#Puppeteer caught me so off guard but Ooooo

[bookish-library]

just listened to the new EPIC album and by golly is it sooooo good

[bonesandthebees]

Ooooooh, it’s rose field trip time (soon)!!!

Also, I agree that Niki’s plan is the most realistic. For one it’s the on,y plan that’s actually been fully worked out and it shows what she is capable off. She came up with that fast. As I mentioned it shows that she has the skill set to actually go to war. While she’s ruthless, she doesn’t overdo it. She only burns one field because she knows they need the rest of the food and she plays dirty cry setting the temple on fire so they won’t have the fight the people inside. It a good plan. It’s certainly better than what Q came up with. So before Tomys she would have “won” that exercise.

But Tomys is here now. And Phil’s intentions have shifted with it. I talked about that with chapter 4, but I cannot find the answered ask for the life of me to see what I said, so tumblr probably ate it. Anyway, the point was that once Phil realised that he could get Wilbur a puppet kind (because no one had any time to influence Tomys for their own gain yet, and they should get on that opportunity) he became focused on what could get Wilbur in power rather than what might be the best for the country or what his son wants (probably because he believes Wilbur’s indirect leadership would be the best for the country once he’s been full trained).

So yeah, while Niki is actually the best option (and her ruthlessness caught him of guard) Phil is no longer looking for the best Monarch, he’s looking for the best puppet. And Tomys did exactly what he said while Niki stood her ground. And if she ignores his advice and experience, she’ll ignore Wilbur’s too. She doesn’t stop to think it over or waver, she’s stuck in her mindset and that is what could be dangerous.

P.s. I have read the hunger games story. I will get to sending an ask about that at some point, but not now.

-🌲

rose field trip time lets gooooo

exactly. while ruthless, it's the only legitimate workable plan. again, quackity's plan wasn't bad per se and I don't want to bash on it, but it was unrealistic. he put too much hope into the cooperation of people who were very unlikely to want to work with him. niki should've been considered the 'winner'.

curse tumblr for eating asks. but yes, phil's intentions have changed. he sees the opportunity for wilbur to get more power than he thought was possible for his son. he wants to give wilbur as much control over the throne as he can. he knows his son and what he's capable of, and certainly trusts his ability to rule the country more than any other teenager in the palace.

there's a difference between ignoring the advice of a consil to a dangerous degree, and not letting yourself be puppeted around by others. phil has yet to figure out which side niki is on, but neither one is ideal because he does want a puppet.

ooooo excited to eventually hear your thoughts on that other fic spruce!!

[petri808]

Ooooo can you do, “you’re my mate?” 🥺

Sure! 😊

@stillsnowfalling

“Natsu, you know our ways, and as heir to this clan, it is my duty to choose who you will marry!”

“But it’s not fair!”

“When you are finally king, you can change the rules, but until then, I have chosen to uphold tradition.”

“But dad!”

Igneel bellowed at his defiant son. “The nuptial rites will take place in three moons! That is final!”

Natsu stomped away from his father absolutely furious! This whole traditional bullshit of arranged marriages was as outdated as the most ancient scrolls held in their reliquary. Why was his father so adamant about upholding such an antiquated rule?! The draco clan was doing perfectly fine, what need was there for a marriage based on an alliance? At least give him a chance to choose his own bride so the union was one of love instead of condemnation.

“I won’t love whoever he chooses!” Natsu growled to himself, and his first ruling as king will be to pick someone he actually desired.

Because there was someone… he sighed, and dropped into a squat on the rock outcropping. When Natsu couldn’t stand being in the village anymore, he ran to a place that brought him a tiny bit of peace, deep in the forest. The tiny pond was hidden from prying eyes. None of his attendants or even friends knew about the place— save for one, if he could even call her a friend anymore…

It was here, in this very spot twelve years ago after the draco had once again run away from under his fathers thumb that he met her. Lucy whose last name he knew not. They were so young at the time. Natsu was a young draco of 7-year’s old, and she a 5-year-old forest fairy. Of course, it had nothing to do with love at that age, they were just two children running away for their own reasons and found a friend to play with. For the next two years, Natsu and Lucy would meet every day around lunch time and played until dusk or risk someone coming to look for them. They had so much fun together, it was truly the best two years of his life. The draco and the fairy…

Natsu still remembered the day Lucy never showed up at the pond like it was yesterday. How he went back every single day for months hoping to see those big brown eyes and wispy blonde hair waiting for him. But it wasn’t meant to be. He had no idea why she stopped coming or if she was even still alive. Had something bad happened to her? Or was it more likely her father had caught her running off into the woods? Lucy would tell him the stories of an over bearing father that made his blood boil over in anger. The problem was, she refused to tell him exactly where she came from.

The years passed by and his own father stepped up his son’s kingship training. Natsu didn’t like the constraint and many a time wished he’d been born a simple clansman. He often promised himself that one day when he did become king, he would send out his men to search for the wayward blonde of his childhood to make her his wife. But, Natsu never imagined that his father would step in to choose one for him first.

He sighed, and stared into the dark blue pool as if praying to its watery gods for a miracle. “Lucy…” if only Natsu knew where she was, he’d find her and run away from here…

The moons came and went in a flash, and the day of the nuptial rites had finally arrived. Natsu felt dead inside, his body merely following the instructions given to him. It was all scheduled out. Whoever was his bride-to-be had arrived with her family two days ago, but guards had kept him sequestered in his room, both for fear of him running away as well as upholding the tradition that they not meet until the the ceremony itself. Natsu was dressed in a ceremonial attire made of fine leather, and decorated in their clans red and gold colors. Every little detail was attended to, including painting his horns and wings with golden markings that he didn’t understand. All a part of the so-called tradition.

His cousin Sting came into Natsu’s room and gave him a couple of play punches on his shoulder. “Cheer up, it’s almost over.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Natsu rolled his eyes. “Do me a favor, and just shove a dagger in my heart.”

“She can’t be all that bad, and besides, if you ain’t happy with her, just find yourself a concubine.”

“Keh! You know that’s not allowed!”

“Only if you get caught,” the fellow draco winked.

“Just get out,” Natsu sighed in full disinterest. “I’m not in a mood to banter.” He just wanted to fantasize about brown eyes and dream of a happier life.

“Suit yourself.” Sting shrugged and left his cousin alone. “Your dad said someone will come to take you to the ceremony in an hour. So, at least try to look interested.”

“Tch.” As if that would happen…

Minutes before high noon, Natsu was led from his chambers to the ceremonial hut. It was skin crawling as he was paraded through the rows of awaiting onlookers like a goat being led to slaughter. At least, that’s how he felt. Not a future king, but a sacrifice just to satisfy an alliance. Once inside the wooden structure, there was only the priest, his father, and another man assumably the father of the bride standing to the sides. Natsu was stood in front of the priest to wait for the brides arrival, but kept his head down the whole time. While he wasn’t looking, his ears stayed tuned to the goings on around him, and after a brief wait, he could hear chatter coming from outside. She had arrived.

His scowl grew as the tiny steps came closer, every fiber of his being in argument— should he just run? But he knew he wouldn’t get far with the place surrounded. The priest began to speak and Natsu only half-listened. Most of it was rubbish anyways, the typical stuff one might hear in such a ceremony. Some chanting, some instructions. He just stood there silently, with eyes glued to the floor. But there was one thing he could sense, the female wasn’t happy either. Her silent sobbing coupled with the demoralized aura surrounding her body spoke volumes. He rolled his eyes. ‘Great, this union will be such a happy one! Thanks dad.’

“Please remove her headdress,” the priest instructed Natsu, “and take her hands.”

He groaned in his head, but followed the instructions like a wooden puppet, looking up for the first time since entering the building. Natsu pulled the dark veil up to finally get a look at the woman, but his hands froze midair as he stared into big brown eyes coated in moisture. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was it so distressed that it projected who he wanted to see?!

It was a gasp from the woman and the fluttering of gold-dusted fairy wings that snapped his brain back to the present.

“N-Natsu?!”

“Lucy? Y-You’re my mate?”

“I’m your mate,” she responded with a twinkle in her eyes.

Natsu looked towards his father in confusion only to find a man standing there with the biggest grin. Son-of-a— his dad knew all along! He smiled brightly and happily took Lucy’s hands at the priests insistent instruction to move along with the ceremony. But it was clear from that point that neither paid any attention to the priest, too focused only on each other. Little tears still trickled down her smiling face, while his sported a euphoric high. And when the words came to kiss the bride, Natsu gladly swept forward and took the lips he’d dreamed of kissing for years. He got his wish.

[mishkakagehishka]

have. have you listened to the nrw song because oh my fucking god. oh my fucking god

so.

Okej i'm gonna dump my opinions on both Acanthe and Uruwashi no Nightingale. first of all, the instrumental break of the full version of Acanthe around the 3rd minute. I want that injected directly into my bloodstream twice a day. And the part right after where the melody changes almost completely for like half a minute before the instrumental fades a bit and the two sing so softly, so softly. Mika's voice.... and the ending where they go "ooo↗️↗️ooooo! Eien wo!" yeah. Yeah. I agree. I wholly agree. What are they feeding them, they literally ate, their voices harmonised so beautifully together throughout the whole song, but at the end especially. Something, something, they're a proper unit, now, no longer a lead and a backup dancer slash a puppeteer and a doll, but teammates.

AS FOR THE NEW SONG. WITHIN THE 2ND SECOND (english language <333) I WAS READY TO ASCEND. The instrumental is so pretty, the song is so pretty, it's like. It's beautiful. I have trouble processing lyrics in songs, but what i have managed to hear i loved. "The world's awakening" stood out but I can't wait to read the lyrics when they actually come out, I'm looking forward to seeing what it's about. I think I just really want to take this song's gender, though, it's so.... does english have "bell-like" as an adjective for pretty sounds, bc that's what it is to me. Bell-like, clear, beautiful but the feel of something fragile, like decorated glass. Shu's part around the climax, though, somewhere around the 3rd minute.... caught me off-guard. AND ONCE AGAIN when the instruments fade out and we're left with their voices softening? Mika during that part. MIKA. MISHKA, MISHKITSA, MISHKITCHICHITSA.....

The beginning made me ascend and the ending put me straight in my grave. Their harmonisation, the way they can Hold those long notes, just. Yeah. Oh, how beautiful a day it is to be a ValkyrieP