#[^ squinting at the floor]

[nyctrilite]

north star

[rsenak]

something something 'your coworker keeps mentioning there arent enough onions so you offer to get some the next time youre in a city. he tells you to get good ones but you realize too late that you have no idea whats the difference between a good and a bad onion'

this was a lot funnier in my mind before i spent 3 days working on it ._.

[aroaceleovaldez]

Nico and Percy's dynamic through the series is eternally funny to me, because it's just. like.

Percy's having a constant mental struggle between his fatal flaw of loyalty with a promise he made to Bianca to protect Nico, versus his Big 3 kid desire to maim other Big 3 kids / Poseidon descendant urge to totally maim Nico specifically. He hates Nico so so much. He thinks Nico's annoying and weird at best, and creepy/sketchy when he's older. The only positive thoughts Percy has towards Nico are "He's Bianca's brother and Bianca was my friend and I owe her/He's Hazel's brother and Hazel is my friend and would kill me if I was mean to him," "He's a powerful asset and useful ally (if questionable)," and "He's kinda pathetic and I feel maybe a little bad about it." Percy has multiple occasions throughout the series where he strongly considers - and on one occasionally actually goes through with - throttling Nico.

Meanwhile, Nico is following around Percy like a lost puppy. He explicitly can never bring himself to even dislike anything about Percy no matter how hard he tries. He has a whole bit in BoO where he's mentally going "UGH he's so stupid BUT IT'S ENDEARING HOW DARE HE." He's totally smitten. He's making deals with his dad for Percy. He's making convoluted plans to help Percy stand a chance against Kronos. During the entirety of BoTL it's like he's playing tsundere - "I'm helping NOT PERCY SPECIFICALLY with this quest! Me helping Percy would be SILLY because I DEFINITELY HATE HIM." Then he proceeds to show up to Percy's birthday party to basically ask him on a weird date and spend the entire next book scrambling around trying to help him or protect him or impress him. And Percy could not give less of a shit.

Just. That dynamic is so funny to me. Percy is the founder of the Nico Protection Club in that he's the one they're all protecting Nico from and meanwhile Nico is throwing himself at Percy to the point where the literal god of gay love calls him out on it.

[maesvtro]

wonwoo's maestro mv action practice sketch (aka how to fuel my actor wonwoo agenda)

[catsandcatci]

thinking about color symbolism in Star Wars.... thinking about beskar’gam colors.... how the 212th colors are called gold (vengeance) but are really visually more orange (freedom)... how to the jedi yellow/orange is traditionally the lightsaber color of sentinels, and may symbolize loyalty.....

[boobxrry0]

Ok rq Phainon theory/character dive. Includes 3.4 leaks and 3.3 spoilers btw

There is something about his e4 that just. Absolutely breaks me. It’s his eyes. They look so broken. So lonely.

Because he is. All of his friends—all of his family—they’re dead and/or unreachable. He feels as though he cannot lead Amphoreus to Era Nova. As stated in this note after 3.3’s story:

He is afraid. He is hesitant. He doesn’t wish to be in this spot. He is afraid he is not the right person, that this role of “Deliverer” will be the death of all Amphoreus. No matter how hard he tries, no matter how brave he seems, deep down he is truly, truly so afraid. Nervous. Anxious. He truly believes that someone else is fit for the role. It should have been Aglaea, or Mydeimos.

It’s not something new. He knew that from the beginning, ever since he met Aglaea with gracefully accepting Mnestia’s divinity, and when it truly set in when he failed Nikador’s trial, when Mydei took up the title of the Demigod of Strife. When he left to fight the Black Tide alone.

After Mydei left, he went alone in his room and cried. Not only because Mydeimos left, but because it’s starting to set in. He has to lead Amphoreus to Era Nova. After the vote was cast to continue the Flame-Chase Journey, he again went in his room and cried afterwards. He has to bear the weight of the world on his shoulders, alone. Is this how the previous cycle’s incarnation of Kephale felt? Did they feel alone? With the weight of their shoulders, do they feel truly alone? Did they hesitate? Did they feel as though they couldn’t do it—that they aren’t enough?

Or did they lead Amphoreus to victory with their head held high—brought back the light, fought the black tide and swept away the night to hold it off until the Chrysos Heirs of the next Era could begin the cycle again? Did they lead with pride? Honor? Strength? Are they looking upon him right now—scoffing? Rolling their eyes? Clicking their tongue? Cursing his name? Did he end up how Kephale wanted them to?

Why would he? He’s not even confident in himself. Yet he puts on this mask of fake pride and confidence. Of nonchalance. Despite his friends all dying around him.

He knows that death is inevitable along the path of the Flame-Chase Journey, but he wasn’t expecting so many losses of those closer to him all in a row. Aglaea. Castorice. Hyacine. Mydeimos. Trinnon.

Yet that’s what keeps him going—he knows that their eyes are on him. He knows they are watching him with hope. Lead us to Era Nova, Deliverer. I know you can do it.

But what if he can’t? What if the weight of the world is too much, he can’t control it—or even take over it?

No, he has to. For the sake of those counting on him. He’s wracked with insecurity, yet he choses to move forward. Even after all the chaos that just happened. He has to become the dawn. He will become the dawn, for the sake of his people. For his hometown. For Cyrene’s sake.

It’s just like when Mydei departed for Castrum Kremnos, he’s putting on a nonchalant front to ease the pain. Save his dignity. He looks so confident and nonchalant, yet deep down he is so, so broken. He is torn. He wants to put an end to the endless cycle of suffering. Over and over—we don’t know how many times this has happened, but it’s happened enough—too much.

Perhaps when the seemingly endless cycle ends, he will meet everyone again in the next life. Cyrene when he’s young. Aglaea as perhaps a tailor in the big city. Cifera caught stealing in the city. Castorice by a river. Anaxagoras as his professor at school once more, Hycinthia again as his student teacher. Mydeimos at the Kremnos Library. Perhaps all he wanted to do in this life is live a normal life, be a country boy who yearns for the big city. Be a reckless teenager. Find someone. Grow old and die with them.

But he can’t get that until tomorrow. Until Era Nova arrives, he will not get that. So he has to lead them to victory, and hope the Chrysos Heirs of tomorrow will realize sooner that it’s all just a cycle so they can put an end to it and live their lives out. Because right now, there is no turning back. Not until Tomorrow arrives.

[nanotomik]

[pdalicedraws]

Pulling your shirt on while hurrying downstairs? Really, Bal, do you want another concussion?

[first] [previous] [next]

[index]

[fisheito]

"I'm a healer but--" duo

[christiangeistdorfer]

ELIO DE ANGELIS, with his Lotus crew, including Technical Director GÉRARD DUCAROUGE, during the 1985 FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

[fisherrprince]

A silly! The Exarch plays claw machine

G’raha is expecting the summoning of the Warrior of Light to be… a far more reverent and atmospheric moment than it is. He had researched for years in the Crystal Tower, finally able to piece together an enchantment he knows is capable of summoning one across time, across the barriers between shards. It is a complex and perfectly charted cast upon which rides the hopes and survival of both the Source and the First, and all within it. 

So sue him, when a fully naked unconscious hyur falls out of the spell and practically launches a nutkin (he was unaware it was possible to bring a plus one) directly into his face, he may have yelped a little and dropped his staff onto his foot. 

Never before is he more glad he forbids the people of the Crystarium have unmonitored access to the Tower. When he finishes jumping around holding his paw like a child, he is still left with (the nutkin is gone, and he never finds it again) a very unclothed man on his floor who is not supposed to be here. This is not the Warrior of Light — last he checked, the Warrior was a Miqo’te, like he, with a constant dastardly smile and near-black fur that rusts in the sunlight and ever-so-slightly mismatched blue-green eyes that glow in the twilight. Last he checked, academically, anyways. 

The Hyur groans, shifting imperceptibly. The Crystal Exarch does not panic, though his ears do flatten under his hood. Instead, he very quickly removes a small layer of his cloak and covers the poor man, and prepares to explain what in the name of the Twelve is going on. 

-

G’raha tries again about a year later, ever aware of the rapid time dilation but utterly committed to getting it right this time and, unfortunately, completely spent from the first attempt’s burden on his aether. Thancred, luckily, does not hate him, but he does also have his own business nowadays, and so he is not available when the time to try again comes. Hopefully, he can get word out soon, and the Warrior can have him as a traveling companion. 

Would that the Exarch could fill that role. And, would that he did not need to come up with it. With renewed determination and twice the aether poured into the spell, G’raha attempts to harry the gates of time and pull to his side a legend. 

He misses again. And for his efforts, he gets two of the Warrior of Light’s companions, both, again, without clothes. 

He is. Going to have to figure out how to fix that. Perhaps it has to do with aetherological travel and the acknowledgement of one’s possessions as a part of them? How is he to pull over the whole of the person without any pictures of what they happen to be wearing that day…?

The Miqo’te woman wakes first, and immediately hisses when he speaks up, her fur ridges bristling. This bodes well. 

-

So we don’t need to — he fails again. And at this point it is getting a little frustrating, but at least this time he has a blanket ready.

The Elezen boy, sitting on the floor with the blanket meticulously and with no small amount of self-consciousness positioned so it covers him in a little tent, listens quietly to what G’raha has to say, his tail curled around his knees. 

For a mercy, he listens and considers the Exarch’s tale very carefully. Apparently, isolated as he was from information back in Eorzea, he had no idea the dizzy spells weren’t just from… lack of aether permeating sections of Garlemald. But, at least, the voice of the Call lends credence to his claims. And so he seems to accept it, and introduces himself as Alphinaud Leveilleur, heir of House Leveilleur and Scion of the Seventh Dawn. 

G’raha’s tail puffs a bit under his robes. Such historic titles! And such peaceful parley. He goes to offer his hand, but— um. Alphinaud doesn’t move from the floor to shake it, turtling in the blanket tent. 

Right! Right. The Exarch startles and runs off to get a pair of trousers. 

-

Undeterred, G’raha swears he will try again, and soon, it will not be another year before he finds Ch’ari Tia, he swears it!

…Well. At least the other Elezen girl arrives with her smalls. This does not deter her from cracking her fist against his crystalline ribs, which he’s sure hurts him more than it does her. His ears are ringing from her tirade — not a good time to summon her, she said. The Exarch feels old. 

-

The forest. 

The forest! Of Lakeland! WITH his clothes, thank the gods, but so far out of range! What if he were assaulted by a sin eater while unconscious?! Or harried by some — some, who knows what! A carnivorous plant?!

The Exarch sprints out the gates of the Crystarium, his old man bones protesting at activity he hasn’t done in literal moons. He gains a few looks from the residents as he passes — most amused, at which he can’t decide if he’s amused back or embarrassed — and finally slows to a halt when he realizes Lyna has stopped the Warrior at the gate, and done away with a stray sin eater (!!) like a sensible guard. Bless Lyna. May Lyna have the bounty of the heavens rain upon her. Wonderful grandchild. 

He is out of breath as he approaches, and attempts to gain it back — an effort which he quickly realizes is entirely in vain, as the Warrior of Light finally turns to regard him, suspicious and curious and his eyes flicking to and fro across the Exarch’s form as if he could find some secret solution or an answer hidden within. His clothing is loose and wrinkled — if Alisaie’s scolding was any indication, they must not have had the time to care for it. But, regardless, his fur shines with recent care, and he stands with the height of someone who means to ask questions, not someone out of their depth. One fang pokes through his lips as he examines his abductor. 

The Exarch is great at controlling his face. Fantastic at it. Even so, he smiles a touch without truly meaning to, full of relief and suddenly swamped with strong anticipatory jitters at the journey ahead, promising the Warrior that he will answer his questions back in the Ocular. 

Ch’ari tilts his head like a puppy, eyes boring into the space where G’raha’s remain concealed. He follows, though — tail swaying, steps quiet, gazing at the purple foliage with silent wonder. 

…

Damn his spellcasting making such an exception as this one. 

[dr-ivana-robotnikova]

ive finally gotten a body to come check out what it is you’re doing over here

-🐭

Aargh?!!!

Oh, it's you, you startled me! How did you find me here???

[jam-and-jellyfish]

I may be a nerd but I wasn’t the one who baked cookies based on my current interests

That was all @existing-is-bothersome

(Even if was a attempt to prove they are superior to me in the kitchen)

[the-grinding-cogs]

Were you at least able to finish your project before you were kidnapped back to your room?

No. I’ll have to finish it another time.

[skyward-floored]

alttp zelinkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

HECK YEAH

I love them your honor

[bluminescent-moon]

yes, i'll crawl around on my hands and knees if you tell me to, but could you at least set down a blanket? i'm a pet, not an animal.