#Which puts Nika into even more danger

[wordy-little-witch]

I was minding my own business distracting myself from my brain, just scrolling on reddit looking for Buggy content and I am FROTHING

Screen shots from the reddit post under the cut, then I will be going feral

I'm losing it. I am LOSING my mind. Because if you like. Really think about this, I am. Oh my gods i am spiraling.

Oden, from Wano, who returned to Wano, who served Whitebeard and later Roger, who knew Buggy and knew his powers and could read the poneglyphs and HAD to have known, in some capacity, what Pluton was, where it was, and had Suspicions.

Buggy who fell ill before Raftel, before that final island and had to be left behind due to it, where the greatest treasure laid in wait, where the end of the world is at, surely as it may be -

Shanks, who, by and large, seems to know more than he necessarily SHOULD, who had that secret conversation with Roger that resulted in clinging, in crying, in heartbreak-

We know Poseidon is an ability, is currently in Shirahoshi, and that Luffy, for whatever reason, could hear the Sea Kings- Luffy who is Nika, who is the Sun, who will be King and carries the Will of D in his veins and voice and vivid demeanor.

Luffy has reason to be connected there. Thematically, it makes sense for an old, overarching plot.

But Buggy "could be the strongest if he trained"; Buggy served as a cabin boy on Rogers ship; Buggy is a fool and a fraud and keeps fucking up into success, confusing the hell out if the people who KNOW him; Buggy who has the Chop Chop Fruit, uncuttable and slitable at will, and who also has a CANON history of loving topography and who makes BOMBS-

And Pluton, the most destructive ship in existence, so much so that the blueprints were kept hidden and held carefully to avoid the schematics falling into the wrong hands - and after the 3D2Y movie, after the Groseade, while it may not be canon, it does sort of put things into perspective - especially when you think on how Franky and Iceburg were flabbergasted by the blueprints, were stunned and confused, when Pluton is under Mt Fuji and would need the WALLS REMOVED AND TORN DOWN to be released and retrieved.

And the Groseade needed a Devil Fruit user to BE as dangerous as it is. And Pluton is bigger, badder, stronger.

Not to mention that it's PLUTON - Pluto - Roman God of Death, the same deity in Greek mythology known as Hades, a name so connected thematically with the afterlife that calling the very land itself by the name Hades is understood in some cultures.

And Buggy, sweet Buggy, crazy Buggy who makes an Olympic sport out of narrowly avoiding death and failure and lucks out to comical effects - he's in hello kitty roller skates on a damned tightrope when it cones to that.

((Also, Hades/Pluto is also associated with wealthy (coughBuggycough) and fortune (CoughCoughBUGGYCoughCough), psa))

Now did you know that nuclear energy is fucking. Potent as HELL. And it's generated with nuclear fission, nuclear decay, and nuclear fusion. It's a meticulous process, but it quite literally boils down to Splitting, Breaking Down, and Putting Together Again.

And if Buggy's Devil fruit could awaken, if he could impose those properties on things OUTSIDE of his body, wouldn't that be more than possible? Wouldn't that be completely feasible, with his history in making WEAPONS, in making BOMBS? The chemical knowledge to do that would be wild, the physics and mechanics alone would be absolutely insane.

But Buggy could damn well be the key there.

If he trained, if he developed his skill and control, he could be the strongest - maybe not literally in a one on one battle royale of brute strength, but he could essentially pilot a nuclear reactor of a giga-ship, the likes of which even FRANKY balked at.

I have... so many thoughts rn and I am LOSING it bc AAAAAAAAAAAA

[count-alucard-tepes]

Headcanons for my favorite kitty man, Who’s-Who aka Who of the droplets😍😍😍

He loves when someone plays with his hair and massages his scalp, he instantly falls asleep.

He doesn’t like drinking a lot of alcohol because he gets drunk pretty quickly…to save himself a terrible hangover and hilarious stories being told about him, he just drinks light beer and a whole lot of water.

He has cat-like eyes but because they come off really intense, he always covered his eyes with his hair or a mask.

Even though he dislikes kids, he doesn’t mind having a few of his own one day.

He’s real smooth with the ladies but he’s really selective too, he wants someone he knows will be loyal to him.

Fanfic for my baby daddy😍

You guys know I love the idea of a female Lunarian in the Big Mom’s crew so I had to base Y/N as her😆

Who’s-Who never really wanted to date especially within Wano and Onigashima, he knew those that did want to be with him was because of his status of being in the Tobiroppo.

Since the alliance with Big Mom happened, more of her crew would be visiting Onigashima and the Tobiroppo were informed to welcome them as they were strong pirates too.

“…you know I heard there is a Lunarian in Big Mom’s crew”, Black Maria said with a sly smile.

“…I thought they were a dead race”, Drake murmured.

The others looked at each other in silence for a moment and smirked.

“…you should get to know more of the pirates here…you’d find out that isn’t the case”, Who’s-Who said as he exhaled some cigarette smoke before they walked out to meet Big Mom’s crew.

To everyone’s surprise, Katakuri was here and that put the Tobiroppo on edge, they knew how strong he was and wanted to test their strength out against him but that was difficult with the current circumstances. Another walked behind him, with large black wings and a flame on her back, Y/N wasn’t sure about being here but it wasn’t like she had much of a choice.

“…don’t let your guard down, Y/N…”, Katakuri murmured as Y/N looked up at him and nodded quietly.

“…easy on the eyes I’ll say”, Sasaki chuckled as Who’s-Who noticed the woman and smiled a little in response, not wishing to comment.

“Katakuri?! No ways!”, Ulti said, “…no one is as cute as Pay-Pay!”.

“Stop, sis! That’s not who he’s even talking about!”, Page One said as he blushed brightly.

Queen of course was performing like the star that he is and introduced the beast pirates with the usual roll call…and didn’t miss a beat by insulting the Tobiroppo.

“…I’m gonna fucking kill that guy, I swear to Nika”, Who’s-Who hissed as he turned to face the bar tender and sipped his beer before slipping a cigarette in his mouth while searching his pocket to find his lighter.

“Oh that’s pretty harsh…need a light?”, a feminine voice said from next to him.

He looked up to see the Lunarian woman with her finger lit up. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly into a smile before he leaned forward to light his cigarette.

Inhaling deeply and then exhaled, “…thanks…that must come in handy”, he said as he took a moment to take in the beauty before him.

“…let’s put it this way, I’ll always have the best party trick to offer”, she said teasingly which earned her a laugh from the male.

“I like a woman with a sense of humor…it always keeps things spicy…let alone when she is stronger than most I’ve encountered”, Who’s-Who flirted.

Y/N smirked in response, “…and how would you know of my strength? I am yet to lay a single finger on you”, she flirted back before sipping her drink slowly.

Oh she was playing such a dangerous game, surely she knew that too. He couldn’t help but feel his ears burn and he was most certainly glad his mask covered them so that she couldn’t see the color change.

“…a finger…a hand…you’re welcome to lay anything on me…anytime…any place”, he said with a grin. He couldn’t help but take it a little further, it wasn’t often that a woman of her caliber would even try flirting with him. It made his blood boil.

Y/N laughed in response, “Oh? I’d like you to say that while staring into my eyes…can I take it off?”, she asked as she reached up to touch his mask.

He gently took hand and kissed the back slowly, “…only after a successful first date…”, he said playfully, “…got to keep a little mystery in the air”.

“Are you asking me on a date already? Well then…what are we waiting for?”, she asked as she leaned against the countertop and watched him with interest. He was attractive even with the mask on and she couldn’t help but want to know more about this mysterious man who also happened to be one of the most powerful beast pirates. She could hear Katakuri’s words in the back of her mind but Who’s-Who was so damn cute!

He stood up immediately without another word and took her hand into his, “…let’s go, beautiful”, he said gently as she stood up and followed him out of the party.

They would go to his private quarters on Onigashima, his subordinates were dismissed after food and drink were brought for them to enjoy.

The word ‘Neko’ caught her attention on the Torii gate at the entrance, “…I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re a cat-lover”, she said as she took a seat next to him and helped herself to a drink.

He chuckled in response, “I wonder what gave that away…”, he said as he relaxed and watched her with a smile as he continued to smoke a cigarette, “…always been fond of them”.

“I have a pet cat back home…his name is Magic and his fur is as black as my wings”, she said with a smile.

It took him a moment before he chuckled in response, “…black magic…that’s cute”.

She grinned in response, “…most don’t think it’s funny but I’m glad you see my humor”.

“Like I said, I like a woman with a good sense of humor…and one that likes cats is just the cherry on the top”, he said as he leaned his head against his hand, “…I have a few here too but my devil fruit ability allows me to turn into one…a saber tooth tiger to be exact”.

Her eyes widened at this, “…will this girl be lucky enough to see that transformation soon?”, she asked as she leaned in closer to him.

Oh he knew that was coming from a mile away and he couldn’t help with chuckle.

“…and what would this guy get in exchange for that, hm?”, he asked as he placed his cigarette in an ashtray and then gently caressed her jaw with his fingertips.

“…you’ll get to see a picture of Magic”, she said with a smirk, two could play this game.

“Just a picture? I thought more along the lines of getting to kiss his owner tonight..”, he said as he leaned in to kiss the woman before him.

“It’s a pretty special treat you know, sir”, she said as she leaned before her lips met his for the first time, her fingers running through his hair slowly and she swore she heard him purr.

His arms snaked around her waist and in no time she was sitting in his lap as they kissed despite the slight height difference, he didn’t mind it at all.

Y/N reached to his helmet and gently slipped it off with his silent permission, “There… I’m going say this is a very successful date”, she said as she looked into his beautiful eyes and leaned down to kiss him over and over again.

He was nervous to have his identity revealed but it soon washed away with her sweet words and gentle kisses, “…oh it’s far from over, baby”, he whispered as his hands ran up and down her back, being very gentle around her wings.

The former CP-9 agent didn’t think he’d be dating a pirate from Big Mom’s by the end of the night…he had no regrets though.

[deadite-central]

The fact that Enel comes from sky island and has no idea what rubber even is, is hilarious, and another thing that’s hilarious is Luffy spacing out to escape Enel’s mantra, never change

Sanji’s and Usopp’s dumb little rescue mission (and later Usopp begging Nami to save him) is also really really funny, and for all the dark themes in this arc, it has some of the best comedic moments in the series

Aisa and Luffy paired up gives us some scenes of a child in the terrifying situation like the one in Skypiea, and it certainly puts more urgency in saving sky island from Enel’s destruction. Children being in danger is often featured in arcs were the straw hats are taking down oppressive regimes and it works really well, as it shows us the situation from the perspective of someone helpless

This arc also has the past of Kalgara and Noland and their relationship which god damn it is so good. They both learn something from each other, Kalgara learning about science and Noland learning to respect different customs, and their parting and later the terrible fates they meet is gut wrenching

This flashback is also the first time where we see any mention of someone called the sun god. Hmmm

Another thing, when things look absolutely doomed, everyone, and I mean everyone comes together to pray. Skypiea is an arc about religious devotion, and the visual of people from different religious backgrounds coming together because they don’t want their home to disappear is really strong. Even the Skypiean’s no longer pray to the person appointed as god, simply to some higher being

And oh, would you look at that, Luffy wins after they start praying! I can’t say how long Oda has had the idea of Nika but in hindsight, the fact that people’s prayers happen right before Luffy wins is neat foreshadowing, intentional or not. And god is Luffy ringing the bell and defeating Enel so so good

To finish Skypiea off, like I said the comedic moments are great, and everyone including the Merry being scared out of their asses by the fall makes me laugh whenever I look at this page

[shirzan140102]

Crackdown on Iranian Women Protesting Hijab Intensifying

To nobody's surprise, the regime is taking a much harsher stance against women who continue to protest their repressive measures by not wearing their hijabs. While Iran was never safe for women thanks to this regime, they have somehow managed to outdo themselves in these extreme measures against women.

Ahmad Alamolhoda, a very influential cleric and the father-in-law of Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi, recently used incendiary language, claiming that the regime is weak in enforcing the hijab and calling upon supporters (both men and women) to take matters into their own hands. In other words, he effectively gave everyone carte blanche to punish women allegedly protesting the hijab using any means they see fit. While this controversy (somewhat?) backfired on him - I'm not sure how this whole thing has ended for him, tbh. - the fact remains that he used his platform to put this message out there, and there are doubtless extremists who are thrilled to have gotten the green light to act that they please. And he is unsurprisingly not the only person who has encouraged this kind of "vigilante justice."

As I've shared in other posts on this blog, women live in abysmal conditions in Iran, like something out of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. From acid attacks to potentially higher rates of femicide (not that it's okay under any circumstance) and honor killings being mildly punished to schoolgirls (and now female university students living in dorms) being poisoned to stories like Mahsa Amini's and Nika Shahkarami's, women truly face a grave existential threat in Iran. So, when a high-profile individuals try to incite others to extreme action against women protesting the hijab, women somehow have an even larger target placed on their backs, which is terrifying.

In a recent example of women facing danger just for being women, footage has emerged of a man in the city of Shandiz emptying a bucket of yogurt on a mother and daughter as punishment for not wearing their hijabs in public. (Fortunately, other individuals were there to step in and kick him out.) In this case, this is assault plain and simple, and it should've never happened. The only bright side to this story is that the assailant only had access to yogurt; if he had had acid, like in many other cases, it would've been even more disturbing. (Nonetheless, obviously, this shouldn't have ever happened in the first place.)

Beyond that, in Iran, there is increasing rhetoric and activity to limit women's educational and vocational/occupational prospects. In addition to the school and university dorm poisonings, women are already prohibited from a large percentage of college majors, and there is footage of clerics talking about how women don't need to be employed in certain occupations, such as finance and engineering.

Against the backdrop described in the previous paragraph, the implications of recent threats of women being fined up to $60,000 dollars just for not wearing their hijabs become even more disturbing. When you combine increasingly tightening restrictions on women's education and work with the abysmal state of the Iranian economy nowadays, there is absolutely no way that women could afford to pay these fines. Even if you consider the hypothetical case of the average gainfully employed woman in Iran who is married to a man who is also employed, such a hefty fine would still have a disastrous effect on their lives.

This is an all-out war meant to strangle women into submission using every conceivable means, and it's terrifying.

SOURCES

[ekebolou]

I feel like I should mention this after one of your very thoughtful very neat long posts on Kostas and not necessarily spurred on by “Cole would make a good lesbian” even IF I laughed aloud in delight there— but I’ve been meaning to say that I read Kostas way way back in the day, and it’s been so cool to stumble back into tumblr and find posts about this story that I only stopped rereading because in about 2017 I dropped the kindle that had it off the back of a sofa. It’s always been a story that sticks in my head, and suddenly I remember little pearls of scenes. I still get snippets of a poem stuck in my head— the one that goes something like “oh thief of time, oh mischief maker” etc. And it’s just been such a wonderful, wild thing to just suddenly see new little details! A few thoughts about x and y! After years where it’s been a story that has had to live in memory.

Also I agree; Cole would make a fascinating lesbian.

I don't know how the inbox works, totally, so I apologize if this is doing something I shouldn't - just let me know and I can take it down.

but this was really nice to hear. Really - I mean, I don't know how to thank you.

And for better or worse, Kostas is going to reappear soon - I'm setting up a side blog for it, and will be putting up audio versions of the chapters - as I'm really trying to make room in my life for writing again. Which is also why I started sharing little things again - a way to encourage myself - which is another reason why hearing this was so nice. You know, if all I get is a laugh, that's great, but it's so wonderful to hear the story resonated, and somebody else thinks about it from time to time. That's so encouraging.

And I KNOW RIGHT?! what is Cole-as-a-lesbian like, though?! Is he a UHaul lesbian? I think Nika's more the move-in immediately type. He did kind of hand-pick Cole and commit hard. Cole is DEFINITELY everyone's ex. And the bad ex for most of them. Who for some reason nobody will stop hanging out with. She's the one who can work out everyone's permitting for their bookstore/yarn barn/coffee shop/hardware store and you should ask any of your butch friends first but if you're really desperate she will absolutely do that complicated regulation-compliant plumbing installation 100% up to code but you don't want to ask because spending that much time with her puts you in real danger of forgetting all the reasons why you absolutely shouldn't be emotionally involved with her. Danger lesbian.

She's like... a lawyer, or in corporate acquisitions but like a scary specific kind of lawyer, like tree law or somehow exclusively works on cases against corporations for health and safety violations, and traps companies into giving up privately owned assets to turn them into like community centers. But only as, like, a side gig.

I might be thinking of the song short skirt long jacket but I think maybe it works.

[im-smart-i-swear]

Weirder question, but...

If FNiN took place in the HTTYD universe, what species of dragons would they have? (Alternatively, who would be which if we're talking about A.I)

felix - i feel like instead of a full-on rider, he would be more of a tinkerer/blacksmith and would focus on inventions(if somehow him and hiccup ever met they would end up talking for hours-). you know, making saddles and stuff like that! soooo he has a huge black gronckle!(yes this is an excuse to put caban here). alternatively an armorwing would propably suit him well - for obvious reasons.

net - uhhh he would want something cool and fast maybe? - so a deadly nadder or a razorwhip? im not really sure about this one though... or a changewing! since he likes petty revenge and overcomplicated plans? and also doesnt like to take responsbility? so a dragon who can turn invisible might be up his alley!(hes so funny to me i love him)

nika - okay, so we know this girl has a good hand with big dangerous animals(i can recall two seperate occasions of her vibing with a bear), and im assuming shes still an orphan here and would propably at least partially fend for herself - thus i am giving her something absolutely huge and overpowered, like a crimson goregutter or a timberjack or thyphoomerang or something. shes very emphatetic and caring, so maybe she helped a hurt dragon and it decided to start protecting her?

laura - shes definetly the best rider out of this four(horses cant be that diffrent from dragons, right?) and i bet shes good with animals - and thats why i think she should have either a razorwhip or a monstrous nightmare. shes competent and knows what shes doing!

golem golem(my sweet man. i love this guy so much) - uhhh he literally has. a body. a humanoid one at that. so shouldnt it be more fitting for him to be a regular human?? but then again hes very far from anything regular so.. hm. if we're going with dragons, definetly something big and bulky for him! a rumblethorn perhaps? and if hes human then hes just riding one.

manfred - hm. ai are so diffrent from humans in fnin that its kinda hard to assign dragons to them?? but also theyre literally people. ngl im kinda tempted to make him nets older brother/uncle here. but i also think it would be funny if he was just. a really smart terrible terror? i remember in the first(?) book he got a body and it was this small wall-e esque thingy? also i think him being small and easy to look over and underestimate fits well with how in the books the trio sometimes forgets hes there or net accidentally turns him off(imagine this extremely pissed off terrible terror stuck in the bag net carries him around in). basically hes a cat but can fly and breathe fire

konpopoz - my mind tells me hes a speed stinger. i dont know why. it doesnt even fit since hes slow and bulky?? basically hed be any dragon the riders usually find annoying or likely to cause problems. so a changewing mayhaps? since they can easily go unnoticed and have a nasty attitude! and if hes a human then i imagine hes like that old cabbage man from defenders of berk but less evil. just an asshole who hates his job.

morten - he could work well both as a dragon hunter and a dragon. something like the red death or an alpha seems fitting, but i honestly think he would work better as either a whispering/screaming death or a queen of those fire-bee dragons(i dont remember what theyre called).

thank you for the ask, coming up with all these concepts was really fun!

[cptn-m]

One Piece chapter 1120 review

Nineteen pages without even the extra two added by a colour spread. Wow. This hasn’t happened since… chapter 869, back in 2017. We’re 10 chapters into volume 110 but I don’t think it’s over yet, not with the amount of 13 pagers in the run. I think there’s a pretty good chance this volume and this arc reach a climax together next week, which would be a cool pair of things to coincide with the 27th anniversary. Held back by extra breaks and short chapters, there’s no denying the broadcast chapters have felt slow on the weekly read – it’s hard to believe there’s only been 8 of them – but this penultimate release builds up a lot of momentum for the finale, and I’m genuinely looking forward to my reread of the full arc once it’s done.

I love the details of the young dragon and the Number poking its head over the gate in the opening flashback, but if you want a real continuity deep cut, you can see in the ’22 years ago’ establishing shot the same rear entrance to the lab Law uses in the Punk Hazard arc, recognisable even without the destruction and snowfall.

I’m not sure how I feel about the murder of Clover’s brother over his D. Does it track fully with what we know the the World Government would be so ruthless with them? On one hand, the Trafalgar famiy’s choice to hide their D seems to point towards persecution. On the other, Garp and Saul’s ranks in the Marines feel like a contradiction. It’s hard to gauge what the world at large really thinks of the D, if they think of it at all, and how dangerous it is to openly be one. But at least Vegapunk’s speculation that Clover was let do on the assumption he would draw more Ds out of hiding offers Oda an out for any Ds that were let live when they shouldn’t have. It’ll be interesting to see if the level of threat is clarified later in an SBS.

As expected, Nusjuro is being kept around to stall the Sunny from taking off and make sure the events of the finale happen in sync. What I didn’t expect is Atlas being the one to get the last action against him, and how tragic that would be. Man, she was my favourite Vegaclone. The big sad eyes as she says she’s leaving Lilith in the crew’s hands are rough. That childlike, Astro Boy-like design doesn’t feel like something that should be cut up and bloodsplattered, let alone killed off. But she gets to end it as a hero, saving the Sunny, the crew and one part of Vegapunk in the process. Hard to ask for a better way to go out than that.

Down below, we get some solid humour with Luffy and Emet. It’s good for Luffy stay as obvious as possible to Joyboy, Nika and their implications. At least, he should continue to not care about them. The Gear Five transformation doesn’t change who Luffy has been without the Joyboy connections up to this point, and Oda will be smart to keep the revelations from influencing the core character.

It’s a tough dose of reality for Emet’s cooler features to malfunction from the years of decay. I’m sure that rocket fist would have been cool. The amount of damage done to it here seems to suggest the robot will not be joining us for the next arc. I think it would be a little redundant for the final move it seems to be building up to be another self-destruct though. Maybe a beam similar to the Mother Flame-powered Uranus that makes an ocean crater out of Egghead?

And then there’s Saturn. I’ve said in my past two reviews that something had to happen with him to put a bow on the Kuma and Bonney story. It’s too personal. He always had to be the final Elder confronted as the crew departs. But we still can’t do lasting damage to him, and though Luffy has shown the ability to pick and throw the demonic spider, I doubt he’d fall for that twice. So who takes Saturn off the ship? The most tragic answer would be Kuma, whose presence is emphasised as Saturn lands. Can he launch Saturn from the ship, or the ship from under Saturn, without it being an ultimate sacrifice? Kuma’s had such a hard go of it, I really want him to get some downtime with his daughter one or both of them is inevitably being drawn into the final battle, but if I was writing the series I’d be seriously tossing up giving the readers one last gut punch to cement the retreat from Egghead as a costly loss for the heroes right about now.

There’s been a decent chunk of fandom negativity over the broadcast these past few months, but I think this chapter built up some solid momentum, and my energy’s high to see how Egghead concludes next week (or maaaaaaybe the week after) and I hope I’m not alone in that.

[jasonblaze72]

Who Saved Luffy from Drowning in Wano? What Happened Actually?

Luffy, the boy who wants to become the pirate king and be in a world where his friends never have to sleep on an empty stomach, and there is equality for all. This all started when he ate a devil fruit, and his body became somewhat rubbery. He is the captain of the Straw Hat Group along with Zoro, Sanji, and notably many others.   However, this would have all drowned that day when Luffy, the main protagonist of the renowned anime series One Piece, almost died from drowning in Wano. What many people don't know about is who actually saved him that day and made it possible for all the fans worldwide for the final saga. As it is on a hiatus for the last part, we were blessed with some amazing movies recently which were highly anticipated by One Piece Fans worldwide. Eiichiro Oda as he deserves to be gained appreciation on the global level to make possible this anime, sorry an emotion.  Well, fans may not be able to know what One Piece is or when will it be discovered by the Straw Hats, but it is time that the mystery man, the savior of Luffy, be discovered. That is what Otakukart is here for. If any other mystery regarding any anime is bugging you day and night, Know where to find the answers. Also Read: Is One Piece Red Canon? Explaining the Massively Popular Movie https://youtu.be/89JWRYEIG-s Who is Luffy? In the first chapter, Luffy made his appearance as a little boy who unintentionally ate one of the devilish fruits, the Gum-Gum Fruit, also referred to as the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, and became rubbery. As the leader of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy has always had dreams of being a pirate, thanks to the influence of his hero Red-Haired Shanks. To surpass Gol D. Roger as "King of the Pirates," 17-year-old Luffy sets out from the East Blue Sea towards the Grand Line in pursuit of the fabled treasure One Piece. On his voyage, he faces enemies, helps locals on various islands, and develops friendships with them. Normally jovial, when he fights, he turns serious and even hostile. Luffy executes a variety of blows by concentrating his power and using his elasticity. Gum-Gum Pistol, his hallmark move, involves him slingshotting blows at adversaries from a distance. As evidenced by his "bounty," which is meant to gauge the threat he represents to the World Government, Luffy also gains strength throughout the course of the narrative. He is the son of Monkey D. Dragon, the head of the Rebel Army, and the descendant of Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp. He is also the pledged brother of Portgas D. Ace and Sabo. As a carefree, fun-loving, upbeat guy associated with a high determination and a ravenous appetite, Luffy is described as frequently speaking with his stomach and playfully devouring himself. He is normally kind-hearted and upbeat, but he is not as stupid as people think he is, and he frequently shows more awareness than the other characters anticipate. Luffy is prepared to put his life in jeopardy even though he is aware of the danger so he can rule the pirates and defend his crew. He is a capable and trustworthy captain who never jeopardizes the safety of his team or himself out of ignorance. Smoker, a navy commander at the time, tells Luffy that he "enjoys playing foolish" in the Loguetown tale arc, and Luffy answers with an enigmatic smile. Despite his laid-back demeanor, he is respected in different ways by every member of the team. When acting, Luffy rarely considers the effects of his decisions; he simply does what feels right at the time, even if it results in tremendous force retaliating. He is a fiercely devoted captain who has repeatedly shown throughout the series that he is very much ready to give his own life to ensure the safety of his crew. Who Saved Luffy from Drowning in Wano? Luffy washed up ashore on Wano, no one helped him, you can say it was a plot armor. Nobody is even close enough to save Luffy at this point as he is incapacitated, hurt, and sinking. Fortunately, Shanks saved Luffy's life in his village twelve years prior. In order to protect Luffy from the Sea King, he gave his arm as a sacrifice. Shanks claimed he staked his future on it. He most likely did this on purpose to demonstrate to Luffy the requirements for being a pirate. Also Read: When Is One Piece Ending? The Biggest Battle Yet To Arrive Read the full article

[ldh-headcannon]

hcs of the sannoh hoodlum squad members having a crush on someone??? and perhaps trying to confess to them???

I'm sorry this took so long! I was meaning to get this out sooner but I suck. But either way I do hope you enjoy.

Yamato

He prolly knew you since you all were kids

But he didn’t really develop feelings for you ‘til recently when you start coming around Itokan because of your friendship with Naomi

After he starts noticing you more he will try to ask Naomi about you as nonchalant as possible

And she will notice his crush before he even did

He’d try to treat you like everyone else, but like he’d be more gentle?

Like he teases the others and isn’t afraid to jokingly call his friends out for being dumbasses or whatever

He’d tease you, but it would be less cruel words

After a few too many drinks one night hanging out with Naomi you admit to her you’re jealous that she is so close to Yamato

This is when she decides to help her two friends out

There would be a day you’re hanging out at Itokan a couple weeks later

And Sannoh is also there

Naomi would kinda mention something like “Hey Y/N, You’ve been wanting to go on a motorcycle ride right?”

This will make Yamato’s head perk up but he will stay quiet

You’ll tell her you want to sure, but haven’t had the chance

Naomi will give Yamato a subtle look

Which will get him to pipe up with a slight nervous look on his face

“Hey Y/N. If you wanna go for a ride, I can take you sometime this weekend.”

And of Course you agree

You guys take a whole day to yourselves and kinda drive down to his favorite place

You guys will find a nice place to stop so that you two can enjoy the nice lunch that you’ve packed for the day

And that’s when he will tell you about his feelings for you and ask you if you want to go on a date with him

You look up at him with a huge smile

“Aren’t we already on a date?”

“I guess we are. Would you like to go on another one soon?”

Dan

This guy is a showoff around people that he likes in general

It becomes more apparent when he has a crush

It’s not because he is egotistical or narcissistic

He just wants you to find him interesting and cool

He can be quite observant when he is interested in someone

You changed your hairstyle? New outfit? He noticed

He won’t compliment on it right away

He’s afraid he will come off as a creep in some way

But he doesn’t want to wait til everyone else compliments you either

Cuz what if that makes him look insensitive?

He will try to find ways to invite you out to places?

But he insists it’s just to hang out

With a small group of friends

As long as it’s not too dangerous

Or too crowded

I mean, what if he invites you to the club and someone better than him comes by and sweeps you off your feet?

Boy can be a little insecure like that

But he will never admit it

The reason why the group of friends is cuz he thinks he’s less likely to make a fool of himself

He can’t let that happen

Of course he will rant to Tetsu about his crush on you

So Tetsu will offer helping Dan out

Dan will hesitantly accept

The next day Tetsu will walk up to you and ask if you’d like to go on a double date with him, Nika, and Dan

Just a friendly hangout kinda thing

You happily agree

So you all plan on meeting up that weekend and go on a little shopping spree

After a while you kinda end up losing Testu and Nika in a store

But it’s ok cuz you’re having fun with Dan

I mean the guy is really good at making you laugh since he started warming up to you and is acting like himself

He noticed you eyeing a necklace behind a glass case but walked away from it

You all go to a few more shops before deciding to call it a day.

Dan’s a gentleman and walks you home

Once you make it to your place, you turn to him and thank him for the fun outing

He’ll pull out the necklace you kept looking at earlier

He finally confesses his feelings for you

He will put the necklace on for you before asking you if you would like to go out with him

Tetsu

I feel like out of all the members he will be the one most up front with his attraction to someone

He isn’t afraid to flirt

But the problem is, you’ve seen him flirt with other girls before

Granted it’s not like his previous relationships ended badly

You’re just weary of getting into a relationship with him and finding out it’s just a fling

He’ll say something like “Oh you look so beautiful today Y/N. Let me take your picture to remember what a goddess looks like

He’ll say this kinda stuff almost everyday he sees you

It doesn’t matter what you look like

You could be having the worst hair day, look like shit cuz you’re sick off your ass

He will still compliment the shit out of you

The thing that you don’t comprehend is that he genuinely means it

He will ask your friends what’s your opinion of him

And if you’re interested in anyone

If the responses are positive at all it will fuel him with excitement and determination

He will talk to Dan and Chiharu about you to the point where they are even annoyed

There would be a night after he left Itokan feeling a little down after you rejected him again

Dan would come up to you and attempt to play wing man

He’d basically just tell you that Tetsu’s feelings are real and that you should give him a chance

This is when you’d start to actually consider giving Tetsu a chance

There would be a day where you’re walking around town, running some errands

When a couple of jerks thinks that harassing you sounds like a good idea

Cue Tetsu walking around town trying to clear his head

And he happens to come across this scene

Noticing the very uncomfortable look on your face, he intervenes

Needless to say, a fight broke out

The guys lost in the end, but Tetsu did get a little messed up too

But he tells you it’s worth it if you’re ok

It’s after you offer to patch him up does he finally decide to be completely honest with you

No more flirty pick-up lines

He just straight up tells you his feelings for you and asks you out one more time

Chiharu

This guy is so honest and sensitive

So when he falls for someone he falls hard and fast

He prolly doesn’t even realize he fell for you

I have no doubt in my mind that the people around him notices his feelings for you before he does

Heck you even notice before he does

He always looks at you with this looks of adoration in his eyes and a giant smile on his face

I can see him falling for someone he sees as a good friend

Like you two have been close for quite a while

Like you two are from the same neighborhood

You’re prolly the reason he joined Oya in the first place

He saw some people try to mess with you one day

So he decided that he should go to Oya to get stronger

All so he can be the one to protect you

Just like how he will do anything to make you smile

Even if he has to make a complete fool of himself

He also wants to be the one you call whenever you have any kind of problem

Even if he doesn’t know how to help

He will finally realize that these thoughts and feelings aren’t of the friend variety one day while talking to Tetsu

He noticed that you’ve been hanging around some guy from your neighborhood recently and is riddled with jealousy

So after Tetsu had to basically tell Chiharu what his feelings are he takes off to find you

Once he finds you, he’s out of breath and he just blurts out his feelings for you

“I know this is sudden but I got to let you know, I like you. Like, a lot. And I want to be with you.”

You tell him how you’ve known this for a while

“Oh. Well I’m sorry it took me so long to ask this then. But, will you go out with me?”

Noboru

He is super hesitant if he should get close to you or not

I mean after the whole thing with Miho, he isn’t sure if he is ready for another relationship

So he may be kind of distant towards you to try and stop himself from developing feelings

You’re afraid that he just doesn’t like you

Which is unfortunate since you hang out at Itokan a lot due to you being friends with Naomi and other members of Sannoh

He’s not ever rude to you when you happen to be at the diner with everyone

He just tends to not start conversations with you

And if you try to talk to him his responses are short but polite

It’s almost discouraging

But he does do a lot of watching from afar

He doesn’t even realize how often he does it

Cobra quietly pointed it out to him one day

It got him so flustered

He can’t help it though

You’re just so cute and nice but have the sass and wit for when someone gets a little mouthy

He will sigh and remind himself that it’s too soon for him to get into a relationship and that he doesn’t want a repeat of what happened

This will constantly plague his mind

It’ll all unravel one night at Odake Bar

He will be sharing a couple drinks with Cobra and Yamato

“I like her. I really like her guys.”

Yamato will laugh, “So why don’t you tell her?”

“What if things end up like they did with Miho?”

That’s when the ever wise bartender reminds them that you and Miho may share some similarities but you are your own person and Noboru has grown and learned through those past mistakes

And they all tell him to take a chance

So he does

He decides to go find you and explain everything from his past with Miho

He then tells you how he’s developed feelings for you but he’s been afraid to do anything about it

Til now that is and he’s hoping that now that you know you’re still willing to be with him

[disneydeb1928]

One Piece Theory: Sun God Nika and Joy Boy

In Chapter 1018, Who’s-Who tells Jinbe about a story he heard from a guard during his imprisonment. According to the guard,

“slaves in ancient times believed in a legendary warrior that would eventually come and save them. They called him ‘Sun God’ Nika!”

According to Google, Nika is a female name in Persian, language meaning "very good" and "pure crystal water", it derives from "Nik" meaning "Good", "True" and "Chosen". Could also be derived from the Greek Goddess Nike, who was the goddess of victory. I’m sure more information will come from the name’s etiology, but I wanted to shine a spotlight on the next thing Who’s-Who says.

“It was said he would bring laughter to their lips and free them from their suffering.”

What’s interesting about this, is that it sounds almost exactly like an excerpt from the Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were [Credit to megashowdragon on Tumblr] which talks about creatures, places, and people.

“Joyboy” is the West Indian character who personifies the human need to dance, sing, and be jubilate. He is a relation of the Lord of the Dancers who inspires festivals in colder countries, and it seems likely that he travelled to the Caribbean with an early shipment of slaves from West Africa. Joyboy smiles perpetually at all the foibles and problems of mankind and cures human troubles by tapping out an irresistible rhythm on his drum. Whoever hears the music of Joyboy is compelled to dance and sing along until he or she has shaken the black cloak of despair from the shoulders. Some jazz players claim to have captured Joyboy rhythms, but their efforts are a pale imitation of the dance frenzy which can keep humans dancing until they drop.

There’s definitely a connection here. Especially since Kaido’s huge revelation in Chapter 1017 when he says, “It seems like you too… couldn’t become the ‘Joy Boy’.” – which heavily seems to confirm the theory that Joy Boy is a title and not a specific person. Could this “Son God Nika” be another bearer of the Joy Boy name?

Another interesting tidbit is that, while being unnecessarily racist by pointing out there should obviously be a connection between the supposed “Sun God Nika” and the “Sun” pirates – especially since “the history of Fishmen [is] a history of slavery”, it feels like something that we shouldn’t just glaze over. Especially since we know that the Void Century Joy Boy had a deep connection to the Fishmen people. It just feels too much of a coincidence that this “Sun God Nika” was a legendary warrior to “ancient slaves” and the historical Joyboy was said to have “travelled to the Caribbean with an early shipment of slaves”. The use of the world “ancient” is also something that has me side eying. If you’ve read any of my other theories, then you know I believe that Joy Boy was a part of the Ancient Kingdom and was a huge part of recording their history on the ponyglyphs after their defeat by the 20 Kingdoms. So, how “ancient” are we talking? Because, if it’s as ancient as the Ancient Kingdom, perhaps Joy Boy and Sun God Nika are the same person.

Finally, another huge piece of information revealed in this chapter is that CP0's presence on the island has more to do with Who's-Who presence than the trade deal (like we were previously led to believe).

The CP0 member previously seen discussing the trading terms with the shogun, Kurozumi Orochi back in Chapter 929 (the member with the cylinder mouth) specifically says, “The victor of this is of no consequence to us. We just need to confirm his death…”

The red and white hat guy follows up this statement, saying that “even if it is him, any confidential information he has should be dated by now anyway. His survival wouldn’t harm the government.”

However, cylinder mouth says that “allowing a rogue escapee to live… would set a bad example.”

They’re claiming that whatever “confidential information” Who’s-Who may or may not have from his time in CP9 has nothing to do with them wanting him dead and that it’s all because they want to ‘save face’, but I hardly believe that. Especially when he’s dropped two very importantpieces of information in the last few chapters.

For starters, we know from chapter 1017 that Whos-Who used to belong to CP9 and that he found himself in prison (an experience he summarizes as “having it rough”) after he “failed to guard a devil fruit that was being transported on a government ship” 12 years ago. A devil fruit, that we later learn was the Gomu Gomu no Mi.

In Chapter 1018, He also reveals that the guard who taunted him with the story of Sun God Nika, “vanished a few days later without a trace”. He realized that, perhaps, “the story wasn’t meant to be shared” and that him hearing it “put [him] in danger too”. Ultimately, it was this that gave him the motivation to escape his prison.

Sure, you could argue that the government once having the Gomu Gomu no Mi is “outdated” information and holds more importance on storytelling then actually in the OP universe, but if Who’s-Who is correct regarding the judge’s disappearance, there’s no way that’s unimportant. In fact, covering up the story of Sun God Nika – even if it is just a story – seems EXACTLY like something the World Government would do.

So, can you really expect me to believe that the Government’s sudden interest in Who’s-Who is completely unrelated?

[sophi-s]

Cost of Kindness

Chapter I: Chance encounter

By: sophi-s

Fandom: Darksiders video games

Words: 6,471

Characters: Original female character (OC), Raphael

Warnings: Graphic description of corpses, blood and injuries, disturbing imagery, swearing

Summary:

Life of a human after the apocalypse is difficult. The world seems to always be against them. Still, they keep on living. But one day something unexpected happens to one of the inhabitants of Haven. A woman named Nicola discovered something... or rather someone... who seemed to be in equally as sorry state as her entire race put together. Nothing was the same ever since. It's curious how one seemingly random event can change everything...

--------------------------------------------------

Nicola got lost again. All the promises she made to both Ulthane and Jones have gone into trash when with a pang of worry she's suddenly realised she does not know where Haven is. It was supposed to be a short supply run, a little trip to some ruined store in search of food and maybe some medicine if luck wished to be on her side and it turned into a whole day long journey. She hadn't been careful enough and ended up getting spotted. She was too fast for that Trauma to get to her before she disappeared into a narrow alley but she successfully lost her orientation.

Navigating through the city used to be so easy before all this apocalypse nonsense. Nicola knew her way around better than anyone honestly. Now everything looked different. What once was her home now seemed sinister and the animosity could be felt in every, even the tiniest speck of dust. All streets, previously so familiar to her, looked exactly the same, often cut in half by obsidian spikes and pits of boiling magma which made moving around even more troubling. In short words, the entire place was a wreckage. With each moment of aimless wandering, her panic was growing. Inwardly cursing, thinking about all the reprimanding she would get after she somehow finds her way back and the fact that she's most likely going to get grounded forever, she tried to move through the street as quietly as possible, without causing any unnecessary noises. Becoming an evening snack for a pack of Goreclaws or a Trauma wasn't a very attractive fate. The latter could still be around here somewhere and the blood spilling from a cut on her forehead she got when she accidentally ran into a wooden beam protruding from a wall wasn't going to make it harder for it to eventually find her again.. It was very unlikely that the Trauma could've gotten stuck in that alley after it tried to get to her. They are dumb. But not that dumb. Though the mental image alone was quite hilarious now that she thinks about it.. To some extent imagining a Trauma helplessly shuffling to try and unstuck itself from a narrow pathway made her feel a tad better, even crack a little smile. Still, she had to think of something. She'd already lived through too much to just die at this point.

Evening? Clutching a shotgun in her shaking hands, Nicola looks out at the amber sky and her heart hastens when she realises that it really is getting late. The last rays of sun were slowly sinking behind the horizon, slowly turning the sky from warm orange to indigo as the tall buildings bathed the city in deep shadows stretching over the ground like dark omens. Just perfect. There was no other choice for her than to hide somewhere and wait until dawn and resume her search tomorrow, hoping someone will start looking for her. Going anywhere after the dusk was an equivalent of a  suicide. Demons and the Wicked tend to be especially active after the nightfall.. Nicola would rather not bump into one of the Suffering either, those things are especially nasty. Hulking, four-armed abominations melded with bodies of the dead, bringing back all those poor souls who weren't lucky enough to get away… she shudders at the thought and hastens her pace.

Most of the houses were already destroyed and usually infested with all kinds of detestable creatures she'd rather avoid - from Wicked, through all kinds of demons and Duskwings, to enormous spiders ready to cocoon any unfortunate passerby for a snack - unfit to be a shelter. But honestly, what wasn't crawling with Hellspawn these days? They were everywhere, as far as the sight can reach. Heaving out a long suffering sigh, Nicola decided to hide underneath the city, hoping she won't find any monsters there.

That was not one of her most brilliant ideas but in truth whatever she chose, it would be just as bad and she hardly cared at this point. Her legs felt as though they went a couple of inches up her arse from all day of walking and running and her empty stomach growled hungrily as she didn't get a chance to stop and eat a sandwich hidden in her backpack. It didn't take long to find a lid of a well leading to the sewers below. Just in case, Nicola dug some new shells out from her backpack and shoved them into her pocket to have easy access to them before pulling the lid out and uncovering a stinking hole in the pavement. The strong "aroma" that drifted out hit her like a brick to the face.

"Ugh.."

Nicola groaned, pinching her nose. Even after the literal armageddon, she still found sewers to be one of the grossest things ever. Like, come on, that's where all the piss and shit goes and a person who enters the sewers for even a minute comes out coated in this stench. Oh well.. It can't be worse than getting torn to shreds by a Goreclaw, can it? Up here was definitely worse than below. Everything she'd met so far - except for Ulthane, Yarin and Elanya - was trying to kill her lately. At least there was no sign of the Big Bad anywhere… Nicola had seen the so-called Destroyer only once and it was enough to last her a lifetime, considering how close she'd been back then. The fact that he didn't spot her, she probably owed the fact that she was somewhere to his right and from what she'd seen his right eye wasn't exactly in good condition. Though, she couldn't deny that the dragon did look sick as Hell - she cringed inwardly at the bad joke her mind produced - and if she wasn't scared shittless and in danger of getting eaten or burned alive, she probably would've taken out her notebook and tried to sketch him. Not often does one see a dragon up this close and Nicola had a habit of drawing anything even remotely interesting she sees. And the more challenging the thing is, the better. In her sketchbook, she already had Ulthane and his younger companions, Vulgrim, some other demons and a Fallen. The last thing she did see pretty damn close. Too close for her liking.

Pulling her stained, dark-blue neckerchief up to her nose as a mostly useless mask against the foul smell, she crouches down and with a loose piece of a brick scratches out a message on the ground, hoping either Jones or some other survivor will find it.

I'M IN THE SEWER

NIKA <3

Just to make it clear, she tears a piece of her already ragged sleeve off and places it under the aforementioned brick next to the message. It's not much but it has to be enough… Without further ado, Nicola slid inside the dark hole and closed the lid above her head. Utter blackness immediately closed around her like a thick coverlet. A quiet sound of dripping, echoing through the tunnel was all that she could hear.

Plip. Plop. Plip. Plop.

Should've thought about taking out a flashlight before cutting off the only source of light.

Grumbling under her breath, Nicola jumped down from a small ladder. But instead of landing on the hard and straight ground, her feet connected with something soft and uneven. With a small yelp, she lost her balance and fell flat onto the actual floor with a wet "Thwack!". Please just be regular water… She begged the puddle underneath her as she scrambled to her feet and pulled the backpack from her shoulders. For a few minutes, she blindly searched through her things, probing for the light source. When her fingers found the flashlight and she turned it on however, she nearly screamed.

That thing she landed on wasn't a mound of garbage like she previously assumed but a body. Body of a dead Phantom General. Its skin was in an unhealthy pallid shade, misty eyes were bulging out of their sockets. And the squishy bit she landed on was its face. Nicola nervously laughs to herself

"Maybe the stench killed him?"

The thought of a large demon dying in a sewer just because it smells bad was kind of amusing and a little comforting. But then she realised that if that was the case, then there's nothing to laugh at. What if there are some poisonous gases in here? Hydrogen sulfide, for example? If it killed a demon, undoubtedly much more hearty, then why shouldn't it do so with a human?

"Shit.. I hope not…"

Nicola curses and immediately presses the neckerchief closer to her face like it would do her any good. Well, no point in wondering about it now. If she were to get poisoned then she probably already was so… Father would be so disappointed if he found out she died in a sewer by inhaling toxic gas. I should've paid more attention to chemistry lessons…  Anyway.. Standing here will not make it any better. She might as well find herself a place to rest for a while or forever. Unless healing shards work on that stuff, she had nothing on her to help should she get poisoned. Flinging her backpack over her shoulder, Nicola turns away from the corpse and peers into the dark pathway which opened before her like a gullet of a gargantuan monster waiting to swallow her whole. Having absolutely no idea that this choice would change her miserable life forever, she takes a breath and bravely moves onward.

The Phantom General wasn't the only one. As Nicola walked deeper into the dark, stinking corridor, she noticed more bodies. Goreclaws, Wicked, Phantom Guards, even a couple of Duskwings and - this was the most unsettling discovery - the serpentine Shadowcaster… all of them pale and wizened. An unnerving feeling grew in her stomach. Nicola had seen much death as of late but this… this was horrifying. It was like walking through a tomb or a mass grave. Up close she could see something she hadn't noticed before. Something that made her mouth turn sandpaper. All of the bodies seemed… dried for the lack of a better word. As though something had drained them of their blood, leaving only shriveled husks behind. But there were no wounds, no markings. Nicola gulps at the thought that whatever killed them might still be down here with her.

Backing away, she takes a turn into another section and curls up in a corner by a metal grate blocking the way ahead. Nicola turns the flashlight off and hugs her knees to her chest, trying to control her fearful breathing. Climbing down into the sewers wasn't such a good idea after all. What if… what if there are things far worse down here than the demons she'd already seen? Her parents often scared her with stories of monsters lurking in the dark pipes and winding tunnels when she was a child but those were only supposed to keep her away from the sewers. The true reason was always the toxic miasma drifting through them. Or so she thought as she grew older. Now it seems that the former turned out to be true… And if it murdered a Shadowcaster just like that, then it was a creature to be reckoned with, no doubt.

Whatever it is that hides in here, Nicola didn't want to meet it. Whether it was a classic sewer monster, grotesque, with teeth and tentacles, or something else it didn't matter. Looking down at her left wrist, where her blessedly still working electrical watch with sun batteries was, she squinted at the numbers it showed.

7:48 P.M.

This was going to be a long night… If she survives this, she would get out and return to the Tree, and tell Ulthane she will never leave again. Essentially, she'd ground herself for him. If she could find her way back, that is.. And this might prove rather tricky. Maybe if she could find a Serpent Hole and bribe Vulgrim to take her to Haven, it would be much easier. But then again, she will have to give him something. Aside from her soul, she had nothing he would be interested in and that she could still make use of. Damn it, why is it so cold in here? Pulling the zip of her vest up to her chin, she curls up even more and hides her hands in her pockets to seek any warmth she could find. The stench wasn't even phasing her anymore. Nicola got used to it after the first few minutes. Besides, her fear was what she was mostly focused on. At least she didn't feel anything that would hint at being poisoned.. Whatever deadly stuff was down here before must've dispersed some time after the apocalypse after the disuse of the sewers. And thank God for that..

Meow…

Her head snapped up at the echo coming from the tunnel she backed out from. It was very weak and quiet but she definitely heard something that sounded vaguely like a cat. A very small and very scared cat.

Meow…

There it was again. This time accompanied by a barely visible flash of light coming from the tunnel further down. Cursing her innate curiosity, she pulled herself up to her feet and snuck towards the entrance to her little hidey-hole. The light appeared again before slowly fading. It looked a little like… like someone was coming here with a broken flashlight. Could it… could it be someone from the Tree? Maybe another survivor lost their way in the sewers? Picking up her shotgun, she decides to check it out, the thoughts of a monster not forgotten per se, but definitely pushed to the back of her mind. Wary of every step she makes, she follows the light and the sounds of a distressed animal. Sleep was never an option anyway..

As she walked onwards, the lights were getting brighter, the meowing louder and the pounding of her heart faster. There were more corpses in various states of decay and skeletons strewn about the further she headed but she decided to stay brave. Should anything attack her, she has the shotgun at the ready. Something in her head laughed at her hysterically. How can she be so naive to think that if there's a monster down here her pathetic shotgun can do it much harm? It didn't have a problem with killing all those things. Why would it have a problem with Nicola and her weak human weapon? Besides, even if she did manage to defend herself, one shot from that thing would bring half of the city down on her head. And that was something she definitely wanted to avoid.

Meow!

Another flash. Her surroundings were slowly starting to change. The bodies were left behind and she started to notice wooden crates lying here and there as though someone meant to hide the passage further down. Was this a hide out if some sort? Flash again.

Meow!

And then…

"Hush, little one… I won't let them hurt you again…"

Nicola's heart hastened when a shaky voice reached her. There really was someone down here! However, she doesn't let her ecstasy control her. They don't necessarily have to be friendly. Everyone is permanently scared and paranoid since the apocalypse and if she jumped out from a dark sewer without a warning she's more likely to receive a bullet to the face than a warm welcome. A flash, very bright this time. Before, she didn't notice it but the light was actually… green? Soft, soothing shade of green. Who uses a green flashlight? Someone who didn't have any other. We're in an apocalypse, for God's sake. Shrugging, she sneaks up towards the turn and carefully peeks into the new corridor, unable to take the anticipation any longer. And she freezes.

There were many things Nicola expected to find. Even the sewer monster was higher on her list of possibilities. But not this. Before her, approximately fifteen feet or so, in a makeshift shelter made out of ratty curtains and wooden boxes sat a humanoid figure. They were wearing some sort of metal shoulder pads on their ragged, dark green clothing, worn and stained, once undoubtedly fine knee-high boots, and a tattered and dirty hood. The gilded edges of their pauldrons were smudged and tarnished, as were the clips of the belts on their hips and across their chest. A pair of disheveled, dusted grey, feathery wings was closed around them like two shields protecting their sides and keeping the warmth in the resulting heat cave. Through a gap between the feathers, she noticed strands of long, white hair in the similar state as the wings spilling from under the hood.

This was one of those… those angels who came as the apocalypse began. Only… This one didn't seem like the rest. They didn't look like one of the warriors. And were unarmed at that, she realises once she doesn't catch a sight of any sort of weapon nearby. 

Meow!

Nicola heard it clearly now, and trying to track down the source of the sound, her eyes wandered to a hand of the angel, one which they held close to their chest. And there, on their large palm rested a tiny ball of fluff with its fur clogged with blood. The angel was hunched over a wounded kitten, and from time to time they brought up the other hand and gently ran their trembling fingers wrapped in stained bandages over the jagged claw mark along its spine. The green light flared up from angel's fingertips as gradually the wound was stitching itself. A sorcerer then. If meeting Shadowcasters was any indicator, then it would be better not to mess with this one.

Meow!

The kitten cried again and the angel, now she was pretty sure it was a male, spoke with a soft and calming, but shaking voice that reached to the depth of her soul.

"Fret not… it will be over. Soon enough."

In honesty, Nicola really had to stop herself from making a loud "awww" noise as she watched this angel treat a tiny injured kitten. How did he get here in the first place? Shouldn't he be with the rest of his buddies? She honestly never thought one of them would ever fall so low as to hide in a sewer of all places. Unless there was no other option. He must've gotten lost or something.. She thinks, almost snickering at how similar to hers this situation was.

To make no mistake, she didn't want to approach the angel, especially after what she'd seen during the apocalypse - most of them didn't give two shits about what happen to her race - and so Nicola decided, even if slightly disappointed that it wasn't another human survivor or someone looking for her like she previously assumed, to go away and leave him be with his kitten. The angels the apocalypse has shown to her were hardly the kind and thoroughly good creatures the image of she grew up with.. But then, nature decided to play a cruel prank on her and a horrifyingly loud sound of her stomach rumbling was carried over the immediate vicinity.

Nicola cursed inwardly at her stupid stomach - really, she would've eaten that sandwich but the smell of the server was very unappetizing - when the angel quickly looked up before gently placing the cat down on a piece of folded cloth and snapping his fingers to produce a small wisp of normal, white light. Now, his face wasn't obscured by the shadow of his hood. It was just like a face of a human, especially with all the grime smeared over it, just more… how to describe it? Features were more apparent, simultaneously sharp and smooth. Like those of a sculpture. Almost overly perfect. However, he looked ill, emaciated with his cheeks collapsed like this and sunken eyes, seemingly too large for his head. His eyes… brilliant white with faint silvery pupils, glowing like two wisps, opened wide in an absolutely blank, emotionless stare, not unlike that of a man in feverish delirium. How long had he been down here?

"Who.. who's there..?"

His lips barely moved as he spoke, his wide eyes darted around in panic as he searched for intruders. Not that she could blame him. Her stomach sounded like a starving demon and as far as she's concerned, his kind isn't really fond of those.. The angel looked a little like a terrified, wounded animal that had been cornered by predators with no apparent way out. It was… sad somehow. Since she'd already been heard, Nicola carefully stepped out of her hiding spot. The reaction she got however, was far different from what she's been expecting. The angel gasped, his wings shot up like two enormous flags as he lifted his hands. Green magic crackled along his slender fingers with most of the nails broken and bloodied as she froze where she stood.

"G- get away! Back off, foul creature!"

He stuttered but didn't attack just yet. Swallowing a lump of fear Nicola forced herself to very, very slowly and carefully take a few steps closer to enter the illuminated area around the scared angel to make him realise this is a misunderstanding and she means no harm. She even left her gun on the floor not to make him feel threatened and kept her hands up, palms forward where he could see them. He squinted but this hollow look in his eyes remained. Disturbing… Even more so when he started to mutter nervously to himself, rubbing his eyebrows with his thumb.

"No… not a demon, nor an angel, a human perhaps…? Yes, yes… has to be… But that's not possible.. They're… they're all gone. Dead, killed, stone dead… Who is this and what do you want? Your tricks won't work on me.."

"I- I'm not trying to trick you, I swear! I am a human. I'm Nicola.."

She assures the angel, hoping that giving him her name will make him feel a little less threatened. A quiet sigh of relief slipped past Nicola's lips when the magic in his hands faded as he curiously - a little like a small, inquisitive puppy - tilted his head to the left.

"Nic… ola…"

He breathed, mulling over her name, testing it on his tongue but his wings still remained aggressively flared above his head. The kitten meowed again, too weak to stand up from the bedding the angel made for it. He seemed to calm down a bit as he glanced down at it and with a flick of his finger made the animal lazily blink before it curled into a ball and immediately fell asleep. The wound on its back wasn't so large anymore and it wasn't bleeding so the black fluff with white feet and collar wasn't in any immediate danger. Angel's attention shifted back to her. But Nicola was the first one to speak.

"Who are you? How'd you get down here?

"Don't know… Human… a human. How did you get in my study? You really shouldn't be here. What is it you want from me? I'm working on improving my shards…"

"I-... Wait, your what ?"

Nicola's face scrunched up in confusion. Get in where? Working on improving his what??

"No, this isn't right… they need more energy…"

At this point she had absolutely no idea what the angel was rambling on about but she could clearly see he was completely out of his mind. Frankly speaking, she wasn't actually sure if he knows what he's babbling either.. There was only one thing that came to her mind when he spoke of shards and so she dug into her pocket, trying to find the one she'd been carrying with her just in case as he clutched at his head, tangling his fingers into his hair under his hood…

"It worked… I did it, I can… but it hurts… Creator, how it hurts… Cold.. so cold…"

His voice was starting to break as his unsteady breathing turned into something akin to sobbing but no tears were shed and he started to rock back and forth, still muttering something unintelligible. Something in Nicola's gut squirmed - or maybe it was the hunger again - as she looked at the scrawny angel mercifully. Whatever happened to him, it must've been horrible. It takes a very traumatic experience to bring a human to such a state but an angel is a different story. Seeing anyone like this saddened her. Finally, her fingers found what they were searching for and she extracted a small healing shard from her vest.

"You mean like…"

At the gentle, green glow the shard was emitting, the angel looked up astonished and let his mouth fall open. He stopped shaking and grasping his head.

"Yes… yes, my shard. I need… My blade. Where's my blade? Who…? My name? My name… I remember, I swear."

This talk of a blade was mildly unsettling to say the least but something in her chest twisted with pity and all fear left her. A little more bravely, Nicola approached the murmuring angel who attempted to scratch something out on the floor beside his knee but only successfully broke one of his nails again and hissed quietly. What happened to you, you poor thing? When she crouched next to him, he stared at her as though he'd seen a ghost when she realised he isn't looking into her eyes anymore. But at her forehead.

"You're… injured…"

He stated as matter of factly. Oh. Right. That was true. It barely hurt anymore though… and wasn't even bleeding. She's certainly had much worse. It will heal on its own in no time.

"Let me just-"

Suddenly he leaned forward to grab at her, making her heart leap up to her throat as she cried out in fear and jumped away from him. Instinctively, Nicola booked it for the tunnel she came from when she heard a heavy thud and a pained groan behind her.. It was her good hearted nature what ultimately made her stop in her tracks and look over her shoulder. To see the angel on the floor, weakly propping himself on his elbows and breathing heavily. He was very weakened. It's unclear how long he'd been down here but it certainly has taken its toll. Nicola looked out into the dark tunnel. Whatever awaited her in this darkness and out in the city surely isn't nicer than this poor sod behind her. She wasn't even sure if he actually meant to hurt her or not. It was a reflex. Then she turned to look back at the angel shivering on the wet floor.. Her throat tightened. God, she couldn't just leave it like this, could she?

"H- hey… are- are you okay?"

Nicola approaches the angel warily and squats before him as he lifts his head to look at her. And in his eyes she sees pain. Horrible, unimaginable pain, somewhere deep within, that made his crusted lips tremble. Such a sight would be enough to break even the coldest hearts. And definitely more than enough to break hers. He eyes her hands when she hesitantly takes him by the arm - careful when she notices a rag stained with fresh blood above his left elbow - and tries to pull him up to his feet or at least to a sitting position but he doesn't recoil. He simply kept staring at her hands in bewilderment. To her surprise, he was much lighter than he looked, probably because of how thin he was, and she managed to do what she intended but she could see that his legs won't uphold his weight as meager as it is. The angel glanced at the cut on her head and once again, albeit far more cautiously, reached out towards it.

"I can… I can heal it. Just hold still.. It will take a second.."

And in spite of herself, Nicola gives him a chance this time. He extended two fingers and as their tips started to glow with green, he gently tapped against her damaged skin. It felt… odd. It wasn't painful but still strange. The edges of the wound grew numb and prickly as the patch of comforting warmth fell over her forehead. And what was even odder, the angel smiled slightly, whispering

"There… It is done.. I.. remember. Was it…? It was, wasn't it… Raphael?"

"Wh- what? What are you talking about, who's Raphael?"

Nicola asks, probing the new, thin scar that was now formed in place of the cut. He really did heal her. Curious. And it did take a second.. For a moment, his face scrunched up in confusion but only for this second before he brightened and some of the strange mist fell from his white eyes as he brought both of his hands up and repeatedly poked his chest with all of his fingers.

"Me.. Raphael is… it's me! And you…"

He extended one finger and aimed it at her head.

"You are Nicola. "

"Y- yeah. Nice to meet you, I guess…"

She hesitantly replies as the circumstances of this meeting weren't exactly "nice". In a dark, damp sewer filled with stench and corpses with a possible monster lurking nearby? Far from nice if someone would ask her.

"What.. huh. What is this place?"

Raphael unexpectedly asked, looking around with his large, white eyes, blinking in confusion. Nicola pulls a face, unsure how to tackle the odd angel.

"You… don't know? You've been living here."

"Have I? Hmmm.. Strange…"

He murmured thoughtfully, scratching at his white goatee also painted with blood that surely spilled from the cut on his lower lip. Then his face shifted into concern as he tried to pull himself up with a strained grunt, clutching at an old, but not healed yet, gash over his ribs.

"I… I have to get back.. they need me in the White City…"

As she was expecting, he collapsed back onto the floor with a tired sigh not even a second later. Where and what was the "White City" he spoke of, she had no idea. What she did know however, was that in his condition Raphael isn't going anywhere. Even if he managed to get up, she could bet her right hand that he would make ten steps at most before collapsing again. Nicola winces and tilts her head to the side.

"Pal, I don't think you're in shape for walking or flying right now.."

"No, I suppose not… they cannot see me like this. I cannot return.."

At this point she wasn't surprised that Raphael kept muttering to himself about things her human brain couldn't hope to comprehend. Nicola got long used to this however. Ever since the armageddon there were very few things she could understand. It wasn't a normal day if something new and weird didn't happen to her or one of her remaining friends. Any hostility the angel showed before has faded now, his wings folded back around him as he leaned over the sleeping kitten to continue treating it. The gentleness he did it with, the uncertain smile on his face were making Nicola's heart melt. Raphael didn't seem like his friends indeed. He was different somehow. Kinder, softer. Less aggressive. More fitting the image of a stereotypical angel. But also definitely not quite… right. Up in the head.

Oh, well. Who is totally normal these days, honestly?

She wants to chuckle to herself when something gives her a pause. A horrifyingly familiar sound coming from the tunnel behind her. Panting, scraping and growling. Inevitably getting closer and closer. Her heart plummets to her heels. This sound… she would recognise it everywhere. The sound that haunted her dreams ever since the demon tore her twin brother, Nicholas, to shreds. This demon.. a Goreclaw, as Ulthane called it. Whipping around, she just managed to spot the quadrupedal monster - the size of your average Caucasian Shepherd (which was still awfully large for its kind), with long, lashing tail and sharp fangs constantly bared in a disturbing grin - appear in the entrance, cutting off the only escape route.

It must've heard Nicola's startled scream and followed it all the way here, hoping for an easy prey. Her breath caught in her throat as she stands paralyzed by the blood-hungry glare of multiple red eyes. This ugly mug, covered in blood of her sibling was still fresh in her mind, keeping her absolutely petrified. Unable to do anything, she kicks herself for leaving her shotgun behind. Now it was resting between the clawed paws of the demon who screeched in excitement as it prepared to pounce at her. Though honestly, with how rigid her body turned, she doubts she'd be able to aim, not to mention pulling the trigger.

This is it. She thinks, feeling blood leave her face. I'm gonna die. After all she's been through.. Killed by a single Goreclaw, ripped apart in a stinking sewer like an ungrateful little shite. Ulthane did so much to rescue her from the claws of that Fallen and now all his efforts are going to go to waste.. Crying out in dismay, she shields herself from the oncoming attack with her arms and shuts her eyes.

Something shifted behind her as the demon jumped at her and… nothing happened. Opening her eyes, horrified and shocked, Nicola almost gags when she sees the Goreclaw standing before her and just… gawking with its jaw slack as though it got hit on the head with something heavy. Faint golden light running around its body like tiny veins didn't escape her attention. That's when she noticed that the demon was trying to move, straining with its own stiff muscles and growling. But couldn't. It was completely paralyzed. A quiet, barely audible thrumming filled the air around Nicola and she began to feel something strange. Something she could only describe as magic. The arcane static began to nip and the bite at her skin like miniscule locusts when a green haze enveloped the Goreclaw before her. The same light fell onto her back, laying her quivering shadow out at her feet. A realisation hit her.

Raphael. He's still there.

After the apocalypse, Nicola had no delusions that angels, even the kindest ones, are ever defenseless. Before she could turn to face the angel, her would-be killer suddenly let out a soul-rending shriek that yet again almost made her drop dead or simply puke out of pure fear. Freed from the paralysis, it fell to the floor, writhing, clawing at its own chest and screeching the most ungodly noise Nicola had ever heard. What's happening?! Absolutely petrified, she watched as the demon's skin seemed to dry and wrinkle as its eyes were nearly popping out of its skull. Life - and color - was frighteningly quickly seeping out of the demon as it squirmed in agony, wailing, unable to fight the power that got a hold of it.

All this looked like taken straight out of a horror movie. And Nicola, on the contrary to Nicholas, was never a fan of those… It all took merely a few seconds of unimaginable torment before the unfortunate Goreclaw wheezed and eventually fell still with its jaws opened and tongue lolled out, wide eyes dull and unblinking, and didn't move ever again. Dead. The memory of all those corpses she has found passed through her head. The Goreclaw looked just like them… Afraid to move a muscle, she stared at the light that moved away from the dead demon, following its movement to the sight that made her back up aghast.

Raphael. The same seemingly gentle angel who healed a small, hurt animal - who healed her - was suspended in midair, tattered robes and disheveled hair billowing, with his wings flared and bristled. This soft smile was replaced by an absolute lack of any expression whatsoever as his wide eyes burned with the whitest white of unbridled anger she'd ever seen. Green streaks of magic - the same green she found so soothing before, now ominous and frightening - bathing the surroundings in brightness, were swirling around his arms, hands with fingers curled into vicious claws. For this moment he looked much stronger, a little younger… and far more dangerous than he seemed before.

"As long as I live.. I shall not stand suffering !"

Raphael bellowed at the corpse at her feet even though it was long dead and already turning cold, caring very little about how horrified she was. He didn't even seem to care how much suffering the demon had experienced before it blessedly lost its hold on life. Not that Nicola thought it didn't deserve that but still it was… pretty gruesome.. Raphael's wounded and weakened body absorbed the life-force drained from the demon and only then did he slowly descend onto the floor and landed on his feet, breathing out with relief. The magic gradually dissipated along with the sharp prickling sensation until only the tiny golden wisp hovering next to Raphael's head remained. His wings fell into their place against his back, this furious light faded out of his bright eyes before he turned to Nicola to shoot her a disarming, awkward smile as though nothing had happened at all. This tiny smile was hardly comforting.. Quite the opposite in fact. It chilled her to the bone like the coldest winter wind.

Oh fuck.

Swallowing thickly, Nicola looked up at Raphael, now standing on his own legs, clearly revitalized by the stolen energy, and felt a little fearful tear roll down her face. Then she shifted her gaze to the demon. Then back to Raphael, who seemed so small and weak before but stood at least two, maybe three feet taller than Nicola - her head reached the bottom of his sternum. I was wrong. She realises with a pang of panic, feeling a little sick in the stomach at the mere thought that this kind healer was as capable of killing her where she stood as any demon up above her head. All he had to do was flick his wrist and look at her and she wouldn't have been able to do a thing to defend herself. It suddenly made sense. There was no sewer monster down here. No beast that would threaten her. No foul creature that could suck the blood from her body and leave ber as a mummified corpse. All this death, all these bodies… The horrifying monster Nicola was expecting to find...

It was him.

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So yeah. That was the chapter I. I'll try to make more but I don't promise anything XD

The moral of this story? Don't piss off/spook angel sorcerers. Especially the crazy ones.

Also, the art at the end was once again inspired by @coloredgravity 's rendition of Raphael (I drew this mostly out of memory 😂). In addition I gave him a symbol of virtue from Darkest Dungeon over his head. He's mad, true. But he still tries to hold it together :3

[iturbide]

(CheeseAndCake here) It is done. More CC!Edelgard in Heroes has been sent! I tried to make it clear that, while Edelgard has changed a lot, and is showing the dragonkin propper respect, her mind is still jumping to the thoughts she used to have before she gets a hold of her thought process. It’s still there, but she doesn’t let it show or let those thoughts dictate her actions and is doing her best to change it. I’m so proud of her.

You and me both her development as a character is absolutely fantastic, especially in the way that she still jumps to certain thoughts and then forcibly grapples with those very thoughts because she’s conscious of the fact that she needs to work on that.  I especially liked how she reminded herself that it’s the second thought that’s important rather than the first, because that’s really important for people who are trying to change: if we tell ourselves that the first thought is the only thing that matters, then we just feel ashamed and guilty for reacting in ways we’ve been conditioned to, and it stymies progress.  She really is working hard on changing, and that is absolutely something to take pride in.

You know who else would be proud of her?  The Bad End AU folks.

In the interests of keeping this at least kind of contained, I’ll just stick to the core group: Claude, Hilda, Ashe, Annette, and Nika.

Claude

After getting summoned, would take pains at first to avoid any Edelgard, in part because at the time he was summoned the Edelgard of his world probably doesn’t know he survived; he might even be going by his given Almyran name rather than his adopted Fodlani one, both to safeguard his identity and because he’s spent years back home where they use his true name...though the resemblance between him and the other Claudes would still give him away to some extent, even if he is older and wiser than they are.

CC!Edelgard would probably be the only one to actively seek him out, since the others tend to be very focused on their tasks and don’t care to make small talk with those who aren’t in their immediate circle of confidantes (Hubert, Byleth, etc; occasionally they would chat with Lysithea, but part of it would be trying to coax her to the Imperial side).  The first time she does, he would spend a solid ten seconds trying to size up the situation (because he’s pretty sure that’s Edelgard, but she’s not in the Imperial reds, but is she just trying to get him to lower his guard, or is there something else going on here?); having known someone very much like him for quite a while, it would be all the proof she needs to say with certainty that this is, in fact, Claude, because she doesn’t know anyone else that will just stare so intently at something (or someone) they’re trying to figure out.

She might try for the same Almyran icebreaker that she used with Legendary Claude, and for a split second he would get chills because fuck did Edelgard conquer Almyra too -- wait, no, if she did she’d probably make Fodlani the standard language, huh. The only sign of those internal thoughts would be a slight sharpening of his gaze as he looks at her, which would soften again once he comes to his far less dire conclusion and actually processes the words she said -- though at that point he’d laugh because him?  Ruler of Almyra?  He’s an advisor, she clearly has him mistaken for someone else.

Of course then she tags him as ‘heir’ instead (using the Almyran term), and his smile gets a little sharper, because if he’s guessing she only figured that out recently -- if she knew he was a prince at Derdriu, he suspects that she wouldn’t have tried to kill him.

CC!Edelgard let him go, of course.  But this is about as close to a direct admission as Claude’s ever come, and despite the maelstrom of thoughts and feelings swirling through her she pushes herself to ask if he’d like to talk about it over a game.

Claude isn’t one to pass up a game, honestly.  So the board is set, and they talk about their worlds over several matches; they don’t realize how time passes, engrossed as they are in the games and conversation.  Someone quietly brings them a meal once it gets late enough, and they each offer a distracted word of thanks, eating without ever putting the match on hold.

They discuss his world, and how the Edelgard he knew ordered his death, only for their professor to land a non-fatal (but convincingly mortal-looking) blow; how the situation in Fodlan made his dream as good as impossible, so he took an advisory position under his father when he returned to Almyra while establishing an information network stretching beyond its borders that he hoped would do Judith proud; how news of a Blaiddyd brought him secretly back to Fodlan to evacuate Dimitri’s half-brother Nikita, and how he’s tried to give Nika a life of his own choosing rather than molding him into a leader for Faerghus; and most of all, about the dire situation in Fodlan, and how Claude is willing to take the fight back across the border if that’s Nika’s choice once he comes of age so that the people there can live by their own choosing again.  

They discuss her world, and how she saw her conquest through, only to realize too late that she’d been deceived and manipulated from the start by Those Who Slither; how she was taken captive again, subjected to worse than she’d suffered as a child, until Claude and Dimitri’s cousin Ivanna created enough chaos for her to break free; how she joined them in the fight to put an end to what she had forged, casting aside the title of Emperor and seeking only to atone for her past evils in whatever way she could -- beginning with changing herself, expanding her view of the world and her understanding of its people along with it.  

Claude never imagined that Edelgard von Hresvelg, Emperor of Adrestia and Conqueror of Fodlan, would tell him that he’s right to try and stop her.  But then, this particular Edelgard has seen where her ambitions end up.  It’s heartening, in a way -- and while he doesn’t think she deserved what happened to her (no one deserves to suffer the way she did), he’s still glad that she’s managed to realize how narrow her previous worldview was, and he’s proud that she’s trying to broaden her horizons.  They might not become friends, necessarily, but he would be willing to help her work on that in much the same way that the Claude she knew did, which she would appreciate.

He’d also teach her more Almyran just because he can.  She’s going to go back able to hold basic conversations and just wait until her Claude hears that.

Hilda

Much like Claude, she might also be going by another name -- though in her case, it would be an assumed Almyran alias, since using her own name would be dangerous with her supposedly dying at Derdriu along with Claude.  She’s gotten used to it, for sure, but she also can’t wave off suspicion anywhere near as well as Claude does, since she has the classic Goneril Pink palette going on (and, as Claude’s mom pointed out when they first met, she’s too old to be Holst’s kid, so sister makes more sense -- and Holst only has one sister, officially).

Also like Claude, she would do her utmost to avoid any and all Edelgards, and for much the same reason: she was supposed to have died at Derdriu, so Edelgard realizing she didn’t could put her and Claude both in danger.  Lucky for her, most of the Edelgards don’t have much interest in cross-House socialization; however, CC!Edelgard takes an interest in Claude, and if there’s one thing Hilda absolutely will not allow, it’s someone threatening Claude, so when she sees the two of them in conversation, the second she recognizes that this is an Edelgard -- something that wouldn’t be immediately obvious to her, given the outfit change -- she’d be putting herself bodily between them with her axe at the ready.

Claude is far more amused by this than Edelgard is.  She’s not big on having weapons pulled on her, understandably, and there’s a momentary face-off between Hilda with her axe and Edelgard with her dagger before Claude inserts himself between the two women and suggests they just talk this out like reasonable people.

“Since when has Edelgard ever been reasonable?” Hilda scoffs.

“Since I was robbed of my freedom and nearly my life at the hands of foes I’d underestimated too long, and Claude offered me a chance to atone for my past.”

That’s enough to make Hilda take a step back.  Claude has no interest in speaking for or over Edelgard, but he acts as a mediator between them as they talk, calming arguments before they can get out of hand and generally guiding the flow of conversation.  Hilda isn’t as quick to trust Edelgard as he is, but even she can’t deny that what the former Emperor went through was something no one should have to face; she’s at least willing to give Edelgard a chance to change, and show proof of it -- and even she has to admit that the former Emperor’s progress is stark, in comparison to their last meeting.

Ashe

Unlike Claude and Hilda, Ashe doesn’t have a reason to hide his identity.  He wasn’t part of the final battle at Fhirdiad, having been charged with Nika’s evacuation before the Imperial Army arrived at the Kingdom capital, so there’s no illusion that would be broken by discovering that he’s alive.  His goal is to safeguard Nika’s life, and that’s what he intends to do.

Of course, this means that he has absolutely no love whatsoever for Edelgard or Hubert, since he believes (and Claude agrees) that it was the Emperor’s right hand man who’s been sending assassins after the young Blaiddyd.  Claude might have a fair-minded perspective when it comes to Edelgard (though he still condemns her actions, make no mistake, he just recognizes that she’s still human and has potentially deeply flawed motivations that drive her), but Ashe still harbors some intense hatred and resentment toward her.

Hilda might be willing to listen to CC!Edelgard (with Claude’s mediation), but Ashe has no interest in hearing what any Edelgard has to say.  He’s not openly aggressive with them, but he prefers to avoid them when possible -- and when he has to work with them, he’s terse at best, following orders to the letter so that he can distance himself from them as soon as possible.  CC!Edelgard would have to put in a concerted effort just to talk with him, and even then he’d be unimpressed.  She murdered his friend, her own step-brother -- something Claude’s secured proof of -- destroyed countless lives in the Kingdom (not to mention the Alliance and Empire), robbed nations of their independence and forced obedience on them...he might have done things he’s not proud of in the past, but he never committed atrocities the way she did.

He wouldn’t condemn her attempts to change.  He knows the importance of getting another chance, of making amends and atoning for past crimes -- but at the same time, she took so much from him that he wouldn’t be able to forgive her.  The pain she caused him is too deep and too personal, so while he would certainly acknowledge her growth and progress, he wouldn’t forgive her for what she did to him and his. 

She would acknowledge that he doesn’t have to forgive her, though.  She’s not going to try to win him over or change his mind -- but the apology is still important, because she recognizes the harm she caused him.  She’s going to keep striving to better herself whether he accepts her apology or not -- and when she leaves, promising that she’ll let him choose when and if they speak again, Ashe would know that she really means what she says.

Annette

Similar to Ashe, Annette doesn’t have a reason to hide her identity.  She wasn’t there for the fall of Fhirdiad, since Dimitri sent her off with Nika to keep him safe; the Empire has no reason to think she’s dead, so her being alive doesn’t need to be a secret.  All she’s trying to do is keep Nika safe, and that’s exactly what she intends to do.

Unlike Ashe, though, she doesn’t go out of her way to avoid the Edelgards, and generally only leaves shared spaces with them when she has something to do.  She knows how dangerous the Adrestian Emperor can be and generally is, so she prefers to stick closer to her friends in order to help keep them safe, specifically placing herself between Edelgard and her companion.  Ashe removing himself from places where Edelgard is present generally ends up removing Annette, too, since she’d much rather stay with him than linger around Imperials.

CC!Edelgard would likely be the first and only one who actually bothers approaching Annette -- and the moment she does, Annette would be on her guard.  If she’s with someone, she would try to send them away so they’re not in danger; if she’s alone, she would just be wary but open to at least trying to listen, since Claude has made some good points about Edelgard being human and therefore having very human motivations, however flawed the execution might have been...but at the same time, she’s still nursing raw wounds of her own.  Not only is Edelgard responsible for the death of her closest friends, she also saw to the death of her father -- and estranged or not, she wanted to give him a chance and try to rebuild their family.  None of that even gets into the fact that she can’t go home because of what Edelgard did to the Kingdom, or the fact that she ordered the murder of a child -- Blaiddyd or not that’s unconscionable to her.

Compared to Ashe’s icy loathing, Annette is much more passionate and emotional when it comes to her rebukes.  Nothing Edelgard could ever do will bring back Annette’s family or friends, and after all the harm she caused...Annette can’t forgive her.  Even if she understands what this Edelgard is doing, she just can’t bring herself to forgive that hurt.

But Edelgard would certainly understand that, by now.  And she would explain that she’s not trying to make Annette forgive her: the apology was necessary as an acknowledgement of her own wrongdoing, and so that Annette could know that she recognizes the pain she caused.  She’ll keep moving forward, striving to change and atone and avoid committing the same mistakes again.  And that would be what finally cements in her head that Claude was really right about her: she really is a person, someone driven and flawed...but also someone who can change, if she wants to.

Nikita

Nika, unlike the others, has never had a personal encounter with Edelgard at the time he was summoned.  He knows of her, primarily through accounts from Claude, Hilda, Ashe, and Annette, but he’s never seen her in person: he would only know to avoid her because the second they see her, Ashe and Annette would point Edelgard out to him and tell him to avoid her at all costs.

He would try, too.  Since he would spend a lot of time with his Kingdom guardians, he’d either end up leaving places with Ashe when Edelgard arrives or going elsewhere on Annette’s advice.  Hilda would be similarly defensive of him, though she would be confident in her ability to cover for him should Edelgard make a move and therefore wouldn’t encourage him to leave when they cross paths with the Emperor; Claude, meanwhile, would be the only person willing to engage with them, even if they don’t usually approach him.

Which is where CC!Edelgard comes in.  After they’ve started interacting on a somewhat routine basis, if she approaches Claude while Nika is with him, Claude would go out of his way to introduce them -- and since he would have discussed Nika before, CC!Edelgard would know exactly who he is. 

Nika’s heard a lot about Edelgard over the years.  Depending on where it comes from, it can be either scathing or even-handed but still critical.  And he would do his best to keep the latter in mind as he agrees to talk with her (with Claude mediating, because Nika would clearly want him there, judging by how he surreptitiously grips Claude’s hand when Edelgard makes the request).  He wouldn’t know what to expect from her, really...but the story she tells of her torture and manipulation at the hands of a shadowy force would be unlike anything he could have predicted.  There might be no real affection between the two, under the circumstances, but he would certainly be sympathetic to the suffering she endured, even if that doesn’t excuse her actions.

Given who Nika is, and what he intends to do, Edelgard might even try to help ensure his success as best he can: giving him what information she has about Those Who Slither, providing details on the Imperial Army’s structure and workings from her own world before everything went wrong -- anything and everything she can think of to ensure that when he goes back, he’ll be able to make Fodlan a better place than she did in her own world.  He would accept it with respect and gratitude and promise to do his all...but he would still feel very strange about interacting with the woman that killed his half-brother.  Even if he didn’t know Dimitri well, part of that is because she robbed him of the chance.

Ultimately he would be courteous and respectful, but he wouldn’t go out of his way to interact with her: he wouldn’t shy away from conversation when they happen to cross paths, but otherwise he would leave her to her own devices -- which, generally, would probably suit her, since she probably wouldn’t know what else to say to him.  Ultimately, though, Nika would admit that Edelgard isn’t the person that he thought she would be -- which, he supposes, goes to show how much effort she’s put into becoming a different person.

[thecastcompany]

Been awhile since we shared some of our prompts, where was a writing prompt from last week! We had skipped a writing prompt and gave them two

1. What is your biggest regret? 2. What were you doing last scourge invasion?

Here are the answers from Jam, Rathfana, Cyliaa, Fyre, Lora, Sam and Vida

"Man I really wish I had some more cookies. They were super tasty. Oh the Scooge? Yah, last timeded I was attacked by one of those I'I'I'I'I was climbin' up a tree in Kill Tearass an'an'and I fell in a bee house an'and it was super sticky an BIG! And then i kept on fallin an' rollin and got lots of dirt and rocks and stuffs stuck to me so when I got home Roo attackeded me with a Scooge and said you needs a bath" @ciirianshandralin

Rathfana ponders it a moment. "Biggest regret? Probably being unable to save my adoptive mother from having to give her life so i could stay safe...which kinda leads us to the answer of your other question." she holds up one of his pistols. "Sending those hellspawn undead back to their graves in pieces."

There are two empty boxes of cake on the table in front of Cyliaa; along with various different papers, letters, bottles, and trinkets all scattered about. She thinks for a long moment, filling the silence with the scratching of a quill pen on paper before finally the cogs in her head start working. "Oh! I was in Darkshore when the whole ghoul thing happened. It was also the first time I met my master! I guess my mother knew her and they were the best of friends. Honestly I don't remember much about that whole thing! The sentinels protected us and that's why I want to be a sentinel too! So I can protect people again from all of this mess!" She smiles so brightly, but for a split moment her smile falters ever so slightly. "Biggest regret. . .mmm. . .too many to really list off! I guess I still feel bad about leaving home so suddenly. Oooh! I wonder if Miss Dyllie has any more cake left!" With a push away from the table, she walks out of the house. One last quick look at the table and one might notice how there was only one fork instead of two. . .

Fyre decided to show her face for the first time since the night of the scourge. She still didnt seem all there. "My biggest regret? The void. I followed a man in there thinking he loved me, and all I wanted was to be loved. He introduced me to the void, its powers and I became intoxicated. At one point, I was addicted. I can still till this day sense dark presences and void magic from a long ways away.... Im drawn to it and I hate it. Once I am there, in the void I lose all self control. I know what happens but I am not in charge of how it happens. Now, the ability to take a life and be able to have them experience pure bliss instead of regret and pain isnt so bad because it helps people... but when I see their lives flash before me, I repeat it in my head over and over... and it sucks sometimes because the people you thought were good...usually arent. The man I killed the night of the scourge? He was begging to die for more than once reason. And I get to relive that over and over until I take another life. As for where I was during the last invasion? Working, apparently death and violence makes people want sex and they are willing to pay well.

Lora tilts her head with a curious look. "The last scourge invasion? When was that? I...uh well I was alone up until a few months ago, in Vol'dun, I don't remember anything like this happening there..." She just gives a shrug at the other question. "Why do you ask hard questions? My biggest regret? The fact that I couldn't save my sister, I was too weak, I didn't understand how to heal with my Niki. The fact that I ran." She pauses briefly, her oversized hat falling to cover her face. "I know Nika told me to run, but I still regret it. That's why I'm training, so I don't regret losing another loved on." With a sigh, she hops down from the chair that was far too big for her. "Maybe get some Vulpera friendly chairs if you're gonna keep bringing up bad memories, huh?" With that she walks off.

Sam rotates his shoulder, which still stung from the frost wyrm attack. The scar over his left eye made him look even more menacing to the questioner than usual. The scars over his body, at least the ones that could be seen, made him look beastly. Sam growls, "My biggest regret is not stopping Azshara before the Legion came through the Well of Eternity. If I had perhaps we wouldn't be in our current predicament, though I suppose the silver lining is that without that happening I would have never met the people I have. The funny thing about regrets is that even though they are usually decisions you look back on negatively, they usually have a silver lining that would have never happened had you not made that decision. Though as you have just heard, we usually don't realize it until some self reflection. We tend to only see the bad results of our decisions and not the good, only the truly evil can view their decisions without seeing the bad, because they do not have the capacity for empathy. Normal people see the bad, because they empathize with those who were hurt by their decisions."

He sighs as he gets up, "As for the first Scourge invasion I was on the front lines fighting them back and then again on the front lines in Icecrown. Now if you will excuse me."

Coming from Vida:

Vida would sigh as she had a sad look on her face.  "Yeah....I got a regret...." she said as she sat up straight and cleared her throat.  "It was durin the scourge attack back then.  I was in a beauty pagent, the Miss Ashenvale pagent.  I remember it clearly....." she said as she smiled "My parents invited my whole family, I've been preparing a month in advance for this, I mean I was in my element!"  She said as was excited " I mean I was ready to kick some serious ass and take home a win!  I was the only goblin in it so I had a lot riding on me, plus all the other girls were so tall...." she said as she laughed a bit.

"So we were in the talent portion of it, my special skill was to take apart a motor cycle and re assemble in 10 minutes or less!  Trust me standard issue basic bikes are child play for a goblin like me.  The custom shit takes hours!"  She said with cocky ness in her voice.  "So when my turn came up, right before I could even grab my wrench, the scourge attacked!  I mean people were in danger, and the other contestants were in trouble!  So I picked up my tools and started attacking ghouls!"  She said proudly as she hopped on a table and started doing random fighting motions.  " I was like bam, and whack!  People were shocked that I could kick ass despite my short stature! "She laughed

"I saved all those contestants lives!  But there was one whom I saved personally; my wrench was stuck in the head of a ghoul so I ran up to save her by popping the ghoul in the head with my fist!" She said as she looked at her hand "Sadly i fractured my hand in the process but all in a days work for a hero like me !" [12:07 PM] She said as she was sad again "the next day the announced the show must go on, and with a busted hand, the disqualified me!!!" She shouted with anger " those tall bitches all shot glares at me and treated me like shit after saving thier ass's!  You wanna know what I regret?  I regret not letting those tree huggers die that day!" She shouted as she hopped off the table a flipped it out of rage before walking away.

Vida left put one important detail.  She was revered as a hero for saving the contestants during the pagent.  However prior to the scourge attack she had thrown a glass bottle of Kaja'cola at a contestant giving her a concussion.  Her reason?  In her words "She looked at me funny so I have her somethin to look at except I missed her eyes!"

[lady-duskveil]

The Basics ––– –

NAME: Aleyria Duskveil. AGE: An inappropriate question. BIRTHDAY: Late winter. RACE: Ren'dorei. GENDER: Female. SEXUALITY: Pansexual. MARITAL STATUS: In an open arrangement.

Physical Appearance ––– –

HAIR:

Once a cascading curtain of spun gold, the ravages of the void have leeched color and luster from the waves of Aleyria’s hair, its softly roiling silver waves reminiscent of the glint of spider silk in the witching hour. Left loose to be tossed by the whims of the mercurial winds, she somehow always manages to maintain elegant curls and a certain grace that sees it caress the curve of her spine in a way most provocative.

EYE:

Faintly bruised at their sockets by the wonders of her scholarly pursuits, Aleyria’s eyes are gently swept into feline intrigue by a careful application of stiletto sharp liner and smoky powder. Her gaze lightens only at the twilit violet points that illuminate the shadow's incursion into her dark sclera, parting with an unearthly glow that yet defies the corruption of her practices.

HEIGHT:

Five feet, eight inches.

BUILD:

Curvaceous, in a word -- atypical for elven standards of beauty, in others. Though she hardly lacks for the elegance that the timeless blood of the elves gifted her, a certain softness clings to the fullness of her hips, the swell of her bust. While there is much to be admired of her, she favors intimation and subtlety over outright provocation: the peek of a long, shapely leg from the slit of a slip of figure-hugging silk that otherwise maintains her modesty is all that can be expected of this scholar.

DISTINGUISHING MARKS:

An oddity or a trick of the light, the perceptive note that her shadow moves independently of her, shifting outwards in tenebrous tendrils or otherwise mirroring whatever so amuses it in play. At the most dire, that shade might reveal itself to be something more than benign mockery - with good luck, one will never have to see that day.

Whether swept up into preternatural magicks or practicing some eldritch, long forgotten ritual, thin, runic scarring comes to life on her pale skin when her power is motivated to come to the surface. At its height, the lambent light of those foci are no different than the color of her eyes.

Her powerful grip upon the void has been as much a damnation as it is a blessing. That shadowplay has chased much of the living color from her, leaving her a specter of her former self. Accordingly, the cut and color of all of her clothing tends towards that which will flatter her most - black on black on black.

COMMON ACCESSORIES:

Aleyria is fond of creature comforts and accessorizing the otherwise plain gowns that she dons, indulging in a wealth of rings, necklaces and earrings that dangle from the lobes or curve to the sharp points of her elven ears. Her hands - rarely without gloves - often favor the silken fur of a black shroud that hugs her shoulders. Though plain, a curious rosary woven of black beads hangs at her breast, the visage of a veiled maiden at its end. 

Personal ––– –

PROFESSION: Dark Sister of the Cult of Forgotten Shadows. Scholar. Sorceress. In all things magically inclined towards subversive shade and the madness it imparts in the mind, she is an expert. HOBBIES: Making music (harp), painting, fine embroidery, insect collecting, reading, oneiromancy, gardening and archery. LANGUAGES: Polyglot, though particular to Darnassian and Thalassian. RESIDENCE: Hardly a woman of little means, Aleyria keeps a quaint little estate that favors practicality and comfort over the riches that she had accrued in her life. The decor is antiquated, austere and subdued, and the walls are scattered with countless paintings whose haunting depictions are spawned straight from the reaches of her dreams. The Duskveil estate is at once a work of art, a sanctuary for a scholar’s mind and an homage to her studies in the shadow. BIRTHPLACE: Southern Quel'thalas. RELIGION: The Void. FEARS: Loss of control; being robbed of freedom; total and utter loneliness; certain breeds of the Scourge.

Relationships ––– –

SPOUSE:  Deceased. CHILDREN: Deceased. PARENTS: Deceased. SIBLINGS: None. OTHER RELATIVES: Plenty. ACQUAINTANCES: Plenty.

Traits ––– –

extroverted / introverted / in between disorganized / organized / in between close minded / open-minded / in between calm / anxious / in between disagreeable / agreeable / in between cautious / reckless / in between patient / impatient / in between outspoken / reserved / in between leader / follower / in between empathic / unempathic / in between optimistic / pessimistic / in between traditional / modern / in between hard-working / lazy / in between cultured / uncultured / in between loyal / disloyal / unknown / in between faithful / unfaithful / unknown / in between

Additional Information ––– –

SMOKING HABIT: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess DRUGS: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess ALCOHOL: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

Flaws

moody | short-tempered | emotionally unstable | whiny controlling | conceited | possessive | paranoid | liar impatient | cowardly | bitter | selfish | power-hungry greedy | lazy | judgmental | forgetful | impulsive spiteful | stubborn | sadistic | petty | unlucky

Strengths

honest | trustworthy | thoughtful | caring | brave patient | selfless | ambitious | tolerant | lucky intelligent | confident | focused | humble | generous merciful | observant | wise | clever | charming cheerful | optimistic | decisive | adaptive | calm | loyal

RP Hooks ––– –

Lady of Ruin

Once a lady of an esteemed noble house within Quel’thalas, the fall of the house of Dawnveil’s foremost southern estate was a source of ruin that led her to the grace of the Light long ago. Those particularly embroiled in the politicking of Silvermoon’s most esteemed court may remember her as as one of the devout brides of the Radiant Flame, a cloister of high elven priestesses and a far cry from the shadowy scholar she has become. Some may even seek to reconnect with her in a search for understanding - what could have possibly led her so far from the path of righteousness?

Scholar of Shadow

Particular to studies of the shadow arts and their intersection with the deplorable whispers of the Old Gods, Aleyria’s specialization in the exploration of the realm of madness has been cause for criticism by some. As such, her inquisitive mind is ever in search of lucrative partnerships with other enterprising individuals that might lend a hand to the often dangerous ordeals she puts herself through in pursuit of knowledge. Those of fragile mind need not apply - or do, if you’ve an interest in serving as the perfect subject she needs.

Forgotten Sister

Not all that Aleyria pledges herself to are wild romps through forgotten ruins in search of artifact and antiquity. The Cult of Forgotten Shadows, the conclave of shadow priesthood that praises and idolizes the absence of the Light, is paid due pittance in her travels as a priestess. To those less inclined to seek the embrace of the Light’s warmth in healing the wounds beaten into their ragged flesh, Shadow may prove an apt companion - if you don’t mind listening to the soft whisper of her proselytizing and opening yourself to greater corruption.

OOC ––– –

Hey! I'm Nika. I'm a 28 year old witchy lady living in northeast America in the middle of the woods. I'm an amateur artist, decent writer and avid roleplayer. I'm also a gigantic goofball and a huge introvert, but if I like you, you'll know it. I’m looking for more connections for my sultry shadow priestess, Aleyria.

As I don’t find myself playing much World of Warcraft anymore, most of my RP is done through Discord. I prefer multi-paragraph roleplay but can and will adjust to my partner, and plot lines and long term RP are loved. I'm more than willing to work together on or run story arcs. I am lore-compliant, but appreciate fanon and flexibility.

► Please be 18+. I will not roleplay with you if you are not of age. Sorry, but this is to protect myself and to protect you. ► IC is not OOC. I'm not interested in being the target for frustration or sexual interest. I will block you if you make me uncomfortable. ► My time is limited. This isn't to say that I won't have time, but I have a very active life. Please be patient if I don't respond right away. ► I will play mature content and themes (violence, gore, sexuality, drug or alcohol usage, temporary imprisonment, temporary injury, etcetera). ►Please ask about long term injury or disfigurement, captivity or imprisonment and character death. (These themes should have plot associated with them, as I love my character dearly!)

If you’re interested in plotting with me, I can be contacted at Scowlet#7417.

[sweetsmellosuccess]

TIFF 2020: Days 5 & 6

Films: 5

Best Film of the Day(s): New Order

Good Joe Bell: Or, The Education of a Straight White Father. What Reinaldo Marcus Green’s film lacks in depth, it tries hard to make up for with earnestness. Mark Wahlberg plays the real-life father, who was in the process of walking across America in honor of his gay son, who committed suicide after being badly bullied in his smalltown Oregon high school, before he was accidentally hit on the road and killed in Colorado, six months into his planned two-year sojourn. The story is cut up between the present, with Joe on the road, doing terse speaking engagements (as Wahlberg plays him, the taciturn Bell isn’t much for public speaking), at local high schools and churches, and flashbacks to the past, as his son, Jadin (Reid Miller), attempts to get through his high school experience while being the subject of bullying, both in-person and via the Internet, until he reaches his breaking point. The message is certainly resonant, and Miller plays Jadin with the right amount of heartbreaking pathos, but Green’s film feels unnecessarily mechanized in order to put Joe front and center of the story (using a hallucination of Jadin at the beginning, which allows Joe to interact with him feels more than a little manipulative). Bell, with his quick temper, and impatience for anything that’s not directly to do with him, is a reasonable stand-in for exactly the type of straight white male who should be watching the film (but more than likely won’t). Wahlberg is gifted at playing this sort of character, who wants to have the full attention of everyone any point in time he chooses (“Did you hear what I said?” he asks incredulously after making an announcement and not receiving the proper praise for it). He’s a complicated dude, which the film alludes to without entirely capturing: He’s ready to fight at a moment’s notice, but shies away from directly confronting any of Jadin’s tormentors; has the good intention to take action to draw attention to the problem, but doesn't seem the least bit prepared to give a speech that really makes an impact (one detail the film does make work: His manner of saying “I love you” to his wife or sons, but only as a way of getting them to say it back to him). Connie Britton plays Lola, Jadin’s mother, a largely thankless role as the nurturer of the family, loving both her sons (Jadin’s brother Joseph is played by Maxwell Jenkins), and staying supportive no matter their father’s attitude. Near the end of his journey, as Joe begins to see the true folly of his ways, he meets a Sheriff (Gary Sinise), whose oldest son is also gay, which allows the two men to sit on the front porch of the sheriff’s house and contemplate the ways in which their lives didn’t go as expected. It’s clearly meant for the kick-ass Wahlberg audience (as Jadin says earlier in the film, they’re the actual problem), but I very much doubt they will be heading in droves to see it.

New Order: Meet the new boss, only in Michel Franco’s damning portrait of a society locked forever in cycles of oppression, revolution, and new oppression, it makes no difference who you are, what your belief system is, or whether or not you subscribe to a moral set of ethics. After an ominous opening montage of imagery largely taken from the film to come, we shortly begin at a resplendent wedding held at the city manse of a wealthy businessman for his daughter, Marianne (Naian Gonzalez Norvind), and her betrothed, Alan (Dario Yazbek Bernal). As Marianne’s mother, Pilar (Patricia Bernal) happily secrets away the envelopes carrying the new couples’ gift money in her safe, and rich and powerful families co-mingle, the distant danger of a furious revolution, lead by violent rioters raising up against the economic disparities of the city, seems at first to be light-years away. Until it isn’t. As rioters infiltrate the house, with the help of an insider, chaos reigns and bullets fly. The next morning, many people have been shot, the house has been utterly pillaged, and Marianne has been taken hostage by a rogue group of military, who snatch up wealthy-seeming refugees and hold them for ransom at an undisclosed outpost. By film’s end, Franco, working from his own screenplay, leaves no man, woman, or child unmarked. The wealthy are callous and vain, the rioters bloodthirsty and cruel, the hostage takers unbelievably greedy and horrible, and the righteous vanquished by further corruption at even higher levels of power. It’s a bit like the ending of a Coen brothers picture (Burn After Reading comes to mind), in which all loose ends are closed, and few, if any, people are any the wiser for it; only, there’s nothing the least bit arch in Franco’s thrown gauntlet: We aren’t spared the worst of it by indelible Coens’ proxies. We are all to blame, it would seem, and it has nothing to do with original sin: Our conniving, violent nature will undo any and all attempts to curb it. Insatiable avarice is our continual undoing, washing over us like the green paint the rioters hurl at passing cars and pedestrians, marking them as the enemy. In Franco’s thunderous film, nobody emerges unscathed; we’re all set on fire.

Wildfire: It’s a hoary Hollywood staple to substitute individuals as emotional stand-ins to capture the direness of historic catastrophic events, scaling everything down so we care more about the couple in star-crossed love than the war going on all around them. In Cathy Brady’s Irish drama, however, a pair of sisters are reunited after a year’s absence in the North Ireland bordertown in which they grew up, products of the uneasy peace, post-Troubles, in which everyone is meant to get along as one country, though hard feelings still abound. Kelly (Nika McGuigan) returns to the staid home of her sister, Lauren (Nora-Jane Noone), after taking off on her own the year before, and, by all appearances, living as a vagabond. Initially thrilled to have her sister back, Lauren is also still angry with her for taking off suddenly and not making any contact since. When the girls were little, their father was killed in a political bombing, and their mother might have committed suicide as a result (the car accident that killed her was, apparently, suspicious). Left to their own devices, then, they developed a fierce protective shell against any outsiders, including, it turns out Lauren’s increasingly concerned husband (Martin McCann), and longtime family friend Veronica (Joanne Crawford). The film changes gears when Lauren finally accepts Kelly again, and the two reform their partnership as intense as it was before. As the film points out, in a real sense, they are all each other truly have in the aftermath of their tragic childhood. The film clicks better into focus as well in its final act, when the sisters are reunited against all comers, and the world around them is better revealed for what it is: They represent the schism still very much a part of their community that no one else wants to see. Instead, people hang about in bars, or at work, nursing the bitternesses and hurts of the Troubles in private, and putting their public energy to getting along. Kelly, with her wildnesses and significant impulse control issues (trying to teach a young boy how to hold his breath underwater is, perhaps, not best accomplished by holding him down until he begins to panic), is at least honest with her feelings, open to her various wounds, and refusing to put the past behind them. Their mother gets referred to as “crazy” in the town’s estimation, but it’s more likely she, like her two daughters, represents the clear-eyed view of someone who refuses to live in denial.

Concrete Cowboy: Philadelphia as an open prairie has a nice vibe, and Ricky Staub’s film about a troubled teen who mother takes him from Detroit to where his father, an urban cowboy, lives in North Philly in hopes to setting the kid straight, is made with genuine care and gets solid performances from its mixture of professional and amateur actors. If this sounds like faintly damning praise, it’s only because despite its strengths, it still feels like a great set-up in search of a suitable story. Based on the real-life Fletcher Street stables (and the novel from Greg Neri), in which locals on the rough streets of the city shelter and take care of a group of horses for the sheer love of riding, the story follows the difficult maturation of Cole (Caleb McLaughlin), a decent enough kid, but searching for his place in the world, and the tough-love tactics of his dad, Harp (Idris Elba), a longtime cowboy, who hasn’t been in his son’s life in more than a decade. Cole starts out hating everything about his new situation, from Harp’s barebones lifestyle (not only are the cupboards empty, and the fridge filled with nothing but Coke and Bud Light, Harp keeps one of his horses in the living room, sharing it with his son), to being forced to muck the stalls out at the stables to earn his chance to ride, takes up with an old friend, Smush (Jharrel Jerome), a charismatic kid caught up in the drug life. Naturally, Cole’s choice comes down to which sort of life he wants to have, his father’s hardscrabble but honest approach (made more attractive when Cole develops a bond with his own horse, Boo), or Smush’s push for increased market share and more money to buy his own piece of land out West. Shot on location in North Philly, and around the city  —  one shot, in which Cole sits astride boo in full silhouette against a mottled purple sky, the lampposts standing in for saguaros, hits just the right note -- Staub’s film has a properly gritty texture, and the use of some of the real Fletcher cowboys adds further verisimilitude, but the story moves predictably enough, beat-by-beat, that it doesn’t hit with the potency it might have been capable of with a less predictable narrative arc.  

In a year of bizarre happenings, and altered realities, TIFF has shifted its gears to a significantly paired down virtual festival. Thus, U.S. film critics are regulated to watching the international offerings from our own living room couches.

[lilietsblog]

when I said I was going to go do that did yall think I was joking because I wasn’t

I know almost nothing about precure (which is what the character creator is apparently based on) but IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY COOL NEW MAGICAL GIRL OCS ANYWAY

left to right, these are Hana, Kira and Nika

Hana wields the element of Darkness: dampening others’ powers, literally shutting out light (she can still see / sense things herself) and occasionally influencing / dampening people’s thoughts / emotions. Calming people down, derailing trains of thought, up to and including actual memory wipes. Her power has pretty much no offensive element, but she’s a support powerhouse and can literally handle a fight by herself by slowly winding it down to the end

Kira wields the element of Fire: literally setting things on fire, raising temperature of an area or an object, manipulating existing fires; on an emotional level, distracting people and pissing them off (specifically as a power effect, essentially drawing aggro); and finally, speeding herself up and resistance to heat which  extends to her post-transformation outfit. Her power is very strongly offensive but her only defense (other than ‘offense is the best defense’) is mobility, so she still needs others’ support to be safe in a fight.

Nika wields the element of Ice: creating ice out of thin air, lowering temperature of objects and areas, resistance to cold; on a more abstract level, she can ‘freeze herself out of reality’, which has a number of effects which she can turn up and down to a degree: - lowering the impact others’ powers have on her, while her own power remains at the same strength if a bit more difficult to control; - making herself harder to both notice and remember, ‘fading’ out of reality on perception level; - reducing the impact of physical interactions with the world, up to being able to literally pass through solid objects. Her power is versatile both offense and defense wise, but has a number of drawbacks that make it her strong preference to not fight alone.

Their powers have interactions, intuitively obvious for Nika and Kira together (manipulating temperatures of anything freely in any direction, creating water) (Kira herself cannot put out fires she starts, only move them around, and Nika cannot reduce the amount of ice she’s already created) and significantly more abstract for Hana. The intertwine of her power and Kira’s enables them to heal people, and the intertwine of her power and Nika’s enables them to mend objects - and on the other end of the spectrum, she can make both Kira’s flames and Nika’s ice more deadly/injurious/destructive, basically reducing resistances living creatures and objects have to them.

Their powers ‘wind up’ as they use them, and the longer the fight, the bigger guns they’re able to pull, often surprising themselves (and occasionally putting themselves in danger). All three of them have a connection to a ‘plane’ of their element, and can fly by forging a ‘path’ through the air that brings in some of that plane into the real world, enabling them to move through it freely. Hana uses this ability most freely, in no small part due to essential harmlessness of her element: she can practice with impunity, without worrying about either killing something with frost or setting anything on fire. Kira makes up for lack of practice with enthusiasm, counting on the interaction of her power and Nika’s to cancel out her ‘heat trail’, and Nika prefers to stay on the ground or make ice ‘platforms’ to run/jump across (their inherent connection to their plane prevents her from slipping or losing her balance)

After a bit of practice with transformation, all three of them are capable of using their powers while detransformed; however, as far as the ‘winding up’ effect goes, they start at a very, very low level of strength - transformation essentially jump starts it, along with giving them stylish looks. There’s more to it, however: the mechanism by which it does that is by making them less human and closer to an ‘elemental’ of their element, which can have a number of drawbacks,which grow as their power winds up. This is particularly noticable for Nika, who is not a fan of the effect ‘fading out’ has on her despite appreciating its utility. The most immediate and noticable effect is on their emotions. Ironically, to a degree, this is most harmless for Hana, who simply becomes more tranquil and less capable of focus as a counterbalance to her perception expanding otherwise, and she actually likes this state. Kira’s expanding connection to her element makes her more reckless, prone to tunnel vision and less empathetic; she makes sure to focus on listening to her teammates’ directions as her power grows. The effect on Nika is weaker than the other two if she doesn’t ‘fade out’ and stronger if she does, leaving her more consciously aware of it: it dissolves her attachments and strong emotions, figuratively freezing her heart. For all three of them, going too far into this state can lead to losing themselves, their identities and memories, and while detransforming restores them to a baseline human state, it’s still a traumatic experience. As their control over their power grows, they’re able to access higher levels of strength with less emotional blowback, and control the speed at which their power ‘winds up’, allowing them to possibly spend days at a time at a just-post-transformation baseline or wind up to the highest safe tier within minutes.

Their transformation trinkets take shape of friendship bracelets, which change their design with time based on their growth / emotional states. Originally they were actual friendship bracelets the three made together. They were not very close friends, but their shared affinity for magic brought them together until they made a physical embodiment of this connection, which then became a physical embodiment of their connection to magic, too.

As far as interpersonal dynamics go, Nika is kind of the ‘center’ of the team in that she’s the person both Kira and Hana are unambiguously friends with. She’s sweet, nice and non-confrontational, and cares about harmony between the three of them more than anything. Kira has aspirations of a leader, coming up with plans and pushing the group to be more proactive, while Hana acts as a check on her overflowing initiative, holding her back and serving as a voice of reason, which frequently leads to tension between the two of them. Their respect for each other grows with time, but they still occasionally have difficulty overcoming their stubborn natures and communicating properly without Nika to serve as a mediator.

(without Kira, Hana and Nika tend to sit on their hands and wait for ideas/fights/initiative to come to them, and have to deliberately and determinedly collaborate to actually come up with a proactive plan)

(without Hana, Kira pulls pliant Nika along into all kinds of explosive trouble, that they coincidentally cannot easily mend side effects of without Hana’s powers, and have to go through a lot of trouble to at least mitigate)

Their transformation does not affect their facial features and body shapes (other than giving them animal attributes) but it significantly alters both their hairstyle and manner of dressing. Kira’s style is actually most similar to her post-transformation one, as she likes wearing girly but practical clothes, with cute wide skirts with modesty shorts underneath as a staple; but her hair is cut short, without bangs, which makes her look significantly enough different to be just short of unrecognizable from a distance. Hana’s hair is usually up in elaborate ‘dos, similar to Nika’s post-transformation one, and her parents tend to dress her in overly feminine (to her taste) jewel-toned clothes that look nothing like her post-transformation outfit. Nika simply has no sense of style / fashion sense / ability to dress herself, and usually wears jeans & cartoon t-shirts with her hair in a simple braid and her bangs clipped back. For all three girls, their post-transformation outfits are essentially how they’d like to dress if neither practicality nor other people’s opinions were a concern.

Their animal attributes do have significance beyond making them even cuter, and symbolize their connection to specific presiding deities. This connection is independent of their element and is in fact specifically the thing that allows them to control it, transform back and forth and not succumb instantly to all their personality and memories dissolving in it (which is what tends to happen to people forcibly connected to an element without an additional tether like that, sometimes reversibly and sometimes not). Nika and Kira are both in the domain of the Fox, while Hana is in the domain of the Rabbit. Fox is more proactive and generally benevolent, but can get them in trouble that requires Hana, backed by her more passive and disinterested (less helpful but also less obstructive) patron, to pull them out of.

Fox is the one that manifests as their ‘mentor’ at the very beginning, although she loses interest / forgets about them / gets distracted fairly frequently, so they still have to find their own path for the most part. It actually takes a lot of time before the girls even learn that Rabbit exists, much less has any kind of connection to their team (Fox neglects to explain that, along with many other things she deems irrelevant / inconvenient / funnier if they don’t know).

Yes, Kira’s hair really IS that color. People tend to assume she dyes it (yes, she’s like 12, but it just fits really naturally as an assumption about her that she would), but actually she doesn’t, it’s just a severe case of Protagonist Syndrome (no thanks to Fox’s sense of humor). Even though she’s, uh, not the actual protagonist, that’d be Nika XD

The setting is a fictional world in which magic / deities and spirits are marginally more known about, but the girls still maintain secret identities. Part of the reason is that the very first fight ends with their opponent promising to track them down and make their lives hell; part is that they aren’t crazy about the idea of taking responsibility for all the collateral damage (sure, they eventually get the hang of minimizing and mending it, but not immediately, and there’s always still some left). Hana’s powers are definitely immediately helpful with the secret identities, yes. Nevertheless, their parents figure it out fairly fast, but as they’re literally backed/guided by deities, don’t try to stop them. Hana’s pretend nothing is happening, Kira’s just take it in stride like ‘we always knew something like this was going to happen, she’s Just Like That’, and Nika’s try their best to be supportive and helpful, even if they take their time revealing that actually yeah they do know about her big secret).