you said, raising an eyebrow. “Will you join me for a walk? Or are you too humiliated to be seen with the likes of me?”

His smile widened then, a rare, genuine smile that softened his features. “I think, Princess, that I’d be honored.” He offered his arm, and you took it, feeling the eyes of the entire court upon you as you walked away from the tourney grounds.

As you left, you caught Rhaegar’s bemused expression, the horrified looks of some of the other lords and ladies, and, from somewhere in the back, the sound of someone bursting into laughter. You couldn’t help but grin. Let them talk. You’d had your victory.

[graaaaceeliz]

Scene: London, sometime after the grudging resolution between Stephen and Maud re: the anarchy. After such a long bout of fear-riddles chaos, everyone is need of some indication of loyalty and unity. The solution? A tournament!

Many men have been invited, and now many of those have been eliminated. Some will go home, some will stay on, some will undoubtedly be quietly stabbed or loudly beaten behind the stables. One of those eliminated is Brother Cadfael; his friend Hugh Beringer is however still in the tourney.

@medievalandfantasymelee Dear Master of Revels, please reblog this so that it may reach its intended audience.

[most-hated-blorbo-bracket]

Welcome to the most hated blorbo bracket!

Do you have a blorbo that you absolutely hate?

Is there a character that makes you want to tear your hair out?

Do you want to put them in terrifying situations and study them under a microscope?

If so, this bracket is the one for YOU!

Our mission is to find the absolute most hated character in tumblr history. Will it be someone universally hated? Or someone more niche?

Let’s find out!

Rules

ABSOLUTELY no TERFs, bigots, transphobes, racists, or any sort of shit like that! This is supposed to be a lighthearted tournament, and I will NOT tolerate any fighting.

Your blorbo will be judged mainly upon the propaganda YOU give. I don’t know most media, so please be detailed!

Your blorbo must be hated :)

Characters from controversial media will most likely be accepted. If it’s from something especially controversial, I’ll send out a poll about the media and have the people decide your blorbo’s fate. If anyone is uncomfortable with a certain character after the bracket is revealed, please let me know!

Know that I am running this alone..so expect some silly little things to happen by accident! This is also my first ever bracket :3

Propaganda in asks is always welcome, as well as just silly cat pictures and whatnot.

Aaaand…here is where you can find your submission link!

Tags for exposure + inspo under cut!

@pinkhairswagtourney @canonmisogynyvictimstournament @most-datable-datable-bracket @the-nobody-tournament @dumbass-duo-showdown @dumbass-duels @leastdatablebracket @let-me-date-them-bracket @ultimate-blorbo-bracket @stinky-fuck-swag @action-brodown @pikmintournament @starwarspilotstournament @theater-kid-throwdown @badass-queer-couples-battle @art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament @obliterated-character-tournament @fuckingstupidbracket @generic-man-in-suit-battle

[thescarletdaffodil]

This sounds well thought out and interesting also I didn't even realize anyone online noticed my Owl House obsession. I followed and I'll vote for sure.

GO WITCHES DUELS!

Lore: It's been a minute since the Collector visited Boiling Isles (a few months after defeating Belos), however now they're back and willing to play a new game with the Demon Realm. After some talk with King, they both decided to host a tournament known as WITCHES BATTLES/BATTLE WITCHES (the name is still to be chosen). The 16 most powerful teen witches in Boiling Isles will participate (willingly) in a tournament to decide who is the most powerful teen witch in the Boiling Isles!

Information about the tournament: The tournament will feature 16 characters of my choosing competing with one another based on their strength and skill. This by no means is a popularity contest, so I don't care if you know or like the characters featured in battles, as ultimately the battle shall decide who would win a witches duel. The tournament rather than a simple bracket will also feature side battles that would decide the position in the rankings, so get ready as there will be a lot of duels.

The first round is composed of 8 1v1 witches duels between characters that were paired randomly (except for one case but I will explain it later once I introduce the bracket). After this, the winning eight will catch a break so all the losers can face each other in a grand battle royale against one another to decide their positions in the tournament (occasionally if some people tie they will also get their own battle). Once the battles of losers are over we shall advance to the second round which shall decide who gets to semi-finals. The elite 4 themselves will catch a break as I will feature a minor bracket featuring the losers of the second round. The winner of this bracket might have a chance to battle the elite 4 once the semi-finals are sealed, in which there will be 5 battles: 2 official semi-final battles; 2 winner vs losers battles; the battle between the losers of the semi-finals. Then a champion of the second round bracket can yet challenge the elite 4, which can change their placement in the ranking and finally, there will be the last battle between the champions of the semi-finals.

The Format will naturally be polls, however, under each poll, there will be an explanation of what participants can and can't do during the duel: what spells they know and can use depending on the battle format; whether or not they can utilise specific tools like palismen for example; what is their mindset going into the battle. Now keep in mind those are not Death Matches, so no need for calculations on how much raw power the characters have and only a brief summary of what they can and can't do, and the battles are decided in imaginary scenarios by either stadium out or losing consciousness (under the Collector's supervision no one shall die).

There will be no "See results" options as I don't want them to mess up the voting so you will have to make some tough choices, but that's why I feature explanations so you can have a better idea of how strong featured characters are, even if you don't know them or their capabilities. I also would appreciate it if you could provide your own propaganda and agendas regarding what characters are capable of.

If there is a situation in which participants tie, they will either be featured in a battle royale in which the person with the least votes shall be out, or they get their match-ups switched if there are more ties (though only even numbers of battles). There are no repetition if matches unless there were issues with voting or the post. However all battles are final and characters won't meet twice unless it's a battle royale.

Who will not participate in the tournament:

All adult characters are off-limits for this tournament as they shall have their own league. This is strictly a teen championship. I decided to do such separation as adult characters just outclass the teen characters, meaning hardly it would be a fair match for young rising stars.

Only characters with importance and established capabilities shall participate so no background characters that have only 5 seconds of screen time

Vee shall not participate in the tournament. Vee is in this awkward position where she either gets so stomped she shouldn't have considered participating in the first place or is just too OP to give anyone else a chance. As a Basilisk Vee only possesses two abilities: magic absorption and shape-shifting. Because of the nature of magic absorption which can render the opponent powerless if used correctly, Vee simply has an unfair advantage towards most of the competitors. However, Vee herself possesses next to no experience when it comes to battling. Vee doesn't utilise her shape-shifting powers creatively and only limits herself to taking forms of other people which is effectively useless as she does not gain their powers (and even if she did it's either unfair since she will transform into someone who naturally counters her opponent; it would be near impossible to see which form could she actually take at this point, and technically speaking it would be another character battling and not Vee herself) but such deception is effectively useless in 1v1 duels. Vee's absorption powers are also pretty slow and can be easily interrupted as Helos demonstrated (and are not as final as the Greater's Basilisk) and as I said, Vee has no experience in battles so she can't really fight with her personality, nor doesn't know any spells to use to help her.

Masha shall not participate as they have yet to discover magic. So Veesha is only cheering on others

The Collector shall not participate since he's OP, so he rather organizes the entire tournament and arranges the game specifically so no one could get hurt while the kids go all out.

King shall not participate as much as Vee, he's either too strong or too weak to participate. King is not yet fully realized Titan so he does not possess the prowess that Titans possess, only being capable of basic light spells (weaker than average ones), squeak of rage, and barrier (which while strong, can also be easily countered). King instead becomes the announcer and the host of the tournament, along with the Collector.

Hooty shall not participate as he is both too strong and too memorable to give it a fair fight (as Hooty isn't OP, but he might as well end up as such due to the voting). He also becomes the host and announcer of the tournament, but rather the adult league.

Adult league: The characters of the past like previous Grimwalkers, Caleb and Evelyn, etc. shall not participate since we literally don't know how strong and capable they actually are.

Adult league: Camila shall not participate as she barely has any battling experience. She's the best mom and she is willing to throw hands, but she simply lacks experience with magic and her battling style can be easily countered. There's also memeable potential of her swiping everyone with La Chancla, which is hilarious, but not realistic. It would be satisfying to see her try to hit Odalia with a sandal, but Odalia can unleash the phantom that would steal such a sandal and then straight-up knockout Camila if we're being serious and no fun regarding this (but in our hearts Camila is the true winner we all know that)

Adult league: Dell Clawthorne shall not participate as he never used any magic within the show and now he's disabled.

Teen League: As the name suggests, only teenagers will participate, toddlers will not

Adult league: Only a few established Covenheads will participate since the others don't have fully-realised potential

Adult league: Titan Trappers shall not appear as they barely have any champion showcasing the true extent of their magical skill.

Adult league: Jacob Hopkins shall not appear as he lost to Camila who herself can't participate for not having enough skill (I did consider Camila to participate but I ultimately decided that she won't)

Invitations - to those who showed interest in the tournament or TOH in general, but no pressure or need for you to participate in the voting. Just wanted to invite you and ensure there will be some audience to the tournament. Oh, and I also don't mind if you use more than one account to vote as long as those are established blogs and not some spam blogs (like try to not rigg the game too much):

@lilcactusboi @wren-writes-things @the-god-of-chaos-himself @violet-prism-creatively @watery-melon-baller

@thescarletdaffodil @akmonasyrk @lapluieellepleut @damianwaynelives @crushpunchh

@impact801 @evermorecatra @rosetyler42 @memory-overload @cwolfnerakagnome

@branmuffins22 @zyrafowe-sny @metalinjector95 @michaela-artist @goingtohellwithyou

@iheartleopards @thatwierdquietkidthatdraws @sophiesophsofia @tbonner2 @amity297

@itslilacmoon @lucascii @fabseg-reader

Anyone can vote in this tournament of course, but I'm not sure if everyone will see it so I hope at least you can spread the popularity of the tournament or decide on your own who wins and who loses