#also have a lot of thoughts about him and Scourge but that's for another time

[eorzeashan]

Thoughts about Echoes of Oblivion: I consider Eight to be cosmically insignificant. That he's just a blip in the giant lifeform that is the Force. It doesn't make him any less important than the next character, but he's not some grand savior or even anything next to say, the Hero of Tython. He doesn't even show up on Force radars half the time. This obviously clashes with a major portion of KOTFE/ET and after that keeps trying to make you somebody, but he is literally nobody. The fact that he matters so much to someone like Jadus who is a gigantic presence and galaxy-shaker delights the hell out of me, but it only makes him special to their relationship, not the rest of the world.

To that end, I think not even Arcann would remember him. Senya would still be angry; she deserves to be and they both made and accepted their choice with him as their murderer. He holds nothing against her if she wants him to suffer for the rest of his life. Given the tweaking of his role as Outlander however, I'm unsure of whether Arcann would hold the same grudge. He might, given this nobody killed his entire family-- but Eight barely spoke, and I think Arcann's vitriol is much more directed at an Outlander who... has a presence at all. Eight might have appeared as just an unknown soldier to him. But I suppose even he needed someone to hate, if he could never reach his father. It's hard for me to imagine him doing so for Eight however, as he did promise he'd defeat him in his stead.

Oddly enough, this time Vaylin had no objections compared to a LS playthrough which is very sad given she must have just wanted to be free of her life of pain and misery, so it made me sigh in relief a little. She deserved a bit of catharsis. It's ironic that the path most would assume would heal her made her more overcome with rage. As mentioned before, it's strange how she and Eight sometimes would silently see eye to eye like that. Maybe that's just how those mired in endless violence are.

I also don't think they needed him to be there for this one given a huge chunk of the vital Force-users there were like uh.... we hate this guy for killing us. Made it really awkward.

It's nice to think of Eight as one of those nameless phantoms in the back who show up just to get a good hit in for Valkorion though, and while I don't think he couldn't do such a thing, he's more of the whimsical surprise character who shows up mysteriously out of nowhere to wreak havoc while simultaneously being helpful and acting on his own agenda (Jadus sends his regards!).

It still got me though when Valkorion pulled him to the side alone and asked him if he really did kill his entire family without being controlled-- I was very curious about the point of lying about it, which I imagine would've been good for RP purposes, but Eight would never shirk the responsibility or the weight of his decisions-- his kills. Valkorion laughed and said he must have enjoyed it if he was so steadfast in his conviction, but Eight would never. Not that him or his family could understand, as they've only known emotions that lead to murder their entire lives. The curse of being empaths, I suppose.

Though I had to pick the apology button to Senya, he wouldn't do that either. He didn't do it then. He couldn't do it now, and she knew it was too late for feelings (it always is. at some point you give up on justifications. you accept this as who you are) and so she brushed past him saying his time would come, and Arcann saying he would suffer eventually.

Ironically, he'd never turn that on them had their situations been reversed. Not that the game had any neutral options for this expac, haha.

He probably wished he got to stay outside Satele's head with Theron. There's something symbolic about him finding the loneliest, coldest vistas of Valkorion's barren mind filled with darkness as comforting, like it's the only place in the galaxy where he could ever be. KOTFE/ET... really made it apparent how other people became his hell, when all they could see was a tool for their victory and a bloody knife to blame.

He was oddly happy when Valkorion didn't remember him. He was grateful. Thank the stars. I should wish to be forgotten.

Then the arc tied off with a cheeky nod waking up to the same Lana with a stim like the PC does first leaving carbonite, but it was more bittersweet than anything to once again jet off...somewhere with her knowing Eight's history with the one he deferred to this entire expac. He tiredly went "I don't care," when she asked him where to go next, just the two of them in a shuttle again. No further words were exchanged and we don't know where she picked, but that summarizes their relationship pretty well: being dragged off not even half-awake by Lana without asking lol. He's still her agent even now, huh?

...Though given the garbage fire and lots of dead people that resulted because of their disastrous power dynamic, I could very clearly hear the frantic holocall from Theron ringing 30 minutes later asking where the kriff she's taking him and to put him back right now.

[bonefall]

I like both ideas, bc it provides an opportunity for the Dark Forest to evolve in some way; I really like the idea of Curl taking lead and trying to make the Dark Forest cats united (not for any real GOAL, but bc they're still clan cats dammit, and separated in little pockets they'll never be able to grow).

The camp one is kinda obvious- it was a place of horror, but they need a place to stay. She never came too close to the place until she realized that if she wanted to unite the cats into a group, they needed a camp. And Starclan (she hisses at the irony) knows she'll never do it on her own. She enters, and it terrifies her- before she knows it shes backing away and fleeing. Over time though, she makes it further in, stays a bit longer. She finds the dens are still pretty decent, and that her heart feels a lot lighter as she rips down and destroys the cage. She's elated to find hierloom tools in the camp eventually- some are broken, but can be fixed. She purrs as she thinks how happy Darkstripe would be to have some proper cooking tools. This was a place of fear and death, yes, but it doesn't always have to be that way, does it?

The dogs less so but hear me out. At first she is haunted by the dogs, downright terrified- the gnashing of teeth, the frenzied barks. It's not even anything she can think or dwell on; as soon as she hears the howling and barking, she's immediately running away, fleeing as far as her paws take her. She knows she'll never actually die here, but she's still so, so scared. Maybe she comes to the conclusion on her own, or maybe someone else points it out, but eventually she realizes what you mentioned. She saved her CHILD- she should be PROUD, not scared. This is her greatest moment- her death an irrelevant footnote compared to her baby's life. Idk *exactly* how it should go, but she confronts her fear, and manages to 'tame' it. She is no longer afraid, this illusion holds no power over her. Either they fade away and just stop existing without Curl's fear to feed it, maybe they turn docile and harmless, idk. No matter what though, i have a feeling that something like THAT will catch the eye of some DF cats, sorta like a Tiny to Scourge deal. "She got rid of her land mar" into "She destroyed the land mar" to "She KILLED her land mar"- even the first one has to gain her some respect frok the others, and gives her a solid footing to try and get cats together and united.

Ask was sent a while ago, and I've been looking at it since then. It's a really good pitch, and I had things to do, so I just passively chewed it for a while. Both ideas are really good; so I was trying to think of some way to get them together.

I think I've got a good thought now;

I'll make Curlfeather's Land Mar dog related.

But they're not the same dogs that actually attacked her (which, depending on how the arc goes, might ACTUALLY be apparitions from the Dark Forest which Ashfur dragged out for his schemes. Specifically they'd be Brightheart's nightmares.)

Curlfeather's Hounds are blind. They hunt completely through "smell," and they smell her fear

I can keep her Land Mar being quite unique by actually having it follow her. Instead of it being a place she's trapped in, she's haunted by random dog events which will inevitably interrupt any plans she makes.

So she's perpetually close to making the group that she wants, uniting these demons just because it's what she deserves, but she is forced to flee when her hounds find her.

The camp she ends up using doesn't have to be her OWN Land Mar; I have another cat who actually has a 1:1 camp as theirs.

Morningstar, the deposed leader of ThunderClan who refused to allow his cats to fight. His is simply his camp, on the day where Pearstar invented the Right to Challenge and killed him for his position.

Morningstar's also HATED in the Dark Forest, because of his pacifism. Thinking about it, it's actually a great parallel for what I'm planning with Curlfeather!

She has disdain for her father because she sees him as weak. Reedwhisker swearing loyalty to The Kin after being tortured was her catalyst for believing he needed to die; that RiverClan would have a sniveling, careless leader.

So if it's Morningstar she ends up developing a bond with, they can help each other.

Morningstar can make her realize that her terrifying death by the dogs is something she can be proud of. That it isn't something to fear and revile, but a sign that when she was forced to choose between love and ambition, she chose love.

And Curlfeather can see that maybe people like Morningstar, who she'd always seen as weak, have wisdom she'd never considered. Uniting these cats isn't about power or recognition; it's just about helping to make everyone's lives better.

I can even keep the "empty camp" idea. Stepping into Morningstar's gloomy Land Mar, setting a little fire just to help with the mist, and realizing it's not all that bad. There's old tools laying strewn about, the dens are all in working order. We can make a proper home here, if we let it be.

There's probably a cage there because of Ashfur, maybe it's the one that he made the demons toss Rootspring into. Maybe I'll have the demons eventually trick Curlfeather's Sighthounds into Deadfrost's Labyrinth, if Shredtail's still around. He double-died in canon but I wouldn't be too opposed to killing someone else in his stead.

She'll also have to prove herself to the other demons. Most of them are pretty wary of "leader-types" after what happened with Tigerstar. Ironically the closest thing they have to a "leader" is Darkstripe because his soups are so good. If he doesn't like your vibe, you're cut off from the "Social Circle."

I need to make some sort of pun out of Rings of Hell and Social Circle. Social Ring of Hell.

[warrior-cats-rewritten]

sorry to spam you, but. what happens with scourge in your rewrite? he’s my favorite <3

Please, don't ever apologize for sending lots of asks! I love answering them and they can help me think of things I hadn't thought about before, or flesh an arc out. Send as many as you want, all of you!

Anyways, Scourge, the literal scourge of my brain, because I've had to rewrite him 3 different times.

This little guy has been reworked SO much. The first was to tell the story of a downfall, how sometimes people become worse than the people who hurt them, and pay for it, but showing that there was still 'Tiny' in there, having The Rise Of Scourge end with his spirit, now back to being Tiny, reuniting with Quince, while his older self faded away.

I... Hated the vibe. And I'm probably gonna save THAT kind of ending for someone else...

I then changed it to be somewhat more like Better Bones, but with Scourge remaining leader of Bloodclan.... But that also doesn't line up with the themes of Graystripe's Clan and Ravenpaw's Path, where Fury and Neo Bloodclan come into play.

I didn't wanna kill him. I didn't want him to join Thunderclan. I didn't want him to stay in Bloodclan....

Then, it hit me.

So... Meet the new Scourge. He can say the F word.

Scourge

His story is one about coming back from the brink of no return.

Firestar has noticed something about Scourge. The fur around his neck has rubbed off, his voice is brittle, swallowing is so difficult that he drools a bit, his breathing is shallow, and he's... Painfully underweight. Now, aside from the terrifying thought that is "how strong would this guy be if he WAS properly nourished?", he realizes that even if Scourge manages to make it through this battle, he will most likely not make it to next season.

In a flash, Firestar leaps onto Scourge's back, and sinks his teeth into his scruff and collar. Just like his new deputy Longtail did to him, he begins to pull, hoping and praying that Starclan will grant another miracle.

The collar snaps, just as Scourge is about to pass out, he takes in his first deep breath in ages. Firestar pays for it with his first life.

Swiftpaw, now posthumously named Swiftclaw, is chosen as his first life to lose. He feels the pain and terror and rage and desperation that Swiftclaw did, but he also puts pieces together. Why did this happen? The real why. Not just the dogs getting a taste for cat. Not Tigerstar's seemingly unending thirst for power. Before all that.

This problem is the fault of the Clans. Churning out radicalized youths who will hurt others because of the instilled belief that Might Makes Right. Sure, Scourge has taken things too far, and seems hellbent on revenge, but the seeds of this bloody battle were planted on Clan Land.

Blackfoot, Brokenstar, Leopardstar, Mistfang, Darkstripe, Longtail, even Crookedstar and Nightstar have all fallen victim to this belief at one point of another. Tigerstar was not made in a vacuum. This kind of "kill or be killed" mentality is not making the Clans strong, it is getting cats killed.

He sees another vision of himself fighting Scourge, killing him. But his sight flickers, and it makes him sick. Scourge's build is so much like Princess. His eyes the same shade of blue that Cloudtail has. He sees his own loved ones in the one he is fighting. He is sinking his teeth and claws into his own Kin.

And then, finally, he sees the vision of Tigerpaw being goaded by Thistleclaw to beat Tiny. Then Thistlepaw being rewarded by Adderfang for sparring with a Riverclan apprentice and tearing their ear. Adderfang charging into battle alongside his father, too eager to take a life from Heatherstar Heatherstep. Tigerclaw berating Darkpaw for failing a training exercise. Darkstripe getting his new apprentice Longpaw to eat prey instead of giving it to the sick elder... The vision ending with Longtail touching noses with the newly named Swiftpaw, a line of cats behind him so long it stretches into the shadows, endless kittens behind Swiftpaw, a mentorship doomed before it even began. Generations of cats hurting each other with no end in sight.

Enough is enough.

When he comes back to life, he slams against Scourge, dodging his attack again, and looking around to confirm his worst fears. All of Bloodclan's cats are fully grown. The Clans have brought apprentices. This victory is for the future, to Save The Clans as Fire Alone.

He slams Scourge against the ground, and knocks him out. However, Rooster, a Bloodclan cat, cries out that Scourge has been killed. To be fair to Rooster, Scourge is laying limp at the feet of Lionclan's leader.

While many Bloodclan cats scurry away, some to one day become Neo Bloodclan, Firestar taps the ground to call attention to Snowpaw, using a bit of Body Speaking to silently tell the deaf apprentice to sneak Scourge to camp, grabbing Scourge's torn collar and hiding it for later.

Bloodclan negotiations begin with the cats who stay and will later be seen in Graystripe's Clan.

Meanwhile, Snowpaw drags Scourge through the woods and sneaks him into Cinderpelt's den, scaring Cinderpelt half to death. She begins to treat Scourge, removing the enforced claw tips and gathering some food for him to eat without getting sick from the influx of sudden nutrition. Snowpaw is so friendly that he manages to become friends with Scourge while he is slowly recovering, hidden in the back of Cinderpelt's den and slowly putting on some weight as he eats with his friend while getting more comfortable with others. None of this would have happened if Snowkit had been taken by that hawk...

Eventually, he is healthy enough to groom himself properly and walk around. But... What now? Can he stay in Thunderclan? Would that be a safe option for him? Firestar is still teaching cats to unlearn their biases, and Scourge may be subject to suspicion and discrimination, which isn't fair to him.

Firestar talks with Princess, and the answer is clear.

His housefolk are not home now, haven't been in a week, but... Smudge is pretty lonely. Rusty left a bit of a hole there, he could use a good friend.

Scourge is brought to Smudge's home in the dark of the night, collar in his teeth, and welcomed inside. His collar tag reads 'Tiny' but with no phone number or microchip, Smudge's people take him in as their own, and Smudge isn't so lonely anymore.

Firestar left housecat life to be wild, proving himself with a broken collar, and Scourge is leaving wild life to be a housecat once more, saving himself with a broken collar.

He is seen during Firestar's Quest, slightly chubby and full of energy, and I might have him go on the Quest with them to round out the party. The important thing is, he is happy.

Princess's Short Story, currently unnamed, is about her passing, visiting her old friends and family as a spirit. She finds Scourge's spirit, along with Quince, Socks, and Smoke, enjoying a peaceful afterlife together.

He is allowed a place in Starclan and Sky-Starclan, and will reappear during Beyond The Stars as a supporting cast member.

[xviiper-rents-houses]

can I please request yandere romantic headcannons of scourge and sonic with incredibly smart reader? like, really really cunning and observant. thank you in advance!

Of course! Man oh man am I excited! Thank you for the requests you guys! I looked at both of the requests and an idea popped in my head— the most clever one I have ever had (joking)— what if I combined them together?

A smart reader with two smitten hedgehogs fawning over them is a brilliant mix of unknown chaos and adventure! (And of course, danger). I sure do like the concept of a competition between hero and villain, a trope used since the dawn of time. I wasn't able to elaborate much on freedom fighter stuff because, no matter what I wrote, I just didn't like it lol.

Also, I made art for this! Looks a little cringe but, I couldn't help but try something new! Y'all can use them as pfps or whatever if you like them a lot but, please credit me! (Sonic's came out a little....interesting lol. I keeping on thinking of those Snapcube dubs omg).

Reader is gender neutral and uses you/your pronouns!

TW: cursing, physical harm (not to you but, definitely to Sonic and Scourge) blood, yandere shenanigans: stalking, possessiveness, obsessiveness, murder, sabotage. Another note! Sonic thinks about putting you, the reader, in danger.

Is it proof read? Sorta, not as much as I like to! School's getting busy and fanfiction is helping me survive! Figured if I was able to post this, then I am able to do anything that school has me involved in!

For Sonic and Scourge, it would be incredibly difficult, basically impossible for you to be shared with either one of them. You wouldn't get much down time with these guys around, constantly following and pestering you about: "Who's the better hedgehog?" Your life, Anons, will be a living Hell. Prepare for a game of tug-of-war between two idiots!

Let's start with talking about Scourge.

Scourge would be very adamant on trying to get you to join his team. You're smart and he knows this, much more clever than his compatriots and his now ex-girlfriend, Fiona. He's so desperate for your attention, picking fights with anyone who gets in the way of talking or being by you. And here's where the first problem comes from: you're on Sonic's team. You. You are a part of the Freedom Fighters. And that pisses him off.

Why are you wasting your talents on a bunch of babies? Scourge doesn't care if he has to travel across the zones to find you and take you with him. But, he doesn't count on you being much more smarter than he thought. In the midst of a battle with Egghead's badnicks, Scourge appears out of a portal to try and snag you away. He launches across the greenery, grinning madly. He's finally going to get you and—

Scourge could've sworn that his jaw was dislocated and then broken. It throbbed furiously and he struggled to gather his bearings. His head spun violently. You saw him coming from a mile away, despite his quills supposedly blending him in with the environment. That damn jacket of his gave him away. His prized possession! (Aside from his crown and you, of course). You sent a hunk of Dr. Robotnick's heavy machinery straight at him, letting the robot do the work for you and send him flying away. He was way too dizzy, blood dripping from his nose and a possible concussion. Hell.

You spared him a moment's glance and then took off to help Amy clobber some more tin heads. By now, Sonic had noticed Scourge and was already working his way over in record time, something even Scourge wasn't expecting. The expression on Sonic's face warned of a promised beating and perhaps, even worse, death. Scourge staggered to his feet, turned heel and bolted as fast as he could before he got a generous pummelling from the Blue Blur. He soared into the portal just in time, avoiding a nasty fate. Scourge hit the ground with a bone rattling thud, cursing when he bit on his lip too hard.

He's angry, oh yes he is but, he had to admit, he kinda liked that. Scourge hates to say that he did. You have the same quality that drew him into Fiona— your mind. It's really unfair that you're on Sonic's team though. Now he has to figure out how he's gonna come back, not get his ass beat and take you home with him. You're much smarter than he was anticipating. Scourge that night decides to spare no time for sleep, mind hooked on how you looked at him. How you outwitted him, not even using your own fists to take him down.

Scourge stares at a cabinet in his castle, pondering. Gutting Sonic doesn't sound like half of a bad idea. With that idiot out the way, Scourge gets to have all of your attention on him. The Freedom Fighters though...those mutts are still going to be in the way. Scourge has been itching to become the one and only Sonic, even if he liked the attention he was getting from the rest of the crew, Scourge needed to be in charge of things here. He's gonna figure out how to worm his way into your life and force you to work with him.

Now, what about Sonic?

Sonic loves your intellectual prowess, constantly checking back with you. He wants to hear more about your ingenious creations, (maybe he can even use them to his advantage!) and in general, have you speak to him about everything you come up with. Sonic does not want to share you with your friends though, as much as he likes how they positivity impact your mind, he feels that he should have sole possession of your heart. (He might just go and take it anyway, don't worry, you'll have a mechanical heart to keep you alive!) Instead, Sonic encourages you to hang out with his friends. With you being around his friends, Sonic doesn't have to worry as much.

Whatever your brain delves into, Sonic wants to hear all about it, as said before but, reiterated. (Y'see, this is a really important point). Now, Sonic knows that another hedgehog, specifically the embodiment of a snotball, is also after your affections. He's not going to let that bully get any of your time, always being the first to rush towards Scourge and hit him with the old sucker (his fist). Sonic will do anything to get that vermin off your tail, even convincing Shadow and Knuckles to help him out. Now depending on whether Shadow and Knuckles are yandere will also determine on how much they're willing to help Sonic out. Either way, thanks to Sonic's undeniable charm, he is able to enlist assistance to fend off Scourge. Sonic is even proud of beating Scourge up.

And to make matters worse, Sonic will boast about beating up Scourge at every chance he gets. Now, that being said, it's not out of character for Sonic to gloat over his victories, especially bullies but, he goes further into detail. Sonic is happy that he gave Scourge a well worth punch to the snout to think about. And if Sonic hit Scourge hard enough to the point that Scourge was bleeding—he's ecstatic. From then on, Sonic will constantly bring up the subject of hitting someone so hard that they started bleeding. Sonic uses this as bragging rights and also, a not so well hidden reminder of how strong he is. You belong to him.

Sonic cannot help but replay that day over and over again in his head. Scourge slips through the portal, laughing out loud and being an overall idiot. Scourge's first move is to find and capture you, even stating it out loud. That was his first mistake, giving him right away to Sonic, who started hitting heavier on badnicks. Sonic remembered that he felt panicked, that he wouldn't get to you in time to save you. But, as it turned out, you didn't need any saving. You were just fine on your own. In fact, you had the time to set up a little surprise, just for Scourge.

Shock was an understatement to describing Sonic's face after your clever trick. Instead of fighting tooth and nail to get away from Scourge, (you didn't even have to worry about stepping close at all, due to your ingenuity) you had sent the biggest badnick catapulting at Scourge, hitting him smack dab in the face. Sonic was sorry that he wasn't able to catch up to Scourge, to give him a nice little beat down. That factor made him rather pouty for the rest of the evening, however, that didn't stop Sonic from singing praises about your smarts. He acted like he couldn't believe that you were able to do that. It almost felt like Sonic was being condescending. That you should have been captured, only for Sonic to save the day.

That day, Sonic sat out on the beach, daydreaming about the many different ways that he could save you. From that fight, he learned that you wouldn't actually need him and that fact hurt Sonic more than he liked to admit. Yes, putting you in a dangerous situation might be the trick to get you to fall even more in love with him. But, that could also mean that Scourge would be there to save the day instead. And knowing Scourge, he would definitely out Sonic for his actions, just to win your favor. Sonic had to think carefully on how he was going to handle this.

[enginator2000]

What are your thoughts on Infidget (the ship of Infinite and Gadget the Wolf)?

i think its fine? i dont inherently dislike it or anything, and i dont mind seeing it from time to time. the only thing that i dont like is like, a lot of the shipping community's interpretations of it. and by that i mean the people that twinkify and feminize gadget into being a little wooby baby that cant do anything without his big strong man and infinite is just the stereotypical scary-on-the-outside soft-on-the-inside masc/male/im a man/im he him boyfriend. either that or gadget is fine and its just infinite who is extremely out of character. i had a lot of "he would not fucking say that" moments with infinite when infidget was at its most popular bc these kinds of depictions were everywhere and it was really annoying

the only version of infidget ive ever shipped was a lovers to friends to enemies to... somethings type deal where they dont go back to how they used to be by the end but its not vitriolic, they just outgrew each other in their own ways during the events of forces. that or their relationship cant get mended at all and theres no closure bc infinite dies or whatever like he did in canon. and i know this is the best version of infidget bc i made it up, thanks

i actually shipped it before forces even came out bc i thought that that was sort of the route that sonic team was going to take with tying the avatar into the story. it made sense to me for the avatar (or in this case gadget) to have some sort of previous history or connection with infinite bc in my onion, that makes their dynamic a little spicier and more compelling. in my version, gadget and infinite (then zero) used to be very close until zero started getting more involved with a local gang, the jackal squad, which began to drive a wedge between them until they got more and more distant from each other. and then some more time passes and gadget hasnt heard from zero for a long time and then the events of forces start. i think part of the idea was from this dialogue that we got to hear when footage of infinites second battle came out before the game itself:

(image text reads as infinite saying "and those eyes.. i feel like we've met before.")

-which implied that the avatar and infinite had history. which was technically true, but it was within the timeline of the game bc it turned out he was referring to like. the flashback cutscene of the avatar being too scared to fight back the first time they ran into infinite before joining the resistance, so it wasnt what i was hoping for

another reason iirc was uhhhh whatshisface? sega scourge on youtube? they made a theory video about infinite getting his mind wiped by the ruby or something and that added fuel to the fire. its a really cool concept and while i dont think that the avatar wanting to avenge those they lost is necessarily bad, i feel like its just kind of meh for the kind of story forces was trying to tell, what with the friendship-is-cool themes and whatnot. so i thought the avatar/gadgets arc was going to be we get to find out how they and infinite (or at least just the former lol) know each other, and how infinite became infinite in the first place, and gadget wanted to both help put a stop to everything but also get his friend back through, you guessed it, the power of friendship. hooray! i read a really good fic that was like that called til we touch the sun on a03 (that fic still makes me go insane thinking about it) that went with a sidestory for gadget that was quite similar to what i just described

plus the idea of infinite and gadget having shared a past but only one of them remembers it and now has to deal with a monster that looks like who they used to be but is no longer the same in every other regard due to them going dark side (willingly or unwillingly) is super angsty. and i like my ships raw and some degree of brutal for the soul. it keeps me young

but yeah im overall neutral. tl;dr: infidget is a fine ship, i just wish it had more canon-supported flavour and i wish the majority of shippers would stop writing infinite so poorly to make him fit properly into their milquetoast domestic fluff romances, but whatever. we all get enjoyment out of different things, even if theyre wrong :3 (for safety reasons i have to disclose that the previous statement was a joke)

[superscourge]

i remeber this and i want to tell it xd

Some time ago I made a role with a friend (i didnt see him now)in Sonic Amino about starline and scourge xd

role resume:

After the metal virus arc, Starline finds a strange gem of mysterious power, which he decides to study and experiment with, although there were unexpected effects, Starline ended up in another dimension, the power of that gem was the travel between dimensions and he also discovers with horror that the gem is now embedded in his hand (opps bad luck Starline)

This originally confuses him and makes him panic because well he doesn't know what happened and now he was in a place that he knew he didn't belong to and with that damn gem and above all with a power that he didn't know how to control and it was overwhelming since it made him travel from dimension to dimension, luckily he meets a green hedgehog with whom he gets along well and decides to help Starline after hearing his story, Starline accepts because the green hedgehog knows a lot about dimensional travel and well it's better to have help in times like this.

So the two travel from dimension to dimension trying to learn to control Starline's power, which was not easy at all, although after many twists and turns and some adventures Starline learns to fully control his power and becomes best friends with that green hedgehog xd Once he mastered his power maybe he could find a "perfect" Eggman but he only got a disappointment he realized that all the Eggmans were like his and not only that he found other Starlines and they either ended up crazy, dead or being worse than Eggman which displeased him a lot, after reflecting he comes up with a plan a very dark and crazy plan.

He decides that he will not only dominate his original dimension but that he will dominate the entire Sonic verse, but he will need help, of course his friend the green hedgehog was in love with that idea, but they would need more help for their purpose, so with that in mind they decided that they would only recruit the best villains of the Sonic verse and all together they would unleash absolute chaos.

and then we didn't continue the role xd

well yes we left it at an interesting part xd how bad we didn't give it an ending but oh well things happened xd. and yes that green hedgehog is scourge xd

should I turn this into a fic someday xd I don't know xd my writing skills are terrible and well I tried to summarize this the best I could because resume a role is not easy xd, I just thought you might like to hear this xd.

it sounds like a fun story! if u wanna continue it u should :3

[fleetsonourgecentral]

Imagine If Fleetway Super Sonic and Sonic were actually very friendly with each other.

Now imagine Scourge getting jealous or be shocked by it

I think Scourge would be too busy being shocked to be jealous by it lmao. I headcanon he's surprisingly not as jealous a person as people expect him to be, and even if he was, he'd be too busy going "who are you and what have you done with my Sonic" to be jealous. In an extreme case, where the change of heart seemed to be sudden, he'd be worried about mind fuckery going on, maybe concerned Super or someone else has some mind altering power or device that's fucked with Sonic's head to make him be friendly with Super

Fortunately for Scourge, it's doubtful that will happen (unless someone really did pull some mind fuckery on Sonic, which would be a pretty cool storyline ngl) because I don't think Sonic will ever be friendly with Super - or at least it would take a very long time and a lot of work (and maybe some forced proximity). I think Sonic is still hung up on that one time he thought he - as Super - murdered his friends, and doesn't really believe Super can ever be truly good also his whole issue with Kintobor/Robotnik. He probably thinks there's no justice in Super getting a happy ending and being good despite being made out of chaos energy when Kintobor couldn't. Maybe that would calm down after Kintobor's return but who knows. He's not against second chances, but I don't think he'd be particularly willing to give one to Super, partly because he sees Super as more a manifestation of chaos energy and the evil within it than a person. As for Super, I think he's (understandably) nervous about being around Sonic. His ire would be hurtful, considering Super is trying so hard to be good and Sonic just will not believe it. Sonic's fear of Super undermine's Super's efforts to be a good person, and Super is worried, deep down, that Sonic is right. He was right before, after all

I think the relationship between them could certainly improve, albeit most likely with outside influences - Sonic could certainly stand to learn Super is a person and not just an evil manifestation of chaos energy that wants to destroy everything he loves, and therefore see him as a person who is not only capable of being good, but who wants to be good - but it's very difficult to envision them as ever being friendly with each other. The tension between them can be minimised, but it would be incredibly difficult to eradicate it enough to be friendly. I actually got a comment on one of my previous fics, that described them as "working towards chill civility" which I think sums it up perfectly! They can absolutely learn to co-exist in chill civility, accepting one another's presence in the world, but just... preferring the presence to be at a distance as much as possible. Anything more than that would take a lot more effort than I imagine either of them are willing to give lol

[nullvoidface]

break and desire for the not-so-nice asks :3

This got way sadder than I intended ngl—

(CW: Suicidal ideation, starvation, and the stuff inbetween + mentioned character death(s))

Basically don’t read if your mental health isn’t a-ok. It’s not the most descriptive as I didn’t wanna somehow romanticise it, but like idk might be triggering to some. If you can’t read it: fuck yeah self care, go listen to Break It Down by Tally Hall it is fun.

Also a general spoiler warning for Living World Season 4

With the desire to break

“Any news on the commander?” Caithe’s voice was hollow. Thunderhead Keep was silent. Much like it had been before the Pact reached it.

Taimi looked away from Aurene, voice hoarse from crying. “He’s gone AWOL.” Taimi sighed. She understood it, in a way.

That broken, and defeated ‘I don’t know…’ clung in the air like the smell of smoke onto fabric.

He couldn’t stay, he always needed to move. Most of Dragon’s Watch were the same way. Though, a lot of them stayed behind. Waiting for the inevitable end.

“I see.”

—

Corvus couldn’t stand being there. Gawking at her c- at her. The same little dragon he had known since before she had hatched. With large and curious eyes and enough energy to tire out even the exalted at times.

The same Aurene who had faced her fears, the certainty of death- the death Corvus had blindly lead her to.

His Aurene.

He wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He didn’t have anyone to return to. Couldn’t face the remaining warband and tell them ‘I failed, again.’

So he went to the brand scar. Maybe in time he would be just another unnamed branded. His name long forgotten, as the world ceased to be.

It should have been him, really. The world would function without him. The world wouldn’t turn without Aurene.

His world had stopped the second before he saw her on those crystals. Piercing her body like some twisted and macabre trophy.

Why not him?

What kind of a champion- no, parent, allows their child to sacrifice themselves for them.

Corvus swung his greatsword once more, crushing through the crystallised skull of another branded hyena with a satisfying splinter and crunch.

Joko was right.

Corvus knew that much the second the lich began his rant.

The scourge of Tyria. A blight on the world.

Soon the news would spread across Tyria. The world was going to end, and the Commander couldn’t even show his face. Would people think of his failure in their final moments? About how this could all have been prevented?

Corvus planted the tip of his sword in the abdomen of an ogre about twice his height.

He wasn’t counting days anymore. Wasn’t counting anything. Wasn’t eating anywhere near enough.

What was the point? It’d be over soon. Why prolong it.

So instead he fought.

At least he could drown out the thoughts with alcohol and adrenaline.

At least he didn’t have to feel if he just had enough.

For a moment he would forget about Aurene. About Dragon’s Watch. About Elder Dragon’s and Balthazar. About Commander Corvus Blightstep.

He let out a scream when crystal as sharp as obsidian cut through the thin fabric of his shirt and into his flesh.

Every movement stung and ached as he managed to kill off the ogre that had landed the hit on his shoulder.

He looked at his shoulder, it was difficult to see with just the moonlight and lightning in the area.

A deep cut right across his old scar.

Malia.

About a year after he had gained that scar, Malia was lost when the mountain moved.

He never learned if she was branded, or if she was just another one of the casualties too badly beaten to be identified.

He took a sharp breath and went back to his makeshift camp.

He sat down in the grass in front of the thin tent.

“Good thing I didn’t like that shirt.” He mumbled to himself as he ripped off the sleeve so he could pull the rest of the shirt over his head with less pain.

But maybe he deserved it.

Normally Corvus would brush those thoughts aside, he didn’t have the time to think of it. But there was nothing to distract him. No friends gathered around dinner.

It was cold.

Maybe if he didn’t clean his wound he’d be gone before the end.

Maybe he wanted that.

He did, didn’t he?

—

After a few days he cleaned it, the pain was getting too much. Couldn’t even handle that.

The hunger pangs had ceased. Now just a dull, hollow feeling in his stomach.

It wasn’t dissimilar to the way he felt.

The anger was back. The same anger he used to feel so often when he was young. He used to point it at the Legions, at the world.

Now it was directed at himself.

Maybe if he tugged hard enough at his mane he would forget about the world. He wanted so badly to cry, he felt so heavy. He felt SO much and yet nothing at all.

So he screamed.

He screamed at himself, at the world, at Kralkatorrik, until his voice gave out.

He didn’t want to be.

—

Days passed, he had allowed himself some food and rest. Just to tank up on enough energy to keep fighting the branded.

“Commander?” A familiar voice sounded from his communicator. He forgot he had brought it.

“Caithe.”

[howtowhumpyourhiccup]

"Why Wasn't I Enough?"

Summary: Written for AI-less Whumptober 2023 Day 19 instead of 13. Technically set before RttE. Hiccup Left Berk AU + Trans!Hiccup AU. The Dragon Master helped Berk end the Dragon Scourge, now they’re free to celebrate Dreadfall and Hiccup is free to think about the past.

Warning: /

Rating: General

Characters: Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, Stormfly

Pairing: /

Words: 1 905

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Prompt: Taken for granted, "Why wasn't I enough?"

Whumpee: Hiccup

Author’s Notes: Posting Day 19 because Day 13, while also written, takes place after this one. So I'll be posting Day 13 on the 15th because Day 15 is the second chapter to 13, which I'll be posting on the 19th. Confused yet? :')

Enjoy!

@ailesswhumptober

XOXOX

A celebration on Berk. Growing up, Hiccup can’t say he’s seen too many of them. With the threat of dragons looming over them and alliances between tribes shaky, there often didn’t seem any room for them. There was too little food, the weather was too harsh, the most recent raid left too much to rebuild, there were lives lost… and other such reasons. In short, there was no reason to celebrate anything.

Except maybe a birthday. Because someone surviving another year was always a good thing.

So to see the colorful decorations and lights now should leave Hiccup feeling warm. There are a lot of young children on Berk now, more than he's ever seen in his entire lifetime, it should be a joy to see them get to enjoy such festivities.

But… These thoughts can't seem to get him warm.

From the edge of the old kill ring, he watches the village. The glow of the lights and the sounds of music, singing, and laughter can be seen and heard from all the way up here. Hiccup sits with one leg dangling, the other a stump wrapped in bandages. Toothless lies half curled up around him. He watches the scenery as well.

The dragon warbles, wanting to know what they're celebrating.

"It's called Dreadfall, Bud," Hiccup says. "We're celebrating the harvest."

"We're," what a strange thing to say. He hasn't been on Berk since he left when he was 15. His 18th birthday is coming up. Though he wants to join so badly, he doesn't belong with them. He never did.

His stump is all bandaged up, his leg lost for them, but still he’s not one of them.

Though Toothless would like a more in-depth explanation on this harvest feast, he can tell the mood is a little melancholic and so decides to ask later. He puts his head in Hiccup's lap, giving him something to pet. That always seems to make him feel better.

It's silent then. After all this time together, few actual words need to be spoken between the two of them.

Wingbeats approach from above.

“There you are! I figured I would find the two of you here,” Astrid remarks as Stormfly lands nearby. She dismounts with ease and approaches, something held securely in her hands. The Nadder follows her and attempts to preen her. Hiccup is glad to see their bond- still so fresh- growing.

“You did, huh?” Hiccup asks, a welcome smile on his face.

“Well, not here specifically, but I didn’t even bother to drop by Gothi’s because I knew you wouldn’t be in bed,” Astrid takes one shoulder of his as she takes a seat on the ledge with him, Toothless moving his tail out of the way. It makes him glad to see her so comfortable around dragons nowadays.

“I think you know by now that I can’t sit still,” Hiccup responds and Toothless snorts. Oh, if only she knew how bad his rider is at sitting still.

“You can also not sit still in the village, you know? Where we’re in the middle of a party? You could have some actual food for once,” she tells him and hands him what she was holding. It’s been wrapped in cloth to keep it warm. Unwrapping it, he finds a small pie with custard filling.

“It’s a Berk special. I saw that the baker was making some and thought of you, I don’t think living amongst dragons means you can have a lot of pastries,” she explains.

“No, I usually just get fish thrown up in my lap if someone thinks I need extra food,” he states, to which she laughs. And yes, it’s funny now, but she has no idea how often it happens.

There’s a beat of silence as he simply listens to her laugh and enjoys having her near. There was once upon a time when he crushed on her. Hard. Are all of those feelings gone? He’s… not so sure.

“Do you think she’ll ever get to enjoy Dreadfall again?” Then a question comes that completely ruins the mood. At least for him. For him it’s a slap in the face, for her… Astrid is just nostalgic. Melancholic. Like he was minutes earlier.

“IIII… don’t know if she’s out there after all this time. I told you this before, Astrid. I promised that I would try to find her, not that I would,” Hiccup reminds her.

Though she tries not to let it show, he can see the slight change in her expression. Her smile falters, but it takes a trained eye to notice.

She’s talking about Hiccup. Hiccup their heiress, not Hiccup the Dragon Master.

Because she was a girl and he's a guy.

Pastry forgotten, he pets Toothless with a knit in his brow. The dragon's eyes are closed, but he knows he's listening in.

Astrid watches them from the corners of her eyes.

The Dragon Master is here because stories of his many exploits reached far and wide. They heard about how he could control dragons, make them do his bidding. And as Berk was desperate for an end to the Dragon Scourge before they’re annihilated, Astrid took her peers and went to find him. They implored him to help solve their predicament. How lucky they were to find out he already knew what was terrorizing them for three centuries. All he asked in return is that Berk accept and try to live with dragons.

He lost his leg killing the Red Death and thus the Dragon Riders were born. It’s still a relatively young endeavour, but Snotlout has already proclaimed himself the best dragon trainer Berk has ever seen.

Hiccup nearly lost his life saving their village, now he’s their hero, and they will make good on their promise to help him protect dragons.

And now he’s going to try and find their heir… Heiress. Because Stoick’s daughter disappeared one day when the poor girl was only 15, snatched away by a dragon as the rumors go. Just like her mother before her.

Seeing the Dragon Master live so harmoniously with the beasts who took her, there’s some newfound hope that she might still be alive even after all this time. Or that is certainly Stoick’s hope.

His hatred for dragons, it isn’t as deep as the love for his daughter.

Or so he’s been told.

“You should come down with me,” Astrid decides to strike up another conversation. “I think some time spent amongst humans could do you some good.”

“Oh, what’s that? Are we trying to civilize the feral dragon man, Astrid?” Hiccup asks her.

“Well, you could use some manners.”

“Right. Anything Snotlout can teach me?” He teases her back, her laugh causes his heart to flutter. Okay, maybe the feelings are still there.

It’s a shame that, too, will have to stay secret.

His smile falters at the thought, though he tries to force it to stay.

“In all honesty, I guess I’m hoping to make you stay,” after a beat of silence, Astrid admits. “Having you here seems to do our chief some good.”

Hiccup perks up as do Toothless’ earfins. “It does?”

Astrid nods, but doesn’t elaborate. That will be her mystery to hold.

What about him makes Stoick so happy that his people have started noticing? Are it his deeds? Or does he, perhaps, remind him of his lost child? Could it be the similarities in his face? The hair? The scrawny physique? Though he’s not as much scrawny anymore as he is lean. Compact.

Or is it really simply because his deeds have saved the village from being wiped out? Kept the lives of their young children from being snuffed out through raids, famine, or disease?

Maybe it was out of a need to test the waters, but he straight up gave them his name when they first asked. His real name, the one he kept. Astrid had looked at him, expression unreadable, and simply said "okay."

"Okay."

No sign of recognition. What a haircut, some bindings, and boy clothes don't do to a person.

Oh and rumors. Because of course, Stoick’s daughter- who couldn’t focus on household chores long enough before getting sidetracked by her crazy ideas- couldn't possibly do what he does. Though, every rumor speaks of a man, which is exactly how he prefers it, though it still stings.

Astrid and Ruffnut were taught to be warriors, meanwhile Hiccup was desperately taught how to be a wife. Not even how to be a chieftess. A wife. A mother. After all, someone had to protect her once Stoick couldn't anymore and that meant she had to be appealing to someone. It was appalling.

And apparently, there was a suitor on the horizon.

Sounds to him like their heir left in the nick of time.

Astrid rises to her feet, Hiccup and Toothless both watch her. “I’m rejoining the party, I still have to show Stormfly our chicken pies.”

The Nadder squawks excitedly behind her, her spines flex enthusiastically.

Hiccup huffs in amusement. Turns out, Stormfly adores chicken, it’s her favorite food! Her Rider should absolutely introduce her to this delicacy.

“You can get some as well if you plan on joining us,” Astrid tells him, hands on her hips.

“I’m familiar with chicken pies, I did live in a village at one point,” he reminds her. He told her a bit of his past after a bit of questioning. Some bits and pieces to keep it vague enough, he doesn’t want to be found out for who he really is.

Unfortunately- or fortunately depending on who you ask- the twins have spun a story about how his parents were killed when he was very young and the dragons raised him, which is how he got so good at bonding with them.

It’s only true in that the dragons do take good care of him, just like he and Toothless try to protect them. Particularly his inner circle, consisting of a Night Fury, a Deadly Nadder, a Monstrous Nightmare, a Gronckle, and a Hideous Zippleback. All released from the very kill ring behind them.

With one last smile, Astrid leaves them, mounting Stormfly before the two fly off.

Now finally left alone again, Hiccup’s smile disappears and Toothless warbles at him quizzically.

“I’m okay, Bud,” he assures him. It was a pleasant conversation, but for him, there’s a bit of an aftertaste. Everything on Berk gives him that aftertaste because everything reminds him of his past.

A past in which people didn’t like him or anything he did. When everyone else’s idea of giving him a bright future was to make him worthy to be married off and have children with. When no one could’ve ever thought the embarrassment of Berk could ever be the Dragon Master they ran to for help.

Upon first coming to Berk as his true self, he was surprised to find that Stoick’s daughter was missed as much as she was. All this talk about finding her, all this worrying, recounting the stories they have of her… Why did he have to disappear for people to stop taking his existence for granted?

His hands find his dragon again, who lifts his head again. They’re at eye-level.

"Why wasn't I enough, Bud?" He asks and Toothless purrs, nuzzling him. He throws an arm around him and holds him close, in need of his comfort.

[she-toadmask]

OH MY FUCKIN GOD THEY (ambiguous) FUCKIN DEAD

Anyway more detailed spoilers and miscellaneous thoughts below the cut

First of all: great movie, will watch again when it hits streaming

BEE FUCKING DIED FOR HALF THE MOVIE OR WAS AT LEAST FUNCTIONALLY DEAD

And then killed Nightbird who could fly in root mode and transformed into a car so is she like half a triple changer. Is Bee 2.5 for 2.5 on triple changers.

Nightbird was really cool though I liked her a lot

Airazor was very cool, rip Airazor

On the subject of her death. The rust/corruption was extremely fucking cool that has Potential even with Scourge dead

Scourge and Unicron in general greatly excited me. When was the last time Unicron was a planet eater, was he one in the Unicron Trilogy? Scourge was cool, v. intimidating. Unicron was also really well-designed and I really like the power-control stuff. Also off-brand Force choke

I don't want to call him Wheeljack he's a fine character but he's not Wheeljack he's Pablo. I have no other complaints

Arcee is a fucking badass she has been so good in the recent continuities she kicks ass and I love her

Mirage was fun, I liked him a lot character-wise. Him being able to do the actual mirage/hologram was really fun. The mass-shifty stuff with being a garbage truck or whatever is interesting. And then he becomes a mech suit for Noah and that has heavy fic potential. Also another temporary death.

I really don't have anything to say about the Maximals beyond Airazor

OPTIMUS PRIME ON THE OTHER HAND. God he was written really really well. He so strongly regrets leaving Cybertron (which makes me wonder what the fate of the war is if it's still going on are the remaining Bots holding their ground or are the Cons on the up) and cares so much for his home and Bee. And he has no reason to trust humans, not really, even if Bee had a good experience with one. He's really well-written and Peter Cullen is fantastic as ever. Also I think Optimus was mentioned as Primus' chosen or something

Noah's younger brother was really good, I liked him, I'm really glad he's going to be okay

Other minor humans. At the start of the movie I swear the guy who canceled Noah's interview had the last name Bishop. That is such a specific surname it has to be a TFP reference. Mid-credits scene, why is it GI Joe. Are they doing a GI Joe movie. My amica and I were like 'is it sector 7' but no it's other Hasbro property

Noah and Elena! I've seen Noah's actor in another movie so I'm not surprised he did a really good job. Noah was really well-written, he was accurately compared to Optimus at one point and it was good vibes. He cares about his family and also just has some good funny lines early on. Elena was also really good, I don't have specific character thoughts other than I'm glad she gets a happy ending.

The movie was really fun, I do recommend it, I can't wait for more people to see it for the fic concepts and theories it will spawn

[daedalusdavinci]

Dirkjake Fic Recs

i will be the first to admit im picky about my dirkjake, largely because i will not fucking stand for any fic where i feel like jake isnt given his just dues. jake is too fascinating and great of a character to just be that guy dirk liked. so here are my four absolute favorite dirkjake fics that i still stand by with my whole chest

The Four Kings, the God Thief, and the Black Diamond Pirates

by @oxfordroulette

Dirk and Vriska have it good. They raid ships, pillage merchant vessels, constantly poison each other, possess a lucrative pact with the Wind King, sing a lot of dope fuckin’ sea shanties, and captain a loveable crew of pirate scum. They’re ready to kick back, take it easy, and become the vile and revered scourge of the diamond trading line. Then they find someone in the water.

this has to be one of the greatest dirkjake fics ever written. oxfordRoulette excels so brilliantly at writing homestuck characters as theyre meant to be: assholes. horrible, horrible, terrible assholes. they pull no punches writing the pirates in this story to be just the most irredeemable pieces of shit and thats what makes it so goddamn good. their dialogue is hilarious, the relationship between dirk and vriska is EVERYTHING to me, and the gods are written so fucking brilliantly its impossible not to love them (predictably, i am particularly in love w dave, but theyre genuinely all so good). plus, its ILLUSTRATED, and their art is just fantastic

Wondrous Adventures of Harley, English, and Strider

by spectralPhobia

Jake English has a pretty straightforward life: he is an amateur writer who travels around the world with his twin sister Jade Harley and their dog Becquerel, thinking this is the best a life could be. Meeting Dirk Strider is only the beginning of the journey of changing his worldview, as well as an epic quest of saving the world, when spirits from an ancient legend come to life. A story about adventures, magic, conspiracy, sacrifices, smart people and clever plans, people who make mistakes, and many instances of great love. Set in a sort of steampunk world (no computer technologies, airships are a predominant way of travelling).

this is ANOTHER one of the greatest dirkjake fics ever written, but its also just one of the best homestuck fics ever written. if you liked my godstuck fics, you should DEFINITELY read this bc it inspired me a lot. the things they do w classpects are so fucking creative and while it is dirkjake its just as much a fic about jade and jake. its brilliantly fucking done, and i recommend it to absolutely everyone and anyone

A House Built

by sunflowerwonder

The Prospitian hero who seduced a foreign prince into sending his country resources. Certainly one for the history books.

medievalstuck. this one, as well as @callmearcturus's followup fic, A Spark, A Flame, A Fire, is definitely worth a read. jake is so often shafted in dirkjake fics, its a rare treasure when you find him written with quite so much care as he is in these fics. both authors have fascinating things to say about who jake is and how he communicates with people, and when it comes to arcs fic, i just LOVE how dave and rose are written, augh. theyre so fucking precious. im also a big big fan of roxy and jakes friendship! i still think about roxys little petnames for jake all the time. the derse vs prospit worldbuilding also just lives in the back of my head rent free at all times. if you liked my fic, Tactical Retreat, you should definitely read these bc god knows they totally influenced my worldbuilding

chamomile, rose water, and other unlikely intoxicants

by @callmearcturus

"I do swear by Skaia's guiding light to eschew ambition and direction to serve in the holy retinue. I will lay my head in the safety of the bower and pay penance in thought and deed. For the King of All Winters and the Undying Prince, I will provide succor and balm, and yield my being to ease the burden he carries for us all."  An off-the-cuff jamfic for the Strilondes discord that spun rapidly out of control. In which Dirk plays the role of resigned god-prince of Skaia, locked in a twisted version of the Year King fable. His life is a sorry routine until one year, he receives a very bold, strange offering from the heir to House Harley, Jake. A story about cycles, and how to break them, and the patterns left in the scattered pieces afterward.

sort of a medieval, fairytale style fic. i just love the way jake is written in this one, hes so fucking charming. the story itself and the plot is really compelling, and the worldbuilding is great! arc also just has a writing style that just sort of... flows, you know? its fucking beautiful honestly i wanted to write like that so bad

[kemendin]

For Cas - Why Scourge over Theron? (Apologies if you've gotten this ask already!)

I haven't actually, so thanks!

Let me preface with - sometimes I think characters just do what they want, and I'm only here to record it rofl. So in a way it's 'I dunno, it just happened that way!' But let me try to lay it out (punctuated with fanfic excerpts because I can).

Naturally Cas spent a lot of time with Scourge before he ever met Theron, as they went through the last part of the class story together. As much as Cas wanted to deny it, there WAS a bond between himself and Scourge, though he couldn't have put it into words and wasn't about to try. Might have been the will of the Force, might have been how Scourge literally carried him to the ship in escaping the Emperor's fortress and then pledged his loyalty to Cas. (Might have been all the things Scourge did to keep him alive and prevent him from entirely succumbing to the Emperor's domination, but Cas at this point didn't remember any of that.)

Cas found Scourge to be as fascinating as he was infuriating - intelligent, quite open-minded for a Sith (about some things anyway), surprisingly sassy, in so many ways just utterly magnetic. And the truth was, they made a good team - Cas was not a typical Jedi, and Scourge was not a typical Sith, and much to Cas' surprise, Scourge never tried to turn Cas to the dark side during their travels, which prompted a certain amount of respect for him. It wasn't long before Cas was feeling at least a physical (also vocal xD) attraction for him, despite how often they butted heads and argued. By the time they hit Corellia, and Scourge had started to open up a bit about his past, that attraction had become emotional as well - which was unfortunate, because Cas knew Scourge couldn't and didn't feel the same. Cas did his best to hide his feelings - unsuccessfully, he found out, years later - but it made for a distinctly frustrating situation.

Once, in what may as well be another life now, he had known chagrin over his undeniable attraction to the Emperor’s traitorous Wrath. He had shied from it, fought with it, turned his back on it - anything to keep his prevailing feelings for the man from overtaking him. And all the while knowing that his efforts to bury them would never be enough. 

In the end, the best he could manage was a truce. Acknowledging that he would never fully eradicate what he felt, but by the same token, that Scourge would never want - or be able - to reciprocate.

Then Theron came into the picture, and Cas found him attractive in a refreshingly different way - casual, funny, yet incredibly good at his job, not to mention they could talk shop over both being proficient slicers. Knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere with Scourge, Cas was all aboard with trying to point his feelings in a different direction, though admittedly at the beginning he was trying to make Scourge jealous by flirting with Theron (it didn't work).

Scourge is watching him intently. “By the time we departed Corellia, all those years ago, it was clear that you were infatuated.”

Despite the fact that this is ancient history, and there’s nothing left to be embarrassed about, Cas feels a slight blush warm his face.

“You never let on,” he says, surprised, and there's the faintest trace of accusation there too. “Not once.”

“There was no point.” Scourge shrugs, but the callous motion is softened by the way his thumbs press lightly into the backs of Cas’ hands - one covered in smooth, pliant skin, the other set with lines of dark metal and cold pinpricks of light. “It seemed unwise to risk encouraging you, considering our circumstances. Defeating the Emperor was our paramount concern, and there were already too many distractions. And I….”

He falters, and gives Cas’ hands another careful squeeze.

“I could not give you what you sought. I thought that with time, you would find… another path for your attentions. And you did.”

“Yeah, I… I did, but -“ Cas scrunches his face. “You know I only started flirting with Theron to try and provoke you, right? I mean, not only, but that was part of it.” He lets out a rueful sigh. “And that didn’t do a thing, did it? Because you wanted me to find someone else.”

“You needed someone else. That much even I could see.”

So Theron and Cas had a thing going, and while it was fun, and sincere, and actually deeper than either of them were willing to admit, they saw each other only as various crises allowed, and never got around to really talking about it. They needed each other, for their own reasons, and it worked well for both of them, but they kept it on the down low from anyone not in their immediate circles.

And then Cas got yeeted to Zakuul, and came back a changed man - uncertain, lost, angry and exhausted, and he just couldn't go back to where he'd been before, emotionally. Not to mention, he couldn't abide the thought of trying to be intimate with Theron again - or with anyone - with Valkorion always hovering in the back of his mind.

“What we had before - whatever it was, I’m not sure I know either - that was right, for both of us.” The words were halting, but earnest all the same. “You let me feel something wonderful, something I hadn’t felt in a long, long time. I promise, I don’t regret a second of it. And if those memories were what kept you going through all this shit, then that makes everything I’ve gone through worth it. I mean that.”

He flicked his gaze up again, tentatively searching Theron’s face, unsure of what he might find there. The other man’s eyes were lowered, half lidded, distant. Cas tightened his grip on the calloused hand he held.

“But now - I can’t, Theron. I can’t go back to that. It’s not you - it’s me.” His throat tightened. “Look at what’s happened. The Republic I fought for is cracked and suffocating. I’m a fugitive, hiding from a mad emperor who stole five years of my life without a thought. Half of my friends may be dead, countless others have already died because I dared to fight back. And to top it all off, I’ve got my worst fucking enemy, whom I’ve already killed twice now, living inside my head, trying his damnedest to make me become like him.”

So they didn't renew their relationship, and Theron was disappointed for a while, but he understood. They remained fast friends regardless of some awkwardness that hung around for a bit, and actually did sleep together again once or twice just for that feeling of being close, but any romance essentially died there.

Aaaand then Scourge finally shows up again with another dramatic rescue, pulling Cas from the wreckage of the Meridian Complex (I'm sorry but it's ABSURD to me that in game, Scourge and Kira rescue Arn and Tau, rather than the JK, the potential for dramangst is so good, I'm changing it, sue me). The thing is, Cas never got over his feelings for Scourge, and suddenly Scourge appears and now he's got EMOTIONS and Cas can actually FEEL him through the Force, as opposed to the void he used to be, and Scourge has realised how deeply he feels for Cas, and just - yeah. It was never going to be anyone else, once Cas started falling for him.

Once Cas and Scourge are life partners, it does take some time for the tension between Scourge and Theron to die down. They don't like each other much, but after a while they at least respect each other. Cas still goes and complains to Kira and Lana when the boys are being particularly bristly to each other, however.

The agent and the Sith had never gotten along particularly well. Prior to the Alliance they had rarely needed to work together in close quarters - Theron had stayed out of Scourge’s way, and Scourge had seemed content with that arrangement. But the present situation was far more complicated. Theron was understandably wary of the Sith - a traditional enemy, a latecomer to the Alliance fold, and not forthcoming about his intentions to anyone who wasn’t the Commander. And Scourge, for his part, held no love for a man with a clear preference for Republic values and the talents of a top notch spy, who’d already proved he could betray Caspian and nearly get away with it.

All of this was compounded, of course, by the fact that Theron was Caspian’s ex-boyfriend, and Scourge his present partner. Privately, Cas was of the opinion that Theron was handling it all far better than Scourge. Though the agent might have moments of regret and wondering what could have been, in essentials he had moved on. But Scourge was prone to possessiveness when it came to his relationship with the Jedi, and although Cas had assured him that any feelings between himself and Theron had long since settled, he could still sense flashes of resentment and jealousy at times, when the Sith and agent were in the same room. He supposed he couldn’t entirely blame Scourge for that. Cas and Theron had spent years together, as friends if not lovers, and Cas knew that Scourge still lamented the loss of that time he could have spent with his Jedi.

From an OOC perspective - there is a LOT in my brain about why they suit each other, and this post goes into a bit of that, primarily the dichotomy of light and dark and, against the background of Scourge's vision/the apparent will of the Force, the theme of CHOICE in their relationship.

For those interested, there's a lot of Cas/Scourge relationship exploration in my fic Cover Your Crystal Eyes, and I went into Cas' breakup with Theron in How Reflections Change.

Thanks for the ask @swtorpadawan, this was a really fun one to lay out for folks!

[relamune]

Kael'thas for the ask meme thingy please i need

favorite thing about them Okay I'll try not to write a novel here but there's so little I don't adore about Kael'thas & it's hard to choose just one thing for this lmao. Like you can tell he cared/cares about his people a LOT, he just made some very poor decisions. I love that despite everything he tries to put the blood elves first, he definitely shouldered way more responsibility than he really needed to even for their leader imo, he had other people he could have relied on to share that burden! but he didnt!

Even before the scourge or the outlands, kael had SUCH an interesting personality? Like hes sometimes this bratty childish prince that can be stubborn as hell if he doesnt get his way but he's also easily one of the most powerful mages at the time, even getting on the council of six seemingly relatively easily because of it. So he may be a bit spoiled but he definitely clearly knows how to reign himself in & be serious when he needs to be & that makes him such a fun character with depth beyond just leaning into one trait or another.

Blizzard really shafted themselves when they tossed him away, I would have LOVED to see him progress through the expansions beyond being forgotten about until Shadowlands. least favorite thing about them how blizz threw him away :) I will never recover from the knowledge that they used him PURELY to fill a raid boss slot. He had SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I guess on the other hand we probably wouldn't have nearly as much content with the triumvirate as we do but I'm still not happy about nerfing Kael like that. favorite line "This is your brain, say hello brain. (brain says 'Hello!') And this is your brain on fel magic: (fel magic burns)(brain cries in pain) Any questions?"

(Honestly any of the HoTS quotes are gold this one just made me laugh the hardest) brOTP Hot take perhaps? Sylvanas pre-scourge. I like to imagine he kept trying to play matchmaker with her & lorthemar at that time & both of them hated the concept (but unfortunately kael is a stubborn bitch) but otherwise their friendship was equal parts business and jovial (as much as Sylv could be anyways) OTP honestly a BIG tie between Kael x Rommath & Kaellidan nOTP Controversial take in the Kael fandom probably but Jaina. I like them as friends or friendly rivals but don't really understand why there would be romance between them. random headcanon okay idk if this is gonna make sense & this is more of like a character study headcanon rather than a legit "this is how I think he goes about life" sort of thing but i have a big hc the triumvirate are just...sections of Kael. His laidback/care free traits being Hal, His leadership & determination & drive to protect the blood elves being Lorthemar, & his passion for magic & everything scholarly being Rommath. Idk maybe I'm looking to far into it but the fact Lor has reminded Rom of Kael on more than one occasion & vice versa really has me thinking on this.

If you want like a legit headcanon tho I definitely think Rommath got his humor and love of puns from Kael back from when they were younger. Kael said one (1) pun once, Rom laughed his ass off (& still refuses to admit it), & has come to appreciate the crafty wordplay of puns ever since.

Also another for you as an excuse to put it somewhere :: his title "the sun king" was actually from Illidan, back during one of their first meetings. Illidan meant it more in a derogatory way towards kael but kael thought it was brilliant & adopted it unpopular opinion i,,, actually dont like his VA in TBC. Nothing against the guy personally, imo it just doesnt fit Kael? I liked the one they used in Heroes of the Storm & SL (which i...THINK is the same person? idk im bad with remembering names but they sound similar so im sticking with that assumption) song i associate with them I have way too many actually that are just ship songs but I do associate this one specifically with Kael

Glass Animals - The Other Side of Paradise favorite picture of them his hearthstone battleground illustration does very gay things to me

[the-derpy-duck]

I adore ROTB

Sort of spoilers. I do my best not to.

I haven’t had much time to reflect on it but ahhhhhh it was so goood! This was the first time I’ve seen a transformers film in theaters and I was losing my mind but trying to be quiet.

But I just LOVE the way the maximals (idk if that’s how you spell it- I have a strictly casual relationship with the English language) move. Like Airrazor talking looked amazing to me and I loved how Primal’s nose would move sometimes. Cheetor’s run cycle! I eat that shit upppppp!! Cheetor in general was really well designed to me. I hope I can get a good toy of him (I already picked up the SS Airrazor). Cheetahs are my favorite animals even if they constantly shoot themselves in the foot, evolutionary wise. The maximals look very good IMO and I’m happy they finally got decent 3D renders. I love how big they all are as well. Like these things could destroy just about anything on earth. I also like the voices for the Maximals.

The humans were also really good. I love Noah’s relationship with his little brother and the conflict with him felt realistic and very grounded in the alien car movie. His friendship with Mirage did feel a little rushed but honestly that worked with the way he was characterized I think. Like Mirage seemed so desperate for a non auto bot friendship and he seemed to have a general affinity for humans not dissimilar to Bumblebee’s.

Also the part where Bee put on his battle mask caused me and the person who was sitting next to me to lose out collective minds. I don’t care if it’s cheesy, pull that stick out of your ass and enjoy the action! Enjoy the drama!

Also I love Mirage’s face. I wish he looked less like Jazz in his alt mode but honestly his bot mode is so cool so I don’t care that much. I also like OP’s face. It’s sort of modeled after Peter Collin’s face so it’s marvelous. I think they should have changed Wheeljacks name to Perceptor, especially sense BB movie design for Wheeljack was just so perfect but also Pablo is my son and he’s so fantastic and I love him and I’m not gonna be person 1,983 hating on this design.

Scourge was alright. I didn’t see the face reveal as too much of an issue or even note it that much in my mind. I think the fact that he collects insignia’s is really cool in a fucked up sort of way. Like it isn’t enough to just kill someone and destroy there home he also needs to disgrace their bodies. It’s also a weird way of keeping track of his victories. I thought it was kind of neat. He’s not that deep and it’s a little bit underwhelming when I think about it. Like I wish the movie had more time to do things. Because to me it didn’t feel that long, I think some extra time would have done it good.

There is a character who died who I think, realistically, should have been able to be revived and I wish that they were. Also a character gets killed and I think the maximals should have been the ones to kill them. I wish the maximals got more screen time. The movie was fairly fast paced. The movie is only 2 hours and 7 minutes long. Which is still 2 hours but I think having it go a little longer would have helped a lot of characters.

The reveal at the end almost made me scream like holy shit. I was expecting something but not THAT. I really hope we can see more decepticons next movie. Like Skywarp as a main antagonist would be so cool. Think of the fight  scenes. Think of the teleportation. Think of another purple movie robot. Please. Pleassseeee.

I though that the CGI was fine. Nothing looked off to me in a way that would pull me out of the movie. The Flash looked a lot worse and I think that movie had a higher budget. 

Optimus wanting to get home and his conflict is compelling to me. Like he doesn’t have a reason to like or trust humans. He’s been stranded on this shithole of a planet with no contact with his army or friends or home for seven years I understand why he hates it. He also has another reason to really get the hell out but spoilers. But also he comes to a general understanding with the humans and learns that they are sort of worth working with. He just wants to get home and help his friend get better and save his own world and brutally murder his enemy. He’s still very brutal but it feels different to Bayverse. That’s probably because I don’t like Michael Bay or his transformers films but you chose to read to this point so you get to deal with my weird biases.

*minor spoilers sort of*

The part where Unicron tells OP not to destroy the key and that he give him anything and OP says “then die” got me way too hyped up. Like wow. Murder dad robot is SO cool!

I love Arcee fighting with Wheeljack and standing on Rhinox, idk if it was a call back and or reference to that one beats wars  scene but I love it either way

[chasseurdeloup]

Describe an NPC who is important to your character's story. Is this person still a part of your character's life? What are your character's feelings towards them? Have those feelings shifted, or have they always been constant?

META

MEET THE LANGLEYS

Claire Langley: Kaden's mom Faceclaim: Robin Wright Things are complicated between them. There's love underneath all of it, but there is a lot of resentment from Kaden and just hurt. After her husband died, Claire was determined to make sure that her family remained a singular unit, undivided. At any cost. She didn't care if that meant her children didn't always like her, she was trying to keep them safe and prepared them for the world. Because he was the oldest, Claire always pushed Kaden to be the best and then be better than that, always raising the bar just out of reach. She thought she was showing love that way, that pushing him in training would make him a better hunter and ensure his survival as well as that of the family.

She also pushed him to grow up faster than he should have had to, partially because he was a hunter, but partially because his father died. There was definitely some parentification happening here where he was expected to look out for his sister. And he was expected to do that while his mother put the two siblings on an uneven playing field and Keira gained the favor where Kaden gained the critique. She knew that Kaden had compassionate heart and did her best to try and harden it, which she thought was for the best for him. That didn't mean she wouldn't occasionally use it against him, manipulating his desire to help to push him in the direction she thought best.

Her view on the supernatural is very black and white. She sees the supernatural on the whole as a scourge that needs to be eradicated. In her eyes, it all only brings danger and destruction. Her family (and her late husband's family) have believed for generations that it is their duty to help protect humanity. Their codes are strict and Claire follows them -- That's how you ensure survival. There's a reason why the Langley and Durand names have survived while others haven't. She made sure to pass down the tradition to her children, to be as harsh and strict as she needed to in order to make them into hunters worthy of their legacy.

Keira Langley: Kaden's Sister Faceclaim: Rachel Keller Another extremely complicated relationship. Despite what she did and despite the fact that she disowned him, Kaden still loves his little sister a lot. That doesn't mean he trusts or likes her right now. He's honestly not sure if he'll be able to handle seeing her again.

Keira grew up in Kaden's shadow and constantly strived to be just as good as her big brother. He might have been taller and older and stronger, but that didn't matter. All she wanted was his approval and their mother's attention. Kaden got so much of it, even though it was mostly criticism and negative, that didn't matter to Keira. She wanted their mother to care about making her the best as much as she did Kaden. It was never easy for her to see that she was more or less placed on a pedestal and held above Kaden by Claire. It never felt like that on her side of the coin.

For a lot of their lives, the two siblings were the most consistent relationship they could rely on. They trained together, they went to hunter camps in the months off from school, and went on hunts with their mother. The two did have friends growing up but, for the most part, they were encouraged to only spend time with other hunters. They could go to other kid's houses, but any friends who weren't hunters weren't allowed in the Langley house. Claire never wanted to explain all the weaponry and strange old books filled with pages and pages about various monsters to any other nosey child's parents.

A lot of the time, Kaden would make breakfast for the both of them on school day mornings and made sure Keira had a lunch to take with her. Claire had plenty of work to do on top of her duties as a hunter and it wasn't easy supporting a household as a single parent. It left Kaden in a bit of a parentified position with his sister while they were also the only friends each other had sometimes. Claire didn't talk much about their father after he died, expect in context of training and Langley legacy, so the siblings took it upon themselves to keep the memory of their father alive. Observing some of the Jewish holiday traditions he taught them in his short time with them was one way they did that.

As much as Kaden tried to bring his sister along with him on his own journey to finding the shades of grey within their world of hunting and the supernatural, Keira wouldn't hop on board. She was too busy trying to win her mother's favor to question anything. Plus, she believes Claire, she believes the rest of their family around them. She believes what she's been taught her entire life and she's seen the destruction caused by the supernatural. She barely remembers her father because of the supernatural. She's put blinders on and has thrown herself in to being a carbon copy of their mother.

Kaden puts a lot of the blame for how she is now on his own shoulders for a lot of reasons. For one, he was told that he should look out for her and help take care of her and should make sure the family stays together. He's the reason the family is split, but some part of him thought that maybe he could open Keira's eyes a little and he could keep the chain from breaking. He worries that his approach is the reason why she couldn't see things for herself, that maybe if he had opened his own eyes sooner, that she could have been different, too. And maybe if he hadn't fallen into the trap his mother set for them, the one that kept them competing against one another, maybe then he'd have her trust. Maybe then she wouldn't have killed the one bright spot in his life just before telling him that he wasn't her brother and he sure as hell wasn't a Langley.

So yeah, absolutely zero family trauma and baggage. None.

[error404-lostinspace]

Some days ago i watched ROTB and these are my thoughts about it

When i went to watch it I wasn’t really hyped and my expectations weren’t high, especially after reading some reviews and because i was afraid it would be similar to Bay's TF movies. Hopefully I was wrong, kinda.

While watching it I felt like it was a Fanfiction wrote by someone that is still learning how to write emotions and wants to surprise the audience at all costs. As others already said, it feels like they tried to mix Bayverse with Knightverse (but they kinda failed 'cause all the emotions felt flat, idk how to explain this). But still, I liked they at least tried to do so.

The good thing is that this film has an understandable plot and doesn’t look like a random pile of stuff put together. Another good thing is that the female characters aren’t sexualised and are an active part in the story (except for the end, i'll talk about it later)

The humans characters were good, enjoyable. The problem? Too many interactions between them and few between the Autobots. When they were going to Peru and Noah and Elena started talking it took to long, I expected Optimus and Arcee to have a convo about Bee but they exchanged like two words??? It's a film about Transformers, please make them interact between each other for more than 5 minutes.

For Optimus they should have listened to the "Show don’t tell" thing. At least he's a personality in this film (no, killing decepticons isn't a personality, sorry Bay)

I still don’t understand why they changed Wheeljack alt mode. He did nothing. Also why they give him that accent? I love Spanish accent but It doesn’t fit his character.

Elena disappeared during the final battle. They gave us a lot of Noah and Mirage and left Elena in the shadows. I really like her character, maybe we'll see more of her in the next movie.

We all agree that there was something between Elena and Airazor, right? They would have been great friends, but they decided to kill Airazor (whose death was kinda meh).

When Bee died I was took by surprise, same for when Mirage became an armour (really cool).

Noah has been inside Mirage for half the movie, when the movie ended me and my friend screamed "OMG THEY ARE A COUPLE". They want us to ship them is the only reasonable explanation to Mirage's joke.

I'm sorry but Chris speech near the end felt forced, it would have been better if it were Elena to give it.

Why did GI Joe office had so many maps of Italy??? (I know nothing about Gi JOE)

The part at the museum when Noah and Elena got hunted was kinda meh. All the film was to fast. They should have made battles less long and gave more time to the rest of the scenes.

Quoting my other friend who watched the film with me, "Scourge is cool" and "Mirage is that type of person that is funny but that you'd punch after two hours spent with him" (but we still love him)

Optimus is a Tired dad, tired big brother, with homesickness. He's so done with Mirage and Bee. Arcee is the elder daughter/second child.

I enjoyed watching Optimus getting K.O. by Scourge.

This movie is not perfect but is way better than those by Bay, I think this new continuity is going in the right direction. Maybe the next one will be memorable, who knows.

Maybe I'll rewatch it in original language.

my vote is 7/10, Bumblebee is still in first place.

All i want now are the the decepticons, I need Starscream and his trine, Soundwave, Shockwave and Megatron.