#and don't get me started on the capital outskirts

[eleplay]

altus plateau i

[convexicalcrow]

In which I decided to write the ending of this fic until it was done... 4k words later. XD Enjoy. <3

---

False landed on the outskirts of the Ancient Capital. She really didn't want to have to go and confront Pix again, but this wouldn't be over unless she did something about it. She didn't see him anywhere, though he was online somewhere. Maybe down in the catacombs? Maybe.

Maybe she should call for back-up. That might also be a good idea. Perhaps a better idea. But there was really only Impulse, and he was busy working in the nether last time she checked in with him. Scar and Cub were too far away to help right now. Well, she didn't know they were too far away, but she had trusted them to the nether search, and maybe an amnesiac and Scar were perhaps not the best pair to send on that particular expedition. Truth is, though, she wasn't sure she trusted them with this task either. She didn't want to risk either of them being infected again.

She sighed. Seems it was up to her to fix this problem. Pix had warned her to stay away last time, and she was very definitely ignoring that warning. Perhaps that was unwise. Still, no time to back out now, right? The skulk couldn't be allowed to continue infesting him, and if no one else was going to take up the fight, then it was going to have to be her, as usual. Cleaning up everyone else's mess. That seemed about right.

She slowly made her way into the city, trying to think of places where Pix might be, assuming he was here, of course. She didn't know for sure that he was here, but something told her that he was. The place was quiet, apart from the shuffling and kicking and sharp chirps of the dodos. It felt… eerie. Like the air knew something bad was about to go down. False didn't like that feeling either. Perhaps she was unwittingly walking into a trap. If she was, at least she could fight her way out of it. Scar and Cub wouldn't stand a chance.

Well, best start somewhere then. If she was going to get this far in, she might as well do this properly. She flew over to the catacombs and entered, heading down the stairs into their depths. Maybe he wasn't here either, but she had to check, just to be sure.

-

"Hey guys! Just a quick question before I head over, do either of you have any enderpearls?" Impulse said, getting them both in a call.

"I know I don't," Scar said.

"I know Joe donated a whole bunch to your base, Cub, but I don't know if you have any on you," Impulse said.

"Honestly, I haven't really looked through what I've got on me but maybe, maybe. We'll see." Cub got out his enderchest and set it down to look through his items. "Why did he give me all those enderpearls then? I don't remember that happening."

"I believe it was because you and Cleo burnt his totems. So he rerouted the trash to your base and now you have all the enderpearls. So yeah, have fun with that," Impulse said.

"Yeah, that seems fair," Cub said. He'd looked in a few shulkers and had found no pearls. "Not looking promising though. I have some prismarine blocks for some reason though in case you need those."

Impulse laughed. "Nah, I'm good. In that case, I'll bring the bedrock-breaking kit. You'll need to dig up to bedrock so you can help me find the best place to break it, yeah? I'll be maybe ten minutes. Three thousand blocks in the nether is a long way out for sure. How did you even manage that?"

"You know how easy it is to get lost down here! You take one wrong turn in unfamiliar territory and suddenly you're a thousand blocks from where you thought you were and can't remember how to get back!" Scar protested.

"He took me through the wrong portal. He wanted to show me the froglight farm but yeah. Now we're here," Cub said.

"Oh, of course! Anyway, hang tight, I won't be long, alright?" Impulse said.

"We'll dig up and meet you there, alright?" Cub said.

"Carve out a hole when you reach bedrock, there will be explosions!" Impulse said. "Make it Scar-safe, Cub! I don't want either of you losing your stuff this far out."

"On it, Impulse. Thanks again, I'm not sure I'd have been able to get us back. I'm… navigating is difficult at the best of times, let alone off the back of such a large blackout, yeah? So I'm glad you're here because I'm not sure Scar could have rescued us either."

"It's no problem, I was working in the nether anyway. I'll be over in a bit, yeah? Seeya soon," Impulse said and left the call.

"Well, Scar, I guess we're digging up," Cub said as he picked up his enderchest.

"I guess we are! Thank the Vex for Impulse!" Scar said as he started digging upwards.

-

False found no one in the catacombs. What she did find, however, was a very nondescript hole in the ground leading to a staircase that she almost didn't see because it was so covered with skulk that the stone beneath wasn't easily visible. Maybe- maybe she should go down there. That seemed like a better lead. She got out her communicator.

scar, cub, maybe get to pix's base as soon as you can? not sure if this will be dangerous, not sure he's even here, but you know, just in case?, False sent to Scar and Cub. If she was going to go down and confront him, she wanted them to be not far behind her, ready to unleash the hoards of Vex should she be infested or otherwise incapacitated.

She took a moment to steady her breath and drew her sword. "Alright, here goes nothing."

-

She headed down the staircase, carved out of the rock. The smell of skulk slowly got stronger, though whether this was a sign of his presence or not, she didn't know. But there was definitely skulk down there at any rate.

The staircase stopped, opening out into a large cave. In front of her was a great skulk covered … thing? There was a spawner there, she could see that now. Maybe this was for making skulk? Maybe. She dared get a little closer to the edge and looked down to see … wait, was that Pix sitting in the middle of all that skulk? It was hard to tell, there was simply skulk everywhere.

Dare she go down? That seemed… unwise. But then two blue-green bright eyes stared straight into her from down below, and she froze. Pix was definitely here, and he knew she was here too. And then the figure vanished, and before False could run, Pix had appeared through the skulk on the wall close by, veins shooting out to wrap around her.

"I thought I told you to stay away, vex," Pix hissed as he pulled her close.

"Er, yes, yes you did, you definitely said that," False said, trying not to show her fear.

"And yet, you ignored my warnings. Well, then. I can't be held responsible for what happens to you now. You should've stayed away. But perhaps that guilty conscience got the better of you. After all, why exactly are there two of you? Do you happen to know? Not everyone knows, but I know. I've seen into your mind. I've seen the secrets you're keeping from the other one, and from your friends. You wouldn't want me to tell, would you?" Pix said.

False froze. He couldn't possibly know. Could he? "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's just you in different outfits, is that it? Like Gem and her LARPing? Yeah, that's definitely just it. Only there aren't two Gems here, are there? But there are two Falses. So, tell me, which one's the real one? You? Or the one who's memories you wiped and want to keep as far away from the Hermits as possible?" Pix said.

The veins squeezed tighter around False, and her sword dropped to the ground, the muscles in her hand cramping in such a way that she let go without warning. How did he even know all of this? There's no way he could know all of this. Right?

"There's only one False, I swear. I-It might just be someone who looks like me, right? That has to be it. A cosplayer, maybe. Maybe that's it," False said, struggling to find a more convincing argument without giving away how correct he was.

Pix laughed. A vein moved up her face and False could feel it trying to get inside her brain. "Now, I wonder what would happen if spilled all your dirty little secrets, hmm? I wonder if your friends would still be your friends if they knew what you'd done. Because that's the thing about skulk. It gets inside your brain. And the Vex don't care about you nearly as much as they care about those other two. Who'd miss you if the skulk claimed you as well? No one. Your dark heart is just what the skulk like best. It's rotten already."

Every word he spoke simply evoked more terror into False until she couldn't move, couldn't speak, could only stare into Pix's horrid glowing eyes as veins spread out through her hair, sinking painlessly into her brain. Pix's eyes were the last thing she remembered.

-

It hadn't taken that long to dig up to bedrock and clear a space. They'd had a lucky run and had managed to find only one spot of lava to get around, and now they had a nice little cavern carved out. Cub had already identified a couple of potential blocks Impulse could use. He hadn't forgotten everything, to be fair.

"Hey, hey! How are my lost little lambs?" Impulse said as he called them again. "I'm about a thousand blocks away. Are you up by the roof yet?"

"Yeah, we're ready. Got a couple of spots you can use. Want me to send the coords?" Cub said.

"Yeah, please do. It'll make the set-up faster if we don't have to do that once I arrive," Impulse said.

"Yeah, False has asked us to meet her somewhere as soon as we can, so anything that speeds up the process, you know?" Cub said. He got his communicator out and sent Impulse the coordinates he'd found. "Check your messages. I've sent the coords over."

"Thanks, man. I'll call again when I'm over there," Impulse said and left the call.

"We're pretending we don't know what False wants us for, right? If he asks?" Scar said.

"Yeah, of course. I got a feeling she's in big trouble though. The Vex are screaming again. We might need to deal with this on our own," Cub said.

"Oh, no, surely Impulse would help if we asked!" Scar said.

"Too difficult. Let's just keep it simple. The fewer involved, the better," Cub said. "We don't know for sure that she's been taken, but we need to prepare for that."

"Right, of course. We're going to need to be in Vex forms, aren't we?" Scar said.

"I think so, yeah. We may need to taunt them to bring them out, then attack. Focus on curing, not killing. Killing doesn't work, it just spreads the skulk. So we want to avoid that," Cub said.

"Right, right, of course. I didn't think of that. But the potions will be enough, right?" Scar said. "On the swords?"

"Should be, yeah. Of course, we don't know if there will be any other effects on a non-Vex like Pix, but we should be able to get rid of the skulk. False should be fine, though. But yeah, we should hurry over there as soon as we're out," Cub said.

-

Impulse was with them soon after, and before long, Scar and Cub were climbing up onto the roof as Impulse packed away his redstone.

"So where's the way back?" Cub said, looking around.

"Oh, I'll take you, don't worry. You kinda ended up pretty much east in a straight line, weirdly enough! So it won't take us long to get back," Impulse said.

"Oh, of course. That'd be right. Thanks again, Impulse. I don't know what we'd have done if you hadn't been around," Scar said.

"Oh, you could have just flown back towards zero-zero, but I get it, especially if False is asking for you. Come on, this way," Impulse said.

-

Cub and Scar took their Vex forms once they hit the overworld and had said goodbye to Impulse. Travel would be significantly faster, and they could collect the Vex who had been preparing to fight off the skulk. Vexspace was chaotic again, though. It seemed False had been ripped away from Vexspace and they'd lost contact with her. Definitely not a worry.

They went to Pix's base, where the skulk had spread so much that Pix's builds were almost buried under it. At least it was concentrated around the catacombs and the statue, but it still looked very ugly.

"I think this has gotten worse, far worse. More than we can handle," Cub said.

"Maybe, maybe. But we can't just run away. We're the ones who can actually fix this. We can't let the skulk keep possessing our friends like this. It was hard enough with you, I don't want this to happen to anyone else, alright? We go in. We fix this," Scar said. "I promised I would burn all the skulk in this land for what they did to you, and I meant that. This ends today. We take them all down."

"Then I guess we'd better go find them then, hadn't we?" Cub said.

-

The Vex flew, phasing through the land as they sought out Pix and False. They quickly found them underground by the skulk machine. Cub held them back. He didn't want to risk Vex lives if he didn't have to. But it did confirm that False had also been corrupted. They sat down in the skulk, watching the spiders from the spawner above them fall and die, spreading skulk all over the stone below them.

"They can travel through the skulk. Their bodies may be difficult to hit. But I don't know if seeding the skulk with the potions would also work," Scar said. "I know they can do that, because I saw you do it, Cub, before you were cured. Their bodies are like the Vex, impermanent faces of the skulk itself. How do you fight something like that?"

"Hmm. Tricky. Maybe we try both? Some distract Pix and False and get them stabbed, while others seed the skulk itself? Do you want to lead the charge, Scar? Hotguy those pesky skulk into oblivion? I can watch from here and see if the potions work on the skulk down here. Maybe it will if there are bodies attached," Cub said. "And if it doesn't, we'll be backup."

"Sounds good to me. Alright, half the Vex, come with me! We're moving in!" Scar said.

Cub watched them peel away, hoping they would be successful. Two would be far more difficult to deal with than one, but maybe they could succeed if they attacked from both sides, through their bodies, and through the skulk. They could move faster than the skulk could, able to teleport instantaneously elsewhere in the world. Dropping their nametags would transport them back to Vexspace. That was the plan to save as many Vex as possible.

Cub looked down, distracted by shouting. Pix and False were definitely distracted, though it was hard to see what was going on. The impressions Cub was getting from the other Vex were veins being used as lassoos, or as whips, attempting to grab the Vex out of the air and kill them, but the Vex were tricky, and had no physical body, so the veins just didn't work at all.

Cub got his potions out, and uncorked a couple of bottles. "Now, maybe we'll all want to stab the skulk with our swords too, but I'm going to pour it on. If anyone wants to take another couple of bottles and get closer to the skulk down there, that may work too. Splash them onto the skulk, that should work. I hope."

A few Vex came forward and took some bottles, emboldened by their fellow Vex being untouchable. Cub gave out as many as he had, and then started pouring the potion onto the skulk, hoping it might make it retreat, or die, or, well. Something.

-

Scar swooped down to slice at False, managing to hit her arm this time. She cried out and tried to hit him back, but he was too fast. They were slowing down as the potions kicked in. That much seemed clear.

"Got you, Falsie! The skulk won't take you this time!" Scar cried as he flew around and went in for another attack.

"You couldn't kill me last time, what makes you think you will now?" False spat, eyes angry as she shifted around him.

"Oh, I've brought all my friends with me this time. You'll have to try harder than that," Scar said, dodging another attack as False's sword barely missed his ribcage.

A flurry of Vex collided into her, and she cried out, clearly in pain. "No! What have you done to me? Stop the burning!"

"The skulk must die, False. All of it must die," Scar said.

Scar wheeled around and went after Pix, catching him off-guard as he sunk his blade into his shoulder. Pix nearly got him as he turned and swiped at him instinctively, but Scar was out of the way before Pix could react.

"The skulk will die! All skulk will die!" Scar cried as he flew up to the spawner and broke it, denying the skulk below any further fuel.

-

The skulk hadn't really retreated much from the potions thrown onto it, which Cub wasn't surprised about. Instead, he got out his hoe, the one thing he knew would work to clear up the skulk, and got to work, sending the rest of the Vex to go help Scar.

If the skulk wanted to spread so badly, clearly the antidote was to remove it and stop it spreading. He'd seen Scar remove the spawner, and he clearly wanted to destroy whatever contraption this was. Cub was fine with that. He worked fast, pushing the skulk ever lower, ever smaller, as he shrunk the space the skulk took up.

Scar seemed to be holding his own, too, though there had been some struggle at first to figure out how to fight them when they kept disappearing into the skulk. Apparently annoying them into a fight was the solution to that particular problem, and then it became easy. Well, easier. They would still need to watch them, and keep throwing potions at them until the skulk was clear. Getting them away from here would also be a benefit. They didn't want to risk the skulk spreading to them again.

-

"Oh! Remove the skulk! Good idea, Cubby!" Scar said as he checked in with him. Pix and False were still struggling, but the skulk seemed to be weakening. He grabbed his hoe out and started clearing the area, tasking the Vex with keeping the potions up until it seemed safe.

"If you think the skulk will forgive this, you are wrong. We have been here from the very beginning, and we will be here at the very end of time. Our memories are long. The Vex will pay for this!" Pix said as he lunged at Scar.

"Oh, oh no! Not this time!" Scar said as he flew out of the way. "The skulk will not live! Give me our friends back!"

Pix seemed to stiffen, his body stilling, as the skulk seemed to retreat. "Enjoy what's left, then, pathetic little vex."

Pix collapsed then, and Scar was at his side, catching him before he hit the ground. He picked him up in his arms and got him as far from the skulk as possible. "Cub! Help!"

Cub was by his side immediately and took Pix in his arms as Scar handed him over.

"Take him somewhere with no skulk. I'll go get False," Scar said.

"On it. We'll head back to the mansion, quarantine them there," Cub said.

Cub flew off, and Scar went back to see False staggering towards him, arms outstretched, reaching for him.

"Oh, False! You looking for me? Try catch the HoTGuY now!" Scar said as he loosed a few more potion-tipped arrows into her.

"You'll pay for this, Scar! I'll have your head as a trophy for this insult!" False said as she tried to grab him.

Scar circled around, taking a moment to remove some more skulk, before he turned to find her on her hands and knees, eyes looking big and afraid and finally free from skulk.

"False? You okay?" Scar said, keeping another arrow locked on her just in case.

"S-Scar? I-I don't-" Her voice was cut off, and skulk veins seemed to come after her, grasping her ankle. She looked behind her, trying to pull away. "Oh, god, what's going on? Scar? What's this?"

Scar flew down and cut the veins loose. "Get back! She's ours! Try it again and I'll burn this whole place to the ground!"

He pulled False into his arms and flew away from the skulk. "It's okay, False, I've got you. You're safe with the Vex now."

"Vex? Am I a Vex?" False said, exhaustion filling her voice.

Scar didn't cry, not yet anyway. "You're the best Vex I've ever known, False, I promise. Now, let's get you out of here."

-

Pix and False had been placed in the same room Cub had recovered in once they got back to the mansion. The priests were tending to them to ensure the skulk had completely left them. Scar and Cub were at least together now, pacing near the room, anxiously waiting to hear how they were.

"I hope they haven't forgotten as much as you have, Cub. I'm not sure I'd forgive myself if that happened," Scar said.

"It's not your fault. None of this is your fault. You didn't erase my memories, the skulk did," Cub said.

"But-but I should have noticed! I should have been with you! Not messing about in Trouble Town! As soon as I felt you leave Vexspace, I should have been with you," Scar said.

"Honestly, Scar, please, stop blaming yourself. It's not going to solve anything, alright? Just be glad we stopped the skulk. And you destroyed that machine, right? So hopefully there's no more skulk spreading anywhere," Cub said.

"Oh, I destroyed it alright. I burnt all the skulk from Pix's empire and restored it with Joe as best I could. That machine is dead. Gone. Buried. We tore it all apart, and burnt everything. Hopefully that's all we need to do," Scar said.

"Yeah, here's hoping the fog doesn't try it again, too. That's where I got corrupted, apparently," Cub said.

"Well, you can't destroy fog! But you can stay away from it. So hopefully this will teach everyone to stay far away from that fog," Scar said.

"I hope so. I don't want anyone else going through this. Come on, I'm starving. Let's go eat. You can tell me more about the things I've missed. Maybe it'll jog my memory after all," Cub said.

Scar brightened. "Yeah! Joe said he was making some kind of rabbit stew too, like a really, really good one! And he made cookies for dessert!"

"Well, I can't say no to that," Cub said.

[thetrashbagswasteland]

CAST IT WBW

It’s hot AF and you know what that makes me think of?

The TIG.

What’s it like there? Is there any structure whatsoever? Etc etc and so on

Listen I know I know about it but it’s so good everyone should know about it

Ahhh the TIG, my darling bastards!! To start with, the TIG for the uninitiated: The Taetran Infantry Guard, colloquially known as the TIG, are a series of bases on Taetrus, with the only reasonably sized one which is of any note located on the outskirts of Vallum; the Vallum-Cipertis facility. On paper, the TIG were set up to provide an on-sight rapid-response force for handling separatist tension formed out of Tatran residents, with the idea that would-be revolutionaries are considerably less likely to shoot their neighbours and childhood friends. Neat idea! Doesn't fuckin work! The first issue is that there simply aren't enough taetrans willingly doing their mandatory as military service to fill the barracks which-fine, the hierarchy figures it might as well dump another source of undesirables in there - forcible conscripts*; they're all basically canon fodder anyways. What are they gonna do? Run away? They'll either be tracked down and shot within the city or have to take their chances in the scrubby swamp around Vallum (side note, who builds their capital city in a swamp? Taetrans is who!) The much larger issue is that, well, who's gonna run this place? Are they going to promote some of the people there to fulfil command posts? Fuck no! They absolutely shouldn't be trusted with power. But... "come run a base full of shitty soldiers on a shitty planet full of separatists" isn't exactly a desirable posting and so it rapidly becomes a token promotion foisted off on the sorts of officers who don't really have any place in command but who've been kicking around for long enough that shit, not promoting them looks like a slight at this point. They aren't fooled, just as the TIG forces themselves aren't about the reason for their existence. There's a reason why they always seem to get the worst batches of weapons and the dodgiest rations. But... in an environment where nobody really wants to be there, poorly funded and generally unloved, discipline and major decisions are left almost entirely up to those officers. Some of them, wishing to appear to be good stooges in the hope of getting away from there, enforce discipline harshly. Others straight up collaborate with the separatist militia in exchange for a ceasefire. In the case of Cipertis, well, upon realising that the hierarchy beyond Taetrus don't give a shit about them, the commanding officers realised that they could have a better and easier life if they straight up sold off resources (including soldiers in some cases) to various gangs and organisations - including the main separatist movement within Vallum. This comes to an end in 2173. Violently.

*I'll do something on the concept of forcible conscripts another time prommy

[milkywaydrinker]

I apologize if you don't want anymore Amphibia asks, but your response about deference to authority really made me think... Sasha is framed as a bad influence for Anne because she steals coins from an arcade machine, graffitis, and rides in shopping carts, only one of which can be argued as actually harmful. After season 1, the show completely drops the plot point of other frogs rebelling over the caste system, even in season 3 where it really should've come back. Hop Pop never even stops to consider Andrias as an enemy or someone who probably ordered Grime to kill him. The protagonists only rebel against Andrias when he starts openly blowing things up, but beforehand are fine with his rule, despite the established injustices.

Grime's Toad rebellion is seen as a bad thing that Sasha has no ideological belief in, it's just an example of her being a bad friend to Anne instead of invested in the plight of the Toads. The Three Armies, an episode meant to be the resolution for the interspecies conflict, has all three species forget about the caste system and be blamed equally for contributing to a 'petty' divide that Anne magically fixes when she yells at them for being immature, just because her teambuilding exercises don't magically fix everything. And it really sucks, because The Three Armies could've been a nuanced opportunity to explore why frogs would be at odds with the Toad rebellion (Grime might've only intended to place toads at the top, rather than abolish the concept of hierarchy entirely).

It sucks, because season 1 establishes the system as being worthy of being overthrown, even before it commits open violence against the population. But afterwards, this revolutionary fervor and critical approach to the government is completely dropped. Andrias invents racism on a whim but is never called out for it. It really feels like the writers backed down because the show was becoming too 'provocative' so they waited until Andrias was a supervillain blowing buildings up... The protagonists never realize in hindsight that of course they shouldn't have trusted him.

It feels so watered down, and the fact that Matt wrote Reunion with the possibility it'd be the finale of the series (if season 2 didn't get greenlit) makes the dropped storyline afterwards feel even more obvious. Because despite frogs being at the bottom of the system and this fact leading to Anne and Sasha fighting at all, we find out in season 2 that the richest town in Amphibia is rune solely by frogs, just as we have Wally's established lessons from season 1 get undermined when he suddenly doesn't believe in them.

That's what I meant when I said the show never commits to anything.

There's a certain amount of backpedaling they do every single time they take a risk. You can notice the tonal shifts, changes in attitude towards the same plotlines, and sometimes even "subversions" when they are completely unnecessary.

The racism plot falls flat because the writers can't decide whether the caste system really exists. They can't decide if it's just a set of racial stereotypes that society reinforces or an actual systemic racism codified into law. It's unclear because of how specieism is portrayed and due to actual, real differences in biology and how each one of them functions. As far as we know, Andrias might have made a single executive order to deploy all of the toads to the outskirts and banish all of the frogs to the countryside, but it might have only applied to the capital city.

For example, there's no law that forbids a frog from running for mayor, but it's harder for them to get enough support to win over a toad opponent. That's the result of how poorly frogs see themselves. It's unheard of enough that someone up the ranks orders Hop Pop killed in fear of the lowly frogs rising up. It suggests that the discrimination isn't codified but prejudice-based.

The narrative is split, showing us bad individuals operating in this bad system exactly in the way they were supposed to (that one toad tax collector and his cronies) but also showing us a formerly bad individual who refuses to operate in the bad system after growing and changing (Toadstool). So on the one hand, we have the poorly defined caste system and how it's exploited by cruel individuals, but also good individuals working within it with no major issues (Toadstool grows to be beloved, and Wartwood hilariously becomes the least racist village on the continent).

So is it a systematic issue, or is it a matter of some individuals? Maybe it's just stereotypes? Maybe there are actual differences between species? This ambiguity muddied the point, if the show was ever making one.

There's resistance to radical thought and action. I never expected a Disney cartoon to actually do something revolutionary, and I was positively surprised with The Owl House. I think Amphibia looks so bad, especially in hindsight, because of how absolutely not afraid of committing TOH was. If the shows ran less in parallel, maybe the reception of Amphibia wouldn't be that harsh.

Like I said before, I don't like Andrias. I understand what the show was doing by showing him as outwardly kind and empathetic; it's a ploy. He wanted the humans to trust him, so if it meant being nice to some frogs for a moment, that's no biggie. It shouldn't be that easy; Anne saw all of the consequences of his rule and how careless he is with his subjects outside the capital. Marcy trusts him, but she's also never seen much outside the opulent castle. Anne should have been more wary of him after experiencing everything she did up to that point.

There is no anti-authoritarian message in Amphibia. The message is "Be nice and don't let the bad guy win."

[thickthighscozybellies-neonnova]

Gossiping at The Lonely Isle -----------------------------------

It's a late night at Phaegate's number one bar, the Lonely Isle, but it's full of gossip and the laid back hustle and bustle of locals and the occasional trader stopping in at the capital before leaving the next day. The bartenders a big bubbly gal named Sherly. You're a trader passing by but you decide to take a bit to rest at the Lonely Isle, plus you're good friends with Sherley and she makes your favorite so so perfectly. Sliding inside, you sit at the bar and rest your feet on the bottom of the stool beneath you.

Sherly notices you settle down and instantly shuffles over to you. As she does this you notice a little more waddle in her step since the last time you stopped in.

"Heeeeeeeeeey! Long time since I've seen you in here, cutie. I'll get you the usual if that's fine."

As soon as you give her a warm smile and nod, she leans under the counter and brings out the shaker to mix your drink, "Since you haven't been around a lot want to hear some things going about?"

Shrugging and nodding you accept the offer, it's always good to know what's going on around Phaegate. Even if it's the capital of Solcera it's generally smaller than most cities in the other realms and it is good to hear about the recent happenings and gossip. Sherly starts pouring and you watch as she does this one handed while rubbing her fingers across her chin, thinking.

"Hmmmmm...oh! I know what you've missed! New shop moved in, the tall, slightly crooked one on the outskirts of Phaegate's shopping district. Got filled in by that Sherwood girl. She's a gorgeous gal too, used to be a fighter!"

You give a side smile and a nod. Lottie's been known around the city for awhile now. She used to be a part of one of the more well known adventuring parties. Hell, you've even run into her a few times through your connections in trading, nearly every party has to run through the market scene for supplies eventually. You wonder if her party struck it big if Lotts' is settling down finally.

"Suuuper cozy, called Lotts-of-Potions, built out of old wood painted a light blue and filled with that wonderful smell of baked goods. Don't know how she does it but she's a baker and a potion maker. Crazy craft but she makes it work, I'll tell ya! You should visit."

You tell Sherly you don't really have the time, work's been bombarding you with orders and you've got a huge shipment going out tomorrow via airship you have to oversee.

Sherly finishes up her mixing and hands you your drink, "Oh, well. Do so when you can, honey. I know the commerce business has been busy lately."

Sherly leans her arms against the counter and continues on. "Did go to Sena's the other day to get my blouse resized," The stout bartender let out a deep chuckle at the kind look you give her, "Yeah, hubbie's been treating me well lately. Though you've probably noticed," she says with a smile.

"But yeah! That new girl's shop's straight across from Sena's." She squeezes her belly with her palms beneath her apron and sighs with content, "tried one of her potions and gods, was it filling and soooo good. Nearly made me bust out of a dress, thought I heard some seams ripping."

Maybe you'll take a visit there after all. You need some more time off from work anyways, time that isn't dropping into a bar for a few minutes.

Considering this you spend a good hour at the bar. It's nice catching up with Sherly and it's been a long day. Sometimes you've gotta take some time to sit back and meet old friends. And tomorrow, maybe get some delicious pastries and potions.

[kopivie]

THAT'S SO CUTE THOUGHH i can already feel a found family coming in i just know it (if there is gonna be a found family thing pls dont unfound ur found families OR ELSE I'LL BE SO FUCKING SADDD)

also OMG are there other characters that have code names like the gems? WHAT'S THE WORLD LIKE? it is modern,, medieval?? a mixx of the twO? MY BRAIN IS NOT BRAINING RN

"when it comes to interacting with people, lapis and lazuli are like the sun and the moon. lazuli's very parental and strict, and lapis is very :D all the time @(@;#*#;" this has me worried about the potential future conflict between them esp considering how good they play off of each other as a duo

"nd throw in some draconian cave encounters" PLEASE. PELASE I LOVE DRAGON STUFF SO MUCH U DONT EVEN KNOWWOWWOW dragons have always been my fave along w turtles

"lazuli's other eye is literally a lapis lazuli" WHATATTAHAAHAA BESTIE I NEED TO KMNOW WHAT THYE LOOK LIKE AT THIS POINT

see, it starts as found family because lapis and lazuli have each other — literally two halves of the same whole, what with their names being connected and whatnot — and then it turns into, like, childhood friends to lovers? maybe? probably not?? who knows! but this found family will definitely be growing, and yes, i'll try to add gem names for each of them! (of course it'll take some remixing since most blue gems don't have such flattering names, but we'll make it work!)

but!! since you asked about the world... okay buckle in for a sec, cause i'm crazy and this is gonna get infodump-y..

the world is very much a fantasy world, yeah? the city that they're in — that all my characters seem to start out in, actually — is called zahaire, the capital city of the avrigian empire. rigel and saipha are actually the royals of this empire, with rigel being the heir to the throne (although it's currently in council whether or not to pass the title onto saipha). i guess in terms of imagery, i use things like this for reference:

you pickin' up what i'm putting down? zahaire is a little more like the first image, with sapphire, the tavern, being similar to the second image somewhere in zahaire. (definitely not the upscale part of the city though, that's for sure.)

as for draconian caves, i maintain that precious gemstones like... well, lapis lazuli, come from these caves. these caves are made when a dragon dies; it's body hollows out and on the walls grow multitudes of these precious models gems that are filled with this rich elemental power.

and speaking of gems with elemental power; if lazuli's completely blind and the one visible eye is just an actual lapis lazuli, then they'll have water-based abilities!

i can't draw, so i really don't have any images for what lazuli could look like.. but i know they have dark skin, their left eye is blue, their right eye is covered by an eyepatch and there's a large scar running underneath it. they have a mean-looking face — they often look like they're scowling or glaring at people, but really, that's just their face.

if i had to explain their eye being a gemstone, i'd say that in a desperate attempt to keep lazuli alive after the accident, lapis dragged them to a cave on the outskirts of the city and begged with the spirits to save their friend, to which they responded by giving them an "eye" — the gem — imbued with spiritual and elemental energy strong enough for them to use the elements and stay alive. couldn't give them sight, though. they were born blind to begin with.

AAAAAA OKAY I'LL SHUT UP NOW SORRY

[veg-hotwings]

Inaccuracies to Japanese culture in MHA fanfics

Necessary (?) disclaimer: this is just my personal taste, so don't come at me pls. If you have some pacific inputs, tho, I'd be thrilled to read them.

Mind that most of this stuff is because I have a major degree in Japanese culture and language, and I've lived and studied there for some time, so I'm quite sensitive to how people write about Japan. I'm not saying that the way I experienced Japan and its culture is how everybody perceives it, still there are many things that clash with what I studied and lived.

I know My Hero Academia is set in the future and that it's not real, but you can see through the manga that some cultural things didn't change in MHA's setting, so that's my starting point.

I know that people write because they like it, to enjoy themselves and nobody is forced to do researches about Japan; still, some things itch me nonetheless.

I'm saying this, but it doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the ff I'm reading because of these inaccuracies, I do most of the time, especially if it's well written.

Now, let's get to it:

GEOGRAPHY

I lost count of how many times I've read about Hawks travelling from the HPSC (which presumibly is near Musutafu, Shizuoka (22) Prefecture, where the UA is, or Tokyo (13) to Fukuoka (40) and vice-versa like it was nothing more than a stroll. They're not round the corner, it takes time to get there, even for the fastest hero (2 hours by plane from Tokyo, 5 hours by shinkansen).

And speaking of geography, let's put the Todorokis' mansion on the table. It's in Musutafu, so Endeavor takes his car to his agency and Shoto to school. This is relevant because of Endeavor's position in the hero society, he needs to live near the biggest cities to have such high case closure rates. Hawks was raised in the outskirts of Fukuoka, so it just rubs me the wrong way when I read childhood friends AU where little Keigo and Touya casually meet. I know it's an AU of a fanon ship (which I love), but it just doesn't feel right to me. I can't picture the Todorokis, the perfect family, speaking in Hakata dialect, living far from the capital or from UA. Keigo was an outcast, these two realities collide.

Shiketsu too. This school is in the West (in the Kyoto (26) area, I suppose), so it wouldn't be possible for AU Touya to just go to school there by car, he'd need to take a long train ride or to move to Shiketsu's dorms.

CULTURE

Sometimes there are just so many references to US culture I wonder if I missed a tag placing the story in the US instead of Japan. I understand that it's easier for a lot of people to find the story entertaining this way, but Japan is an important part of the story itself. The Hero culture and hero names too are often US-inspired, but not always, think about Tsukuyomi, Shinrin Kamui or even Deku.

Colleges in AUs are often treated too much like stereotypical US colleges. I even read about red paper cups for party drinks like it's what you find on every campus in the world. I've asked some friends studying at university in Japan and they confirmed that the depition was quite off.

This applies to music too. Everybody almost always uses English or American songs, and I get it, we understand the lyrics, they speak more directly and deeply to the reader. But Japan has a huge music culture and sub-culture, and it'd be nice to see that sometimes.

At times I've read about western style wedding ceremonies in the woods, but it's very odd in Japan. We can assume Endeavor and Rei's wedding was celebrated according to the Shinto rite (Endeavor's quite traditional in that sense), but usually Japanese people who want a western wedding do both the celebration and the reception in specific halls (結婚式場 kekkonshiki-jō); there are ads everywhere in Japan for these places. It's not uncommon that couples celebrate with both rites though (Shinto and western) but in different places and not always on the same day.

On a minor note, sometimes characters that are related are just too physical with each other. In the MHA universe they canonically seem more open to physical contact than in present Japan, but still sometimes it's just too much. It's not common to hug even your own children (my host family confirmed this to me, just saying).

NAMES

We all know Japanese is a complex language, but I just can't when I read a parent in a fic using a suffix like "-kun" to their own child. That's not how it works. "-kun" is used among male pairs (excuse Iida, he's just too formal) outside the family unit (this is a key concept in Japanese language, the distinction between "inner" circle, called uchi, and "outer" circle called soto). So no, Rei can't call Touya "Touya-kun". And neither Natsuo, who calls him Niisan (older brother). The ""exception"" (more or less) is "-chan". Parents call their kids (in kindergarden, until primary school usually) -chan with an abbreviation of their name, like Katsuki > Kacchan. For girls it's just a cute, intimate thing (think about Tsuyu calling everybody -chan and requiring her classmates to call her so, that's why Izuku is so uncomfortable using that nickname).

And speaking of abbreviations, too often they're based on Western ways to create them. The best example of this is Fuyumi 冬美. Her name's kanjis are fuyu (winter) and mi (beauty), so her nickname should be "Fuyu" and not "Yumi" like I read 90% of the time. Maybe it sounds foreign to you, but it's correct. Touya too. Adding an -o (Toyo) is so US/Australian, it sounds so strange to me. Shiggy, Nat, Toy, Keigs, Dabs, Dabsters... they're all western-style nicknames. I'm fond of them, but they sound strange if I stop and think that the story is based in Japan.

MISC

Housing: fire escapes are not as common as one could think. There are often external stairs in small apartment buildings, but they're public, in the sense they're used by tenants to reach their floors. Same for balconies. There's not a balcony culture in Japan, it's more of a European thing, and usually only big houses have them. This is the one I always close an eye on and that bugs me the least, but it's not very accurate.

Money: this is so funny. I swear I've read about dollars. In Japan. Dollars. Sometimes I've also read yen treated like it was dollars, while completely disregarding the exchange rate (usually 1$ is 132¥ more ore less), or giving things the wrong prices (like a cigarette pack worth 200¥ when it costs roughly 450¥).

Driving: in Japan they drive on the left side of the road, but I can't recall a single fic where the driver's seat was appointed to be on the right side of the car.

It's really not a surprise that "Paper Mountains, Glass Seas" is my favourite series ever.

Apart from being wonderfully written, it makes Japan so tangible and recognizable. @bittermoonswrites goes all the way talking about expats life, language, culture, art in such a human, relatable and itimate way it's unreal.

It's a more adult fic, with contemporary themes, and I don't look for this kind of accuracy all the time, especially in canon-verse fics, but it's so nice and refreshing when I read about small, precious details that ground the story in Japan.

[ardenssolis]

@caemthe​ said (inbox):

[ fantasy, conall ] The mactíre yawned and scratched the back of his head as he made his way to table where all the important documents were, not caring about the bad image he was giving to his 'guest'. His ears were ringing and his vision hurt from the constant lack of sleep, but he didn't show anything more than annoyance. "Alright, so let me get this straight. You're not an offering from Sunnyland or whatever your homeland is called to try to make me and my guys leave the trade routes alone. But the actual princess, who is now making demands and throwing a tantrum in my tent?" King, he had heard the stranger say it before but he still chose to call them princess. After all, they were as pretty as one and he liked how those golden orbs threw daggers at him whenever he said it.

Conall snorted. "I'm not sure you're aware of the position you are in, princess. Making demands isn't gonna work well for you in the long run. Because, let's be honest, for how long do you think your little kingdom will manage to stay self-sufficient? It doesn't have to be like that tho. If you give me a good reason to leave, then I will. If you don't, then I might start pillaging the villages and the outskirts of the capital." He wasn't so needlessly cruel all the time, but... the way that man looked at him as they knew him... he wasn't very fond of it.

      IT WAS HARD TO believe this was CONALL – the Conall he had known since he had been a mere boy, bright-eyed and still unaware of the world around him. There was no recognition in his gaze when he looked upon Ozymandias, and if anything, his eyes were…empty. There had been life in them that had reeled him in back then, had captured his attention and his heart as he had looked upon the other with awe, for he had never met anyone like them. Even as the years had passed since the destruction of the Land of Wolves, not once had he ever encountered anyone who was so similar to a tempest like they had been. But this man in front of him…this wasn’t Conall, was it? It couldn’t be. However, those eyes were unmistakable even with the countless years that had passed. Why was it, then, that they didn’t recognize him? Why was it, then, that they treated him like a stranger? It frustrated Ozymandias to no end, made him question whether he was looking for something that was never there in the first place. Maybe he just assumed this man was someone familiar to him and nothing more...?

     Hopeful thinking, perhaps…

     ❝I wish you would cease with calling me a princess when I have clearly stated many times exactly what I am. Anyway, that aside, unlike those you stop on the road and force to pay a toll, I refuse to bend the knee to you. You will leave this area and you will go elsewhere.❞ They had been parked here for too long – cutthroats and criminals growing fat from their tributes, drinking to their heart’s content each and every night as if they were kings of the world. If Ozymandias had to, he would form a temporary alliance with one of his neighbors to chase this issue out. If they happened to run elsewhere and cause problems in a different kingdom, well – that wasn’t his business unless it effected him personally. ❝I need not tell you a ‘good reason’ to do just that.❞ He could not go along with any demands the other had to offer. If he did that, even a little, his sovereignty would be called into question. To the older officials from his father’s rule, he would be no different from a pup with its tail between their legs and would no longer be taken seriously. Thus, he had to continue his part as the strong leader.

     He could be nothing but.

[inmyfxith]

Link, Part V

Pairing: Ragnarssons x sister!reader

A/N: I feel sorry for Margrethe... But that doesn't change the fact that I don't like her.

Words: 1 865

Part. I, Part. II, Part. III, Part. IV, Part VI, Part. VII.

Your honesty towards Lagertha had been very beneficial when, back in Kattegat, King Harald had been accused of trying to invade Kattegat. The trip back went relatively well, you didn't exchange that much with King Harald, being still disappointed with his brother's choice, and you didn't want to bother him more than that. He was kind enough to take you home.

In front of the queen, you did not want to believe that he had done what he was accused of but you did not want to defend him either.

"I swear on what I hold dearest that I knew nothing about it. And you can be sure that my brothers... or at least Bjorn and Ubbe weren't either." In reality, you didn't need to justify yourself. Lagertha knew that such an idea would never have occurred to you. You were still weak and you knew it, she knew it. A gentle and kind girl, just like Gyda was before you. That's probably what made her take you under her wing.

Every morning, you were entitled to the return of your training sessions with her, Torvi, and, before her hasty departure, with Astrid. Your progress was rapid and, in a few weeks, you could put Torvi in difficulty.

Apart from these moments, your days were punctuated by the work you did on the outskirts of the city, helping the inhabitants of Kattegat to fortify the capital. For the first time in your life, you felt useful. Although she didn't like you more than that, and you didn't like her either, Margrethe behaved relatively well with you as Ubbe wanted. But her behavior towards Lagertha made you more uncomfortable day by day.

"I saw you training this morning, you're starting to do well and I'm sure you could beat Lagertha if you put your mind to it. That's what Ivar would want." She said as she helped you tie your dress. You frowned without answering. It was out of the question for you to fight against Lagertha. That was the promise you made to her before she even started your training. "I promise never to turn what you taught me against you."

Lagertha was too great a warrior to be killed so cowardly by a beginner. You could pretend to face Torvi in a duel, but you had never killed anyone before, and, being Bjorn's wife, Torvi was a member of your family.

"Wouldn't you like to be queen? I would."

"Then why don't you learn to fight, I have no desire to become queen. Power only brings unhappiness and you should know that. You saw what happened to my mother, you were an accomplice." You took a step forward to keep her away from you while continuing to turn your back on her. "Be honest with yourself Margrethe. You will never become queen because Ubbe does not want to be king. Of all my brothers you chose the one who had the least ambition for power. It was Ivar you should have married."

"Ivar is not a man. He is a monster".

You turned back to her, your eyebrows still furrowed. She had dared to say it because she wasn't afraid of you.

"Don't talk about my brother like that. You're lucky he's not here." Not giving him time to answer, you took your things before heading to the river to swim a little and relax your muscles still sore from the efforts you had made the day before. Just like Ubbe, Lagertha had charged Margrethe, without you knowing, to take care of you when she couldn't do it herself and that meant following you and protecting you if something happened.

Her choice had not been the wisest, Margrethe would not be able to defend you against armed men, but you would not have trusted anyone else, and letting Torvi accompany you would have sounded false. Just as you did in England, you left your things on the grass before entering the water. The temperature was not very warm but enough to keep you from getting hypothermic.

After only a few moments in the water, you felt your muscles slowly relax as you closed your eyes, letting the sun's rays warm your face and the parts of your body that were not underwater. But that moment of pleasure was about to take a whole new turn. Your mind was elsewhere, no more information was entering your brain and you only came back to yourself when you found yourself underwater, forcibly submerged while someone prevented you from coming to the surface.

Flapping your hands frantically, you tried desperately to get out of the water, exhausting yourself as you moved. As a last resort, which you probably should have been doing all along, you tried to push the person out of the way, but they had grabbed your hair, submerging you more and more every moment. You ended up losing consciousness, for lack of oxygen.

Opening your eyes, dressed and perfectly dry, you were lying on the grass next to the river and your first thought was that you had simply dreamed what had just happened.

"I thought I would find you there." Turning your head, you didn't seem surprised to see your mother approaching and settling down beside you.

"Am I dead?" you asked innocently, as you began to question everything you had experienced. Taking a deep breath, Aslaug put her arm around your shoulders.

"No you're not dead, you're just lost and that's why I'm here. I'm angry at your brothers for leaving you alone like this."

"It was my decision, I chose to return to Kattegat, I chose to learn to fight and I don't do so badly with a sword in my hands." You frowned, finding your mother's reflection unfair. Ubbe had been kind enough to let you choose what you wanted to do.

"Kattegat can't bring you anything anymore. Your destiny lies elsewhere."

"What does that mean?" You asked softly.

"It means that your destiny is probably somewhere else." Without considering what she had said to you, you hugged yourself, happy to have her back.

"I missed you." Aslaug placed a kiss on the top of your head as she stroked your hair.

"I'm never far away, I look at you often and I'm proud of you." She whispered and as you were about to answer something else, your vision became blurred, and little by little, the image of your mother faded away.

Pulling your head out of the water, you tried to catch your breath as your head spinning. Your hands shook slightly as you made your way back to shore before drying off and putting your clothes back on. Night had begun to fall and you didn't know how long you had been there. Probably not long, since you had left your house shortly before dinner time, the dinner you were to have with Lagertha, Margrethe, and Torvi in the Great Hall.

Walking through the deserted streets, you finally reached the Skali after having taken the wrong path twice as your mind was still churned by what had just happened. Lagertha was sitting at the table, looking angry, while her plate and those of Margrethe and Torvi were still full. They had been waiting for you but you had never arrived. For fear of being reprimanded, you hid away to regain your courage.

"If you don't know where she is, I take it you didn't do what you were told." Lagertha's tone matched the expression you perceived on her face. Margrethe's voice trembled as she answered the queen.

"I... know where she was, I followed her. But when I arrived it was too late. She had drowned, there was nothing I could do." The young woman then burst into tears as you perceived the sounds of chairs on the floor.

"What did you say?" Torvi looked as distressed as Lagertha was. She had expected to hear everything but probably not this.

"Where is she, Margrethe?" Lagertha asked her in a threatening tone.

"By the river."

You remained glued to the wall behind which you were hidden, tetanized by what you had just understood. It was Margrethe who had tried to drown you, no doubt so that you would avoid telling Lagertha about her plans or out of fear that Ivar, whom she was obviously afraid of, would find out how she was talking about him.

"Kattegat can't bring you anything anymore. Your destiny lies elsewhere." You kept replying to your mother’s words as your body slowly slid against the wall. You approached the table where Margrethe was sitting, who, after the other two women left, had stopped crying. The young woman stood up, horrified when she saw you, convinced that she had killed you.

"You will regret your action Margrethe, you will probably not know the consequences of your actions today, nor tomorrow, but as soon as my brothers get wind of my disappearance, they will turn to the only person who was in charge of looking after me. And it seems to be you."

You moved closer, giving her your most menacing look as you tried your best to imitate Ivar.

"It would be a favor to you to reappear in Kattegat, but no, I won't do you the pleasure of seeing the faces around you relieved. I hope we will meet again Margrethe and believe me you will not be able to forget that day." You took a deep breath before leaving the Skali as quietly as possible, trying not to be seen by anyone.

At the river's edge, Lagertha and Torvi would only find your shoes, which you had forgotten to put back on in your haste. Storming into your house, you didn't think about it and grabbed anything that might be useful. Your cloak, your shoes, your bow and arrow, a knife, enough food for a few days and you headed for the stables where the horse you had been riding since you learned was waiting for you and without waiting any longer, you galloped out of town without looking back. The river was slightly outside the city and therefore the gates were left open to allow Torvi and Lagertha to return.

Feeling the grass with your hand, you were desperately looking for the heat of the fire. Opening your eyes with difficulty, only a few embers were trying to survive. After stretching quickly, you tried to relight the fire before cooking the remains of a dead rabbit you had managed to hunt as best you could.

The first time you had to kill an animal, you had resented it for days. But as the days passed, the guilt was replaced by gratitude to the Gods for giving you food. The loneliness was the hardest part of your new lifestyle. Each day, you advanced a few kilometers, either on horseback or on foot. You avoided the cities as much as possible except when, after several weeks, you could no longer sleep on the grass.

As you walked into the unknown, your eyelids became heavier and heavier as night slowly began to fall. And, before you could even react, a small pack of wolves was in your way.

Was this what the gods had in store for you? To die alone, far from home, eaten by wolves?

[breakdownx8]

Transcripts from 2067

**July 29, 2077. Outskirts of the Former Washington Metropolitan Area.**

The following interview is of one Samantha Donaghey. Pronouns: she/her. At 85, Donaghey is one of last known living survivors of the Recollection. The full interview can be found at the Institute, what is below are highlights.

Interviewer: It's so lovely to finally meet you Ms. Donaghey. SD: Oh please, Mrs. Donaghey will do. At least to honor my late husband.

Interviewer: My apologies. You're quite lively for someone of your age, I am surprised. SD: Oh please, with modern medicine and sensibilities you can live practically forever. I am just living the life of a 50 year old.

Interviewer: Absolutely, Mrs. Donaghey. I must apologize for not making it sooner, it's almost impossible to make it to Washington these days. Not many people would dare to visit, let alone live here. SD: Oh don't worry about the time, here in the DMV we have all the time in the world. As you said, not many people want to visit our nation's capital. Such a shame, really. It's still holds so much of our history together.

Interviewer: Let us start there then, why do you still live near DC? The Recollection was more than 40 years ago, but it's still such a point of trauma for so many. Does it not bother you in any way? Seeing the site of the carnage and the horror? SD: Yes, indeed. The Recollection was such a tragic event. So many good people lost their lives, so many of my own friends. But where would I go? I simply can't abandon this place, it simply matters so much to me and my own spiritual health.

Interviewer: It seems home matters a lot to you. SD: Doesn't it matter to everyone? It's the only place where you are able to reminisce about better days without anyone judging you.

Interviewer: What do you remember about the better days? SD: I still remember the hustle and bustle of DC. I remember walking around Georgetown, and enjoying the summer breeze. Things seemed so much more complicated then, and maybe I wish I had realized it wasn't as it seemed. Growing older becomes an exercise of regret quite often, especially when there is nothing to look forward to.

Interviewer: What were some of your favorite memories from before the Recollection? SD: One of my favorite memories was when I was still a 20-something in college. I had just gotten out of my class on marketing and was making my way back to the dorm. My to-be husband John was waiting at the park for me with a bouquet of roses. I had forgotten it was our anniversary. He didn't mind. We walked around the park for hours, and he took me to get some barbecue at my favorite place.

Interviewer: That is a beautiful memory. You must miss your husband dearly. SD: Absolutely. I loved him so much.

Interviewer: Can we go back to something you had said before? SD: Of course.

Interviewer: You had said earlier that there were "complicated" feelings. How would you describe the "complicated" feelings at the time? SD: It felt like every day the world was going to end. We were obsessed with sitting with our cellphones and just hating each other. It was hard, and it felt like no one was going to back down. It genuinely felt like we were going to kill each other. I guess we did.

Interviewer: What do you think were the reasons behind this polarization? SD: I genuinely cannot remember, but I remember feeling angry so often. The anger was… ethereal. Like, like lightning between clouds. It was bright and it was loud but forgettable after its over.

Interviewer: What a beautiful way to put it. SD: Thank you. I've had a lot of time to think about it after all that's said and done.

Interviewer: Where were you during the Recollection? SD: I was here… in DC. I was working at an office over on J Street. Filing some reports for some bigshot company or whatever, it was… so long ago. You can't forget the carnage though, that's burned into your mind. There was enough smoke to blind you. It was something out of a horror film, hearing gunfire and explosions and this wave of death wash over everyone around you. I can't forget the smell either. The smell of excrement… almost as bad as the regret.

Interviewer: It sounds like you were caught in the violence quite badly. SD: I hunkered down in a restaurant… near Lafayette Square. We could see the White House being taken over from there, but all we worried about was going to happen to us. The attackers were vicious and killing people left and right. I was so worried for myself, and for my friends with me. They weren't from around here so I was worried that we would all lose our necks if we were found.

Interviewer: And were they found? Here there is a large pause in the transcript Mrs. Donaghey, were they found? SD: Yes, they were found. I don't think I can talk about what had happened to them. It dredges up painful memories.

Interviewer: My apologies. We can talk about something else, or we can take a break. SD: No no, not at all. This is something I must lay to rest myself. I'm simply too old to take this to the beyond.

Interviewer: You have brought up regret quite a lot in this interview, what about regret has been giving you trouble? SD: Inaction can lead to a lot of regret. I wish I had done something to stop everything, or even die trying. I wish I had done more to protect my friends. The Recollection took all of them away from us, for… something perfect? Was it even worth it? It did nothing, it saved nothing. It was supposedly beautiful but it just hurts. You can spend years atoning for that inaction, praying at Church, doing what you can to help people in the here and now. It helps some days but not others. You just have to live with it, I guess.

Interviewer: That sounds heartbreaking, but that feels like forever ago. 40 years. It's a long time. Most people alive right now must have moved on. SD: I can't forget. My mind will not let me forget. Forgiveness is even further away. I feel like everything I ever did after what had happened was animating me. Make amends for what I do, being careful to not find myself in such positions again. If I start forgetting, or start forgiving, I do not know if I can have the courage to do the right thing again.

Interviewer: It sounds like you think your guilt makes you a better person. SD: That's the point of guilt, right? It's supposed to steer you into doing the right thing. To not be the person you were before the end. It's like winter rain. It pitters and it patters and its tears never stop.

Interviewer: Then why stay here? It seems like after everything that has happened, you might want to move away. Start over, even. Most people wouldn't even consider coming back after the Recollection and the damage it leveled. SD: I don't know to be honest with you. Something compels me to stay here, to hope that something right. I will sometimes go into the city to enjoy better days. I'd go to the Mall and remember what the museums look like. The monuments there are gone but I guess my imagination worked just fine to remember them. Then my knees gave up. Then I couldn't leave this house to begin with.

Interviewer: May I ask what your condition is, Mrs. Donaghey? SD: Parkinsons. I get my medication delivered to me, alongside everything else. It started getting really bad about ten or fifteen years ago. My joints wouldn't take it as they used to, and soon everything began to shut down. I didn't want to leave before due to guilt, and now that choice has left me.

Interviewer: Is there anyone around to help you? Family? SD: My family doesn't really talk to me, especially after my late husband James passed away. I have two children, a boy and a girl. They must have grandkids of their own by now. I wouldn't know, I haven't talked to them in a very long time. Looking back, they must have been planning it for a long time. They were more distant as they grew up, and they took off the moment they took of their suits for the funeral. I miss them dearly.

Interviewer: Why do you feel like they wanted to be distant? SD: They felt like I wasn't a good mother. I was hiding things from them, they said. I was too controlling. Is that not what parents do though? They try to create ideals for their children, the ones we didn't get?

Interviewer: Regret is a continual theme in this interview. Do you have anything you are proud of? Anything you are glad to have done? SD: Indeed. There's a soup kitchen here that I founded. The local community that I have built for myself. It's a bunch of old timers from everywhere, just reminding each other that we are here just as much as everyone else. It tides of over the worries of everything. It's a strange feeling, worry. It's there, and then it isn't. We tend to forget to worry, rather than deal with it. I've learnt to live past worry. Old age can do that.

Interviewer: Is there any advice you would like to give to the people who will read this interview? SD: Kindness goes a long way. I am from a different time, and your problems will be so much more complicated than mine when I was your age. To do the right thing must come from the soul. It can't be dictated to you. It can't come from a place of self-righteousness. To recognize kindness is to recognize yourself. It's creating a transparency between you and the person who needs your kindness. It must come from realizing that there is very little dividing you and the person next you.

Interviewer: Thank you so much of your time, Mrs. Donaghey. SD: Oh it's no worry, do you want to stay for lunch? It's the least I can do since you've listened to me ramble for so long. Interviewer: I really should not. SD: It is genuinely not a problem. I make too much anyway. I'm having Casserole. Interviewer: Thank you so much, I might stay.

A long pause in conversation. The Interviewer and Donaghey begin to talk again after 9 minutes and 05 seconds. The Interviewer seems to have left the recording on.

Interviewer: Mrs. Donaghey- SD: Please, call me Samantha.

Interviewer: Samantha. Why did you lie to me? SD: Excuse me?

Interviewer: This interview. You've lied to me at every single turn. SD: Young man, these are serious accusations.

Interviewer: Not without merit. What's your husband's name? SD: Jack, obviously. Jack Donaghey. Interviewer: You called him John and then James throughout this interview. Also that is a character from an old sitcom. 30 Rock, if I remember right. SD: How do you remember that? Interviewer: I like old shows.

Interviewer: Where did you work? SD: A firm at J-Street. I did not lie about that. Interviewer: Another lie. Washington DC doesn't have a J-Street. Never did.

Interviewer: You lied to me on where you were at Lafayette. Tell me the truth. Tell me who you are. SD: You clearly know who I am. You need to leave. Interviewer: Not without answers. SD: You will get none from me. Interviewer: I will remind you that if I am right about who you are then I am obliged to call the House Committee of Recollection Memory.

Interviewer: I will take your silence as realizing there is nothing you can do to to make me leave. Tell me the truth. SD: My name is Jane Williams.

You can hear the turning of pages, assumed there is a file.

Interviewer: Jane Williams, born to Josh Williams and Sandy Williams née Polanski. Birthdate: November 14th, 1982. From Zinc, Arkansas. Small town, less than 100 people. Graduated High School in 2000. Joined the US Military following the September 11th attacks. Tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. After duty, getting involved in far-right organizations in your local area. Most well known for orchestrating Massacre of Lafayette Square during the Recollection in Washington DC. Missing since the event. Presumed dead in 2032. JW: I know what I did. What do you want? You want to know why I did it?

Interviewer: I want to know why at your tender age, Ms. Williams, did you lie to me? JW: I'm old, not senile. I have been avoiding people like you for a very long time. How did you know it was me? Interviewer: I didn't. You messed up.

Interviewer: If it makes you feel any better, I am a journalist. I do not have any connection to the government. But after this I will have to report your presence to the Committee. JW: There is nothing you can do to me at this point. I am old and frail. Interviewer: They've charged older than you for heinous crimes, too. But that is not why I am here. I am here to get the truth. Your husband was a lie. Your kids were a lie. Your work was a lie. Everything has been a lie. Is there anything you've told me that is the truth?

JW: The regret. The regret was real.

Interviewer: Tell me more. JW: After what happened at Lafayette, I couldn't stand what I had become. I felt the hate for so long, and after what I did… I couldn't live with it anymore. I couldn't live with the hate. I disappeared. The carnage and the confusion was cover enough to make a break for it. After it settled down, I began to atone. The soup kitchen, that was real. The small support community? That was real. I needed to get away from it. That regret made me a better person. That part was all true.

Interviewer: If you felt so much regret, why did you not turn yourself in? JW: And let the circus of what happened happen to me? No. It would not have given anyone any kind of atonement. It was political peacocking. You wouldn't have known how evil the people in power were at the time. Even if I hate what I did, there was no part of me that would let the monsters in power profit from it.

Interviewer: So you won't go, even now? JW: It's too late now. As you said, it's been 40 years. What's the point now? Even then, you're going to go to the Committee. It's not like I have a choice.

Interviewer: You've had 40 years to make that choice. To give the victims' families some relief. JW: I did my best. I became a better person.

Interviewer: Who decided that? JW: What do you mean?

Interviewer: Who decided that starting a soup kitchen and being regretful would be your punishment? JW: I don't… I don't understand what you mean.

Interviewer: I must remind you that you were the one who chose this punishment for your own crimes. You decided that this is the repentance you need to give. That's why it is hollow. That's why you regret. You never gave a voice to the only people who matter in this situation. The victims. The families of the people you ruined. They never got that peace. They never got to have a voice in this.

JW: They would have never gotten that peace. Interviewer: That was never your choice to make. And now you will never have the choice to turn yourself in with dignity.

Interviewer: You'll find that peace you want once all of this is over. JW: What?

Interviewer: You've been carrying a lot of guilt for 40 years. It wears on you. It will lift once you've served whatever they give. JW: No one will ever let me have that peace once it is out. Once the ladies I talk to find out who I am, or anyone who sees my face on the street. They will never let me have it.

Interviewer: Maybe, but you'll know that the right thing happened. The bad guys got caught. It just so happens you were the bad guy. After 40 years, the solace can be that all is now right with the world. At least, this part is right.

JW: You can never tell me that you know what I am going through. Interviewer: No, I will never know what it's like to butcher hundreds of people. Maybe there were, but they all got to serve their dues to society. They got to me move on with the peace that their debts were paid. You though, you still owe.

A knock on the door can be heard in the distance

JW: Who is it? We are from the House Committee of Recollection Memory. Is Samantha Donaghey here? Interviewer: Come on in. She's here. This is where I depart, Ms. Williams. Thank you for this interview. Before I go, is there anything you would like to say to the audience at home?

Interviewer: I will take your silence as a no.

Transcript End

Before the House Committee could ascertain who this Interviewer is, they left before saying anything else. The apprehension of Jane Williams was far more important. Days later an analog voice recorder was sent in the mail to the Institute. It both serves as a confession in the Williams trial and as a document of historical value. It has been forwarded to the desk of the President of the United States to declassify this transcript along with other files on the Recollection.

[storydays]

Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins p1

The elven king, Xaius stands on the parapet of a great citadel overlooking a massive, smoldering battlefield. "Archers! Fire on my signal! Catapults! Hold for the next wave!" He turned to give an order, when a hideous creature, a gargoyle made of twisting shadow, swoops in toward him.  Xaius reaches for his sword,as a blast of light catches the gargoyle in the side, blowing it into nothingness. The king turned to see his second-in-command, the battle mage Ellara, approaching with a gentle smile. "It looked like you needed a hand, my love" "I had it handled. What's your status?" Xaius asked. 

"The Shadow forces are many, but they're weak. Our front lines are driving them back. " The elvlen woman smiled wearily. "I-I can't believe it..but we might actually win this th--" She gasped hearing a thunderous roar in the distance. "Gods above...it's the DreadLord! Those madmen actually summoned the DreadLord." Xaius gasped, but looked down to see Ellara's gentle but firm grip. "My love, what do we do?" She whispered.  Xaius turned to her, eyes sparkling, his face hard and stoic. "We fight. We die.  And we pray that some day, a hero will rise to avenge us..someday." 

*Two thousand years later*

In a quaint little tavern in the town of Riverbend, a grinning pair of brothers downed their drinks, as the younger continued telling one of his favorite stories."So what happened next?" chuckled a 21 year old Ezra. His white hair had now grown down to his bottom but he kept it in a braid that hung around his shoulder, bangs brushed to the left side of his face, covering his birthmark, but allowed his gold eyes to peek out. He set down his mug of wine, and locked eyes with his brother across the table.

"The Dreadlord strode down the battlefield, boom,boom BOOM! And then--" His brother was cut off by the grumpy bartender. "We've been hearing this story for years, Kade. The Dreadlord attacked and destroyed the great elven empire." He stated, wiping down a nearby table. Kade scoffed. "Well, yeah, that's the short version....but you don't have the flair for storytelling that I do." Kade crossed his arms and pouted like a child, instead of the 16 year old he was. 

Ezra leaned back in his seat, and looked around. They were sitting at their favorite table in the Dancing Pig Tavern, listening to his brother tell another story. 'It's crazy to think that 10 years ago, we were watching over Kade through his sickness...now he's here telling tall tales like those books he likes to read.'  Kade and Ezra weren't only brothers, but they were also best friends. Kade was well known through Riverbend but not everyone was as easily amused as the elf was. Kade blended in well with the humans, with his short brown hair, bright green eyes, and freckles splashed across his face, while Ezra stuck out like a sore thumb. 

Ezra tuned back into the conversation to hear: "I don't care how well you spin your tales! You still need to pay for your drink." The bartender gruffed at the smaller human. "Barkeep, you wound me." Kade huffed, his mood darkening slightly. Chuckling, Ezra paid his half of the tab and gave the younger a look. "Pay up, Kade. Mother taught us better than that." He stated seriously. "You too, Ezra? I swear, no one in this town appreciates the value of a good tale! Fine, I'll pay. But we're not coming back here!" Kade cried dramatically. 

"Yes we are." Ezra and the bartender laughed louder when Kade added at the end, "Well, not tonight at least!" Ezra downed his wine and Kade finished his soda, before paying his side of the tab, and the two left the bar for the night. Ezra looked around their humble village before letting out a long sigh. "Another night in Riverbend. Same as any other." He mumbled gloomily. "That's not true. Some nights I manage to get us free drinks." Ezra barked a laugh before shoving his brother playfully, unable to stay gloomy around his brother. 

"You know what I'm--" Ezra's sentence was cut off when he bumped into a tall human heading towards the outskirts of the village. "Hey, watch it!" "Ugh, sorry 'bout that."  Ezra stepped back, eyeing the person in front of him. He was a rugged looking man with tanned skin,wavy shoulder length brown hair, glowering brown eyes, and he had a scar on his left eyebrow. He was wearing a cream long sleeved shirt, shoulder guards, wrist gauntlets, green cargo like pants, with a dagger on his left hip. 

"Who're you?"Ezra asked, while the man retorted, " None of your business, that's who." Two people that the elf did recognize followed the handsome man. Town Constable Angus and his tough as nails apprentice Grenn. "This here's Mal Volari, from Whitetower." The elder man  explained. "He's a world-famous adventurer!" Grenn grinned. "Wait, really?" Kade asked shocked. "Well..I wouldn't say world famous, more like continent-famous really." Mal snickered to himself. 

"Well, it's nice to meet you." Ezra said, minding his manners. His poor mother would be rolling in her grave if he didn't at least pretend to be nice. "Yeah, great, nice to meet you too. Now if you don't mind, we've got some important business to get to..." Mal was interrupted by Kade, "Adventurer business? Around here?" "Mal's got a lead on a powerful ancient artifact in the elven ruins to the south! If we can get it, it'll sell for a fortune!" Grenn said excitedly. "Damn the Gods, Grenn, keep it down!" Hissed Angus, "You want everyone in this town to hear about it?" "No need to be so nasty about it." Ezra mumbled, noticing Mal's raised eyebrow at him. 

"You mean...to the north, right? There's no ruins to the south." Kade corrected.  Mal shoots Angus a glare and the man shrugs. "Y-Yes! To the north! That's what she meant!" He fumbled over his words. "Hang on...there's a powerful ancient relic somewhere around here? And you're going to get it?" Ezra spoke up, excitement coloring his voice. "I got a tip, okay? A good one. From someone willing to pay a whole lot of gold. Angus and Grenn here, they're going to help me claim it. Now if you don't mind..." Mal made to leave again when Ezra gasped the man's arm, and stated, "We'd like to come along." "E-Ezra!" Kade gaped. 

"What? It's the chance of a lifetime." Gold eyes playfully sparkle at his brother's expression. Mal eyed the elf before letting out a weary sigh. "No can do. This is dangerous ancient crypt business. I can't have some rookie along bumbling things up." The human noted how the elf stiffened, and prepare himself for an argument.

"I'm not a rookie." glared Ezra. "Really? Ever pried a jewel from the hands of a cursed skeleton, knowing one wrong move would bring the whole room down on your head?" Mal challenged, making Ezra falter. "I mean, not technically.." He deflated. "Ever stabbed a snarling croctopus through the eye on the deck of a burning ship?" Mal continued. "I don't..know what that is." admitted Ezra. "How about this? You ever killed a man? You ever been in a real fight?" Ezra hesitated. ""Yes, I have to both of those." He said darkly, sending chills down everyone's back. "That's what I thought. I like your hustle, I really do. But I don't have time for some kit who's still wet behind the ears." " 'Kit?' " wondered the elf. 

"It's a term for new adventurers..you know, like an apprentice?" Kade whispered." "See? You don't even know the terms. Which means you've got a long way ahead of you. Get out there, have some adventures of your own, learn some skills. Then come find me, we'll talk." Mal walked off towards the village gate, Angus laughing as he followed, Grenn sending her old friend a sad look. "Sorry, Ezra." "Well, that was a thing that happened." Kade laughed nervously at Ezra's silent fuming.  "He's wrong. I could've done it. I'm the one who taught Grenn to be the adventurer she is today! Angus is an old drunk ass who can barely stay on his feet half the time! 'Learn some skills' I've got plenty of skills!"

The duo began walking again, when Kade asked aloud, "Like..what?" "Well Father taught us to fight bare hand, and I've learned some things about wielding a sword from my travels with Mother. I'm not useless." Ezra ran a finger over the silver ring on his left ring finger in habit. "That Mal guy really got under your skin, didn't he?" astonished the green eyed brother. "I don't know, I suppose I'm just jealous. I want to go on grand adventures and explore." He sighed dreamily. "And get fabulously rich." Kade grinned, Ezra matching him. "That too." 

"Aw, don't be hard on Riverbend. This town's been good to us! Not every human village would take such care of a couple of kids like us." 'Or would allow an elf to stay without being treated horribly.' went unsaid between the two. "I know, Kade! And it'll always be my home. I just...want to experience something more. It's not like a great adventure is just going to drop into my lap." Ezra huffed, brushing his bangs to the side again. Green eyes watch his older brother for a moment before clapping his shoulder. "Well, don't worry, brother. We'll experience it all together. " Ezra chuckled softly. "I can always count on you, Kade."

"But for now, all we've got is Riverbend. So, where do you want to start tonight?" Ezra grinned, "Let's head to the night market." "Uh, did you miss the part about having little coin?" Kade raised a eyebrow. "And you think I'm going to let that stop me? Come now, brother, you know me better than that." 

The brothers weaved their way through the  bustling night market, listening to vendors call out what was for sale: Fruits, meats, silks from the capital, and fish from the shore. An elderly food vendor turned and shook her head at the boys with a warm smile. "Well, well. If it isn't my two favorite customers. Two copper pieces will get you the finest pears we have." "Watch this." Ezra mumbled to Kade, before confidently walking towards the vendor, with a sly grin.

"My dear vendor, we don't have any coin..but is coin what really matters in this world?" "Excuse me?" The vendor chuckled, used to the young man's antics. "Love...passion...a moment of intimacy. Why, what is coin compared to that? Surely a beauty like you can understand." The white haired elf purred, his voice smooth like silk, eyes aglow. The woman barked a laugh at Ezra. "You are an absolute rascal, you know that? Now take these and get out of here boys." Laughing, she handed him two fresh pears, as he winked his thanks. 

Ezra bit into his as Kade stared at his back with wide eyes. "How? How did that possibly work?" He raced to catch up with Ezra. "What can I say? I'm the best flirt in Riverbend." His brother laughed before finally eating his pear, walking to the town square when he spoke up again. 

"You see? Riverbend isn't so bad. They've taken good care of us." "You're right. I just wish--" "HELP! Please HELP!" A shout echoed through the air. The duo turned to see a young woman in priestess's robes ran into the town square, before grabbing into Ezra, gripping his arms to keep herself from falling,Ezra eyes her. 

She had long red hair the fell down to her armpits in ringlets, some strands falling into her face, framing her light brown eyes. She was wearing light pink robes, with a silver and violet necklace on her neck. "You need to help me! Please!" She begged. "Whoa there, what's wrong?" Ezra asked. The woman straightened herself out, standing tall. But Ezra could see behind her disciplined posture, was a hint of fear. 

"I am Nia Ellarious, a priestess of the Light. My mentor and I are on a pilgrimage...but we were attacked by an owlbear on the road! I managed to escape while he distracted the beast. But he needs help! Now!" "Have no fear, young priestess..we are brave adventures." "Really?" Kade snorted at his brother's antics. "Shh! Don't mess this up!" hissed Ezra as Nia smiled in relief. "Thank you so much! Please, hurry now. He's just down the road." She began rushing off as Ezra and Kade shared a hesitant look before running after the ginger, but not before Ezra grabbed his sword on the way, strapping it to his left hip. 

"Let's go."

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