#verse: hunters of ruin
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crino-line · 2 years ago
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Doodle: team EDEN
An all-girl team based on paradise/utopia.
Oh, by the way, I decided to make a tag for my original r/w/b/y route. It will be called "Hunters of Ruin".
long info under cut if you are interested in reading about these characters
Team name: E.D.E.N - eden from the bible. Reminds of green. Team members are based on mythical figures or fictional characters related to paradise/utopia. Leader Eve shares the same name as the first woman who lived in the Garden of Eden along with Adam, the first man, until they were expelled for disobeying god (but she isn't based on Eve)
Members:
Eve S. Laurence: An elegant deer faunus (probably reindeer because her trait is horns). Her battle class is a mage, who supports her teammates by binding enemies with gravity dust. Other than the "first woman" meaning, her name comes from "evening" (her hair color is a gradient of pinkish orange~blue like the sunset). Based on Eurydice.
Deepa Nautilus: A cheerful and friendly frontline warrior class who wields a flail/grenade launcher. “Deepa” is an Indian name meaning light/lamp, but it is also a pun with “deeper”, suggesting Atlantis deep down the sea. Based on Captain Nemo.
Edge Hydrich: The team's fun-loving, self-proclaimed "fabulous" evasive tank who lures enemies from her allies with quick and smooth movements. “Edge” is a sharpened side of a blade, it also comes from the color “edgewater”. Based on Mananan Mac Lir.
Nima Rila: A mature and realistic tibetan fox faunus. A stealthy archer/hunter class who grew up on the steep mountainside. “Nima” is a Persian/Iranian origin name that means “moon”, also “archer” in old Tabari or Mazandarani. Based on Dakini.
Deepa was secretly created prior to her teammates (like 2 years ago), so she doesn't have a fullbody image other than a chibi I posted to my previous account years ago (4th image)
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ardafanonarch · 11 months ago
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Hi there! This blog is a very cool concept.
If you feel up to it, I'd like to know where the idea of Maedhros as a diplomat and scholar comes from.
In fic he's often portrayed as such in Valinor, serving at Finwë's court, sometimes being close with Fingolfin, bring into linguistics, etc.
Thank you!
Maedhros the Diplomat (with an Addendum on Maedhros the Scholar)
[~3.4k Words]
Ah, Maedhros. A treasure trove of fanon for our first excavation. As this is also our first investigation of characterisation, let’s establish a structure for talking about characters.
There are two ways that we learn what a character is like from The Silmarillion:
The narrator tells us, either: a. with short, pithy statements (someone is “wise” or “steadfast” or “greatest”) b. with longer descriptions
We deduce character from their actions and their relationships to others.
Using this structure, let’s look briefly as what we know about Maedhros.
1a.
Maedhros isn’t “mightiest in skill of word and hand” like his father or “the strongest, the most steadfast, and the most valiant” like Fingolfin. He isn’t even noted as being particularly good at anything like his brothers Maglor “the mighty singer,” Curufin “who inherited most if his father’s skill of hand,” or Celegorm, Amrod, and Amras who were all skilled hunters. He’s not even noteworthy for any negative traits like Caranthir, “the harshest of the brothers and the most quick to anger.”
Despite being one of the story’s protagonists, and certainly the most narratively prominent of the sons of Fëanor, all Maedhros gets in this category is “tall”[1].
1b.
In this category, Maedhros gets more fully fleshed-out:
[At Lake Mithrim] Maedhros in time was healed; for the fire of life was hot within him, and his strength was of the ancient world, such as those possessed who were nurtured in Valinor. His body recovered from his torment and became hale, but the shadow of his pain was in his heart; and he lived to wield his sword with left hand more deadly than his right had been. The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”
Maedhros did deeds of surpassing valour, and the Orcs fled before his face; for since his torment upon Thangorodrim his spirit burned like a white fire within, and he was as one that returns from the dead. The Silmarillion, “Of the Ruin of Beleriand”
Perhaps one of the most striking descriptions of Maedhros comes from an abandoned alliterative verse poem, The Flight of the Noldoli (=Noldor), published in The Lays of Beleriand and dating to 1925 — about a year before Tolkien first put the “Silmarillion” into a prose format in the annalistic-historical mode of the published text.
... and Maidros tall (the eldest, whose ardour yet more eager burnt than his father’s flame, than Fëanor’s wrath; him fate awaited with fell purpose.) Flight of the Noldoli, lines 123-126
Fire, valour, pain, deadliness, wrath, doom. Taken alone, these passages don’t exactly suggest "diplomat and scholar," yet those qualities are a cornerstone how we often see Maedhros discussed and portrayed by fans. So why?
2.
Maedhros the Diplomat, at least, seems to be based on what he does in canon.
Pausing for a moment, what does it actually mean to be "diplomatic"?
Here’s from Merriam-Webster under diplomatic:
[…]
of, relating to, or concerned with the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations: of, relating to, or concerned with diplomacy or diplomats.
employing tact and conciliation especially in situations of stress
And for diplomacy:
the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations
skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility: TACT
It’s worth noting that the first use of the word diplomacy dates to the 18th century (1766) and the concept itself is somewhat anachronistic to the pre-modern world of the “Silmarillion.” However, it’s not difficult to apply the spirit of an “art and practice of negotiations between nations” to First Age Beleriand. We’ll also consider the secondary definition of “tact.”
The Case for Maedhros the Diplomat
Let's look at some times that Maedhros practiced diplomacy and was diplomatic:
1. Waiving his claim to the kingship of the Noldor in favour of Fingolfin:
For Maedhros begged forgiveness for the desertion in Araman; and he waived his claim to kingship over all the Noldor, saying to Fingolfin: ‘If there lay no grievance between us, lord, still the kingship would rightly come to you, the eldest here of the house of Finwë, and not the least wise.’ The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: resolving conflict by removing one’s own claim to a title.
Is it diplomatic? The dialogue seems pretty tactful — demonstrating deference, employing flattery and logic — and is definitely an improvement on Fëanor’s approach to the contested kingship!
2. Brother-wrangling
There are two significant instances of this in the Silmarillion:
resolving conflict
After an argument breaks out between Angrod and Caranthir over Angrod’s authority to act as messenger to Thingol, “Maedhros indeed rebuked Caranthir … But Maedhros restrained his brothers, and they departed from the council…" (“Of the Return of the Noldor”)
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: removing threats to peaceable relations between rulers.
Is it diplomatic? Since we don’t know exactly how Maedhros rebuked Caranthir and restrained his brothers, it’s hard to say how tactfully it was done. Maybe.
removing to the Eastern march
There Maedhros and his brothers kept watch, gathering all such people as would come to them, and they had few dealings with their kinsfolk westward, save at need. It is said indeed that Maedhros himself devised this plan, to lessen the chances of strife, and because he was very willing that the chief peril of assault should fall upon himself. The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: again removing threats to peaceable relations between rulers. Also involves gathering followers. Notably, the strategy seems to have worked for as long as it lasted (that is, until Celegorm and Curufin found themselves in Nargothrond).
Is it diplomatic? Again, unclear how Maedhros executed this plan, but the narrator’s tone here is quite approving so it’s reasonable to assume that it was done tactfully.
3. Remaining on good terms with the other Princes of the Noldor
A few examples of this:
Continuing from the preceding passage, “he remained for his part in friendship with the houses of Fingolfin and Finarfin, and would come among them at times for common counsel.” (“Of the Noldor in Beleriand”)
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes.
Is it diplomatic? Yes: extra diplomacy points for taking it upon himself to go to them.
He (with Maglor) attended Mereth Aderthad, the Feast of Reuniting. (“Of the Noldor in Beleriand”)
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes, though showing up to the High King’s peace party seems like pretty bare minimum lordly behaviour, not exemplary diplomacy.
Is it diplomatic? We don’t know except through the absence of any evidence to the contrary. Since the Mereth Aderthad was overall a diplomatic success, it’s reasonable to assume Maedhros contributed to that success and stayed on his best behaviour.
He (with Maglor) goes hunting with Finrod. (“Of the Coming of Men into the West”)
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Sure: a leisurely hunting trip with the cousin whose kin you once killed (oops) is a good move.
Is it diplomatic? Again, lacking evidence to the contrary, reasonable to assume Maedhros behaved himself and the trip went off without conflict.
Remaining on good terms in particular with “Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros” (“Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”). The anecdote about the history of the Dragon-helm (below), which has it pass from Maedhros to Fingon, additionally attests that these two “often exchanged tokens of friendship.”
Is this an instance of diplomacy? Yes: in particular, the exchange of tokens of friendship between rulers.
Is it diplomatic? Unless we imagine Fingon was himself tactless (which is contradicted by what we’re told about him elsewhere) and their friendship was built around being mutually despicable (see: Celegorm and Curufin), fair to assume this was all done courteously.
4. Making alliances
with the Sindar
We know that many Sindar outside Doriath joined themselves to and followed the princes of the Noldor, presumably including the sons of Fëanor. (The Grey Annals §48 in The History of Middle-earth Vol. 11: The Wars of the Jewels, and elsewhere).
with the Dwarves
In the preparations for the Nirnaeth Arnoediad:
... Maedhros had the help of the Naugrim, both in armed force and in great store of weapons; and the smithies of Nogrod and Belegost were busy in those days. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
Also, from the Narn i hîn Húrin in Unfinished Tales:
[The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin] was given by Azaghâl to Maedhros, as guerdon for the saving of his life and treasure, when Azaghâl was waylaid by Orcs upon the Dwarf-road in East Beleriand.
Azaghâl then sacrifices himself and his people at the Nirnaeth, making the Fëanorian retreat possible.
with the Easterlings
But Maedhros, knowing the weakness of the Noldor and the Edain, whereas the pits of Angband seemed to hold store inexhaustible and ever-renewed, made alliance with these new-come Men, and gave his friendship to the greatest of their chieftains, Bor and Ulfang. And Morgoth was well content; for this was as he had designed. The sons of Bor were Borlad, Borlach, and Borthand; and they followed Maedhros and Maglor, and cheated the hope of Morgoth, and were faithful. The sons of Ulfang the Black were Ulfast, and Ulwarth, and Uldor the accursed; and they followed Caranthir and swore allegiance to him, and proved faithless. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
the Union of Maedhros
Perhaps Maedhros' most-cited and most famous act of "diplomacy":
Yet Morgoth would destroy them all, one by one, if they could not again unite, and make new league and common council; and he began those counsels for the raising of the fortunes of the Eldar that are called the Union of Maedhros. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
And [Maedhros] gathered together again all his brothers and all the people who would follow them; and the Men of Bor and Ulfang were marshalled and trained for war, and they summoned yet more of their kinsfolk out of the East. Moreover in the west Fingon, ever the friend of Maedhros, took counsel with Himring, and in Hithlum the Noldor and the Men of the house of Hador prepared for war. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
Are these instances of diplomacy? Yes: protecting neighbours, gathering followers, establishing partnerships, forming alliances with other groups of peoples, and organising a major offensive on a common enemy.
Is it diplomatic? Again, absence to the contrary and general success suggests Maedhros conducted himself tactfully in all of these dealings. One thing: I have seen a tendency in fandom to credit superior leadership and diplomacy on the part of Maedhros and Maglor for the fact that their Easterling allies remain faithful while Caranthir’s do not. Maybe; but bear in mind that’s a deduction, not something the text explicitly states.
I am sure there are other tidbits here and there to support the diplomatic ability of Maedhros, but I think we have enough here to conclude the Maedhros the Diplomat is a fanon characterisation with support it in canon.
The Case against Maedhros the Diplomat
So Maedhros was a diplomat; but was Maedhros an exemplary diplomat, as the prominence of his characterisation as such would suggest, or just an average one? Let us look at some of Maedhros’ diplomatic failings.
1. hubris, attempted deception
Look: we can’t neglect that Maedhros is behind one of the most disastrous failures of diplomacy in the First Age — his attempt to parley with Morgoth that ends up getting him captured.
Though not in the published Silmarillion, in the 1937 Quenta Silmarillion, Fëanor with his dying breath tells his sons “never to treat or parley with their foe.” (§88). (Christopher Tolkien drew from a later text, the Grey Annals (1950s), for the account of the death of Fëanor in the published Silmarillion where this command does not exist.) I cannot help but laugh at the fact that following this exhortation Maedhros immediately turns around and attempts to parley with Morgoth and outwit him.
Perhaps diplomatic relations with Morgoth are impossible, but then why accept the offer to parley at all? And what’s up with trying to beat Morgoth at his own game (deceit)? Honestly, Maedhros. Not your best moment.
We can say that he learned from this, but it does put into question the idea that Maedhros’ diplomatic training and excellence go back to his Valinorean days.
2. disdain of and aloofness towards another ruler
We saw how Maedhros restrained his brothers in the council where Angrod brought news from Thingol, but what about how Maedhros himself behaved at that council?
Cold seemed its welcome to the Noldor, and the sons of Fëanor were angered at the words; but Maedhros laughed, saying: ‘A king is he that can hold his own, or else his title is vain. Thingol does but grant us lands where his power does not run. Indeed Doriath alone would be his realm this day, but for the coming of the Noldor. Therefore in Doriath let him reign, and be glad that he has the sons of Finwë for his neighbours, not the Orcs of Morgoth that we found. Elsewhere it shall go as seems good to us.’ The Silmarillion, “Of the Return of the Noldor”
Fandom loves the line and I can’t disagree that it’s an epic mic drop. But was this really the most diplomatic thing to say? In the Grey Annals, it is said that “the sons of Fëanor were ever unwilling to accept the overlordship of Thingol, and would ask for no leave where they might dwell or might pass.” (§48). (Interestingly, there does seem to have been a point, before word of the kinslaying at Alqualondë was out, that Thingol for his part was at least neutral on them, saying, “Of his sons I hear little to my pleasure; yet they are likely to prove the deadliest foes of our foe” (“Of the Noldor in Beleriand”)). Arriving at a new place and refusing to treat with the person who claims kingship of those lands — and apparently for no other reason besides disdain of that person’s ability as a ruler — doesn’t seem particularly diplomatic.
3. not supporting a superior's initiative
We saw evidence of Maedhros cooperating with the other princes of the Noldor, but that doesn't mean he threw his support behind them at every occasion to do so. When Fingolfin — supposedly, thanks for Maedhros, High King and his superior — tries to rally the Noldor to assault Angband, almost everyone was “little disposed to hearken to Fingolfin, and the sons of Fëanor at that time least of all.” (“Of the Ruin of Beleriand”).
This statement is frustratingly vague so I won’t speculate much besides to suggest that there could be something suspect — and undiplomatic — behind failing to support the initiative of the High King to whom you so graciously ceded your claim.
4. Oath-related diplomatic failures (kinslayings)
The extent to which the oath is to blame for events is a sticky issue and not the subject of this analysis, but since fulfilling the oath is essential to Maedhros’ character, it’s impossible to avoid it entirely.
The narrator of the Silmarillion is actually quite generous towards Maedhros when discussing the role of the oath in his failings, so it’s no surprise that many fans are likewise generous.
For example:
I quoted above the passage about Maedhros taking “the chief peril of assault” upon himself and remaining “for his part in friendship with the houses of Fingolfin and Finarfin,” and it is perhaps the strongest evidence for Maedhros’ diplomatic excellence. It also ends with the ominous words: “Yet he also was bound by the oath, though it slept now for a time.” (“Of the Return of the Noldor”)
And when the concept of the Union of Maedhros is introduced, we are told: “Yet the oath of Fëanor and the evil deeds that it had wrought did injury to the design of Maedhros, and he had less aid than should have been.” (“Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”).
Both of these passages remind us that the oath — a vow to vengeance — is in the long-term at cross-purposes with cooperation and diplomacy.
This becomes especially evident when a Silmaril ends up in the hands of those who should be allies: other elves.
For Maedhros and his brothers, being constrained by their oath, had before sent to Thingol and reminded him with haughty words of their claim, summoning him to yield the Silmaril, or become their enemy. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
The narrator pins this failure of diplomacy on the oath. But, as Maglor will point out in his final moments with Maedhros, the oath does not state how and when they must fulfill it. Is it a mark of a good diplomat to use “haughty” words in making a request? And what about what follows Thingol’s refusal?
Therefore [Thingol] sent back the messengers with scornful words. Maedhros made no answer, for he had now begun to devise the league and union of the Elves; but Celegorm and Curufin vowed openly to slay Thingol and destroy his people, if they came victorious from war, and the jewel were not surrendered of free will. The Silmarillion, “Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
What do you mean, “made no answer”? The narrator explains this away by saying essentially that Maedhros was too busy to bother, but is it the most diplomatic to just… stop communicating with the king who had the Silmaril, and whose support would really be quite nice to have in the upcoming war? And what about Celegorm and Curufin’s decidedly undiplomatic threat? Long gone are the days of effective brother-wrangling, apparently. (So far gone, in fact, that by the time Celegorm carries through on his threat and the sons of Feanor attack Doriath, Maedhros seems to have deferred to Celegorm’s leadership.)
The oath is again blamed for Maedhros’ change of course regarding the Silmaril at the Havens of Sirion. Having initially “withheld his hand”:
… the knowledge of their oath unfulfilled returned to torment [Maedhros] and his brothers, and gathering from their wandering hunting-paths they sent messages to the Havens of friendship and yet of stern demand. The Silmarillion, “Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath”
As with the “haughty words” to Thingol, was “stern demand” the most diplomatic approach? Would better diplomacy have made a difference? Well, maybe. I don’t think the discussion between Maedhros and Maglor was inserted into the narrative without thematic purpose — and one of those purposes is, I think, to reveal the slippery space of conflict between obligation and choice; between that which must be done and how it’s done; between the morality of keeping one’s word and the morality of doing the right thing.
Does the oath itself turn an otherwise mild and affable Maedhros into someone haughty and stern? Or are those flaws he already had and which are brought to the fore by the constraint of the oath? Well, examine the evidence for yourself — and allow the imagination to roam.
Final assessment: Maedhros is a good diplomat, certainly compared to his closest kinsmen. But just like Maedhros isn’t the tallest (no, really, he’s not — but that’s another excavation), he’s perhaps also not the best diplomat on the political stage of First Age Beleriand.
[1] If we go beyond the published Silmarillion to the “Shibboleth of Fëanor” (in History of Middle-earth Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth), we learn that he was a red-head and apparently “well-shaped.” For an author who is notoriously sparse with physical description, Tolkien did seem to have a lot of ideas about what Maedhros looked liked!
Addendum: Maedhros the Scholar
“Diplomat and Scholar” do seem to go hand-in-hand in the fandom’s most popular versions of Maedhros, but I focused on the former for this Ask because there really isn’t much in canon to directly support Maedhros’ skill as a scholar.
The Noldor, as a culture, are loremasters. Fëanor, Maedhros’ father, was one of the most notable of these loremasters, even credited with founding the school of Lambengolmor, Loremasters of Tongues ( in the essay Quendi and Eldar in The History of Middle-earth Vol. 11: The War of the Jewels).
But, when Tolkien gives examples of elven loremasters, who, he says, were also “the greatest kings, princes and warriors,” he names Fëanor, Finrod, the lords of Gondolin, and Orodreth. No mention of Maedhros. And, when discussing which sons of Fëanor took an interest in language, he mentions not the eldest, but Maglor and Curufin. (Both in The Shibboleth of Fëanor.)
So there’s nothing in canon to suggest that Maedhros wasn’t a scholarly type, but it’s not something he’s noted for. His most remarkable trait remains “tall”.
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arc-misadventures · 7 months ago
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Okay this could just be me remembering the lore wrong. But how old was Ozma when died in the Vtuber au? Since Salem should at least be in his late 60s or somewhere around that, well assuming Ozma didn't die young.
Well, there isn’t any lore, well much lore for the story in general.
But, I can certainly make some!
Ahem…
Before the VTubers, there was the MMORPG of, ‘The World of Remnant: Hunter’s, and Monsters.’ Salem, and Ozpin were actually players in these games, among the top players at that. And, because of their skills in the game, they were the elected heads of their respective guilds.
Salem was often referred to as the, Grimm Queen, and the leader of the Cabal. And, Ozpin was simply referred to as Headmaster Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy.
~~~
Salem became the, Cabal leader after the developers of the game came to her with an offer that she could become the canal leader after they notices her skills, and particular playing style that they thought would be fit for the position as the leader of the, Cabal.
Salem herself was a blonde hair woman with deep blue eyes in her early twenties. She started playing the game as a copping mechanism after dealing with a miscarriage that ultimately ruined her marriage as well.
Loosing herself in the game brought peace of mind, and of heart that she sorely needed. Being the cabals master also meant that she could adopted an almost motherly attitude, but strict way of dealing with its members. This way of dealing with the guild members added an air seriousness to its members. Reminding them that they were evil, but not evil.
And, she remained the leader of the Cabal until the very end. She lead her guild throughout the consequences of the, Apprentice Massacre,’ She led her guild in battle against the, Grimm Titan, and she was the last flame to be snuffed out as the, Scorpion incident struck the final nail in the coffin of the, Grimm Cabal..
But, her love for her character, and the, ‘World of Remnant’ endured. See various characters she knew given new life in a new form she decided to join in on the, VTuber crowd, and bring back her dear lady.
The world of hunter’s and monsters may have fallen to the ashes of time. But, Salem the Grimm Queen would endure.
~~~
Ozpin was to, put it simply: a huge nerd.
Like a massive nerd when it came to the lore, and history behind, The World of Remnant. So much of a fan that while the man of his late thirties never having a computer for gaming he immediately bought one just for playing, ‘The World of Remnant: Hunter’s and Monsters.’
He spent countless hours playing this game to the point that where it was often said among the various players that, Ozpin was made the headmaster of, Beacon was just to get him to slow down.
He lead, Beacon Academy with a calm, and wise disposition, that seemed to go on for hours, leading to the rumour that the mug his avatar was often seen carrying around was filled with coffee, and the man himself was a caffeine addict.
A rumour that those who were close to him, such as ErrantryPaladin, and other high rank Academy faculty members would confirm to be true.
He lead, Beacon Academy until the final days of the game. He stood side by side his friends that have played this game since it’s inception. He was among the first to join, and the last to leave.
Now that the, ‘World of Remnant: Hunter’s and Monsters’ was over, he got into the VTuber Scene, and became the Headmaster to his beloved Academt one again as the owner of the, Beacon Academy VTuber Agency.
Bringing back his persona as the Headmaster of Beacon Academy to usher in a new era for upcoming Hunters of The Wold of Remnant: VTuber Verse.
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kynimdraws · 8 months ago
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GO GET HIM!!
Another part of the Runeterra K'sante/Yone hc verse stuff....I suppose I will have to continue to give them something to be happy for idk
Yone design ref for this verse can be seen in detail here
To see the other previous parts go here (Part 1) - (Part 2) - (Part 3)
The process of acting like a human again was arduous. Before, the azakana had sustained him, made him forgo the usual human necessities like sleeping, eating, taking care of himself between fighting....and more. Not unlike how a child has to learn the ways of the world.
Of course, his body was still not completely...normal. Having a spiritual parasite did leave his mark, as he found out that he still could unbind his soul from his body (initially this was all random and involuntary, but later he found out how to channel it by will). His left eye, while ruined and blind to the material world, could still see things from the spirit realm.
It was also nice that K'sante stayed around to just keep an eye on him, making sure he rested and ate. Keeping him company through bouts of nightmares and emotional outbursts he had after suppressing them for so long to starve off the azakana residing in the old mask.
Disorienting and traumatic as this all was, Yone was grateful for the second chance at life. It also didn't hurt that his friend (or was it more...a companion?....travel partner? He was too afraid to mull over this for long) had stayed with him to help. He felt guilty for feeling this selfish, but he allowed himself to have that.
Of course, even the good things had to end. K'sante had visited all the places he wanted to go, learned a great deal of things, and his home needed him. When K'sante announced that he would leave for the Navori harbor in a week, Yone's world seemed to shatter with the news. Yes, he had known K'sante would eventually go back, but it seemed to be something that would happen far later...not this soon.
K'sante does notice Yone looking down, and ever considerate, he gives him an offer.
"You know, if you want to...you can come with me."
Yone mulls over this, looking at the masks that he had collected over the years as an azakana hunter, including the one that used to curse his face. There was still so many azakana left in the world, and Yone did vow to rid Ionia of them...
...but was this something he had to do? After dedicating his "un-life" to that cause and then getting his humanity back, Yone was not sure. And leaving home.... felt daunting.
"I... don't know."
K'sante is disappointed by the answer, but smiles in understanding. The two spend time together before the departure date, traveling back to Navori to meet Sett and other friends K'sante had made there. K'sante introduces Yone to them, and Yone does find himself enjoying their company (in small doses).
On the day of the departure, Yone does come over to bid K'sante farewell. As K'sante boards the ship headed southward to Bel'zhun...he suddenly is stopped by a voice.
"Wait."
K'sante feels someone tug at his sleeve, and already knows who it is. Smiling, he turns around to see Yone awkwardly trying to avoid looking at K'sante while tightly gripping onto his coat.
".............Before, I hunted through a storm of darkness, but now....will you let me follow you like a wayward gale?"
K'sante is initially confused by Yone's words, but then laughs after he realizes what he is saying. He brings Yone to a tight hug, surprising the other man with the sudden act.
"You can be the deadliest desert storm, and I would happily accept you. Of course!"
For the first time in his life, Yone feels...free. Was this how his brother felt when he forgave him? He too had left Ionia afterwards.
Now, it was his turn to fly.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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laiqualaurelote · 11 months ago
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2023 Fic Round-up
This year I wrote seven fics and 108,512 words, which is more than I thought! Here's a round-up
maybe everything that dies someday comes back (The English | Cornelia/Eli | M | 14k)
The post-apocalyptic Mad Max Fury Road zombie AU where David Melmont hires bounty hunter Eli Whipp to track down and retrieve a fugitive called Cornelia Locke.
wins this year's award for: Fic That Fulfils My Childhood Dream (writing a zombie apocalypse)
ain't practical, a world you can't touch (The English | Cornelia/Eli | G | 5k)
The Pushing Daisies AU in which Eli can bring people back to life with his touch, but has tried his best not to until Cornelia.
wins this year's award for: Deepest Cut, Zagged
The Lady With The Recorder Asks The Questions (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Phryne/Jack | T | 6k | WIP)
Modern-day newsroom!AU - Phryne is a star investigative journalist who breaks news as easily as she breaks hearts; Jack is just trying to do his best in the war on error.
wins this year's award for: Fic I Most Regret Not Finishing (I'm sorry!)
constant as a northern star (constantly in the dark) (Ted Lasso | Ted/Trent, past Trent/OFC | T | 10.5k)
The saga of Trent Crimm and his independent ex-wife.
wins this year's award for: Most Surprisingly Popular Fic
all the men and women merely players (Ted Lasso | Ted/Trent, Roy/Keeley/Jamie | T | 50k)
The Station Eleven!AU where the Richmond Players are a travelling Shakespearean company performing in the ruins of a post-pandemic England, and Trent is, despite the apocalypse, still a journalist.
wins this year's awards for: Longest Fic, Fic That Survived The Most Hiatuses, Fic I Am Proudest Of
well-versed in etiquette, extraordinarily nice (Good Omens, Historical RPF | Aziraphale/Crowley | G | 3k)
The Regency heist fic in which Jane Austen, criminal mastermind and aspiring novelist, pulls off the 1810 Clerkenwell Diamond Robbery with the help of a certain demon.
wins this year's award for: Quickest Fic (I wrote it in four days)
speak easy, swing hard (Marvel Cinematic Universe | Steve/Tony | T | 13k)
The 1920s Prohibition era!AU in which Tony runs a nightclub empire, Steve is an aspiring artist and/or questionably undercover agent, Sam and Bucky are bootlegging their way through America and nobody knows what Natasha is up to.
wins this year's award for: Most Historical Research (I watched two seasons of Boardwalk Empire and had to figure out multiple characters' speech patterns, then transpose these to the 1920s. Also I listened to so much vaudeville)
I don't think I will be around as much in 2024, barring unexpected hyperfixations, but I wish you all a glorious year anyway! May your WIPs be finished, your ships prolific and your fandoms full of joy.
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nitkat-rp-stash · 1 month ago
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Hewwo as yall know this is my Rp blog where I do most of my bullshit with my scriblos!
It’s also my first time doing this so umm but a lil nice but aside from that! Here are
THA RULES!!! 💥
1. 18 to 21+ Rps since most of the topics that I’ll do are mixed but most of the time it’s normal. ButI want to be as flexible with the settings with the characters as I can but Mature topics are gonna appear so be careful! (Also I don’t want to interact with minors had very bad experiences with them)
2. NO ROMANCE, NO SHIPPING Unless ur a mutual friend of mine and we are consenting of this.
3. I prefer rping to be a semi literate multiple paragraph style. I'll try to adapt to the best of my ability but 10+ long paragraphs or short ones are a no for me like dawg.
4. I’m open to any type of roleplay! But please be considerate with me, and if there’s any shit ya want to pull in the RP we can discuss it in DMs for further details (so both parties can be on the same page).
5. I’m chill with Rping with Ocs! But I’ll start with a few Au characters and Ocs before I expand on more characters.
6. Please for Fucks sake be nice and non rude for fucks sake, I may take a while due to the bullshit I deal with most of the time.
7. Fandoms that I WILL NOT RP WITH: Anything created by Vivzipop, Celebrities/Real people, country/military shit, DSMP (Or any Minecraft related SMPs). And probably more cause I’m still thinking-
8. Series that I’m familiar : Megaman, Transformers, Pokemon, Steven universe, Digimon, Sonic, Spark the electric jester.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Character/Muses info-
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Megaman X (Anchorage) He is a Reploid, a robot who can think feel and act on his own will. A member of the maverick hunters, he fights against mavericks. reploids who are a danger to society. He fights on and dreams of a Utopia of humans and reploids coexisting in peace. However he still despises fighting so at times he finds different ways to solve problems without violence. He currently runs a rehabilitation (a surprisingly successful) program of helping former mavericks (Who aren’t infected with the virus) and criminals to be reacquainted with society. Holding the belief of second chances, he’s currently married to Marty leader of the rose thorn pirate group for almost 50 years.
Ref:
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Volnutt Caskett Light (Legends Reborn)- he's a Carbon, Biomechanical being with the ability to interfacing and changing their limbs with mechanical parts. He is a young adventurous digouter boy, who descends ruins to collect ancient artifacts and special crystals of energy called refractors. Who enjoys going on adventures, naive on aspects of the world and gets into mischief and Danger face first. but he holds a heart of gold. He loves his friends and family very much. He is, importantly, the Youngest Son of the ancient legend megaman X.
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Xavier Light: Once upon a lifetime ago he was formally the legendary hero megaman x but now in this flooded world of no war, he is Xavier Light.The assistant of the renowned professor Barrell, aiding his research of Terra’s old civilizations. At the same time the Flutter’s caretaker, performing most domestic duties around the ship. A hardened yet gentle soul that at times provides wisdom and advice to those who need it, especially his youngest son Rock. Despite living a peaceful life Xavier is still a skilled warrior, but he would rather do diplomacy than fighting but when push comes to shove he’ll fight to the bitter end to keep his loved ones safe.
Note: Reborn!X is called Xavier and Anchorage!X is just named X they are are technically the same person but in different Timelines.
OC Verse:
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Alice: Alice is a slime based alien being who explores the stars and medical assistance to those who are needed. A carefree mischievous individual who sought the curiosities to different worlds and what she could learn from it. Despite her duty she’s often dropped into the antics of others curious to see how it goes. She enjoys causing a lil bit of mayhem to entertain herself but still committing to her duty of supporting individuals on her travels. Often she enjoys the thrill of adventure and is surprisingly combative despite her status as a medic.
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starlightiing · 7 months ago
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any longer fics you're working on right now?
Yeah, I have a few actually.
I have a stardew valley au I'm working on where George is a posh city boy that inherits his grandad's farm. He knows nothing about manual labor or farming or any of that. He shows up in $400 shoes and $300 sunglasses and just sort of grimaces at everything. He's really nice to the townspeople but he doesn't care much for the lifestyle. He finds a spider in his new home the first night and runs off to bother Alex, the town handyman and carpenter, to take care of it for him. It will be Galex with background pairings as I build the world. The two of them also sneak out late at night to do illegal street racing on the empty roads outside town.
I have an original AU I'm working on. It's post apocalyptic and there's a genetic mutation going around where humans are being born with wings. It's very rare. Also, the feathers are worth a shit ton of money in this ruined world, and they also have properties in them that make them excellent for brewing specific drugs of choice. So humans are naturally hunting down these poor 'Angels' as they're called (no super powers or anything, just wings) and cutting their wings off, ect ect. Alex is a human and a doctor in this verse, and he runs a sanctuary for Angels to come and hide and be safe. George is an angel that has an incredibly horrific and tragic backstory that ends up at the sanctuary. Charles is human and so is Lewis, together they make up the head of the away teams that go and find angels to save. They basically hunt hunters. Pierre, Max, Carlos, Lando, and Oscar are angels. Lando is the only one that still has both wings, the others have had one or both cut off. Carlos is actually the only one so far that's lost both. it's really gritty.
I was working on the inception AU but it performed horribly on Ao3 so I deleted it. I might rework it and repost it after I've figured out what to do with it, but I personally thought it was interesting. George was new in the dreamshare business, and he was trying to prove himself to Max and Lewis, the best in the business, by testing out a new compound of somnacin that their chemist Lando made. It...goes very poorly for George, unfortunately.
Those are the big ones at the moment. I'm constantly looking into AUs to adapt as well. For right now, though, I'm happy doing shorter requests until I can drum up some interest in the larger ideas to put the time and effort into them <3
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driftward · 4 months ago
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DESERTWALKERS. A FFXIV Weird West AU, started by @scrollsfromarebornrealm with a handy masterpost-type thing here Read my lil' contribution about the goin-on's 'round the town of Stonewood in this setting, just beyond the cut
--- In the Weird Wild West there’s a little town, bustlin’ with folks from just about everywhere. The people who’ve lived here for generations just livin’ their life, miners come to make their fortune, up and comers investigatin’ rumors and and chasin’ ghosts, and the lawman and his people, just tryin’ to look after kith and kin. Life ain’ always easy in Stonewood, but it’s always interestin’.
There’s challenges out in the wild world. Like that fellah named Gaius. A lawman who rules with an armor clad fist, who rode his iron chariot out with the railroads. Not satisfied with his own township, he’s lookin’ to take over others and throwin’ his weight around, hopin’ to make an empire out of findin’ more of that blue ceruleum gold. But he’s a little too eager to grease his rails with blood, rilin’ over the native folk and rollin’ over the common folk. But the Sheriff is a good man, and his town’s an honest one, and he ain’t about to just let the Black Iron Wolf sup on his flock, as the people saddle up to deal with The Man Who Would Rule.
And from up North, we've got some dark rumors about a religious man. Now, folks got their faith, and the people of the town are the sort to let every man sort out their beliefs on their own. Not this preacher man, though. Him and his twelve disciples are making noise and making waves, but that was no problem of Stonewood’s. Not 'til people started goin’ missing. Nobody knew what was what until a Gentlelady Adventurer called Mathye the sawbones and Bylti the witch woman to the saloon with a most curious thing. One of the kidnapping victims, right as rain. ‘Least if you were willing to ignore his ranting about followin’ the one true god on his path to peace. Turns out the preacher man’s making converts… and they don’ get to have much of a say in the matter. Things are about to go badly in this case of Dire Faith.
And then there’s the strangers from the Far East that blew into town, a man named Hien and his two attendants, a samurai named Gosetsu and a woman of the shadows who goes by the name of Yugiri. The locals don’t know what to make of them, but they aren’t here to cause trouble. Rather, they're here to foretell it. They say they’re following the rumors in the wake of a man who fancies himself a hunter of gunslingers, lawmen, and anyone else who he thinks might be a challenge. Who is this tall man, dressed in black with a hunger for blood and the fastest draw in the West? Who knows what’ll happen, or how Stonewood will handle the coming Bloodstorm.
I can't tell you nothin’ for the shadows, that’s a yarn for another mummer.
But I can tell you about the black clouds as they draw over the land. Folks are sayin’ it might be the final ways, and the witches are sowing words of worry and ruin. Anyone who heads out into that blight comes back full of despair, empty of soul and lookin’ to drag everyone down with them. A mournful tune is blowin’ across the land, damning near all who hear it. Do the residents of Stonewood hunker down and hope this blows over, or is it up to this intrepid group to rise up to the occasion once more, and end the time of the Final Song?
Lotta stories just waitin’ to be told, and verses waitin' to be written. Great fortune to be had, legends to forge, but also great big dangers that’ll swallow you whole.
That’s just life in Stonewood.
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a-rabid-snake · 1 month ago
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why do you ship artisaint out of the main 3 arti ships? (arti/gourm, artihunter, artisaint) asking because i can't decide on them... so i've been doing research to see other peoples' reasoning.
To begin with, I'll say that this is my opinion, please don't listen to me if you don't like it
You'd better draw your own conclusions to figure out what you like.
Well, for starters, I'm shipping artisaint not just because arti is very bad and saint is very good, no. I like the way they balance each other, it's hard to explain because they have complicated relationships (and I love complicated relationships). Someone will say that saint and arti are like "I can fix it" and "I can ruin it" but for me they are like "I could do something, but everything suits me, I don't want to change anything"
They live together and help each other at the same time, arti began to kill less, Saint began to control his abilities to rise, but saint also restrains the anger of Artificer, and the latter in turn restrains saint from a nervous breakdown, reminding that he is here and now
Arti/Gourmand. They're good, really, it's just that my Gourmand is more complicated than it seems. He is sometimes too intrusive when he thinks that someone needs help. Artificer loves her personal boundaries, and also dislikes when someone touches her without warning. Gourmet would just sometimes forget that arti reacts very sharply to unexpected hugs. But they are still good for me, I do not know what good can be said, it's better to ask a specialist on this ship
@sleepyc63 They are well versed in this
(For sleepy: I'm sorry if I offended you)
Artihunter
Everything is more complicated here... Even more difficult than with arti/Gourmand
Honestly, I don't like them, a doomed relationship is not for me, you can kill me if you want, I don't mind
It's hard to say why I don't like them, it's just not for me, I love ship with treatment and help, but here, arti and hunter are arguing about what they will eat today or where they should go, they have different opinions and they can't come to a common decision, they would just hurt each other. And the fact that hunter is infected with rot? This is literally another injury for arti, she has lost her slugpups, and if she gets attached to hunter, then she will lose him too and will not be able to help in any way
It's also better to find someone who ships them, they probably should have reasons why they love them.
You can draw a conclusion yourself, my job was to explain, but the choice is yours.
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crino-line · 2 years ago
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Character design: Coral Wyland (though colors and small details may be changed)
smol boi, tough build
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cielrouge · 2 years ago
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2022 YA Reads by Authors of Color
After life (Blue Bloods) by Melissa De La Cruz:  After defeating Lucifer and sacrificing the love of her life, Schuyler wakes up back in New York, only to discover that an alternate reality where Lucifer is alive and well and she is the only person who can defeat him.
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds: A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black in America right now. 
Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts #3) by Nnedi Okorafor: 15-year-old Sunny embarks on a mission to find a precious object and return it to the spider deity Udide, but defeating the guardians of Udide's ghazal will put all of Sunny's hard lessons and abilities to the test.
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir: A story crossing generations and continents and addressing themes of cultural identity, family, forgiveness, love, and loss; told through the eyes of two best friends, Salahudin and Noor, growing up as outcasts and trying to find a way out of a world set on destroying them.
All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle: Cara Hawn and her mother go to Key West to join a reality show to pair single parents. There, Cara meets Connor and now she must juggle her growing feelings while helping her mom pick a bachelor they both love.
Almost There: Twisted Tales by Farrah Rochon: A year after Tiana makes a deal with Dr. Facilier, she has her restaurant, but soon shadows begin to gather and Tiana must work with Naveen and Charlotte to set things right or risk losing her soul.
Alone Out Here by Riley Redgate: A thriller set in a future in which First Daughter Leigh Chen and 53 other teens end up on the only ship escaping a dying Earth and must contend with being the last hope for humanity's survival.
An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan: Star-crossed lovers Hunter Yee and Luna Chang must navigate their families’ enmity and secrets as everything around them begins to fall apart. 
And We Rise: The Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin: A powerful, impactful, eye-opening journey that explores through the Civil rights movement in 1950s-1960s America in spare and evocative verse, with historical photos.
Anne of Greenville by Mariko Tamaki:  In this contemporary retelling, Anne Shirley, a queer, half-Japanese disco superfan, moves to a town that seems too small for her big personality and where she becomes embroiled in a series of dramatic and unfortunate events.
As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa Katouh: Set during the Syrian Revolution, former pharmacy student Salama Kassab volunteers at a hospital in Homs. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf .But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. 
Ashes of Gold (Wings of Ebony #2) by J. Elle: In the heart-pounding conclusion to the Wings of Ebony duology, Rue makes her final stand to reclaim her people’s stolen magic.
Azar on Fire by Olivia Abtahi: 14-year-old Azar Rossi sets out to find her voice and win her local Battle of the Bands contest. 
Bad at Love by Gabriela Martins: Ever since Daniel moved to L.A. from Brazil to join the band Mischief & Mayhem, he’s become the tabloids’ bad boy. When a chance encounter brings Daniel and Sasha together, Sasha sees an opportunity to get close to Daniel and write a story that will make a name for herself at the celebrity gossip magazine where she interns. But Daniel is surprisingly sweet and extremely cute—could she be falling for him?
Ballad & Dagger by Daniel Jose Older: When 16-year-old Mateo and Chela discover each other and their powers during a political battle between neighborhood factions, they set aside their differences to unravel the mystery behind their sunken homeland. 
Beasts by Ruin (Beasts of Prey #2) by Ayana Gray: Now separated,16-year-old indentured beastkeeper Koffi and 17-year-old warrior candidate Ekon will have to find their way back to each other as they face off against the god of death. 
Beauty and the Besharam by Lillie Vale: Exhausted by Kavya Joshi and Ian Jun’s years-long feud, their friends hatch a plan to end their rivalry by convincing them to participate in a series of challenges throughout the summer. 
Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid: Two teens, James and Michelle, meet and fall in love during a layover-gone-wrong at the Atlanta airport. 
Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min: 17-year-old Santi Arboleda finally feels settled in his new life in Los Angeles with a growing found family and a relationship with musical prodigy Suwa - until Suwa is offered the chance to step into the spotlight that he has always denied himsel fand they must finally face their dreams, their pasts, and their futures, whether together or apart. 
Beneath the Wide Silk Sky by Emily Inouye Huey:  With the recent death of her mother and the possibility of her family losing their farm, Samantha Sakamoto does not have space in her life for dreams, but when faced with prejudice and violence in her Washington State community after Pearl Harbor, she becomes determined to use her photography to document the bigotry around her.
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi: Pulled between old friendships, her creative passion, and a new romance, Bitter isn't sure where she belongs - in the art studio or in the streets. And if she does find a way to help the revolution while being true to who she is, she must also ask: at what cost?
The Black Girls Left Standing by Juliana Goodman: 16-year-old Beau Willet’s world is upended when her older sister is killed by a white cop who claims she was breaking into his house; desperate to find out what really happened, she sets out to find the only other witness who was there that night—her sister's boyfriend.
Blood Like Fate (Blood Like Magic #2) by Liselle Sambury: While struggling with her new role as Matriarch, Voya has a vision of a terrifying, deadly future, and with a newfound sense of purpose, she vows to do whatever it takes to bring her shattered community together and prevent the destruction of them all.
Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye: 15-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within.
Bloodmarked (Legendborn #2) by Tracy Deonn: When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide an ancient war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick. If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.
Boys I Know by Anna Gracia: High school senior June Chu navigates messy boys and messier relationships.
Boys of the Beast by Monica Zepeda: Cousins Matt, Ethan and Oscar embark on a road trip through California and the Southwest come to terms with truths about their families and themselves. 
Break This House by Candice Iloh: Yaminah Okar left Obsidian and the wreckage of her family years ago. She and her father have made lives for themselves in Brooklyn. But when a Facebook message about her estranged mother pierces Yaminah’s new bubble, she must finally reckon with the truth about her mother and the growing collapse of a place she once called home. 
Briarcliff Prep by Brianna Peppins: In this coming-of-age story, Avi LeBeau juggles navigating her first year at a historically Black boarding school after she learns a devastating secret about her big sister’s boyfriend. 
Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado: When an urban legend rumored to trap people inside subway tunnels seems to be behind mysterious disappearances in the Bronx, 16-year-old Raquel and her friends team up to save their city--and confront a dark episode in its history in the process.
Cafe Con Lychee by Emery Lee: A dual pov enemies-to-lovers contemporary romcom following Theo Mori and Gabe Moreno, rival sons of competing family businesses--a Puerto Rican bakery and an Asian American cafe--who form an unlikely alliance running an underground coffee and boba shop at school after a new fusion cafe threatens their parents' stores.
The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian: At Chandler, the elite boarding school, five teens are brought together in the Circle, a coveted writing group where life-changing friendships are born—and secrets are revealed. 
The Charmed List by Julie Abe: 16-year-old Ellie Kobata’s summer plans to shed her wallflower persona are upended when she is forced to go on a road trip to the Magical Retailers' Convention with her former best friend Jack Yasuda, but what starts out as a punishment turns into an opportunity to find forgiveness and possibly love.
Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow: 17-year-old Farrah Turner manipulates her way into lives of her Black best friend Cherish Whitman’s white adopted family, but she soon begins to suspect that she may not be the only one invested in engineering a place in the affluent household, and someone else's motives may be more disturbing than her own.
The Chosen One by Echo Brown: Anchored in magical realism, a personal account of a first-generation African-American student's first year at Dartmouth College.
Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz: In this lush, retold fairy tale classic, Cendrillon “Cinder” de Louvois catches the eye of the handsome Prince Louis and his younger brother Auguste at a royal ball. As Cinder grows closer to Auguste and dislikes Louis more and more, she will have to decide if she can bear losing the boy she loves in order to leave a life she hates.
Cold by Mariko Tamaki: Told in alternating perspectives, Todd replays the events that lead to his death in the local park, watching as detectives investigate his murder and talk to the students responsible for it, and meanwhile Georgia, who does not know Todd, cannot stop thinking about him.
The Color of the Sky Is The Shape of the Heart by Chesil: Inspired by a mysterious message, 17-year-old Ginny Park sets off to find herself as she reflects on her experiences of growing up Zainichi, an ethnic Korean born in Japan, and the incident that forced her to leave years prior.
Confessions of An Alleged Good Girl by Joya Coffney: In small-town Texas, preacher’s daughter Monique embarks on journey toward loving herself and her body, as well as discovering the value of a true friend.
The Darkening by Sunya Mara: Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen's soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman's axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen's soldiers--led by a paranoid prince--catch up to Vesper's father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.
Daughters of the Dawn by Sarena & Sasha Nanua: Twin princesses Ria and Rani journey deep into dangerous new lands to save their home in this propulsive, immersive sequel to Sisters of the Snake.
Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin: Seri, Borderland teen and new assistant to Eshai Unbroken, local commander of the Valiants, may be the only person who can bridge the divide between the People who build their dwellings in the spreading trees and the "beasts" who roam the forest floors.
The Dawn of Yangchen by F.C. Yee: Plagued by the voices of Avatars before her for as long as she can remember, Yangchen has not yet earned the respect felt for her predecessor. When she travels to Bin-Er on political business, a chance encounter with an informant named Kavik leads to a wary partnership. As Yangchen and Kavik seek to thwart the corrupt shangs’ plan, their unlikely friendship deepens. But for Yangchen to chart her course as a singularly powerful Avatar, she must learn to rely on her own wisdom.
Dead Flip by Sara Farizan: 18-year-old former friends Cori and Maz reunite to solve the mystery of what happened to their other friend Sam--who disappeared 5 years ago and has now returned, not having aged at all.
Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta: A life-long speech competitor, Leela Bose loves nothing more than crushing the competition. But when Leela meets the incorrigible Firoze Darcy, a fellow competitor in the state league, she can’t stand him. But Leela’s participation in the tournament reveals that she might have misjudged the debaters - including Darcy.
Deep in Providence by Riss A. Neilson: After Jasmine is killed, her remaining best friends Miliani, Inez, and Natalie plan to resurrect her using magic learned from Miliani's Filipino aunt, but their actions have dangerous consequences that threaten themselves and those they care about.
Diamond Park by Phillipe Diederich: When four Mexican-American teenagers from Houston travel to Diamond Park to buy a 1959 Chevy Impala from Magaña's godfather, something goes very wrong, and one of them, Susi, ends up arrested for murder. Convinced that the real killer is a drug trafficker called Anaconda, Flaco and Magaña head to Mexico hunting for him to clear Susi's name--but in the process of kidnapping Anaconda Flaco discovers how little he understands about what really happened in Diamond Park.
Direwood by Catherine Yu: After Aja’s perfect older sister Fiona disappears when a strange weather event isolates their town, she must put her trust in a vicious but alluring vampire if she wants to see her sister again.
Does My Body Offend You? by Mayra Cuevas & Marie Marquardt: A coming-of-age story told in two points of view, about Puerto Rican teen Malena Rosario who seeks justice after running afoul of her school's sexist dress code, and Ruby McAllister, the white girl who wants to help her lead "the bra-bellion" but must first learn how to become an effective ally; exploring themes of implicit bias, social activism, and female friendship
The Dragon’s Promise (Six Crimson Cranes #2) by Elizabeth Lim: Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon's pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.
The Dream Runners by Shveta Thakar: Spirited away to the subterranean realm of Nagalok as children, 17-year-olds Tanvi and Venkat are charged with harvesting human dreams for the entertainment of the naga court--until one of them begins to remember the mortal life she left behind.
Drizzle, Dreams and Lovestruck Things by Maya Prasad: Sisters Nidhi, Avani, Sirisha, and Rani experience romance and coming-of-age while working at their family's inn on Orcas Island.
Echoes of Grace by Guadalupe Garcia McCall: On the Texas-Mexico border, 18-year-old Grace's relationship with her older sister Mercy is fractured when Mercy's two-year-old son dies in an accident, bringing to the surface old family traumas and literal ghosts as the family struggles to heal.
The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker: Half Reaper, half Shinigami soul collector Ren Scarborough must defend her title as Japan's Death Goddess from those who would see her--and all of Japan--destroyed.
Empress Crowned in Red by Ciannon Smart: Witches Iraya and Jazmyne must once again work together as a new enemy threatens Aiyca, even as betrayal lurks around every corner.
Even When Your Voice Shakes by Ruby Yayra Goka: After Amberley is raped by her employer's son she realizes she two choices--stay quiet and keep her job or live her truth and speak up for herself and for justice.
Every Variable of Us by Charles A. Bush: After she is injured in a gang shooting, 17-year-old Alexis Duncan's dreams of a college scholarship and pro basketball career vanish, but, encouraged by new student Aamani Chakrabarti, Alexis shifts her focus to the school's STEM quiz bowl team.
Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland:  Kelsie Miller and Eric Mulvaney Ortiz, rivals for valedictorian, team up on an overnight road trip to the University of Pennsylvania to win back their exes.
Feather and Flame: The Queen’s Council #2 by Livia Blackburne: Mulan goes from a celebrated war hero to a reluctant Empress and must once again rise above expectations and prove she doesn't have to be anyone but herself to save China.
No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado: 17-year-old Kat Sanchez uses photos of a friend to create a fake Instagram account, but when one of her posts goes viral and exposes Kat's duplicity, her entire world--both real and pretend--comes crashing down around her.
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi: Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the Empire from the red-blooded ruling classes' tyranny. Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts. Hassa’s invisibility has its uses: it can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. As the Empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn.
Finding Jupiter by Kellis Rowe: Teens Orion and Ray meet at the local Memphis skating rink and fall fast and hard into summer love, until a mystery from their past threatens to rip them—and their families—apart, even if their love is written in the stars.
Fireworks by Alice Lin: 17-year-old Lulu Li’s summer plans go awry when she learns that Kite Xu, her old next-door neighbor and childhood friend, returns. But how could a K-pop star ever fall for a nobody from home?
The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera: Strangers Orion Pagan and Valentino Prince spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls.
Flip the Script by Lyla Lee: Korean American actress Hana Jin she can totally handle her fake co-star boyfriend and K-pop star, Bryan Yoon, who might be falling in love with her. But when showrunners bring on a new girl, Minjee Park, to challenge Hana’s role as main love interest—can  Hana fight for her position on the show while falling for her on-screen rival in real life?
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong: In 1931 Shanghai, two Nationalist spies, Rosalind Lang and Orion Hong, pose as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders causing unrest in the city.
The Genesis Wars (Infinity Courts #2) by Akemi Dawn Bowman: Nami has escaped Ophelia and the Courts of Infinity, and found refuge in the Borderlands; she has spent her days training her body and mind so that when the time comes she will be able to navigate Infinity and rescue her captured friends, and now she has made a breakthrough, gaining the ability to enter minds without permission--the answers she needs are in Prince Caelan's mind, but his betrayal has left her unsure.
The Getaway by Lamar Giles: After a global catastrophe, Jay discovers the world-famous vacation resort where he lives and works doubles as a luxury doomsday refuge for the cruel billionaires he's now trapped with.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R. M. Romero: Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: In this retelling of Shim Cheong, 16-year-old Mina is swept away to the Spirit Realm, where, assisted by a motley crew of demons, gods, and lesser spirits, she sets out to awaken the sleeping Sea God and save her homeland and family from deadly storms.
A Girl’s Guide to Love & Magic by Debbie Rigaud: 15-year-old Haitian American Cicely is excited to celebrate the West Indian Day Parade with her aunt, and voodoo dabbler, Mimose, but when Mimose's dabbling goes awry and she becomes possessed by a spirit, Cicely, Renee, and Kwame, her crush, must find a way to set things right.
Godslayers (Gearbreakers #2) by Zoe Hana Mikuta: Eris and Sona are pitted against each other in the ongoing war between Godolia and the Badlands.
Great or Nothing by Caroline Tung Richmond & Joy McCullough & Tess Sharpe & Jessica Spotwood: A reimagining of Little Women set in the spring of 1942, when the United States is suddenly embroiled in the second World War, this story, told from each March sister's point of view, is one of grief, love, and self-discovery.
Heartbreak Symphony by Laekan Zea Kemp: When Aarón Medrano and Mia Villanueva cross paths, Aarón sees a chance to get close to the girl he’s had a crush on for years and to finally feel connected to someone since losing his mother. Mia sees a chance to hold herself accountable by making them both face their fears. But soon they’ll realize there’s something much scarier than getting up on stage—falling in love with a broken heart.
Her Rebel Highness by Diana Ma (Daughters of the Dynasty #2): High school senior Lei unexpectedly finds love amid the student protests in Beijing in 1989, forcing her to choose between her family and its legacy or her future with a revolutionary leader.
High Spirits by Camille Gomera Tavarez: a collection of eleven interconnected short stories from the Dominican diaspora, centered on one extended family, the Beléns, across multiple generations.
Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed: After discovering the body of 14-year-old Jawad Ali in Jackson Park, 17-year-old journalism student Safiya Mirza begins investigating his murder and ends up confronting white supremacy in her own high school.
How Maya Got Fierce by Sonia Charaipotra: When her dream of working at Fierce, a popular magazine, comes true, 17-year-old Maya Gera gets the scoop on a huge story, but wonders how long she can keep up the charade of being older than she really is
How to Date a Superhero by Cristina Fernandez: When Astrid discovers that her boyfriend is a superhero, she must learn how to survive their relationship, college life, and figuring out who she is.
How to Live Without You by Sarah Everett: 17-year-old Emmy returns home for the summer to uncover the truth behind her sister Rose’s disappearance—only to learn that Rose had many secrets, ones that have Emmy questioning herself and the sister Emmy thought she knew
How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy: Half-Black witch Shay Johnson is cast as the lead in her school musical and must decide between exposing her predatory drama teacher and getting the scholarship she desperately needs.
How You Grow Wings by Rimma Onoseta: Sisters Cheta and Zam's paths to break free of their oppressive home diverge wildly--one moves into an aunt's luxurious home and the other struggles to survive on her wits alone--and when they finally reunite, Zam realizes how far Cheta has fallen, leaving Cheta's fate in Zam's hands.
I Guess I Live Here Now by Claire Ahn: Korean-American teen Melody Lee is uprooted from her life in Manhattan and relocated to her father's villa in Seoul, plunges into a whirlwind of culture shock and family secrets as she struggles to reconcile her identity in a place she's supposed to call home.
I Rise by Marie Arnold: 14-year-old Ayo has to decide whether to take on her mother's activist role when her mom is shot by police. As she tries to find answers, Ayo looks to the wisdom of her ancestors and her Harlem community for guidance.
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang: Alice Sun, upon discovering she can no longer afford tuition at her elite Beijing boarding school, teams up with her academic rival Henry Li and monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates' most scandalous secrets.
If You Still Recognize Me by Cynthia So: Elsie has a crush on Ada, the only person in the world who truly understands her. Unfortunately, they've never met in real life. But Elsie has decided it's now or never to tell Ada how she feels. That is, until her long-lost best friend Joan walks back into her life.In a summer of repairing broken connections and building surprising new ones, Elsie realizes that she isn't nearly as alone as she thought.
In Every Generation by Kendare Blake: Follow the next generation of Scoobies and Slayers who must defeat a powerful new evil.
Inheritance: A Visual Poem by Elizabeth Acevedo: In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpr-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the complexities of Black hair and Afro-Latinidad--the history, pain, pride, and powerful love of that inheritance.
The Iron Sword by Julie Kagawa: Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey. Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing.
It Sounds Like This by Anna Meriano: A sweet and nerdy contemporary YA novel set in the world of marching band.
The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman: Four estranged royal siblings, each harboring secrets and conflicting agendas, must learn to work together as they search for the Ivory Key, which will lead to a new source of magic.
Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster by Andrea Mosqueda: Following a self-described romantic disaster living in the Rio Grande Valley, bisexual Chicana Maggie Gonzalez tries to figure out whom she wants to ask to be her escort at her little sister's upcoming quinceanera: her charming ex-boyfriend twice over, her first crush and gorgeous best friend, or the mysterious new girl with the romantic baggage?
The Kindred by Alechia Dow: A royal, Duke Felix Hamdi and a commoner, Joy Abara, mistakenly mind-paired at birth, land on Earth after fleeing royal assassins, only to find the "developing" planet might hold the solutions to their divided and unjust lives back home.
Kings of B’more by R. Eric Thomas: Set in Baltimore, a celebration of queer Black friendship as two boys, Harrison and Linus, plan a day of fun and facing their fears.
Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram: On Kiss & Tell's first major tour, lead singer Hunter Drake grapples with a painful breakup with his first boyfriend, his first rebound, and the stress of what it means to be queer in the public eye.
K-Pop Revolution (K-Pop Confidential #2) by Stephan Lee: She thought that debuting in a K-pop band was the finish line, but it was only the beginning. Because now it's not only Candace Park’s company judging her--it's the entire world. How will she find the courage to stand by her beliefs, even when powerful forces are trying to shame and silence her?
Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore: Two non-binary teens, Bastián Silvano and Lore Garcia, are pulled into a magical world under a lake - but can they keep their worlds above water intact?
Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender: 17-year-old nurodivergent and nonbinary Lark pretends that they are the creator of a viral thread that their ex-best friend, Kasim, accidentally posted onto their Twitter account, declaring his unrequited love, but living a lie takes its toll on Lark, forcing them to deal with their own messy emotions.
The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes: 16-year-old Mexican American Yami Flores starts Catholic school, determined to keep her brother out of trouble and keep herself closeted, but her priorities shift when Yami discovers that her openly gay classmate Bo is also annoyingly cute.
The Lies We Tell by Katie Zhao: During her freshman year at college, Anna Xu investigates the unsolved on-campus murder of her former babysitter, as she and an old rival have to team up to look into the hate crimes happening around campus.
The Loophole by Naz Kutub: Sy, a 17-year-old queer Indian-Muslim boy, travels the world for a second chance at love after a possibly magical heiress grants him three wishes.
The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta: In this fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, a lineage of seers defiantly resists the shifting patriarchal state that would see them destroyed.
Love, Decoded by Jennifer Yen: In this contemporary NYC-set retelling of Emma, high school junior Gigi Wong is determined to be picked for a contest that could lead to an exclusive tech internship, but when her matchmaking app goes viral Gigi must deal with the unexpected consequences of helping her friends find love.
Love From Mecca to Medina by S.K. Ali: Adam and Zayneb embark on the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia, but as one wedge after another drives them apart while they make their way through rites in the holy city, Adam and Zayneb start to wonder if their meeting was just an oddity after all.
Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle: Clever teen DJ Prince Jones,  always full of love advice for his friends and classmates meets his match in Dani Ford, who is an anti-romance and would rather be preparing to be the next great novelist.
Love Times Infinity by Lane Clarke: 16-year-old Michie is busy with big dreams for college and the biggest crush on the school's new basketball superstar, Derek de la Rosa—but when her estranged mother suddenly reappears in her life, she faces important questions about the chances she's willing to take on herself and her future,
Loveboat Reunion (Loveboat #2) by Abigail Hing Wen: Sophie Ha and Xavier Yeh find themselves on a wild, nonstop Loveboat reunion, hatching a joint plan to take control of their futures. Can they succeed together or are they destined to combust?
Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez: Two sisters become begrudging partners on their school's cross-country field trip to college campuses as they uncover family secrets, confront weighty expectations for their futures, and discover the true meaning of sisterhood.
The Man or the Monster by Aamna Qureshi: Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover’s fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But Durkhanai’s decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Her presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance, but her family’s denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands.
A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy Lin: Ning enters a cutthroat magical competition to find the kingdom's greatest master of the art of brewing tea, but political schemes and secrets make her goal of gaining access to royal physicians to cure her dying sister far more dangerous than she imagined.
A Venom Dark and Sweet (The Book of Tea #2) by Judy Lin: A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power and Ning has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning's newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne.
Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan: A novel in two acts, told 18 years apart; in the first, teenage mother Ayesha grapples with the decision whether to place her daughter Mira for adoption; in the second, her daughter wonders what she will find after discovering an old letter from her birth mother asking to meet in Mumbai on her 18th birthday.
Master of Souls (Kingdom of Souls #3) by Rena Barron: Arrah must decipher the legacy of her past and weave an uneasy alliance between her beloved Rudjek, the Demon King, and the remaining orishas, hoping to restore peace.
The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna: It's been 6 months since Deka freed the goddesses in the ancient kingdom of Otera and discovered who she really is. Yet hidden secrets threaten to destroy everything Deka has known. And with her own gifts changing, Deka must discover if she holds the key to saving Otera or if she might be its greatest threat.
A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar: An acrobat, an actress, an artist, and a thief, four girls who seemingly have nothing in common, work together and plot a heist to steal the Rubaiyat off the Titanic. 
Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwan: 16-year-old Korwal, from a family of sea-monster trainers, sacrifices everything to be the first of her caste to compete in a monstrous chariot race in an effort to save her sister's life.
Murder of Crows by K. Ancrum: Tig Torres investigates Hollow Falls' horrific history in this original novel based on the hit podcast Lethal Lit.
My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth: High school senior Bel Maier has an aptitude for engineering and teams up with robotics team captain, Mateo Luna, but after a rough start together the nights of after-school work lead to romance.
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel: 17-year-old aspiring violinist Zurika Damani must secretly juggle the obligations of her sister's extravagant wedding week with auditions for a prominent music competition—all while trying to dodge her boisterous family's matchmaking scheme with the groom’s South African cousin Naveen—who just happens to be a cocky vocalist set on stealing Zuri’s spotlight at the scouting competition.
The New Girl by Jesse Q. Sutanto: A transfer student and scholarship recipient, sophomore Lia Setiawan is angered when she discovers a cheating ring, but by the time she finds a dead body and shuts down the campus drug dealer, she fears she might be the biggest snake in the Draycott Academy nest of vipers.
Night of the Raven, Queen of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra: After a bloody palace uprising, Katyani, a young guardswoman to the royal family, discovers she is not who she thought she was and becomes a major pawn in the political games of a monster-filled land on the brink of war.
The Noh Family by Grace K. Shim: Chloe Chang travels to Seoul to meet her deceased father's ultra-rich family, but she soon begins to wonder if her new family's intentions are pure.
Nothing Burns As Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk: A novel-in-verse that tells the story of a tumultuous romance between two queer girls in nonlinear chapters, anchored by a single day where they set a fire and their relationship spirals out of control.
Nubia: The Awakening by Omar Epps & Clarence A. Haynes: In a climate-ravaged New York deeply divided by class, Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho, three teens of refugees from a fallen African utopia, begin to develop supernatural powers.
Okoye to the People by Ibi Zoboi: Okoye is a new recruit for T'Chaka's royal guard: the Dora Milaje. But when Okoye is sent on her very first mission—to America—she'll learn that her status as a Dora means nothing to New Yorkers and her expectations for the world outside of her own quickly fall apart.Caught between duty to her country and listening to her own heart, Okoye must find her own way and determine the type of Dora Milaje—and woman—she wants to be. 
Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho: Instead of going to prom, 17-year-old Elena Soo wants to spend her time saving the local community center, and she is determined to keep her priorities straight even when her childhood best friend Robbie Choi--who is now a K-pop superstar--returns to make good on their old pact to go to prom together.
One True Loves (Happily Ever Afters #2) by Elise Bryant: While on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise with her family, Lenore Bennett meets a hopeless romantic with a ten-year plan who helps her find something she's been looking for--love.
Only a Monster by Vanessa Len: Set in contemporary London, in which a 16-yer-old half-monster Joan must embrace her own monstrousness to stop the boy she loves, who turns out to be a legendary monster slayer, from killing everyone she cares about.
Only On The Weekends by Dean Atta: A romantic coming-of-age novel in verse about the beautiful--and sometimes painful--fallout of pursuing the love we deserve.
Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie: 17-year-old Ophelia Rojas, well known for her rose garden and her dramatic crushes on every boy in sight, begins to question her sexuality and sense of self when she starts to fall for cute, quiet Talia Sanchez in the weeks leading up to their prom and graduation.
The Other Side of the Tracks by Charity Alyse: In the racially divided towns of Bayside and Hamilton, Zach Whitman moves in and befriends Black siblings Capri and Justin Collins, until one of their friends is murdered by police, and the longstanding feud between the towns erupts into an all-out war, with the three caught in the middle.
Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories edited by Yamile Mendez & Amparo Ortiz: 15 original short stories from YA superstars featuring the monsters of Latine myths and legends.
Pixels of You by Ananth Hirsh & Yuko Ota: In a near future New York City of cyber augmentation and artificial intelligence, Indira and Fawn, two competitive interns in an art gallery, work together on a photography project, turning a rivalry into a friendship and perhaps something more.
Private Label by Kelly Yang: Chinese American Serene who gets help from the new boy in town, Lian Chen, to search for her dad after her successful fashion designer mother is diagnosed with cancer.
Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf: 15-year-old Najwa Bakri is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend and Scrabble Queen, Trina, a year after the fact when her Instagram comes back to life with cryptic posts and messages.
Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin: Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant on board the Midori, but when her party trick of making paper come to life turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, she joins a skyship and its motley crew to become a Crafter. Taught by the gruff but wise Himura, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami - wild paper spirits who are sought after by the Princess. But are these creatures just powerful slaves for the Crafters and the empire, or are they beings with their own souls - and yet another thing to be subjugated by the powerful Emperor and his Princess?
Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space edited by Zoraida Cordova: In this collection of stories by acclaimed young adult authors the Latin American diaspora travels to places of fantasy and out into space.
The Red Palace by June Hur: Set in 1700s Joseon Korea, while investigating a series of grisly murders, 18-year-old palace nurse Hyeon navigates royal and political intrigue and becomes entangled with a young police inspector.
Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristen R. Lee: Upon arriving at the prestigious Wooddale University, 17-year-old Savannah Howard comes face-to-face with microaggressions and outright racism--but if she stands up for justice, will she endanger her future?
Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters: The summer before he leaves for college, 18-year-old Isaac Martin makes big plans with his best friend Diego that only the reappearance of an old crush can derail.
Road of the Lost by Nafiza Azad: Croi is compelled by a summoning spell leave her home in the Wilde Forest and travel into the Otherworld, where the enchantment that made her into a brownie begins to break, revealing her true identity, her hidden magick, and her forgotten heritage.
The Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton & Sona Charaipotra: At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for Washington, D.C.'s elite, a rumor gains momentum as it collects followers on social media, pulling three girls into its path--Bryn, who wants to erase all memories of the mistake she made last summer; cheer captain Cora, who desperately wants to believe in her boyfriend's faithfulness; and shy Georgie, newly hot after a summer at fat camp and ready to reinvent herself--but who can stop a dangerous rumor once it takes on a life of its own?
Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland: It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided—between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. In New York City, she embarks on a mission with Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past, into the heart of the country’s oldest and most mysterious Blight. There, they discover the work of mages not encountered since the darkest period in America’s past, when Black mages were killed for their power—work that could threaten Laura’s and the Skylark’s lives.
Salaam, With Love by Sara Sharaf Beg: Dua struggles to find her place in her conservative family's household, but as she spends the month of Ramadan with her cousin in Queens, Dua finds herself learning more about her faith, relationships, and place in the world.
Salt and Sugar by Rebecca Carvalho: A telenovela-esque rom-com debut that follows the grandchildren of two rival Brazilian bakeries, Lari Ramires and Pedro Molina, who fall in love despite their families' feud while working to win a contest that would save both of their bakeries from being driven out by a predatory supermarket chain.
Scout’s Honor by Lily Anderson: Following a biracial Puerto Rican teen, Prudence Perry, born into a family of highly ranked Ladybird Scouts, elite monster hunters masquerading as a prim and proper ladies' social club who gave up her tea set and daggers after her best friend was killed, but now must return to the scouts to face the biggest monster of all: her past.
A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl & Melissa De La Cruz: A romantic YA retelling-mashup of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by bestselling authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.
Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore: Three teens, Nicolás Caraveo, Daisy Fabrega, and Jay Gatsby, chase their own version of the American Dream during the Roaring 20s in this YA remix of The Great Gatsby.
Seoulmates by Susan Lee: Recently dumped high school nobody Hannah Cho must face her unresolved feelings for her childhood best friend, Jacob Kim, when he returns to their San Diego hometown as the newest K-drama heartthrob—and blackmails her into completing his summer bucket list with him.
Seton Girls by Charlene Thomas: The quarterback of Seton Academy prep school wants a state championship before his successor, Seton's first Black QB, has a chance to overshadow him, leading him to take bigger risks, and soon the team's awful secret leaks to a group of girls who suddenly have the power to change their world.
Shattered Midnight by Dhonielle Clayton:  In 1920s New Orleans, 18-year-old Zora Broussard banished after an incident in Harlem, struggles with her overbearing family, magical powers, love of jazz, and forbidden romance with white pianist Philip.
She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott & Alyson Derrick: Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of flirt. She knows how to get the girl. Keeping her on the other hand…not so much. Molly Parker has everything in her life totally in control, except for her complete awkwardness with just about anyone besides her mom. She knows she’s in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. She just…hasn’t actually talked to her yet.
A Show For Two by Tashie Bhuiyan: Mina’s ticket to winning a film competition falls into her lap when indie film star—and known heartbreaker—Emmitt Ramos enrolls in her high school under a secret identity to research his next role. They strike a deal to work together, and as Mina ventures across the five boroughs with Emmitt by her side, the city she grew up in starts to look different and more. With the competition deadline looming, Mina's dreams—which once seemed impenetrable—begin to crumble, and she’s forced to ask herself: Is winning worth losing everything?
The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad by Natasha Deen: Following Tuna Rashad, always on the lookout for messages from her Caribbean ancestors who have passed on, as she tries to win over her crush before she leaves for college.
The Silence That Binds Us by Joanna Ho: In the year following their son's death, May Chen's parents face racist accusations of putting too much pressure on their son and causing his death by suicide, and May attempts to challenge the racism and ugly stereotypes through her writing, only to realize that she still has a lot to learn and that her actions have consequences for her family as well as herself.
Slip by Marika McCoola & Aatmaja Pandya: An emotional coming-of-age graphic novel for fans of Bloom and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me.
Somebody That I Used to Know by Dana L. Davis: Aspiring musician Dylan Woods is forced to reunite with her ex–best friend Langston—who just happens to be the world’s biggest teen star.
Soul of the Deep (Skin of the Sea #2) by Natasha Bowen: To save those closest to her, Simi traded away everything: her freedom, her family, and the boy she loves. Now she is sworn to serve a new god, watching over the Land of the Dead at the bottom of the ocean.But when signs of demons begin to appear, it's clear there are deeper consequences of Simi's trade. With the fate of the world at stake, Simi must break her promise and team up with a scheming trickster of a god.
Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes: Luis Gonzalez just wants to go to prom with his boyfriend, but when a hit on the head knocks him back to 1985, he meets his parents' closeted classmate.
Squire by Sara Alfageeh & Nadia Shammas: Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. After she enlists in the competitive Squire program, it’s not how she imagined and she’ll have to soon choose between loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.
Strike the Zither by Joan He: As three warring fractures try to gain control of the kingdom, orphaned Zephyr, a strategist serving Xin Ren, infiltrates an enemy camp where she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who might just be her match.
The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson: Demisexual Metis teen Lou is settling in to spend the summer before college working at her close-knit family's small-town ice cream shack with her best friend, ex-boyfriend, and newly back-in-town crush, when a letter from her white biological father, recently out of prison, threatens to destroy everything she cares about.
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas: Transgender demigod Teo is unexpectedly selected for the Sunbearer Trials, a fierce competition among demigod heroes where the winner sacrifices the loser to Sol, their blood fueling the Sun Stones that protect Reino del Sol.
Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions by Navdeep Singh Dillon: Sunny G's brother left him one thing when he died: His notebook, which Sunny is determined to fill up with a series of rash decisions. Decision number one was a big one: He stopped wearing his turban, cut off his hair, and shaved his beard. Sunny debuts his new look at prom, which he's stuck going to alone. Enter Mindii Vang, a girl with a penchant for making rash decisions of her own, starting with stealing Sunny's notebook. When Sunny chases after her, prom turns into an all-night adventure—a night full of rash, wonderful, romantic, stupid, life-changing decisions.
Survive the Dome by Kosko Jackson: High school junior Jamal Lawson teams up with hacker Marco during a police brutality protest to shut down a device that creates an impenetrable dome around Baltimore that is keeping the residents in and information from going out.
This is Why They Hate Us by Aaron H. Aceves: 17-year-old Enrique "Quique" Luna decides to get over his crush on Saleem Kanazi before the end of summer by pursuing other romantic prospects, but he ends up discovering heartfelt truths about friendship, family, and himself.
This Place is Still Beautiful by Xixi Tian: A story about first love, complicated family dynamics, and the pernicious legacy of racism, following two estranged teen sisters Annalie and Margaret who have no choice but to reunite in their small Midwestern town when their family becomes the victim of a hate crime.
This Wicked Fate (This Poison Heart #2) by Kalynn Bayron: Briseis races to save her family even as she discovers more about their ties to ancient goddesses and deadly curses.
A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass: Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people. But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart.
A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee: In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, ordinary Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch. Embarking on a quest to turn human again, she must outfox tricksters, escape demon hunters, and negotiate with feral gods if she wants to make it home again.
Three Kisses, One Midnight by Roshani Chokshi & Evelyn Skye & Sandhya Menon: A magical Halloween story pitched as told in the tradition of LET IT SNOW, set in a town reminiscent of Stars Hollow, featuring interconnected stories about three witchy best friends and their romantic quest involving love potions (that may or may not work) and true love's kiss before the clock strikes midnight, 
TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jasmeen Kaur Deo: A charming rom-com about high school debater TJ Powar who—after becoming the subject of an ugly meme—makes a resolution to stop shaving, plucking, and waxing, and prove that she can be her hairy self and still be beautiful…but soon finds this may be her most difficult debate yet.
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez: 18-year-old flamenco dancer Zarela Zalvidar must work with a disgraced dragon hunter to learn the ways of a Dragador and save her ancestral home.
Tokyo Dreaming (Tokyo Ever After #2) by Emiko Jean: Princess Izumi of Japan will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?
Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi: In this reimagination of the legend of Robin Hood, Rahma al-Hud and her older sister Zeena travel to Jerusalem for a final mission, and on their way they assemble a ragtag band of misfits and get swept up Holy Land politics.
The Turning Pointe by Vanessa L. Torres: Following a dancer in 1980s Minnesota as she navigates complex family expectations, a new romance, and her own ambitions to dance for the Purple One himself, Prince.
Turning by Joy L. Smith: Before the "accident" Genie was an aspiring ballerina, now she is a bitter teenager, permanently confined to a wheelchair, but at physical therapy she meets Kyle, a gymnast whose traumatic brain injury has landed him in therapy--and through their growing friendship Genie realizes that she has to confront the things around her: like the booze her mother is hiding, or the fact that maybe her fall was not entirely accidental.
Twice as Perfect by Louisa Onome: 17-year-old Nigerian Canadian Adanna Nkwachi must deal with an estranged older brother, uncertainty about her future, and helping her cousin plan a big Nigerian wedding.
Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey: In Potosai, a silver mining city in the new Spanish viceroyalty of Peru, proper ladies by day and teen vigilantes by night, Eustaquia “Kiki” de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza set out to expose corruption and deliver justice after Kiki's brother is murdered and the prostitute he loved disappears.
Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne: Reeling from the scars of a past relationship, Angel finds healing and hope in the words of strong Black writers and the new community she builds in Brooklyn
We Are All We Have by Marina Budhos: After her mom is taken by ICE, 17-year-old Rania's hopes and dreams for the future are immediatly put on hold as she figures out how take care of her younger brother and survive in a country that seems to be closing around them.
We Are the Scribes by Randi Pink: Ruth Fitz, a black teenager surrounded by activism in a family rocked by tragedy, discovers that she has begun to receive parchment letters from Harriet Jacobs, the author of the autobiography and 1861 American classic.
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds: When 17-year-old Avery moves to rural Georgia to live with her ailing grandmother, she encounters decade-old family secrets and a mystery surrounding the town's racist past.
We Weren’t Looking To Be Found by Stephanie Kuehn: Dani and Camilla find friendship on their path to mental health in a story of acceptance, recovery, and resilience.
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson: When a viral bullying incident reveals outcast Madison Washington’s secret of being biracial, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school's first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date. But some of her classmates aren't done with her just yet. And what they don't know is that Maddy still has another secret, one that will cost them all their lives.
Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto: After Sharlot Citra is whisked from L.A. to her mother's native Indonesia in order to "get back to her roots," who—through a comedy of errors and overzealous parents—she finds herself fake dating the son of one of the wealthiest families in Indonesia, and is surprised when she actually starts to fall in love with the boy, with the country, and with the big family she never knew before now,
What Souls Are Made Of by Tasha Suri: As the abandoned son of a Lascar—a sailor from India—Heathcliff has spent most of his young life maligned as an "outsider." Now he's been flung into an alien life in the Yorkshire moors. Catherine, the younger child of the estate's owner, a daughter with light skin and brown curls and a mother that nobody talks about, soon finds solace with Heathcliff. But when Catherine's father dies and the household's treatment of Heathcliff only grows more cruel, their relationship becomes strained and threatens to unravel.
What’s Coming to Me by Francesca Padilla: After the ice cream stand where she works is robbed, 17-year-old Minerva Gutiaerrez plans to get revenge on her predatory boss while navigating grief, anger, and dreams of escape from her dead-end hometown.
Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton & Tiffany D. Jackson & Nic Stone & Angie Thomas & Ashley Woodfolk & Nicola Yoon: Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance.
The Wicked Remain (Grimrose Girls #2) by Laura Pohl: At Grimrose Académie, Nani, Yuki, Ella, and Rory have discovered the truth about the curse that's left a trail of dead bodies at Grimrose. But the four still know nothing of its origins, or how to stop the cycle of doomed fates. Can the girls change their own stories and break the curse?
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi: To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.
Wrong Side of Court by H.N. Khan: 15-year-old Fawad Chaudhry has big dreams about being the world's first Pakistani to be drafted into the NBA.
The Witchery by S. Isabelle: Logan came to Mesmortes Coven Academy in Haelsford, Florida, to learn to control her powers, but she soon learns she has a role to play in the ancient curse of the hellmouth--whatever the cost to herself and her new friends.
You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen: Three Black Muslim teens, Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah, living different parts of the country start a blog to fight Islamophobia and find friendship and hope as they let their voices be heard.
Zyla & Kai by Kristina Forest: The story of how cynic Zyla Matthews and hopeless romantic Kai Johnson become friends, fall in love, and break up unfolds from their different perspectives.
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dirtytransmasc · 2 years ago
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I have a bit of a tinfoil hat thought.
What if Neteyam's death was Eywa's punishment for neglecting Spider?
(You don't have to answer, you can delete the ask if you want)
I kinda like this idea in the sense of maintaining the great balance.
like, the Sully's neglected this boy who (in my opinion) is connected to the Great Mother, and his Na'vi in heart, (which I will go into in a second) leading the balance to be thrown off, the great mother was forced to take their son to equal things out. in one way or another losing neteyam will force them to support spider so he can flourish as The Great Mother sees fit.
think about it, spider is a human that never once trigger the 'immune' response that the RDA speaks of, as far as we know, he's never once been attacked or bother by the local flora or fauna, and he's adapted to live on Pandora and stays pretty physically on par with his Na'vi siblings. spider flourishes on Pandora despite his set backs, better then we've seen anyone else do before. pair that with the fact that Eywa's literal child, Kiri, is obsessed with him, and always has her hand over his heart, has to either be a massive coincidence or massive foreshadowing. like she is the only person who truly sees him and they have this bind like no other.
so for a family to be blessed with, as far as we know (cause tuk is still very young and we haven't seen her Moment yet, like we have with the other kids) 4 blessed children. Neteyam had a lot of records under his belt and is one of the best hunters and soon to be olo'eyktans in Na'vi history, according to the visual dictionary; Lo'ak is the Tulkun Makto, the boy who befriended the great outcast; Kiri is the child of eywa, who has a stringer connection with eyes then most Tsahìks; and spider, the human boy with a na'vi heart and soul. to neglect one so horribly he goes practically family-less for 16 years, it would not only upset eywa (cause he's gave this boy to the family that was well versed in taking 'mixed-breeds' considering Jake was a dreamwalker, Kiri is the daughter of a dream walker, the kids are half dreamwalker, what's a human child with a Na'vi spirit to them, he fits right in) but the great balance. whatever eyes seemed to have planned with that family, spider in specific, had been ruined by the neglect they put him through, so something had to be lost to correct course, and sadly that had to be Neteyam.
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mirrorcatcreditcard · 3 months ago
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✨Introduction✨
Note: This will update as I see fit.
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Name(s):
MirrorCatCreditcard, SleepyBurger, or WhipController depending on the account/platform. If you know me under any of the listed names, you can congregate/talk to me here or wherever you found me.
Special interest(s):
my spouse, canines (especially dogs and wolves), humans, history, literature, Obey Me, languages, philosophy, the omegaverse, disabilities, Luka (Alien Stage), snakes
Current hyperfixation(s):
Luka (Alien Stage), monster/cryptic stories, nostalgia, Alien Stage, Alien Stage rarepairs and canon ships, Alien Stage lore, (this show has taken over my goddamn mind, I'm begging you to send help in the form of enabling this hyperfix-)
Fanfictions (by fandom):
Obey Me
Beyond Our Touch — oneshot, completed
The Madness of Magic — series, irregular updates
Little Mizzi Muffet and the Spider King
Not Even a Mouse — oneshot, completed
The Promised Neverland
They Still Called Me Mother — oneshot, completed
Bungou Stray Dogs
Beat Them and They'll Return an Army; Ignore Them Yet They Swarm — series, ongoing
For the Verses of Time That Dance Across Our Skin — series, ongoing
Quite The Odd Child — series, ongoing
You're Proud, But I'm Just in Pain — oneshot, completed
Death Note
Shivers Not Caused by the Rain's Chill — oneshot, completed
It Was a Normal Evening — oneshot, completed
Played Me By Another, Played Himself a Fool — oneshot, completed
Miscellaneous/mixed media
Fictober 2024 — series, ongoing
Personal tag list and uses: (they will be linked underneath)
#mirr's rambles — I yapped excessively or did an analysis but it's disorganized on average
#mirr's personal favs/#mirr's favs — whether my own or another's work, it's just stuff I really liked
#mirr's honesty — I spoke what I believe is truth
#mirr answers — I answered an ask or replied to a question via reblog
#mirr speaks — just a regular post of mine with no particular tag needed
#mirr writes — my fanfic discuss
Fandoms/things I read/watch and will participate in discussion about (in no particularly ranked order):
Demon Slayer
Obey Me (video game)
Death Note
Bungou Stray Dogs
Yuukoku no Moriarty/Moriarty the Patriot
Brutal: Satsujin Keisatsukan no Kokuhaku/Brutal: Confessions of a Homicide Investigator
Genshin Impact
Among Us
Undertale
Spy x Family
Jujutsu Kaisen
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Noragami
The Ancient Magus' Bride
The Misfit of Demon Academy
Mo Dao Su Shi/The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
Happily Ever Afterwards (manhwa)
King's Maker (manhwa)
The Promised Neverland
Weak Hero (manhwa)
any series by Idolomantises (ex: Monsters and Girls, Bugtopia, etc.)
Aporia
Black Butler
Eleceed
Dr. Frost (Webtoon)
Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto
I Don't Want This Kind of Hero
I Failed to Oust the Villain!/I Failed to Abandon the Villain
Akuyaku Reijou desu ga Kouryaku Taishou no Yousu ga Ijousugiru/I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess in an Otome Game but the Boys Love Me Anyway!
It's Mine (Webtoon)
Killer Crush (manhwa)
Killing Stalking
Like Wind on a Dry Branch (Webtoon)
Lookism
Mob Psycho 100
My S-Class Hunters/The S Classes I Raised
Navillera: Like A Butterfly (manhwa)
Noblesse (Webtoon)
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint
Payback (manhwa)
Roxana (manhwa)
Solo Leveling/Only I Level Up
Steel Under Silk (manhwa)
Teenage Mercenary
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
The Boxer (Webtoon)
The Case Study of Vanitas/Vanitas no Carte
The Crow's Prince
The Falcon Princess
Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta/The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All
Hametsu no Oukoku/The Kingdoms of Ruin
The Knight and Her Emperor (manhwa)
The Lady and the Beast (manhwa)
The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor
The Newlywed Diary of a Witch and a Dragon; The Makeup Remover
The Remarried Empress
The Tyrant's Sister
The Villainess Is Retiring
The Villainess Is a Marionette
Death Is the Only End For the Villain/Villains Are Destined to Die
Saijaku Tamer wa Gomi Hiroi no Tabi wo Hajimemashita/The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash
The World After the Fall
Tomb Raider King
Under the Greenlight
Tower of God
What's Wrong with You, Duke?
any series by Obelis (ex: War and Tea, Meow Are You?, etc.)
Who Made Me a Princess
(The Reason) Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion
Empress Cesia Wears Knickerbockers
Roses and Champagne
any series by Brothers Without a Tomorrow
Endless Night Encore
Another Typical Fantasy Romance
Hunter x Hunter
Alien Stage
Low Tide in Twilight/Waterside Night
One Punch Man
Bendy and the Ink Machine
Doki Doki Literature Club
Hell Neighbor
The Stickbot Show
Subnautica
Five Nights At Freddy's
Monster School (Minecraft)
In the Doghouse (manhwa)
Mr. Beta
The Villain That Embraces the Light
Stalker x Stalker (Webtoon)
Extras(?):
My former pinned post
My Luka analysis post
Luka enjoyers on this site
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kynimdraws · 7 months ago
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Fellas is it gay to travel together to a dude's homeland
To see the story drabbles the prev part is here (all tagged under "#Hunter and the Mask Verse Story") Yone design ref for this verse can be seen in detail here
Again story rambles under the cut lol
Their travel from Navori to Bel'zhun was uneventful, the worst thing being Yone's initial seasickness at the start of the trip. Despite that Yone was quite thrilled to see the world outside of Ionia. He often wondered if this was what his brother had seen years before their last encounter. It waa also nice that K'sante recalled a few of the things he had seen in these stops (a day in Bilgewater, three days in Piltover/Zaun), so it was not a wild whirlwind of him getting lost or stranded in strange lands.
The other man grounded him, made him feel...safe. The feeling reminded Yone of how he felt at home back in his more innocent childhood days, just a little.
As they finally reached Bel'zhun, K'sante eagerly brought Yone up on deck so both could see the Shurima harbor city coming closer and closer. Unlike the elegantly branching city of Navori (Ionia being famed for melding with their arboreal environment), Bel'zhun had a different kind of structural beauty carved from the harsh wind and sand.
"We still got a long ways to go before reaching Nazumah, but welcome to my homeland!"
Yone smiled. The morning heat was overwhelming and the lack of spiritual energy, a presence taken for granted in Ionia, was very different but not unwelcome. This was the lands that shaped K'sante, and he did join him because he wanted to know more.
In Bel'zhun, they take a few days to prepare for travel. K'sante even takes Yone to a bazaar where he sees a Nazumah cloth merchant selling their wares. There he buys Yone a travel cloak as a gift. Yone immediately wears it, feeling less out-of-place in his Ionian garb. He noted that the cloak's weight was heavy enough so it would not be blown too easily away by the strong desert wind and gave him decent protection from the sun. It was also...much thicker than what he expected for desert wear. Werent they supposed to be lighter to be cooler? In fact, K'sante kept wearing his thick gear even in the heat...
"Wouldn't your clothes be a hindrance while we travel out through the desert?"
K'sante laughs.
"Daylight is ideal for short hunts and trips. Longwr travel is done when the sun is low. Trust me, the desert isn't all heat."
Yone inwardly chastises himself for assuming, and nods.
After their prep, the two set off to the southwest with several other travelers going in and out through Bel'zhun for various businesses. And just as K'sante said, the desert certainly was much colder at night...and the cloak was perfect in keeping Yone warm. By day they would take shelter in the shade produced by the ruins or crags of rock that stuck out in the dunes. All were apparently remains of ancient wars and civilizations, according to K'sante.
It was hard work trekking the desert. For Yone, the best part of traveling was around dawn, when the sun would rise and they would settle for the day. No matter how tired the two were, K'sante would talk about some folk tale or a story he had related to the area they were at. He was very expressive during these moments, pointing out to the skies, the landmarks, or just making gestures to emphasize his narration. Regardless of what he did, Yone would listen, and quietly place his hand over the other man's own whenever K'sante used it to bring Yone closer to him. This often happened when his storytelling got intense. Initially K'sante would apologize about it, but over time the two didn't even bring it up.
After all, they felt like they belonged, being together like this under the vast sky as life went on around them.
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aliceisathome · 7 months ago
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City of Stars was a weird combination of pulpy fluff and some fairly serious commentary on social media, shipping and the damage it can wreak on RL partners and how shitty and hypocritical some 'fans' can be. I don't think the actors were quite strong enough to carry the Fueng and Krom roles unfortunately - I couldn't help thinking that Star Hunter has/had some better, more experienced options. I kept thinking about what BankBonus (PokTong in Gen Y)* could have done in these roles.
Stlll, a nice chat about sexual preferences early in the relationship (yay - verse boys represent), condoms (lube still a step too far it seems) and some positive trans rep. Plus some great friendships. Shame Fueng got his confidence for singing back though.
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Mind you, the giant pic above his bed of Fueng with an electric guitar being a rock god did rather undermine the whole lack of confidence in singing thing. Actually the whole house was a bit odd - the year round Christmas tree, the piles of (i think) the same gifts on the counter
Fueng and Khom can't keep their hands off of each other - something that's fairly rare in BL and the complete opposite in RL. Much appreciated boys, thanks, especially as the skinship and Job's rather nice 6 pack and pecs were the only thing keeping me watching during the rather flat eps in the middle. Shallow? Me?
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I was, in fact, more invested in the het couple of KorNamsom towards the end, slightly ruined by the very careful info dump explaining that they hadn't made out at all for the six months they were dating - god forbid Kod accepted the love of his life's body before she had the sex reassignment surgery. Yes, it was explained as her decision and she absolutely should have that choice but why was it even a talking point?
Anyway the final ep was charmingly domestic and sappy, And yes, since you ask, I would use Zendaya as an app. And Zendaya herself should be the CEO - much nicer than that muskrat.
*I see that the latter two terminated their contracts with StarHunter in Feb this year - fingers crossed for more opportunities moving forward. They were absolutely the only thing that kept me watching Gen Y...
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tarnishedinquirer · 8 months ago
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Person of Interest: Bernahl
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Name: Bernahl Title/Alias: Knight Race: Outlander Gender: Male Occupation: Warmaster Affiliation: None Notes:
Unlikely to be a landed knight or a member of a knightly order in good standing. "Knight" therefore is an epithet with no honorific attached.
Might harbor doubts about the Golden Order, but holds them close to his chest.
Is well-versed in Ashes of War.
Heavy beast motif on armor. A multitude of beasts in free-for all combat.
Why live in a ruined shack in such a terrible location?
Targeted by Bell-Bearing Hunter
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