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elfboyeros · 1 year

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The Bridgehidien Ball

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@lerenee @jj-pines @karaboutmyart

"What?"

"The Bridgehidien Ball," Georgia replied, across one of the circular cafeteria tables, "Are you going?"

"I don't know what that is," Rowan replied.

Georgia looked at them with wide eyes.

"You live with Indigo Bookstone freaking Corals, how do you not know?" the seer replied.

"Indigo isn't fond of social events," Maverick remarked, "and Indigo isn't—"

"Do not dis my woman, Ricky," Georgia growled.

"I'm still not being told what the Bridgehidien Ball is," Rowan retorted, looking at their new friends around the table as Georgia and Maverick began to argue.

"The ball is like an American prom," Elias commented, "It goes back to old tradition, the custom brings everyone together at the beginning of the new year, while also throwing a grand party for the lady Bridgehid."

"American prom," Rowan muttered, thinking of all the American teen movies they watched as a little kid.

"So, are you gonna go?" Georgia asked again, "It's this Friday, everyone is invited. Please say you're going."

"I..." Rowan thought for a moment, it would be fun spending time with Georgia, Maverick, Elias, and maybe even Nemo, "I don't have anything to wear."

"It isn't until Friday night," Georgia replied, "We can go out Friday morning and get you something to wear."

"That does sound like fun," Rowan said optimistically, before remembering that they would probably have to ask Indigo for permission.

The week went on quietly, ending on Thursday evening.

Rowan looked for Indigo in her home library. "Indigo?" Rowan questioned, trying to find her in the maze of bookshelves.

"Yes?" she responded, poking her head around one of the shelves.

"Could I go out with Georgia tomorrow?" Rowan asked, "...I wanna go to the Bridghidien Ball, but I don't have anything to wear, so she's gonna help me find something."

Indigo nodded, "You can go. Just be safe," she replied, as she continued to put a stack of books back on the shelf.

"Wow."

"Quoi?"

"I didn't expect that to go so smoothly," Rowan admitted, "I've been anxious about asking to go all week."

"You're sixteen, jellyfish," Indigo chuckled, "You're allowed to go places and have fun. Georgia, Elias, and Maverick are your friends, aren't they? If you want to hang out with them, you can. I just have to know where you are, or where you all are going, and as long as you're back by 22:30 at the latest, I am unbothered."

There was a slight pause, "Thanks," Rowan replied, "I think I'm still getting used to not being at Oceanside."

"I mean you've only been here for a month," Indigo added.

"Yeah," they sighed as they leaned against the closest bookshelf, "It's also weird to have friends."

"Having friends is... different," the mage agreed, "especially when they seem to pop up out of the thin air."

"I never thought I would like being around people this much."

Indigo smiled to herself, "It's like that," she began, "There are those certain people that you click with almost instantly. Those people you won't mind spending the rest of your days with, even though you hadn't wanted to before. Your mother said something like: "You'll find your people whether you like or not, and even if you didn't want to find your people in the first place," she told me that when I asked her to leave me alone when we first met."

Rowan smiled, "You make her seem like Georgia."

"In the way of making friends, she was like Georgia, although your mother wanted to befriend the kids that were not exactly the social type. Georgia however wants to befriend the world."

"Thank you," the teen remarked.

"For what?" Indigo asked in confusion, looking toward Rowan who was now standing away from the shelf.

"For letting me go out tomorrow," they answered, Indigo opened her mouth to reply but Rowan quickly interjected, "and for telling me about my mom."

The French mage closed her mouth for a moment before speaking, "Of course."

Georgia and Rowan agreed to meet at a little boutique in the center of town the next morning, an hour after the shop opened. The shops in the Marquisian town center had a European aesthetic, Rowan thought about the nation they stood in as they waited for their friend.

Marquis Island is an island in the North Sea, with a close relationship to its nearest neighbor, Denmark, and is of fair size, but not nearly as large as Great Britain and some of the other European countries. Though it is part of the EU it is a nation all its own. The nation actually only had two cities, if you can even call them that, one on the East and the other on the West (the west being the "capital" which its royalty and government are and the East where Bridgehid resides). It is sort of funny how the island is seen as a refuge, much of the country is a melting pot of -mostly- Europeans that have stories of leaving their old lives behind for something new, in the quiet whimsical land of fae, sorcerers, and magic.

"Rowan!" Georgia called loudly, snapping the young teen out of their thoughts, "Sorry I'm late. I was on the phone with my bebia, so I lost track of time."

"Bebia?" Rowan questioned.

"... It means grandmother in Georgian."

Rowan nodded, before following Georgia into the boutique. The pair greet the employees.

"Do you want something in pink, since it's your favorite color?" the seer asked as the two of them began to browse the racks of clothing, "You want something with a skirt or pants?"

"Since my hair is pink, I don't like wearing pink clothes," Rowan answered, "...I would rather not wear a dress."

"Alright, to the masculine section!" Georgia remarked with vigor.

The two friends spent a while in the shop perusing the men's section.

Georgia pulled many garments to get Rowan's opinion, which was mostly a shrug and a head tilt to the side. They came across a dull green suit jacket and high-waisted matching pants.

"Georgia," they verbalized, holding up the ensemble, "...What do you think about this?"

"This is really cute!" she proclaimed, "You just need an undershirt."

Rowan nodded in agreement, before wandering around the store a little while longer. They went with Georgia while she went into the feminine section.

Georgia was looking for a dress that was formal enough for the ball but fitting with her personality. While she found a light orange gown with flower detailing on the sleeves, bodice, and hem, Rowan found a lace undershirt.

Happy with the clothes the both of them had picked, they decided to pick a few accessories.

Rowan grabbed a pair of shoes before paying for their items.

Afterwards the two stopped at a café after having a late lunch together, then they both headed to Indigo and Calvin's place to get ready for the night ahead.

"I'm back!" Rowan shouted, taking off their shoes at the door and slipping on some home slippers.

"Is Georgia with you?" Indigo called, from the kitchen.

"Yeah!" Rowan declared, looking over at their friend who had those magical stairs in her eyes, like she had in magic class, clearly marveling at the home she was in.

"Did you two have a nice day out?" the Frenchwoman asked while walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. She was dressed in a robe with her hair wrapped up in a towel.

Rowan started heading towards their room with Georgia following slowly behind.

"Yeah, I was surprised that I found stuff I like," the teen answered, motioning to the shopping bag in their hand.

"Merveilleux!" Indigo remarked, turning her gaze to Georgia who was still in awe of the mage's home.

"Your home is beautiful," Georgia complimented.

The mage professor smiled, which was basically a shot in Georgia's heart, it was very obvious who Georgia looked up to.

"We should go get ready if we want to meet Elias to take pictures together," Rowan remarked, as the Georgian seer was still in admiration of the woman in front of her.

"Right," she squeaked out, following Rowan down the hallway to their room with a skip in her step.

"Okay!" Georgia uttered in a confident stance turning from the pile of items on Rowan's bed, "No makeup, light makeup, a lot of makeup?"

"Uhm... light makeup," Rowan replied, sitting in their desk chair.

The teen artist pulled out a few pallets and cosmetic bags sitting them on the desk before beginning to work, "I never thought I would be in Indigo's house, like ever," Georgia commented, with a soft smile.

"You look up to her," Rowan stated.

Georgia nodded, "My family moved here when I was little, and there was a day the whole family went on a shopping trip in the town square," she explained, "And of course because I was little, I got lost. I touched some random guy by accident and -because I'm a seer- I froze. I saw stuff I didn't need or want to see. And of course, the guy I touched wasn't genuinely nice. Just imagine little Georgia in the town square being stared down by a large ass man with a really mean look on his face. He was about to punch me, a literal child. Then she popped up out of nowhere – Can you close your eyes, please?

Rowan stayed silent, wishing for the girl putting the pigment on their eyelid to continue, "She was this goddess-like being in my child brain, this woman that appeared from the heavens to save a small Georgian child," she continued while continuing to do the pink haired teen's make-up, "...And then seeing her in action! Her talents go beyond controlling the elements, obviously, but Indigo punches and kicks grown men in the face. When it was over, I was awe-struck, and couldn't stop thinking of the mage with the turquoise & lavender hair, and her handsome knight with the épée. Just because they were so cool!"

"Do Indigo and Calvin remember you?" Rowan asked curiously.

"Calvin doesn't, he only knows me as Maverick's friend and my older sibling's little sister," the seer answered, "Indigo does, I've been trying to become her apprentice for the past year!"

"She won't let you?"

"...Not through the college, if I would have become her apprentice – open your lips a little. I could have gotten into some of the college classes early, but every time I've asked, her answer was always no. Now that I'm actually at the college, I haven't gotten the chance to ask her."

"Maybe the answer will be different," Rowan commented, hopeful for their friend.

"Me too. Okay I'm done, look!"

Rowan looked in the mirror that sat on their desk, seeing the light and natural make-up upon their face, "I like it," they commented.

"Yay!" Georgia exclaimed, and started going to grab her gown, accessories, and make-up bag, "I'm gonna get ready in the bathroom, then we can go meet up with Elias."

Rowan nodded while continuing to stare at themselves in their little desk mirror as the Georgian seer left the room, only to start pulling their items out of their shopping bags a few moments later.

They took out their braids, after putting on the lace shirt, dull green slacks, and suit jacket. Layering two belts on their waist, and slipping on their new dark dress shoes, they were satisfied. Well, satisfied after just slicking back their hair to get it out of their face.

"What do you think?" Georgia asked, reentering the room, and spinning around in her peach-colored gown with the flower details. Her face was covered in orange, yellow, and gold make-up, "You look great!"

"You look really cute," Rowan complimented.

"Alright, let's go meet Elias!" Georgia declared, before the pair left the bedroom.

"Oh hi, Mr. Bookstone," she remarked as she saw Calvin walking down the other side of the hallway, heading to his bedroom.

"Don't call me that," Calvin chuckled, waving, "You two look nice."

The two of them thanked him as they passed each other.

"Be safe and have fun tonight!" Calvin encouraged as the teens left for the front door.

The two of them met up with Elias on the college campus and aided the photographer in one of his favorite pastimes before entering one of the great halls for merrymaking. They met up with Maverick in the process.

The rounded ivory walls and marble brown floors, the room is full of many people in ornate gowns and suits. Everyone was pleasantly enjoying themselves with the food and drink provided.

Maverick seemed to be looking for Nemo.

"Nemo is..." Elias searched the sea of people before seeing the ravenette speaking to his tutor, "over there, Mave."

Maverick nodded, waving to his friends before linking up with his boyfriend, as Nemo and Sloan (along with Casper, because he and Sloan are never separated) went their separate ways.

"Woah!" Georgia exclaimed as her eyes locked on Indigo and Calvin when they walked into the ballroom.

Indigo wore an emerald gown; her hair was worn up messily. Calvin was in all black from his shoes to his open front shirt.

"...I wonder how he got that scar," Elias muttered, calling attention to the large scar on Calvin's chest that happened to be on full display, to which Georgia and Rowan shrugged.

"Am I going to get a dance out of you tonight, love?" Sloan inquired, catching Indigo's attention as she stepped aside to talk to others in the ballroom.

"Possibly, dear, but not at the moment," Indigo countered.

"What about me?" Casper asked with his hands, which made the mage smile.

"Of course, lead the way!" she responded before he took her hand and began to lead her to the dance floor.

"I'm stealing your husband," she mouthed jokingly to Sloan, before being led away.

"Do you want to dance with me, Sloan?" Calvin asked.

"I would rather not," the alchemist professor sighed into his drink, "Plus, you and I have nothing to discuss."

"Fair enough," Calvin chuckled.

The night was full of life, full of dancing, adults drinking, having fun with friends, and eating small finger foods.

While Georgia was off speaking to some of her friends from the art club, and Maverick and Nemo were dancing, Elias and Rowan were off to the side.

Rowan was trying to catch their breath from all the dancing with Georgia, and Elias was looking through his camera.

"Uh... hey," he uttered, catching Rowan's attention, "y-you look really nice."

"Thanks," they spoke with a kind smile. They stared at him trying to take in his appearance: dressed androgynously in cream and white. His outfit was formal, yet simple, with his pearl necklace around his neck, "You look really nice too."

Elias blushed at their compliment before something caught his eye.

"Huh, I wonder what Percy is marching towards," he observed, watching their biology professor move across the ballroom floor.

"I have no idea," Rowan replied, "She looks pissed."

"She always looks pissed," he commented.

Percy stopped beside Indigo, who was on her own for the moment sipping on alcohol, "Corals, we need to talk."

"Ah, hello Percival, how is the year going for you?" Indigo asked, giving Percy a small glance, "You look very nice."

"Your ward shouldn't be in my class!" Percy declared, after rolling her eyes at the mage.

"Why?"

"They are too smart for my class, Indigo!"

Indigo sat her empty glass on a nearby table before turning to Percy, "Aren't you the one that always says that you don't care why students take your classes? And you also often state that your Biology 130 class is the easiest class a student will ever take here."

Percy opened and closed their mouth, "That's not my point. You have seen your ward's testing scores, just like I have. They should be in more high-level classes, so they could be challenged while being educated. ...They already know what I am teaching!"

"I see that being easier on you, you know their work will be perfect every time," Indigo retorted, clearly done with the conversation.

"Your ward—"

"Their name is Rowan," Indigo pronounced with narrow eyes.

"Rowan should be in my organic chemistry class," Percy offered.

"They don't like organic chemistry, they tried taking it before graduating primary school, they barely passed," the mage informed.

"That exactly my point, I—"

"Then talk to Rowan about it," Indigo sighed, making eye contact with Percy.

"You already have, and they said no, and you want me to make them do it," Percy gave a small nod in agreement, "Look, Percival, I have too much to worry about right now, I'm not going to make Rowan do something they don't want to do. Really, if I had things my way, they wouldn't even be here. But here we are, so I'm letting them do as they please."

Indigo looked out at the dance floor.

Georgia and Elias had an impromptu dancing session while Rowan and Maverick watched laughing (Nemo was watching his brother too, although he was not laughing, but smiling slightly).

"And right now, that's what they should be focused on," she ended her remarks with a soft smile.

"When did you become motherly?" Percy scoffed.

"Why are you still so rude?" Indigo retorted with a smirk.

Percy had a retort in the chamber but didn't get to say it as Calvin approached.

"Do you mind if I steal Indigo away for a moment?" he asked politely.

"She's your wife, do whatever you want," Percy scoffed, "We were done."

"Have a nice night, Percival," Indigo said as Calvin began to lead her away by hand.

"You look very nice, by the way, Percy," Calvin called, with his signature smile.

He led her out to the balcony of the dance hall, the night sky a shade of dark blue, the full moon shining on the garden, full of winter plants in full bloom below.

"It's been a while since we've been out here," Indigo commented.

"Seven years," Calvin replied.

"Goddess, we've been married for seven years," she sighed as Calvin turned to face her, "and I did nothing for our anniversary, I'm sorry."

The healer smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear, "It's alright."

"Non, it's not—"

"Indigo, you're enough," he said abruptly, but softly, "We've been busy, it's alright, you're always enough."

She sighed, rubbing her face, "...I feel like I'm falling apart," she admitted.

"I'll catch you, don't worry," Calvin pulled her close to him. Her new height, thanks to her heels, allowed her face to fit perfectly in the crook of his neck, "Dance with me?"

"Of course."

Back in the ballroom Rowan was still enjoying the company of friends.

Until a man with mint hair, covered in scars, and one golden eye loomed, dressed in a satin metallic green dress shirt and a pair of slacks approached them.

"Rowan King?" he asked, his voice was an odd "normal" compared to his appearance.

"That's me," Rowan responded.

The man stared at them. Their friends looked at him, seeming intrigued.

"Come with me for a moment," the man said firmly.

Rowan looked around the ballroom attempting to find Indigo or Calvin, to no avail, before nodding and following the man to wherever he wanted them to go.

"Who was that?" Georgia asked her friends.

Elias shrugged.

"It looks like the guy that hangs around Duke," Nemo answered.

"The Necromancer," Maverick sighed.

The mint haired man led Rowan to Duke, who had hidden himself in the hall around a group of people all laughing and interacting with one another like the highest of aristocrats.

"Ah, thank you, Neon," Duke thanked, making eye contact with the man Rowan had followed.

Neon passed Duke to sulk in the group of people who were in a corner.

"Hello, Rowan. How have your studies been going?"

"Good," Rowan replied, now being stared at by a group of my ten or so adults, who had stopped loudly snickering with each other and begun speaking in whispers.

"I assume you are having fun tonight."

Rowan nodded, feeling extremely uncomfortable from all the eyes on them.

"I'm surprised Indigo is letting you be so free," Duke commented, "although I assume she doesn't keep an eye on you for long."

There was something about his tone when mentioning Indigo, it was clear he's not a fan, even though he is the one who brought her up.

"Indigo and Calvin treat me almost like an adult, they give me a curfew and keep track of my whereabouts, but I am allowed to be a normal teenager," Rowan commented, hoping that their reply would not continue the conversation for an extended period.

"It shocks me, she hasn't locked you away like she threatened," he scoffed into the glass of whatever he was drinking.

"Pardon?"

"After your mother died," Duke let out a laugh, "Indigo and I got into many arguments, all about your well-being, because simply, Esma was gone."

His flippant way of talking about the deceased huntress, when she's only been spoken about with admiration, is jarring.

"I remember Indigo once said that she was going to keep you away from me, far away actually," he added, "and yet here you are."

Rowan said nothing as the headmaster continued to speak, "She and Sloan think I killed Esma, you know."

"Killed?" Rowan asked quietly.

"And it wouldn't be shocking if they think I caused your father's mysterious illness... which I didn't."

"My... father..."

"Oh, do you not know Jacob?" Duke asked with this smirk that seemed unnatural, and with such an offhanded tone, that clearly showed he had no respect from anyone but himself if that.

Rowan froze.

"Indigo and Sloan should know just because it happens in my college doesn't mean I am the reason it happened, even if it is the death of loved ones," Duke continued, "I hope the best for you, I really do, and I also hope that you didn't inherit your father's weak immune system. Despite what everyone says, you look just like your father, not your mother."

The words were so insignificant, but why didn't Rowan remember their father, this Jacob, who was he? What illness did he have? And Esma! Sloan and Indigo thought she was murdered by Duke. Was this the college negligence Sloan was talking about? What the hell was going on?!

"Let's hope you'll even live longer than they did," was the last thing they remembered him saying, before Rowan disassociated and walked away from him.

"Rowan! Rowan! Are you okay?" Sloan asked in great concern, grabbing their shoulders.

They were no longer standing in front of Duke and his group of his corner people, but now in the middle of the ballroom, seeming dazed and zombie-like, tears perched on their waterline.

"I need... I need Indigo," was all they could muster.

Sloan looked over at Percy, who he had been talking to before he spotted Rowan in the middle of the dance hall.

"I think Calvin took her out to the balcony," the biology professor replied, a hint of worry in her voice.

Rowan followed them out to the terrace, catching Indigo and Calvin mid-kiss before the waterworks started and they broke down.

"Indigo!" they cried, snapping Indigo and Calvin out their romantic gaze.

"Goddess, Rowan, what's wrong?" Indigo asked, rushing over to them.

"Du-Du-Duke talked about my mom," they heaved, hot tears streaming down their face, "He-he-he said you a-an-an-and Sloan think he murdered her."

Indigo was becoming irate, "He mentioned my dad, and he—"

"Bastard," the mage scoffed, before letting go of their arms and marching back into the room.

Rowan couldn't hold themself up in their current state, thankfully, Calvin was present to catch them.

"Woah, woah, woah, I gotcha you kid," he remarked catching them mid-fall, "I've got you."

Indigo's dark colored heels loudly clicked against the marble floor as she stomped her way over to Duke.

She found him in his corner with all his "followers" around him in a circle as he stood in the middle. She pushed her way through all of the people and smacked the smug dean in the face.

"YOU INSENSITIVE BASTARD!"

"Good eveni—"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BRING UP JACOB!" she screamed, pushing her finger in his chest, "You've been cursing Esma's name for years, and despite our better judgment Sloan and I have let you, but bringing Jacob into this melodrama when he has nothing to do with it is a low blow. You only did it to get under my skin and make an orphan cry!"

"Angel, let's go," Calvin called, Rowan in his arms. Georgia, Elias, and Maverick running up to him to see what was wrong.

"Is Rowan, okay?" Georgia asked.

"Is there anything we can do?" Maverick questioned.

The healer didn't reply, as everyone continued to listen to Indigo rant loudly.

"I don't just think you are a murderer; I know you are! You hide behind falsehoods to disguise whatever the hell you are actually doing. You are ruining the lives of those that have the displeasure of being in the same room as you."

"And you!" she turned her rage toward that mint haired man that led Rowan to him in the first place, "You just enjoy watching other people's suffering! Is this your revenge? For surpassing you? You old parasitic fu—"

"INDIGO!" Calvin yelled; his voice so loud that it bounced off the walls. He sounded angry, but not at her, no, he was mad at the situation.

Indigo's mouth shut as soon as he screamed her name.

She stared at Duke with so much wrath and heat, while he stood there with a small smirk on his face, his left cheek bright red.

She turned on her heels, and left following her husband, feeling defeated, like she had just lost some game that she didn't know she was playing in the first place.

"What do you think happened?" Georgia asked her male friends as they sat on the college dorm backsteps under the night sky.

After leaving the event not too long after the mage professor, her husband and their friend took leave.

Nemo, a few steps below her, blue smoke from a vape pen he wasn't supposed to have, before sighing, "Indigo mentioned Sloan and they both don't like Duke, so maybe she finally just snapped?"

"Even Calvin was mad," Maverick added, sitting beside the alchemist in training, hugging his legs, "so it has to be deeper than just Indigo not liking Duke."

Elias shrugged beside the young seer, looking up at the stars, "I just hope Rowan is okay."

Georgia, Maverick, and even Nemo all nodded.

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aromancy · 4 years

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I Freaking Love Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Have I ever mentioned this before? I feel like I’ve only ever reblogged a few posts about it.

Well, for the record, I freaking love Xenoblade Chronicles 2. A long time ago, back in like 2014 (God, has it already been SEVEN YEARS since 2014?), I saw this one anime, Clannad, that I henceforth dubbed my second favorite anime of all time. I didn’t know what my favorite anime was (I knew it wasn’t Clannad; that show is heartbreaking, but it’s also REALLY confusing), so I just left the spot open until I found it.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is it.

Now, granted, it might be a little weird to say that a video game is my favorite anime. But screw it, those cutscenes were animated in Japan by Japanese creators, weren’t they? Besides, while the game itself is a ton of fun, anyone who loves XBC2 can testify that it’s the story that truly sells it.

Not to say the gameplay isn’t fun. It’s a little hostile to new players, and the glut of tutorials do a poor job of explaining the intricacies of combat, but once you get it it becomes a glorious, beautiful dance that flows like... like something really glorious and beautiful! A ballet dancer? A ballet dancer with an oversized cannon.

(Azami kicks ass btw. Don’t @ me.)

I’m aromantic and can’t feel true love, but I imagine the feeling of stacking eight elemental orbs on a boss monster before shattering them all with a last-minute Overkill is something akin to it.

But again, the combat, amazing as it is, isn’t what you’re there for. What you’re there for is the story. And what a story it is: what starts out as a pretty typical RPG setup (heroes have somewhere they need to go, a complex series of obstacles stands in their way) slowly morphs into a contemplation on mental health and futility. Rex’s number two and main love interest Pyra is pretty clearly suffering from some self-esteem issues that make her question if she’s even worth being loved, and Rex is eventually forced to come to terms with the fact that his lifelong dream is ultimately just that; a dream, with no chance of ever coming true.

Naturally, it’s an anime, so the ending isn’t quite such a downer and perhaps a slight Deus Ex Machina, but we get some pretty hardcore moments along the way, like the scene where all your allies turn on you and you have to fight them one-on-one and it’s actually one of the hardest fights in the game and you really start to feel Rex’s desperation as he’s forced to do one of the hardest things he’s ever had to-

Sorry, I’m sorry, I’m good. Let’s talk characters.

Technically speaking, there’s ten main characters; five Drivers (who awaken Blades) and their Blades (a sort of slave race with serious ethical ramifications we’ll get into a bit later). Our lead is Rex, a salvager (he gathers scraps from ancient tech that sank below the sea and sells them) with the most outrageous Yorkshire accent I’ve ever heard. Kid sounds like the love child of Ed Sheeran, Dame Judy Dench, and a flat cap. His main companion is Pyra, an Aegis (one of the two strongest Blades in the world) who I really wish would put on a sweater so people will stop saying I only like this game because of the outfits they put all the female characters in.

(My favorite outfit in the game: catgirl Pyra)

Joining Rex and Pyra are Nia (an actual catgirl with a Welsh accent that puts Rex’s Yorkshire one to shame) and Dromarch (her lion Blade); Morag (a badass soldier lady) and Bridghid (her equally badass fire-whip using Blade); Zeke (comic relief with a surprisingly deep backstory) and Pandoria (the most underappreciated character in the game), and... ugh... Tora and Poppi.

(Pictured: Team Tora at 99% likeability)

(Pictured: Team Tora at 100% likeability.)

Seriously, I don’t know how a piece of garbage character like Tora literally built the most interesting, engaging, and likeable character in the whole game. Poppi is fantastic, a philosophical question of can robots feel, and are they truly alive, that really gives the question its due with an ambiguous nature that lifts our spirits with a resounding yes. And Tora is a comic relief pervert.

Ah, I can’t give him too much crap. He gets better. They all do; Nia’s backstory reveal is really late in the game for how early she’s introduced, but it’s well worth the wait; Zeke and Pandoria actually have one of the most fascinating backstories in the whole game; and Morag’s there too!

She’s kinda shafted. Too bad, because what little we get of her fucking rules.

But what good are main characters without some high quality villains? There’s two major factions that stand in our way, but as talking about one would be HUGE spoilers, let’s instead look at the less spoiler-y one: Torna!

When we’re first introduced to Torna, they seem like the most obvious freaking villains in gaming history. Look at Malos in this pic and tell me he’s not the most blatantly evil dude you’ve ever seen. Even Jin’s standing behind him like “C’mon dude, you don’t have to be so obvious about it.”

Torna consists of six members intially, but Nia quickly defects when she’s charmed by Rex’s optimism, leaving only Malos, Jin, Patroka, Akhos, and Mikhail. Of the remaining members, Patroka and Akhos matter very little, and Mikhail does exactly one thing of note that I definitely wouldn’t call villainous, so let’s instead look at our headliners: Malos and Jin.

Jin is awesome. He’s a Blade who was bound to a really sweet girl named Lora. dude clearly had feelings for her, and when she got killed, he saw the evil inherent in humanity and decided to destroy them. He resents mankind for this and also basically having Blades like him by the balls; his people can only be awoken from their Core Crystals by another, a Driver, and once this is done, they’re bound to serve their Driver until the Driver dies and they revert back to their Core Crystal form, losing their memories and effectively “dying.” Jin considers this unfair and wants to show humanity that Blades are their own people, with their own wants and needs, and intends to do this by destroying human civilization and creating a society where Blades like him stay on top.

Malos is great too, but for totally different reasons. He was initally awoken by somebody with an intense hatred for humanity, and has adopted his Driver’s cynicism. He seeks nothing more or less than the total eradication of all sentient life. He believes, thanks to his Driver, that it is humanity’s nature to destroy itself; he’s just helping them along.

Malos’s Driver has a truly bone-chilling backstory, and he’s easily the most effective and believable baddie in the game. I’m gonna assume anyone who’s played knows who I’m talking about, and the rest of you will have to be content with playing it yourselves and going “oh, really? THAT guy? Huh, didn’t expect HIM to be the big bad!” when you realize who I’m referring to.

If you’re not convinced to play a game for its story and characters alone, I have one other thing to show you: the world this all takes place in.

Anyway, yeah. I freaking love Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The gameplay, the story, the characters, the art... OH RIGHT AND THE MUSIC

A few of my favorite tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aElM_uHL00E&list=PLIpqsKgkQEvMUFbngp-GbW1JwDGXnxcm9&index=8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60Ih-D49QJE&list=PLIpqsKgkQEvMUFbngp-GbW1JwDGXnxcm9&index=43

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx3AbguQZHU&list=PLIpqsKgkQEvMUFbngp-GbW1JwDGXnxcm9&index=47

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLR9BJit7pE&list=PLIpqsKgkQEvMUFbngp-GbW1JwDGXnxcm9&index=60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4_aCdzCIKI&list=PLIpqsKgkQEvMUFbngp-GbW1JwDGXnxcm9&index=62

Go play this game if you haven’t already.

#xbc2 #xenoblade chronicles 2 #sorry for the text wall #I just really love this game you guys

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