#also my agent and vector :) love them

[ufogoo]

not to swtor post on main but i am Not normal about the minister

[iavulture]

It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say, but...

Recently I brought up two thoughts about Despicable Me 4 with a friend of mine over on Discord, specifically about Gru Jr. In fact, I've been thinking about it for a few days now, but it does tie into an idea I've been obsessed with to the point that I wrote a fanfic related to it.

… Namely, that Gru's son will be someone special, and that he probably will be an AVL agent when he grows up. Probably in a hypothetical sequel/spin-off series that I personally like to call "Agent Gru" (creative, I know, but just stick w/ me).

Now I know that the movie hasn't been out yet, and that this post could possibly be rendered moot in the future, but why don't we indulge in some speculation, shall we?

Thought #1:

Okay, this is more of an observation than anything, but I found it interesting that Gru Jr. has blue eyes and red hair, just like his father and mother respectively. I've done a bit of digging, and I found out that blue eyes + red hair is apparently a very rare combination of eye color + hair color traits. According to this article, about 0.17% of the human population has this combination, making Jr. unique in that regard.

(I even joked that the powers that be in the Despicable Me/Minions universe saw Gru's family and, after Gru and Lucy did it, really said: "You shall be blessed with a son, and so you shall have children with all of the natural hair colors." Additionally, the powers that be also decided that said son should win the genetics lottery and gave him a rare combination of traits. Which leads me to a question: if red hair is a recessive trait, what part of Gru's side of the family had red hair that led him to be a carrier of that recessive gene? I'm probably just overthinking it, but it's something interesting to think about, y'know?)

Ofc, there's also the possibility that the hair color/eye color might change as he grows up, but I digress.

tl;dr Gru's son is special because of his unique combination of phenotypes.

Which sort of leads into…

Thought #2:

Okay, here's the real meat of my crazy idea/speculation, and it starts with an observation of two characters from DM1 and DM2.

Remember Vector? (DM1)

Or Antonio? (DM2)

You notice any similarities between these two?

If not, I'll say it.

Vector is the biological son of Mr. Perkins.

And Antonio is the biological son of Eduardo Perez aka El Macho.

And bc Rule of Three seems to be in order, Gru Jr. is the biological son of Gru, thus three supervillains (well, more like two villainous characters and one who turned good anyway) are fathers with biological sons.

But wait! That's not the most interesting observation that I have about them. It's actually…

… Where the sons fall on the morality scale, though it's currently debatable where Jr. will lie. So get this.

Vector is a full-on villain, as he's the main antagonist of DM1

I see Antonio as the "neutral" son, bc he's not exactly villainous like his dad; the worst he does is break Margo's heart in DM2, but otherwise he's kinda a normal kid

Which leads me to this idea: what if Gru Jr. is the "good" son of the trio? Like…

I can't see him becoming a villain like his dad once was (remember that Gru stole things in order to try and impress his neglectful mother!), and seeing how he acts around Lucy and how she seems to handle the kids (she's better than Marlena ofc), I kinda see him as a bit of a momma's boy rather than someone with mommy issues like his dad once did. Overall, he's born into a loving family whose members care for each other very much to where the only realistic reason as to why he would become bad is through a bad outside influence.

At the bare minimum, he'll grow up to be an ordinary guy w/ an ordinary life, but I honestly can't see that bc 1) his family circumstances don't exactly add up to an ordinary life (his parents are AVL agents for one thing) and 2) unless Illumination gets tired of the DM/Minions 'verse, I can't see them settling on an ordinary character as a protagonist. I mean, can you imagine if Jr. was the head of a jelly/jam business just like what Gru was trying to do at the start of DM2?

In other words, I don't really believe he'll be a villain or an ordinary guy. Like, there's little to nothing that could possibly lead him to either of those paths, unless something drastic happens in 4 or in another movie that has him. I think it's more likely he'll be actively on the side of good and be smth like an AVL agent like his parents. Plus, and I know this might be a bit harsh in regards to the girls, but I can (realistically) see him being the next-gen main character of the series. At the same time, though, I do hope that he gets to interact w/ his older sisters in DM4 and beyond (whatever that'll be like); hell, in the fic that I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I imagined him and Edith to be in the AVL, with Edith being like a weapons/gadget specialist like Q from James Bond with an additional enthusiasm for fighting (and I also imply that she might've taught him a few things along the way, such as fighting skills).

Oh, and one last thing: considering that Jr. has a scarf like his protagonist parents (I don't count minor characters w/ scarves like Antonio here), it's likely that he will be a protagonist in DM4 and possibly even future movies after it. (Apparently having one automatically gives you a high chance to be a protag in this 'verse? I joke, but y'know…)

So… yeah. Sorry for the long post, but I just had to get this off my chest since it's been nagging me for a little while now.

[biolizardboils]

heres a semi-liveblog i did while playing The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog! spoilers under the cut (both for this game and Frontiers!)

“We designed the difficulty of the THINK levels for experienced Sonic fans [...]” finally...a worthy opponent

look at this cute little new employee!! im naming them Barry like in the trailer. them and the Forces Avatar just need one more member and they can form Team Self-Insert!

the Conductor is a big doggy!! oh hes retiring aww,

The Mirage Express, huh? i thought i saw a place that looked like Mirage Saloon in the traileSPAGONIA MENTION!!

okay im not gonna say the menu’s instant ramen is absolutely a reference to the 06 fandub, but i struggle to imagine what else it could be

so they eat Pickies, but eating Cluckies is apparently too far? filing this under Important Lore Implications /j

everyone’s outfits aaaaa;;;;

IT’S AMY’S BIRTHDAY!!! CONGRATS GIRL I LOVE YOUR CAKE HEADBAND AND FUR BOA

“(Why can’t I be normal for one second...)” Barry calm down, your unorthodox yet charming response got you a wink and thumbs up from Sonic the fucking Hedgehog! id be over the moon if i was you

someone already left their ticket in a napkin holder, can’t have shit on my first day

Important notes on Barry: is intimidated by Knuckles, Espio, and Shadow, is Sparkle Gelatin Buddies with Tails, somehow cannot recognize Sonic in the flesh, and bows for royalty like Blaze

Wait... the train's robot arms look like something Eggman would make... Mr. Conductor sir...?

Why is Butcher!Vector stationed in the library and not like, the kitchen lol. And also why’d he and Espio leave Charmy at home

Amy proceeds to explain the rules of Among Us

Tails is disqualified from being the murderer, for he is both Detective and Babey

At long last... the token evil Flicky

uhh why’s the train shaking

DID WE CRASH??

Amy refusing a chance to use her hammer...?

the stick behind her was def her hammer’s handle, wonder how it broke

how on earth can a Crack on A Shelf fit in someone’s inventory

how did that minigame help Barry think of an argument dfghj

oh the hammer she broke was a Great Value backup, thank god

the dead Sonic illustration still sends me hwoling sdfghj

i muted the game to play this real quick and now im laughing even harder

wait sonic can talk but he’s numb and can’t move. no longer laughing

he’s got wounds?? and NO PULSE??? oh my god theyre actually fucking doing it

TITLE DROP?? YOURE TELLING ME THE GAME DIDNT START UNTIL JUST NOW??

what did Omochao do to warrant a wanted poster

Not Knuckles using Ye Olde English for his Sherriff rolefghjk

Omochao is wanted for medical malpractice??? sure why not

okay im gonna stop logging everything and just play for a bit. will type again if something REALLY funny or shocking happens

ooh the bg changed in the Think minigame! reminds me of Earthbound

everybody’s leaving they gotdam post, can’t have shit with this group

id let Barry tell me all about caves

all the options to get rid of the bomb gdsffhgjhkj thank god it wasn’t ACTUALLY a bomb

got caught up in the game but aaaa i hope Amy and Shadow have fun at the Hot Honey concerttt

the blowdart in the conductor’s car... what is it filled with, i wonder... a paralyzing agent... or poison

HE’S STILL PARALYZED/DEAD OH NO... the game didnt give me the option to tell anyone about him but i still feel like an asshole aaaa

aaand now im laughing again SFDGHJ Amy what do you MEAN by that????

wow, im actually not sure who did it! the robot arm was specifically sliced through, so i imagine it was someone who could do that without a weapon. Vector could’ve bitten it, and Shadow could’ve used Chaos Spear... neither of those culprits seem right to me, but it’s all i got

ESPIO. idk how he did the slicing cus his shurikens wouldve been confiscated but he can camouflage why didnt i think of that

okay the camouflage didnt even come up in the accusation but still

SONIC’S ALIVE YAY

can you imagine if he’d said this when Mephiles killed him bhkvads

I FUCKING KNEW IT. TRAIN’S HAUNTED

wait the token evil Flicky is real AND relevant to the narrative??

oh thats legitimately creepy

oh thats even worse (even tho i still think hes eggman in disguise)

okay ngl id have followed these instructions to the letter too. its an autism thing, your honor

TRAIN’S GONNA KILL US OKAY

I’M BACK IN THE DINING CAR WITH SONIC, HI SONIC!!! WE’RE GONNA DIE BUT ILU

holy cow i can’t believe there’s STILL more to do?? the production values....

SONIC NEVER GOT TO SEE THE PRETTY VIEWS NOOOO;;

E  G  G

eggman has no tolerance for self-insert oc’s :pensive:

it’s canon now that Badniks have competitive wages sdfghj

oh no Barry... your self-deprecating dialogue options are worrying me buddy...

!!!PEP TALK??? SET TO IT DOESN’T MATTER V2???

Sonic my best friend Sonic.....you’re right. we can do this

so between this and Frontiers i think this decade’s gimmick is gonna be “silly minigame actually prepares you for the final challenge”

“Don’t teleport us to the future!” Barry how did you correctly guess an event that happened in a destroyed timeline

Ohhh the Train’s mad that the Conductor’s retiring isn’t it?? lemme just plug a video real quick kjhgfdsa

IM FIGHTING THE ACTUAL TRAIN NOW OH MY GOD

this is fucking TOUGH HELP

THAT LAST PART TOOK ME LIKE 20 TRIES AAAAACK

“Your happiness comes at the expense of others. Last I checked, that’s called being selfish.” Tell ‘em, Sonic

100 rings??? have mercy

FINALLY HOLY SHIT

ESPIO SAVES THE FLICKY TO ATONE FOR HIS CRIMES

WAIT DID AMY BLOW THE TRAIN UP WITH EVERYONE INSIDE??

awww;;

oh no Train......

AAAWWW;;

god Barry’s been flabbergasted by this group the whole game dfghjk. is that how civilians tend to think of them? cus its hilarious

nobody even ate?? Barry didnt even get to do his ONE job mndbhksa

SONIC FINALLY BOUGHT THE CAKE YAYYY

“To the confident, unshakable, and radiant Amy Rose!” WAAAAAUGHG;;

WAIT WHAT ,BVJKSFHL??

“...And that’s the story of how I met Sonic and his friends. Entangled in their lives for a fleeting moment, and then back to things as they were.” Living the dream, huh, Barry? I mean, besides being jobless again

oh wait we can choose their epilogue!! i made them stick with the job, practice their singing, and manage to fly to space. as a treat

holy shit that was WAY longer than i was expecting!! every aspect of this was exquisite--scenario, art, characterization, jokes, gameplay challenge?? holy shit

oh hey i guess some people got that Sonic Lore job after all!! congrats to them too!!

I think the moral of this is that sometimes the best April Fools’ jokes are the ones played completely straight, with much more than a simple lie behind them. and also don’t trust trains

[jaymber]

First off I wanna preface this by saying I haven’t been in the CP2077 fandom for very long and I’ve been following you for even less time but I absolutely adore your ocs, and seeing them cross my dash makes me smile every time I also love reading the tidbits of lore around them..I truly love them and everything you do and I cannot wait to see more 🖤 -ps do you think you could maybe do a up close of gabby’s tattoos? I’m real curious about them

Welcome to the fandom and thanks so much for your kind words! It means a lot to me!!!! 💜💜💜💜💜

And sure! I can do that, but keep in mind that I can't focus on modding more than like, an hour, so all their tattoos are rushed! Well, Gabby only has one technically, the other marks on their body are either supposed to be a birthmark or scars (I'll get around to make them into real scars eventually but... y'know...)

And hope you don't mind me rambling a little either! So here's a Keep Reading!

Oops, had to make Gabby bald for that one hehe 🤭

I'm gonna preface this by saying I can't draw, all these were taken from free vector sites. These are four different filigree images I put together, plus the sign of Venus (♀).

The thorns filigrees are a reference to Jesus' crown. Gabby got their tattoo after being fired from Militech for blowing their cover as a double agent and left for dead by Arasaka assassins. It's a symbol of their rebirth, but also a symbol they rejected their father's power (he's a descendant of the founder of Militech) to join the "mortals", the lower class.

The two other filigrees I used are inspired by rococco art, which is known to be a pastel and irregular artstyle with too many details. It suits Gabby's personnality.

The sign of Venus is both a nod at their gender (they partially identify as a woman) and their essence as a cambion (half-succubus). Lucifer is the former name of the planet Venus. Their stage name is Venere di Luce, Venus of Light.

Gabby has other markings on their body. Two scars and a birthmark.

Gabby's birthmark is a reference to the number of the Beast. I was inspired by The Omen. So, in some occult beliefs, the term "Antichrist" refers to all children born from a demon and a human, not just Satan. It's just another sign that Gabby isn't fully human.

Their scars are both branding marks made from hot iron and Holy Water. The one on their neck isn't as visible usually, I used Photoshop tools to make it clearer. It's the symbol for the Death's-Head Moth, a XBD "studio" who hired Gabby after they were fired from Militech since they cannot die, making them the "perfect doll" for them to play with.

It was applied to them shortly after they started hanging more and more with Maelstrom. Gabby had agreed for the scene, since they thought the mark would fade away pretty quickly. They didn't know the DHM's leader knew about their demonic nature. It's just there now. Forever. It'll always hurt a little bit.

The second branding scar is a symbol of Maelstrom. Gabby eventually broke their contract from the Death's-Head Moth to work with Maelstrom instead. They didn't want an initiation cause they like their face a little too much for that, so they chose a different approach to make themself an official associate of the gang.

They were publically branded by Royce, and yes, it was extremely painful. The scar looks right on some angles only. I'll make them into real scars eventually!

Also, I'm using your nice ask to say that I've changed Gabby's eyes to give them a more unnatural look! They're literally the goat now 🤭

[monocytogenes]

Done!

I've seen folks on Reddit do story rankings, so here's mine (spoilers obv):

IMPERIAL AGENT MY BELOVED. This story really hit that sweet spot of "complex moral landscape where you have to make difficult decisions" for me, and was one (along with trooper) where I could tell that Bioware understands politics and bureaucracy delightfully well. I know a game like this is good when I have to sit back and think for a minute about what choice my character would make at a pivotal moment, and I absolutely had to do that at the end of Chapter 1. I also normally hate mind control stuff as a plot device, but they handled it very well (and traumatically)--killing Kothe, and later Hunter, was such delicious catharsis. I also still hold that the Minister was probably the most realistic-feeling authority figure to me out of any such person in the class stories, and I also have deep affection for Shara and Vector. I wanted so much more of all of them, haha. Just a great experience all around.

Sith Warrior. Also a story where I was given a surprisingly great range of options in terms of ethical decision-making, and while the plot was more of a straightforward heroic journey, the characters really made it for me. I loved Vette, Quinn (despite the clumsy writing; having a romance where the usual gendered power dynamics were reversed was fantastic) and Pierce in particular, and I loved getting to play a morally gray patriot and how the game supported me in that. (For instance, the moment where my chick let Yonlach face death on his own terms and knelt in respect to his corpse just. Beautiful. Chef's kiss.) It was also probably my favorite in terms of the actual combat mechanics; I've played as a Marauder and a Jugg, and both are just such fun.

Trooper. SPEAKING OF COMPLEX MORAL LANDSCAPES. From the start, running around on Ord Mantell and encountering everything from war profiteering to mistreatment of prisoners to child soldiers, I knew I was in for a time. Like, this is insane, but my single favorite thing in this storyline was Jorgan's personal quest and how he went through the five stages of institutional disillusionment afterward. I loved Bioware's willingness to portray the Republic as a flawed state with bureaucratic infighting and active discrimination (e.g. poor Elara's defection story)--but still clearly not as bad as the 'has state-sponsored slavery' and 'is an oligarchy run by maniacs' Empire. I didn't get super attached to my own OC, but I am intending to run the expansion content with him just because I liked his dynamics with Jorgan and the authorities so much.

Jedi Consular. I know this is one of those stories people love to hate, and I wouldn't say it was the strongest for me, but I liked it! The politics of it were fun for me, and I got pretty attached to Yuon, thought Qyzen's whole cultural background was cool, and was frankly super disappointed I couldn't romance "ethically questionable guy with an assload of PTSD" Zenith. My main complaint was that my range of choices didn't seem as nuanced as some of the other characters--a lot of options were strictly "good guy" vs. "bloodthirsty maniac". I also did like the play style quite a bit--the glass cannon dynamic was pretty satisfying.

Smuggler: This was actually the first storyline I played, and it was alright. I felt the whole hunt for Skavak was really strong, and I liked the twist with Darmas, but the latter half of the story kind of dragged. Also felt like the romances really strongarmed you--I played a guy who ended up kissing Risha simply because I picked nice dialogue options with her, and I've heard that Corso's flirtations are kind of obnoxious on a female smugg. Overall, though, I loved the criminal underworld stuff, the quippy lines, the varying degrees of unethical I was permitted to be, and the combat style (I did gunslinger, and had a great time with that!)

Sith Inquisitor: The more fantastical, force magic stuff tends not to compel me, but this story was alright, namely because it was balls-to-the-wall insane and that was kind of acknowledged in universe (like, the sheer 'this might as well happen' energy of a lot of the dialogue was pretty funny.) I did feel as though I had less leeway than on Warrior to occupy a nuanced moral space; it felt like the writing was really encouraging me to be a scenery-chewing sadist, which I didn't care for as much. The companions were alright; I thought Andronikos was cool, and Ashara seemed a better-handled Jaesa (albeit one I didn't romance on a male inq because she coded really young to me and it creeped me out.) So yeah, just. Firmly 'okay.'

Bounty Hunter: I'm not sure why I didn't care for this story--I love the crime stuff in Star Wars, I could make questionable decisions, there were some politics involved--all of that was there. I think it just didn't have an emotional core for me. With Smuggler we were really off to the races on a vengeance quest when my ship got stolen; with Consular i got attached to Yuon and was motivated to help her; with Bounty Hunter Jory and Braden got killed before their deaths could really mean much to me and poor Mako (unlike Corso) seemed pretty unequipped to deal with the challenges we were going through. I did like Torian and got attached to him--the whole situation with his dad was feels--but yeah, I just felt unmotivated through much of it. It was disappointing too to get strongarmed into accepting Gault as a companion, as I really liked him in the expansion content; it just was one of those situations where I couldn't fathom why my character would let such a liability onto her ship.

Jedi Knight: I can tell this story was supposed to really be the main event of the game, but honestly? If the agent story was cake, this was white bread. If Agent was a published novel, this was wattpad fanfic. I was actively bored. As previously mentioned, I'm not super into the fantastical force magic stuff that much in general, and most of this story was that--the rest of it felt like sweeping up after the Republic's bullshit decisions without much political context (who the hell thought these superweapons were a good idea, anyway?) Like Consular, I felt like I had little nuance available to me in my choices, and many of the characters either straight up didn't feel like actual people or it seemed like I didn't have much time to get to know them (like, I was genuinely interested in Rusk's trauma and mindset and felt like I had little opportunity to explore that with him.) I got slightly attached to Orgus as a mentor figure, and then--well, we know what happened to him. I played a Shadow and was frankly glad I did because stealthing made it easier to get through the story quicker. Sigh.

[riachuelowii]

9 people you'd like to get to know better

Tagged by @stratataisen (hellooo hi hi)

3 ships

(any) Imperial Agent/Vector Hyllus, im on the swtor train and will never get tired on them

I've also been feeling a bit of Obi Wan/Satine lately idk why but go king and queen i love you so much bbgirls

Thrawn/Eli these two speak to me in my dreams

First ship

I, do not know?? I didn't get into actual shipping until 2015??? Probably Jeremy and Aelita from Code Lyoko when I was a child or maybe some Gormiti shit, don't quote me on that it's more likely wrong

Last song

The song I last listened to is Hell's Greatest Dad from Hazbin Hotel, so there's that. Sorry but im a slut for twinky red demon people hating on each other💀💀💀

Currently reading

I am currently trying to pick up Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising but because i have almost no time due to school I've been reading star wars fanfics on ao3 at night instead

Last film

I'd say it was probably Rogue One, my memory isn't too good with movies sorryyy

Currently craving

uhhhhh I think some omelette would be awesome, spanish omelette, those guys are thick as hell i'd eat one whole

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

hihihi i do not know who to tag or who has been tagged and i don't want to annoy any of you but like uhh feel free to do these if you want to,,,

@littlekhada @gia-batmm-crickle22

[tiredassmage]

Okay, eons ago I threatened another npc dynamics post by asking the populace whom they'd like to see next and then I. never got around to the post even though Vector won by a landslide and I do already have that dynamic pretty well-figured out. BUT. Better late than never, right? (Seriously, it's a little embarrassing how long this thing has been sitting in my drafts at this point.)

I still, ideally, would love to get through. everyone on that list and maybe branch through some others, but. For now, let's just set my sights on finishing what I half-promised, lol.

This does, naturally, involve spoilers for the Imperial Agent storyline, which should all be contained underneath the cut. <3

So, Vector is one of Tyr's most consistent and reliable companions and support structures. They're probably the one member of his crew Tyr never feels a particularly strong need to doubt the intentions and motivations of and he's incredibly vital to keeping Tyr grounded to his own ideals.

He's inquisitive and a kind of compassionate that's hard to find in the realm of intelligence work, which also means he's really the only member of Tyr's crew to know anything about the agent's past prior to being a Cipher from his own lips. Vector I think sees him for at least most, if not all elements of what he is: a bit of a bleeding heart in addition to Cipher Nine.

And they worry about him, about how thin the line of balance he treads is. Tyr isn't able to tell him everything about what he goes through - both by inherent design of the Castellans function and the orders he operates under them with and for the way Tyr carries that trauma, but he's comfortable being a kind of honest with Vector that he doesn't really have anywhere else to place. In Vector, he can confide his growing disillusionment with the Empire (though Tyr makes some effort to spare him from the harsher edges of his broken faith, as he still sees something of a patriot in Vector and doesn't want to compromise the budding alliance for the Killiks) as well as personal worries like Shara and the mounting pressures of her operating as Keeper of Operations, of the tempestuous status of Imperial Intelligence going back into the reignited war, about Intelligence as his family. Around him, some of those walls can come down, at least for a time.

Chapter Three is... rough. By the end of it all, there's times Tyr doubts his trust in even Vector - not for any fault or action of Vector's own doing, but because Tyr's painfully stripped of any kind of support and backing he did have and facing a particular precarious position with the Dark Council about his ongoing service as an intelligence asset. Bitterly, this is one of the several elements where Tyr realizes that Hunter kept his promise - the Cabal took everything from him, except his life, in the end. The people he called family in Intelligence are scattered in reassignments, if they survive the fallout at all, whatever faith he had in working inside a system for change and improvement is battered, and Tyr's worried about trusting his own people because he is a defector, all but physically. A traitor. Sometimes, it's really less about trusting any of his crew as it is not wanting to take them down with him. The Empire isn't particularly well-known for leaving survivors and he knows, believes too strongly that all of them would be viewed as complicit regardless of their true feelings about his alliance with Ardun Kothe.

But Vector is ever-reliable and still always one of the first that's really looking out for him - him. One of the few that directly asks him is this what you want? Is Tyr if not happy, at least at peace with his decisions? Are they true to him?

And, yes, even with Tyr's own growing reservations about the Empire, he does hold his tongue when it comes to counsel about allying the Killiks with the Empire. Tyr sees they believe in it, genuinely, and doesn't have the heart to rob that kind of hope from one of the few people he would consider a dear friend. They are of the same mind that the Empire could benefit from different allies, from different perspectives, but Tyr's not particularly certain it's a solid decision for the Killiks in the long-run. Still, he has Vector's back the whole way, and he's never entirely unaware of the agent's thoughts, as much as he tries to soften what words Vector does coax him to use on the matter.

He's got a kind of patience that is extremely soothing and beneficial to Tyr. Truly, if the man ever needed anything, he'd only need to ask and Tyr would move hyperlanes for him to make it happen. Many years later in the Alliance, it's a relief to know one of his best friends is still safe. He regrets that he ended up right in the end about a fate of an Imperial-Killik alliance, but there was never any question to Tyr about working with him again. They remain one of the few that can see through Tyr's colors with relative ease, and one of the few that can slow him down enough to actually talk about and process it all.

And there's... a whole crush Tyr had on Vector (and probably still has) that he's never done anything with that Vector seems largely unaware of, or at least has never mentioned. Neither of them have brought it up and all these years on, Tyr's just glad to have his company as a friend. Most of it likely comes down to Tyr's other relationships - first with Shara and then with Theron Shan, both relationships he was/is happy in. And, of course... Chapter Two made them pretty busy with other problems.

Him and Vector are really fun to write... I really need to do some more with them. They're confidants, they're friends, allies... He's one of the few people Tyr would trust to search the ends of the galaxy for him, if he asked, and they're someone Tyr can trust secrets and confessions to. Vector encourages him to remember himself as something more than just a Cipher and follow his heart, his ideals to what he truly believes is right, and that's a friendship and counsel you can't find just anywhere, especially in intelligence work.

[certified-anakinfucker]

13, 27, & 44 for that SWTOR Question Meme! ^-^

(that swtor question meme)

13: Favorite storyline? Though I may possibly be a little biased... the Imperial Agent storyline. It was the first one I got hooked on and played all the way to the end (and I'm currently replaying it on a Darr copy, just for shits and giggles but also to see what he would be like if he wasn't walking smack into the unknown. It's gonna hurt a lot more to see him fall from grace but hey, it makes the climb back up all the sweeter right?) and by far the most engaging. I am constantly moon-eyed about it and it's so much fun nitpicking into random bits of lore and seeing what it all really connects to. Y'know. Like one does.

27: Favorite companion? Vector! My husband Vector Hyllus! I still cannot understand how someone can dislike him. Not even the "creepy bug man" accusations because he truly does keep all of those "creepy bug man comments" to a minimum regardless, unless he is prompted to say something or otherwise the situation direly calls for some kind of warning in the clearest form of communication he clearly knows.

He's got an absolute banger wit, he is such a gentle soul even within the hive mind of Oroboro, and you can tell that he really didn't lose personality at all; he was the perfect match for Oroboro and he melded perfectly with them as their Dawn Herald - now, as our operative. Even with a male Agent, it's like he fits in with no qualms (shut the fuck up, Cuntliyo) and like. Wh. How do you dislike him. He has done exactly nothing wrong in the history of ever. Not even with the Cortess House.

And his humor. I fucking loved bringing him everywhere bc sometimes he just says some shit that made me crack up in the middle of trying to method act my way through a scene.

44: Favorite mount? Hunter I think I really love the Voracious Rodir I incidentally snagged for one of my Smugglers, mostly because it was my first live mount and I can name him Snuggles. He hates pirates. He eats pirates.

[imperial-topaz2003]

My Reworked Legacy

Been working on this for a long time, but I've finally finished my rework of my SWTOR legacy. Decided it was best to list off my characters one by one with a brief introduction

First up is Artek Sefyr, my Jedi Knight and the Protagonist™ of this legacy. Basically, he's sort of like Clone Wars Anakin, a friendly, affable, and generally noble fellow, who does struggle with his emotions and the alure of the Dark Side. Also a Theron slut.

Next is my consular, Valri Monoya, my Jedi Consular. Definitely a wise, calm, and friendly type of Jedi. Approaches many situation with a "I have no enemies" mindset. Gonna eventually romance Nadia with her

This is my Smuggler Ixosecan, chaotic good pansexual fellow, saving the galaxy and looking good while doing so. Probably gonna go with Koth, I guess?

Baduenda returns! A 'take no shit' butch republic trooper who absolutely hates the empire. Gonna eventually romance Elara.

Gigachad Sith Tyrrnith is also back! This time in a fresh paint of Sith Pureblood Red. Pragmatic Dark side fellow, and romancing Malavai.

Brast'ore'illithyr, or Torei for short. Reformist Sith Inquisitor with a trollish streak. Also romancing Lana.

Kanux Shosam, my bounty hunter. Probably not gonna be a mandalorian, but we'll see. Gonna be romancing Torian with him.

Lastly, we have our Imperial Agent, Audian Vanterius. Basically, he's pro-Empire, anti-sith. Romancing Vector. Would love to tell you guys more, but I gotta go to work because capitalism. I hope to post more about them in the future!

[eorzeashan]

Huff huff...finally caught up from 7.1-7.3.... that was a doozy...

I really enjoyed Old Wounds. 7.1 and 7.2 were A-OK, both were decent setup into this, but it's finally going somewhere and I can see how the Malgus convo scratched the itch and made everyone's Commanders go feral over the implications and development for their characters, lol.

This line was probably more of the same contrarian raving Malgus is still doing (he hasn't changed much from his old self in that), but the reference to rot immediately made Eight think about Jadus-- the rot in the hive, as Vector called him once. He's still oddly intrigued by him, because he does remind him of Jadus in some ways, mostly in his passion for breaking the system, though he thinks he lacks tact and vision and has no feelings for anyone by his side.

He's certainly cautious about him, but he's also not scared or threatened by his presence, and once again, he's curious; everyone else is keen on treating him like a threat and Malgus howls back angrily in turn, but Eight is beginning to foster thoughts of trying to bond with him.

[Malgus: I will burn down all of their legacies... and see who embraces the flame. There are fools who believe they can outrun the shadow. Without a flame to chase it away, it will consume them-- they are doomed to repeat the same failures.]

Again, most likely meant to be menacing and vague proselytizing; however, I think this made Eight smile instead. "Someone I loved said something like that to me once. He dreamt of an Empire consumed by flame, with me as its harbinger. What does that say when I'm still here?" He'd continue; "My mentor was Chiss. There's a symbol among her people that they call the Red Flame-- it represents discipline, cunning, and strength. You may see the flame as chaos that leaves naught but ashes in its wake, but I was not taught the same. Never have I run from shadows. When the time comes, it is my duty to set it alight."

And then Malgus says it's a shame they have to remain enemies, to which the game doesn't let him reply any different, but Eight definitely said something like "I don't know Malgus, I don't believe in absolutes :)" walks away cheerfully

He's planning something devious for sure.

Oooooooooh, ok, I have thoughts on this. I do think it's a little odd they called it "unique" when Force-users regularly form force-bonds with each other so I'm a little iffy on what they're implying here (and I'll be disappointed if it's lack of general force knowledge being written) but at least it's a story tidbit that finally felt relevant to my own character. I'm guessing it's more an ability that goes beyond basic empathy and can do so even unconsciously without forming an emotional bond beforehand as you need with most force bonds, since it doesn't work if you don't have a strong relationship.

Eight's curiosity is defnitely piqued, given his own bond with Jadus. Not only that, Nul's ability is basically what he wishes the whole galaxy could feel, so that's another negative point towards the Emperor for ruining something that could've been anything beyond selfish means. I'm also guessing this is how the Jedi Knight was brainwashed, compared to the Agent's chemically induced one.

Either way, looking into a dangerous corruption of force bonds is high on his priority list, as he sees it as a potential threat to both Jadus and him. He's not sure he likes where this is going, but who else can chase away the creeping shadows he's come to know better than the back of his hand?

Last line I don't think suits him very well, but the aforementioned certainly does. I definitely get it though given the usual MMO powercreep fatigue of being the Chosen One, and I'm glad people's PC's get to say it out loud. Especially with Agents, who are constantly running from the past, being tired of being put on a pedestal and bearing the burden of being the top of their line and taking on more and more that it makes them reluctant to be cast in this destiny out of their control-- it's a trait I saw a lot lately.

But like Eight said, he has always been fire and flame, a spark in the eternal void that he was born to brave. Whatever shadow lies ahead is one he will confront head-on, as the one who goes where none can follow.

[queen-scribbles]

Hey so I found your blog from a fic you wrote on Ao3 and I am (still) addicted to KOTOR 2. I just started playing SWTOR because I saw you post about it, and I was wondering if you have any tips on which companions are the best or romance options for NPCs?

First off, thank you for reading my fic and I hope you enjoyed it. <3

Idk if I can truly say who the best companions are bc I'm massively biased toward a few of them, but I can share my faves, both in terms of romance and just the general character personality and how well they mesh with my play style for different classes.

Hands down favorite as a character and comp for how I play the tech classes is Aric Jorgan(first comp for the Trooper). I like to play tech classes as damage/short range and set my companion to heal, he has an excellent AI for balancing when to heal vs when to contribute to the damage. Personality wise, he's a grump and a bit abrasive, so he might not be for everyone but I love him. He's also my second favorite romance, but we'll get to that.

Corso Riggs(first Smuggler comp), Vette(first Sith Warrior comp), Elara Dorne(second Trooper comp), and Talos Drellik(fourth Sith Inquisitor comp) are also all good matches for the way I like to play. My favorite Force user class is Shadow, which was originally a Jedi Consular option, but now that anyone can use it that's what all my Jedi/Sith wind up xD. It has a discipline that's tank-y(Kinetic Combat) so I can continue my center of the action with a healer companion ways, lol. Personality and just liking them as a character wise, you can add Nadia Grell(Consular comp), Mako(Hunter comp) and Vector Hyllus(Agent comp) to the list.

Favorite romances

Elara Dorne(m!Trooper romance)

Aric Jorgan(f!Trooper romance)

Nadia Grell(m!Consular romance)

Theron Shan(expacs, male or female romanceable)

Corso Riggs (f!Smuggler romance)

I do need to clarify I haven't done all the romances yet, lol. Still haven't check out either of the m!Agents options, or Mako as a romance beyond act 1(she didn't mesh with that Hunter romantically), or the dark side version of Jaesa.

Some of my favorite NPC romances are Jonas Balkar(Trooper story on Nar Shaddaa, f!Trooper can flirt), Numen Brock(Smuggler story on Balmorra, f!Smugg can flirt), Beryl Thorne(Smuggler story on Taris, m!Smugg can flirt), Sanju Pyne(Agent story on Balmorra, f!Agent can flirt), Watcher Two(Agent story throughout the game, m!Agent can flirt), and Ranna Tao-Ven(Jedi Knight story on Tython, m!Knight can flirt)

OH. Important to note, any companion can be great if you get their influence level up. You can do that through dialogue choice and giving them gifts. I think you get companion gifts as part of the reward for completing weekly conquest, but you can also buy them of the trade network(hubs on the Fleet, Coruscant/Dromund Kaas, and Nar Shaddaa). And if you go into your Legacy(Y key) there's a page for character perks, you can buy a buff that increases how much influence you gain from dialogue/gifts so it goes faster, which is especially handy for comps you don't get til late-game. So if there's one you really like, just shower them with presents, lol. There's a bunch of other QoL things on that Legacy page, too.

....I think that's everything, hope I answered your questions well enough(feel free to ask for clarification if I didn't), and I hope you have fun playing! This game's had me in a chokehold since it launched, so it's always fun to see new players. <3

[nonbinarycharmybee]

If you could put any Sonic characters into the SCU, who would it and what would their story look like?

I want Sticks to be in the SCU just so she can get adopted by Crazy Carl :P

Most likely character to be introduced after Shadow and Amy is probably Silver though! I like the idea of Silver going back in time to stop Sonic from making a huge mistake and inadvertently causing the apocalypse. Maybe he believes that Sonic and his friends are bad guys that must be stopped. With his psychokinesis, there would be some REALLY cool fight scenes too (#let movie silver throw trucks 2026). I think he'd be laser-focused and serious, but also have a couple of cute dorky moments, so when he eventually realizes Sonic didn't cause the end of the world and join the heroes to fight the real antagonist of the film the switch won't be out of nowhere. also maybe at the end of the movie he goes back to the future to see that everything's all fixed, but he misses his new friends so he decides to go live in the present permanently <3.

If not, then Metal Sonic. Look, I want Agent Stone to build Metal while Robotnik is presumed dead only for Robotnik to return and instantly take a liking to this new machine. fucked up evil couple with their fucked up evil robot child. And I say this as someone who's a huge fan of "robots who have feelings and break through their programming stories", I want Metal Sonic to be a fucked-up coldhearted evil robot child. His character arc is a downward slope and he's bringing a sled.

Also Chaotix in the Knuckles' show please...maybe they're following some clues that lead them to Green Hills (or at least Earth). Now that I'm thinking about it, I'd love an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunt with Knuckles and the Chaotix. including Ray and Mighty showing up as experienced wilderness adventurers XD. (knuckles: perhaps the real treasure is the bond we have forged during our journey. vector: screw that i want my fucking gold)

[tearlessrain]

HELLO, I'm going to try and be the chance I want to see in the world, hahaha. So TELL ME PLEASE, who is your favourite swtor OC? And how do you relate them to the story of the game; is it canon for them, do you write/imagine/rp stories for them adjacent to the game or totally divorced from it...?

eeeey thank you for the ask! sorry it's taken me so long to get to it, my brain has not been cooperative on any front this week

I have several I'm very attached to but I'd have to say my favorite is my Imp Agent, Khatte Antilles (pronounced "cat." he's a cathar. I originally made him as a joke character before he developed a personality/backstory and now I just have to live with my choices.)

the fact that I had to go back four years in my art folders to find an image of him suitable for all audiences really tells you all you need to know already tbh

Overall he lines up pretty strongly with the canon basegame Agent story, it was kinda one of those "if it ain't broke don't fix it" situations because I do love the Agent storyline a lot. The headcanons kick in more in the DLC/Alliance zone and in his backstory, and I definitely fiddled with the timeline of things because he was very young for his first mission on Hutta (definitely no older than 20, probably closer to 17/18, he lied about his age and joined ImpInt at 13 claiming he was 16 so that makes everything more complicated. he only got away with it because the people doing his paperwork were all human and Imperial and had no idea what a 16 year old cathar would actually look like), but he's in his mid 20s for most of the basegame questline and in his early 30s by the Zakuul era. Basically it all works out that there are some unaccounted for years between Hutta and the rest of act one, and some very accounted for years during the Carbonite Timeskip because he's not the canon Commander and being incorrectly frozen in carbonite is one of the few medical horrors that hasn't happened to him. He spent that time having a mental breakdown because he believed that the only person he still trusted in the galaxy had been killed by the Empire, and channeled his feelings about that into wiping out every trace of the Castellan Restraints and their development, including the people who worked on the project. It was all very dramatic and probably would have also have included himself if Lana Beniko hadn't tracked him down before the Empire did and dragged him back to the Alliance to help organize and lead their Intelligence division, which wasn't fun for anybody but did ultimately lead to him getting therapy and starting to heal from the clusterfuck that was his career.

I also expanded on his relationship with a few NPCs quite a bit, he's got a History with Darth Jadus and met him not long after joining ImpInt, because Jadus saw someone that young and vulnerable as a perfect opportunity to mold himself a loyal (or at least scared into submission) man on the inside and eventual personal Hand. it did not work out for him; Khatte was both more willful and more loyal to Keeper than he bargained for, and by the events of the game he absolutely loathed Jadus and also knew him well enough to handily unravel the rest of his plan. he clashed even harder with Zhorrid once she "inherited" him because unlike Jadus he held no fear or respect toward her and no amount of getting barbecued by Force lightning at every meeting would change his mind. This has all lead to him having a distinctly unfavorable view toward Sith, which he voices probably more often than is advisable for one's continued health and safety in the Empire.

he also had an extremely toxic and mutually abusive situationship with Hunter throughout the latter two acts that he's still unpacking the baggage from to this day, and still has a much healthier slow burn romance with Vector (let him kiss the bug man EA I am begging you it's 2024).

But yeah, Alliance era he's honestly thriving as much as could be expected for someone with his history, I've got him in a whole multiverse situation with some friends' ocs where he's free to be a horny disaster in a much safer and healthier way than he used to be.

[bluepoodle7]

#Johndoegame #MeetingTheParents #YousonasParents #Househuntedgame #MyThoughts

I see artworks of John Doe and the yousona on a date, cohabitating together, and getting married.

But never John Doe meeting the Yousona's parents unless the Yousona's parents are not on good terms.

I can see John Doe doing the porcelain fake human form and is either be accepted by the yousona's parents or hated by them.

I can see John Doe slowly breaking down if the Yousona's parents hated monsters or just doesn't like his scars.

I can also see the Yousona's parents talking behind John Doe's back calling him weird or creepy.

Also asking why he can't eat certain foods or drink water.

Asking if they can see John Doe's parents and can meet them.

Asking why John Doe smells like a art school project.

I can see the parents looking John Doe up online to background check to find nothing.

Questioning why John Doe has that name like he's hiding something and maybe calling the cops.

I can see John Doe slowly getting worried that the yousona's parents might not like them.

If the yousona explained John Doe and what he/them is my guess that some might accept the couple but others might not.

If the yousona doesn't care about the parents opinion then tell them off.

Maybe both of them leave together to live out their lives together.

I wonder what would happen if a Yousona had alzheimer's and dementia.

That would be pretty depressing if the yousona got ending 7 and loved Doe but the diseases are taking a hold on them.

Image not mine but link is there.

20+ Dad Meeting Boyfriend Illustrations, Royalty-Free Vector Graphics & Clip Art - iStock | First day of school (istockphoto.com)

John Doe meeting the parents of a Yousona be like. John Doe has a Etsy made badge of the yousona on his shirt or just the red message gimmick he has but it's the yousona's face but it's virtual boy red and black.

Video not mine but link is there.

Pringles Scorchin' - YouTube

My oc Zericon (Zable's Dad) would fight this Doe on the spot.

To this song in a Elite Beat Agents style where John Doe would be screaming help.

Like this.

Images and videos not mine.

Elite Beat Agents - Wikipedia

The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup - YouTube

Elite Beat Agents: HEEEAAALP! - YouTube

In Ouendan 2 there is a werewolf mission which was my favorite. Video not mine but link is there.

Ouendan 2 - Mission 9 (Kibun Joujou↑↑) - TRANSLATED - YouTube

That's part of John Doe when he has his fake human form out and trying to hide his true self slapped me back to the Ovenden 2 werewolf level especially when the girl still loves him as a werewolf gave me ending 7 vibes.

They have the same vibes.

Zable's attitude and personality might rub off on to John Doe that he might slowly get Zable's puns or jokes but not by much.

The REALTORs meet the parents.

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

I would love to see a fan art of a Yousona with REALTOR lover to meet the parents also.

I can see the parents of the yousona if they are human think this new person is normal until the parents notice this new person has tired looking eyes like they have been up all night.

The parents might ask where this realtor works business wise like what building or company they work at.

I can see a yousona try to cover for their REALTOR lover to hide that they eat people and are a living monster house mimic creature.

Maybe have one of the parents be a actual Realtor and ask the REALTOR lover for tips from their business having the mimic monster house creature sweat nervously about some of the questions asked.

Probably asking what that pink string thing they have connected to their body is.

Maybe have the REALTOR lie saying they are wired headphone ear buds and maybe pretend to get a buyer call to have a excuse to leave if it gets to awkward.

Maybe one of the parents of the yousona that is a real realtor asking how many houses this REALTOR has sold lately while using real realtor real estate terms instead of eating puns to this REALTOR to see if they are actually working to sell real estate or just pretending.

[tiredassmage]

*inhales*

iT’S FREE REAL ESTATE.gif @eorzeashan​ I’ll bite because I would also really like to rotate this idea in my head, ponder them in an orb, etc. Also - I have no idea if any of this makes sense, but they sure are some thoughts. Hopefully even half of it checks out, lol.

Like, honestly, I’m a little obsessed with rotating the psuedo Alliance alert situation in my head, it’s delicious. And I think it’ll also found my opening statements. I might just end up walking us through Tyr’s thought process in response, tbh. It’d be important to him to resolve in some fashion or another before they get to figuring out what they want with each other in the long-term.

So, firstly, Tyr is hellaciously ride or die when it comes to fellow Intelligence operatives. Agree or disagree on how the fall of Intelligence should or shouldn’t have been handled, how the Empire runs, whatever the debate of the day might be, but they were the only family that ever mattered to him. Intelligence backed him, they looked out for him, they sought his success.

Tyr never has a reason to balk at abandoning his name to be Cipher Nine because what, structurally, was his family in his youth wasn’t much more than that - a structure. It wasn’t a home. It was a place.

And for all I’ve pondered about Tyr being more loyal to ideals than individuals, it’s maybe a weird mix of both. Tyr burns his ideals for people, yet he’d still go behind someone he loves for a long game of protecting them - these are all things that make it difficult for him to deeply bond with someone that wasn’t either present for what he went through and who somehow remained largely non-judgemental (we’re looking at you, Vector, the greatest MVP the agent ever has), or someone who just... gets how it is to be an agent.

I’d be fascinated to be a fly on the wall when these two would talk about ideals though, when the subject of Jadus inevitably comes up because it’s an almost inseparable notion.

Sure, dealing with Sith is something that still manages to set Tyr’s nerves on edge in a general sense given everything, but Jadus in particular can almost shut him down. It’s one of the first things that flashes through his mind when Jadus talks about fear - operatives do not thrive on fear. It can’t be what controls them or it doesn’t matter how good you were in simulations or training, it’ll all leave you to your own. And I think it eventually loops into how he balks at the idea of losing control.

Unfortunately, he kind of trips into a self-fulfilling prophecy when that’s his gut reaction to Jadus’s philosophy. Eight doesn’t. Perhaps ironically, Tyr would call it his conviction that he���d admire (he’d mean every word). It’d be such an interesting conversation for someone to be able to walk Tyr through the view that knowing fear is perhaps the first step, but to overcome it is, in a way, to know it - and, no, while he still wouldn’t like the idea of dealing with Jadus, that re-frames it tactically, strategically. It should have been his next instinct to kick in that generally does in the field - sure, feel things, but feeling and doing are two completely separate matters. One isn’t going to resolve without the other. Jadus isn’t... exactly normal though, lol.

In that way, how could he not respect Eight for doing something he failed to do? (There’s that idea of conviction again) And, also... the inevitable guilt of not being able to finish the job himself. Tyr hates leaving people behind. He doesn’t just give up on people he cares for or respects in some way. Come hell or high water, he’ll figure something out - even if it’s supernova self-destructive to pursue.

Kinda... short way around all of this, does Tyr trust Eight to catch him when he trips? Unquestioningly. Does he let Eight lead him into that cave despite the way his throat constricts at the very thought of facing Jadus again? Yes. He doesn’t have to trust Jadus. He does trust Eight. (Tyr and his... odd capacity to trust fellow agents despite their largely untrustworthy profession)

Is Eight pretty? Yes. : P

There’s a part of this that will likely feel like the same grief and regret the Minister has about what Eight had to become in all of this, but Tyr doesn’t have to leave things lie and he’s certainly no quitter. Whatever else he is or isn’t, the need to try to understand won’t let him leave it lie. Because he’d never be comfortable living with himself if he walked away. It was his job to start, he has to be there for however this ends.

But he’d also need to figure out if he’s robbing Eight of something if they pursue Jadus. Because if he is, can he really live with that? Tyr lost everything when they shut down Intelligence. Hell, it’s part of why he’d be so damn driven to find Eight, find someone else that made it out of all of this to whatever other side ended up awaiting them. The apprehension might be worth living with if he’s got at least one person that can understand what the hell it all was to go through.

And stars knows Tyr needs someone who can keep up with the way he can’t figure out himself. Hold on I wrote a line in a recent wip that I feel like I could also fit to whatever they’d have going on:

In the dark, it’s easier to hide and easier to tell the truth.

Something something not needing to be that honest in the shadows because it might hide your tells, something something that lack of pressure and established intimacy makes it easier to share nonetheless. There is an undeniable draw to someone who understands that experience that, ironically or not, makes Tyr far more comfortable with trusting his soul to those individuals.

Anyway, I have no idea if they’d do something good or make each other worse, but it’d be pretty neat of them either way, I think. xD Honestly, once they come to some sort of consensus about Jadus, Tyr won’t think twice about trusting him and I think they could have a lot of fun being obnoxious chameleons rising to whatever challenge meets them. Just expect Tyr to keep checking in occasionally. He can’t exactly figure out what he wants beyond all of this spy business stuff, so it’s important to him to keep a pulse on what a partner wants. In a way, that similarity in them might lead to a lot of “I don’t know’s” about it, but, hey... That’d be okay, too.

[omgkalyppso]

WIP Wednesday

Hello. I'll share 1300 words of a 4000 word wip that I posted some screenshots of the other day but deleted out of embarrassment. It's 4000 words of longing and it's a fic that's intended to have 3 parts / scenes / chapters? that end in smut, but so far it just feels very silly to me and I wonder whether I should even post it, but I do like it (or at least. can tolerate my own bullshit) after a second look. It's my swtor Imperial Agent oc Chri'dalto and Vector Hyllus and their first night sharing a bed after the kotet reunion (which I never played but watched on y/t) (I stopped playing mid kotfe).

I was tagged by @ghostwise! Thank you for thinking of me! I'll tag @bladesandstars, @the-eldritch-it-gay, @wild-moss-art, @lucius-the-sinful, @tadpole-apocalypse, @evilponds, @razrogue, @littleplasticrat and YOU.

I will mention that I also have at least part of my pre-fic notes included in this wip document as an admittance that I don't even fucking remember if Joiners / Vector sleeps. It has been a while since I played the game. We're on vibes.

.

A Joiner can reflect on the memories of a nest, and so sleep can often also bring a thousand-thousand dreams upon Killik such as Vector. When the nest limited Vector’s connections too them, he began having the same singular styles of nightmare — adrift. Alone.

In the ever expanding emptiness of the universe he watched as all life and creation slipped further and further away. The Song of the Universe muffled in the vastness of space. The warmth of connection, the knowledge of life, his senses, lied. His wife was gone, and one day he would be too, and the nest’s fate would be as mysterious and oppressive as the darkness at the edge of the galaxies.

Vector had rejoiced in his reconnection to the nest when questions and whispers had come through The Song that related to the destiny of his long-lost love. Meditation, community and hope had kept his dreams peaceful, vibrant, and whole.

It stood to reason that the first time he should rejoin his wife in bed for a night of repose should offer him the best sleep yet, but no. His mind was awash with questions and anxieties and the impatience of the nest, and he’d tried, with all the tact of a politician, to reassure them and council patience — perhaps he’d even succeeded, as their dreams which floated in and out of his perception were joyous and mundane, but somehow he was still having his nightmare. His Agent, his family and his nest, were slipping away, no matter how hard he clung to them.

.

Vector awoke with a start. He did not jolt upright, but he did kick a leg out in fear, as if he could have fought the darkness away from himself. The motion hadn’t really propelled him so far as his waking body could perceive, and yet still he was nearly sent into a panic by the unfamiliar sensation of a body around him, a hand squeezing his left wrist in response to his violent slip from sleep.

“Vector?” said that impossible voice at his neck, and Vector instantly bent his right arm so that he could squeeze at the hand holding onto him. His Agent. His wife. A safe bed and a blessed place to find himself, to be sure. How could he have mistaken their shared aura for anyone else?

“We are sorry to have woken you,” he said softly, tone shamed and throat dry.

The Agent didn’t respond, and Vector hoped she slept once more. He had been grateful that she had offered to share her bed, and did not now seek to have her regret their closeness, nor this embrace, because he was failing to let them rest.

He imagined rolling over onto his opposite side, upsetting the hold the Agent kept around him for the sake of being face to face, to observe her and her aura directly. To press his forehead to hers and …

And he realized that this was already what she had been doing, with the side of her face pressed to the back of his neck, her breath tickling across his skin, her proximity and perception inescapable.

They were close. Closer than he expected them to be. Even so …

He'd imagined two scenarios as the most likely for if the Agent sought to reassert their relationship: either they would want to take it slow and he would spend months courting her, or they would be as pent up as he was and they would be all sweat and passion. He wasn't prepared for gentle intimacy. To be held and … presumably expected not to touch, not to take it too far, not to fantasize about their scents and auras intermingling while their bodies rocked together in rapturous ecstasy.

The weight of their arm was more than enough to entice and feed Vector’s imagination. He pictured his wife's hand guiding his by the wrist to touch himself for her amusement. Or taking his hand and putting it in her hair to keep his body open to their groping fingers.

Vector carefully flexed his hand to watch his wife's grip spread and relax around his forearm. Her purple-black fingers could be gripping him elsewhere. They belonged in his mouth.

Vector briefly considered rolling off the bed to right himself, to rattle his brain and silence his cock. With luck he would be sleeping with his Cipher Nine for a long time now, with charm he might restore their sexual intimacy after a period of acceptable growth before he made a fool of himself also.

His aura fizzed like angry clouds and carbonated fluid, and with little patience for himself, Vector gently guided Cipher’s hand from his body and down to her side as he slipped from the bed. The refresher wasn’t far, and either a quick moment of personal maintenance would aid in quieting his mind and body for the night — especially while Cipher Nine’s scent clung to his skin as surely as her body protested being separated from him, or a far more restrained splash of cold water should discipline his imagination from it’s continuous hungry spirals.

He had taken but a step when he heard shifting in the sheets behind him and another worried beckoning of his name.

“Vector?”

With a deep breath, he angled himself as best he could, willing that the dark and his wife’s grogginess would spare him his embarrassment. He kept his hands at his sides, but knew his posture was anything but relaxed.

“Only going to the refresher, Cipher,” he said. At least his voice was regulated.

Cipher Nine extended her arm out across the space in her bed that he had occupied, her fingers grasping at empty air. She pouted, “Touch my hand.”

Her command given, she dropped her sleepy face into the pillows, and with a small sigh of amusement, Vector cautiously approached to do as was asked, letting her squeeze his palm in reassurance. She tilted her head to free her mouth from the prison of her bedding to grumble, “Kiss my forehead when you get back.”

He didn’t answer her then, satisfied to leave her presence while she was relaxed, and appeased, and grateful. He wished that he was much the same, and did not want to prolong their parting or risk her suspicion for the delay of his absence because of his own confused emotions. . Vector ran cold water on his fingers, and splashed it upon his face, willing himself into memories, both his own and from the shared bank of the nest. Ice cold water in chilling glaciers, fires ravaging all they consumed, the emptiness of isolation. However each memory brought with it, its twin. The relief of reunion, the smells of blood and blaster burns where Cipher Nine was at her most impressive, the nectar of life in a shared canteen first at her lips and then at his.

It took longer than he’d have liked to find comfort in his state of conduct, and returning to his wife’s chambers did little to alleviate his problems. He briefly wished he could bust into a swarm and touch her every possession, breathe and float upon every unoccupied space of shared air, cocoon her in warmth and the humming of wings. It was not a fantasy she’d share, he imagined, though the breadth her enthusiasm and support of his place in Killik society and the physiology that came with it remained a priceless and precious surprise every time he was reminded of it.

Instead he walked to the bed with the sure gait of a Killik, relishing in the hum of the ship and the song of the stars, and the beautiful aura of his sleeping love. Half a human but wholly a man, Vector sat close to his wife and extended his arm across her body to cage her beneath him, between his wrist and his body, where he could bend his elbow to lower himself to her level and kiss her head as requested.

Cipher Nine made a small noise of acknowledgment, slowly rolling over as Vector straightened his arm, assuring they had the space they needed for their horns between them. She may have just been tired, but her aura was … sharp, sluiced with discordant colors, and so with some concern, Vector asked, “How are you feeling?”