#volition protect your vow!

[nadas-dirthalen]

I don't think I can ever forgive Solas personally for the way he used Varric's death as a manipulation tool against Rook. As someone who experienced the recent loss of a loved one in my life, realizing what he did to Rook and imagining someone taking away my autonomy to grieve and accept the loss makes me feel so disgust toward him. And to use the image of Varric, someone who was always protective and loyal to his friends? It angers me more, as it feel like such a disrespect act for Solas to do with Varric's image, especially as Solas was arguably once one of his friends. I still question if Solas ever understood what it meant to be alive as a mortal or if he was so caught up in continuing to see himself as some spirit of Wisdom, he denied how he had changed or that life is not as simple/much more vastly different than his once pure Spirit self believed. If he did, would he have treated Varric's death as a tool to use against Rook in the same callous way he did?

Absolutely love Solas' role as Veilguard's antagonist and how it provokes so many emotions and debates on his actions and how to deal with him. Hating his former colleagues is easy, they're batcrap insane and power hungry, but Solas? His actions hurt so much more than anything those two could ever do because we know him in Inquisition; we know, as flawed as he was, he was capable of good, and yet ends up taking actions similar to that of the people he once fought against. But yeah, even though I had the tools for the arguably 'good' ending, there's a reason I chose to fight him and force him into the Veil: He just lost a lot of my sympathy for what he did and I didn't think he deserved a gentle sending off, harsh as it may sound.

Hello anon!! First off, let me say this: you're totally valid to feel as you do about Solas, and even though I don't share your opinion of him, I definitely had a moment of, "Oh god, that was reprehensible."

I think the difference, here, is that my Rook was feeling the feelings you're describing. My Rook would have a hard time wanting to redeem Solas, and only did so for the sake of my Inquisitor.

But the longer I went on after playing Veilguard, the more I realized... that was intentional. That was the point BioWare was making in the third act of Veilguard, and they did it beautifully.

We're supposed to hate him. Let me explain.

We all know what Solas did in the end of Veilguard, and what we find out he's been doing from the very beginning with Varric. What I want to talk about is Solas' conversation with the Inquisitor in Trespasser.

PC: You said that the elven gods went too far. What did they do that made you move against them? Solas: They killed Mythal. (Chuckles.) A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment.

We find out in Veilguard that everything Solas has done, no matter how awful, no matter how violent, has been to bring back the world that Mythal knew before she was killed by the other Evanuris. The one where she was whole. Where Solas, in his mind, had not yet failed her.

Whether or not his actions are good for Thedas (and in most cases, they aren't), Solas does them anyway, consumed by his grief and his need to avenge Mythal. He doesn't think through the creation of the Veil. We see this in a note from Felassan to Solas that is found (I believe) in the Crossroads. He does it anyway, even though even the companions notice that the process hurts him. Badly.

We know, as players, that redeeming Solas leads to him vowing to help soothe the anger of the titans. He works toward his atonement. It is extremely important and powerful that there are many people out there who, knowing this, choose to fight Solas anyway.

Solas also knows, logically, that the world will burn if he takes down the Veil. That doesn't matter to him. What matters is his grief.

We know that, logically, Thedas is worse off if Solas is fought into Fade Jail rather than convinced to go of his own volition by redeeming him. To some players, that doesn't matter. What matters is their grief, like you're saying here.

"An eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment."

In this way, Rook becomes Solas. By choosing to fight him rather than swallowing down their own feelings and pain for the greater good, Rook perpetuates the cycle of violence—for better or worse. And here's the thing: you are justified in this. Your Rook is justified in this. That's why, I think, Solas is written the way he is in Veilguard. BioWare wanted to show that those people who hate Solas have ample reason to do so. They wanted to show what Solas is like with people he doesn't value—and Rook is one such person in act 1 of the story, when he chooses to do blood magic on them.

Redeeming him means Rook taking a chance on Solas' redemption despite the pain he's caused, even if he doesn't deserve it, for the chance at Solas becoming something better. This shows what I think is true of the cycle of violence: that sometimes, it is a deeply uncomfortable and counterintuitive process. But sometimes, that is the only way a cycle of violence is stopped, for better or worse. We acknowledge the pain caused by those who hurt us, but refuse to inflict the same pain upon others, no matter how much pain we feel. It is deeply uncomfortable and counter-intuitive, but sometimes walking away from a situation is all we can do. (and of course I do not believe this is the right course of action in all situations, but Solas is a fictional character, and I believe this angle on his story is reasonable and poignant because it is fiction. real life is infinitely more complex, but Solas' arc isn't meant to be an exact representation of real life: it's to mean something.)

This was the last way, I think, that BioWare drew a strong parallel between Solas and the player. During the DAI quest "In Hushed Whispers," they show us that our seeing the alternate timeline as "not real" mirrors how Solas feels about waking up in present-day Thedas after creating the Veil. Now, they show us that his singular desire for revenge is something that is possible for even us, the players, who knows these are all characters made of pixels, to feel.

I think this is why Epler has said he advocated for an ending where you can fight Solas. Not because he hates Solas (I assure you, he does not), but because it is of tremendous importance to Solas' thematic statement that the player can act on their anger, their pain, toward him—because that is what Solas has been doing to Thedas this entire time.

Thank you for sending me this. I hope you know that I think you're valid for wanting to fight Solas, even though that isn't the ending I choose. It's people like you who help make Solas such a fun, interesting character, and who help highlight just how cool he is to me. You can love him, you can hate him, but I have yet to find a person who's 100% neutral on him. And I love that for us.

[volivolition]

throwing the ask back at you

What are your fav skill designs?

:D

HIII LAZ IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG HKGJHG <333

TL;DR - Canon Designs: Pain Thresh, Vis Cal+Concept, Authority, EMPATHY!!, Interfacing. Personal Designs: Echem, VOLITION!!!, Half Light, Shivers!

okay so if its for canon designs:

Pain Threshold is sick as hell. guy looks so fucking anguished, i LOVE the expression, stabbed through the ribcage OUGH talk about lung imagery!! emotional and physical pain :3

Visual Calculus? also sick as hell! Vizzy and Conceptualization share a spot actually because i love how they're both similar? both have the billowing smoke and the Square of Creation thing, thats so cool, they're matching! (they're in love for this i think…)

Authority?? the way people draw the pointed laurel wreath on him?? SICK AS HELL. wish i could come up with an adequate design for him i LOVE how he looks hkjfh

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON EMPATHY... RAUGH... the somber closed eyes, the branching wisps of his head to connect to others, the glow from his chest, his hands around his shoulders in a hug, I LOVE YOU EMPATHYYYYYY!!!!!

also love how Interfacing's arms are rendered (for all the motorics, the stark yellow on black is SO good, intellects and psyches are very muted, physiques are brighter, but motorics are brightest!! do you think its because the skills become more literal and tangible for physiques and motorics, compared to the thought-based intellect and psyche skills?) oough… so interesting…

if it's for personal design, it may change as i design more of them! but for now:

small thing but i love that my Electrochemistry has 6 upper limbs and 9 lower limbs because haha funny number :] guy who's spaghetti. to me.

Volition… listen. listen. knights are my weakness. protectors? swords? cool armor? motherfucker i LOVE you. this art changed me irrevocably and is also the first thing i ever reblogged on this account. youre telling me this guy made a holy vow to harry and isn't knight-coded?? ough. im not normal about him!!! his armor needs cracks so he can move! if theres no cracks, if volition is too high and too rigid, then you cant do anything!! you'll die in that armor if you don't allow a little room for looseness, to let yourself have some temptation for good things that remind you life is worth living. if volition is too loose though, if you have too many cracks in your armor, if you give into too many vices, you're going to fall apart, you're going to get hurt, you're going to destroy yourself. BALANCE!! i love his morale counter in his throat slowly getting exposed as more cracks appear, it's so interesting, it's like a survival tactic, a cry for help. his eyes are dark hollows in his face, and his glowing eyes!! streets and sodium lights!!!!! did you know his eyebrows are also just cracks in his face? i always make sure to connect them to his eyes or the center crack, you can see in all my art of him. my favorite is when he's surprised, the eyebrow is a crack in the back of his crown so it looks like it's raised hfjkh... also i gave him a sword because he deserves it. ough i have so much to say about him. hes so interesting to me…

i do love my Half Light, i haven't posted her yet tho! I WILL EVENTUALLY. SHE'S INTERESTING I LIKE HER!! he lives up to his name, i feel <3 i will expand on this whenever i finish up her design!

MY SHIVERS DESIGN IS REALLY FUN... her powerlines, i have ALWAYS seen her design as a figure inside her head? i dont know if anyone else has. but i like it for symbolism, she is so small but so big... just one of harry's 24 skills and yet encompasses ALL of revachol. a deity to revere her; a duty to protect her. in the hollow of her head, if you look up you can see all the stars above the skyline, and if you look down into her body you can see the night-lit streets of the city, the glowing lights of apartment windows, the expanse stretching farther than one would expect for the dimensions of her body. she doesn't have limbs attached to her body, though she has glowing arms that emerge from the ground or form from the winds. a hundred thousand luminous arms... shivers my darling...

okay so i have so many more favorites and i think ALL of them are so cool but I WILL STOP MYSELF HERE HKJF <3 thank you for asking lazarus i appreciate youuuuu!!! :D

[docexe-mx]

Just read chapter 79 of the Boruto manga… Damn and double damn! Spoilers after the cut.

On the one hand, Eida using her powers to rewrite people’s memories of Boruto and Kawaki so now most people think that Boruto is Kawaki and viceversa is a very interesting plot twist.

It might turn what effectively became the plotline of the original series on its head: Boruto hunted down by Kawaki and his former village who pursue him specifically to kill him, with the possibility of him being forced to become a rogue shinobi against his will as a result. It’s essentially a cracked mirror of how, in the original series, Sasuke became a rogue ninja out of his own volition while Naruto was desperately trying to save him from his own darkness. Also, it’s a far more interesting method of fulfilling Momoshiki’s prophecy (“those blue eyes of yours will one day take everything away from you”) than if Boruto’s family and friends had just been killed.

On the other hand, if I already had a lot of issues with how ridiculously powerful Eida’s abilities were, this doesn’t help matters in the least. Indeed, the explanation that was finally provided regarding her powers (they being “divine” in nature) is extremely troubling on several levels. She being able to cast her “charming spell” at a global level just added on that. Of course, Kishimoto still provided a potential out given Sarada’s (and presumably Sumire’s) immunity to Eida’s charm, although that still raises questions of its own.

Then there’s the fact that Kawaki is awfully close to crossing the moral event horizon for me. He still hasn’t done it yet, given his own self-loathing, how it’s shown that his vow to kill Boruto in order to destroy Momoshiki actually pains him, not to mention that he is still acting specifically to protect Naruto and Konoha. But given how quickly he decided to take advantage of Eida’s power once he realized what had happened… well, let’s just say that definitely deducts him points in my book.

So, to summarize, I’m very conflicted by all these developments. I’m obviously interested on where the story goes from here, but I also feel a lot of trepidation about it.

[fluffyfaetales]

A Tale of Redemption: The Revenant's Sacrifice

In a time long forgotten, a revenant rose from his grave, driven by a singular purpose: to exact vengeance on his best friend, who had betrayed him. As he tracked his friend down, he discovered a shocking truth. The betrayal had not been of his friend's own volition; his family had been threatened, forcing his hand.

The revenant found his best friend already slain, alongside his wife. The only survivor was their baby, clinging desperately to life. At that moment, the gods demanded he fulfill his vow of vengeance by ending the child's life and eradicating his friend's bloodline.

But the revenant refused. Instead, he blinded himself, creating a loophole in his curse. As a revenant, he was bound to hunt what he saw, and by blinding himself, he shielded the child from his wrath. He took the baby with him, resolving to give the child a life far away from the horrors of their past.

Every day, the gods' screams echoed in his mind, demanding he fulfill his oath. And every day, he blinded himself anew, enduring the pain without complaint. The pain was a small price to pay for the chance to love and protect his best friend's child. The years passed, and the child grew into a strong and kind-hearted young man.

When the boy reached adulthood, the revenant revealed the truth of his origins and his own tortured existence. With a heavy heart, he placed a sacred dagger over his heart and spoke his final request. "Grant me rest, my son. I do not know where my destiny takes me in death, but you are a father now. You have love when I am gone."

For twenty-five years, the revenant had blinded himself to protect the boy he had come to love as his own son. As the sacred dagger pierced his heart, his revenant rage dissolved, replaced by a profound sense of peace. Bloody tears streamed down his face as he whispered, "I hope the gods of death let me see you when it's your turn, my son."

As his body turned to ash, he found himself standing before the god of death. The god held his face with a serene smile. "Twenty-five years of kindness will always step over the contracts of revenge, my new caretaker. Help me lead lost souls to the people who love them most."

And so, the revenant, now a caretaker of souls, found his redemption. In his eternal rest, he guided lost souls to those who loved them, ensuring that his legacy of love and sacrifice lived on.

[ddarker-dreams]

you have always found diluc to be a perfect gentleman. 

some may attribute it to his noble upbringing, and while that may have later refined his manners, your earliest memories revolve around him prioritizing chivalry from his own volition. it didn’t matter if young kaeya would tease him until his ears went as red as his crimson hair — he always treated you delicately. the care a florist bestowed upon their most prized flower would not compare to the genteel manner he took with you. 

if you were going up or down a steep hill, he’d offer his hand without hesitation. when invited to dine with his family for luxurious dinners, he wouldn’t dare touch his meal until you partook in yours, frequently whispering if the menu was to your liking and offering substitutes should you find it disagreeable. always quietly, however. he’d claim it was for his own to save you any embarrassment. 

while there were few moments he wasn’t busy studying or training for his upcoming tenure with the knights, he made it a priority to spend time with you. he’d reassure you that it was okay to venture off to areas the adults said were not safe, as long as he accompanied you, you’d be safe. he meant it too. any monsters lurking in the shadows would be met with a swift demise. he’d cast his arm in front of you, gallant in his mannerisms, proclaiming without a hint of shame that as your knight, he shall protect you. you believed him. you had no reason not to. 

while many aspects of him changed following his father’s death, his vow to keep you safe did not. 

his touch could be felt on your life even if he was continents away, chasing down leads in the name of vengeance. he sent letters. you never fully understood how he managed it, but, considering his vast network, you thought little of it. he never talked about his life or expressed the slightest interest in doing so. it was always about you. he took a special interest in the people you surrounded yourself with. special care was taken to ensure he never mentioned friends you had yet to tell him about. a few letters later, there’d be a mention about how so and so was involved in shady business, or that were most disagreeable rumors surrounding their conduct... you saw no reason to doubt him. just as when you were both kids, he was playing the role of protector, now in a different form. so you believed him. you still had no reason not to.  

diluc’s physical return to mondstadt was a memorable event. not for its grandiose scale, but how mundane the entire thing was. you simply found him standing behind the bar in angel’s share, cleaning a glass, as if he hadn’t been gone for years. he told you he didn’t want to make a big deal of it. you were overjoyed to see your childhood friend return. your excitement could be seen in your eager acceptance to whatever requests he made of you. he still held your hand to help you up and down the hill, though you found his grip to be tighter. while the dinners you shared were a touch lonelier than they used to be, the both of you sitting on a long table with no one but mouse-like servants present, the company and food more than made up for it. he began to insist you stayed for drinks. then dessert following that. perhaps a refill of the drinks too, your glass looks empty... maybe a game or two of chess if you wouldn’t mind. 

a day comes when your excitement cools off and weariness takes its place. you’re starting to miss those friends who diluc promised were nothing but bad business. his requests for your company are becoming more frequent. you’re running out of excuses to kindly reject them. last night it was your head not feeling well, the night before that, being tired from work; you do not know what lies you shall concoct to appease him this evening. 

his knock will come any second now. you must think fast. this method of curtailing his advances is not sustainable, yet there is precious little else for you to do. 

you hear his footsteps approach outside your window. you sit just beneath the sill so as not to be seen. 

if you go with him, you know what to expect. he’ll hold open every door. drape his coat over your shoulders if you shiver. offer to carry you should your legs tremble. he is the perfect gentleman, after all. mondstadt’s most desirable bachelor. these titles fit him well. 

what you no longer associate with him is the role of protector. no, how could you, when what you need protecting from is him? 

[esther-dot]

What are your opinions on show jon-ygritte version? Do you think it's better than books?

I guess it depends on your definition of “better.” I watched the show first and thought their relationship was cute, but when I read the books, it turned my stomach.

In the books, Jon does what he can to avoid a sexual relationship, but Ygritte is relentless. She knows that he is using Ghost as a barrier between them at night, so when the time comes that he has no option but to sleep with her (because she’s lied to protect him and told him they needed to have sex to perpetuate the lie), she tells him to send Ghost away. Jon thinks that they will kill him if they know he is still loyal to the Watch (which he is the entire time), so in the books, he is having sex with Ygritte under the threat of death. Horrific. Some take Ygritte's view of things and think that it made total sense for her to force the sex issue because in her mind, she is his wife. I don't sympathize with that because while there is a cultural barrier, they speak the same language and Jon tells her over and over (and makes it evident in his actions) that they are not what she wants them to be. Ygritte simply refuses to accept that. I’ve seen people who love the ship talk about how cute it is that he used Ghost in place of a sword (as knights would do to protect a woman’s honor), but the thing is, Jon was the one who needed protecting, Ghost was to keep Ygritte off of him, and she took away his safeguard.

I simply can't find it sweet, especially with the other factors. She is an adult while he is underage, she is sexually experienced while he is a virgin, and she is violent in a way he is not. Jon is the "maid" and Ygritte is the sexual aggressor, and if the genders were reversed we would all see this for what it is. (Nevermind, all of us wouldn’t. I forgot we’re talking about the ASOIAF fandom!) Now, because the show removed the worst of it, they made their relationship something it wasn’t. So, "better"? Yes, if the goal is to ship them with fewer ick factors. Except, I don't think the point of anything Martin writes is to lessen the complexity. He could have written a story in which Jon gave in of his own volition, but he didn’t. The experience for Jon is about much more than a romance, and when the show reduced it to that, we lost everything else it was. We see the futility of the Watch attempting to own the loyalty of boys by making them forswear family/wives. We see that even when it is full of abusive elements, relationships, love, is something you can’t eliminate with oaths. We also have the clash of cultures, that personal connection between Jon and Ygritte making him far more understanding of the FF than he might otherwise be. So, I guess the show offered something nicer, more simplistic and therefore easier to digest, but I wouldn't say it was "better."

And, since I've read it, I realize, the sexual coercion is still there in the show, and not that I would ever watch GoT again (like, that is never happening), but now, I can't think of J/Y fondly. I don't hate Ygritte, I don’t think the author’s point was for us to hate her, but I can’t enjoy her show incarnation the way I did before because I can see how they still communicated the sexual coercion without me catching it the first time. She has this line, “it's time to break your vows.” And, because the actress is beautiful, because she had such great chemistry with Kit, because Jon was clearly meant to not only want her, but be totally charmed by her, I missed that this wasn’t a cute invitation to have sex. It is a demand to prove that he is no longer loyal to the Watch. There would have been dire consequences if he hadn’t joined her. Jon isn’t free to refuse her. 

D&D restructured the relationship and turned it into a star crossed lovers story instead of allowing it to serve all the larger purposes it was meant to. And, perhaps the biggest issue here is, I think the relationship is meant to give Jon personal experience that allows him to better understand the plight of women. Instead of simply giving him another personal tragedy as the show chose to present it, at the same time as he experiences a forced “marriage” in captivity, Sansa is forced into a marriage by her captors. He, a man, is having a singular experience that placed him in what is generally the woman’s position. I think taking Alys’s side of things is not simply his innate goodness/concern for the well-being of women, but fueled by his own experience in a relationship he couldn’t escape. He breaks his oath and tries to save Arya (Jeyne) from such a fate. I believe Sansa will flee to him to escape her own forced marriage. I simply don’t think that Jon being in a “marriage” against his will before all of these experiences a coincidence. 

Also, when Jon sleeps with Ygritte, he believes his inner turmoil is what Ned must have felt, but Ned never cheated on Cat. Jon isn’t experiencing what his “father” did, he’s experiencing something that, whether his mother was abducted or willingly ran away before being held captive, will allow him to empathize with her. 

So, while I do think the actress is charming, that J/Y was enjoyable to watch before I realized what it was, I believe it was a disservice to Jon to write it the way they did. 

[sepublic]

The Bad Batch’s Coming of Age

        Just... Omega willingly went back to Kamino to save Hunter, after he promised he’d never let anyone take her there! And nobody forced Omega to, Hunter DID protect her in that regard... She went of her own volition to save HIM, and not because he failed to save her!

        When Hunter made his promise, we all thought someone would eventually capture Omega anyway... But no, in a rather telling and mirrored coming-of-age moment, she chooses go back to Kamino on her own terms and agency, with her own friends and family- Because she’s going to give Hunter that same promise herself now!

        The fact that Omega has grown, that she can now decide for herself what to do- That she can go to Kamino as she pleases, this once-dreaded place of imprisonment, and choose to head there... Choose to return of her own free will, which means Kamino is no longer a prison for her, but a place Omega has the power to enter and leave willingly. Not that she’s going to be coming back anytime soon after that, but...

        She has basically conquered her past, a place where she had no freedom and control- And returned a victor with the family that’d help her, with the power to go about as she pleases, to save Hunter. Omega has freed Hunter from his imprisonment there, as well as Crosshair in the process- The one clone she left behind and couldn’t do anything for.

        ...Omega really HAS grown, hasn’t she? She’s no longer a scared kid but coming back to Kamino like it’s her own damn place to conquer... It’s just too bad there’s nothing to left to go back to. What a metaphorical death for Tipoca City, once a cradle for Omega, a childhood cage... And now that she’s grown up and is free, she’s gotten to visit it one last time, free Crosshair and Hunter, before she leaves it behind forever, in the depths of the ocean.

        Displaced, forced to grow up and leave behind home- Not many clones can say they were able to do this on their own terms, that’s for sure. Again, I keep saying it- But with Omega being a kid, with the Bad Batch and clones in general being so young... It really is a coming-of-age story as they learn to leave behind their upbringing, their ‘parents’ in the form of the institution that fed and housed them, gave them purpose.

        And now they’ve grown to find a sense of independence, and their OWN place in this galaxy... They’re growing up now, when for years they’d stagnated, in contrast to their accelerated physical growth. The Bad Batch and others have stepped out into the world for themselves and get to explore who they are... Even Crosshair, who fell back on that ‘upbringing’ to give him a familiar sense of purpose and structure.

        But that’s not the family that made him feel like he belonged, it was the Bad Batch. THEY made him feel like a part of something, the Kaminoans nor the Empire ever provided that. He and the clones lived for each other, and less the literal purpose of their creators. And now Crosshair has the chance to leave and grow up, and find himself like the rest have.

        I guess it’s fitting. With all of the themes of adolescence, childhood, nurturing and cradles- Of parenthood, as shown with Hera and Cham and Eleni... Cut and Suu Lawquane with their kids. Guardians such as Fennec, familial ties one is born into, as they try to make a name for themselves with Roland Durand. Kids like Muchi growing up and being freed, returned to those who DO care... This really IS a story about growing up, about the familiarity of the womb and leaving that.

        It’s about parents and ‘mothers’ like Nala Se, and it’s a show that really delves into the messed up realization; That the clones are all really still kids, who are being abandoned by their ‘parents’ and now have to fend for themselves, and figure things out together.

        Because they’re not alone, they’ll always have each other, and they go back for each other- Rex for Gregor, Hunter for Omega, and now vice-versa in a full-circle moment. Just like how Rafa and Trace lost their parents and were abandoned by both the Republic and Empire, these two siblings still have each other. It’s a story of mentors and guardians, unconventional such as Cid...

        This very much IS a story about growing up, in a new and unfamiliar world- And looking back now, at the more complete picture that is the nearly-completed first season, I much more appreciate it now. It’s about making new friends and connections (such as the Lawquane kids and Hera, children of Omega’s age) and fending for yourself, but also your true family who always have your side, because eventually they’ll always come back for you;

        Just as Avi Singh saw himself as responsible for Raxus, and vowed to return one day, as an older figure whom the people trusted... Just as the people of Ryloth look towards Cham Syndulla as a guiding figure, as Hera has a mentor in Gobi Glie as well. Caleb had his own mentor and arguable mother figure in Depa Billaba, who taught him as his master, only to lose her; But he’ll find his family with Hera eventually, who will also have something to say about losing her own mother.

        ...Star Wars really IS about family, and finding that- Either lost and biological, and/or found, making that for yourself. Omega lost her family in the Bad Batch since they were too young to remember, only to reunite years later when they were adults- And I’m sure she can resonate with Crosshair on feeling like she lost her family and was left alone, only to reunite after all this time, reintroducing herself of her own accord. A dark parallel that is mirrored with Crosshair also initiating a reunion of his own, too.

        Star Wars is about death and endings, but also new beginnings- The Republic died and the Empire was born, yes... But there’s always another generation, a new hope so to speak, to nurture and look forward to. Look ahead, and don’t cling to the past- That’s a very Jedi mantra, is it not?

        The time has passed, now to move on and embrace change, a new beginning... And eventually an end that will repeat the cycle, over and over. Child is nurtured by parent, only to grow up and become a parent themselves, with their own child- As they remember lovingly how they were raised and grew up, and continue that sense of love and familiarity to others as well.

        The spark lives on like in any Rebellion, a true passing of the torch. I can genuinely see this show ending with a similar cycle as things come around for Omega, as she came back around for Hunter- As Omega is grown up in an epilogue and becomes a mentor and parent to someone else. In a weirdly poetic sense, her experience of watching her younger siblings become her older parents, has now been mirrored in herself.

        And she fondly, sweetly remembers those who cared for her, as she sees herself in this new kid, and becomes a parent like those who raised her. Just like old times... Just as Din Djarin raises Grogu, this is a story of parenthood and family, and growing up. That familiar dynamic and love will always live on, even as the people in the roles pass and change. It truly is a timeless tale, a story from a long time ago made modern and ever-new, just as the Force transcends time itself.

[checkmatein3moves]

Twenty + Buttons if that’s okay? 🥺🤲❤️

twenty-one — twenty

You’re sure he hasn’t spotted you yet, because he looks so guileless. Tongue poking out in concentration, eyebrows furrowed in a markedly less stormy way than usual. You wonder how much he’d appreciate you pointing that out.

The stuffed animal he holds is worn almost beyond recognition; only one lone triangular ear gives away that it was once a cat. Even though most in their right minds would deem the scrap of fabric a lost cause, his slender fingers thread a sewing needle through its proverbial flesh as attentively as if it were a living thing.

Until he suddenly stills. He isn’t afraid to meet your eyes, and though the gentleness behind them is something he obviously hides from most people, you’re not at all surprised to see it there.

Rather than address you, he looks down at the toy again, continuing his nurture as though you aren’t there.

You approach. From up close, you can see how steady his hands are; how well they work together in tandem, knuckles never bumping against each other in the human way that inexperienced fingers do.

“Lots of practise?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.

You’re convinced he enjoys leaving words hanging awkwardly on a precipice. You physically feel the seconds tick by.

“No. Not really.” His ability to give away so little would be impressive if he were answering any question but your own.

You try to think of something more personal. “Is it yours?”

He answers a few seconds faster this time. “Pixy’s. She asked me to fix it up for her.”

Though his face and voice are admirably devoid of tells, his sweater hangs off his shoulders, giving you a clear view of his neck — and the coppery blush that creeps up it.

“I’d have thought that she’d ask her sister to do that if she needed to. Jelly knows how to sew,” you remind him as casually as possible.

He stops. “So she does.”

In the short silence that ensues, you wonder if he’ll ask you to leave, or just ignore you until you do so of your own volition. And then puts the stuffed kitten down in a position where you can see what’s left of its face.

A line of stitching for a mouth, a nose of rubbed-off velvet, and two mismatched button eyes. Though your instincts say stuffed animals should be cute, there’s a kind of eldritch quality to it.

“Her name is Twenty-one. Or Wan, as I’ve been calling her since I could speak,” he admits, then lowers his voice as if he shouldn’t be telling you any of this. “Noir’s first ever gift to me.”

You’re speechless. Though Twenty isn’t particularly secretive, Noir is one of the few things he’s cagey about.

“I’ve been patching her up intermittently for a long time. I lost her original left eye two years ago. Vowed I’d protect her right one with my life.” He says it so seriously you can’t even tell if he’s joking or not.

Still, seeing him clutching that patchwork stuffed animal, you feel like there are worse hills to die on.

[raeynbowboi]

How to Play as Link in DnD 5e (2.0)

With the release of both Mythic Odysseys of Theros and now the new big expansion in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, I figured now would be a good time to reexamine Link with the context of new subclasses, class features, and game mechanics that weren’t around the last time that I built him. While I won’t do this for every character I’ve built before, characters who have new options made available with these updates will get a new rebuild for 2021. If you want to compare and contrast this build to the original, I will link that build right [here].

The Spirit of the Hero

Link’s a Hylian and that’s just a fancy way of saying elf. His best racial options are either the High Elf, the Wood Elf, or the Half-Elf. Half-elf’s extra skills are tempting, but as Link is never given any parents or an ancestral family tree, we can’t really justify him as a half-elf. We’ll call him a Wood Elf for the extra +2 to his Dexterity and the +1 to his Wisdom as well as that woodsy vibe. But if you wanna go for a Half-Elf for the power build, I won’t tell anyone.

Link’s alignment is tricky. On the one hand, he is shown kneeling before the monarchy, defeating the forces of evil and darkness, and doing odd jobs to help the common people he comes across. However, he can also start forest fires, break into people’s houses, smash pots, steal people’s life savings or personal belongings, and attack the chicken population until they attack back. I’d wager he’s Neutral Good if for no other reason than his morality is highly dependent on the player.

My first choice for Link’s background would be the Folk Hero for Animal Handling and Survival. However, Link’s background is so inconsistent, it’s easier to just list out the skills he tends to have and tell you to pick a background that has those skills, or create your own: Animal Handling, Athletics, Investigation, Nature, Perception, or Survival. There’s a case to be made for other skills as well. Acrobatics works a little and his jumps did involve sick flips in Majora’s Mask, but Link doesn’t tend to balance or platform jump very often. Link can play instruments fine and danced in the Subrosian Dance Hall in Oracle of Seasons for Performance proficiency, but he’s usually playing instruments to activate effects, not to actually perform for a crowd. Link shows some Stealth skills in Breath of the Wild, but this hasn’t been a longstanding skill of his, so I didn’t lump it in with his main skill list.

Becoming a Hero

When it comes to his build, Link has made some use of spells in the past, but he’s nowhere near the spellcaster that Zelda and Ganondorf are. Link is definitely more of a martial fighter who augments himself with a wide arsenal of magical items. So when it comes to picking Link’s class, we have a few things to keep in mind.

BARD

Link is a talented young man, and he has had magical instruments in a few games over the years, as well as dancing in Subrosia, among other things. While I don’t subscribe to the idea of Link being a bard myself, I understand why people would come to this conclusion, as Link isn’t really bad at anything... except talking. And lying. And looking threatening. Or haggling. Yeah kind of hard to depict Link as a CHA caster who isn’t proficient in any CHA skill checks. 

Spirits (UA) This doesn’t fit for every Link, but especially for Breath of the Wild where Link gets help from the spirits of his fallen comrades, the flavor of calling on the dead works for Link. For a non-BotW example, maybe Link can tell stories of his past lives, and the memories he shares with each of them.

Valor This college has the downside of being built as a cheerleader, while Link really should be built for solo-combat since that’s how he approaches most fights. But Valor is better than Swords and also gives Link proficiency with martial weapons and shields, while Swords does not.

FIGHTER

While there are many martial classes, the Fighter differentiates itself by being the most down-to-earth option. It’s not beholden to rage, or smites, hunting, or sneaking. It is the simple skill of the blade, and this is a skill Link has in spades. From the earliest games, Link has been a master of the sword, the shield, and the bow.

Battle Master Link is a strategic fighter. He looks for weak spots, and he exploits them the best he can. Of all the fighter subclasses, none is more clever than the Battle Master. Its many maneuvers resembles the numerous sword techniques Link has learned especially in the later games. Even in Smash, Link showcases how clever he is by being able to combine his arrows with his bombs and shoot a bomb arrow. To my knowledge, none of the other characters can combine their abilities like this in Smash.

Cavalier The subclass is poorly named, and was better in its initial name as the Knight, as that is really what this subclass is. It is the idea of the knight in shining armor. They can also be flavored as bodyguards, a traveling sellsword, or castle guards. So Link does not have to be glued to Epona to make use of this subclass. The main reason to want this subclass is the Warding Maneuver, as giving Link the chance to either block or reduce all damage he takes is going to seriously improve how well he can tank a hit, and help keep him in a fight longer.

PALADIN

More than any other class, the Paladin actually stands for something. They fight for a value or a belief. They swear their life to a cause and are prepared to die fighting for it. Link works on a lore level as a Paladin. Especially when he’s dedicated multiple lifetimes to the same cause. Across every timeline and game over screen, Link has always returned and stood in defiance against whatever evil may come. 

Ancients This oath makes Link sworn to the forces of nature, such as the Great Fairy, and protecting the balance and harmony of the light, life, and love against death, decay, and darkness. The Ancients Paladin is all about protecting the balance in the world and valiantly opposing evil wherever it might arise. It also has a druidic or fey aspect, which kind of works for Link.

Crown With this vow, Link serves the Hyrulian Royal Family. This makes Link the princess’ personal knight, and an agent of lawfulness, order, and peacekeeping in the land. While 5e has backed away from typecasting Paladins as Lawful Good, this is probably the most Lawful subclass one could pick, as it places the authority of the royal family above all else.

Glory Instead of being sworn to the light or the law, the Glory Paladin is the harbinger of the goddesses. They are flavored as legendary heroes of destiny, possibly being demigods or the personal errand boys of the setting’s pantheon. This subclass is clearly focused on being a frontline warrior, and the features make Link a true force on the battlefield.

RANGER

Anyone who’s played Legend of Zelda knows that Link is very good at surviving. The games don’t tell you how to navigate the wilderness, Link just has to figure it out for himself. What’s more, Link may be willing to venture into the wilderness, but he’ll be hard-pressed to find many NPCs that far outside of settlements or cities. Yet what they fear, he thrives in. And it’s no wonder that this is the class most peole would assume for Link.

Hunter This conclave is the slayer of all things that threaten civilization. They can choose to be better at chipping away at one enemy, counter attack bigger monsters, or mow through hordes of minions with more ease by taking out multiple at a time. Especially at higher levels, this conclave excels at ripping apart Ganon’s forces with nary a golden curl out of place.

ROGUE

The rogue doesn’t need to be a wanted criminal on the lamb. They can be a clever fighter with a variety of skills and a knack for evasion. That speaks a lot more to Link’s skill set than one might assume at first glance. It’s not a perfect fit for Link, but it’s really not that inaccurate either.

Inquisitive This roguish archetype is defined by being clever in combat, looking for weak points to exploit. They’re also much more observant, making them better at discovering clues or secret passages, or telling when they’re being misled. At higher levels, their ability to look for weaknesses can even increase their sneak attack damage. This especially fits some of the older games where boss fights were focused on using items to exploit the dungeon boss’ weaknesses, rather than hacking away at their health bar. In these older titles, Link was less of a straight up warrior and more of a clever trickster pulling off strategic victories.

Scout The Scout Rogue has heavy Ranger vibes, as they get free expertise in Nature and Survival, enhanced mobility, the ability to disengage from fights more easily, and at higher levels become masters of ambushes. This fits well with Link’s sneakier sniper playstyle that can be done in Breath of the Wild, as Link can take out entire camps without ever being seen.

Thief While Link is not a standard cutpurse, Link is a treasure hunter, a dungeon delver, and the jokes about him robbing the people of Hyrule and breaking into people’s homes doesn’t exactly help. The thief also gets to use more magical items, allowing Link to use things such as enchanted instruments without being a bard.

WARLOCK

Link usually isn’t the hero of his own volition. He often starts his journey with Triforce of Courage, a source of power gifted by his patrons. It’s honestly a weak connection, but it loosely works, so I’m including it. 

Celestial While this subclass is geared toward serving something other than a god, I don’t see any reason why a Celestial Warlock couldn’t serve the Triple Goddesses of Hyrule or even Hylia/Zelda directly.

Hexblade The most obviously martial warlock option, this is a good choice if you want to incorporate Fi into your character.

Link’s Toy Chest

Hero’s Sword - Longsword (+1-3) Mirror Shield - Repulsion Shield Hero’s Bow - Oathbow Gale Boomerang - Storm Boomerang Fire Rod - Wand of Fireballs (requires spellcasting) Mastersword - Sword of Zariel, Holy Avenger Longsword* Hylian Shield - Shield of the Hidden Lord  Goddess Bow - Ephixis, Bow of Nylea Golden Gauntlets - Gauntlets of Ogre Power Zora Tunic - Cloak of the Manta Ray Pegasus Boots - Boots of Speed Hover Boots - Boots of Levitation Hook Shot - Rope of Climbing

SIDEKICKS

Sidekicks are a new edition from Tasha’s that let Link bring allies on his hero’s journey. Experts are skill monkeys who focus on Help actions, Spellcasters dip into the INT, WIS, or CHA spell lists, and Warriors are trained to fight and don’t have to talk, so they can be animals.

Epona - Defender Warrior Riding Horse Navi - Expert or Healer Spellcaster Sprite Sidon - Attacker Warrior Merfolk Sheik - Expert Noble (Elf) Wolf Link - Attacker Warrior Wolf

Theros Piety

The Piety System from Theros lets us be devout to a god and earn features from worshiping them. As far as I’m aware, this is an optional feature, and not every DM will make use of these, but if you’re able to, here’s a handy guide. These gods really stood out as the clear choices for Link to go with.

Iroas - God of Victory

Domains: War Virtues: Achieve a great victory, Overcome slim odds honorably, Defeat a foe in single combat, Perform a great feat of strength or skill Sins: Being a coward in battle, Beat an honorable foe through deceit, harm innocents Piety Bonus: +3 Learn Compelled Duel spell +10 Learn Crusader’s Mantle spell +25 For 1 minute, creatures cannot gain advantage on you +50 Increase STR or CHA by 2 to a max of 22

Keranos - God of Storms

Domains: Knowledge, Tempest Virtues: Solve a riddle or puzzle, defeat an unwise enemy, plan ahead for an upcoming challenge, build or restore a temple to Keranos Sins: Jeopardize others through foolishness, ignore a wise course of action, fail to plan for a challenge, give in to anger or self-destruction

Piety Bonus: +3 Add 1d6 lightning damage to melee attack up to INT mod turns. +10 Reroll a failed INT or WIS saving throw +25 Advantage on Initiative rolls +50 Increase INT or WIS by 2 to a max of 22

Nylea - Goddess of the Wild

Domains: Nature Virtues: Help any wild animal, stop those who hunt for sport or profit, win an archery competition, slay an aberration, fiend, or undead Sins: Kill an animal without reason, Dedicate a building to or make a sacrifice for any god (including Nylea), protect a city from a natural disaster

Piety Bonus: +3 Learn Hunter’s Mark +10 Learn Speak with Animals +25 Attacking creatures must pass DC 15 WIS save or change targets. +50 Increase DEX or WIS by 2 to a max of 22

Cunning Tactician

Battle Master Fighter (12) Inquisitive Rogue (8) Fighting Style: Dueling Maneuvers: Brace, Disarming Strike, Feinting Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Tools: Thieves’ Tools, Mason’s Tools

While Link is brave and strong, he is most defined by his clever mind and unorthodox solutions to boss fights. With this class split, Link has prioritized strategy and tactics over everything else. While it leaves him a little squishier, Link is still a very capable warrior. As a Battle Master, he got a free tool proficiency. Mason’s Tools allows Link to find secret passageways in stone walls, which most dungeons tend to be made of. On top of that, with his Feinting Attack, Link can give himself advantage, meaning he can use Sneak Attack even in a 1v1 fight, which fits his solo adventurer playstyle.

One-Man Army

Battle Master Fighter (12) Hunter Ranger (8) Fighting Style: Dueling, Archery Maneuvers: Brace, Disarming Strike, Feinting Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Hunter’s Prey: Colossus Slayer, Multiattack Defense Tools: Mason’s Tools

I used this build once in a level 10 campaign. 6 levels of Fighter, 4 levels of Ranger with a +2 Longsword, and let me tell you something. This build creamed the competition, which was the other PCs at the table, who were also built as level 10 characters. Link nearly defeated his first opponent in a single round, dealing around 70 damage between his four attacks. When I say this is Link’s “power” build, I mean it. I didn’t even sweat when an adult blue dragon showed up after the tournament ended, that’s how much faith I had in Link’s ability to fight. I honestly forgot to even use Link’s battle maneuvers, he was just dealing so much damage that it slipped my mind. You could swap Battle Master for Cavalier, but for me, the Battle Master is more accurate to Link’s favor of techniques over basic hack-and-slash.

RANGER SPELLS

1 Absorb Elements, Ensnaring Strike, Hunter’s Mark 2 Cordon of Arrows, Healing Spirit

The Hero of Hyrule

Battle Master Fighter (12) Glory Paladin (8) Fighting Style: Archery, Dueling Maneuvers: Brace, Disarming Strike, Feinting Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Tools: Mason’s Tools

As a Glory Paladin, Link is driven by a desire to be a legendary hero, and at least in the UA version, the Glory Paladin served the gods, as Link does. Like the two builds above, Link balances the brute might of the Glory Paladin with the tactile diversity of the Battle Master.

PALADIN SPELLS

1 Cure Wounds, Divine Favor, Guiding Bolt, Heroism, Protection from Evil and Good, Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite 2 Branding Smite, Enhance Ability, Find Steed, Magic Weapon, Warding Bond

Oaths and Promises

Glory Paladin (12) Celestial Warlock (8) Fighting Style: Dueling Pact: Blade Invocations: Eldritch Smite, Improved Pact Weapon, Maddening Hex, Relentless Hex

The builds from here on are more for the flavor than necessarily Link’s character. As a Blade Pact Paladock, Link becomes a CHA-focused martial with some extra spell slots that turn his smiting sword strikes into a bokoblin slurry machine. This build focuses Link more as a servant of the gods than anything else. Just make sure he has the Hex spell, but you can replace Maddening Hex with Agonizing Blast if you want to use the Master Sword laser beam at full potential.

PALADIN SPELLS

1 Divine Favor, Guiding Bolt, Heroism, Protection from Evil and Good, Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite 2 Branding Smite, Enhance Ability, Find Steed, Magic Weapon, Warding Bond 3 Blinding Smite, Crusader’s Mantle, Elemental Weapon, Haste, Protection from Energy

WARLOCK SPELLS

C Blade Ward, Booming Blade, Sword Burst 1 Armor of Agathys, Cure Wounds, Hex 2 Lesser Restoration, Misty Step, Shatter 3 Spirit Shroud, Summon Fey 4 Galder’s Speedy Courier

To Serve and Protect

Battle Master Fighter (12) Crown Paladin (8) Fighting Style: Dueling, Interception Maneuvers:  Bait and Switch, Brace, Disarming Strike, Goading Strike, Parry, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Tools: Mason’s Tools

Link is Zelda’s knight, bodyguard, and servant. So this build prioritizes features that makes Link the loyal emissary of the Princess of Hyrule. As such, this build changes Link’s role to be more of a defender to the princess than a solo hero. This build assumes that the princess or someone else who needs to be protected is joining Link on his adventure.

PALADIN SPELLS

1 Command, Cure Wounds, Divine Favor, Heroism, Compelled Duel, Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite 2 Branding Smite, Find Steed, Warding Bond, Zone of Truth

After all is said and done, I hope I gave everyone a lot to work with. Of course my suggestions are not law, and if nothing else, I hope it gives you an idea of how you want to build him. Last time I built Link, I gave one set build for him, but I still laid out other options. Recently though, I’ve been trying to show multiple builds at the end of my build posts to offer a wider idea of what building a character can look like. Happy 2021 everyone, and let’s hope this year goes smoother.

[blackwaxidol]

Despite being reborn as a figuratively orphaned and precocious thing, Valin has always pined for some kind of parental figure to feel beheld and seen by.

It is why he latched onto Calus so much and subsequently became so utterly, inconsolably heartbroken at the Emperor's sudden vanishing. He felt abandoned and worthless in a way he hadn't felt in a very, very long time. What had happened? What had he done wrong? Where is Calus, his conduit for reifying approval? Everything he'd ever been given felt hollow, derisive. He had done something terrible, he was certain of it. How could he apologise? How could he beg for forgiveness? He felt lost, reduced to hysterical bedlam with his face in his hands and the jewels from his treasured weaponry torn away and scattered at his feet. He didn't deserve them.

Maybe it is strange to say that he loved Calus, but he is so desperate for some kind of validation and love from a grander, wiser, older thing than him. He wants to be acknowledged and appreciated and held dearly and warmly for a very long time by something that might see him as a sort of soft little progeny that can be kept close as a nestling to be loved for an eternity.

The need to curl up and feel protected and safe in a childish way unbecoming of his grand self... he feels silly for it. Here he is, Valin of Sao, a beautiful, ancient cosmic force of power... shaking and crying and hunched over, grasping at his own arms in an attempt to soothe himself as if he is 6 months old again and trying to find comfort in the torn, frostbitten linings of his Techeun regalia.

Suicide wasn't enough, he wanted to give his Ghost to Calus on a platter just for the thought of making him happy. He knew what delighted him, what amused him to his very core.

"The distant ancestors of your tribe gorged themselves on great feasts, yet expelled them so that they may dine further in abundance.

"I see these marks of worship upon your own hands. Your kind are a gracious people, do not feel shame in your scars.

"Come, I shall give you any feast you desire. Indulge to excess, for I am a generous God."

And he would, for Valin was glad to do this for him. The scars on his knuckles grew worse, but they made the Emperor happy, so he was happy.

Valin of Sao is a creature of habitual self-destruction, he is the zenith of learned helplessness. Everything he is, every turbulent part of his soul, he is willing to subdue or cast away entirely so that he might be palatable or desirable. He will destroy himself psychologically if he thinks it may be appealing to do so, it is his oldest of rituals, a habit formed so early on in his life that he knows no other way to live.

Valin is a hopeless romantic, in a sense. Every man he has ever been at the mercy of he'd quickly grown to vie for their affection, no matter how ruinous. Perhaps it was delusional attachment. He does not hate his former patrons, in a desolate world they gave him everything he could ever want. He was a nymphomaniac, he still is, and he might always be. He hated it, no matter how natural it made his actions feel, he still wanted to die.

His mantle as Warlord was spurred by rage. Nothing was given to him but the opportunity to plunge a blade into the back of an Iron Lord who'd called upon him. There was nothing that made Valin pick him as a sacrificial lamb, truly. It felt right, and when a Ghost appeared over the crumpled form of their charge, Valin killed it too.

It isn't a story he has ever told anyone, but it was pried out of him nonetheless. He is unsure of how much of it was of his own volition, nor why he felt so compelled to tell it, but he remembers how much it made the Emperor smile.

"Ah! Risen from ashes! Scorned by everyone, plotted against, the world unsated by your boundless generosity...

"You were brought to ruin, and vowed to take it all from them. You sheltered the great people who loved you like a God, who did not turn against you even when you were branded as evil...

"We are not so different, you and I."

[writingstarling]

Comfort in You

Adrien needed to get out. He curled deeper into himself as the walls chased down to cage him like a determined hunter.

It was a trick of the mind, he knew. He knew his room was spacious enough to support a relatively large apartment. That it would be impossible for him to be closed in.

He knew. But his brain couldn’t process that.

Today wasn’t what Adrien would call a good day—and he certainly had better. Just thinking of it sent him into a spiral of his own thoughts.

The air in his room were lego blocks he's forced to inhale. Smothering his nostrils in full force. And was it just him or was the ground starting to sway?

“Breathe,” a voice brought him back to reality. Adrien didn’t even notice he was holding his breath.

He had to calm down. Gain his head back.

Breathe, Agreste. Just like the article said, 4 7 8. Inhale through the nose for 4. Hold it for 7. Exhale through the mouth for 8, Adrien did as so.

You’re alright, you’re okay. Just calm down and you can get out of here!

Somehow he had managed. His surroundings were clearing up. The walls didn’t look like they were about to collapse on him anymore. The air filtering through his nostrils lightened in weight.

He was fine.

“Fine” was an overstatement really. He was far from it as it is.

But in his situation and for argument’s sake, “fine” would fit in nicely.

Exhaling one last shaky breath, Adrien fixed eye contact with his furry companion and smiled.

“Thanks, Plagg. I needed that.”

The black cat rubbed his cheek against his chosen’s. Not for long though. Despite appearances, Plagg had a reputation to keep. He couldn’t let Tikki make fun of him!

Plagg did loops in the air before favouring a spot in front of his chosen. His flipper like hands poised on his waist and a sly smirk played on his lips.

“So, you ready to break out of this place?”

Adrien mirrored his smirk with a fresh new glint in his eyes, “Plagg, claws out!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life had been considerably unpredictable for Marinette. With her secret life as a superhero and the sudden debut of a supposed supervillain—or magical terrorist with the ability to grant people magical powers through the aid of butterflies, Marinette had thought that she was beginning to gain the capability to be unfazed by the unexpected. That with all the bizzare events in her life she became acquainted with it.

Apparently she was wrong.

Never had she expected for a certain cat—or perhaps Chat to be perched on her veranda. It rattled her at first. Chat’s last visit had been... interesting, to put it nicely. It wasn’t his fault per se, nevertheless the escalating events left a bad taste in her father regarding the cat themed hero. The bad blood died down, but finding the very person that broke your daughter’s heart on your balcony would certainly summon a very irresistible impulse to jettison him; and Marinette really didn’t want to explain to Paris why one of their heroes managed to become roadkill near her bakery (the suit would probably protect him, but Marinette did not want to take that chance).

That put aside, Marinette shuffled under her sole protector from peering—or in this case, Chat Noir’s eyes. A hand stationed at her trapdoor as her eyes spied on her partner.

His back faced her as he surveyed the city; his cat ears were flat on his tousled gold locks while he hummed a song Marinette became familliar with as “Little Cat on The Roof”. Her lips twitched into a knowing frown.

Being partners for so long they were bound to notice habits the other owned. At the moment, it was Chat’s occasional croons. Marinette recognised the song as Chat's solace. A safe haven achieved by focusing on the assortment of melodies the song offered. She came to the conclusion that her kitty was distressed; presumably due to family circumstances.

Marinette weighted her odds. It didn’t seem like Chat had noticed her yet—which was good. She hadn’t known what action to take. On the one hand, it would be wise to not nose around and let him solve it in his own time. But on the other hand, seeing him lack his usual jubilant and bright attitude sent a jab to her heart.

She wanted to help. To be of service to him like the terrible jokes and over the top shenanigans he did for her. No matter how stubborn she was to clung to her sour mood, he would do almost everything that came to mind to alleviate her spirits. She wanted to do the same for him.

“Marinette?”

The mentioned girl tensed before sighing internally. She knew she was bound to be spotted (HA!) somehow, though she did wish it would be from her own volition rather than a slip aided by Chat’s observation skills. Marinette didn’t loiter on that thought longer and pulled herself up. Red bloomed on her cheeks as the crisp autumn air caressed her skin while embarrassment added an even darker shade of red.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to spy,” she found great interest in the floor as her fingers busied themselves by connecting and disconnecting themselves, stealing peeks as she did.

She expected, hoped, for him to take the chance to chaff her of having an infatuation on him or alleging her of being stunted by his self-proclaimed dashing looks (Marinette has thrown herself into a spiral of denial), albeit begrudgingly. She had, because if he did—there lied a glimmer of hope that it would be easier to buoy her partner. Chat, however, had other plans in mind.

Chat offered her a smile. Impeccably centered and hollow like a well crafted porcelain doll, “It’s okay, it was rude of me to steal your balcony.”

Internally Marinette cringed at the sight. Her stomach wrapped itself in knots of discomfort. It reminded her of the smile Adrien would plaster whenever Chloe or Lila claimed possession of him. That night Marinette vowed that she would never let that smile abide on either boys ever again.

“It’s all right,” she spoke as her feet planted herself next to him.

A pregnant pause held them hostage. Both fearful of breaking the fragile semblance of peace between them despite the mutually felt inquietude.

“So,” Marinette threaded with rightfully earned prudence. Voice soft and light like footsteps on thin ice.

“...So...”

“I have some croissants.”

Finally a piece of her kitty came to light in the form of a grin on his lips and a glint in his eyes.

“You would indulge this poor stray to the finest pastries in the world? Truly, you are the most a-meow-zing purr-incess in the world!”

Marinette fought the giggle bubbling in her throat with no success before sending him a playful glare coupled by a smirk that flourished nothing but friskiness, “Careful now, those awful puns might just cost you.”

Chat’s hand sought his heart above the magical leather suit as an overly inflated gasp found freedom from his peach pink lips.

“How could you Purr-incess! My puns are widely ad-mew-tted to be fur-ry paw-esome,” he retaliated, voice brimmed with feigned smugness.

Snacks and chagrins were soon forgotten as they fell into an easy rhythm of banter. Jabs aimed to Chat’s puns would immediately be reciprocated with a flimsy defense along with an additional pun. Each one personally designed to perturb her further into submission. But despite it, Marinette couldn’t brush away the warmth buzzing through her entire body as they went back and forth. The once brisk air nipping at her skin replaced by a fervour akin to a hug from a dear friend.

After a particularly long laughter from both parties as Chat had finally managed to delivered a humorous pun - “EXCUSE mew Purr-incess, my puns are always funny!” - they settled in another lapse of silence. Consisted of feather lightness and melodic sweetness.

The city was exceptionally beautiful, they had agreed. Perhaps it was due to the occurrence of a full moon, offering the city a better lighting to its beauty; perhaps it was the fiery orange lining the streets with its playful gradient; or perhaps the most immediately discarded thought in their heads, the company they had.

It was a territory they never dared to venture. A land littered with minefields yet to be discovered, yet to explode with much more uncertainty and a set of emotions they were far too fearful to label. Because trying to label the unknown might shatter the bits of understanding of their emotions they barely possessed. Putting the hesitantly glued pieces into shambles; and as a teenager finding their place in the world, it was a risk they were walking eggshells on.

Neither allowed themselves to loiter on the thought longer than a second.

“I, I should get going.” Perhaps it was her imagination, perhaps it was reality how Chat’s ears drooped as he spoke.

“Uh, yeah, it's getting late...”

Chat took the initiative to climb the rails of her balcony, hunched and ready to set off. Baton in hand and his leather-covered thumb hovering over the button to extend it the moment he leaps.

Swivelling his head to face the pig-tailed girl, he gave her a smile, genuine and sincere. “Thanks Marinette, I’ll see you next time.”

For reasons unkown to Marinette herself, a giggle burst forth from her throat. Tickling the air around them with her bubbly laughter. All at once, the air felt warmer to Chat Noir.

“Sure thing, you silly cat.”

Marinette had expected for Chat Noir to make his way. However, still he was in his previous position, unmoving. Marinette was one breath away from uttering her worries when Chat Noir’s voice cut through the air in slight whispers timid and uncharacteristic.

“Can I,” he paused for a minute, but persevered nonetheless, “can I come here again?”

The question sounded child-like in Marinette’s ears. Like a shy little kid trying to make friends while shouldering a large fear of rejection. He sounded so small, so vulnerable.

Marinette took a breath to ease the tenseness she felt from Chat’s question. She needed to deliver an answer appropriate from her words down to her tone in order to fully put Chat at ease.

Gentle and fluffy, sweeter than all the candies in the world with a tone of loveliness, she spoke. “You’re always welcomed here, Chat.”

A weight could visibly be seen lifted off Chat’s shoulders. Shoulders once guarded and fearful of rejection came to relax for the first time that night. With a nod, Chat finally made his way back to his house.

The journey was something he didn’t desire, but he can’t impose Marinette with his overdue stay. At the very least, he came back with a new feeling better than anything he had in a long time. A feeling of warmth buzzing in his heart. Perhaps, he’s finally starting to remember the feeling of home again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAHAHAHA SO-

I uh, I forgot about this thing’s existence and neglected it for 2 years...

Well so that’s also why the writing style is a bit screwed up but I tried and honestly I was too lazy to rewrite the whole thing so you can have this mess instead ❤️.

[millenniumfae]

Video Game Cooking: Sugars (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a standalone historical fantasy made by the famous people who also created Dark Souls and Bloodborne. It became an instant hit, and garnered massive critical acclaim. You control the broody shinobi Wolf as he battles entire armies and legendary beasts.

One of the many consumables in-game are the Sugars; Gokan’s Sugar, Ako’s Sugar, Yashariku’s Sugar, Ungo’s Sugar, and Gachiin’s Sugar. These candies are named and colored differently, and each offer a different effect. One raises your attack power, another makes you more stealthy, and so on.

Today, we’re gonna be re-creating these Sugars with our own recipe. And true to my tradition when it comes to Video Game Recipes, we’re gonna be taking our ingredients accurate to the setting. Which in this case is Sengoku period Japan. This recipe meta draws especially true to my own heritage, as a Taiwanese person.

Sekiro Senpou Temple Sugars: Recipe (makes 10-20 individual candies, depending on the size)

Base candy recipe:

3 3/4 cups granulated raw cane sugar

1 1/2 cups golden syrup/brown rice syrup

1 cup water

Corn starch for mold making (optional)

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Flavorings:

Fresh ginger slices (Gokan’s Sugar)

Dried lotus seeds (Gokan’s Sugar)

Red cherries (Ako’s Sugar)

Dried Astragalus (Ako’s Sugar)

Ginseng (Ungo’s Sugar)

White peaches (Ungo’s Sugar)

Sake (Yashariku’s Sugar)

Dried Cocklebur fruit (Yashariku’s Sugar)

Dried Orange peel (Gachiin’s Sugar)

Dried Goji berries (Gachiin’s Sugar)

Food coloring

(Sekiro won the 2019 Game Of The Year award, the first FromSoftware game to do so.)

To make our Sugars, we’ll be infusing a traditional candy base with various ingredients, unique for each candy. Every ingredient is based off of TCM, which is an acronym standing for Traditional Chinese Medicine. For those unacquainted with TCM, it can be hard to explain its influence. There’s no true western equivalent because it’s more than just ‘old household remedies’, it’s almost a given that Asian citizens take various TCM practices seriously to a degree. Like westerners do with honey lemon tea, or chicken noodle soup.

It’s also accurate to the game. Sekiro takes its setting very seriously. Everything from weapons, to hairstyles, to interior decor, even down to the kanji on Emma’s note in the beginning of the game is true to the Sengoku period, and some levels even go backwards a bit to the Heinan period, to reflect an ancient atmosphere. You can reasonably minus the historical inaccuracies on your own volition; giant snake gods, lightning powers, and automatic prosthetic grappling hooks weren’t indigenous to Japan.

Except there’s in fact one tiny detail that you might be surprised to learn is actually anachronistic; disk-shaped hard candies. The Sugars.

Hard candies aren’t traditional East-Asian treats. Sugar was always readily available in the form of sugar cane, true, but sweets almost always took the form of fruit, and candy-coated/infused ingredients. This is true worldwide until refining sugar into its white form became common, but East-Asia in particular wasn’t munching on lozenges while Marie Antoinette already had cough drops.

The Sengoku period stretched from the early Renaissance to the Baroque period. While Wolf was parrying his way through the Ashina Outskirts, the first King James Bible was published. There was plate armor and court jesters, but also firearms and photographs. Japan didn’t get access to matchlock firearms until 1542, and since the Sunken Valley clan seems to define themselves by the expert use of these guns, it makes sense that the intro to the game itself dates Sekiro as specifically taking place in the latter years of the Sengoku period.

All throughout this stretch of two centuries, Japan has been under constant war and political strife, lending to the Sengoku period’s alternative name, the ‘Warring States Period’. Japan consisted of separate nations, all led under Daimyo and warlords and various nobles that demanded their armies scramble for more land and resources. Living under this kind of conflict for so long means that innovations and education are rare. There’s no opportunity to invent the telescope when you’re all constantly worried about your lives.

This means that the food of Sekiro would have very much been the same it’s been since centuries beforehand. Even though by this point, the Columbian Exchange has been well underway and Europe was experimenting with tomatoes in their food, Japan wasn’t enjoying this same golden period. Any developments would have been weaponry, not candy making methods.

This means that, for our recipe, we’re not using anything that a Senpou monk wouldn’t have access to. No potatoes, corn, vanilla, etc. No beet sugar, or fruits that aren’t native to Japan. Even the raw cane sugar we’re using is pushing the authenticity envelope, because the ‘raw’ granulated sugar you find in grocery stores aren’t completely raw, they’ve still been refined using lye and carbon to strip much of the molasses. True raw cane sugar, when boiled down from its juice form, makes a traditional Asian ingredient called black sugar, which is very dark in color and not suited for making the brightly-colored candy disks that the Sugars appear to be.

(Shinobi aren’t samurai, but Wolf’s relationship with Kuro is so clearly samurai-ish that we can assume Wolf was being paid buckets as a high-prestige warrior. He also would have access to better food, including white rice; which, while already genetically modified through breeding by the Sengoku period, wouldn’t have looked like modern rice. Or maybe Wolf wasn’t enjoying the high life, because he dresses in rags compared to Genichiro and apparently didn’t know rice was supposed to be cooked.)

Knowing all that history about the Sengoku period, it’s almost silly to see candy consumables in-game, looking like they came right out of a bag of Werther’s Originals. The developers of Sekiro made many lengths to ensure everything was authentic, so why are the candies so modern-looking when they could instead have been a traditional Sengoku period sweet like something mochi-based, or agar (seaweed) jellies?

The lore behind the Sugars are that the evil Senpou monks were mass-producing these candies, and selling them all across Ashina to fund their crooked child experiments. They’re not just (presumably) tasty, they offer benefits to your health. That’s definitely in line with TCM culture, and gives us some inspiration for how to pursue replicating them.

One important note; the Sugars are some of the lesser consumables Wolf can use. Almost all other consumables are better, offering more powerful effects for a longer duration. So what if these candies were true to TCM and were mere treats infused with medicinal ingredients, only capable of giving you a small boost? Especially in comparison to the Divine Child’s rice, which would be like an Epi-Pen in this analogy.

But there’s even more depth to the consumables than that. Kuro gifts Wolf a ‘sweet rice ball’ at some point, which is almost certainly an Ohagi bun; made out of glutinous rice, red beans, and sugar, and its a traditional offering for the Buddhist observance of seasonal equinox. Eating it is sometimes said to bring protection. In order for Kuro to make Wolf this rice ball, you gotta give him some of that special rice from the Divine Child. Wolf offhandedly mentions that her rice is “sweet when you bite into it”, and Kuro realizes that Wolf has been eating these rice grains raw all this time, like the feral 5′5 goblin he is. Kuro vows to give his loyal protector something nice to eat, for once, and makes him three Ohagi dumplings.

The food of Sekiro is symbolic. The Divine Child is able to make rice out of thin air, like a deity of fertility. Kuro takes this divine rice, and his sweet rice ball is more powerful than the magical blessed Sugars because it was made with compassion. And eating Kuro’s lovingly-made rice ball reminds Wolf of once being fed a rice ball when he was young and starving, given to him by his assfuck of a father who’s compassion is heavily in question.

The Sugars are described as giving the eater a ‘benediction’ of power, and who knows what the translators were thinking, but the word choice reminds us of communion, and the flesh and blood of Christ. It’s not a true comparison; communion is about replicating and worshiping the Last Supper, reminding Christians about Jesus willingly dying cause humans are sinful. Consuming the ‘flesh and blood’ of Jesus in the form of bread and wine is very different than eating a candy apparently blessed by an ancient Japanese warrior. It’s not like communion wafers are supposed to empower you, or protect you.

Looking at the in-game image of each Sugar, you can see the likeness of a person behind it, likely the very warrior the Sugar is named after. We don’t know if these people actually had a hand in these Sugars, somehow transplanting their power into each individual candy, or if the monks just named the candies after them. Either way, the process of receiving the benefits of the Sugars isn’t just about crunching it between your teeth, Wolf also takes a moment to strike a‘warrior stances’, which, according to the descriptions, is a required detail to properly absorb the candy’s effects. Each Sugar has their own corresponding ‘stance’ that Wolf performs. It’s a weird detail, and raises even more questions about the Sugars, the monks, and the warriors behind the candy.

(Observant players will note that the five Headless boss enemies drop ‘spiritfalls’, each of which share names with the five Sugars, and offer upgraded versions of their corresponding Sugar; Ako’s Spiritfall is basically a better version of Ako’s Sugar, and so on. We can assume that the Headless are, in fact, the very same legendary warriors that powered the Sugars, especially since the game itself states that the Headless are undead remains of powerful individuals.)

True to FromSoftware tradition, details are included with purpose. And also at the same time, some details are just meant to be taken at face value. The various centipede-themed enemies in Sekiro are associated with kegare - spiritual defilement, death - explaining visually their willing abandonment from Buddhism. But there’s likely no lore explaining why Wolf can automatically hoover up all nearby enemy loot like a vacuum with the press of a button.

The inexplicable details of FromSoftware games are almost certainly because of gameplay convenience. Many characters are 9-10 feet tall for no reason, towering over Wolf, who’s already short to begin with. Lore-wise, it doesn’t make sense for so many completely human characters to be so gratuitously large. Gameplay-wise, it’s a lot easier to observe an enemy’s telegraphed movesets if their model is scaled up. Helpful, in a game like Sekiro.

The ‘stances’ of the Sugars might fall into both these categories. They exist for both gameplay and story reasons. The developers wanted a lag between consuming these powerups and being free to fight, so the player is forced to time these powerups carefully. You need to avoid enemies taking a free hit while Wolf’s animations are occupied. Then they storified this gameplay-based lag into a lore-based reason. Wolf has to take a ‘stance’ when eating these candies to receive its powers. For some reason.

I wasn’t able to further research the ‘stances’ Wolf strikes. Maybe they’re based off of known martial arts. But the description also offers some additional insight; according to the game, these Sugars contain ‘excess karma’ that is apparently the source of their power. Now, Buddhist karma doesn’t run in ‘excess’, a better choice of word would be ‘transfiguration’. One person can experience another’s karma through a variety of means.

“Bite the candy and take the Yashariku stance to impart its inhuman benediction.” In accordance with Buddhist folklore, these warriors are dead and imitating them can impart their previous life’s karma unto you. Our recipe won’t have magical karma powers, but we can certainly infuse our candies with medicinal herbs. You can just imagine the Senpou monks stirring up a big pot of sugar solution, and throwing in handfuls of dried Goji berries.

(This isn’t the first FromSoftware game that draws heavily from Buddhism. Dark Souls’ stagnant world of undeath is a rejection of Buddhist rebirth, clinging onto your legacy in a bid for immortality. Bloodborne decided to further explore the ‘time and madness’ angle of the same concept, while Sekiro went in the opposite direction to expand the ‘death and karma’ side.)

To make our Sugars; begin by first boiling the 1 cup of water with the corresponding flavor ingredients. Essentially, we’re making a batch of 10-20 candies with one flavor at a time, to make things easier on us. Ako’s Sugar requires you boil sliced ginger and dried lotus seeds, and so on.

After the water has been properly infused with the medicinal ingredients, strain the water and add it to another pot with the rest of the candy base ingredients, then boiling it all down until it reaches 300f. It’ll take a while, and you’ll notice that there’s gonna be a point where it seems like the temperature isn’t rising again. But keep at it; all the water needs to be boiled away. But the flavor will remain.

Once it reaches 300f, add the food coloring, and then keep boiling again until it reaches 310f. Then immediately take it off the heat and pour it into molds. Disk-shaped candy molds do exist, but you can easily make your own by pouring a lot of corn starch into a pan, then pressing a disk-shaped object (like another candy) into the starch to make indents. When you pour the candy mixture into a corn starch mold, you can use a spoon to gently and accurately fill each hole without distorting the powder. After perhaps three hours, the candies should be completely set and cool, and you can tumble away the powder and store the candies. Any mold method is gonna give the candies a flat side, but a true disk candy requires factory-standard molds that we don’t have.

We’re not using natural food colorings, ‘cause I tried my best to research natural alternatives that could retain their dye after boilings. And it was super hard, especially blue. Take it from me that Sekiro’s Sugars shouldn’t have been so brightly colored; intensely colored food did exist, but it was with things like powdered dried beets and matcha and pepper powder. Boiling these ingredients (rather than mixing it with dough or jelly) will change the colors drastically, sometimes completely bleaching it, or changing red to purple and so on.

As for the various medicinal ingredients; I took a gander in my mom’s soup-making cabinet and took stock of the medicinal herbs we ourselves use in our lives. The ones included in this recipe are some of the more commonly used ingredients of modern TCM.

Gokan’s Sugar, as a posture-retaining consumable, is described as a popular choice amongst shinobi hunters, a job that requires “a body with an unshakable core”. Ginger and lotus seeds are great for restoring energy through chi, a person’s lifeforce.

Ako’s Sugar raises your attack power. This candy actually proved one of the hardest to find medicines for, since, you know, most medicine is about preserving your health. Astragalus root increases energy and resistance to stress, and red cherries are a warming food according to TCM; warming meaning that its a yang property that further enhances your energy levels. (Keep in mind that food warmness-coolness is more about keeping those two in balance for optical health.)

Ungo’s Sugar reduces the amount of health Wolf loses. Very protection-centric, so we’re using ginseng, for longevity, and white peach slices for their heavy association with divinity. Both of these ingredients have some of the most well-known history in Asian food culture.

Yashariku’s Sugar is a double-edged sword, since it reduces both your health and posture so Wolf can be super powerful for a little bit. So you’re gonna add sake to the candy mixture around the 300f mark, and the dried cocklebur fruit is an immunity-boosting medicine ... but the plant is mildly toxic and can cause diarrhea. You know, Wolf gets super powerful and aggressive when taking this candy cause he needs to shit his brains out. Don’t worry; we’ve got this in our own pantry, and it personally doesn’t make my mom’s stomach upset, but it does me so it must range from person to person.

Gachiin’s Sugar makes you more stealthy, which I took to translate into ‘quieting your thoughts and emotions’. Like when you hold a baby and it can feel your own inner turmoil and starts to cry? Orange peel and goji berries restore your chi, your vision, an irregular heart rate, and stress.

Enjoy your candies! Pop them before tough situations like speaking before a big crowd, or having to wait in line at the DMV, or when you have to fight the Headless Ape for the first time. Tell your friends to stay away from the Senpou brand, so you don’t support their unethical practices.

[ironmandeficiency]

that’s not how those work

pairing: fives / reader

word count: 4124

summary: you’re a witch on an outer-rim planet that gifts fives with protection crystals to keep him safe when he leaves. you forgot to tell him how protection crystals work.

warnings: implied smut, shenanigans

a/n: shitpost prompt # 13, everyone!! i’m extremely excited to write this one bc i can’t get over the idea of just chucking a big ass hunk of rose quartz at a problem and making it just, ya know, stop being a problem. this quickly became a favorite of mine and i hope y’all enjoy my first attempt at writing for fives.

the battle was rough, as all battles seemed to be, but tonight the sweet taste of victory permeated through your village. the chief opened your home to your saviors, the men with almost identical faces, and dared their jedi to tell them no when a celebration was set to be held in their honor.

there was drinking and singing and dancing unlike anything you’d ever seen, every sensation only intensified by the mirth of the soldiers. it thrummed deep in your veins and set itself to the drumming of your heartbeat. you were never going to feel this euphoria again, so you believed it highly justified that your eyes lingered on the trooper that had saved you from a blaster shot to the chest earlier that day.

you’d met him while the defense strategies were still being planned, the day the republic forces arrived. his smile blazed hotter than the sun that burned the skin of the men in the harvest fields. he had eyes that were rich and held life like the fertile soil your people grew your food in. and his laugh? you’d never heard any song as sweet.

thoughts of him have had you enraptured since day one. he told you his name was fives, pointing to the number etched onto his golden skin with a smile, and the rest was history. every waking moment that wasn’t spent with everyday responsibilities was spent with each other. you swapped stories about your families and when he shared details of his dashing exploits as a soldier, you told him of the spells you cast and their sometimes ridiculous outcomes.

magic was never a circus trick to you. you took it seriously and it gave you a sense of pride as the strongest in the village. but the way his eyes gleamed with such joy at the idea of seeing real magic, how could you say no? so you found an unsuspecting newt and changed the pattern of its spots. the grin on fives’s face while you arranged them into a five to match his temple was one you’d never forget.

these memories and more were floating through your mind as you approached where he sat by one of the many bonfires built to accommodate for the several hundred guests. he was chatting with his brothers but the moment he spotted you, he forgot what he was supposed to be saying.

you had to have him under a spell, he reasoned. there was no way just looking at someone would take his words from him that efficiently, but alas. he paused halfway through his story and now had two pairs of eyes looking over him worriedly.

they followed his line of sight and their worry dissipated as quickly as it appeared. it was just you, the woman he was just talking about, the woman he hasn’t quit talking about since the first day they set foot on your planet. jesse and kix hadn’t met you in the tenday that the five-oh-first has been stationed in your home but they might as well have known you forever with the way fives has been rambling on about you.

jesse wordlessly shoves fives off the log he was sitting on and barely hides the laugh when he sees you grin at the action. fives, on any other day, would have smacked his brother upside the head for a stunt like that. the only thing that saved jesse from his fate was the way you smiled at him and offered him your hand to help him up.

he took it gratefully and relished in the electricity that buzzed through him where your skin touched his. you began to walk with him, looping your arm through his so casually it was like you’d been doing this for decades instead of days. fives had no idea where you were leading him but he would have followed you anywhere.

the walk was comfortably silent. days had been spent pouring out stories; it was nice to just bask in his presence next to you without needing to fill it with tales of derring-do and fond memories of the dirt you walked in.

arriving at your home was a bit of a rush, if you were completely honest with yourself. normally the only reason people walked through your doors was to enlist your skills for one task or another, some menial and others dire. now, however, opening your front door felt so excitingly different with fives next to you, the starlight bouncing off him in a way that only served to deepen his eyes and smooth his skin. this visitor wasn’t here to ask something of you, not here to take from you; he was here to give, and you were going to give him everything you had in return.

the door was barely shut when your lips crashed to his and his hands found their rightful place on your hips, pulling you closer to him. he was floating away on a cloud of bliss; the fact he was in your home and holding you and being held by you had the arc trooper drifting far from reality. a soft gasp left his mouth as you worked to remove his armor without lifting a finger from where your hands cupped his face, thumb stroking the stubble of his face.

it wasn’t until you guided him to your bed that he spoke of the way you soothed him, the way you’d been able to chase the nightmares away without even trying. you offered your own confessions in return, admitting that your dreams have consisted of brown eyes and a sly grin ever since that first night, and that you’ve never met anyone as strong and loyal and comforting.

you both found solace in each other’s arms, in the way your bodies melded together with the familiarity of your own mind. there were no barriers between you and no definite point as to where the boundaries of your separate bodies were. it was nothing like you’d ever known, would never know again. love was what it was, and although it was doomed to be distant from the moment you licked eyes, you vowed to yourself as you chanted his name that you would do everything you could to protect your soldier.

when you awoke, fives had an arm wrapped around your waist, his face buried into your neck. his body was hot against yours and you would have been happy never leaving your bed if it meant that you’d get to be held like this forever. but there was work to be done if you wanted to keep him safe.

“fives,” you whispered, rolling to face him. his groan was almost adorable as he nuzzled his face into your neck in protest of your movement. “fives, i’ve got a gift for you but i have to get up to get it.” another groan emitted from his throat as he tightened his arms around you, mumbling something incoherent about not wanting you to leave.

unwrapping him from you by sheer force wouldn’t have any effect on him, and you weren’t one to use your magic so frivolously, so you relented and let him hold you for a while longer. nearly an hour had passed before he kissed your collarbone, leaving the bed on his own volition. you took advantage of his absence and walked to your altar.

precious stones were one of the most common ways for your people to show their feelings and intentions with one another. each stone carried a different meaning, and picking a stone based on color alone could get one into quite the sticky situation if they didn’t know the intentions behind it.

fives’s status as an arc trooper meant that he often found himself in the thickest areas of the fight, on the riskiest missions with the minimum amount of backup. this man needed protection, and lots of it, if you were to judge by the scars you memorized the night before. he did what needed to be done in a fight at risk of his own life and constantly had to make decisions that could cost lives if they were wrong.

his role required an unshakable confidence and although you didn’t doubt his skills for a second, a little help wouldn’t hurt. plus it would make you feel better, knowing that he carried pieces of you wherever he traveled in the galaxy.

he returned to the room just as you picked out the stones he needed, walking up to you and resting his chin on your shoulder. only a fool would think he wasn’t observing everything around him and analyzing it; the soft smile on your face as you leaned into his touch, the meticulous arrangement of the altar in front of him, the concentration on your face as you seemed to be moving the stones around to compensate for some being removed. there was a reason behind it, just as there was a reason for everything you did.

his answer was given moments later as you led him back to your bed. the first thought that went through his head was continuing from last night, but you mentioned a gift. were you giving him a stone from your personal collection?

you told him of the significance of gifting stones not long after you met him. being given a stone directly from someone’s altar was one of the strongest displays of care for another person. all the signs pointed to that being what you meant by “gift” but part of him was trying to keep from being hopeful.

moving your legs to sit criss-cross on the bed, you open your hands that contained three stones that you believed were best suited to protect fives once he left the safety of your bed. his eyes met yours in a silent question of you think i’m worthy of this gift? and it took considerable amounts of willpower to not show him how worthy he was right then and there, gift be damned.

“i know you’ll be leaving soon, and i know it’s selfish but i don’t want you to forget me during your travels. these will help keep you safe and guide you in making the best decisions you can.”

his hands wrap around the amethyst tower first, running his fingers along the smooth faces and absurdly sharp edges and point. he spends a moment admiring it before meeting your eyes, a question on his lips. “you said before that the meanings of the stones were just as important as who you give them to. what does this one mean?”

you smiled, knowing he’d remember the importance of your words despite the casual tone you used. “amethyst is known for its ability to protect against negative energies and awaken its owner’s higher consciousness. it can guide you into making wiser decisions without having your emotions overtake logic.”

he hums at that, inspecting the tower a bit more before carefully resting it on your bedside table. his eyes catch the swirls of the malachite and you notice, moving to hand it to him as you answer the question you know is waiting on the tip of his tongue.

“this is malachite. it’s widely seen providing protective luck, like keeping you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. maker knows you need some of that.” you add the last bit as an afterthought and are thoroughly pleased at the laugh it brings from him. he follows the swirls and circle patterns as he turns the stone over in his hand, studying it to learn of the ways each part of it connects to each other. once he’s satisfied with his inspection, he sets it beside the amethyst.

“this last one is carnelian, the courage stone. it boosts the holder’s willpower. many say that it helps the holder trust their own judgement and find the confidence to do what’s right in the toughest situations.”

he doesn’t move for a long moment, which worries you. the stone is sitting in his palm and staring at him with unseen eyes.

fives can’t recall a time where he felt so cared for, so appreciated. it was clear that you had put extensive thought into the meanings, which didn’t surprise him in the least, but he was still trying to register that you did that for him. sitting there in front of him, that soft smile on your face that had him falling at your feet, it was clear that you expected nothing in return for your gift. but he still felt that he had to give something in return, to show you that he cared for you the same way you cared for him.

he left your bed speckled in lovebites and a vambrace lighter, but he was given so much more in exchange. he had your love and your protection, and that was enough for him.

weeks later he finds himself, alongside rex, jesse, and hardcase, captured by a separatist-aligned village. none of them could have told you how exactly they were captured so easily nor how they still weren’t free after three days.

they heard talk from their captors about a message sent to one of dooku’s goonies about having skywalker’s fist begging for mercy (a whole ass lie, rex hasn’t said a word to them since they were taken three days prior). soon these overheard tidbits involved a date of arrival for the people who would take them off the planet they were currently stationed on.

all four of them knew that if they left this planet, there was a large chance they wouldn’t be reuniting with the five-oh-first.

this was unacceptable and made fives desperate to break free. but how the hell was he supposed to do that?! he didn’t have anything that could cut through the ropes that bound him to his chair, and his ankles were tied to the legs of the chair so he couldn’t move his legs. the edges of his armor, if positioned in a certain manner and moved, possibly could have done something to help but it was in a convenient pile several feet away.

he shifts yet again, agitating the rope burn on his wrists from days of struggling, and hisses when he feels something pointy jab him in the thigh. in an unforeseen twist of fate, they had left his belt on. and attached to his belt was the leather pouch he kept his protection stones in.

he had an idea.

slowly but surely, he moved his fingers what little he could to grab at his kama and rotate his belt until his fingers met the leather pouch. he blindly untied the knot in the string keeping it closed and felt around for the amethyst tower.

“fives! what the kriff are you doing playin’ with your rocks?!”

“i’m gettin’ us outta here.”

twirling it in his fingers and hoping to the maker he doesn’t drop it, he begins to use the amethyst to saw through the rope. it’s long work and takes several minutes before the rope is thin enough for him to pull it apart from his wrists. it hurts like a bitch and he’s mildly concerned when he feels a damp spot in the rope. a sigh of relief escapes his lips when he regains movement in his arms, quickly bending down to free his legs and ankles.

“well kriff me with a z-6, it actually worked!”

“couldn’t you have thought about that, i don’t know, three days ago?!”

“knock it off jess, or i’ll leave your shebs here!” fives wasn’t going to leave him, everyone knew that, so the retort was taken with merely an eyeroll.

as the quartet gathered their armor and snuck out of the village, fives realized something: these protection crystals weren’t playing around.

a simple bout of surveillance, they said. they’re not going to have anyone posted at their “abandoned” outpost, they said. it’ll be in and out, they said.

they were a bunch of liars.

he was now -alongside echo and tup- running for his life through the most horribly laid-out building he’d ever been in with only vague recollections on how to get out through the darkness. the enemy voices seemed to be getting louder the farther they ran and it was infuriating. his lungs and legs told him that he was going his damndest but it still seemed like the enemy was getting the upper hand.

“the doors should be up ahead! but there’s one problem!” echo shouted over the chaos.

tup couldn’t believe his ears. “what could possibly be worse than this?!”

“even if we get to the doors, we’ll be shot before we can even open them!”

fives nodded in agreement as much as he could while in a mad sprint. that tiny detail did put a slight damper on their chances of escaping alive. but then again, echo was operating on the assumption that they had to stop to open the doors like a civilized person would. lucky for the three of them, fives could barely be considered civilized on his best days.

he brought a hand to his leather pouch and fished around for the malachite chunk with its intricate patterns and curious shape.

“what in the nine hells are you doing?! do you want to die here?!” tup shouted from beside him in frantic confusion. this was no time for fives to ogle his rock collection, they had to get out of here!

“echo! how far are we from the doors?!”

“a few hundred feet!”

“when we’re fifty feet out, turn on your lamp! i’ve got an idea!”

“this better not get us killed!”

fives would have turned on his own ages ago, but his had unfortunately been damaged on the way to the outpost (he tripped and hit his head on the trunk of one of the weirdest trees he’d ever seen, but if anyone asks he got punched). his feet pounded on the ground to the beat of his racing heart, hand loaded with what was about to be his and his brother’s saving grace.

his eyes were peeled, waiting for the moment echo’s headlamp flickered on and illuminated the doorway to the outside world. it felt like forever in those brief moments, but the moment the light flickered on it was like only seconds earlier he had fumbled for the stone.

it was divine intervention, or maybe it was the protective luck of the green stone he held in his hand. hell, it could have been some sort of protection you had put on him and the stone without him knowing. when he spotted the button that would guarantee his brothers’ safety and lobbed his malachite chunk at it, there was still part of him that doubted it would work.

but he heard a satisfying clink and a clatter, then saw the beginnings of a sunrise peek through the opening doors. echo nor tup could believe what just happened despite it happening right in front of his eyes. the sight of freedom, the closest to a guarantee for another day they’d had in hours, seemed to increase their already breakneck pace.

fives had no idea how it happened, but by some sheer force of luck (thanks malachite) he ended up kicking his stone ahead of them when they ran outside. gods he would have mourned his malachite if he had left it behind, but thankfully he didn’t have to. with the grace his training had blessed him with, he swooped down with one hand and snatched the stone from the ground without breaking his pace.

they didn’t stop running until they were on the outskirts of where they had set up camp, the trio collapsing to their knees when they heard familiar voices calling out their arrival. there was no telling how much longer they could have sprinted from that base high off the adrenaline of near death and awed disbelief, but the moment they felt the hands of brothers lifting them from the ground they were out like lights.

the first thing he registered was the near blinding pain in nearly every muscle of his body. everything was throbbing and tense, and oh how he could use a massage right about now. the second thing he noticed was the absence of his malachite in his fist. did he imagine picking it back up after opening the doors? was he going to have to explain to you how he lost one of your gifts the next time he saw you? he couldn’t think over an incessant beeping he couldn’t identify and-

“fives?... fives! hey, you’re okay, vod.” kix’s voice and comforting hand were soon bringing him back down.

“my malachite! where is it?!”

kix gave him a funny look about the fact the first thing he asks about is a rock, but obliges his brother’s question. “if you’re talking about the green one, it’s right here. looks like it got a little chip in it, though.” the relief on fives’s face perplexed the medic who was unsure as to how he would have chipped it in the first place when he was supposed to be in the middle of an op. he handed the rock to fives who familiarized himself once again with the shape of it, as if it were an old friend he was reuniting with after lost time.

“speaking of, what even happened out there? the last thing we hear from you is that the outpost was flooded with enemy forces, then next thing we know you’re all sprinting like mad men!”

“he’s a karking genius, that’s what!”

echo’s awake now and apparently cursing? as if that’s a thing he does regularly? and calling fives a genius? who was this man and what did he do with his batchmate?

without anyone egging him on, echo continues. “we’re runnin’ for our lives through th’ base, in near complete darkness, and i don’t think we’re gonna get out alive! we can’t get to the doors an’ stoppin’ to open ‘em would have gotten at least one of us shot, but then this bastard! this complete and utter bastard decides to throw one’a his rocks from his girlfriend at the button! and it works! the doors opened and we didn’t stop runnin’ till we got here!”

fives looked between kix and echo and back at kix again. “what kind of drugs did you give him?” kix’s reply was teetering between amusement and mild concern. “none, but i think he’ll be fine after some more sleep and food.”

“what’s this i hear about fives being a bastard?”

kix laughs at rex’s jab before moving to check on others that were in the medbay, knowing that he was subtly hinting that he wanted to speak to fives about the mission.

“just talked to tup,” rex began, taking a seat at the foot of fives’s cot. “he said that you wouldn’t have gotten out if it weren’t for your quick thinking but clocked out before i could get much more.”

fives chuckled at the image of tup falling asleep mid-sentence for a moment before rex continued. “based on what little he said, there was no way you were getting out of there. how did you do it?”

as he heard the story, rex was awed. this kind of thinking, the seat-of-your-pants strategies that saved the day when least expected to, it was exactly why he promoted him to arc trooper. he couldn’t help but feel a little proud. there was just one more question that’s been nagging at him since they were taken prisoner by the seppie civilians, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “what’s your deal with rocks these days?”

the grin that overtook the arc’s face was that of a lovesick loth-wolf pup.“i was given these protection crystals by a witch.” oh yes, fives’s cyare. rex remembers her well. “she didn’t tell me how to use them, but i seem to be getting the hang of it.”

before rex could give a reply, a loud bark of laughter was heard across the medbay.

“ey, what’s so funny?!”

“the way you’ve been using those crystals! that’s not how they work!” kix was now doubled over, holding his sides as if they were literally splitting. “oh stars, this shit’s priceless!”

“hey, kark it, asshole! it worked!” fives, in a brilliant moment of stupidity, decided to throw his malachite at the hysterical medic.

“oh, kriff! what was that for?!”

fives sat up and chuckled, whispering a humorous it worked! before kix was storming back to him, malachite in hand. oh shit, he was going to regret hitting kix with his rock later today, he just knew it.

[darkdevasofdestruction]

I don't want to be annoying, but are the orders open? I wanted to order a relationship headcanon based on Rapunzel! Reader's comment. But with Yasuo, Twitest Fate and Talon.

Yeah, requests are open, it says in the bio!

---YASUO

Yasuo finds his S/O as a literal angel, so cute and innocent, someone he must protect at any cost.

He will treasure you with every fiber of his being, that’s how much he loves you.

He feels so relaxed when he’s around you, which is so unusual for him as he is always overworking himself with training and trying to find out the person who framed him, so he could stop being a fugitive and possibly endangering you.

He just wants a normal life to spend with you and make you happy.

He finds it adorable when you paint and show him your hopes and dreams of adventure for when you were trapped inside the tower by your evil Step Mother.

Yasuo would take you on walks around Ionia and would stare at you with such adoration in his eyes when he sees you jumping in the bed of colourful flowers - 

It was such a beautiful sight that he’d pick up flowers, make a crown and put it on your head, telling you how you are the Spring Princess that captured his heart.

---TALON

Talon is more of a skeptical person, not really showing his emotions and how much he’d just want to hug you and never let go, but he’s just so shy and reserved that it will take a while until he hugs you out of his own volition.

Obviously, if you jump-hug him, he’s just gonna blush and accept your hug either way.  

He completely warms up to you when he comes home injured from a mission and sees you looking at him so worried, lowkey freaking out over the way he was losing blood-

And then you wrap your hair over his wound, start singing, and your hair suddenly stars glowing brighter than the Morning Star and his wound feels ticklish.

When you take your hair back, he is flabbergast seeing that his wound was no more, and looking up at you, seeing your shy smile, he just-

He puts his hands on your face, kisses you tenderly, before pulling away, blushing faintly, telling you that he loves you.

He may not be a man of many words, but that won’t stop him from showing you how much he loves you, and he vowed to himself to protect you no matter what the cost, even getting Katarina to promise to keep an eye on you if possible, which the girl was more than happy to, for the sake of her brother.

---TWISTED FATE

Tobias is a fun person, so he’d carry you on his shoulders or give you piggy back rides as he’d run around randomly or teleport to random pretty places, showing you the world and all its beauty, seeing that you were deprived of any freedom in the past.

He absolutely lives for when you use your incredibly long hair in such inventive ways, like a swing or climb around places.

It always makes him laugh at how cute you are, especially when you have that curious and mischievous glint in your eyes.

He would show you magic tricks to impress you because he loves you praising him so much, it makes him feel like he’s doing something good for once.

Of course, if anyone dares to try and harm you, all hell will break lose, because you’re his and nobody dares hurt his angelic S/O.

Even more, if he ever heard of your terrible Step Mother again, he’s gonna flip and do some real damage.

He would, from time to time, put his hat on your head, only to tip it over your head, because you’re adorable as hell when you pout, and his hat on you just makes him grin at the beautiful sight in front of him.

[moonlightmagus]

In her hand was a gentle card and a small note. It read, 

“...I am the son of the great King of Knights.

...I am the arrogant Treacherous Knight.

I am both, and both are myself.

But once I put this helmet on, I am neither of them.

I simply become a living being that you can see everywhere, worthlessly struggling for the right to live.

So just like those that draw their last breath, I guess I will perish like they did.

That's why I want to know, before I leave this world.

...Just who the hell was I?”

Familiar feelings rattled throughout her heart. Just who the hell was I? “Everything.” She answered softly. Her fingers gingerly clutched the card in her hands. She knew immediately who this belonged to, anyone would have known. “To a girl who was trapped, you were everything. A true Knight. Not so glamorous as a Prince, not so well known as a Treacherous Knight. No, in a moment you became a scared girl’s everything. You vowed to be hers, however she needed. To be her Loyal Knight, to save her from everything that could harm her. And you did. You still do! You fight on her behalf, you wave your sword and cut down those who dared harm her. You did your job, honored your vow, and to her you are magnificent. To her, you are just Mordred, the one whom she entrusts everything with.” Tears flowed from the Magus as she spoke, her voice faltering and waving even if her conviction did not.

 “She cannot speak on who you were, but she definitely screams who you are now. You are someone so very important. You held no obligations, there was no loyalty you owed her, nothing; And yet, and yet you did. Of your own volition you vowed to be her knight, you vowed to protect her. For what cost? There was no payment given to you, no mana was given, nothing. You were not her Servant, your oath tied to another, and that meant everything, to a girl who was broken and suffering. Mordred, you are a True Hero, a True Knight. Someone that girl will never forget.” 

[deans-haunted-baby]

The Last Rites

*So, many fans including myself were unhappy with Adam Milligan and Michael’s exits out of Supernatural. This is my fix-it or at least my interpretation of what happened after 15x19 and 15x20. Enjoy!*

Summery: Chuck now human is a bitter bin collector and part-time serial killer stalking his latest victim. Little does he know that the dynamic human vessel/archangel duo Michael and Adam have been stalking him.  

"Damn that Sam and Dean and that little brat for making me human! But I'll get the last laugh," he says as he makes his rounds and choosing his latest victim. Plotting all the terrible things he plans on doing to the Winchesters. “I’ll get them all for this!”

As Chuck follows this person out to their car in the middle of the night, knife in hand. All off a sudden he hears wings flapping and turns around in horror. His eyes bug out when he sees a figure standing before him in the shadows.

"W-who's there?"  

Michael/Adam step out of the darkness wearing a "surprise-bitch" look on their face: "Hello...father" by the darkness of his ton Chuck knows his son hadn't forgotten the last time they saw each other. By that lakeside where he'd killed him for helping the Winchesters.

"No i-its impossible... You're dead I killed you. You should be in the Empty."

Michael hesitantly shakes his head. "Not anymore."

"How?"

"Let's just say I made bail thanks to my nephew and Castiel as they needed my assistance in Heaven's rehabilitation. And I humbly obliged."

"Castiel? He's alive too?! And you're working for them?! Why? That little brat took my power!" Chuck screams in anguish. "NO you both should be suffering in the Empty for all eternity!"

Michael/Adam looks at his hands flexing them into fists. Recalling the last second he drew breath being smited by his father. Regretting his decision to ever forsake his duty for humanity for his father. And his anger burns like acid.

"After what you did to me the last time we spoke...all I've cherished was this moment," the archangel Prince darkly replies. Adam's soul quietly astral-projected is in the background roots on his buddy. "Jack and Castiel offered me a chance to atone myself for wrongly choosing you over that which I’ve swore an oath to protect. That I could leave the Empty and reclaim my throne in Heaven if I stayed on Earth and helped the Winchesters clean up your mess."  

Chuck glares "So you're their bitchboy now? Ha, pathetic." He chortled in his throat. "I always knew you were weak, Michael. Being in that cage all those years with Sam and Dean's forgotten little bro has made you soft."

Michael's cheeks throb angrily. But he maintains his restraint. "Oh I'm not doing this for them," he reveals; stepping a little closer to his father. Shoulders squared. "Being stuck on Earth is also my punishment. But I've accepted it...I deserve my fate...just as you deserve yours right now."

Chuck then scrutinizes his son suspiciously. Looking from the archangel's fists to the face of his vessel Adam.

"What so you're like an archangel superhero now?" He can't contain a laugh. "Wow those Winchesters must be really desperate to resort to sending you here instead of facing me themselves."

Michael shook his head. "As I've already stated...I'm not here for them, he says. "The one called Dean, my original sword, has already fallen in battle and has inherited his place in my nephew's paradise. And his brother Sam sought out his other brother Adam, my chosen vessel. They've been working together ever since."

"And that's when Jack sent you."

“Yes."

"Dammit!,” Chuck swears this wasn't suppose to happen. If he killed a Winchester in his story the other brother left alive was suppose to take his own life in grief. No this couldn't be happening. They changed his ending AGAIN. "THIS WASN'T THE ENDING I PLANNED! I DIDN'T WRITE THIS!"

Michael cocks his head sideways; basking in his father's frustration. It was music to his ears. Then he's serious; raising his hand and forwarding his palm in a power-up.

"Your reign if tyranny is over father. You will not be scribing another's fate ever again. Not while I'm around."

At that Chuck's face is ghostly white. "Wait, what are you doing?" He puts up his hands submissively. "I'm human now, you can't just smite me. I'm part of the humanity that I created for you to protect!"

"Oh you don't have any rights here," growls the archangel sternly. "You gave up those privileges when you chose to use your newfound humanity to blindly murder others. Your arrogance and hatred for mankind was your own undoing. And now your death shall be your punishment, father."

Chuck trembling now resorts to begging for his son's mercy. "Michael, wait son we can talk about this." He showcases a nervous smile. "We can still make this right."

"No we can't." Michael scoffs. "The centuries of my allegiance to you have also perished. And I've wanted nothing more than to watch you beg forgiveness as you draw your last breath."

"Wait please show your father mercy, my son! Please!"

"Like the mercy you demonstrated to me that day by the lake shore?"

Chuck nodded still keeping his hands up. Okay so Michael was still pissed about that. "Fine you're right that was a mistake. I should've never hurt you like that. I was wrong and I see that now."

Michael's expression is smug, giving a mild throat chuckle. Then his cold expression shifts into anguish. "I hate myself for ever believing in you and turning my back on humanity. I will never be able to forgive myself for making that choice. For allowing you, Lucifer and my devotion to you to manipulate me from doing what was right."

"This doesn't have to get ugly Michael, we can still talk this out." Chuck begs. “Come on, what do ya say?”

"No we're done talking father." Michael's eyes glow like silvery blue light.

Chuck back peddles "Wait j-just give me another chance. I can prove to you I'll change I will."

Michael chuckles darkly, "Like the chance you were about to give that civilian you were following just now? Or the others you’ve murdered since?"

He eyes the knife in his father's hand. Suddenly Chuck realizes this and impulsively drops it onto the pavement.

"No, this isn’t what it looks like. I-I wasn't going to hurt anyone else. I swear!"

"You'll never learn will you father," Michael shrugs apathetically. "It's a shame. You were given a gift by your own flesh and blood and you've squandered it."  

"WAIT MICHAEL, PLEASE LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THIS!"

No, no the archangel Prince was done talking. He'd said all he needed to say and with that throws Chuck's own last words to him right back in the short man's face.

"SAVE IT!" smiting him instantly on the spot. Blasting his father in a blinding light, erasing him from existence. When the dust settles Michael eases his tense shoulders releasing a sharp intake of breath.

Adam's projected soul then takes it upon himself to console his friend. Who is clearly bitter about destroying his own father even if he was an evil bastard.

"You did the right thing you know," the pre-med student/hunter in training reassures him. "Your dad would've killed that person if you hadn't intervened."

But Michael doesn't want to hear it. "I didn't do this for that person. I did it out of my own volition. I wanted my father to pay for what he'd done to me and my broken vow."

"It still doesn't change the fact that you saved someone tonight, Michael,” Adam insists. “And you proved that you can be better than Chuck ever was."

Michael frowns lowering his gaze to the ground melancholically.

"Or maybe I've just demonstrated that I am no better than him. I betrayed my sworn oath," the archangel squeezes his fist tightly. Putting all his anger into that hand. "And for that transgression alone I shall never be redeemed."

Adam recognizing the sadness in Michael's expression, throws his celestial pal a genuine smile, kneading his shoulder. "There's always redemption for all of us," he says gently. "I believe my brothers were capable of that, even if they never cared about me. Knowing you and even getting to know Sam has taught me so much more about myself, my family and what I'm meant to do with my life."

"What like being a hero?"

"Yah and it's kinda cool I get to kick some ass with an archangel."

"So, you want to honor your family. Despite what fate they'd left you to."

Adam shook his head. "Sam and Dean were far from perfect. I don't think I'll ever fully forgive them for what happened," he reveals. "BUT I think it changed me for the better. I got to become friends with Heavens MVP and I care about their cause now. They wanted to protect the world from evil and that's what I want to do. It's not about honoring the Winchester's legacy I want to do some good in this world. And you know what...I think you do too."

The archangel smiled to himself. "Well I did get some amusement out of watching my father squirm," He says lightly then adds. "Alright kid, you win. We shall continue our eternal quest for justice."

"Good, but we can continue that quest another night," the pre-med checks his wristwatch. "I gotta get some rest I have classes in the morning."

Michael scrutinized Adam. "You do know that you no longer require rest now that I've possessed this vessel or has that notion escaped you?"

“Oh yah I forgot," Adam laughs. "I guess I won't be needing sleep anytime soon then. Let's go home anyway I want to check out the bunker some more. Find any hidden passages or something."

"As you wish. I imagine your canine companion is also getting famished without us around to feed it."

A light bulb went off in his head. Right Sam and Dean's dog Miracle was in his care now. He loved that scruffy mutt even if he did drool a lot. Time to get home.  

"Miracle, okay we gotta get home stat!"

And with that Michael flew back to the bunker.