#tribe helped her mom build

[chronic-invisibility]

I keep remembering tiny tiny details of books I read as a kid or books that were read to me as a kid and desperately wanting to find them again but having so little detail to go off of that it’s virtually impossible. This is like the third book I’ve remembered and had an all-consuming need to find, although I did actually find one of them recently, the other one I’ve been wondering about for a few years, and I just remembered another tonight while I was taking a bath.

[a-998h]

Other archons meet Anemo Dragon! Reader

Author notes:Reader has a human form and has some control over anemo, but is a small child.

Furina

She is the first archon to meet you

When Neuvillette adopts you, she rushes to up, picks you up, and spin hugs you

She's your self proclaimed big sister, no one can make her think otherwise

Is told about your identity as a reincarnated primordial anemo dragon

She never tells you

Help you adjust to a lifestyle of fancy that comes with being the sibling of the Hydro Archon

Introduces you to Gentilhomme Usher, Surintendante Chevalmarin, and Mademoiselle Crabaletta

A little overprotective of you

Shares sweets with you all the time

Brings you to the opera house during real performances

Teaches you about Fontaines laws in a kid friendly manner

Weekend afternoon tea parties are you, Neuvillette's, and Furina's equivalent of family dinners

You have the title of "Fleur du Fontaine" given to you by Neuvillette and Furina in an official ceremony

Make sure she has time for you

Introduces you to the Traveler, Navia, Lyney and Lynette

Doesn't full trust Arlecchino around you

Doesn't fully know how to handle small children

Will ask Lyney and Lynette for help

Would bring you to the flim festival and have you on the sidelines of the movie set

After she's no longer Archon, she still calls you "Fleur du Fontaine"

Reads you bedtime stories about Fontaine

Never brings you to trials

Takings you diving and swimming

Nahida

You two meet cuase Neuvillette went to Sumeru for work

She is so happy to see a small child

Only sees you as a normal child

Teaches you some things about Sumeru

Shows you the aranara and pari

She knows about the primordial dragons, and knows Neuvillette is one of them

Thinks you have an anemo vison you're hiding somewhere

She learns about your status, she's shocked

Makes sure you don't feel burdened by your status as a primordial anemo dragon

Takes you to her sanctuary to practice your powers without hurting anyone on accident

Will teach you everything she knows about primordial dragons

Shares stories of King Deseraht, Nabu Malikata, and other ancient gods

Does your hair

Acts like a friend and sometimes a sister for you

If youre around during the Sabzeruz Festival, she'll show you around

Will introduce you to Nilou, Tighnari, Wanderer, and all her friends

Shares candies with you

Will ask Neuvillette if it's ok to bring you to Aaru Village, the Avidya Forest and the desert

Helps you build a spice tolerance

Let's you use her magic swing

Is a mix between aunt and sister

Loves spending time with you whenever you're around

Might tell you about her adventures

Ei

Oh boy...

You were left at the space where Neuvillette and you were staying while he was working

Next thing Ei know, Sara is warning her of a flying child

When she sees you, she thinks youre the child of a god, but your energy is off

It clicks you're a primordial dragon reincarnation

Tells Sara to stand down

Weary around you

Thinks you're more mature than you truly are

Doesn't want to scare you

Never brings up your dragon side

Let's you use the training grounds so your anemo powers don't destroy anything

Is cold towards you because that is just how she is

She is your practical aunt

Shares desserts with you

Teaches you about combat and weaponry

Tells you toned down history lessons

Introduces you to Yae Miko

Tells you about Yokai and her sister

Has some Asian mom tendencies

Some of her sisterly instincts come out with you

Mavuika

She's so happy to see you

The first time she sees you, she's respecting boundaries by asking if you want a hug or handshake

Being an older sister herself, she has the sisterly instincts on full with you

Shows you as much if Natlan as she can, minus the war torn areas

Neve brings up the war because she scared of traumatizing you

Also helps bring up your spice tolerance

Brings you to meet every tribe

When she realizes you're the reincarnation of the primordial anemo dragon, she pauses

Treats you as a normal kid, never brings up your dragon status

But, she jokes that you're closer to the Saurians than most

Play fights with you

If Neuvillette says it's ok, she'll draw temporary body paint art on your skin

Is so happy to show you the wildlife

Your fun aunt for sure

Never let's your status as a primordial anemo dragon effect the way she treats you

Gives you toy weapons and does play fighting with you

Will let you get away with a little more sugar

Respects Neuvillette as your father

Treats you like a kid with boundaries

[sepublic]

            The Owl House is a story that begins with a mother and child being separated by a system, and then throughout the series, is the story of the two of them working to get back to one another; Luz putting in so much effort to create a new portal, while Camila becomes more understanding of her daughter.

            Luz went with Eda, who wasn’t meant to replace Camila, but the system Luz herself was supposed to be sent to anyway. And Luz planned to go back to her mother once camp ended, with Eda recognizing Camila’s connection and encouraging Luz to do so; Helping Luz self-actualize, which would allow her to reconnect with Camila on a genuine level, instead of suppressing herself for Camila’s misguided efforts and building up resentment in the long-term, as had happened between Gwen and Eda.

            Mother and daughter thought the other didn’t want them back yet, but they did; Camila clearly had second thoughts and that led her to go back and drive Luz to camp herself, which helped her meet Vee, which gave her a reference to better understand Luz as she waited for her daughter to come back. Luz wanted to tell her mom everything, but had her fears worsened by Grometheus, and then had that taken out of her hands in a way that only exacerbated their misunderstandings and made Luz feel more unwelcomed.

            And who took that from her? An arrogant, bigoted white man with delusions of grandeur and an enthusiasm for dehumanization. Jacob Hopkins’ attempted murder creates a stressful situation for Camila, which leads to her having an outburst towards Luz (one she regrets) that helps inspire a lot of shame in Luz for her decision. And Jacob is someone who explicitly fashions himself after Puritans like Belos, who are infamous for their culture of shame.

            Belos especially is someone who insists that Luz is being ‘corrupted’ by a family and culture she actually enjoys and benefits from, and the way he talks about ‘saving’ Luz’s soul by taking her away from these people (and no doubt re-educating her under his proper Christian tutelage) is an example of how the U.S. would kidnap and whitewash children of color; Such as in separating Native children from their tribes, to raise them with white names and Christian beliefs, with white hairstyles and fashion.

            And the evolution of this is in the racism of the foster care system, which many, including its own workers, call out for its biases; Placing families of color under particular scrutiny compared to their white counterparts, assuming the worst of them, sending them to ‘better’ (AKA white and Christian) families.

            Puritans and Protestants are alike, and it was a Protestant minister who argued for taking Irish children from their parents. Black women like Camila are dismissed and seen as incapable of looking after their children (despite black women historically being forced to look after their white masters’ children), and poorer families are punished for not having the wealth to take care of their children as easily as wealthier ones.

            (Satisfyingly ironic, then, that in TOH we see the children of two white, wealthy families get to cut ties from their abusers and find actual healthy relationships in others, many of whom are working-class PoC.)

            Luz’s interactions with Belos are isolated, and he’s the one doing the isolating too; He whisks away King and Lilith, has Lilith taken by the Stonesleeper, buries Hunter alive, sends Kikimora and the Collector away, and suppresses Hunter within his own body. Sometimes her friends come in to help, but when it comes to talking with him? Luz is left alone with that dude far too often, left alone to explain and defend herself against a grown man who manipulates people; It’s no wonder Belos still managed to gaslight Luz on her personal guilt, even if not the ‘guilt’ of the Boiling Isles.

            Makes it all the more satisfying then that his death comes not just from Luz refusing to waste energy in entertaining Belos’ rhetoric (“You’re not coming from a place of intellectual honesty, so debating you would be pointless!”), but also from her family getting to step in for Luz; Her family getting to have the last word and speak and argue for Luz, in her defense, after she argued for the defense of the isles and her loved ones against Belos by herself, so many times.

            Isolation is not just a cult tactic; It’s the racial implications of separating a child from people like her, in order to tell her they’re a bad influence, in order to keep them from supporting her. In particular, Belos’ demeaning attitude towards Luz in King’s Tide reeks of a racist who wants to ‘civilize’ a child of color; He might claim to want to bring Luz back to her ‘home’ with humanity as she tried, but it would be on his terms, Belos would mean it the same way as the system does, where he means Luz going to a specific type of humanity that isn’t her mother, making her home on Earth more hostile until it isn’t home; Plus Luz’s friends in the demon realm ARE her home as well, so both would be cut off.

            If Belos had his way in the human realm he’d have separated her from Camila, not unlike how white slave owners would claim the children of their slaves as property, and separate them from their mothers; Black women have often had their motherhood towards their own children stolen away from them in the U.S., only to be expected to exercise it towards white charges.

            And in the very next episode? We see the implicit threats of the counselor towards Camila, who preys on her own struggles with ostracizing in the past. And where does that come from? We’re reminded in Gravesfield’s shameful past of witch hunting, which is itself intertwined with its bigotry in many forms, from misogyny to racism; A historical re-enactment calls out the insincerity of all witch hunters.

            Gravesfield is a Puritan colony, and the Puritans helped found and inform the United States and its many, MANY issues, such as its punitive justice system, its racism, its religious colonialism, etc. Belos tricks witches in the Demon Realm and profits off their labor, just as the U.S. often tricks native tribes, immigrant workers, and freed slaves via exploitative contracts; And then take credit and act like their ‘achievements’ are what make white men like them so great.

            So while deeply toned down in the present-day, there’s a connection between a state/school system that takes a child away from her mother to be molded into what they deem more fitting, and how Gravesfield threatened violence on those who don’t agree to fit in; Particularly Evelyn, as well as Caleb, who actually took his opportunity to flee. That school counselor is the modern Belos, taking Luz from her family to be re-educated.

            Things have certainly improved, and kids in that Reality Check Camp were able to find camaraderie (either because of or in spite of the camp), but the dark past of Gravesfield was haunting the Nocedas even before Luz visited the Demon Realm. Things like Child Protective Services can be a tool for good and have been, but there’s always the implicit biases to beware, and the darker origins that those who act in good faith are attempting to overcome via reform; The same can be said for the U.S. as a whole, really, with PoC familiar with the criticisms playing a big part in both.

            And the hostility towards outsiders, the categorization of a default that then defines those who don’t fit in as ‘weirdos’, clearly affected Camila as it does many immigrant families; If immigrants cannot find other ‘weirdos’ as defined by the white majority, a place to belong in a community like them, then they will be vulnerable to the system’s exploitation.

            Note that of the four kids sent to camp, three of them appear to be from migrant families and/or PoC; One of them is white but evidently Russian (So not white in the typical U.S. hegemony way, plus they’re a NB witch), and you could parallel Belos perceiving an outside world as an inherent threat to humanity, as like the U.S.’s Red Scare paranoia towards Russian “commies” that affected Russian migrants.

            So amidst migrant kids being disproportionately targeted, there’s that sense of necessary community that informs a sentiment you don’t have to be an immigrant or even a PoC to empathize with; “Us weirdoes have to stick together.” Camila found Manny, and she found happiness in him and then Luz, and then Vee… And then so many more.

            Because after an entire show of mother and daughter trying to get back to each other, despite the implicitly or explicitly racist system and its representatives that tear them apart, they finally do. Near the end of S3 we finally see Luz and Camila succeed, not just in reuniting physically, but emotionally too; Their bond is rekindled, the system doesn’t break that permanently through what felt like Luz to be a betrayal. And so what would’ve been a hollow return in King’s Tide is made truly sincere, and the damages of the first episode truly recovered from.

            Because if you think about it; Luz and Camila were the original weirdoes, before we even see Eda or King! You could take it even further with Manny and Camila; And then with his death, Camila and Luz tried to stay together, tried to find ways to not let the system take them apart, even if that meant compromises like the Reality Check Camp. It’s Luz, Eda, and King in the first episode; But it’s also Luz and Camila. All three characters are Luz’s loved ones, her fellow ‘weirdoes’. Luz spends the latter half of the show getting back to Camila physically, and then most of S3 doing that on an emotional level; While at the same time reuniting with Eda and King.

            S3 is the climax where despite the efforts of a man who is the remnants of an old system, Luz reunites with her entire family, found and blood, after the show establishes itself via her relationship with them, and the story doesn’t happen without that; No Camila, no Luz accidentally finding the Boiling Isles, and without Eda and King, no Luz deciding to stay and pursue herself. It’s a bond not even death can break, not just literally thanks to the Titan, but also symbolically because we see how Manny still inspires Luz; And once again the Titan helps with that too, being the literal foundation for Luz to meet Eda and King and be inspired to continue that passion.

            And with the Titan technically debuting via her body in the first episode, that’s another loved one Luz gets to reunite with in S3, who she still maintains a connection with posthumously despite his death, not unlike Manny. They’re both father figures for Luz in that and other ways, guiding her from beyond and still spiritually ‘alive’, even if for the Titan that becomes only metaphorical after the finale.

            Because it’s Luz and Camila, King and Eda, and Manny and the Titan; Two worlds, two kids, two mothers, and two fathers who still look after them. Both families trying to survive the loss of a father, one of them not even knowing it. Eda keeps the Titan’s wild magic alive (something they both share an interest in) through successful rebellion, and looks after King; While Camila remembers Manny’s support by re-engaging with that which they bonded over (Cosmic Frontier) and supporting herself again, as well as Luz.

            Even the Clawthornes are alike, not just in Eda and King, but with sisters Eda and Lilith, and their parents Gwen and Dell; A branching offshoot of the same system that antagonizes families like the Nocedas, also antagonized them. It took Lilith from her family by promising things it would never give, and then forced her to change her appearance and beliefs, her personality.

            With Lilith especially, despite or because of her conforming to the system’s mold, she was still taken away from her family physically; Even with both parents (and a daughter) not showing any intention to go along, that still happened, and it’s a sickening thing that this is billed as a positive goal, in a way that the Reality Check Camp’s plausible deniability can’t ever measure up to.

            Again, it’s not unlike what was discussed earlier about the U.S. with Native Americans, and with Eda and Lilith being redheaded and wild magic like Paganism, there’s a potential tie-in to how the Irish were colonized by the British, for whom the U.S. was an offshoot of (just as the Emperor’s Coven is an offshoot of the Puritans); Or even a tie-in to the aforementioned Protestant minister wanting to separate Irish children from their families! The coven influenced Lilith in cursing Eda, which led to Gwen trying to get back one child still taken from her, and Eda her sister. But the erasure of the coven, down to a Puritan’s masks that hide the true appearance of the isles, is undone.

            The Owl House is a story about a lot of things, and one of those stories is the U.S.’s hostility towards PoC, and its attempts to divide and conquer them, often resorting to physical and/or cultural destruction to do so. Even Death itself is an obstacle, whether by the system or by sheer coincidence. But the Nocedas survive anyway; Similarly, the Clawthornes are an indigenous family pulled apart by a branch of that same system, but get together.

            Both families get new additions in each other when reuniting. Everyone survives no matter the damage because there’s always weirdoes and the system fighting so hard to suppress that proves how natural and inevitable such people really are; Because when ‘weirdoes’ have a community, is their status as ‘weird’ really so legitimate to begin with, unlike the ‘weirdoes’ themselves?

[bandsandwristbands]

it’s me ur bbgrill tell me yuor 1-4 headcanons rn

gettin grilled by the bbgrill

Level 1!

hhhh i mean canon does not give much to work with imo

Firstly Lee and Gaara are massive shit talkers.

Lee got that chronic pain, dawg, like regular shooting pains and nerve issues but he doesn't say anything cuz he doesn't want anyone to worry or feel bad(👀Gaara *cough*)

Gaara ups his tai jutsu training (I think this is canon in filler lol) but Lee helps him out by sending over reference material all the time. The homies tell Lee that he's overdoing it but Gaara keeps and studies everything Lee sends.

Speaking of studying I think Gaara had to study hard for the bureaucratical aspects of the Kazekage spot. (Probably mostly shadowed Baki for a long time) Like strength is a given but he was totally on his own when it came to education and diplomatic stuff because he was pushed through the academy purely through fear and nepotism. Not to say he isn't smart, once he starts in on something he's similar to Lee in that he goes all in, it becomes a whole aspect of his personality.

Level 2 💥

Sorry but Gaara still has mood swings and struggles to regulate his emotions. He masks real well, king of compartmentalize and dissociate lol but mans lashes out sometimes. Especially before shukaku is extracted like he canonically is not allowed to sleep his neural pathways are fried. He does try to not let it on to anyone because it Freaks People Out for obvious reasons. (The gaalee here is that Lee doesn't gaf about moodswings because he is also TooMuch sometimes, just a very accepting guy so he's someone Gaara can be less under tight emotional control with and he tries to offer healthy outlets hiii gay thoughts and mushy feelings)

Also he cries way easily, sometimes he just chillin and he's like aw fuck not again, cuz the fatigue and stress manifests or just feeling generally overwhelmed(*references 1(one) scene in shippuden*)

Level 3 !

Gaara is a brat, a little shit, a bit of an instigator even. Lee is one of the only people who can really challenge him on his attitude when he's being a menace. Temari and Kankuro too but Gaara knows how to push their buttons too well loll

I mean the guy definitely misuse his authority sometimes (usually for the greater good but sometimes just to be sneaky)

Lee is spiteful and has a greedy streak in the sense that if he wants to go for something, he doesn't gaf if he 'deserves it' he'll earn that shit for himself and then rub it in your face but somehow be polite about it. Utilizes malicious compliance often.

Gaara is a picky eater, certain textures bother him and specific foods he just won't eat, he later explains to Lee that he's been poisoned a few times and even the smell of certain foods makes him feel violently ill as a result. It tasted fine when he ate it at first but his body remembers the pain and fear quite vividly. Lee goes out of his way to be courteous of this. Alternatively Lee will eat anything on principle of not being wasteful.

Level 4!! (The ones im slow cookin at all times)

HELLO RELIGION/CULTURE HCS Gaara gets into reviving old Suna traditions and sponsors more regular celebrations to rebuild a sense of community outside of the military state previous Kazekages had been building. (This wins over a lot of Old Head civilians because they remember when practicing and appreciating their religious figures was commonplace) In general Suna becomes a lot more colorful and lively especially in the years post war. Art and clothing and jewelry actually becomes a pretty decent trade asset. The regular big celebrations encourage more tourism, helps the economy and helps with their perceptions as this harsh, conservative village.

Also his Mom was from the aboriginal tribes of Suna and so getting connected with that part of himself feels like getting closer to her.

Lee Officially Courts Gaara following Sunan tradition (w/ lots of help from Tem, Kank, team Gai) in front of the whole village, my guy is a romantic and audacious af and really it sweeps Gaara right up off his feet.

Established relationship, Gaara is seriously outrageous with PDA, very much likes to flex his Lee because he didn't think he'd ever have anything close to a loving partner and Lee eats it up(blushing profusely). They're so gross and in love that whoever invites them anywhere will receive a formal warning about their behavior.

The sand sibs have a punk band together for funsies. It's mostly Kanks hobby, but post chuunin Baki shares a couple old man cd's with them and they just start banging out songs here and there to spend more time together and process their feelings in an abstract way.

(I project my gender onto Gaara a lil too; uses he/him cuz that's what everyone is used to but doesn't necessarily think of himself as anything specific genderwise, he was just a monster for twelve years afterall. Dabbles with feminity sometimes but doesn't think too hard about it.)

[yell0wsalt]

Air and Nowhere Else to Go

Day 17 of whumptloktober

“I’m so sorry, sweetie. You’re not an air bender.”

At the age of six, Bumi didn’t necessarily understand the weight of the hug with which his mother braced him. Blue-grey eyes peered over his mother’s shoulder to stare off to an indeterminate point. The tone in her voice he didn’t understand how to define until years later as pity caught in his ears. Resonating.

Several years later, their family expanded to welcome his younger sister Kya. Two years later, they celebrated when a tantrum Kya had resulted in the disruption of several cups of tea served at the table.

While everyone was acting weird, Bumi thought it was a cute trick. He was intimately familiar with his mother as a water bending master, so it wasn’t anything grandiose per se. 

Just a baby.

Another two years later, the family grew once more. 

Tenzin.

He was so… squishy.

It was so tempting to just… 

Poke.

Tenzin’s cheek caved in like soft dough. Just as squishy as he thought.

Another time, Tenzin’s face wrinkled and he sneezed.

In that moment the juxtaposition of how everything got incredibly larger and smaller at the same time was palpable.

Katara when she wasn’t doing her work building up the Southern Water Tribe and making healing more accessible to benders in the Northern Water Tribe, she’d train Kya, building up her skills. There were instances when Katara was able to do this bringing Kya and Bumi to the Northern Water Tribes. 

Bumi was excited. It was fascinating to him to discover the world and see all it had to offer.

How quickly did the light in his eyes dim when he’d look to his left and right and find neither his mother nor sister there.

Looking back at home, his father was busy, to put it mildly. 

It was a fact of life Bumi had become acclimated to over the years. Being the Avatar was a lot of work. The world needed him. He was the last air bender. While that title no longer applied with Tenzin in the picture, it managed to get infinitely worse. 

Sometimes Bumi joined the two on their Air Nomad bending trips, but those soon fell in line to how the trips with his mom and Kya would go.

Eventually… he gave up. 

For increasingly longer stretches of time, he’d spend time with his Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki. They got him. They understood. They made him feel at home with their own kids. 

Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki weren’t his mom and dad, though. They had their own kids to wrangle as well. It helped curb what he needed, but only so far.

In a moment of solitude, Bumi sat at one of the hilltops overlooking Yue Bay. The wind he couldn’t control rushed past him. He buried his head in his knees pulled up to his chest to protect him from the cool blast of air, but it was too loud.

A crashing wave to the hillside gratefully cut through the noise, coaxing Bumi to peer up through tear-stained eyes. 

Maybe the bay could be his salvation.

[foibles-fables]

   Something about the Horizon games that feels like it should be a major theme, and almost it but isn't quite "reached" is the concept of indigeneity as an antithesis to the ideology that ended the world (over and over) & created the villain of all 3 games: Faro/Far Zenith/all the silicon valley Musk-esque colonizer tech billionaire corpos who only see the Earth/the land as as a rock to vampirically leech for resources for their own gain.

   The antithesis for this, and the reason why the "primitive tribals" will win over that "advanced" ideology & Nemesis is because they are indigenous and view the Earth as a home, their home worth fighting for, not something to extract for resources before ditching it and living it to die.

   And it feels like the end of the 2nd game moves a bit towards that theme, with the protagonist and other major characters developing slowly towards that ideal as a (tribal) group, so the third game, with all of the world's tribes banding together, should really hammer this theme in as the final thesis. At least it should, it really should.

   Also, on a related note, I'd love to see at least 2 things/missions happen in the 3rd game:

   Since the an early version of the  APOLLO database was obtained, I hope that GAIA has read through much of it and learning about the Old World, specifically how many tribal indigenous people existed and how they fought to keep the Earth safe as colonization ravaged the climate and caused the crises. How, even though datapoints in the metropole praised tech billionaires & trillionaire Ted Faro for the "Claw Back", they only "saved" the climate (for only a few decades) to profit off of it, and in the end this same thing led to  Zero Day/the Apocalypse since their voracious hunger & disrespect of the earth & worship of money continued.

   GAIA reading through these bits if history, and especially pondering on the fact that so much indigenous knowledge was destroyed before it could ever be stored in the APOLLO archive, and gaining a newfound appreciation for tribal cultures would be great to see. Sylens' reaction would be funny too, since his character development has only just barely started and seeing the super intelligent AI praising the "superstitious primitives" he looks down would irk him and his Zenith/Faro-like superiority complex at first.

    Anyways, imagine if one of the early missions is based off of this, and GAIA acts a bit like a mom and subtly pushes Aloy to return to the Sacred Lands and reconnect with the Nora tribe. GAIA can use the pretext of wanting to Aloy repair the Cradle facility enough to communicate directly with the Nora, and Aloy can go with Zo can go talk to Varl's mother Sona.

   As a protag, Aloy is disconnected from her tribe and without Varl there's like no Nora rep, and even though the second game hints towards some development, Aloy ironically has some of Sylens' tribal superiority attitude, so it'd be a great opportunity for some character development and the theme of indigeneity being touched on as she retreads old ground.

   Even though GAIA Prime and its data blew up and all, but it'd be cool if in GAIA's last transmission to the Nora Cradle facility she instinctively stored some memories that Aloy can restore of GAIA watching over the Nora over the centuries leaving the Cradle and building their civilization, and also some recordings of GAIA's later conversations with Elisabet that did not make it into the root kernel copy Aloy rebooted her from.

    And after going through the archives and memory, GAIA looking at the Nora ideology and how they kept close to respecting of the land that they worshipped could be used to nor how the Nora's tribal culture is analogous to real world tribal cultures. GAIA should recognize that ideology as valuable in the fight to protect Mother Earth, after all, themes and all that. She could, speaking through the Cradle door, ask the High Matriarchs and the rest of the tribe to help her rebuild her facilities in the area in the absence of machines that initially built it, like a Nora maintenance crew.

   The 2nd main mission I'd love to see would probably play off the 1st, but while Aloy is reconnecting with her tribe, GAIA has a task for her to head further up north, out of range of the signal towers of Regional Command Center, into the Cut so she could make contact with CYAN.

   It'd be the first time since rebooting GAIA that Aloy and Zo wouldn't be able to talk to her, and Sona could offer to petition for a Seeker's mark to join their crew, and add some non-Aloy Nora rep on the team, while they head north, which GAIA thinks is a good idea.

   Besides just wanting to contact CYAN, even though the command center that MINERVA bunkered in has pretty decent range, it's not infinite, so GAIA wants to ask CYAN to connect her telecoms network to hers to increase her reach, which would probably be a long-term goal of Horizon 3 if we're going global to all the tribes to fight Nemesis.

   Obviously, Aloy would have to appear in person & give CYAN an encryption key & assure them that it's really GAIA trying to communicate & not HEPHAESTUS trying to hack them again. But after that it'd be cool to have CYAN on the team.

   Just those 2 missions would already take the player into so many different places, and there's so many more people would love to see, like actually seeing Ban-Ur, the Banjo homeland instead of just the Cut leading to it (we gotta check back in the Banuk, their culture is so cool), and also the Claim (Oseyan homeland) west of Ban-Ur, and the Savage East because apparently there's a bunch of tribes out East of the Sacred Lands that we hear little about. And that's not even mention going to the Quen territory, and also possibly going to South America & Africa and see what the tribes there are like, since if Aloy's mission is to gather all the tribes in the world to fight Nemesis, it should really feel global.

   They should probably do it like how Burning Shores was added, with most of the in-between area left blank and a flying/riding cutscene to connect the chunks of playable territory, or else the game size would get so fucking gigantic lmao. As long as we get to explore whole new areas and travel with our companions, I'm good.

You've pretty much said it all here re: the core conflict of the series! You've nailed both the thesis and antithesis--and also how it hasn't quite DUG INTO that theme yet.

This is one of the reasons why I lament the Zeniths being brought in as a game two baddie instead of the series culmination baddie. I just...still don't jive with the concept of Nemesis and I think being faced with the Zeniths themselves would've been a more thematic way to approach the colonizer vs. indegeneity concept. I also thought we'd be getting a LOT more about the Clawback in HFW, so...maybe we can hope for more in H3?

I absolutely believe that we'll be going to the Sacred Land in H3! However, I'm not so confident it'll have anything to do with GAIA or ELEUTHIA-9--I think we'll be going that way to (re)visit Metallurgic, as it's one of the companies named in Londra's data in BS. Plus to see Sona, as you said! We already know Zo is heading there herself. But your quest ideas sound AWESOME, and I'm truly hoping we do see Ban-Ur and The Claim this time around. It'll be interesting to see if/how they handle CYAN, since, well, DLC content. Plus she already rejected GAIA's friend request in HFW, so. Lol. I miss her too.

I don't think the rest of the world will be part of H3's narrative scope--but I do think it's prime for some rich spin-off material, which I truly hope we get!!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, nonny!!! Keep 'em coming!!!

[theblackfemininesociety]

Advice on becoming an independent woman and detaching from the opinions/values of my mother

I’m assuming your mother’s opinions and values are toxic ? Seems like you want stability and peace. It’s a Journey but we have a few things that can help you…

∙ 🪞💞 Self-reflection: Take time to understand your own values, beliefs, and goals. Reflect on what truly matters to you, independent of external influences. This self-awareness will provide a solid foundation for your independence.

∙ Build your self-esteem 👑 Recognize your worth and believe in yourself. Surround yourself with positive influences and engage in activities that make you feel confident and capable. This will help you trust your own judgment and make decisions that align with your own values.

∙ Set boundaries ‼️ Establish clear boundaries with your mother regarding what you are comfortable discussing or sharing opinions about. Communicate your boundaries respectfully but firmly, ensuring that you are not compromising your own values to please her.

∙ Find your tribe 🫶🏽 Surround yourself with friends, mentors, or a support network like this one who share your values and can provide emotional support during this transition. Having like-minded individuals in your life can give you a sense of validation and encouragement.

‼️ Get professional help if needed, If the emotional or psychological impact of detaching from your mother's opinions becomes overwhelming, consider seeking the guidance of a therapist or counselor who can provide support and help you navigate this process. ✨

∙ 😼 Practice being assertive: Learn to express your thoughts and opinions confidently, respectfully, and without fear of judgment. 💞 actively listening, and being clear and direct in your communication.

∙ Distance yourself if necessary: This is huge, I don’t know if you live with your mom but If your mother's opinions and values continually clash with your own and negatively impact your personal growth, you may need to distance yourself until you can be cordial and comfortable around her. This can be a difficult decision, but prioritizing your own well-being and happiness is essential.

We hope this helps you babe ✨🩷

[dragonmasterhiccup]

She took a breath, exhaling slowly. Hiccup, didn’t know. Valka, didn’t know. No one knew just how low Spitelout would go to get what he wanted.

She nodded. That would be easy enough… she hoped. Knowing how Hiccup was, he’d probably come to see her at least once a day. She literally lived with Valka, and even if she was on patrols, she’d most likely tell her. Astrid she’d see whenever she returned to training, which was good; with everyone around her wielding deadly weapons, Astrid would be the first person she’d want near her; she could probably take down anyone. And if she ever started to feel cooped up in her hut and wanted to get out, she could go to Eret and offer him some help with whatever tasks he was working on. “Even if he did break any laws, wouldn’t banishing him just make everything worse? The Jorgen-“ She yawned. “Jorgensons are second in line after the Haddock’s, so if you banished him, couldn’t that cause an uproar…?”

Danny set her tea down on the small table beside the couch, leaning her head on Valka’s shoulder. Sleep was clawing at her, trying to pull her down, and she wanted to let it, she was so very tired, but she wanted to savor this moment, where it was just her and her brother and her mom. It was like the calm after the storm. Nodding, she replied, her voice tinged with tiredness. “That’s a good idea, I like the dragon races, It’s fun to see Hiccup lose them, even though I know he does it on purpose sometimes, to let Astrid win..”

She gave a small nod at Astrid, murmuring another quick ‘thanks’ and giving her a thumbs up. She knew she needed to start learning close combat, especially with all the… commotion going at the moment, she needed to be able to defend herself. She’d even been working on an idea for an up close weapon of her own. She’d been designing it for a while now, but never got the time to pitch the idea to Hiccup so that he could make it for her [no, she wouldn’t even give him the option to turn it down. He didn’t get a choice, he was building it for her, no matter what he said].

Eyes fighting to stay open, she smiled softly. “Thanks, mom…” she muttered, leaning into her closer.

“Yeah, that’d be nice. You should…” She yawned again. “You should bring Twilight too.”

After that, she finally lost the battle to sleep; eyes fluttering shut and mouth falling open slightly, soft snores coming from her as she kept her head leaned against Valka’s shoulders.

(She’s actually so grateful for Hiccup right now omg, like he literally saved her life, gave her the family name and got her a mom to go along with her new brother? Yeah, she’s super appreciative 😝👍 Also I didn’t know exactly how you wanted to continue this, so I left it open for you to decide! 😁)

"Not necessarily," Valka explained. "The tribe saw him not only try to undermine Hiccup's leadership today, but try to eliminate a young girl who they agreed was no threat. That alone will start seeds of doubt, the people will be wondering whose side is he on, theirs, or his own?"

Hiccup certainly knew the answer to that one.

Valka continued, "In the event of Spitelout continuing this streak, if he went too far and broke our laws, banishment would be justified."

"I don't know what that would do, since he could rally up anyone wherever he goes..." Hiccup shook his head. "No, we need him here, to keep an eye on him, and I'll talk with him, see if I can change his mind."

"Hiccup--"

"Mom, this is Spitelout we're talking about. I don't think he wants to tear Berk apart, he was just...misinformed."

"Well I think he wants to take over." Astrid stated flatly. "Hiccup, we can't let him do that. A Jorgenson in charge? It would be utter chaos!"

"That's not going to happen. Look, before we start anything, I need to try talking to him first. Then, I'll know his true intentions."

They weren't satisfied with that answer, but there was no changing Hiccup's mind.

When Danny called Valka 'mom', she held the young girl closer, rubbing her arm lovingly.

Valka's tone was soft. "Perhaps we should discuss this more later." She subtly gestured to Danny, who was on the brink of falling asleep on her shoulder.

Hiccup nodded, "Yeah, good idea."

He chuckled lightly at Danny's request for Twilight. "Sure, I can bring her." He was glad his mom hurt was big enough to keep a few dragons comfortable.

When Danny fell asleep, Valka's voice dropped to a whisper. "The poor lass has really been through it today."

Hiccup whispered as well. "I know...I...I wish I could've done more, I should have said something to the tribe sooner, this all could have been avoided."

His mother shook her head. "They may have reacted the same way, no matter how the information got out. Go, be there to answer the many questions that are waiting. I'll look after her."

He nodded hesitantly, before taking one last look at Danny.

Then, he and Toothless were out the door.

--------------------

There were a lot of questions.

Thankfully he was able to answer them all, without giving away any details that he knew Danny wouldn't want him to reveal. They all seemed satisfied with his answers, and looked to understand why Hiccup had kept her identity a secret.

There was no sign of Spitelout or Snotlout.

Hours later, Hiccup, stumbled back into his mom's but with Toothless and Twilight in tow.

Dusk had fallen, and while Twilight chittered and joined Danny, Hiccup collapsed once he and Toothless got to the other side of the sitting room.

The young chief was thoroughly exhausted and rightfully so.

The rush of adrenaline and fear had worn off long ago, but he kept pushing through it, to further not only be there for the people of Berk, but to work to secure Danny's safety.

Valka, finding him asleep on Toothless, tutted and laid a blanket over her son.

--------------------------

Two days later, he managed to come to a sort of agreement with Spitelout.

Hiccup had pointed out that if anything were to happen to Danny, the whole tribe would immediately suspect Spitelout, given the outrage he displayed so clearly.

It took some time, but Spitelout eventually agreed to leave Danny alone and to let her be a part of the tribe.

Her safety was assured, and Hiccup could feel another weight lift off his shoulders.

He and Toothless flew over to Danny, to tell her the good news, before the dragon races started.

[dragoncharming]

during the time skip, void imperial consort [chao feng’s mom] goes back to the void bc it’s better for voidwalkers to recover in the void. she talks to wu dai first, just suddenly moving into her old palace might step on the new void lord’s toes and it’s better to be cautious about these things. she has somewhere to retreat to if it goes badly, so might as well be honest.

she just tells him: i know you’re mourning your father and have complicated feeling about yetan killing him. i’m the one who killed the empress. may i return to my palace for two months for the injury she gave me?

wu dai was like Preparing to be The Void Lord about something. he didn’t know what to expect from this conversation and this is such a relief. first of all, the empress was Not his mother so right of conquest is fine for him in this instance. he steps forward to lift her from bowing. “please. empress dowager. no need for this if you are injured. tell me about what treatments you’ve already done.” and sweeps her off to the clinic.

just them building a relationship. it starts off meeting once a week for check ups, then there is a formal dinner for a visiting tribe from the edges of the void who was largely uninvolved in Everything and The Empress Dowager has a role to fill. she definitely helps wu dai out with some conversational nuance he definitely misses.

[ezra-iolite]

Swiftwire Mutheru Bio- 2023 ver.

(Original template made by @stuckedwithstarscream, hopefully this will help me not make a SUPER LONG post about Swift for once. ;3; She deserves a proper bio. Original BLANK template can be found here: How to Build a Cybertronian)

Name?

Swiftwire Asya Zahara Mutheru of the Terran Maasai Tribe (Goes by Swift) [She/Her]

2. Age Level? (How long did your character exist?)

Young by Cybertronian standards, so to avoid suspicion Swift will usually claim to be 40 thousand years old, when really she's (currently) 45 in human years.

3. Alternative-Form/Vehicle Mode? (What´s the vehicle/animal they can transform to?)

An S-35 jet, which she most likely believes was stolen to make her body. She is unable to scan for a different jet for her alt-form due to her not having the scanning ability.

4. Where do they come from?

She was originally born in the far north of Maine in America, but has since rejected her birth nationality due to her past and considers herself a Maasai-Kenyan instead (her mother's nationality). She now lives in Vos on Cybertron and calls herself a Terran for simplicity’s sake.

5. Faction?

Autobot, but became neutral after she left her old job as a politician, scratching out her sigil upon belly plate as a symbol of her good faith but proof of her neutrality. She still wears it in memory of her adoptive father, Borealis.

6. Caste?

Mid-High Class: Post-War Politician turned Ombudswoman, but mostly works as an artist for income.

7. Personality traits?

Swift is entirely driven by her moral compass and instinctually follows her heart/spark over her mind, which has often led to her being a bit of an overbearing Mama Bear. However, when she isn't being the Mom Friend, she's usually dazzling the crowd and being a slightly vain “prima donna” the moment she enters a room. From her sparkly orange frame to her colourful Kenyan jewellery, Swift simply adores the spotlight and will happily help and support those she believes deserve to feel it too. Her lack of stage-fright also aids in her being all too happy to advocate for those who cannot voice their problems. Which is why she became an Ombudswoman of the Iacon Council after she quit her old job as a politician representing Vos, due to the racism and bullying she faced from the other Senators.

However, behind the loving, fanged smile hides a deeply rooted shame for what she is and the original purpose for her creation... which is why she is content to have lost her humanity over her sense of agency, even at such a hefty and traumatizing price.

(It's also worth noting that Swift is bilingual and will use any given chance to slip in a word or two of her native tongue, oftentimes calling those she cherishes "mpenzi" or darling, her catchphrase every time for everyone's nickname from her.)

8. What did they do before and during the civil war/War for Cybertron?

(Warning, this is a LONG read, so TL;DR: Swift used to be a human named Asya, but became a cyborg Cybertronian when she was killed to become the battery powering the spark of a reverse engineered protoform. If TALOS had won and Asya died at the hands of her own father, then she would have become Talos Alpha, a mechanical Hoplite or Spartan designed to kill all Cybertronians living on Earth, a dream Jeremy was determined to complete due to his hatred for the alien race, to finally gain his "perfect soldier". By sheer willpower or blind luck, Asya's soul held on and she lived to become Swiftwire, at the cost of her family.)

During the final few years of the Cybertronian war, Swift was originally a human on Earth, an eighteen year old at the time, named Asya Mutheru. Her loving mother, Gasira Mutheru, fell gravely ill and victim to the neglect of Asya's abusive father, Jeremy Omari, who was the head of a scientific-military division known simply as TALOS. He sent Asya away to a military boarding school the moment she was of age, forcing her to stay and be deployed as a soldier abroad, even after her mother died and had a funeral that Asya was forbidden to attend by her father to ensure she focused only on her studies and deployment. After serving her ten years and becoming a commissioned Sergeant, Asya left the army and returned home, now in her late twenties, and confronted her father for the cruelty he put his only child and baby-trapped wife through, before she came out as a transwoman during a shouting match. Their verbal fight quickly became physical and it ended with her beaten, bruised, scarred over one eye, and abandoned in a snowy forest to bleed to death.

That was when she met and was rescued by Borealis the White Wolf (Bori for short) and his fellow pack of Maximals; Minerva the Deer, who patched Asya up and taught her how to be wise and maternally kind, Artemis the Hound, who taught Asya how to defend herself physically and verbally while also teaching her the true meaning of loyalty, the slightly insane Beetlevise the Stag Beetle who taught her how to be silly and have fun by simply being herself around those she trusts, and Azure the Peacock, a proud mech who adored his appearance and eagerly helped Asya through her transition into a woman, and taught her how to love and be proud of herself and her accomplishments, no matter how small of a step forward they were.

They soon became her family, with Borealis treating Asya like a daughter while the rest of the pack became her aunts and uncles, who were soon joined by a pair of Decepticons who originally kidnapped Asya to trap the Maximal refugees as prisoners of war… Only to befriend Asya due to their similarities and learning that life could be better without the threat to their lives by their warlord. Those two Cons soon joined the pack, with Knockout becoming their medic alongside Minerva, and his Conjunx Breakdown becoming their scout and protector. And due to their similarities, Asya fell in love with both Knockout and Breakdown and began a romantic relationship with them both, forming her first polycule~

However, when the Cybertronian war was announced to have finally ended, Asya was kidnapped and imprisoned by TALOS on the orders of her father, who planned on using her as a battery for the spark of his life's work... Project Talos Alpha, the mythological robot of his obsession made real through stolen Cybertronian body parts and technology, including a vat of Energon supposedly from the Well of the Allspark. Determined to finally be rid of his runt of a child, he shot her three times but only grazed her arm and leg, while the third bullet cut open her head from the temple along the side, before he finally shoved into the vat in frustration at failing to kill her yet again and sealed it.

Swift still remembers the burning pain of her body melting and breaking apart, of seeing the world vanishing into a black void as silver liquid metal engulfed her, then nothing. It wasn't until Bori's voice woke her up, allowing her first memory with new eyes to be meeting the gaze of the wolf she loved as a father, sensing something imprinting within her as her own eyes turned blue, and her large, silver hands breaking the vat that held her as she spilled at the feet of her father and her maker. Instead of a first breath, her transformation from a blank, smooth silver shell into a newborn Seeker came with a scream and the ripping of metal flesh to make way for wings and wire dreadlocks. The moment she gained claws for hands, she used them to kill her maker and the one who caused the most pain in her life, the taste of copper still lingering on her tongue when she suddenly awoke back home with her Maximal family with no memory of when she passed out... But from what Bori told everyone, all Swift could apparently see was red, and nothing could stop the hunt until silence and human blood filled the empty halls of TALOS.

Her old life as a human, alongside Jeremy's lifetime of work, was now dead and gone, her body nothing but a cadaver with its soul still bound to it, hidden deep within the spark of a handmade Cybertronian Seeker, with all her scars transferred over during the experimental process of her growth, both the physical and the mental kind.

9. Did they experience a moment of great tragedy or trauma that haunts them?

The final attempt on her life from TALOS still haunts her to this day... For even after she embraced her identity as Swiftwire, since she finally looked feminine and had the defining features she always yearned for on the body she wanted as a woman, her past was still chasing after her to take away everything she worked hard to gain.

Only a few months after Asya became Swiftwire and finally learned how to walk and get used to her new height and needs as a Transformer, Beetlevise reported strange readings all around the mountain and underground cave they called their base and home, signals that were the same kind used by the technology created by TALOS. Before Bori could order Artemis to track where the signals were coming from, the tunnels leading to the central command room erupted in a fiery explosion, sending rock, metal shrapnel and flames everywhere. One by one, each pack member helped Swift get to the entrance of the cave before they each fell to the crumbling rock, fire and the explosions of the bombs hidden throughout the cave, before it was only her, Borealis and Beetlevise left alive.

When Swift and Beetle made it outside, the Seeker saw Bori holding up a fallen boulder that would have crushed them had he not stopped it, the flames of the cave slowly spreading behind him. Swift pleaded for him to let them help, but as the fire began to burn through Bori’s fur and he started to struggle against the weight of the boulder above him, her father simply smiled and told Beetle,

“Take her to the stars for me, brother. Our home deserves her spark.”

The flames vanished when the boulder fell and created a rocky avalanche, sealing the cave and their pack’s fate inside. The last thing Swift remembers of that day, and the same moment that haunts her dreams years later, was the sound of her own voice screaming as she pulled against Beetle’s firm grip to reach for the cave, her words echoing the entire forest as she wailed for her father,

“YOU PROMISED YOU’D STAY, BABA!! YOU PROMISED!!”

10. Did they experience a moment of great joy that´s still in their memory as a precious moment?

The happiest moment from her past was the day she had her first sparkling, and forming her now massive family of four spouses and eight kids… (Beware, another long one... there's a LOT of kids...)

Believing that she was infertile due to her being made by human hand, Swift’s dream of becoming a mother lingered in the back of her mind for the first few years she started living on Cybertron with her Conjunxes, Knockout and Breakdown, even more so after rescuing a teenaged Seeker named Conduit from surviving in the ruins of the Hydrax Plateau and adopting him as her son. In a twist of fate, after Conduit settled into his new life and began training under his fathers to become a medic like them, Swift and Knockout shared a moment together in a field of cobalt flowers to escape the chaos of their busy lives. A month later, the two found a second spark growing in Swift’s chamber, and Swift has never screamed as loudly with excitement and tearful joy as she did then. They named the little spark Sira, in memory of Swift's mother, Gasira.

However, when she was only in the middle of her second trimester, Swift suddenly felt a horrible pain as she began to bleed rivers of Energon from between the plates, her entire chest breaking apart plate piece by cracked plate piece. Conduit rushed her to the hospital where Knockout and Breakdown helped to deliver their daughter, but found that she was born without vocal cords, but was otherwise healthy for such a premature baby. And yet… For three full minutes after that, Swiftwire flatlined and became grey. When she returned to life thanks to Conduit’s electrical power shocking her very spark back to full brightness, Swift was left with permanent chronic pain and a scar of thin, lightning-like cracks all over her chest plates…. And the news that she would most likely never be able to have children again.

That was… Until she met Elbent and Verglaust (@tigracespace's OCs). After the miscarriage of Elbent’s firstborn child, Firefly, Swift began to use her political position to help the tiny Grounder in her research to bring back fertility to all Cybertronians, not just because she had fallen for Elbent… But because she too had miscarried a child she never even knew she had, one she named Hyacinth, who she lost only a week before she met Conduit. After that, the two couples became a married polycule that welcomed Ferrous and Indicolite into their family, making the headcount of kids add up to four. Many more came along through Elbent, Knockout and Breakdown as they played the role of the carrier to each child…

For after the twins from Verglaust and Elbent, Swift and Verglaust had Bori, a grey and turquoise dire wolf Beastformer that Knockout was the surrogate carrier to.

Then, after discovering that a child could carry up to four traits of CNA, Elbent became the carrier to hers, Knockout’s and Breakdown’s daughter equally, naming her Alexandrite after her purple frame that bore the blend of their three colours, before another colourful child was born between Elbent, Knockout and Swift; Empyrean, a spoiled brat of a daughter due to her sunrise ombre colours adding to the flawless beauty inherited from her sires, including Swift’s dreadlocks.

Finally, after begging her medically worried spouses, mostly Knockout due to his mother hen instincts, to stop worrying about her and allow her to simply try after all these years… Swift worked together with Verglaust and Breakdown to be the carrier of their final triple-CNA child, a white and blue dragon Beastformer named Grimfrost.

(In case you're stumped and need a recap of all the kids.... In the order of eldest to youngest: Conduit, Sira, Ferrous and Indicolite, Borealis, Alexandrite, Empyrean and Grimfrost) 11. Is your character able to drive a spaceship? Where did they learned it?

No, simply due to Swift having a jet form that’s able to traverse the depths of space easily. But she does take a ship when visiting other planets, simply due to how exhausting it is flying in lightyears by herself.

12. Did your character met one of the Cybertronian leaders? What were their thoughts about for example Optimus Prime or Sentinel Prime?

For a short time, she worked alongside Rodimus when he first became Prime, helping to finalize the details for the new council of Cybertron and attending the same congress meetings as him about the mundane issues across the planet, now that it was settling into a peaceful new era. But, she saw him less and less as he began his plans for his quest, his thirst for adventure and a legacy driving him out of the role of a political leader and into the spotlight of a celebrity seeking a legend. She does miss their playful banter and exchange in past-life stories of their shared experiences on Earth sometimes, but like Rodimus with the crew of the Lost Light, she found her life's meaning in her frame paintjob and canvas art studio, A Touch of Terra, and has never regretted leaving her old job since.

As for the more famous names... No, she has never met Optimus or Megatron or any other past Prime. But she has learned to hate the face behind the emblem she still wears due to the war doing more harm than good.

13. Best Friend(s)?

After marrying Knockout and Breakdown, it was originally Rodimus before he left Cybertron. Then it became Elbent and Verglaust before they formed a polyfidelity married group, or a polycule strictly between all five of them.

Beyond her family, Swift is close to her surviving uncle Beetlevise and is doing her best to befriend Elbent's friends, Nicole and Drillburst.

14. Greatest Enemie(s)?

Her birth father, Jeremy Omari, and all those who survived her mad slaughter of the TALOS group.

15. Preferred weapons?

Her Seeker claws, her fangs and her dreadlocks. Her dreadlocks have the ability to stretch to unmeasurable lengths and move like snakes, just like Medusa's hair, due to the fact that they're wires coated in a soft, rubbery casing that are connected to her brain. It takes only three of them to lift her up off the ground, and oftentimes she uses that ability to prank others by crawling up to the ceiling and popping down suddenly while hanging upside down. When used in fighting, they can be shot like javelins when kept straight, or like whips when allowing them to bend and move freely. Her main heavy attack is often an aerial one using her dreadlocks, where she will fly in jet form as high as she can go, then go back into her root/bot form and spin in either a curled up (Sonic the Hedgehog) ball or in a circle while standing as she falls back down, becoming a circular saw capable of cutting through armor if she has enough momentum and speed. Another ability they have, due to the Talos Alpha Project's design, is their ability to tap into any and all forms of technology with a computer or terminal, with each dreadlock bearing a port key of every known piece of technology Swift has seen in her lifetime... including the brains of Transformers. The last time she used this ability was when Conduit was kidnapped by protestors who demanded that Swift be removed from her seat in the council. After finding and capturing a protestor, Swift pierced his eye and searched his memories for where they hid her baby boy, lobotomizing him into a frozen but conscious state where his bodily functions were still working but he would be trapped in his own mind, unable to speak or move forever.

Out of guilt from the Mama Bear anger that drove her to such cruelty, Swift tried to destroy the dreadlock that bore the psychic patch needle, but found that if she had succeeded and damaged the interior of the dreadlock, she would suffer major brain damage and possibly die from the shock of the pain it would bring her... so now, under her full mop of dreadlocks, there is one with a tip that is black from fire damage, a dreadlock she has since sworn never to use again.

16. Do they have a team, a partner, or someone that´s often with them?

The entire MnM Gang or her polycule!! Knockout is the one who often spends the most time with Swift, but if it's not him due to work, then it's Elbent. But, no matter what, Swift always tries to spend time with all her spouses equally.

17. Do they have sibling(s)? How´s their relationship to them?

As far as Swift is aware, she has no siblings.... However, one of the few survivors of the TALOS slaughter was in fact Jeremy's son from another lover he had before Gasira died.... Swift's half brother, Zaire Omari. The two have no idea they are related through the same man that Swift killed before his eyes, and Swift has no intention on returning to Earth until she truly feels homesick enough to do so. But so far, she is happy where she is.

18. Do they have a sparkmate? How did they get to know each other?

Again, Swift has four Conjunxes. Knockout, Breakdown, Elbent, and Verglaust. See above for how they all met, but to put it simply here....

As Asya the human, she met Knockout first when he kidnapped her as a prisoner of the Decepticons. During her imprisonment, she stood her ground and was sassy and flirty with Knockout and Breakdown, until the three of them simply started speaking and growing closer emotionally until her rescue. After that, they began to meet in secret where their feelings grew and developed despite their species, until the end of the war came and Asya helped KO and BD to be free of the Cons and join her family. Their relationship soon became romantic, even before she became Swiftwire.

After the death of her family by the TALOS bombs, KO found an old ship and brought the surviving family members to Cybertron to start fresh amongst their own kind, where Swift first travelled around the planet for the sake of her mental health but instead both lost and gained her first child, before she returned to her family and moved to Vos to train as a politician for the sake of a better future for her children, and to help promote her vision of building equity for all, no matter a person's origins. During her training, she was told to hire a bodyguard, and the biggest one there who caught her eye just so happened to be Verglaust, a giant mech who immediately made her spark flutter with familiarity and attraction (cue Moto Moto song~) purely because he was a Beastformer, the only kind who had ever shown her love. Swift, KO and BD soon married, had Sira, and during a gala to promote her vote for becoming a Senator in the Iacon Council, Swift was introduced to Elbent on the day she lost Firefly. After KO and Conduit helped Elbent to deliver Firefly's stillborn body, Swift was finally able to reunite with Elbent and got told of what happened... The grief became their link to forming their bond, as Swift used her Senator position to become a patron to Elbent's research, and soon enough the two femmes fell in love and introduced the idea of forming a polycule.

Thus the MnM gang was born.

19. Overall Look?

(Right here~)

(Her earring needs a minor change, just to represent her spouses: Red for Knockout, Dark Blue for Breakdown, Light Blue for Elbent, Green for Verglaust, Orange for Swift ..... Also heels. She deserves killer heels that can echo with every step.)

20. Bonus: What´s the song that represents your character the most?

¬w¬ You know damn well why this works... We all know why, don't we mutuals?~

[karasbroken]

I feel very strongly about third places. I love cafes and I have the money now to be in them whenever I want, but they're not a substitute for free places to be in the world. I spent my twenties and a good part of my 30s LARPing on city streets, sometimes quite elaborately with props and costumes. We used to get the cops called on us regularly, but we were old enough to know how to handle cops, and explain what we were doing and why it wasn't bothering anyone. Mostly it went fine.

I'm not so sure it would in a less nerdy and liberal area, or if we had all been younger, or weren't mostly white and white-passing, or if we'd started up today for the first time rather than being practically urban legends for the local cops at this point.

I have an almost teen, and she often hangs out with a friend on the way home or just sits by herself, on a planter in the center of a traffic circle. It's between home and school in a quiet suburban neighborhood. (The circles were created because the neighborhood was planned with streets twice as wide as they needed to be, so the circles were added to slow traffic down.)

We live in a streetcar suburb, more dense and mixed use than a typical American suburb. But there isn't a park between her school and home, and not anywhere else to really sit and chat. They've removed a lot of street furniture or made it uncomfortable, to discourage the unhoused from sleeping there, and in general there's just not another good place to hang out. I hope she's never hassled about it. I'm not unaware that she has less chance of getting the cops called because she's white with an unthreatening build.

We do still have libraries with teen rooms and there are some other park spaces she could divert to. Being close to city center is helpful. Lots of kids meet at the Starbucks. But folks just don't prioritize places for teens anymore, especially younger ones with no money to spend. We need more micro parks with swings made for adults and more community centers. More 24 hour diners. More tiny malls with indoor food courts and stores that don't just sell luxury brands. More neighborhood schools with playgrounds open after hours and game stores with tables for pick games and coffee shops with board games. (I do think there's a place for retail third spaces but retail needs to embrace teens not fear them.)

It's undeniable that some of the hostility to young people existing in public is due to them becoming more destructive. Teens have always caused trouble (my mom is of the era when they made driving around in cars illegal--cruising laws were only eased in my city in the last couple years). But the ability to organize on the Internet has made some kinds of trouble more extreme and pernicious (and made rumors about bad behavior more ubiquitous and scary too).

Rising economic inequality has made some kinds of property crime more intense and forced retail to be more wary. The pandemic caused a lot of kids to have fewer opportunities for socializing and other kids to have a lot less supervision and together that has made a micro-generation that doesn't have a lot of emotional maturity or regulation. The Internet in general has impacted our tolerance for difference because it's so easy to find our tribes and then hide everyone else (she says on a site dedicated for curating extremely specific fandom communities).

More third spaces open to all with free and low cost options for socializing and doing activities would help with so many of society's woes. Kids learn to be helpful and productive citizens being around mature adults who aren't their parents but can still give them guidance and model pro-social behavior. Giving young people places to be where their energy and their existence isn't criminalized is so much better than excluding teens and then locking them up for behaving badly. Teens behave better when they have work to do (not just paid work or school work, but chosen work, learning skills that interest them and participating in their community and doing personal projects together with peers) and aren't just pushed to the outside to wait, bored, and restless to turn 18 and finally be allowed to exist in public.

It's like people have forgotten we're trying to have a society here. Don't even get me started on the people who don't think parents should be allowed to bring their babies and small children into public either. More third spaces for parents too please!

[theuniverseawakens347]

IVF surrogate driver seat parent but didn’t ask for it… pops Malik Paula Regina king… jenesse David and jenesse look alike Tristan… okay Ian … king.

Jhene Mila… video radio show drunk bad nose contour… jhene. Did it … Alexis bs to rack up points to IVF big Sean 1 and second kid thru you…

She a bad mom or need help? PARENTING CLASSES W A DAYCARE … orphanage type of housing w trusted TELENfamily..

Pops… ask Paula to check her tree where she get them seeds to finance them kids while you locked up… Taylor benning… lying to someone… but tell they village come gather their youth…

If not special housing programs for boys n girls club… foster homes WITHOUT THE SEXXING.. gang youth off the streets into PROPER COMMUNITY LESSONS.. of how to be and treat urself correctly to give back equally to the community. And raise another youth when the time be.

Big brother and sister programs… taken from bytsmooth n nip… rebranding building papa Houston granny Flo tribe vibe at snoop- Darniece or me??

[melimatters]

FF14: Dramatis Personae and Timeline

Final Fantasy Wrtite 2024: Dramatis Personae and Timeline

I figured it would be a good idea to provide a dramatis personae and timeline for my writing since I don’t post really outside of FF14 Write. I am going to change that over time I think, but anyways, this should help for now!

So I work on a time bubble of 11 years from the start of ARR to the end of EW, all ages in the encyclopedias I view as of the beginning of ARR so I calculate NPC ages from there. This means that the twins in this timeline are in their mid twenties, I only mention that as I do ship Alisae and wanted to make clear how my timeline works. 

Melisande Atteron [Latia Ursis]: My original WoL, born in Garlemald as a Hyur woman she eventually rose to the rank of ‘Sas’ in the XIV legion under Gaius van Baelsar with whom she had a relationship. She was eventually used as a spy during the dying days of the original invasion to try and get further information to the Eorzean Alliance about the fall of Dalamud which Gaius did not approve. She was present on the ground at Cartenau when Bahamut emerged and was caught up in the sending of the original Warriors of Light five years into the future. Upon arrival she didn’t remember anything of her former life and ended up in Gridania. She would remain unaware of her previous times in Garlemald until the events of the Burn where Gaius would use her actual name, unaware she didn’t have her memories, it would be a shock to the system from which she recovered, able to merge both lives into one inside her head. As of the end of Endwalker she is married to Y’shtola Rhul.

Melisande is a Hyur woman of small height and an athletic build, she has long bluish white hair that on occasion appears to have the shadows of feathers in it, results of the light poisoning from the first. Her skin is pale and she has striking silver eyes and dark red lips. She was known as “The Winer Witch” during her time in the Garlean military as her hair was viewed as a bad omen amongst the rest of the legion, and a terror tactic with their enemies. She is trained as a dragoon as well as a dancer. 

Altani Mol [Xaela]: The first of Melisande’s two adopted daughters, she left the step at twelve thinking she knew better than the rest of her family in the Mol tribe. She got herself kidnapped and taken to Eorzea where she served as a domestic servant in Ul’dah for the better part of a year before she was able to escape and spent her next while as a street kid, thieving and panhandling to survive, she also took in a young Miqo’te girl K’yla Mitran as a little sister. Eventually she made the mistake of trying to pick the pocket of Melisande and ended up in jail for her actions, Melisande decided to meet with the girl and was taken with her ferocity and independence, but also saw a young girl desperate for love and affection. Melisande bailed her out and over a number of long conversations the two bonded, and Melisande took her on as an adopted daughter. She began to call Melisande mom almost instantly, but made it clear she wouldn’t leave without her sister, which is what led Melisande to also take in K’yla [see below] Altani trained ever since the middle of HW as a paladin, wanting to protect those around her from the evils of the world, which she saw firsthand at the bloody banquet, she served in the wards of Ishgard after the final battle with Nidhogg and ended up taking up the vow of the healer though she still serves Halone. She was present during the battle with Hydaelyn and Ultima Thule, having had the Echo and blessing of light awake in her sometime during ShB. As of the end of EW she is in a long term committed relationship with Allie Baelsar whom she met at the end of Sorrow of Werlyt. Currently she splits her time between Werlyt and wherever she and her sister along with their partners are needed.

Altani is a tiny Xaela woman with long white hair not unlike her mother with piercing blue eyes and a yellow umbral ring. She has a mostly athletic build almost that of a gymnast. She fights with sword and shield as do most paladins but has a pair of javelins strapped to the inside of her shield a nod to her training in Ishgard, she is also versed in short spear. 

K’yla Mitran: [Miqo’te Seeker of the Sun] Very little is known of K’yla before Altani found her wandering the road outside of Ul’dah, knowing the trouble a young girl would end up in she took her to her hideout and began taking care of her. She was taken as the second adopted daughter of Melisande when Altani refused to leave her, though Melisande would never have allowed that to happen after meeting the young girl. Through much of ARR and HW she was basically mute speaking only very rarely and even then with few words. It was her time with Edmont late in the nights that brought her out of her shell when he would sing lullabies to her when Melisande was away. She fell in love with those stories and by the end of HW had begun to learn to since and play the violin/fiddle, a fine piece of craftsmanship given to her by Y’shtola around her fourteenth winter. Since then she has become known as one of the finest bards in all of Eorzea, her stories and songs are both legendary and infamous, she is willing to both sing your praises and your faults should you upset her. She like her sister was present at the battle with Hydaelyn along with her sister. As of the end of EW she is in a relationship with Alisae having stumbled into it during the events of the expansion, much to Fourchenault’s chagrin. 

K’yla is a shortish curvy Seeker of the Sun with long chestnut brown hair with pink highlights as a personal affection, her eyes are the color of emeralds and those who have felt her glare never really forget it. She is trained as a bard, dancer, and a viper, the latter being taken up when her sister suggested she learn melee combat during EW. K’yla can most often be found wielding her two triskelion glaives as a dancer, able to do considerable damage at range. Her viper blades are unique as they were a gift from Gaius whom she has spent considerable time with in Werlyt since she is often there with her sister and Allie working to help rebuilt the nation. The blades are made out of a reforged Heirsbane imbued with magic from Alisae the nine marks glow with a blue faerie fire when the blade is used. 

[kingdomoftyto]

Okay wow. What an epilogue. WHAT an epilogue. Setting aside for now the heavy-handed teaser for the next arc, there's so much I love about this ending.

Winter not only finding peace far away from his toxic family but exploring his own interests and hobbies and actively, voluntarily keeping in touch with all of his friends!! (His new family--!! AUGHH he actually said it!! 😭) I wish we'd actually got the chance to see him interact with Smolder and Flower, but still.

Turtle bonding with his mom like he always dreamed, getting back in touch with his creative side with the love and support of his friends and peers, and most importantly making things right with Anemone and being a proper presence in her life as a brother, friend, and role model!!

ANEMONE HAVING A SHY LESBIAN CRUSH ON MY GIRL TAMARIN???

Kinkajou being the single most level-headed and emotionally mature dragon on the entire continent, which is hilarious in its own way but also holy cow I am so proud of her!!

Peril THRIVING as a Normal Teen Girl, making friends and flirting with her bf and getting excited about schoolwork!!

The NightWing and RainWing tribes happily cohabitating again under Queen Glory's protection!! (Peacemaker being half RainWing is such a powerful image, what a sweet ending for him, even if it broke my heart a little when he was afraid of Clearsight's memory vanishing with him)

Squid-brain mentioned!! Still doing a great job as head of the Talons of Peace, building settlements and fostering cooperation between tribes!!

Even Flame getting help from actual healers, and hopefully some counselling to go with it!!

Maaaaan what a series. I could (and may yet) list off several things I didn't like so much, but the truth remains that these books feel like something I would have written myself. Someone took all my favorite themes and archetypes and imagery and slapped them on an entire bustling world full of colorful anthropomorphized dragons, and it feels like a gift to me specifically.

[memoriescut]

meta + selfcare

even though her concept of selfcare could be summed up with "she should drop her mom already", there are some habits that have been part of pudding's routine for years, and while some have evolved with time here they are:

PHYSICAL.

on cacao island she'd get 8h of sleep every night, waking up very early due to having to set up her café before opening. there's a lot of running around involved with working in restoration, which is pretty much the only physical activity she does.

when she finally sets sails, her sleeping schedule is still 8h but more scattered throughout the day due to pudding being a bit of a night owl. as for physical activity, she enjoys walks / runs in the woods, and does a bit of yoga every morning since with her new career she spends a lot of time sitting at a desk.

EMOTIONAL.

well, as we know already a lot of pudding's emotional needs were either met in half or not at all - her anger was weaponized and fed at every chance BM had. she never got to talk through her inner turmoils and was instead spoiled with clothes and stuff as a way to keep her quiet.

a huge part of pudding's true awakening comes with the awareness of self, which is something she obviously had difficulties with at first due to her upbringing. living with the three eye tribe helped find ways to channel all her suppressed emotions into something to feel proud of - she writes, paints, tried to learn an instrument and even attempted pottery! art has been quite useful in her journey.

SOCIAL.

before the disaster wedding, pudding's social life wasn't the best neither with her family or the citizens of cacao island although with the second most of the time she was obviously using her powers to stay in their good side. she's respected in her workfield but still, it's quite a lonely life she leads.

the true awakening has put a lot of things in perspective. pudding actively tries to build connections with her siblings as they are the only family she has left - it works better with some than others but now she doesn't feel bad about it anymore. she's actually interested in the lives her coworkers lead - learns names of their kids and loved ones, keeps up with things that matter outside of her life even though she gains nothing from it. at the same time, she's finally learned to set some boundaries and do what makes her feel good rather than what she thinks would please other people.

SPIRITUAL.

before the awakening pudding had never really tended to her spiritual needs since BM didn't believe it would actually be of any use. well, jokes on her!

after the awakening, due to the many voices and new feelings and dreams, pudding has started journaling - by the time she's a little older there are so many piles of worn down notepads and diaries full of thoughts, recipes, pictures... memories, just a different way than what she's used to see them. she meditates a lot and loves to spend her time surrounded by nature - the woods are pretty much her favourite place in the world and it's not unusual to see her find some peace and quiet over there.

[whisky-tango-foxtrot-biteme]

Self-care

When you realize you are being abused verbally, emotionally, or psychologically, take very good care of yourself. Love you. Do things that will help you heal and keep you healthy both physically and mentally.

You may find yourself ruminating. (Which ironically was what drove me to start this blog--I then thought to put my feelings and experiences into words that could spark discussion.) When you ruminate, you are beating yourself up because you'll be wondering how you can make the situation better or how you could adapt yourself to keep the peace. Be authentically you and understand this is not your fault, that attempting to adapt yourself or keep the peace will only make you feel worse. Do something with that energy rather than ruminate. Write. Walk. Clean. Go to the grocery. Call a friend to do lunch. Go for a run. Do something mentally or physically demanding. Dissipate that energy so that your mind cannot beat your up and harm your self-esteem. Do something that will require your attention and can absorb you so that you do not have the mental space to ruminate.

If at all possible, cut that person out from your life. Create boundaries that make you feel comfortable. Don't permit someone's terrible behavior and hateful attitudes to infiltrate your mental and emotional space. Block that person on social media, from your phone. Do not give that person the chance to explain or apologize. They know what they did. They know what they need to do--and it is to address their personal issues and mental health.

If you cannot cut that person from your life, minimize your exposure to them in anyway possible. You will see terms like "grey rocking" or "going dark" tossed around. And likely a lot of blah blah blah about how to do that or what it means. Ignore that mumbo jumbo. Just minimize your presence in their lives, communicate with them in the most minimal way possible. If they ask a question that requires a response, give them the specific answer they need: "Are you coming to mom's birthday party?" Your answer should be yes or no. Don't get caught up in their word salads because they often will drag side issues into the question or perhaps start on an all out attack against you if you give them an answer they don't want. Suss out the issue, understand it, and do not give more information than necessary. Your immediate answer isn't usually needed, take the time you need to understand exactly what they are asking or saying. Then at mom's birthday party, nod or give one or two word answers if the abuser talks to you. Whatever the need for being in their presence--minimize their access to you. GTFO of their line of vision.

Build your community. Despite the awful behavior that an abuser can display toward you that can wound you psychologically and make you feel worthless, and despite the flying monkeys they can muster, there ARE people out there who love you, respect you, and want you to thrive and be happy and well. Find that tribe and maintain their support. Even if it's just to text your sister to let her know, "hey, I'm having a bad day... can you chat or send me a stupid joke so I can laugh?" can do wonders. Just getting a positive few words will lighten your burden, I promise.

Seek out a therapist if you can. This is serious stuff. Verbal and emotional abuse can cause you great anxiety and affect your physical health. Therapy is a safe and effective way to get out how you feel and see the situation and will help you find practical ways on dealing with your emotions and with the effects of being abused.

Seek out medical care if you need. Any kind of abuse takes a toll mentally. That will take a toll on you physically. In my case, it was really awful anxiety. Anytime I saw his name or thought it possible he would be in my presence, my heart would pound rapidly and i got tense and fearful. I could not concentrate and I was terrified of making even the simplest mistake in his presence. My cortisol levels rose so high that my blood pressure elevated considerably--from about 115/75 to over 130/90. It took weeks to bring it down to 120/80. My physician knows about the situation I was in and she is monitoring not only my blood pressure but my mental welfare and did prescribe a low-dose anti-anxiety drug. I am trying that and I will work with my physician.

You may need to get creative with your self-care. But ensure that it covers your mental, emotional, psychological, and physical needs. You are not the monster the abuser wants you to be. You have people who do care about you and your well-being. You are a human being who has the right to live peacefully and be respected, loved, and treasured.