#With 4 main... factions

[pathfinderlittleduck]

[kittykatinabag]

Mark my words, the next country/area we're getting in Infinity Nikki is Cicia.

[amelikos]

This week's episode is written by Kureha Matsuzawa.. I expect a small scene towards the end of the episode showing the Explorers side of things to establish where this chapter will be heading for them.

The show has been pretty consistent with their appearances every chapter (featuring them at the beginning, middle, and climax of each chapter), so I guess we'll see Amethio's side of things this week? He was featured in the promotional poster for Rayquaza Rising, so he has to appear at some point anyway. I think it'll be pretty similar to HZ026 (opening episode of chapter 2, which was also written by Kureha Matsuzawa). That episode mostly showcased Liko and Terapagos, and Liko deciding to take Terapagos to Rakua and asking everyone for their help. Amethio was shown at the end of that episode in contrast to Liko's situation, etc. I wonder what Amethio's resolve will be for the upcoming chapter.

[dykedvonte]

I am just now realizing how many side quest and dlc quests deal with reuniting family members in Fallout 4.

So many of the radiant quest for the minute men require you to save a kidnap family member, to talk to a grieving family that wants you to bring them back even if it’s just a part of them or memento. So many people tell you the reason they exist is for someone they lost or are scared of losing. Fallout 4 deals with loss in so many ways but it all becomes even more sorrowful because it’s the sole survivor dealing with all of it.

There’s a futility in it all. It’s constant lose and hopelessness from people who know this is just how life is now. That they see that families being torn apart is so normalized. How much are they fearing for Shaun? For the companions they’ve come to know as family? They rarely can comment past acknowledging a mutual understanding but they would probably have so much more to say, to ask.

Fallout 4 really lacks on that part. The sole survivor rarely feels like a frantic new parent looking for their stolen infant in a world where so few people bat an eye to things like that. I want something raw and visceral. It’s the one time I’d actually like an over the top cutscene depicting grief or just a focus on their eternal thoughts.

[chaosbloot]

Good lord, it was like midnight when I drew this. I didn't mean for them to look so tired.

[vault81]

just learned that the Brotherhood of Steel has the most quests for a faction in the game (19) compared to the Minutemen (14), the Railroad (15) and the Institute (12)

[aprylx]

SolMedic/Fruit Scones Fic

Just wanted to advertise my main fic - yes I don't just do oneshots. Its gonna have around 25 chapter, give or take. But here it is:

'You Know You Gotta Help Me Out'

"From respawn failures to enemy medics, soldier didn't know where he stood in this war."

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49563040/chapters/125090959

Song; 'All The Things That I Have Done' - The Killers

[fallout-fallen-knight]

one of the main factions in fallout 4 should have been a religious organization dedicated to the protection and maintenance of a giant tank of molasses

[sleepdeprivedartboi]

One thing I appreciate star wars for always showing consistently is that 95% of all Jedi can't help but be good.

Like this isn't a matter of just being a good person or being trained to be a good person. They literally cannot help but be compassionate and caring. Even when they are doing wrong things, like in acolyte, it is still out of good intentions. It was a huge misunderstanding of course, but they just want everything to be good, which is an unrealistic goal and sometimes that results in bad things because of point of views.

But I can appreciate the fact that not a single fucking Jedi in the entirety of star wars wasn't good when presented with the opportunity. (Pong krell does not count and he can suck my dick) They simply couldn't help it, as the grand inquisitor says in Kenobi. The smart thing would be to not be involved, but even when they are being ACTIVELY HUNTED, They cannot stop themselves from butting in and helping others. Obi wan tried , but ended up helping, Cal tried to hide, ended up exposing himself to save someone, Ezra and Kanan, Ahsoka, Quinlan voss, and these are just the main people , who knows how many other survivors tried to help and ended up sacrificing themselves just so like 3-4 innocents could live. They didn't do anything on a grand scale, but those little acts of kindness probably helped hope from dying out completely.

The Jedi are the literal embodiment of hope and goodness and I fucking love that. Despite everything, and all the defamation palpatine did, the people still considered Jedi good.

Like you know shit is bad when even the criminals are like "the empire is had for business, the Jedi were better"

And i appreciate it. The galaxy is a harsh place, and so is the real world. So it's wonderful seeing a faction that is just good. Sure they made mistakes with Anakin and some other times but like that's upto the people imo, not them as a whole. Where there is pong krell, there is also mace windu, there is also obi wan and Yoda .

And I appreciate them for showing this consistently. Do they make mistakes, yes everyone does. But they were completely finessed by palpatine into losing their way and they STILL managed to do their best.

I am a proud Jedi sympathiser and will probably be executed for that in the empire.

[the-one-and-only-elita]

One thing that I absolutely love about TFOne's writing is that it manages to avoid a lot of the heavier criticism I've seen regarding MegOp's hero/villain dynamic over the years (trust me, the mid-2010s TF discourse was crazy)

*Spoilers Below*

First of all, the narrative benefits so much from the main 4 cast members all being a part of the same exploited mining class. So many takes on MegOp have Orion being of a higher status (an archivist, a cop, etc) while Megatron is much lower down on the social latter (a miner, a gladiator, often in the context of being a slave).

I've seen many people be put off by this, because it feels as if Megs is being villianized for being rightfully angry at the system that deeply harmed and exploited him, while Orion/Optimus is praised for taking a more pacifistic stance despite him not suffering as much from or in some ways even benefiting from the system he claims to oppose. I don't find their dynamic to be as simple as that, and I do find these takes to be a bit reductive, but I do very much see where they are coming from.

I am definitely one of those people who's very frustrated with the way pacifism is hailed as the one true path of morality, and the inherent implication that taking any sort of revenge on the people who abused/exploited you makes you just as bad as them. Also, Marvel's particular brand of demonizing any form of radical political action, despite the system clearly being broken and corrupt, but being completely unwilling to offer any other alternatives to meaningfully change things for the better.

When looking at what I described above its pretty easy to see how a lot of versions of MegOp's hero/villain dynamic unfortunately fits into that trope. Bringing it back to TFOne, you can see how Op and Meg coming from the same political/social status subverts this. The existence of Elita and Bee only further illustrates that out of the 4 people of the mining class who were all deceived, exploited, and literally mutilated in the same way it is only D-16 that completely loses himself to his rage, even to the point where he loses compassion for his own companions and disregarding the safety of the other miners (when he decides to "tears everything down" and Elita exclaims he's going to "kill everyone").

What I think I love most about the characterization in TFOne is that Orion is the radical one. Not only that, but he is praised by Elita and by extension the narrative for it. He is constantly challenging authority, and is the first to have the suspicion that their society is structured in an unjust way.

Meanwhile D-16, to be frank, is kind of a bootlicker. He fully believed in the system and that Sentinal Prime, as someone with power, had the right to decided "what was best" for those who are weaker/lesser (I wish I had the specific quote from D-16 to support this, but the movie's still in theaters). It illustrate that D-16 already held certain fascistic ideals, and that he and Orion already have fundamentally opposing moral/political values, it simply hasn't been of any consequence yet. It shows that their eventual falling out was inevitable, even if they had decided to rebuild Cybertron together.

It should also be noted that D-16's feelings of anger and betrayal do not necessarily have anything to do with the unjust system itself, but that said unjust system was predicated on a lie. Hence his fixation on deception in the post-credits scene and him naming his faction the Decepticons. Meanwhile, when Orion learns the truth he's just sort of like "yeah, I always kinda knew something was up" because again, he understood on some level that their system was predicated on injustice.

Even D-16's obsession with Megatronus Prime, while initially an endearing aspect of his character, is also an indicator of the questionably large amount of value he puts on one's strength. It foreshadows the "might makes right" ideology that the decepticons follow, and is a key part of their ideological characterization across continuities.

Instead of the narrative we often see in Transformers media were Optimus is idolized by the narrative for being more moderate and Megatron is villiainized for being radical (or so people often claim), it is instead Optimus who is rewarded and praised by the narrative for being radical, and Megatron who is villainized and punished by the narrative for holding potentially fascistic values.

I do agree with some criticism I've seen that the whole thing with killing Sentinel and D-16's final turn into villainy felt a bit rushed and more than a little cliche, but I also understand it both had a limited runtime and that it is ultimately a family film meant to be accessible to children. More importantly though, I think the movie set the groundwork early on that, no matter how this final act played out, D-16 was always going to turn to darkness, and Orion would not have been able to stop him.

Its perfectly tragic, the way all MegOp should be, while also feeling really well thought out from a thematic standpoint. I love it.

[ellswritings]

In My Corner

Part 1, (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4)

Phil Brooks/CM Punk x reader

Colby Lopez/Seth Rollins x reader

TW: Angst, Shield betrayal, Dean leaving WWE, Vince being manipulative (very brief), that’s it for now :).

Tags: @reebs-luvs-rhodes-and-wrestling

✧･ﾟ:*ᴵ’ᵐ ᵇᵉᵃᵘ ᵗᶦᶠᵘˡ (ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)*:･ﾟ✧*

It didn’t make sense.

It has been over a decade since Y/S/N and CM Punk have been partners. The two of them took WWE by storm. Not only as singles competitors, but as a mixed tag team as well. They fought many battles side by side and they fit quite well together despite the eight year age difference.

They had each other's backs constantly, in kayfabe and outside of it. Phil and Y/N’s characters were close and so were they. Due to the close nature of their stories, they spent thousands and thousands of hours together. They were what peanut butter is to jelly, what butter is to popcorn, they just meshed seamlessly.

Until Phil left the company.

She never blamed him for the decision. If she had the same level of courage he did at the time, she probably would’ve left too. But she had fought tooth and nail to get to the top. She had battled her way through the indies after her time in OVW and when she finally got to try out, it had finally felt like every sacrifice she made was worth it.

So when things got bad between management and Phil, she didn’t know what to do. Y/N knew Phil was right. Everyone knew. But no one was brave enough to say anything except him. She couldn’t give up everything she had built. She loved wrestling and the thought of never being able to do it again terrified her.

So despite her better judgment, she kept quiet. She remained on the main roster while Phil left the company. It broke her heart watching him walk out of the ring for the last time. Especially since he cut all contact with everyone due to legal reasons. The only issue is when he could contact everyone again, he never reached out to her.

Y/N understood why. She left him high and dry. But they were best friends. She tried to apologize multiple times but never heard back. She can’t lie, it did make her a bit bitter. But she kept her focus on her career and the new friends she had made.

The fans missed her mixed tag matches. They loved her as a singles competitor and they still do, but they missed when she had a partner to fight along with. And that’s when Vince had the bright idea to place her with the most popular faction in the company.

The Shield.

Joe, Colby, and Jonathan welcomed Y/N with open arms. She brought a certain balance to their chaotic group while simultaneously adding to it at the same time. They grew close in a very short amount of time, the three of them being there for her in the absence of Phil. She vented her frustrations to them, her anger at Phil for leaving and simply never reaching out again. Like their friendship meant nothing.

They were all angry for her. None of them could understand how Brooks could just never speak to her again. Y/N had to be one of the best if not the best person in the locker room, inside and out. It didn’t make sense how he could walk away and never try to hear her side of things.

So the three men became fiercely protective of her, and she them. They worked as a unit, cohesive in every way. In the beginning, Y/N was worried being a part of a team like this would remind her of Phil, but The Shield was vastly different. The aspect of teamwork was the same, of course, but the way they operated was different from how she and Phil did. Neither of them being worse or better than the other, just different. She never forgot how much she missed the Second City Saint, but being with her boys distracted her enough that missing him wasn’t as painful anymore.

The Shield stood on business. They were as close on screen as they were backstage. Jokes ran through the locker room and through the fans that Y/N was the unofficial “leader” of the faction despite her late entry into the group. It made them laugh because they never really thought or cared enough to determine who would be in charge. She does tend to cut more promos than they guys but that’s simply because she has the gift of gab. She could keep an audience captivated with her words for hours. Perhaps that’s where the misconception came in. But they all did their part. She just happened to talk more than them on some days.

Y/N loved standing with them at ringside during their matches and they loved standing with her. They easily became four of the most adored people in WWE. Y/N remembers a particular show where they were in Houston Texas and more than half the stadium was sporting some form of their merchandise.

They were on fire.

So it came as a surprise when the writers and Vince pitched the idea to break up the group through Colby’s character Seth Rollins. They were all rather heartbroken over the news, but the angle they were playing at was that they wanted to push all four of them more as singles competitors because of how popular they became over such a short time period. Y/N was already on track to go after the Divas championship and it wouldn’t be hard to push the guys to win their own titles too.

However, the way they went about splitting up the group had to sting worst of all. Seth had to defect from the group to join the Authority by hitting Roman in the back with a steel chair and beating Dean down as well. Y/S/N wouldn’t be out in the ring for the beginning of the segment, only running out when she sees what’s happening. Once Dean and Roman are on the floor, she would slide in the ring and shield them with herself as a lasting symbol of what The Shield stood for.

Once Seth sees her, he’s supposed to look conflicted, still having a soft spot for the woman they adopted into the group after being abandoned by her old partner. It came a lot easier for Colby than he thought. To appear distraught and at war with himself. He knew that the breaking up of this group would mean they wouldn’t get to spend as much time together, and when they did it would most likely be through feuds. He had grown attached to Y/N and the guys. It was scary thinking of going on without them, but they all agreed this would be the best for all of their careers.

Still didn’t make losing their built-in family hurt any less.

For storyline purposes, Y/S/N sided with Roman and Dean. She protected them when the Authority or Seth came after them. She was very vocal about her feelings for Seth Rollins after the betrayal which led to many verbal battles in the ring. But backstage, the four of them were all still very close. Things did take a turn for the worse though when Vince started inserting himself in the writing. Whenever Y/N and Colby would be out there, he would always put something a little extra personal in the script to make the words sting even more. Neither of them were sure how Vince even knew about some of the things he would write in, but they always performed to the best of their ability.

There was one night that hit a little harder than Y/N had expected. She didn’t know about the last minute change, the excuse being they wanted to see her “genuine reaction.” Colby had no idea she hadn’t been told, but even then he was still hesitant to say what was written, but Vince assured him Y/N was fine with it.

How stupid he was to fall for that.

The way her face fell when the words left his mouth still haunts him. He should have known better. As soon as he read it, he should have went to Y/N. He should have asked her, not just taken Vince’s word.

The arena was rumbling — the kind of vibration you felt in your chest, not just your ears. Seth Rollins was already in the ring, microphone in hand, pacing slow, that familiar smug grin pulling at his mouth as the crowd hurled boos and scattered cheers his way.

Then Y/N’s music hit.

The place exploded.

She strode out onto the stage with a smirk, rolling her shoulders loose, the heavy leather jacket slung over her frame. She walked with that same cool confidence she always carried to the ring — chin high, shoulders square, eyes locked on Seth.

In the ring, Seth watched her like a lion waiting to pounce. As soon as Y/N slid under the ropes, he gave her an exaggerated slow clap.

“Ah, there she is,” Seth drawled, leaning casually against the ropes. “The queen herself.” His eyes flicked up and down, unapologetically lingering. “Looking sharp tonight, Y/S/N. Guess you do clean up nice.”

Y/N smirked, rolling her shoulders back as she slid into the ring. “Careful, Rollins. Keep talking sweet and people are gonna think you’re soft.”

He laughed, pushing off the ropes to circle her. “Oh, trust me — no one’s ever called me soft.”

Their eyes locked, a familiar heat sparking between them — the kind that wasn’t quite hate but was too sharp to be called friendship.

“Yeah, well, most people wouldn’t call turning on your family ‘strong,’” she fires back angrily. “So you’re right, maybe soft isn’t the right word to describe someone like you.” She takes a step forward, getting in his face. “I think coward is a lot more fitting.”

Ooooh! the crowd roared.

Seth’s grin twitched wider. He turned his back to her, pacing lazily across the ring. “Funny,” he said, voice light, “you talk like you’re some loyal warhorse. But you’ve always had a bad habit of jumping ship, haven’t you?”

Her smirk tightened. Careful, she thought.

Seth turned to face her fully now, eyes glinting under the lights. “I mean, sure — you’ve got Roman, you’ve got Dean… the great Shield family reunion. But let’s not pretend you were always riding with the best.”

Y/N’s grip on the mic shifted. There was a flicker of something in her chest — a tiny warning bell.

Seth tilted his head as if gauging her reaction. “Y’know, you’ve always been good at running that mouth of yours.” He leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a near purr. “It’s almost impressive, really. But it’s nothing new, is it?”

Y/N’s brow ticked, the playful glint in her eyes flickering just slightly.

Seth’s smirk deepened. “You’ve always been good at talking big, standing tall. Just like your old pal…”

He let the name hang, savoring the moment.

“C… M… Punk.”

A ripple rolled through the arena — the crowd caught between shock and thrill. They don’t mention Punk often, or at all really. No one talked about him in the ring, and his name was only brought up backstage when they knew Vince or one of his lackeys wouldn’t hear. Y/N’s heart skipped, her smile tightening as she tried to mask the jolt running through her.

Seth circled closer, his voice sharpening, playful edge twisting into something colder. “You remember him, right? The guy who carried you through your rookie days? Who gave you a shot when no one else would?” He chuckled under his breath. “Guess some things never change — you’re still riding coattails. Only difference is, Punk knew when to bail.”

For a split second, everything inside Y/N stalled.

That wasn’t in the script.

Her heart hammered once — twice — a hard thud against her ribs.

She masked it fast, forcing a tilt of her head, a cool smile. “Careful, Seth,” she said softly, even though her fingers had gone cold around the mic.

But Seth had already stepped in. Already smelled the blood. “You remember him, don’t you?” he murmured, almost tenderly. “The man you stood beside. The one you built your name with. Until things got messy. Until walking away was easier.”

Y/N’s fingers tightened around the mic.

“And when it all fell apart — when he fell apart — you didn’t stand by him, Y/S/N. You didn’t fight for him. You watched him walk out that door, and you stayed.”

The audience noise was dipping, unsure, waiting.

Y/N’s throat worked, but she held the mic steady. Her mind raced — what the hell?

But Seth leaned in now, voice dropping, knife twisting. “He carried you on his back for years… and you repaid him by surviving without him. Guess that’s what you do best — survive anyone who outgrows you.” An evil chuckle escaped his lips, not realizing Y/N isn’t pretending. “Tell me… did it ever dawn on you that Punk never left WWE… he left you.”

Colby could tell that Y/N’s reaction wasn’t acting. He watched as tears began to border at her waterline. He had just rubbed salt in a wound that he, Joe, and Jonathan spent thousands of hours trying to help her heal. They had at least five more minutes of back and forth before she had to snap and attack him, but they never made it that far.

Y/N’s jaw ticked and suddenly the tears were replaced with anger. Instead of responding and continuing the promo, she marched out of the ring without so much as a glance back at him.

He knew at that point she had no idea that was added to the script. Joe and Jonathan had been watching backstage, attempting to catch Y/N before she stormed off to the locker room. She stormed through gorilla into the backstage area. Joe tried to grab her, “Y/N–”

“Don’t,” she pulls her body away from him and Jonathan before trudging over to the women’s locker room, slamming the door behind her.

From that moment on, everything felt a lot more personal. She had heard Colby out who apologized profusely for what had happened but it didn’t change the fact that Y/N was now aware of how deep Vince was willing to cut her to get a good pop.

Everything played out the way they wanted it to. Y/S/N won the Divas championship, Seth won the money in the bank and cashed in at Wrestlemania which cost Roman his title opportunity, Roman eventually got the title, and so did Dean. They were all pushed very hard despite being broken up as a group.

Over the years, storylines kept Joe and Y/N close with one another. She still went out of her way to be around Jonathan and Colby, but it was hard when they couldn’t interact as much. It also became much more difficult to connect with Colby on the level they used to after Vince started using his dialogue as a way to personally go after Y/N.

They both hated the circumstances but there was nothing either of them could do. So all Y/N did was grow tougher skin. It’s all part of the show. However, it did affect their relationship slightly. She still loved the man, but the newly formed tension always seemed to linger over them.

As time went on, their small group fractured even more when Jonathan decided to leave WWE. It was an absolute heartbreaking loss for Joe, Y/N, and Colby, but they understood why he needed to go. Over the past couple of years, the three of them had a lot more opportunities offered to them than Jonathan and he deserves more than what he was getting.

They stayed connected, but seeing each other became rare. Then when the writers proposed the Bloodline storyline with Roman and his family, Y/N knew how big that was going to be. She could see Joe leading a whole faction made up of just his family.

Until it wasn’t just his family.

Roman and Y/S/N had stayed close, done mixed tag matches, supported each other in the squared circle always. So it shouldn’t have surprised Y/N as much as it did when Joe came up to her and said he convinced Vince and the writers to include her in the Bloodline.

She didn’t understand why he wanted her, but the only thing he said was that he needed his best friend with him. That he didn’t want to lead a faction without her in it. That she was his family just as much as the rest of them.

So how could she say no?

For years Roman led the Bloodline as the Original Tribal Chief and Y/S/N stayed by his side. She fought her battles and their battles with all her heart and soul and the group ran the WWE roster. Some days Y/N would miss working closely with Colby, but she knew he didn’t need her. Not as much as Joe did.

She was almost the voice of reason for the Bloodline. The only one who could get Solo to grin without having to coax him to do it. The only person to keep Jey level headed, and the only one to continuously make jokes with Jimmy without getting on anyone’s nerves. And the most important feat of all is that she could get Roman to listen to her.

Paul Heyman was extremely grateful to have her fight the battles he wasn’t able to. When he couldn’t get the boys under control, Y/N could. Many have stepped up to their little family, and many have fallen. The only person who Y/S/N didn’t fight when they approached the Bloodline was Sami Zayn. He was a perfect fit. He brought a certain lightheartedness they all needed.

For years they helped Roman stay on top. Through the Covid era and multiple hard times, they stuck together. Unfortunately, as both Joe and Y/N have learned, nothing good seems to last. It wasn’t a surprise when it was suggested the Bloodline be broken up. Especially when Cody Rhodes came back into the picture. They had been together for a long time so it’s true the storyline started to get relatively stale.

One by one the members of the original Bloodline defected. Some came back for brief stents before taking off again. Every one of them betrayed Roman. It was, of course, to add drama to Kayfabe, but it still hurt to watch them all leave. The only two people who stuck by Roman’s side were Y/S/N and Paul Heyman.

Y/S/N made it clear from the beginning she never trusted Paul, but she did what Roman deemed as necessary. Joe and Y/N spent a lot of time together, their friendship becoming the strongest it’s ever been. Both of them held the WWE undisputed championships for their respective divisions, ruling the company with an iron fist even if they didn’t have a complete family to back them up.

However, when Survivor Series 2023 came around, Y/N was placed on Bianca Belair’s team, a close friend in and out of the ring, to fight against Damage CTRL. The two teams had been practicing their bumps for weeks, Joe even helping Y/N with some of her more difficult stunts that could seriously injure someone if not delivered correctly. She’s one of the few people Paul Levesque trusts to do the more risky moves because he knows how careful she is and how much time she’ll put in to making sure everything goes smoothly.

Bianca’s team ended up winning the battle, putting Damage CTRL in their place. The ladies were kind enough to allow Y/N to get the pin, winning the match. It was one of the best moments of her career. Hearing the pop from the audience as the five of them climb up the cage, celebrating at the top with wide smiles on their faces.

Running to the back, the first people to greet her in celebration were Joe and Colby. The latter of the two competed with Cody’s team a bit later, but he couldn’t resist watching his close friend opening the show.

“You killed it out there,” Joe says, squeezing her tightly. “I told you you’d land that corkscrew moonsault off the cage.”

“You sure you don’t have a background in Lucha?” Colby says with a teasing eyebrows as he hugs her.

“I feel like my face is buzzing,” Y/N replies, face buried in his chest. “I could probably lift a car right now.”

“Let’s not do that,” Joe pats her back, him and Colby laughing quietly.

The night went on without much issues. Y/N and Joe remained backstage. She was surprised he even came considering he wasn’t fighting tonight, but she wasn’t going to complain about having his support. When the main event came around, Y/N made her support of Cody and Colby’s team known. Especially since Joshua was on it. Joe made conversation with some other people backstage as the match continued.

Y/N smiles as Randy Orton makes his way to Gorilla, getting ready to make his big entrance. The two of them share a brief hug and quiet conversation before his music hit and he went out to join the rest of his team. Of course, Cody’s team beats the Judgement Day and Drew McIntyre, but in the midst of the celebration, a familiar static flooded the speakers in the arena.

Y/N’s blood ran cold. She had heard rumors he may come back, but she never thought it would actually happen. The woman turns on her heel and comes face to face with a man she hasn’t seen in over a decade. His familiar green eyes meet hers. It’s brief, but a whole parade of emotions crosses his face. Hurt, betrayal, remembrance, sadness, love. Y/N’s sure her expression mimics his. It was only a mere few seconds before he walked out to make his triumphant return, but in those few seconds it feels like Y/N’s entire world stopped.

Phil Brooks is back.

CM Punk has defied all odds. Hell froze over. He made it clear he would never come back. But here he is in the flesh, turning Y/N’s entire life upside down.

“Y/N…” Joe’s soft voice calls out, his hand grabbing her shoulder softly. He didn’t see everything that happened, only that she was frozen.

She’s torn out of her trance as she looks back up at her best friend, “He’s here,” her voice comes out in a whisper. “I didn’t– I didn’t think…”

“I know,” he says softly, pulling her into him.

“Did you know?” Y/N asks quietly, allowing him to hold her.

“I heard some rumors, but I didn’t think anything of it,” he admits. “If I’d have known, you’re the first person I would have told.”

“He looked right at me,” she says quietly, looking down at the floor. “Joe, I– I haven’t even spoken to him since he left.”

“And you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he tells her, lifting her chin up with his finger. “You don’t have to talk to him. You don’t owe him anything. You tried to reach out, remember? He ignored you. Him being back doesn’t change anything.”

“But that’s not true,” Y/N tells him, crossing her arms over her chest. That’s when the sound of everyone from the final fight comes barreling through the curtain to join everyone else backstage. Joe pulls them aside so they’re not in anyone’s way. “This changes everything. Especially if he starts bringing up the past.”

“And if he does, I’ll be right behind you,” he reassures her.

That’s when Colby comes charging towards them, an irritated look on his face. He looks like he’s about to tear into someone, but that’s when he notices the panic on Y/N’s face, and the angry rant he was about to go on disappears from his mind. A small exhale leaves his lips as he grabs Y/N’s hand. “Are you okay?”

Y/N nods, but her eyes travel over to Phil who’s standing next to Randy and Paul Levesque as everyone begins to welcome him back. “Just a bit surprised is all,” she admits.

“Surprised is one word for it…” Colby grumbles before glancing up at Joe, “Did Heyman know?” He asks, eyes still blazing with barely contained fury. “He’s got eyes and ears everywhere and I know damn well he would have told you of all people the second he found out.”

“He just told me there were talks of him wanting to come back,” Joe says, a scowl forming on his face at Colby’s tone. “There was never a confirmation. They must’ve kept it quiet.”

“How convenient,” Colby scoffs. “Guess that little rat of yours isn’t as helpful as we all thought.”

“Guys,” Y/N stops them, her eyes still flickering over to the corner where her old friend stands. “He’s here. He’s signed. Fighting over who knows what isn’t going to change it.”

“I haven’t worked my ass off for the past ten years just for him to waltz back in here and try to take all the glory,” Colby says angrily. “I looked up to that asshole once upon a time. But he’s hurt too many people I care about and shit on this company for far too long. He doesn’t get to just come back and act like he’s helped build this into what it is today.”

Y/N watched the anger rise in Colby like a tide he couldn’t hold back. His fists were clenched, jaw tight. She knew this part of him well — not the performer, but the friend who felt things too deeply and hated when people he loved got hurt.

“I know,” she said gently. “Trust me, I know. But we can’t change that he’s back. All we can control is what we do from here.”

Colby looked at her, then at Joe. He opened his mouth to say something, but the roar of the crowd from the arena still echoed faintly through the concrete halls, and it was enough to make him pause. Instead, he just nodded — not in agreement, but in understanding.

Joe took a slow breath beside them, his voice low. “What do you want to do, Y/N?”

“I want to breathe,” she whispered. “I need to clear my head before I do something stupid. Like confront him while my heart’s still racing.”

Colby moved in front of her, his hands resting on her shoulders. “Then we’ll get you out of here. He’s doing his welcome-back rounds with the suits and the veterans. He won’t notice if you slip away.”

Y/N’s head nods along with his words, her mind telling her to walk away, but she can’t seem to tear her eyes away from him. The man she once loved more than anything in the world is standing just a mere few feet away. He’s surrounded by executives and legends and people who used to mean something to them both. He looked a little older, a little worn around the edges, but those eyes — they were the same.

And then suddenly they were looking right at her.

Not for long. Just a second. Barely more than a blink.

But it was enough.

Her chest tightened as a thousand memories flooded her all at once — late nights in hotel rooms, bruised knuckles and whispered promises, the warmth of his hoodie after a long match, and the bitter sound of silence when he was gone.

“Y/N,” Colby said again, his voice lower this time, more urgent.

Joe gently touched her elbow. “Let’s go. You don’t have to do this here.”

She nodded before she even realized she had. Her body moved before her brain caught up, letting them guide her out of the hallway and down a quieter corridor. Away from the crowd. Away from him.

Behind her, she swore she could feel his gaze lingering.

As they walked, they ended up in one of the smaller lounges tucked near production. Colby paced. Joe stood with his arms folded across his chest, jaw tense.

Y/N sat on a crate, elbows on her knees, trying to regulate her breathing.

“He was going to walk over,” Joe said. “I saw it in his eyes.”

Colby let out a humorless laugh. “Not on my watch.”

“He didn’t look angry,” she murmured, eyes distant. “He just… looked. Like he wasn’t sure if I was real.”

“Yeah, well, he does have a habit of leaving people behind and forgetting they exist,” Colby snapped.

Y/N shot him a look.

He sighed. “Sorry. That was too far.”

Joe finally spoke again. “You want to talk about it?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. If I open that box, I don’t know what’ll come out.”

Colby crouched in front of her, resting his arms on his knees. “We’ve got you. No matter what happens.”

“I know,” she whispered. Her voice cracked. “I just… I really thought I was done with this part of my life.”

“You were,” Joe said gently. “Until he stepped back in.”

Y/N leaned back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. “I don’t want him to talk to me.”

“Then he won’t,” Colby said, without hesitation. “We’ll make sure of it.”

There was a pause. Then Y/N let out a shaky breath. “But what if I do? What if… some part of me still wants to hear what he has to say?”

Colby didn’t answer right away. His throat bobbed.

“You don’t have to decide that tonight,” he finally said. “He’s here. He’s not going anywhere. And neither are we.”

Y/N looked at him — really looked at him — and for a second, she forgot about Phil.

That’s when Joe’s phone begins to buzz. Each one right after the other in rapid succession. He sighed and pulled it out of his pocket, reading the screen before glancing at the two of them. “It’s Galina ,” he muttered. “She’s got the kids tonight. I should call her back.”

Y/N gave him a soft smile. “Go. We’ll be okay.”

He hesitated for a second, looking between her and Colby — clearly reluctant to leave, but trusting them. “You sure?”

“Promise,” she said gently.

Joe nodded and stepped out of the lounge, pulling the door closed behind him.

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward.

But it wasn’t comfortable either.

Y/N kept her eyes on the floor for a moment, then finally glanced up at Colby. “You don’t have to hover. I’m not going to go running down the hallway after him or anything.”

Colby’s mouth quirked at the corner, but his voice was soft. “I know. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Then why are you?”

His brow furrowed at the question, caught off guard by its sincerity. For a moment he didn’t answer — just looked at her the way he always did when he was deciding whether to lie or not.

He didn’t.

“Because when I saw your face back there… it scared the shit out of me.”

Y/N blinked.

“You looked like you saw a ghost. Or like you’d been hit by a truck and were trying to pretend you were fine. And I just—” He rubbed a hand across his jaw, suddenly restless. “I’ve seen you hurt before. In matches, on the road, after bad bookings. I’ve seen you furious. I’ve seen you drunk off your ass in the middle of nowhere crying about a botched promo. But I’ve never seen you like that.”

Y/N’s chest tightened again.

She looked down, twisting the rings on her fingers. “I didn’t know it was going to affect me like that.”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “Me neither.”

She glanced up again, and this time his eyes didn’t move.

They held hers.

And for a moment — just one — the weight of everything else melted away. The buzz of the arena. The ghost of a man standing fifty feet down the hallway. Even the sound of Joe’s voice echoing outside the door disappeared.

It was just them.

Y/N felt the heat first. In her cheeks, in her throat. That flicker of something she hadn’t dared name before. Not with Colby. Not after everything else.

But it was there.

Undeniable.

She broke the silence first, her voice quieter than before. “Colby…”

He didn’t move closer, but he didn’t back away either. “I’m not going to push you,” he said, as if reading her mind. “I just need you to know… I’ve got you. No matter what happens with him. No matter how complicated it gets. You’re not alone.”

Her breath caught in her throat.

She could feel herself teetering on the edge of something.

Colby’s hand drifted toward hers — not quite touching, but close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his skin.

And she wanted to reach out. Wanted to close the gap.

But not tonight.

Not with Phil still echoing in her chest like a heartbeat she thought she’d buried.

So she looked at him — really looked at him — and whispered, “Thank you.”

Colby nodded, the air thick between them.

“I meant it,” he said. “We’ve got time. I’m not going anywhere.”

And for once, she believed him.

[bad-system]

— let's talk KCD3

i finally collect my thoughts and speculations on the possible continuation of the KCD franchise in this post - but please march into this knowing these are speculations born of my own biased narrative and hopeful bastardizations of real events. unlike KCD, i will try to adhere to the real life dates provided primarily by wikipedia as no dates or years were specified for KCD3. and finally - this is only a speculation of what a KCD3 plot might look like IF it was confirmed. as of today's date, no confirmations about the sequel of the games has been announced. PS: i am not a historian. i just like history.

PART: 1 2 3 4 5

_________

my primary speculations will be aimed at the main protagonists of the KCD franchise - henry of skalitz and hans capon (jan ptaček of pirkštejn) with the assumed relationship between them being romantic post KCD2.

— jan hus

the reason i find myself making this theory at all is because a couple of very important things are about to happen in a very close future in bohemia. among political tensions that followed wenceslaus iv with every step and the beginning of the anti-church sentiments sown by one jan hus, the next 10-20 years will turn out to be formative for the future of bohemia.

to be extremely brief, jan hus' teachings targeted the body of church as a whole, denouncing the popes, bishops, priests and the acts of paying for any kind of dissolution of sins. jan hus believed church to be leeches who got rich off of poor people and demanded the clergy to be stripped of any worldly possessions if they wanted to preach. he also believed only jesus christ and the lord could be the judges of sin; that no body of church could sell forgiveness or blessings.

— hussites

following the teachings of jan hus, the hussites emerged as soldiers from the commonfolk following the death of jan hus in 1415 (burned at stake). two prominent factions formed within hussites - the radical taborites and the moderate utraquists.

it was in the taborites that jan žižka emerged as a prominent figure, and he had made his first significant mark on history in 1419 when he participated in the first defenestration of prague.

so, as you can see, there was a significant gap between jan žižka's time as a roadside bandit in 1403 and his rise to fame in 1420s. that had been in part because it is speculated he had been serving as a king's courtier to king wenceslaus iv and his family. (funny detail; at some point wenceslaus calls žižka "faithful and beloved" in a special letter LOL)

_________

— and your're still reading this probably wondering "where is the part where he talks about hansry" but worry not, it is here.

if you checked hans capon's (jan ptaček) wiki you would have seen that later on, he follows the lead of his poweful neighbour petr of šternberk on the anti-hussite and pro-sigismund side. petr of šternberk was prominently pro-sigismund, had very strong anti-hussite views and was a famous hussite killer and enemy of jan žižka. hans will do this for reasons unknown to us and reasons that the game will probably improvise on.

this is where i would put the heart of henry and hans' conflict. both henry and hans have been vocally and actively pro-wenceslaus since KCD1, which would also translate into being pro-hussite in the future.

here is also where i mention the not so subtle moment in KCD2 when žižka approaches henry with the offer to join the fight by his side, because that was very deliberate and sets us up pretty well for the next installment of the game if it comes to be.

this is also the point i would consider crucial to the testament of henry's character. up to this point, henry had been following people; radzig, hanush, hans, jobst, prokop, john of lichstenstein on the side of wenceslaus. i think it would be important for henry to decisively choose a side in this conflict, not only because it was sigismund's forces that razed skalitz, but also because this is a cause he himself believes in rather than follows for the sake of loyalty or revenge. and i'll say - those are both valid motives, but i feel like it would mean a lot more and feel like a big step in his character development to choose a fight he believes in rather than feels obligated to.

thus i believe henry would join the side of jan žižka and subsequently hussites.

but wait! it gets better. henry's own father, radzig kobyla, would go on to join jan žižka in waging guerilla campaigns against the rosenbergs while in service of king wenceslaus. i believe this was happening during the years 1406—1411. so, henry running with this band would make a lot of sense to me from the perspective of both henry's motives and loyalties. so by the year 1419, which i'm naming now for malevolent reasons i will reveal further down, henry would be established as not only pro-wenceslaus but also as a hussite in the coming years.

and now you're probably wondering "but what about hans and henry kissing?" well. the story of KCD is about henry more than hans, and i believe the emergence of anti-sigismund movements that henry would be required at just as hans is about to be conveniently married off presents the story with an opportunity to separate hans and henry for a while, and sets us up with the heartbreaking promises of "i'll come back for you," while hans settles in as the new lord of pirkstein if the game lore allows it. we do not know whether warhorse will follow the timeline of wikipedia on the matters of hanush refusing to give up his estates to the rightful heir, hans capon, or whether they'll force hanush to hand the estates over to hans in the coming years when his son is born.

if that does happen, hans would be presented with the opportunity to show what he's learned about responsibilities during the events of KCD2 as a newly appointed lord of his own estate.

thus, henry is whisked off to fight for the king, father and the people as hans takes over his lordly and familial duties as a new father if we're to believe wikipedia that his son heinrich (hynce), named after his lover henry, was born in the year 1404.

so why did i mention the year 1419?

well, for reasons you're probably not going to like.

it is my firm belief that up until the year 1416-ish henry and hans would have enjoyed eachothers company often, as lovers and as envoys of the highly politically important subjects such as john II of lichstenstein, margrave jobst and prokop, radzig kobyla, jan žižka and king wenceslaus iv himself. this probably doesn't satisfy the needs of many of you for their fluffy happy ending, but i am taking into account primarily their duties to the crown/class/people and then their romantic relationship, because that was unfortunately the hand they would most likely have been dealt.

why up until 1416?

it was in july of 1415 that jan hus was burned at the stake, and the hussites movement grew stronger than ever, to the point in 1419 where the first major hussite battle happened. battle of živohošť, an event that occured in november of 1419, was fought under the command of petr of šternberk, with hans capon in tow, as he had decided to side with his powerful neighbour as mentioned earlier.

now this would present the story with a unique opportunity of putting hans capon and henry of skalitz on opposing sides.

hans, while loyal to henry and the rest of the wenceslaus + hussites, was ultimately forced to join the side of opposition, and thus had political obligations he had to fulfill owing to his duties as a lord of his estates.

it is during this battle that i could see henry getting killed off for the sake of driving the plot. poetically, two lovers find themselvese on the opposite sides of a battlefield, one fighting for something he believes in with the traitor on the other side, fighting in accordance with duty.

according to hans' wiki, it was after this one, singular battle that he switched sides and even signed a declaration in favour of the moderate hussites, even with petr of šternberk still alive at this point.

with his documented presence ceasing here, it is presumed that he had died in 1419, as his son hynce, 17 years old at the time, succeeded his father's estates in 1420.

in my tragic telling of the story of KCD3/4/5, henry's death on the battlefield is what spurs hans on to sign the declaration in support of the ideology his henry had died for, perhaps as a last gesture in favour of his dead lover.

and in true KCD2 galehaut and lancelot fashion, hans capon would perish from grief, mourning his best friend and the love of his life.

this, in fact, perfectly sets the franchise up for KCD4/5/? if this were the case; with hans and henry both out of the picture, you emerge as the young nobleman heinrich, aka henry, named after the greatest man his father had known - the year is 1420 and the hussite wars have lit the flames of the bohemian people's revolution.

[artanisansa]

TO SANSA/JON FANDOM!

Hey everyone! I’m not sure how many of you remember this user, but lostlittlesatellites or batterydeaddotdot was a well-known Jonsa meta-writer in our fandom. Sadly, they deactivated, and as far as I know, we don’t really know why. A big chunk of their amazing work seems to have been lost, which was so sad for so many of us.

But here’s the good news: I recently discovered that some of their metas were saved on the "Way Back Machine" site! So, I put together a list of some of their pieces to share with all of you. My aim is to help preserve their contributions, spread the love within our fandom, and celebrate the incredible mind that has helped to shaped our fandom.

Quick disclaimer: I haven’t read every single meta, so I don’t necessarily agree with everything that’s written. My main goal is just to share this with you all. And I skiped GOT-related metas for this list. Enjoy diving into lostlittlesatellites/batterydeaddotdot’s work!

Some of their writings is already saved through some of those accounts: @/jonsameta & @/bookjonsa & @/esther-dot. Y’all can check! Here are the others:

BOOKS:

Sansa Stark: The Princess in the Tower

RLJ & Jonsa Payoff

Dragons, Snow and Armchairs

Can there be ONE ideal ruler?

Trojan War Literature influence on GRRM

The Red Comet: A Closer Look

Grey Dawn: Hour of the Wolf + Nightingale

To go forward you must look back: Dany’s tragic fall

Jon Snow as an Anti Hero

Val: A Subversion of BATB in Jon’s arc? + “something off about Val”

The Resurrection Problem

The Cost of Weaponizing Dragons For a Cause: Doran + Jon

There is Power in Living Wood: Bran’s role in the War

Valar Morghulis: Could Arya kill Dany?: Part 1 & Part 2

Stark Girls’ connections: To go forward you must go back

Fathers and Daughters

Sansa Stark: A Winter Rose?

Sansa Stark: A Girl in Glass

Sansa’s Fairytale and Myth allusions

The Blindspot of FPTP thread: Oversexualisation and overlooking age

Ask: Does “begging for a stranger’s kiss” foreshadow Sansa/Hound?

Deconstruction of BATB figures: He’s even uglier than the Hound

The Unkiss: The War Spilling Inside

Sansa’s repression of Jeyne

Alysanne: Paralleling Sansa + Contrasting Dany foreshadowing

A Song to Dodge A Kiss With a Blade (Part 1): Sansa/Hound and Jon/Ygritte ACOK comparisons

The Innocuous Nature of Jon/Sansa Foreshadowing

Snow: Lover’s Kisses

A Son by Marriage

1. Like a Lover; 2. Like a Kiss; 3. Kissed by Fire; 4. Burning Light and Dark Woods; 5. Intruders in Winterfell; 6. The Heart of Winterfell; 7. Fire: Hearth vs. Weapons

Dance of Dragons + Pact of Ice and Fire

Jonquils and Blue Roses

Horses and Flowers

Some Willowy Creature Who Sits Up in a Tower

A Union of the Old Gods and the New: Importance of understanding the Seven

Ask: Thoughts on Bridge4’s Video “There must always be a Stark in Winterfell”

Theories:

Bran as the Valonqar

History is a Wheel: Jon’s Rebellion

Jon’s Resurrection Repercussions

Dead Man with the Head of a Wolf: A Re-look

The Heart Tree of Winterfell: Tolkien influence

Complicating the Fantasy Battle: War Factions in the War for Dawn

Trail of Scrolls

Lady and the Ghost: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3

Shadowbinders, Death and Sacrifice

Sansa, the Vale and Mountain Clans: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4

Seasons of My Love

Jon’s Survival: Beginning of Subverting Westerosi Classism

Child of Flame and Shadow: Not a living child but a shadow child?

Shadowbinders, Death and Sacrifice: Dany with Mirri and Melisandre

A Potential Wildcard Advisor: Bronze Yohn Royce and the Importance of the Vale

Why Ghost is unlikely to like Dany: Melisandre and Val in ADWD

Others:

Jonsa: Tolkien influences

Jonsa: A Good Endgame

Jonsa is happening because it's how GRRM's mind works

Jonsa’s Hints: On how antis ignore Jonsa foreshadowing

POV’S: Heros or not

House of the Undying and Quaithe for Dany & Mythology

Dany criticism 

Other links: about asoiaf; asoiaf metas; asoiaf theories + part 2

Anyone who has some of their writing saved can feel free to share! I would be thankful.

[yokumirumerafan]

| Demon slayer reaction request |

Reaction: characters reacting to first kiss

Could you include upper moons+Muzan in that reaction?

Thanks a lot, I love your works

BESTIEEEE, I GOT YOUUU!!! 💖💖💖 THANK YOU FOR LOVING MY WORKS, I HOPE THIS MAKES YOU SCREAM INTO YOUR PILLOW. 😭🔥 Post Info: "Demon Slayer: Reaction to First Kiss" AUs:Canon: The reactions are based on the canonical Demon Slayer characters from the series. What-If Scenario: A fun, fluffy what-if scenario imagining how characters from different factions would react to experiencing their first kiss. Characters Included:Upper Moons: Muzan Kibutsuji Akaza (Upper Moon 3) Kokushibo (Upper Moon 1) Douma (Upper Moon 2) Gyutaro (Upper Moon 6) Daki (Upper Moon 6) Rui (Upper Moon 5) Enmu (Upper Moon 4) Hashira: Giyuu Tomioka Kanao Tsuyuri Shinobu Kocho Mitsuri Kanroji Tengen Uzui Rengoku Kyojuro Main Trio: Tanjiro Kamado Nezuko Kamado Zenitsu Agatsuma Inosuke Hashibira Genya Shinazugawa Short Summary: In this Demon Slayer AU, we explore the lighthearted and sweet reactions of characters from both the Demon Slayer Corps and the Twelve Kizuki (Upper Moons) to their very first kiss. With a blend of shy, awkward, and comedic moments, each character's response is unique to their personality, history, and emotional depth. From Muzan's cold detachment to Mitsuri’s bubbly excitement, this scenario gives fans a glimpse into a more vulnerable side of their favorite characters, filled with surprises, blushes, and heartwarming moments.

Characters Reacting to Their First Kiss:

1. Muzan Kibutsuji Muzan, being cold and calculated, is taken by surprise, though he doesn’t show it. For a moment, his eyes narrow, and his lips curl into a sneer. His thoughts are more strategic, wondering if this kiss is some sort of manipulation. However, a brief flicker of curiosity or even something akin to amusement crosses his mind before he quickly regains composure. He's not one to show vulnerability, so he simply brushes it off, acting like it didn't affect him at all.

2. Akaza (Upper Moon 3) Akaza is genuinely caught off guard, though he tries not to show it. His pride and arrogance are immediately tested, but deep down, he feels an unexpected warmth spread through him. Akaza is someone who often hides his softer feelings, so he might act a bit aggressive afterward, pushing the situation aside with his usual tough demeanor. However, the kiss lingers in his mind, leaving him conflicted about the strange feeling.

3. Kokushibo (Upper Moon 1) Kokushibo is immediately aware of the significance of the moment, but he's far too composed to let it show. With his centuries of experience, a kiss doesn’t move him easily. However, there’s a flicker of something distant in his eyes, almost as if the kiss awakened a long-forgotten feeling of warmth. He may not admit it, but there’s a small part of him that is both perplexed and intrigued by the sensation.

4. Douma (Upper Moon 2) Douma, always in his cheery, carefree mood, laughs lightly after the kiss. He might even tease the person who kissed him, though there’s a hint of fascination in his eyes. For a demon like Douma, physical connections are more of a game or a means of amusement, but there's something about this kiss that makes him feel oddly drawn to it. He's not sure whether to be frustrated or entertained, so he’ll likely brush it off as a “fun experience.”

5. Gyutaro (Upper Moon 6) Gyutaro's reaction is a mix of surprise and discomfort. He’s used to the harsh world he's lived in, and affection isn’t something he's familiar with. The kiss makes him flinch initially, but as it lingers in his mind, he starts to soften—if only a little. While he won't admit it, deep down, it stirs something in him he’s never quite felt before. He’s not sure how to process it but feels something precious blooming within.

6. Daki (Upper Moon 6) Daki’s reaction is much more dramatic. She might even squeal or express her shock in an exaggerated manner, quickly trying to hide her embarrassment. She’s not used to being vulnerable in such a personal way, and while she may act like she’s unaffected, her flustered face betrays her. It’s a mix of excitement and nervousness as she tries to maintain her façade of superiority.

7. Rui (Upper Moon 5) Rui’s reaction would be cold at first, considering how rigid and detached he is emotionally. He’s not used to such things, so he freezes, not knowing how to respond. Rui would likely turn away, trying to justify his feelings as weakness. But in the silence, the kiss haunts him, and deep inside, he feels an unfamiliar longing, which he tries to suppress with his usual cold demeanor.

8. Enmu (Upper Moon 4) Enmu would likely get lost in his thoughts after the kiss, more fascinated by the emotions it stirred within him than the kiss itself. He might try to analyze the feelings that come with it, wanting to dive into the psychology of it all. His reaction is almost intellectual rather than emotional—he's curious and enjoys exploring new sensations, even if they make him uneasy at first.

Hashira Reactions:

1. Giyuu Tomioka Giyuu, ever the stoic, freezes when the kiss happens. He’s too caught up in his sense of duty to fully process the emotion. Afterward, he’ll likely act distant, turning his focus back to his work to avoid confronting what just happened. But in his quiet moments, he will replay the event in his mind, confused by the emotions he doesn't know how to handle.

2. Kanao Tsuyuri Kanao is shy and reserved, so her reaction would be one of complete shock. She might blush deeply and struggle to form words. It’s a rare moment for Kanao to open up emotionally, and after the kiss, she’d likely be flustered and act distant, unsure of how to deal with this new feeling. But deep down, she’s secretly pleased and maybe even a little more confident than before.

3. Shinobu Kocho Shinobu’s reaction would be one of surprise followed by a soft, playful smirk. She’s always so composed and analytical that she may respond in a teasing manner. She might even make a joke about it to hide any vulnerability, though the quick flash of genuine emotion behind her eyes would reveal that it did have an effect on her.

4. Mitsuri Kanroji Mitsuri, the embodiment of love and warmth, would absolutely adore the moment. She would probably blush bright pink, her heart racing with excitement. Mitsuri’s reaction would be bubbly and affectionate, filled with joy and perhaps a few shy giggles. She might even hug the person afterward, expressing how much she liked it.

5. Tengen Uzui Tengen, ever the dramatic one, would be over-the-top in his reaction. His first instinct is to laugh it off and tease the person, calling them “amazing” or “incredible” for their courage. However, underneath all the flair, he’s genuinely touched and feels a deep connection to the person, even if he’s unwilling to show it right away.

6. Rengoku Kyojuro Rengoku would smile warmly, his usual enthusiasm only intensifying. The kiss would make him feel honored and appreciated. He would likely laugh joyously afterward and compliment the person on their bravery, though his eyes would shine with sincerity. Rengoku is a passionate person, and his love for others is pure, so he’d see this as a moment of connection.

Main Trio & Genya Reactions:

1. Tanjiro Kamado Tanjiro would be sweet and shy after his first kiss. His face would light up with a massive blush, and he’d immediately apologize for his reaction, unsure of what to say. However, Tanjiro’s heart would be full, and he would cherish the moment in his heart, silently vowing to protect the person who shared such a tender moment with him.

2. Nezuko Kamado Nezuko would be speechless and very confused, especially since she’s still learning about human emotions. Her reaction might be one of surprise, with her eyes widening as she instinctively pulls her hands to her face. She may not understand the significance, but she can definitely sense the emotions surrounding it.

3. Zenitsu Agatsuma Zenitsu would absolutely lose his mind. He’d be flailing around, blushing like a tomato, and struggling to express how overwhelmed he is. He might try to act cool, but his emotions would be all over the place. Deep down, he’d feel incredibly lucky and would likely try to be more protective of the person who kissed him.

4. Inosuke Hashibira Inosuke would be utterly confused. He’d be flustered and maybe even a bit embarrassed, but he’d try to act like it didn’t bother him. In reality, it would send him into a frenzy of mixed emotions. He might even challenge the person who kissed him, trying to understand what it all means, but secretly, he’s touched.

5. Genya Shinazugawa Genya would immediately get defensive, his face turning a deep shade of red. His first instinct would be to push the person away, but in his heart, he feels something stirring. He’s not good with emotions, and this would probably be his first real experience with affection, so he’d react by trying to act tough, though inside, he's deeply moved.

[sydneystarlights]

The Viper | Ashur and his ties to the chantry

Wanted to compile a post with all possible references I've found (so far) to Viper being the Black Divine both in game and from other sources (I’m brainroting hard and need to ramble.)

In game connections

Starting with the most obvious connection, the Venatori Message by Bataris found during the quest “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting” to save the captured Viper that states that the venatori have heard rumours that the Vipers true identity is that of the scion of the Vesperians, the fruit of at least 4 bloodlines.

And the Cult Victim you rescue during the “Last Rites” prelude quest says that the Venatori mentioned that killing the Viper at the Temple of Andraste specifically would “suit him” thus starting the quest “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting”

Viper himself is confirmed to be a Highblood mage “Born and bred” during the argument he has with Tarquin and that fits with him being the scion of the Vesperians.

Side note-

The tile of the quest to save Viper “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting” is taken from the Chant of Light: Canticle of Exaltations 1:8 "Whatsoever passes through the fire Is not lost, but made eternal; As air can never be broken nor crushed, The tempered soul is everlasting!"

Which ties into saving Viper from being executed at the Temple of Andraste, but also could tie into his connection with the Chantry itself.

In the Codex entry: Different Flavors of Andraste Harding mentions that the current divine is Aequitas II and the youngest son of Corimer Vesperian as mentioned in the codex Neve’s Case Notes: Maevaris Tilani. Said Case note codex further elaborates on how Aequitas II Vesperian was supportive of Maevaris and Dorian’s Lucerni faction.

In an ambient conversation between Tarquin and Viper, Tarquin directly implies that Viper has at least some power in the Chantry, asking him why he cannot do anything about Knight-Commander Lenos since Lenos answers to the Chantry.

The Vesperians have ties to house Tilani. Maevaris taking the Lucerni underground and the Viper happening to be one of the leaders on par with both her and Dorian is noteworthy.

With Viper having power in the Chantry, the Venatori rumours about him being Aequitas II, him being a highblood like the Divine is, and his closeness with Dorian and Maevaris him being the Black Divine fits.

Datamines

Now, the datamined lines are cut content and not present in the final game, but with all the evidence that is already in the game they're important to note.

Firstly, a direct quote remarking on Viper being the Divine 

(shout out to amirdrassil on twitter for originally posting this script line and starting my downward spiral into the insanity of spending hours going over the script myself and going through frosty editor for the game files)

Second script thing is from a whole conversation between what seems to be Rook, Viper, and Lucanis where Viper is referred to as “Your Holiness”

The conversation is pretty jumbled with how the scripts formatted but it seems like Viper might?? of been Lucanis contact who found out where Zara was for him, since Zara is found in the Treviso Chantry. 

The Third is a reference to his “The Tempered Soul, Everlasting” quest, it's unclear who is speaking the lines but it directly comments on Vipers ties to the Chantry.

[Editing to add another script pic] While these lines from mae to viper are vague, with the codex that mentions that house Tilani has ties to the Vesperians it felt relevant enough to add.

Extras

This section is more or less unrelated conjecture but still some fun things to note.

On page 206 of the art book Docktown is described as "We thought of it like Gotham City from Batman: The Animated Series. A less-grim Sin City with magic instead of guns.”

And on page 208 Viper is described as Minrathous’s equivalent of the Shadow.

The Shadow is one of Batman's main inspirations drawing a clear parallel between docktown and gotham and Viper and Batman. The Vipers secret identity then being of someone of very high importance further fits with the Batman thing he has going on, since Bruce Wayne isn't just a generic normal rich guy he’s on another standing from that. (Also the picture of Viper no mask and with hair looks so similar to depictions of bruce wayne haha)

Bonus things I'm including for fun that have vipers religion influencing things he does: Viper repeating a part of the Chant of Light: Canticle of Trials 1:2 during the memorial for the dead shadow dragons.

And the codex on the pawn shop and how Viper totally chose it partially due to its relevance to Shartan and Andraste, adorable.

[bluebxlle-writer]

Writing Villain Organizations

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1. Goal & motivation

To pose a threat to your main characters, your villains need a clear goal — preferably one that directly negates your MC’s goal. But that’s not enough — they also need a clear motivation to justify their goal.

Now, which one should you flesh out first? Goal or motivation?

The answer is : it’s up to you. You can start by giving your villain organization a clear goal before brainstorming possible motivations that would support this goal; or you can come up with a backstory which narrates their motivation then set up a goal that aligns with said motivation.

2. Influence

To be memorable, your villain organization must have some sort of influence on your main characters and the general public.

An underground criminal organization that brings annoyance to your main characters because they wreak havoc everywhere they go and are impossible to catch as they have their ways to evade law.

A supernatural cult that brings fear to the public because they have the most powerful people on their side who won’t hesitate to kill anyone who stands in their way.

A cryptic society that brings a sense of uneasiness to the MCs because they’re unpredictable and have actions that don’t seem to make sense, yet always results in casualties.

3. Leader

Behind every villain organization is a leader who can control all the worst and most evil people in your story. This should be something frightening, so make sure to clearly establish how they obtained their power as a leader.

Expertise — they have expertise on a certain skill that’s deemed important, such as mastery of a deadly spell.

Charm — they can sway and manipulate people as they please.

Cruelty— they’re evil and ruthless, striking fear within the group and coaxing everyone to listen to them.

Ambitions — they have a strong goal and plan, convincing the entire organization that he’s the best man to achieve that goal.

Savior — they “saved” several villains from a gruesome end and played the role of “savior”, earning gratitude and awe.

4. Disputes

Selfish and goal-driven villains are bound to trigger disputes within the organization. Here are a few conflicts that could trigger disputes :

Factions — the organization is split into two factions ; one that supports the current leader, and one that support someone who promises to bring a “real” change if he were to become leader.

Betrayal — when one villain betrays the organization and the leader finds out, this may trigger an all-out dispute ; some members defending the betrayer and the rest wanting to kill them.

Absense of a leader — When the leader dies or is incapable of issuing orders, members of the villain organization may fight for the leader’s seat as they want to use the position to reach their personal goals.

5. Parallel

If your main characters are also part of an organization, a villain group can serve as a parallel to your MC’s organization.

While the villains operate under personal goals and are only bounded by fear to their leader, your MCs have a common goal and are willing to work together to reach it.

While the villains don’t care about public safety and only ensure the smooth operation of their missions, your MCs always put civilians first.

While the villain strictly prohibit emotional relationships; let alone romantic relationships, your MCs are free to be with whoever they want.