#Also he looks like vidar

[autumn-may]

Massive fan of the implication that Even and Ienzo and all the researchers were just going around in fully accurate 200 yr old attire. Ienzo sickly Victorian boy real.

[kaidabakugou]

PAIRING: FOREST GOD VIDAR! BAKUGOU X ELF! READER

WARNINGS: some graphic descriptions | mentions of death | cunnilingus | pubes | hint of body worship | nipple play | marking | biting | blood | blood drinking | spit | breeding kink | hint of dumbification | some hair pulling | overstimulation

WORD COUNT: 7.4K

A/N: proud to finally be able to share with you guys my submission for Touch of Divine Rush Collab by @dark-mnjiro, i love Norse Mythology and had lots of fun writing this one so i hope you enjoy my little knowledge dump plus my interpretation of what Vidar’s journey would look like after Ragnarök

i also made a GLOSSARY to help you understand some of the terms and old Nordic language used without the need of researching it yourselves, please enjoy and tysm for reading!

The air felt thick as ash rained down upon the battle grounds, the remnants of the wrath from the towering flames of the fire giant evident all around as the silent god took in his surroundings. His foot still perched atop Fenrir’s fiery jaw as he looked down at the mangled wolf, a sharp pain making itself known on his palm when adrenaline started to subside from his body. Noticing one of Fenrir’s fangs pierced into his right hand where he held the beast’s jaw open seizing it before bracing his lower foot, adorned with his magical leather shoe, against its lower jaw and tearing it apart as the prophecy intended. Successfully avenging his father, Odin, after his journey ended being devoured by the foul monster.

Bakugou could barely see a few feet around him, the sky burned black as the flames reached all the way up to the stars, consuming them as not even the cosmos could evade their fate of being swallowed by the sea. Ragnarök, the final battle, had finally progressed to its final phase. And as the world burns in flames, Bakugou couldn't help but to inhale the stinging smoke around him, feeling it stain his lungs as he closed his eyes towards the black sky.

Clearing his head from the chaos that surrounds him, beginning to feel the icy touch of Helheim against his scorching skin as he calls upon the forces of nature whom he trusted the most to guide him through this new journey.

Silence. 

A small smile adorned the god’s features as he accepted his fate, although destined to survive the destruction, he found it hard to believe in prophecies when the rumbling of the ocean’s hunger was making the ground beneath his feet tremble as it started to sink into the depths of the unknown. But the silence in his ears reassured him that he will once again rule over a regenerated earth.

Silence had been Bakugou’s strongest companion, known as the silent god for he desired nothing more than to be left alone to rule the forests who were bound by close ties to him where nothing but solitude and deep silence reigned. And his desires would soon be answered as droplets of water began to slowly quench his stained skin, the god’s deep vermilion irises fluttering open as the skies poured down on him. The flames around him began to die down as the sea rumbled again and Bakugou mentally kicked himself for doubting the Norn’s prophecy as their words echoed in his head. 

“Early begun.” 

“Further spun.” 

“One day done.” 

“With joy once more won.”

Ragnarök wasn't the complete end of the world. Out of the sea, the earth started to rise again, new and filled with all shades of green where fields of grains soon began to grow without the hand of any god, human or elf to aid it. A new sun shined down upon the fresh world, and soon a new moon would follow suit as they both traveled the same path as their ancestors and returned to their old lawful regularity to keep earth from seeing the darkness of Ragnarök ever again. 

The surviving gods met at Ithavoll, once again a safe place for the gods to regather themselves as they built a new city and joined forces to bring earth back to its original splendor. But after a while, once the tasks at hand were complete and life on earth was once again restored, Bakugou left Ithavoll to take his throne in Landvidi, the wide lands. 

Where his glorious palace eagerly waits for his return, decorated with large green boughs and only the most delicate of flowers in the midst of an impenetrable primeval forest where he could peacefully reign among the silence of the trees. Where anyone who dared disturb his silence, will receive no mercy and awaken the same mighty god that tore Fenrir’s devilish jaws with his bare hands. Soon, everyone across the realm knew better than to enter the forests uninvited, for all who entered were never to be seen again.

All except one. 

Ever since you were a child, your mother would warn you to never go near the woods just off the threshold of Alfheim, the land of the elves. Hearing stories and tales of how those who had crossed were turned into corpses and left to rot by the border as a warning or were never to be heard from again.

Tales of giant man-eating beasts that would starve themselves and wait patiently for whatever ignorant soul dared set foot into their territory. Some would even say that the surviving dragons resided deep within the monstrous shadows of the tall trees, that reached so far up into the sky that no daylight could seep through. Blood-thirsty bees and spiders that would drain their victims of their blood to the very last drop, leaving them nothing but a mess of bones and dried flesh for the forest soil to consume. 

And those who managed to avoid such terrible fate and considered themselves lucky enough to reach deep within the forest to find the triumphant god’s palace in search of hidden treasures that only the remaining son of Odin could possess, would only be left wishing they would have died at the claws of the forests beasts, for they imagine their death would've been quicker compared to the merciless torture the retired god would greet them with before watering his rare carnivorous plants with their blood and feeding them their remains to keep them hungry for more. 

But you would argue the opposite.

The forest has always been kind to you, ever since you first stepped foot inside of it, back when you were just a small elf beginning to learn the elven ways of magic and strayed a little too far off the border in search of kalonji, a white-petaled flower that only grew near the thresholds of the forest and was a necessary component for brewing medicine due to the healing properties of its seeds. 

But by the time you finished collecting the rare flowers, you had already entered the forest and had no idea on how to return home. The warnings of your mother started to echo inside your head as panic began to settle in the more you looked around and the vast forest seemed to appear the same no matter which direction you faced. Sinking to your knees as tears started to cascade down your cheeks, dropping the basket of flowers beside you as you buried your face in your hands waiting for whatever horrid fate that would end your sorrows. 

Your choked sobs and sniffles were certain to attract one of the many beasts your mother had told you about, but when you started to hear the ruffling of leaves in steady steps getting closer, you never imagined coming face to face with one of the most beautiful creatures you had ever laid eyes on.

A white stag with the most piercing red eyes stared down at you warily. Large, majestic antlers adorned the sides of his head, resembling the leafless branches of the winter trees, as he cautiously smelled around you, taking in your scent while your cries died down in your throat as you stared up in awe at the towering giant. His large hooves were the size of your head, and his long legs were taller than you as you took in their size while he circled around you before settling on your opposite side.

Taking one last whiff of you before turning his snout towards your basket, inhaling the rich aroma of the kalonji before gently stealing one. Raising his head to stand tall in all his glory as he looks around whilst he eats it. You reached over and grabbed a flower as well, bringing it up to your nose to take in its bitter notes within its subtle floral fragrance before presenting it to the stag. To which he happily accepted as he lowered his neck towards you once again, taking your offering before beginning to walk past you and into the trees, stopping momentarily to look back at you only to find you already at his side as you two made your way through the extensive forest. 

You were unsure of where the stag was leading you, but you figured that sticking by his side would be better than waiting alone for the icy souls of Hel to take you. Taking in the vibrant colors of the forest as you found it hard to believe that so much beauty could hold such terrors, but you weren't going to remain present long enough to see it for yourself.

Along the way you encountered small white wood aster and yellow trout lilies that also possessed many medicinal benefits, taking some and putting them inside your basket for later while your started to carefully weave their small branches together, although your inexperienced hands were still clumsy, you still managed to keep all the flowers secure until finally closing it into a circlet. You've been so distracted with the flower crown in your hand that you hadn't noticed the stag had led you back to the threshold of the forest, being aware of your location once he stopped a few feet away from the treeline where you could see the busy city of Alfheim just past the bushes. 

Excited that you were going to be able to return home safely, you thank the stag as he looks down at you, giving you what felt like a nod before turning his body to leave. But stopping in his tracks when you ask him to wait as he gives you a confused look, watching as you walk up to him and offer him the crown you'd been building the whole path back. Those piercing vermilion eyes softening as he stares back down into your eager ones before lowering himself to your height, presenting you the top of his head while being careful not to hurt you with his antlers as you gently place the flower crown between them.

The different shades of yellow and green contrasting from his unique white fur beautifully as you feel his cold nose poke the side of your cheek before leaving a long wet lick on it, making you giggle before waving him off as you make your way down the hill and back to the city whilst he disappears back into the deep forest.

And ever since, each time you've gone to collect more kalonji, you'd find small and rather odd gifts near the flowers. Sometimes it would be random objects like polished stones and crystals, pretty feathers of all colors and sizes, and even sharp teeth that you could only imagine belonged to a creature far larger than those of these lands.

But mostly, you'd find only the rarest of flowers placed neatly upon the grass, looking so out of scenery as they wait for your arrival against the green fields. Flowers that you couldn't even begin to name since you'd never seen any others quite like them. Some would possess the most vibrant colors your eyes had ever seen, and others would have the most fragrant aromas to carry them despite their subdued appearance. Whatever the case, you'd always look forward to the little presents that awaited you on each journey to the border, and back then you were always so curious as to who could be leaving them for you to find at such opportune times. 

But now, nearly a vicennial of winters later, you still look forward to the same little surprises, only now you are well aware of who is responsible for leaving such treasures.

Making your way past the same threshold, you walk through the dense trees you've grown so accustomed to. Ever since that eventful day, the forest has always been kind and welcoming to you. Presenting you with an abundance of the same exotic flowers you would find when you were little, showing you paths filled with the same rare and delicate crystals you'd receive on occasions, and even the few animals you've had the fortune of meeting on your different journeys have grown a liking to you. 

But your reason to return to this forest always remained the same. 

Landvidi possessed only the most beautiful of landscapes, filled with the highest trees and tallest branches in the realm, lush vegetation and fresh flowers. Past the high grasslands, in the heart of the forest known as The Hall of Landvidi, is where the silent god’s palace is located. Surrounded by an even greater portion of earth’s natural beauty that paints a picture of solitude, for no being other than the retired warrior god could reach.

And as the protector of these lands, filled with ambition and strength, he is determined to ensure it remains that way. He has seen what destruction is like, lived it himself during the great battle of the destruction of the cosmos and all that lived within them, and will stop at nothing to keep the peace. 

Bakugou is the strongest of the gods, following Thor, and after fulfilling his fate as an avenger and brave warrior, his rebirth after Ragnarök symbolizes sustainability and regrowth. Being the only god known to be tied with nature, as most gods were connected to the sea through Heimdall, the watchman of the gods, Bakugou had always felt his soul to be more at peace within the wide lands. And even though he swore to never allow any trespassers into his territory, ever since he heard your cries all those winters ago, something within him told him you'd be the exception.

As you descend down the stoned path towards the small tunnel under the large oak trees, you take in a deep breath when the soft breeze hits your skin, the tunnel is formed by the widened crowns of the trees that spread and reached the branches of the oak trees on the opposite side, creating a beautiful passage towards the hidden waterfall ahead. 

From the oak branches, bellflowers of all colors hanged down decorating the path with a mesmerizing view. You reached up and collected some of the violet-blue flowers, making sure to grab several of their leaves as well. Although their petals had a mild taste, the leaves can be quite refreshing, and you knew the one you seeked would enjoy them. 

Securing them inside your basket next to the fresh apples you'd collected from your orchard, you resumed your way down the oak passage as the sound of the waterfall filled your ears. The Querencia Waterfall is the most beautiful of all the waterfalls in Landvidi, located just at the entrance of The Hall a few miles from the palace. It's the only waterfall in the land that’s so high, when the sun is at its peak some of its rays seep through the tall crowns of the oak trees, forming rainbows that look like they're cascading down along with the stream when they capture the water.

Surrounded by ancient willow trees, the lake where it pools contains powerful waters filled with passion and love from the root of the weeping willows that are believed to provide a nourishing embrace of fertility and healing. These were the only willow trees in all of Landvidi, after Ragnarök they became quite rare to find throughout the realms, so you were astonished when the white stag brought you here on one of your visits. Welcoming you into the water to bathe while he feasted on some of the exotic flowers that floated around different areas of the lake. 

You smiled to yourself as you think back on that day, remembering how nurturing the water felt around your body for the first time as its magic began to absorb into your skin. Your heart swelling when you recall feeling something being placed atop your head, only to find the stag adorning your hair with the water hyacinths he collected, rounding them on your head by tangling them with strands of your hair to the best of his abilities until it formed a circlet as his own way of thanking you for the crown you gave him on your first encounter.

You've been coming to Querencia ever since to meet with the stag, bringing him only the freshest fruits from your orchard and collecting flowers from the forest on your journeys to make more crowns for him as a thank you for all the treasures he leaves on the threshold for you. Sometimes he'd wait for your arrival near the berry bushes just off the edge of the forest and escort you through the wide lands filled with birch trees where many wildflowers favor growing near their roots so you can collect them. Other times, you venture into the forest at first daylight and wait for him in the water.

Today was one of those days as you reach the willow trees closest to the waterfall, settling your basket down near its roots as you begin to strip your garbs, folding them by the basket before entering the water. 

Submerging yourself deeper as the warm water sinks into your skin, the soft current wraps you in a state of tranquility whilst you absorb its properties before soon enough you spot the majestic antlers of the white stag. Smiling when you meet his gaze, noticing how his doe eyes seem to light up when he meets yours before entering the water with you, gracefully making his way towards you as water splashes around him from the force of his hooves. Giggling when he presses his wet nose against yours before lowering his soft furred forehead to your damped one. Something that had become a habit when greeting each other.

“God morgon, you came rather quickly today!”, you whisper against him as you greet him in the old language.

Although the old tongue was not commonly used anymore after the great destruction, you noticed you get a reaction from the stag when using some of the old words, almost as if he understood them better than the modern tongue. 

“I brought you something!”, you eagerly tell him, causing his ears to perk up at your announcement as you lift yourself from the water and start walking back towards the willow roots where you left your basket, the stag sauntering alongside you. 

Watching as you open your basket to reveal the shiniest of apples, his tongue dragging against his snout at the sight as he leans forward to eat one when you offer it to him, knowing your orchard produced some of the juiciest and most delicious ones in the realm after you watered them with the water you'd collected from the Querencia river. Offering him the bellflower leaves next as he accepted them and eating one yourself before diving back into the water. 

Fully submerging yourself as the stag followed suit, his smooth white fur now a light gray as it clung to him, droplets of water dripping from his antlers and falling against your skin when he circled closer for you to hold on to him as you swam together.

This was your usual routine on the days you'd meet on the waterfall, bathing together and feeding each other different fruit and flowers you'd bring to one another until the sun would start to disappear behind the mountains, indicating it was time to return home before nightfall. Currently seated on his back while he paraded you around the lake while eating some of the fruits on the bushes near the waterfall, sighing as you wished the stag could communicate with you further, even though you already communicated in your own unique way, exchanging gazes and gifts, and sharing intimate moments such as these that many would thought impossible to be as close to a rare white stag as you are with this one, you still wished he could speak sometimes and be able to tell you stories from the forest he knew so well.

“I wished you could speak to me”, you express as you rest your head against his neck, feeling the patches of hair beginning to fluff up from the breeze hitting his back where you laid. Ceasing his chewing at the sound of your voice as his ears flick at your words, turning his head to the side to look at you before softly snorting while rattling his antlers to signal you to alight and join him in the water again, to which you comply as you sink back in and circle him until you're facing him again. 

Smiling when he presses his cold wet nose against your stomach, snuffling up the center of your chest while leaving gentle licks on your skin before reaching your neck to nuzzle his jaw there as your hands pet along his broad shoulders and trailing them up his slender neck. He gives your side another lick before stepping back a few steps further from you as you stare back at him confused. Unsure of his behavior since he has never done this before when bathing together. 

But just as you begin to approach him again, you stop when the water around him changes its movements, once a steady stream now rapidly swirling with such force you could feel it pull you in closer. Trying your best to steady yourself in the water to swim away but as quickly as it came it dissipated, the water returned to its peaceful flow as if nothing had changed. Except now the white stag was no longer there, and in his place stood a man you'd never seen before.

A tall blonde with a strong physique of that of a warrior, adorned with battle scars and tattoos of old nordic runes on his chest traveling all the way down his abdomen and disappearing below his waist submerged in the water that you couldn't quite make out from your position. Rows of different stone necklaces, identical to the ones you gifted the stag a few winters back embellished his neck and a circlet of flowers sat atop his ash locks, the same crown of flowers you had placed on the stag not so long ago when you were riding him. 

You stood there frozen in place, still confused as to what had happened to the stag that was just standing before your eyes mere moments ago. Snapping out of your daze when the man started to come closer to you, water rippling around him with each step, similar to when the stag enters the water and it splashes from the might of his hooves. The man stopped in front of you as you peered up at him, the sun seeping through the trees hitting his chiseled face to reveal his piercing vermilion eyes.

The same pools of red that you'd recognize anywhere, the eyes staring back at you were the ones of the stag, eyes you'd look forward to seeing everyday when you woke up, a deep crimson you'd come to find in all things that reminded you of the stag, in the ripe apples of your orchard that he loved so much, in the rare red lilies that only bloomed during the early times of spring in the valley near the waterfall, in the polished pyropes stones he’d bring you every late winter and now in the body of a man whose presence felt familiar the more you took in the energy around him. 

He smiled when he noticed everything beginning to make sense to you when your widened eyes began to soften. 

“Elskan mín”, his voice low but eager as he wraps his arms around your waist and hoists you up to spin you around in the air, causing you to secure your arms around his neck while laughing before holding you close to him. Wet skin pressed against each other while strong arms keep you close as your legs instinctively wrap around his center.

Lowering your face towards him to nudge your nose against his before pressing your foreheads together, just like you would with the stag only now his nose is warm and the dampness of his forehead matches yours. 

“How come you hadn’t done this earlier?”, your eyes searching his as you notice him peering at your lips while you speak before meeting your curious gaze again. 

“Didn’t want to scare you away”, he answers simply whilst pressing kisses along your jaw sporadically. 

“Why now then?”, you push while allowing your digits to travel up and down his nape, tangling with his hair. 

“It just felt right”, he whispers while fondling one of your braids with the charms of your mother, she had removed them from her locks and secured them in yours before passing so you could have a piece of her with you when she could no longer be present in body but carry on in soul and spirit.

His hand traveled down to your shoulder where old nordic runes adorned your skin as well, only yours possessed sacred sigils of the old elven folklore, while his runes were of a time before Ragnarök. Which made you wonder if this was the retired god of vengeance everyone was so wary of, he evidently possessed the powers of one and if anyone was to allow the welcoming treatment the forest has presented you with all these years, it was him. 

You reach for the hand still tracing the runes on your skin to cradle it in yours as you turn it so his palm could be facing you, whilst he watched as you inspected his hand. Smiling again when you pulled your bottom lip between your teeth, almost able to see the ripples of electricity in your head as you put all the details together, a habit of yours that he loved to observe throughout the years since meeting each other.

To Bakugou, out of all the creatures that had stepped foot inside his forest seeking his aid, you were the most beautiful he had ever seen, no flower from his garden could compare to you, and since the day he met you he swore that one day you would become his goddess, and he has remained by your side since, waiting for this exact moment that he'd be able to finally show himself to you and solidify your love. 

He watched as you traced the scar on his palm, a reminder of the path he once walked guided by the burdens of fate. Your eyes meet his again when you finally put all the clues together, noticing how he looked at you like you were the only thing that mattered, and to him you were, for you had become his purpose after no longer having interest in matters of war and retiring to spend eternity within the silence of the wide lands. 

“You're him… the silent one”, only receiving a nod in return as more answers arise in your head, but settling on the one that dominated your thoughts the most.

“Why me?” 

“It's always been you, elskan mín… and now we are able to seal our love for one another.” 

All your questions are melted away when he pulls you towards him and captures your lips in a kiss so fervent that causes your insides to stir with emotion. Only pulling away when the need for air becomes inescapable as you pant against each other's lips. 

“I’ve waited so long to do that”, he exhales while making his way towards the shore with you still secured in his arms. 

The fresh spring breeze hitting your skin when you leave the comfort of the water makes you shiver, a small hint of winter still present in the air as the forest was still transitioning from the stabbing cold into the warm energetic glow that this season brought along with it.

Your nipples pebbling at the loss of heat from the god’s body when he sets you down on the soft clearing of moss and wildflowers under the tallest willow tree. Something that doesn't go unnoticed by him as he peers down at you, now able to openly devour you with his eyes whilst you lay under him, strong tatted arms caging you between them as he lowers himself to capture your lips once again.

All the tales of the remaining son of the once All-Father were of his brash and merciless demeanour, ones that were bound to inflict fear upon anyone that heard them, but all those stories drifted into distant whispers of the wind the more you got lost in him. His touch was firm yet delicate, something that would seem impossible for his physique with such imposing structure, but it was possible. His touch was filled with love and spoke the words his voice failed to express. And only now that his lips trailed open-mouthed kisses along your skin, is that it becomes evident to you the extent of said love as you look back on all the years you've spent together. 

Courting the other in the shape of flowers, stones and apples, in a dance of mighty passion that led to this exact moment as he settled himself between your legs, positioning your thighs above his broad shoulders whilst his fingers traced informal shapes on them. His eyes fixated on the tuft of hair above your cunt as he sinks down to bury his nose in it, inhaling your scent as you watch his eyes darken from finally being able to delve in the thing he craved the most after so long.

Maroon eyes meeting yours while his lips follow the trail of hair down towards your sensitive lips, the feel of his hot breath alone making you clench around nothing as you watch him hover above your cunt, puckering his lips so a long strip of spit falls from them and lands on your clit. Watching as it slides through your folds before pressing his tongue flat on your entrance and licking all the way up to your clit, repeating the action as he falls into rhythm. Feeling yourself get increasingly wetter with each swipe of his tongue while your chest starts to rise and fall unevenly. 

Getting lost in the pleasure as your hips begin to buck when his tongue focuses on your clit, circling it before rapidly flicking against it causing something to ripple inside of you. He wraps his lips around the sensitive bud while his eyes look up in awe at the way you arch into him, your cries unleashing the might in him that had been forgotten for centuries as he sucks on your clit with more vehemence, needing to hear you sing for him louder. 

Increasing his movements as he begins to suck on your folds, the feeling of his lips messily fondling with yours sends chills across your skin as you slowly rock your hips along with him. Your hands reach for his where they rest on your hip bones as he easily opens them for you to tangle your fingers with his whilst he continues to increasingly devour your cunt. The wet smacking sounds of his lips clashing with the ones of the waterfall as you feel yourself get closer and closer to your release.

The sweet taste of your fluids on his tongue drove Bakugou into a frenzy, lapping and eating your cunt while whined grunts resonated from deep in his chest, the vibrations pushing you over the edge. Arching deeper into his touch as wanton moans escape your lips, white spots clouding your vision when he buries his face further into your cunt, nose rubbing on your clit while he drinks every last drop of your release, not stopping until he gets his fill. 

Parting from your cunt once your whines die down into heavy breaths, face stained with your fluids that he pays no mind to as he dives back in to place a tender kiss against your clit before trailing up to the tuft of hair, savoring your scent as he buries his nose in them again and runs his lips against them. Pulling your hairs between them, the slight tug making you peer down at him as you meet his eyes, filled with love and adoration mixed with something else, something more sinister and hungrier that hasn't been sated completely.

Watching as he presses a kiss to your hairs as well before continuing to trail them up your abdomen, never breaking eye contact as he reaches the valley of your breast. His hands untangle from yours as they glide against your sides to cup your boobs, shaking them in his grasp before capturing one of your pert nipples in his mouth. Swirling his tongue around it while he sucks them harder and slowly pulls back until it flicks out of his mouth with a wet slurp, to then switch and give the other nipple the same treatment. Alternating between both breasts as your whines encouraged him on, not stopping his ministrations until your chest was swollen and overstimulated, almost making you reach your climax once again but pulling away to edge you on as he continued to lay kisses against your chest before moving towards your neck. 

Shifting from tender to ravenous when he starts to mark your skin with his teeth, nipping across your throat until settling where your neck meets your shoulder. Feeling his tongue drag against your skin followed by a sloppy kiss before his teeth scrape your delicate skin, your cunt clenching in anticipation as you wait for him to finally give in to his desires. 

Bakugou could hear his heart beat loudly inside his ears as he began to sink his teeth in you, pressing down until the skin gave away against his force, the rush of blood drowning his taste buds making the loud beating cease into silence as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

The mighty god had left the path of war behind a long time ago, but one's nature can’t be so easily avoided as the craving for disaster and vengeance haunted him at times from a period where the blood of his enemies would quench his skin, finding its way to his lips, reminding him what victory tastes like.

So as the savory metallic taste pours down his throat, he can't contain the groan that escapes him as a chill runs down his spine making him grind against you whilst your sweet cries pull him from his silence. Withdrawing from your skin to lap up the remaining rush of blood before cradling your face in his hand, holding your jaw firmly as he presses his lips to yours. Kissing you with such might you feel he could almost devour you through the kiss as the taste of your own blood mixing with each other's spit sends you both in a trance as you continue savoring it.

Bucking your hips to grind against his cock as his hips follow suit, beads of precum mixing with your arousal as he rubs his length between your folds whilst his tongue tangles with yours. Too engrossed in the kiss to pull away, you sneak your hand between your bodies and guide his cock to align with you as he slowly begins to sink into your cunt. The stretch of his cock sends a hot wave of pleasure down your back as your cunt sucks him in further, inch by inch as your fingers curl around ash blonde strands. 

Your breaths become labored as you part from each other, lips swollen and red as he fully sinks into your warmth. The grip from your silken walls forces him to brace himself as he places his arms next to your head to keep himself from collapsing when he feels his thighs twitch. Pressing his forehead to yours when his hips start to rock into you, slow and steady at first before gradually increasing his thrusts into a brutal pace that drives both of you into a babbling mess. 

Your wetness gushing messily, soaking the untamed strands of ash hair on his pelvis as they bounce against your own, before dribbling onto your skin causing it to spread in sticky strands every time his hips part from yours to snap against them again. Strangled moans mixing with the sloppy sounds of your bodies as the sensations become overwhelmingly good.

Tears threatening to spill from your eyes as you look up at him, trying your best to answer him when he asks you to tell him how good it feels between the curses in old tongue and heavy grunts that escape him. Responding to what feels like incoherent babbles as your mind melts away the more he pounds into your sloppy pussy. 

Bakugou could feel his balls twitch as he neared his release, but he needed you to come undone with him and make an even greater mess on his cock for him. Shifting his weight on one arm while the other gives your breast a quick tug before reaching between your bodies as he starts drawing quick circles against your clit with his thumb. Sending an electric shock of pleasure through your body as your breath gets stuck in your throat before you start coming apart. 

Squeezing around him hard as a flow of arousal gushes between your bodies as it stains both of you and leaks down into the soil beneath you. Your walls clenching around him mixed with the obscene sounds coming from your pussy sending him over the edge as well as he buries his cock to the hilt, filling you up as the hand on the side of your head tangles with your hair when yours tug harder at the one on his nape.

The tears finally spilling from your eyes as hot - impossibly hot - globs of creamy cum spill against your sultry cunt, searing your insides as you find yourself never wanting this moment to end, wishing to always be plugged full of the vengeful gods mighty cum. Feeling the final pulses of his cock inside you as his head falls down against your shoulder, smiling to yourself between heavy breaths at the wet feel of his ecstasy filled tears smearing against your skin but choosing not to say anything as he fully allows his weight on top of your whilst your arms wrap around him. 

Giggling at the soft lips pressing feather-light kisses on the side of your neck as they slowly trail up towards your lips, capturing them in a gentle kiss while his fingers caress your scalp where he previously had a grip on your hair.  

A cold breeze pulls you both from your trance as the rustling of the willow tree above you fills your ears, once again reminding of the remnants from the harsh winter as goosebumps erupt from your skin. You notice how the waterfall no longer has a rainbow flowing through it, indicating that the sun has already begun to set, and you need to return home quickly.

You've never stayed in the forest long enough to see nightfall, and the stag would always make sure to escort you back to the treeline safely before sunset, but today time had slipped from your hands and you began to worry. Bakugou is quick to notice your concern as he wraps his arms around your center to hold you close, burying his head in the crook of your neck again and taking a deep breath as he inhales your warm scent. 

“I have to leave”, you remind him but still reciprocate his actions by wrapping your arms around him again as you also hated the idea of having to depart from this moment. 

“Stay”, he whispers against your skin followed by a swipe of his tongue against the dried blood around the punctures on your neck. 

“There is nowhere for us to st-”, you began to dissent, but the forest god silenced you by quickly pulling you into a kiss once more. Grin on his features that you couldn't help but smile in return despite your disapproving eyes.

“I want to show you something”, he guides your legs to wrap around his waist before rising from the ground with you secured in his arms as he carries you through a path of the forest you hadn't explored before. The sun was already halfway past the mountains, making it hard to see, but just as you were about to express your concerns to him, a light in the corner of your eye caught your attention. A small blinking light followed by another until an entire cloud of dancing lights was illuminating your path.

After Ragnarök, it was rare to catch a glimpse of certain insects, fireflies being one of them, so seeing so many in one place had your jaw slack as you watched how they gracefully danced under the upcoming moonlight whilst they guided you through the forest. 

Bakugou kept walking through the field of thinning willow trees that started to morph into magnificent maple trees that even with only the dim light of the fireflies, you could vividly see their vibrant colors. These acer trees had also become a rarity after the great destruction, and the analgesic in their bark was of high command to aid as a remedy for some illnesses, which made you wonder why he hadn't shown you this part of the forest before. The stag had always granted you access to all the rare medicinal flora found in these lands so you found it odd that he kept this area hidden from you. 

Your confusion only grew more as you made your way deeper into the darker trails of the maples, where the path seemed to end by a sealed corridor blocked off with an impenetrable wall of large roots and maple leaves.

“Blómi”, you hear Bakugou whisper as the sound of creaking wood follows, watching as the roots begin to untangle from each other and the leaves falls to the ground revealing a path of lit stones descending into a large garden with a great abundance of flowers, leading towards a large structure. 

Your jaw fell slack again, as you wouldn't have imagined  that this is where the silent god kept his palace, nor that such a vibrant area filled with such sublime greatness of nature could be hidden amid the sacred gloom of the maples. Bakugou couldn't help but smile as he carried you through his garden whilst you stared in complete enchantment, filled with joy that he could finally share his greatest treasures with you. 

The inside of the palace was equally as marvelous as the outside and had a beautiful golden fountain at the very center with small creeks that led to other corridors of the palace, ones you couldn't wait to explore once daylight came again. As for now, the mighty god was still carrying you towards what you could only imagine were his chambers as he ascended the grand staircase near the main entryway. Revealing an archway adorned with flowy white curtains that led inside his bedchamber where he set you down on the spacious bed at the center of the room. The bedding was soft and cozy as you sink deeper into the comfort of them, noticing how the moon sat perfectly above the palace where you had a clear view through the sunroof above the bed.

“Hí, elska”, you heard Bakugou whisper next to you, offering you a coconut shell filled with water. 

“Takk!”, you smile while grabbing the shell and drinking from it, finishing its contents before settling back down on the bed as a yawn escapes you, sleep finally catching up to you after such a fulfilling day. Settling against his chest whilst Bakugou worked his fingers through some of the tangles bathing earlier might have caused.

“God natt, ásynja mín”, he boasts, a grin spreading at your widened eyes looking up at him. 

“Ásynja?”, you ask, unsure if you heard him correctly to which he only nods in return as you match his smile. 

“Yes, ásynja mín, for everything I own is now yours as well”, he adds while nodding towards the room, confirming that he meant the palace and everything within his forest was now yours to rule alongside him for eternity. 

And you couldn't be happier as you drift off to sleep against the god’s chest, neither could him as he placed a gentle kiss against your forehead before peering up at the moon. Asking his father if he was watching as he finally found the one with whom his soul delights in after many years of hard battles, he has completed the prophecy he set for himself all those winters ago when he met you, now with a content smile as he buried his nose in your head, excited for what the future awaits as the rulers of Landvidi.

[starlightwayfinder]

I got the sudden urge to share about an AU, and I actually think it’s one I’ve never talked about here before?

Anyway, it’s just for fun, but a while ago I decided to make a Pixie Hollow AU. I liked the first couple Tinker Bell movies a lot as a kid, so it’s fun for me to revisit that world now. (The AU takes place in Pixie Hollow/Neverland, but the characters themselves are all from KH. Most of them would be KHUX-style keykids, but they’re not exclusively from any one point on the KH timeline)

As far as world building goes, it’s mostly the same as the movie. The fairies are born from dandelion seeds + children’s laughter (perfect, right?) and end up in Pixie Hollow. There, they choose their talent and work to prepare for the change of the seasons. There’s a minister who oversees each season, in addition to a ruler over all of the fairies. (I think in the later movies they made it so the winter fairies are separate from the rest, but I’m choosing to ignore that since… it wasn’t really a thing back when I was watching them.)

They do still have Keys, but they’re lost keys that become magical when they appear in Neverland. They can all open any lock, but additional abilities will depend on the wielder’s talent.

So now to the fun part—assigning talents! 

First, the seasons: 

Ava is the Minister of Spring, Gula is Minister of Summer, Invi is Minister of Winter, and Aced is Minister of Autumn. Similar to his role in Back Cover, Ira is the king in charge of overseeing them. (And yes, Aced would still prefer to have Ira’s role as leader!) 

I made concept designs for them when I first came up with the AU, but now I’d probably change the masks to make them simpler. Dust-keepers:

Sora

Skuld

Player

Vor

The Dust-keepers store/distribute rations of pixie dust. It’s a somewhat mundane job, but all of the other talents depend on them to keep things running. Sora of course is happy to have a role supporting his friends, and Player and Skuld are known for being dependable helpers as well. Vor is the most unsatisfied with her talent, and will often get in trouble for flying off to do fun things with the others. 

Garden talents:

Kairi

Lauriam

Strelitzia 

Sigrun

These four are chosen for fairly obvious reasons, haha. They help to plant and grow flowers on the ‘mainland’. Lauriam and Strelitzia are still siblings, in the sense that they’re seeds from the same dandelion that were enchanted by the laughter of two human siblings. 

Water talents:

Aqua

Hermod

Xion

Roxas

Water talents are in charge of rain, morning dew, ponds, etc. Xion spends her free time with Roxas looking for seashells around mermaid lagoon.

Frost talents:

Xehanort

Urd

Baldr

Heimdall

Frost talents are in charge of making snowflakes and ice. They’re great at what they do, but have a bit of a rivalry with the garden fairies after an incident of freezing their flowers... Baldr and Hoder are ‘siblings’ like Lauriam and Strelitzia. Hoder chose her talent first, and Baldr almost picked the same to stay with her. However, he ultimately felt more called to be a Frost talent.

Light talents:

Eraqus

Hoder

Vidar

Elrena *

Odin 

Light talents are in charge of storing light, making rainbows, guiding sunbeams, and looking after fireflies. They’re also the ones who melt snow when it’s time for spring to arrive—so there’s a bit of irony in Eraqus and Xehanort’s friendship. Hoder probably would’ve preferred her brother becoming a light fairy, but they still spend plenty of time together outside of their roles. Elrena is something of an odd one out, as she creates lightning and works with the water fairies to make storms. Odin is primarily a ‘supervisor’ figure for them.

*edit—apparently Storm talents are a thing, so Elrena is one of those now 🌩️

Fast-flying talents:

Ventus

Vanitas

Vali

Vala 

The Fast-flying talents use wind to transport seeds and pollen. They make deliveries and send messages thanks to their incredible speed. They also guide newcomers to Pixie Hollow. 

Vala and Vali are close friends, but Vanitas and Ventus don’t get along well. Vanitas is competitive, while Ven is much more easygoing. Sora was a fairy Ven guided, so he got to see him choose his talent.

Tinker talents:

Ephemer

Brain

Naminé

Remus

Tinkers are in charge of everything that needs to be made or designed. Ephemer and Brain are always working together on a new gadget to help the other talents. Naminé is more of an artist, so she’s interested in finding and restoring lost things. She often helps people to remember something they’ve forgotten by returning their lost item. (I put Remus here even though we don’t know much about him, because he seems to have an interest in ‘lost things’ as well.)

Scout talents:

Riku

Terra

Helgi

Bragi

Last but not least—the scouts! They’re in charge of keeping an eye out for hawks, pirates, and any other potential threats. It’s the most dangerous talent by far, but they’re determined to protect their friends. (Bragi in this AU is not ‘Luxu’, he’s just himself!)

Starlight. Where are the animal talent fairies?

So, they exist, but they’re mostly just the generic keykids I mentioned before. I’m honestly not sure who out of the main characters would fit as an animal talent…

Regarding other characters: I’ve limited the fairies to just the Keyblade wielders, excluding Lea. The others exist in the AU, but they’re either mainland humans or pirates, haha. Roxas and Xion would eventually befriend the (human) Lea and Isa, but that’s a story for another time.

[zweetpea]

TBRAHE Chapter 8 The Pains of Forgiveness

The next morning you had awoken to a mountain of gifts in your room.

"Addie!" You screamed. She opened the door almost immediately as you hopped out of bed and rushed over to the gifts. There was no joy on your face. You tried to stay composed but in truth you were scared. Chisa only worked throughout the day. Someone someone would have gotten past the guards to get into your room. If they could do that, they could have hurt you. Or someone else could have. 

"Yes my... lady? What happened?" She stood in the doorway flabbergasted.

"I was going to ask you that. Who one earth sent these?" You frantically looked at the presents trying to find a tag. 

"I'm not sure my lady. Would you like me to find out?" She asked.

"Could you please? This is too much. We need to return these." You looked through the boxes for the next hour. 

There was everything from dresses to shoes to jewelry. Some had rare teas, some had handmade tea sets. This is all to much for you to handle. How did someone sneak in and leave all these for you. It didn't make sense, unless...

"SATORU!!!!!"

"You called?" He appeared in the doorway miraculously at your fiery scream.

You slammed him against your bedroom wall and glared at him. "Do you have ANY idea how stupid this was? We don't have the money for this! Nor do we have the time! Also having people sneak into my room while I'm sleeping is SO creepy! What is wrong with you?! I genuinely thought I was in danger for a second!"

"I- I just wanted to do something nice for you." He looked like a kicked puppy dog. "Besides I used money I've been saving in my personal finance." He caressed your face for a second. "And finally I'd never let anyone hurt you."

'You already have.' You thought. "Well why don't you do something useful with that money, like helping to fund our army! Or have you forgotten that the Enemy is at our boarders waiting to attack! We have to meet with congress in about a week and the first thing they're going to demand is that we go to war!"

"I don't want to go to war." He let his hand fall to his side.

"You think I do? We'd be loosing hundreds if not thousands of our people! Now stop acting like a lovestruck idiot and actually get your paperwork DONE!! If you don't want to go to war then fine a solution to this political conflict!" You pushed him out of the room and threw the boxes out with him. "And for the love of all that's good return these and get your money back!"

This went on for days. Every time Satoru tried to do something romantic for you you screamed at him.

—~+~—

First it was having a big romantic picnic planned for you both.

"Honey. Baby. Sweetheart. Pookie." Satoru called to you outside your office window. 

You opened your window. "Do your work!" you screamed out to him.

"Come have a picnic with me!" He pleaded.

"Mr. Toronosuke, I'm sorry but he's too insufferable to deal with." You muttered to... yourself really. "Go Away Satoru! Go Do Your Work!"

"No!" He said sadly. 

"What do you mean 'No'?!" You shouted angrily. 

"No!" He repeated. 

"You can't say no!" You tried to reason.

"Please? I really want to spend time with you! I had all this made just for us!" He begged.

"While I appreciate that, I have work and so do you! Go! Away!" You slammed the window shut.

Satoru sighed and slowly walked back into the palace where he handed the picnic spread off to some servants. "Here go ahead and so with this what you will. Eat it or don't, I don't care." He walked back to his office dragging his feet.

—~+~—

Then it was buying new equipment for Riko and Pendragon.

You walked out to the stables to tack up Pendragon. You were going to head into the city to meet with your father about meeting with Congress and strategize about what to do with Naoya and Vidar. 

However when you arrived you were greeted by shiny new gear, and Satoru standing in a lowcut white shirt and dress trousers.

"What on earth are you doing here?" You glared at him. On Pendragon sat a new blue saddle and white reins. 

"I'm coming with you. Oh no! it looks like all the other horses are being used."

"Too bad for you then, looks like you can't come." You looked for your old gear.

"Or we could share." He suggested in a singsong voice. 

"You know that's not physically possible. Saddles only hold one person. And besides you're in no condition to ride in those clothes anyway. These are nice dress clothes and- okay where are they?" You muttered the last part to yourself.

"I had them put away. Now you HAVE to accept my gifts." He smirked triumphantly

You sighed annoyed at the man child you were forced to call your husband. "We will talk about this when I get back, okay?"

Talk about it you did not because the second you got back all you saw were people moving things around the castle.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" You screamed in Satoru's face. 

"Well since Riko can grow and shrink I thought I would get you something to actually make him useful. TADA! I got you a saddle for him! Now you can ride him into town just like Suguru does with his dragon curse!" Satoru smiled. The saddle itself was very beautiful It was vermilion with white and lavender flowers painted on it. But Riko did not look amused; well until he saw you. then he shrunk out of the saddle and rushed towards you. He jumped on you and curled around your neck instinctively. 

Safe to say you were not amused. You left and wouldn't let him near you for the rest of the day. Despite the pleas from both Satoru and many of the staff you held firm in your decision. 

—~+~—

After that he tried to buy things for Addison and Chisa.

"I'm just so sick of it, Addie! When is he gonna learn to be responsible." You rubbed your temples in one hand and worked with the other.

"Probably never if I'm being honest (Y/n)." She giggled.

"Uh (Y/n)?" Chisa called for you as he walked through the door shyly with a few parcels in his hands.

"What is it Chisa?" You asked not even looking up from your mountain of papers.

"The King sent Lady Addie and Me some gifts." He said bashfully.

"Is he seriously trying to bride you guys to wingman for him?" You asked in disbelief.

"Either that or trying to get on your good side by spoiling us." Addison perked up from next to you. "It's pretty ingenious. Spoiling you hasn't worked but you like us and find happiness in our joy. I'll hand it to the king, he's far more observant than I gave him credit for." 

"I don't have the time or energy to deal with this." You groaned. "If you two wish to keep his presents I'm not going to stop you (that would be incredibly rude of me) but if you do I'd request you send I'm a thank you note and explain that I will not be swayed through both of your happiness."

"As you wish (Y/n)." Chisa bowed. He opened the parcels with his names and one had a new sword with his initials carved in the blade. he also had gotten some tea and snacks. Addison got new ribbons for ribbon dancing and some pendants. 

"(Y/n), Not t be rude or anything but I think you should give the King a chance. He's trying really hard to get to know you and while I don't know what spurred the sudden change of heart or why he did what he did in the past I can say that the King really wants things to work out. Maybe just try to like the next grand gesture he does for you." Addison pleaded with a kind smile adorning her face.

"Never. He's a cruel, vain, arrogant man." You gest.

"Saying truthful things in a joking tone makes them sound less true. He may be awful but he's trying to be better." Addison teased.

"Okay, if you think it's best I'll do it for you Addie." You smiled.

"Honestly I just want the king to stop snooping around on you." She whispered and gently nudged her head towards the door. "I also want him to do his work as much as you do and for him to stop causing you so much stress." She whispered again.

"What would I do without you?" You smiled at Addison, ignoring the loud cracking sound emanating from out in the hallway.

—~+~—

Finally it all culminated when he changed all the plants in the palace to these beautiful Blue roses. 

You woke up that day to the entire palace staff in a tizzy. You weren't entirely sure why but you figured it was due to another one of your husband's schemes to... kiss up to you? Apologize to you? Seduce you? You weren't really sure why he was doing all these grand gestures for you.

You got ready as fast as you could and made your way to the thrown room. the amount of marble in that room always made you a bit dizzy but it was counteracted with the various different amount of plants.

However when you walked in you only saw blue roses. Beautiful blue roses. You didn't even know what to say. It felt ethereal in there.

"Hey (Y/n)." Satoru said as he walked into the room from one of the side entrances. 

"Satoru what is this?" You asked still entranced.

"All of this these past few days have been me trying to apologize to you for what happened this summer. I realized how much you mean to me. I'm so sorry I was such an idiot."

You stared at him in shock. "How... how did you do this?" He may be a headstrong stubborn fool but he was trying to change.

"I found someone who could manipulate the biological make up of plants with their cursed technique." He shrugged as if it was the easiest thing in the world. "Do you like them?"

"I love them!" You practically pounced on him with the way you tackled him into a hug. "And I promise I'm not just saying that because I know you were spying on Addie and me yesterday and she suggested that."

He scoffed. "What are you talking about? I wouldn't spy on you. I have better things to do that that."

"Oh really then why did the servants tell me that there was a vase that was shattered in the hallway and your room was a mess."

"They told you about the room too?"

"Ha! Nope. But I heard you as I was walking by yesterday. The servants hadn't told me about either of those. I knew it! You're jealous!" You smirked at him and he scoffed again.

"As if! What would I be jealous of?" He rolled his eyes.

"You tell me." You kept the smirk on your face.

"I have nothing to be jealous of considering that I'm the one who gets to hold you right now. And considering that you jumped into my arms of your own free will. Your in my arms right now so why would I be jealous." With every word he uttered cockily the reality of what happened hit you harder and harder.

"I'm sorry. That's so unladylike of me." You blushed and tried to pull away but he held you firmly against him.

"No stay! I think it was cute! And I finally have you smiling in my arms I don't want it to end." He stayed firm in place.

You rolled your eyes and activated your cursed technique on him. He floated up and eventually hung upside down. "Okay enough Romeo. you did good today but you're gonna need to do more to earn my forgiveness for embarrassing me."

"So you really aren't mad about me cheating?" He asked hopeful. 

"You got the more rotten outcome out of that ordeal." You smiled slightly at him.

You dropped him and he fell flat on his face. "Ow." he sat up and you offered him your hand to help him get back up.

The two of you stayed in the thrown room for a while. You took one of the roses and tucked it behind his ear. "Thank you for this past week Satoru." You smiled and admired the beautiful Blue Roses Adorning His Eyes.

[lightandfellowship]

Xehanort's line "Your world can change in an instant. Sometimes all it takes is a single step." immediately precedes the title drop and fits perfectly with that title, "Dark Road". This is one of the game's many themes and it doesn't just concern Xehanort, it concerns the rest of the cast, too. It's saying that the smallest action, the smallest decision, can have far-reaching consequences that change the course of your life forever, and potentially make you re-think the world around you.

Some examples of this theme in action:

Xehanort takes a step when he enters the dark corridor that Brown Robe/Ansem SoD summons for him, leaving Destiny Islands behind and ending up in Scala. His world has both literally and figuratively been changed, his horizons broadened.

Hoder takes a step when she decides to confront Maleficent while the rest of the upperclassmen are asleep, leading to her death. This choice creates a domino effect, causing the rest of the game's events to happen. Baldr subsequently falling to darkness also alters Hoder's worldview, as she must abandon the notion of everyone having light inside of them in order to strike Baldr down.

Baldr takes a step when he decides to leave Scala and chase after Hoder, resulting in him falling to darkness and eventually losing all hope for the world. Much like Hoder's decision to go after Maleficent, this has dire, far-reaching consequences for the cast.

Heimdall, Helgi, and Sigrun take a step when they decide to split up from the group and go look for Hoder, leading to their death. After becoming only hearts in the Final World, they realize that there is no clear difference between darkness and light.

Vidar, Vala, and Vali take a step by also leaving Scala and choosing to pursue Kingdom Hearts, a decision born from them becoming disillusioned with Scala's teachings and realizing what is truly important: their friends. This plan eventually results in their death.

Vor takes a step when she makes the difficult decision of leaving her friends behind after realizing her true feelings, a decision that, once revoked far too late, results in her death.

The underclassmen take a step by trusting Baldr and entering the portal to the Coliseum that he summons, subsequently falling into his trap and giving Baldr the perfect opportunity to kill Bragi, Urd, and Hermod.

Xehanort takes yet another step when he approaches Baldr to kill him at the end of the game, this being the crucial event in his backstory that shakes his worldview and sets him down the road to villainy in the first place.

[kydoesthings1]

Translation of two magazine spreads

“Revenge to You” is an illustration with some description while “Love, Hate” is an interview with Sakurai and Matsukaze.

I have been dying to read them for a while now and I finally found ones that are high enough quality to read. Also I was desperate enough. I wasn’t able to find any translations online, so I’m assuming there aren’t any. My Japanese is kind of terrible so any corrections are welcome. Enjoy!

Image source is @/ydotome thank you for the scans!

Revenge to You

Gaelio Bauduin

Taking off his mask, he returns to the battlefield. To vanquish McGillis, he stands up before (McGillis’s) ambition.

McGillis Fareed

With the [unintelligible] Gundam Bael at his hand, he lights the fire that signifies revolution. But destiny has more trials awaiting him.

Text on the right:

Despairing betrayal and farewell to his dearest friend. Even ideals called “revolution” cloud before such hopelessness. The man who fell suddenly into the depths of dejection borrows the name of “Vidar” who continues the bloodline of the god of war and giants, and rises to his feet again. In his chest is not hate, nor justice. Only the anger to completely reject all of McGillis’s actions. The scar carved deep inside the mask is a reminder to himself that he failed to protect those important to him. With thoughts of all that he has lost in his heart, Gaelio returns to the battlefield again.

Love, Hate

With love for a “friend” and hate for a “traitor”, and the unrelenting desire to pursue ambition, what are the two who have become nemeses thinking as they oppose each other?

Finally removing Vidar’s mask, showing his wounded bare face. What sort of determination did Gaelio have then?

McGillis Fareed/Sakurai Takahiro

[Not translating the actor bios because 1) too blurry 2) I don’t care about Sakurai]

With acquiring Gundam Bael, the world should’ve bowed down before him. Although he is driven into a corner by Rustal and Gaelio, he isn’t giving up just yet.

Gaelio Bauduin/Matsukaze Masaya

He concealed himself as Vidar to witness McGillis’s “true intentions”. Now he stands coldly in front of his past “best friend”.

Things heat up as all kinds of viewpoints and emotions mix

[Really could not read the question on this one. Sorry]

Matsukaze: I’ve been so excited ever since then!

Sakurai: Especially Gaelio.

Matsukaze: That’s because I loved the audition, and when I talked about “[unintelligible]” with Mr. Sakurai (and other members), I never thought I’d get a role like this. Of course, I never thought that I would be betrayed and get beaten up by McGillis, or that I would reappear wearing a mask.

Sakurai: It was rather confusing to begin with, I’d always looked up to the Gundam franchise, so at the start I was excited like a child about details like “can I pilot a Gundam?” or “will I wear a mask?” But now that feeling’s almost entirely gone…

Matsukaze: Now things like getting in a Gundam or not for us, is [unintelligible]. Gundams have a lot of screentime, so wouldn’t we worry about dying? Something like that (laughs). Meaning now it feels unbelievable, as an audience and as an actor, and the subjectivity of [unintelligible], lots of different point-of-views are mixed together.

Sakurai: Not only that, but isn’t the show too powerful? Even when dubbing it for real, with all the actors together, a lot of things are mixed together and hard to separate, so I feel what it’s like to struggle with acting for once. But then I felt everyone’s determination and focus, and the atmosphere that a lot relied on finishing the project.

Matsukaze: And of course, “death” really grips your heartstrings. Because “death” is “[unintelligible]”, although “acting a character that dies” is hard, it’s the people around that really make you feel the impact of “death”.

Sakurai: Yeah, you’re right.

Matsukaze: For actors that act as a dying character, of course you’d shout and yell at the moment of death, but it’s impossible to do that after death. It’s the people around that have to bear the emotional fallout of that death. I’ve talked about it with Mr. Kawanishi (Kengo) [Mikazuki’s VA] and Mr. Hosoya (Yoshimasa) [Orga’s VA]. For the deaths of other people, whether it be Carta or Ein, the feeling of those who haven’t died…

Sakurai: He’s bearing all that, Gaelio is.

Matsukaze: It’s so painful! (Laughs bitterly) And although the ending of Season 1 was rushed, as the role of a “rival” that can’t win or lose, I thought it was “[unintelligible]”. If I won I’d overact, and I’m bad at acting the loser, so it wouldn’t work either way…Looking back it was really hard, because the rival is too strong, and the story and drama are so powerful, I was really conflicted about what sort of acting would be fitting.

McGillis and Gaelio’s “reunion”

In episode 43 McGillis’s past is revealed, and his objective becomes clear. And then Vidar - Gaelio took off his mask. It was a turning point for the two.

Sakurai: Announcing the ambition he’d never told anyone about all at once, and then piloting Bael, McGillis had revealed all the cards in his hand, so now all he can do is head towards his goal no matter what.

What did it feel like for McGillis to face Gaelio again?

[This whole next paragraph is very blurry. I am as frustrated as you are]

Sakurai: About that, it’s like getting to the other side of a mist [?], and it’s a straightforward impression. McGillis already has the attitude of “getting[?] everything”, but he shows an ambiguous expression unable to say anything, was he surprised? And [unintelligible] feelings, it’s like, not [unintelligible], but it’s a bit of a [unintelligible] reaction. As I thought, when it comes to things about Gaelio, there might be something unlike with anyone else.

And Gaelio also said that he thought that the McGillis of the past “took off his mask in front of him only”.

Matsukaze: Well, I might be biased because I’m acting as Gaelio [?] (laughs). It might have just been an instant, but I think that instant surely existed. Which is why Gaelio probably also read Agnika Kaieru’s works at least once…he probably didn’t read them very closely, though (laughs).

Sakurai: Hahaha (laughs).

Matsukaze: He definitely asked “what are you reading?” Judging from Gaelio’s personality, if McGillis had the same interests with Gaelio or Carta, he wouldn’t have just used them but worked together with them, is what I think. McGillis who crawled up from the depths and Gaelio who was born into and grew up in a privileged family, they see different worlds.

When Mr. Matsukaze acted as Vidar, did you proceed as if it were Gaelio, or did you change it into something a little like a remake?

Matsukaze: When I heard he hadn’t actually died, but was going to reappear wearing a mask, I asked Director Nagai (Tatsuyuki) “to put it simply, did he become a ghost of revenge?” And then, it wasn’t quite like that, but he was still Gaelio as a human. So for myself personally, being betrayed by your best friend and tossed aside by your childhood friend [osananajimi], after experiencing these emotions he can’t control, changes of that level, and people he talks to changes, for example he talks differently with Rustal to some degree, but the baseline is that I still acted as Gaelio.

The moment of conclusion is approaching…?!

In episodes 45 and 46, there were the direct fights between Gundams.

Matsukaze: For me, it was really interesting that Isurugi was also there in between. It was just like how it was with Carta. Even though the source of the conflict is McGillis, he has to persuade Carta and Isurugi first. Because this is the second time…For Gaelio, there is a theme where he instantly becomes furious. Like “See? You’re being deceived by McGillis!!” (laughs)

Sakurai: Like “Again?!” (laughs)

Matsukaze: I acted like I was an Osaka mom, and it passed on the first take.

[Note: apparently Osaka moms are known for being bossy and yelling at their kids or something.]

Sakurai: (Laughs) But because McGillis is McGillis [?], I do think Isurugi’s last words did hurt a lot for him.

Matsukaze: But McGillis is the kind of person to do it by himself in the worst case scenario. He hasn’t changed from when he was a child and hit someone with a chair.

Sakurai: McGillis has no expectations for anyone. I feel that strongly.

Matsukaze: Even Agnika Kaieru, whom he was so infatuated with, seems to have done everything on his own. Something like “Agnika Kaieru’s three musketeers” probably never existed (laughs).

Sakurai: Right (laughs). He just projects himself onto Agnika, and he’s dedicated to his ambition about power. What an unbalanced guy. If he was cleverer he might have been able to find a different way, with more time, there could have been a more cautious way…

Then what sort of drama will the two have from now on?

Sakurai: I think McGillis and Gaelio will arrive at a final outcome soon. If not, there is no meaning for Gaelio to live for. A reconciliation like “Gaelio, I was wrong!” or “I…forgive McGillis!” probably won’t happen…

Matsukaze: Yeah…(laughs bitterly)

Sakurai: It’s certain that there’s going to be some sort of resolution, but what will it be?

Matsukaze: No matter what, McGillis will be McGillis, and Gaelio will be Gaelio, and they’ll both act out their wills. I think it’s important that they do what they want to [?]. Which is to say, that’s where it’s very “Gundam-like”. All sorts of reasons to fight, important things, there’s things you want to protect, and the conflict that arises from these differences. Not just us but Tekkadan as well, everyone with completely different positions are trying to carry it out.

Sakurai: Yes, once I became aware of this structure, it became a whole lot more interesting. For the inner conflict of Gjallarhorn, that survived the history of the universe, Tekkadan is a very small organization, but their rebellion has connected McGillis and Tekkadan deeply. For example, Shino’s death might just be “the death of one soldier”, but he is one of the mental supports of Tekkadan, so he actually changed the battle at least a little bit…it might be a grown-up way of seeing it, but I think knowing that made the drama much more interesting.

[mimilind]

Stranger of the Falls - Part 5

Pairing: Boromir x Reader

Rating: T

Chapter Word Count: 2200

Parts: [ < Previous Part ] [ Next Part > ] [ Masterlist ]

Full story: [ AO3 ]

※※※

5. Boromir

The sun did not rise the next morning. Or perhaps it did, but you could not see it through the darkness emanating from the enemy’s realm. 

News traveled even more slowly now with the villages so empty of people, but when another day dawned equally dark and sullen as the previous, words reached you that Gondor had lit the famous beacons in the south and sent the Red Arrow urging Rohan to ride to their aid. 

You also learned a huge orc army had taken control over the fort at Cair Andros. They were swarming all over both sides of the river and in the cover of the unnatural darkness they plundered storages and burned villages at will.

When Främling heard about it his face became ashen. 

“Cair Andros is in Anórien, a Gondor fief,” you said, feigning calmness you did not feel. “Gondor is our mighty ally in the south. They have protected us against Mordor for so long, and I am certain they will succeed this time also, especially with our riders on the way to help. The steward of Gondor is a brilliant statesman they say, and his sons mighty warlords. Together they will settle this. Fear not.”

At his dismayed face you became silent. He was looking at you almost with the same despair as when he first woke up after the accident. “Your king must pass through there,” he droned tonelessly. “In his way to aid Gondor, Théoden has to pass near Cair Andros, but with orcs throughout the lands he will be delayed. Then Gondor stands alone. All hope is lost.”

From the way he spoke you suddenly understood. His dark hair, his wealth. “You come from there. From Gondor.”

He did not meet your eyes.

“Who are you?” you asked again. “Please tell me. I need to know your name in case…” Your voice trailed off and you felt a tear trickle down your cheek.

He softly wiped it away. “I am Boromir, son of Denethor of Gondor.”

“Boromir,” you whispered. The mighty warlord. Here in your village, unable to use his right hand properly. No wonder he had lost hope.

When more tears filled your eyes he drew you to him in a hug. “Forgive me. I should have been there, defending the fort, keeping the enemy at bay. Had I not… But even then, I am not certain we could have– There is this weapon you see. The one I dreamt of. It exists, and if the enemy acquires it then…” His voice trailed off and he drew several breaths. “I am rambling. Do not listen to me. You are right; the war may never reach this remote place, and if it does I will protect you with my life.” He kissed your head. “Do not weep. Nothing will happen.”

But you heard in his voice that he did not even believe that himself.

※

He went out again and soon you saw him in the paddock, brushing the horse, talking in a soothing, soft voice. Svarten did not try to tramp or kick him; he actually seemed to enjoy it.

Vidar sauntered by, his new golden belt gleaming around his waist. You glared at it.

“I am impressed,” said he, indicating Boromir. “Never have I seen a man manage Svarten so well. Lord Främling is an extraordinary horseman.”

“And you owe him,” you retorted. “Do not pretend you were unaware of the value of that belt, yet what you gave him in return was hardly worth a thing. Nobody in their right mind would pay even a penny for Svarten! You should return the belt and lend the horse to him for free.”

Vidar protectively covered the belt with his hands. “Well, enough chit-chat; I have a palisade to guard. Later!” He hurried off.

Annoyed, you turned your attention back to Boromir. He had mounted Svarten and was riding round and round, swinging the sword in his left hand. It did not show that he had been nearly paralyzed not long ago; he sat steady like a rock in the saddle, quite a feat for someone with only one good leg.

It struck you that he no longer needed to stay in your house. You had done what you could for him and he would manage the rest himself with all this exercise.

A bit guiltily, you hoped he wouldn’t realize that himself; you did not want him to move out. You could not stand the thought of being alone at night when everything was so frightening in the world.

Besides, where else could he go? He did not know anyone in the village and it was too dangerous to travel. He was stuck with you.

You thought about the hug and kiss he gave you earlier and wondered what they meant. A gesture of friendship? Or more?

Suddenly you wanted it to be more. Under this strange, frightening darkness, in the midst of war and worry, you wished for a glimmer of happiness. A few stolen moments of tenderness and love to carry you on.

But as you thought about it, trying to picture Boromir and you as a couple, you realized you could not. There was a certain bitterness in him, troubled thoughts or memories that filled him with guilt and hopelessness. You suspected that even if he did feel something more for you he wouldn’t allow himself to succumb to it.

If only you had met in other circumstances! In peaceful times, perhaps in your youth, then it could perhaps have come to be.

You felt robbed of his love even though you never had it.

Then you squared your shoulders. As always, there was work to do. You wiped your moist eyes dry and left on your daily round to check on the sick and elderly.

※

At noon, Boromir and you shared a stew with hard bread and mashed potatoes. Somehow this time it felt different to sit opposite to him in your simple house. He looked larger, stronger, more dangerous – like the captain and warlord you now knew he was. He made you feel small.

It was as if he had become even more a stranger after you learned his identity. Now your romantic thoughts from earlier seemed laughably absurd. Lord Boromir was a nobleman; he would never have fallen for a simple Rohirrim healer even if his heart wasn’t so troubled.

Then a couple of red stains on his tunic caught your attention and you temporarily forgot being uncomfortable as your healer’s instincts kicked in. “Your wounds have reopened.”

He glanced down and shrugged. “Not much.”

“Let me examine them.”

He looked amused at your worry but did not protest. He removed his surcote, tunic and shirt and lay down on your bed.

Two of the arrow wounds had a crust of blood but they looked much better than you had feared. Somewhat calmed, you cleaned them and smeared on more ointment. The bleeding had already stopped so you left them unbandaged.

When you had finished, you grew uncomfortable again. You were reminded that this man who lay half-clad in your bed was Lord Boromir, son of the Steward of Gondor. 

It felt like you saw him for the first time. The stewards were said to have Númenorian blood – they were heroes of old, part human, part elvish – and hence would grow older, taller and stronger than most men.

Looking at him now, you did not doubt the truth of that. How could you not have realized he was of such noble descent? Boromir’s features were aristocratic, from his straight nose and chiseled jawline to his bright, gray eyes, and now without the bandages you saw how perfectly sculpted his torso was. Like a work of art.

Your mouth became dry as you took in the sight.

“Finished yet?” he asked.

Face hot, you tore your gaze away. “I am. But you should not work so hard when you are still healing, my lord,” you scolded, hoping he did not notice how flustered you had become.

He only laughed at that, again striking you with how rich and warm his laugh was.

“War is upon us and you fuss over a few scratches? You need to change your priorities. Also – simply Boromir will do; I am not your lord.”

You could not help smiling back.

“When the men return and I have ascertained the village is secure, then I shall rest,” he promised. 

As he put his clothes back on, his forehead furrowed. “I only wish there were more warriors left… And that your houses and palisade were of stone, not wood that can be burned. Orcs are too fond of torching things.” When he saw your expression he hurriedly added: ”But the war will not likely reach this remote village.”

”You believe it will,” you accused.

”Do not trouble yourself about that. I will think of something.” 

“I can help.”

“Well then.” He suddenly smiled. “Let us think together.”

He sat on your bed, leaning his back against the wall, and you sat next to him. 

Silence ensued.

You tried to think of all the clever ways to protect places you had heard or read about. Boromir was right; stone walls seemed to be the most common part of the defense – with archers on top of them – and channels with narrow bridges leading up to the gates. This, you had heard, was what the Hornburg in Helm’s Deep looked like.

You had no such walls here, and no archers either, but maybe… “What about a moat?” you suggested. “We could channel the river here and lead it around the village. Can orcs swim?”

“Fairly well; it would need to be deep for it to work. And we are too few to dig one. If I had the strength of both my arms…” He frowned, glaring at his right hand as if it had betrayed him.

“Could we frighten them off somehow?” you asked, trying to take his thoughts off his incapability. “What do they fear? Apart from sunlight…”

“Not much.”  

He fell silent again, scratching his beard while he thought. A while later he suddenly looked up. “I think I may have an idea… Do you have anything that will burn for a prolonged time?”

“Firewood?”

“No, it has to last longer. Lamp oil could work, or distilled wine.”

“We have tar, plenty of it. We use it for waterproofing.”

He brightened. “Excellent! Show me.”

You asked Vidar to unlock the village storage, and on the way there Boromir explained what he wanted to do.

“An interesting idea,” said Vidar. “Dangerous, but might actually work! Here we are now.”

He opened a barrel of the black, oily liquid. There were many more. Tar was common in this area so you traded it to other villages, and some was sent down the river to be used for shipbuilding in Pelargir.

“Splendid! And you have such an abundance, too. I need most of these barrels, I think. Can I trade you something else for them?”

“Hm.” Vidar gave Boromir’s boots a calculating look.

“Do not be ridiculous.” You gave Vidar a shove. “If he will use it to save the village he shall have it free of charge.” You explained to Boromir that nobody owned the land where the tar pits were located so the resource belonged to everyone.

The two men carried out several barrels, despite your warning to Boromir not to strain himself and overdo it, and then he asked you to help him gather the people.

Soon the villagers curiously flocked around him. Apart from the bedridden elderly everyone had come, even Sigrid, one hand on her back and the other held protectively over her swelling stomach.

Boromir talked to them with the natural authority of one used to command. He told them that though it was not likely the war would come here, he had a plan that would protect the village just in case it did.

The people listened, none of them questioning his right to lead them despite not knowing who he really was. Why would they? They recognized a capable warrior and captain when they saw one.

He divided chores. Some were to dig, others to roll barrels to strategic locations, others to sharpen stakes. 

In no time the place was a flurry of activity.

Boromir and you worked with the stakes, sharpening them into lances and handing them over to Vidar and two other old men who pressed them into the soft loam outside the palisade with the sharp ends pointing outward.

Further out, Maja, her shepherdess friends, little Kalle, and many others were digging a low trench while trying to evade the enthusiastic nips of Ludde who thought they were playing a fun game. When they were done they would pour tar and cover it with boards and branches.

It took a couple of days until the preparations were finished to Boromir’s liking. Then he gathered everyone again. “Well done! After your hard toil we shall now finally be able to sleep soundly and without fear. One day, enemy armies might come this way to burn and plunder – but not this village!” 

As he raised his fist everyone cheered.

※※※

A/N: 

Just in case anyone wondered; tar is another word for pitch or bitumen, a more sticky form of crude oil. It has been used for waterproofing and for fuel in lamps and torches since ancient times. It’s of course highly flammable.

※※※

Parts: [ < Previous Part ] [ Next Part > ] [ Masterlist ]

Full story: [ AO3 ]

[philomenie]

MOON HILL

4 Beings from a different time, a different world than today. Rivals, friends, allies from the beginning of time. 4 magical beings, long separated, now reunited to save what means the most to them. Moon Hill

Nicholas: Peuchen, vampire-like winged serpent, demon Joakim: Fenris, Fenrir, wolf-like demigod Nick: Kerberus, hellhound Noah: Yokai, demon, Chi o nomu hito, blood-drinker, also Kyuketsuki, vampire

CN Fantasy, Mystery, Mention of Blood, Torture, Killing, Betrayal

FIVE

Reader When Elin leaves the bathroom, Skadi is waiting for her. "Are you going to warn me now too?" "I don't have to warn you, I think you know exactly how risky everything is!" Elin looks at her closely, "Skadi, you're not hiding anything from me, are you? I mean nothing more?" Skadi sighs, "I have a hunch, but no proof, what I do know is that you must be directly descended from the first Völva!" "And what do you suspect?" Skadi chews on her lower lip, thinking about how to tell Elin.

"I'm waiting, Skadi, and I've run out of patience! I want answers!" "I suspect you could be the reincarnation of Hella!" "WHAT?" Elin didn't suspect that now. "Your effect on Noah is just like Hella's, Folio told me all about it. Even your connection to Joakim, say you're attracted to him, right?" "I .... " Elin swallows "Attracted.... I feel comfortable with him, safe, like I've known him for ages. The longer he's here, the stronger the feeling becomes. When I touch him..." she breaks off. Skadi nods thoughtfully "That would fit. Hella and Joakim loved each other very much!" "You mean that's not real? Not my real feelings?" "No, I don't mean that, your feelings are real, your blood remembers him! But that doesn't mean you're at his mercy!" "And him?" Skadi shakes her head, "I don't know and I can't ask him, I think he'd kill me on sight if he had the chance!" "Understandable, I saw what he suffered, felt his pain, how he gave up!" Elin's voice harsh. Skadi looks to the ground "I have to live with this guilt, I can only hope he can forgive me one day. If not, I'll have to accept it, but I won't die without a fight!" "You really think he would kill you?" Elin asks incredulously. "Elin, you've never seen him at full strength, if he's still changing, the Fenris wolf is.... Why do you think Odin wanted to subdue him and then, when that didn't work, render him harmless forever?" Elin swallows. "He's powerful, he's strong and he's a threat to his enemies! You haven't seen them all shapeshifted.... They may seem harmless to you in their human form, but they're not! I know they won't harm a hair on your head, they'll defend you to the death, but don't forget, they're all immortal creatures who have been on this earth for eons!" "Just like you....." Skadi sighs "Just like me, yes!" "As a child, my mother told me the old sagas and stories, the Edda.... I can't remember everything. Especially not about Ragnarök. That's why I'm asking you Skadi, is there anything else I need to know that's important?"

Skadi looks at her sadly, "Yes Elin, there is something else. Something that you probably won't like at all and was another reason for Odin's actions!" "Tell me, everything!" "The Fenris wolf triggers the twilight of the gods, the world conflagration, by killing Odin. He himself is killed by Odin's son Vidar.... That's what the Edda predicts." Elin stares at Skadi, stunned. "But I thought the Nothing threatened everything? That the shrine is under threat, that the imbalance will trigger the end of the world!" "I suspect that the Nothing could take hold of Joakim and use him.... That's why I was prepared to keep him imprisoned!" "But it was your fault that the power imbalance happened in the first place, wasn't it, because you betrayed him?" Elin gets louder and louder.

"Elin, yes, it's that complicated!" "No, it's not complicated, if you had left him alone, nothing would ever have happened!" "You don't know that, the Edda says it just like that.... That it's already underway now, a complication!" "Complication?" Elin gasps. "By keeping him prisoner, you've forced it, damn it! If he's so dangerous and powerful, why didn't you leave him alone?" Skadi lowers her eyes guiltily. "It was a mistake... I..…"

But Elin has heard enough, angrily turns around and leaves Skadi standing there. Elin slips back into the guest room, Joakim is still asleep. She quietly lies back down next to him and just as she is about to take his hand again, he is startled out of his sleep and sits up, his hands raised in defense. With glittering eyes, he stares at Elin, who sits up. "WHO are you?!" Elin shakes her head "I don't know anymore!" She feels tears gathering in her eyes. Joakim slowly lowers his arms and Elin can see his carotid artery pulsating. She carefully places a hand over his. He flinches at the touch, stares at her hand and swallows. "I've felt it too, ever since you were brought here. Gently at first, then getting stronger and stronger. With every touch. It pulses through my veins. I can't explain it, but it's as if I've always known you....." Joakim looks at her wildly, "Hella?!" his voice dies away. Elin shrugs her shoulder, "I don't know, her blood, her spirit.... Something in me remembers you and something in you remembers me, or my blood!" Tears are now streaming down her face. Joakim is still staring at her in disbelief, too afraid to admit the thought. Afraid of feeling nothing but pain again. "It can't be, Hella is dead... I...." Abruptly, he pulls his hand back from her. "I'll go, if that's what you want!" Elin offers. Joakim nods silently and looks away.

Elin leaves the room and lets her tears run free. Damn, why does it hurt her so much when she doesn't even know him. In the kitchen, Skadi and Folio prepare breakfast and Elin leaves the house unnoticed by either of them. Thor and Freya follow her like shadows. She would love to ride out with Asa right now, but Noah and Nicholas..... are in the stables. Will she manage to get her horse and bridle unnoticed? Don't vampires sleep during the day? Oh damn, she has to try! Elin leaves her dogs waiting for her outside the stables, first fetches the saddle and halter, then Asa from her stall. With enough distance to the stable, she saddles her horse, mounts and rides off into the forest, Thor and Freya at her side again. Noah He has rested worse, but also better. He is irritable, he also realizes that he needs blood, he needs to nourish himself. It's broad daylight, but fortunately no direct sun, it's cloudy. Direct sun does not kill him, but it and the heat weaken him and make his transformation more difficult. That is why it prefers the night and coolness.

Nicholas, who is still sleeping on his lounger, has no problem at all with the sun, in fact he loves it. He's more bothered by the cold and wet. Noah twists one corner of his mouth in amusement, ironic that they are limited by such mundane things as sun, cold, wet and heat. Folio and Joakim, on the other hand, don't have to struggle with these things at all. He briefly considers waking Nicholas to go hunting with him, but then abandons the idea. He prefers to let him sleep, to rest. Nicholas and he can also eat human food, but that makes them both rather sluggish. Without blood, they are weakened and do not have their full strength, which they need now. Noah quietly leaves the chamber. When he looks up, he sees that the stable door is open. His gaze wanders over the stalls. Damn, her horse is missing. Surely she won't be foolish enough to ride out alone? Noah's anger boils up. He is in the house in a flash. He hears voices in the kitchen. "Where's Elin?" Folio and Skadi flinch, startled. "At Joakim's!" Skadi is the first to find her voice again. Noah growls out... "Her horse is gone!" "That can't be, I saw her go into his room!" Noah only half hears because he is already on his way to Joakim's room, he pulls open the door, looks around. Joakim sits up immediately, knowing the look "What happened?" "Where is she?" "Elin?" "Yes, Elin, she's not here.... Her horse is gone and she's not here!"

Joakim groans out, "Damn!" "What did you do!" Noah growls, his eyes now blood red. Folio joins in "She's not in the house, I've looked in all the rooms, her bloody dogs are gone too!" Noah snarls, Joakim closes his eyes. "I'm going to find her! Wake up Nicholas, Folio!" Noah's orders short. Joakim wants to get up "I'm coming with you!" "YOU stay here, I have no idea what you did to her or what you said to her, but she's gone now! So you're not going to do anything!" Joakim winces, staring angrily at Noah, "I'm coming with you, you're not going to look for her on your own!" "You're not a help, you're more of a hindrance!" and with that, Noah is gone. "What did you say to her?" Folio's voice calm. "I... She, Folio she's.... I... " Joakim can only stammer. Folio nods, "Her blood, isn't it, I can feel it too, it's like that time...." Joakim nods silently. "Skadi thinks Elin might be a reincarnation of Hella..." Joakim's head snaps up in a flash "SKADI?" he gasps. "Bloody...." Folio grits his teeth. "You're not going to tell me THAT THIS BITCH IS HERE! HERE WITH YOU??" "Joakim, please, calm down....."

But he doesn't want to, too much anger has built up, too much has happened, not tearing Folio's throat out has already taken all his strength, but the fact that Skadi is here is too much. With a furious growl, Joakim lunges at Folio, pulling him off his feet. Folio is stunned by the force and power that is back in his friend. Frozen, he looks at the face distorted by rage, sees the eyes glowing red, hears the deep growl coming from Joakim's throat.

Noah looks around outside the house, where could she have gone? In all directions really... it would take too long to find her on his own. Damn, he needs the help of the others to find this stubborn woman. At the thought of Elin, he feels that sweet desire in his chest again, can feel her under his hands again. He growls, he must either continue to stay absolutely away from her, or he must have her, in any way he can think of, and yes, he can think of many ways to do that.... Noah is the first to wake Nicholas, who is immediately on his feet, his expression worried. "We have to find her, she's not safe alone. Who knows who's looking for us, and then we don't know if the Hollow is aware of her role." "Bloody hell I know! And that blasted wolf is to blame!" "What did he tell her?" "I don't know, but she disappeared after she was with him..... The look on his face when I confronted him.... Something's happened!" "Let's get Folio and Skadi, the four of us will probably find her quicker!" suggests Nicholas. "That was exactly my plan!" When they re-enter the house to get Folio and Skadi, they both realize that the situation has changed somewhat. Folio is lying on the ground, the Fenris wolf with glowing red eyes above him, its mouth around Folio's neck, ready to bite.

"Damn it, Joakim, not now!" Noah is indignant. WHERE IS SKADI! Joakim's voice in all their heads. "Joakim, please, let him go, we have to find Elin first, I know you want your revenge and we won't deny it to you, but not now!" Nicholas' calm voice seems to get through to the wolf, because he pulls away from Folio, growling. I'm coming with you, we'll find Elin and then I'll tear Skadi to pieces! Joakim's eyes glow even more than before. Folio has picked himself up from the ground, glaring at the Fenris wolf, "You won't kill her, I won't let you!" Joakim growls angrily at him. "Joakim....." Skadi steps into the hallway, a mistake. Blind with rage, Joakim lunges at the Asin, tearing her clothes to shreds with his claws, leaving deep gashes on her skin. Folio gasps and rushes after him to prevent the worst, beginning to transform in the process. Noah and Nicholas stare stunned at the scene before them. Joakim has Skadi in his clutches, all he has to do is bite, seal her fate. Folio leaps at his friend from behind, his heads bite into the wolf's back, causing it to yelp and loosen its bite around Skadi's neck. Skadi can then slip away downwards.

Panting, bleeding and with eyes wide open, she looks at her opponents. Joakim snaps at Folio's head, writhing, his claws tearing at the hellhound's chest. Noah finally breaks free from his stupor, grabs Folio and tries to pull him away, Nicholas tries to clutch Joakim. Both fight back vehemently, snatching and scratching. The four bodies are intertwined like a ball, Noah's and Nicholas' fangs extended, ready to bite. Joakim throws himself against the wall with Nicholas clinging to his side to get rid of him. Nicholas gasps in pain, loosens his grip and Joakim shakes him off. He bares his teeth and attacks Folio again with Noah on his back, biting into his shoulder and catching Noah, who sinks his fangs into the Fenris wolf's neck with a snarl. Driven by the pain, Noah transforms, his limbs stretch, become stronger, his clothes tear and fall from his body, his skin snow-white, blood-red, black-rimmed eyes with a piercing gaze. His jaw jumps forward, he tears open his deadly mouth and bites again. Joakim howls in pain. Nicholas has also shifted and shoots like an arrow between Noah and Joakim, preventing Noah from tearing open the Fenris wolf's throat. Noah lets go. Gasping and bleeding, the four stare at each other in rage.

[scalacaelumxx]

Who are your top 3 favorite KH characters? ✨

I'm going to try not to ramble on this forever but thank you so much for sending this ask in! I apologize in advance for the can of worms you have opened.

Vidar (Spoilers for Dark Road incoming) Probably the least surprising thing, but currently Vidar is my top favorite. I'm fairly new to the mobile games, and full disclosure, I did not like him when I first saw him. Eraqus was so upset by Vor leaving (even though it was her own choice) that I genuinely felt for him, and therefor didn't approve of Vidar "taking" her away. But continuing the story and learning that he and his friends were so close to achieving what they had been training for for years, only for it to end in the death of not one of his friends, but four of them. And he can't bring himself to strike down what caused their deaths, because Baldr is just a kid and he (presuming that one line was about Hoder) can't bear to face her if something happened to him after she died trying to protect him His character is interesting, he's got a killer design, you can tell how much he cared about his friends, and the tragedy of risking everything to save someone for your friend, only to die by that person's hand trying to protect the friends you have left. I could talk about him for 22 hours a day.

Saix/Isa I know I don't post about him a lot, but Saix (or Isa) has been one of my favorite characters since my friend introduced me to Kingdom Hearts when I was a kid. If it wasn't for Vidar, he'd still be in the top spot! There's just something about how ruthless he was in kh2 and Days. How brutally honest and blunt his deliveries were, and how his boss fight involves catching you off guard with mechanics that don't seem to suit what you've seen of him until you really look at it and realize it does. His relationship with Axel is hilarious on surface level and depressing when you go deeper. His relationship of being Xemnas' right-hand man (next to Xigbar) while also plotting to betray him is so intriguing. And then seeing those sharp eyes and the barbed words and the ruthlessness in him and seeing those compared to the kid who made fun of his best friend and wanted to explore places he wasn't supposed to be in and help someone he had just met is heartbreaking. I loved his redemption in kh3, subtle in the background as it was, and I'm hoping to see more of him trying to be a better person and make it up to Roxas and Xion in 4.

Zexion/Ienzo This one caught me so off guard. I had gotten back into the fandom after a long while and was replaying through the old games to get caught up and Zexion blindsided me in Re:CoM. He was secretive and quiet, but really held no animosity towards Sora or Riku. Which, compared to the rest of the Organization in the castle, stood out a lot. Considering this, he really didn't deserve the death he got, which is still pretty brutal for a Kingdom Hearts death. Then he comes back and immediately throws everything he has into helping the heroes. They were more of a means to an end before, rather than true enemies, and despite their reservations about him he has no problems spending all of his time and resources into helping them stop Xehanort. He was just a kid when he helped start the fall of Radiant Garden but he still feels so guilty and wants to atone so badly. Plus you get extra angst in the "didn't have a heart for 10 odd years and now suddenly has one and is feeling" department.

Runner ups include: Baldr, Vali, Xaldin/Dilan, Vexen/Even, and Terra!

[isan0rt]

Actually, @lightandfellowship asking about other Dark Road historical fashion thoughts on this post did kind of get me thinking about it and you know what I think is really interesting? Is that there are only two students that are at any point wearing entirely Western-looking (non-Japanese) clothing without an obi and obijime, and that’s Xehanort (pre-arrival at Scala)...

And Baldr.

Even Master Odin is wearing an obi and obijime despite otherwise dressing like Gandalf, but we’ll leave him aside for the sake of this discussion.

For the most part the students are wearing fusion clothing, but that’s typical of the Taisho era. The Taisho period, which immediately followed the end of the Meiji Restoration, was a period of great change in Japan, and of Westernization. It was very common for people to wear a mix of Western clothing with traditional Japanese clothing. You can see a lot of this in the Dark Road students; 

(This got really long lol. Discussion of the secondary and tertiary Dark Road students’ design choices, culminating in discussion of Eraqus, Xehanort, and Baldr’s designs and what they might mean in the context of a Taisho-period-adjacent setting, under the cut).

- Most of the male students, plus Urd, are wearing very loose, bloused pants, probably tobi trousers or karusan-bakama. 

- Vidar, Vali, and Vala have some of the most traditionally Japanese silhouettes among the upperclassmen. Vidar is wearing a sleeveless lapped garment that isn’t strictly traditional, but has a very Japanese look to the way it’s assembled and to the color styling, while Vali is wearing pretty authentic-looking Japanese faulds, and is obviously supposed to make you think of the kabuki ideal of a ninja. Vala also looks EXTREMELY Taisho-period; the wearing of silk-painted or embroidered, brightly-colored hakama with an obi and furisode or kosode was extremely common for girls in the Taisho period. Vala has some sort of fantasy puff cuff-sleeve-thing instead of furisode, but her hakama and obi are lifted straight out of the 1910s. Interestingly, these upperclassmen, like Eraqus in the lower class, survive the longest.

- Heimdall, Sigrun, and Bragi are all wearing a mix of actual traditional Japanese clothing and Western elements. They are all wearing short kimono, with Sigrun having a very classic obi styling, Bragi is wearing traditional workman’s clothing (a hanten and sarubakama, with an obi without obijime, interestingly), and Heimdall appears to be wearing a kosode, with obi and obijime. However, Sigrun is wearing leggings and gaiters, Heimdall has some WILD thigh-high Three Musketeers boots and that very intensely high-collared, French-looking bolero jacket, and Bragi is, as previously discussed, wearing a bomber jacket (and also Chuck Taylor sneakers, Bragi you sneaky, deeply anachronistic guy).

- Helgi and Hoder, interestingly, appear to be blending Japanese and Chinese clothing styles; they’re both wearing obi and obiage, but Hoder appears to be wearing a cheongsam, and while Helgi is wearing a sleeveless kimono as a shirt, his fur ruffs very much evoke some traditional theatrical depictions of Son Goku (the Monkey King not the DBZ character); but I’m not that knowledgeable about Chinese clothing so I won’t make too many conjectures here.

- Urd and Hermod and Vor all have very fantasy-like designs, with the girls having fewer garments from either real Western or Japanese styles. Hermod and Urd as discussed have the bloused pants, Vor’s coat looks VERY much like a traditionally silk painted kimono that’s been altered to have a Western tab-collar, but has a traditional Japanese rope bow on the back, and all three are wearing obi and obiage. However, Urd’s robe/cape thing is VERY Western Fantasy Wizard, meanwhile Vor is wearing actual pumpkin pants. Hermod’s looks the most period, with his haori retaining the traditional lapels but altered to have Western bishop sleeves, and he’s wearing VERY WWI-style gaiters.

Now lets talk about the other three, who are actually our main characters; Xehanort, Baldr, and Eraqus.

Eraqus is absolutely wearing nothing but traditional Japanese clothing (aside from the obvious Kingdom Hearts elements of the turtleneck and crossed suspenders). He is wearing extremely traditional hakama, with the most traditional haori of any of the cast. His hair is partially loose but what is pulled back is pulled into something like a topknot; Eraqus is designed in every way to evoke the look of the samurai class. What I think is significant with that is that, as mentioned, the Taisho period followed the Meiji Restoration, when the samurai class in Japan were more or less disbanded in the face of modernization of Japan. I don’t think it’s unrelated that at this point, the Scalan society that considers Eraqus a ‘blueblood’ is also in decline, and is ultimately ended within Eraqus’s lifetime. He is the last of his kind, and he is dressed like it.

Then, there’s Xehanort. When he leaves Destiny Islands to go to Scala he’s dressed in an outfit that calls to mind Ephemer’s, and is extremely Western and modern-looking; which makes sense, since he was raised by Player, and the KHUX time period has very modern and Western fashion (remember Bragi’s Chucks?). But once he’s a student, he’s replaced his button-down shirt and collared sleeveless duster with a turtleneck (Kingdom Hearts, lol) and haori of his own, an exact photo negative of Eraqus’s haori except that Xehanort’s is sleeveless. But Eraqus is a blueblood, and as far as anyone in Scala knows, Xehanort is a nobody and a foreigner; he is still wearing Western pants in a Western style, held up by a Western belt and without any obi in sight. Xehanort was born in Scala, and he resents being seen as Just Some Guy, but he doesn’t belong there like Eraqus does; his haori on top is trying to make him part of that world, an equal to Eraqus, but what’s underneath reflects that Scala doesn’t consider him either of those things.

And then, there is Baldr. 

I’ve seen other posters point out that his clothing is all black, under a white jacket (I’m sorry I don’t remember who pointed this out!), but also, Baldr has the most Western and contemporary clothing of all of the characters in Dark Road. In contrast to Xehanort, with his loose, pre-WWI-era jeans, Baldr is wearing contemporary skinny jeans with a wallet chain and fashionable low-buckled boots. He’s also wearing a waistcoat, and a bolero jacket with what looks like knit cuffs. He doesn’t fit in with the others at all, even less than Xehanort does.

And pointedly, like Xehanort, he is not wearing an obi.

I feel like it’s not a coincidence that this game visually sets its characters in the Taisho era, the time period that transitioned Japan from the traditional Japan to the modern, Westernized Japan of the 20th century, and the character who puts a permanent end to Scalan society is the only character dressed entirely in Western and modern clothing. Obviously I can’t say for sure what the intent was, but at the end of the game, the three characters left standing are Eraqus, dressed in the most traditionally Japanese fashion, Baldr, dressed in the least, and Xehanort, the fusion, who is dressed like Eraqus on the surface, but underneath, is dressed like Baldr.

[chillysbrainrot]

I just watched Ragnarok Season 3 and have some thoughts about it. Most of all, this is about Magne, and what I had in mind watching him throughout the series. Come scream at me with your own thoughts.

Keep in mind, this has some major spoilers of season 3.

Magne

I totally get him, I get why the writers had us living through everything and then just to end it without the huge fight everyone expected.

Magne himself: he is the lone, strange kid. Too big, too silent. Maybe he could be considered to be on the neurodiverse spectrum. He also struggles with being dyslexic and seems to be behind his peers. That alone makes him a pariah for most. Season 3 with the comics and Turid‘s speech made a lot of things clear. (Maybe Magne never really understood or worked through the death of his father Asbjorn. He had somehow to cope.) Magne used to flee into whatever he could to feel like he belongs, to escape reality and not feel „worthless/powerless“ all the time.

Turid: She wants to be helpful but can’t to seem understand either Magne or Laurits. The death of Asbjorn has forced her to be the sole provider for their family, she struggles with the problems they have and while she sees her children struggle, she doesn’t take the time needed to fully listen to them, thinking it’s just a phase most of the time we see her. It takes tragic accidents (and whatever really happened to Trym) for her to finally understand that something is really bad, that Magne needs help.

Isolde: She is an outsider herself, but it seems to be partially by choice. She is the one to see Magne, not his problems, but him, and really wants him to come out of his shell and learn to life. She sees him and he latched onto that, because for once someone doesn’t see the kid with problems but Magne as a human being. She seems to be the first.

Isolde‘s death: A major trigger. Magne began to feel human around Isolde and maybe blamed himself for her death because he was supposed to be with her. It also seemed to have triggered the episode of Magne falling back into the pseudo-reality he built to cope with the accident. The Jutuls were an easy target to blame.

Everyone against Magne: Teachers, the police, even his own mother seemed to be against him. Magne couldn’t understand the world anymore, He couldn’t understand why Isolde’s death wasn’t “as big of a deal” for everyone else as it had been for him. He felt betrayed by Erik especially because he was Isolde’s father and seemed to take it as it was. It didn’t make sense for him, because Isolde told him she was a good paraglider and why would she make the mistake to fly down in a thunderstorm? The police seemed to change their opinion again and again. He lashes out, flees into being Thor because then he could be strong, and look for the real reason.

Laurits seemed to be the first to understand that his brother really has some problems, and that he should stand with him (cue the Ran/Jutul-Parody). Laurits is also portrayed as hopping sides whenever Magne escalates because I think he is one of the few to call/disrupts Magne out of his parade/pseudo-reality

Police, Hospital and Medication: Magne visiting the psychiatrist and getting medication as a paranoid schizophrenic. Magne has lived through a traumatic experience with Isolde’s death and can’t seem to cope with it at all. They said he seemed to believe he needed to be a hero and to protect Edda from the evil of the Jutuls. He seemed to realize himself fleeing into the “Thor-identity” because he said: “I wasn’t myself” but fell right back into it. Did he ever take the medication, after the fight with Vidar, didn’t Turid ever force him to take it? Didn’t a doctor ever check in if Magne took his medication? Or did Magne already flee so far into this pseudo reality that he kept living it? (Maybe it is a major plothole)

Wench and Isolde’s words: Wench might be a bit strange, I would say she, while being a “strange old lady” somehow get’s Magne and means to be helpful to guid him along the way when others couldn’t. The vision of her turning to Isolde, saying she would always be with him (in his heart), is for me a step forward for him, because while he still seems to be trapped in his pseudo reality he starts to open up to others. The other gods come into play, Signy, and the other local kids. He becomes approachable but the war in his head is not over.

The other gods/friends: They became Magne’s friends along the journey but also fight with each other so often, or become strangers along the way again. Totally natural. Magne is more open to them, maybe even relates to them but a lot of it depends on his behavior. Whenever he seems to withdraw back into the “war in his head” he becomes unapproachable, even hurtful.

The Jutuls: They are, in his head, the enemy and source of all evil. An target to put his anger, instead to eat it up and let it fester. For him, they are at fault for everything bad that happens in Edda. Maybe they are for some of these: certainly a big company into mining rare resources has some skeletons in the closets.

Mjolnir: A power-fantasy. Magne felt useless, a loser. When everyone who was “hurt” by Jutul Industries turned him down on the rightful way, and people kept dying from the neglect by the Jutuls, he snapped and turned to the one thing that gave him power. It made him feel strong, but enstranged him to Signy and his brother, even the other gods/friends who at first enabled him to get stronger through it. It’s why it helped to have it at first. He had some sense of power because his friends helped him to believe in himself, he was strong, and didn’t need that “fantasy” for the time being. But when he felt helpless again? He needed that hammer, and needed to feel strong against the “Jutul threat”. Maybe he had a lawsuit that could stand in for the hammer, people certainly could be weary. The woman Magne found was the best example that Jutul Industries neglected their (former) workers. Maybe even after the death of the woman they had an ongoing lawsuit, up until it either got maybe dissolved, left for the time being or something else happened. Magne “lost” his weapon in the Fjord and the Jutuls had the hammer for a short moment, maybe the offered compensation in the “real world” and the family of the woman thought about accepting? Magne regained the hammer but got a reality check.

Wotan’s/Odin’s reality check: Wotan took Magne out of the escalating situation before more people could get hurt. He forced Magne to come back to himself and realize why he was behaving like he did. It is the point that finally brought Magne to himself, to understand while the death of Isolde, his fear to have disappointed her, it was what fed the pseudo reality into what it was festering into. That he needed to come back to the “real” world. It is why he, even if we expected the fight to happen, he finally let it go. He forgave himself, the Jutuls (to an extent), and let it, and symbolic the hammer with its power, go. Because, and that is why we see the fight in the pseudo-reality in the last episode, he has to move forward at some point, and not loose himself and the others forever.

Thor’s death: Thor needed to die for Magne to life. Magne finally found his way out, and realized that he had escaped into a wrong reality. Thor had to die, so Magne could become himself. He was a young man about to graduate from school, and had scared the girl he lived away with how he behaved. We are how Ragnarok plays out, how Thor does, but Magne lives and ends it with throwing the comics away. He no longer needs to flee reality and was ready to rebuild his relationship and strengthen those he made on his way to recovery.

Thor dies so Magne could life.

[corishadowfang]

Maybe like a quiet moment between Vidar and Vor during the story?

(For this)

Yes!! I love these two, haha.

--

            It was so much quieter, with four of them gone.

            It wasn’t the first time Vidar had that thought—it’d pop into his head every time Vala would make an observation and Heimdall wouldn’t quip something back, or when Vali would search for one of the others and look lost, or when Vidar himself would go to say something to Hoder and remember that she wasn’t there anymore.  It felt like there a part of himself was missing—a part of all of them was missing, their conversations awkward and stilted, and he wondered if, when this was all over, they would end up going their separate ways.

            (Vali had disapproved of trying to save Baldr, he knew, even if he’d joined him and Vala with little protest.  He wondered if misplaced loyalty was the only thing keeping him around, sometimes.)

            Vidar shook his head and stood.  Sometimes it felt like he didn’t dare step away from his friends for fear of losing them, too; other times, it felt too stifling, the weight of responsibility over his shoulders, questions and doubts forcing his restless legs to wander.  So he did, trekking away from the others, without a protest following him.

            He didn’t really expect to run into someone else out wandering.

            Vor started when he appeared, and Vidar sucked in a breath and forced his own reaction down.  That’s right.  The underclassman.  The others aren’t the only ones I’m responsible for, now.

            Vor, for her part, seemed to recover quickly, forcing a shaky smile.  “Hey, Vidar.  Wh-what are you doing out here?”

            “Just…thinking,” Vidar answered carefully.  An awkward pause; Vidar hadn’t interacted much with the underclassmen before this—mostly Baldr, and that was only because he was Hoder’s brother—and he wasn’t quite sure how he should do.  “And you?”

            “Also thinking!”  Another big smile, but her eyes were wet, and it made something in Vidar’s chest twist.  “Just wanted to stretch my legs.”

            He should…do something, probably.  Say something.  If I found out one of my friends was—  “It’s a lot, isn’t it?”

            Vor’s expression faltered, fracturing just slightly.  She looked away, and the broad smile turned into something a little sadder—something genuine.  “Maybe.”

            They lapsed into silence, and Vidar wasn’t quite sure how to fill it.  (What could he say?  “I’m sorry your friend killed my friends?”  That felt bitter, and it wasn’t entirely true, besides.  He’d thought he’d been good at this, once—but now, alone, he wasn’t really sure what do do.)

            “…It was really him?”

            Vor wasn’t looking at him; she’d ducked her head to hide her face, and it pricked at Vidar’s worry.  “Yes,” he said gently.  “We…found him, after.”  Vidar sucked in a steadying breath.  “If it’s any consolation—he looked shaken.”

            Vor nodded, seeming to take the time to turn over the information.  “Baldr was always…nice.  He was quiet, sometimes, but never mean.  One time when I was feeling homesick he told my mom and she sent me cookies.”

            “You knew him better than I did,” Vidar admitted quietly.  “I just knew him as Hoder’s brother, but…”  He trailed off, searching for a story.  “He’d spend time with us, sometimes.  It’d annoy Hoder, occasionally, but he was…polite.  He tried not to bother people.”  He kept to himself, Vidar thought, and then thought of cut-off words and shuttering looks.  “He liked it when we went down to the beach.  Or the gardens.  He seemed…more at peace.”

            Vor sniffed, and Vidar snapped towards her, startled.  “W-we’re—we’re going to help him, right?  I don’t want to—I-I didn’t know.  I didn’t know.”

            Vidar wrapped an arm around her shoulders before he could second-guess himself, hugging her tight.  “We’re going to help him,” he murmured.  “I promise.”

[scala-ask-caelum]

Hey everyone! Are you planning anything for Halloween?

When Xehanort walked into the classroom, he didn’t expect to see it covered in cobwebs and orange string lights. Black paper bats hung in the air. Whether they were suspended by a zero gravity spell or some kind of thin string, he couldn’t tell. Strangest of all was his friends decked out in all manner of costumes, from Urd’s cat ear headband and clip-on tail to Bragi wearing a trench coat to Eraqus’s oddly familiar ensemble. Baldr and Vor sat on the second floor, talking about something while reviewing a huge pile of candy.

“Oh, Xehanort!” Eraqus bounded up to him, the feather in his hat swishing. “Happy Halloween!”

As he stared at his friend, Xehanort’s heart trembled. The resemblance was uncanny. His face grew cold, as if the blood had drained from it.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost, hahaha!”

His friend’s playful ribbing brought him back to the present. “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head to dispel… Whatever that feeling was. “What’re all the decorations for?”

Hermod took off his dog-ear headband and twirled it as he said, “It’s for this dumb Halloween party we’re hosting.”

Urd shot him a look. “It’s not dumb, it’s a way for us to connect with other students! We were gonna invite the upperclassmen this year, remember?”

“If they’ll even show up,” Bragi chimed in. “Unless you forgot last year’s fiasco?”

Hermod groaned. “Who would? But for the record, it was not my fault the banner caught on fire!”

The banter brought a smile to Xehanort’s face. “Anything I can do to help set up?”

Eraqus pointed to where Baldr and Vor sat. “They’re sorting candy and making sure the allergens are separate. There’s also non-candy goodies you can prepare.”

With a nod, Xehanort climbed the stairs to find spooky patterned school supplies scattered on the table. Vor waved him over. “Hey! We’re gonna be filling the candy buckets, but you can get started on filling the supplies bucket. Here.” She handed him a big orange container. He sat down at the edge of the table and started gathering up the supplies.

“I’m not gonna be participating this year,” Baldr told him. “Don’t want to risk getting burnt out with exams coming up.”

Xehanort nodded in understanding. That statement seemed only partially true, however. More likely, if there were going to be more people, there would be more heightened emotions and energy. Either way, it made sense that Baldr wouldn’t be going.

“You don’t have to participate either,” Baldr continued, “if you think it’ll be too much for you.”

Xehanort shrugged. “Guess I’ll see how I’m feeling around party time, and I can always leave if it gets overwhelming. I’m kind of excited to see how it turns out! By the way…” He turned to Baldr and asked the question that’d been on his mind since he walked in. “What’s Halloween?”

“What!?” Vor jumped up and slammed her hands on the table, startling him and Baldr. “You don’t know what Halloween is?”

Eraqus headed upstairs at the commotion. He clasped Xehanort’s shoulders and said, “The anniversary of his arrival here is in a few days, Vor. He’s probably never gone trick-or treating, or carved pumpkins, or told scary stories around a fire, or—”

“We get it,” Bragi interrupted nonchalantly. He’d almost finished painting a small wooden coffin. “Xehanort doesn’t know anything about Halloween.”

Xehanort wanted to bite back, but Bragi’s remark was intentionally scathing. Trying to defend himself would only make it worse. But Bragi continued, “Doesn’t mean we should be surprised about it. Wherever he’s from probably had different holidays.”

That made Xehanort feel a lot better. With the situation defused, everyone went back to their preparations.

Finally, nighttime came. The classroom, lit by soft candlelight and orange string lights, nevertheless had a jovial atmosphere. While Vidar, Baldr, and Hoder were nowhere to be seen, the rest of the upperclassmen and Xehanort’s classmates were having a great time. The music, a quiet and steady constant, helped the party’s mood immensely. Sometimes it’d abruptly switch from a calm song to a more upbeat tempo, but that did nothing to dissuade the myriad conversations.

Xehanort decided to watch from the second floor, mostly. Sometimes one person or another would join him in people-watching when it got too chaotic for them, and he’d make polite conversation about a mutually interesting topic. Master Odin sat at a table in the back of the second floor, nursing a glass of cider and reading a book. Xehanort decided to not bother him.

One of the more interesting moments of the night was when Helgi convinced everyone to get in a dance circle. Xehanort could hear shouts of encouragement from those comprising the ring while someone occasionally stepped in and danced to their heart’s content. While it looked fun, he couldn’t bring himself to join them.

Eventually the energy died down enough that Xehanort felt comfortable mingling properly. Everyone’s costumes were fantastic, even if Vor’s wire fairy wings and wide-brimmed wizard hat made her somewhat of a safety hazard. Xehanort himself donned a comfortable red scarf Eraqus had given him (“Matching costumes,” he’d said), along with his original shirt and sleeveless jacket. The smell of it made him tear up a little with a feeling he couldn’t describe as anything other than heartache.

Everyone complimented him on his “costume”, which left his heart brimming with happiness. But how could his shoddy imitation compare to Eraqus being the perfect reflection of his dream friend, down to the clothes he wore?

As he reflected on the evening’s activities that night, Xehanort wondered why he’d never asked Eraqus more about his grandfather. He didn’t even know the guy’s name, much less anything important about him. But he had the same hat, and…

No. Best not to get too caught up in thinking about it right now. Xehanort closed his eyes, trying to push away the deep unease that had settled in his heart.

[ardenchambres]

Another RK!Dagur List:

take a wild guess at who’s my fav character now

loves H in an only mildly creepy (PLATONIC!!!) manner (dw, it’s reciprocated)

doesn’t and hasn’t ever hated dragons, just killed them for his village

really hates lying unless he's the one doing it

feral little forest goblin #2

slightly less deranged/more stoic because he actually cares about people

violently loyal and protective

technically his tribe's chief, but considering his tribe has like four people in it and they're all family their titles don't matter

also violently adhd

i gave him all my symptoms but more severe, so he's an even sillier little guy

always jumps to violence first and questions later

this time around, he's the one who dragged the man into the forest for trying to hurt the siblings' favorite little terror

outwardly the most feral but also goes to bed at 20:30

just barely weird enough to make you uncomfortable (are his ears supposed to be that pointed? why is his neck that long? what does that look in his eyes mean?)

ryker initially thought he might've been abusing H because Dagur got defensive when he tried to talk to him--I'm only just realizing that that's probably why he offered such a good deal for the bola launcher and more of them

gave himself his own piercings and tried to tattoo himself several times, only really succeeded in his second blue claw mark and his list of names

Tyr's his patron!!1!!!!1!!! He also worships Vidar because he's H's patron and three others

[thesummerstorms]

So despite not having read the Magnus Chase books, I do like what I have read *about* Magnus. Plus I like the idea of Annabeth having a cousin who's a Norse demigod in general.

So trying to keep that for the DC AU, I decided he's still Annabeth's cousin, technically, just a bit more removed on the family tree. I made it so that his mother Natalie is actually Bruce's maternal cousin, making Annabeth and Magnus second cousins related through the Kane family.

And then just for the hell of it, Bruce, Natalie, and Kate Kane's grandmother, who is also Martha Wayne and Jacob Kane's mother, is the daughter of the Norse god Vidar, who the PJO wiki describes as the "the silent God of Vengeance and Justice". Mainly so the family can look at Bruce and Kate and go "you know what? Fair. That tracks."

(Also because the idea of Bruce being a Norse legacy who is just really NOT clear sighted and of Magnus teasing Annabeth about Athena "poaching" from the Norse gods is hilarious to me.)

All that said, I think Sadie and Carter Kane are NOT actually related, despite sharing a last name with Bruce's maternal family, but Annabeth and Sadie has just decided it's more fun to let people think that they are, so now Bruce keeps getting asked about "cousins" who he genuinely had no idea existed.

[lightandfellowship]

Are there any worlds or Disney stories that you would have liked to see in Dark Road? Or any headcanons for worlds Xehanort went to (after the main story)?

I think Castle of Dreams would have been a really great world for a Vor and Vidar side-story.

Why Castle of Dreams? For one, all the Disney worlds in KHDR are reused from KHUX. Realistically, that's the only pool you can draw from when thinking about Disney worlds that "could have been", because otherwise the artists on the game would've had to make completely new assets and, well, KHDR is pretty much KHUX Reused Assets: The Video Game. All the KHUX Disney worlds not featured in KHDR would work fine in the game apart from Wreck-it-Ralph since it's a special world.

Actually, I just realized Castle of Dreams is the only non-WiR Disney world from KHUX that didn't make it into KHDR. So I guess Castle of Dreams is the only reasonable choice, lol.

Two, I feel like Castle of Dreams would work well thematically with Vor and Vidar in a variety of ways. Though I don't know if I'll ever finish that fic with them I wanted to make (probably not), perhaps I'll try to create short comics of some small moments I had in mind for them instead. I can better talk about and illustrate my ideas for this world then.

As for Xehanort post-KHDR, I'd probably be more willing to draw from non-KHUX worlds since KHDR doesn't really cover that time period much, anyway. I can just imagine this theoretical KHDR sequel in my mind that doesn't rely so heavily on reused assets. Xehanort's conversation with the MoM suggests that he must've seen some pretty messed up stuff involving darkness on his "world tour", so I'd probably go for Disney properties that are like...a bit darker or more tragic than Disney's usual fare? Stuff that you'd look at and go, "Yeah, makes sense why Xehanort ended up like this."

The question then becomes, what properties? Maybe stuff like:

Bambi: Xehanort's relationship (or lack thereof) to his mother could make witnessing Bambi's mother die to hunters be pretty upsetting. Much like Xehanort, Bambi was also the descendant of a noble bloodline and was expected to do great things when he was older.

The Fox and the Hound: Involves two unlikely friends becoming each other's enemies because of who they are and what they're expected to be, so that could remind him of his relationship with Eraqus, and make him question what the future has in store for them (and Xehanort does call Eraqus a "sly fox" on multiple ocassions).

Hunchback of Notre Dame: We've only ever seen it as a Sleeping World, so we have no idea when exactly the movie's plot occurs during the course of the Kingdom Hearts series. There are plenty of comparisons to draw between Xehanort and Quasi: tragically separated from their mother, raised by someone else, forced to live in isolation away from people and the greater world, has "imaginary" friends, desires freedom, is made to feel like an outcast, etc. Quasi could make Xehanort reflect on his childhood in Destiny Islands and Scala, but in a far more negative light that ends up tainting his perception of it.

Thanks for the interesting question, Starlight!