#so may be frak

[cable-salamdr]

I keep thinking about Crossroads culture since it’s a mix of so many different ones, but what I like to imagine most is them having a big ass memorial or graveyard plaque with names on them: A remembrance for all those that died in the Merge or have gone missing and have not been found again. To vaguely quote episode 1 “The Merge gave me everything I have” “and it took everything from me”

[kindaasrikal]

I think its very important how Lloyd is notably more distant and emotionally unavailable whilst everyone else is written with so much more emotion in their interactions and words more often than usual in Dr season 3, and how that links heavily to his actual role as the Green Ninja, AND his connection to dragons and oni. As well as his possible role in part 2.

With the concept of the green ninja, Lloyd’s entire role and purpose is to defend others. It’s been shown so heavily throughout the series that the green ninja is someone kind, loving, hopeful, and good. Whilst the hope factor tends to lack sometimes, there has been no denial in how kind and good Lloyd is.

And yet, in dr season 3, there seems to be more of a lack of the kind part. He seems distant towards Frak, less involved in Sora’s handling with Arin gone, so much more distant to the ninja and the only time i can note where he seemed as emotional as usual was when he met Pixal again. Other than that he seems similar to Wu when he first began training the ninja, and even further back to when Wu began training Morro if i actually think about it.

I saw a few posts here and there about it and a very good point I’ve seen is due to how he is now watching someone he is supposed to protect suffer instead. Arin.

Lloyd’s role as the green ninja is to protect, yet i think he feels a burden to do so with how much he believes he has failed as the merge and its mystery continues. Where had he gone wrong? Why is it going wrong? He has to continuously tell people ‘i don’t understand’ or ‘i don’t have the answers’ or ‘it doesn’t make sense’ and his own damned actions show he doesn’t know what to do.

Has he ever?

This feeling of doubt in a situation like no other is weighing him down in a way it has never before because it is bundled up with the feeling of uncertainty.

Doubt in the truth of everything around him, uncertainty in the lack of understanding.

A man whose whole life and destiny was something he already knew, feeling uncertain? He doesn’t know how to react.

Linking it back to his Dragoni heritage, i think it’s very clear Dragons and Oni feel emotions a lot differently. Dragons seem to feel emotions on a more calmer sense, with even chaotic emotions like anger seeming easily rationalised to them and calm compared to humans or Oni. Oni feel emotions in a lot stronger sense, and more on the adrenaline and negative spectrum than anything.

For Lloyd, his Oni side is only shown through genuine anger in a way he has never expressed nor felt before. With a more distant Lloyd, is this a sign of his more Dragon side?

It’s like the writers are building up for something, and whilst it may not link to his dragoni blood, it does link to the choices and decisions he will make in part 2. Because Lloyd, even like this, will always been emotional in a sense, and i think it’s gonna burst out of him to the point he is a mess once more. He just needs a push.

Lloyd is a very important piece to the puzzle, one whose new destiny is going to attack without mercy.

Thinking on it more, you could also say he’s reacting this way because not only has he just lost Arin in a sense, but he is being forced to handle with either guilt, confusion, and possibly a form of anger at Wu.

Wu, who Lloyd loves so damn much.

Lloyd is no fool to believe that Wu hasn’t made mistakes before, but Wu is not only the first person who show Lloyd love but his uncle. How is he supposed to believe his uncle caused the merge on purpose? It doesn’t make sense to him, because Wu must’ve have a reason to do so. The problem is, is the reason a good one?

Man he’s gonna be an actual emotional mess next season poor guy.

Anyways I’m gonna rewatch season 3 i need to analyse more stuff properly because this just seems like I’m stating the obvious

[joygression]

IMAGINE!!

roby allows lloyd to use the city of temples’ messenger dragons to send letters to sora and arin

in portions addressed to sora, lloyd attaches guides on how to perform basic spinjitsu, as well any advice she may need about controlling her elemental power from himself or the other ninja. at some point, he also sends her the medal she won at the tournament of sources as a reminder of what she’s accomplished

in portions addressed to arin, lloyd officially congratulates him for mastering spinjitsu, even though it was under teachings he doesn’t agree with. he isn’t afraid to mention how proud he is. lloyd also attaches pie recipes frak wants arin to try

in general, these letters can contain so many things! updates on riyu, frak, and wyldfyre’s training, updates on the other ninja, and any warnings lloyd feels like they should heed

he always ends every message by reminding them that regardless of their doubts and insecurities, they ARE meant to be not just ninja, but GREAT ninja. and that they are always welcom back to the monastery any time no matter what. look out for each other!!

whether or not they send letters back can be interpreted in any which way but i think sora and arin would intend to keep these secret from ras

[demigod-of-the-agni]

I wrote this because you inspired me. I’m sorry for any spelling and Grammar errors;

Lloyd had never seen that much blood. Though he wasn’t quite sure it was blood. Sure, it leaked out of its pierced feathery bodice like blood but it didn’t look like blood. It was black like tar and seemed burn the ground it drenched as if the earth below it was rejecting it. The creature, no the monster, had been a towering beast. A grotesque amalgamation of animals: a bird of prey, a lion, and even hints of what could have been considered a humanoid women all clunked together as if stitched by the hand of a child who may have experienced the worst nightmare of their life. It’s thick clawed hands responsible for much damage both to the village that it terrorized and the Ninja who came to subdue it.

Yet, the tower beast lay crushed under the lance of another great beast. It’s monstrous body crashing into the earth, and it’s black tar-like blood gushing everywhere like a kind of acid rain. Most ran for shelter, grabbing whoever they could to bring them out of the way. Lloyd ended up dragging Frak away from a rather nasty blob that almost took him out. When the dust settled, he could finally take stock of what was truly happening. He was frantically doing a headcount of his family as he heard the familiar clanking of metal behind him where the monster was.

The monster seemed to realize what had happened to her (it) and it gave a large screech. It rattled what remained of the windows of the village. However, it wasn’t the ferocity of the scream that made his blood run cold but it was the fact that it felt so scarily human. Lloyd dragged his eyes from making sure Frak had all his fingers, toes, and scales back to the monster whom struggled frantically with the lance that was lodged in her (it’s!) chest. Her eyes looked so scared that it looked horribly out of place plastered on her (its) monstrous body. It was a perfect contrast to her assailant.

The mech(?) stood immovable, its hand plastered around the lance it had imbedded in its chest. The metal behemoth was unbothered by the blood and the female monsters cries. Its eyes showed no emotion as it dragged the lance from the monster’s chest and let it fall back on its hind legs. It gave an animalistic growl and despite its gaping wound it surged forward. She slashed at for the mech, but in a truly humanistic move that Llyod had never seen a human piloted machine make it dashed and dodged the monster’s slash and managed to maneuver beast to the ground where with a graceful spin of the lance and a hard (SMASH) it was once again embedded in the beast.

Another sad humanistic scream followed as the monster frayed back and forth like a scared animal pinned under a superior predator. The misplaced sympathy that bubbled in his chest almost made Lloyd not hear Nya yell at them all.

“Move!”

He barely saw it the beast’s other wing came lurching forward. It hadn’t grazed him, the impact probably would have shattered every bone in his body, but the wind it created blew them all into the nearest building or wall. Truly, even on the ground the beast was not yet defeated. With a thunderous roar, the winged panther woman surged forward ripping her wing in half to get to the now defenseless mech who was too close to dodge.

But just as the monster surged, a blast of red came out of nowhere, then a blast of green, and finally the village was engulfed in flames. Red, green, hot flames.

“Kai, what the hell?” Lloyd heard someone yell but Lloyd couldn’t tell who the smoke made it hard to think. All he could focus on was his brother who crawled up the mech as if he had the speed of hundred individual legs, his sword gleaming with red.

It matched his eyes, a part of him whispered. But before he could wonder why he thought that, a shadow spread over the village as if the sun had been erased and it drenched the world in darkness.

A dragon, the size of the firstborn, hovered over the them all. Haloed, fearsome, awe-inspiring, the dragon was everything a child could have dreamt up in their imaginations when asked to describe their opinion of a “cool dragon.” Yet, it was this dragon who hovered above them ready to rain down hellfire down to them.

Blast.

Scream.

Blast.

Scream.

Blast.

Scream.

This haunting dance repeated for minutes as the monster was assaulted by barrage after barrage. Its skin beginning to smolder, boil, and fill the air with a noxious all encompassing smell of death.

And yet despite it all, the dragon smiled as the monster howled in pain. Lloyd was almost entrapped in the cruelty of the action that he almost missed Wyldfyre yell out, “Kai!”

Kai had finished his ascent and launched off the mech and like a cannonball armed with a sword slashed at the monster.

On the battlefield, for a quick moment, all was silent expect for the squishing, squashing, and cracking of bones, cartilage, and veins of the monsters neck as Kai’s sword slashed through it. A strangled scream, one that horrifically sounded like a “no, please” was the last thing the monster squawked out. Its freakish head landed with a crash, locked forever in a terrified expression.

Kai, on the other hand, never landed on the ground. He had clung to the mech’s lance which he caught after his finisher. His face was unreadable, but his eyes weren’t locked on the monster, his mouth was not curled into a smile, he wasn’t cracking a joke instead his eyes shifted between the mech and the dragon. The later of which, began to the descend, powerful thrust of winds threaten to destabilize what was left of the village below and as she landed her clawed foot landed (rather deliberately) on the bird panther’s head squishing it a truly horrific amount of jiblets that couldn’t be defined at anything anymore.

“Overkill,” the mech finally spoke.

“You always make sure that it’s dead,” the dragon replied. Their eyes trained on Kai, who remained on the lance.

He looked back. “Hello,” his voice sounded like the wind had been taken out of it. Quite in a way, Lloyd didn’t think Kai could actually reach.

“What is wrong with your hair,” the dragon asked. Finally, Kai smiled.

“What the hell is going on right now,” Wyldfyre asked. Lloyd had never been so glad for her candor.

anon. anon who are you. i need to grab you by the shoulders and shake you so VICIOUSLY HELLO???? YOU DROP SUCH AN EXQUISITE MEAL????? INTO MY LAP?????? trust that i am going to be chewing on this ALL DAY OH MY GOD (i'll leave my screaming below :3 !!)

ohhhh you and i. oh we do enjoy the idea of the monsters being cursed. oh we absolutely revel in it. the moment lloyd makes the connection that the monster shares too many human elements- he just can't get it out of his mind. him being the supposed elemental master of life energy he is absolutely connected with this creature and he has to actively detach himself from what he feels at what he sees.... oh my god. you cooked so good. the constant internal corrections he makes- "she (no, it)"- is SOOOO good it is so chilling

btw i'm in love with your characterisation and the description of the monster,,, making it feel so real, the amalgamation of familiar creatures, yet so alien nonetheless.... chef's kiss !!

RUSTY !!!!! you've made em feel sooo badass, the absolute ENERGY you've given to rusty and their movements- he works so efficiently, comparing his skill with that of a (superhuman)person is an ABSOLUTELY goated decision, hints that there is more to rusty than them simply being a mech

DAIDAN MY QUEEN !!!!! OHH I LOVE HOW YOU WRITE HER. SHE IS SO GOOD AT WHAT SHE DOES!!!!! pummel the enemy down until they can be pummeled no further. her utterly destroying any semblance of humanity in the monster by crushing its head, perhaps ending the turmoil lloyd found himself in... she takes survival so seriously. she has wholeheartedly embraced all the gore, smiling through it all (as she should. queen)

KAI'S ENTRANCE GOT ME SO HYPED I'M NOT JOKING. HIS ENTRANCE??? FLAWLESS. ATE. DEVOURED WITH NO CRUMBS LEFT. "...as if he had the speed of hundred individual legs" i know what you are (i'm jumping up and down with glee) him dealing the killing blow is so... it's so cinematic. jaw dropping action. and all the while kai's running out autopilot like it's second nature for him.... really highlights the disconnection and the ease he is able to slip into defense after his experiences. oh my poor baby

THEIR BANTER GOT ME GIGGLING KICKING MY FEET TWIRLING MY HAIR. they're all like high school buddies rocking up one day at someone's house lmaoo "what is wrong with your hair" crazy thing to say to someone who you saw absolutely shred themselves in devastation and loneliness a few months back girl. KAI SMILING WHEN THE FIGHT'S OVER AND HE KNOWS HE'S GOT PEOPLE WHO GET HIM AND ARE STILL BY HIS SIDE???? i'm going to scream. very loudly. TwT WYLDFYRE MY BBY she's going to have so much fun learning about all the insane things kai's done before they met haha

anon. please anon. let me give you a kiss. do you want more treats? i got food, seeing as you DEVOURED everything with this piece. holy crap. literally sitting in my chair like i got punched in the face. the flow, the action, the atmosphere, the tragedy of ending a cursed soul coupled with returning to the familiar, to home.... it speaks to me on such a deep level, goes right into my soul. THIS WAS SUCH A WONDROUS PIECE I'M SO HONOURED TO HAVE READ THIS :'''3 let me know if you decide to post this or write more I WILL COME RUNNING SO FAST,, the monstrosity-starved beast in me has been satiated... thank you dear anon, may you continue to write so beautifully and ethereally <33

[sotsc-au]

Designs for Arin in the Sides Of The Same Coin AU :3

Didn't know what animal to give Arin for the skybound destiny suits then I remembered Frak and was like "he prolly likes snakes"

Hands of time didn't fit there so there's this too

I kept the idea of Arin's mask being the hood and scarf cover cause I feel like he'd been given that style when he worked with the overlord and kept it cause it made him look cool

Another thing, since he disappears to Dragons Rising 1 after the Hands of Time, I've decided that Arin actually had a big influence in the history and Ninjago that when he goes back to the time he gets sent to the merge lands, his memory is slightly altered to have himself in history, and ironically enough, that person is also Arin's favorite other than Lloyd, who during Dr1, still very much admires and idolizes (since he forgot about everything technically and it became the reason he wore orange mostly)

Arin during Dr1 doesn't know who the 7th Ninja is though, cause prior hands of time Arin has actually been so secretive since he doesn't want to rupture the world (thats intelligent George for you) so Arin(Dr1) and everyone else(except for the ninjas ofc) mostly forgot about the 7th ninja or in other words the Orange Ninja

In a way that, people may know or have memory of him but this orange ninja has been known nameless

Arin wasn't public when it came to the news and everything so his name and other aspects of himself were essentially private to the public (cause he was scared about what would happen to himself when he gets back or gets born, a whole thing he's been anxious about for a long while)

If you're wondering, yes Lloyd has pictures of him and Arin together from before season 7 but kept it hidden cause he was losing hope of seeing Arin again :3

In Dr1, Arin also thinks this Orange Ninja has future vision powers like how the rest of Ninjago was thinking, it's been a public running joke by Lloyd a few times so a lot have carried that on board

[yanagikou]

A Day to Gamble

DISCLAIMER: Another smutty creation done by my other half (the fic, not the drawing) and part 1 of ??? in the "Kate x Jack" series :D Both characters belong to my hubby, I only borrow them for my drawings :3

pairing: Imperial guard on guard action.

warning: see above. It's smut (NSFW), with a thin layer of a plot thrown on top of it. MDNI! Some typos may still lurk around. If you find one, adopt the poor sucker.

Wordcount: 4952

------

Life as an imperial guardsman is easy—if one arrives in a warzone a year too late. Bureaucratic error, warp travel discrepancies, or simple Administratum oversight had dumped the 121st Korvin Rifles onto a planet where the war had already ended. What remained was a smouldering ruin of hive spires, half-collapsed Manufactorums, and endless lists of menial tasks. Jack, like many in his regiment, had nothing to do.

Well, nothing to do was a bit of a stretch. Training was still mandatory, but even the most creative officers and drill sergeants could only come up with so many variations of the same battle drills before they, too, got bored. Even the regiment's Commissar—usually a hawk-eyed enforcer of discipline—seemed to have lost some of her usual fervour. The best part? As far as Jack could tell, the Administratum had seemingly forgotten about them. No new orders. No redeployment notices. No reminders that they even existed.

In some strange way, it was the closest thing to a vacation a guardsman could ever hope for.

"Oi, Jack. You up for a round of Death or Bless?"

Jack turned his head just as Kate popped up next to his bunk. She had to jump onto a ration crate just to reach his top bunk—something that never failed to amuse him. At barely five feet, she was one of the smallest in the platoon, but she made up for what she lacked in stature in sheer presence. Sharp features, large, ever-curious eyes, and a lean, athletic build sculpted by years of military service. She was a rare sight in the Astra Militarum: beautiful, full of life, and still capable of being amazed by the galaxy around her.

Jack had often entertained the thought of something more between them. But the reality of it stopped him. The Commissar would definitely have them flogged if she suspected anything unprofessional. And even if they could get away with it, what would happen when they got deployed again? When life expectancy dropped to weeks or even days? No, bad idea. Better to keep things simple.

"Nah, I'm good," Jack muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"Frak's sake, no one's in the mood," she groaned. He could already picture her pouting face. "Come on, Jack!"

"Nope. Last time, the Commissar nearly caught us, and I'm already on thin ice for 'acquiring' that contraband Amasec for the squad."

Kate smirked at that, then leaned in conspiratorially. "I know a place—no one will find us there. And I learned a new game."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"You know how one of the servitors broke down while cleaning the ventilation shafts?" she whispered. "Turns out they forgot to seal it back up. I went looking, and there's a room inside the vents big enough to park a Chimera."

Jack scoffed. "A room in the vents? That's groxshit."

"No, really! Join me, and I'll prove it," she insisted, grinning.

Jack hesitated. But then he made the mistake of looking into her eyes, brimming with mischief and challenge. He felt weak. So damn weak.

"Fine," he sighed. "But if you're lying, you take my latrine duty for a week."

"Deal!" she chirped, practically bouncing off the crate. "Come on!"

Jack rolled out of his bunk, closed some buttons on his uniform and checked the sidearm holstered at his belt. He didn't know what he expected to find in that so-called 'vent room'—but deep down, something told him this was going to be far more interesting than just another card game.

***

Jack followed Kate through the dim corridors of the hab block, their boots barely making a sound against the metal flooring. The maintenance corridor she led him to was mostly deserted, save for the occasional tech-priest or servitor shuffling about their inscrutable tasks. A few crew members passed by, their expressions hollow with the thousand-yard stare of those who didn’t know what to do, when there was no war.

Kate waited for the right moment, then with practised ease, she pried open a loose ventilation grate and slipped inside.

Jack hesitated for a moment, throwing a glance back down the hallway. The Imperium had strict regulations about unauthorised access to maintenance shafts—anyone caught snooping around places they weren't supposed to be could easily be accused of sabotage. But still, curiosity, and Kate's undeniable charm, won out. He ducked inside, carefully pulling the grate back into place behind him.

The vents were tight, forcing them to crawl single-file. The passage was barely illuminated, the only light coming from the occasional dim lumen strips bolted to the walls. It was an oppressive space filled with the lingering scent of dust, metal, and machine oil.

Yet, all became a distant memory once Jack realised what he had in front of him: a view he had only been dreaming of so far.

The standard-issue fabric of Kate´s trousers, stretched taut over her hips and thighs, outlined every subtle curve with merciless precision. The swell of her buttocks pressed against the material as she moved, the snug fit accentuating their perfect roundness. With each slow crawl forward, the muscles in her legs flexed, her inner thighs straining against the fabric as she pushed herself onward. The faintest outline of her most intimate curves teased against the snug, war-worn cloth, sending a traitorous heat coursing through Jack's veins.

His breath hitched as his fingers curled slightly against the metal floor, fighting the urge to let his gaze linger too long. It was torture—pure, exquisite torture—to be trapped behind her in such close quarters, to watch as her body shifted with unconscious grace, oblivious to the effect it had on him.

He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus, but the temptation was overwhelming. The way her hips rolled slightly with each movement, the way the fabric of her trousers clung to her thighs as they pressed together, it was a sight so maddeningly distracting that even the Emperor's sternest sermon on purity wouldn't have been enough to quell the thoughts creeping into his mind.

Jack swallowed hard, his pulse pounding in his ears. He was a soldier of the Astra Militarum, trained to withstand war, fear, and even the horrors of the Warp. But right now, this was the greatest test of discipline he had ever faced.

Throne, get it together, Jack scolded himself, forcing his eyes away.

"We're nearly there, just around the bend," Kate whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the ventilation systems.

Jack nodded, willing his mind back to more appropriate matters—like why an entire room was supposedly hidden in the vents.

Kate led him around a sharp corner, and suddenly, the cramped metal shaft opened up into a concealed chamber.

Jack blinked in surprise. The room was far larger than he had expected—big enough to hold their entire squad and still have space to spare. Makeshift furniture had been arranged within: a table, several scavenged chairs, and even a few lumen strips that had been jury-rigged into the walls. Cables ran from exposed conduits, powering the lights and creating a dim but functional glow. Someone had clearly spent time setting this place up.

"What do you think?" Kate asked, stepping into the centre of the room with a proud grin, arms wide as she took in the space around her. "I made some improvements—figured we needed a place where the squad could meet up without brass breathing down our necks."

Jack whistled. "I'll admit, I didn't believe you. But this… this is impressive."

Kate smirked. "Told you. Now, take a seat—I even managed to save some of your stash."

Jack raised an eyebrow as she disappeared behind a stack of crates. "You did? I thought the Commissar confiscated all of it."

Kate reappeared, holding a dusty bottle of Amasec and two dented tin cups. "Nope. Turns out I'm sneakier than you give me credit for."

Jack let out a short laugh, taking a seat as she filled both cups to the brim.

Kate lifted hers in a mock toast before downing the entire thing in one go. She exhaled sharply, shaking her head as the alcohol burned its way down. "Throne, that's good. Best one you've 'acquired' so far, Jack."

Jack took his own cup and sipped more cautiously. The Amasec was strong, warming his chest instantly. He leaned back, watching as Kate poured herself another.

A part of him was still processing just how much effort she had put into setting this up. He had always known her to be bold, but this? This was something else.

And if she was this good at sneaking things past him… what else was she hiding?

Jack sank into his chair, not being outdone by Kate he too decided to downing his drink in one swift motion. This second more fecund burn of the alcohol was welcome—anything to clear his mind of the lingering heat from their crawl through the vents. But even as the fire settled in his chest, the image of Kate's perfectly sculpted rear, framed so exquisitely by her fatigues, remained seared into his thoughts.

He exhaled, setting the cup down with a dull clink against the table. Focus.

"So, what are we playing?" Jack asked as Kate casually refilled his cup, her fingers lingering on the rim for just a second too long.

"A game I heard about and wanted to try," she said, her lips curling into a smirk. "You draw two cards. Closest to twenty-one wins. You can either discard one and draw another or throw both away and take a fresh hand—but only once."

Jack nodded. "Easy enough—"

She leaned in slightly, her voice dipping into something more playful. "However… if you lose, the winner gets to claim something of yours." Her grin turned downright mischievous.

Jack chuckled. "Damn. Good thing I left most of my valuables back in the barracks."

Kate shrugged, swirling the amber liquid in her cup. "It's just a test round anyway. So, let's keep it simple—we can only bet what we have on us." She reached down, unhooking a sheathed dagger from her belt and setting it on the table. It was a fine piece, its blade engraved with intricate markings, likely a personal keepsake.

Jack whistled. "That's a nice knife."

"And what about you?" Kate raised an eyebrow.

Jack tapped the holster on his hip. "Las-pistol good enough?"

She grinned. "Sounds good. Let's play."

They each drew their cards, counting in silence. Kate glanced at her hand, then tossed one card aside, drawing another with a confident smirk. Jack, however, frowned at his. Six? Not enough. He discarded his entire hand and drew fresh cards. Lady Luck favoured him—twenty-one, dead on. His face remained unreadable, years of card-playing discipline kicking in.

"Three… two… one!" Kate announced, flipping her hand.

Nineteen. Not good enough.

Jack revealed his own, flashing the perfect twenty-one with a knowing smile.

"Frak!" Kate cursed, knocking back another sip. She picked up the dagger, twirling it in her hands before sliding it across the table toward him. "Again! This time, you choose the stakes."

Jack eyed her thoughtfully, letting his gaze flicker over her. The game had barely begun, and already, a certain tension lingered in the air. He leaned forward slightly, smirking. "Your jacket. For your dagger."

Kate hesitated, just for a second, before grinning. "Deal."

The game continued. Round after round, the Amasec flowed, and Kate's luck remained stubbornly against her. Jack, however, played with a seasoned gambler's cold, calculating patience.

Her jacket was the first to go, revealing the snug-fitting undershirt beneath. Then, her boots left her in just her socks. Then, her belt. By the time her socks were forfeited as well, she had slumped slightly in her chair, the booze clearly working through her system.

Jack wasn't exactly sober himself. His limbs were pleasantly loose, his mind buzzing with warmth—but even through the haze of alcohol, he couldn't help but enjoy this little game of theirs. Kate, ever the stubborn fighter, refused to admit defeat, and her competitive streak only fuelled the tension between them.

She refilled her cup again, cheeks flushed—not just from the drink but something more profound.

Jack leaned back in his chair, watching her with amusement. "Still feeling lucky?"

Kate smirked, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "I never back down from a challenge."

Jack's gaze flickered downward. She was running out of things to bet. And judging by the way her pupils were slightly dilated, she knew it too.

Jack hesitated, gripping his cup as he tried to steady his thoughts. The room felt warmer now, though he wasn't sure whether it was the alcohol or the sight before him.

"So, what do you want to bet next?" Kate asked, her voice laced with defiance and a playful challenge. A mischievous smirk danced on her lips, her confidence undeterred despite her losing streak. "Sooner or later, I have to win something! And believe me, when I do, I'll take everything from you." She let out a soft, husky laugh.

Jack leaned forward, mirroring her grin. "Well, if you're that eager—your shirt is next."

Kate raised a brow, then shrugged, her smirk never faltering. "Fine by me! This time, I know I'll win."

She didn't.

"Throne, damn it!" Kate groaned, slamming her cards on the table. "How in the frak are you doing this?"

Jack chuckled, feeling the heat rise in his chest, ”no idea. But I do know that your shirt belongs to me now."

Kate exhaled sharply, rolling her eyes. "Fine."

She stood up, gripping the hem of her tank top, and in one slow, deliberate motion, she began to lift it. Jack's breath caught in his throat as more of her skin was revealed—taut and toned from years of military training, a body sculpted for battle but still carrying a natural, effortless allure.

The fabric rose higher, revealing the curve of her waist and the smooth plane of her stomach. Jack's fingers dug into his thigh as he watched, captivated by the slow unveiling. Then, as the tank top reached her chest, he saw it—the slightest glimpse of what had been hidden beneath.

Her bra was the standard-issue kind, designed by the Ministorum for practicality, meant to compress and provide support for combat. Yet, despite its utilitarian nature, the way it hugged her curves only emphasised what lay beneath. The firm swell of her breasts pressed against the tight material, their fullness undeniable. They were perfectly shaped—large enough to fit in his palms yet not excessive, the kind that made a man ache to touch, to explore.

Jack swallowed, his throat dry.

Kate tugged the rest of the top off and tossed it onto the table. Her movements were casual as if stripping down in a hidden maintenance room with a squad mate meant nothing to her. Well to it shouldn’t, and Jack knew this, shared training, quarters and showers left her most of the time the same as she was now. But this time it was different. Maybe, it was the alcohol speaking to him or maybe it is the fact that they were alone, away from everyone else.

She sat back down, her exposed shoulders and collarbones glistening faintly under the dim lighting, her chest rising and falling in steady, unbothered breaths.

Jack, on the other hand, was not steady.

"Happy?" Kate smirked, leaning back slightly, seemingly unfazed by how his eyes struggled to focus on her face.

"Yes—I mean," Jack coughed, trying to regain control, "one more game?"

Kate chuckled, stretching her arms over her head, the movement making her breasts press more firmly against the tight confines of her bra. "Throne, yes. I will win this time."

Jack took another sip of Amasec, hoping it would cool the fire burning in his gut.

"What's next?" Kate asked, twirling a card between her fingers.

He hesitated, then smirked. "Your trousers and socks."

Kate blinked, then grinned wickedly. "Against?"

Jack considered, then offered, "My trousers."

Kate pouted, crossing her arms under her chest—a movement that only emphasised her curves. "Hey, that's one for two!"

Jack shrugged. "Fine, then name something else."

Kate bit her lip, clearly hazy from the alcohol, thinking. Finally, she let out a resigned sigh. "A trophy."

Jack narrowed his eyes playfully. "A trophy?"

Kate smirked. "If I win, you have to go back to the barracks and publicly admit I beat you in a card game."

Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "Fine. But if I win… I take your trousers and bra."

Kate's smirk faltered for just a moment before she rolled her eyes. "Frak you, Jack," she muttered. But she had backed herself into a corner—she had nothing else to bet.

"Deal?" Jack pressed.

Kate hesitated for a second longer before sighing. "Fine. But if you cheat, I swear I'll stab you."

The next game began, tension mounting with every turn of a card. The flickering light overhead cast shadows across the table, and the only sounds were the shuffle of cards and the faint sound of the ship's systems. Jack's heart pounded—not from nerves but from sheer anticipation.

Kate drew her hand, her brow furrowing as she calculated. Jack already knew that her fate was sealed—another perfect draw.

"Three… two… one!"

They both revealed their cards.

Kate stared. Then groaned, throwing her head back. "For frak's sake, Jack! You must be cheating!"

Jack only smirked. "Nope. You are just bad at this."

Kate huffed, grabbing her cup and downing the rest of her drink in frustration. "I thought this would be the game I'd finally beat you at…"

"Well, losers still need to pay up."

Kate exhaled sharply, standing up in defeat.

Jack watched as her fingers moved to the button of her fatigues. He shouldn't be staring. He knew he shouldn't. But the way she hesitated before slowly undoing the fastenings—dragging out the moment—sent a fresh wave of heat flooding through him and down between his legs.

She hooked her thumbs into the waistband and pulled, the fabric sliding over her hips, revealing inch by inch of smooth, toned skin. Then, lower, revealing the black underwear stretched over her form, hugging the curves of her ass, accentuating the sculpted shape of her thighs.

She stepped out of the discarded fabric, her movements slightly unsteady from the alcohol. They both laughed softly as she nearly lost her balance. Then, with far less hesitation than before, she reached for her bra.

Jack's breath hitched. His groin in flames.

She grasped the edges and pulled up—her breasts spilling free from the restrictive fabric, bouncing ever so slightly as they settled naturally against her chest.

Jack stared, his mind blank, his body betraying him as his trousers grew uncomfortably tight.

They were perfect. Round, perky, the kind of breasts that made men fall to their knees. Her nipples were a soft, delicate pink, stiffened slightly in the cool air. They could have been carved from marble, like the statues of saints found in the chapels of the Imperium, yet here they were—real, warm, breathtaking.

Kate tossed the bra onto the table and sat down, arms loosely crossed over her bare chest—not entirely covering herself, but enough to remind Jack that, despite everything, she was still in control.

"You sure you want to play another game?" Jack asked, his voice betraying his restraint, his body screaming for more, the alcohol only making it worse.

Kate smirked, swirling what little liquid remained in her cup.

"Depends," she murmured, meeting his gaze. "What's left to bet?"

"All or nothing?" Jack offered his voice low, deliberately tempting her. He knew exactly what was at stake, precisely what he was provoking—but he couldn't stop himself. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the heady mix of alcohol and anticipation making every glance, every touch, feel electric.

Kate leaned forward, her lips curling into a wicked smile. "Very well."

With greedy hands, she pulled two cards from the deck, her movements quick, almost reckless. Jack did the same, his pulse thrumming as they both threw their cards down onto the table, too caught up in the moment to consider strategy.

Kate's eyes widened. "FUCK YOU, JACK!" she yelled, but this time, her voice rang with triumph. She had won.

Jack blinked in disbelief as Kate shot up from her seat, celebrating her victory with an excited jump, her bare chest bouncing slightly with the movement. Her laugh was rich and teasing, pure exhilaration radiating from her flushed skin.

Then, with a slow, predatory grace, she stalked behind him, pressing herself against his back. He sucked in a sharp breath as he imagined her warm, bare skin pressing against him, the softness of her curves moulding against the rigid lines of his muscles. Her lips ghosted near his ear, her voice a husky purr.

"Guess it's my turn to see what you've been hiding, Jack."

His entire body tensed as she moved around him, straddling his lap in one fluid motion. His heart pounded at the contact, at the press of her thighs framing him. He felt her heat between her legs as his hardening member pressed against it. She shifted slightly, rolling her hips just enough to send fire licking through his veins, teasing, testing, savouring his reaction.

Jack clenched his fists against the urge to grip her, to pull her closer. His breathing had grown heavy, his pulse hammering against his ribs. "Kate—"

"Shhh. I won, you pay." She silenced him with a single finger against his lips, her other hand drifting down to the buttons of his uniform. One by one, she worked them open, her fingertips brushing against his heated skin. Every touch was deliberate, every movement slow and teasing, as if savouring each inch she uncovered.

Her breath hitched as she finally spread his jacket apart, her eyes darkening as she drank in the sight of him. For a fleeting second, there was something else in her expression—admiration, hunger, maybe even something deeper—but then it was gone, replaced by playful defiance.

She pressed herself against him again, her chest flush against his, her lips just a whisper away from his.

Jack exhaled sharply as she gripped his shirt, tugging it upward, her movements growing more frantic. The intoxicating scent of her skin, the way her breath came unevenly, the way her hips shifted against him—every part of him burned with need.

Then suddenly, with a strength that surprised her, Jack grabbed her by her rear, lifting her effortlessly. Kate gasped but didn't resist, wrapping her legs around his torso, her arms tightening around his neck. She was light—so light—and yet she felt impossibly solid in his grip, her body pressing into him in all the right ways.

His restraint was crumbling fast.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low, rough. "This might be a one-off. We're drunk—"

Kate met his gaze, her expression unwavering, eyes blazing with raw want.

"Shut up, Jack," she whispered, breathless. "And fuck me."

With one hand holding her, he opened with the other his trousers. Revealing his pulsating and throbbing member. He then moved to her underwear and pulled it to the side while slowly lowering her down. When his tip touched her entrance, he felt her shudder in anticipation. He could feel how wet she was, her juices already running over his swollen head.

"Jack- don't- tease- me", Kate started, her voice rough and husk. Before she could finish her sentence, Jack slowly lowered her further down, his tip spreading her entrance slowly apart, penetrating deeper and deeper into her wetness. She gasped, clawing against his chest as his member slowly, inch by inch, went deeper. Jack enjoyed every moment during his long and slow insertion, feeling her flow and muscles contract.

Finally, with the last inch to go, Jack released her. He just dropped her down. His length piercing into her, leaving her with the sensation of being impaled, by something large, hot and stiff.

Both took a moment to breathe, hold each other tight, and feel the moment.

"Fuck you, Jack-" Kate finally whispered between quick breaths, and both chuckled.

Jack then started to move again, gliding out of her slowly, savouring each moment. When his tip was about to pop out of her, he lowered her once more, this time with speed and vigour. He lifted his pelvis once, he knew she was about to hit the base of his dick. Burying himself even deeper inside of her. Kate breathed out a heady groan, as Jack increased in speed. She tried her best to adapt to his movement and take in as much of him as possible. She felt him enter repeatedly, over and over; and Kate was convinced that each time he did, he was trying to go even deeper, beyond what was possible.

Finally, she couldn’t hold it anymore, and shifted slightly, trying to kiss Jack's throat or maybe even bite, but it was a mistake. He suddenly hit a part inside that made her jump. A jolt went through her, everything tensed, and a wave of intense pleasure rippled through her.

The sudden muscle spasm also made Jack waver as the sudden tightness drove him over the edge. He nearly tipped over and had to sit down on the table as his member quivered and twitched inside of her velvety warmth.

Kate was out of breath, each twitch from Jack made her wince in pleasure, yet she was too exhausted to properly indulge in the feeling.

"Jack- This was intense." Kate managed to voice, leaning heavily against the muscular frame of her lover.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I am not done yet—" Jack informed her, and she suddenly realised he was right. His not-so-little friend was still stiff inside her.

"Uhm- Jack?" Kate tried to voice her concern, but he didn't listen or didn't want to. "Jack!" she tried again, but the guardsman had other plans.

He got back to his feet, holding her firmly with both arms slung around her waist and started to walk. Each step he took rammed his dick inside of her. She felt so sensitive, her senses dialled up to a hundred after she had already come once. She bit her lower lips as she felt a new wave of pleasure slowly crawling up on her.

Kate turned her head to the left, to see where Jack was taking her and through the haze of pleasure and drunkenness realised that his goal was a stack of crates. They were stacked just at the right hight for whatever Jack was planning next. Suddenly, Kate felt Jack withdraw from her, but before she could voice any protest, she was lying over the boxes, her breasts dangling over the edge, her rear in the air. It didn't take long until he went all in.

Kate felt the heat emanating from him and completely enveloping her as he fucked her roughly and without pause. After a while, Jack found that one spot again, that made her see the God Emperor himself and Kate, unable to  hold back any longer, rewarded his efforts with a high-pitched moan.

Jack grinned devilishly and made sure that each of his powerful thrusts made Kate squirm in pleasure, rendering her a complete mess; in the end, when he was sure that she has reached her peak, he allowed himself to let go as well and came deep inside of her.

After a few minutes, during which neither of them moved, and they simply savoured the moment, his breathing calmed down and he finally regained consciousness. When he was sure, he could move and not fall over. He finally pulled out of Kate, his limp member, plopping out of her with an audible pop.

Kate didn't move, unable to compose herself, wavering between consciousness and unconsciousness. As a result, she barely noticed Jack withdrawing.

"You ok?" Jack asked as he leaned over her. He didn't know why, but at that moment he followed a sudden impulse and pushed two of his fingers inside of her- stuffing the slick that was lazily dripping out of her abused hole back in.

Kate's response was a faint, unintelligible moan that could have been either complaint or arousal.

***

It took half an hour for Kate to return to her senses, only to find herself confused and lost but, most importantly, empty.

She lifted her head, looked around, and realised that one, she was still drunk, two, was in her bunk bed, and three, dressed in her uniform. Yet, there was no Jack around, only Daren, Giddeon and Celina. She dropped back unto the pillow and closed her eyes. She felt exhausted, and then there was this stickiness between her legs slowly leaving from within her, and she had to smile.

"Feeling better?" Celina chimed into Kate's daydream.

"Yea-" Kate answered hesitantly, unsure of how much she or the others were aware of.

"Good; we were all worried when Jack brought you back and told us you fell over from exhaustion." Celina clarified, and Kate nearly let out a sigh of relief. "But you are clearly drunk. You need to stay away from him. He will only get you in trouble. Frack- even his illegal trafficking of Amasec nearly got us into hot waters." Celina shook her head in disgust. "Frack him- If he wasn’t our sergeant-"

"Yeah," Kate smiled, leaning deeper into her pillow and closing her eyes. "Frack him-"

[applestains]

No one ever draws Lloyd being fatherly towards Arin or Frak and it emotionally destroys me. Like, I've seen art where he's being fatherly to all his little disciples but have you ever seen one fanart where its JUST lloyd and arin? or lloyd and frak? I didnt THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!

( i actually have of course there is just an extreme drought when it comes to that duo. its all angst. give me arin accidentally calling lloyd dad or something. this also may or may not be bait to tag me in lloyd and arin art )

[verydistractedveryconfused]

Headcanon that Frak and Geo started bonding because of their heritage and backgrounds.

They are both mixed species with distinctive characteristics and traits from said species.

Frak's body skales/spikes on his head and strength resemble more his merlopian side, while the colors of his skales (i think constrictai), eyes and the shape of his toungue are very clearly from the serpentine.

His behaviour also may imply that he was raised mostly among other serpentines, giving how he met Arin, his knowledge on speleology (as he mentioned on season 3) and the hissing.

Geo has more Munce characteristics than Geckle. His height, teeth, hair and markings are from his munce side, while his coloring and ears are those of a geckle.

I can't say much of his behaviour or mannerism because if I am not mistaken he had been cast away from his home, so ot is most likely that he did not retain much of their customs once he was no longer surrounded by either of the tribes.

Where am I going with this?

It's not that I think they would bond solely on the fact that they are both a mixed species.

Frak seems very confident and proud of who he is, he knows his culture and likes talking about it.

Meanwhile Geo on his first appearance on the show seemed almost ashamed of himself, and he doesn't appear to be comfortable talking about it.

I think Frak would totally notice this and reach out to Geo. Maybe help him feel sure of who he is and support him.

Idk, i just wanted Frak and Geo to interact.

Also, Frak would totally be a cool cousin to Fritz and Spitz (maybe even teach Spitz to use his hypnotic eyes)

[onthewaytosomewhere]

firstprince art that's hawt AF!!!

ok so a while back discussion with @duchessdepolignaca03 & @sparklepocalypse lead to talk of early 2000's lowrise jeans with the whaletail (exposed thong) fashion and how if that comes back we needed tzp to jump on it (or something like that it was a while a go lolz) so i commissioned a couple pieces (doing my fandom duty and all lolz) they both ended up firstprince but hello nurse are they good!!!

we got this one done by Nie @gayhoediaz at the end of May and now we have another lovely one by Ash @seanchaidh7

look how pretty it is!

(the details on both of these are so amazing!!!)

but this one - since i've not publicly gone on about it - here we go - henry all decked out in this is just perfect! and he knows exactly what he's got and isn't letting go - just like all of us he's marveling at how hot his bf is

when it comes to alex make sure ya notice the piercings and other body jewelry - the sheer shirt showing off everything - including one of those piercings - those jeans just barely staying on those hips and holy frak i have stared at this entirely too long and it gets better every time i look at it 💚💚💚💚

make sure you tell Ash and Nie both how much you luv them!!

[blazeymc]

A lot of people have been talking abt Arin in DR S2P2 and I guess I'll give my defence of this adorable lil bean

Spoilers ahead, though you probably already know that

Many people have been calling Arin selfish in DR. This whole thing is going on where the world is basically being sliced and diced and stitched back together, and it seems that all Arin cares about is his parents. And guess what? That's perfectly valid.

I don't know about you, but I have a loving relationship with my parents. If the Merge were to happen in real life, of course I'd be worried about them. Arin loves his parents, so is it such a big surprise that he'd be worried?

And yes, he may be being unfair to Lloyd and the other Ninja. But for several months now, his parents have been missing. Lloyd keeps promising that they'll find them, but nothing happens. Arin is getting nowhere when it comes to his parents because the world keeps getting in trouble. And yeah, to be fair, the world comes before one kid's parents. But they were everything to Arin! The two most important things in Arin's life pre-Merge were his obsession with the Ninja and his parents.

Speaking of his obsession with the Ninja, yeah. They were his heroes. He looked up to them so much when he was younger, and still does. It probably isn't helping that one of them is evil now. And then there's the news that the mentor of his heroes caused the Merge. Let me talk about Ras for a second.

Arin has that scene where Ras tells him stuff. First, Ras says that Sora lied and that Arin's object spinjitzu in the P1 finale wasn't him, but Sora using her powers. He tells Arin that Wu caused the Merge. And he says that he knows where Arin's parents are. Yes, this all seems like a bunch of lies, but then he questions Sora.

Sora says yes, she lied. But only because they couldn't afford to lose Nya to Netherspace like they lost Kai. And this hurt. The person that Arin's been friends with for years lied to him because she didn't think that he could do something on his own and that he needed help. She didn't trust him. She didn't believe in him. And that hurt.

It feels like no one cares about Arin. They care about saving the world, not about his parents. They care about guaranteeing success, not about letting him prove himself. And yeah, it's fair to care about that stuff, but to be on the receiving end of this? That has to freaking hurt.

Then Ras comes in. First, he promises that he knows where Arin's parents are. That information is invaluable to Arin. He'd do anything to find out what exactly Ras knows. And then there's the issue with spinjitzu.

Arin has his wonky, homemade spinjitzu that doesn't work like the others. Lloyd is trying to help him get better, but just like with his parents, he's getting nowhere. Then Frak comes along. Arin's best friend from before the Merge, who helped him when he was in trouble. Frak is on Ras' team and shows Arin what Ras has been showing him. With Frak's help, Arin manages to do actual spinjitzu, although this first time he does it, there's a bit of those red shatterspin effects, which is kinda interesting.

Something else that I think is super interesting here is that before training with Frak, Arin was on the fence about whether Ras was actually telling the truth. However, once Ras' teachings actually help him do proper spinjitzu, he seems utterly convinced.

Anyways, Arin's gotten nowhere with Lloyd in terms of progression in his spinjitzu, but one tip from Ras via Frak is enough to bring him a lot farther along than before. This obviously gives Arin more confidence in Ras than in Lloyd and the Ninja.

Ultimately, this results in Arin actually caring a lot to make sure that Ras is not brought to harm in the final battle against Nokt, and he follows his only lead on his parents through a collapsing passage. He no longer cares about the Ninja and only for his parents and a master who it seems actually cares about his wants and needs and is willing to help him. And yeah, Ras is manipulating him, but Arin is in a state where he probably doesn't care. He no longer has the time to care about the world, because, with Ras, he is closer to finding his parents than he ever was before. And if that means leaving behind a friend who lied to him and a group directly related to the catalyst for his parents being lost in the first place, then so be it.

He's gone through so much, and is now looking out for his own needs when no one else is. And that's what makes him such an amazing character. That's what makes his arc such an amazing arc. He hasn't done much when it comes to saving the world anyways, it's always been Sora or the Ninja. They don't even need his help, so he may as well break off and do his own thing.

I love Arin and I will defend him with my life if necessary.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[cable-salamdr]

My honest reaction at that scene (added both the bi and pan flag because I haven’t decided yet)

[ninjagobythenumbers]

Season 18 Bechdel Test

I gotta say. This was not a great season for women. (That is, if you only go by the Bechdel test, which is really only useful as in aggregate for getting somewhat of an overview on representation. It is not a test that accounts for any sort of nuance. It is just for fun.) Here's the rest of the seasons for comparison. Full spreadsheet here.

As you can see, this season had more failures of the Bechdel test than any season since Crystalized. More than one of the episodes that succeeded would have failed if not for an exchange between Rox and Kur. (As I've been saying since Sons of Garmadon, having a female henchman to a female villain makes passing the Bechdel test easy. Super catchy saying.) This season also only had 2 named women introduced. Much less than prior DR seasons, but I will chalk that up to overall reduction in new characters. Just guessing off the top of my head, 5 men were introduced. At least. So hmm, I hope DR isn't losing one of its key Bechdel success factors - not having men be the default. That would truly be a regression. Aside from that, I don't think that this season's failures demonstrate any sort of destruction of the show's female characters or anything like that. It failed primarily because of two simple factors.

The main female characters were split up.

The characters' primary goal was to find two male characters.

Elaborating on these points, for the majority of this season, Sora was the only woman in a group while Nya and Wyldfire were in a group with Kai. You'd think that the Nya & Wyldfire group would save us, but both characters tend to only talk to Kai because that's the character they have a close relationship. Similarly, you'd think PIXAL joining the Sora group would help, but the two characters never end up speaking because Sora spent this season mainly speaking to Arin, Frak, and Lloyd and PIXAL primarily speaks to Zane. And I mean, this issue of female characters only speaking to male characters could be indicative of a larger issue in which they're really only accessories to a male storyline (ex: just a sister/girlfriend/mom). However, I think it's more due to this season's group breakdown. I'll also point out that Zane primarily speaks to PIXAL. They've always neutralized eachother in interaction data. I think she actually spoke to more people this season than him. I also think, more than anything, the lack of interaction between female characters at the moment is of an age gap thing. As demonstrated by Nya's line "My brother and his clueless friend," there's sort of an interesting dynamic in the show right now where the adult Ninja don't really know the young Ninja at all unless they're mentoring them. I kind of like it to be honest. It's pretty realistic that they're not all close and that they'd discuss more serious issues (ex: the loss of Jay) with their long-term friends rather than some teenager. The characters' goals are also of course an issue. Nya's looking for Jay. Sora's worried about Arin. Wyldfire's trying to save Roby's life. Thus, whenever they speak to each other it ends up being about the man they're looking for. This, naturally, could also be indicative of a larger problem. We don't want female characters' storylines to always revolve around men. Still, provided this isn't a consistent problem, I'm inclined to think it's just a quirk of the story as it stands right now.

My reverse Bechdel of Crystalized actually suffered from the exact same problems. They were trying to find Nya and they spent much of the season split up into heterogenous groups. You may notice that the split was the bigger issue. Same case for Chaos Rising.

Thank you for reading all this! I'll reiterate that I just do the Bechdel test on Ninjago for fun because it's interesting to see how an kid's action cartoon (something that would be exclusively aimed at boys in the 2010s) has changed over time in how women are represented. If you want to see this chart clearer or the rest of my spreadsheets go to this link. Please let me know if you have any other ideas for Ninjago charts!

[kindaasrikal]

So Arin’s surname has been revealed and he’s one of the ONLY characters with an official name. It’s Arin Nived.

Arin: his name is typically derived from other names like Aaron and Erin, so its meaning is based on those names. They mean ‘mountain of strength’, ‘Enlightened’, ‘a wheel’ or ‘discus’

Nived: meaning ‘best wishes’, ‘offering to God’, or ‘Good omen’

Arin’s first name is very interesting as ‘mountain of strength’ can link to how he’s working with Ras who has the core or whatever it was called for the source dragon of strength. It can also link to his own strength and how they’ll build on his strength of will and hope during the seasons.

‘Enlightened’ could be referring to how he is slowly enlightened into the world around him and his place, as well as how in dr season 3 he becomes enlightened to the strength of hope. It could also refer to how he enlightens others. And ‘a wheel’ and ‘discus’ easily links to his object spinjitzu as discus is a name for sport on throwing discs (look it up) and a wheel could also refer to how he’s a wheel running a machine or a car/cart. An important piece to keep the story going.

Now his newly revealed last name, ‘Nived’. That name means ‘best wishes’ which could link to how Arin has many wishes he wants to fulfil, as well as how he was probably one of the best wishes his parents ever received. ‘Good omen’ refers to how he is constantly bringing good around him despite pretty much helping the bad guy. He seems to very slightly changing Ras and i wonder if they’re gonna show him changing next season because of Arin.

Good omen for Lloyd because he was the start of a new adventure and in helping find the rest of Lloyd’s family. Good omen as he was the final person who Lloyd saw before the merge as well, which could actually refer to how the merge is a good thing, not bad. Good omen for Frak for showing him a way to a good person and a better life, a good omen for Sora for being the start of her better life, a good omen for Riyu for being one of the people who saved them.

There’s not much i can say about the ‘offering to God’ one because i don’t think it has much meaning for Arin’s character and story. Though i may be proven wrong later.

[pl9090]

Whatever Happened to the Samyaza Lads

Or developing .F.P. The Book of the War's interpretation of the Book of Enoch. (Yes: Doctor Who, Faction Paradox, and Biblical lore). As always constructive feedback is welcomed.

"It's a scifi intrepretation of a Christian text involving space fighter pilots… frak".

Disclaimer: The following is based on: Whoverselore, The Book of the War, The Book of Enoch chapters 1 to 36, The Book of Giants, The Book of Noah, The Book of Raziel, and Yezidi beliefs. The 102nd Night in, "Head of State" is not used as it is Lolita's wartime propaganda, especially given that cauldron seems to mean the desert the Sahara would later become.

1.Sequence of events Gallifrey Shortly after The End of the Eternal War The Other informs Samyaza, (celebrated 4th Bowship squadron leader and secret interventionalist) who opposed the Intuitive Revelation but put it aside for the war effort's sake about Rassilon and Thremix's regeneration experiments, specifically the utilisation of Yssgaroth/Great Vampire biodata and the dumping of failed test subjects to die in, "The Abomination's Graeyard" via the Untempered Schism to die, (to enhance the effect on Samyaza he may have claimed to have quit the project as soon as he found out). As intended this spurs him moral disgust motivated action, gathering a group, (consisting of: His fellow squardon pilots, interventionalist activists, and other equally disgusted war veterans) intending to rescue as many able bodied failed test subjects as possible then settle everyone down on a selected world, (he was too tired and cared about Gallifreyan society too much to attempt a coup).

The Plan Group 1: Covertly securing a troop transport's systems against recall and gathering the needed supplies including 200 or so soldier uniforms. Group 2: Identifying a suitable planet and scheduling it as the troop transport's mission location in the ongoing King Great Vampire/Yssgaroth search. Group 3: Accessing the Untempered Schism with The Other's assistance then using it via vortex manipulators to travel to, "The Abomination's Graveyard" returning with as many able bodied failed test subjects as possible. The Other tries to run interference and cover/erase their tracks as best as he can. Upon Group 3's return everyone changes into the soldier uniforms except for Samyaza who changes into a standard pilot flight suit with a face concealing .H.U.D. visor down. All 200 board the troop transport, (a war modified freighter) which leaves without incident as it is a scheduled search mission.

Earth 12,000years ago The troop transport lands on top of Mt. Hermon in Syria and is contacted by Rassilon who initially overs their return as if the mission was genuine but soon threatens force. Between: Samyaza's regeneration experiments blackmail, pressure from The Other, and his personal war earned respect for Samyaza as a fellow squadron leader gets him to relent and reach an agreement.

The Agreement: The colony is officially sanctioned as a secret long term non intervention observation post analysing proto modern humanity's development as it's future has a physical and mythological abundance of vampires suggesting a Yssgaroth influence. The original cover story is ammended accordingly so that anyone who digs sees they are the, "8th Order Observation Group".

In accordance with their, "mission" the settlers relocate the toop transport to the Mountains of the Moon, (probably the Rwenzori Mountains) located in The Democratic Republic of the Congo near both Lake Turkana The Great Rift Valley, (the considered birthplace of humanity) and is dismantled to help establish the colony they named, "Grigori" after the ship, (later referred to by humanity as, "The High Place" or possibly, "Eden") with a three man ruling council: Samyaza, Azazel, and Yeqon.

Earth 11,999years ago A year later a small interventionalist activist group, (consisting of: Yeqon, Abseel, Gadreel, Penemue, and Kasdayue) began to lust over proto moderm human women and petitions Samyaza for permission to intermingle with them, (have children and teach) in the Great Rift Valley nearby going against the agreement with Rassilon. Knowing that they would do so anyway and as a result all two hundred colonists would be punished regardless he agrees gathering all of the colonists together to both inform them of the development and get them to swear loyalty to each other in the face of the inevitable punishment as such interaction was forbidden after the Minyons incident.

Samyaza went down in his flight suit and helmet to both calm his nerves and because he wanted to be honest about what he was despite it not being understood. The overall blue colour aswell as the helmet's stubby fan ariel gives him a peacock kind of appearance which is recorded hence the Peacock Angel.

Known teachers and their subjects Araqiel: Basic geology and petrology. Armaros: Basic psionics. Azazel: Basic mining and manufacturing specfically ironmongery and pottery. Baraqel and Kokabiel: Basic astrology. Chazaqiel: Basic meteorology. Daniel, Sahriel, and Shamaiel: Basic astronomy specifically Sariel the Moon and Shamaiel the Sun. Gadreel: Basic armed combat and cosmetics. Penemue: Both basic language/literature and wisdom. Samyaza: Basic medicine and first aid.

Reproduction The Mal'akh Untainted, (Two sets of biodata: Normal Gallifreyan & Human)= Normal human with some precognitivity and longer then average lifespan. Tainted, (Three sets of biodata: Failed test subject & Human)= Monstorous animalistic pretadory humanoids, (some of which later grew to 300ells, (342.9metres) in height), had to be ripped from their mother's womb and almost constantly hungry for flesh and blood. Capabilities: Harmlessly absorbing any organic matter, rusting and dissasembling non organic matter, controlling storms, creating illusions, basic time manipulation, and self redefinition through being a real and important figment of humanity's collective subconcious. The difference being due to the failed test subjects combined biodata being too dense aswell as their Yssgaroth biodata being so alien in nature and strained byy their links between twoo universes, (The Spiral Politic and Spiral Yssgaroth). The reason for the difference being the failed test subjects combined biodata being too dense and so sheerly alien in nature that their memetic field was strained between two universes, (the Spiral Politic and the Spiral Yssgaorth).

The tainted: "when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind… and to devour one another's flesh and drink the blood", Enoch Chapter 7. "afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction… they take no food, but nethertheless hunger and thurst", Enoch Chapter 18.

Two variants developed depending on the biomass the tainted consumed: 1.Rephaim, (human flesh and blood): Resembles eggshell white skinned humans and pocesses an unnatural level of personal magnetism including remarkable grace and beauty. Spread with humanity across the planet. 2.Nephilim, (Nephilim and animal flesh and bood): Mentally and physically degenerate animalistic grotesques. Kept as pets by the Rephaim who could be forcibly transformed into one. The unsuitable biomass of fellow Nephilim and animal biomass strained their already strained mimetic field to breaking point.

Gallifrey Four senior trusted members of Rassilon's personal war era created intelligence network, (Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel) informed Rassilon that the colonists had broken the agreement by both reproducing with and teaching them knowledge risking a potentially worse repeat of the Minyan disaster. Enraged as much by Samyaza's breaking his word as a fellow Prydonian and war veteran, (as he probably was at The Other's probable involvement in the initial rebelion) as the breaking of the agreement/non interference laws Rassilon gives them orders to take some soldiers or fellow intelligence network members, (and maybe including Shaydes/Casts) to Earth to imprison and punish them.

Earth 111,198 years sgo Raphael, Gabriel, and their soldiers/agents imprisoned the colonists and kill off as many of the Nephilim, (they only knew about the most obvious monstorous giant ones) as possible through direct combat and by tricking them into fighting each other. Michael and his soldiers/agents tied up all of the surviving colonists and buried them alive underneath an unknown spot in The Great Rift Valley so that they would quickly die, (even those with regeneration capabilites) except for Azazel who Raphael personally ties up and buries under Dûdâêl, (possibly the Richat Structure in Mauritania). Uriel and his soldiers/agents tried to assess and reduce the impact of the colonist's actions on protomodern humans by both questioning them and as the unstable timestream made erasure impossible stripping down as much technology from the Grigori settlement's buildings as possible leaving them as empty shells trusting the area's newfound alt time nature caused by the colonist's presence to hide it's presence from humanity until they were advanced enough technologically and in understanding for it not to matter.

Gallifrey An announcement is made that the Eighth Order Observation Group broke the non interference laws causing a possible Minyan like disaster that has fortunately been swiftly resolved. As the ammended cover story is used politcally the colonists are not declared to be renegades so retain their Chapter and House status resulting in House politicking coming into play. Azazel as the only member of the Grigori Council that isn't from a high stature and influential house aswellas being the one to teach the most he is scapegoated in the official record. In an attempt to gain greater status and influence the Dromeian chapter from then on appointing non interference hardliners as their representatives as seen later.

2.Notes The test subjects were all men which suggests it started out as a secret military test programme and thus the test subjects were listed as Killed in Action, (.K.I.A.). The Grigorian Council consisting of three people maybe an example of resonance specifically the Yssgaroth/Great Vampire created three person, "Those Who Rule" leadership. Since the Grigori rebels ability to reproduce suggests that Pythia DVIII's sterility curse was worded as such that it only specifically effected those on Gallifrey. As they had banished their imagination and creativity to the vortex, (later becoming The Carnival Queen) it never occured to the Timelords to bypass the curse this way. The timing of Rassilon's agents recapturing the Timelord rebels may have of been purposeful to rub the salt of stopping them from erradicating the Mal'akh themselves into their metaphorical wounds. The fact that the colonists are punished quite harshly immediately on Earth rather then through fair due process on Gallifrey indicates how pissed off Rassilon is and his slide into being a tyrant. The Richat Structure may have been one of the mines Azazael helped proto modern humans establish so being buried in it was symbolic Going by later biblical texts it is possible that all of the surviving colonists were imprisoned in the Richat Structure but I've gone by what is stated in The Book of Enoch. The, "Liber Sanguisugarum/The Book of Leeches" maybe a Grigori settlement relic, a simple Timelord notebook. The rebel city alt time structure, "The High Place" was either created organically by the rebel's mere presence or purposely constructed by them, (the unstable tie fields may indicate how primitive their technology/techniques were or is a reaction to the mammoth city remenant alt time structure). Either way it could be the one of the things that inspired Avus's, (Grandfather Paradox's) interest in alt time structures the fact it was, "secret" only fueling the interest.

[toptophat]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

(Translation: TopHat just watched Dragons Rising S3 part 1 and she's currently very happy!!)

TopHat's Thoughts on Dragons Rising S3 part 1!!! (SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!)

First things first, I had a great time watching this! I was hyped for weeks!! The fights never fails to impress me and the animation is beautiful as always. And now I'm really excited for the 2nd part, imma talk about the biggest surprise characters before the main guys

Obviously we expected Morro to show up and it seems that even when completely separated in the merged realms, he's still atoning for his actions in Possession by cultivating Wu's teachings and protecting people, which was really sweet to see, and of course his conversation with Arin was expected. I hope that after Thunderfang is defeated, Morro can actually meet the ninja again and team up with them, especially since there's a chance Wu is alive.

Pixal was definitely a welcome return, the team just didn't feel complete without her. It is kinda sad that she didn't realise how long she was trapped for but at least she's reunited with Zane and Samurai X is finally back! I really loved the way she intimidated the Freebooters, made Rapton shit his pants and everything 🤣 anyways, glad my gurl is back!

Dareth made a small cameo and it seems like he's still trying to be a ninja even after all this time! thankfully the Arrakore didn't grant that wish, and it's also nice to see my boi's efforts in restoring Djinjago are paying off, it's looking beautiful!

Now onto the main guys!!

Firstly! No, Internet, Arin was obviously not gonna be evil, he's simply being manipulated by Ras, but he's still kind to others, willing to reason with others as opposed to unnecessary violence and he even rejects some of his teachings and is still on somewhat decent terms with the ninja, especially with Sora and Lloyd, the latter of which he risks his life for in the first battle against Thunderfang. And with Jay/Rogue revealing to the others that Arin's parents are still alive, it looks like Ras was only lying to him and using his emotions against him to fulfil his own agenda.

Sora is most likely to master her spinjitzu in part 2, but it's great that she was able to have that moment to reconnect with her bestie! And it was even interesting that when they were kids, he saved her from literally being trafficked, like, holy hell, idk what else you'd call that! Hopefully the other ninja can tell her that Arin's parents are alive so she can convince him that Ras is using him. No pressure!

Frak was great this season, I may have said it before but it's nice to see some heroic serpentine for a change. Appreciate that he's also trying to get through to Arin, admitting that Ras' teachings are flawed, I feel like Arin could've gotten the same experience under better circumstances

Wyldfyre continues to be goated, it was nice seeing her get obsessed with the arcade games whilst looking for Jay with Kai and Nya, it's also pretty cool that she managed to find a cure for the decay affecting Roby (caused by one of the forbidden 5). Where would the ninja be without her? tsk tsk

Cole didn't really do much in part 1, like, I at least thought we were going to have an episode where he looks too! maybe he'll get to at least do something in part 2?

Zane, as always was my goat, I loved his solo episode with the train (really appreciated the reference in the title) although I did have one tiny pet peeve.... THAT GODDAMN SONG 😭😭😭 don't ask which one, you know exactly which one I'm talking about, how many times has that song played during his fake out deaths??? I wasn't even worried this time, I was like "oh, he's dying again" he did get that cool mech suit though! And him calling Pixal the smartest and most attractive member of the team is just... My heart 🥹!!!

"is this guy bugs? IS THIS GUY BUGS???" - Kai

I really enjoyed Kai especially when he showed his dad side saying "Did Roby break up with you? Let's kick his butt!" And also imagine spending your time and effort trying to beat your buddy's highscore only to have them take it back without even being there, it was a sweet moment but that's gotta suck 😭 bro is not hearing the end of it!

Nya, my goat!! It's great that she finally managed to find Jay, of course not as himself but it's still him! Also if there's one thing I could count on, is her and Kai's banter, even as adults you can't not banter with your siblings! Also it was kinda fun seeing her partake in a wish battle again, only this time the Djinn is on her side and not trying to marry her because she looks like his dead lover and through that marriage granting the Djinn infinite wishes causing her to get hit by a poisonous dart and die only for it to be reversed by her actual lover's wish so that only they would remember what happened!

Oh yeah speaking of which, we finally got more Jay screen time!!! Bro thought we wouldn't notice his goofy ahh, although I did love that he actually was a threat to Ras as the mercenary Rogue, it also seems that Kai was right, Jay was probably like "i sense a disturbance in the force.... DID SOMEONE JUST BEAT MY HIGHSCORE??" It's also clear that he hasn't lost his sense of humour ( guessed from his signature "Hoowah!!!" But the pun works too) also bro hasn't changed one bit 🤣 is his goodness still shattered, cus it doesn't feel like it? But I know they'll find a way to get his memory back I missed him so much 😭

La-loyd and Ras, two sides of the custody battle, it's nice to see that he isn't having those visions so frequently but it seems that he is in a lot of danger from Thunderfang who will definitely be back for revenge. So it also turns out that Ras is lying to Arin about his parents, imagine using an emotionally distressed, grieving child for your own gain 😭 that's 16/17 realms worth of fucked up!! I get that he wants his home back, but toying with a child's emotions and dependence is not it bro... Like I said, I really hope Sora is informed about this somehow, someone needs to tell Arin

The Forbidden 5, man, those fuckers were creepy!! Especially the decayer and the one made of bugs!!! Like, I have a phobia of creepy crawlies (spooders) and seeing the inside of him filled with bugs was just... ewww 🤮 I think they're either dead now or their power was slurped out by Thunderfang, either way I don't think they'll be any trouble for now, they sure were a handful though!

And finally, Mr Thunder "Source Dragon Senpai Wouldn't Notice Me" Fang, I had a feeling he wouldn't be easily finished with in part 1, so they're gonna have to give it their all in part 2! And since the Arc dragon of focus defeated him once, is his natural opposite, and is literally one of the newer Lego sets only for £85.97, we'll definitely see them in part 2!!

Moral of the story.... Don't do bugs, kids!!

Anyways, I literally watched this in one sitting hours ago, I was mad dedicated!!! But I'm glad I got to watch it! And I can't wait for part 2!! Idk if I've said this but DR is a great successor to the original series, because I feel like it's the best of both worlds, Lego obviously wouldn't get rid of the old ninja, that'd be awful for business so this is a good move! And honestly the new additions balance so well off of the ogs making a good blend of old and new.

Dragons Rising S3 Part 1 gets 100 corny lighting puns out of 1

[frakually]

Need to use this sideblog more often to post Frak/Techtonic, so here we go

1. Frak once tried asking Cole for advice on relationships. While he gave him advice, he also had to explain to Frak that he's gay so his mileage may vary.

2. Frak, Arin, and Sora are also Starfarer fans! Sora won't admit to it though.

3. Frak started developing a crush on Sora shortly after she beat him, since she gave him the courage to break free from Ras' influence.

4. Besides Cole, Frak's favorite ninja is Nya! He thinks she's super cool and was devastated after her sacrifice. Him and Arin made two lanterns for the anniversary of her departure.

5. While pie's are his specialty, Frak is also proficient in other serpentine dishes, but deliberately doesn't make them for anyone but himself since he doesn't think the ninja would like them.

6. Frak is part venomari, so his saliva is hallucinogenic. The first time he kisses someone they will start tripping out, and he will panic trying to figure out a cure.