#Is she considered a celestial dragon?

[superanimepirate]

One Piece Chapter 1098 Initial Thoughts. This chapter is dark... (Uh, TW for like rape and sex trafficking and a dying child. Damn)

Oh God. Bonney's mom being sex trafficked wasn't on my bingo card but ok here we are

I am a bit confused as to what Ginny's illness was. But it seems like that's the point. Well at least this anime mom disease is less generic.

But I think Kuma may have one of the saddest backstories wtf. He didn't want to marry her because he was afraid she would become a slave, and she became a slave anyways forced to marry a celestial dragon. Not only a slave but a sex slave. Yo wtf...

Oh ok so Bonney is the child of a celestial dragon? Does that mean she's a celestial dragon? And Kuma raised Ginny's child as his own. Ok hold I need a minute, and someone to protect this precious man.

Hi Sabo. Nice to see you.

I don't think I cried this hard since Brook's backstory. Jesus Christ

Bonney has the illness!!!! NO!!!!!

"Where would you like to go when you get better"

Oda just shoot me it would hurt less

Oh she thinks she'll be better after her tenth birthday. Someone protect this precious child. Excuse me while I continue to sob.

Oh ok, so the douchbag king is up to now good, how the hell does this get pinned on Kuma?

Ok so now that the chapter is over, more thoughts:

Something is up with Bonney's age tho, we all kinda predicted that tho. But I'm still curious on who Connie is? Seven years ago she was five? IDK I am so confused by the timeline right now, how old Bonney is, and when Kuma became a cyborg and everything.

I'm going to need to do an entire panel by panel analysis there is so much information. First I need to stop crying long enough to see the pages.

So it seems like the trip to Egghead is to figure out a cure? Oh and her face piercing is connected to the illness scars thing?

Also, what's going on with Oda? The chapter isn't finished? Is he ok? He could have taken an extra week, he has before, so whats going on? There's a break next week, so I hope he'll be ok.

Anyways I'm going to go continue to sob. Peace.

[physics-of-one-piece]

Since I did what Doflamingo does/says in I'll build castles for you, my love (look at me, not my brother) (Rosinante x Reader x Doflamingo WIP) I bring the aforementioned brother from the title and a snippet (which is before he dies but I wrote it and nearly cried, so I thought it was worth a share) with him:

Some NSFW mentions in the bulletpoints but nothing descriptive:

Gets into a first bath in a month with Law and bathes him, trips on the floor getting out the bath

trips and falls in his own house in a hurry to get the medicine for Law's fever

most softest 10 foot lover in the One Piece World but he absolutely can rock your world

always careful with his big hands

never holds himself to intimidate while home

has fun coloured sweaters and fun shirts

your favourite outfit of his is his blue dress shirt and white pants, he looks so FINE in that 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 also his marine uniform without the coat 🫠

watches you fuss over Law and cries

he kneels down to hug you, and always loves getting his hair ruffled by you

peppers you with kisses when he comes home

removes make-up and makes Law scream thinking he's Doflamingo

"Did you think my actual name was Donquixote Corazon? Cutee~"

when asked by Law who you are, Rosinante blushes, smiles goofily and chuckles, saying "She's... my wife."

insulted by Law saying to you, "You deserve better."

dances with you in the kitchen

finishes his jobs for Doflamingo early so he can spend the rest of the days he is supposed to be away with you, which means this man sails to you as much as he can

spent two weeks with you and got you pregnant in that timeframe

always bring a bouquet and chocolates and souvenirs from islands he visited when he comes home to you

puts you in a Silent bubble so you can scream your anger/frustration away

his Silent is literally your therapy and when you tell him his Devil Fruit is your favourite Devil Fruit, he grins so bright, the sun wishes it could shine like that

you meet him when he crashes into you

How many guys can say their clumsiness got them a wife? Not many. Exactly, Rosinante is built different.

cries every time you make him pancakes for breakfast

actually a solid cook, but he needs to be watched, always have water nearby

You call him Rosi or Rosinante

He blushes when you call him Corazón or Cora-san. Once roleplayed as his "pirate" persona, and he managed for five minutes before breaking character and you laughed for a good ten minutes

you can get as loud as you want in the bedroom within his Silent bubble 😉

you love his red hat

he can bake cookies and they're sent from heaven

has his own marine squad since he's a Commander and his crew is awesome (original characters but I like them, you'll see)

kills a Celestial Dragon that tries to kidnap you and makes it look like an assassination by pirates - Sengoku is on board with it

humble and sweet wedding day, Rosinante cried the whole time

loves cuddles & loves your cooking

cried of joy when getting a lunch box for his journey with Law from you

takes the secret he has a wife to his grave, never mentioned you to Doflamingo, never let Doflamingo find out about you (considering the chapters with Doflamingo that come, very clear why)

died not knowing you were pregnant, as even you didn't know it at the time (I'm so sorry 😭)

And here is the snippet:

Your face flashed in his mind.

Sorry, mi amor. thought Rosinante.

The red lenses that have by now become his brother’s eyes stared down at Rosinante coldly, red stained glass reflecting the falling snowflakes.

Guess I’m not coming back home this time.

Rosinante was going to make sure Law gets away. He could get himself to Eudai by paying a fisherman to get him there. He’d be safe there, and with any luck, he could then decide what he wanted to do with his life. He knew you wouldn’t ask Law to stay with you if Law didn’t want to. You were good at reading the kid like that.

Law was a smart cookie. He’d probably activate his Devil Fruit powers in an hour from now on and heal himself within a minute. Rosinante knew it. He believed in it.

Rosinante isn’t worried about anything, he isn’t afraid. He is grateful. He is so grateful to be here, in this moment, on the side he considers right.

Not on the marines’ side. Not on the pirates’ side.

On Law’s side. He was Law’s Corazón now, not Doflamingo’s.

You said such to him yourself. Law saw Rosinante as his guide, Law trusted him, had faith in him, just like you did. Law had become a part of Rosinante’s family, your small family Rosinante was the patriarch of, the protector of. Rosinante wasn’t fighting for the marines now, or for the pirates. He was fighting for a sick little boy because nobody else would, nobody else wanted to, nobody else thought to, except him and you.

You had guided him and supported him to become the man he is today, catching him by the hand before he could trip and fall the same way his brother did. 

He remembered the first time you tried to teach him how to dance with him, and he ended up stepping on both your feet. 

“I’m so sorry! Please give me another chance.”

You told him, “Just enjoy the dance.” before pulling him into your first dance together, and he did as you asked, letting his legs follow the beat and the song, and it turned out okay. He never stepped on your feet again.

Six months later, he was dancing with you every day in the living room of the house the two of you called home, pulling you into a dance on the field of blue forget-me-nots, your sweet, soft laughter caressing his ears.

Because of you, Rosinante knew he’d never lose his way. Because if he did, you’d set him straight, grip his hand so he doesn’t fall apart. 

You were the flag Rosinante carried in his heart.

He felt so lucky to have you. He was the clumsiest, luckiest man on the planet. He never thought his clumsiness would bring him to you.

Rosinante was happy. Donquixote Rosinante was the happiest man on earth. He didn’t need any treasure, or an army, or a country, or immortality, or the world. None of those things could ever make him happy as living with you and Law did.

And Rosinante realised it then; it was that Doflamingo lacked. He had a family, but he also didn’t. For a moment, Rosinante pitied his brother, even though his brother had done it to himself. To live without experiencing pure happiness, genuine happiness, without hurting anyone to attain it… 

It must hurt, Doffy. thought Rosinante sadly. You must be lonely.

Rosinante looks at his older brother, and for the last time, there is a pang of pain in his heart at the sight of what his older brother has become. 

Rosinante pulled out the pistol, aiming it at his big brother — at Doffy, at Doffy — pulling back the safety pin, knowing very well he wouldn’t press the trigger, and knowing very well his brother would.

Rosinante really wished he’d gotten to dance with you one more time. 

***

Word Count Report:

Currently, Rosinante's part (Part 1) is 8.4k words, Doflamingo's Part 2 is 13k words so that one might get separated into 2 parts to keep it a normal word count. Part 3 (also Doflamingo) is the shortest at 4k words but there is a lot left to write and plan for that part.

Taglist: @fanaticsnail

[here-there-be-drag0ns]

Okay I have had this theory for months but I never actually laid it out before now. However it's well past time I actually do that considering episode 115 all but confirmed its truth (theres still wiggle room for me to be wrong, but honestly not much)

THE FERIN FAMILY ARE AASIMAR, AND HERES WHY:

The thing that originally made me go Hey Wait A Damn Minute was the visions of the original prophecy and its history that gillion got from that tree: "Another flash, and you see these red-haired olympian looking humans and elves and all kinds of different races that are flying with their own wings". And I heard that and thought about how much that sounds like aasimar, and then the weird dreams jay had and then captain widow insisting she has powerful blood and then star saying she sensed divinity on jay and then the whole ferin family's affinity for fire magic and everything just clicked into place.

Then in episode 114 we got the recording of Faye Ferin saying "hail the solar mother" and i was like no fucking way- BUT i set it aside because it felt like I could be reaching with that evidence. It could just be a religious phrasing, not necessarily something literal.

Then episode 115 happened and I got confirmation of my theory.

Grizzly doesn’t outright say "yes the ferin are aasimars”, but he gives us all the last few pieces of the puzzle.

Here's a link to the episode that should start where the confirmation is - the two tablets: https://youtu.be/M9ig9XCUrvU?si=oYdisYFxTqx6ogbb&t=868

Transcript of the tablets: Tablet One: Shards of the divine, these words are for you and you alone. We are descendants of the sun. Thus, we are the light - the beacon that will eradicate the dark. We are the flame to which all will yield. We are the shining justice that will always prevail. Our steps illuminate the way forward and our hands spark the tales of history. Tablet Two: Shards of the divine, these words are for you and you alone. Know your kin, recognized by the manes of flickering flame, wings that rival dragons, the golden suns in our eyes. Unity is the key to prosperity. Our elders will raise generations that burn with vigorous radiance.

NOW ON TO MY EXPLANATION!!

The thing that confirmed it outright for me is literally the line "We are descendants of the sun", because there are no ifs ands or buts about it - aasimar are descended from celestials. The aasimar entry for Monsters of the Multiverse states "Whether descended from a celestial being or infused with heavenly power, aasimar are mortals who carry a spark of the Upper Planes within their souls." the tablet Jay stole from her grandmother is written in celestial, and says they are descended from the sun(aster), ergo, descended from a celestial.

Next up is the whole "Thus we are the light - the beacon that will eradicate the dark. We are the flame to which all will yield. We are the shining justice that will always prevail." bit. The entry for Protector Aasimar (the subrace i believe Jay fits best) in Volos Guide to Monsters reads "Protector aasimar are charged by the powers of good to guard the weak, to strike at evil wherever it arises, and to stand vigilant against the darkness."

Then there's "Our steps illuminate the way forward and our hands spark the tales of history." Which then in the MotM entry it says "aasimar are mortals who carry a spark of the Upper Planes within their souls. They can fan that spark to bring light, ease wounds, and unleash the fury of the heavens."

THEN THERES THE REAL FUCKING GIVEAWAY!!! THIS LINE: "Know your kin, recognized by the manes of flickering flame, wings that rival dragons, the golden suns in our eyes."

MotM says "They resemble their parents, but … often have features that hint at their celestial heritage." and VGtM says "They are a people of otherworldly visages, with luminous features that reveal their celestial heritage."

OF THE CELESTIAL FEATURES OPTIONS OFFERED BY MOTM, ENTRY 2 IS "METALLIC, LUMINOUS, OR DARK EYES" AND ENTRY 3 IS "STARKLY COLORED HAIR". THE FERINS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR HAVING BOTH.

The tablets are, of course, not my only evidence.

the ferins arent born with The Ferin Eye as revealed by Jay having to earn hers and Drey talking about when he got his. "now icarus," i hear you say "wouldnt that mean they dont actually fit the celestial features requirement?" and to that i answer "NO! IT IN FACT FITS IT BETTER!"

In discussing aasimar celestial features, MotM says "These [features] often begin subtle and become more obvious when the aasimar gains the ability to reveal their full celestial nature." Jay didn’t have the Ferin eye until she earned it and its subsequent abilities. And we all remember how she earned it, right?

A weird ass fucking dream.

Now let’s look at that. According to VGtM “An aasimar, except for one who has turned to evil, has a link to an angelic being. That being … provides guidance to the aasimar, though this connection functions only in dreams. As such, the guidance is not a direct command or a simple spoken word. Instead, the aasimar receives visions, prophecies, and feelings.”

In Jay's first sun dream (Juice Roll With It // Episode #88), Grizzly describes the sun and says "You feel like its presence is trying to reach you. And as you notice, you feel almost like you want it to.”

And then the core of the dream itself:

Grizzly: “Do you think Jay can withstand this impossible heat of the sun as you get just barely one step closer?” Condi: “I’m gonna say no… but she would try anyways, if that is, like, what the feeling is kinda giving her, you know?” Grizzly: “This powerful presence, as hot as it is - you can’t help but think of your sister. You can’t help but think of your friends. But then, you think of your mother, and then you think of your father, and then you think of your grandmother” (makes condi roll con save with disadvantage, condi got an 11) “with an 11, you take that step forward, but this overwhelming pressure, anxiousness, fear, handcuffs your spirit, closes your mind, and you just feel the heat of the sun overcome you. And you are jolted awake back in the reality. … but you know that in this dream you lost. You lost to the heat.”

Then the second dream (Happy Wife Happy Life // Episode 102), where the sun is hotter and larger than before and excruciatingly painful:

Grizzly: “You just can’t help but stare at it with both eyes wide open. And behind you you feel another heat.” (Condi asks if Jay can see this heat or if Jay is too focused on the sun) “You know that this heat signifies that backing away and falling is not an option this time. But as you look at the sun, you once again think about your family: your mother, who said she was sick; your father, who called you naive; your grandmother, who threatens the safety of your friends. You think of your friends. So I ask again, this time: do you think Jay can withstand that heat? That pressure and that fire?” Condi: “I think as Jay is staring up at this sort of immense fireball that represents… obviously her pressure, and she feels that heat at her back… I don’t think she would look at the heat as, like, something preventing her from stepping back and falling anymore. But in this metaphorical sense - since a lot of this is a metaphor - she’d probably look at it as what she basically can’t turn her back on, what she can’t leave behind. Basically like her new hope. You know, what she wants to protect. So she’s in between this and this giant fireball. Um. And I think with that in mind she would take a step forward and, um. While maybe not fully confident in herself, she would jump into the fireball with all her might, doing her best. ... I think she can handle it. She thinks she can handle it.” Grizzly: “Fair enough. That’s all I asked. You jump in- go ahead and roll a con save with advantage.” (Condi got a 19) “You leap with almost like a raging fire of conviction even if you doubt yourself, jay. And the sun almost seems to open up to welcome you in. And at first, the searing pain of the fireball’s heat feels like it’s melting your skin. You scream until it feels like it’s melting away that doubt. And then, all of the pain subsides. There’s a calming sense that kind of overtakes, jay, in your subconscious. And it’s all white at this point - your whole vision.”

So the sun reached out to jay through a dream, as aasimar’s celestial links tend to do, and gave her a test of strength that she had to figure out for herself (“as such, the guidance is not a direct command or simple spoken word. Instead, the aasimar receives visions, prophecies, and feelings.” - VGtM). She only passed it by remembering she had people she needed to protect (“Protector aasimar are charged by the powers of good to guard the weak, to strike at evil wherever it arises, and to stand vigilant against the darkness.” - VGtM). And when she passed this test given to her in a dream: “speaking of your vision, you begin to feel a warmth behind one of your eyelids. And the next day comes as you’re the first to wake at the very crack of dawn. The sun rises, and you rise with it. And you blink a few times - you feel something different. … This time, you look into a mirror and, just like your dad, just like Drey, you see this bright orange glowing eye on one of the sides. And you feel whatever that was: you passed it.”

This, therefore, perfectly fits Jay into the aasimar’s celestial features description that “these [features] often begin subtle and become more obvious when the aasimar gains the ability to reveal their full celestial nature.” Jay had to prove herself to the goddess to earn another celestial trait.

And once more, “Icarus!” I hear you cry. “You keep saying Jay fits the Protector Aasimar subrace, but don’t Protector Aasimar have incorporeal wings that come from their celestial heritage? Jay’s wings are from a tattoo! That doesn’t work!” To which I say, “Are you sure?”

The Protector Aasimar’s subrace ability is called Radiant Soul and allows the aasimar to “unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to glimmer and two luminous, incorporeal wings to sprout from your back.”

Jay’s wings come from enchanted tattoos with which she can cast Fly. These were a deliberate choice Jay made and are not celestial in origin. However, in the first sun dream, when Jay reaches out for the sun Grizzly says “You begin to feel the tattoo on your upper back sting.” When condi asks to clarify if it’s the Niklaus tattoo, Grizzly only says “Just the upper back.”

This, of course, leads me to believe that those dreams will or already have affected her wings in some way - perhaps leaving space for her to unlock more of her celestial heritage and power as she earns it. It’s something we’ll just have to watch and see for.

Either way the Ferins are aasimar, Jay's gonna be the first one in generations to earn their true celestial power from Aster, and i will Die On This Hill

[minnaci]

contents: established dan heng x gn!reader. reader is a member of the astral express crew, but is not the hsr mc. hurt/comfort, post-1.2 spoilers

a/n: a little bit of a longer one today! thanks to @itoshisoup, @/petrichorium, n @/kitsunefreak for answering my questions abt dh's reincarnation (ask here)! if u see this i hope u know it took everything in me not to call him daniel heng

you and dan heng have never needed words. why say "i love you" when you could just cut him a plate of fruit? why say "i need you" when you could press little, fluttering kisses to his spine, and watch the shiver of goosebumps spread over his skin?

your language has always been one of quiet actions, quiet loves, which is perhaps why he looks so surprised when you take one look and him and say, quite loudly, "what the fuck?"

because the dan heng standing before you isn't the dan heng you could recognize by touch alone. he's.... taller, somehow. broader. he carries himself with an ease that he hadn't before. and most importantly—

"are those horns?"

"yes," he says, with no further explanation.

"dan heng used to be a cool dragon warrior guy in his past life!" march 7th interjects, seemingly oblivious to your increasing upset. "he was super powerful and super important, too!"

you'd known about the whole... reincarnation thing. he'd explained it to you before, but from your understanding, his past lives weren't important. he'd told you that this life with you was the only one that mattered to him. so why hadn't he told you...?

"that's quite enough, march 7th," himeko takes one glance at your expression and cuts in as march 7th begins rambling about dan heng's... boyfriends? husbands? from his past lives and how handsome and cool and strong they all were, and how their story was so romantic—

dan heng says nothing.

"well," you say abruptly, forcing a smile, "i'm suddenly feeling a bit tired. i'm going to turn in. dan heng, you can sleep outside tonight."

you stand up and swiftly make your way to the passenger car. behind you, you hear march 7th ask, "did i say something wrong?"

you let it all fade into silence as you step into the archive room— you and dan heng's room. at least, it would be silence, if it wasn't for the faint footsteps behind you.

"you're upset with me." dan heng crosses the room to you in a few long strides. gently, carefully, he pulls you into his arms. you let him. despite all of the visual changes, he still smells the same. it's more comforting than you thought it would be. you take a few deep breaths, letting his familiar scent calm you down.

"i'm not angry," you say, voice a bit muffled as you bury your face in his chest.

"you're not," he agrees. "but you are upset."

silence falls upon you. you curl further into dan heng's embrace, and he welcomes you easily, drawing wide circles over your back. he's generous with his touch, his affection. it helps you begin to sort through the mess of feelings in your heart.

"you always told me that your past lives weren't important," you say. the words spill from you, a waterfall of hurt and insecurity. "but then you come back from the luofu looking like some— some celestial war dragon, and then i hear about your banishment for high treason and your two beautiful lovers who recognized you across lifetimes, and how it's so romantic because they're probably your soulmates—"

"i know you don't like when i interrupt," dan heng interrupts. "but i... i want to explain before you get more upset, as there are nuances to this situation that i do not think march 7th handled with enough care. you know how she can be when she's excited."

you nod. you do know. you take another deep breath— in through your nose, out slowly through your mouth. "okay, then. explain. please."

"i do not consider myself the same person as the version of me who lived in the past," dan heng says. "i am dan heng. the person that march 7th spoke of was called dan feng. his deeds and his lovers are not mine. i claim no ownership of nor association with them. thus, they are not important to me. dan feng is not important to me. does that make sense?"

"not really," you say. "you're literally him."

"i am not him," dan heng says. "we may share a soul, but i am not him. i do not remember his life, nor do i want to. i have everything i could ever want here and now, as dan heng."

"really?"

"yes," he says. there's a warm brush of lips against the crown of your head. "the astral express crew makes me happy. you make me happy. we may have our troubles, but there's nobody i would rather face them with than you."

warmth flushes through your body, and you hide your face again. it's rare that dan heng voices his emotions so clearly. his candor strips you raw, scraping at the inside of your chest. he's the one being vulnerable, so why are you the one feeling so seen?

"i mean it," dan heng says, taking your silence as disbelief. "i love you. nothing about my past reincarnation's life will change that."

"you're so ridiculous," you sniffle, willing your tears away. "i love you, too."

silence settles around your shoulders once more, comforting like a feather-filled duvet. dan heng rocks you gently— back and forth, back and forth. new clothes and new horns aside, he still smells the same. he speaks the same way. and when you press your ear to his chest, his heart beats the same, steady beat.

"were your— dan feng's— past lovers really that hot?" you break the silence, and dan heng lets out a rare laugh.

"of course you're curious about that," he says, with no small amount of fondness. "here— i'll let you form your own opinions."

he taps on his communicator a few times, pulling up a picture.

"no way," you do a double take, hands flying to your mouth, and you pull back to look at him, wide-eyed. "dan heng. no way."

"yes way," he says, and you can hear the little smug smirk in his voice. he loves you, you know he does, but you can't blame him for the bit of pride that shines through his tone. if you'd managed to pull not one, but two men that magnificent in your past life, your head would get so big that you'd explode.

"and you don't care about them at all?" you have to ask. dan feng was one lucky guy. it's hard not to feel insecure, just a little—

"why would i? they're strangers to me," dan heng blazes through your train of thought, tilting your chin to look you in the eyes. he sobers. something in his voice reaches into the soft, small animal of your heart, holding it steady as it flutters. "besides, i already have the most beautiful person in the universe in my arms."

extra:

"so does this mean i can sleep in the room again?"

"mrgh," you mumble. if your eyelids were any less heavy, you'd open your eyes to shoot him an incredulous look. your limbs are intwined with his like an octopus, and it's bedtime. surely, he's capable of extrapolating. as it is, you mouth sleepily at his collarbone, and hope he understands it as permission.

"okay. just checking. goodnight, dear."

[otaku553]

Thinking very hard about an AU idea of mine. Reluctant king Sabo AU!

In which Sabo isn’t saved by Dragon, but survives long enough to drift ashore and be saved by the doctors of Goa Kingdom, who do so only to ransom his medical bills from Sabo’s parents. Sabo’s parents take him back, thinking that his amnesia makes him a clean slate, but Sabo, young and stubborn and unsure of his entire identity, knows that everything is wrong and runs again, and again, and again.

Until at some point, he meets the Revolutionaries, and realizes that he can be useful to them, provide them information, make something good of an inescapable situation. From then on, he starts acting the noble that he was born as, in order to be a more useful informant to the Revolutionaries, until sunk cost fallacy hits and he believes that being a noble is the only way that he can be useful to the Revolutionaries. So at that point, why not take it all the way?

At 17, Sabo becomes one of Princess Sarie’s suitors, and at 17, he has doubts about using the princess for his own goals. Sarie is a romantic, and she wants a dramatic fairy tale of a romance, and she was already charmed, but the moment Sabo opens up to her about not wanting to use her to get to the throne, having lofty ambitions of helping the people (just not the people she thinks he’s talking about), Sabo becomes the one she simply must marry, because surely if she tries hard enough, she can make him love her back.

Soon after, the king and his son die. Sarie’s father and brother die. And while Sabo conveniently ascends to the throne, he also swiftly implicates his father, Outlook, in the assassination of all heirs to the throne, resulting in Outlook’s arrest and subsequent execution. And thus, at 18, Sabo becomes king, and begins to gradually institute great changes to Goa Kingdom.

Design-wise, Sabo wears an eyepatch because his damaged eye is considered a grotesque sight by nobles’ standards. Under the eyepatch, he wears heavy makeup to hide the burn scar. These are both at the behest of his birth parents, who spin a story about Sabo having been born half blind to hide the fact that Sabo had been shot by a Celestial Dragon and save face. To those who have seen his scar, they fabricate a second secret story that he was unfortunately kidnapped as a child. Sabo never does find out, until he regains his memories, where the burn scar is actually from.

[nymphbroadcast]

Savanaclaw x MC! like Carmilla Carmine

⊹Sinopsis⊹ೃ🐾⋆ The Savanaclaw boys with a MC! Or Yuu like Carmilla Carmine.

⊹Relationship⊹ೃ🐾⋆ fall in love/ Free of interpretation.

⊹¡FEM! MC/Yuu/Lector ⊹ೃ 🐾⋆

⊹Clarifications: Instead of the reader being a trafficker like Carmilla, she will be the inventor/creator of ''angelic'' weapons, she will not have daughters as in the series, however it will be said that she acts as a mother to those who are younger than her. Again, I don't specify MC's age! so that you are free to think about the race of MC! as you like, I'm also relying on the theory that Carmilla is a demon inspired by a Swan and scissors, just because I think it's a good idea :³

⊹Carmilla's Analysis⊹ೃ 🐾⋆

• She is someone physically and mentally agile, she is protective of what she loves as she is with her daughters and even with a close friend like Zestial, she is serious in her work, everything she does is motivated by love since she knows that it is the best way to motivate herself and win, she is extremely skilled in physical fighting, she is intelligent as a skilled weapons engineer, she respects her superior and elder figures as shown with her fellow Overlords however she does not tolerate disrespect from anyone even if it is someone with the same or higher status, she does not like to be involved in other people's problems, however she is willing to help without getting directly involved, she does not believe in mediocrity or people's ridiculous excuses, she has a strong maternal side, she is capable of everything only for those she really loves, apparently she likes dancing and especially ballet, she usually motivates with some harshness but it is always necessary, she is imposing and inspires respect without necessarily being aggressive, she is observant and can easily identify weaknesses in others, Despite her temperament, she is a good leader and is wise in her decisions.

Leona Kingscholar

🦁 Leona is terrified, we know that the women of Sunset Savanah are much stronger than the males, and even though you are not from Sunset Savanah but from "another world" it is obvious that you can kick his butt if you want.

🦁 (Ch 2) When Leona enters overblot and uses his magic to attack fortunately you are fast and strong enough to dodge and block all his attacks and use your ballet slippers made of angelic steel to cut parts of the Phantom from his Blot.

🦁 (Ch 2) At the end of the fight, you agree to help Leona even if he doesn't want to, so do us a favor and pull him with you and teach him that he should do things for himself and not to seek the approval of others.

🦁 Leona begins to compare you to a swan, your elegant but strong movements remind him of it, not to mention your elegance even in combat with someone, sometimes you remind him of Vil, the difference is that you don't irritate him... not that much.

🦁 You say you are an inventor? Well, it's nothing new... and what things do you invent? weapons? weapons capable of killing immortal beings with different celestial abilities and almost incalculable powers?...

🦁 ...okay now Leona is not considering, you can create weapons that kill celestial beings... would you make one that can hurt a Dragon Fae?... oh don't give him that look! It's just curiosity.... maybe that skill of yours will come in handy sometime.

🦁 Leona sees your interactions with the ''juniors'' and doesn't know very well how to react, you are protective and agile in caring for and correcting them, you instruct them with love and discipline, you may be reminding him of a strong and dedicated mother... he thinks that maybe when you have your own children you will be great as a mother.

🦁 Leona sees you dance and can't help but admire you, your movements are precise and elegant at the same time, you are so beautiful dancing when you think no one is watching, maybe he makes fun of you a little with that characteristic smile of his.

🦁 Are you signing up for Magift? If you are interested, join the club and kick their ass, I guarantee that most of them will be more captivated by your elegance and skill than in the game itself, and if you look at Leona you can see him totally in love with your legs. (No joke, now he's sure he won't get mad if you ever kick him)

🦁 He is still lazy, so every time you get to wherever he is sleeping, pick him up and take him with you to class, don't let him rest until he gathers fruits of his efforts, only then can you caress his soft hair while he rests on your lap.

🦁 Speaking of Leona's favorite ''activity'', you are now this lazy lion's soft swan feather pillow, your hands work magic on his head and your whole body is soft even with your well exercised physique, now he could even roll his tail on your leg or waist depending on what is closest to him, you are a comfort to this man.

🦁 You become his supervisor, his lover and his motivation, you at his side as a beautiful, strong and talented woman, they become the king and queen of the board, you help him to improve and grow at his side, you also take care of him and you correct, please this man begins to think that everything can be worth it if with this he can build a new pride with you by his side.

🦁 So you take the opportunity, when you see the servants who compared Leona as a child with his brother you definitely use your sharp words against those idiots, almost as sharp as your slippers and when you take them to ask Leona for forgiveness, you have this man kneeling and with a ring just for you.

Ruggie Bucchi

🍩 I don't know much about Ruggie, appreciate my effort 🥲

🍩 Ruggie sees you as an authoritarian figure, similar to Leona but without his "demotivation."

🍩 Ruggie sometimes needs your seriousness, you may have to be the one to correct him for his questionable attitudes.

🍩 You have to motivate Riggie to work honestly, assign him to do some work, whether it's yours or your colleagues', and thus earn rewards honestly.

🍩 It doesn't take long for Ruggie to realize that you are what he needs, your rigidity and discipline clash with his harmful habits and they already have a little laughing hyena accompanying you in everything you need.

🍩 Sorry it's so short, I repeat that I don't know much about Ruggie nor am I a big fan of him 😭

Jack Howl

🐺 We know what Jack is like, personally I'd say you'd get along well with him.

🐺 You and Jack have a lot in common, you are both serious about what you do, physically strong, etc...

🐺 I would tell you that you have officially become the owner of this adorable puppy, you are perfect for him and he is totally in favor of taking care of you when you can't do it yourself.

–(Moment of Carmilla's mental breakdown, after the Overlords meeting and the "fight" with Velvet)

🐺 You and Jack organize to have a good training schedule together, it's funny because you're perfectly capable of matching his pace, the others in the background wonder if you're really human.

🐺 Jack never gets bored of seeing you in action, against Overblots or not, you always look amazing, your movements are strong and precise, you can see him wagging his little tail but don't mention it to him or he will deny it... Clumsily but still.

🐺 You are Jack's versatility, he has a tendency to be stubborn and too straight at times, fortunately you are there to remind him that the anus vine is squared and he will thank you, not out loud of course but wait for his actions to tell you, this little wolf appreciates you so much.

Nymph's Note:

Sorry for the delay, I have been going through a small anxiety crisis and I have tried to reduce what I can consider as a trigger, however here I finished a little of what I had committed to!

I Hope you enjoyed!

Remember to tune in, end of this broadcast!

Savanaclaw Dorm x MC! like Carmilla Carmine Done!

Next: Diasomnia Dorm x MC! Like Vaggie???

[quirkwizard]

So between the popularity of the last D&D post I did and the upcoming revisions to D&D 5E, I thought it'd be fun to talk about Class 1-A and D&D again. This time, instead of playing D&D, this will be students in D&D. For this, I will be picking out classes and races that I believe fit them the most based on the descriptions and lore presented in the books. Official material only, so no Blood Hunter Tokoyami. However, characters and their "stats" will take precedent over Quirks. The Gravity Wizard is a thing, but I don't think that Uraraka would fit as a Wizard.

Sato-Half Orc Berserker Barbarian: A perfect encapsulation of Sato. A big ole beefcake that runs up, hits stuff as hard as possible, and then immediately burns himself out because that's all he can do.

Mineta-Kender Rogue Thief: The classic "jerk thief" archetype with a set of quick hands and mobility options to replace his orbs with. And like Mineta, Kender are also a small race that everyone despises, so it's fitting.

Aoyama-Eldarin Warlock Celestial: A natural fit for Warlocks. He only shoots out beams, gets tired after a few big attacks, and owes all his power to a patron. Eldarin are just extra Elves, so that works out as well.

Mina-Satyr Bard Dance: The class is a pretty obvious choice given Mina's natural charisma and acrobatic abilities. I was tempted to pick Yuan Ti for the poison abilities, but I figured that Satyr would fit her look and character better.

Denki: Dragon Sorcerer Dragonborn: Just going all in on the lightning damage here. Denki is someone coasting entirely on talent, fitting with a Sorcerer, and everything else is letting him gave off as much electricity as possible.

Ojiro-Harengon Open Hand Monk: Open Hand Monk is a pretty obvious fit given Ojiro's martial abilities. As for the race… Look, there isn't any race that uses a tail. Harengon was about as close as I was going to get with it's other abilities.

Hagakure-Fairy Arcane Trickster: Rogues are good at sneaking and Arcane Tricksters can reliably become invisible. Fairies fit well into the sneaky part of it and their generally cheery disposition fits even better with Hagakure's chipper personality.

Kirishima: Goliath Battlerager Barbarian: A race that is made out of resilient rocks, a class that's all about getting and taking hits, and subclass that is all about being covered in sharp armor. It's great. You can even have the Rage be his Red Riot: Unbreakable move.

Koda-Firbolg Shepard Druid: I know I did this before, but it's too perfect with his role as the friend to all animals. Firbolgs are the soft, gentle giants of the forest and the Shepard Druid fits nicely with his tendency of overwhelming foes with countless animals.

Jiro-Tiefling Glamour Bard: No surprise with the class and the subclass fits with her role as punk rocker. Tiefling may seem like an odd pick, but I think that her generally closed off disposition can fits well with how Tieflings tend to be characterized.

Sero-Tabaxi Fey Wanderer Ranger: Hands down the hardest person to pick out for this. His abilities and personality don't fit a lot of races or classes that much. I just went with this set up for his pension for movement and trapping as well how personable he can be.

Momo-High Elf Artillerist Artificer : A natural builder that can create whatever she wants, especially her powerful canons. The elf part was mostly for personality given how distant Momo tends to be from other in terms of wealth and overall intelligence.

Tokoyami-Owlin Fiend Warlock: I know the Kenku is right there, but I believe that Owlin fits Tokoyami better. And with how his power comes entirely from a monster and how much it protects him, the defensive abilities of the Warlock Fiend fit well.

Tsuyu-Grung Cleric Peace: Grung is obvious since it's literally a frog, but her class may be confusing for some. I did consider Monk, but none of the subclasses fit her that well. I just thought that having her be a Peace Cleric fits with her wise and supportive nature.

Uraraka-Halfling War Cleric: I honestly went with Cleric because fit her general disposition. That kind of support centric person with a few fighting options that come with the War Cleric. The Halfling was mostly because she's very brave and focused on her family.

Shoto-Half Elf Lunar Sorcerer: Sorcerer is an obvious pick with how much of his story is tied to his ancestry and divided nature, complimented further by the Half Elf race. I went with Lunar Sorcery since it multitude of options works with his multifaceted power.

Tenya-Wizard War Magic Warforged: I was tempted to go with Paladin for him, but I believed that Wizard fit better with his natural intellect. Having him be a War Magic Wizard seemed like a good comprise. And of course Warforged fits him nicely.

Shoji-Simic Hybrid Astral Self Monk: Shoji fits in well with the reserved and disciplined types that often make up Monks, especially with how many times he can punch, but the real flavor comes from the Simic Hybrd. A terrifying monster of a man with gliders and tendrils? It's perfect.

Bakugou-Fire Genasi Eldritch Knight Fighter: I believe that Fighter fits best with Bakugou's upfront and aggressive way of fighting as well as his immense physical resilience, with the subclass fitting with his intelligence. And the Fire Gensai was just made to be Bakugou with it's firepower and hyper aggression.

Izuku: Variant Human Devotion Paladin: I was tempted to go with Wizard here, but I think that Izuku's unwavering devotion to a cause and heroic spirit fits too well with a paladin. Plus, you could easily reflavor all of his smites as smashes. Because I don't care what they say, you can smite with your fists.

[ellssbellss]

day 1

prompt: cuddling/nightmares

- @allaboutnalu - @thenaluarchive -

-> word count: 3.5k

-> summary: after a long solo mission, natsu collapses onto his hammock, ready for the day to be over. but his body won't let him rest, his mind instinctively drifting to a certain blonde mage. of course, he knew spending the night apart from her would stir up some longing in him, and that it would ignite his insomia into full flames.

but did he really want her with him so much that he conjured her into his living room?

or

natsu is always sneaking into lucy's bedroom, but what happens when the roles are reversed?

.oOo.

restless

Before he even opened his eyes, Natsu was awake. 

Which sucked, because considering he could hear the soft snores of his little buddy in the hammock next to his, he wasn’t supposed to be. Happy had always been the early riser between the two of them, knowing that the best time for fishing was when the sun was just barely dragging over the horizon. 

Still, he couldn’t help it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling of sudden alertness that had taken over his body. Slitting his eyes open, he stayed in the comfort of his hammock, ratty and worn and his. Having been sleeping on his side, he kept his arms around the pillow he was cuddling while surveying his environment. 

Growing up in the forests of who-knows-where ever since he was little blessed him with the instincts he carries with him today. He knows what it’s like to feel danger when it’s drawing near; a buzzing, hardening rock in the bottom of his stomach. 

This wasn’t that feeling. 

It was more of an excited awareness that had buzzed up to his brainstem. His gut told him something was coming, but he didn’t have to worry. He just needed to be awake when it arrived. Or, if it was already inside this hut he called a home, he needed to notice it. 

Sleepy emerald irises pondered over the rickety, cozy space he had previously labeled his safe haven. The dragon slayer could make out his clothes strewn over the couch and his dining chairs– well, chair– or the charred-over pieces of floorboard that peeked out under a rug that Lucy had picked out for him, saying that it would brighten the place up a bit. Some might disagree with him, considering the shoes on top of his kitchen counter and the pile of dry goods in his closet, but nothing seemed out of place. Not to him, anyway, because he knew where everything was. 

Huffing a breath of smoke, Natsu shrugged. Maybe it was his insomnia, rearing its ugly bed head for the fourth time this past week. It was a battle he never truly won. Being an energetic, sparking fire wizard who practically embodied the concept of carpe diem, sleep wasn’t something that came easy to him. Now, as the war of Alvarez ended with him questioning his own sense of identity and new nightmarish images of a certain celestial mage, it was practically nonexistent. 

The only way he got a goodnight sleep was when he was at Lucy’s apartment. 

Not only was her bed expensive, big, and soft as hell, but it usually came with a sleeping, safe key holder by his side. One that he could bring close to his chest when she was unaware, hearing her heart drum steadily in her chest under the moonlight that cascaded through her french window. Her scent drifted off of her in constant, jasmine waves; twisted with all kinds of perfumes and soaps, of course, but it was still her. 

Even just the thought of her sent his mind into a drowsy, dream-like state, and he stuffed his face into the pillow in his arms, already regretting his rash decision to not walk the rest of the way to her apartment. 

The mission he had gone on was long, sore, and without the blonde Heartfilia. So when he realized that the walk back would take him right to his own little hut that he had abandoned for an apartment building on Strawberry Street, his heavy legs brought him through his own front door. Placing the fur ball that was snoring on his head into well-worn blankets, Natsu took little time to kick off his shoes and fall into the bed of rope string, out like a light as soon as he hit the pillow. 

He, like always, would see Lucy in the morning. 

Closing his eyes, Natsu willed himself to relax. He had slept in this hammock many times, and it had been comfortable to him. Before he met Lucy, he was proud of the way the woven, coarse fabric dug into his skin, even if it itched throughout the night. Now, it simply didn’t feel right. 

He scoffed at the thought, shifting again over the rough strands. Right, before he met Lucy. Because everything about his life had changed after. 

Images of golden blonde raced into his mind, and he flipped onto his back, letting the sway of the hammock rock him back into his dreamless sleep, before that sense of alertness came back full force. 

And it brought a scent with it. 

Opening his eyes with a new surge of what the fuck?, he sniffed the air again, inhaling the faint trails of vanilla, morning dew, and jasmine that swirled into his home. Mavis, had he really been thinking about Lucy so much that he was imagining her smell, too? Had he hit his head too hard during his mission yesterday? 

He made a note to see Wendy tomorrow, see if she could find anything screwed up in his brain. Granted, that wasn’t already there. 

But then he heard a branch crack outside his window. Sensitive ears picked up crunching leaves and rustling dirt, and suddenly he wasn’t scared that he was crazy. 

Watching out of the corner of his eye as his front door creaked open gently, he wondered if Lucy was the crazy one. 

Clearly, she was trying to sneak in. His partner tip-toed in, highly aware of the rotting condition of his home’s structure. A sliver of moonlight followed her tense shoulders as she squirmed her way in, and he swallowed his laugh at the way she winced as the door shut behind her with a soft click. 

Immediately, her wide, doe eyes shot to him, lying on his back with a pillow under his head and arm, and he stayed incredibly still. When she saw he didn’t move, she relaxed against the doorframe, and he realized that she didn’t want to be caught. 

Lucy Heartfilia, proud provider of a Lucy Kick! whenever he so much as thought about sneaking through her window, was inching across his floorboards, her bunny slippers catching on the splintering wood. 

Oh, this was gonna be so good. 

He evened out his breathing, barely fluttering his eyelids so that he could see the shadows of her movement in the darkness. To her, he probably looked serene, totally unaware of the way she avoided the spots in his floor that were weak, practically hopping around in her loose sweatpants and small tank top. 

But little did she know that he was just waiting for the perfect moment. 

He couldn’t wait to see her face when he jumped at her, screaming something like “Gotcha!”...or “Fooled ya!”...or something. Whatever, he’d figure it out in the moment. Point is, it would knock her off her ass, and he’d have teasing material for days. 

The silhouette of the celestial mage continues her hopscotch across his living room, getting closer and closer to the hammock strung in one of the corners. She was coming over to him? Even better! Now he’d be able to see her up close when he pulled his joke. 

But he waited patiently, watching as she made her way over here. Gently hopping over a dip in the wood, she seemed to slip on one of his vests, and the smallest squeal left her lips as she nearly crashed to the ground. 

“Shit.” She breathed, her arms flailing as her body teetered. With incredible balance, she swayed on one foot until she was stable again. Hands over her mouth, she looked at Natsu first, finding he hadn’t moved an inch. Then, her eyes fell on Happy, who truly was out for the count. Nothing but a fish hand delivered by Carla could wake the exhausted Exceed before he chose to be. 

Natsu watched as her shoulders relaxed, long blonde strands brushing against the exposed skin as she made her way to him. He switched his positions casually, going back to laying on his side so that he could see her better, and relished in the mini heart attack it gave her before he settled in. 

Another relieved breath left her lungs, and she whispered into the darkness. “How does he do this every night?” She mumbled, swallowing nervously as she took one big step over a large pot with questionable liquid inside. “And didn’t I just clean this place up?”

The blonde mage uttered angrily once more, and Natsu resisted his smirk as his name was half-heartedly insulted under her breath. Her words meant nothing when she was literally sneaking into his house to be near him. 

Or to tell him something. Or to yell at him? The dragon slayer swallowed softly, resisting a confused glance at his partner when he realized he didn’t know why she was here. 

He had been so excited to see her, and to mess with her, he failed to question it. 

Was she angry at him? No, did she find the underwear that he had accidentally singed in his and Happy’s recent game of ‘Panty Ball’? He thought he hid it well, stuffed between the wall and her dresser where no one could see. It was her fault for coming back so late, leaving him with nothing to do. 

Internally, he groaned, noticing her form was just inches away now. Well, at least he’d have one moment of glory before he was banned from her apartment for life. 

Finally, her slippered feet made their way to the edge of his hammock, and his ears perked up at her sigh of relief. His barely open eyes watched as she ran her fingers gently over the fabric of his bed, so close to his skin but never touching it. 

She did it with so much tenderness that his plan to jump out at her was delayed, his curiosity taking over his chaotic urges. 

Moonlight cascaded through the window, giving a spotlight to her form as she looked down at him, or he assumed, as he could only see her legs from this angle. Was she just gonna stare at him all night? She was so weird. 

Then, she unknowingly answered his question as she carefully knelt beside him. 

Under her weight, the floors detested softly, and her neck came into view through his slitted lens. And his stomach launched into his throat as her hand gently, nervously, placed her delicate fingers over his heart. 

Her touch was soft but sure, and she made sure to only touch her fingertips to his sculpted skin, right where his pulse was the strongest. He watched as his best friend’s throat bobbed with a swallow, her attention on him as she watched his chest rise with each breath. 

Everything about her was so hesitant, so quiet and contained that he felt that alertness again, but this time it wasn’t a peaceful nudge into consciousness. It was a feeling of worry and slight panic. 

Then, through blurry focus, he saw her bottom lip quiver gently as the smell of salt filled the little air between them, and the feeling grew tenfold. 

Silently, Lucy was crying. 

All plans to prank her were thrown to the wind that blew lamely through the air. After a sharp intake of breath, Natsu grabbed her hand that was against his chest, the one that held her guild mark, and opened his eyes wide, sitting up with a jerk. 

“Lucy…” He hissed, crushed at the wetness in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Her brown eyes were blown wide, and she ripped her hand from his grasp as she fell back onto her butt, a loud ‘KYAA’ echoing into the forest. 

“Natsu! You scared me!” Following the silence of the midnight air, her voice fell into a hushed nag, and he cocked an eyebrow at her. Her voice started shrill, but then she lowered it as Natsu put a quick finger to his mouth, gesturing to the sleeping cat a few feet away. 

“Really? You sneak into my house, and start accusin’ me?” He lowers his finger, as well as his tone. “Why’re you cryin’, Luce?”

She swallowed wetly, scurrying back onto her feet as she hastily wiped at her eyes. “I’m not! And I didn’t sneak in, the door was unlocked, so…”

“Lucy.” The longer he looked at her, pale skin bathed in moonlight and shadows, the more he saw the redness of the corners of her eyes and the tips of her nose. He hears her hitched breaths, or how she sniffles wetly while tucking a hair behind her ear. It’s not that she’s crying now.

She had been. For who knows how long. 

“Please, I won’t even ask why you’re here. I swear.” He looks up to her as he leans on his elbow. “Just tell me why you’re cryin’.”

Lucy’s weight shifted, her left foot behind her and the other one forward, as if she was ready to run away at any moment. She fidgeted with her hands, looking into his eyes for a moment before blinking away her tears and shaking her head. “I…wow, I shouldn’t have come here.” 

Her shoulders shake with her pity laugh, and she runs her fingers through her yellow locks. “I’m sorry for waking you Natsu, I didn’t…I mean, I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea.” 

Before she turns on her heel, Natsu’s hand shoots out, stopping her in her tracks. She doesn’t turn around to look at him, but he still sends her a pleading pout anyway. He throws off his blanket, sitting properly on the swinging hammock underneath him. 

“Luce, stop.” His plea gets a turn of her head, a shudder of breath from his teammate. “C’mon. You know I won’t be able to sleep now, not after seeing you like this.” 

Her brown eyes finally meet his green ones, the hue catching onto the shine of the moon so perfectly because of her tears. There is so much yearning in her gaze that she can’t seem to put into words, so he makes it so she doesn’t have too. 

Pulling on her wrist, he brings her closer, and she doesn’t resist. Trudging towards the small hanging, woven canvas, Natsu helps her sit next to him, her feet dangling off the side. 

“Can we just…sit here for a second?” She asks quietly, looking straight ahead. 

He doesn’t take his eyes off her. “‘Course we can.” 

They fall back then, letting the hammock catch their backs, the force swaying the rope back and forth in a gentle motion. But when he goes to pull his hand away from her wrist, she grabs it. She brings his hand closer to her, her fingers wrapping around his wrist, and her thumb pressing into his pulse point. 

His own touch finds her other hand that’s curled into her side, and they sit there, looking up at the haphazard, but stable, roof overhead. 

Natsu counts about seventeen beats of his pulse against her skin before she takes a breath. 

“You didn’t come over tonight.” She says, barely above a whisper. 

“I got back from a job that kinda wrecked me, and this house was closest on the way back.” He explained, his own voice gravelly from sleep. “Figured I’d spend the night here and find you in the morning.” 

“Sorry I woke you then. Sounds like you need your sleep.” 

“Don’t be.” Natsu shook his head, squeezing her hand. “I couldn’t sleep anyways.” 

He felt her nod sympathetically, her thumb pressing deeper into his wrist. “Me either.” 

The dragon slayer looked back at her, watching as her eyes flitted over the dust particles flying across the moonbeams above. His eyes traced over her cheeks as she worried the inside of them, clearly debating whether or not to say more. 

So he decided to give her a push. “Why not?”

Her head rocked from side to side. “It’s stupid.” 

“Probably,” She shot him a glare only to see his crooked smile. “But give it a try anyway.” 

A long breath blew past her lips, and she looked down at their conjoined hands, watching as Natsu’s thumb absentmindedly ran over the pink symbol tattooed on her skin. 

“I,” She laughed wearily into the night air, seeming to already beat herself up for even saying this out loud. “I had a bad dream, so I didn’t want to be alone.” Lucy’s eyes rolled in their sockets, annoyed. “Like a child.” 

The fire dragon slayer hums next to her, facing the front. He knew what bad dreams were, what they meant to the wizards of his guild. They meant being surrounded by grief and loss; by scary amounts of blood that you just couldn’t stop, no matter how hard you tried. Especially after the war, he walked into the otherwise lively guild hall to see more and more tired faces, his family trying to process the emotional toll that his brother’s actions had taken. 

His jaw coiled as Lucy sniffed wetly. Natsu never wanted Lucy to go through that. If he had the choice, he would take every ounce of her hurt, every iota of fear and suffering so that she wouldn’t have to carry more pain then she already did. 

But he’d accepted long ago that she was a warrior who fought in the same battle he did, on his side no less. Without her, he wouldn’t be alive. He wouldn’t be able to hold her hand like this, swinging in the hammock of his makeshift home, surrounded by her constant irritated glances and unconditional love. Natsu roars through human lungs because of her; he loves through a beating, bloody heart because of what she did for him.  

So, if she had nightmares, or any other obstacle she couldn’t face alone, it didn’t matter what he wanted. He would give her what she needed. A dragonslayer by her side, ready to fight whenever she called. 

Her soft voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he squeezed her hand to let her know he was listening. “But I couldn’t help it. I saw you…you…” 

Lucy breathed a shuddering breath, and Natsu knew there would be tears in her eyes if he looked her way. So he didn’t. “You were gone, and I couldn’t bring you back.” 

“So, I had to come here, to see you and make sure that it wasn’t real. That your heart was beating and you didn’t leave me again.” Her voice dropped off at the end there, and his teeth almost broke with the crack in her voice. 

They swung there for a moment before the fire mage spoke again, his eyes tracing the brick of his roof. 

“You’re right,” The rasp in his tone was more pronounced, rumbling in his chest. “That’s pretty stupid.” 

Before Lucy could whip her head to him so hard her neck would crack, he broke his hand out of her grasp and placed it on her head. He pulled her into his chest, making sure her ear was right over his heart so that his partner could hear how loudly it drummed. 

The pink-haired boy heard her gasp, and he felt the cold of her tears dripping onto his skin, which evaporated almost immediately after. His other arm came around her shoulders, and he leaned back. Natsu adjusted them so they laid long ways in the hammock, pulling his blanket over them as he settled the celestial mage on his chest. 

“I told ya, Luce,” He reminded her, placing his chin on her hair. “We’re gonna be together from now on. So no one’s leavin’, alright?” 

Lucy froze in his hold before melting slightly, kicking off her bunny slippers as she molded herself to her partner’s torso. “Yeah, alright.” 

She snuggled into him more, clearly not in the mood to fight, or yell, or whatever weird thing she did when he brought her this close. Her skin was cold from her trek into the forest, so he pulled her closer, making sure the cheap quilt reached over her shoulders. 

Lucy fit into him with ease, like the shining, perfect key in his tarnished lock. 

His pillow that he was holding earlier in the night also fell to the ground, being replaced with an exhausted star spirit wizard, and he mentally slapped himself in the face for picking his ratty old apartment over the beauty and comfort in his arms. Slowly, they swung, until Natsu chuckled into the darkness. 

“We really gotta work on your sneakin’ skills, Luce.”

She slapped his chest, her voice slurred. “Shut up. Your floor is too crowded, there’s nowhere to step. You live in a pigsty.”

“You gotta be stealthy. Like a ninja.” 

She pulled on his scarf, and his cackle bounced off the poorly-constructed walls. “Shut up and go to sleep, Natsu.” 

Despite her tone, she snuggled into him more, her nose tickling the crook of his neck. “You’re such a pain.” 

He just laughed, letting one of his legs drop out of the hammock, making room as he pulled her even closer. 

When Happy woke up the next morning, with sunkissed colors of pink and gold streaming through the windows, he put his hands over his mouth at the sight, an evil laugh whizzing by his whiskers. 

hope you loved it as much as I love them lol, stay tuned tomorrow!

day two

[mjrtaurus]

Dragon bringing the tea to Crocodile about all the various people rumored to be Straw Hat Luffy's mother.

"Recent rumors put the previous empress of Amazon Lily on the table"

"Toritoma? She died thirteen years ago, the timelines don't even match up. 🙄"

"Bello Betty is just as ridiculous. That woman is as straight as a hedge maze."

"I'm surprised Ivankov wasn't considered."

"He pops up sometimes, but not as often as you would think. There are some who even think I had a tryst with a Celestial Dragon."

"I'll chop your dick off and feed it to the wanis 😑"

"You literally pushed Luffy out of your body, you know I didn't! 😭😭"

"People really think you of all people slept with a Celestial fucking Dragon?"

"I'd rather have my wings clipped and take a flying leap off the Red Line in seastone chains, honestly."

"Do a flip."

"Crocodile."

[chocodile]

Apologies if you've answered this somewhere: for your Amaranthine 'verse, are there any "hybrid" animal folk? On one hand, kwillow's Theo has a rat and a stoat as parents, but Theo himself is a rat (with his mother's coloring, but still a rat). On the other, Ambroys very clearly looks like a cross between a horse (father) and Something Else (Celestial mother). In the middle is Hayden's one night stand with the cat barmaid, which resulted in a child with a bunny's snout/tail, a flatter catlike face, and bunny ears a biiiit too wide and pointed to be 100% "bunny."

I'm super curious about the genetics of it as well as the social aspect (i.e. is son considered a bunny/cat/both by his peers?). It's one of my favorite bits about anthro worldbuilding!

Hybrids exist, but are pretty rare!

Typically, children will just inherit their species from one parent or the other. Hybridization is very unusual and typically is limited to one or two very minor traits--like the child of a rabbit having slightly longer ears, the child of a weasel having a noodlier build, the child of a carnivore having fangs, etc. In almost all cases, the dominant species of the child is very clear, and the hybrid traits tend to be very recessive--rarely preserved beyond one generation.

Particularly in the Western Kingdom, though, hybrid children do have a reputation for being unlucky, an ill omen, or even outright cursed (depending how superstitious the person you're asking is). There are a few reasons for this… the simplest is that hybrid traits are sort of a "birth defect" that can sometimes present along with other health issues. Though not all hybrids are frail and sickly, any concern about a child's susceptibility to illness was a huge deal in rural peasant villages that already tended to have high childhood mortality rates.

Over time, the perception of hybrid children = ill omen became warped and exaggerated. Western Kingdom folktales sometimes cast hybrids as vaguely supernatural trickster characters, such as tales of mysterious changeling babies whose hybrid traits eventually revealed them to be half Infernal.

For this reason, the actual frequency of hybrid traits is probably greatly under reported… anyone who can hide or ignore or lie about their hybrid traits probably will. Though most Western Kingdom superstitions fell away after the collapse of the old kingdoms, some degree of stigma in Post-Fall society remains. No one seriously thinks a sheep with fangs is half Infernal anymore (most don't believe that Infernals and Celestials even exist), but it will still probably be passively assumed that a hybrid is less fit for difficult labor, among other things.

Half Celestial and Half Infernal offspring work a bit different… they're always technically "hybrids", but specifically hybridize in such a way that they take the form of mythological creatures (unicorn, dragon, cockatrice, etc). I'll let Kwillow talk more about this when she discusses Ambroys' mother since she's been the one working on this section of the lore, but Half Celestials are most certainly seen as a blessing. Half Infernals… well, fear of them is part of the reason hybrids are stigmatized in the first place, so suffice to say they have it rather rough. How severe the stigma is varies across cultures and tends to be worse in the rural West, better in cities, and pretty much completely absent in much of the Eastern Kingdom.

In the Post-Fall present day, nobody believes Celestials, Infernals, or their offspring exist anymore... aside from those who know about The Kingdom of the Sun.

Also, once in a while, a hybrid is born whose traits are so blended that their parent species are difficult to determine. These very unlucky individuals are referred to as "chimeras" and tend to have shorter life expectancies, among other things. We may be seeing a character who fits this description eventually. :P

[melonteee]

Zoro’s “she’s a woman” is also very funny to me, but after re-reading Skypeia I *think* I understand the vision behind it, even if the execution might’ve been clumsy.

Back in Jaya when Robin and Zoro are searching for the South Bird, there’s a brief scene where Robin criticizes Zoro for indiscriminately cutting down random critters, to which Zoro retorts that it’s the critters’ fault for getting in his way before reiterating his distrust for her. Despite this distrust, however, Zoro does seem to take Robin’s criticisms to heart as he stops uses the bladed end of his sword on critters in Jaya and mostly avoids using his swords on animals in Skypeia.

Which also creates an interesting parallel to Enel, who shares a very similar opinion to the one Zoro held in Jaya. Hell, some translations of Zoro’s response to Robin have it along the lines of “it’s their fault for challenging me” which is almost verbatim what Enel says in the arc about his “lambs.” And despite Enel insisting that he is an Equal Opportunity Vengeful God, there are scenes before the ones with Robin where Enel’s treatment of women is framed as predatory, in a way that also parallels how the Celestial Dragons are portrayed as treating women later, which also colors the way that Enel specifically attacks Robin also being predatory and motivated by misogyny. So I *think* Oda’s intent for Zoro was seeing his past attitude in Jaya reflected back at him and ultimately realizing that just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you *should* while also using the scene to comment on how god complex’s are often used as covers for bigotry.

But, even so, Zoro’s line is a clumsy summary if that’s the case. The Doylist explanation is that Oda has always struggled when it comes to threading the needle that is “how to convey female fighters are as strong and capable as the male fighters without also inadvertently endorsing real life gender-based violence” and sometimes this results in clumsy lines like Zoro’s. But my personal Watsonian head-canon is that the Plinko Horse in Zoro’s brain didn’t fire up fast enough to coherently summarize 45 chapters of character development, which results in him spitting out what sounds like a complete non-sequitur.

I respect this but my interpretation of it was Zoro does have an internalised misogyny, which is proven to us in Punk Hazard. He admits he doesn't like to nor wants to fight women to Tashigi, and Monet backs him against a wall because of it. He thinks it's dishonourable to target women as a man, and considering his dojo dad was from Wano, and he was raised with Wano ideals, AND he was raised in an all male dojo, it makes tons of sense.

I know a lot of people are confused about this because of Kuina, but his mentor said TO HIS FACE "I am a woman, you are a man. You will be stronger than me." How in the world would Zoro, at his baby age, not internalise that in some twisted way? Especially coming from the person he looked up to. It feels like it's commentary on the fact misogyny is taught, it's not just a natural born thing, and it ruins ones own perception of self and lives around them.

Zoro was quite literally raised in a male dominated space, where ONLY men were trained and told they were the strongest - it has been programmed into him. The thing is, this is written to be a NEGATIVE thing. This isn't me pointing at Zoro and calling him a piece of shit, this is me saying it's a FLAW Zoro has, and it's clearly one he must get over. The strongest swordsman in the world can literally not afford to look down on women as weaker, because I HIGHLY doubt Mihawk does that. Tashigi calls him out for it, and it's very obvious this is an internalised issue Zoro doesn't LIKE that he has.

Why in the world would Oda make Wano openly sexist towards its women, refusing to let them fight, and THEN reveal Kuina's family is quite literally FROM this country - hence WHY Kuina's dad was so insanely sexist. Of course this is going to become commentary on Zoro having to overcome taught beliefs, especially considering Zoro is one of the few Strawhats who has never actually fought a woman. Not only did he not actually touch nor fight Monet (he just scared the shit out of her), but he also took zero shots at Big Mum on the rooftop lmao. He fought her homies but not her, physically - not even once. There's clearly something going on there, and it's Zoro (and Sanji) specific, cause literally NO other male strawhat has a problem fighting women or seeing women on the battlefield (once again, apart from Sanji, and that's possibly a parallel).

I say that last part because yes Oda has sexism in his writing, but every time I hear Zoro's 'woman' line is just Oda being Oda, I want to tear my hair out. Otherwise EVERY male character would act like Zoro towards women, and they quite literally do not LMAO

I don't know why this is the hot take it seems to be, because I LOVE Zoro, but it's clear there's something going on with him in regards to internal prejudice. I think it's because, as a Sanji fan, there's an irony to saying all this lmao. But of course, I do not mean for any of this to be negative, because I am excited to see if this side of Zoro actually gets explored. Ie Zoro defeats misogyny and sexism HAHA

[itsabouttimex2]

not sure if anyone asked about the Monkie Glaive AU yet, but how does it work, exactly? I'm really curious to know about the group and character dynamics considering it's a Monster Hunter crossover! (I was listening to some MH + MHS themes today and it reminded me of this au ! :D)

Monkie Glaive

(I’m really glad you asked this! I was hoping to expand on this AU!)

So, to start- it basically transports the beasts and ecosystem of Monster Hunter into the world of Monkie Kid, which maintains a very high-tech and futuristic world.

It also turns demons and Celestials into monster-hybrids! Here’s five of the characters who are monsters in the AU:

For example, Sun Wukong is a Rajang, which means he can potentially tap into lightning abilities- after consuming a Kirin horn. He can also transform into a full-sized form, and is capable of entering a “Furious” state.

Also, instead of beetles or moths- glaive wielders partner with little FFM monkeys! These monkeys also take the place of Palicos! So, Wukong’s legacy spreads beyond his defeat of the Black Dragon- people to this day emulate his fighting style and actively live with his subjects in day to day life.

No single weapon- he cycles through old glaives and hunting horns as he pleases- after all, he gave the Ruyi Jingu Bang to MK!

Macaque is actually a Nargacuga! Instead of commanding shadows, he can turn invisible and fling spikes from his tail. And, like any Nargacuga, he’s sensitive to sound- especially to Sonic Bombs, and he’ll immediately enter a rage state once he recovers. Macaque wields Leumundslist, and has his own little melanistic monkey partner- she’s the only thing he really cares about. Although, meeting Y/N might just change that…

The Brotherhood is active even to the present day, having never been sealed in the Ink Scroll. They still command Camel Ridge and keep their “subjects” locked up nice and tight, refusing to allow any mortals amongst them to become Hunters or Riders. Instead, they themselves do the defending and fighting, and all their cherished mortals stay perfectly safe inside their walled kingdom- no one leaves.

But, with a little convincing and begging, a stranger may be allowed to come inside for safety and supplies- but only if they’re willing to stay. Expect to sign lots of contracts and papers written by Yellowtusk (who is a Gammoth, giving him the ability to create snow and ice. He wields the Iceshaker.) that were created for the sole purpose of keeping innocent and kind souls trapped inside their smothering protective city. These papers will be cited and show any time you try to leave.

Peng is a Gold Rathian, giving them the ability to both spit fireballs and secrete poison- instead of a tail, though, Peng’s poison is spread by their quills. Those quills also contains a mild paralytic, useful for quieting dissenters or subduing runaways to ferry back “home”. They wield the Gold Chordmaker and maintain a more supportive combat role than their Sworn Brothers. They’re usually first in line to track down any “wayward souls” that leave the loving protection of Camel Ridge.

Azure Lion is obviously a Lunastra, which gives him both a big pair of wings and ability to breath fire- as well as spread flammable dust to ignite later. With the Roilcloud Sword in hand, Azure has sworn to protect all his cherished prisoners subjects from the violent woes of a monster-ridden world- whether they like it or not. There’s not a single resident of Camel Ridge that he doesn’t adore with all his heart, nor even one that he’s forgotten the name of.

And not one is allowed to leave his care.

[sashi-ya]

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲: 𝐒𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 & 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

I just realized something about Bonney and her illness: So, it is probable that she got the "Sapphire Scale" from her Tenryuubito blood since Ginny didn't show any sign of that illness throughout the years.

So, there are some things to consider this being the case:

Tenryubitos my be from "different" races than humans

Tenryubitos CAN'T mix their blood with other humans, because this illness will appear. Plus the fact that Bonney can't expose her skin to the sunlight or moonlight, reminds me of Nika the Sun God being the CD's main enemy...

There has to be a connection between Law's Amber Lead disease (yet another metal/stone) and Bonney's Sapphire Scale. Even if it's not strictly related, this information is probably well known by Tenryuubitos. Thus, the cure is possibly achieved by consuming a devil fruit... by now you should understand where I am trying to go: CORA, a former CD, BELIEVED THE CURE FOR THE AMBER LEAD DISEASE HAD TO BE SIMILAR TO THE SAPPHIRE SCALE, THAT'S WHY HE IMMEDIATLY THOUGHT OF THE OPE OPE NO MI! Perhaps, we thought it was just because of the "skills" to remove the lead from Law's liver... but what if it's not the case?

WHAT IF, and this is purely based on how Oda has been working with the concept of racism throughout the years in the universe of OP, from the Gyojin race to Bucaneers, TENRYUUBITOS NAMED DEVIL FRUITS BECAUSE OF THEY WERE CONSUMED BY "IMPURE CELESTIAL DRAGONS" to get rid of the shameful disease?

In any case, I am sure we are gonna see more of Cora and Law very soon. Or at least it is a good parallelism :3

(also, now it makes total sense that Bonney is actually called Jewerly Bonney 🙆‍♀️)

[still-a-morosexual-help]

Okay so I briefly mentioned having a theory about this to @pandapantslovesyou in the notes on one of my posts and then completely forgot about it ✌️

The Witch Theory 🧙

Okay so from Obey Me! we know:

• Witches are somehow different from sorcerers.

• Sorcerers are registered at the Sorcerer's Society and need a licence to practice magic in The Human World

• There's always a distinction made when they (specially Mammon) talks about witches vs MC & Solomon (who are sorcerers)

• It's not a gender thing because MC (they/them pronouns in the game - undetermined gender depending on the players) is a sorcerer

• Sorcerers and Witches can both potentially make pacts with demons

• The demons and angels were at war for a long time. This affected their relationship with The Human World as well. By the end of the war the three worlds were at peace but (for the most part) kept closed off from each other:

a.) Despite The Celestial Realm, The Human World & The Devildom being the three big worlds and so Angels, Humans and Demons being the three main species, we've seen there are other species, capable of higher cognition, that have a smaller presence and so weren't as directly inlvolved in the war & have more freedom moving between the realms. Eg: Reapers who have contacts with humans & demons (& presumably angels as well), ghosts who live and work freely in the Devildom, fairies who lived in both the human world and Devildom but later moved out of the human world, banshees, centaurs, dragons, yetis/the snowmen

• Demons can further be broken down into sub-species (or if you want to be technical/biological about it; Angels, Humans Great Apes, Demons are different biological families. Demons can be broken down into different genera so the "lesser demons" mentioned in-game would be one genus. These can further be broken down into different specific species;) Such as the Sins, Incubi, Succubi, the little Ds and those little ant sized demons (these can't only be considered as different races/ethnicities the way humans have because there are very significant biological changes between them <ant-sized vs Sins> rather than being differentiated due to culture, environment/location & small changes in appearance, though it's quite possible the Devildom has different races/ethnicities as well <The Night Lantern People>. Most possibly the different species of the people of the Devildom acts as another factor in defining their different cultures and so defining their ethnicities)

b.) Until Diavolo's exchange program, which opened those boundaries back up. S1's exchange program can be considered something of a pilot study and, as with Simeon & Luke being the first angels in the Devildom, Solomon & MC are the first humans.

• Though the general citizens become more accepting of the presence of humans (and angels) in the Devildom, as the game & events progress, the exchange program is never expanded at a larger scale (with only two new students - neither a human). And even in S4 there are still those that are against the whole exchange program and everything it stands for.

• HOWEVER, witches are present in The Devildom. They're just casually there, despite originally being from The Human World, supposedly being human and humans outside of Solomon & MC not being allowed in The Devildom. Despite the brothers actually questioning how human Solomon can be considered given how old he is and MC displaying many non-human characteristics starting from S1 itself, neither are allowed to stay long term in the Devildom without supervision/without an affiliation to Diavolo/RAD because at the end of the day they're still more human than anything else. Witches however are just living in the Devildom with no seeming connection to RAD or the exchange program.

• Furthermore; Maddi arrives in The Devildom from The Human World. Given who she is (one of the oldest and most powerful witches) she should be considered one of the leading figures of the magic users in The Human World. Aka one of the most important figures, in this context, from one of the Big Three Worlds that have been maintaining a tenuous peace for thousands of years. Though The Human World isn't one of the main warring factions this should still be given at least a somewhat similar significance to Michael visiting The Devildom. At the very least Diavolo should be there to greet her given how peace & balance is his goal and rightfully she should be a main part of achieving that. BUT, though they treat her with respect and go out of their way to meet her wishes it's not given this significance. Diavolo deliberately doesn't come out to meet her and has apparently already met her during previous visits.

And those are all the canon facts.

The main theory then?

Witches aren't humans.

Or rather they're a subspecies of humans (or maybe more accurately they're, like humans, a species originating from the genus homo that never went extinct like the neanderthals & rest).

Appearance-wise they're more or less physically indistinguishable from humans. The main thing that seperates them is their magic.

They're much lesser in number than humans but unlike humans, where only a select few have magic, all witches have magic.

Their magic could be more natural? Whenever I think of witches I think of little cabins in the woods and large cauldrons and that always makes me think of nature. But more seriously, the sorcerers have their Society and need a licence to practice magic - this gives the impression of strict rules and a very rigid system. The game never makes a connection between the Sorcerer's Society and how witches practice magic. So what if this is because their magic is more natural and doesn't fit into the rigidity of the Sorcerer's Society.

They're different enough a species than humans (& much lesser in number) that they fall into that small group of species that weren't as affected by the post-war regulations. Meaning like the fairies they were able to travel easily to The Devildom despite living in The Human World

Anyway that's my theory 😮‍💨

All those words to essentially say that Obey Me!'s humans & witches have whatever The Owl House's humans & witches got going on

[beargyufairy]

Just My Thoughts Pt. 26

One of my favorite arc in all of Fairy Tail is the Tartaros arc. It had everything I wanted and more. I think it was one of Mashima best written storyline (I haven’t watched/read his other works). It was more than just friendship is power and all happy endings. It had sacrifices, loss, heartbreak, and all the gut wrenching emotions. It was honestly one of the reasons I’m into anime now. At the point of first watching FT, I wasn’t really convinced anime was for me. But that arc changed it all. I have a special place for it in my heart. While they did end up victorious, it wasn’t without a lot of trauma. Natsu lost his dad, Igneel, after being reunited which was his life goal. Gray lost his father again and Juvia believed she was responsible for it. Wendy and Carla were ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their friendship and love. All of the dragon slayers lost their dragons. FT ended up disbanding for the time being. And Lucy lost her new home, her friends left her, Natsu/Happy went off to train and process their own thoughts, she was left alone after sacrificing Aquarius one of her first celestial keys to save the lives of her friends. I really loved how despite their win, it didn’t seem as successful. I really think it added a very deep element to the story and their characters.

I really hope the 100 YQ has something similar as we approach the end. It’s been good so far but kind of lacking in some aspects such as proper portrayal of emotions beyond the few in their range. I also think that having another arc the idea of “win but at what cost” is very important for FT. All their growth and loss from the original series seems to have evaporated from the 100 YQ. I won’t get into this too much or else I’ll end up ranting. But an arc with some loss would be amazing. I think it should have something related to Aquarius since Lucy did lose her in the Tartaros arc. So it would be a full circle type of concept. Additionally, I really really hope (and beg on my knees) for Mashima to use Lucy fear of Natsu flames for the first time in a gut punch way. It needs to have some impact and importance to the story. I need it desperately.

On the side note, I have been enjoying the little side stories or filler episodes in the 100 YQ. Ichiya and Anna was very unexpected but it’s understandable in a manner if we consider the last arc of FT. I also love the ship crumbs in the last few episodes. Jellal and Erza need to just kiss already!! I’m so glad he’s joining the guild. And ofc… NALU crumbs has my heart. I whole heartedly believe that Natsu thinks he’s dating Lucy since the last episode of the original series. I just can’t wait for this to play out!!

Until my next thought! ❤️

[wobster109]

Why is Aventurine Preservation-Imaginary?

(The real answer is, it's probably just HoYo filling out the path/element roster, but we'll play along!)

We'll tackle his element first. It's not the easier of the two, but it's the one with less info to sort through. The basic element types are:

Elements: wind, fire, ice, lightning

Sorta-abstract: quantum, imaginary

Physical: physical

It's a pretty funny system, all things considering. Here's Gepard, he can summon a massive wall of ice through will alone! Here's Dr. Ratio, he can make a massive tower just by thinking it into existence! Oh and here's Luka. Ordinary human. Pretty good at boxing.

(Not including Trailblazer here - probably the stellaron helps her swing that bat extra hard or something.)

And in the middle, you have Guinaifen, Hook, and Serval, who use the element but do not create it from scratch. For example, Serval is conceivably using electricity from her electric guitar.

Most of the elements are pretty self-explanatory, but Quantum and Imaginary are a bit more abstract. What are these types? What do they mean?

Quantum: technology, information, data, uncertainty

In my mind, Silver Wolf is the classic quantum character. She uses hacking to change data. In her hands, the data is always shifting. Fu Xuan is another direction that quantum can go - she's a diviner, and her job is peering into the future and making sense of the uncertainty. And then Qingque has elements of both: she works in divination, and also there is uncertainty in each hand of Celestial Jade.

Imaginary: Logic, abstraction, math/physics/metaphycs, theology

For some reason, Imaginary feels to me like dealing with the grand existential questions. There's Dr. Ratio on one end, knowledge is the measure of all things, and then there's Luocha with religious symbolism all over him, the devils, the church, the insanity in his character story, healing you with a cross necklace. Welt with his black hole - there's some kind of physics in there!

But this seems more like a philosophy than an element in battle. So in practice, what Imaginary characters have in common most of all is summoning miscellaneous objects 😅 black holes, dragons, chalk, etc.

So on that note, Aventurine fits right in, summoning dice and coins all over the place! Watch your he-ead~ 🎶🎵

I would've expected Aven to be Quantum. All the RNG in his kit. . . all the gambling, all the uncertainty. . . it seems more alike Qingque's tile suits. He even has card suits on his shields!

Perhaps the Imaginary is more about his character. Much of his story is intensely existential - what's the good of his blessing when everyone he loves is gone; why are we born if it's just to die. Perhaps he brings not just another answer, but a new way to see the question—not Why am I here, but All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.

A more direct question that he himself discusses is why he's Preservation. We know he was offered the chance to become a Masked Fool, and seek Elation - the pursuit of happiness. Yet he turned it down.

As his alter-ego says, he and Preservation have nothing in common.

Interestingly, he also gives himself the answer.

He didn't choose the Preservation. Aventurine chose the IPC.

But wait—aren't the IPC the bad guys?

It is fascinating to me when people make out the IPC to be the villain of this tale, or talk about him "escaping" the IPC as if he's being held hostage. Not only did he choose the IPC, he gambled everything, including his life, just for a sliver of a chance to join them.

They didn't kill his family, enslave him, brand him, or make him kill 34 other slaves. Certainly, the IPC has used Aventurine's talents and self-destructive behavior to their benefit, and is not particularly concerned with what becomes of him. They are big, corporate, and easy to hate. But they are also not the cause of his tragedy.

It's not the IPC, but rather the Katicans, that kill Kakavasha's family. His sister describes them as "bloodthirsty, cruel, and insatiably greedy." Personally I can’t say with confidence that the Katicans are villains without knowing their full history, but either way, the conflict is between the Avgins and the Katicans.

My feeling is that the IPC is amoral - they are not actively out to do harm, but neither will they go out of their way to avoid or prevent it. They are focused primarily on profit. Sometimes that means taking over a planet against the people's will. Sometimes that means making gambles. . . or sacrifices. Other times, it means hosting an Aetherium event.

So, why does Aventurine choose the IPC? What's interesting to me is, he isn't a slave to the IPC in any sense - not even in the lack-of-choice sense of Topaz's planet. He had a choice. He could have become a Masked Fool. So, why?

It all comes back to this:

"Go ahead, use me as you wish, even stab me in the back if you see fit. Exploitation and treachery are simply tools of the trade. But remember, I don't make deals that don't pay off... So, I hope you don't disappoint me."

The IPC is a tool to him, a means to an end. He expects that the IPC will use him, and in exchange he intends to use the IPC.

But to what end?

It's got to be something big. He could have become a refugee or an ordinary IPC employee, and instead he took the risk of lying about Tayzzynronth's remains. He let himself be arrested and brought to Jade. "I bet you won't send me to the gallows." Death was a possibility, so it had to be worth that risk.

My guess is that he wanted to save the Avgin people.

(And in this sense, Preservation is his true path after all.)

His sister tells him, "As long as you are alive, the blood of the Avgin will never run dry." Perhaps his goal was to save the remaining Avgin people, bring them away from the land of rock and sand and hardly any rain, and give them a home where they could prosper. Or to environmentally transform his home the way the IPC transformed other planets. To do that, he'll need more money and power than an IPC grunt's income. But with a Stoneheart's power, the IPC's money, and the Intelligentsia Guild's knowledge, he could make that happen.

(It feels off. It feels like too simple of an answer.)

But the Avgin people are all gone. Aventurine specifically says there aren't any left. Now that his reason is gone, what will become of him?

In a way, he does offer us an answer.

Aventurine: There will come a day when the sky will drizzle, and I will hear the call of Gaiathra Triclops and know that it is time for me to go and be reunited with my family. Aventurine: So until the time comes... I should be preparing. Kakavasha: Preparing for what? Aventurine: Preparing to face them, Kakavasha, and to make them proud.

He will go on to live a good life. What form will it take?

I don't think he can ever completely shake off the responsibility of being the last surviving Avgin. It would be quite a leap for him to settle down and have a family, so perhaps he'll have to pass it forward some other way. Either by preserving the culture (another museum management event?) or by dedicating his wealth and power to saving other peoples.

The thing about being somewhere is, you can't help but grow into it, and it grows around you. And now, he has. . . allies who are a bit closer to friends than he might think.

He has two coworkers who willingly handed over their cornerstones for his plan—cornerstones more precious than life itself. He seems to genuinely look out for Topaz (advising her against getting involved in Belobog), and she talks about him cheerfully during 2.1. And I am sure that bringing him into the IPC was a significant personal risk for Jade, especially since he'd already caused the IPC a major financial loss. For Jade and Topaz, he has—if not their trust, at least their respect in his abilities.

And he has the Intelligentsia Guild's top Mundanite fussing over his survival. Not for the Avgin bloodline, and not for profit or the success of a mission. Acheron refers to Ratio as his “friend”, and he doesn’t bother to deny it.

He has three allies/maybe-friends involved in a grand scheme with him, and isn't there something addicting about scheming together? Something as marvelous as what the Trailblazer has with the Express? So, I don't think he'll leave the IPC anytime soon. He carved out this path with his bare hands, made a life and a purpose for himself, and even made some friends along the way. Now, it's time to live it.