#and zidane will hold it

[goldgargoyles]

friends from gaia

[styrmwb]

References to Previous Final Fantasies in Dawntrail

Or, how 9 + 11 + 6 = 14, somehow. (SPOILERS, OBVIOUSLY)

I've played every mainline FF, plus a few others, so one of my favorite things about playing XIV is seeing what they do with previous FFs, and how they incorporate it into the world/story. Dawntrail very very much did this, to the point that I could literally predict plot points before they happened. (THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT I LOVED THIS)

So I figured I would put down my fanboying in text form, for people to read the insanity of a madman who has played too many JRPGs from a single series.

Note: I have not completed every single side quest, but I have done the entire MSQ, every dungeon, and 3/5 of the role quests. This isn't a complete collection, just what I noticed :)

V

Krile's "real name" is Maya. The original Krile in FFV was Krile Meyer Baldesion. (XIV might also have the middle name but I don't remember! I'm gonna put it here regardless!)

VI

Valigarmanda is the first Esper you encounter in VI, right at the start of the game. Its summon attack is Tri-Disaster. I really liked how they kept it frozen in ice, just like the original, and because Tri-Disaster is a SMN ability, they changed it to Tulidisaster to fit the Tural location.

Pictomancer was first in VI as well, being Relm's job. She even got to be in XIV as well, being credited as the Archon who created the art (HA). Shoutouts to the Relm reborn joke it needed to happen

IX

One of the two most important games in this expansion. There is A Lot here.

The preorder bonus/deluxe edition had a Wind-Up Zidane and Garnet, the two main protagonists of FFIX.

Alexandria is lifted directly from IX. The name, the style of the buildings, and even the castle with the crystal popping out of the top, shown in the dungeon and in Yesterland in Living Memory.

(This is the Dissidia NT version, but I wanted a picture that showed the castle and the roof architecture)

Solution Nine is named after one of Zidane's Dyne abilities. While not direct, Living Memory, the final zone, is very reminiscent of Memoria, the final dungeon of IX. I wonder if you can get a special sword by completing the entire MSQ in under 2 hours?

Living Memory also features quite a few locations from IX. The Canal Town looks very similar to Treno, and features a location called the Daguerreo Medical Collection, named after the city as well. Underneath Proto Alexandria in Yesterland, where the data terminal lies, looks very similar to the part of Alexandria Castle where Steiner can grind to level 99 (I don't know how else to describe it if you know you know). In the Windspath Gardens lies the Cleyra Museum of Nature, also named after the IX city.

Some quest text in Living Memory tells you about other locations in the Unlost World. Lindblum, the city that holds hunts and is very technologically advanced; Conde Petie, where the Dwarves are from (mentioned by a Milalla who said he was from there), and the Iifa Tree. There might even be more here, that I either missed or haven't done yet.

Another quest has you go on a treasure hunt for a password. This password? "I Want to Be Your Canary", the play from FFIX.

Solution Nine has a couple buildings with monsters from IX as signs. One building features a Mu (Which is also mentioned in Living Memory), and another building features Yans, both friendly and not friendly.

Another monster that I noticed a reference to was the Gimme Cat, which is featured on the popcorn in Living Memory. It's also mentioned as an energy drink, but called a "Gimme Bat" instead? I guess it does have bat wings.

While XIV doesn't have any direct plot important characters from IX, the ones we do have are very reminiscent of its cast, and clearly are done like that on purpose.

Otis is Steiner (with maybe a little tiny bit of Beatrix depending on how you look at it). Captain of the Knights of Alexandria, he speaks in an older fashion, similar to Steiner, and is very loyal to his princess.

Sphene is an interesting mix. The most obvious one is Garnet, both being Queens of Alexandria, being named after stones, and loving their people. The other one, which might be argued isn't intended, is Garland.

(No, not those guys. The other one.)

Garland in IX is an artificial being whose purpose is to continue his world's life. To do this, he would try to fuse Terra (his planet), with Gaia (the main planet), and control Gaian souls for Terra instead. What did Sphene do? Try to fuse her reflection with the Source, to use their souls for her own people. I personally think this is a very clear similarity.

In general, because of this similarity, the latter half of Dawntrail shares very similar themes with IX's plots, dealing with death and souls. I also think it's pretty funny that both start out pretty happy and cartoony, and end fairly depressing and existential.

Another plot point used in the MSQ is the play sequence. While IX's is based off love, and XIV's is the history of Alexandria, both feature a sword fight scene. (99 out of 100 nobles approve).

Finally, several songs from IX are used in Dawntrail. In the above mentioned play, Swords of Fury plays, just like the original. And a few scenes later, Vamo'alla Flamenco (previously used for the DNC quests) plays, though it should have been during the sword fight!! Prima Vista Orchestra and Fleeting Life are used in several scenes, usually involving Sphene. Something to Protect also appears, but in a scene I can't recall. Finally, the Court Jesters' theme gets a remix as the main song in the Strayborough Deadwalk.

X

There is a singular joke in Heritage Found made about dodging lightning bolts right before the flash so they don't hit you. The person who wrote this line wanted to induce PTSD in as many people as they could with only a single line of dialogue.

XI

The other most important game in the expansion. In a way, Dawntrail FEELS like it could have been an XI expansion in another lifetime. I might be looking too much into it, but I feel as though this was foreshadowed back in the first patch of Endwalker, as Dawntrail takes A LOT from the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion.

In Endwalker, the Alzadaal's Legacy dungeon was based off of the Alzadaal Underwater Ruins in Aht Urhgan. The dungeon used many models from XI, such as the Rampart, the Xzomit (hell yes!), and the Acrolith. The dungeon had a visual similarity, as well as the areas in the dungeon being named after zones in Aht Urhgan (Bhaflau Thickets, Arrapago Reef, and Mount Zhayolm). I know this is Endwalker and not Dawntrail but trust me it's important for the foreshadowing.

Gulool Ja Ja was a boss in the Besieged mode of ToAU, leading the Mamool Ja Savages to assault Al Zahbi. Both incarnations of this character are VERY different from each other.

Similarly, Gurfurlur was also a boss in Besieged, leading the Troll Mercenaries. It's very funny to me that both of these warmongers became such nice people in Tural.

The Yok Huy as a whole are actually Trolls from XI. The different name I assume coming from the fact that Trolls are already an enemy in XIV, in Labyrinthos.

While this isn't direct, and is probably unintentional, the fact that the final boss in Vanguard was a naga/lamia like entity only makes me wonder if it was somehow a callback to Medusa and the Undead Swarm, the last remaining Besieged invaders.

Zoraal Ja is a Notorious Monster in the areas around Aht Urhgan.

To continue on with Mamool Ja facts, Mamook is an area in ToAU. They don't look very similar, but they do both share the title of Autarch as their ruler. Mamool Ja in general come from XI, so it's no surprise that in the expansion that well, expands on them, it uses XI for inspiration.

This next one might be a little insane. The general plot of Treasures of Aht Urhgan, is that after killing Promathia, a god that wishes to end all life, the Adventurer goes to a completely different area to have a relatively calmer adventure. Here, they meet a female member of royalty named Aphmau. Her brother, Razfahd, unable to rule over the country, has a conquering nature, and uses an Automaton body to control Alexander for his goals. This... can't be a coincidence, right?? We kill the Endsinger, who wanted to end all life, go to a completely different area to have a relatively calmer adventure with our female member of royalty, Wuk Lamat, and we fight against Zoraal Ja, her war hungry brother that is unable to rule, so he uses the power of Alexandria (a mech suit) for his goals. You... you see what I'm cooking here right??? RIGHT!?!?!

To piggyback off of this, Wuk Lamat very much fits the role of the XI heroine. A girl who is very clearly the main character of the story, and hangs around you more than anyone else.

Edit: one last thing that I forgot to put down before posting, one of the hunts uses the Magic Pot model from XI. We love Magic Pot.

I THINK that should be everything I found? I know for a fact we're going to get more since the Alliance Raids are based of off XI (I'm so excited)

XIII

A couple enemy models were used from XIII.

The Silver Lobos in Urqopacha use the XIII model. I'm fairly sure they've never been used in XIV yet, but I could be wrong.

Similarly, the Strayborough Deadwalk uses the Gremlin/Ahriman enemies. I do not think they've been used before this, feel free to yell at me if I'm wrong :)

Type-0

While not like, direct, the concept of erasing the memories of anyone who has died (especially seen as a blessing) was a major plot point of Type-0's world.

I think that's everything? My memory isn't the greatest, so I'm sure there's something I noticed that I missed, and again; I haven't done everything, so there might be even more out there that I've yet to find!

Please, feel free to comment anything else that you may have noticed, and hopefully you enjoyed reading :)

[bullet-prooflove]

For OA Zidan

“But I'm still yours and you're still mine”

Tagging: @kmc1989 @trublu2u @Rosaliedepp @anime-weeb-4-life @daydreaming-belle

Companion piece to Back In Town - Omar doesn't realise you're back in town until you turn up at his crime scene.

The sun is filtering through the curtains when Omar wakes up tangled up in you. You’re draped across his chest, your cheek resting upon the space where his heart beats for you and only you. It may have been three years since the two of you were a couple but Omar’s feelings for you haven’t changed and he knows yours haven’t either. You still gravitate towards each other even after all this time.

You stir against him and his lips brush over your forehead, gentle and reassuring. You settle then, mumbling a little in your sleep before you snuggle closer and Omar closes his eyes because these are the moments he misses, the mornings the two of you used to spend just being with one another amidst the chaos of the world.

When he wakes up a little later, you’re still out for the count. You’d been on that case for thirty six hours before his team tagged in, it’s the reason he drove you home last night, you were too exhausted to function. He slips from the sheets and heads into the kitchen to make coffee.

He didn’t get to see much of your apartment last night. He’d been too tired, too focused on climbing into bed and holding you.

It’s as he’s waiting for the kettle to boil that he finds himself studying your bookshelf, you have some old favourite’s and some new titles. It’s when his eyes come to rest on the black picture frame that his heart thuds a little faster, he picks it up, the edges of his mouth twitching up into a smile.

It’s of the two of you at his birthday, the one before you left for Delaware. You’re sitting in his lap and he’s looking into your eyes like you’re the only woman in the world because you were, you still are. He glances up as the bedroom door clicks open and he sees you standing there wearing nothing but the white shirt he was clad in yesterday.

“Omar…” You say softly. “Come back to bed.”

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[dutchdread]

I was reading some of your stuff and I’m very confused. If aerith first love was zack why not have them kiss in ccr or hold hands ? It just seems like the writers don’t want them together when they let aerith have all this moments with cloud especially since they don’t let zack and aerith meet in rebirth. And I didn’t understand why the dev don’t say cloud and tifa are married after ff7 if there the cannon couple.

This question is odd to me, you're essentially asking me why the story didn't end in part 2. We have an entire third game to get through. Drama and bumps on the road are a part of every story, you're essentially asking me why they don't just skip that and resolve the story at the start...... the reason they don't is because that's not a story. Aeriths uncertainty and inner struggles concerning Cloud and Zack are a part of the story, and they're what make the story engaging. Clouds issues in regards to his jenova and mako induced mental and physical health as well as his pre-existing conditions, are all elements of the story that cause friction and interplay with the characters as well.

The reason we don't get an Aerith and Zack reunion in part 2 is that that is a pay-off, and pay-offs are for endings. Aeriths feelings concerning Cloud are part of the inner struggles being told. In this part of the story we see Aerith using Cloud as a stand in for Zack, we see her realizing that's wrong, we see her trying to look at Cloud for Cloud, and ultimately he see her discovering that it's just not the same, that while she really likes Cloud, she doesn't "like like" Cloud.

That was the pay-off for part 2. Part 3 will reveal exactly why it was that she did feel a certain draw towards Cloud with the Zack reveal, and it will have the pay-off of Aerith and Zack reuniting, supposedly combined with a good example of how her chemistry with Zack contrasts with the forced nature of her interactions with Cloud. And we'll get the pay-off of the tension that's been built up between Cloud and Tifa. Concerning why we don't see them married in ACC. If Zidane and Garnet are canon why didn't FF9 show them kissing? If Squall and Rinoa are canon why didn't the ending show them getting married? What is it with these specific requests? They're living together raising kids, what more do you want? Instead of asking why we're not getting something, lets look at what we do get. We get Cloud and Tifa kissing in the second part of a 3 part story where their most iconic and romantic scenes, the scenes all about them revealing their hearts to each other and growing closer, are yet to come. We get Cloud and Tifa living together and raising a family. We get more than just about any other canon couple I can think off. Yes, there is still wriggle room, there always is, but why wouldn't there be? Why would SE go out of their way to stomp out any and all other interpretations of their work? What would be the point of a scene showing that Tifa and Cloud officially married OTHER than just being there to piss off Cleriths? That would honestly just be cruel for no reason, plus it would make Cloud come across as even worse. And one has to wonder why anyone would expect them to be married after only 2 years at age 23 while already dealing with raising kids, rebuilding bars, and dealing with loss. But them not going out of their way to ruin peoples days doesn't mean that there isn't a canon interpretation that they are following when writing. And that canonicity specifically, repeatedly, calls them a family. Here is a question, if there was supposed to be a question about who Cloud ends up with in FFVII, why does Cloud end up raising a family with the same girl whose "special existence" he vowed to become a decade earlier, while Aerith ends up dead?

[rubyroses222]

My take on the Jude slander after RMA vs ManCity

8th April 2024

I have seen so many people straight up hating Jude for yesterday’s game, and I just can’t stay silent anymore, so enjoy my little rant.

Playing football, especially on the level of Real Madrid is (apart from skill and mindset) also a lot about building and keeping rhythm. This applies to any team but also to each and every player - Toni Kroos has mentioned this a couple of times already but I’m sure you can find a lot more players talking about this.

So let’s take a look at Judes appearances in 2024:

started the year strong with 5 games (Copa del Rey (1), Supercopa (2) and LaLiga (2))

missed the away game vs UD Las Palmas (27th January) due to a yellow suspension

played three games in LaLiga again

missed three more games due to his ankle injury (LaLiga (2), UCL (1))

played the away game vs Valencia and got THAT red card

missed two more LaLiga games due to the suspension

his first (and last) game before the one vs City was the game against Bilbao last week

-> all in all he played 12 (5 of which were in January) out of 19 games total (not counting international games)

Compared to that the games he missed this season in 2023:

the home game benched against UD Las Palmas (27th Sept)

one game benched vs Braga in the UCL (8th Nov)

one game due to shoulder injury against Valencia (11th Nov)

-> in 2023 he played 21 out of 24 games total (not counting international games)

Yes I expected a better performance from him (and Vini!).

Yes we are Real Madrid and no player stands above the club (if you don’t show up we will hold you accountable for your mistakes).

Yes a player like Jude should be able to compensate a missing rhythm with his talent and skill but he is still very young. Older players like Lukita can rely on 10+ years of playing in the white shirt on the highest level possible, he only needs seconds even when he spends more time on the bench than the pitch. Jude is still learning and has shouldered an unusually huge responsibility in his first season.

Normally our young transfers are give time to adjust at Real, they were/are not guaranteed starters, for example:

Camavinga was mostly used as a sub in 21/22

Rodrygo wasn’t even a regular part of the first squad in 19/20, and was still used as a super sub in 21/22

Vini rarely was part of the starting XI in 19/20

Tchouameni had his fair share of being subbed on/off last season (although less than one would expect)

Brahim was sent away on loan

Arda sadly rarly gets playtime as well etc etc

Jude however has started almost every game, he scored more goals than our two wingers and is carrying Zidanes legendary “5” on the back (while Vini only got Ronaldos Hazards “7” this season, even though Hazard never really played in these last years and Real could’ve reasonably taken the number away from him)

So to all those that are hating on him, that are saying he’s loosing form, he’s overhyped and overrated and I have even heard he apparently “partyed too much”. To the ones that were only praying for his downfall waiting for a bad game - please kindly shut up!

Criticism is good and healthy, but there is no need to slander him like this. It was ONE very bad game and unfortunately it was against ManCity, as long as he shows up next week everythings gonna be fine. Regardless of this he has saved our asses way more than he’s let them down this season. Give him a some time and he’ll come back and be the Judey starboy we all know and love.

[caityelizabethjoy]

@ff9week2024 Day 6 - July 6th - Summer || Relationships || Voyage

He had one more surprise for her that night. "I taught the band our song," he said with a lopsided grin, and before she'd even registered this statement, the melody reached her ears, perfect in orchestral form. She gazed up at him, tears in her eyes, wondering how she could ever have been so lucky to receive a second chance at love.

Breaking the rules and making two posts today - because I have to talk about these two.

I just love everything about Zidane and Dagger. From the moment they met and Zidane vowed to kidnap her, his support for her was unwavering. He was instantly drawn to the princess, protecting her from harm without question or an ulterior motive - just because he wanted to help. Watching them bond and laugh and fumble their way through their early interactions was such a joy. The way their relationship changes throughout the game feels organic. For me, Zidane and Dagger’s relationship feels real - they can have a joke and be silly and sweet, but they also have moments of deep sincerity and vulnerability. They don’t always agree, and sometimes even argue, but they are always learning from each other. In this way, they make each other better people; they bring out the best in each other. When they were torn apart, they both realised just how much they meant to each other, and it didn’t take long for them to be drawn back together. I love how their relationship in the game begins and ends with ‘I Want to be your Canary’, and Zidane’s promise to her - in the end, he was able to capture his canary and find a place to call home. Their journey is so wonderfully romantic from start to finish - I can’t express how special their love story is to me.

I've been in love with these two since I was 12 years old. It may be the nostalgia, but I truly love the incredible storytelling in FFIX and Zidane and Dagger will always, always hold a very special place in my heart. I am so grateful that I grew up with this game. I still remember the first time I finished it - not believing they'd killed off the main character, squirming in anticipation and worry, seeing the hooded man's gloves and thinking 'they're Zidane's gloves, right!? He's alive, right!?' And the reveal! Oh my goodness. The way he theatrically throws off his cloak, declaring his love - probably my favourite line in the game - "Bring my beloved Dagger to me!" My heart burst with happiness the first time I saw the ending, and I remember sitting on the "The End" screen for a very long time afterwards, listening to the prelude, just taking it all in, overcome with emotion. I just love this game. I love these two.

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

goodreads

Remy Pendergast is many things: the only son of the Duke of Valenbonne (though his father might wish otherwise), an elite bounty hunter of rogue vampires, and an outcast among his fellow Reapers. His mother was the subject of gossip even before she eloped with a vampire, giving rise to the rumors that Remy is half-vampire himself. Though the kingdom of Aluria barely tolerates him, Remy’s father has been shaping him into a weapon to fight for the kingdom at any cost.

When a terrifying new breed of vampire is sighted outside of the city, Remy prepares to investigate alone. But then he encounters the shockingly warmhearted vampire heiress Xiaodan Song and her infuriatingly arrogant fiancé, vampire lord Zidan Malekh, who may hold the key to defeating the creatures—though he knows associating with them won’t do his reputation any favors. When he’s offered a spot alongside them to find the truth about the mutating virus Rot that’s plaguing the kingdom, Remy faces a choice.

It’s one he’s certain he’ll regret.

But as the three face dangerous hardships during their journey, Remy develops fond and complicated feelings for the couple. He begins to question what he holds true about vampires, as well as the story behind his own family legacy. As the Rot continues to spread across the kingdom, Remy must decide where his loyalties lie: with his father and the kingdom he’s been trained all his life to defend or the vampires who might just be the death of him.

Mod opinion: I haven't been able to get around to this book yet, but I really want to. It sounds fun!

[stefanmikaleson1864]

I’ll Leave a Light on for you

OA Zidan X Reader 

So this is going to be after the reader is trapped in the glass and OA is visiting her in the Hospital ! I Hope everyone enjoys this. 

A/N: If you like my work please comment like and reblog it means a lot to see interactions on my work

OA’s POV 

Looking down at Y/N she was laid out all across the ground. Her face was ghost white and her eyes were closed. 

She looked so peaceful like she was sleeping. But me on the other hand. I was shaking and my heart was racing and I was a mess. 

I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. Everything in my body was on fire but I didn’t care about me only her. 

At this point the only reason I haven’t passed out was because of my adrenaline. 

“Come on Y/N it’s going to be okay help is on the way. Keep fighting okay I know how strong you are okay” I said in a pleading voice. 

I held her hand and just squeezed it . The sirens were getting louder and closer and I just kept saying a prayer in my head. 

Finally after what seemed like hours but really wasn’t the paramedics came and they hurried up and whisked her away. 

When I saw them take her away my body finally caught up. I just remember going down and everything went black. 

I wasn’t sure how long I was down or what had happened. Because when I finally came to I hear beeping noises and nothing else really. I slowly opened up my eyes and was saw I was in a hospital room. 

I was alone in here not sure what was going on.

 I felt like shit. My body , hurt my head hurt. And I felt like someone had run me over with a damn bus. But if I’m being honest I didn’t care about any of that though. 

I just kept replaying that scene in my head over and over. Wondering if there was anything different that I could have done.

 I kept thinking it should have been me in there.  She didn’t deserve this. 

Seeing how scared she was. The panic in her voice and on her face. It’s burned in my brain. The ache and pain I felt in that moment. I never felt so powerless before. 

“Hey Y/N look at me it’s going to be okay your going to be fine. I love you okay I love you it’s going to be okay” I told her the worry in my voice wasn’t even hiding. 

She just looked at me with a face that was hard to read. I could see the tears fall down her face. All I could think about was why wasn’t it me. She didn’t deserve this happening to her. 

Working with sarin gas I knew how it deadly it was. And even if she did wake up what would her life be like after? 

I was only exposed for just a few moment and I haven’t feel this bad ever. 

I kept glancing up at the door. Hoping someone would come in. WIth some kind of news. 

But at the same time I didn’t want them to. Because if it was bad news I could at least sit here and have hope. Right now hope is the only thing I had. 

So many emotions were just crowding my head right now. I just kept thinking of all the things I should have said to her. So many missed opportunities to tell her I love her.  

To tell her that she was not only my best friend but the absolute love of my life.  I spent so much time overseas and then coming home and working undercover. I never felt like I fit in or belonged. 

Then when I meant her it felt like I was home. That for the first time someone saw me for me and I belonged somewhere. 

We always had late night talks where she actually listened. 

We would spend all of our free time out of work together. Going to dinner and watching movies. She would make me go to the mall with her and hold all of her bags. 

No matter how much time we spent together i never got tired of being with her. I had so many chances to tell her how i felt.

 I think I was just scared of loosing her. Scared she didn’t feel the same way. 

Scared that I would loose the important person in my life. 

I didn’t realize the tears were falling down my face until i saw the wet spots falling on my blanket that was on me. 

I quickly wiped them away. Hoping no one would saw. 

Then after a few minutes later I heard a small knock on the door. I could feel my heart stop beating. My chest clench up and the panic set in. 

I looked up and saw Jubal coming with a worried look all over his face. He slowly walked over to me and grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. 

I looked up and gave him a sad smile. 

“Your going to be okay. Your going to be weak for a few days but it’s going to be okay.” Jubal said still holding on to my hand. 

“Y/N did you see her” I asked not caring about me. 

“Yeah she’s uh pretty bad she’s not awake yet but the doctor’s are saying she has a good chance. It’s Y/N were taking about. She’s a fighter” Jubal said. 

I squeezed his hand when he said and I think I just let the tears fall because i saw them hitting the blanket again. 

“I wanna see her” I said 

“OA look at me you need rest” Jubal said 

“I don’t care I’m good please” I begged. 

“Of course” Jubal said. 

 I was weak and Jubal helped me stand up and he showed me down to where Y/N was. 

Tiff and Scola with Isobel were all out front her room with a sad look in their eyes. 

I gave them a small smile and then headed in to see Y/N. She was laid on the bed with an oxygen tube up her nose. 

I walked over to her and grabbed her and squeezed it. 

“Hey Y/N It’s me OA i’m here can you hear me” I Asked 

“I’m not going anywhere I’m going to be here everyday until you wake up because right now you just need some rest” I said 

“I love you so much I should have told you I know this and I’m sorry I was just scared. Scared because I didn’t want to loose you. You ate the most important person in my life” I said 

Everyone came in a few moments after I talked to her. They all talked and shared stories about Y/N her family was surrounded by her. 

A few weeks Later 

A few weeks had passed and I kept my promise to her. I sat with her everyday and I held her hand.I told her about my day.

 I always ended it with I love you. I think I was making up for lost time. 

I would walk in a say a prayer for her. It was the only thing I could to help.  I would be the first one to visit her and the last one to leave.

I would bring a small candle and light it in the room for her. I know I wasn’t supposed to and quickly blew out the flame. But it was my way of letting her know I was here. 

If she couldn’t hear me maybe the smell would let her know someone was with her. 

She was getting stronger every day I know she was. 

I was back at working slowly though. Isobel had me on desk duty I just know it was her way of protecting me.

 She felt bad about what happened to me. It was a hard balance. I fought her tooth and nail on the matter but in the end she is the boss. 

It was a saturday morning now and something in the day just felt so different. I woke up with a happy excited feeling. It was a nice day out there was a shift in the environment. 

I didn’t want to get my hopes up though. Nothing good could ever come from that.  I made my way to the hospital. 

When i got there it was just me and for some reason I wanted to run right into the room. 

Not that i usually didn’t something was just pulling me there. When i got to her floor some of the nurses were smiling at me. 

I smiled back and when I walked into the room. I looked up and I was right it was something different today . 

Y/N was awake and sitting up. She was looking at the tv playing. I walked closer to her and she saw me and gave a huge smile. 

“Omar your okay” She said sitting up. 

I ran over to her and bent down and gave her a hug. She leaned up to me and I could feel her wrap her arms around me and squeeze me tight. I did the same to her not wanting to let her go. 

I placed my head on the top of hers not wanting to leave this position. I missed the warmth of her. 

We pulled apart and I sat down next to her. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. 

“How are you feeling, are you okay. Do you need anything I could get up and” I was saying then she cut me off

“Omar take a breath I’m okay I just want you here okay” She said. 

“How are you” She asked 

“I’m good doing better back to a 100% physically” I said 

“How are you feeling honestly” I asked her 

“I’m good my head hurts and my body feels a little weird but at least I can’t say I’m tired” She said laughing. 

“I’m so glad your awake I knew you would be okay” I said. 

“Of course I heard your prayers” She said. 

I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks and I felt a little shy in that moment. 

“I heard everything you know, you talking to me so weird you know hearing you but I couldn’t respond” She said. 

“You heard everything” I asked shyly 

“Don’t be shy and yes I did. I loved hearing your voice everyday it made me feel better , I felt calmed down when you came by” She said 

“Also tell Scola I know about his current situation and tell him that Nina sounds amazing  and he’s and Idiot” She said 

“You can tell them when they come by there going to want to see you” I said 

“Yeah I know but right now just me and you is all I want” She said. 

“It’s all I want to” I said 

“Hey uh listen I want to get this out the way now” She said 

“I just want to ask now because you know I heard what you said but if being stuck in this bed it made me realize I need to stop putting of things, and I don’t want to wait and have any regrets.” Y/n said all in one big breath. 

I could feel my heart beating faster and I prepped myself for the heartbreak that was about to come. 

“When you said all that stuff in the beginning. Did you mean or it did you say it because you meant it or just said because you thought I was dying” She asked. 

I gripped her hand and squeezed her hand tighter. I leaned in a little closer and we were just looking at each other. 

“I meant every word I meant I love you so much I always have. I should have told you sooner but I was scared” I said 

“I love you to so much but I didn’t want to ruin our friendship and our partnership we have one hell of a thing going” She said. 

“Hell yeah we do” I said to her. 

“It’s so funny we were both so scared the other didn’t feel the same way. Goes to show how much we have in common” She said 

I leaned in and she leaned in to and I kissed her. She kissed me back softly and I cut it short because I didn’t want to over do it on her. 

“You always kiss so soft” She asked when I pulled away. 

“You can’t handle the real stuff right now” I said smiling 

She laughed so hard and words can’t describe how much I missed that smile. 

We spent a good while talking and catching up. I knew something was different about today.

After a while I called the team and let them know she was awake. They all headed over not to long after. Having to wrap up some things from work. 

They all came by with flowers and a couple boxes of pizza.  Jubal ran right over to her and gave her a big hug and kiss on the head. Followed by everyone else. 

Y/N looked at Scola when he came over and laughed. 

“I heard what you said and your idiot” She said smiling 

“Of course you did and thank you for that” Scola said in his usual sarcastic voice. 

“We all missed you it hasn’t been the same in the field without you” Tiff said 

“Now your just being nice because I’m in a hospital bed I know you like getting all the good action and take downs for yourself” Y/N said. 

Making everyone laugh. 

“In all seriousness though we haven’t been a complete family without you and we are so happy your back to us” Isobel said. 

“Damn Y'all I’m crying but thank you every single one of you for your visit and long talks and even complaints. Hearing all of your voices kept me fighting and reminded me I wasn’t alone” Y/N said 

“ I love you all so much thank you for being my family” Y/N said 

“We love you to and thank you for letting us be your family” Jubal said.  

The rest of the night we ate and laughed. They let us stay past visiting hours making an expectation. 

I thank god all my Prayers worked for bringing her home to us. 

[toranoya]

Why does he have a tail?

@aerithsometimes​

Zidane stiffened slightly as he felt her hands on his furry tail, but she didn’t hold on too long before letting go, so it wasn’t so bad as he turned to look at her. “It’s real, if that was what you were wondering.” Zi winked as he waved the furry appendage at her.

[paganpr1nce]

Thinking about how Remy and Zidan talked about their shared experiences with shitty people (Remy about his dad, and Zidan about his sire). Zidan talking about how they could always talk about their shared sire issues then constantly referring to Remy's dad as his sire after that.

How Remy shared why the term Armiger makes him feel more comfortable, and Xiaodan correcting anybody who uses the wrong honorific for him.

About how even in non-sexual contexts they are always asking him what he wants, wanting his consent for any single choice that they make.

Remy describing Changge Shui as the first place where he feels like home, then the final chapter of Court Of Wanderers being called Home.

About Remy choosing to forgive people and hold love in his heart despite all of the absolutely horrific shit people put him through.

How Remy, Zidan, and Xiaodan are all so soft-hearted, while being incredibly powerful, and that soft-heartedness being their strength.

Them constantly chasing each other, putting themselves in dangerous situations because none of them could imagine a life without the other two.

The first things they notice about each other and the first things they love in each other being personality traits and behaviours rather than physical traits.

The way they all grow and heal together, and make each other better. How they are all better when they have each other.

Them finding a safe home within each other.

[icycoldninja]

My darling (Kuja x reader)

Hello? Is-is that you? Oh, Gaia, it is you! You're here. You're talking to me...this is incredible! Finally, finally, I can tell you how I feel! I remember the day you turned on my game, the day you came across me while controlling Zidane. I remember how you battled me through him, how you used him to defeat me; how you watched me die. I wonder, did you feel as pained as I did when you watched me take my last breaths? Ah, but never mind that, for I have something to tell you, something I've been waiting to tell you for so very long.

I love you.

It's silly, a perfect, powerful being like myself falling in love with a lowly human whom I've never even seen before...but here I am. In love. With you. Every time you turn on my game, my heart races with joy. Though I cannot physically interact with you, I am ecstatic to know that my elegance and grace is at least being beheld by you. And when you turn off the game, my heart sinks into sadness. All that is around me is darkness and emptiness; I feel so lonely. So afraid. Though it is a great blow to my pride to admit this, without your presence....I am scared.

I wish you were here, holding me in your arms, keeping me company so the darkness doesn't swallow me up. I wish you would tell me everything was alright, even if it wasn't. I just want to be able to hear you, to see you, to cherish and love you to the best of my abilities. I wish...I wish I was real!

Oh, but darling, don't despair. There is a way I can be real: in your heart. As long as you carry me in your heart, I will always be with you in spirit. When you hear a song that makes you think of me, I will hear it too. When you take a walk and see something you wish I could see, I will see it too. And at night, when you sleep, I'll be there too, and together, we shall build a majestic kingdom in your dreams.

Sleep well tonight, my darling. I'll see you soon.

[violetstrations]

[ID 1: a digital drawing of a cover featuring Apollo Justice and Klavier Gavin from ace attorney, drawn on a stage under a spotlight. Apollo is wearing a version of Zidane Tribal's clothes from final fantasy IX, with a red shawl tied around his shoulders, his hair long and tied back, and a fluffier tail. Klavier is wearing a fusion of his and Garnet Til Alexandros XVII's clothes, with a black leather corset and knee length healed boots. His hair is tied in a ponytail. They smile at each other, with Apollo holding a red and gold theatre mask behind him, and likewise, Klavier holds a Rod. A wooden sign above them reads "Bird In The Hand—Fret".]

[2: A two panel comic of Apollo and Solomon Starbuck on a stage, shouting at each other whilst holding up a sword. Solomon is in a brown jacket. End ID]

hey hey hello ! I participated in this year's @klapollo-minibang, and drew art for @kzmj's fic bird in the hand ! check it out when you have the chance, alongside everyone else's fantastic work :D

I'm so happy I decided to join again, if you remember my art last year :] this has been super fun and I've met some wonderful people <33

[bullet-prooflove]

Hey! Can I request "I'll run a shower like you want" with OA Zidan? Thank you

Tagging: @kmc1989 @trublu2u @rosaliedepp @anime-weeb-4-life @daydreaming-belle

Omar falls apart after Julie’s death.

Holding that little girl in his arms, hearing her dying words, watching her take her last breath…

It destroys something inside of him.

He’s compliant when you lead him into the bathroom, quiet when you unbutton his blood stained shirt, letting it flutter to the floor beneath his feet. His skin is stained crimson from where the lifeforce of that child has bled through the fabric.

He whines when you pull away to turn on the shower because he needs you close right now, in his sightline. You are the only reminder that there is something good in this world, that he’s not fighting a losing battle.

His forehead comes to rest on yours as you undress him completely. Your own clothing follows suit, intermingling with his before you draw him into the shower and underneath the heated water. He closes his eyes as the sound of it rushes through his ears, drowning out everything else.

You pick up the washcloth and the shower gel, lathering it up before you begin to clean the blood from his body. You watch as it spirals down the plug hole in a sea of copper, staining the tiles and you resolve to clean later after you’ve tucked him into bed.

“Omar.” You say quietly, your fingertips ghosting along his jaw as he looks at you with such sadness in his eyes that you feel it seeping into the very depths of your soul. “Baby, I’m sorry about Julie.”

Love Omar? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[9kylian]

I don't think it's even about the little "crush." Remember when Konate said Kylian was "trop gentil (too nice)"? Correct me if I got it wrong, but it seemed to imply that Kylian could be too nice for his own good sometimes.

I do feel that, despite his strong personality and firm stand on racism, Kylian overall avoids judging, badmouthing people, holding grudges, picking sides, etc. I respect that cuz I'm sure he's hyper-aware of what it's like to be judged unfairly and he does not want to be like that for other people.

On the other hand, it's sad but true that the most accommodating person will get the most shit. Kylian tends to give people the benefits of doubt, which could be and have been taken advantage of by the self-centered ones. He also tries to be respectful to psg and real madrid, Deschamps and Zidane, Giroud and Benzema, Messi and C. Ronaldo... Do you see a pattern here? While I feel he's the more mature person on all these stupid rivalries, people from both sides get mad at him at different points - thinking that questionable loyalty means no loyalty. (Why on earth do they demand loyalty in the first place?) The world has been polarized so easily and there seems to be no room for tolerance of differences.

Anyhow, I also find Kylian too nice, even though I believe he's smart enough to not get himself hurt a second time. One can be friendly but not attached is all I'm saying. And sometimes people do not deserve his kindness. It does not feel just, but in the end Kylian is doing what he loves (i.e. football) and is more successful than haters with too much free time, so who cares

I’m just gonna leave this here. I don’t have anything to say/add.

[janetkwallace]

Every media has its ups and downs.

Every season has that episode with dubious quality, every movie has that one scene that makes you go "but that makes no sense", every comic book has that one confusing mess of a retcon... Nothing is perfect, that should be clear. A friend of mine once said that Final Fantasy IX, the game I'll be commenting on today, also one of my favorite games ever, is the "perfect imperfection", and that somehow sticks to me. I'll always think of that quote whenever I think about this game because... It fits so damn well with the way I feel about IX as a whole. 

I was 12, 13, I can't remember very well, but I was young and studying at middle school when I first got to play this game. IX had an impact on me, that I can't deny. I was hooked in by the first moment, from that ominous "dream" Princess Garnet has in the opening to being introduced to each characters (you even get to play as some of them, that's a novelty), the kidnap the princess plot that follows to exiting Alexandria, I wanted to see where Zidane and the party would go next.

Seeing more and more characters being introduced, the plot thickening, the story showing a darker side in contrast to the first hours of comfort that were given during the short stay at Alexandria, it was fascinating, like opening the pages of a book and, on each page, something happens and you wonder what will happen next, only to discover that things do happen, but not in the way you often expect them to. And boy, does this game have lots and lots of dark moments you were not expecting, they come all of sudden, like the scene where you witness Black Mages falling from a cargo ship like liveless dolls or the Burmecian genocide that occurs at the end of the first Disc or a woman who got blind during the battle of Lindblum.

See, this is why IX is a favorite of mine, it's not afraid of doing these things and more. It takes risks by going from a lighthearted mood to utterly soul-crushing moments. Sure, there's darkness, but not without hope, or a silly element in between. It's not a bad game by any means, it still holds up despite being made two decades ago, it's got a great cast of characters, an interesting world, a magical feel right at the start, yet there are things that can be said that are not done well or that are a source of complaint.

There's the battle system that some find to be slow, the lack of difficulty that makes the game a cakewalk for some, the age of the graphics, the unfinishedness felt during the last segments of the game... It's not a perfect game by any means, and to be honest, criticism can't be avoided, even for the things we appreciate and care about. Today, I'm here to comment on that one scene that stood out for me as an example of what makes Final Fantasy IX the "perfect imperfection", that one scene that is one of my least favorite moments in the game. Not a character, or a location, or a musical track, but an event in the main story that, in a way or the other, changed me forever.

Said event happens during the Alexandria Castle segment on Disc 2. For a bit of context: There's war going on Burmecia, and Alexandria is involved. Garnet goes to Alexandria to confront her mother head on about the massacre unfolding, Brahne replies something like "oh but the Burmecians were planning to attack us first and I had no choice but to attack them before they did", you're given a choice to believe or not believe her (which really doesn't do much of a difference), then Kuja comes in and casts a spell on Garnet to make her fall asleep. Soon after, Zorn and Thorn extract her eidolons, which Brahne uses to conquer the nations through Disc 2, a prime example being Odin's summoning that lead to Cleyra's destruction, but not before Beatrix manages to steal the desert star gem as part of a subplot about a super duper eidolon stronger than everything else that Brahne never got hold of because she died in a conflict at the end of Disc 2.

And that's the backstory, my folks. Anyway... The party arrives at Alexandria Castle through a teleportation device (which's oddly never brought up again, go figure), you're given a time limit to rescue Garnet before she dies and this is where it feels like all of the current characters and their plot lines converge at a single point. It's where the game says "we've got to give a conclusion to these character's current arcs as we move on to the next big thing", and it doesn't do that very well. To begin with, Steiner, Freya and Beatrix, as well as the Tantalus folks, are no longer seen until the beginning of Disc 3, so you think "well, they're side characters, and the game wants some room to breathe and it can't do that when there are so many plot lines going on at the same time, so the solution is to give a conclusion to them right here and then it'll focus on them later again".

But that doesn't happen.

As a matter of fact, it's an anticlimactic cliffhanger we got here, a sort of "To be continued" scenario that never gets to be continued the way it should've been. Think about it... Steiner, who once had a black and white view of the world at large, now questions whether Alexandria was always right. At first, he showed disapproval to Zidane's behavior and methods, but now he came to respect him, a thief who's far more honest than the Queen corrupted by greed. Freya saw Burmecia in ruins and thought she had a chance to save Cleyra, but she did not, she failed with both but is still fighting for what she believes in rather than give up so easily. Beatrix, who's been an unbeatable warrior fighting for Alexandria, now joins forces with the party and stands against Brahne, who she used to be loyal to. The Tantalus members are there to help the three knights out during Garnet's escape, and suddenly, you find yourself outside of Alexandria, and those who stood behind are not heard or seen until Disc 3.

During my first gameplay, I wondered if I’d see those characters again, be it in a cutscene or a side quest, but no, we don’t see them again. Zidane briefly mentions them and that’s it. Disc 3 is yet to happen while you move to another continent to find out about Kuja. The rest of the game, after this point, feels like it’s about searching for Kuja’s whereabouts, to the detriment of the subplots. Do we see more of Steiner’s new attitude? We do, but only a few times. Do we know how Freya feels after the tragedy of losing her people? Only in a few scenes, but with no further detail. Do we see Beatrix doing something to show her change of heart means something? Well… No. I mean, if you count her supporting the party on the Iifa Tree battle that occurs on Disc 4, then yes, but when it comes to apologizing to the people who were injured in the conflict, she never does that. She asks for the citizens of Burmecia to forgive her at one point, but not in the face of the survivors themselves.

I'll admit that, back then, I felt betrayed. It left me sour, with a bad aftertaste in the mouth. It felt wrong, retrograde, unnatural, all kinds of things. This is the moment where the game doesn't take risks, it takes the easy way out by sidelining those characters. It felt like reading a book and flipping the page only to realize they were torn off at the last minute or that they never came to be. Those characters, their personalities, their storylines, it felt like they were taken away. They’re still there, but it’s not like they’re that important, which feels wrong. The game outright says those characters do matter, that you should care for them, but then Freya doesn’t have anything else to comment on about Burmecia or Cleyra? How does that affect her or how she stands up despite having every reason to give up, a thing she never does? Or what about Beatrix being complacent of Alexandria’s atrocities, why is not that brought up again? Not even by Steiner, who has changed a lot since his first appearance. 

I'm older now, but to this day, I'm still figuring out why, of all Final Fantasy games, or any games in general, why IX had to be the one that made me join a fandom. Why I draw fanarts, why I write fanfiction, why I'm writing this right now about IX. I wonder who I would be if I never played this game, would I still be myself? After all of these years, I’m still disappointed by how things are, and although spite is a fuel for creativity, it can’t be the sole reason you do the things you do whenever something in canon doesn’t feel right for you. Like, I came to appreciate side characters and the potential they hold for storytelling after I played Final Fantasy IX, and I saw it happen in other media as well, characters whose stories are fascinating yet little is explored about them.

What do you do in this case? Do you wait for a possible person who happens to share the same thoughts as you do to write everything down about the characters you like? I certainly don’t, because if there’s only one person who can flesh out characters, as well as settings that are characters by themselves, the way you want... It can be only you and nobody else. 

[janzoo]

🎵 Melodies of Life, come circle 'round and grow deep in our hearts🎵

EDIT added two more shots that show off the accessories a bit better, plus the fact that I got her the /wow emote.

So some bards were playing random Final Fantasy music in Gridania After they played "Melodies of Life", I thanked them and said they made my day because FFIX is my fave mainline FF title. One of them went "Oh that's your fave huh? Hold on we need more people". Four more bards showed up so they had a proper 8-man band, and the eight of them then played an FFIX medly. I cheered/charmed at them the whole time. It was awesome. :D

Afterwards, I realized that Drakyr didn't have a glam with at least parts of Zidane's outfit, so I put this together and I'm loving it more and more. Plus the new Statice wings look great with it too!

(Statice, or as my husband dubbed her, Fae-onetta, har har har)

TL;DR here's some pretty Drakyr in an FFIX-ish glam.