#I love lore dumping things that will not happen for so long because these bitches insist on pretending they hate each other

[sexynetra]

Would love to know 11, 13, 18 and 24 about rawnsyf

11. What’s a song that describes their relationship? Or, what’s the song that they’ve deemed “their” song?

Okay I don’t know if this is like… a cop out answer but I have a whole playlist that I listen to when I work on this fic (and also literally just all the time) and there’s various songs that exemplify their relationship at various points in time. But if you, like, held a gun to my head and told me to pick the first song I think of when I think of their relationship, it would be “what is this feeling” from wicked

13. What’s their opinions on PDA?

I think Anetra loves it in theory, she’s a hopeless romantic who loves all the softer sweeter parts of falling in love and being in love, but I think in practice it’s still scary to her sometimes. Between her traumatic past, her knee jerk instincts to hide any possible vulnerabilities, and her desire to keep her emotions under lock and key, the actual act of PDA can be a hard hurdle for her. But at her heart she loves it.

And once Marcia comes to terms with her sexuality, she is ALL about it if it was up to her she’d be shouting her love from the rooftops, making everyone and their mom well aware of her relationship and how much she likes Anetra. Me and @lady-assnali have joked many times about Marcia making and wearing t-shirts that say “I love my girlfriend” with Anetra’s face on it and wearing them in public unironically and that’s the kind of energy I think comfortable with her sexuality Marcia will bring.

18. What does a date night out look like for them?

I think it really depends! At least for now, they’re both in college and neither of them is really raking in the dough (even if Marcia is from a relatively well off family). I think Anetra let’s Marcia take her out to shows, be they Broadway or small local theatre troupes, because she loves how excited and passionate Marcia gets about it. On the flip, I think Marcia absolutely takes Anetra to the art museum any chance she gets because she loves seeing how excited Anetra gets telling her all about every piece and every artist. They spend all day there and still only cover a fraction of the works. But typically I think they probably have a lot of cozy coffee dates, nice dinners, maybe going out dancing. And at the end of the day they always get to go home together ;)

24. What are their favorite places to kiss on their partner(s)? What are their favorite types of kisses?

I know deep in my soul that Anetra is addicted to kissing Marcia’s stomach and inner thighs. I know this as fact this is my gospel. But she also really likes kissing the spot where Marcia’s neck and shoulder meet. Marcia is very responsive as a girl who didn’t know how good physical sensations could be before she got with Anetra, and Anetra takes full advantage of that.

Marcia, meanwhile, loves Anetra’s lips (ever a traditionalist) but also really has a thing for her chest. On a slightly less raunchy note though, she also loves to kiss Anetra’s forehead and the top of her head (she may only be an inch or two taller, but boy does she love to remind everyone that she’s the tall one)

[spector]

my goomens s2 thoughts

ok so spoilers obviously BUT

my god . this was a shitshow GFFHIGHFIg i really went in with like . the lowest expectations bc all i wanted was a). see my purple whore (gabriel) and see him be funny b). have a good finale for him where he remains the most special boy in heaven

i did NOT expect the show to be sooo bad in the writing department it was insane. like, ok, i don't care much for crowley and aziraphale, i never did. i love it when they're being fruity and silly on screen, that's fun but overall I'm not very much invested in them. but in this season u barely get them doing fun stuff together, they're always split up and on their own they just don't deliver

AND THE WORST FUCKING PART. are those fucking minisodes/flashbacks . they're so bad. my god. but its clear everyone involved in creating them LOVES the idea but ???? every single one of them SUCKED and took focus away from interesting things that were happening in the PRESENT. the entire mystery plot about gabriel was interesting but guess what, they set it up and then . forget about it until the last episode where they just do a MASSIVE exposition dump in like 15 minutes. u get the entire mystery handed to you on a silver platter and the worst part is, they could have set it up like a genuine investigation for the viewer to guess it, but its the same as BBC sherlock fuckery. the actual resolution is something u never could have guessed on your own !!!!!!!! like there were hints (wit the fly in the shop) but they NEVER followed up on it, they just randomly resolve it in the final episode . my god

anyways back to the minisodes/flashbacks. theyre so bad. i said that already but they're so bad. the blitz episode is the worst offender bc not only it takes place right after that really nice scene from s1 and thusly robs it of any emotional impact, but its also . JUST BAD. EXTREMELY BORING AND UNFUNNY. DREADFULLY UNFUNNY. job minisode was really bad too . the finale of it was ok but the whole buildup was stupid as FUCK. the corpse robbing bit in victorian edinburgh was SOOOO boring and at the end there - extremely cringe. WHY DID THEY EVEN BOTHER WITH THOSE. THEY ADDED NOTHING TO THE PLOT. at least in s1 when they did the minisodes, they served as character exploration for crowley and aziraphale and they also set up some of heaven/hell lore, THE ONES IN S2 WERE NOTHING. NOTHING AT ALL . at one point it seemed like all the bits from the past somehow lead to the current mystery (like that doctor guy and the pub named after him) BUT THEN IT ALL TURNED OUT TO NOT BE CONNECTED AT ALL

the blitz episode . my god . it was just . so bad. i have no words really.

and the lesbian subplot - like. it needed to be more connected to the main plot. i didn't mind it at all but . it went and disappeared and then suddenly became the focus of episode five... WHEN AT THIS POINT, WE SHOULDVE BEEN GETTING CLOSER TO SOLVING THE MYSTERY. BUT THE MYSTERY WAS SHELVED FOR SOME FUCKING REASON. its insane how much aziraphale and crowley just. forget about gabriel even tho they should be busting ass to solve the case as it were.

and my god, gabriel. ive never been like. ride or die for gabriel/beelzebub, they've always been two boss bitches that slayed together or whatever , i prefer them to be that and not romantically involved but i also dont mind them to be an item. so whatever, i dont mind them being endgame BUT I MIND BOTH OF THEM DITCHING THEIR POSITIONS OF POWER BECAUSE I THINK THEYRE TOO COOL FOR THAT . WHATEVER . THATS LAME . they should've like. reorganized everything .

AND ALSO THE WAY THEY KEPT SHELVING GABRIEL AND JUST LIKE. LEAVING HIM OUT OF EPISODES????? WHAT??? THE WHOLE CATALYST FOR EVERYTHING AND THEY FORGET ABOUT HIM FOR LONG STRETCHES OF TIME. INSANE??? AND RESOLVE EVERYTHING SOOO QUICKLY IN THE FINAL EPISODE??? what the hell

ITS JSUT ? INSANE HOW BAD THE WRITING IS and i don't even mean that from a gabriel girlie's perspective. imagine if the season starts out with like, idk a murder mystery and it looks like solving the murder is the most important thing for the story, at least it seems so in episode one. and then suddenly the rest of the season is about what the two detectives did some time ago and its totally unrelated and also at some point there are two episodes dedicated to them looking for some files for an unrelated mystery to get their bosses of their back. and the murder is solved at the last moment through magical CCTV footage they could've accessed at any point in the season if they just Tried A Bit Harder.

it really boggles the mind. it REALLY DOES. they should have dropped all the minisodes they did NOTHING . the ball episode should have been like. ep 3 or smth. the rest should've been the investigation of the weird fuckery. shax was wasted. additional hell and heaven lore felt like deconstruction instead of worldbuilding. I'm going insane with how bad all of this was, I REALLY DIDNT EXPECT IT TO BE SUCH A SHITSHOW LIKE DFHGIDDHGIGH ITS FUNNY??? ITS JUST BASICS OF SHOWMAKING .

I SAID TO SUSAN THAT THIS FEELS LIKE A SHOW WRITTEN DURING THE WRITERS STRIKE BUT IT WASNT . IT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE OUGHHHH

and again, i dont care about aziraphale but the last moment arc felt so out of character for him like my god, didn't we just spend an entire job minisode establishing he's questioning heaven and now he just returns to it AUHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG what the fuck is going on. how is this so BAD HGIFGHGIH . the last episode is such a shitshow that its like. its remarkable. I'm genuinely surprised bc my expectations were low but WOW. just WOW

i have to stop now before i continue picking everything apart but AUGHGHG JESUS !!!!! I COULDNT HAVE PREDICTED IT BEING SO BAD

[sherbovania]

🚨 new lore post 🚨

there is another pink bitch i have neglected to talk about because she is. a lot

formally introducing u all to desire, the famed queen of harlots and satan’s first daughter. ultranationalist and certified war criminal with earth-shattering family drama, she has it all <3

she's a creep she's a weirdo. like radiohead said or whatever

girl stop chasing your employees to get their validation stoppppp you're scaring the hoes

has a dante/vergil type dynamic with her twin brother dimitri, a phenomenon we like to call "the shit twins"

desire is the intrepid leader of the second circle of hell and is thus the arbiter of lust which comes with some silly responsibilities. for one she has sole jurisdiction over the entire succubi/incubi race which make up a good 90% of her kingdom and are sparsely located elsewhere. she has never ever handled this power responsibly, ESPECIALLY now that there's a social crisis going on (which will be discussed at a later date. right here actually) she has no fucking clue how to solve or at least alleviate their issues at least a little. second of all she's constantly waging war or starting insurgencies under fake identities for funsies that only her specialest little pogchamps may particpate in. surprisingly the kingdom at large isn't militaristic, it's exclusively desire and her subordinates being weird about it

besides being hot and correct about everything she is also unfathomably and horrifically scarred by the apocalypse that happened a couple thousand years ago :D the event itself could get its own post but the long and short of it is that ego, the primordial sin and arbiter of pride (who's like this giant enigmatic amorphous...thing) escaped containment in the bottommost pits of hell and shook the entirety of the infernal hellspire to create the first apocalypse. she nearly fucking died, her dad abandoned her, her twin brother abandoned her. it was a whole thing. anyways that's where she got the X-shaped scar on her back (the rest are from her warmongering exploits). she's kinda distanced herself from who she was before then, referring to her glory days as an entirely different person called nymphomania. it's just a cope though, she's barely changed since then lol

you might’ve seen already but she has sort of a harem going on! her servants or uh, “employees”, samidare and vanity, are hopelessly stuck to her because of the ludicrously high pay so she uses them as her romantic playthings. vanity is a relatively new recruit that's become desire's new object of affection, she doesn't exactly reciprocate so our hashtag girlboss desperately tries to manipulate her into spending more time at her estate AS WELL AS dumping her new stoner boyfriend!!! a regular 20-something dude has become the number one psychic enemy of one of the rulers of the infernal hellspire like literally get a job girl

her relationship with sami is a bit more complex than i previously laid out lol, they've known each other for millenia and kinda locked themselves into an eternal toxic codependency. sami hates the person desire is trying to become, and desire hates the person she "used" to be. they can't stand each other but are so deeply ingrained in one another's lives that they can't afford to leave.

anyways the next lore post is either gonna be about the succubus crisis or sami. peace and love on planet earth byeeee

[neon-lights-stardust-nights]

Alright, I'm info-dumping. No more sitting here vibrating alone.

DESPITE NOT HAVING A NAME, my KH s/i has such a wealth of backstory already. Funnily enuogh, the two people who ended up fused together to make faer do have names, which is weirdly fitting anyway. Because (dum da da dum!) fae is an amnesiac!

Fae was originally two different guys back when keyblades were more common, but not just like fucking everywhere. I’m playing fast and loose with KH lore here, so forgive me a little, okay? They both had keyblades, and when they were preteens, they were both human. The two love birds hit a snag though, because one of them got turned into a cat! How isn’t exactly important, nor have I fully decided yet.

The one who became a cat is named Isao, and the one who stayed a human was Mijo. Despite becoming a humanly intelligent cat—Isao could still wield a keyblade! So training pressed on, and they both continued toward becoming masters. Eventually though, darkness came to consume the world they lived in. Isao was a powerful sorcerer by then, referencing himself as The Best Cat Magician (though there wasn’t exactly many others to compete with…) Mijo, in contrast, rocked amazing physical capabilities. Artful dodger, hard hitter, basically good at anything that didn’t involve casting a spell himself.

When everything went down, Isao’s magic was helpful, but Isao was inherently a glass canon. Though Isao maybe could’ve been helpful, Mijo insisted on protecting him from like… ALL the heartless that were swarming the place. This went as well as expected. After a long battle, with Isao hiding away and watching, Mijo fell to the heartless. In that split second where he lost his heart though, Isao got a weird urge. He knew he needed to make it into the swarm before a heartless formed, something he’d only be quick enough to do with his magic. What to do after, he wasn’t sure—Isao only knew he needed to get in there.

So: he did! And in a moment, his purpose was revealed to him. Sacrificing himself, he used his heart to tether Mijo’s heart back to him. Now carrying a heart twisted into an anchor along with his own, Mijo had the amazing strength of all his physical skills, and all of Isao’s magic. The combined effort in one super-creature was enough to stop the heartless. It didn’t save the world, however. Everyone had either been devoured by the darkness, or had fled. Without Isao by his side, Mijo was officially alone.

Small side tangent, but this is where some of the more bakeneko-y visual aspects come in! Isao had two tails, and when he gives Mijo his heart, Mijo gets an energy outline sort of like a Dragon Ball character powering up. The outline gives Mijo fake kitty ears, but it also gives him two tails with flames at their ends! I know that’s usually more nekomata than bakeneko, but I can light up my tails in the headspace, so I like giving my s/is firey tails anyway…

Tangent over. Mijo was maybe one of the strongest things around. Not alive, not everywhere, not THE strongest: but Mijo was surely up there now. Driven by grief and rage over the sacrifice of his boyfriend, he wandered from world to world and faught… Anything, actually. It wasn’t just heartless—Mijo would battle anything that challenged him in a dissociative fog. Mijo eventually happened upon Xehanort in some form (undecided) and he recognized three things. Firstly, that is a keyblade wielder with two hearts (and thus) two keyblades. Two, that’s a really powerful keyblade wielder that I could use to my advantage. But then three, this bitch is going to be a hazard to my plans if I don’t act.

See, Mijo was hard to persuade. Mijo didn’t really take in words or anything so well anymore, and his voice had gone rotten to disuse. So, Xehanort avoided Mijo and shadowed him for a brief time. Long enough to study him enough to get a gist for what’s going on. He didn’t know the literal, whole story—but he could recognize the darkness in Mijo’s heart, along with the shield and tether that was Isao’s heart. It didn’t take him long to put together that some great trauma must have caused this (and thus, this dissociative state that made current Mijo so damn dangerous.) His approach was that if he could remove the trauma, he could make Mijo a proper pawn.

It isn’t like surgery though—he couldn’t just cut Mijo open and take out this emotional tumor. So, he pit Mijo against powerful heartless after powerful heartless, until Mijo was finally worn down enough. When all was said and done, Mijo was battered and beaten. He was so… Tired. Xehanort took full advantage of this. He gave Mijo a little villain speech, but Mijo was barely paying attention. The last thing Mijo ever heard or saw was Xehanort leaning over him and telling him goodnight.

That’s also the last thing current-day s/i remembers.

Fae doesn’t remember faers name, faers past, faers anything. Xehanort wiped Mijo and Isao’s past off the face of the Earth with that, because there was no one left from their world of origin TO remember them. All fae has to faers name is the ability to wield two keyblades, and a love for summoning magic…

And a mystery to unravel…

ANYWAY FAE NEEDS A NAME.

[leighsartworks216]

For fanfic truth or dare: 🪐, 🏜️, and 🪲

🪐 - Name 3 good things going on in your life right now

Hmm uhh honestly this one is tough. Not because things are bad rn, it's just hard for me to focus on the good things. But I guess, I'll be going home this weekend for break, which is really nice and very much needed.

My friend called me when I didn't answer her text all day, because I had turned off read receipts so she didn't see that I saw it and got worried, which was super like 🥺 It's just nice to know somebody is thinking about you and worried.

Idk if this counts, but I'm not exceptionally far behind in my work?? I'm still a little behind, but it's like I'm only one step behind instead of five, which is honestly great considering my track record with work being very late.

🏜️ - What's your favorite type of comment to receive on your work?

Any nice comments really, but oof choosing just one... I really like commenters that ask about details or sort of hypothesize on things. I think it's just so fun to see what people think may happen! And when people ask or talk about details, it gives me a chance to dump my thought process on them or talk about some lore from canon and I just love being able to excitedly ramble about something so small and looked over.

🪲 - Add 50 words to your current WIP and share the paragraph here

You son of a bitch. Alright fine brb...

Here, 104 words as a little treat:

When he became aware of his body once more, all he could think about was how heavy he felt. Not weighted down, but like all his energy was sapped from every inch of him. Even opening his eyes took too much effort. He blinked dumbly at his surroundings. He was laying on the ground, he knew that much. The sky shimmered and twinkled overhead. A bright, full moon hung in the sky like a lantern, illuminating everything below. In its light, he could make out a blurry figure. They held something long in their hands, fiddling with the end… He blinked again. Was that…?

[smiledog15578]

Hate it when people have tunnel vision towards characters. Thankfully this is not egregious in this fandom, but I can't stand it when people kiss at Wilford's feet and treat Actor like he's worse than Satan 🙄 there's a grey area. One thing frustrating about being in fandoms sometimes is when people can't see the complexities and nuances of characters and stories :/

Ok true but like they’re characters everyone has different views on them

I mean actor is literally possessed so I mean.... satan? Maybe

Wilford has done bad things and tbh he does deserve better I mean holy fuck he’s stuck in this hell for who knows how long. Everyone is in a dream like purgatory so honestly what Wilford has done (killing people and doing other bad stuff) isn’t something that he’s REALLY aware of. I mean if you kill someone in a dream do you believe they’re actually dead or stroll through the dream like it never happened?

Even though I think what Wilford did such as cheating with celine but I don’t think it deserved to have actor making wil intoxicated, have assisted suicide without wil even knowing it, and mentally scaring him for the rest of his life not to mention his friends all dead and revived in some way. It’s definitely a fever dream and the witch trial convulsive ergotism mixed into one

I think also actor was and is apart of this fever dream like state but is definitely more aware of it. Both actor and wil are like lucid dreaming cause they know it’s a dream (when it sorta is but also not?) and can control things at their own will. Actor isn’t aware of him being controlled and what he’s doing in this “dream” is wrong. He’s an asshole. And sure cheating can cause you to feel upset or frustrated but I don’t think the solution is to have all your friends die, plan a murder, do dark magic, etc, etc. nobody deserved this torture and this whimsical nightmare but it’s almost nobody’s fault that this all happened. Like I said the house made them have hallucinations auditory and physically which made them all go mad. While they all have their faults actor is probably the worst out of all of them. When you have a victim complex and aren’t aware of what you done as bad it can make you a mean son of a bitch. It’s a really complex thing because we don’t know much, so people usually choose black or white. These characters aren’t real so it’s not the end of the world if people choose this or that.

I don’t think everyone HAS to know the complex story. While it can be frustrating for someone to get the story incorrect but it’s also frustrating to understand the lore. Plus people have favorite characters who wouldn’t defend their favorite character? I mean you gotta chill HFUFHGJGKH what I said isn’t a popular opinion and I was just putting it out there cause I saw it lol. And even if people get it wrong or they have a different opinion I would love to tell them more about the story cause I love to info dump but if they say they don’t that’s also fine cause ignorance is bliss (that sounded mean but I mean that in a good way lolz)

[antiloreolympus]

Bunch of (Older) Asks [P.2]

1. This episode of LO was cartoonish - no pun intended. Minthe gave an Evil Character speech fr. Your target demographic cannot be over 18 if you are That Much on the nose.

2. I think one of the reasons that LO fans deny it’s flaws is because RS does not plan the episodes, just writes them as she goes. And i don’t remember clearly but i think there were some asks saying that RS steals from HxP fanfics and theories (which makes sense since she likes to control and see everything) and seeing how there are so many theory accounts of LO she probably views them all and steals the theory ideas, therefore giving LO fans a sense of righteousness. What is simply RS art laziness or her just simply not caring about the artwork anymore is taken by fans as a theory for what might happen, leaving RS with plenty of ideas and her fans happy that they saw “hidden clues”. An example would be that of the episode where Persephone is chasing Minthe and then turns her into a plant, the shape of the cape looks like the eyes that Persephone feels around her (although i believe that it’s just simply a coincidence) and the fact that her hair does not grow like crazy. We know that Persephones hair grows when she’s mad, sad etc etc and is even shown on the episode when she turns big and when she grown vines and starts hibernating because she’s on TV as a criminal (which she is). Now because RS forgot to draw Persephones hair longer when she was attacking Minthe, fans are speculating that Persephone now has her powers on control and is not shadowed over by “the feeling” anymore. While the next episode shows that Persephone can’t actually turn Minthe back into a nymph and saying that she can’t really control her powers. RS will probably find a way to incorporate that theory in the comic but who knows when

3. One thing that I hate in lore olympus is the treatment of minthe. I understand why people don't like her, but she's seen by all the characters as one dimensionally evil when she's not really commited a cardinal sin in my eyes? Like she's very obviously lower class, struggling with money, and she figures that seducing a musty rich slave owner is her best way to an easy life. damn bitch i'd do the same, she's also seen to be easily led by thetis, and damn if my boyfriend who i was already feeling insecure around (who's family called me the equivalent of trailer trash and he didnt stick up for me) told me he was dumping me for a NINETEEN year old??? I'd freak out too! She's not perfect, and she's said some awful things, but she's honestly pretty rational. She's also treated pretty awfully by the other gods on account of her being a nymph, and being shafted by persephone who is a literal heiress? She knows she needs hades so she doesn't die, and that persephone doesn't. I don't know, i understand why people don't like her and she's said some unforgivable things, but her actions? They make sense, and she's annoyingly portrayed as irredemable and evil.

4. i get it, minthe is obviously an antagonist, but i get no satisfaction in her death. she was a victim of hades' actions + him using his power over her to where him turning his attention to the next pretty thing he saw meant shed be homeless / in poverty. why would i root for a rich girl's split personality (so it CAN'T be her actually doing it! god forbid!) murdering a powerless nymph for actually standing up to a king and have it be "no you MUST respect the 1% or else ill kill you!" its gross!

5. LORE OLYMPUS WANTS WHAT HADESTOWN HAS

6. The confrontation between Minthe was drawn like a joke/meme when it was a pretty serious moment puts me off so much and the quality of the art was so stiff and underwhelming too. If this were made with the old art it wouldve looked alot better and expressive i think

7. LO would have flopped a long time ago if it didn't use greek mythology names as a crutch; the art style would have only carried a season minimum before people would start realizing how badly written it is...

8. ngl i follow a fucking homestuck RP blog with better greek mythology takes than LO

9. The biggest issue that makes me despise Lore Olympus is that pretty much every character falls into one of two groups: 1 Persephone cheer squad who can do no wrong and 2. Evil Meanies who don't like Persephone the cute uwu bean how dare you not love her, like girl....

10. Every comic or fanfic i’ve seen of HxP depicts Hades as this insecure, shy guy who doesn’t really know how to talk to women and like? Wtf.. how is one of the most powerful gods, the ruler of the underworld insecure?? I get that people love the whole -uwu shy powerful guy talks to main love interest and is a softie - but for what Hades is it doesn’t make any sense. And since so many people want to make gods relatable to mortals (which is dumb and so unachievable) a much better portrayal of Hades would be one of the quiet and fair guy. A confident god who knows what he’s doing and is aware of the power he has. An insecure god means that he’ll exploit everyone in his kingdom and our -soft boi- can’t do that. Hades is aware of his powers and the role he has, and has simply not found a goddess to his liking to be queen of the underworld. LO making Hades into this abused guy who has low self esteem is done in bad taste. I understand that people want to read and see things that seem familiar or that include them and whatnot, however gods are gods. They are not mortals. They don’t go by the same rules as us and do not process things the same as us.

[vr2]

haha anyways genshin must be on some wild fucking shit if they think theyre gonna try and drag out their main story for like 2 years. on god having like half a year between main chapters of its already weak spindly little story is like mindboggling decision i do not trust your storytelling skills at all to make any of the hype worth it but i also think thanks to the general playerbases inability to read they will continually feel disappointment at how poor genshins main story content is and how it is purveyed to the reader especially in comparison to the lore which is completely jarring in quality of delivery.

in the archon quest at the end of liyue chapter you get a lore dump from zhongli where he just stands there and gives you like 3 quest prompts about shit that exists for no reason other than idk “they needed to put the plot threads in there asap and they forgot they had an entire world to do it in” and then that mf disappears. forever. literally exiled from the overworld unless you pay like ninety quid to summon him on his banner. not to mention every single other npc you meet will never appear again outside of their instanced quests. it’s such a weird jarring end point that you’re left stranded in and its not only a frustratingly awkward delivery, it honestly just seems pointless. why couldn’t there have been an extended epilogue that involves talking to the npc character FROM inazuma, talking to beidou who is a pirate with an electro vision about idk ... travel and her ELECTRO vision being granted which is a feat she in known for in the lore of liyue folk. it could even be someone from the qixing like ningguang who surely would know about the status of foreign nations or keqing who has an electro vision and would absolutely have something to say about baal’s stance on things and her condescension towards humans. god it could still even be zhongli just space it out, let him invite us to dinner and chat over liyue cuisine and let inazuma come up naturally thgouh paimons huge appetite to eat new things. not only would the pacing be better, the plot threads be put in a way where you dont immediately forget them because they’re being rapidfire talked at you, but it would be a great way to make the character seem like theyre people with lives and not just trying to move the plot along and be on their way.

conversely, the story of arundolyn and rostam, the legends of mondstadt and the ordo favonius, the lion and the wolf, the building hints towards the cataclysm of khaenri’ah and what kind of nation earned the scorn of the gods -- its all slowly fed to you piece by piece linked through artifacts, world lore, in-game books, weapons and sometimes the world itself. you uncover things as you explore and the more thoroughly you explore - the more you discover! it’s rewarding, it feels natural and its some of the most fun you have piecing together stories and building out this strange world like some kinda anime historian and it encourages theorycrafting rather than a concrete set of events and characters being straightforward. its genuinely interesting that theres a whole society and cast of characters from the days of yore who are intimately connected with our current cast and the world we live in but also very much their own interesting characters who hold their own legacies and wills, carving them into the stars for ill or good.

its almost as if the main quest writers and the lore writers are completely separate, work on different floors and they dont ever meet because why ... why on earth would you deliver critical parts of the main story in such a blatantly poor way and make it have none of the nuance and intrigue as the worldbuilding? in a game that is designed for the express purpose of making people sympathetic and invested with characters to spend silly money on them? you think your paper thin story is going to let you do that? no gacha game is allowed to have storytelling subpar to the most average middle of the pack lightnovel and get away with being a gacha game. your story has to have at least a few moments where i am dazzled, daresay fucking delighted, at least a second where i have to stop and say ‘this is cool as hell’ or ‘FUCK ITS HAPPENING’ or else it is well and truly expendably worthless non-product! you have to be a little more ambitious than making some normie shit and try and make the story have a little heart! i dont doubt that they can do it, im sure there are talented writers there since i like a lot of the characterisations but man, let em free you need them no more than ever

the only thing i can think of that explains how watered down the story feels in comparison to lore, is a fear of making people ‘read too much’ in the main quests which honestly doesnt seem to be much of an issue to them. lanternrite wasnt that long but the sheer amount of npc dialogue feels staggering because its all ultimately ... inconsequential. we have no investment into these npcs and theres like 15 odd quests of it, it goes from cool world flavour text to genuinely feels like its taking up space all because they are trying to endear you to the lives of these generic npcs when you’d rather know like even one thing about chongyuns life and daily routine or xinyans performances. being able to see kaeya for one second even was the most fun and even then i was still disappointed cause its like bro? you didnt even let him do anything and it was JUST him? in the world there are so many characters explicitly referenced but never utilised and it makes their complete absence even more noticeable and frankly fucking baffling? not even fate episodes for all of our 12 SRs? actually nevermind, even the character stories are somehow unforgivably generic!

honestly i feel like the best event so far was the unreconciled stars event but by my standards it definitely felt like ‘solid gacha game event story’ with a touch of something more interesting with the inclusion of scaramouche’s lore insight. i was hoping this his how events would be in genshin, i really thought that this was the ‘standard’ but for some reason, its beginning to seem like that event was a bit of an outlier? i would gladly take less events and have them be more like the unreconciled stars event, with character interactions and slowly improving and hashing out who these characters are over never-ending carousel of random events that are mostly fetch-quests or fluff.

idk man its just a strange mess of me enjoying genshins world and theorycrafting, loving playing the game and exploring but feeling like the ball is not bein dropped but violently slammed into the ground by the sheer lack of character content whilst being praised by everyone under the sun for ‘story’ and ‘characters’. m*hoyo do better bitch! you already made such a good roster of characters now fuckin do something with them! stop releasing new characters without bothering with any of the existing ones! i beg of you!

[pikapeppa]

Felassan/f!Lavellan: Ancient History, Part II

Chapter 25 of The Love That Grows From Violence (post-Trespasser Felassan x Tamaris Lavellan) is up! 

In which there is more lore dumping and hopefully no huge glaring holes, kjghkg. Part I of the lore dump is here. 

It’s a long one (>9300 words), so only the first little bit will be here. Formatting on Tumblr just takes soOoOoO long you guys. Read the whole thing on AO3.

***************

There was a brief stunned silence, which Tamaris eventually broke. “It didn’t work, though,” she said. “Putting their dragons in the deep roads to keep the Blight in was pointless. If Ghilan’nain already had a piece of red lyrium from fucking Andruil—”

Felassan cut in. “The Evanuris didn’t know it was futile. They didn’t understand the nature of the corruption that red lyrium would bring.”

“But we know that now,” she argued. “We know now how red lyrium spreads. And by ‘we’, I mean the whole Inquisition, including Solas. We know red lyrium can be grown like fucking plants in a garden, so why the fuck was he so mad about the Wardens wanting to kill the archdemons if all the archdemons do is lead the Blights?”

No one replied for a moment, and Tamaris realized with a jolt that she’d been yelling. 

Then Felassan laughed. 

Tamaris’s belly twisted with guilt. His laughter sounded so weary. Here he was, trying to lay out thousands of years of ancient history for them, and how did she repay him? By yelling at him.

He rubbed his face tiredly, and Tamaris sighed and leaned into his side. “I’m sorry, Felassan,” she said quietly. “I’m not mad at you, I’m just…” She waved impatiently at herself. “I’m being a bitch. I’m sorry.”

“You’re not being a bitch,” he said. “You’re frustrated. There is a difference.”

“Yeah, there is, and I’m definitely being a bitch,” she retorted. 

He lifted his head from his hand and smiled at her. “You are a master of charmingly crass apologies.”

She smiled faintly in return and laced her fingers with his. “Fuck off.”

He laughed again, and it sounded more genuine this time. “All right. Maybe Varric can summarize what I’ve shared so far.”

Varric nodded. “Ghilan’nain’s crazy gets rewarded by making her an Elvhen god. Meanwhile, Andruil found some red lyrium, probably from the Titan’s heart, and brought it to Ghilan’nain as a present. Chuckles finds out too late about the red lyrium and warns Mythal, who goes looking for proof and comes back with some well-warranted worries, and she gets all her god buddies to donate their dragons to guarding the Titan’s heart, since that’s where the Blight comes from.” He lifted an eyebrow at Felassan. “Or so you think.”

“A fine summary,” Felassan said. “You have my thanks.”

Varric scoffed at his faux formality, and Dorian sighed. “Well, if you think the Blight came from a Titan’s heart, I suppose it’s a good thing that the Titan we saw with Valta has mysteriously sealed itself off since our visit, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Tamaris said grimly.

Varric scratched his chin. “But I don’t get it. How can the Titan heart be the source of the Blight? It didn’t have the Blight when the elves first found it, did it?”

“Not to my understanding, no,” Felassan said.

“Then how could it be the source of the Blight?”

Felassan rubbed his mouth before replying. “I’m honestly not sure. But I do have a theory, if you’d like to hear it.”

“That’s what we’re here for,” Varric said wryly.

Felassan gave him a faint smile. “The theory concerns the nature of magic. Or I should say magics, plural.” He looked at Tamaris. “Tamaris, Dorian: you both know the feeling of magic – the hum of power that you can feel in your body and your blood when you draw from the Fade.”

“Yes, of course,” Dorian said.

Felassan nodded. “Magic drawn from the Fade has a certain… a certain vibration, for lack of a better word. Or a pattern of vibration that is unique to the Fade.” To Varric he said, “You could even call it a song, if you were being fanciful. Magic of a dwarven nature — that is, that’s tied to lyrium — vibrates, or sings, in a different manner that is difficult for non-dwarves to control. I’ve spoken of this to Tamaris already, but when Templars ingest lyrium, they are forcing themselves to perceive this song that was never meant for them. It gives them powers, but it changes the way their minds and bodies work.”

Varric’s eyes widened. “That’s what makes them addicts.”

“Yes,” Felassan said. 

“But if that’s the case,” Dorian asked, “why are mages able to use lyrium? How does lyrium enhance our abilities without making us ill if it sings in a different frequency than our magic?”

Felassan pulled a little face. “I’m not entirely sure. But I think it’s possible that lyrium-based magic and Fade magic can, um… damned common tongue.” He muttered to himself in Elvhen for a moment. “They might… resonate?” he said. Then he frowned. “Is that the word I’m looking for? Ah, I’ll have to use it for lack of anything better. I think these forms of magic are able to resonate if the lyrium is tamped down by being in a diluted form. If it’s diluted, the two forms of magic can sing in harmony to make an even stronger song.”

“Hm,” Dorian said thoughtfully. “A plausible theory. I’ll have to think on it, but I like it at first glance.”

“I’m thrilled to please you,” Felassan said with a smirk. He released Tamaris’s hand and leaned back casually on the couch. “Now, we know that lyrium is actually the blood of Titans, and that Titan hearts are a source of enormous power. Tell me something, all of you: did you hear a pulse from the Titan’s heart? Was there an actual heartbeat?”

“Absolutely,” Dorian said.

“Yeah,” Varric agreed. “It was slow, but really obvious.”

Felassan nodded in satisfaction. “That’s what I thought. I’ve never seen a Titan’s heart, you see. But I’m fairly certain that the song of lyrium is generated by the Titan’s heart. And…” He chuckled and rubbed his chin. “May the Dread Wolf never catch my scent. He’d surely gut me for telling you this. Especially since it’s just my suspicion and I could be wrong.” He smiled at them again, but his smile held a hint of a grimace. “Let’s be sure to keep this among the four of us, shall we?”

“Certainly,” Dorian said.

“No problem, Jester,” Varric said, and Tamaris nodded her agreement.

Felassan exhaled slowly and rubbed his mouth. “I would hypothesize that what you call the Blight is actually a corrupted vibration pattern or ‘song’ caused by a damaged Titan heart.” He looked at Varric. “That’s why I thought it interesting that Valta called herself ‘pure’ once she connected with the Titan — an undamaged Titan, I should say. The lyrium from the damaged Titan became impure and corrupted.”

Varric frowned. “But why would a damaged heart mean that the song makes people turn into crazy fanatics? Why does it make them so much sicker than regular lyrium ever could?”

“Now, this might sound like even more of a stretch,” Felassan said, “but I wonder if it might have something to do with the Titans having feelings. You know, seeing as they’re alive.”

Tamaris’s gut jolted. How had she not thought of that? “Oh. Fuck,” she said blankly. “Yeah, I suppose if a parade of strangers came out of nowhere and experimented on your people and started tearing out pieces of your heart, you’d be pretty pissed.”

“Stands to reason, doesn’t it?” Felassan said drolly. “And as we all know, rage can be a corrosive, noxious thing. The Titans feel rage, their rage changes the song, the song makes people into the worst versions of themselves...” He shrugged. “But that’s all conjecture.”

“It’s extremely well-considered conjecture,” Dorian said.

“Thank you,” Felassan said brightly. “I have had a little bit of time to think about it. Just a couple thousand years, you know.”

Tamaris sighed. “Fuck. All right. Well… well, all right. This tells us what the Blight is, then.”

“What the Blight possibly is,” Felassan corrected. “It’s all just hypothesizing.”

She nodded, then shot him a little frown. “Why did you say Solas would gut you for telling us this?”

“I suspect he wanted to keep the so-called ‘root of all evil’ away from you,” Felassan replied. “And I meant you specifically, avise.”

She blinked. “What? Why me?”

“Because he loved you,” Felassan said. 

She frowned. “So?” 

He gave her a chiding look. “He watched red lyrium corrupt Ghilan’nain, who was once one of his dearest friends. He watched it ruin our entire empire. Can you really not see why he would want to hide the knowledge of its source from the woman he loved?”

“That’s a paltry excuse,” Tamaris retorted. “All that tells me is that he didn’t trust me not to misuse the information.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “How are you defending him about this? You’re the one sitting here telling me all of this information!”

“I am, yes,” Felassan said. “But remember, avise: I am explaining him, not defending him. As for why I am telling you, the reason is simple.” He leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “I am not Solas.” 

Her heart squeezed at the seriousness of his expression. She understood what Felassan meant in the context of this conversation: that unlike Solas, he trusted her with this information. But this was not the only way that he and Solas were different.

Where Solas had been a fluctuant wave of hot and cold, Felassan was a constant wash of warmth. Felassan was certainty and humour and openness, and Tamaris did not need the reminder of how different he was from the Solas she had once thought she loved. 

“I know you’re not Solas,” she said quietly. She squeezed his knee. “I know, Felassan.”

His expression softened. Then Varric cleared his throat. “So, uh… so we think we know what the Blight is, and the dragons were probably there to keep it in check. What happened next?”

Felassan looked away from Tamaris and smiled at Varric. “Unfortunately, this is when things started to go downhill for our poor Rebel Wolf. For indeed, this is about the time when he started being called by that infamous moniker.”

CLIFFHANGER, SORRY. Read the rest on AO3!

[altcvnningham]

1, 3, 5, 15, 18 and 20 😳😳😳😳

thank you for the ask!!! (also superior url omg 👁👄👁🤲🏻)

also my answers here are suuuuper long, because i’m a rambling idiot who’s way too involved in my OC’s. so uhhhh sorry in advance,,,,,

1. what radio station(s) do you listen to?

Vana’s a Samurai stan. She wishes she wasn’t. But, y’know, Morro Rock it is. Once upon a time when she was an even angrier teen, though, she’d listen to shit just like Ritual FM.

(My music taste is all over the place, and though blues is technically my fav bc i love old music, i never listen to it in 2077. So I switch between Body Heat, the Dirge, Vexelstrom for like 2 songs, and ofc, Morro Rock. But of all stations, there’s at least one song that i HATE so I can never stick to one for a whole ride sknsksjsjs)

i think i got the names right?? Idk yall i dont have it in front of me ndndndndhjs

3. how did you feel about Johnny that first night in the apartment, and how does it differ from what you feel now after everything?

so i’m gonna cut a read-more here because i decided to just lore dump Vana x Johnny here so uhhhhhh rip also //SPOILERS//

Vana is an extremely, seriously private, guarded person. Before Johnny, Panam, Kerry- Jackie was the only person she’d ever truly let near her, to get to know her. So obviously waking up to someone else living inside her fucking head was one of the worst things that’s ever happened to her. Her past is also something she’s not particularly proud of, so Johnny getting to witness all that is traumatising. Getting Johnny out of her head was priority number one, even if digging the chip out would kill her.

But after getting fucked over by the VBs, and both of them thinking she was gonna die, Johnny takes her to that abandoned hotel in Pacifica- it’s the first time he’s given her even a sliver of kindness, and the first time she’s ever openly expressed her fears to him, even if he could already sense them before. Oaths and promises are something she holds to incredibly high importance, so obviously when Johnny gives her his dog-tags, ‘proof of my promise’, she never, ever lets them go, never takes them off. (she still doesn’t. they keep her grounded. holding them to calm herself has become a reflex, for whatever reason.)

Everything just seemed to slowly change after that. For two people who hate vulnerability, it’s the only thing that helped them actually see each other. As the Relic continues to take over, they both understand each other more, feel each other more- and eventually it becomes hard to discern where Vana ends and Johnny begins. In cliché Johnny x V fashion like yeah duh it goes further,,,, cockwhore!Vana,,,,,, but with that they also start to become extremely possessive and jealous over one another- Johnny immediately on the defensive about whoever comes close to her, Vana selfishly hiding and keeping Johnny’s existence to herself, even if it slows the hunt for a remedy to the chip- to the point of seriously toxic co-dependency. It’s full of volatile ups-and-downs, fights and make-ups, and Vana almost comes to like the fact that she never has to explain nor hide what thoughts and feelings pass through her mind, no matter how dark or vulnerable. She prefers most things to remain unsaid, but values the fact that they both have a clear, transparent understanding of each other regardless.

But there's also... softer moments. When Johnny puts aside his ego for once, he learns to like the quiet that Vana does, brief as it can be sometimes. He'll sort of just... stay around the room, even if just to procrastinate retreating back into her head, because they realise they like each other's silent, wordless company. He'll wake her up from nightmares, hold her neck and kiss her back to sleep, or until the sun comes up, if she can't. It's all tender things they often pretend doesn't even happen, out of pride, I think, but they both know deep down that those are really the best parts.

Comes to a place where she suddenly hits a wall, and realises, I don’t want him to leave.

She’s never the same again after Mikoshi.

(But uhh anyway fuck V I’m horny on main for Keanu so i was here for the whole riiiiiide yeeeeeee)

5. how do your loved ones (LI, found family, etc) feel about you being a merc? or if you’ve given up the life now that everything’s finished, what was their reaction?

Vana grew up in a rich corp family, and after all the shit she’s endured just to appease her father, don’t think anyone could hate corps more than she does (some details of her past here!!) So when Arasaka kicks her out and Jackie finally convinces her to start merc work, it’s amazing how quickly she slips into the role, almost like she was made for it- an anonymous face within the city, free to roam and drift as she wants, relying on herself and herself only.

Vana works quickly and quietly enough (though not at all with clean hands), relying on stealth and netrunning, so she doesn’t cause too much of a noise that’d have her loved ones (rare as they are) all too concerned. Judy isn’t scared Vana’d be caught in gunfire, because when Vana works, her targets rarely know she’s even there. She’s smart, cunning. Panam appreciates that these skills have helped her out, so she can’t complain. River- who is unfortunately more fond of Vana than she is of him, given that she’s not too comfortable at accepting affection- isn’t too happy about the life she leads, but hey, it’s her skills as a merc and as one of NC’s most adept netrunners that he even stood a chance of finding Randy as quick as he did, so he feels indebted to her for that. Kerry thinks it’s fuckin awesome that she gets to do as she wants and provides for herself, bestieeees

Given she isn’t all that close with many people- keeping her distance and all- the only people who seriously worry about her are folks like Vik, Misty, and Mama Welles, especially the latter two, who knew how much Jackie meant to her, and how easily she cracks under the weight of grief. The only thing, really, that concerns everybody around her, is how insatiable her bloodlust becomes, and how much she'd throw away just to try and quell it.

Johnny’s just in it for the ride. Rather she work for herself than a filthy corp, anyway.

After Mikoshi, losing Johnny, making it to the major leagues, she fuckin... just doesn't care anymore. She hates the big glass house that was practically forced onto her (reminds her too much of her stifling corp childhood), she hates that she has 20 cars that clog up her garage and not just her trusty red Yaiba Kusanagi, hates that folks keep giving her all this shiny golden shit that she doesn't want, like any of it's worth a damn. Since then she's hardly in one place- never at home if she can help it, and either wanders aimlessly around the streets and crashes over at Kerry's to sleep through grief. It isn't the merc life she wants to leave, but major leagues turned out to be a glittering pile of dogshit she wants no part in. She only really stays there because Jackie would've wanted it.

(i’m a lazy bitch like i don’t wanna be a merc. i wanna be one of those cute npc’s with the glowy earrings and bunny backpacks and skimpy plastic skirts, who picks up noodles on the way home to go watch watson whore. in my ideal life i am NOT the main character snnsmsnsks)

15. which NPC is your bff?

Kerry. Kerry is Vana’s ride or die. No fucking questions asked. Kerry’s the only person (besides Johnny, i guess) as close to her as Jackie was. He’s really the only person that ever gets her to smile, like really, stupidly, goofily smile, and despite being almost complete opposites, they just understand each other so well. Whenever they need something, they're the first person they'll call. Happens so often that just as Vana sifts through her contacts to find his, Kerry's already calling for her first. They're practically joint at the hip.

They both live loud, fast lives, but also know how to make time for silence and introspection, something they both need to stay grounded. Vana doesn't buy into his zen-wellness-yoga crap, but sure, she tries copying a couple moves while he's doing it on a lazy afternoon, before scoffing how this is fuckin' dumb and retreats back to the couch. Also, as much as she hates being reminded of the wealth that came with her corpo upbringing, she loves using up all his expensive products, and tends to klep a bottle of his shampoo when she runs out. Cute how she thinks he doesn't notice.

After what happened in Mikoshi, she practically lives at Kerry's place, just dozing away miserably as he lounges by the pool, or curl up on the couch to mindlessly watch his old Samurai tapes (he doesn't like it much, but if it helps her through whatever shit she's going through, he's not gonna take that away from her). On better days, when she actually pulls herself out of bed, he teaches her to play guitar, slipping in a couple tricks Johnny taught him. Funnily enough, the whole thing helps him find some closure too.

( me,, I need a girl like Panam in my life to endorse all of my stupid ideas )

18. what’s your dream cyberware (either something that was shown in lore that wasn’t available in game or mental creation of your own)?

I don’t have access to the tabletop lore stuff rn so i’m gonna pull this out my ass jsjsns

Anything that helps Vana become more deadly at stealth and netrunning. The most eddies she’s ever blown are on increasingly powerful cyberdecks, cooling systems, netrunning gear she can comfortably slip on under a jacket and boots- she likes convenience and functionality, but she needs it to be comfortable, too. She’d fucking kill for anything that lets her scale silently up walls and across ceilings, though- like a spider- and anything that lets her get her hands reeeeal bloody, but quietly. Guess that’s just called a knife, though.

(Me?? Fuck uhhh man i just want synth-skin that looks normal but also shimmers all pink n cute. Literally wanna be an edward cullen sparkly lookin mf. Also, i’m sorry but scanning shit w Kiroshi’s are so dope that’s literally all i want?? Idk i’m boring and mantis blades freak me out uhh)

20. is there anyone you’re crushing on that’s unavailable? (yes this is the “what romance option(s) are you foaming at the mouth for” question)

Answered here :)

(And i’ll say it again, PLACIIIIIIIDE,)

[hitchell-mope]

(First film. Auradon prep library. 11:00 at night)

Evie: need some help?

Ben: yes please

(She uses magic to get Ben and the four books he’s got under his arms down from the ladder)

Ben: thank you.

Evie: anytime. Now. These are the ones you think can help

Ben: the ones I’ve read. Magic lore of the past century. Four volumes. 25 years each.

Evie: this could work. Still can’t believe fairy godmother let use the magic section. Thought it was off limits.

Ben (not entirely paying attention): it is.

Evie: Benjamin you shady little bastard

Ben (now kind of flat ignoring her): yes I thought so

(Evie looks momentarily annoyed. But then she sees he’s staring at jay)

Evie: you will not get far with jay

Ben: hm?

Evie: well. You don’t have freckles. You’re hair’s not curly. And you weren’t effectively raised by Mal from the age of six. Sorry. (Now fully entering the role of sibling). Now Mal on the other hand. I think she would love to date you.

Ben: I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair. I don’t even know if

Evie: she does. Trust me. She does.

Ben: ok.

Evie: does anyone else know or...

Ben: no. Just Doug Lonnie and Jane. Please don’t tell anyone else. Please. Especially my parents

Evie: hey hey. I won’t tell. I promise. I won’t tell

Ben: thank you

——————————————————————————————

Doug (sitting down next to Mal): hey.

Mal: hey bud. Sorry about the rat man

Doug: eh. It’s ok. I’m used to it

Mal: if it helps I’m rooting for ya

Doug: not really cause Evie’s made up her mind.

Mal: yeah well she’s wrong. You’re much better than that fake ass bastard. Soon she’ll see. She will see

Doug: you kinda sound like a super villain at the start of his origin story

Mal: I’m not super Doug my friend. Just a villain.

Doug: you know he likes you right

Mal: huh?

Doug: my best friend.

Mal: ah...yeah

Doug: and?

Mal: I like him too.

Doug: but

Mal: he’s him. I’m. Me

Doug: if it helps I’m rooting for ya

Mal (chuckling): it does actually

——————————————————————————————

Lonnie: whatcha drawing

Carlos: Jay

Lonnie: ahhh. May I?

Carlos: yeah sure

Lonnie: wow that’s really good

Carlos: I learned at Mal’s knee

Lonnie: cool.

Carlos: you’re scared of me aren’t you?

Lonnie: no. No. Yes. Yes. A little

Carlos: eh I don’t blame you. I grew up being protected by a dark fairy and a genie. So people know not to mess with me

Lonnie: ah. Question

Carlos: yeah?

Lonnie (pointing Mal then Evie): what’s their damage? They say their friends but they don’t act like it. What happened?

Carlos: I happened

Lonnie: heh?

Carlos: long story involving a heart rip, shrimp, Evie saving my life and Mal punting her into the barrier when they were thirteen

Lonnie: wow. That um

Carlos: sounds absolutely cockamamie and insane

Lonnie: yah

Carlos: buuuut every word of it is true

Lonnie: and you’re

Carlos: family. Mal’s essentially my mother. And Evie’s the sister she wants to throw in a sack and dump in a river. But she keeps her around cause otherwise I’d be upset. They don’t think I know but I do.

Lonnie: and you don’t blame Evie?

Carlos (scoffing): god no. You try denying your parents when they can control you through your literal heart. I don’t blame Evie. But Mal does. And that’s something she’s gotta work through herself

——————————————————————————————

Jay (plopping down next to Jane): god I hate reading. Do you hate reading?

Jane (looking terrified): uuuuhhhhmmmm....

Jay: wow. You really are scared of us aren’t you?

Jane (tiny little voice): yes

Jay: why?

Jane: because you’re

Jay: vks?

(She nods shamefully)

Jay: ohhhh. You don’t have to be.

Jane: I know. But

Jay: it’s difficult to look past the stories. You think I’m gonna turn into a snake and trap you in an hourglass.

Jane: well I do now!

Jay: I won’t though. Even though it would be really, incredibly, ridiculously easy. Just a snap of my fingers to be honest and the venomous fangs come out to play full force

(He hisses. Jane squeaks in terror. And Jay let’s out an enormous belly laugh)

Jay (still laughing): oh I’m sorry. Ahem. I’m sorry.

Jane: that was mean

Jay (feeling a little guilty): I know

Jane: could you teach me magic?

Jay (cracking his 1000 watt smile): certainly

——————————————————————————————

(Midnight. They’re all packing to go back to their dorms)

Carlos (feeling tired and whiny): jaaaaaaaaaay?

Jay: yeah?

Carlos (throwing his arms up): carry me?

Jay: do you even have to ask?

(He hoists Carlos up in his arms, Carlos buries his head in jay’s neck and they leave)

Lonnie: how long have they been together

Evie: oh they’re not

Mal: not yet anyway

Lonnie: why?

Evie: Carlos is waiting for jay to make the first move

Mal: and Jay is completely oblivious

Lonnie (looking at Jane): oh I’ve been there.

Doug: night guys

Mal and Lonnie: night bud

Evie (purposefully ignoring him): yeah night

(Doug leaves but not before he looks longingly at Evie)

Lonnie: hey uh Evie can I talk to you?

Evie: sure

Lonnie: So you and Chad

Evie (smiling happily): I know. He’s so handsome. And funny. And

Lonnie: a user. And a cad. And a cheater

Evie (smile faltering): what?

Lonnie: chad. he cheats on his girlfriends. Then moves on when he gets bored or they find out. He’s ghosted at leat two we know about. He may have “Charming” as a last name but that’s it essentially

Evie: oh my god. I don’t believe it.

Lonnie: I’m sorry

Evie: I don’t believe that Doug put you up to this

Lonnie: what? No! Nononononononononono! He didn’t

Evie (venomously): Chad is a prince. I am a princess no matter what that taffeta wearing pink bitch says! I deserve this

Lonnie: you don’t deserve someone who won’t treat you right

Evie (voice breaking): if not him then who

Lonnie: literally any other boy

Evie: it has to be a prince. It HAS to be. Anything else is not an option. It has to be him

Lonnie (“mom” mode activated): no. It doesn’t. Oh honey

(She goes to hug her but Evie rebukes her)

Evie (absolutely incensed): you don’t know me. You have NO IDEA WHATS GOING ON IN MY HEAD! I need this. I have no choice I need this. And I’m not going to let you or anybody else take it from me. So keep your pathetic after school special bullshit to yourself and don’t you DARE interre with my love life

(She poofs away in sapphire blue smoke)

Lonnie: I. I’m sorry

Mal: I’m not. She needed to hear it. He’s a dick. Doug isn’t. She should pick Doug

Jane: why?

Mal: because Doug’s my friend. And if she’s with him. Then I don’t have to deal with her

Lonnie: I knew your reason would be altruistic

Mal: ohhhh I’ve never been one for altruism. Back home it’s eat or be eaten sometimes literally

Lonnie: hey funny question. Has Evie ever...

Mal: been interested in girls? Don’t make me cackle kid. Quinlan tried to get her to join her gang sometime last year. But queenie caught wind of it and this is Sparta’d the poor girl. (Fake simpering voice) a prince is only good enough you see

Lonnie: poor girl

Mal: then Antony came along. But Grayson Clayton caught his eye and they joined together. Evie still doesn’t know.

Ben: I’m sorry. That you had to live like that

Lonnie and Jane: I’m sorry too

Mal (smiling in spite of herself): well. My friends and I are here now. And if the plan works. Then me and Jay never have to constantly look over our shoulders to protect Carlos again. I know he knows by the way

Lonnie (aghast): I’m sorry. I swear I tried to

Mal: honey. Relax. I can read minds. Part of my magic. By the way. The compliments very much appreciated but I don’t deserve it Lonnie. The only thing I know of that can repel my magic is iron Jane. And Ben. Think of the arctic. That should help

(Jane looks like she wants the ground to swallow her up. Ben looks guilty. Lonnie looks curious)

Mal: it’s easier to use telepathy here then back home. Nobody’s on constant guard here

Lonnie: the island sounds awful

Ben: QUEEN OF HEARTS!

Jane: huh?

Ben: I uh. I made a notary list. Keeps track of all the children on the isle of the lost

Mal (cocking an eyebrow): impressive. But there’s no use in fetching Quinlan. Once you get sent to Bald Mountain you never return

(An awkward silence follows until Jane looks at the clock and squeals)

Jane: half past pumpkin time!

(She leaves hurriedly)

Mal: pumpkin time

Ben: curfew. Jane’s gotta be back at fairy godmothers suite by midnight

Mal: what’s a curfew?

Ben: oh um. Uh. It’s the time when you have to be in. If not

Lonnie: you get your phone taken away for a couple of days

Mal: what about you guys

Ben: we all have them. Ours were extended for today

Lonnie: it only takes ten minutes to walk back to my room. Hopefully sleeping bitchy’s out cold

Ben: that’s not very nice Lon

Lonnie: you know she’s your ex now. You can badmouth her if you want

Ben: only if I were the dumpee. I’m not. She is. So she can say whatever she wants about me.

Lonnie (not at all buying it): well. Alright. G’night

Ben and Mal: night

(Lonnie leaves)

Mal: and then there were two

Ben: yeah. Heh heh. I liked today

Mal: I liked today as well. Ah

Ben: yes?

Mal: your bloods black. You look like you got attacked by a doctor who monster

Ben (overjoyed): you watch Doctor Who?

Mal: black blood

Ben: right uhhhh. Oh yeah! I chew pens. The ink cartridge must’ve burst and leaked. Can’t believe I didn’t notice it.

Mal: it looks lit it dried about an hour ago. What were you doing then?

Ben: uhhhh (flashback to 11:32 pm when he was chewing on his pen and tuning out Evie waxing poetic about chad in favour of watching Mal talk with Doug). I...don’t...remember

Mal (reading his mind but deciding not to embarrass him): ok. (She takes out a handkerchief) there you go (She starts wiping at the corners of Ben’s mouth. Then pulls away abruptly) here (She hands him the handkerchief and gets up)

Ben: thank you (he finishes cleaning his mouth). Are you ok?

Mal: yea ahem yeah. Always. No. Actually. I’m not.

Ben: why?

Mal: I really don’t wanna say

Ben (realising): oh. Oh god. I’m so sorry. If I’ve ever made you feel uncomfortable I wasn’t my intention

Mal (going up to him and hold his face in her hands): Ben. Listen to me. You did nothing wrong. It’s me. You can safely assume that whenever I’m gloomy. It’s my fault

Ben: why are you gloomy

Mal: because I want something that’s contraband. To me specifically

Ben: not everything’s off limits.

Mal: I’m not here to have fun. Or be happy. I have to. You know what I have to do. And you being here all...we can’t. No matter how much either of us want to.

Ben: ok.

Mal: I’m sorry. But. It’s not your fault. Just remember that it’s never your fault

Ben: but it’s not yours either. There’s nothing wrong with wanting something for yourself. You are allowed that.

Mal: I’m not. That’s just the thing. I’m not allowed anything. That could interfere with her... (practically spitting) plans

Ben: oh.

Mal: you know what I think of you. You know how much I. You know. And that’s all it can be

(This is when “Rewrite the stars” happens)

[artificialqueens]

Crimson Oddity (Scyvie) - Eliptic

New fic who dis. The lore regarding supernatural being is followed closely but not exactly to the lore in Shadowhunters with a dash of Vampire Diaries and Wolfblood for convenience. We need more Scarlet and Yvie and supernatural Aus are my thing so here we go! ~Eliptic

Scarlet impatiently tapped her red nails against the bar, sharp eyes scanning the crowd, looking among the thrashing bodies as they danced to the pounding music. Her gig had ended an hour earlier so now she sat, gold dress hiked up showing long legs as she searched for someone who caught her eye, sipping her drink she finally set her sights on a shy looking man sitting by himself. Slowly she made her way through the crowd.

“This seat taken?” she asked flirtatiously.

“Uh no, go ahead.” He stuttered.

“I’m Scarlet.” She said smiling while holding her hand out daintily.

“I uh know…I mean I saw your set, you were really good and you look amazing.” He said flustered “I’m David by the way.”

“Why thank you David. You don’t look half bad yourself. Are you here by yourself?” Scarlet inquired looking him up and down, a sultry grin on her face.

“My friend dragged here, but uh last I saw him he was dry humping some guy on the dance floor, pretty sure he abandoned  me so he could get laid.” David chuckled awkwardly messing with his half empty glass.

Scarlet smiled placing her hand over his. “I hope my company with suffice.” David blushed as she moved closer, placing her hand on his thigh. “Let’s take this somewhere more private.” She whispered in his ear intertwining their fingers.

“Yeah okay.” He said breathlessly allowing her to tug him out back.

Scarlet grinned wickedly once they were outside, she shoved David against the brick, kissing him hard, putting her leg between his as he gripped her cinched waist, her lips traveling to his neck fangs extending scratching against soft flesh.

“What the hell are you doing?” A guy shouted.

Scarlet repressed a growl as David pushed her away looking at the tall guy who was walking toward them looking angry.

“I I didn’t know he had a boyfriend, sorry man.”

“I don’t,” Scarlet said smoothing her wig “I don’t know him.”

“Bullshit.” The Stanger said “Get out of here, we need to talk.” He said grabbing Scarlet’s wrist. David ran back into the bar.

Scarlet angrily slammed him into the wall “What the hell!”

“I wasn’t just going to let you kill that guy, vampire.” The man spat out bitterly.

“You’re a wolf.” Scarlet said rolling her eyes “I wasn’t going to kill him, we were just going to have a fun night, until you showed up.” She pushed him aside picking her boa off the ground.

“You’re in my packs territory, hunting humans-“

“You’re in Honey’s pack? Then you should know that the gay bars are neutral since we all perform at them. So thank you for being a huge cock block and ruining my dinner.” She snarled “Unless you’re offering your neck.”

“I’d rather wear silver on a new moon.”

Scarlet dashed inside to collect her things before running back to her apartment. Kicking off her heels she flopped on the couch sighing heavily as her stomach ached with hunger. De-dragging quickly Scarlet placed a blood bag in the microwave, reluctantly drinking the lukewarm blood cringing at the taste. Her phone rang loudly with Shuga’s ringtone.

“Hey.” She answered dumping the rest of blood down the sink.

“Hi honey, I need a favor.” Shuga asked.

“Fix a stitch or hide a body?”

“Neither. I have a meeting with James’s pack and the Seelies tomorrow but mine and Gilbert’s flight has been delayed and I don’t think I’m gonna be back in time.”

“So you want me to fill in for you, Jesus you know I hate dealing with the politics, I did it enough when I was human.”

“I know Jacob, but you’re the only one I trust not to let emotions get in the way, Plus you’re the second oldest so responsibility falls to you when I’m not around.”

“That condition only applies if you’re dust dead, not when you’re in Paris. Besides I pissed one of the wolves off tonight, so I doubt they’ll be happy to see me.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing, he started it. Honey should teach her wolves not to interrupt a feeding vampire.”

“Oh so that’s why you’re cranky. Just have a blood pack and chill, you have to be there by ten.”

“Can’t you send Brooke?”

“Conflict of interest since she’s been seeing the Seelie representative.”

Scarlet let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine, but you owe me.”

“Thank you girl.” Shuga hung up before Scarlet could change her mind.

“Fuck!” She yelled at  nothing in particular.

Scarlet knew the meeting would be short and simple as it always was, they’d just go over the rules and promise not to kill each other for another year, but the wolves and her clan could hardly stand each other while the fae tried to keep the peace. Scarlet personally had nothing against the wolves, with the exception of the prick from earlier. The wolves saw vampires as abominations, the illusion of life while they were duel life. In all fairness some of her clan were cold toward the wolves, seeing them as animals that sometimes wear human skin.

Sighing heavily Scarlet got into bed, setting an alarm figuring she could get some sleep to make up for the lack of blood in her system, She definitely had to find someone to feed from after the meeting.

“Stupid Shuga and her stupid delayed flight.” She muttered as he tried to get comfortable.

9:40  

Scarlet sat in the bar impatiently twisting her daylight ring as she waited for the others, wishing she had brought A’keria with her to keep her from going insane.

Magic crackled in the air as the Seelie portaled in

“Scarlet? Did Shuga bite the dust?” Vanessa said taking a seat across from her.

“No, just delayed in Paris. So you get me instead. You’re welcome.” She said flipping her hair sarcastically.

Vanessa chuckled rolling her eyes. “Honey’s gonna love this.”

“It’s one meeting I’m sure James can deal.” Scarlet said taking a sip of the blood she had poured into a glass.

“Girl, you brought that just to piss her off.” Vanessa said pushing her hair behind a pointed ear.

“No, I brought it because one of her pack interrupted my feeding last night and I’m hungry.” She took another sip “And if it happens to piss her off, well that just too bad.”

“It’s still petty bitch.”

“Maybe a tad.” Scarlet smirked, her head cocked to the side as two wolves entered the bar.

“You’re not Martinez.” Honey said pointedly.

“Unfortunately Shuga couldn’t make it today so she sent me in her place.” Scarlet said standing up and extending a hand “Jacob James or Scarlet Envy, I’ll answer to either.”

Honey reluctantly shook hands, before turning the attention the wolf standing behind him, “This is Jovan, or Yvie, he’s new to the pack wanted to acquaint him with the rules.”

Scarlet resisted the urge to make a face as she recognized Yvie as the wolf from last night. “I believe we’ve already met.” She said extending his hand again.

“Jovan, please tell me you didn’t do anything stupid.”

“I-“ Yvie started

“We just happened to run into each other after my gig last night is all.” Scarlet interrupted sitting back down. “Shall we get started.”

The three talked for awhile, just reiterating everything from before agreeing to get along for another year. They shook on it, signed some papers and parted ways

“Scarlet, wait up.” Yvie called before she could blur away. Scarlet turned around puzzled as the young wolf jogged up to her. “I wanted to apologize, for last night. I didn’t know about the boundaries. I’ve only been here for a month, I’m still getting the lay of the land, and you didn’t have to cover for me with Honey so thanks.”

Scarlet was taken aback “It was a misunderstanding, try not let it happen again, some of my sisters would be less forgiving.”

“Let me get you a drink.” Yvie said gently touching Scarlet’s wrist.

“I thought you’d rather wear silver on a new moon.” Scarlet teased.

“I meant the alcohol kind not…”

“Oh right,” She blushed embarrassed “Sorry, blood on the brain I guess.”

“Yeah, suppose that’s my fault.”

“Just a bit, but uh I will take you up on that drink, I’m off tonight so meet me at Mary’s at say nine.”

“Sounds good.”

“Yvie!” Honey yelled.

“Coming! See you tonight.”

Scarlet smiled sweetly waving as Yvie ran off to join Honey, who was giving Scarlet a cold glare.

Scarlet got back to her apartment only to find the door unlocked, she rolled his eyes “Ariel, I gave you that key for emergencies.”

“We ran out of Doritos.” Ariel said from her spot on the couch.

“You don’t even need to eat.”

“Yeah but it still tastes good.” She said eating a chip “Where were you this morning anyway.”

“Covering for Shuga at the meeting of the clans.”

“Yikes, Honey give you the third degree?”

“It was only the first degree, Met their new pack member, who is actually really nice and I think I have a date with tonight.”

“You have a date with a werewolf?” Ariel’s jaw dropped “And I thought Brooke was insane for befriending one.”

“He seems nice, he even apologized for being a dick last night.”

“That’s certainly new coming from Honey’s pack.”

“Honey didn’t look happy about it, but too bad. Are you gonna help me pick out an outfit or not.”

“Obviously, you can’t be trusted to dress yourself.” Ariel teased blurring back to Scarlet’s bedroom.

9:20

Scarlet sat alone in the back of the bar, nursing a drink in one hand while constantly checking the time with the other.

9:40

Scarlet sighed shoving her phone in her pocket and downing the rest of her drink before standing up getting ready to leave when Yvie’s scent wafted into the club, she sat back down watching as Yvie made her way through the crowd.

“Sorry I’m late.” Yvie said squeezing into the booth with her. “I had to sneak out.”

“Sneak out?” Scarlet said amused “How old are you?”

“I should be asking you that.”

“A lady never tells.” She said flipping her hair “Honey give you a hard time about coming to meet me?”

“To say the least. She thinks you’re trying to use me for something, I don’t know. I don’t think she did either, just wanted to keep me from coming.”

“My sister Ariel was a bit shocked too, not that she could have done anything being second youngest.”

“Well Honey’s the alpha so I’m definitely screwed when I get back.”

“You didn’t have to come. I would have understood.”

“I owe you a drink, speaking of, I’ll be right back.” Yvie said before heading to the bar, coming back with two drinks.

“So,” Scarlet said taking a drink. “You’re new to town?”

“Uh yeah, James found me last month after a bad moon, brought me here to help me.”

“You don’t sound to confident on that help.”

“He’s overprotective, which I get. I’ve only been a wolf for four months, so it’s a been…hectic, but it gets to a point where it’s too much, too suffocating. Like tonight, I’m a grown ass man I can see whoever I want.”

“And you wanted to see me?”

“I don’t want you thinking I’m a douche bag. From what I’ve seen and been told my pack and you’re clan don’t really get along.”

Scarlet laughed dryly “Yeah, I think it’s more of a species thing. I can’t imagine your inner wolf if too happy about being around a vampire.”

Yvie gave her a confused look. “Actually he’s pretty calm considering.”

It was Scarlet’s turn to look confused “According to Nina the smell of a vampire puts her wolf on edge. It took her and Brooke a long time to get use to each other’s scents.”

Yvie shrugged “My wolf and I are still getting use to each other so maybe that’s why.”

“Funnily enough, you don’t reek as wolves usually do… that came out wrong.” Yvie laughed as Scarlet tried to recover. “I just mean that you don’t smell like the other wolves I’ve met.”

“So how long have you and your clan been here.” Yvie said mercifully changing the subject.

“Five years, we have to move every twenty or so cause odds are humans will notice that we don’t age.”

“That seems so weird to me, just I can’t imagine not moving forward.”

“We move forward, just not physically. It was definitely strange at first, watching people grow old around you when you don’t.” Scarlet looked down twisting her ring.

“Sounds lonely.”

“It was, but that’s why we form clans. We’re stuck like this we might as well commiserate.”

“I guess that’s why we form packs too. I tried to be a lone wolf.” Yvie absentmindedly ran her fingers over the scar on the side of her neck. “It didn’t go to well.”

“Maybe wolves and vampires aren’t as different as we think.”

Yvie smiled, finishing her drink. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Oh?” Scarlet asked raising an eyebrow.

“I’m antsy, and if I have more of these I’m gonna get on stage and make an ass out of myself.” Scarlet chuckled downing her drink before following Yvie outside, once they were Yvie looked up at the quarter moon taking in a deep breath. “Wanna go for a run?”

“If you can keep up.” Scarlet teased blurring ahead.

“Come on I know just the place.” Yvie took Scarlet by the hand leading her to her car. They drove for awhile until they were out of the city before Yvie pulled up in front of a farm. “I stumbled upon this place a few days after moved here. An old wolf owns it, He prefers to be alone but occasionally likes the company. He lets me come up here to blow off steam when I need to.” Yvie explained “So Miss. Envy, fancy a race.”

“I suppose I could teach you a few things.” Scarlet smirked taking off her jacket.

“We’ll see.” Yvie grinned, eyes glowing green. “Mind turning around for a minute.” She said making a clawing motion with her hands.

“Oh right.” Scarlet turned around, hearing some shuffling followed by bone cracking, she cringed only able to imagine Yvie shifting painfully until she heard a huff, she turned around marveling at the gray wolf that Yvie became. “Impressive. Let’s see what you can do”  Scarlet smirked taking off down the field, Yvie close on her heels.

“That the best you can do?” she yelled back, voice distorted from the speed. Yvie growled playfully, picking up speed. Scarlet turned her attention back in front of her. They ran down the field for a few minutes before Yvie built up enough speed, jumping at Scarlet’s back knocking her to the ground, Yvie bounded on top of her licking her face.

“Yuck, dog breath.” Scarlet laughed. Yvie bounced off snuggling into Scarlet’s side. Scarlet stroked her soft fur, causing the wolf to practically melt against her. “You’re just a giant puppy dog aren’t you.” Scarlet said continuing to pet Yvie.

“Hello Jovan.” They both jumped, not having heard the older wolf. “I see you brought a friend.” He said scanning Scarlet with wary eyes. Yvie hopped up going over to the other wolf who patted her on the head before gesturing in the direction of the car. “Return to human and we will talk.” Yvie looked back at Scarlet for a moment before running back toward the car. “Patrick Holt.” He said extending a hand to Scarlet.

Scarlet blurred so that she was standing, shaking the dirt off. “Jacob.” He said shaking Patrick’s hand.

“I’ll admit I was not expecting a vampire.”

“I’m sorry, Jovan said it was fine. I’ll go.”

“No, no its fine. Just wasn’t expecting it. Given James’s distaste for your people.”    

 “Yeah, he’s not exactly happy about it.”

“Oh I don’t doubt that.” Patrick chuckled “I’d offer you something but I don’t have any O-neg on me.”

“I prefer B-Positive anyway.” Scarlet joked.

“Not funny, that’s my blood type.” Yvie said rejoining them.

“I know.” Scarlet winked.

“So did you two come just to disturb my land?” Patrick said pointing to the small crater they had made.

“Sorry.” Yvie said guiltily.

“Nonsense, storms have done worse. I’m just giving you a hard time.” Patrick laughed patting Yvie on the shoulder. “Sorry for interrupting you boy’s date, just wanted to see what all the noise was about.”

“Oh it’s not a-I’m mean unless you want it to be.” They stuttered in unison.

“That doesn’t usually happen until the third year of marriage.” Patrick said looking between them amused. “I’ll leave you two to figure it out, just try not to break anything else.” Patrick turned on his heel heading back to the farmhouse.

Yvie and Scarlet looked at each other laughing slightly.

“You know this has been a pretty good date, if it is one that is.” Yvie said as they headed back to the car.

“Yeah it has been.” Scarlet smiled shyly.

“Maybe we should do this again.”

“Honey would kill both of us.”

“Only if she finds out.”

“You think we can keep this relationship a secret from your alpha?”

“Shouldn’t be that that hard.” Yvie shrugged getting in the car.

Scarlet laughed dryly “I like you, a lot.”

“Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming.”

Scarlet bit her lower lip, thinking for a moment. “No but. I like you.“ she intertwined their fingers “And I spent a very long time denying my who I am and how I feel. I swore that I  wouldn’t that anymore. So fuck it, let’s do this.”

Yvie smiled leaning in but Scarlet quickly placed her hand on her chest. “I don’t want to get my scent all over you. This is meant to be a secret. Remember?”

“Good point. Another time then.”

“Another time.” Scarlet promised getting out of the car. Yvie reluctantly waved goodbye before driving back towards the city. Scarlet watched the car until it disappeared from view, her expression shifted to one of worry as ran her tongue over her fangs.

[quoteablebooks]

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ... Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

*Opinions*

So I was told that I must read this novel as my friend is obsessed with the series and needed someone to talk to about it. (Yell is probably a more accurate term but I digress). She is also the one who bought me the book for Christmas so I really had no reason not to dive in. From the summary, it has everything I like in a fantasy novel, action, danger, politically intrigue, and romance (Yes, I like romance, sue me). I had heard some rumblings of people taking issue with the series, but I will say right now that I didn’t look into any reviews or discourse while reading or writing this review. I’m more than happy to have a conversation with people about it now that I had finished the first book, especially those who found the novel to have many faults, but any ignorance on my part was intentional so I didn’t go into reading the novel with someone else’s thoughts clouding my judgment. One hiccup in this plan of not knowing anything about the story was that I was unaware that it was advertised as a Beauty and the Beast retelling of sorts and I had so many questions until a friend pointed out that it was supposed to follow the fairytale. Like, I was getting a little aggravated because the beginning third of the book reads very close to the Beauty and the Beast we all know and love. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good retelling when it’s done well. However, when you go into a story not knowing that that was its main aim, it can be a bit jarring. Again, this is completely my fault. The first major positive I have is that Maas allowed Feyre to have sex with a man she had no intentions of marrying and really didn’t even like. It is rare that heroines are allowed to have sex for the pure reason of release and nothing else and it gave me a good idea who Feyre was as a character. As her sexuality evolves and expands throughout the novel is very realistic and something that I was not expecting from the novel. Sure, it said there was romance, but I was expecting the normal fade to black scenes. Instead, the scene in the hallway after the magical ritual (being as vague as possible to avoid spoilers) was unexpectedly intimate. Like, I was almost metaphorically clutching my pearls (a phrase I stole from my friend) intimate. I was not expecting that, but I enjoyed it. Another thing I was not expecting from this novel was the darkness and grittiness that it possessed, both in the world building and in the characters. Feyre is a rather dark and gritty character at the beginning, due to her circumstances, and I really enjoyed that. Too often the main character is soft and the events of the story harden them, but this novel takes the opposite approach in a way. Feyre never becomes soft and helpless or losses the darkness in her, but she is allowed to have some freedom and happiness, and that changes her in much more subtle ways. Maas also leans into the dark, scary, and creepy side of myths and legends surrounding the faeries. Now I am going to be honest, I don’t know what in this story is known the lore and what is Maas’s creation, but I wanted more of the creepy and scary things that lurked outside the lovely manor and gardens where Feyre found herself. There are real threats and real dangers in this world and Maas doesn’t let you forget that, even if Feyre ignores the warnings completely some times. You knew that people would get hurt, people who die, and appreciated the stakes. Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship is the core of the story and it is a slow burn, which I really enjoy. If I didn’t know that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I might have thought Lucien had a chance, but it was obvious that Tamlin was always going to be the main love interest. It was a romance that grew and one that you believed could elicit so such feelings from Feyre to propel her through the ending of the novel and what she had to endure. That being said, Lucien and Rhysand are by far the most interesting characters in this novel. Maybe because they are shown to have flaws (Rhysand’s being very in your face and plentiful) but I wanted to know more about them and enjoyed their presence on the page more than Tamlin. It’s not that I don’t like Tamlin or Tamlin and Feyre as a couple, but Tamlin was always either bestial or perfect whereas Lucien and Rhysand were portrayed as much more complex. Maybe I just have a thing for characters who are also kind of bastards, who knows? The world that Maas creates is very easy to visualize and understand from her descriptions. From the cold of the forest to the lowly cottage, to the manor, estate, and gardens, you see what Feyre is seeing. There is something very visceral about this novel while you’re reading it that I really enjoy. Maas has the ability to take you into the world of Prythian which is what you need in any fantasy novel. I was a little disappointed when we finally got to Under the Mountain. The creatures are described so viscerally, but the actual ancient heart of the mountain left some things to be desired. However, that was really my only complaint about this novel that relayed so much on being with Feyre as she experienced everything. Now, for some negatives. The biggest one was that giant plot dump that happened when Alis finally explained the curse and what was happening when Feyre returned to the estate. I am not going to spoil what the curse is, but that whole chapter was literally a neon sign that read EXPOSITION and flashed. It was something that could have been broken up between two chapters, especially since the ones leading up to it were Feyre trying to come to terms with seeing her family. That leads me to my second big issue, that Nesta was That Bitch and therefore the fairy glamour didn’t work on her. On one hand, I like that Nesta got a bit of a redemption arc after being so awful in the beginning, on the other, it makes no sense that the glamour just didn’t work. Maybe if the explanation was that Tamlin’s powers were failing, that would be one thing, but just that Nesta was too strong-willed just seemed like the easy way out. It bothered me. The whole section with Feyre at home bothered me because it didn’t really add to the story all that much. That being said, I am still not convinced that there isn’t something going on with Feyre’s mom, like she was Fae or half-fae or something. Watch her never be mentioned again, but like I’m sure there is something up with her. Overall I enjoyed the world I was presented and the story I was told, even if it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, there were enough new elements to set the second half of the book to set it apart. I am interested in seeing where the story progresses and keeping an open mind.

[ambivalentangst]

There’s Home in His Eyes

Here’s my pinch hitter work for the @voltron-ss exchange for @blue-gremlin! You requested mermaid hance and I was like,, , really excited to deliver. I hope you enjoy it! As a disclaimer, I tried to work in some of Samoan culture into this as an element of Hunk’s backstory and the plot, which I did my best to research and present in a non-offensive manner. However, I am NOT Samoan so if I have done ANYTHING offensive in my work please tell me and I will see to the problem immediately. 

tw: minor character death

Hunk never wanted to be a soldier. He liked baking and fiddling with things in the garage, whatever spare parts he could bring home from the dump. He was smart, did great in school, but all he really wanted to just be a mechanic or a chef. He hadn’t decided, and both were perfectly viable. He was more than happy to stay at home and help his mom. Hunk knew they struggled, they were a small family. It was just the two of them, his mom having to support herself and Hunk, who she claimed was destined for greatness as she waited tables and carefully counted out change wherever they went. His future was bright, and the hours he picked up in the kitchen at a local bar and grill helped sustain them well enough for him to get through school and hopefully even college. Then, his mom got hurt.

She was heading to her car after a late shift, and fell hard on a patch of ice. Her back got messed up bad, and they didn’t have the money to get her fixed and back on her feet. It simply wasn’t an option.

   Hunk sold his car to get him through the rest of high school, and then he was standing before the Marine recruiter and blinking back tears later that night when he was told he’d ship out as soon as possible. For all his time spent being careful, gentle with icing bags and screws, it had done him no good. Hunk was strong under the fat he carried. The football coach had tried for years to recruit him along with the wrestling team. Hunk had no taste for fighting, but at boot they shoved a gun into his hands and told him where to aim for best results.

   Hunk listened.

   His salary went home to his mother, who wrote him letters asking after his health and happiness, that she was so sorry things were turning out the way they were. Hunk hunched over in the dark, ignoring the twinge of pain from the way the pen dug into his thigh he used as a desk, and dutifully replied with reassurances that all was well, things really weren’t so bad, and of course he was eating well. Even if wasn’t at the dinner table where they talked about their day in a tongue that was soft and comforting, something cooed at him before he could walk, he was fine. Hunk reminded himself of that as he ran miles every day and though he’d shoveled as much food as possible down his throat, it never seemed to curb his hunger.

   On family day, Hunk sat at a table by himself and watched everyone else receive hugs and kisses from eager mothers and siblings that though teased, had happy tears in their eyes. That night he didn’t eat at all, even if when they ran drills the next morning he saw spots dance in his vision. His mom was waiting back home, and that gave him peace.

   He arrived home to find her ill in bed, but she smiled and gripped his hand and he told her romanticized stories of the hell he’d soldiered through. She was happy. Hunk had two weeks of leave before he went back for his second round of training. He cherished it dearly and kissed his mom’s cheek before he had a friend drive him to the airport again.

   About a month into that, he received word that his mother had experienced some complications. She couldn’t move very well on her own, but she had tried and something had gone wrong. Somehow she had fallen and hit her head, and just like that Hunk’s mother was stolen from the world without him there to even attend the meager funeral held in her honor.

   Hunk came home to an empty home that was only kept as it was because his mom had gotten it from their parents, who had already paid things off. Hunk wished he had the time to sell it. It was a painful reminder of all that he’d lost, but he was shipping out for work, real work, soon. However, Hunk could not simply leave without an ode to his mother. They’d talked about it for after graduation, but Hunk had been nervous. Tattoos were supposed to hurt so much, especially when he was going to get his done traditionally, and of course they never went away. Besides, the Marines didn’t take kindly to them if they were in the wrong spots. Regardless, Hunk finally convinced himself, and after carefully poring over designs and regulations and parlors, he had a pe’a.

It took weeks to complete and it wasn’t as invasive, as expansive, as was traditional because of said rules, but Hunk wore his proudly. It had hurt like a bitch, and it had been expensive. Almost all his money that hadn’t been spent since he’d joined up, but what else did he have to spend it on? It was important. Hunk gritted his teeth and held still. His mother would have liked it, and that provided more than enough motivation to see it done.

   Hunk was stationed in Hawaii. A base right on the ocean. Hunk did his work easily, and though he still wanted to be home, he was at least able to be a handyman on base. He wasn’t exactly happy, but he was bearing it. All was at the very least calm, until one day spent down on the docks on a Saturday, off base. It was a quiet place, deserted mostly. The locals didn’t care for it apparently. Lore said that there was monsters there, but of course Hunk ignored that. His mother had told him the story of the gods their people worshipped, but Hunk had a hard time continuing to believe in them as drill instructors barked harsh words and digs at his weight. He remained plush no matter what they tried, and Hunk was fine with that. His mom had loved to squeeze his cheeks and pinch the fat on his arm, even if now there was even more muscle to it than what had been there before.

   He sat at the docks, let his feet dangle in the clear water until a song began to fill his ears. It was soft and mournful, and Hunk found himself leaning in to listen. The world blurred around him, but Hunk ignored that. The song was getting louder, ringing in his ears while he breathed softly to try and hear it as best as he could. He could see something in the water, a flash of blue scales on a tail that was far too long to be any sort of normal creature. Hunk paid it no mind, not until he saw a tanned face with sharp, sharp teeth looking at him. Hunk jerked back, and the face looked equally surprised. He scrambled to his feet, something to use should the creature become aggressive. He looked in the water again fearfully, but it was gone. Hunk panted. Perhaps there was more to those local stories than he had previously thought.

   He went back to base quickly, and didn’t tell anyone about what he’d seen. Hunk wasn’t even sure what he had seen. Regardless, it was too late now. He slept fitfully that night, and the next day he didn’t go to the same spot. The docks were newly off limits, so he went to the cove instead. Hunk took his shirt off and sunned himself on the sand, exposed his tattoo to the air, but he could still hear the song, faint though it was. He did his best to block it out

   Hunk eventually stopped going to the ocean, or at least the beach. He couldn’t escape the song, and it made him miserable. He now realized just how sad it was, and every time he heard it, it made his eyes fill with tears. Hunk had already long ago cried himself out, but the tragic melody always coaxed more out of him. He hated it.

   Several months later, he was drawn to the dock again by that song, terribly beautiful as always. Hunk’s lips had pressed themselves into an angry line. He was going to find whatever thing was singing it and he was going to make them stop if it killed him. He would not be tormented by the tune that had memories of his mom running through his head, and all that he’d lost with her death. He strode forward and sat at the edge, waiting for that face to show. His fury was enough to overpower the wetness to his eyes. He kept careful watch over the water, but in the end it did no good. In an explosion of salt and forth the creature lept from the sea, and dragged Hunk along with him on his way back down

   Hunk wasn’t exactly prepared.

   After the initial shock passed of what was happening, he fought hard against the clawed hands that held him. They were slippery underwater, fighting just as hard to keep ahold of him as Hunk was to get them off. The creature snarled, but Hunk didn’t back down. He was running out of air, and the fight was going out of him. The creature pulled him down to the sea floor, expertly weaving around the coral and rocks, and Hunk’s world went black.

   When he woke, he coughed up a lungful of water onto the wet sand around him. What had happened? Hunk’s head was pounding and his mouth tasted of the ocean. It took a moment to come back to him, but when he did he panicked. Where was the creature? Had he somehow managed to get away? Hunk didn’t know, but he fumbled around looking for a rock or something to defend himself with. His hand finally latched around one when he heard a voice behind him clear their throat.

   “What are you doing?” it asked, and Hunk jumped about three feet up in the air. He spun quickly, holding out his rock threateningly. For all his muscle and training, he wasn’t sure what to do when he was faced with a creature that from the waist up, was incredibly human aside from the gills cut his neck. It stared at him with big blue eyes, while a tail a few shades darker lashed ominously behind it.

    “You.” Hunk hissed. The creature raised a brow.

   “Me?” he asked. Hunk waved his rock threateningly, his panic gone for a moment.

   “You know I haven’t been able to come to the ocean for weeks because of you and your dumb song?” he growled. The creature, mermaid, merman? Hunk didn’t know, and in his anger he didn’t care, had brows that knitted together in confusion.

   “You haven’t?” Hunk grew a little red in his face.

   “Yes, I haven’t. What’s your problem, huh? Is there a reason I keep thinking about my mom whenever I hear it?” Hunk’s voice trembled a little. “Cause if there is, you’re sick. Cut it out.” His emotions were sporadic, shifting from fear to fury to sorrow all in the blink of an eye. The merman had the credit to look a little bashful.

   “I’m sorry, it’s just how I cope. You’re not supposed to be able to hear it. Most humans can’t. Not unless they’re homesick.” Hunk’s interest was piqued at that.

   “Homesick?” A cloud passed across the merman’s face.

   “Yeah, homesick, okay? I did something dumb when I was younger. I haven’t been home in a long, long time. My family knows my song and they come near here every once in a blue moon. I don’t know the way well enough to return on my own. I just hope they’ll hear it, and find me again.” Hunk let that sink in. Despite the fact that he’d very nearly been drowned by the merman, he felt for him.

   “I’m sorry. It’s hard not having a home,” he sympathized. The merman said nothing, and its tail lashed in the water.

   “Yeah, it is.”

   Hunk watched him. He couldn’t deny that there was a part of him that was still angry with the creature for making him cry so many times, and for of course trying to kill him, not to mention more than a little afraid, but he was calm for a few moments.

   “What’s your name, anyways?” he asked. The merman perked up at that.

   “Lance, you?”

   “Hunk.”

   The merman tested out his name a few times, and hearing it with an unfamiliar accent was at first a little disorienting. When he seemed to be satisfied, Hunk cut in.

   “So, care to tell me why you almost drowned me? Or rather, why you didn’t?” Lance appeared miffed.

   “I didn’t exactly mean to drown you,” he grumbled. “Only a little, enough to scare you and keep you away from my dock. Nobody else comes down here, both because the wood is old and because I’ve been here long enough to scare them away. As far why I saved you, I’ve seen people with your kind of markings before. They’re strong, but gentle. My family used to swim in their ocean, eat their fish and examine their boats, but they shared without much complaint. They did not hurt us, not like others.” Hunk’s brow furrowed.

   “What, you saw my pe’a?” Lance looked confused.

   “Is that what it is called? The black on your, ah, legs?” Hunk laughed. He said ‘legs’ like he was a child saying a curse world for the first time.

   “Yes.” He paused for a moment, and then took a closer look at Lance. His tail appeared strong, and its presence alone was a little frightening. Upon closer inspection, his eyes were so much older than their initial gleam betrayed. He couldn’t help but wonder just how long ago Lance had seen the land where Hunk’s roots traced back to. He pushed that thought away. He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer. Instead, he took a look around. While orignally, disoriented as he was, hadn’t recognized his surroundings, now he thought he might be a little further down the beach then he’d been before. Hunk took a glance back at Lance.

   “Does this mean I’m not allowed back at your dock? I’ll stay away if you stop your song. I’m sorry for asking, it’s just that it reminds me of my mom. She’s, well,” Hunk trailed off helplessly, and the merman looked pained for his sake.

   “I’ll see what I can do.” He promised, and Hunk smiled. Home was gone, but it was nice to meet another who knew the feeling.

   “Thank you,” he told him, and Lance slipped back under the waves with a flash of iridescent blue scales. Hunk pulled himself to his feet and began to walk, thinking that was the end of it, but suddenly a shell was thrown at his feet. Hunk cast a fearful glance out at the sea. He couldn’t see Lance anymore, but the merman obviously had good aim. He flipped it over, and inside the shell there was a short message carved.

    ‘Come back when you’re ready.’

   Hunk was a little unnerved by the note he assumed was left by the claws that had dragged him into the ocean, but something in him warmed with happiness at the invitation. His cheeks flushed a bit, and he cradled the shell to his chest. Perhaps he didn’t want to be where he was, but even just with the company Lance provided, he felt a little more at home.

[pika-ace]

selkie sonny au!

I was VERY tempted to include Vanessa and Nina as selkies, cause female selkies are apparently SUPER beautiful, but then I read up on the lore and ALL the legends including female selkies getting with a man involves the man stealing their selkie coat and basically keeping them from their true form and their true home (which is the sea) and I don’t wanna put our girls through that. So yeah, Sonny can be a selkie along with Benny and Usnavi and I can see almost a Little Mermaid setup here, at least for Usnavi and Vanessa. But I think Benny and Nina could be a the main plot here since their stuff can fit with the lore better (and I’m a sucker for mythology and legends). So maybe Nina’s life ain’t the greatest with maybe pressure to do good in life and she doesn’t know what to do. According to the legends, male selkies seek out females but for vice versa, a woman must shed seven tears into the sea, so Nina unintentionally does that, crying at the shore cause the ocean calms here and Benny pops up and asks her what’s wrong. After that, Nina basically goes to Benny in the ocean when she needs to vent or if she just wants to talk and Benny is TOTALLY smitten with her. Normally, male selkies use their powers of seduction to win over women, but Benny doesn’t want to do that. In fact, I could see Sonny, Usnavi, and Benny being few selkies who don’t like using their seduction powers to win women over because that’s just unfair and fucked up. Also, apparently selkies and humans can only meet once every seven years but these guys are like ‘fuck that’ and throw that rule out the window. For Usnavi and Vanessa and maybe Sonny and Pete as well, they meet and fall in love WITHOUT the humans needing to cry. Usnavi maybe sees Vanessa and instantly falls in love with her and eventually gets up the courage to talk to her, and maybe Sonny could save Pete from drowning or something. So all three couples basically slowly build up their romance and when the time comes, the boys willingly give their selkie skin to their lover, basically giving their lives to them because they love them that much, and maybe they can give the skins back if they feel as if Usnavi, Sonny and Benny are missing the ocean too much and everything’s good (cause almost all the selkie stories I found were freaking sad, let’s have a happy one, please and thank you). That’s my equal part version.

But if you were looking for a solely Sonny selkie AU…

So Sonny’s the only selkie and the only ones who know are Usnavi and Sonny’s mom. Jane met Sonny’s father who was a human, but he stole her selkie skin so Jane had no choice but to be with him. But when Jane got pregnant with a selkie child, the dad turned tail. Unfortunately, Jane couldn’t find her selkie skin (the asshat either destroyed it or hid it really good) so she can’t go back to the sea and that just TEARS HER UP. I have a theory that selkies as humans aren’t as strong as regular humans cause they grew up in the sea, they’re not used to living as humans. So Jane’s pretty weak and depressed most of the time, leaving Usnavi to take care of Sonny. Jane teaches him about his selkie powers and tells him to NEVER give his skin to ANYBODY. Sonny has a better chance of not being tricked since he’s a boy, but that won’t stop treasure hunters from trying to take his skin to sell since they’ll think he’s a seal and try to skin him (foreshadowing??) So Sonny’s able to live out his childhood pretty well, but, kinda like Moana, he’s just so drawn to the ocean, just like his mom. But when he turns fifteen, his mother dies. She couldn’t handle living as a human, and she was just too weak. As a last gift to his mom, Sonny gives her burial at sea, letting her be at rest in her one true home. So now he only has Usnavi and he has to take care of a selkie child which is easier said than done. Sonny almost ALWAYS goes out to the ocean to swim and Usnavi FREAKS whenever this happens cause if something happens in the ocean, Usnavi can’t help him. The only thing Usnavi can relax about is Sonny not telling anybody his secret, cause Sonny was PISSED when his mom told him about what his dad did to her so yeah, he’s not giving his skin to ANYBODY and maybe one of his goals in life is to find his father and find out what he did with his mom’s skin cause she deserves justice, dammit! Usnavi however, has been tempted to tell Vanessa, Benny, and Nina, cause he trusts them the most, and thinks that if more people know, they can protect Sonny easier. Usnavi’s discussed it with Sonny and he’s iffy about it, but thinks that Usnavi does have a point, he just needs some time to think it over. But then, one day, everything goes wrong, and one day, while Sonny is swimming around as a seal in the ocean, he gets caught in a net. Usnavi was watching him on the shore but there’s nothing he can do. The boat is too far away. So Sonny gets taken onboard and he has to shift and you can practically see the money signs in the sailors’ eyes. Sonny clutches his selkie skin cause he’ll be damned if he lets ANYONE take his selkie skin but they don’t want to just take the skin. They want SONNY. They caught a god damn selkie and they plan to make bank off of this. They dock the boat and get ready to transport Sonny, when Usnavi appears, followed by Vanessa, Benny and Nina (he just told them that Sonny was in trouble and followed) and Usnavi tries to get them to let Sonny go, but of course, they don’t, and the barrio fam is helpless to stop them, and just watch as Sonny’s squirming around in a net and put in a crate to be shipped off god knows where. So Sonny is maybe shipped somewhere in New York city and dumped in a tank and he’s completely helpless to fight back. All the sailors have to do is threaten to take away his skin and Sonny won’t move. Meanwhile, the barrio fam (Usnavi went ahead and told them Sonny’s secret) are trying their best to track down Sonny and praying that he’ll escape and find his way back home. Poor Usnavi basically spends all day and night just sitting at the docks, waiting for Sonny. Vanessa starts joining him on those excursions, offering her support and comfort and they have a bunch of cute moments. So Sonny spends some time in an aquarium, staying as a seal and he’s able to transform back into a human once it closes; the bad guys aren’t too happy about that since his transformation is the big money maker, but people are still paying to see this pretty seal so whatever. One night, he’s sitting out as a human in his display tank and he’s crying, missing his cousin, his home, his freedom, when it just so happens, he’s not alone. Enter Pete, as his usual street punk self and he happened to be passing by when he heard Sonny’s crying. He goes up to the tank and taps the glass, 'Hey kid, what the hell are you doing in a tank?’ Sonny doesn’t answer and just hides cause his trust for human strangers is just about shot thanks to the sailors and all the patrons ogling him through the glass. However, Pete keeps coming back and just talking to him; he has no idea what’s going on, but he’s a bit uneasy that this kid is stuck in this tank every night with only seal skin for clothes. Sonny eventually decides to throw him a bone and they start talking a bit when Sonny mentions that he was kidnapped. And Pete’s just like 'Why the hell would these guys kidnap a kid and stick him in a tank? You don’t look like a mermaid or anything.’ But before Sonny can answer, the bad guys come back and Pete hides. They tell Sonny that they’re planning to ship him somewhere SUPER far away and he has to transform in front of everyone to make it happen. Of course, Sonny refuses, so the bad guys step it up a notch. They tie Sonny up and threaten to burn his selkie skin if he doesn’t do as they say, and the head honcho of the bad guys eventually blurts out 'You selkies are all the same; take their skin and they’re yours to command, just like that one bitch a long time ago.’ Yep. Sonny’s dad is one of the bad guys. Now Sonny’s pissed 'YOU BETRAYED MY MOM!! SHE’S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!!’ But Sonny’s dad doesn’t care, and just goes, 'I’m gonna do what I should’ve done with your mom; sell you.’ So the bad guys leave, keeping Sonny tied up in his tank and take his selkie skin away so he can’t try anything and Sonny can just writhe about in his bonds in anger before slumping over in tears. And Pete, who saw this whole thing, is just FUMING. He follows the bad guys and watches where they hide the selkie skin and he sneaks in when they leave. However, he finds two selkie skins and he can’t tell which one is Sonny’s, so he takes both. He goes back to the tank and does what he SHOULD’VE done: breaks the damn glass. He unties Sonny and holds out the skins, 'There were two, so I just took both.’ Sonny takes his but the other one feels familiar. 'This…this is my mom’s skin…’ They get out of the cage and they have to get to the ocean somehow, but the bad guys start chasing them, and we have a big climax that maybe ends with Sonny taking on his dad and dealing the final blow 'That was for my mom, you son of a bitch.’ So after that, Pete and Sonny go to the beach and it’s a straight shot for Sonny to get home. They have a goodbye and promise to meet again, and Pete watches as Sonny swims off in the sunrise. Before he goes home, Sonny lets his mom’s skin sink into the ocean to be with her, and then he jets home. Usnavi is still at the docks along with the rest of the barrio, waiting for him and he sees Sonny swimming towards him, jumping like a dolphin, and jumps right into Usnavi’s arms as a seal, changing back into a boy, and there’s lots of tears and hugs and everything’s good. 

[all-about-clerics-and-dnd]

New character!

Hey it’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything new but I’ve been playing in a campaign for the past few months with my favourite character so far.

I have been playing a blind tiefling ranger named Azriel or Azzy for short. She was orphaned at 8 after an attack on her village left everyone dead. She was rescued by a man name Jack who brought her home and raised her himself. He taught her everything she knows (including common) while also helping her overcome the difficulties associated with her blindness. Azriel is a purple tiefling with horns curling towards the front of her head, her eyes are white with no pupils like most tieflings. She is determined and headstrong, she doesn’t let the fact that she’s blind get in the way of what she wants to do.

Now I know this may have been a little confusing and is a pretty big lore dump so if you have any questions just send me an ask I love answering questions!

During her campaign how me and my Dm made it work so that she wasn’t firing at disadvantage all the time because she is blind. She has a home brew feat that allows her to use spells such as detect magic as a bonus action or find familiar and look through the familiars eyes as a bonus action. While this made it really hard to use ranger spells it was the perfect solution and nerfed her enough that she needed help and relied on her friends but not enough where she couldn’t hold her own if needed. Now at the start of the campaign my friends and I started just outside a dungeon with almost no spell slots, no health, and no potions. There was a town an hour away but we decided to have the kenku bard, Zoomer,make leomunds tiny hut and we rested there. Soon we made our way to the town of gravesford, Azriel with the help of her wizard friend Zahir save a kitten from a well and of course Azriel kept the cat cueing the best line for the kenku to repeat as someone tried to take the cat from her, “It’s my cat bitch” . Eventually these group of adventurers Azriel the tiefling hunter ranger, Zahir the human abjuration wizard, Zoomer the college of lore bard, Ulysses the human life cleric and Maanat the halting way of the open hand monk, ended up at a tavern where they encountered a group of knights throwing their weight around bullying patrons and the such. Soon enough a fight broke out leaving all of them dead except one who became our prisoner. As we looted the bodies Azriel found a necklace on the leader so naturally she took it and this was the beginning of her descent into evil. This amulet was a token from the fiend Xena who is all about the animals regaining their rightful place in the world at the expense of human life. So because this amulet has a connection to a fiend she likes to speak infernal which also happens to be her native language which reminds her of her long dead family. Fast forward a few sessions as she slowly becomes more and more infatuated with this amulet her party has enough and destroys the amulet on her. She is livid but little does the party know she already took a level in cleric for this fiend she’s beyond just destroying that amulet. She’s gone from a chaotic good character to a neutral evil character, in only a few days game time. Her friends are worried and all the intel they get from the army coming our way is she is the secret weapon she is going to turn on them. Eventually her father comes he has been travelling with a halfling and some drow followers of Xena. Azriel knows they are all coming she’s waiting for their arrival but just as she is about to go find them she is polymorphed into a cat and then they cast an upcasted modify memory spell which changes her memory that they didn’t destroy the amulet Xena took the amulet saying Azriel was not worthy. This caused confusion for her especially after her father comes to her with a journal from one of the drow that my party had banished back to the underdark. She wrote how bad Xena is the things she had done and how she always lies this caused a spark inside Azriels heart that was the beginning of the end for her devotion to this fiend. She made it her goal to find this drow named Leila the one who wanted out of this relationship with this fiend, she realized how bad this fiend was Azriel had tried giving her the benefit of the doubt but eventually realized she was going down the wrong path with this fiend and was able to convince her friends to send her to the underdark, it didn’t take much since they thought she was going to turn on them anyways. She went and found this drow and they both had time together where they were able to fully rid themselves of this fiend and find a new god that would take them and help them redeem themselves.