#apparently i like elder scrolls again gang

[psqqa]

Nirvana in Fire Character Reference Sheet Roughly in the Order Those Characters Are Introduced

For @howdydowdy, as promised, and for anyone else who, like me, is terrible at names and needs some kind of “Who?? Ohhh right. That guy.” reminder.

Basically, my Nirvana in Fire Journey started with me watching half the first episode, being wildly confused, realizing I was in over my head re: names and thus deciding to go back to the beginning and watch it again But Taking Notes This Time. I watched the whole show with a notebook and pen at my side. I figured I may as well spare you all the labour by typing it up. 

As more information was revealed, I often added it to a character’s initial note, but by and large I’m leaving those extra notes out so you can experience the joy and confusion and anguish of New Information yourself. The exception to this is generally a person’s name, title, and position. E.g. Duke Qing’s name, Bai Ye, isn’t mentioned until a number of episodes after he’s first mentioned, if I recall correctly, but knowing that the person named “Bai Ye” is the same person called “Duke Qing” is exactly why I took these notes for myself in the first place.

Basically this isn’t intended to be a character guide that lays out exactly who a person is, their relationships to the other characters, and their place in the story, but rather something you can look at whenever someone mentions a name that jogs your memory just enough for you to be able to place to person. Which is why the notes tend to be either the context in which the person was introduced or the relationship through which they’re introduced.

Some names and notes are inherently spoilers, but hopefully by virtue of the fact that this is broadly in the order a character is first mentioned/introduced, you can avoid spoilers simply by not scrolling down too far. For those persons where their name or an alter ego comes in significantly after their initial introduction and is a spoiler, they are listed a second time starting with the “new information” and with the note in italics indicating their original entry (there aren’t a lot of these, don’t worry).

I will readily admit that some of my handwritten notes are just a name and then a blank space because apparently I just never actually added a note for them. I haven’t bothered adding those people here. Yes it’s because I’ve forgotten entirely who they are, but I’m pretty sure that means you’ll be okay if you immediately forget who they are too. (That being said, I get the sense there are actually relevant people missing from this list. As the show carried on and introductions became less frequent, remembering them became less difficult.)

The List

Lin Xie –> Commander of the Chiyan Army

Lin Shu –> “Xiao-Shu” –> Lin Xie’s son –> Mei Changsu --> Chief of the Jiangzuo Alliance --> Su Zhe

Lin Chen –> Young Master of Langya Hall –> NOTE: The “Lin” of Lin Chen and the “Lin” of Lin Xie & Lin Shu are both written and pronounced differently. These people are not related.

Northern Yan’s 6th Prince –> Now Northern Yan’s Crown Prince

Minister Xu –> Da Liang’s envoy to Northern Yan

Prince Yu –> Xiao Jinghuan –> 5th Prince of Da Liang

Xiao Xuan –> Emperor of Da Liang

Empress Yan --> Prince Yu’s adoptive mother

Consort Yue --> Crown Prince’s mother

Grand Empress (Dowager) --> Emperor’s grandmother

Xiao Jingxuan --> Crown Prince of Da Liang --> metonym is “Eastern Palace”

Zhuo Dingfeng --> Master of Tianquan Manor

Zhuo Qingyao --> Eldest son of Zhuo Dingfeng --> guy on the horse and later the guy helping the old couple on the boat and later also the guy who calls Xie Yu “father-in-law” (I am telling you this specifically because I am not bad at faces but this guy added so much confusion to my life that was cleared up the moment I realized these people were the same person. And also because my mother is terrible at faces and for like 15 episodes every time he showed up in another random place I would say “that’s horse and boat guy” and she would say “wait what? really???” So I’m assuming at least one other person will share in this struggle)

Xie Yu --> Marquis of Ning

Qin Banruo --> Prince Yu’s strategist

Duke Qing --> Prime Minister --> Bai Ye

Ji Ying --> member of Double Sword Sect

Li Gang --> member of Jiangzuo Alliance

Fei Liu --> Mei Changsu’s bodyguard

Yan Yujin --> Son of Empress Yan’s brother

Xiao Jingrui --> Eldest son of Xie Yu

Mu Nihuang --> Commander of the army in Yunnan --> Princess of Yunnan’s House of Mu 

Xie Bi --> Second son of Xie Yu & Xiao Jingrui’s younger brother

Mu Qing --> Mu Nihuang’s younger brother

Xia Dong --> An officer of the Xuanjing Bureau

Nie Feng --> Xia Dong’s late husband --> Vanguard General of the Chiyan Army under Lin Xie

Meng Zhi --> Commander of the Imperial Guards

Xuan Bu --> From Da Yu --> stronger than Meng Zhi

Gao Zhan --> Emperor’s chief eunuch 

Fei Changshi --> Prince Yu’s guy out looking for Mei Changsu

Prince Jing --> Xiao Jingyan --> 7th Prince of Da Liang

Concubine Jing --> Mother of Prince Jing

“Xiao-Xin” --> Attendant to Concubine Jing

Grand Princess Liyang --> Xie Yu’s wife & Emperor’s sister

Eunuch Zheng --> Eunuch who is mean to Tingsheng

Prince Qi --> late Crown Prince of Da Liang --> Xiao Jingyu

Tingsheng --> servant boy caught reading

“Lao-Wei” --> Mu Qing’s subordinate of some kind

Wei Zheng --> member of Chiyan Army at Battle of Meiling (and survived)

Sima Lei --> member of Royal Guard --> Consort Yue’s preferred suitor for Mu Nihuang

Liao Tingjie --> Son of the Marquis of Zhongsu --> Empress Yan’s preferred suitor Mu Nihuang

Baili Qi --> Mu Nihuang suitor from Northern Yan --> A favourite of the 4th Prince of Northern Yan

Lady/Madam Zhuo --> Zhuo Dingfeng’s wife

Xie Qi --> Zhuo Qingyao’s wife & Xie Yu’s daughter & Jingrui’s sister

Consort Hui --> bullied by the Empress

Young Lady Zhen (I think is what my handwriting says) --> servant being sneaky at late dowager empress’s palace

“Wu-momo” --> older servant with the Bad Wine

Consort Chen --> now dead --> son was a rebel

3rd Prince of Da Liang --> Xiao Jingting --> Prince Ning --> disabled

6th Prince of Da Liang --> no ambition 

9th Prince of Da Liang --> too young to fight for throne 

Former Crown Princess --> late Prince Qi’s late wife

“Qi-momo” --> Grand Princess Liyang’s senior attendant

Gong Yu --> window lady who works with Mr. Shisan --> a musician

Mr. Shisan --> member of Jiangzuo Alliance --> connection to Lin family

Minister Lou --> Lou Zhijing --> Minister of Trade/Finance/Revenue/other words that mean “money” --> Knows about the corpse well --> Crown Prince’s faction

Zhang Jing --> Owner of corpse well house (Lan Mansion) at the time the corpses ended up in the well

Shi Jun --> Servant at corpse well house at relevant time --> has record book

Magistrate Gao --> Gao Sheng --> The Capital Magistrate

Princess Xuanji --> ruler of a previous dynasty --> founded the “Hong Court”

Minister Qi --> Qi Min--> Minister of Justice --> Prince Yu’s faction

Minister He --> He Jingzhong --> Minister of Personnel --> Prince Yu’s faction

Minister of Public Works --> Prince Yu’s faction

Minister Chen --> Chen Yuanzhi --> Minister of Rites --> Crown Prince’s faction

Minister of Defence --> Li Lin --> Crown Prince’s faction

Bai Xun --> Duke Qing’s brother

Lie Zhanying --> Staff Officer under Prince Jing

Qi Meng --> One of Prince Jing’s men --> fights Fei Liu and commits Great Offence

“General Bian” --> One of Prince Jing’s men

Shen Zhui --> Acting Minister of Finance

Princess Qing He --> Shen Zhui’s mother

Cai Quan --> Works at Ministry of Justice --> Did well-received report on the Bing case 

Han Zhiyi --> Works at Ministry of Justice --> worked on Bing case

Zhang Jianzhen --> Works at Ministry of Justice --> worked on Bing case

Wei Yuan --> Works at Ministry of Justice --> worked on Bing case

Yuan Shiying --> Works at Ministry of Justice --> worked on Bing case

Qin Yue --> Works at Ministry of Justice --> worked on Bing case

Tong Lu --> Vegetable cart guy --> brother of one of the corpse well girls 

Qiu Zhe --> Son of Count (Duke?) Wen Yuan

He Wenxin --> Son of Minister He --> dislikes Qiu Zhe 

Grand Prince Ji --> Emperor’s youngest brother --> Owns hot springs

Yang Liuxin --> A dancer

Hong Xinzhao --> Has “understanding girls”

Xinliu & Xinyang --> Brothel sisters --> their younger brother was murdered by Qiu Zhe

Princess Consort --> Lanjin --> Prince Yu’s wife

Zhou Xuanqing --> renowned scholar

Li Chong --> former Imperial Tutor --> former teacher to Lin Shu

“Brother Zhao” --> Canal transport guy --> Jiangzuo Alliance

Lin Xiangru --> famous literary envoy

Marquis Yan --> Yan Que --> Yan Yujin’s father & Empress Yan’s brother

Lin Yueyao --> Prince Qi’s mother --> Consort Chen

Zhen Ping --> Jiangzuo Alliance --> sword challenger

Xia Qiu --> An officer of the Xuanjing Bureau

Xia Chun --> The most senior of the officers of the Xuanjing Bureau

Prince Jingli --> Consort Hui’s son

Yuwen Xuan --> Prince Ling --> A prince of Southern Chu

Yuwen Nian --> “Niannian” --> A princess of Southern Chu --> student of Yue Xiuze

Yuwen Lin --> King of Southern Chu --> Yuwen Nian’s father

Ouyang Chi - Head of CApital Patrols

Xia Jiang --> Head of the Xuanjing Bureau

Li Chongxin --> Schoolteacher assassinated by Zhuo Dingfeng 

Jun Niang --> former member of “Hong Court” under Princess Xuanji

“Miss Liu” --> Granddaughter of former Chief Secretariat Liu Cheng

Wei Qi --> The general at Jiaxing Pass --> was Xie Yu’s lieutenant for years

Su Tianshu --> Chief of Yaowang Valley --> 7th on the Langya Rich List

Su Xuan --> Su Tianshu’s adopted son --> Wei Zheng

Yun Piaomiao --> Su Xuan’s wife 

Concubine Xiang --> Prince Yu’s birth mother

Zhu Yue --> Head of the Review Court --> Prince Yu’s brother-in-law

Cheng Zhiji --> Elder Master of Feng Hall --> 75 years old

Princess Linglong --> A princess of the Hua Kingdom --> Princess Xuanji’s sister --> Concubine Xiang

Grand Princess Jinyang --> Lin Shu’s mother & Lin Xie’s wife --> Emperor’s sister

Yao Zhu --> Official Fan’s servant who knows The Secret

Official Fan --> Harbouring Xia Jiang

[bigherosixfeels]

The Right Path - Chapter 1: Starting Fresh

Fandom: Big Hero 6: The Series

Rating: K+ (dealing with death)

Characters: Tadashi Hamada, Hiro Hamada, Gogo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred, Aunt Cass and Professor Granville

Word Count: 5,309

Summary: Tadashi works up the courage to go back to SFIT.

[AO3] [Wattpad]

---

Getting enough sleep to stay awake throughout the day and actually feeling well rested are two completely separate things. Despite having a difficult time getting to sleep, Tadashi knew he could function with the amount of rest he got. Unfortunately, he woke up feeling as though he hadn’t slept at all. The second his eyes fluttered open, his nerves attempted to get the better of him.

He felt like a freshman again. He hadn’t been this nervous since his first day at SFIT. Of course, he’d much rather experience his first-day jitters again than his current rising anxieties that piled up with each unsettling thought that came to mind.

He hasn’t been on campus since the night of the showcase. The last time he was there, Hiro was alive. He had gotten his acceptance letter. This was supposed to be his first day of college. He should be here. Hiro should be the one that’s nervous and Tadashi should be the one to help him feel relaxed. Today was supposed to be the day that him and their friends would show Hiro around to make sure he knew where all his classes were. Today was meant to be such a great day.

Tadashi sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Not too long after he began attending SFIT, it became a second home to him. He met his friends who he loved dearly. He spent countless hours in the nerd lab or his own private lab. For the most part, he got along great with his professors.

Memories of Callaghan plagued his mind. His mentor. His favorite teacher. Someone he not only idolized, but respected and learned a lot from. He still couldn’t get his head wrapped around that a man he looked up to could be capable of causing so much destruction and chaos. Even knowing why his former professor went to great lengths to do what he nearly succeeded in doing, it wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. Tadashi’s heart ached as he remembered simpler times where he could go to him for advice on projects. He trusted him. He mourned him when he thought he perished with Hiro.

A shudder traveled down his spine. Thinking of Callaghan only resulted in nausea forming in the pit of his stomach. Taking in a deep breath, Tadashi attempted to calm his boiling blood. At least he wouldn’t ever see him at SFIT again. Someone else would be taking his place as the new Dean of Students. Whoever that would be, it didn’t matter. Tadashi had no intentions of getting close to them. He highly doubted that they would have some traumatic past that would eventually lead to a life of villainy, but nonetheless his trust wore thin.

While getting dressed, the robotics major began to debate if going to school was actually a good idea. It would give him the normal routine he needed, but the campus was now a painful reminder of what he was still going through. Why surround himself in an environment he’d have a difficult time healing in?

Sitting down on his neatly made bed, Tadashi reached for his phone. He fumbled it in his hands, wondering if he should text his friends to tell him he might not go. They’d understand why it’s so hard. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to message them. There was still a part of him that was optimistic about going. If he could get through the first day back, it would only get easier from there. He was proud to be a student.

Instead, he pressed the photo gallery app. Immediately, he was greeted by his most recent photos which were ones of him and the gang. All of which were ones that Honey Lemon had taken and sent to him and the others. Some of which included Baymax.

He gulped as he scrolled upwards. It didn’t take more than a few seconds to stumble upon a particular photograph that Tadashi would always treasure. The group selfie they took before Hiro presented his microbots. The last picture Hiro was ever in. His precious, tooth-gapped smile showing both nervousness and excitement. None of them could have been prepared for what happened later that evening.

Tadashi kept scrolling. His photo gallery consisted mainly of pictures of his family; Hiro respectively. Over the years, he and Aunt Cass always made sure to capture memories through photos and videos of Hiro. Whether it be his greatest achievements or candid moments, they always had a camera ready.

His scrolling led him to stumbling upon a fun memory. Around two years ago, Hiro expressed his desire to learn how to ride a bicycle. In truth, this had been because he was being teased at school about not knowing how. Bullies apparently thought it was hilarious that he could do physics equations in his head, but couldn’t ride a bike. Admittedly, Hiro felt no need to learn at first. Between Tadashi and Aunt Cass being able to give his rides, taking a trolley or walking, riding a bike was never a priority. However, word got around Hiro’s high school that he couldn’t.

With the taunting going on for weeks without any signs of stopping, the young genius couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted to learn.

What started off as wanting to stop the ridiculous bullying eventually became Hiro wanting to learn for himself. Though there were many falls and injuries which led to him wanting to quit, he never stopped trying.

It wasn’t long before Hiro felt ready to take the training wheels off. Confident that he could ride a bike the way other kids could, they all drove to a nearby park. Once they found a parking spot and got out of the car, Aunt Cass starting filming the event on her phone.

Tadashi pressed the play button. The video started out with them all by Cass’ truck. Tadashi was unloading the bicycle from the back and Hiro was covering his face from the camera.

“Aunt Cass, do you have to film this?” Hiro asked. Tadashi cracked a sad smile hearing his brother’s voice. He was twelve at the time and his voice was starting to change.

Cass giggled. “Of course I do, sweetie! This is a big day for you!”

Their aunt continued to make commentary as her nephews walked side by side. Hiro guided his bike steadily along the path. When they had made it far down enough, Hiro positioned the bike in the direction he was going to pedal.

Carefully, the preteen sat on his bike. Hiro made sure his helmet was fastened tightly to his head. As he brought his feet to the pedals, Tadashi placed his hands on Hiro’s shoulders. Cass zoomed in on elder brother’s proud smile.

“Okay, Hiro. I’m gonna let you go now. Ready?”

When the camera zoomed back out, Tadashi began a running start for Hiro. He hadn’t given Hiro the chance to answer back, causing him to tense up. His eyes grew wider by the second when the reality set in that Tadashi would be letting go soon.

“No no no, Tadashi wait!” he yelled.

The siblings were right in front of the camera. Although Hiro grew more afraid, Tadashi gently let go of him. “Don’t be scared, little brother! Just pedal harder! You can do it!”

Cass angled her phone directly at her younger nephew. There were no signs of Hiro swerving. He was riding his bike with ease, smoothly pedaling down the pathway. Aunt Cass was cheering him on.

As Tadashi could hear his own words of encouragement, he paused the video. He didn’t need to watch the rest. He knew Hiro accomplished his goal as he always did.

Smiling fondly, Tadashi brushed his thumb against the image of Hiro successfully riding his bicycle. Despite the fear he initially had, Hiro kept going. Perhaps this was something Tadashi needed to be reminded of. He still had his reservations about going back to school, but if he didn’t go today, would he ever go back?

“Well, Hiro...today would have been your first day of nerd school.” Tadashi’s face fell into a frown. “Guess I’m gonna have to go for both of us.”

Releasing a sharp exhale, Tadashi stood up from his bed. He reached for his satchel, putting his phone away and resting the strap on his shoulder. Once entering what used to be Hiro’s side of the bedroom, he turned to close the sliding door. While doing so, he didn’t realize that his thumb was in a bad spot. Before he could move it out of the way, it was mildly crushed between the door and the wall.

“Ow!” He hissed, shaking his thumb in an attempt to relieve the wavering pain.

Observing his pulsating thumb, it occurred to Tadashi that by now, his creation would have already inflated out of its charging station from saying his activation phrase. The young adult spared a woeful glance down at the carrier. He thought back to that fateful day where he had to part ways with Baymax. The robot would be floating aimlessly in the realm of that portal for eternity.

Shaking his head at the thought, Tadashi forced himself to walk away. As he headed for the stairs, his eyes wandered over to something on Hiro’s side of the room.

On Hiro’s desk lied Megabot. The bot that he had created for the sole purpose of winning illegal bot-fights. A robot that Tadashi once despised since its potential wasn’t being put to good use. The robot that inspired Hiro to come up with his microbots.

Although he didn’t like Megabot’s purpose, the fighter bot now held a special place in Tadashi’s heart. It was Hiro’s creation. Something that made his brother happy despite it also causing trouble for him. Tadashi never thought he’d like seeing the yellow smiley face Hiro drew on it so much.

Tadashi reached out, grabbing Megabot. He smiled back at the bot and stashed it inside his bag.

---

As usual, the cafe was buzzing with customers. Multiple conversations were going on at once, but the only voice that caught Tadashi’s attention was the news anchor on TV. Ever since the defeat of Callaghan, reports were flooding in throughout the entire city. Whether on television or in newspapers, him and his friends had prevented San Fransokyo from being destroyed. Thankfully, their identities remained a secret which was good considering that being superheroes was a one-time thing.  

It didn’t take long for Tadashi to spot his group of friends. Gogo, Wasabi, and Honey Lemon were sipping on their beverages while Fred ate what he appropriately called ‘victory pancakes’. When approaching the table, Tadashi greeted them with a hello that he hoped didn’t sound too tiresome.

Upon seeing their best friend, the group simultaneously smiled up at him. They were starting to worry that Tadashi may have decided to back out on attending school today. Not that they could blame him, but seeing that he was going to at least try was assuring.

“Tadashi!” Honey exclaimed.

Wasabi was the first to get up from his seat. He gave Tadashi a soft pat on his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s not be late.”

His friends started to get up from the table. With all five of them ready to leave, they made their way to exit the cafe. Tadashi was about to follow them, but he heard footsteps approaching in his direction. Looking over his shoulder, he saw his aunt walking towards him with a brown paper bag. “Hey, sweetie. I made you a lunch.” She handed the lunch bag to her nephew. Right as he was about to take it from her, she pulled it back. “Should I have packed your lunch? You probably want to buy your own in the cafeteria.” She indecisively kept handing him the bag, only to bring it back to her. “Are bagged lunches still cool?”

Tadashi smiled at her. Cass had always been such a thoughtful guardian. She knew just as well as his friends that going to school today wouldn’t be easy.

“Oh well, I guess it doesn’t matter,” Cass told him. Smiling back at him, she reached up to embrace Tadashi as tightly as he could. “You have a great day, okay?”

Chuckling, Tadashi hugged her back. The longer the hug went, the tighter her hold seemed to get. Over the years, he had gotten used to her being squeezed by her bone-crushing embraces. Right now wasn’t the time for one. He patted her back in hopes she’d get the hint to release him. “A-Aunt Cass,” his voice strained. “I gotta go.”

Pulling away from the hug, Cass handed Tadashi the lunch she made him, finally allowing him to take it. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”

Tadashi waved at her before turning around. The others had been waiting for him to catch up, now leaving the cafe one by one. A couple steps forward and he paused. Glancing back over at his aunt, he thought about something that she had started doing recently. Now seemed as good a time as any to return the gesture.

Rushing back over to her, Tadashi initiated the hug this time. “Last hug,” he told her.

Not expecting Tadashi to turn back, Cass jumped. However, when she realized what this hug was all about, she immediately returned it. The ‘last hug’ was something she decided to do not too long after Hiro’s passing. She was more than aware that anything could happen to the people she loved most at any moment. Because of that, she wanted to make sure that any time her and Tadashi parted ways would be a hug. That if anything happened to either of them, their last moment spent together was a happy one.

“I’m so proud of you,” she gushed. She pulled away slightly from the hug, resting her hand lightly on Tadashi’s jawline. “And I know Hiro would be happy for you too.”

His aunts’ kind words brought a warm smile to his face. Though there were many moments where Cass felt unqualified to be a guardian, she always seemed to know what to say when support was most needed.

“Thanks, Aunt Cass.”

---

He wished it had taken longer to get to school. The second the all too familiar campus came into view, Tadashi looked away. A part of him regretted not riding his moped. He could have taken the long way and stayed in the student parking lot until he needed to go to his first class. Ultimately, he knew if he had driven to SFIT on his own terms, there would have been a higher chance of him turning back. Besides, with his mind in as many places as it has been, driving probably wasn’t the best idea.

The endless support and encouragement his friends were giving him was something he admittedly knew he needed. They all needed one another after what they’ve been through. They may not have known Hiro for very long, but they all considered him a friend. They were looking forward to having him attend college and to get to know him better. All of them were devastated when they heard what happened to him. All of them were shocked when they saw that the man behind the mask was Professor Callaghan. All of them were saddened by the loss of Baymax.

All the experiences brought them closer together. While Tadashi was suffering the most out of the hardships, they were all giving their best efforts with pushing forward.

Standing in front of the main entrance of the school, everyone gave Tadashi a moment to take it in. He absentmindedly fiddled the strap of his satchel, looking away from the structure with a frown plastered on his face. As much as it hurt to think about, he couldn’t help, but imagine Hiro yanking his arm forward. To explore the campus and everything it had to offer.

He was pulled out his thoughts when he felt the gentle touch of Honey’s hand against his shoulder. “Are you nervous, Tadashi?” She studied his facial expression, trying to gauge where his emotions were at.

Tadashi responded with a sigh. “I guess so,” he shrugged.

“Hey, I know what will cheer you up,” Fred spoke up. “Let’s walk around the quad for a bit. I bet a lot of people are there with their insane projects!” Wasabi smiled at the idea. “We do have time before our first classes. Might as well enjoy ourselves before we meet the new dean. I’ve heard that she’s a hard case.” He emphasized that last part between his teeth, covering the side of his mouth with his hand in the event that this new professor was somehow behind him.

“It’s up to you,” Gogo chimed in.

Tadashi cracked a small smile, appreciative that his friends were giving their best efforts to make him more comfortable. Quite frankly, he had no clue how he’d manage if they weren’t here.

For many reasons, the quad sounded like a great option. It was a great place to go on campus to get fresh air, study or test out projects. There would definitely be a lot of familiar faces that he hasn’t seen in a while. And to his personal delight, they’d be far away from the exposition hall.

“Sounds good.” Tadashi tried to sound as enthusiastic as he could. In reality, it probably sounded more forced than he intended, but no one commented on it.

Without another word, the group of five went up the stairs, hopeful that going to the quad was exactly what they needed to start off the semester right.

---

It wasn’t.

Nothing went wrong. There were, in fact, fellow classmates in the quad. Some were sitting on blankets and catching up with their friends. Others were testing out their projects. It was refreshing to see what everyone else was up to, bringing sparkles to Tadashi’s eyes.

However, the entire time the group was there, the mood amongst everyone shifted. Everyone noticed the presence of the gang, Tadashi in particular. Fred had always described Tadashi as an SFIT legend to which the robotics major would humbly laugh off. Despite not wanting to admit it, the mascot had a point. Most, if not everyone, knew Tadashi. Those who didn’t have a class with him at least knew his name.

If they didn’t know who he was before, everyone on campus knew now due to the showcase incident. This resulted in people whispering to their friends the second they saw Tadashi. Some spared pitiful glances his way, much to his displeasure. No one said a word. It seemed like they were all trying to figure out how he was and didn’t want to ask out of fear of upsetting him.

Uneasiness built up in his gut. The others caught on to his discomfort, asking if he wanted to go to the cafeteria instead. He simply shook his head, not wanting to be around a large group of people until his first class.

The only decent place to go was the Ito Ishioka Robotics Lab. Wasabi suggested to spend time in the nerd lab, but after the disappointing visit to the quad, Tadashi asked if they could walk around the halls.

His friends happily obliged, trying to keep things casual. They started talking about their schedules, figuring out if they’d be in any classes together. Gogo groaned due to finding out her first class would be Applied Particle Physics, but at least she’d have Honey Lemon to talk to.

“What’s your first class, Tadashi?” Fred asked. When he didn’t get a response, he looked over his shoulder.

Not too far away, Tadashi had stopped walking with the others. Currently, he faced the door leading to his personal lab. He wanted to go inside, but his arms remained stiff at his sides, refusing to reach for the handle.

Concerned for their saddened friend, Wasabi walked over to him. When he laid a hand on his shoulder, Tadashi immediately looked up at him. His widened eyes and gloomy pout sent an empathetic pang in Wasabi’s chest. “You okay, man?” He asked softly.

“Yeah.” Tadashi looked away from him. “Yeah…” A small chill traveled down his spine. “There’s just...a lot of good memories in there. Creating Baymax and...a-and introducing Hiro to Baymax…” His monotone voice trembled as he recalled the evening that he first brought his brother on campus. It thrilled him beyond relief that he had gone from wanting to make a career out of bot-fighting to attending SFIT so quickly. Sharing his lab with him crossed his mind several times. There was no doubt in his mind that they would have worked on so many projects together. Hiro probably would have come up with ideas to include for Baymax.

The hand Wasabi had on Tadashi’s shoulder was a more firm grasp now. “We understand. We miss Hiro too...and Baymax.”

At the mention of the young robotics prodigy and healthcare companion, they all shared a moment of silence. There wasn’t anything they could add to the conversation. What Wasabi said was true. They all knew it and didn’t want to say anything to cause Tadashi more distress than he was already dealing with.

“Do you mind if I catch up with you guys later?” Tadashi requested. “I would like to be in my lab alone for a bit.”

He gave his friends a guilty look, feeling bad for wanting some space. On the darkest days of his life, he pushed away everyone he loved. He didn’t want to be pitied or receive comfort for something he felt like he could have prevented. No matter how many times he ignored them, they still contacted him as often as they could. Although they met up again under intense circumstances, it made Tadashi realize how much he missed their company.

Thankfully, none of them seemed worried about parting ways. Wasabi flashed him a smile before him and the other turned to continue walking.

Without the pressure of being watched, Tadashi finally gripped his hand on the handle. He slowly opened the door, exhaling a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. Stepping inside, he looked around his lab. Everything was exactly where he left it.

He walked over to his desk. The first thing he noticed was his sketchbook which contained drawings of Baymax. He opened the book, eyeing the detailed sketches of his invention. It felt like forever ago when he was having difficulties to get his design just right. He knew he wanted something simple, but if creating Baymax proved anything to him, it was that everything about him was complex. Robotics was his passion; therefore he was a perfectionist when it came to his creations. Baymax was far from being an exception.

With his mind being on robots, Tadashi remembered that he had packed Megabot with him. Flipping the flap of his satchel, Tadashi dug through his bag until he found the bot. He didn’t have it in his heart to smile.

“Wish you were here, little brother.”

Tadashi carefully sat Megabot down against his desk lamp. He turned around to take in the rest of his surroundings. His eyes curiously wandered to a large box on the ground. Last he checked, he didn’t put that there. What was in it?

He made his way over to the box, curiously opening it. With two flaps undone, he was already able to see what was inside. His heart dropped while undoing the remaining flaps. It was Baymax’s rocket fist.

How could he have forgotten? After the battle with Callaghan, all that was left of him was the rocket fist he had used to save him and Abigail. Tadashi didn’t want it in the house in the event Aunt Cass found it and Wasabi offered to put it in his lab for him.

Although the piece of armor brought back agonizing memories, he couldn’t let it stay in the box. Physically, it was the only part of Baymax he had left. Even though it wasn’t a part from his regular design, it was still his.

Lifting it out of the box, Tadashi cautiously brought it over to one of his cluttered tables. He wasn’t sure if this would be the permanent spot for it yet, but for now this worked.

Once it was set down, Tadashi placed a hand atop of the thumb. A warm smile formed across his face as he thought back to how helpful his friend had been. No matter how helpless he felt when they had to say goodbye, Tadashi felt nothing, but gratitude towards Baymax. He’d give anything to repay him.

In an attempt to lighten his mood, Tadashi fist bumped the rocket fist. “Ba-la-la-la,” he imitated fondly. He remembered when he first taught Baymax what a fist bump was. It could not have been more adorable.

Just as he was about to turn away, Tadashi’s eyes caught sight of something peculiar peeking through the fingers of the rocket. What was that? Last he knew, nothing was in Baymax’s hand when he deactivated. Perhaps it was some debris that had been floating around in the portal?

Turning back, he carefully undid each finger of the fist. The object slid down, lying in the center of the palm. An object that Tadashi immediately recognized the second he got a good look at it.

It was the chip he created for Baymax. The chip that he programmed over ten thousand medical procedures into. The heart of his friend. Something he believed would be gone forever. It was here the whole time. How it was possible, he was unsure. But it didn’t matter. He still had the key to what makes Baymax who he is.

“My chip,” he marveled breathlessly. He mentally noted that the chip had earned a couple small cracks, but it was definitely operable. With that in mind, the wheels in Tadashi’s head started turning at full speed. A huge smile appeared on his face. He could rebuild Baymax! In truth, the idea had crossed his mind before, but he held back on it. Tadashi worried that if he completely recreated Baymax from scratch, he wouldn’t be the same. Sure, the outside of him wouldn’t be the original, but the chip was intact. That was the important part.

With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Tadashi pulled up his blueprints of Baymax on his computer. He paced around his lab, looking through drawers to check and see what pieces he already had to work with. On a piece of paper, he sketched out the skeleton on his robotic friend, making notes on what he wanted to upgrade him with. He recalled Hiro telling him that super capacitors would help him charge faster. That was a must.

There were still some parts he’d need to get later, but Tadashi had the majority of things he’d need to remake Baymax. For now, he sat at his desk to work out some basic outlines. “Don’t worry, buddy,” he said as he sketched more ideas out. “You’ll be back to normal soon. I promise.”

As the robotics student dove further into his work, the orange screen from across the room turned on. A video started to play, featuring a slender, modest African-American woman. “Good morning. I’m Professor Granville, your new Dean of Students. Welcome to San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.”

The second he heard her talking, Tadashi turned his attention to the video. So this was the new dean. He knew nothing about her, but he could see why people assumed she was tough. She talked professionally and had a stern look on her face. There was an intimidating vibe to her, but that was to be expected. She has big shoes to fill and she seemed prepared.

Her video message was short and straight to the point. She casually welcomed everyone back to SFIT and formally introduced herself. Tadashi didn’t have an opinion on her yet, but she seemed like a good fit for the new dean. She wouldn’t have been chosen for the job if she wasn’t qualified after all. Not to mention after the whole Callaghan ordeal, they probably had to perform background checks on potential candidates.

He wanted to like her. He hoped he would. But he also wanted to see her solely as a professor. Not his mentor. Not his friend. A teacher that he hoped to gain a mutual respect with at most.

With the video done, Tadashi went right back to working out some more details in Baymax’s design. He was so invested in his work that he hadn’t heard someone knocking at his door. Or that that same person entered inside his lab.

“Mr. Hamada?”

Still no response. Once Tadashi fell deep into projects, the rest of the world disappeared.

“Mr. Hamada!”

The voice calling out to him finally got through. The upperclassman jolted in his seat, quickly turning around in his chair to see who was talking to him. There, now in person, stood Professor Granville. She stood tall with her hands behind her back. A displeased frown had made its way on her face.

Tadashi shifted his eyes around the room a couple times before focusing his attention back on her. “U-um, sorry,” he began. “I-I didn’t hear you.”

“I see you’re making yourself comfortable in your lab,” the professor speculated. Tadashi gulped. “Yeah...I am actually.”

Something in Professor Granville’s expression appeared to soften a little. “Well, I wanted to stop by to personally welcome you back. I have heard a great deal about you...and what you have recently been through. I’m sorry for you loss.”

Her unexpected condolence brought back the ache in Tadashi’s heart that had momentarily left when he had discovered Baymax’s chip. He hadn’t known this new professor for more than thirty seconds and she already knew more about him than he wished she did.

“Oh...thank you.” He turned back around to face his desk, not wanting her to see him upset. “My brother was really excited about going here…”

“Hiro was quite the impressive prodigy. I have no doubt that he would have excelled as a student here.”

Tadashi’s head hung low. He wanted to question how much she knew about his brother, but now wasn’t the time to ask. Her words were truthful, but it stung to hear them past tense.

“After all, he would have had you to help guide him.” Granville clasped her hands together. “You are a gifted, young man and I look forward to getting to know you better.”

Her touching words managed to make Tadashi smile if only for less than a second. A grin nearly twitched along his lips, only for him to remind himself to remain neutral. He turned back around to face her again. “Thank you. I’m sure I’ll get to know you better too.”

Granville nodded. “Yes, well I don’t think it’ll be anytime soon. Your first class is in a few minutes and I know you’re not one to be tardy.”

As she started to walk away, Tadashi grabbed for his notes and Baymax’s chip, placing them inside his satchel. “Right.” He laughed nervously. “I don’t want to be late.” He rushed out the door, following right behind the new dean. “It was nice to me-”

“Tick tock, Mr. Hamada,” Granville interrupted. “Don’t want to keep your professor waiting.”

Having nothing left to say, Professor Granville walked away, maintaining her stiff posture. Tadashi watched her walk off for a brief moment before turning to go to class. That certainly wasn’t how he expected to meet the new professor, but it went surprisingly well.

Still, he’d rather not think too much of it. He had more important things to focus on. And he’d work nonstop if he had to to get Baymax back.

---

Omg the first chapter to this AU is finally finished! Wow, these chapters are going to be long. I originally planned to have the chapters even way longer though. But the idea of the chapters being twice as long definitely didn’t seem ideal to me and kept me from being motivated.

Basically, Baymax Returns was originally going to have 4 chapters. Every 22 minute episode I plan on doing would have 2. And Countdown To Catastrophe would have 6. But now I have it set where Baymax Returns is going to have 8. Regular 22 minute episodes will have 4. CTC will have somewhere between 10-12??? Idk, I’ll figure it out. The second I decided to cut the chapters shorter, I was much more excited to continue writing. I definitely have my work cut out for me haha.

So far, things in this AU are pretty similar to what’s going on in the show. Obviously, not everything is going to be the same. Tadashi is going to be making completely different decisions along the way than Hiro did. Some might be similar. You’ll have to see how things go as the story continues. For now, he’s taking things at his own pace. I hope you all will be excited to see what will go on.

Also, I made a thing in photoshop based on this chapter!

Here it is! It’s not really great, but I had fun editing it.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! :D

[isakwon]

MALEVO

Pairing: Reader x Got7’s Kim Yugyeom

Genre: Angst 

Warning: Violence and swearing

Word Count: 2k

     Yugyeom was only a baby already living the best life he ever had. Sometimes his father would take him to work while making sure his son had fun working in an office all day. His mother would teach him floral cake decorating and he would eat sugar cookies if he behaved.  He liked picking flowers for his teacher and the librarian just for doing their job. Elder women who lived next door given him the nickname “Gyeomie Bunny” because he resembled one apparently. He loved everything about his life as much as the person next door. He was adorable as he was harmless so the nickname stuck around him.

When he was a little boy, he skipped on the pavement leading to his home. His parents their youngest son’s little hands. Tonight his relatives are coming over and he was excited to watch his parents cook for them while he set the dinner table. When they arrived, Yugyeom ran directly to hug them. His aunt took him aside crouching down to match his eye level and takes out a goodie bag

 “Yugyeom, what do you want when your grown up?” She asked him.

Yugyeom said brightly, “I wanna work with Dad and look after Mom.” 

His heavily touched parents adore over their sympathetic toddler, smiles and awes follow.

“And where are you going to live?” She asked again.

    “Here. I wanna live here forever and ever.”

Young Kim Yugyeom loved climbing the rooftop to watch the sunset before bathing.

That was before he ran away quickly before light shone on him.

He loved running down the street with neighborhood kids holding sparklers high.

But that was before running down the street hiding behind corners trying to catch some air.      

Too many people looked down onto him, and they had their own right justified. They said he needs to be locked behind bars. That he needed some good beatings. They assumed he wasn’t raised properly, rumors spread about him and none were  true. They said police should shut them down. On some occasions, they were right.

People who think, behave, speak like him are your least favorite. So why did you keep caring about him?

.....

Because he’s your childhood friend.

You were a transfer student starting the second Junior high school year, and the week before, you sprain your ankle. Walking and using the stairs weren’t as easy as always with crutches especially lunchtime but Yugyeom offered carrying your tray until your ankle heals.

  “Are you still going to want to sit with me after my ankle heals?”  

“Nobody wants to sit with you anyways.” He smirks. 

You reaction was a released chuckle because hell since you didn’t know anyone, you sat all alone. 

 ....

Soon later your friendship was incomparable with past ones. The two of you were inseparable like peas in a pod and sometimes people teased about one day you’d end up falling in love, but that was never the case. Your parents met through your 17th birthday party for the first time at last. He laughed while you apologize for your Dad’s behalf, who was offering his parents every booze under the basement. handing you his birthday gift. You went complete shocked. “Gyeom...how did you know?”

The collection album covered with your favorite music idols tore the wrapping paper away to get held firmly like the bouquet full of daffodils.

“You talked about how much you were ‘dying to have it’. What friend wouldn’t listen to you?”

You throw arms around him hugging each other and smiling. Crossing his arms over your shoulder blades as you whisper beside his ear.  

“Thank you so much.”

 …

One day Yugyeom walked beside you through the street the way to his house during summer picking snow cones with the spoons.

“Hey Kim Yu!”

There was an older man seemed to be in his thirties waving at you smiling while wiping down his car. He began to walk towards the spot where you were as Yugyeom shares his childhood memory of the man teaching him and his group mambo. He increased the music volume and told the then little boys basic steps which eventually turned a dancing circle with neighborhood children.

Out of nowhere two loud bangs roared almost muffling your hearing. Some mysterious maroon car sped the scene revealing the man who was walking towards your spot, present with blooded wounds diagonal across the back. You stare over the body, frozen in horror unable to move until Yugyeom rushes you inside the house.

 Shortly after one life was lost, Yugyeom stopped coming to school nearly losing contact with anyone including you. Although he gave you his new phone number Yugyeom has been seen less and less anywhere. Teachers ask how he was and the answer was you hadn’t heard from him because the daily calls were decreasing by months.

You stood still grasping your fingers, weary before knocking the door again. No one was home but the cars were in the driveway so someone at least must’ve heard you however when you knocked on the door again, nothing. “Excuse me mam, have you seen Kim Yugyeom?”

The elder woman pauses her knitting, “Oh he’s no more here. His parents left the house with him and came back without him. That also the last time I had seen them.”

So they have moved away but why was Yugyeom silent about that? Together you had been through thick and thin whether the situation was chance getting held back because grades were dropping or nerves shivering before ditching class parties simply because neither enjoyed being there. Was he just worried about what you’d think? How far is the location, you could still make the friendship work. Even the bestest friends disperse using distance keeping them away, however you and Yugyeom loved each other so much. You were like the sister he never had and boys don’t often wish having a sister.

“Are you his girlfriend?” The woman ask out your pacing thoughts.

You shake your head. “No no, his friend, we met Junior High. We spend lots of time together especially here.”

If moving away was the case how come they still have their cars parked in the driveway? Yugyeom left with them how come they came back without him? Where was he? How come they didn’t move together? Who allows minors leave the house before his parents the month before graduating and nobody have seen the parents?

This puzzled you.

 “You shouldn’t ever come again. Walking freely over here won’t be happening again, thankfully I don’t have much time to live.”

  Your jaw drops, suddenly feeling slight discomfort and saying sorry for the best thought up response.

“Don’t be, this place had always been my home for many years until outskirt problems are slowly making their mark here. I’ll be safe in paradise with JoIn without actually getting hurt.”

  The woman leaves the spot beside the fence grasping the yarn cloth and knitting needles with her. You scan the worry-free neighborhood where residents considered safe and private place. Your parents wanted to move here. Nobody complained about being poor they didn’t need millions of dollars. This place having problems can’t be true.

Distance took time separating those who were once friends.

“He escaped from the girls he dated plotting to fight him for being a player.”           

  That’s not true.

“Is he still alive?”         

     Of course he is, at least hopefully.

 One day a fellow student caught him at gas market and they said, “He wore this rain jacket that looks like it cost two hundred, maybe he got a good paying job and left school.”   

 And he did.

He was no longer seen much around the building anymore because he was working full time for the worst job possibly easy to get. The salary came easily, largely, late, on time, and put bread on the table.

….

  As you stretch your arm muscles, you looked forward cuddling with blankets for hours, watching your favorite movies while eating ramen and chips before falling your head back down into the pillows. During early college years, you thought working five days each week would earn you enough money, but the more days working the more fatigue you become. “Bye Y/N, enjoy your night!”

You and your boss wave good bye, and you take your keys and phone out your pocket unlocking the screen being aimless scrolling through messages between you and Yugyeom. The messages dated almost an entire year since he disappeared before moving away. Sometimes you forget neither stands beside one another opposing having no idea where he went. All that you had was his new number working for some time, yet whenever you asked when you could meet, he always said the same response.

There must’ve been an excuse for Yugyeom to stopped messaging like losing his phone. As much as you denied it, the friendship was going extinct on his behalf meanwhile you thought about him so much, it worries you.

....

He knocked on the door using the secret rhythm doing the same delivery tonight for his least best client, none were the best clients. None of them trusted him and he could care less he didn’t trust them either with all rights. Every afternoon Yugyeom wakes up regretting this job so much he wanted to be saved since the moment things around him working their way to crush him. Since the moment the people he trusted the most turned their backs.

“Open the fuckin’ door man.”

He squeezes through the creak looking the peeping eyes’ owner head down to toes slapping and shaking his hand, meeting his face reflecting exact blank narrowness. Three more men with women under arms hung around the room, the more buffed looking one leaned back against the couch closing his legs. Their faces held as emotionless all observing Yugyeom coldly revealing bit of his eyes flicking his visor.

“You good Rabb?” He dipped his head in a nod as he stood still scanning the walls covered with mold, dirt, torn holes, graffiti gang signs which were also written on the door. Their television set decorated with collectible almost empty beer bottles and shot glasses lacing around leading on the nearest side table. Some couch pillows were slouched covered with thin quilts, tears, unidentified stains visible in the dimness, white smeared lining remains on the armrests and coffee table. ‘Girl A’ wore an oversized jacket probably must’ve took some “candy” he last delivered before arriving, dangling her leg while sitting on the other, flicking baldie’s ear slumped against his side.

“What’s up Yu, did you bring the soda?”

  “The candy’s the only noun welcomed here. You don’t give two shits about me without it. And we’re in private just call it what it is.”

  His already uncomfortable aura matching the atmosphere and occupiers lounging over the couches, except Yugyeom never supposedly forgets anything. And today he would be expecting his deserved payment already past deadline.

“Delivery man is just as important since he’s the one bringing the stuff to us.”

The taller leaner man said. “Of course we know you’re too close minded to trust us.”          

Yugyeom pulls a crumble brown paper bag from his inside pocket, hunched above the table scattering ziploc bags filled with dope in different measurements. Trust rolls their tongues like honey as if that were their lifestyle motto When these buyers cared for drugs only unlike others who put pressure on Yugyeom to trust them.

Yugyeom never tried hitting dope nor considered trying, he saw how addicted users get. If it weren’t for the news presenting grotesque slideshows with photographs of effects from drug use, he would have died the even stupider way. Whether he used dope or not, dealing came with a huge amount of violence putting lives on the edge of line.Yugyeom could lose his life anyway any day and he’s lucky enough having lived more than some newbies. He outlived those always doubting he’d live long enough before turning twenty-one. Few dealers are actually five times smarter and five times wealthier than their customers. Most smarter than others who were keeping the dopamine for themselves and not having some escape route in case the fuzz was coming.

Baldie shrugged his supposed lady going into another room as she’s clouded in bleached Isobutane lingering the couch she sat on, she definitely had eaten the leftover dopamine in small amounts. She says very drowsily, “Hey...you smell clean?”

“Bitch, look at me then look at you. I’d be walking around wearing nothing but that sweater to be higher than you. Get off.”  

“Okay hey don’t be like that..like all ruthless or something.” She says, sitting back down, crossing her legs, exposing black boy shorts and messing with the cushion beside her.     

Baldie comes back holding a handful of cash rolled with a rubber band and a bottle in the other hand. Yugyeom wished delivering dope and driving where he stayed money in pockets were as easy and quick as making deals on apartment parking lots during the day. Unfortunately, dope dealing was a secretive job that started taking longer getting it done as long as money. And unfortunately as he’s counting the rolled up cash, there wasn’t enough.  

 “You want some toke Rab? Maybe feeling little anxious, one time my girl Chae came up with her own-”   

“Not from these little strawberry thotties you have business with while they’re blacking out.” Yugyeom moves away the other lady attempting to massage his shoulders, “What I want is my fucking money, where’s all the money you owe me?”  

    The girls face each other being taken aback how someone could talk against their customers the way Yugyeom did. Baldie backed away for the taller man to stand directly eye to eye with Yugyeom who lifted his chin.

“The fuck are you being so goddamn disrespectful in my household man?”

“Aye you already disrespected this house turning it into a drugged brothel. You’ve already been left off past due payment and you think I’m just gonna let a weekend's worth slide?” Almost raising his voice.

He glimpses the corner of his eye where the sounding double clicks coming from barrel shotgun gripped by the snarling girl called Chae. Behind Yugyeom he hears another click that can mistake for curtains bending, but doesn’t look.

“Yeah, coasts clear.”

The guy who opened the door looms behind Yugyeom trying to raise tension onto him however he stayed cool as ice. A twenty-two pistol gets seven centimeters closer as Yugyeom’s eyes never leave the taller man’s who are locked on Yugyeom, huffing thick weed clouds through his nose, smelling like burnt cardboard.

 “The bottom line is we’re still short. So you’re gonna have to let this one slide the entire month.”  

  In the beginning, this terrifies a younger Yugyeom when he showed late and accidentally messed up a large delivery. Despite accompanied during the deliveries as ‘Training Godfather’-as newbies were liked to be called- hiding crouched down beside the passenger door before escaping had been the day he realized he just became a new target. He fears for his life every morning and hesitates before grabbing the doorknob.

 “Yeah? Every house I’ve been to always have some secret stash next to their own stash, I know you have somewhere above short back there. Mind if I take a look?”  

Threatening situations no longer froze him, he’s getting more used to them. “You really wanna go there?” He turns the pistol off safety

“You welcoming me there looks like.”

  Only two seconds pass when cardinal whistles breaks tension off, probably their watchman Yugyeom saw on top the roof before entering. The taller man tugs the curtain to peep out one of the windows stepping aside from Yugyeom, his eyes sharp and ears open wherever the sound of truck’s running engine is heading. “Oh shit, the fuzz are coming! Hide everything!”

Before they knew it, everybody stays behind scattering around cursing under their panicked breaths, stuffing their drugs beneath the floor, walls and ceilings. The guns hid behind the canvas paintings, the refrigerator was filled with beer, water and little dope bags. The men were yelling and the women panting going everywhere, ducking from flashlights and getting more anxious when they hear dogs barking. Yugyeom raced toward the back the house hanging flat back against the wall waiting for the spotlights to pass, once they were gone the window was wired so he couldn’t get out. He acted quick as he could, holding his breath, scanning the halls, before the oncoming tank rammed the house with their battering. Not caring whoever he pushed the door on, twas all one man for himself. “Shit.”

As soon as he finds another, Yugyeom wastes no time kicking the window hard as he can. Meanwhile, the clients continue stuffing all their stuff down bathroom sink pipes and into the air vents. Backup cops snuck around the opposite side of the house blowing fire extinguishers off into the bathroom. And judging by the sudden midnight thunder and following grunts, the tank already tore the entire living room down, giving someone a damaged back. Shouting instructing voices draw closer. “Shit.”

It takes three kicks more to free Yugyeom and jump the same direction shattered glass fell. 

   He skidded one way then the other, the dog barking vigorously behind him hopping rooftop after the next. Not even the cops could spot him since the night was still mostly dark and his full on black outfit was the most helpful camouflage. He may have failed to earn delivery payment but he succeeded escapement for survival once again, winning against weapons, tanks crushing him, and risk from getting arrested had been now Yugyeom’s life. But this life, this persona wasn’t who Yugyeom truly was and it never will be. 

He finds hiding right on time disappearing into the crack of dawn.

| Read MALEVO 2

[caithyra]

Vampire Game Reviews Part 1

This Halloween I sat down and played a bunch of vampire themed games and decided to review them. First up, Vampire Legends: The True Story of Kisilova, Dracula: Origin and Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. I might get around to Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption and Dracula: Love Kills in a later post.

I use my own 5-scale gradation in this:

0: Either I couldn’t force myself to finish it, or I was more relieved it was over than anything else. 1: I had no fun, but there might have been something fun in there… maybe…? 2: More bad than good. 3: About evenly good and bad. I actually start having more fun than not. 4: A solid entertainment piece. Has it’s blemishes, but despite that I like it. 5: Almost perfect (perfection is a myth). I had lots of fun and am satisfied.

(Semi-minor spoilers below. Unless you’ve gone quite far into the games, you likely wont suss out what’s happening until it’s happening.)

Vampire Legends: The True Story of Kisilova: You’re an investigator for the Hapsburg Empire going to the small town of Kisilova, recently beset by a killer leaving bloodless victims behind them. Rumors of vampires abound. After a series of mishaps the rumors do not feel so farfetched. Especially not when a mysterious, young woman enters the picture.

(Left: The Beginning of the Adventure with our buddy and hint machine. Right: The first of many, many hidden objects screens in this game.)

Okay, it is a point-and-click visual novel adventure thing that’s really short (less than 5 hours, and I think I left the game — and the clock — running for a while at some point), and also cheap. It was enjoyable enough, the music was forgettable but good enough, the graphics nice and atmospheric enough and the story was short and serviceable. The problems mainly came through the game-play; this game relied faaar too heavily on hidden object minigames, and those were unskippable, while all others were skippable after a short while. Fortunately, your partner can give hints to speed things along. As for my final decision in the winter-themed bonus chapter? Well, it was Halloween so I thought “why not?” and that was that for Europe. I always try to pick the most supernatural decision whenever I can lol (see Squirrel Elves in the Witcher franchise, or picking spell-sneaking classes in the Elder Scrolls).

My biggest problem with this game, however, is that I need to resize the resolution on my ultrawide monitor to play it without horizontal stretching distorting the art. The Options menu is seriously lacking in Options (actually, that whole menu is a mess that looks more at home in a Free-to-Play mobile game).

All in all, I generally liked it and its short nature meant that except for the hidden objects minigame, most of it didn’t outstay its welcome and it was really cheap (less than 4€ when I bought it, which is about the right price IMO. I think regular price is something like 9.99€?) so worth it. 3/5.

Dracula: Origin: You are Van Helsing. Yeah. That guy. And you have a missing friend, Harker, who had something to do with Dracula, and you have a pretty friend named Mina who ends up targeted by Dracula and now you must rush across the Old World to save her from a curse.

(Left: Yup, same dev as the Sherlock Holmes games. Middle: Vampires don’t like garlic breath. Right: Dammit Mina, I gave you ONE job. One. Job. All of this slow walking could have been avoided!)

Ah. Frogware. I generally like their Sherlock Holmes games, but this game… It felt more like a waste of my time. Oh, I’m sure there is a good game in there that isn’t a waste of time. Unfortunately, it is hidden behind the biggest time-sinks in the game: Van Helsing walks at half the speed of a normal person at all times and speaks really slowly, in conversations that has no branches, yet they will periodically be interrupted so that you can click on the next topic in the list (that wont reveal the next topic until you’ve listened to the topic listed before it). There’s this scene during a cave in when he says something like “quickly, we must make haste to escape!” and then you click on the exit and he waaaaaaaaalks slooooooooooooowlyyyyyy through it. It certainly doesn’t help that he must cross the entire span of the screen and backtrack locations many times and… AGH! RUN YOU FOOL!!

And, well, Frogware adventure game with its strange clues and non-clues and objects. There’s this bit in the first outdoor area when you have to capture some flies. Now, if you have followed the story logically, you will have a jar and a lid in your inventory. Easy, peasy, just click the flies with the jar, right? Nope. You must find a mourning veil hidden in the cemetery (that is large and that Van Helsing waaaaalks sloooooowlyyyyy through), use it on the flies and then combine the fly-ridden veil with the jar to get a jar of flies (I wont say what for because of spoilers, but, well, I don’t recommend eating during the Cemetery/Mansion part of the story if you have a phobia against bugs). There are also several objects that are basically five pixels on the screen because of the angle we’re viewing them at that we must find to pick up, and on the whole, I had more frustrations than fun with this story. Like, there’s even this puzzle minigame with a picture of Minos, the Labyrinth and the Minotaur and you find thread/string in the same house and wouldn’t you know it! The thread/string has nothing to do with the minigame and the minigame has nothing to do with the legend of the Minotaur!

On top of that, well, lets just say that the Egyptian section has quite a bit of stereotyping (think Victorian stereotypes of Egypt and its people in a modern game. Also, potential racism against white people must be prevented at all costs, including lying to a bereaved family), and when we run into our first, unliving female vampire she of course wears a top made of strips of cloth and a sheer skirt (you’d think a rich vampire’s favorite mistress would own a nice dress at least, but nope), and every woman (including dead of non-vampiric variety) have their beauty commented upon (and, of course, a young, pretty girl’s defilement/death is a tragedy, which is why it is so important to include that she was pretty).

And, well, this game markets itself heavily with Dracula at the forefront, not Van Helsing, yet while Dracula is the main antagonist, he only has a few, brief scenes, which were disappointing. All in all it was a 1/5.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines: You are a fledgling of one of the Camarilla clans, recently thrust into the secret world hidden by darkness, and more specifically into one of the most fucked cities of the World of Darkness. After your illicit embrace into the undead by your executed sire, the Prince of the City has graciously offered to adopt you, provided you prove yourself worthy to the exacting clan of rulers. Except the prince’s domain is built on quicksand, and this is Los Angeles; the birthplace of the modern Anarchs, and one of the domains of the Kindred of the East, on top of the eternal, political dance all Kindred must dance, and you, baby vampire as you are, have no allies and no clue as how to proceed except to survive.

(Left: Told ya Velvet is a mascot in this game. Middle: Did you know that Mercurio was meant to handle the Voerman sisters and we wouldn’t have to go through sewers and a haunted hotel if he did his job? Right: Apparently the Chinese are masters of Japanese swords and the Ventrue need no neckbones...)

Here’s the thing about VtM:B: It is a very enjoyable game and definitely the definite vampire game out there. It also has no story for your character. “What about the Ankaran Sarcophagus?”, well, your character participates, but it does nothing to answer the questions we are immediately confronted with in the opening of the game: Why would our unknown sire, an upstanding member of Kindred society, break one of the Traditions (pretty much laws set in stone for all Kindred over the entire world) to embrace us? Why would the prince, whose sole job is to uphold the Traditions, then break one of the Traditions and allow the ill-begotten progeny live?

Except for the opening of the game, we never hear from our sire again, nor the questions raised during the opening. And that makes our player character a bit superfluous when any random neonate could serve just as well.

So if not story-telling, what does VtM:B do that makes people sing its praises? In short? Characters and the World. It is incredibly atmospheric and while characters don’t develop (vampires are static by nature in this world, and most characters in the game are entrenched in their places and wont be shaken by some random baby vampire showing up), they are all very distinct and written in different tones. However, if you’re not role-playing as an ignorant fledgling, but meta-playing with some Vampire the Masquerade lore known, you will feel extremely railroaded (if your character had any inkling of who Smiling Jack is in the World of Darkness, they would never believe his coarse but kind uncle-figure thing he’s got going on. Because even before a certain hugely Biblical spoiler got involved, Jack was an imposer, liar, manipulator and mass-murderer who has sired many, many thin-blooded vampires and abandoned them to their fates. There’s a reason why only ignorant neonates like Nines’ gang admires and likes him. What I just said is not a spoiler for the game, btw, because it never comes up because your character is an ignorant fledgling being manipulated and deceived by literally everyone. Maybe Velvet and Bertram don’t, but Velvet might seem so sweet when she convinces you to be her knight because of Presence and acting, and Bertram is a Nossie and they have major secrets within secrets).

And while it is easy to sink into the world of the game and roleplay, thus mitigating the railroading feeling above. This game was clearly written with an audience of White Male Teens in mind. We have Velvet (of the fashion-conscious Toreador clan) show up at the prince’s court in Elysium in only a lacy basque, g-string and thigh high fishnets, tall heels and not as much as a peignoir thrown on top. Yeah, she attends an important society function in her fetish underwear. Then we have the explicit sex life of game cover-girl Jeanette (yeah, the one dressed like a dilapidated school girl), and those two are THE female mascots of the game.

The less said about the Orientalism and the Kindred of the East the better, but that segues into how around the time you reach Chinatown, the game starts losing its luster and strengths. Okay, so if you’re sensitive to that kinda thing, you might notice it a little bit in Hollywood, but by the time Chinatown rolls around, you might notice how it is less immersive and how it starts to feel more and more gamey (specifically, Action gamey), and you get less options that isn’t some variant of “kill it”.

On top of that the game has technical issues if you do not use the fan-made patch (I always use Patch Plus, which restores cut content and quests, as well as ReShade for better anti-aliasing and sharpness), and it still has a few cropping up from time to time. At least it works perfectly well in ultrawide resolutions?

Still it has that charm, and despite its flaws and how I can think of a dozen complaints at the drop of a dime, I still love playing it. So it’s a 4/5 from me.

[myheadcanonacademia]

The Gang talks about puberty.

Words: 2134

Class 1-A was in the middle of their English course, most of the students desperately trying to translate their assigned passages before it was their turn to speak. Compared to most of their other academic courses the language ranked highest. While general studies and hero support pushed proficiency in mathematics and the sciences, it had become apparent early on that the quadratic equation wasn’t going to help fight villains any time soon. The main focus of academics in the hero course was on language, and along with that the arts, theater, and writing.

Every hero course student had to be proficient in hero vocabulary and conversational English before they graduated, besides that they had to have a working vocabulary in at least three other chosen languages. Long nights were spent when the students could be heard talking to themselves in German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin and even Russian. They drilled phrases like ‘How can I help you?’ and ‘Are you in danger?’ as well as any possible replies that they could get. At lunches the week before an exam other students would raise eyebrows at the exhausted looking class 1-A as they rambled back and forth to each other in broken German asking ‘Have you seen this child?’ over and over again. The theory behind the study of the arts and writing was that heroes would have a higher attention to detail and be able to have the put what they saw into description. The theater classes assisted in their public speaking confidence.

Kaminari Denki was currently sight reading his chosen passage, a fairly complex paragraph from an American novel. Several students lay back in their seats, having already tried and failed to accurately translate their homework. Kaminari was without a doubt the star of the language class. While students like Iida Tenya and Yaoyarozu Momo excelled in all subjects, watching Kaminari flawlessly translate passages from Harry Potter on the spot was akin to watching a meteor shower. Beautiful and yet somehow terrifying.

After Kaminari finished his passage, Bakugou Katsuki stood up. His eyes and hands were on his open book of English readings. He had picked the hardest one he could find, a section out of a story by Edgar Allan Poe, and now he was regretting it. Slowly and firmly he tried to wrap his tongue around the odd fitting Anglo-Saxon language. He stumbled a few times and did as he had been taught to do when something frustrated him, take a breath, count to three and try again. It worked in an academic setting at least. But he stumbled over his words, glaring at Kaminari who was looking at him with a smile. Him and the rest of Bakugous group had been slaving away over their languages for days with little improvement.

And then it happened. It being, one moment Bakugous voice was an even raspy growl and the next it jumped up to a decibel that only dogs could hear and then falling to a deep bass. Bakugou froze mid sentence, counted to three, cleared his throat, and turned bright red. Even so he slowly began again, his eyes wondering over the faces of his class, most of them hadn’t even been paying attention, no one seemed to bothers by it at all. Bakugou raced through the rest of the passage and dropped back into his seet. He hid behind his arms crossed over his chest.

The second time it happened it was several days after the first incident. Bakugou had completely forgotten about having his voice break in the middle of class. But puberty never let you forget her for long. He was in the middle of a sparring match with Kirishima Eijirou, his best friend. Kirishima was acting as a punching bag as Bakugou viciously slammed his bloody knuckles onto his friends stony body.

“Why won’t you just give in-“ Bakugou was cut off mid threat by his voice rocketing up from its normal tenor to a soprano.

“Dude.” Kirishima laughed, he faltered in his defense and Bakugous right hook caught his chin.

Later that same day Bakugou and his little gang of losers had crowded the kitchen are of the common space. The only one who was actually using it for its intended purpose was Bakugou. He slaved away over the kitchen stove prepping meals for him and Kirishima. They were both trying to bulk up. Kirishima was trying to help by cutting the vegetables but he was so slow and kept crying over the onions that Bakugou had demoted him to ‘guardian of the Tupperware’. The defeated redheaded boy stood holding the plastic storage containers, trying to be interested in Bakugou as he explained why he never boiled broccoli, but Kaminari was being way too interesting. He had discovered a website that had a bunch of English profanities and they were all trying to memorize them but their pronunciation was so off most of what they said was nonsense but with the amount of laughter it was apparent that it didn’t really matter.

“Kirishima pay attention, I’m only making enough food for both of us this one time.” That’s what he said two weeks ago as well.

“Dude relax.” Kirishima laughed, glancing at the broccoli beef Bakugou had created. He waved the Tupperware around. “I’m ready when you are!”  

Kaminari poked Bakugou on the shoulder. “You should be listening to these they are so funny!”

“Why the fuck would I be interested cursing in English. No one will know what im saying.” Bakugou rolled his eyes. Sometimes his friends got excited about silly things. Silly harmless things that just made them happy, it was Bakugous job to shit on those things as much as possible.

“Come on man, try this one.” Kaminari raised his phone. “Your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elder berries!”

“Your… Fa… Father was a hamster…” and Bakugous voice cracked again, no one made a move. Bakugou reached behind him and grasped one of the (only)  clean saucepans and in his rage launched it out of the kitchen and towards the sitting area. The handle wedged into the wall where it would remain for generations to come. He small gang of friends laughed at Bakugous expense.

“Dude, your voice  has been cracking all day!”

“I’ve noticed, Hair For Brains. “ Bakugou returned to his cooking, his face growing ever redder. He was furiously mixxing garlic into the beef sauce. “it’s fucking annoying.”

“it’s puberty, don’t sweat it dude.” Kaminari leaned back against the cool counter top, his finger scrolled through his phone but his attention was on Bakugou. “We are all suffering.”

“I don’t see you turning into a soprano in English class.” Mina laughed. “Fucking Sarah Brightman over here nearly made Iidas glasses crack.”

Bakugou growled at the pink haired girl. “it’s not a big deal, my voice breaks too. Remember in Hero training? I was trying to warn you that Sero was behind you and all that came out was nails on a chalk board.” Kirishima comforted Bakugou with a pat on the arm from the Tupperware.

“I’m moist like all of the time.” Mina happily chirped. The boys looked to her visibly shaken. “oh you wish! I mean I’m sweaty all of the time. Even now, you should feel my back.”

“I’d rather not.” Sero cringed.

“That’s gross.” Bakugou looked over his friend group carefully, reconsidering his choices.

“I’m allowed to be just as nasty as you Palm Sweat.” Mina used her foot to give Bakugous rear a quick kick. She pushed herself up onto the counter top and pulled a bag of chips out of MInetas shelf.

“I have a semi like 80% of the day.” Kaminari admitted way to comfortably. “And not for any reason. Two days ago I opened a pudding cup, boom, raging boner.” He laughed, everyone’s eyes drifted from his face to his crotch and back.

“Okay all of you are-“

“I’m pretty sure im going to be hairy as fuck.” Sero continued with their little confessional. Bakugou accepted that his had stopped being about his cracking voice and was now an all included ‘my body is doing fucked up shit’ power hour.

“Dude I saw you have chest hair and everything.” Kirishima laughed. He pulled out his shirt collar and looked down at his smooth skin. “Lucky.”

“You want chest hair?” Bakugou winced. “Why?”

“it’s manly as fuck.” Kirishima added.

“Let me see!” Mina was lifting Seros shirt, and he was letting her. He had a small patch of hair growing out of the middle of his chest between his pectorals, and one hell of a happy trail. Mina plucked a hair off from around his nipples and laughed. Sero cried out and frowned.

“Dude there aren’t that many!” he stole the hair back from Mina.

Bakugou rolled his eyes and nudged Kirishima to hold out the tupperware. He stated sectioning out the large quantity of food. Kaminari eyes him closely. Bakugou sneered as Kaminari adjusted his pants silently.

“Oh my god! Ew!” Mina jumped back up on the counter top.

“I’m sorry okay!” Kaminari wiggled around in his jeans. “It won’t stop! I don’t know what to do!”

“Just go jack off in your room.” Kirishima suggested, not even teasing, just trying to give friendly advice.

“I do… all of the time! I can’t jack it anymore! MY. DICK. HURTS.”

“All the time?” Mina now seemed kind of interested. Kaminari inched away from her.

“It’s that or I great the world dick first for the rest of my life.” Kaminari was wildly waving his arms around as he spoke, but it was going nothing towards distracting everyones eyes from his obvious boner.

“Maybe you could use it as a Taser?” Sero clowned a pelvic thrust. “ZAP ZAP!”

Kaminari seemed to be considering it. Mina burst into laughter.

“You won’t even need your charge director. You could have been using your dick this entire time.” The pink girl was screaming.

“Just imagine Kaminari running around, dick flying through the air, shooting lightning!” Sero had to support himself on the tile next to Mina.

“Cockbolt!” Kirishima slammed shut the freezer after him and Bakugou had packed way their meals.

“Stuncum.” Bakugou muttered a little quieter.

“Cum-inari Dick-I” Mina was getting way too loud.

“Fuck all of you guys.” Kaminari was choaking on his laughter. Sero was hardly even breathing. Kaminari turned to Kirishima as he wiped tears from his eyes. “And what about you? You as rock hard as I am?”

“Me?” Kirishima looked a little shocked that they were even curious about what ever damage puberty was wrecking on his body. “I don’t know… kind of all the normal stuff I guess?”

“Normal stuff?” Kaminari wanted details. Bakugou couldn’t deny he didn’t also what to know what the apparent faultless puberty god had to say. Kirishima seemed to be going through a short list in his head, trying to pick out the most interesting.

“Sorry, I don’t really know…” he scratched at his head. Kaminari wasn’t accepting that.

“Come on! Something? Is one of your feet bigger than the other? Do you smell bad? Acne in odd places? Come on! have your balls even dropped?”

“Of course they have! Im just saying that I cant think of anything funny to say. Nothing can really beat your fucking boner!” Kirishimas face was starting to match his hair.

“I bet Jirou would like to beat it.” Mina muttered under her breath.

“Really?” Kaminari perked up. “How… how do you know? Did she say-…”

“Kirishima cries a lot.” Bakugou announced coldly. All eyes were on him.

“I do?” Kirishima questioned. He didn’t think he cried a lot.

“You’re an emotional wreck.” Bakugou was pulling out more rice and meat, he wasn’t going to let them know but he was making everyone a late lunch. He just felt like cooking. “you cry at almost every movie we watch, even the ones that aren’t sad. Yesterday you dropped you pen in class and when you couldn’t reach it I saw fucking tears in your eyes.”

“Kirishima you big soft pussy. “ Mina spoke bluntly.

Kirishima looked to be in a state of shock. He guessed that maybe he had been crying a bit more than normal, that silly things like missing shoes and low batterys were pulling tears from him in the gallons. But he was an emotional guy so it made sense. Kaminari pulled Kirishimas head to his chest “my soft boi.”

“Get off!” Kirishima struggled against Kaminaris grip. Sero put his hand on the back of his head and pushed it down.

“NOW SUCK THAT DICK!” Kirishima escaped just in time, the group sans Bakugou laughing. Bakugou started putting the food he had just taken out way. Fuck these people, they could starve.

[oilooknohands]

Why Oblivion’s Dark Brotherhood was way better than Skyrim’s

Oblivion’s Dark Brotherhood was arguably one of the most memorial parts of The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion. And as for Skyrim’s, well, I’m convinced that if you took out the pure awesome idea of killing the emperor, it suddenly falls very flat.

Note: I’ve been obsessed with these two games lately. On my latest assassin play-through of Oblivion, I downloaded Deepscorn Hollow, took the weapons of all my fallen comrades after purifying the Cheydinhal Sanctuary and placed them in spots of honour within my new home. Vicente’s claymore, whom I considered my mentor and closest friend after Lucien, was in the pedestal of my bedchamber. I would’ve put Lucien’s there, but I couldn’t find it after he was made into a meat hanging (thanks Mathieu, you fuck). The Overall Organisation

I’m willing to accept the idea of Skyrim’s guild being weaker. In fact, I think it’s a great idea and even gives it more substance. But without the old ways, I’m honestly not sure why the Dark Brotherhood exists at all. I’m not only talking about the Black Sacrament going unheard, because the idea behind the Night Mother goes a little deeper than that.

Let’s look at Oblivion, and how Skyrim’s Dark Brotherhood failed to emulate it.

The old ways were a lot more than just a bunch of rules; the attitude that came with them is what bound an unlikely collection of psychopaths together into what they called a “family”. They’re the reason the assassins had such a fondness for each other.

Let me give you a quote from Lucien Lechance:

“Have you not heard of the Dark Brotherhood? Of the remorseless guild of paid assassins and homicidal cutthroats? Join us, and you'll find the Dark Brotherhood to be all that, and so much more. We are, more than anything, a union of like-minded individuals.”

You’ll note that Lucien wants you to know that the Dark Brotherhood is a union. It’s kind of like a “we’re all in this together” kind of way. And it’s not just tough love, because the mythos of the Night Mother and the assassins being her children is the reason for this family-like bond. Even as you join the brotherhood for the first time in Oblivion, everyone (except Dar) welcomes you with open arms and overwhelming support, because they know that you are now their brother, someone who has come forward to adopt their strict ways of life. Like family, merely by being apart of the brotherhood, you are already deserving of respect and affection, unless you outright prove unworthy.

Now, this whole bond came from the old ways and the attitude it put into its subordinates. Without this way of life (which Astrid refers to as ‘outdated’) why exactly is everyone in Skyrim’s Dark Brotherhood apparently so close with one another? Why do they consider themselves a family if they’ve apparently abandoned this life-style and instead live as they see fit?

Take Nazir for example. He says “-the dark brotherhood saved me from myself.”

Saved you? How? They’re just a bunch of cutthroats with a truce against each other. There’s nothing binding these people together except for the fact that they’re all crazy and homicidal. You can describe them the same way you describe bandits. Why do you, and the rest of these people, apparently have an unbreakable bond, if you’ve abandoned the old way?

I get that Skyrim’s Dark Brotherhood is different, and has purposely abandoned the old ways, but without them it makes no sense that they would even have a reason to call each other a “family”, which they do anyway. It almost downplays how Oblivion’s Dark Brotherhood was so special. The game is saying that any bunch of jokers could become a family as long as they didn’t kill each other and lived together in some place.

The Characters

When Alduin scalds you for not meeting the standard set by the original heros, I feel the same way meeting Skyrim’s Assassins. Aside from Babette and Cicero, I don’t really like any of them. I’ll explain each character, next to the character I think they’re closest to in Oblivion.

By the way, I won’t cover Babette and Cicero, but I’ll quickly say this: Babette had some questionable moments herself, but I forgave them because she was colourful. And Cicero, well, it’s hard to dislike him after you read his journals, and see the way he went to hell and back because of his devotion to his duty. 

MOVING ON.

Astrid/Lucien Lechance

Now, I know Astrid was a traitor, which makes a lot of people dislike her, but I’m going to say that even before the quest Death Incarnate, or even before the quest The Cure for Madness, she’s still kind of awful.

Let me compare these two leaders by describing them without talking about their appearance, abilities or roles.

Lucien LeChance: Cold, calculating, intelligent, strong-willed, loyal, honest, sadistic.

Astrid: Proud, arrogant, paranoid, foolish, short-sighted.

In the simplest terms, Astrid was weak. But I’m not going to dwell on this any longer, because in her case, it was intentional, and this is more salt than criticism. 

Nazir/Vicente Valtieri

I like Nazir. But there’s an issue here.

The reason Vicinte’s role in the story was so genius relates back to what I said earlier, about the old ways being essential to the dark brotherhood’s identity as a family. Vicinte is your first quest-giver, and he tells you not to worry about him feeding on you, because the needs of the dark brotherhood are too great. His role is a great way to introduce to you the mentality behind the merry band of murderers.

The first time you met Nazir, well, he’s an asshole. I know he got better toward the end, but if truth be told, respecting someone after they kill the emperor isn’t exactly a big thing to ask.  

Now, Nazir did grow on me, I’ll admit, but the role of these two characters kind of represent my problem with the Skyrim Dark Brotherhood as a whole.

Festus Krex/M’raaj-Dar

Festus introduces himself as the kranky old uncle that everyone should avoid. I mean, isn’t it a contradiction to introduce yourself like this? It’s like going up to a random stranger on the street and telling them to not talk to you, because you hate talking to people you don’t know.

M’raaj-Dar downright ignored you the entire time, but you could still seamlessly talk to Festus about whatever you wanted. There wasn’t really any reason for him to be a grumpy outsider and it never fit into the story.

Festus grew on me about the same time that I grew on him, but his character is rather uninspired. He’s just a grumpy man who likes being known as the grumpy man.

Feeling that family love right about now.

Veezara/Teinaava + Ocheeva

Veezara isn’t bad, but he wasn’t nearly as interesting as Teinaava or Ocheeva, who set a hard bar to compete with. 

The twins are clearly well-connected, as Ocheeva has been trusted with leadership, and Teinaava is tuned in enough with Argonia to know when and where to send you to kill Scar-Tail. And you get the idea that they’re intelligent and well-travelled. For example, Teinaava knows how to exploit Fort Sutch’s defences and how to escape from Gaston Tussaud’s ship. Ocheeva even mentions completing a contract on a ship at sea near Vvardenfel.

Aside from being a shadowscale, which was cool, Veezara didn’t have much going for him. Ocheeva and Teinaava were very colourful. Most of Veezara’s conversations were like this:

               Tell me about yourself.

                               Well, I am a shadowscale, and I was trained to kill.

               How do you feel about Cicero and the Night-mother?

                               I don’t know. All I know is, I am a shadowscale, and I was                                     trained to kill.

And that’s pretty much it.

You know it’s cooler if you don’t go flaunting it around in everyone’s face. 

Basically, make Veezara an Imperial or a Nord, and he will be far less memorable.

Gabrielle/Telaendril

I don’t really know what to say about Gabrielle, because I don’t know anything about her. (I have the official game guide for Skyrim, and it has bios for every character in the Dark Brotherhood. It doesn’t say much about Gabrielle.)

These characters aren’t even that similar, except for the fact that they’re both Mer archers.

Telaendril had personality. She was eager to please and lusted after the chance to advance in the guild, as seen by her disappointment by not being given the “special assignment”. She also tried telling Gogron about the virtues of stealth, and in doing so she was showing her loyalty to the old ways. However she also let her guard down around Gogron because she had a soft-spot for him (and a wet spot too, or so Gogron claims). It made her seem well connected and apart of the family, and not just a shoe-in to have an archer in the assassin’s guild.

Which Gabrielle was.

I didn’t even know she was an archer until I destroyed the Dark Brotherhood in another profile. I killed Gabrielle’s pet spider and used its venom to poison her, and then I cut her head off of and threw it in the pond.

Arnbjorn/Gogron gro-Bolmog

These characters both fit in the role of “ignorant warrior who just likes to kill”. Gogron likes you from the start, Arnbjorn is an asshole but becomes nicer (am I noticing a pattern here?).

Gogron’s ignorance made him charming, because he was just in the Dark Brotherhood doing what he loved, and he was happy to talk to you even if he wasn’t completely clear on what he was doing.

When asked about the night mother: “All I know is, she pays me to kill people. My own mother should’ve loved me so.”

When Arnbjorn is ridiculed about disrespecting the night mother: “Keep talking little man, and we’ll see who gets punished.”

One of them isn’t aware of his ignorance, and it makes him likeable. One of them embraces what little he knows, which makes him annoying.

Not to mention, why exactly did Arnbjorn dislike you, only to end up respecting you towards the end of the questline? Apparently it’s because you “proved yourself time and time again” but if he was just distrusting of your competence, why wasn’t his wife’s testimony enough? Or, killing Alain and his gang, or something earlier?

Each time I do The Purification, it’s completely heartbreaking. For Death Incarnate, I don’t care.

So long Arnbjorn! I hope you skip the Hunting Grounds and go straight to BURNING IN HELL!

Quests

Something tells me I won’t need to try hard to prove this point.

Skyrim’s assassinations were all very basic. You had a bunch of side missions, where you killed targets who weren’t going anyway. And, you also had the main quests. There were no unique ways to kill any of your targets, and no extra effort required for any of them, except for thinking about an escape.

Oblivion’s assassinations were all so incredible and memorable. Even the most basic one involved smuggling yourself onto a ship to kill the captain and escaping through the back.

There was also the quest where you became a sleuth and tracked down an Altmer skooma addict, or another where you were invited to a party and had to murder each guest (or turn them against each other), or there was infiltrating an occupied military fort, and the prison you started the game in.

The purification, which broke everyone’s hearts, I will speak no more about.  

And my favourite part, defeating the members of the Black Hand. Replaying the quest knowing who these targets REALLY are makes each of them seem like a legend in their own right.

J’Ghasta, the Khajiit martial artist who could kill with his enemies without being armed. Shaleez, the Argonian huntress (who is probably also a shadowscale) who made her lair in an abandoned flooded mine. Alval Uvani, the travelling Dunmer wizard who is a master of destruction. Havilstein Hoar-Blood, the Nord barbarian residing in the mountains, who is probably strong enough to send you down the mountain in a single swing of his axe (or was it a hammer?). And finally, we come to the listener, Ungolim. The Bosmer archer who has by now been anticipating you, and whose hunter-like instincts make him detect you before you strike.

As terrible as it was to learn that you killed even more of your comrades, you learned that each of them was a formidably killer with deadly prowess, not only making them worthy targets of a highly-trained assassin, but the perfect leaders for the shadowy organisation.

Was there anything that memorable in Skyrim’s Dark Brotherhood? 

You fought against some Imperial agents, I guess. You fought Alain.

…

The end :/

In Conclusion

I know most people probably already agreed with me on these points, but I just wanted to get them settled. Hopefully in the next Elder Scrolls game, the brotherhood is strong with the old ways again, and not everyone dies.

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers Annual #7 + Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2

December, 1977

A joyous various winter type time period for you and yours!

Due to these issues issues coincidentally falling in December and also wanting to get back to the main book as soon as possible, I’m doubling up issues in this post. It’s a Yule-esque miracle, perhaps.

I wanted to get this out last Friday but I couldn’t make it in time before I had to visit my family for pre-Christmas.

Anyway, lets get into it.

The Avengers and Captain Marvel and some jerk named Adam Warlock team up to fight Thanos.

We’ve seen this before but the Avengers got kicked off the field so Drax and Captain Marvel got to hog all the Thanos to themselves. Maybe they’ll get their asses beat by him personally this time.

Dangit, maybe I should have saved this for when Infinity War came out? Eh. I can always cover Infinity Gauntlet. Its Avengers-adjacent.

Without further ado, let us commence without stealing someone’s catchphrase.

We start with Adam Warlock being moody and in space, the two prime facets of his character.

In brief, Adam Warlock was created by evil scientists to be the Perfect Man. He was then beaten near death by Thor and went back to his cocoon. Later, the High Evolutionary named him Warlock, gave him the Soul Gem, and sent him to Counter-Earth to become its champion where he gained the name Adam. Then he became involved in a predestination paradox with his evil future self the Magus and had to murder himself in the future to prevent his evil future self from existing. Thanos helped with this for his own nefarious purposes.

Warlock has been tracking Thanos, following the trail of destruction as it were. But he finds Gamora, Thanos’ most faithful servant.

Gamora is a lot different than in the movies. For one thing, she’s dying.

She discovered his secret plan of Stellar Genocide to wipe out all life and so he left her for dead.

Gamora: “He’s quite mad, you know.”

She says, master of understatement.

Gamora also reveals that the only person Thanos fears is... ADAM WARLOCK.

Warlock swears he’ll hunt down Thanos. But he won’t do it alone. bwoop. His forehead jewel eats Gamora’s soul. As it do.

He also scream exposits at no-one that he thought Thanos was a friend but Chaos and Order whispered to him while he slept that Thanos was a betrayer and also that Warlock is the Champion of Life, the natural foe to Thanos, Champion of Death.

Usually its worrying when voices tell you not to trust your friends but Warlock is kind of intense so I won’t tell him if you won’t.

Shouting into the void done, Warlock heads off to Earth. Which is a good segue for the Avengers portion of this Avengers Annual.

It is a dark and stormy night. Iron Man is brooding by the window. Scarlet Witch is trying to get Vision to go talk to him. And Beast has revised his policy on kissing and telling with Cap apparently into it.

Scarlet Witch finally convinces Vision to talk to Iron Man by basically saying they’re the same kind of stubborn stoic jerk who hides their emotions and Vision is like fine geez good logic.

Iron Man doesn’t really have an answer to give though. He just has a foreboding feeling.

Iron Man: “It’s just that ever since I arrived here tonight, I’ve had this unexplainable feeling of danger -- of forces at play about me. I don’t want to be here but I can’t bring myself to leave!”

Captain Marvel: “That’s because you are meant to be here this night, just as we are.”

CAPTAIN MARVEL (not those ones) AND MOONDRAGON!

Coming in through the window. And dripping on the carpet. Because fuck politeness, amirite?

It took all of my willpower to not edit this panel to have Tony say “Iron nipples... rigid! They sense danger!”

Because why would you choose that panel and pose to detail his chest dials?

I wonder how awkward it is for Iron Man and Moondragon to be in the same room. He was kind of an ass to her the majority of the short time she was on the team. And then she sabotaged his new roster by quitting and then convincing Thor and Hellcat to also quit.

Maybe that’s why it seems like they’re glaring at each other. Or perhaps Tony is just mad she’s taller than him.

Anyway, weird feelings are going around because Captain Marvel and Moondragon were also drawn to the mansion with a premonition that their powers would be needed.

This same premonition must have also drawn part-time Avenger Thor here.

‘No, I just wanted to hear stories about Beast’s love life. Now was this hair curling an euphemism or did grooming serve as foreplay in this encounter?’ Thor might have said.

Okay. Maybe I’m curious. Don’t judge me.

Anyway, the Avengers and guests ponder what kind of horror might be approaching that would need such an assemblage to stop.

A few hundred light-years away, a Playstation rendered TIE Fighter shoots a beam at a star and then the star kerplooies.

And a few hundred light-years back, Moondragon feels millions of voices cry out in terror and then were suddenly silenced.

I’m not being flippant. She basically Obi-wans.

Beast is being flippant. Doing card tricks and laughing off the idea of psychic screams and talking winds. This from the guy who was on a team with Professor X and Jean Grey. Won’t be laughing once Jean pulls the same shit on a different star, I tell you that.

He also won’t be laughing right now because Adam Warlock appears out of nowhere just to sass Beast.

I truly believe Adam Warlock’s true superpower is drama. He’s even got his own weird speech bubble quirk.

Anyway, he’s another person for this assemblage. But he also brings word of their common foe: THANOS.

Apparently it was supposed to be sort of a surprise? They haven’t said his name until now but if you’ve read any of the stuff Adam Warlock appeared in you’d recognize that Gamora worked for Thanos and the distinctive shape of Thanos’ ship, which is not actually a poorly rendered TIE Fighter. Its actually much bigger.

If you haven’t read any of the previous Adam Warlock stuff well then sucks to be you. He’s barely introduced here in this Avengers book.

But Thanos? Thanos gets a whole page of recap and introduction. By Adam Warlock. His best frenemy.

What’s weird is that apparently everyone is making faces like ‘yeah we know all this already’ and Warlock sees those faces but just keeps plunging on anyway.

So yeah we get through the stuff where he turned into a giant wireframe head in space and Captain Marvel chopped a Cosmic Cube to bits.

Now apparently Thanos is one of those villains who doesn’t think they could possibly lose but sets up some contingencies just in case. See also: Ultron.

Being ungodded left Thanos floating helplessly in space. And apparently he can breath in space. But then his not TIE-ship retrieved him and he began scheming anew.

But here’s the problem (from Thanos’ perspective): Death abandoned him for his failure. So he decided he needed a grand romantic gesture to win her back. Aka: where most of Thanos’ horrible atrocities start.

And on a scroll from a dead world, he found his answer. And the answer is what his answer always is. Gathering the six shiny things.

Yup.

This is the first time Thanos gathers the Soul Gems. Later to be called Infinity Gems once Thanos in a later story realizes he kind of underestimated them.

Actually the Infinity Gems got a bit of play before they were revealed to be Collect Them All Become God powerful. The Elders once tried to use them to kill Galactus because they were mad he was older than they were.

We get a brief montage of Thanos retrieving all the Gems. Stealing one from the Stranger, liberating another from a prison satellite, finding one in a cave, getting one as an epic drop from killing a monster named Xiambor, and finding one on the Moon because of course there’s one on the Moon.

The final one he was afraid to make a grab for because it was Adam Warlock’s Soul Gem and could steal Souls.

Instead, Thanos pretended to be his friend, worked together with him to defeat Warlock’s evil future self Magus because comics, and secretly siphoned off some energy from Warlock’s forehead bling without Warlock even knowing.

And then he transferred those energies and the energies of the other five Gems into a giant synthetic Gem. A truly, truly outrageous plan.

Truly a better telling of how he collected six things then the full miniseries that preceded Infinity Gauntlet and was just Thanos being smarter, stronger and more handsome than anyone else ever. I heard Thanos was shredded. I heard he had an eight pack. Etc.

When Gamora discovered that he planned on blowing up every star, she tried to backstab him but she was no match alas.

So most of this exposition Warlock learned by eating her soul with his forehead.

Meanwhile, hundreds of light years away, Pip the Troll arrives at Thanos’ Sanctuary ship to pay the “old gang” a visit. Nobody seems to be home so Pip loudly talks to himself, objectifying Gamora and insulting Thanos and basically digging himself into a hole.

I mean, in fairness, Thanos would have killed him either way. Now that he doesn’t need to pretend to be nice to Warlock, there’s no need to be civil to Pip either.

Lets just assume that something bad happens off-screen. Because we are changing scenes again.

So we have Thanos a) doing something crazy as a grand romantic gesture for Death and b) gathering several powerful gems. What’s next on our Thanos bingo game?

Invading Earth with a giant space armada? -checks- Yup.

And its such a giant space armada its twice the size of the giant Skrull armada from the Kree-Skrull War. These imaginary numbers are way bigger than those imaginary numbers!

(How does Thanos keep getting people to sign up with him if he inevitably leads them to their deaths and then laughs at them??)

The Avengers prepare to go fight an entire space armada by themselves again (seriously, start building space defenses, the Earth). And Adam Warlock just skips out without so much as a goodbye.

As the heroes prepare to go into battle we get some good character beats from each of them. And they each kind of lead into each other. Its good stuff.

Moondragon ponders how Thanos always shatters any peace she finds. Later on down the line, he even interrupts a date with her girlfriend. Thanos is the worst. Anyway, he also killed her family and caused her to be adopted by Mentor of Titan so really he’s always been screwing up her life.

Iron Man grapples with fear. He’s going to fight Thanos for a fourth time and wonders if he should have his head examined. Each time he’s fought Thanos he barely survived. And the last time the Avengers fought Thanos, they were only able to thwart his schemes. They didn’t even fight the man. Are the Avengers just heading for an unmarked grave among the stars?

(Maybe I should have saved this for Infinity War, geez)

Captain Marvel ponders how little they truly know about Thanos. And also he hugged Death and still lives. Whats the deal with that?

Thor is just thinking ‘man its about time I get to deck this Thanos fellow in the face.’

Vision wondering if decking Thanos will even win the day. Thanos is in effect a mutant demi-god. Because apparently the Titans of Titan are an evolved offshoot of the gods of Olympus. Which I guess makes Hercules and Thanos related? And also, wuh?

Captain America wishes they had more information about Thanos’ firepower and plans. But also suspects that Warlock knew more than he let on. Which will continue to be Cap’s frustration every time he ever works with Adam Warlock, who tends to use the superheroes of Marvel as disposable pawns in his inscrutable chess games.

Beast wonders who Adam Warlock even is. He was skeptical about this whole thing until he looked in Warlock’s eyes, the eyes of someone who has seen life, death, and infinity.

Scarlet Witch though is thinking that Adam Warlock is totally evil and that he and his Soul Gem could one day prove to be their foe.

And hey. She isn’t even wrong. Because Adam Warlock’s Evil side the Magus tries to take over the universe. And his ostensible Good side? She tries to KILL EVERYONE.

I sometimes think Adam Warlock only ever falls mostly on the side of good because of spite against people that side with evil.

And then the time for pondering ends. GIANT SPACE FLEET.

God. What a spread.

The Avengers really should start evolving their strategies against massive space invasions because the plan is still to send Thor and Iron Man out the airlock to dogfight spaceships individually while the Avengers’ shuttlecraft makes a run for Thanos’s H-shaped flagship.

A massive laser cannon aimed at space would be really helpful right now but some jerk time traveler never lets us have one.

Oh. And this is kind of a suicide mission. In that the Avengers looked at the odds and thought welp we’re boned. And decided to snatch victory from the jaws of numerical disadvantage anyway even in dying.

Wait, where the shit is Wonder Man? He usually has something to say about the Avengers grimly and dutifully marching off to their deaths. Usually of the ‘I wish that were me I me I don’t want to die but I do kind of want to retain dignity while I rush into death anyway.’

Anyway. Thor starts breaking space stuff FOR MIDGARD! FOR ASGARD! FOR LIFE! while Iron Man... has to be more indirect. Since repulsors are laser punches, he uses them to redirect the enemy’s ionic rays back into their allies.

Although if you think about it, hitting a spaceship going as fast as it is with a punch laser would probably punch a hole in the hull. No sense putting an extra step into it.

And technically with no sound in space, this would be more accurate:

Just Thor loudly screaming nothing as aliens asphyxiate.

Anyway.

With exactly two people running distraction (even though Captain Marvel can also fly through space I guess they need to keep some muscle to fight Thanos), the Avengers reach Sanctuary II.

Creating a kind of seal with the bomb bay doors somehow, Captain Marvel blasts a hole in the hull.

Beast: “I imagine a small army of aliens is waiting below to massacre us.”

Captain America: “So what are we waiting for, Avengers? LET’S GO!”

Nice.

Just wading hip deep into an army of alien malcontents. Now that’s cosmic.

If Avengers: Infinity War doesn’t have Vision fist a crocodile man, then the Marvel Cinematic Universe has failed.

Anyway, the Avengers do their Avenger things. Beast acrobats around and makes the wise-cracks.

Vision just stands still and lets someone shoot through him. As I get further and further into this liveblog I realize more and more how much Vision can just passively win battles and realize where Wonder Man got the idea from during his pacifism phase.

Scarlet Witch does a probability hex at a pig/bug/devil alien wearing no pants but wearing boots and a belt and bling to make his gun hand explode.

Moondragon smugly asserts that she needs no help. And she also reaches an armament control panel so she can turn the Sanctuary II’s guns against the rest of the fleet.

Also, there’s a giant cyborg space ape named QU’LAR THE MASSIVE.

He lasts for exactly two panels before Captain Marvel tells him to sit on it and possibly ruptures every one of Qu’lar’s organs.

Related to this, it strikes Captain Marvel that things have been a bit too... easy. It was too easy to get through the Sanctuary II’s hull. Too easy to reach it in the first place. And too easy to beat up Thanos’ forces.

If Thanos wanted to stop them, wouldn’t he be throwing worse at them?

He barges into the ship’s central section expecting the other shoe to drop.

Oh hey. Its empty. Well, except for Adam Warlock and Pip the Troll.

Adam Warlock: “His name was Pip, and he was my friend. Perhaps my only friend. He was joy and light to my darkness and damnation. He was unique among the heavens... and Thanos destroyed his mind and left him for me to find. First Gamora, now Pip. All about me those I love are falling. This cannot be allowed to go on. Nor, by my Gem, shall it!”

And Adam Warlock om nom noms Pip the Troll’s soul.

Alas, Pip. You were. Someone who existed. And who I have no strong feelings about at all. I guess Warlock’s Good side trying to kill everyone makes more sense if Pip was his idea of joy and light.

Anyway, by eating Pip’s soul, Warlock now knows what Thanos is really up to. Because Thanos did the villain thing and monologued his plans before destroying Pip’s brains. And Warlock absorbed that knowledge when he ate his soul.

So why did Thanos brag about his plans and then leave Pip’s husk for Warlock to find and learn from? Shrug. Thanos planting the seeds to his own destruction is ridiculously common even at this point. Its why he becomes a farmer later. He got so much experience with planting.

Anyway, Thanos is in an exact replica of his ship (Sanctuary III?) on the other side of the sun. The flagship and the fleet and all was just a distraction.

Of course, the fleet lured the Avengers out here in the first place. If he had just snuck up on the sun and destroyed it, he might have gotten away with it. More seed planting, perhaps.

But even as Warlock and Marvel approach the apparent real Sanctuary II, it fires its Starkiller at the Sun and starts suncrushing it.

The Sun goes red and purple and begins to flare. Eight minutes later, some astronomers are really going to freak.

But not if Captain Marvel has anything to say about it! He full-speed rams into the ion-laser projector that Thanos’ big synthetic Soul Gem was housed on.

I mean, maybe aim for the big gem next time, Marv?

Because Thanos is like oh darn I guess I’ll just replace the projector and get back to murdering stars?

Then Adam Warlock finally catches up and proclaims that he’s going to kill Thanos.

He gets one punch in before Thanos counterattacks and mortally wounds Warlock.

And since he’s dying anyway, Thanos asks if he’ll rely a message to Death.

Thanos: “Tell her I follow shortly behind you, bringing an offering of undreamed of magnitude... the stars!”

-Warlock plops to the ground, probably not going to deliver that message at all-

Thanos actually seems kind of disappointed on how smoothly this is going. He expected the Champion of Life to be more of a challenge.

THEN THOR AND IRON MAN BURST IN

Because its just one thing after another with heroes.

While Thor and Thanos exchange fisticuffs and... hammercuffs? Iron Man decides to attack the big shiny thing. Because he for one knows you attack the weak point for massive damage.

With the giant synthetic Soul Gem decided, Thanos’ plans and his chance to regain his love’s favor have been thwarted.

He teleports away, vowing that they’ve earned his enmity and will have few remaining minutes of life.

But I’m sure that everything is fine and will continue to be fine forever.

So now what?

Captain Marvel wakes up, probably with a horrible headache, after his face first tour of Thanos’ projector. And he sees Warlock talking to Warlock?

Whaaaaaaaaaat?

Okay, so context. In the Adam Warlock comic, Adam Warlock traveled into the future to absorb his own soul to keep his future self from becoming his evil future self the Magus.

In-universe, this only happened months ago. And also right now.

But the months have felt like an eternity to Adam Warlock as everything he has ever loved or accomplished has fallen to ruin or died. His whole life has been a failure and he welcomes its end.

So Adam Warlock om nom noms his own soul.

And goes back to his present to live out the events that will lead him to getting his soul eaten by himself.

All the while having the soul of Adam Warlock inside and outside the soul gem.

COSMIC!

Having watched this all, Captain Marvel is mostly confused. As is anyone else who didn’t read the Adam Warlock series.

Even with Thanos’ plan to kersplode the sun thwarted, his forces still prove a threat so Thor, Marvel, and Iron Man decide to head back over to the fake Sanctuary II to help the other Avengers.

What to do with Adam Warlock’s body? Eh. Leave it. He’s at peace now. And he’ll peacefully rot in space. Probably like he always dreamed.

Or maybe give him a proper burial?

Throughout Marvel’s conversation with the two Avengers, a green-hued Warlock has been coming to terms with life after death.

Being absorbed into the Soul Gem means being reunited with everyone it has eaten. Gamora. Pip. Some other people probably from Adam Warlock’s own mag. And the realm within the Soul Gem is a land of peace where all can live as one and share a collective memory and heart.

A land where hearts are an open book, where understanding is bred, and the ego is muted. In the Soul Gem there can only be love.

Not bad for a piece of jewelry normally portrayed as evil and voracious.

So a happy ending for Adam Warlock. And a happy ending for the Sun. And a happy ending for the Avengers who decided that they’re not doing any corpse disposal. Happy ending for everyone except Thanos whose grand romantic gesture was thwarted and the idiots he always manages to inspire to follow him who are getting their teeth punched in by the Avengers.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

December, 1977

I’m not ashamed to say that one of my favorite comic book tropes is when someone hits someone with someone. But only if they’re using said person as a bludgeon. Throwing the person is the coward’s way out.

So last time: Just scroll up. Thanos was going to blow up the Sun but Iron Man blew up his bling and Adam Warlock achieved his fondest desire and died.

This time: Peter Parker’s plot senses are tingling.

He senses... that a crossover needs him.

His plot sense also recap the events of the Avengers Annual issue and-

is that an upside down cyclops? What the heck!

Uh, anyway. Yeah. Just a recap of the Avengers Annual. Which is mighty obliging. A less scrupulous writer would have dropped a brief text recap and made you buy the issue to find out what happened.

Anyway, Peter’s dream goes beyond just the events of Avengers Annual #7. He starts dreaming of THINGS NOT ON PANEL. Except now they’re on panel because he’s dreaming of them.

Also, I lied. Its not Peter’s plot sense that's tingling. Moondragon just beamed a recap into his dreams.

After Avengers Annual #7, Thanos teleported back over to the other Sanctuary II where the Avengers were still fighting his diverse crowd of alien jerks (why do villains always believe in diversity more than the heroes do?).

With some actual leadership, they go from being an ineffectual mob mostly existing to make the Avengers look cool to a fighting machine.

In five panels, the fight turns against the Avengers and they all lie defeated.

Well, except for the away team of Captain Marvel, Thor, and Iron Man.

They take an additional page to defeat.

Thanos goes right from organizing his mob in their defeat of the Avengers to an armament control console with no time for gloating in between (which you know is very hard for Thanos) and blasts Thor, Captain Marvel, and Iron Man while they’re flying back towards the fake Sanctuary II.

I was going to joke that its because this isn’t an Avengers book that the Avengers can be totally stomped in two pages. But that’s just their life, isn’t it? Even in their own book they aren’t free of getting taken out humiliatingly easy, are they?

Thanos then had all the unconscious heroes put in stasis beams. Y’know that thing where the heroes are all lined up in a row but unable to move but there aren’t any obvious restraints? Well this time it works by keeping the heroes a micro-second out of sync with reality.

Without the giant synthetic Soul Gem, Thanos can’t blow up every star. But with the Soul Gem on the dead deceased corpse of Adam Warlock, maybe he can still blow up a star. And conveniently, he happens to be near a pretty one called Sol.

Maybe just blowing up the one star in Marvel that matters will be enough to appease death.

And then Peter wakes up, the recap portion of this recap over.

He only wonders why Moondragon chose him to send this message to. He’s a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man not a powerhouse or cosmic dude.

And we cut to Master Order and Lord Chaos basically being to blame. Their game against Death goes poorly and they’re forced to put their reserves in play.

I.e. Spider-Man and Ben Grimm, the Thing.

Because Spider-Man realizes ‘hey wait I can’t webswing into space, I need to borrow a spaceship’

And he knows just who to borrow one from.

Cue a funny moment where Spider-Man startles the Thing while he’s engrossed in reading Salem’s Lot causing him to accidentally inhale his cigar.

Oh what shenanigans you get up to, Peter.

But he gets the Thing to stop complaining about Spider-Man disrespecting the security system by shouting at him to STFU. Ben realizes that maybe Spider-Man has troubles.

So he pours Peter some coffee and listens to his story. And immediately asks what Peter has been smoking. Old tennis shoes maybe?

Which is. Ben knows that real drugs exist, right?

But since Peter is serious about it Ben figures what the heck. There’s an experimental spaceship he was supposed to test-pilot when he got the chance and now’s as good a time as any.

Spider-Peter doesn’t really have... exact directions but the spaceship’s tracking systems will track down Thanos’ ship if its up there.

Spider-Man: “If? Still have your doubts, then?”

The Thing: “About your story? Perish forbid such a thought. How could anyone doubt the word of a man in blue and red leotards who crawls on walls?”

Police, I’d like to report a murder.

But despite Ben’s skepticism, they find Thanos’ giant H on the very next page.

The Thing: “Appears like I was wrong about you this time, Spidey. My apologies.”

Spider-Man: “What do you mean ‘this time’?”

The Fantastispacecraft gets caught in a tractor beam and dragged inside the giant H (for Hate?). Ben kicks the door of his spaceship out so he can immediately go out and start punching some space goons.

Thus making the ship nonviable for a return trip. Good thinking, Ben!

Spider-Man joins in the goon punching, although he admits that monster bashing isn’t his usual comfort zone. But if he fights the small fries which basically look like weird people then he should be good.

He’ll let the Thing fight the giant space serpent.

AND USE THE SPACE SNAKE TO HIT PEOPLE WITH. That’s what I’m talking about, Ben!

Meanwhile, Thanos watches this on a monitor. He must be wondering how many heroes he aggroed today. They just keep showing up.

So he has the gravity turned off in the chamber Spider-Man and Thing are in. That’ll show them.

And Thanos’ men, who I guess trained for just this sort of contingency, waste no time blasting Spider-Man and the Thing while they’re discombobulated.

Its a bit of a shame. I wanted to see if Spider-Man would try to use his webs. A much later comic than this made the point that without gravity, Spider-Man’s webbing would splurt out instead of thwip out in nice lines. I wanted to see if that would be used here, decades before the first time I saw it.

Meanwhile, Master Order and Lord Chaos continue to commentate on the crossover. Another round goes to Death with Spider-Man and the Thing temporarily out of play. Still, they both expected this.

Summoning Spider-Man and the Thing was a ploy to get Adam Warlock back on the field from the emerald hill zone.

Meanwhile, in the land of emerald skies (they look purple actually) and green hills, Adam Warlock exposits about recent events.

Yup. He sure died. And now he lives in the Soul Gem, a paradisaical world where he can forget about his worries and his strife. All within the Soul Gem are one and live in harmony for harming another would be harming oneself. Yup, afterlife in the Soul Gem is good and will remain good forever.

Elsewhere and while, Spider-Man and the Thing wake up at the foot of the hero display case and/or stasis beam.

Thanos didn’t get the chance to gloat earlier so he’s seizing the opportunity now.

His henchaliens are preparing stasis beams for Thing and Spider-Man but in the meanwhile, look at how awesome Thanos is. He collected the Avengers better than the Collector ever did. Suck it, old man.

Spider-Man decides to hear Thanos out, hoping that encouraging Thanos to ramble will give them time to plan. And Thanos knows he’s being played but what the hell, he loves to hear himself talk.

So he explains to the heroes that he’s having another stellar projector prepared which will use the Soul Gem’s power to cause the Sun to go nova (but not that one. Or that one. Marvel has a lot of Novas).

And then he explains that he’s doing this as a grand romantic gesture for Death. Recaps how he fell out of her favor by fucking up his plan to become god with the cosmic cube. But anyway, yeah, thats why the Sun and countless lives on Earth must die. So Death will be really impressed with him.

Ben Grimm doesn’t find that a good motivation so he punches Thanos in the dick.

Thanos just no-sells it and purple energy blasts the Thing unconscious.

Annnnnd Spider-Man realizes he’s out of his league so when Thanos asks him if he wants a turn, he just webswings away.

Thanos: “WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

Spider-Man: “Leaving! This is the Avengers’ hassle.”

For some reason, Thanos takes exception to this and orders his alien mooks to bring back Spider-Man’s head.

Except now what? He doesn’t know how to fly spaceships so he can’t just steal the Thing’s ride (also its no longer air tight). He can’t stay here, he’ll just get killed. But he can’t go back to Earth because if Thanos blows up the Sun, Earth will get a whole lot less hospitable.

So if he’s dead either way, he might as well stay. And if he’s staying, he might as well do something. But he can’t fight Thanos directly. He’d sweep the floor with Spider-Man and probably any hero Spidey knows.

Except.... maybe Thor?

Okay, good plan. Good plan. Free Thor. Save the world. Have everything be good forever. Spidey is glad he talked himself out of that blind panic spiral.

Meanwhile, another Master Order and Lord Chaos intermission. They sure are glad that Spider-Man didn’t let his self-preservation overrule his strong heart.

So Spider-Man loops back around to where Thanos showed him his Avengers collection. And darn, Thanos is still there. And also he changed his mind. He’s not adding Spider-Man to his collection now. So there.

Spider-Man decides the thing to do is smash the stasis beam projector WITH HIS BODY.

So the Avengers wake up and immediately charge Thanos. While Spider-Man limply hangs half out of the machinery. Oh, and the Thing woke up by this point too.

That’s some quality Assembling! Good job, Spider-Man. Probably fracturing half of your bones was worth it.

Thanos summons his army of mooks and we get down to a real rumble.

Weird that apparently Adam Warlock will be needed to resolve this scenario. Thing and Thor seem to be thumping Thanos pretty effectively while the rest of the heroes keep the small fry off their backs.

And the other heroes are playing it very strategically. Captain Marvel is keeping an eye on the overall crowd composition so that one of the heroes can go and bust up any attempt to build up or consolidate a position.

Yeah, I’d say this is in the bag.

But just as Thor and Thing are still kicking Thanos’ ass and looking good doing it, Thanos eye beams Thing unconscious and puts Thor on the ropes.

Dangit.

Spider-Man regains consciousness, still stuck hip deep in some defunct machinery and realizes that he must Do Something. In fact, he feels as if everything depends on the decision he makes next.

In happy paradise green land, Adam Warlock is struck with a terrible migraine and realizes that the plot needs him for one last hurrah.

Spider-Man’s spider-sense spider-leads him to notice Adam Warlock’s Soul Gem, encased in a glass globe.

So obviously he should break that, right?

Yeah.

And with the Soul Gem freed from containment, Adam Warlock manifests as a naked fire man and proclaims himself the Ultimate Avenger.

(Was Adam Warlock ever in the Ultimate Universe? I can only think if he was, his re-imagining would have been endlessly disappointing.)

And Ultimate Avenger Adam Warlock (with kung fu action grip) could not rest while Thanos remains a threat to the universe.

And Ultimate Avenger Adam Warlock is so very, very tired and wants to rest. So Thanos will have to go.

So Ultimate Avenger Adam Warlock takes Thanos for granite because that’s just something Ultimate Avenger Adam Warlock can do.

Fuck you, I don’t have to explain anything. Its cosmic.

Which leaves just the cleanup.

Thanos’ army immediately surrenders.

Which is a good decision for them because they’re probably going to get released with no punishment aside from the hits they’ve already taken.

Spidey objects but Captain Marvel asks what he would suggest doing with them? Put them in Earth jail? That’s ridiculous, Spider-Man. You ludicrous radioactive Spider-Man.

I guess.......... space jail isn’t an option for some reason? They’re kind of accessories to the destruction of a star and conspiracy to commit another star murder.

When Jean Grey and/or the Phoenix did that it was a whole to-do but I guess its just okay this time because it didn’t personally inconvenience the Shi’ar?

Maybe Captain Marvel is just lazy and doesn’t want to do the considerable amount of paperwork it would take to arrest an army.

No Sam Vimes this Mar-Vell.

Perhaps realizing they were dicks before, the Avengers decide to actually have a funeral for Adam Warlock. They bury him on some random space rock.

And they leave his Soul Gem right on his grave for anyone to steal. WHICH HAPPENS AND CAUSES INFINITY GAUNTLET.

Geez, the Avengers. Geez.

Also according to his tombstone, Adam Warlock was only ten years old. He was a melancholic child.

Later, aboard the fake Sanctuary II which was apparently Sanctuary III all along and maybe you could have mentioned that earlier and prevented a lot of name confusion for me, personally.

Spider-Man mourns the loss of Adam Warlock. He didn’t know him that well but the universe feels much emptier without him.

And the Thing suggests they check to see if Sanctuary III had a coffee pot anywhere. SPACE COFFEE (do not drink in space).

And within the Soul Gem, Adam Warlock resigns himself to living in paradise free of any strife, problems or pain. Or darn. Well he’ll manage.

And the Thanos statue cries because Death doesn’t love him. And also petrification is often portrayed as a living death so he doesn’t even get to be with his crush.

Phew.

Two annuals back to back was a bad idea. And almost nobody is even going to read this today because I have almost nobody that even reads these on a non-holiday day and today is Christmas so people are probably going to be with families and singing to the Christmas raptor.

Well. Here it is anyway. The last stand of Adam Warlock.

And that’s the major thing to bring up.

This is Avengers Annual and Marvel Two-in-One Annual. A book about the Avengers and a book about the Thing and his amazing friends. But the story that spans these two issues is about Adam Warlock. The others are just along for the ride.

The giant cosmic space heads even say as much. Spider-Man is only here to get the real star of the show on stage. The Thing is only here because this is his team-up book (and because Spidey needs transportation).

Its kind of a tendency of Adam Warlock to make any story about him. Both in and out of universe. He’s kind of self-absorbed.

Whether you like these stories probably comes down to whether you like Adam Warlock. Because on this day the Avengers, Spider-Man, and the Thing took the backseat to the space messiah who hated to wear pants.

Other than that? Pretty good.

A good Thanos plan. An intentional downgrade from his plan to become god in terms of ambition. But possibly even worse because he planned to blow up every star just to get Death sempai-dono to notice him.

This is the end for Thanos for a while. He’s still a stone statue during the Death of Captain Marvel in 1982. Thanos doesn’t stop being stoned until 1990.

People that didn’t read Adam Warlock’s book probably don’t really get why Thanos was most scared of this golden brooder but I think turning into a naked fire man and turning Thanos to stone is context enough.

So happy and merry whatever. Next time I get back to the main book but we’re still going to have the Avengers storming a giant thing in space.

During this time in their lives, the Avengers just storm giant space things more often than typical.

[spicynbachili1]

Review: Red Dead Redemption 2

Into the sundown, fellers

Getting misplaced in one other world is a wonderfully great way for some folks to deal with issues in actuality.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind acquired me by means of some actually robust occasions: it doesn’t matter what occurred, on the finish of the day I might loosen up and lose myself in Vvardenfell till I dozed off. That was all the best way again in 2002.

Open world video games have significantly advanced since then. Rockstar is proof of that.

Purple Useless Redemption 2 (PS4 [reviewed on a PS4 Pro], Xbox One) Developer: Rockstar Studios Writer: Rockstar Video games Launched: October 26, 2018 MSRP: $59.99

Purple Useless Redemption 2 makes the ballsy and presumably complicated transfer of pivoting itself as a sequel in identify and a prequel within the grand timeline of the Purple Useless world. Whisking us away to America’s frontier in 1899, this iteration really precedes John Marston’s journey by 12 years, permitting for a decidedly totally different snapshot of the previous west.

The late 19th century is not precisely a interval that is explored all that always because it’s after the extra common Reconstruction and California Gold Rush eras. Below President William McKinley the mythos of the “wild west” is starting to fade amid rising assist for the temperance and progressive actions: in all, an enchanting glimpse into US historical past. Enter the outlaw Arthur Morgan, our “hero” and proponent of the well-known Van der Linde crew, led by the unstable and typically well-meaning Dutch.

As Dutch’s right-hand man on the top of the gang’s notoriety, you are type of a giant deal from the get-go. Though we in the end know what occurs to the lads in Dutch’s crew by the use of Purple Useless Redemption, what we get here’s a master-crafted character research not not like the one Vince Gilligan is presently giving us with Higher Name Saul within the wake of Breaking Unhealthy. Arthur is not fairly as fascinating as former protagonist Marston out of the gate. He is much less bombastic, extra calculating in his thought course of. In that approach, he is a greater conduit for the participant and extra of a gradual burn.

The world round him is equally grounded. Two of the cardinal sins of contemporary open world video games are bloat and excessive gaminess, each of which steadily take you out of the fantasy. Ubisoft is usually responsible of the previous, filling maps to the brim with pins and compelled factors of curiosity to increase playtime. The latter is a transgression that many studios are responsible of in a misguided try to steadiness simulation and arcade fundamentals. Purple Useless Redemption 2 by no means actually falls into both of these traps. Now there are 144 cigarette card collectibles and loads of small issues to rummage round for if that is your factor (in addition to stamina and well being “core” meters to handle), however bloat is not the focus.

Comparably there are invisible or in any other case delicate meters that dictate something from “honor” (how folks react to you) to bonuses like extra loot, however they are not apparent. Purple Useless Redemption 2 goes for the real endeavor of the facilitation of bromances with the camp system (which has flashes of Closing Fantasy XV or the droves of relationship-centric JRPGs in current reminiscence) and backs up these relationships with sturdy mission design. As a rule you are going to be saddling up with mates or new acquaintances, combating, or working alongside them.

You may be combating quite a bit, which is arguably one of the best bit the sport has to supply. Useless Eye (learn: tremendous slo-mo imaginative and prescient) returns and though the idea is as previous as mud (17 years faraway from Rockstar-published Max Payne), it permits for the additional beautification of a number of the extra hectic confrontations (as does the first-person viewpoint). It additionally is aware of when to figuratively decelerate. There is a bunch of role-playing (RP) sort issues that may maintain folks busy for nicely over 100 hours. Fishing, poker, beauty alterations, that sort of stuff. It is by no means in-your-face, merely there if you’d like it.

Rockstar threw an insane amount of cash on the manufacturing of Purple Useless Redemption 2 and it exhibits. There are scores of musical tracks helmed by the proficient Woody Jackson, a few of which are actually tuned to particular missions. Hell, it has roughly 200 various kinds of wildlife and every had distinctive sounds recorded for them. (I’d be remiss to not a minimum of point out the crunch controversy and Rockstar’s response with the intention to make up your individual choices, even when it did not straight affect this evaluation.)

So are all of those stats bullshit? Nicely in my effort to completely dig by means of the large 92GB file dimension (on PS4), they’re principally justified. The important thing factor to recollect is that Purple Useless Redemption 2 is not simply comprised of open ranges and fields. Every particular person metropolis feels lively and the go-go nature of the story permits us to move into locations like torched villages and snowy mountaintops. Amid all of these grand gestures, the smaller particulars matter too. There’s spectacular penmanship on show inside the pages of in-game journals when Rockstar might have gone with the better route of a conventional typeface. Vendor menus seem like an actual Sears, Roebuck and Firm catalogs.

All of that does come at a small price, like a several-minute load firstly and roughly 15-second restarts after failures/deaths. It feels like no time in any respect, but it surely’s extra concerning the parameters concerned: you will principally encounter the previous situation as your paper-thin allies are killed, glitch right into a bottomless pit, or get snagged by an invisible rock and fall off their horse, immediately failing a mission. Then there’s the everyday open world snags like unusual animations and odd physics that may trigger on the spot deaths.

The gear-swapping radial wheel will be finicky and never work precisely the way you need it to. There’s additionally some foolish moments that require suspension of disbelief; like when your crew robs somebody sporting the identical garments they all the time put on, whereas calling you by your actual identify, and anticipating to not be caught as a result of they’ve small bandannas over their mouths. These are all minor complaints and in contrast to another open world video games, do not dominate or considerably break Purple Useless Redemption 2.

As I discovered myself wandering aimlessly for the umpteenth time, coping with a few of these random annoyances, it hit me why I used to be so related to this world: Rockstar is not afraid to throw fixed conflicts your approach as a result of they know the minute-to-minute gameplay can assist it. Gunplay is improbable (Rockstar has just about all the time nailed it), horse fundamentals are slick, random occasions/skirmishes maintain issues thrilling, and the serene but complicated environments are the spine for all of it. 

Purple Useless Redemption 2 is the epitome of ambition and like most issues Rockstar, will meet the expectations related to it. With the entire developments for the reason that final Purple Useless and the whole lot they’ve realized from Grand Theft Auto V below their belt, the collection is in a greater place, in a position to present a extra pure and fewer gamey world to discover.

[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. The online component is coming later this month and is not part of this assessment.]

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      Purple Useless Redemption 2 reviewed by Chris Carter

9.5

SUPERB

An indicator of excellence. There could also be flaws, however they’re negligible and will not trigger large injury. How we rating:  The destructoid critiques information

        from SpicyNBAChili.com http://spicymoviechili.spicynbachili.com/review-red-dead-redemption-2/

[ayemsehtvehk]

ESO characters and what they’re doing between chapters, this time Aldmeri Dominion edition!

Kleskizhae

I think by this point he’s adopted Azi’ala, though idk if Aeziya’s gotten pregnant by now or not. But he has a home in Greenshade that the Wilderqueen made for his family, and he’s found this life agreeable. He’s happy. After all he and Aeziya have gone through, he thinks the two of them, now three, and maybe four, deserve to be happy.

With the Orcs renegotiating their deal with the Daggerfall Covenant, there’s been more pressure on the Direnni to get officially involved, which they still refuse to do. But part of keeping the heat off them involved officially disowning Kleskizhae for his open support of Queen Ayrenn and the Aldmeri Dominion, even though they had been quietly not speaking with him because he ran away to Valenwood and got married and somehow this marriage is supposed to be a valid one and he keeps insisting that it’s true love and apparently some Spinners were involved and really, if this is his version of “settling down” then they might as well say that he never came back from questing. It happens. They’ll keep enough track of them so that when their descendants come over and start making noises at them, those scions won’t come as a surprise.

His brother, Kaad has explained to him the exact politics of the situation, as well as what he could potentially do to get him back in, both in a short and long term way, and Kleskizhae has decided that since the short term way involved divorcing Aeziya and disavowing the Queen, he’d rather not. The long term way apparently involved some “calculations” of his that said that all the alliances were going to fall within 50 years, probably way less for the Daggerfall Covenant. (“Not the Ebonheart Pact? Aren’t they all mortal enemies?”) (“The Pact falls when the Tribunal says it does. The Covenant falls as soon as any of the given petty monarchs decide they’re done with all the other petty monarchs and starts sacking Orsinium and then start fighting over the spoils for the next few centuries.”) (“So how long you give the Dominion?”) (“We’ll see.”) (“That’s not helpful.”) (“I’m sure you know how it’ll break better than I do. Just think of what you’ve already done to keep your Queen’s alliance from shattering. Ask yourself if they’ve truly been defeated.”)

So this letter comes from Vvardenfell, asking him and Aeziya to come to Vivec and he’s confused, because he consulted with some of his friends and colleagues who got similar letters, like it’s a form letter, but his letter goes on at slightly more length about just how excited Vivec is to meet him and how ze can’t wait to discuss their common interests and is it poetry? With like, a lot of annotations that seem to be from Vivec’s first person perspective? Shit, do prayers to those guys actually work? That wasn’t supposed to be serious all those times, he was only praying to Vivec as a joke, he didn’t think that actually did anything if you weren’t a Dark Elf, since like, they’re not really gods, shit shit shit shit

Whatever this is, he’s GOT to see this for himself. Little does he know that he is 500% going to get press ganged into the Buoyant Armigers as soon as he steps off the boat. Congratulations, you’re Vivec’s favorite whether you like it or not, asshole!

Sethyn

He’s currently pissed off at Razum-dar for getting him involved what he considers an unmitigated disaster in the Imperial City. He knowingly endangered his cover and almost put the rest of the Dragonguard in danger because of him and the Dominion. Mannimarco being dead doesn’t change anything, given that the Cyrodiils still blame the Dragonguard for letting this all happen, whether they think Sai Sahan betrayed his Emperor intentionally or not.

Especially given that he’s not sure whether Ayrenn is Dragonborn or not, and ESPECIALLY given that the Dominion doesn’t seem to give enough of a shit about actually liberating the Imperial City for any reason beyond just annoying the other alliances who also want it to annoy the other alliances to get a chance to test that out.

For the record, he’s the Drake of Hounds and he got that code name before he became a werewolf. He’s been a huge fan of doggos for longer than he’s been pretty much anything else.

He tried to make things right with Irendeir again, somehow, by joining the Silvenar’s Jaqspurs but it just kind of … hasn’t worked out super great once people started noticing his lycanthropy and with it, realizing that he’s like, actually pretty serious about Hircine, like, for real, which after the whole Hound shenanigans, is some really bad optics. The Silvenar tried to talk with people to make sure that no one would harass or question him, but Sethyn chose to quietly leave.

So he’s kind of been moving to his “own priorities”, which has basically ended up being the Thieves Guild, where he has excelled. He’s forgotten how much he loves heists just for money and while everyone says that money can’t buy happiness, well, those are people who’ve never been poor. He loves having huge piles of gold, it’s the fucking best.

He vaguely remembers Talward from the whole Coldharbour and Soul Shriven and Elder Scroll Prophecy nonsense, but doesn’t know what kind of scam he’s running. But he heard that Vivec had an arena of some sort and that there’s money to be made there so sure. Why the hell not. See what the hype’s about.

[imaginingmyforest]

Your General

Fandom:  Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, The

Character:  Tullius

Notes:  Lots of drinking

The war is over, Ulfric is dead.  You’re exhausted and proud, but also tired and relieved and ready to go to bed and wake up to a peaceful country.  It feels good, you think, having had a part in this, having defended what is now your home, stopping the bloodshed.  The cost was high, the guilt will probably never fade, but you fall asleep with a smile on your face, because all you can see in your mind's eye is the image of General Tullius, standing before his men, delivering a speech he just wants over with, looking as blank-faced as ever, but his back is straight and tall.  Victory.

When you wake, the awareness that there are no more true battles to fight has you staring at your ceiling, a relaxed stupor taking over.  What will you do now?  You don't know.  The Legion has been your life.  Even now, you feel the pull of the training yard, the briefing room, the low lights above the parchment map, and the drone of the voices of your commanding officers.

You don't have to go.  You go anyway.

The General's greeting is as terse as ever, his eyes flicking to you once before returning to his work.  "Legate."

"General."  You wonder what he's doing, staring down at that drawing of Skyrim.  It's covered in red flags, nothing more.

"I've got no orders for you, Legate.  See Rikke, she might have some backwater camp somewhere for you to take out."

You let a moment pass in silence, debating.  Action sounds wonderful.  Peace is wonderful, too, but you’ve confused yourself, trying to understand your place in a world that isn't fighting itself anymore.  You'd been important before; what are you now?

Does he feel the same, staring down at that map like he sees it, eyes still and unfocused like he doesn't?

"What now, sir?"  You ask finally, quietly.

He glances up.  "Clean up, mostly.  Leftover camps, like I said."

"For us?"

He stares for an instant, and you wonder what gives him pause, thinking about your words.  But before you’ve sorted it out, he's already moving on, 'us' being the Legion.  "New assignments, mostly guard duties till the transitions can be made from Stormcloak loyals to Imperial supporters.  Peaceful days."

The last part trails off, like he finds it boring.  A half smile finds its way onto your face.

"And you, sir?"

"Me?"

"Heading ... home?"  You'd meant that sentence to be longer, but can't get the words out.  He seems satisfied, but your mind races, wondering what has gotten into you, what is going on inside.

"I fear Skyrim will be my home for many more years to come."  He sighs, obviously displeased, but then he stands, and he's as tall as you remembered, not in stature, but in presence.  "I suppose the idea isn't as unappealing as it once was.  I could use a decent bed, though.  Everything in this castle is as cold as the stone it’s made from."

You smile for real then, and his expression tells you he caught the relief in it, the relief you yourself weren't expecting, don't know what to do with.  Instead, you ask, "Drinks tonight at the Winking Skeever?  To celebrate?  On me."

"I don't celebrate."

You laugh.  "I don't doubt it.  But we just ended a war, General.  Take a night off.  You need the down time, even if only for one evening."

"I have to agree with Y/N on this one, sir."  Both look to the door, finding Rikke has joined them.  The two of you nod to each other, polite smiles in greeting.

Tullius scowls, peering back over his map for no real reason.  "Anything to report, Legate?"

"Which Legate?"  You smirk, and Rikke stifles the tiniest of laughs.

Tullius groans.  "Don't make me reassign you somewhere, Y/N.  Winterhold's sounding very tempting right now."

"Then you wouldn't have any friends, sir," Rikke comments lightly.

"I'll have the darn drink, alright?"  He finally growls.  "Stop ganging up on."

Rikke nods, satisfied, and you pat her on the shoulder in thanks.  You lean over to the room's other silent occupant, the ever present watchdog.  "You too, Adventus."

He grins, nodding.  "If I can escape this hole, I'll be there."

"Think we should invite Aldis?"

"And pull him from his beloved training exercises?  Curse the thought."

Rolling his eyes at their companionship, Tullius resumes his earlier thread of conversation.  "Now, do you have anything to report, Legate Rikke?"

Rikke nods, growing serious.  "Camp along the mountain ridges in Eastmarch.  Rumors out near Dawnstar, nothing solid."

"Clear out Eastmarch and check Dawnstar.  I want these Stormcloaks rounded up as quickly as possible."

"Sir."

"Take the Legate-"

"Y/N."

"Take the smart-alek with you.  They apparently don't have enough work to do."

"Then we'll leave in the morning."  Rikke replies easily.

You are just as smooth.  "Since we'll being having those drinks tonight."

Tullius only shakes his head.  "Leave me in peace."

You exit together, as ordered.  And later that evening when he finally brings himself to enter the Winking Skeever, you are seated together at a table near the back, drinks already waiting.  You laugh at the look on his face, pulling out the seat beside you.

"It's not that bad," you reassures him.  "We sat away from other people and everything."

Your argument is almost convincing until Lisette pulls out her lute and a particularly appreciative drunk gives a riotous cheer.  Tullius looks pained, then grabs the nearest drink and downs it.  Rikke chuckles with you.

"I hate both of you."

"Relax, General."  Rikke tips her mug to him, as cool as ever.  "Enjoy the mead."

He shots his drink a dark look.  "Is that what this is?"

You’re laughing, and you get the feeling you'll never stop.  Tullius is so obviously out of his element, you can't help but enjoy the ludicrous situation.  "You're just as surly drunk as you are sober, aren't you?"

He only grunts in response, lowering his head like the physical act will somehow make the room quieter, dimmer, and less populated.  You can almost see the headache beginning in his temples.

You look to Rikke, head shaking.  "Do either of you ever wear anything except your armor?"

"When I'm off duty."  She gives a small smile.  "Which is practically never.  I don't know about him."

Tullius is studiously ignoring you.

"Somehow, I can't picture you in anything but your armor," you comment, but are again met with silence.

You give his arm a playful shove.  "You call this celebrating?"

"No, I call this a waste of time at best, torture at worst."

"You exaggerate.  Why are you so grumpy?  I bought you alcohol."

"Am I getting some of that?"

All three look up to find Adventus has joined you.  Tullius is nonplussed, but Rikke stands to greet their new addition.  You smile up at him from the table.  "You bet, soldier."

Rikke calls to the innkeeper over the space of the room.  "Corpulus, more mead!"

Your grin spreads across your face, colored by beverage intake, as you look to each of your companions.  "So, three Legates and a General step into a bar-"

"Oh, don't start."  Rikke laughs, making room at the small table for the incoming drinks.

You scoop up the nearest Honningbrew and a tall bottle of Argonian Bloodwine, which Adventus had his hand halfway towards.  He opts for the Spiced Wine instead, toasting you good-naturedly.  "Just to warn you, I might have went ahead and mentioned to Aldis there was a party going on and he was invited.  Drinks on you."

He smirks, and you groan while Rikke chuckles.  "You trying to spend all my gold?"

"You did say drinks on you."

"I said the General's drinks were on me," you correct.  "To coax him out of his hiding hole.  You guys are on your own from here on out."

"You still owe Aldis a round when he gets here."

"You're the one who promised him free drinks; you supply."

"You're the one with all the money, so-called 'Adventurer.'  Half the time no one can even find you for assignments because you're out plundering some crypt or something."

"Plundering?  Hardly!  I exterminate Draugr sometimes.  I happen to be a bounty hunter-"

"And whatever else any stranger passing in the streets asks you to be," Rikke adds from over the top of her drink.

You lean back, pouting.  "I like to help people."

Adventus shakes his head.  "You like to get in trouble.  Ever think about getting yourself a someone and settling down?"

Now you’re grinning again, motioning with your drink around the table.  "What're you talking about?  I've got three men, a woman, and a bottle of wine.  I'm perfectly settled."

Adventus is laughing, but Rikke glances around curiously.  "Three?"

And there is Aldis, pulling up a chair between Tullius and Adventus, forcing the two to make more room.  Tullius brushes up beside you, so you smack him on the back.  "Go on and say hi, General.  You're being awful quiet."

"Just trying to enjoy my drink."  His voice says he doesn't think it's possible.  "Can hardly stand this Nord Mead."

"There was wine, but Y/N took it all," Adventus comments, conspicuously pushing his empty bottle to your side of the table.  "Have them get you some when they get Aldis his drinks."

Even Tullius manages to look amused by your scowl, but the expression slips away quickly.  "Still, I'm not used to the Skyrim brands.  I enjoyed a good bottle of Surilie Brothers back in Cyrodiil every now and again."

"They don't sell that in here," you join in, piking up.  "But I've got some back at the house, picked up from around.  You want a bottle?"

He's pushing away from the table and standing as quickly as you’ve ever seen him move outside of battle.  "Gods, yes."

You stand up too, following his retreat.  "Hey!  I meant later!  Come back here-"

You’re after him with an apologetic look to your company, tossing down a bag of septims before racing from the tavern.  He's marching down the street with his usual strides, stiff and tired, silver hair glinting in the glow of the evening moon.  You catch up, fall in naturally beside him, miffed but aware that the night feels good and the sky is beautiful up above and that you like the musk coming off him in the cool air that the stuffy bar had masked.  Your indignation is all but gone by the time you start your argument.

"That was a friendly offer for some other day, not an excuse for you to pick up and leave."

"Can't stand it in there."

"So you can handle a bloody battlefield but not a night drinking with friends?"

He's slowing, glances at you and sighs.  "Exactly.  I'm a warrior, Legate, not a politician."

"This isn't political, it's friendly."

"Don't see a difference."

"You're impossible."

"Then go drinking with someone else.  I doubt you're lacking for friends."

"Hm."  You sidle up close for a second, laying your head against his arm.  "Maybe I like you better."

"Hmph."

He doesn't seem to care you’re there, and you continue to walk like that, staring up at him with a smile that says you know you’re being annoying, and his face as blank as ever.

He always looks tired, you think.  From living too long, through too much.  You wonder what his smile would look like, then find yourself laughing because you just can't imagine it.  It's too awkward, too surreal; it's not him, not your General.  Perpetually annoyed, surly and exhausted and funny without meaning to be, a stone wall standing against age and change and anything against the Empire that is his to protect, to defend.  Complete stability in the chaotic life you live, running around from task to task, cave to cave, battle to battle.  A pillar to return to.  Your commander, the only reason you keep returning, the only reason you make Solitude your home, grace the doors of Proudspire when you could be anywhere and everywhere.  He, more than the looming tower they are approaching, is home.

The thought's an odd one, and you slip from his arm, lost in the jumble of your mind.  He waits patiently, appearing mildly curious, as you stand in silence in front of your door.  Eventually, his voice breaks in.

"Legate?"

"Y/N," is your immediate response, a reflex.  As proud as you are of having earned that title in his eyes, Rikke is still the one who comes to mind when you hear "Legate."  And up till now, you realize, your title has defined you to him.  He doesn't use your name, and now that both you and Rikke are at his side so often, both Legates, you finally have an excuse to make him call you by name.  You like hearing him say it, acknowledge you and not just your skills, your accomplishments.

When did I start thinking of him so much?  You groan, stepping forward to open the door.  You’re confusing yourself, hurting your own head with all this thinking.  You’re not used to analyzing yourself, your actions.  You just do, act however comes naturally; a creature of impulse, something that got you in trouble a few times while you were making your way up in the Legion.  You have enjoyed working under Tullius, however, and that admiration of him has kept you in line and following orders even when the whim of adventure would have scattered you across the region.  

You realize you’re doing it again, thinking too much.  It's the alcohol, you know, remembering too late why you shouldn’t drink that often.  

You move inside, and wave him over to the kitchen table while you head downstairs to fetch the wine.  You retrieve your oldest bottle of Surilie Brothers Vintage, slightly dusty and chilled to perfection in the small stone room.  Your brain starts to whir again, telling yourself you were saving this bottle, but the cold is starting to sober you and you shake off the thinking you detest and go with the feeling that you want to use this bottle, and that's good enough.  

Back upstairs, Tullius seems to have settled himself in the seat closest to the fire.  

"Why," he asks gruffly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "are these darn chairs so low to the ground?"

You’re laughing again; he makes you laugh without trying.  "No clue, honestly.  Got your wine."

You dangle the bottle in front of him before unstopping the cork.  On another whim, you set out two silver goblets and pour, sitting beside him and sliding the drink his way.  They are picked up together, and you tap his cup in a small toast.  "To home."

He watches you, eyes a bit softer than usual, expression relaxing.  "To home."

He's thinking of Cyrodiil.  You’re not thinking a single thing; only watching him as you sip, enjoying the wine, enjoying the quiet, enjoying the company.  

Tullius sinks back into his chair, no longer concerned with how short it is, goblet still in hand.  "That's better."

You smile, pleased with pleasing him.  "How about something to eat while you're here, General?"

"Sounds good."  His voice is drowsy, but this time is different from his usual dreary tone.  He's content almost, you'd say, a sight you doubt many have ever seen, a tone few have heard.

You down the rest of your drink and rise, heading for your storage of cooking ingredients.  You decide on your recipe and retrieves some salt, potatoes, leeks, and venison.  Cooking is something you’ve learned to do a lot of while traveling alone, bending over the firepots in eradicated bandit camps and desecrated ruins.  Why spend your hard earned septims on tavern food when cheap ingredients abound and it only took a little practise to have your own taste better than what's sold in the inns?  Being friends with Castle Dour's own talented chef helps.

You make conversation while beginning the soup base.  "So, what do you normally do with your free time?"

"What free time?"  He swigs another drink, shaking his head.  "I was sent to Skyrim to do a job, so I do it.  Nothing else."

"Really?  You never have any down time?"

"There was a war going on, Leg-"

"Y/N."

"Y/N, which didn't put itself on hold while I took naps.  Free time went to the war."

"And now?"

"What about now?"

"There's no war now, Tullius.  What will you do with your new free time?"

He sighs, and you let your stirring stop so you can turn to him, watch him mull it over with his wine.  "Apparently, be forced to visit inns and drink."

You laugh, resuming your cooking.  "Nobody's forcing you to do anything.  You don't like inns, fine.  But you're always welcome over here for a drink and a meal."

He glances your way, cool gaze watching, then nods slowly, thanking you in a way he won't with words.  Instead, he eyes the cooking pot.  "... Smells good."

"Venison stew," you reply proudly.  "Something that transcends borders, thankfully."

"Sounds good, Y/N."

The unprompted, causal use of your name, as though it's normal and common and something he does all the time, gives your mind a stutter, and your hands slow again as your head works to catch up.  You’re all smiles, warm inside and becoming aware that this night is important to you, though you can't pin down why.  But the two of you, holed up in your house, talking over drinks, about to share a hot meal and calling each other by name; it feels as foreign as the snowy mountains did when you left the Gold Coast for adventure and as comfortable as the Legion steel that has become your second skin.  You feel like you’re home, really living, more than any of those blood-pumping caverns, adrenalin-inducing dragon attacks, or life-threatening battles.

It's a little scary, and a lot exciting.

And it's only this man who's made you feel like this.  On his orders you’ve traversed a strange and new wasteland of perpetual autumn and snow; you’ve faced down a rebel army with a righteous but misguided cause, friends on the opposing side; you’ve trained yourself, worked to be better, fought to impress and rose in the ranks for his praise.  You still remember facing the executioner's block, seeing him stare down Ulfric Stormcloak, that tall back you’ve grown to admire so much turned to you, ignorant of your plight, your very existence.  It hadn't mattered then; he was a stranger.  

It matters now, just a bit; it's painful.  Standing by his side, the feel of his rough hand in yours for only a moment as he passed you his sword to deliver the final blow to his enemy, is a treasure that makes it painful for you.  Gods, why do you think like this?

And you freeze, caught in the web your thoughts have woven, hit by the abrupt realization that has revealed itself to you.  "By the Nine."

Tullius gives an exasperated scowl (just how many of his subordinates invoke the name of the Nine illegally?).  "Legate-"

"I'm in love with you."  You stare at him, and both are momentarily stunned into silence.  Your gaze trails off, looking at nothing, eyes wide.  Abruptly, you drop your ladle and snatch up your bottle.  It shakes in your hand, but doesn't slosh; empty.  "I need more alcohol."

You make for the stairs.  Behind you, Tullius recovers stutteringly, hand to his head in confusion.  When you return, bottle to your lips, he's back to his surly frown.  "Legate, I don't know if I should be offended or not that the idea of being in love with me makes you want to get drunk."

"S'not that, sir," you reply, shaking your head, and slump down into the chair beside him.  You still look in shock, disbelief and wonder on your features.  "Alcohol helps me think."

"Then you'd be one of the lucky few, and the only one I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."  He shakes his head, refilling his goblet.  "Frankly, I just think you've had one too many."

"I won't argue."  But you take another swig, swallowing roughly.  "Thinking too much.  Thinking too much about you, Mara help me."

"Do us both a favor and think more about the stew."

You laugh, but it comes out more like a bark than anything, and you set down your drink to stand and circle the table to the cooking pot.  The stew sticks a bit as you begin to stir, but it hasn't burned.  

You sit in silence for several minutes, the bubbling of dinner the only sound between you, before Tullius finally sighs again.  "Should I even ask what in Oblivion caused that little outburst?"

"Told you," you reply, eyes on the boiling broth and thus studiously not on him.  "Thinkin' too much.  I do that when I drink."

He can obviously tell you don't want to talk about this anymore, but he can't let it go just yet.  "And what were you thinking that made you think you were in love with me?"

You sigh, cringing, and reach for the alcohol again.  He sits patiently while you chug, not satisfied with one gulp, needing the liquid that gives others courage and only seems to confuse you.  You hope this time'll be different as you drop the bottle from your lips and take a deep, steadying breath.  "I like the way you say my name."

You glance at him, and he seems nonplussed.  Somehow his lack of shock, his non-judgment, gives you the courage the wine failed to.  "I think of you when I think of home.  I fought more for your approval during the war than because I cared about the cause.  Your sword is my most treasured possession.  When I think of the Legion's victory, of how you've grown since coming here, accepting and respecting the Nords, I'm more proud of you than I am of myself, and I'm the Dragonborn.  I worry about how you seem tired all the time.  I'm always trying to get you to talk with me.  Now that the war's over I'm scared you'll go back to Cyrodiil, because I have no idea what I'd do with myself if you were gone.  Divines, I'd probably follow you."

You take another drink, more because you’re ashamed of yourself than because you want it.  You swallow too much, choke, and holds your wrist to your mouth while you cough.  "Can I stop embarrassing myself now?"

He picks up his own drink, raises it to his mouth.  " ... soup's burning."

"Stendarr's mercy!"  You half drop the bottle as you whirl around to the cooking pot and begin to stir the boiling contents again.  It looks done and, thankfully, not burnt, so you remove it from the fire and set it to cool on the stone floor, heading to the cabinets for bowls and silverware.  And, somehow, you manage to get dinner on the table within the next few minutes, and find yourself sitting beside him again, both eating silently.  It's awkward, but not strained, and you still finds that you enjoy his company, are glad that it's just the two of you, together.  You wouldn't mind more nights like this; maybe a lifetime.

Are you thinking about marriage?  You take another bite of the venison, chewing slowly.  By Skyrim's standards, you’re not moving too fast, but he's not from Skyrim.  Would he even know what you were trying to say if you went upstairs at that moment and came back down with an Amulet of Mara on?  You doubt it.  But if he did ... the idea is appealing, a life together with him.

If he's interested in you.

You’re off to a good start, you suppose.  Legate of the Legion, fought at his side during the war, a breadwinner, adventurer, the famed Dragonborn, and a good cook to boot.  Staring at your reflection in the dark stew, you note with a bit of pride that you’re not bad looking.  You’re much younger than he is, but as a consenting adult, that's hardly an issue.  

Aware you’re bordering on vanity, you note you’re more than just a good prospect; anyone in Skyrim would be lucky to have you.  But none of that matters if the one man you want doesn't want you.

The soup is finished.  As you take up the bowls you debate on your earlier thought, of going up to get your Amulet.  You'll start wearing it in the morning, you decide.  No need to rush.  Besides, he might decide to draw a line between Superior and Subordinate before he leaves, and it'll be a moot point.  Or maybe he just doesn't like you; you know you annoy him, you do it on purpose because he's fun to aggravate.  

You’re suddenly aware that that's how you flirt with him.

You’ve put up the dishes, and he hasn't risen from the table, so you sit back down and take another drink.  Drinking too much, thinking too much, you chide yourself, but you take another sip.

Tullius sets his goblet down after awhile of the silent companionship and turns his eyes to you.  "How well do you hold your drink?"

You meet his gaze over the top of yet another bottle (you’re going to have to restock while you and Rikke are out).  "Except the thinking too much, I can usually handle my alcohol.  I'll be okay to head out in the morning, if that's what you're worried about."

"Just wondering if you're going to remember any of this."

You smile, setting the bottle down.  "Yes, sir.  You?"

"Yeah."

"Can't escape me, then."

"Doesn't mean you won't regret this.  Doesn't mean you'll still feel the way you think you feel."

"I'm not drunk, General.  The only thing that'll be different tomorrow is I'll have a headache and probably be a lot more blunt."

"That last part should scare me, shouldn't it?"

You grin.  "I find you attractive; I'm not shy."

He cocks his eyebrow, and you laugh.  

"You just think about that while I'm gone, alright?"

"I doubt I'll be able to think about much else."

You shoot him a sly smile.  "Why, General."

He groans, leaning back in his chair.  After a moment his rolls his shoulder, appearing uncomfortable, and takes hold of it, stretching and flexing.

Eyeing him, you raise up.  "Muscle ache?"

"Feels tight, knotted."

"Here, let me."  You round behind him, and his hand falls away as yours settle into place and begin a slow, deep kneading into his skin, between the cloth of his shirt and his stiff armor.  It's hard to work in such a confined space, and after a few moments you give him a nudge.  "Any chance I can get you out of your clothes?"

"Legate."

"I guarantee the best massage you've ever had."  You tempt him, twisting your hand as best you can to loosen a tight spot in his muscle, as though to give him a taste of what you could do with more room.  "Just your armor, General, and no funny business, I promise."

He grunts his displeasure, but starts to unfasten the torso piece.  You revel in a double triumph; seeing Tullius out of his armor, and being able to touch him as you please.  You help him pull it off, set it aside, then he relaxes under your hands, your soothing motions untying every knot beneath his skin through the thick red fabric that keeps you from him.  You rub his shoulders, pushes your palms into his back, work out every kink in the chiseled mass of his body (or at least the part you are allowed near).  And you are rewarded for your efforts when a pleasured groan is pulled from him, unintentional and rough.  A thrill runs through you, hitching your breath, and you make it your goal to gain more, continuing with fervor, using every technique you know (which, sadly, isn't much, as what little you do know came from an alchemist who insisted her special potions were the perfect match for such rubdowns).  After a few minutes of hard work, you think you’ve finally found a spot he especially appreciates.

Which is about the same moment your housecarl enters the room.

All movement ceases as the two of you stare at each other, surprised and speechless.

"Gods."  You finally exclaim.  "Jordis!  I forgot you lived here."

"Hm?"  Tullius looks up, seemingly unconcerned with the interruption, and nods to the new arrival.  "You look familiar.  Don't you work at the Palace?"

"I was awarded to Y/N when they were made Thane."  The blond regains her composure slightly, and turns to her master.  "How could you forget I live here?"

You shrug, growing annoyed.  "You sleep in the basement.  And I don't stay here much."

"You've been getting wine bottles out of my room all night."

"Didn't see you."

"I was laying on the floor."

"Where you should apparently still be.  I have company."

"I'm hungry.  I had assumed ... from the noises I'd heard," the woman falters, glancing at the decorated officer sitting at the kitchen table, "that you and your company had moved upstairs."

Tullius' response is immediate.  "I should go."

He slides out from under your hands and reaches for his armor, and you curse the loss of him, his body and his company, and curse your housecarl, who you wonder if you can fire or somehow return to Elisef without offending her.  But neither will undo the damage done, and Tullius is redressed and thanking you for dinner and drinks in moments, heading out the door soon after.  You’re left standing in her kitchen, a dull ache in your chest, and the most despised housecarl waiting for the reprimand she knows is coming.

"Jordis."

"Yes, my Thane?"

"I hear the Blades are recruiting.  Doesn't that sound nice?"

The next morning is spent much like the last; you wake slowly, staring at the ceiling, feeling lost and alone.  You suit up, pulling on your Imperial Light Armor, strapping on your sword, the treasure he gave you, and slipping an Amulet of Mara over your head, letting it rest on your chest where your Amulet of Stendarr normally sits.  You don't feel like cooking, settle for grabbing a loaf of bread and slice of cheese on your way out the door.  

You enter Castle Dour as you always have, with the confidence of knowing you belong, and join the ever-present group gathered around the table, even this early in the morning.

"Y/N."  Rikke greets you, and you two are as casual as ever, natural friends and easy comrades.  

"Rikke." You return, smiling.  "Hope you guys didn't stay up to late."

You shoot Adventus a grin as well, and he smiles back, in his semi-permanent spot against the wall.  "Without you to pay for drinks?  We all had to go home early."

"I wouldn't call midnight early," Rikke shakes her head.

Pleased, you pat Rikke on the shoulder.  "Glad you guys had fun."

"What about you?  General kill the party?"

You finally bring yourself to look at the man in question, who's studiously ignoring you in favor of that map, which he probably knows by heart already.  You feel laughter bubbling up, and perch yourself on the edge of the table.  "General."

He pretends not to hear you at first, but everyone is now staring at him, and he must eventually give in.  He sighs, and looks up at you, grumpy as ever.  "Legate."

"Y/N."

"Y/N."

It’s all back to business, Rikke briefing you on the schedules, plans, and you’re half listening, half reliving the night before, the things you said.  And as Rikke says her quick goodbyes and heads out the door, you linger on the edge of that table, conscious of Adventus' presence but too aware you need to do this before you leave.

You smile slyly, meeting the General's waiting gaze.  "Sober and still in love with you."

He grunts.  "Was afraid of that."

Adventus cocks his brows, watching you silently, lip twitching in a slow smile.

"Just ... think about it while I'm gone, alright?"  You wink, hop down, and make your exit, knowing it'll do no good to look back now.

The jobs are easy, routine.  You set up a small camp, Rikke sends you out tromping through the wilderness, looking for Stormcloaks in hidey-holes, and sending a small band in to take out an already confirmed group (which you not only head, but practically leave behind in your thirst for adventure, battle, and adrenaline).  The mission takes little over a week, and then new information has them detouring south for a few more days.  You’re caught up in it, in a constant state of euphoria, adoring the work and all that comes with it.  

When you fall asleep at night, it's still his face you see, and when Solitude is finally in sight again, job done, you feel the pride of coming home, the skip in your pulse at the thought of him.

Rikke had asked, while you were out, about the necklace.  She'd noticed the absence of Stendarr's horn at your chest, the odd sight of Mara's light taking its place.  Your reply hadn't been specific, but then, Rikke wasn't overly prying.  You'd talk about it, maybe, once things are settled and there;s something to talk about; as it is, there’s only the wait.

"Legates," is the usual terse greeting as you step into the Dour, Tullius and Aventus gathered around the center table, as always.  At least, this time, the blue dots are back, marking possible hideouts.

You pull the gifts you’d prepared from your bag and plant the bottle of Sirilie Brothers right in the middle of that map of his.  "We have names, Tullius."

He raises his eyebrows.  "Y/N."

"I will never tire of hearing you say that."

"And I will never tire of this beauty."  He picks up the bottle, eyeing the year, smiling that tiny smile that barely passes for happiness, but is about as good as it gets with him.

You tsk, crossing your arms and nudging Rikke.  "We rid three Holds of Stormcloak stragglers, and he compliments the bottle."

He sets the bottle back down, as calm as ever.  "You making dinner to go with this?"

You’re thrown for a moment, then quickly bring yourself back to the conversation, delighted.  "Yes, sir.  Venison again, or something else?  Beef or Horker maybe?"

"Do you cook anything without hunks of meat?"

"For you?  Darling, whatever you like."

"Wasn't a complaint, Y/N."

"Offer still stands."  You’re grinning ear to ear, tickled pink by how easy the conversation is, how the thoughts you’d left him with don't seem to be hurting your banter.  He's too professional to have let it interfere with their working relationship, yes, but this is casual.

He's thinking about it, and you’re thrilled.  "Horker.  Never had it before ..."

"Horker it is."

"Report?"  

And just like that, it's back to business; you’d expected no less.  Rikke rattles off the details, only shooting you one curious look during her monologue.  Adventus is less subtle, smiling away and avoiding Tullius' periodic glares.  There's something there, you don't miss that, and though you’re not sure what the two have talked about in your absence, you’re amused by it.

You spend the day running errands, something the Hold is accustomed to when you don't have a specific mission to trek out upon.  Just keeping busy, helping out, but staying close, and when dusk rolls around you’re back at Proudspire, Horker stew on the fire, wine poured, and fresh fruit set out.  It's late when Tullius knocks, but everything's ready.  When you open the door to reveal him, you find yourself struck dumb.

The General shifts in discomfort, glaring down as though to dare you to comment.  You can't look away from him, his clothes.  

He's not wearing his armor.

"Y/N."

You pull your eyes away from the rough cotton, simple and casual, and try your best to form words.  "General of the Imperial Army, representative of the Empire's presence in Skyrim, war hero–and you walk around wearing that?"

All of two seconds click past before he turns to leave, and you reach out to grab him, laughing.  "No no no, I'm kidding, come back here."

"I don't like all the Nord clothing," he sighs, rubbing his neck.  "This was the simplest thing I could find."

You practically push him into the house, then shut the door behind him, cutting off retreat.  "Somehow it doesn't surprise me you'd take the old, frayed worker's clothes over anything nicer.  Let me guess; you didn't like all the layers?"

He pulls out the same chair as last time at the head of the table and settles in, giving a meager grunt.

You circle around to sit beside him.  "You'd be warmer."

"Putting on my armor is effort enough.  If I'm going to wear something else, it can't be more work than pulling it on."

"Then why wear something different?"

It's a simple question, but it hangs in the air, and you juggle probable answers in your head that turn themselves into romanticized ones; your comment about never seeing him wear anything else, taking off his armor to rub his shoulders.  You try to wave them off before your hopes rise too high.  

He sighs, staring down, and finally reaches for his glass.  As he downs his first gulp, you pass him a loaf of bread.

"Enjoy the stew."  

Dinner begins; so does a new tradition.  This dinner becomes one of many, as most nights after find the General seated at your table, dressed informally, sipping wine and sampling your newest recipe.  Even long work days spent over paperwork and battle strategies end in the Legate's cooking, as you become known for busting into the Castle Dour carrying your culinary creations should your dinner guest not show.  

The High Queen herself has a food invasion in her castle for keeping Tullius too long in a meeting one evening.  Tullius, obviously used to your behavior, merely shakes his head and sighs while Jarl Elisef peers curiously at the Legate currently laying out a spread at the small table where her court is convening.  Everyone is staring; you don't to care.

You give up your personal time with the man you love for no one.  

You’re more than willing to share, however, and have made plenty to go around.  The court continues its discussions between savory bites of thick potato stew and tender roasted rabbit haunches.  You sit, quietly and proudly, beside your General.

You are courting.  It is never discussed, never made official, but after a while it becomes a widely acknowledged fact and even Tullius himself doesn't dispute it.  You are each other's home, the refuge returned to at the end of the day, constant.  

You get into the habit of calling him pet names and pecking him on the cheek when you feel like it (neither of which even phase him anymore) wearing casual clothes instead of armor (especially outfits that show off your muscles.  Sometimes you think you catch him staring), and coming back to visit after every adventure, no matter how far away your restlessness takes you or how out of the way seeing him may be between tasks.  When you’re gone longer than usual, he has this way of looking at you when you walk in, and you know you were missed even if he won't say so.  It always makes you smile.

Still, the weight of the necklace sits heavy against your heart.  Every day you wear it, and every day it goes unnoticed–or ignored.  You’re happy, you really are, but unease grows at the lack of true claim you have over him.  He could up and return to Cyrodiil any day, and what could you do?  You aren't his spouse, he hasn't asked you to be with him with any permanence.  

You’re half afraid of losing him if you try to press the issue; half afraid of wasting your life chasing him if this is never going anywhere.  

It’s with this thought distracting you that you lean over the table like you do, hoping maybe someday he might act on what you’re offering, as you spread the food.  Your heart almost stops when his hand reaches out.  

He takes your amulet in his hand, letting both continue to dangle in the air between you, and runs a rough finger of the carved surface.  

"Isn't this Mara's?"  Tullius grunts.  

"Yes."  You’re practically holding your breath.  “Of course it is.”

"I thought you wore an amulet of Stendarr?"

After all this time, he hadn't noticed the amulet switch?  Mara help you.

"I did."  You reply easily, though still unmoving.

"Never took you for a Mara devotee."  He eyes the metal disapprovingly.  "Why the switch?"

You stare at him.  "You don't know?"

His eyes flick to yours, then narrow in confusion.  "Know what?"

"It's a Nord tradition here in Skyrim."  You smile, trying to hold down a laugh.  You'd wondered if he knew, but always been afraid to ask.  What if he had known, and was just not interested?  But he didn't.  He just didn't.  "An amulet of Mara is basically a declaration that you're looking for marriage."

Tullius' fingers stop their absentminded rubbing.  It's several silent seconds later before you can see him make himself consciously move.  He lets the necklace slip from his hand.  "How long have you been wearing this?"

You answers softly, pointedly, holding his gaze.  "Since the day after you had dinner with me that first night."

He runs his hand through his hair and curses, cringing.  "Y/N, I ... "

You’ve stopped breathing again.  He looks so tired when he looks at you.

"I owe you a great apology."  

Did you make a mistake?  You couldn't have misunderstood, not this, you couldn't have-

"I've made you wait a long time."

You feel the first relieved tear fall as he lays his hand on yours.  They become streams when you break into a smile, and he cups your cheek while your sobbing laughter shakes through your whole body.  

You think you’ve finally got control of yourself after a few deep breathes, but you fall to pieces all over again when he comes around the table and takes you in his arms.