Lucid Dreamer (1/2)
part 2
Gepard notices that it's been. Quiet lately. Like weirdly quiet. TOO quiet. He hasn't seen Sampo Koski in almost a week, which is about the longest he's ever been absent. And he is NOT worried. He's not! So what if they've been getting along more lately! So what if Gepard sometimes looks for him in his favorite hiding places! So what if he's been dreaming about blue hair and green eyes! It's nothing!!
But they're….strange, these dreams. Gepard doesn't usually remember what he's dreamt. It's out of his mind seconds within waking up. But these stick with him, they won't leave him be, they feel different somehow.
He dreams of Sampo bringing food to the frontlines and eating breakfast in his tent with him. Sampo always sneaks him extras. He dreams of chasing Sampo through the alleyways, Sampo sometimes letting himself be caught, Gepard sometimes catching him, and trying to ignore how it feels more like a game now more than anything else. He even dreams that Sampo tags along with him on one of his few civilian days. Sampo runs errands with him, prattles about inane bullshit while Gepard picks out groceries for the week, drags Gepard into some bakery he's never been to but he thinks Serval mentioned once.
And sometimes, it feels so close to reality, that Gepard half expects to see Sampo, shamelessly swaggering into the frontlines with all the guards' breakfast like his wanted poster wasn't only recently taken off the walls of Belobog. He's disappointed when it's always someone else instead. He tells himself his disappointment is ridiculous and if Sampo wants to go prowl around the Snow Plains or wherever he is, then fine. It's not any of his business.
…But it IS his job to investigate any unusual criminal activity relating to the frontlines. And the frontlines are Sampo's usual haunting grounds, and this is unusual activity, and Sampo IS technically a criminal, so it is absolutely part of his duty to look into this - is what Gepard tells himself the entire tram ride down into the Underground.
Natasha tells him he's gone, and Gepard has to steel himself. He knew Sampo made enemies wherever he went, there are a lot of people who would love his head on a platter, but he didn't think-
Natasha corrects him that she means literally gone. As in off-planet. Sampo always leaves her a note before he goes anywhere, so she knows not to expect any supply runs from him. He should be back in exactly two weeks. Thank the Preservation.
Gepard goes back home. He waits.
The uneasiness doesn't leave him.
"Where did you go?" Sampo stops dead in the middle of some story about Seele, and how you'd think someone with as blunt a mouth as her wouldn't have so much trouble asking a woman out, even if that woman IS the Supreme Guardian, and stares at him. He nearly fumbles his cigarette.
"Ahaha, what do you mean, I'm right here?" Sampo smiles at him the same way he always does. Gepard has no idea why he asked. It just popped out. He can never tell when Sampo is lying, anyway.
"I don't know. I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time." Gepard idly mouths at his own cigarette. He almost never smokes, but he wants to ration their stocks of Blizzard Immunity, and it helps with the cold. It's seemed colder lately, for some reason.
Gepard flicks his lighter once, twice, sighs at the third time because a metal prosthetic and thick gloves make the damn things so difficult. Sampo reaches over and wordlessly kisses the end of his cigarette to Gepard's, lighting it. "Thank you."
Nothing happens for almost a full 30 seconds. Something churns behind Gepard's ribcage. Because Sampo never leaves a "thank you" hanging. This is the part where he gives his spiel about how helpful and kind he is and Gepard either brings up how long his rap sheet was before Bronya helped clear his name, or just stares deadpan because seeing Sampo squirm is weirdly satisfying.
"…I'll be back in one more week."
Gepard jolts awake in his cot, mouth dry and eyes bleary.
The hell.
The next dream he has, Sampo looks tired. Sometimes he seems normal. Sometimes he says strange things, like how he wishes he'd gone to some restaurant in Belobog. Ate his favorite food more recently. Brought something with him. Gepard asks why he can't do that now. Where would he bring something? Sampo only shrugs. His rebuttals have less energy.
Gepard doesn't know if he wants to dream more, or less.
He ticks down the days on his calendar. Natasha hasn't told him any different. She promised she would if she got any kind of message. Sampo returns tomorrow, from whatever vacation or seedy business dealings he's been off having. He is not excited about it. He is not looking forward to it. He's not!!
Gepard falls asleep late that night, unable to settle. He dreams again.
He's alone. There are tons of people everywhere, the frontlines are always crowded. But he's alone. They all pass right by him as though he were a ghost. Gepard starts to walk before he realizes his feet are even moving.
He checks the trashcans in the dead end alley. He checks the supply crates that someone always stacks too high because they don't feel like finding more space for them. He pauses to check the soldiers that march past him, watching their footprints in the snow.
He finally finds Sampo on the rooftop along the northernmost wall, the one that looks out over the plains, towards Everwinter Hill, towards where the Stellaron had once been kept. With a full moon and an entire land of white snow, Gepard can almost see clear out to the horizon.
"Found you." Sampo stiffens, and Gepard is almost prepared for him to sprint off the roof. He doesn't. But he doesn't relax either. Gepard sits down next to him and stares out at the wastelands.
"…I fucked up." It wasn't what Gepard had been expecting. Sampo never 'fucks up,' Sampo just gets into incidents that are entirely, supposedly, not his fault and that he just happens to always be within the vicinity of.
"What did you do now?" It must be really bad if Sampo is coming to the Silvermanes for protection.
Instead, Sampo ignores his question completely. "See out over there? Right on the other side of that mountain. There's a safe house that way. It's hidden under a lot of snow and dead trees, but it's there. And in that safe house is a box full of letters. I need you to deliver those letters for me."
Gepard's brow furrows. It's a weird favor to ask. Sampo would never tell anyone where his hidden safehouses were. It defeated the whole purpose of a hidden safe house.
Something is wrong, something is really really wrong.
Gepard turns back to look at him again and startles, all of his questions dying in his throat, because the entire left side of Sampo's head is suddenly matted down, dark and sticky, his skin is dyed red red red-
"In three more months, there's gonna be something big happening." Gepard grabs Sampo's hand and it feels slick and warm against his palm. "I won't be here. So I need you to do my end of things for me." Gepard tries to keep hold, but something is fading, something is slowing, the sun is coming up but the colors are all wrong, everything feels like encroaching fog, Sampo's hand slides right through his. "I was gonna come back with my mask to finish setting the stage, but…" Gepard makes a frantic grab for Sampo's wrist, the air twists, he comes back empty-handed. "They have you. And you're the Iron Wall of Belobog. So it'll be ok."
Gepard finally manages to find his grip, snatches the front of Sampo's dark wet jacket and yanks him forward to hold onto him, and this close up, he can see it better, his colors are bleaching out, leaking outside the lines as if Sampo will become part of the background, as if he's fading into the strange fog that's been closing in on them. His fingers are already starting to feel empty again.
"Wake up."
Gepard jolts awake, uncurls his hands from where they're fisted in the blanket, scrubs the dampness off his face. Breathes. Breathes. Breathes. Today is supposed to be the day.
He throws on his civilian clothes, and he goes down to the shipyard the IPC had built. He finds a spot where he can see every person that returns to Belobog, and he waits.
And he waits and he waits and he waits.
No one he recognizes appears.
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at some point i will figure out how to write the post-canon, post-empire edelgard autonomy fic of my dreams. it just feels like a very big task and maybe like with playing the dane, i’m simply not old and traumatized enough to manage it yet.
but my vision is thus: it’s set years (realistically, decades) after the end of crimson flower, when everything has gone as right as it can possibly go. fódlan is thriving. the social reforms have taken effect. the nobility system is nearly eliminated, if not entirely so, with titles made merely symbolic. social mobility, welfare, and prosperity are high. there’s an explosion in arts and culture and technology. brigid and duscur have gained independence; relations with sreng and almyra are much improved; heck, maybe they've even figured it out with dagda. in my most idealistic version, leicester and faerghus would eventually be ceded back to become autonomous regions, essentially disbanding the adrestian empire. rule is no longer hereditary, but merit-based. there's a roadmap for the future, and everything is on track—and more than that, people at all points on the power spectrum have already seen it bear fruit. with or without edelgard, it will be pursued. there's buy-in. they believe.
of course, it's not perfect—nothing can be—but edelgard's vision has been fulfilled. the people are empowered. humanity is free. fódlan has healed.
and somehow, she's had enough time to resolve her goals outside of politics, too. those who slither in the dark have been eradicated. edelgard and lysithea's second crests have been successfully removed, allowing them to live if not full lives, then substantially longer ones than they would have with their twin crests intact. who knows—maybe she finally gets around to having that wedding.
point for point, every item listed in edelgard's manifesto has been checked off. the ghosts of her past have been laid to rest. she can finally take off her crown. she can finally pursue the quiet, humble life she's wanted for so long. she can finally breathe.
... but can she?
edelgard is nothing if not driven. her intelligence, vision, and sheer willpower allowed her to plan and execute a revolution against two countries and the most powerful institution on the continent, all while she was still a teenager. as royalty, her life was never truly hers even before she became heir to the adrestian throne, with all the additional baggage of survivor's guilt and the desire for vengeance and her need to ensure nothing that happened to her can ever happen to anyone else, ever again.
so what happens when that drive has no outlet? what happens when someone who has been constantly in motion, constantly working and planning and preparing every spare second of every day since she was fourteen years old, suddenly has to stand still? what happens when someone whose hands have been bound for so long—first literally in the dungeons of enbarr, then by the weight and responsibilities of her crown—is set free?
being edelgard, she would step away from the throne, no matter how hard it was for her to give up control. she's always been focused on the endgame, and she knows that if she doesn't let go, she'll be setting the wrong tone for fódlan's future. she's too devoted to that endgame to cling to power much longer than she needs to, though i could see her making some excuses and trying to iron out just a few more things to buy herself some more time to mentally prepare before she's done for good.
but who would she be then? who is the woman without the crown? what becomes of a machine once it is no longer needed, when it has made itself obsolete? what about when that machine is a person with legs and arms and an innate unwillingness to gather dust on a shelf?
what happens when you get everything you want? what happens when all your wanting has been for others to thrive, and now you have to want only for yourself? how do you discover who you are when you've spent decades being everything for everyone else? how do you find meaning again? how do you find purpose?
after a lifetime of devotion and passion and movement, how do you learn to sit with yourself, and be quiet, and be still?
gosh, i would love to meet her. i would love to pick her brain. but boy, i do not envy the work that girl has to do.
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Template by @juni38
Im going to be completely frank with you all... and admit that I read these options and wasn't sure how to take this chart,,, so uh. Under the cut is Another Version. I'd apologize but I've given you the option to keep scrolling ¯\_(・・)_/¯
(If you notice characters missing on Kim's side, I probably figured she doesn't know who they are lol)
For the record,,, if they *wanted* me to pull their hair-- *is shot several times before I can continue*
Uhh Matthew is here because I have been converted fully on he/him or enby lesbian Matthew I think. He lives in my brain rent free now, very gender. I'd pull his hair but also I think he mostly just deserves to have it played with nicely.
And Scott's here because 1) I enjoy trans Scott, 2) Kim Pine Brain Rot possibly, 3) idk he's like,, the exception. God damnit, I've fallen for the inexplicable Scott Pilgrim Effect. What the fuck--
I did think about doing this chart like everyone was actually applicable to my tastes, but even if they were I think the ones I didn't put up would have to fall on the caress side bc I just don't feel that way abt them lol.
Again, not to say that's the case for the gals over on that side,,, I just think I would want to be gentle w them shxkdjsdhbd with the exception for Lynette who probably deserves to have her hair pulled, but again I fear she would Hurt Me,,, but maybe in a fun way,,,
Anyway No One Look At Me....
(,, also,,, Ramona is so far over bc I think she would enjoy it,, otherwise she'd be closer to Kim in that section. Same thing w Roxie)
If anyone actually looks at this version, I'm not opposed to doing a version like this for Kim btw! Just ask for it so I feel like I'm not just Dropping This and scurrying away
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have you ever like. ranked the general ST cast on how well you think they'd do in a reality competition show (either being in competition with other ST characters or as the sole competitor from that group). bc like the only show i watch in that kind of category is drag race but the whole, like, realm of it fascinates me immensely and it's melting with my ST hyperfocus in my brain (also not 2 be biased but i feel like steve could win any reality competition show like even drag race or at Least be mr fan favorite. i know it in my heart actually)
anon ..... you have no idea the gift youve given me by asking this question. this is all i have ever wanted to post about for the past several months. lets get into it here is the official How Well They Would Do On Reality TV Ranking (with additional commentary abt which shows they would excel at and who they are similar to)
steve <3 listen this is NOT just me being biased i genuinely think steve has the perfect skill sets for several reality competition series. most of these games require a combination of social prowess and athleticism, both of which steve has! i think he would slay mtv's the challenge like (crediting em here) his feeder show would've been a love island/party down south/are you the one type series where he was just pretty and flirty and got drunk all the time but then he comes onto the challenge and just Crushes it because he's got the balance of good natured and bitchy that people enjoy and find entertaining + he's got endurance for DAYS and he would think of strategies for challenges that no one else would typically see a la jordan wiseley winning a tug of war just by pretending to almost fall and then letting go of the rope. i also think steve would be good at shows like big brother and the amazing race, and he'd be a fan favorite because he'd give good DRs <3
lucas! for a lot of the same reasons as steve, and i also think lucas would be one of those players who's very loyal to their alliance and absolutely refuses to back-stab which could cost him a win for a few seasons until having one glory lap where he just crushes it competition-wise and his past record of being a good teammate helps him avoid eliminations. sorry im like only thinking abt this in terms of the challenge. i also think lucas would be really good at the amazing race! i think on both shows whenever he gets to do a stunt like sky dive or bungee jump or whatever hes always like :D because hes just happy to be there. he'd be on the level of leroy garrett or sarah rice
nancy and im shocking myself a bit by putting her this high up but think about it. nancy would do what needs to be done. she would betray her alliances to get herself ahead in the game, but she'd be careful and do it sparingly only when the time is Exactly right. i think she'd be the real leader of an alliance, but she also knows that being a leader = having a target on your back, so she lets someone else on the team be like the Speaker while she does the strategizing. and then when the time is right, she's ruthless about throwing someone in. big brother would be nancy's game to win, and she'd be like a less unhinged vanessa russo or a slightly more unhinged nicole franzel
argyle would do very well i think just solely based on his social game. people would keep him around specifically because he's funny and brings enjoyment to the filming schedule kinda like my baby kyle christie from the challenge. i think argyle's best shot would be big brother for sure, and even if he didn't win (i dont really foresee him being the best at comps, esp season memory bc his ass would not study) he would be america's favorite player for sure
max would be good at the challenge because i think max would be good At Challenges, however i do fear that she would struggle with the political game. this kinda eliminates her from big brother, where you Have to be fake, but on the challenge she could've thrived during the 2013-2017 seasons like dirty thirty, vendettas, etc where you were allowed to openly hate people and pray on their downfall. not that max would have beef with everyone, bc i do think she'd be generally well liked, but there's always some evil male on every season that she would simply Hate and potentially destroy her own game in the pursuit of getting him out. but even then, she might count that as a win <3 she'd go down in the hall of fame of famous reality tv girlies who hate their male partners like amanda garcia and ashley mitchell
robin.....alright listen. robin would get paranoid on big brother and she would be considered a layup on the challenge (sob) because she's not very coordinated and she'd get frazzled under timed pressure. BUT hear me out if robin had a partner who encouraged her and motivated her, i think she could really start to slay. she would be very clever when it comes to subtle game moves, i think, like she would be good at picking who to put in a tribunal with her based on the social standings of the game. i think she could have a really good season under the right circumstances and shock everyone like big t on the challenge double agents. and she'd be good at one or two very random very specific challenges that require some super obscure skill
dustin would do alright for himself on big brother because he would nail a lot of the puzzle/memory comps and play that lovable nerd role. howeverrrr i think dustin would be a bit...naive :( i think he wouldn’t foresee his alliance members betraying him and he would take it Very hard and play with his emotions most of the time. he would probably get backdoored on big brother despite having a really good comp win record just from being a genius like michael bruner or ian terry
now we're getting into ppl who i don't think would slay unfortunately.......el :( she is too trusting im so sorry like everyone would LOVE her but she would volunteer to go up as a pawn in big brother and her alliance would be like “okay better her than me!” and she’d get eliminated :( but she would give such good DRs and get a huge fan fav edit
will.....idk man will would not want to be on reality tv idk how he'd find himself in this situation to be honest.....he'd be well-liked but he'd be a floater 110% because he doesn't really care about the urgency of starting a good political game early on. his main goal would just be to fly under the radar, and that only works for so long
mike would be a huge bitch to people and they would target his ass so quickly im SORRY but its true. like at least mike would try, and i think he'd pull off one great tv moment by doing something unprecedented and unhinged like targeting the biggest player week 1, but his timing would be off and it would backfire so immensely. also he would get medically dq'd from the challenge im so sorry. he'd do a pole wrestle or balls in against someone bigger and just disintegrate
eddie would be too weird and off-putting. sorry. eddie would roll up at the big brother house and be like Im Here To Send A Message That Reality TV Is Vapid And Our Culture Is Crumbling From A Lack Of Real Art and people would be like boooooooooo and vote him in. he'd also refuse to work with physical threats because he'd be like tch meathead jock idiots >:( and then they'd fold him in half during a hall brawl IM SORRY ITS THE TRUTH
jonathan would not go on a reality show. he would be like cody nickson in the sense that he'd hate being there, he'd hate everyone in the house, and he would refuse to be animated and exagerrated in the DR like production would tell him to. i do think this could make him a sleeper hit among viewers because people kinda like when someone is visibly Over the game and doesn't hide that, but yeah he would not make it far. he would probably quit.
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