#and while his battle theme... the mask has come Off

[iappearmissing]

anyways time to listen to peony and rose's themes, both in and out of battle, to compare and contrast them in my head.

[cavernsandcod]

a little continuation to this post of mine. | 0.8k

cw; dirty dog simon and husband!price, nsfw themes

───────────────

Price knows Simon by the sound of his footsteps.

An ego-driven, menacing gait that makes all the soldiers disunite like the red sea when he travels the corridor. All the small talk and banter comes to a halt when the big man is around, as if he's some sort of bad omen. It's not true, at least John doesn't think so, but that might be a Captain's privilege. He's in charge of the brute, not the other way around.

A dark shadow passes by the stained glass, a masked head held up high. He passes the crack of John's office door, likely intent on avoiding any unnecessary interaction—

—always yes sir, no sir, like a good boy.

"Riley. In here. Close the door." Price calls out, taking off the reading glasses hanging low on his nose, tossing them onto a stack of intel. The soldier stops in his tracks. Doesn't flinch at the serious tone of his superior. It's not the first time he's heard it, won't be the last.

Simon crosses the threshold, shutting the door. Crosses the room in two quick strides like a floating apparition. "Intel?"

"Thankfully, no." Price slowly rises and rounds the oak desk, which feels uncanny. His lips curve into some sort of uneasy smile, crow's feet and lines of age deepening. Makes the air feel calmer, more personable. The Lieutenant stiffens and crosses his arms, his face in a permanent scowl under the black balaclava. Nothing about this is normal.

"I need a favor, Simon." Simon. Not Ghost. "It's about the wife."

Simon turns his head to the shelf beside him, studying the row of framed photos, the majority encapsulating you. The dating stages, youthful and bright-eyed in pubs and restaurants with a thick, hairy arm wrapped around your waist. Then, months after he popped the question—the idyllic wedding in Madrid where you faced each other, hand in hand.

All he remembers of it is the itchy suit and open bar. If he weren't the shell of a man, he might feel bad.

And now, the photos are few and far between. No life to them, just fake smiles with friends and their kids. A hand around your shoulder and a nose in your hair, all while you fight an inner battle. No vacations, no fun. Just the pretty missus to an esteemed Captain.

He was certain you two wouldn't last.

The first time you visited him on base and tried to hide how out of element you felt. Didn't notice the man spectating from the corner, his identity concealed. Or pretended not to. Too sweet for your own good. Ignored for months on end. Mere roommates with the man you married on the off chance he is home. Probably doesn't have time to lay you down proper—

"Well? Simon?"

He shrugs, feigning indifference. "What about 'er?"

"I need you to keep an eye on her for me. Laswell has something for me in Istanbul, and it might be a few weeks." Price responds, fiddling with the band on his left hand.

"Been gone weeks before, Cap. Months, too. She knows how it is by now." Simon retorts, curtly. Their problems aren't his. He's not keen on becoming private security for a boring housewife, either. You live a boring life. Nobody knows where or who you are, except the circle.

"This is different." The captain's tone sours. "She's pulling away from me. Doesn't see things... clearly anymore. If I leave us where we are now, she might not come back. You're the only one I trust." His voice almost splits into something weak. Almost.

Trusting him took years of work and near-death experiences that had them make it home by the skin of their teeth. Some sort of war-bred trauma bond, his shrink said once. John only goes to his appointments out of necessity, not so much his own volition.

They see horrors the paper-pushers don't, and will never, truly digest.

He could talk about personal things, too. The questionable childhood, his marriage, the prospect of children—but doesn't. He's too guarded to hash any of that out.

"So," Ghost begins, head dipping low in thought. "You're asking me to shadow your bird. Follow her... Keep her sound?"

It's not really a question, but the polite thing to do is ask. Simon knows what he should do and what he actually will; always ten steps ahead.

Price nods, letting out a small hum. He pats the hard shoulder standing beside him, a firm pat of approval. "Do whatever you have to."

All it takes is five words. Five words and another lingering stare at the photos of you make his chest pound, fingers twitching in search of action.

In truth, Simon always thought you were captivating—an anthesis to everything he is.

He spent the years of your relationship on the outskirts, curled up on the front porch like a stray that isn't allowed inside, chained and confined to his place. Never broke the rules because he's a patient, headstrong bloke with a few fantasies.

All he needed was an invitation inside.

His cock twitches in the confines of his trousers, the forbidden switch finally flipped.

"Yes, Sir."

[eatmeandbirthmeagain]

Hey dear, how are you?👋🫶🧡

I had an idea for a short fanfic, and as I like, it has to do with the theme of Saladin's friendship with Baldwin. Anyway, the idea is related to the drawings that @chicken-blitz13 and @somethingstrangeishere created, specifically the ones where Saladin and Baldwin are playing polo. How about a fanfic in which Baldwin and Saladin meet for diplomatic negotiations (on not too global, but relatively small territorial issue, let's say) and during these negotiations one of the rulers casually drops the phrase "If only disputes were solved by games instead of battles...". (Or something like that). And then they get the idea that it's actually not a bad thing. As a result - Saladin and Baldwin decide by lot who chooses which game to play. As a result, they play polo. And then it's up to you, it'll be interesting to see who wins!😉

Always love you, thank you in advance💕

Drawings:

Credit @chicken-blitz13 and me

♡ Mallets And Hooves - King Baldwin & Saladin ♡

♡ Fluff ♡

A/N: HELLO GIRL!!! I am soooo sorry that it has taken FOREVER to get to this i've been so busy 😭. I loved writing this so much, I always enjoy writing these two as besties (they deserve it for real). I did change it up a little i'm sorry but I hope you like it anyway! I really hope you enjoy my friend! As always, this is based off the film Kingdom Of Heaven, not the real historical figures. Enjoy!

P.S. THIS IS NOT A SHIP FIC RAHHH!!!! I also really love the art 🤭and thank you to @chicken-blitz13 for coming up with the fic name 😭

TW: Leprosy

It was a warm evening in Jerusalem when the diplomatic negotiations first took place.

Earlier in the day Saladin had arrived at the castle with his own royal officials to begin the trade route negotiations and after a few hours of rest, the men were ready for the discussions.

Baldwin had been nervous about the affairs prior to the sultan's arrival, mostly because this was their first meeting since his victory all those years ago and he was yet to decide on how the other man would react after seeing him again.

Fortunately, the two had become acquainted quickly and soon the tension was all but gone. If only the same could be said for the other royal officials who had quickly taken to bickering about the affairs while Baldwin and Saladin exchanged glances of empathy and apologies for their counterparts behavior.

They had been at it for hours, so much so that the sun had grown low in the sky and due to the insistence of the other men, a conclusion had yet to be reached.

The sultan rubbed his eyes and sighed as Baldwin yawned behind the iron mask that covered his bored expression. It was truly draining for the both of them and the end seemed nowhere in sight.

Baldwin had not been paying attention for the most part but his attention was grabbed as one of the smaller rulers mumbled, “if only disputes were solved by games instead of battles…”.

The idea of a game of polo lifted the young king's spirits immensely, “alright, enough for now. Meeting dismissed, we shall continue tomorrow” Baldwin said loud enough for them all to hear.

He turned to the sultan for approval and was met with a tired nod.

The officials grumbled in annoyance and stood to leave, collecting their papers as they went.

Baldwin stood and approached the chair next to Saladin who seemed hesitant to get up just yet. The young king sat down and sighed.

“If only he were right..” Baldwin mumbled.

“Sorry?” the sultan replied.

“If only disputes were solved by games instead of battles!” 

Saladin chuckled. “Yes, that would certainly make things much easier” he said, looking out into the distance.

“Would you like to play a game of polo before the food is prepared?” Baldwin offered, a small smile creeping onto his face.

A similar smile came to the sultan at the kings strange request, “that would be wonderful”.

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

The two left for the stables, talking about what they would discuss tomorrow and complaining of the behavior of their own men.

“Children! I swear that's all they are” Saladin said, throwing his hands in the air as Baldwin mounted his own horse.

The young king laughed, “yes it definitely seems that way" “I will speak to all of them tonight about their behavior. We are here to make peace, not war” the sultan said honestly as he mounted his own horse. 

So the two set off with the sun casting an orange glow over the desert.

They began to play as the sun got lower and lower in the sky until it was near impossible to see the ball in front of them. The game came to a perfect tie, the two of them laughing about that as they rode back to the stables.

Baldwin's body ached but it was worth it. As of that evening, he considered Saladin a good friend and not somebody to bicker about stupid things with as their officials and advisors did.

When the two arrived back at the castle, dinner for most was prepared in the dining hall and Baldwins in his chambers.

When Saladin saw the young king walk past the table and to his rooms, he followed.

“My friend! Are you not going to dine with us?” he said, confused.

Baldwin simply tapped his mask with a gloved finger in reply.

“I can assure you, nobody would want to see what's under this” that statement made the sultan's heart ache for the young man. He must be so lonely, eating alone in his rooms every night.

“Well in that case, I shall take my food and go with you” he said returning to the dining room before Baldwin could protest. 

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

The two walked to Baldwin's chambers in silence with Saladin trying his best to concentrate on balancing two plates and a cup in his hands after the refusal of a servant's help, insisting that he did not wish to waste her time her.

Once inside, the two sat down at the small table on the royal balcony.

Baldwin hesitated at removing his mask in front of the other man and Saladin noticed this right away.

“I can assure you my friend, your appearance could never bother me. I admire you for your leadership and respect you as a friend. Nothing could change that” he said with a small, reassuring smile.

The young king sighed and pulled back the head covering to reveal his hair before slowly peeling off the mask, exposing his bandaged face to the cool night air.

Saladin grinned, “ah, you see! Nothing but the face of a brilliant leader, and a good friend”.

He raised his glass to Baldwin. The young king smiled and raised his glass in return.

“To peace between our people, as peace has come between us” the sultan said happily.

“To peace between our people” Baldwin repeated, equally as happy as his new friend.

[sunecito]

Regressuary Day 2: Hand in Hand 🐍🔥

(Art by @/Sweetiedraws on Twitter/X)

Prompt: Character A’s nighttime routine (Changed by me).

Characters: Obanai Iguro (Regressor) & Kyoujuro Rengoku (Caregiver?)

WARNINGS: Spoilers for Obanai’s backstory, dark/traumatic themes, mentions/images of past trauma.

(Sorry I’m so behind, I’m on a family trip and barely had any time to write. But just to lyk I will be finishing the list!! Anyway, here we go!!)

As the sun sets upon the Rengoku estate Obanai watches as the brightly colored flowers tuck away into the night, fulfilling their duties for the day and surrendering to the moon’s grace.

The pattern was different yet all the same; house lights being turned off, candles blown off, animals burrowing into their dens or nests with their families after a long day of searching for food. Such is the cycle of life; live to survive, survive to live. It was a cycle of on and off battles for survival. Simple really.

“O-Obanai-san… You’ve been staring at those flowers for half an hour now…?”

Oh crap.

He turned his head to the youngest Rengoku descendant, Senjuro, who was checking up on him before he went for bed as he always did when the Serpent Hashira spent the night. Obanai sighed, pouting behind his bandages. He would’ve thought that after all these years, Senjuro would’ve dropped the formalities and simply called him by his first name by now… They’re basically brothers…

“Ahem… Apologies, Senjuro. Also, drop the formal title, I’ve told you already that you can call me by my first name.” Obanai spoke, voice breathy almost like a soft hiss. Senjuro smiled. “Are you heading to bed?”

“Yes! Well… Kyoujuro promised me he’d train with me tomorrow so I want to have as much energy as I can!” Senjuro beamed, hands held in fists. Despite his enthusiasm’s similarities with that Kamado boy’s, he never hated Senjuro’s positivity, not once.

Obanai stood up from where he sat on the porch, walking over to the kid and patting him on the head, the faintest of smiles hidden behind his mask. “Good, it’s always important to keep up with your training, I’m glad you’re taking it seriously.”

Senjuro, while blushing, nodded with determination. From the corner, came his much taller older brother, Kyoujuro, who was standing there for a few minutes watching the interaction before Obanai noticed. Obanai retracted his hand and cleaned his throat.

“H-how long have you been watching us?”

“Not long enough, hahah!” Kyoujuro laughed with his usual smile, contagiously bright. He walked over to the pair, now ruffling Senjuro’s hair himself with his big, battered hands. “I always knew you were a softie, Obi! Alright then, Kiddo. I won’t be holding back tomorrow, so be ready and get plenty of sleep!”

“R-right! Goodnight, Nii-san, Obanai.” Senjuro bowed politely as he returned to his room, his socked footsteps fading as he closed the door. Obanai sighed, looking over at Kyoujuro, who still bore a radiant smile on his face.

“What are you smiling for?”

“Oh nothing! Is it so bad to smile when one’s joyous?” Obanai said nothing, simply pouting as Kyoujuro redirected him to their rooms. As kids, they shared a room until Obanai became a demon slayer, but Kyoujuro always kept an extra futon in his room for when his adoptive brother came over.

Kyoujuro slid the door closed as Obanai began to undo the light blue happi he wore above his dark blue clothing. As soon as the sleeves ran down his arms, he was tackled to the soft cushion on the futon by Kyoujuro.

“Wha!?-“

“It’s night-night time, Snakelet!”

Wait, how did he-?

Kyoujuro always had some strange sixth sense when it came to his family, and wether or not it was endearing or creepy, it was nonetheless helpful. Right now though was not the time when Obanai wanted to regress, how did Kyoujuro know he was regressing before he himself knew!?- Whatever. Just pretend to be big and sleep it off, Mitsuri is coming over tomorrow to the Rengoku estate, and he has so help Senjuro train-

“Come on, did you think you could hide this from me? I’m more keen than you might think, Obi!” Kyoujuro chuckled, pulling both of them up, leaving Obanai to sit there winded as he went to grab some jinbei pajamas for the two.

Kaburamaru slithered up to his head, resting itself on Obanai’s (now) messy hair. Obanai didn’t know what to do now, give up? There was no fighting Kyoujuro when he got like this, afterall…

“Cmon, Obi! Let’s go take a bath, okay? I can wash your hair!” Kyoujuro snapped him out of his thoughts, rattling a small wooden rattle infront of Obanai to catch his attention. It worked, to say the least, but he took it back before Obanai could grab it. “Bath.”

Obanai pouted, but nonetheless obliged to Kyoujuro’s authorative tone and stood up (with the taller man’s help), leaving Kaburamaru on the futon with mumbled instructions for him to stay there until they got back. Afterall, Kaburamaru doesn’t like baths.

Neither does Obanai.

When they got to the bath, Kyoujuro wasted no time getting their clothes off properly, wrapping a tower around his own waist as he led Obanai to the bath, setting up warm water.

The water’s reflection glared at Obanai like a sword to the neck. The bathhouse itself was moist and hot already without any water, but even with sweat dripping down his neck, his hands shook at the thought of removing his facial bandages.

The Rengoku estate was the one place where he felt like he was validated, even after Ruka-san passed away and Shinjuro-san began drinking. Afterall, Shinjuro was the one who saved him from- from his “family”, he was the one who freed him. He’d gotten the best healers to treat his wounds as best as they could, and his son, Kyoujuro, would hold his hand during the days it would get infected and he’d be bedridden with fever. Despite all that, Obanai hated showing his face.

No. He didn’t hate showing his face, he simply hated his face.

Even still, Kyoujuro, with his oversized hands all scarred and battered with training, gently tugged at the bandages around his neck and jawline, slipping them off in one long strand still it sat like a long pearl serpent in his hands. Obanai felt the air against his exposed skin. It was his least favorite feeling.

Kyoujuro held his hand in his. Despite being a year older, Obanai was always smaller than the Flame Hashira in most ways, but now, they felt like they stood the same.

It wasn’t long that they stayed in the bathhouse. Kyoujuro slowly washing off his body and washing his hair, careful not to tug at his sensitive scalp all while Obanai listened to the stories Kyoujuro told; “Today I rescued a family of ducks near a river! The mother duck was about to fall in and drift away, but I safely got her and her ducklings across!” Obanai couldn’t help but laugh, Kyoujuro always knew how to make him smile, little or not.

Finally, when they were both dried up and dressed back in their rooms, Obanai’s hair in a ponytail and Kyoujuro’s firely locks wrapped neatly in a towel, l the flame haired male grabbed a container of medicinal cream and scooped some up with two fingers. Obanai whined, shrinking into himself as Kaburamaru, draped over his shoulders, wrapped himself protectively around the Hashira.

“Oh, c’mon, Obi… We’ve been through this. Y’know you have to…” Kyoujuro’s voice was gentle, taking Obanai’s thumb from his mouth once he began to nibble on it unconsciously. “You always get itchy during warm nights… Senjuro made this because he knew you were coming.”

“N-no.” Obanai hissed, shielding his face with his hands. “No- Don’ touch me…” His words slurred.

Hands on his face… A blade on his face-

“Obi…”

His hair tied back, arms behind his back, exposed to the large shadow before him-

“N-no…!”

“Obanai!” Warm hands gripped at his, and heterochromatic eyes met sunset palette ones. A pair of eyes that had no intent on hurting him. Kyoujuro’s eyes. “I know you don’t like being touched on you face, Snakelet… But please? Can you try for me? I’ll hold you hand, it’ll be quick.”

Right… It was just medicinal cream, not a blade… It would prevent swelling and irritatio!, it wouldn’t hurt him… Especially when his brother was there.

“…M’kay…”

Kyoujuro smiled, slowly placing the cream around Obanai’s long scars. The cream was cold upon contact, but it was smooth against his dry skin. Kyoujuro moved swiftly and gently, softly praising Obanai for his patience as he slowly traced his more sensitive spots. Obanai shivered, but didn’t flinch, he only squeezed the flame haired man’s hand.

The eldest Rengoku son was always rather odd to one’s eyes, weird even, and if you asked the same thing to Obanai fifteen years ago, hed probably agree. Afterall, he was always smiling. Even when Obanai was locked in a caged filled with rotting bentos and an empty stomach for days, his sisters and aunts would always plaster a smile and offer him food like nothing was wrong. Obanai thought Kyoujuro was the same, a simple minded kid who had lived a privileged life and who didn’t know the extent of Obanai’s suffering back then, but that couldn’t be far from the truth. Unlike his mothers, aunts, cousins and sisters, Kyoujuro smiled knowing he was doing something good for Obanai. His smiles didn’t mean “eat this! It’ll make you more appealing!” or “your eyes are just so beautiful, Obanai!”. Instead, they meant “eat this! Father said you gotta eat lots to be strong!” and “your eyes are so cool, Obanai!”.

There was a reason why Kyoujuro was the first person Obanai confied to about his regression. Kyoujuro was the big brother he never had.

By now, the taller man had passed the wooden rattle to the smaller man, who shook it lightly, making satisfying noises as the wooden beads inside bounced against the walls of the rattle. A handmade gift from Kyoujuro, when he was forced into practicing wood carving by Mitsuri (she carved a heart on it. It was a sweet gesture from her).

Kyoujuro made a final noise of satisfaction when he pulled back. That’s when Obanai noticed that the skin that was usually hidden underneath scratchy bandages was now smooth and cool against the breeze. Kyoujuro also proceeded to grab his soother and blow off the candles that were dimly lighting the room.

Obanai placed the soother in his mouth, mumbling a small thanks as Kyoujuro tucked him into his futon.

“Don’t mention it, Baby Brother! I’ll always be here to take care of you!” Kyoujuro laughed it off, passing him his rattle and using an extra blanket to form a nest for Kaburamaru right next to Obanai’s head. Despite being the younger one between the two, Kyoujuro always felt like he was the elder one, the one that had to protect his younger brothers. It was pretty obvious since day one that Kyoujuro was going to take that caretaker role, but it was one of the many things that made Kyoujuro so different from other people Obanai knew.

Kyoujuro, now with his damp hair slipped out of the towel, nuzzled himself into the futon next to Obanai’s, chuckling a little as he felt the other’s smaller hands grasp his. Just like they were kids.

“Promise Bubba that you’ll wake me up if you have any bad dreams?” Kyoujuro asked, voice soft when he notice Obanai’s eyes slipping shut. Obanai saw that cheeky smile, Obanai wasn’t fully blind, and yet he didn’t make any re marks about the petname Kyoujuro gave himself. His body was melting into a soft warmth, feeling Kyoujuro’s hand go slack with his as they both fell into slumber.

Later, Obanai would wake up that morning with his soother in his mouth and his hand still holding his brother’s. But right now, he was peacefully resting beside his brother, their heads just barely touching eachother as they rested side by side. A brotherly bond; protection and to be protected.

Hand in his brother’s hand, Obanai slept without any disturbances that night.

• • • •

[frie-ice]

These are some of the Disney films and characters I would like to see in future Twisted Wonderland events. Like the ones that gave us Rollo Flamme (who character is modelled after Claude Frollo) and Stitch (who was a guest character).

1. With Captain Hook being one of Disney's classic villains, I thought it would be cool if we got a Peter Pan event. One that would have the selected Night Raven students attend a pirate themed event, that is dedicated to the Hooked Pirate Captain and is hosted by the TWST character who is modelled after Hook himself. Since the Savanaclaw Trio were dressed as pirates for Halloween events, I could see Leona Kingscholar or Ruggie Bucchi wanting to take point on the school trip by serving as the group's captain. Unless the three Beastmen don't go to the event, and Azul Ashengrotto decides to be the captain. With him based on Ursula, why not throw in a bit of Uma.

2. If there was to be a science fair event, who better than Yzma's TWST counterpart to host it. Along with having Divus Crewel join the school's science club to it, just as Mozus Trein was in the Glorious Masquerade event.

3. With Twisted Wonderland having a few Halloween events wouldn't it be cool if Oogie Boogie appears as a guest character or have a reference cameo of him. Like having his face appear on the moon or have the students come across his shadow.

4. Who wouldn't want to see a TWST character be modelled after Hans? Might be interesting for a Frozen based event.

5. With the game made by Walt Disney Japan and Big Hero 6 has a few Japanese references in the film and TV series, it kind of feels right that Yokai gets a reference in the phone game. Like having his mask make a cameo appearance, or have his TWST counterpart visit the school for a robotic event. One that the Shroud Brothers might like to attend.

6. For some reason I could see Yuu, Grim and two or three students recreating the scene of Mushu asking Mulan what the plan is, while they were in the middle of running away from danger. Until they decide to light some fireworks as they rush to get off the roof. It would also be cool to see Mushu be a guest character like Stitch was, and to see Grim bash heads with our favourite (small) Disney dragon. (With Dragon!Maleficent being the top Disney dragon among the villain side of the Disney fandom.)

7. Just thought it would be cool to see our brave Night Raven students battle Chernabog.

8. Who wouldn't want to see a TWST character be modelled after Gothel? I could see Vil Schoenheit butting heads with Gothel's TWST counterpart on which villain is the most beautiful one, the Evil Queen or Mother Gothel? They are both known to be vain when it comes to personal appearance.

9. With there being a White Rabbit event, why not have one that is based off of Robin Hood? Maybe we could get a TWST beastman counterpart of either the Sheriff, Prince John or Robin.

10. Although the first anniversary had Deuce Spade, Trey Clover and the Shroud Brothers make a wish under the stars, thought it would be cute if Star were to make a guest event appearance. Like Stitch did in the beach event, Lost in the Book with Stitch.

Here is the original Characters/Films that should be in TWST meme template, for those who want to give it a try.

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

In Your Eyes, in the Ice and Rain

Two Weeks of Hitsuhina - Day 3: Wings / On a Starry night

Rating: T/Teen for violence and mild descriptions of injuries.

Setting: before BLEACH’s main story; Hitsugaya is still a third seat and Hinamori the lieutenant of Fifth Division.

Synopsis: During a battle against a pack of Hollows, Hitsugaya's duties as a Shinigami and sense of self is tested when Hinamori gets hurt.

AN: I'm late for the start of the week, but better late than never!

This was such a random idea. I considered not writing it, but then I got started and it took over. If I had to describe this fic in two words, it’d be ‘high emotions’, so prepare for angst, some hurt/comfort towards the end, and probably some out-of-characterness.

It was partly inspired by the song Farewell, My Friend by There’s a Light (YT | Spotify), but more by two images I got while thinking on this theme: one of Hinamori pleading to Hitsugaya (while he has his bankai activated) to save everyone and he was shocked by this, and the other of Hitsugaya coming to Hinamori’s side when she’s injured, hunched over and holding her hand.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this one.

_____________________

Hinamori is sent hurtling through the air, and Hitsugaya's forget how to breathe. She arcs over the battle, high above everyone’s heads, out of sight and focus of her subordinates and his fellow tenth Division Shinigami.

He doesn’t come out of his shock until her back smacks off a tree trunk and she tumbles through the branches to the ground. He shouts her name, louder than the Hollows' cries around him.

He flash-steps and catches her before she can hit the ground. She lets out a pained cry at the same time one of the Huge Hollow he’d been fighting roars because its prey vanished out of sight. He almost loses his grip on Hyourinmaru, and hefts Hinamori higher up so her head can rest on his shoulder. But she whirls around, looking without seeing, and thrashes against him.

“Hinamori, stop! You're hurt!” he yells, unintentionally making his grip tighter on her. She barely calms her frantic movements, hasn’t even registered that he’s the one holding her.

He glances at Tobiume lying on the ground. He doesn’t have time to pick up the zanpakuto, but kicks it off to the side, into the cover of bushes. He hurriedly retreats away from the battle, going deeper into the forest. The trees do little to shelter them from the rain, with drops showering over him as he runs, and he folds his wings in tightly so they don’t thrash against the low hanging branches or shrubbery in his way.

He ignores the pain lancing up his leg from the wound he’d gotten just minutes ago. The reason she’d come running to him during the battle, seeing him slashed by ones of the Huge Hollows that’d converged on him. After the wound was inflicted, he’d pretended to be at the creatures’ mercy to lure them into a false sense of security. They would lunge for him while he used a bankai technique to freeze them all in place at once. He’d only practice the ability once, but things were getting desperate in the fight and he needed to take more then one down at a time.

But then she’d come charging in, letting out a furious cry as she launched a fireball at one of the Hollow’s backs, setting it alight before leaping up behind it and landing at the nape of its bent neck and bringing Tobiume to cleave the mask in two from behind. Dislodging her blade, she’d kicked off from its head and landed in front of Hitsugaya while it disintegrated to nothing.

She’d launched another fireball at one, sending the Hollow falling back and being attacked by other Shinigami form behind. She’d briefly glanced over her shoulder at him, her gaze wavering between fury and concern within seconds, before returning her attention to Huge Hollows before them. He couldn’t speak, was in awe of her skill but also shocked she had come to his defence. he forgot about his plan, about getting up because the wound didn't truly hinder his ability to stand and fight.

She was halfway through chanting a kido when the Huge Hollow with oversized, clawed hands slashed her left limbs. Before she could even let out a cry, it back handed her, catapulting her away.

Hitsugaya comes out of his recollection when he nearly slips and falls on a slick of mud in the grass. Blinking rain from his eyes, he can’t see but can still hear the battle. It’ll do.

Hinamori, having realised who was carrying her, had stilled her thrashing. “H-Hitsu –” She gasps as he lowers her to the ground, propping her back up against a tree trunk. She groans while clutching her side with her good arm. “Where…?”

“Don’t talk,” he instructs, but his voice is shaky.

Seeing her like this is like the first time he saw her cry; it felt wrong, like something someone like her shouldn't do. Blood runs down her scratched legs and arm, falling either to the ground or being absorbed by the shreds of her uniform. Her hair has been slowly loosening from its usual bun, with the hair cloth missing and the ribbon torn. He supects, judging from the lack of blood not seeping from between her fingers, her side is likely bruised but not torn. Her back is likely the same. There are several tiny cuts across her face and arms, likely from the branches she fell into. Bruising has formed on the side of her neck and her breathing is staggered and wheezing. What if she has a broken rib?

He shakes his head against the nausea and rising panic. “I’ll get started on treatment.”

The rain comes down faster and thicker. Hinamori winces as it pelts over her injuries. Without a second thought, Hitsugaya brings a wing over her head. At the shadow cast over her and the lack of rain hitting her, she blinks and looks up. Her reflection is warped in the ice, it’d be comical if it weren’t for how dire situation was.

“T-Thanks,” she stammers.

He stabs Hyourinmaru into the ground and breaks the ice away from his hands, the blunt talons falling to the earth and melting to slush in the rain. Then he kneels, keeping the wing above her. Fearing she has a concussion, he instructions, “Stay still, okay? Don’t move your head anymore. I’m going to take a look at your injuries.” She lets out a hum, and he takes it as her understanding.

She whimpers when he peels back the remains of her sleeve and hakama leg until the wounds are completely visible. The blood drains from his face and the world briefly spins at the sight of her leg injury; that’ll need Fourth Division’s work. There is only so much he can do for such a wound, but her kido surpasses his. He cringes at the idea of her having to treat her own injury while in this state, but they don’t have any other options.

He gingerly wraps his fingers around the wrist of her bad arm. “I can heal this one. Once I seal it over, you heal the one on your leg and I’ll work on your side and back.”

“It really hurts.” She starts to look down. “Is it that bad?”

“Don’t look yet,” he instructs softly, laying a light touch on her shoulder. “It’s…just don’t look until you need to.”

He expects her to make a sound while moving her arm, but she doesn’t. He doesn't think about, just chants for the healing kido. He gets no relief even when the teal glow emanates from his palms over the scratches. She winces through gritted, but it’s only when he looks up to reassure her that he realises she’d returned to looking at Hyourinmaru’s wing.

“This is your bankai…” She’s breathless still and there’s a slight slur in her speech, but her dazed gaze has turned into something akin to awe despite the pain.

“Yes,” he says, even though she hadn’t posed it as a question.

“I never seen it in battle before,” she breathes. “It’s incredible.”

The small cuts on her arm heal beneath the kido and the larger wound scabs over; with any luck, it’s healing internally too.

Hitsugaya sighs. How can he get her to focus on herself? “Forget about the battle. I’ll help with healing your leg before working your side.”

“I saw you out there,” she continues, as if he hadn’t spoken. “Before that Hollow attacked you, you were turning the tide for us.”

His heart aches. If she’d only known that he’d had a plan, that she was never meant to get involved. No, that’s not it. He shouldn’t have been so reckless. He should've just cut the Hollows down one at a time. He shouldn't have gotten carried away with watching her protect him when she didn't need to.

“Hitsugaya-kun?”

His breath hitches. The kido beneath his trembling palms flickers. With a frustrated grunt, he resumes focusing on the healing her. “I’m almost done.”

“You’re doing great.” Her pained smile says otherwise. Even in times like this, she’s reassuring him, making sure he is okay.

From the distance, a harrowing scream rings out through the air. With it, it brings back the clashing of swords against bone, cries echoing around the battlefield, and howls and animalistic sounds of the Huge Hollows. It’s as if he’d muted the battle until now. Hinamori’s brow furrows, and her gaze sharpens. “No…”

It’s several heartbeats later when Hitsugaya deactivates the kido. It’s not enough, it'll have to do; he should be able to do more. “Come on, let’s heal your leg. You ready?”

He shifts to get closer, wincing as he moves his own injured leg. And the moment he let the sound escape his lips, he curses under his breath.

Her frown deepens.

“Hinamori --”

“Where are you hurt?” she asks, her gaze searching him head to toe.

“It’s nothing, forget about it.”

Her eyes land on his leg and she lets out an alarmed grunt. Hitsugaya can’t help but look too. His sock is bloodied, and the gash he’d received from the Hollow peaks out at the top.

She straightens, peeling her back from the trunk, and moves her uninjured arm towards his ankle. “You should’ve said something!”

“Stop it!”

Her finger sturggles to pull down his sock.

“Hinamori, it’s not serious,” he tries to reassure, but his voice comes out strained. “Your injury is. I’m not the one bleeding out here.”

She shakes her head, and much to his horror, she raises her injured arm with a groan and brings it to his ankle, and it helps to bring his sock down. He thinks to jerk his ankle away, but he fears the sudden movement would startle her and reopen her arm wound.

Hands hover over the wound and she begins to chant.

He grabs her uninjured arm. “Hinamori, stop it, now.”

She ignores him, completing the chant and activating the kido. A fresh wave of pain shoots up his leg, and at his grimace, her frown softens away. “Sorry.”

He can’t work on healing her leg while she’s doing this, not without causing her pain. He lets out a shaky breath. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because you’re hurt.” She says it as if that answered everything.

As soon as the kido spreads out across the gash, his flesh knits over itself rapidly, and the pain is soothed away to a dull ache.

It harshly shakes his head. “You need to focus on yourself, idiot. Use your kido on yourself.”

“I can’t.” The tremor in her voice renders him speechless. “Not while they’re all still out there and you’re in danger, I can’t.”

His heart thuds so hard he hears it in his ears. Battlefield are always chaotic, but even being away from it, he’s lost control of this. “What are you saying?”

She doesn’t speak, only stares at him. It’s one of the rare times he can’t read her expression. “Come on, what?”

She presses her lips tightly for a moment before she speaks. “I don’t want you to fight, but…if you don’t, you’re all in danger.” She lowers her gaze with a whimper. “Why did it have to be like this?”

Still cryptic. He can only conclude she’s concussed, not knowing what she’s saying or doing.

Not even three minutes later, she deactivates the kido and pulls his sock back up. He can’t see how it looks, but there’s still a faint ache. She’s not at the level of Fourth Division, but he can run on his leg without much issue.

“Okay, fine, you’ve healed me. Now come on, your leg!” He’s quick to position his hands over the injury, the beginnings of the kido chant on his tongue.

“You need to go back there.”

That halts him. “What?”

“They need you at the battle.”

Beneath the wet hair plastered to her face, the dirt smudging her face and the bruising forming on her jaw, there’s a grim determination.

“Don’t be a fool,” he mutters.

She winces, but not from the pain of her injuries. “You have to go back and fight, Shiro-chan.”

Hearing the nickname triggers a rush of anger in him. “No!" he snaps. "If we don’t heal these now before Fourth Division get here, the damage might be irreparable. I’m not leaving you!”

“Forget about me, go and help them,” she rasps, bordering on begging. “The fight out there is getting worse, but your bankai can help change the outcome. I don’t want you to go out there and get hurt again but…you have the power to end this. Please, you have to go back there! I’ll be okay.”

“Hinamori, stop this --”

He’s cut off when she suddenly grabs his shoulder and pulls him forward. Too stunned, he barely remembers to keep the wing over her let alone throw out a hand to prop him away from the tree she rests against.

“Remember your duties as a Shinigami," she whispers. "We serve and protect the Seireitei and the Soul Society. We protect our fellow officers in battle, our friends."

The reminder should’ve been like a bucket of cold water dunked over him, but all he can focus on is the blood in the corner of his eye.

He grits his teeth against the tremulous feeling rushing through him. “You weren’t supposed to get involved. Why did you jump in? I had a plan.”

She blinks. “What?”

“Back there, I was…” He can't get the words out. Pathetic.

She takes his free hand in hers. They’re so close that all he sees is her wide, glassy eyes. “Go. They need you…please. Please, Shiro-chan, please.”

His heart stammers. She’s begging him for something. She should never have to do that, not with him. Not for the safety of others.

The sounds of battle reach his ears again. He’s selfish, because in the end, it’s her he wants to protect, and her who he has failed. But she’s counting on him, believing in him as she always has, to protect everyone.

He hardens his expression and withdraws his hand from hers. Standing, he reaches across and dislodges his zanpkauto from the ground. The ice he’d broken off before quickly regrows, engulfing his hands and ending with sharper talons.

It gives him an idea. Warning Hyourinmaru before he raises his weapon, he raises his right arm and hits the area above the wing’s joint with pommel. The ice cracks. Hinamori lets out a startled grunt, but he continues to strike at the ice until the wing breaks off.

"W-What're you...?" She watches him in bewilderment while he manoeuvres the broken off ice to cover her from the rain. A new wing rapidly grows, collecting the falling rain and melding it into the ice to freeze.

He steps back several paces, not looking away from her. He wants to say something, but finds he has no words. He’s simultaneously emboldened and uncertain.

She offers a grateful, strained smile.

Before his resolve can break, he snaps Hyourinmaru’s wings and shoots into the sky. Tree branches rattle and leaves fall in his wake when eh breaks from the treeline into the sky.

High in the air, he twists around in the direction of the battle and with another powerful flap he shoots himself higher into the sky, gliding high above the forest that encompasses the area. From up here, he can tell which direction the Hollows had originally come by the destruction they left in their way. It’s as though a line of the forest had been gauge out, with trees snapped in two or completely uprooted and the earth upturned.

Only a minute later he’s overhead of the battling Hollows and Shinigami. He can’t distinguish which Shinigami belongs to Tenth or Fifth, doesn’t even recognise which one is Rangiku. From this height, they seem so small.

The Hollows, however, have more distinguishin features. He spots the Huge Hollow that had thrown Hinamori away. His grip on Hyourinmaru tightens and his blood simmers in his veins. For all of his conviction in fulfilling her wish, he still puts his own will above it.

I’ll protect her.

He comes overhead of the creature. The rest of battle fades out.

He stops flapping his wings, sharply falling through the sky. Rain and wind whip against him, and it only fuels the growing anger. While in this state, the weather is under his control. With a mere twist of Hyourinmaru, the rain gets thicker and the clouds gather, darkening the area. His reiatsu flashes across his skin in white-blue currents. Against powerful gusts of wind and the forces sending plummeting to the ground, he raises Hyourinmaru. As the features of everyone becomes clearer – the Hollows’ masks, the Shinigami either engaged in battles or the few who, wide-eyed and mouths agape, notice his rapid descent – he lets out a cry. Combined with the howl of the wind, it sounds like a roar.

Most of the Hollows have stopped to look at him. Did they think he was one of them? Has he become monstrous in his fury? It didn’t matter.

He flares Hyourinmaru’s wings out when he’s only several meters from the Huge Hollow who’s struck Hinamori. The creature, realising what’s about to happen, roars and raises it’s oversized hands at the last minute. It’s too late. Hitsugaya stabs Hyourinmaru through the mask, and from it, ice bursts out and rapidly covers it’s grey-purple skin. A cold wave comes from the attack, washing over everyone in the area and shuddering and bending the trees.

The Hollow’s mouth is unhinged wide, stuck in shock. Before it begins to disintegrate, he withdraws Hyourinmaru and kicks off from the creature’s head, landing in the mud.

Hitsugaya’s shoulders heave with each heavy breath, which fogs in the cooling air. He glares at the next Hollow, frozen in place by what it saw. And it wasn’t the only one. Most of them are staring at him, and even some Shinigami are. Eyes wide, lips trembling from either the sudden cold that’d descended over them or from something like shock or confusion.

The Hollows that saw his attack fall into a frenzy, bellowing or snarling, before converging on him all at once.  He’s too angry to be afraid, and raises Hyourinmaru against the closest one. He unleashes a flurry of ice, striking the Hollow and sending it crashing back into another.

“Ryusenka!”

Ice erupts from Hyourinmaru and strikes the two Hollows, encasing them before they can cry out. Hitsugaya lunges forward and smashes the ice, breaking to two apart into pieces that disintegrate.

From behind, a hunched over Huge Hollow charges, tusks aiming to gorge him. He swings his zanpakuto around, ready to duck under and cut into it’s underbelly.

There’s a flash of movement to his right, and he almost swings his sword at the figure who’s appear at his side. Rangiku – hair wet and bedraggled, mud smeared on her face and arms, and a thin cut above her brow smudges with dried blood – makes Haineko form a neko rinbu around them. The Huge Hollow, cut from the tiny pieces of blade, stumbles back with a yelp before it and the other Hollows disappear from view.

“What was that?!” she yells over the whirl of Haineko. “What’s gotten into you?!”

“You need to call the Captains and Fourth Division, now!”

“Why?”

“Because we’re about to end this fight!”

A hand, protected by bone-like armour, lunges through the ash cloud. Hitsugaya spins and slashes into the knuckle, breaking through the plating and sending a flurry of ice racing up its arm. The hand vanishes through the ash. At the screams of both Hollows and Shinigami happening beyond, Rangiku winces and dissipates the cloud.

“You’ve got some explaining to do later!” she yells, before leaping to cut the clawed hand hauling up a badly injured Shinigami.

After that, the battle is a blur. He is not like those in Eleventh Division, prompt to losing themselves in bloodlust, but his strikes are fierce and quick, and regardless of the combat between a Hollow and Shinigami, he intervenes, cutting through mask after mask after mask.

His blood boils, and he feels his face contort into an unrecognisable, furious shape. It doesn’t come entirely from the hatred for the creature he’d slain before. No, he’s angry at himself. At his failure to heal Hinamori, to prevent harm coming to her. He’s angry that their lives are like, filled with danger he can’t always protect her from.

After he cuts down a spider-like Hollow, Hitsugaya spins around, ready for the next, only to see there are none. The Shinigami, whether they’re standing or trying to prop themselves up from the mud, struggle to catch their breaths and look around. The forest had been full of Huge Hollows breaking through the trees, their stampede shaking the ground and their animalistic cries tearing through the air above the rain. Now, everything is still and silent save for the torrential rain.

As if most come to some realization at the same time, many turn to look at him. Fraught emotions tumbling within him still under the scrutiny of his fellow Tenth Division members and those in Fifth. Some look at him in confusion – likely not knowing he had achieved bankai – a few in concern, and the rest in either awe or wariness.

He’s breathing too hard, his limbs shake so fiercely from the adrenaline and harsh beating of his heart. The rain cools his skin. It’s the latter that makes him straighten, and with a silent command to Hyourinmaru, the rain lessens, returning to how it is meant to be.

Above his head, he only has one ice petal left. He withholds a cringe. In such short time he'd overexerted his powers. After a long, quiet breath out, he deactivates his bankai and sheathes Hyourinmaru across his back. It sends out a cold pulse, ruffling the uniforms and hair of those standing near him and disturbing the rainfall for a second.

“I’ve called for Fourth Division!” Rangiku yells from somewhere behind him, making everyone turn their attention to her. He stares at the ground as she continues, “They’ll be here soon, along with Captain Ishiin and Captain Aizen! For anyone without injury, we need to get the injured into the shade and start healing them, now!”

Hinamori.

He snaps out of his stupor and runs between rushing Shinigami.

As soon as he sees her, he shouts, “Matsumoto!”

She looks over her shoulder, then fully turns once he’s close. “Don’t think I didn’t see your ankle before, you need to –”

“Hinamori isn’t here!” He points in the direction he’d come flying from. “She’s badly wounded, she needs help, now!

Rangiku’s eyes widened. “No wonder I couldn’t find her,” she mutters to herself. Then, while running with him in Hinamori’s direction, she asks, “What kind of injuries?”

“Her arm and leg. She can’t walk, and I’m certain she’s concussed.”

Rangiku swears and wipes the hair from her face. She searches for any Shinigami still standing around. At the sight of one officer from their division and another Hitsugaya didn’t know, she calls out to them. “If you haven't got anyone to help, come with me right now!”

They sprint over and fall into line behind them. Hitsugaya casts out his sense. Hinamori's reiatsu flickers from her injuries.

"You sense her too?" he asks Rangiku.

"Yeah, she's not far from here."

“We’ll also need to retrieve her zanpakuto. Tobiume is under the bushes in that same direction, just look for her hilt.”

Rangiku nods. “We'll take care of it.

“What? No, I – ”

“Your ankle will get worse. Stay here, Fourth will arrive shortly.”

“I --”

“That’s an order!”

He’s stunned by her authoritative air. He knows she’s capable of it, but she rarely uses it on him. That isn’t what causes him to slow his run and then come to a stop. It’s the way her eyes soften with knowingness.

He stands at the edge of the tree line, watching Rangiku and the other two Shinigami until they’re out of sight and the flora they’d disturbed stops swaying. After taking down as many Hollows as he did, ending the battle quicker in the Seireitei’s favor, he can't if it's exhaustion or the sense of helplessness that makes him sag against a tree .

At some point he raises his hand and simply watches the rain collect then pool in the center of his palm. He stares at his reflection, colorless and broke apart by raindrops. In an instant he's nothing more than swirling, wavy lines, but they bounce back form him, only a drop to hit and ripple. At times he is nothing but warped lines, and in an instant, he's reformed only for a drop of water to hit and ripple.

It's several minutes later when three whole squads of Fourth Division medics arrive. Most go to the severely wounded first, then rest approach others with minor injuries.

He stumbles away from the tree and waits. Eventually two medics come to him. He only speaks when he needs to, answer their question before they begin treatment. His ankle is as good as new five minutes later. At the comment from one of the Fourth Division Shinigami about how the healing on it was good before they tended to him, he hurriedly walks away without thanking them.

He searches for Hinamori. He hadn't seen Rangiku and the officers come out of the forest, but he can hear the lieutenant's voice echo from somewhere in the area. Around him, uninjured and healed quietly gather and speak to each other, comforting each other or relishing their victory. Those receiving treatment remain in the shades of trees, but some are on stretchers being carried away. He pauses at the sight of a medic placing a spare shihakusho over the face and chest of someone on stretcher. He doesn’t recognize the Shinigami, which meant it’s likely someone from Fifth Division. Had the officer passed before or during his return to battle?

He shoves the thought aside and staggers onward. In the chaos, death is inevitable in battle, they all know that. Somehow, it doesn’t stop the pang that comes with losing a fellow Shinigami, even one he didn't know.

It’s not long before he finds Hinamori when he left her. She lies on a stretcher next to what little remains of Hyourinmaru's wing. She's her hooded eyes look between the two Fourth Division members tending to her. Aizen is kneeling at her side and speaking to her with his back turned to Hitsugaya. He feels a modicum of relief that Tobiume is at her side; Rangiku must have found the weapon.

Several meters behind him, there's a few Shinigami who were carried to be under shelter being tended to as well. He feels a few stares at his back, but he ignores them.

He keeps his distance, observing one medic finishing bandages her arm, while the other continues to cast healing kido over her leg. She shouldn’t be there. She should be standing like so many others here, lifting the spirits of those who lost a comrade today or have witnessed a horrific battle like this one was for the first time.

“You did remarkably well.”

Hitsugaya isn’t startled by Aizen, who has left Hinamori’s side and approaches him. If this were any other situation, he might have thought it funny to see him this drenched and his hakama muddied.

“Without you, I'm certain we would’ve had more causalities,” Aizen continues. “I’ll be sure to tell Captain Shiiba what your efforts did today once he gets here. From what my officers have told me, your bankai is something to be admired, Hitsugaya-kun.”

He sniffs and looks past the captain back to Hinamori. “I’m still training.”

“There’s always room for improvement, but this victory today is thanks to your abilities.” Aizen follows his gaze, and after a beat, offers in the way of sympathy, “I know it’s hard seeing Hinamori-kun like this, but you know she’ll pull through. She’s always been strong, nothing ever holds her back or brings her down.”

That softens him, because it’s the first thing the captain has said today that Hitsugaya agrees with. She’s strong enough to be a lieutenant. She was strong enough to remain his friend, to stand by him when the world and he himself tried to tell her otherwise, even when the enormity of his power became obvious to her.

She’s strong enough to ask him to fight for others when she needed the help and protection the most. She had the strength to see all of these Shinigami as important to her. Everyone, except herself.

“From what she told me about what happened," Aizen continues, "if it weren’t for you, I’m certain her injuries would’ve been worse.”

Hitsugaya manages to not double over but he can’t withhold a grimace.

Aizen frowns at his reaction. “I apologise. Did I say something wrong?”

Hitsugaya stiffly shakes his head but refuses to look at the captain.

"If you're sure." Aizen shifts, half turning away. “I’m sure you’ll discuss today with Captain Shiiba. However, my door is open to you and Lieutenant Matsumoto if you need another set of ears.” He bows his head. “I’ll leave you be. Take care.”

Hitsugaya brows furrow when instead of walking past him, the captain approaches the Fourth Division members, speaking with them for a minute, before they bow to him and move on to the next patient behind him. Aizen gives Hitsugaya a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes before he leaves.

It occurs to Hitsugaya once the captain is out of his sight, aside from Shinigami being healed behind him, he and Hinamori are alone. He doesn’t fight the compulsion to go and kneel at her side. She’d been staring ahead until he comes into her peripheral. Most of the blood and dirt has been wiped away, but her skin is too pale. He can’t judge whether the haziness in her eyes is from the concussion, something the medics gave her to ease the pain, or exhaustion. Still, there’s a flicker of recognition as her gaze takes in his face.

Her lips part to say something, but nothing comes out. Her chest heaves with a shuddering breath that's dangerously close to a sob.

Without thinking, he takes her good hand between his two own. “I did it, just like you asked.” He loathes the vulnerability in his words, but he only said them because he wants her to be happy.

She blinks slowly, taking in his words. The corners of her eyes moisten. Again she tries to speak, “I’m…sor…”.

He bites the inside of cheek hard. Why is she trying to apologize?

“You don’t have to talk. You’re going to be okay,” he says, more as reassurance to himself. “Everyone’s okay now, we’re safe.”

His words aren’t true. What of that Shinigami who passed away? He can’t have been the only one.

He bows his head. "It shouldn't have been like this. I thought I was outsmarting them, but I ended up getting you hurt."

She swallows, takes in a long breath. His words don't sink in immediately, but when they do, she weakly shakes her head. "No. I'm sorry I...I shouldn't have --"

"Hinamori--"

"--asked you to..." Twitchingly, the corners of lips rise. “But I...knew you could do it. You're incredible, Shiro-chan. Truly.”

He lets out a strangled grunt before bowing over her, his forehead coming to rest on hers. Her smile widens, and she softly shuts her eyes. He closes his own, to try and calm his racing heart and to shut out any onlookers. He’s certain they’d deem his reaction overwrought, especially considering she isn't dying from her injuries. But they don’t know he’s reason she’s hurt, or that without her, he’d have no bankai.

Why did it have to be like this? This isn’t how their lives were meant to go. But what did he expect? The life of a Shinigami is fraught with danger. They have a duty to protect the Soul Society, to lay their lives on the line if need be for it and each other. Why should that have to apply to her?

Without her, his life would be so different. It had come with bad memories, but more than that, it’s come with ones that gave him hope when there hadn’t been any, and she had done so with only her words and kindness. The world needs her, more than it needs him.

He can’t let this happen again, because what good is having this power if he can't protect her from threats or his own foolishness? His prodigal status is something others revere, something coveted by the Seireitei and rare among Shinigami, to the point of loneliness for those that harness it. He should be able to fight like no other, and yet she's still here, still trying to protect him in battle. She shouldn’t be, not after everything she’s already done for him. Not when he has the strength and power to do the same.

I won’t let you get hurt ever again. He opens his eyes, and hers remain closed as he leans back. I’ll get stronger so that I can always protect you.

It feels like a vow, seared into his very being, one that he can never revoke even if he wanted to. One he will never speak aloud to her or anyone else. It’s for him and him alone to carry.

His hold on her hand tightens. When she squeezes it back, his heart clenches. Slowly, she opens her eyes, and he stares at his reflection in them. It doesn’t ripple and warp like the one in the water. He isn't colorless, shaded by the brown of her irises. It’s him, bloodied and sodden. No longer a child, but not an adult either. A Shinigami, gifted with a power few will ever have across the centuries. A power she helped bring forth without ever knowing, and one that will be wielded to ensure her happiness.

______________________

AN: I never do author's notes at the end of a fic, but for this one I felt I needed to.

I have to admit, I got pretty emotional writing this one, and I think it shows ^^; I don't know why though, because I've written far more angsty fics before this one. Maybe it's because of the song that contributed to it's inspiration, or maybe it was because I was feeling down at the time of writing it (I'm feeling better now though). I don't know...

I still hope you all enjoyed it.

I ended up putting Hitsugaya in difficult scenario. Not only did he feel he needed to choose between Hinamori and the other Shinigami, but that he'd come up with a plan and feels responsible for Hinamori getting hurt even though he couldn't have foresaw her involvement.

I feel like while trying to figure his bankai out, Hitsugaya would experiment with what tactics he uses in battle and how he can control his powers, and he's also figuring out just how much his sense of duty means to him. He's serious about his role as a Shinigami, but when he's faced with someone he cares about getting harmed, that goes out the window in furious fashion; similar to how he is by the time of the main story, but lacking the better control and resolve he has by that point -- for instance, I think a younger, less experienced Hitsugaya would've abandoned his fight with Harribel after Hinamori got injured by Ayon to go help her. And he's still coming to terms with being a Shinigami, and with Hinamori also being one. It's a dangerous path for both of them, and they went into it for different (but some similar in a way) reasons.

While writing for this aspect in particular, I thought there might be a tragic element to their bond and particular traits even before they were put under the strain of Aizen's betrayal. Hitsugaya cares about others, but there's only a select few he feels close to, and if any of them are harmed or killed, it has the potential to make him abandon everything he's built for himself. Hinamori cares about more people, but it also means she has more people to worry about or lose in times of crisis. Their bond is precious for these reasons, but also tenuous because they've nearly lost each other way too many times. That Hinamori could ask Hitsugaya to do anything and that there's likely very little he would not do for her out his care and will to protect her, even if it means harm coming to himself physically, emotionally, or to everything he has built for himself. It comes from a lack of maturity to a great extent, I think, which is why he is quick to anger in the main series when Aizen antagonizes him about Hinamori.

Still, because Hinamori cares as deeply as does for as many people as she does, even when she loses someone or goes through a hard time, there will always be someone there for her and she can be there for them if they need her, whether it's Izuru and Renji being her Academy buddies, Shinji and Rangiku there to help her after Aizen betrayal, or Hitsugaya in this fic being by her side while she's recovering from an injury. For Hitsugaya, having those few people who he deeply cares about and who care about him in return is his motivation to get stronger, to be greater than what or who he thinks he is. He's chosen to let Hinamori in as close as he has, and it comes with it's benefits and drawbacks. And how could he not? She was one of the few who cared for him when only his Granny did. One of the few who has been a constant in his life. She accepted him whole-heartedly, and he in turn didn't see her strong will to see the good in others and willingness to help as weaknesses like some would.

He would do anything for her because he deeply cares, but I think he also sees the goodness she brings those around her and believes the world needs more people like her. He doesn't see that in himself, instead focusing on his powers and ability to protect her and others -- things I think were put at the forefront of his mind by his Academy lecturers and senior Shinigami noting his prodigal status and also by his low self esteem from his struggles in the Junrinan.

But Hinamori does see in him the very same qualities he sees in her as well as his powers and fighting talents. In this fic, she trusts him with fighting for everyone, and in a better state of mind, I don't think she would ask him to do what he did here (or when pleading for him to save Aizen in the main series). Then again, she may have asked him due to the duties of a Shinigami and trusting and believing in Hitsugaya's abilities. But even when everyone is safe, she still felt the need to apologize, even when she knew he could win and believed in him.

In the end, Hitsugaya doesn't care about having these powers for the sake of fighting or status. He cares about the people he cares for, and will use the powers he has to protect them. Even with her admiration for Aizen blinding her to who he is and making her focus on working at his side, Hinamori has a strong sense of duty and care towards those she fights alongside, whether they're strangers or her friends. She believes in Hitsugaya, in his abilities and his goodness as a person. It's why she smiles when they touch foreheads, in relief that he's safe and in knowing he cares. In her eyes, he doesn't need to change, he the stable constant for most of her life. but Hitsugaya didn't see that; he saw what he thought he needed to become.

I hope I was able to convey all of this.

I know as a fan of something there's a tendency to over-read into the smallest things, and in this case maybe that's what I've done, but while writing this fic, I couldn't help but feel and think about all of these aspects. I see the potentials from the bread crumbs we got in the main series and I always want to explore them.

If you've made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my fic and this author's note, I sincerely appreciate it.

[darkmatilda]

on the topic of that 'what's diva's backstory' ask, i personally (and this is just me, she's your character so if im off then thats on me and my silly brain) had the assumption that, while she has always been this confident woman, there might have been a man she really truly loved to the point of dialling herself down for his sake. she probably wouldn't have recognized it at first - like you said, its likely he was a spencer-type himself, so maybe he made very subtle comments about her, her appearance and her behaviours, in ways that she didnt notice were red flags. perhaps that caused her to start dialling herself back, thinking it was HER choice to do so when really it was in service of him and his image. and perhaps one day she looked at herself and realized just how much of herself that this man had chiselled away, to the point where she didnt even recognize herself anymore. granted i am sprinkling some elements of my criminal minds oc here (she and diva are quite different, but their mentalities around their self-worth and protecting that worth bear some similarities) so obviously if this doesnt fit your character for diva, throw it all out. i just think its fun to think about - vegas anon

(sorry for sending so many asks, this series makes my neurons fire so quickly they enter different dimensions)

hiii, nice to see you again, vegas anon! i literally had to sit down and think for a moment about what you wrote because ngl i started this series pretty spontaneously, and diva!reader doesn’t really have some secret complex backstory her personality is kind of being shaped as we go

but i love the direction ure going i and i appreciate the fact that youre continuing my spencertype of guy in her past idea!! i can totally see this whole thread being tied to themes of male insecurity and toxic masculinity. like—imagine a cute, smart guy paired with a diva who’s constantly battling with his own self-worth and possibly intense maybe even unhealthy jealousy (what if all the times diva!reader made spencer jealous werent just for fun but were also a way to test his reactions? to observe how he acts when that emotion kicks in? a way to feel out the territory?)

he definitely wouldn’t like how confident and smart she is. of course, at first he’d be infatuated with her like everyone else—he’d say he loves those things about her, until he starts to feel like maybe she’s actually smarter, or more successful than him. and deep down hed start believing she could have someone way better—and he’d never get someone like her again if she left. that’s what would push him to do what you described i mean bringing her down, masking insults as compliments, passive-aggressive comments about her looks or behavior, subtle digs. tryiing to change her instead of working on himself. maybe he even planted the idea in her head that no one would truly want her for who she is—that no one could “handle” her in a real relationship, and that every other guy (except him ofc in his narrative) just wants her for her face or her body

and yes at a certain point she would start believing it—shes lose a bit of that spark we all love her for. but when she finally opened her eyes and kicked that asshole in the ass it would took a lot of work to get that spark back. but now? now she makes damn sure to show any man from the very start that they hold no power over he that they cant touch her self-esteem or shake her sense of worth

oh and this is exactly where spencer comes in — who, despite some surface level similarities to her ex is completely different. he’s generally secure in his masculinity, and when he does struggle (because everyone does sometimes) he turns that energy inward instead of punishing her for his own issues. he values her intelligence above all else and even when they’re constantly challenging and arguing each other, he never tries to assert himself as “better.”when they go out together he doesn’t make faces at her outfit or suggest he “prefers her in something else” or 'she should cover herself' instead he just goes full awooga goofy heart eyes mode LMAOOmg i love him so much

i dont know if ive ever rambled this much before fucking sorry if it doesnt make sense at some point ❣️ sending love. not to pressure you or anything but that oc story you mentioned sounds really interesting...

[littlemisssquiggles]

So ... about that Kamen Rider ZZZ announcement/reveal ...

While I know this is a normal thing in the Kamen Rider series, I can’t help but feel a little bittersweet about this annoucement.

I mean, I know at some time point Gavv has to end. Since Gotchard was at least a 49 episode run, I can probably expect something similar for Gavv and as of this week’s new episode, we’re almost half way there.

That being said, I’d be lying if I said I’m ready to let Gavv go.

Being that it’s the first Kamen Rider series I’ve obsessed over since Gaim, it’s going to be difficult saying goodbye to Shouma, Hanto, Lakia, Sachika, the Sugar Doctor and his secret underground bakery of Bitt-Brats, and the whole Gavv story and world as a whole.

Sure; I’ve got like 20 something more episodes to premiere myself emotionally for the inevitable eventual departure. But even then still, I won’t be ready. These characters and their respective actors, I’ve grown attached to them.

That being said, I feel like I may stick around to actually check out the next Rider series after Gavv.

In a similar fashion to what got me interested in Gavv, I heard that the potential theme of Zeztz is dreams. At least, that’s the popular theory amongst the fandom.

Regardless, a Rider series focused on dreams where the main hero (probably) has to enter victim’s dreams to save them from their nightmares sounds REALLY COOL.

It’s giving me, Rise of the Guardian (if you’re a fan of that animated film too, like me) vibes with the feud between the Sandman - Bringer of Dreams and Pitch Black - King of Nightmares.

Right now, I’m only getting hyped for ZeZTZ on the possibility of it being about dreams.

I’ll have to wait for an actual trailer or series synopsis but overall, I’m hoping it’s true because that would be very cool.

Following up your out of the box snack-themed rider with another unorthodox sleep/dream walker type rider sounds compelling to me.

I mean it’ll definitely keep the hype train going coming off of Gavv’s popularity. But as I said, it’s only a probability at the moment.

I will say this though.

Imagine if… for ZZZs, our main raider is a narcoleptic and the reason why he’s called ZZZs outside of the dream theme is because he literally falls asleep every time he tries to introduce himself to the people he helps in the aftermath of a battle to the point that it becomes a running gag.

“Oh Masked Hero, you’ve saved my life. Please tell me your name so that I can thank you.” “Oh me? I’m Kamen Rider ---” Falls asleep at that exact moment leaving the civilian heavily confused as the Rider, their valiant hero, is just standing there snoring loudly.

That could be a cute joke for the series. But as always, this is just me spitting thoughts.

We're a long ways away from Kamen Rider Sleepyhead's debut. In the meantime, I'll keep gushing about my favourite gummy rider and chocolate partner.

~LMS (2025)

[thatstonedwriter]

Full Moon

Thoughts and Review- these notes are a combination of my initial reactions to the episodes and some more thought-out critiques

Formatted chronologically, organized by scene. Overall Thoughts are at the bottom

.・。.・゜✭・.

Stolitz Duet

Seems like Stolas is understanding his role in manipulating Blitz, the power differential, and Blitz’s discomfort

Blitz seems to use his sexuality to mask his nervousness- personally, I think most of his nerves are attributed to feeling indebted to Stolas, having mixed feelings about their relationship and his growing feelings, as well as his job security with Stolas still supplying him with the grimoire

Furthering Stolas’s hesitation of giving Blitz the Crystal, but knowing it is something that needs to be done- so far looking like good character development

Taking note of Stolas being out of his medications, unsure if that information will actually be important and referenced again or if it’ll be forgotten; regardless, that context doesn’t excuse Stolas’s later actions

CHERUBS

Glad they’re being utilized again

Is Colin new? He seems to know less than Cletus and Keenie and is more easily manipulated- this also seemed to be the case in C.H.E.R.U.B 

 Good to see Agents 1 and 2 again

Office

Finally, more crumbs of the IMP business

Blitz clearly states how he’s wanted a break from Stolas and has been taking advantage of Stolas being more lenient with the deal- Blitz is prioritizing his comfort- with, seemingly, Stolas’s “permission”

When Loona makes her comments about Stolas getting bored of Blitz, his first thought is that he’s going to lose his ticket to the Overworld, jeopardizing his company and employees- another product of the unhealthy power differential between Stolas and Blitz

The “overdue paperwork” gag made me giggle

Interrogation Room/DHORKS HQ

The Cherub/Dhorks team-up makes sense; I’m just really not that interested in it- they allude to bigger issues of the government being involved, but I doubt any of these lines/themes will be used or referenced later on

The Cherub battle suits being based on the IMP squad feels a bit lazy tbh- It is also just a little too on the nose for me for the parallels of the role each Cherub plays in their group - Cletus/Blitz, Colin/Moxie, Keenie/Millie

Wondering about what the lore explanation is for angelic beings existing in Hell and demons existing in Heaven- is it a mutual thing? Do angels or cherubs have more power? I assume (in reference to the Hazbin lore) that cherubs are like Imps and are lower-ranking angelic beings? I could be wrong though- unsure if something else has been confirmed

Lust Ring

Not really interested in the Cherub gags while following Blitz. they all rely on the "innocence" trope, which I personally find a bit boring/overdone

FIZZ CONTENT- LOOK AT HIM- HE'S IN COLORFUL PANTS

No way Blitz is over Fizz. Look at the way he reacts when he’s blindfolded- like, come on

Fizz’s just so great in this whole scene

IMP/Cherub fight was pretty good

Stolas's Home

Right off the bat, why’s Blitz gotta be so cute? Damn

When Stolas asks for the grimoire, he does not give any words of reassurance to Blitz that his job, livelihood, and friends/employees will be safe. Blitz hears that Stolas needs the book back and goes into panic mode because he’s worried about fucking up Loona, Moxie, and Millie’s lives- he also assumes this is Stolas retaliating against him- not the healthies assumption, but a reasonable one, given what their dynamic and agreement is

Stolas lets Blitz speak but never intervenes to reassure Blitz, leading Blitz to default to what he knows Stolas usually wants- sex

Stolas gets up and walks away, saying he’s made up his mind, AGAIN being vague and Blitz’s panic only gets worse- he literally begs Stolas for the grimoire

Good on Stolas for giving Blitz the crystal and explaining- again, it really seems like he’s coming to terms with how he’d been treating Blitz and understanding that their dynamic isn’t healthy

Honestly, Stolas’s apology and explanation here was the best part of the episode

Blitz’s reaction, while I don’t support it, is still understandable. I don’t think Blitz has a ton of context for what's happening. From his perspective, this is all very sudden, and he was clearly trying to ignore this issue earlier in the episode- now that he’s confronted with it, he’s scared and, again, defaults to sex as a means to appease Stolas. This is a pattern that developed BECAUSE Stolas kept sexualizing and belittling Blitz

Stolas, taking this reaction at face value, I can understand—it’s hurtful to be so open and then be met with sarcasm and insincerity—but then to close off the conversation? My Man, can you really blame Blitz for also being confused, hurt, angry, and scared?

 Stolas is confused that Blitz thinks he only wants sex?? Stolas!! Your agreement literally hinged on the fact that Blitz was willing to prostitute himself to keep his business going

Blitz, they could never make me hate you. 

His lashing out isn’t healthy at all, and he has some serious emotional development to do, but I honestly can��t blame him. All of this has been building up for so long- Blitz isn’t good with handling big emotions, this was all just sprung on him, and Stolas took his angry outburst at face value without giving Blitz time to process

I can’t tell if this is good writing for a miscommunication trope or negligent writing that victim blames one character while painting the other as a saint

Overall

The composition of this episode was cohesive enough, but definitely has some weak points.

The inconsistency and one-off gags that are introduced are funny but sometimes frustrating, as they can allude to larger themes but ultimately go nowhere

I really enjoyed finally seeing more of Moxxie, Loona, and Millie. It's frustrating that they're being sidelined in favor of Stolitz, which probably should have been more of a B plot than the main one.

Currently torn about the writing for the Stolitz dynamic because there are multiple lenses that their content can be viewed through. I want to try using the Reparative Lens Theory, but honestly, the writing just seems to get more inconsistent and is meant to cater to Viv’s ideas of “good” and “bad”

re-watching this episode after Apology Tour is so, so frustrating because any character development Stolas might have gone through is scrubbed and retcons everything just to make Blitz the "bad guy"

If you made it this far, thank you for your time

[tumblingxelian]

so first, fair explanations - my devices are WEIRD. For some godforsaken reason, they are EXTREMELY TEMPERAMENTAL. Sometimes they delete asks I send (sometimes Tumblr does this, but it happens to me SO MUCH. I've sent you asks that never showed, that I've had to resend, I'm sure, so if you ever get doubles, that’s why). Sometimes I don’t get alerts. Sometimes I get the same alert six times in a row. Sometimes they just decide to crop my home page or queue, and I have to refresh the page four times before it fixes it. It’s why I keep including @'s, or might look like I didn’t see something - sometimes, I didn’t. Sorry if that’s annoying, but I genuinely think I might be cursed at this point, it’s happened on MULTIPLE DEVICES, THIS IS THE SIXTH TABLET ITS HAPPENED ON, TECH GODS!? DID I ANGER YOU SOMEHOW!?

(*and breathe*)

Moving on (sorry about that!) you once mentioned your Six-Teen Heroes AU, and I've seen a few things on @princess-of-the-corner, but what is it exactly? It sounds interesting! If you don’t have a lot of time, is there a link you can send me?

Hope your day is going good (and that your tech is cooperating with you!)!

oof, that sounds rough @rachelsshowerthoughts my sympathies!

I think this is the first ask I've ever received from you ><

I'll try to tag more often and such going forward!

Now, as to your question!

Six-Teen Heroes AU is one of my more well developed AU ideas, up there with the Alternative Butterfly and Lady Glasswing stuff.

The basic gist is that this AU opens with Fu fighting off an assault from Gabriel as the Scarlet Sovereign. A crimson themed villain in possession of the Ladybug Miraculous.

He may be supported by Nathalie wielding the revised Peacock. Or she just has a gun and or is waiting in the car.

Hawk Moth reveals he's been experimenting with the magic before coming and unveils his Charm Construct. Basically a mundane object analyzed by the charm and made into the 'core' of a magical construct to fight for him.

The battle turns against Fu & he is forced in his bid to escape, to release many of his Miraculous. Both to cover his retreat but also to seek out allies to help him.

Slipping away with Wayzz and an incredibly pissed off but still trapped in the box Plagg, Fu vanishes.

Gabriel doesn't know if those released were the one's he's after though or where Fu went so he's stuck with the less subtle option of taking the city hostage to force Fu out of hiding.

But not before he goes to deal with the big ass wound Fu gave him. Turns out shields can cut you up really badly if they spin and are thrown hard enough.

Anyway,

The seven Miraculous released largely split up to go find holders they identify with. They also have a vague discussion regarding how best to avoid a fate like Tikki's and how to best interprit Fu's instructions to fit their goals.

IE, they preference younger wielders so if one sucks the others can help free them, they will keep things close to their chests & their goal is free Tikki, not helping restart the order or making ideal heroes strictly speaking so their chosen need to be effective not necessarily nice.

They largely pick well though.

Also as an aside a big theme is how all of them wear masks and how being a hero and having a new mask influences them & their various ideas of identity.

Sass, the elder Kwami of time & Eternity, or the Ouroboros Snake as they introduce themself picks Luka. Drawn to his empathic abilities and calm mind as well as protective nature. They have a good rapport.

Luka's mask is essentially just playing his base personality to the hilt while obscuring all the massive issues he has. IE, "I've seen my sister die, my friends die, I've seen us lose... But I am OK!"

Roaar stuck with Sass.

She was very drawn to Juleka's scream thrash metal voice & the fact rather than be afraid she was excited to have a monstrous tiger in her room. Right up until Roaar became small & cute & they had to have a conversation, still, the Kwami of Ignition & Chaos thinks this can work.

Juleka has not confessed to Rose yet, in fact she still struggles to speak with most people at all. As Roaar though, she can lose herself in her new identity, she is a berserker, a bubbling mass of explosions and confidence and Rose will surely love this version of her more right?

Rose is a lil freaked out by Violet Tigress, but also kind of into her.

Not all pick their targets on the first night nowever & its only later that Gabriel makes his move anyway, but:

Kaalki picks Nino, impressed by his various ambitions and wide range of skills, as well as the fact he heroically got other people out of dangers first before thinking of himself & only panicking after the fact.

She is less impressed with his relaxed attitude and sense of style but they can work on that. They butt heads a lot and Nino is... Not strictly above using Voyage (Which has various powers here, individual teleportation multiple times, portals, ETC) for personal gain. Leading to a bit of "What am I in the dark?" worrying.

Tirxx chooses Lila, having arrived early, finding her poker face and frantically creative mind, as well as penchant for trouble making charming. But also low key wanting to mentor her on how to get what she wants with zero lies, just creative use of the truth.

Lila is very much into the idea of being a hero & feels the only thing about a person that matters is how they are perceived. IE, there is nothing deeper or more real than the mask one is wearing.

She & Nino have a strong focus on helping civilians in this AU, as there's no Ladybug to fix everything.

Meanwhile, Kagami has only just arrived in France.

Her family's new home is not ready yet so she's staying at the Le Grand Paris Hotel at Andre's insistence. He hopes to sort out whatever 'tiff' is happening between Tomoe & Agreste brands. & assigns Chloe as Kagami's hostess, a task she takes to with great enthusiasm. Give Chloe an important task and she will do it.

The pair actually get on quite well, in part cos of their distinct but similar experiences with Autism (Neither are diagnosed but they both practice smiles, ETC)

Anyway, Longg likes Kagami's general dutiful vibe, respectful but bold manner and bravery, as well as skill with a sword and chooses her.

Kagami regards her time as Ryuko as noble work, much more what she was born for than what she usually does. & sees the mask as a way to let off steam so she can keep her real impassive mask up.

Meanwhile Pollen is impressed with Chloe's sheer force of personality & will, She might be shocked or irritated by things but she is largely unflappable beneath the veneer & has much potential.

To Chloe, the hostess, and heiress to Style Queen & Andre, & Queen Bee are all entirely distinct identities. IE, she doesn't consider it inconsistent to do corrupt things to win an election as Chloe, but would consider them wrong as Queen Bee. But these things have a way of bleeding into one another.

These are the Six-Teen Heroes, but where's the seventh?

Well, Mullo divided herself up to look for an ideal candidate and found several, so she took awhile to make up her mind. Followed by actually having trouble making contact because of her chosen's incredibly bad luck! Suffice to say, Mullo chose Marinette.

Note:

Also Tomoe is the Butterfly Wielder, she has no interest in the power that surpasses death as Gabriel does. She's after al; the Miraculous & wants to Akumatize the wielders. She's seeking more general "Power" but is also much more reasonable & so can be worked with at times.

She & Gabriel are essentially fighting over the Miraculous stuff & who gets them, likely having only met & become allies because of their mutual search. She is also a great way to have a hero "go evil" without permanent issues.

Fu is out of the picture for awhile as Kaalki opened a portal for him and he ended up very, very far away.

Also as noted, all the Heroes have more varied power sets.

The Bee for example is less just "Stun enemy" and more about imposing a command or creating order. So she can sting someone and "Impose!" a command, or perhaps sting rubble and order it back into a wall.

People can also use smaller variants of their powers several times or big one's once.

Oh, also the Snake has a vague but actually limited number of uses & each use leaves everyone with a sense of deja-vu. So the more uses the less helpful it is.

Finally, all the heroes have very different relationships behind the masks to in the masks, that create contrasts. Like Luka generally trusts Lila and thinks she's very cool, he 100% does not trust Volpina cos he's seen her make some less than stellar decisions.

Chloe & Kagami 'get' each other surprisingly well, even if Kagami doesn't like what Chloe does she understands the logic perfectly well. But as Ryuko and Queen Bee often butt heads about how to approach things.

Nino & Juleka would normally get along fine if a bit awkwardly, but as heroes, she doesn't want to listen to what he has to say and he can't stand how reckless and wild she is.

Oh Adrien's also attending school, but is legit just a nice civilian boy at the moment XD Maybe a Peacock later?

[elizabethh1125]

{Take it off} König x (GN) reader~

Hey guys! It’s honestly been way too long. Firstly, I want to apologize for taking such a long hiatus. Many things in my life have changed to be honest.

My age, my interests, my personal life, my job, my health and so my writing style unsurprisingly has also gone through a transformation of itself. Looking back on my old works I honestly cannot say I have read more than about three sentences before I can’t stand to look any more. It’s just so BAD. Not saying that my new shit is much better, but it’s a slow and steady uphill battle. But for some of my more consistent followers you might have also noticed the change of theme on my page. I will no longer just be catering to the community of five nights at Freddy’s. And I apologize to the folks who only stay on my page for that type of content but honestly, if I only made that type of content, I wouldn’t post here anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I still love five nights at Freddy’s and will be writing more content of that eventually (I’m sure if it lol.) but it’s just not my main focus at the moment I’m sure so for now I really want to branch out to some more games/characters that I’m enjoying in the moment so you guys get more variety and so can get some more people on my page who can enjoy my work.

For this first newer post I decided to take it easy since I haven’t really written anything for a while. And I feel like the longer fics that I write are the last motivation I have to finish. So another change will be that my fix will probably be shorter one shots/ two or three parts instead of a whole series. I may also end up doing a lot of headcannons or imagines to help with writer's block.

Cod MW/MW2 has been my current infatuation, so expect a few more posts of that. Buckle up children cause we are going for a ride!

This post is a short little sweet fic about seeing konigs face for the first time. It’s simple and it’s SFW so I hope you guys enjoy it.

Tags: sfw, fluff, complements, just good ol brain rot.

Fic below the cut.

——————————

It’s hard not to notice how hot it is.

The air conditioner on base wasn’t very good anyways, but you never noticed how significant it was until you no longer had any.

As you walked down the hall you could hear some of the newer recruits here at KorTac complaining. And to be honest, you couldn’t blame them. It was difficult to bite your tongue, but as a higher rank you had to pretend everything was alright despite the sweat parading down your neck and body. It was so sweltering even your eyes were dripping.

You brushed away as much as you could with your one free while you made your way towards your colonel’s office. Your captain had asked you to deliver a few documents as per usual, so you weren’t too bothered making the trip.

The colonel himself was an interesting character. And although you weren’t able to see the pleasure of him working out in the field, he was a usual participant in helping to train the troops. And oh boy, what a sight to behold.

Firstly the man is an absolute unit. He’s over a foot taller than you, (ignore that if ur a tall person xD)

He’s built like a tank, and works out with a giant black t-shirt on his head. He was always a sight to behold out on the training course, and most of all was a very kind and experienced leader. you definitely could understand how he earned his title. as quiet as he might pose himself to be, he was a skilled and brutal fighter.

And that’s why you're so intrigued as you strut to room 106. His room. You wonder how he’s faring with the heat, especially with that unusual getup of his. You even wondered if he would have it off. It’s unlikely, but the curiosity of what the colonel might look like under the mask had you that much more excited when you knocked on his door.

You heard a grunt of displeasure from behind the door, followed by a faint “come inside.”

You twisted the knob and pulled the door open revealing a pretty uneventful spectacle.

Colonel König sat behind his desk fiddling with some papers. The soft hum of a nearby fan could be heard in the background, and you noticed he was wearing the full getup- helmet and all.

He looked up to meet your eyes before ushering you further inside with a slight motion of his finger.

you find yourself trying hard not to stare as you hand him the paperwork.

“Captain said to give these to you. More files from the new recruits. He mentioned he would be out for the weekend so He said to let you know to give him a call to his personal cell if you needed anything in particular from him.” You relayed your message from the captain and was officially finished with your service.

A sigh fell from Königs lips before he spoke “Ah yes, I remember him intending to do such. Thank you Liefermädchen, have a hopefully cooler afternoon.” He noted before he looked back down to finish his work and you spun to exit the room.

You took a few steps but before you left you couldn’t contain your burning question… literally

“I’m sorry sir, but I just have to ask…” you squeak out as you flip back around to face him.

Konig looks up again from his work and this time you can tell he is intrigued just by his eyes. He brings his built arms up to his head and gives them a good stretch before crossing it behind his neck and placing one leg over the other.

“Alright, don’t leave me waiting. Shoot.” He’s now staring intensely at you, and you feel yourself begin to feel hyper aware of the sweat now dripping down your face from your hair and even your eyebrows. You’re sure glad you happened to choose to exclude makeup from your morning routine today. No doubt it would have melted off just standing here.

“Aren’t you hot under all of… well, that ?” You question as you wave your hand all over his makeshift sniper getup. “It is almost 40 degrees outside sir. And with no air conditioning to help alleviate things… well I can’t imagine you're quite comfortable.”

“I am aware of the situation we are under,” he remarks. Now uncomfortably shifting around in his seat, “ but I’m doing alright.” He fibs.

Your going to regret saying this later, but before you can stop it, it’s already squeezed itself between your lips,

“Bullshit.”

You try to pretend you didn’t just say that to your Colonel, but the shock is clearly present on your face.

This causes the man to burst out into deep bounds of laughter, causing him to let his legs fall back into place and to unfold his arms to clutch his stomach with joy.

“You are a hilarious and very brave Herzblatt” he bellows as his laughter dies out. “ You have caught me in my fib.” He takes a moment to stand up and shrug his large shoulders under the shirt. “I am quite warm…”

“Then why not take it off? You pose to him.

“People come to my office often. To take it off, means to risk someone seeing my face.” He motions to himself as he speaks and you struggle to understand what he means.

“So? Why would that matter?” You retort.

“I’m not sure I feel quite comfortable with people knowing what I look like. Kindness has not been in my favor when people had the pleasure of looking at me without my mask.” He says, making you finally understand.

“Are you afraid people will target your looks?” You tilt your head as you move slightly closer to where the Colonel stands. How saddening that is to hear. You wonder what Konig has had to endure in the past, and your heart yearns to help him overcome his insecurity.

He looks to the floor, obviously ignoring your question,

You take this as your opportunity to breach the distance between the two of you. And the conversation suddenly feels like a mother confronting her mistreated child.

“You are the colonel of this base.” Without regard to overstepping you place your hand on Königs left shoulder. “ it wouldn’t matter if your face was so hideous it turned people into stone sir. People will respect you regardless, you are a leader here, and a leader doesn’t need to have a pretty face to still be respected. And anyways, your face probably is perfectly handsome anyways. I’ve never met an insecure ugly person.” The last two bits were a little overboard but you made your point regardless.

He smiles under his mask with your words to him. He couldn’t believe you were giving him a chance to feel a little better about himself, plus the idea of finally being able to strip himself of his personal sauna would make his job a little bit easier.

“I don’t suppose you would take it off just for a little while? I’m sure it would help cool you down.” (That was a lie) nothing would cool either of you down without air conditioning in this sweltering heat.

König pauses for a moment, and he contemplates what unveiling himself to you would mean to him. suddenly, it feels much worse that you would be the first to see him. He knows you probably wouldn’t judge, but something about it being you that just made him feel…Flustered.

He wanted to say no, but before he could protest you pushed at him again, this time trailing your hand to the bottom of his mask and tugging on it gently.

“Please. Just in front of me? I promise I’ll play nice.”

That last sentence made his head spin. Were you flirting with him?

No.. you can’t be? Can you?

His heart began to speed up to a pace so quick, he worried you might be able to hear it pounding in his chest.

“Okay.” He affirmed, unclamping his helmet and pulling the hood off to reveal his balaclava.

You felt the anticipation begin to boil inside of you as he brought his hand to his hood and firmly pulled it off of his head, not giving himself any time to process that he was revealing his face to you.

When he finished pulling his head out and tossed his balaclava to the side with the rest of his gear, you can’t help but feel your jaw drop.

He was stunning.

His hair was brown and curly, and falling to his shoulders. His face was chiseled, and covered with rough stubble. He adorned battle scars like medals and his lips looked so supple and soft.

You couldn’t imagine why he felt the need to coward himself away under a mask for so long. He was beautiful.

Your silence must have begun to worry him, as you noticed he had broken eye contact and was looking towards his balaclava.

You quickly realized that and gained his attention with a tap to his shoulder. You both had forgotten you were still sitting your hand there.

“So how do I look?” He questioned nervously. And your words couldn’t have been more perfect to him.

“I think the temperature of the room just shot up a million more degrees.”

——————————————————————————

An:

For all my visual learners here is my favorite depiction of what I believe Konig looks like under his mask. Of course all credits to the artist! (NOT MY ART) Please go to their post and like it. Also I’m not posting the actual picture to my post to respect the artist’s wishes of no reposts. Just go to the link stinkies and I will see what I mean okay-byeIloveyou!

https://www.tumblr.com/gildedskully/703578007597678592/face-reveal-i-just-think-hes-neat-rbs

(Please read)

Should I do a part 2 where things get a little… spicy?

I very well might. The temptation is greatly building in me.

Anyways for now that is all. I hope you're enjoying my newer writing style and are not disappointed in my branch out to other fandoms. As always I very much appreciate any support I get. It makes my day when I see people comment or like my posts. It’s unfathomable to me that people actually read my shit writing- 💀

Oh and, Btw if you have requested any fics from me I will get into writing those hopefully soon. I know my hiatus looked quite gloomy and long, but I’m back for now. Me taking long breaks is honestly just how I am as a person. I always come back though. Life gets busy, and I’m an adult so other adults understand the struggles of juggling jobs, life and hobbies. Even if I am gone my fics are still here for you to enjoy. Rather If that’s ten days from now or ten years, I hope you’ll enjoy them just the same.

Thank you.

-Elizabeth

[harbringercharacteraskblog2]

The "Balladeer" -Design and lore

Lore of the Balladeer- "Kuker (Mummer)"

|> Intro (origins?) story |> Resonance hall idle "animations" & "voice lines" |> "Voicelines" -Main theme- In-depth dive - Voice headcannons |> Secondary theme (Battle/Intro theme)

====Resonance hall idles, affinity lines & "voicelines"=========

=-Resonance hall "animations" of the Mummer-=

0 | The Balladeer comes over to the screen/player from the distance, a small 'hop' or 'skip' to his steady strides. The bells on his thick leather belt make mild, friendly 'Clanng!' -'Clang!' -'Clanng!' sound with each movement as he does, punctuating his every unhurried step, along the stead light 'Tap!' -'Tap!' -'Tap!' of his staff. Has his Happy mask on, and then assumes his idle pose-- Holding the sturdy old wood stick with both hands and leaning on it. Like this-

1 | The Missing lets out a carefree, happy laugh as he leaps into a wild dance-- Hops from foot to foot, doing a sort of small 'hop' when lifting a leg where he holds that pose for a second before switching legs/feet; gives 'pauses' in-between where he does a jump in place with both feet together; And has his Happy mask on as he dances, letting out short, sharp cheery whistles and "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!", while the cow and sheep bells on belt clang and rattle with his rapid movements. Also grips onto his belt and scarlet sash at his waist with his left hand (not clawed), while his staff in the other (clawed), bringing the stick down as he does his foot from his 'hop' to strike the ground 'Tap-Tap!' as if to emphasize a 'pause' is coming. And then lets out a loud jovial, drawn out yell of "Heeee-E!" and another of those short, sharp whistles, very briefly lifting his mask up to reveal his face for a second at the last 'E!' of his call, revealing he's grinning. (Amused, in good, high-spirits, tiny hint of wistful fondness in his bright grin on that boyishly handsome face of his).

After that Valen heaves a small, quieter and calmer laugh in a chuckle, easing off from his dance to resume his idle pose of leaning on his ash or hickory stick--Like in this image:

2 | The Dancer is leaning on his stick, relaxed with Happy mask on as he leisurely looks around himself, his bells making soft ringing as he shifts his weight from foot to foot subtly, slightly.

Then he seems to look over his shoulder as if having heard something/someone, and his Happy mask turns to his 'default' Angry one; The Mummer lifts his right hand, the fur of his long sleeve falling back to reveal his clawed hand a little-- And Valen sternly wags his finger to whatever/whoever he's looking at as if to say "Watch it.", or "Behave yourself." then slowly turns his head back to the player/screen, mask shifting back to Happy as he once again is gripping his staff with both hands.

-The Balladeer's voice-lines -

Deploy: Cheerful racket of mildly clattering cow and sheep bells, plus a small short, sharp whistle - Before Happy mask switches to Angry, staff turning to spear like in his story, held like the lowered horns of a bull. Aggressively in intimidation, threatening.

Defeated: "I'm...sorry I..failed...(Rest. We'll try again..)" The quiet, soothingly tender and mournful faint echo to say this (The player has to seriously strain to hear it under Val's strained voice and final 'Clang!' of his bells.) As the Kuker crumbles to his knees, holding onto his staff- a regular sturdy stick again- hunched over, mask going from Angry to sad to Tired, eyes closed.

Ultimate (Applies "Frighten" and makes both front & backline units scatter in terror. Three small red lightning bolts hover over Valen's head to indicate his skill is still active as he chases around the enemies, and the debuff is up. Similar to Sinbad's attack skill. The player can sometimes hear a small furious 'Raaargh!' yell from him, sort of like Grannie Dahnie and her taunts.):

Makes a cacophonous sound that's an amalgamation on furious yell, Grief-filled wailing and cheerful, carefree laughter all at once; This is in conjunction with the loud, aggressive clanging and rattling of the cow and sheep bells on his belt, as the Kuker charges swiftly straight at the enemies, spear lowered.

(Also I think it'd be kinda funny to watch him hop from foot to foot quickly while making this ruckus, like some cartoon nonsense, as he chases after a unit. The enemy hero in question, however, won't be having fun being charged/rushed/chased around by a 'bull'.) Upgrade: Does a small happy dance. (Thanks.)

Victory: "Hey! Hey! Hey! Heeee-E! (heheh.)" Assumes that pose as in his happy dance/first recruitment. The voice echoing underneath his and the bells' 'Clanng!' is mildly amused.

First recruitment: 'Clanng-Clanng-Clanng!'

(*sighh.* Be serious.) "Heh." :D Then switches into his angry pose with a slow flourish for dramatic effect-

---Affinity Gift---

Favorite item (Teacup and or flower bouquet): Does a small lively dance then signs 'Thanks! I really like it- Much appreciated!' quickly, then pauses for a second as if suddenly realizing/remembering something and gives a big thumbs up to the player.

General item: Has his happy mask on, gives a small solemn nod while leaning on his staff that he holds with both hands. Then does a small 'Tap-Tap!' with it kind of idly, but a softer tap.

Despised item (Graveborn lantern, Celestial sword and Demon eye): "....." The Happy mask slowly morphs to mildly Angry, as in displeased and disapproving, leaning on his staff as he does like in his idle. But gives a more firm 'Tap-Tap.' with it. His mask is kind of a mix of Angry and Tired in terms of expression.

The Missing is, perhaps, the only Lightbearer unit to have a despised item(s) at all to begin with. Let alone be unhappy with the sword of the Celestials as much as the Hypogeans' amulet.

Official tags for The Balladeer cryptid: The "Balladeer", "Missing", The "Dancer" , project "harbringer" , "Kuker", Demon-Dancer, Demon warden, The Mummer

The other Cryptids' ask blogs |> The Damoiseau - "The Blind prophet" |> The Knave - Arlecchino / The "Mad-Hatter" |> The Marionet - Executioner/ The "Debt-collector" |> The Fair Gentleman / Unbound Will- of wisp

[thebladeblaster]

Time for part 2 of the reverse of my original Pokémon and Vanguard crossover

Hilariously Hilbert is kinda Aichi in this situation because he’s goofing off and having a good time in the outdoors completely unaware of the supernatural zombie apocalypse going on😅.

Onto the girls 👏.

So Green is tracking down Red to drag him home. She’s accompanied by Blue and they meet Lucas pretty early into the story. Let’s just say the results are similar to when a certain other sister of a protagonist tried to bring her brother home. They both end up being a big help in the long run. Green helps with not only fending off the reverse but keeping everyone’s morale high in their dire situation. She had helped Red defeat Team Rocket though hadn’t really been too into the gym challenge. The first serious battles she had were against Team Rocket to help her brother which made her more motivated to get stronger. She was absolutely crushed when he left and honestly wants to slap him in the face for all the grief he’s caused her and her mother. It’s been 6 years that she has been searching for him and at this point it’s evolved beyond slapping to throttling him.

Lyra kinda just ends up getting blindsided by the whole invasion and gets reversed. When she is free she is able to help gather people with Green to storm the enemy. She ended up catching Suicune. She did fight Team Rocket a few times when she ran into them and helped Ethan make a fake uniform to sneak into the base.

May ends up fighting Brendan while reversed. After coming to her senses she’s pissed and wants revenge on the person responsible. She trains like crazy and is able to track them down with scent alone. She’s really good at finding stuff and survival which makes her very good in this situation. She takes down a lot of reverse fighters because she’s mad and wants all the smoke. May has always been very drawn to battling though isn’t naturally talented. After her father nearly got himself killed by a Salamence she became even more strongly motivated to become a powerful battler not only for herself but to protect her loved ones and never feel helpless again. She’s gotten to where she is though effort alone and is always preparing for the next challenge. After RSE she completed the Battle Frontier and just went on to continue competing in official tournaments.

Dawn is currently in the 1800s😅. She’s not really physically present in the story and is in flashbacks. Lucas has been lovesick for her for a while but she is as oblivious as a shonen protagonist. It also doesn’t help that Lucas has no confidence and feels like she’s out of his league. She’s had a very big impact on the people around her which has left them feeling hollow in her absence. Dawn has been missing for a few months by the beginning of the story. Overall, not too much to say because she’s not present.

Hilda like Hilbert appears WAY later. I’m still thinking up the set but she’s one of the first main characters outside of the Japanese regions to realize that something strange is going on and there’s likely a coverup. As an actor she’s been to a lot of different places which is reflected in her team. Her team is actually magical girl themed because instead of super heroes being the craze in the Pokémon world it’s actually magical girls. The role she plays is that of Mienshao Mask. Through her perspective we get to see the growing suspicions of the outside world about what’s really going on in Japan.

Their teams:

The story would start in Sinnoh with characters like Green and Blue going there for their own reasons. At first they’re just trying to find out everything they can about the reverse while avoiding getting reversed. That would shift to them launching attacks on their major hubs with the reverse rings. A turning point would be when the assault on Hoenn happens and one reverse fighter slips through. There’s other stuff in between but I haven’t ironed out all the details 😅. Eventually they find out that to end the whole thing that they need to beat Olympia which leads to the big final siege on where she’s living.

The reverse edits that I’ve made so far. Note: The characters that I have made reverse edits for aren’t confirmed. I just want to cover my bases in case I decide it later. I’m going to make reverse edits for everyone involved in story eventually whether they get one or not😅. Lyra has Suicune, Dawn has Giratina, and I’m still debating on if Hilda has Meloetta. They’re not shown on the teams for the same reason as the guys.

Overall, I tried to give each of their reverses different vibes to make them feel distinct.

[player-1]

Sorry in advance for the sudden jumpscare in the Nexomon fanbase (or my dash rn), but I really needed to get this brainworm out of my head here:

The teaser for Nexomon 3 already came out a while ago, but I was giddy enough to know that the theme of old characters/concepts from the previous games returning is still going strong here. Especially with the importance of witches and seers from the Abyssals DLC; since they were supposed to help predict when the Abyssals will strike back and share knowledge on their behaviors and weaknesses to future generations...And now in a undisclosed amount of time, the bloodline was being destroyed until there's barely anything left.

Of course, it's not like the Abyssals picked them off, but something or someone that is completely unknown to the people of Aurelian/Aurelia(?) (and congrats on VEWO for finally making a region name) both past and present. And I know that it's way too early to speculate on who that might be, but given the current track record in bringing back old characters for some much-needed vengeance is a definite must for the series. You know...like Metta and Leah?

Major rant/theory dump below cause I have no way to explain this normally.

Metta's a obvious pick since, as far as Nexomon 1 is aware, he should be dead after his Omnicron revival stunt, but he's not. He wasn't in the Netherworld when the MC went through their Doom arc and revisited Omnicron's kids in their Nightmares, you only got to see his Nexomon form post-dlc, his real name only mentioned once, and he even has a joke headstone in Extinction playing with the idea that he might still be around somewhere in the world (so 1 million post-Ulzar and N1, 1 thousand-ish years old N:E + however long until N3 starts). I mean, Omnicron's kids are effectively immortal (and Solus too), so who's to say he's been playing the extremely long game in gaining the upper hand? They have a legitimate reason to take the reins as Omnicron's heir, after all, and he would've been incredibly pissed if he was completely overshadowed by his surprise niece/nephew instead of following a typical hierarchy.

As for Leah, it's a bit iffy on her part since she might've Digi-died before the MC battles Vaithe/Vados (and Malk mercing the entire program in a blaze of glory), but data can still be recovered, right? Like sure, 95% of the Micromon database was destroyed in Extinction from the Drakes (as mentioned by Amelie and Logan in the dlc), and only the Chaos Quartet were left over...But that's not the case. 29 Nexomon from N1 were somehow revived on Precursor Island (6 of them being Micromon related), yet there's no real answer on how that was possible. Not to mention the possible hint that Leah's the only one who can control all four Chaos 'mon, even with the possible upgrades, so it wouldn't be more of a coincidence that she comes back somehow to complete the set (and possibly be Metta's confidant/overseer since she definitely has the look, mask or no mask).

And circling back to the step up with Nexomon 3 being 3D like Pokemon Arceus or Breath of the Wild (crossing my fingers on it still being different from them), I'm kinda curious if they're going to show the Omnicron fam transform into their Nexomon forms, Solus and Omnisun included. It will definitely be a pain in the butt to animate, sure, but it also got me thinking about how Metta works with a human form since he's just a glass ball and a bunch of ribbons. I'm personally hammering in the idea that he just a bag of air in the shape of a human (minus the head for his main body) and possibly circulates element-based energy though it to fake it till he makes it (Fire for body heat, Mineral for "bones", Water for "blood", Wind for circulation, Electric/Nature for a passable heartbeat, and Normal...well, to look normal). And methinks that when he finally does the big reveal that it's not with a giant flash of light or a massive wave of energy, but it's slow and unnerving as his body just unravels apart. Skin slowly peeling away to show nothing underneath, ribbons pale white but the ends colored with attributes of long past, and the only thing physical about him is the glass sphere where his skull should be, just staring with chiseled-on eyes at his soon-to-be enemies...And then the real nightmare starts trying to fight something so small but so so powerful that will definitely put his siblings to shame. -Oh yeah, and Byeol. They definitely need to come back, but they're the one that does the flashy introductions and stuff. They have that kind of energy to me.

But if that isn't final boss material (or second to final), than I have no idea what is. Anyway, rant over. Thank you for your patience and stuff :)

[fudgecicles]

So there is news that they are making a live action Zelda movie. Now, I am a little skeptical how it's going to turn out, not gonna lie. Now, I won't touch on the logistics of live action or who I want casted or why I would prefer animated TV series. What I do want to talk about is what I am looking for in a Legend of Zelda movie.

What I do not want is some typical medieval fantasy epic that is like the Lord of the Rings. Yes, Zelda games are epic, medieval fantasy, but I want is for the movie to stand out as something that is recognizably Zelda.

So first thing, the vibes, mood, however you want to call it. It should be a bit surreal/goofy/weird with an undertone of melancholy. The Zelda weirdness was made prominent by Link's Awakening, and ever since then, it's been a core part of the series's identity. I can't imagine anything Zelda without it. But all of that is balanced by a sense of underlying melancholy and wrongness, something present at least from A Link to the Past, but which Link's Awakening made great use of. There is always a quiet tragedy underlying almost every Zelda story, especially those that are memorable. Majora's Mask exemplifies that aspect the most clearly, an extremely whimsical game with bright colors and crazy characters, but also the world is ending and everyone is dealing with their imminent mortality. Spirit Tracks is sort of the exception to this when it comes to the melancholy part, but also it's a weirdly off beat, self aware entry to the series where the main character is actually Zelda even if you control Link.

Secondly, the theme, it should not be just a battle between good and evil, or some metaphor for war or whatever. Zelda games typically focuses on the following:

-The cyclical nature of things. Heck, it's what Zelda is all about, with the whole timeline and reincarnation shenanigans. The most recent Zelda, Tears of the Kingdom was all about that, what with the whole ourobouros thing as part of the cover symbol. And of course, we literally have the three days cycle in Majora's Mask.

-Fate, Zelda characters often time struggle with their duty that was preordained, or their eventual ending. Breath of the Wild's Zelda is the clearest example of that, where she is tasked with obtaining the divine power as fated by her bloodline, but that is not who she is. She is a scientist, and has zero guidance on what to do. In Link's Awakening, the inhabitants of Koholint struggle with the fact that they are ultimately doomed because they are dreams. In Link Between World, Lorule is doomed, but Princess Hilda is tasked with guiding the inhabitants of this doomed land.

-Growing up and lost innocence. It's a given since they start out like typical adventure stories, most of the Links start as just living their lives like normal, and then something is snatched away and they have to quickly grow up to meet the challenge. It's the part of Zelda that most resembles LotR. Ocarina of Time's Link most exemplifies this, who grew up among the Kokiri children, but is ostracized in his community because he is not like the rest of them. He had to quickly grow up to meet the challenge, with the sword transforming him into an adult, and of course, turns out he is not a Kokiri at all, but an orphaned kid. In Twilight Princess, Link is a farm boy who helps around the community, and hangs out with his friends. But then they are attacked and his friends are snatched away. And there is a focus on these side characters having to find their own inner bravery and stuff.

-Nostalgia, learning from the past, and looking towards the future. I mean Ganondorf is a villain who just can't freaking stop coming back. Wind Waker is the game where this theme is most prominent, as Ganondorf wishes to turn back the clock and restore the flooded Hyrule kingdom to the way it once was, while the ghost of the former king of Hyrule wishes for the next generation to create something new. Majora's Mask is also a game that tackles nostalgia really well.

These are some of what I could think of that one could draw as inspirations for the script of a Zelda movie, but done so in a digestible 2-3 hours format. I would personally go for a wholly original story with a new Link incarnation, but it could also be a new adventure for an already existing Link.

[customteamnames]

50 Hilarious Funny Warrior Names to Spice Up Your Gaming Adventures

https://customteamnames.com/?p=992 50 Hilarious Funny Warrior Names to Spice Up Your Gaming Adventures When you think of warriors, images of fierce battles and epic conquests come to mind. But what if you could add a twist of humor to that image? Funny warrior names can transform your gaming experience or storytelling into something memorable and entertaining. Imagine charging into battle with a name like “Sir Laughs-a-Lot” or “Bard the Baffled.” Table of Contents Toggle Funny Warrior Names That Make You LaughHilarious Name Ideas for Your Warrior CharactersFood-Inspired Funny Warrior NamesPop Culture References for WarriorsAnimal-Themed Funny Warrior NamesCreative Concepts for Generating Warrior NamesCombining Adjectives and NounsUsing Alliteration for HumorNotable Funny Warrior Names in Video GamesMemorable Characters from RPGsIconic Names from Action GamesBest Practices for Crafting Your Own Funny Warrior NamesTips for Balancing Humor and ToughnessAvoiding Overused ClichésConclusionFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat are funny warrior names?How can I create my own funny warrior names?Why are funny warrior names beneficial in gaming?Can you give examples of funny warrior names?What themes can I use for funny warrior names? Funny Warrior Names That Make You Laugh Funny Warrior Names That Make You Laugh Explore these hilarious warrior names that are sure to bring a smile. Sir Laughs-a-Lot: This noble knight uses humor as his ultimate weapon. You can picture him cracking jokes mid-battle, leaving his enemies confused. Bard the Baffled: This wandering minstrel sings tunes so silly that even the fiercest foes can’t help but chuckle. Just imagine his ballads turning the tide of war with laughter. Captain Clumsy: Known for trips and falls on the battlefield, he’s a reminder that even warriors can be a little awkward. You’ll find yourself rooting for his accidental heroics. Princess Punchline: This fierce female warrior has a knack for delivering a quick wit. Her one-liners are legendary, and they’re often the last thing her foes hear. General Giggles: Leading with laughter, he proves that a good sense of humor can conquer all. You can expect fast comebacks, catching even the toughest warriors off guard. Baron von Blunder: Famous for his hilarious mishaps, he turns failed strategies into comedic tales. His blunders often lead to unexpected victories in battle. Lancelot the Laughable: This knight has a reputation for turning chivalrous quests into comedy shows. His escapades always end in laughter, making him a favorite among locals. Warlord Wacky: With a penchant for bizarre tactics, he leaves his opponents scratching their heads. You’ll need to watch out for his unpredictable antics during skirmishes. Fuzzy McFighterface: This cuddly yet formidable warrior mixes softness with strength. His fuzzy exterior and fierce heart make him a beloved figure in any battle. Duke Doofus: Often underestimated, this warrior surprises all with his unexpected genius. His humor masks a quick mind that wins battles in the funniest ways. Feel free to mix and match or create your own funny warrior names to add a sprinkle of humor to your adventures. Hilarious Name Ideas for Your Warrior Characters Don’t underestimate the power of a good name. These humorous warrior identities can spice up your gaming sessions and storytelling. Food-Inspired Funny Warrior Names Cheddar Chieftain: He rules the battlefield with sharp wit and even sharper cheese. Sir Beans-a-Lot: This warrior’s magical beans pack a serious punch in every encounter. Captain Crunchwrap: He rolls out the laughter while serving up hilarious battle moves. Baroness Biscuit: She’s sweet as a biscuit but fierce when it comes to fighting. Lord Pickles: Known for his briny humor, he always brings a tangy twist to combat. Gladiator Granola: Crunchy and determined, he’s armed with all the right nutrients for battle. Pop Culture References for Warriors Darth Hilarity: This dark side warrior jokes his way through the galaxy, wielding humor like a lightsaber. Irony Man: He’s got an armored suit and a knack for clever quips in the thick of battle. Hulk Smash Laughs: With a roar and a joke, he smashes through expectations with style. Chewbacca Chuckler: His growls turn into giggles that confuse even the mightiest foes. Game of Groans: This character brings epic one-liners that leave everyone rolling in the aisles. Wolverine Wit: Armed with claws and comedic timing, his banter can cut through any tension. Animal-Themed Funny Warrior Names Courageous Caterpillar: This tiny fighter proves that size doesn’t matter when you have heart. Giggles the Giraffe: Tall in stature and humor, he towers over enemies, steering clear of battles with laughter. Punny Panther: She sneaks up with clever wordplay, pouncing with a joke that catches foes off guard. Barking Barbarian: His ferocious bark might seem scary, but his jokes are even more fearsome. Rascal Raccoon: Known for his mischievous antics, he swipes victory with a grin. Majestic Moose-tache: Sporting a grand mustache, he’s got both style and charm, disarming adversaries with flair. Creative Concepts for Generating Warrior Names Creative Concepts for Generating Warrior Names Crafting funny warrior names can be a fun and creative process. Here are some effective concepts to help you generate memorable names. Combining Adjectives and Nouns Pairing humorous adjectives with strong nouns creates amusing and powerful warrior names. Sir Laughs-a-Lot, for example, evokes laughter while being a formidable fighter. Think about Giggles McBlade, whose giggles are as sharp as his sword, striking both fear and humor into the hearts of enemies. General Guffaw shines as a leader; his booming laughter can intimidate foes on the battlefield. You might also consider Lady Snickersnort, who bursts into uncontrollable laughter even when surrounded by danger. Chuckles the Crusher combines loud laughter with strength, showcasing a blend of personality and might. Using Alliteration for Humor Alliteration adds a catchy touch to warrior names, making them easy to remember and funny. Snicker Sniper recalls a warrior who never misses his target or a good punchline. Names like these stick in your mind and bring a smile to your face. Choose a name that rolls off the tongue, like Fumbling Fighter, who’s known for comedy in his blunders. Each alliterative option invites a sense of adventure and laughter, enriching your gaming or storytelling experience. Notable Funny Warrior Names in Video Games Notable Funny Warrior Names in Video Games You can find many hilarious warrior names in video games that bring humor and memorable moments to your adventures. Here are some standout examples: Memorable Characters from RPGs Sir Laughs-a-Lot entertains crowds while battling foes, turning every encounter into a comedy show. His laughter echoes in the hearts of allies and enemies alike. Lady Snickersnort brings her unique charm to the battlefield, where her infectious snorts make even the fiercest opponents chuckle. You can’t help but smile while she fights. General Guffaw is famous for his booming laughter that strikes fear into enemies. His larger-than-life personality makes every skirmish more enjoyable. Iconic Names from Action Games Captain Chuckles leads with an unyielding spirit and a laugh that can confuse any adversary. You never know whether you’ll end up fighting or cracking up when he’s around. The Jokinator knows how to combine wit with weaponry, unleashing pun-filled attacks that leave others both amused and bewildered. Every pun can be a powerful thrust. Baron Von Bellylaugh stands out for his legendary combat skills and exuberant laughter. His presence on the battlefield is unforgettable due to his character and charisma. Gigglemeister Greg turns traditional notions of strength on their heads with his giggling arsenal. His laughter becomes a strategic advantage, making battles entertaining and unpredictable. Best Practices for Crafting Your Own Funny Warrior Names Best Practices for Crafting Your Own Funny Warrior Names Creating funny warrior names can be a fun challenge. Here are some best practices to help you create a name that’s humorous yet captures the essence of a warrior. Tips for Balancing Humor and Toughness You want your warrior’s name to be funny but also convey a sense of strength. For instance, names like “Sir Tickleblade” and “Lady Laughington” can bring a lighthearted feel while still suggesting bravery on the battlefield. Think about combining lighthearted elements with strong descriptors to maintain that warrior spirit. Names such as “General Guffaw” show how laughter and power can coexist. Emphasizing both facets in the name can enhance its appeal and make your character memorable. Avoiding Overused Clichés Stay clear of typical clichés that can make your warrior name feel stale. Selecting unique combinations is key. Instead of the generic “Warrior of Laughter,” try something like “Baron Von Bellylaugh” to stand out. Aim for originality by merging quirky ideas or puns. You can avoid becoming predictable by mixing humorous concepts with unconventional attributes. This way, your name not only evokes a chuckle but also leaves a strong impression on others. Conclusion Embracing humor in warrior names can transform your gaming and storytelling experiences. Whether you’re battling foes or embarking on epic quests, a funny name adds a layer of enjoyment and creativity. With countless options at your disposal—from food-inspired titles to clever puns—you’re bound to find the perfect fit for your character. Don’t hesitate to experiment and mix elements that resonate with your style. The process of crafting these names is just as rewarding as using them in-game. So go ahead and unleash your imagination. Create a warrior name that not only makes you laugh but also leaves a lasting impression on your adventures. Happy naming! Frequently Asked Questions What are funny warrior names? Funny warrior names are humorous titles that add a comedic touch to characters, making them more memorable in games and stories. Examples include “Sir Laughs-a-Lot” and “Princess Punchline.” These names combine humor and strength to enhance the overall experience. How can I create my own funny warrior names? To create your own funny warrior names, combine humorous adjectives with strong nouns. Techniques like alliteration or puns can enhance the memorability and humor. For example, “Giggles McBlade” or “Fumbling Fighter” capture both a comedic and warrior essence. Why are funny warrior names beneficial in gaming? Funny warrior names can make battles and adventures more entertaining and memorable. They infuse humor into the narrative, making characters like “General Guffaw” enjoyable and engaging, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Can you give examples of funny warrior names? Sure! Some examples include “Captain Clumsy,” known for his awkwardness, “Darth Hilarity,” who wields humor like a lightsaber, and “Cheddar Chieftain,” a ruler with sharp wit. These names showcase creativity and add a lighthearted element to gameplay. What themes can I use for funny warrior names? You can explore various themes for funny warrior names, such as food (e.g., “Sir Beans-a-Lot”), pop culture references (e.g., “Irony Man”), or animals (e.g., “Giggles the Giraffe”). Mixing themes adds creativity and variety to your character names. https://customteamnames.com/?p=992 Custom Team Names