#forever refusing to accept her execution as valid

[princescar]

spent an hour on line work and hated it so here

DAY 10+11: Execution + Blackened

A better execution based off Matsuda's alt execution and Melanie Martinez's "Nurses Office" music video

[ankhlesbian]

FE Rarepair Week: Day 6

Prompt: Balls, from @ferarepair-week

Fandom: FE Echoes

Pairing: Celica/Mae

AO3 Link: Here

Length: ~2k words

Title: my feet to the beat of yours

To celebrate the alliance of Zofia and Rigel, Celica and Alm decide to throw an extravagant ball. Mae is, as Celica's best friend, of course invited. It's a little difficult being in love with your best friend, but Mae's been managing, even though the unrequited look doesn't really suit her. But, as it turns out, her feelings aren't as unrequited as she thinks.

“WOAHHHHHHH!” shouts Mae. “This place is A-MAZING!” She earns herself the disapproving stares of the guards on duty. Boey slaps his hand over her mouth.

“Quiet!” he hisses into her ear, too little, too late. Celica just looks amused, so Mae figures it wasn’t the worst offence in the world

“Sorry,” she whispers back, a little sheepish. “It’s just so different!”

Zofia Castle has changed a lot in the year or so since the last time they stepped foot here, in the midst of their journey to find Mila. Back then, it had been a little dusty and decrepit, freshly freed from the evil Chancellor Desaix. He clearly hadn’t taken good care of the place, a symptom of the times that even royalty couldn’t escape.

Now it’s freshly polished, newly furnished, and filled with busybody nobles and bustling guards. Celica’s changed too, dressed in elaborate robes with golden lining, a crown atop her head. She hasn’t seen her in forever, only exchanging letters. She looks a lot more stressed than she used to, her face a little more weary, with faint bags under her eyes and a lag in her step.

Celica leads them to a private room where they settle around a small table, and a servant brings them tea. Mae sniffs it warily before making the executive decision to dump a few good spoonfuls of sugar into it. Boey sighs.

“Just because you like gross bitter tea doesn’t mean I do, too.” she sticks out her tongue at him. Celica raises an eyebrow. “I mean, I’m sure it’s of the highest quality for tea and all, Celica, really! It’s just not my thing.” To further prove her point, she pours half the saucer of cream into her cup. Celica giggles, and Mae tries not to preen. Laughter looks good on her. It always has, and Mae’s always been good at inspiring it.

“I believe you. Maybe I’ll ask if there’s hot chocolate in the kitchens for you.” Her eyes twinkle.

Mae groans. “Don’t embarrass me in front of all your fancy friends! They’ll think I’m weird.”

“They probably already do.” says Boey helpfully. Mae smacks him.

“You bully me back in the Priory, we come all the way out here and you bully me here, too. I need better friends.” She takes a swig of her tea and wrinkles her nose. “Anyways, why did you call us? It’s great to see you, it’s just out of the blue, y’know?”

Celica smiles. “I swear it’s important. Zofia is officializing it’s alliance with Rigel, and Alm and I decided to throw a ball to celebrate. It’s open to the general public, of course. It would mean a lot to me if both of you would attend.”

There’s silence.

“Um, isn’t that a little formal for us?” Mae can’t help but ask. They’re not anyone special, just random mages from some random isolated island. Just because the ball thing is technically open to the public doesn’t mean it’ll be acceptable for them to attend. And she doesn’t even own anything fancy, anyways. And Boey can’t even dance, he’ll just look stupid there. She opens her mouth to voice her extremely valid concerns, but Celica cuts her off.

“I thought you may say that, which is why I invited you up here instead of just sending invitations. Alm and I want all the people we fought with there, and I want you there, as my closest friends. Genny’s already here. It’s tomorrow night.”

Mae’s heart flutters a bit at the praise, but Celica’s tone is a little off. Her eyes are dull, and she’s hiding a trembling hand behind her own cup of tea. Maybe the whole alliance idea is riskier than Mae thinks it is. Celica must be genuinely worried, so she can’t just not show up now. She’d be a terrible friend.

“You’ve become so devious,” she complains instead, waggling a finger at her.

“I do what I must to keep you two troublemakers in line.”

“Don’t blame me for Mae’s antics!” interjects Boey, offended. “I’m always perfectly presentable.”

Mae begins to list off all the times he’s made a scene by jumping at small noises, and Celica smiles, for real this time, and Mae hasn’t felt more at home in a while. She’d missed Celica with every fiber of her being before this, always feeling that empty space in her heart and in her conversations with Boey and Genny, all of them cognizant of the person missing from their dynamic, but everything feels right again right now, and that’s all that matters.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The next day, Mae regrets her decision. Someone comes by to drop off breakfast for her and Boey, and tells them that a tailor will be coming by later that afternoon to help them pick out outfits.

“This was the worst idea ever,” Mae wails, pacing about the room in frustration. She’s usually not one to overthink things, but here she is. Maybe it’s just that she feels flustered from seeing Celica again. Stupid useless heart. Boey’s watching her carefully. He’s probably onto her, since she isn’t that great at hiding her feelings. It’s a miracle Celica hasn’t noticed.

“Just confess to her already.” Boey says, crossing his arms. “You’re being ridiculous.” Ok, he’s definitely onto her.

“You’re ridiculous. I’m not going to ruin our entire friendship just because I can’t handle a little pining.”

Boey rolls his eyes. “You really thing Celica would shun you for something like that? She’s a good person.” He has a point, but Mae doesn’t like it, so she chooses to ignore it.

“She’s a queen now, it doesn’t matter what she thinks. She couldn’t marry a commoner, anyways.”

He sighs. “I never thought I’d see the day you gave up so easily on something.”

She goes quiet, cowed by his words.

“Anyways,” she says, because when you’re losing an argument, it���s time to change the subject. “What do you think you’ll wear?” Despite her words, she kind of does want to wear something that’ll dazzle Celica. She’s never been the type to dress up, so hopefully this tailor guy will know what he’s doing when he gets here.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Mae tugs at her new clothes, a little unsure of herself. She takes a deep breath. I look great, I look great, I look great, she repeats over and over again. Boey had given her a thumbs up and a wink, said Celica would love it.

She had decided a dress wasn’t her style, and instead opted for black pants and a pink tunic, complete with a short cape. Boey had chosen something similar, but in green, and was standing anxiously beside her, confidence gone.

“Maybe we should skip after all,” he mumbled, eyeing the fancy outfits of the nobles passing them by. They were holed up in an alcove near the entrance to the chosen ballroom, huddling in a corner to avoid being seen.

“No, we have to now. But you get to go first.” And Mae pushes him forward. He stumbles out of the alcove, earning a few odd looks. He glares back at her, dusting himself off, and strolling to the doors casually. In he goes, and now Mae’s alone.

She takes a deep breath, steeling herself, and charges in.

As expected, it’s extremely crowded. The decorations are gorgeous, the walls strung with banners of both Rigel and Zofia. The colors are a mix of reds and blues. There’s probably going to be a similar event in Rigel, too, since it’d be unfair to ask Rigelian citizens to travel all the way to Zofia Castle.

The musicians are playing lively music, starting the night off right. Mae does her best to mingle, and tries to pretend like she isn’t avoiding Celica. Celica looks amazing. Her hair is done up in an elaborate braided bun, held back by her tiara, her face framed with a veil. Her dress is lacey and elegant without being gaudy, and her makeup makes it look like she’s glowing. It’s an outfit worthy of a queen.

Of course, the ballroom is only so big, and Celica finds her eventually. She gives Mae a once over, eyes bright.

“You look gorgeous,” she says, and Mae blushes.

“You do too!” she blurts, and Celica smiles.

“Will you do me the honor of dancing with me?” she asks, holding out a gloved hand. Mae’s putty in her hands, and places one of her hands on Celica’s hip and links the fingers of her other with Celica’s.

“You’ll probably need to watch your toes. Dancing isn’t my strong point.”

Celica smirks.

“I know. I was there when you learned, remember? So many broken tables.” In her defense, whoever thought teaching children how to dance in an enclosed space was an idiot. Mae huffs.

They keep chatting, swaying casually, and then the universe decides it hates Mae. She’d blame Mila or Duma, except she knows it can’t be, but there’s definitely still someone out there and they have a vendetta against her. The music goes slow and romantic, The sound of soft piano playing and the soulful hum of a violin fill the air.

Her and Celica lock eyes, and Mae goes to pull away, but Celica grips her shoulder tight and tugs her closer.

“One last dance?”

Mae can’t refuse, and so they press close, Mae extra careful not to ruin this by actually stomping on Celica’s exposed toes. The song reaches it climax, and wanting to enjoy this, because who knows when she’ll see Celica again after tonight, she trips her purposefully. Celica yelps and Mae grins, catching her before she hits the ground, executing a perfect dip.

Celica looks a tad exasperated, but then she simply laughs, exuberant. The song ends, and Celica rights herself, but she still doesn’t let go of Mae. Instead, her expression softens, and her eyes take on a determined gleam.

“I need you to come with me.” She pulls Mae by the hand, weaving between the crowd, heading for one of the balconies. Mae furrows her brows, but doesn’t protest.

The night air is cool, and the stars twinkle overhead. The moon is almost full. It’s a beautiful night, not a single cloud in the sky. Celica shuts the doors to the balcony behind them with finality.

“Are you going to return to Novis Isle after this?” Her words are oddly stilted.

Mae shrugs stiffly, not sure what’s happening. “Well, yeah. I don’t know what else I’d really do.”

Celica bites her lip, turning her gaze to the landscape.

“You know, if- if you wanted, you could stay here. In the castle.”

Mae frowns. “I appreciate the thought, Celica, I really do, but I don’t really belong here. All this fancy politics stuff, or the chivalric life of a knight, it doesn’t fit me.”

“It could.” Celica says softly. “You could belong here. With me.”

Surely, she doesn’t mean…

“We can be friends from far away. I’ll always be your best friend, distance or no distance.”

Celica inhales unsteadily, still not looking at her.

“And if I didn’t mean as a friend?”

Okay, that’s enough of talking in a circles. She steps whirls Celica around her. She can’t keep the hopeful look off her face.

“You mean, you like me? Like, like like me?”

Celica’s face goes red. “Well, yes. To put it bluntly. I’ve said it before, but you’re wonderful, and kind, and always cheerful and there for me. I don’t want to lose you.”

Mae beams. “You read my mind! You’re thoughtful, and sweet, when you aren’t tricking your friends into attending your parties.” She clasps Celica’s hands in her own, squeezing tightly. “Oh, this is the best night EVER!”

Celica breaks into a grin. “I had hoped that’s what you would say.” She leans forward, planting a kiss on Mae’s cheek. “You don’t have to stay here, if you really do find all this royalty business that dreadful. But I would greatly prefer if you would visit often.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Mae promises, bouncing on her toes. “You’ve got me all riled up. How ‘bout we go dance some more, huh Celica? Show all those snotty nobles who’s boss.”

Celica rolls her eyes fondly, and back into the ballroom they go.

[overcaffeinated-creative]

20, 21, 34, for anyone you’d like! <3

For this one, I’m going with my main four characters: Solus Vetra, Lumi Kirrin, Jazari Naaji, and Kamelia Malo! It’s going under a cut because I already know I’m going to get long winded with it.

Are they insecure or happy with themselves?

Solus is happy with herself more often then not. There’s always room to improve things (she’s only going to stop that when she’s dead) but overall she’s content. After what felt like forever Solus finally became herself again and found her true purpose. The further she gets from the Jedi Tenants the happier she becomes.

Lumi is super happy with herself. Are there flaws? Yes, but they’re her flaws. Some little habits she needs to change, others set in stone that she has just accepted, and a few that straddle the line between flaw and strength. But, she considers the important thing is she recognizes her own self worth.

Jazari is insecure sometimes. When compared to the other two, it is hard to not feel down on herself some days. Solus and Lumi are extraordinary in her mind. Their generation will be shaped by them. Those feelings come up even more during the Clone Wars. Most of her time is spent within Arca Barracks running the back end of various ops next to their much more active Front Line Presence. It feels like they are risking more, doing more, giving more to the War Effort. But, they make damn sure she knows she’s just as valuable as they are, if not more so. Because they’re always going to lift each other up.

Kamelia’s middle name could be Insecurity at this point. Instead of building herself up from the inside she depends too heavily on outside validation. The simplest bit of constructive criticism sends her spiraling into the depths of self-loathing and puts up all of her walls. It was an okay system until she went from being the shining star of her age group to falling behind. Instead of trying to work past it she continues to be catty, hypocritical, and frankly self-adsorbed. 

Opinion on romance?

Solus has a pretty favorable opinion of romance. It takes a backseat a lot to everything else going on in her life but she does enjoy the gestures. Nothing ostentatious like roof top declarations or useless, gaudy gifts catches her eye. But, the small things like remembering her favorite food or forehead kisses? Surprising her with flowers or fixing a weapon/starfighter/etc for her or running a bath for her because her day sucked? Yeah, those will always win her heart over. She’s not there for the fleeting feelings but the long haul instead.

Lumi is wary of traditional romance. It feels like society at large puts too much emphasis on it. Everything about “Love and Romance” is supposed to be some kind of grandiose display of claiming one another. None of that appeals to her on any level. Instead, she prefers a quiet comfort derived from being together. A feeling of caring and belonging and home. Basically, she wants the only difference between her friendships and partnerships to be agreed upon rules among themselves. If she cares about someone then she cares about them. There’s no strange feeling of mystery or excitement to put it on some unattainable pedestal. That being said, she will melt from little gestures from her lover(s). Those are the things that matter most to her.

Jazari really enjoys spoiling others with little romantic gestures. There’s something that warms her heart about warming others hearts. Flowers, little snacks, fixing a broken datapad, even just the cutesy messages back and fourth throughout the day are fantastic to her. Being on the receiving end is almost always equally as nice. Just spoiling one another with little dates to fall deeper and deeper in love makes her happy. The Galaxy has enough hate and discord, what is needs now is love and kindness.

Kamelia has a very torn opinion on romance. Outwardly, she denies wanting it. Because romance implies falling in love therefore breaking the Code. She is so desperate to be a good Jedi she will do anything to avoid breaking those rules. Hell, she judges those who fail to follow the Code repeatedly. But…she wants romance. She wants the big gestures and shows of affection. More than anything she wants someone to show her off (and that she can show off) because they belong together. She watches dramatic romances or historical dramas dreaming of living the charmed lives of the heroines. Dating, love, marriage, and babies ever after is what she wants but refuses to admit.

Do they have any trauma? if so, what?

Solus had a very traumatic life before the Jedi Order. She was born during the Great Clan Wars on Mandalore and was almost executed during it, at age four along with fellow future Countess, Ursa Wren (age 14/15 and the general of the stronghold), in an attempt to take the planet. The Jedi voting her in was luck but also a curse because she was always too much for them. She grew up bullied for being Mandalorian, for being a “Bad Guy” if you followed the Republic’s biased history. She was also far too intelligent, too skilled, and too keyed into a sort of Past Force Vision sense to make anyone comfortable. At eleven, she became a Padawan and forged her second lightsaber, to dual wield at her Master’s suggestion for a challenge. At fifteen, she was grouped into the Jedi Assault Team for Geonosis and watched Jango Fett (the last True Mandalorian, legacy of Jaster Mereel, and her Manda’lor) die by Mace Windu’s hand. Her history died and she blamed herself. Only a few months later her Master, Leska, died during the Battle of Jabiim, along with most of their Clone Troopers and 26 other Jedi overall, leaving Solus to snatch a barely there victory from the jaws of defeat.

Lumi was born in a very Hutt Cartel controlled region of Ryloth. Her father was a Lethan Twi’lek slave and her mother his half-Sephi, half-Rutian Twi’lek master. Because of his misstep of “seducing” her mother, her father was executed, then some months later her mother died in childbirth. By age three, she knew was considered weird among her family and often ignored, due to her innate talents with Shatterpoints and reading everything. It was only a matter of when, not if, they would grow tired of her and make a lot of quick credits. The Jedi Order was a blessing and a curse. They had no idea how to handle her fear and anger but Mace Windu helped. Her understood her Shatterpoints and her feelings and helped so much. At age 11, he became her Master and at 15, the reason she was on Geonosis. Seeing him kill Jango Fett, feeling the reactions of everyone around her (Solus screaming in unimaginable pain like death and Boba wailing) changed her opinions. Their slave army, her repeated trips to Ryloth, and her Master’s devotion to the Republic made life difficult.

Jazari was born on Jedha, in the capital city even. Her mother was on an extended pilgrimage from Mirial to Jedha to see the Kyber Temple while her father was a mechanic and native. Early on her mother left (she has no memories of her) but she grew up with her father. He died when she three leaving her an orphan. Until a Jedi could be dispatched to bring her to the Temple she lived with Guardians and was sad to leave them. Her life could’ve been idyllic among the Jedi except she favored tech to people and she befriended outcasts, Solus, Lumi, and Kamelia. At 12, she became a Padawan to Arligan Zey exposing her to fantastic master but also to the underbelly of the Galaxy within Intel. At 16, she helped run back end operations for Geonosis spending many agonizing hours waiting to hear who lived and who died. From there, she was tossed headlong into the war rarely to the front lines but always analyzing data, holed up in Arca Company Barracks and within the Special Operations Brigade. Included in her tasks was making judgement calls that the many outweighed the few…something she absolutely loathed. They were out there dying as she stayed on Coruscant safe.

Kamelia was given to the Jedi Order as an infant. Everything about her life should’e been cookie cutter perfect within the Temple walls. She was never the outsider in terms of age or life experiences. Her touch of Force Visions and quick skills should’ve made her a shoe in to make friends. Instead, she stayed isolated because of her preoccupation with the Future instead of the Now. As that dividing line grew wider her age-mates’ tolerances of her attitudes grew thinner. She was a teacher’s pet of sorts, a bit of a tattletale, and socially awkward leading to her being teased. Accepting Solus’ offer of friendship, with Lumi and Jazari as well, cemented her Outsider status. It was difficult but not impossible until her friends, the ones who were always ranked beneath her in a way, shot forward into Padawanship…while she did not. It created a rift between her and her only friends. They were always away on missions while she stayed back…waiting. By 15.5 she became a Padawn, finally, when she was assigned to a Master. The fear of being sent to the Service Corps or ousted from the only home she had ever known, because of failure, weighed on her. The other three at least knew a life outside the Temple. The Clone Wars only touched her life in abstract ways. She was never assigned to the fronts, never left the Halls of Healing (exactly where she wanted to be), and never feared really. Until, Solus was assigned there to study (after Leska’s death for the 3 months it took Master Fisto to claim her) challenging Kamelia’s barely held on grip to “I am worth something” because her former friend was moving into her skill set better than her.

[shsl-seinen]

45 questions...now that endgame has commenced

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?

Nope! She has no siblings and her mother’s gone up and left when she was young, so the closest she’s with is her father, whom of which she regrets not cherishing him enough before getting trapped in VR hell, so whoops! Sucks for you, Ai! (EDIT: I MISREAD THIS SLIGHTLY SO YOU GET EXTRA INFO ON AI’S THOUGHTS ABT HER DAD LOL) Speaking of mom…

What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like?

Uhh not too well NOWADAYS, considering she left when Ai was young, but they spent time together watching TVs dramas and comedies and playing with Ai’s toys together and such, as Naoko (her mum’s name) was a stay-at-home mom. Nowadays Ai wonders how she is (in a bit of a more spiteful sense but…maybe it’s in a different sense now.) since she KNOWS her dad’s pretty lonely and a bit distraught for being left with her daughter (that resembles her a little too well, down to appearance, acrid tongue and drama love). …perhaps she’s forgotten about Ai and Yosuke by now. Speaking of THAAAT…

What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like?

Well, pretty distant and a bit one-sided, unfortunately. They were like any other cute father-daughter pair up until Naoko left, then Yosuke (dad’s name) became a bit distraught with being left a single dad. (He works as a nurse at a hospital!) Still, he took care of her nonetheless–then Ai started to become distant by middle school. Her working on her drawings and getting bullied and developing a bit of a sleazy, drama-loving personality and all–it REALLY started to hit by high school. Even if Ai was raking in cash with her manga and giving a portion of it to dad to help financially, she basically kept cooped up in her room and their interactions were mere greetings. Heck, she mostly ate meals in her room! A shame, really.

Edit: Regret. She…she feels regret.

Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

THIS was a toughie. Perhaps one major thing was seeing Shoko Yazawa, the girl she indirectly gossiped about being a compensated dater, commit social suicide and basically disappear from Kameoka. She just…doesn’t feel comfy thinking about how she might actually be dead and how something that might have not even been true at ALL possibly cost her her social life. She may like drama, but she feels lies makes it…complicated? I can’t find the right word. Everything’s more authentic when it’s true and real, Ai feels.

EDIT: Cody’s deletion. It gave her the feeling that they very well may just be erased off the face of the Earth without feeling anything, in the blink of an eye. Mostly because, spoiler spoiler, Ai glitched out in the hospital space just like Cody but got spawned in a different area rather than deleted. So. Yeah. Scary.

EDIT 2: I GUESS DYING AND WHAT FOLLOWED AFTERWARD WAS AN EYE OPENER

On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

Out of game: strawberry gum/various candies, her phone, a spare pen/pencil or two just in case~! Not like she’d need to carry stuff in her pockets–she’s mostly a shut-in anyway!

In Telos Hell: Her ID, and…er, that’d…probably be it. I didn’t think this very through. In the case of what she often CARRIES (like, in her hands) it’d be snacks like pudding or candy and her sketchbook, I suppose.

Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?

Erm…this took a while to answer since I never thought that Ai would have dreams–I lowkey imagined her to be one of those dreamless sleepers. Y’know, granted she doesn’t get much shut-eye in the first place? But I suppose her dreams often involve her being a shadow or a ghost of some sorts in a bit of a beat-up town, just watching the town go on (robberies, theft, murder, or just…regular things like a couple arguing or girls gossiping) as no one notices her.

Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?

This goes just as above, but I’ll list it out anyway: I feel something along the lines of all eyes and blinding lights always being on her wherever she tries to run, and all mouths (her classmates, her fans, her patrons her dad, her mom, Shoko) always speaking of her, revealing her gross nature in contrast to the mysterious but ladylike (??? I guess?) mangaka alias she pretends to be online. Maybe hands would be holding her down so she can’t run and has to face all the lights and all the people.

I figure she doesn’t have nightmares often, since, again, she doesn’t get much shuteye, but…ha

EDIT: Glitchy erasure has probably haunted her a few times nowadays.

Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?

Nope.

Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?

Pretty much! She didn’t grow up POOR but things were probably pretty tight at one point in her life, considering Yosuke soon became a single working dad in the middle of Ai’s childhood. As soon as she started raking in that Sweet Sweet Manga Cash, however, she was happy to set out a portion of her money for her dad, so they ended up okay and a little well off! (Not rich but u get what i mean, hopefully)

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?

More clothing–she just feels better that way.

In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?

Hoo-wee. It’s…a liiittle hard to say.

Tora chapter 2 was a doozy, but she wasn’t as scared then as she was, say...witnessing Cody getting erased, or glitching out HERSELF way back in ch7 when she was in the hospital space. She just felt...terrified, feeling like she’d suddenly disappear without another word, AND without feeling anything.

In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?

Whenever she’s in her room, not disturbed by anyone, just browsing through social media idly with snacks on standby. Or asleep, considering … help this girl

Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?

She really isn’t…at least, she thought she wasn’t. She’s gotten pretty used to the sight of blood as a kid, when she’d gotten the occasional bloody nose from bullying back in her school days, and ofc with her job revolving around illustrating violence and sometimes GORE, you get immune to it!

At least, you think you do. As quoted from what I put on that FE AU spreadsheet a longass while ago “Gore looks much…mushier than on paper.”

Ryouji’s dead corpse was a nice ‘ol REVELATION for Ai. Since the closest thing to shit like that was descriptions of shit from the hospital (thanks nurse dad) and anatomy charts and guro art she’s browsed, seeing a REAL corpse in such a situation was…a game changer.

At this point, Ai’s a bit immune to it lol. So many bodies, yanno? She’s now…scarily used to it. Of course, the nature and customization of the executions are…unnerving to her, sometimes. I’m talking to you, Ryouji, lmao (She’ll probably still be pretty unnerved if she…ever…wants to go back to drawing manga tho…I don’t think she will. She’ll take a longass break.)

Does your character remember names or faces easier?

Depends, I would think. Ingame: faces, but out of game, since she doesn’t really care for her classmates and real people and shit, she remembers names more. The internet is a far more vast place, after all.

Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?

This is hard because I don’t think about this often myself

I guess she IS? She enjoys having things like snacks and desserts and tech around her, but she’s mostly just preoccupied with drama, relationships, fights and…people, I guess. I don’t have a good answer for this.

Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?

I was about to say neither and point at “enjoyment”, but I guess…that could…sort of align with happiness? You can’t be a mangaka forever, and WHAT ELSE is she good for? Ha. She’d rather sit back and simply be able to enjoy a show rather than idealize shit like that. Life’s a show you can’t waste a minute to wake in!

…mm.

What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?

Dolls, probably. Y’know, er…the equivalent of Barbie dolls, I guess? I can’t go too into depth since I haven’t fleshed out her childhood all too much, but…dolls seem accurate for her. She’d like dressing them up, decorating the houses (if that was a thing…?) and sometimes even playing pretend with them, I’d imagine–and Naoko would honestly play along with her, I’d think!

Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?

She admires the pettiness ambition of people around her, really. Just…seeing the lengths people would go for their goals, good or bad.

What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

Like I said, she was literally alienated at the concept of people caring about her and her wellbeing.

Said alienation, initial refusal to accept praise of her, AND general nasty/careless/joking attitude, as well as her constant self-deprecation is a pretty fuckin’ big downer in relationships. Hell, part of her attitude already drives people away, she knows–might as well show she’s self-aware of it right?

…it’s definitely cost her potential friendships. Lots of ‘em.

In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?

Depends. …mostly the latter though. She knows she’s a piece of shit but occasionally she sees some people and goes “ok at least I’m not them tho lol”. Sorry Senji, Ryouji, some others I probably forgot to mention here. I still love you.

If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?

Oh hell yeah she thinks she deserves it. Karma, baby! Gotta love it.

What does your character like in other people?

Pettiness, wittiness, cunning, the ability to take a joke and make a joke–people who are laidback and careless enough to not be easily brought down. ok look masashi “hee-haw” oichi is a special case here, she thinks hee-haw is annoying but ill be damned if she doesnt eventually get used to it and admires masashi’s directness

What does your character dislike in other people?

Pettiness done WRONG to look like absolute immaturity…and on that note, people acting like loud immature brats in general, people who hold huge grudges over small and/or past events, haughtiness, tryhards (ok yes she can be a tad hypocritical but she’ll swear there’s a difference), people who (in her words, probs) have “sticks up their asses”…you surely get the gist.

How quick is your character to trust someone else?

LMAO NOT QUICK @ ALL (especially in a game like this) she can drop trust pretty quickly tho ;0

…once you do end up gaining her trust, though, it’s strong with just a liiitle bit of doubt. As soon as you break it tho, her trust in you AND others plummet down the fucking toilet so lol

EDIT: ok so i’ll be honest now that it’s endgame, the reason she seems more willing to believe lies in others than she probs should is that she believes in predictability and also me myself, the mun, am Fucking Dumbass and fall for the lies myself, so if i can’t see past them even if Ai in-characterly Can, then im sorry my dudes im Fucking Dumb :’O

How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?

Pretty quick, but she won’t necessarily voice it until she has a good opportunity. If they’re close to her, and she trusts them, she won’t suspect them unless shit seriously starts pointing to them, then it starts getting 👀👀👀

How does your character behave around children?

[ai voice] i think the fuck not, goodbye

She doesn’t…handle children well.

How does your character normally deal with confrontation?

haha……………..she doesn’t (usually)

She literally watches drama from afar, you think she wanna get involved in shit?

…when she does deal with it, she replies as bluntly and honestly as possible so she can get it over with. confrontation? no thanks lol

…maybe she’ll add some sass when she finds a good opportunity if she wants to make the confronter feel like a dumbass or smth, or if it starts to piss her off.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

Ai…knows that violence in a losing battle for her. She’s weak. (….listen ryouji was already down in that one trial, ok) If a punch is thrown, she’ll either dodge and run, or take it and scuttle, tbh.

What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?

She didn’t really have those types of dreams as a kid, really?? But maybe her drawings as she grew up started to make her think of being an artist. And…well, it DID come true, right? …with, y’know, the cost of tons of potential friendships. And other shit. ha

What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?

Well, ONE thing is wasted opportunity, which is why, as you saw, Ai was PISSED at Ryouji when he was the chapter 6 culprit.

…okay, that’s very exaggerated for being listed and something “repulsive” to her, but…disgusting? ye.

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.

Same spiel as the calm one, if you scroll up: in her room back at Kameoka, no one bothering her, the sound of rain and muffled thunder rumbles outside as she scrolls through the internet, snacks at her side while feeling cozy af in warm clothing/probably a blanket over her.

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.

I can list a few, actually! A certain text conversation between Andrew and Ai during Chapter 6, CHPT4 MONOTHEATER IN TORA AND CHPT5 MONOTHEATER? IN TELOS I BELIEVE? Because there was a very down, depressed vibe goin’ on–mostly the reaction of the deaths and all that, and the feeling that…everyone’s in despair. And tense. It’s infectious, unfortunately.

…and also, er, tora chpt2 trial. You Know,

EDIT: Cody’s erasure lol

In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?

SELF-DEPRECATION, BABY ;0

Nowadays, thanks to the magic of Character Development, she’s starting to see that she can improve. So she does the third one more, now.

Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?

She’s definitely the type to keep trying a certain method a few times before moving on in frustration.

How does your character behave around people they like?

Laidback, and more open, with banter all around! If you’re someone she likes who has…made an impact on her (like Holly acting like a big sis for her, thanks holly ily) then she’ll still make jokes but not be as biting! She’ll try to be more lightheartedly jokey rather than have each joke be a diss.

How does your character behave around people they dislike?

Prepare for disses, eye rolls and snappy attitudes…or, er, just straight up disrespect and igonring.

Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?

Protecting their status, most likely. She…has no honor, really.

Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?

*ahem*

abscond

Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?

Nope! Never been bitten, and she certainly doesn’t plan to!

How does your character treat people in service jobs?

General respect and decency whenever she DOES go out for, say, groceries at 7/11 or something. She’d generally like to leave asap when she goes out though, so she does sometimes ask to, like, quicken the pace. What did the service job people ever do to her, anyhow, besides like, possibly make her wait? No disses here, thank god

Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

Ai feels she doesn’t…deserve a lot of things she has, and definitely thinks that a lot of kids in Telos don’t deserve the shit they get thrown at them either (but, yes, there are some who she thinks do get what’s coming for them, but not many), so it’d be the latter, I suppose.

Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?

Nope. Easy answer.

Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?

…not dependent, but…there’s one person who does a pretty good job trying to be one for her. (Spoiler alert it’s Holly, god bless this water polo player I love her so much get better soon athena ur great ily)

How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

Pretty goddamn difficult. She thinks of it as a bit of a hard thing to say herself, but agrees it’s something thrown around way too much nowadays–which is, in part, why it’s hard for her to say. (Also she’s never really gotten it from anyone except her parents ha) Ai doesn’t and wouldn’t say it in general (unless it’s joking with friends but even THEN its rare bc Got Damn can’t have too much hypocricy) since it’s a bit overused in society and seems like a throwaway term w/o meaning. When she DOES wanna say it MEANINGFULLY, she’d really want to MEAN it, which is hard with…the kind of mindset she has on the word.

What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

She doesn’t know!

Which is exactly what scares her.

Not like she thinks about it often, though! (er…well…maybe she does now.)

Nor does she want to. :)

EDIT: this still goes unchanged but it goes to show, uh...what she might’ve thought when she was “dying” at the time.

[future-rp]

leo’s main dance, sub vocal & center hyuk

verve creative; music, dance 10 vocal / 00 rap / 40 dance

kim minhyuk would be best described as an open book  –  in a language the world has forgotten how to read. it’s easy to fall in minhyuk’s presence. he’s charming, in a cool way, like it comes naturally to him. it’s hard to miss why he’s been crowned with the coveted spot of leo’s center once one has seen him perform. it’s easy to feel drawn into kim minhyuk’s world and gaze upon the marble walls erected in his name, but once one leaves, it sinks in that they know nothing of kim minhyuk at all.

a frigid winter day in seoul, south korea. january 5, 1994. babies are brought into the world all across the world on any given day, but on this day, one in particular is born in the last room in a hall of the maternity ward at seoul national hospital.

kim minhyuk is the only child born to flight attendant lee yejin. he’s the third child and only son born to kim siwon, a high-ranking automobile company executive. kim siwon was married to another woman and while he loved the beautiful yejin, both knew the love was only a byproduct of the heat of something forbidden and illicit. there were ways the world was meant to be, and siwon leaving his comfortable life for yejin simply wasn’t how it worked.

but the burden of being a single mother was harder than lee yejin had anticipated, even with the regular, secret child support payments. she couldn’t continue to work as a flight attendant when she had a child to take care of, and so she picked up a job at a bakery. paying for childcare was off the table with her limited income, so she struck a deal (one that would have been hopeless had it not been for the way her pretty face and attractive figure caught the eye of one of the owners) for minhyuk to toddle about at the rundown dance studio next door while she worked.

and that’s how minhyuk discovered what love was. he didn’t learn it from his mom, who, despite trying her best, hadn’t been cut out for the duties of motherhood; he learnt it from the way he felt when he watched the classes through the window, and he experienced it firsthand once enough time had passed for his irresistible eye smile to charm one of the instructors into letting him learn to dance himself.

he fell so hard for the art that yejin, eager to please her son if only out of her desperate search to feel like a good mother, scraped together all of her extra change to allow him to begin taking lessons.

for a few years, that was minhyuk’s life. go to school, come home, walk to work with his mother, and drop into the dance studio for class and practice. he was a natural dancer, and he grew to be adored by the instructors there until, one day, he just stopped showing up and payments for classes stopped coming.

lee yejin, ready for a change, had eagerly agreed when kim siwon had reached out to her following the sudden passing of his wife and had agreed to take in both her and minhyuk if she’d secretly return to him.

life in a lush gangnam apartment with two older sisters minhyuk had never met was a major change from the life he had led up to that point. adjustment didn’t come easy for minhyuk or, as he would learn, for his mother.

minhyuk was eleven when yejin decided this life wasn’t what she wanted either and she took off on a flight somewhere she wouldn’t come back from, leaving minhyuk to a new life entirely alone. the bright-eyed, eager minhyuk of his prior youth descended into one more withdrawn, a darkness eating at his mind as he tried to conquer the war abandonment had left raging in his head and chest.

at twelve, minhyuk returned to dancing, this time at a much more notable academy. he had a lot of catching up to do, but spending every free waking hour practicing cut in half the lead his peers had on him.

at fifteen, isolated by his own choice and struggling to even find the will to connect with the father and sisters that he still couldn’t call family, minhyuk happened his way into an audition for a brand new company called verve creative.

a career as an idol was something minhyuk had never considered before. he’d assumed he’d follow after his father into business or, if he had the courage, follow his passion for dance into the career of teacher or choreographer. but when he really thought about it, an idol felt right. becoming a household name was the most surefire way to never be forgotten again.

and so the dream of idol became inked on his heart.

training made minhyuk question his choice at first. it didn’t matter anymore if he was a natural at dancing. he was practically tone deaf, according to his instructors, and his face wasn’t pretty enough to be presented to the public, if the plastic surgeons he was sent to were any indication. in part, it drove him to be better and to work harder to get the chance to stand on stage. in equal part, it drove the poisoned knife of his desire for praise and acceptance deeper into the gash in his heart.

but, somehow, only a year and ten months after minhyuk had joined the new company as one of their first trainees, he made his debut as a member of their boy group, leo.

it wasn’t what he’d expected. he’d known it wouldn’t be easy and he knew he’d be controlled, but their experimental concepts didn’t seem to reach the public initially the way minhyuk wished they would. instead of kim minhyuk, lost boy, he was hyuk, the sexy center dancer with a cute side off-stage, and he learned to love the mask he wore once leo blew up. hyuk was someone new, a fresh start, and people seemed to love him more than he was used to ever being loved as kim minhyuk.

fame became an addiction. leo rose, and with it, so did hyuk’s craving for validation and attention. it manifested itself in dangerous ways at times, and the young member became notable for his strict adherence to diets and rules as he entered adulthood with the group, often to the point of it taking a visible toll on his physical and mental health.

even when verve’s tight grip on everything leo did loosened, hyuk remained dedicated to the bottom line of success. over time, it became apparent minhyuk was letting the burden of the expectations thrust upon leo to weigh too heavily on his shoulders, but nothing changed because he showed he could continue to be the charismatic hyuk everyone knew as soon as he stepped on stage, regardless of if he’d been mid-panic attack moments before.

now, leo is at the top of their game and minhyuk has his eyes on a solo career to make himself more than a leo member, something he never would have seen himself doing a decade ago when the dream of becoming an idol first slithered its way into his mind. in the long years since kim minhyuk was only kim minhyuk and not hyuk, he’s learned what being an idol truly is, he’s learned to sing and to play up an image, but after so long, he still hasn’t learned how to value himself for anything other than the number of people cheering his name. being at the top can’t last forever and it’ll be a long, hard fall when it ends, but no one’s told him that yet. or rather, he’s refused to hear it.

[secretkidcolor]

Ghosts by the Dock

"And even if you're not here to stay, I'm happy the universe allowed your soul to stop by." Set right after the events of Conquest.

There was a strange feeling of emptiness that came with the end of the war. A feeling that made everyone in Nohr's royal army collectively say, "What do we do now?" The war against Hoshido had consumed their entire lives. It had been all they could really think about each day, and all of a sudden it was now gone. That had been the point though, hadn't it? To put an end to the fighting that seemed to last forever? A new era of peace could begin in the ashes of a tremendous loss, something they had been promised would be worth it. Sure, the safety of the future generations was something they desired, but what good what it do them in the present? They were soldiers. Without a war, they had no purpose, and nobody felt like they were without a purpose more than the youngest prince of Nohr.

Leo stood in the desecrated throne room in Hoshido's capital. The puddle of muck that was once King Garon, his father (not that Leo had ever truly been able to think of him as one), festered in front of the throne of the Dawn Dragon. People were scattered around the room, tending to their rooms and comforting one another. The struggle of fighting King Garon and then the surprise attack from the fallen Prince Takumi had taken its toll on even the strongest of their soldiers. Miraculously, they hadn't lost anyone in the battle. The hadn't lost anyone in the final battle, but they had definitely lost someone before. Azura. Leo's wife, although the marriage was painfully short. It had been a spur of the moment decision. After the death of his retainer Odin, Leo had determined that survival wasn't going to be guaranteed, and that he'd rather die without regrets than continue to live with them.

Azura hadn't died in a previous battle like Odin, or Charlotte, or Benny, or the countless others. Leo had seen their deaths with his own eyes, horrendous wounds from Hoshidan soldiers. The thoughts of their lives being snuffed out made it hard for him to sympathize with the remaining members of Hoshidan's royalty. Perhaps Princess Sakura could be afforded his feelings, since she reminded him of Elise, but Princess-Soon-To-Be-Queen Hinoka could choke as far as he was considered. She had killed Odin herself, and Leo would never forgive her for that.

No, Azura had technically died after the battle against the fallen form of Takumi, but Leo suspected she had started to die before that. He heard the pain in her voice as she sang to keep Takumi's spirit contained, and then he watched her dissolve in his arms, begging to see Corrin one last time. Leo hadn't cried at his wife's passing, but he had cried at the idea that she wanted to see his brother over him. Their marriage had been rushed, sure, but there were true feelings behind it, at least Leo had hoped. Now it just seemed to be an act of courtesy. He was the first person to ask and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. What a fool he was to believe that somebody could that way about him...

"Father!" A voice called out, snapping Leo out of his self-loathing stupor. Forrest ran up to him, his sky blue curls bouncing underneath his hat. "Shigure and I are going to go out and see if there are any civilians who were caught in the fighting and need healing. Will you be alright here?"

A father was the last thing Leo had expected to become during the war. Much like most of the marriages in the army, the children had been for convenience. Another decision based on life being too short, and being reminded of their own mortality at the sight of death. If Leo's memory served correctly, it had been seeing the girl from Cheve executed that had caused the first child to be born. A couple that had lost themselves in nights of passion had come up with the idea to use the Deeprealms to wait out pregnancy and pass off childcare before returning to war. Leo had deep reservations about using inter-dimensional pockets as day-cares, but as usual nobody listened to him.

Soon enough, everyone seemed to be having babies, even Elise, which deeply concerned Leo and his older brother Xander (Corrin remained obliviously happy to see a new child be brought back, of course). Elise's husband was her own retainer, and he adored her, but their age difference was the topic of more discussions than Leo would have liked. At least when he ended up with two children, people weren't as eager to talk about that. Leo kept most of the details of those nights to himself and Azura, who he was sure immediately spilled all of them to Corrin, who then likely circulated them around the army a couple of times. It was embarrassing, but he was inexperienced. They all were, and yet nobody wanted to be the voice of reason to stop any of them. Life was too short, children were made, and as a result some of the children died. At least Leo had survived the war with both of his sons in one piece. The same couldn't be said for everyone.

"Of course I'll be alright," came the automatic response that Leo was used to saying when people expressed concern for him. "Don't worry about me. Just please be careful, okay?" Forrest gave a nod and ran back to his brother. Shigure caught his father's eye, before turning shyly away from him, which furthered Leo's feelings of guilt. Of his two sons, it was clear who he was closer with. Forrest had seemed so vulnerable as a child, and Leo wanted to give him constant protection. Meanwhile, Shigure was just like his mother and didn't seem to need anyone. Leo couldn't help not being able to relate to him like he could relate to Forrest.

There was something else too of course. Stray thoughts that Leo refused to validate. Seeing Shigure atop his pegasus, his Falcon Knight armor glinting in the light as he skewered enemy soldiers left and right, reminded him too much of seeing one of his retainers run through by another Falcon Knight. Azura had shamelessly brought Shigure up to honor his Hoshidan roots, and everything from his mount to his clothing oozed with the foreign style. The others thought it was refreshing, and for some they found it easier to accept the enemy as human beings who still deserved honor on the battlefield. Leo couldn't bring himself to do the same. Hoshido had taken away one of his only friends. It had taken his wife. It had almost taken the rest of his family.

As he always did, Leo just directed the feelings toward hating himself. What sort of father loathed his own son for his heritage? He didn't hate Shigure, but he found himself being more tense when he was around. He couldn't relax. He was afraid. Leo, Prince of Nohr, strategic genius, and an object of his retainer's worship (how sad it felt to only be able to refer to one retainer instead of the usual two), was afraid of his own son. Leo was a coward.

"Prince Leo," said another voice, and Leo was once again dragged back into reality. It was Niles, with his doting mannerisms that instantly started to make Leo feel somewhat better.

"Niles, I'm glad you're safe," Leo said earnestly. "We have a lot of work to do and I'd like to start with-"

"Forgive me, Prince Leo," Niles interrupted, "but I'm needed elsewhere. Corrin would like me to stay with him, Nina, and Kana. I hope you understand."

"Yes, go with him," Leo said, his gaze drifting over to his brother and his two adopted children. If Leo could choose to blame anyone other than himself for the tragedies that had struck them, it would be Corrin. Barely his brother anymore, it had been Corrin who blindly trusted everyone and led them into so many traps. It had been Corrin who favored his own sense of strategy over that of Leo and Xander's, which subsequently got people killed. It was Corrin who had taken Niles away from his liege and took up all of his time. And perhaps worst of all, it was Corrin's name that Azura had called out as she died. After worrying so much about which side Corrin would take in the war, Leo wasn't convinced he was better off than if Corrin had sided with Hoshido. It was clear that neither kingdom was the top of Corrin's priorities.

"Leo, I'm so sorry about Azura," Corrin had said after Leo had witnessed her death.

"She wanted you there," Leo had replied, his tone deadly. "She did this so that you would live."

"I know," Corrin hastily, "but I can't imagine how she could possibly make such a sacrifice for me." It was his usual way of defusing a situation by not taking a clear stance. Favor both sides and hope to reach a compromise. It had been unimpressive when they were younger, and now it just made Leo sick.

"How could you not know?!" Leo snapped. "You were the only one that ever seemed to understand her! You don't know why she died for you?!"

"Leo, hold," Xander has said in an attempt to intervene. "I know you're upset, we all are."

"It's so sad when family is separated," Camilla added with a breathy whimper. Elise sniffled by her side. "But blaming Corrin isn't going to solve anything."

It was clear, then and there, that blaming Corrin wasn't going to solve anything because nobody in their right mind would ever blame him. He had ruined all of their lives with his choices, but because they volunteered they didn't hold anything against him. Such a fierce loyalty for family, that only seemed to apply to certain members of it. Leo had choked down his emotions in that moment and said no more, leaving Corrin to continue to spew more nonsense about compromises and peace. Camilla and Elise quickly ran after him to offer their support, leaving only Xander to linger with Leo.

"Corrin doesn't understand how the world works," Xander said. "He was imprisoned his entire life. His history is a lie. He's just as lost now as he was when this all started. You can't blame him-" Leo turned to look his brother in the eye, making Xander rethink his words. "You can blame him...but it won't do you any good. He's our brother, and we need him just as much as he needs us. Azura made her choice. I'm sorry it wasn't the choice you wanted her to make." With that, he left Leo to go finish off the last of the enemy soldiers.

Leo had always felt lonely, even surrounded by overbearing siblings, but he had never felt such an hollow pang of being alone than he did as he stood in the center of the throne room. He stood alone, watching families grieve and comfort one another. His sons had run off to do their civic duties, his wife was dead, his retainers were gone, and his siblings were busy with their spouses and children. Nobody would notice if Leo had just slipped away, and as a result nobody noticed when he did. Leo hated the concept of running away, but that's what he was doing now. He ran out to the look next to Hoshido's castle, where a small dock jutted out into the water. It was unsafe to just leave without a guard, anybody could be lurking at the water's edge, but Leo wasn't exactly in the mood for self-preservation.

He sat on the dock, not wishing to remove his boots and get his feet wet. The full moon was directly overhead, casting a ghostly reflection onto the mostly calm water. Dragonflies darted around the water and small groups of fireflies twinkled in the reeds. Such insects didn't live in Nohr, and when they had first arrived in Hoshido Leo had been fascinated by them. He was curious about what made them glow and move so fast. If he had time, he might like to study them and see what new magic he might be able to create from the inspiration. Such pastimes would have to come after the restoration of Nohr and whatever fate was in store for Hoshido. If Leo was correct, and he usually was, Corrin would give everyone in Hoshido a full pardon and have a treaty be signed between the two kingdoms that prevented them from going to war. The treaty would be honored at least until Corrin passed away, and every other current member of the royal families was dead. Then war would likely begin again. Such was fate.

Leo had come up with his own ideas for what should happen to Hoshido. He felt that if Hoshido would not become a part of Nohr, that Nohr should at least rule over Hoshido. Taxes would be paid to the Nohrian royalty, but they would be fair. Hoshido had an abundance of resources, and Leo felt that they were too stingy with their neighbors. The constant turmoil, and subsequent need to conquer, in Nohr was caused by the country not being able to support its growing population. If the two would share resources, for Nohr boasted minerals and plants that Hoshido did not have, then the conflicts would stop. That was how you made peace, in Leo's mind. Not whatever Corrin was trying to do, which wouldn't solve anything. Alas, the secret prince had been very gung-ho about his own ideas, and Leo didn't stand a chance of getting his ideas heard until council meetings were held in the following months.

His own future was something that he had been thinking more and more, now that all conventional ideas had been completely shattered. He'd have to find a new retainer...but could anyone really replace Odin? After his death, Leo had sought out his daughter Ophelia and offered to teach her magic that her father loved so she could feel closer to him. She was talented, and her mother was a villager who had nothing, so Leo could pull some strings to improve their situation. That was assuming Odin's two best friends, his siblings' retainers as well, ever let her leave their sight. If he could make that happen, she would be great for carrying on her father's legacy. Of course now that he thought about it, he might have to replace his other retainer as well, given how possessive Corrin was of Niles.

Even if his retainer situation was figured out, what was next for Leo? Unless Xander by some chance died, he was to remain a prince. Perhaps he could continue his studies and invent new spells. Or maybe he could take a long vacation. Maybe he would find a new wife. That idea didn't exactly make him feel good, but he couldn't very well resign himself to being alone forever. His marriage, which had been expected to last his whole life, had been crammed into a span of time that didn't even reach a year. If there hadn't been a war and the marriage had ended by a means other than death, he would be ridiculed for how short it had been. He had loved Azura, but it hadn't been enough time to fall truly in love with her. And clearly it hadn't been enough time for her to fall in love with him, either.

The hair on the back of Leo's neck began to stand on end, an indication that someone was behind him. "What do you want?" Leo asked, not turning to look at whoever was behind him. When he got no response, he turned around and immediately wished he could turn back around. There on the dock was a spectral version of his deceased wife, Azura. Leo shot up to his feet, his first curled to prepare a spell. He lacked any tomes, but a blast of unfocused magic would still be powerful coming from him.

"What is this?!" Leo shouted. "An apparition? Some sick joke? Answer me!" An orb of magic began to form in his grip.

"It's just me Prince Leo," Azura said, and Leo felt his power fading. The orb subsided and he stared at the spectral Azura. "I wanted to speak to you. To answer you questions and ease your thoughts. Your mind has been dark lately, Prince Leo."

"You can't even refer to me without my title," Leo said bitterly. "Is it true what I'm thinking? Did you ever love me?!"

"No. I'm sorry." Leo stared at Azura, whose expression remained unchanging. She took a step forward. "But be honest, Prince Leo, did you ever really love me?"

"I thought I did," Leo replied. "I thought what I felt was enough. I thought it was what love was supposed to feel like. It wasn't anything magical, or overpowering like it's described in books, but I think what I was feeling was right. We had children together, Azura."

"You're not being fair to Shigure," Azura said.

"Don't tell me how to treat my son," Leo hissed. "You can't even be there. You're dead. You died to stop Prince Takumi. You died to save Corrin."

"I did it to save you as well," Azura remarked, coming to stand closer to Leo. Leo just scoffed. "We could go back and forth about our love, or lack of it, but I don't have much time. I am here to set you free."

"Set me free how?" Leo asked suspiciously.

"Set you free from your feelings of obligation," Azura explained. "You did not really love me, and I never loved you. I'm sorry we ended up married and with children when there was truly nothing between us. I cannot undo that, and I don't think that I would want to after seeing what wonderful children we had. All I can do is let you know that I never loved you in any way."

"You're really taking some liberties with this whole dead-wife-comes-back-to-speak-to-her-still-alive-husband bit aren't you?" Leo said sarcastically.

"Prince Leo, you're free to move on," Azura sighed. "You can find a new wife, have new children. You can return to your duties as Prince of Nohr with no obligations to me as your wife. You need not even write of me in the royal records. It can be as though I never existed. A fresh start. I am doing this for you because I believe you deserve better-"

"If you really thought that you'd never have married me in the first place!" Leo shouted. "Try as much as you'd like, but you can't just erase your own existence. There are two living, breathing pieces of evidence that you were here and that we had something. Or at least I thought we did. What, do you want me to disown them and pretend they never exist either?"

"Is that what you want?" Azura asked. "I know how you feel about Shigure, and how you used to feel about Forrest."

"I've grown to accept Forrest for who his is and that was done with no help from you," Leo reminded her. "As for Shigure, I'll be damned if I let your choices in raising him prevent me from one day being able to look him in the eye."

"So be it then," Azura said. "If that's how you feel, then you've already started moving on. Goodbye Leo. Give my best to Corrin." She turned and Leo felt something snap.

"Don't you dare fade away from me again without me finishing," he roared. Azura turned back to face him. "I know you only love him, and that's why he was the only person you wanted to see as you died. Everyone knew that, and I didn't say a word because of what I thought was love. And now you've let yourself die and left me with two children. You should have married him instead."

"Yes, perhaps if I had been faster then things would have ended differently and you wouldn't have felt so much anguish," Azura admitted. "Once he married Niles, I thought I would be happy enough being the bride to one of his brothers, and that we could share a sibling bond instead. It would appear I was mistaken, or perhaps I had just had the misfortune of falling in with the wrong brother. No offense."

Leo almost couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he was also talking to the ghost of his dead wife so nothing was off the table at this point. "You married me...to get closer to Corrin?" He whispered.

"It is a choice that has brought me great shame," Azura began, but Leo cut her off.

"Go," Leo said.

"Please do not take out your anger on Corrin," Azura begged.

"I won't touch your precious Corrin," Leo promised. "I see now that you both deserved one another. You're both too careless with the feelings and lives of others to be good enough for anyone else. I would thank you if I had any ounce of respect left for you, because for the first time in my life I know that I'm not the worst person in the world, or the one who is at fault for everything wrong."

"Do you feel free?" Azura asked, reaching out a hand, with Leo backed away from.

"Yes," Leo remarked, "because now I know that if things had played out differently, I'd be spending my whole life with a woman who wanted to use me as a pawn to be with my brother."

"Your wording is harsh," Azura sighed, "but I suppose my actions were as well. Does this not upset you?"

"Oh I'm mad as hell," Leo said with a chuckle, "but I find solace knowing that for all that you've done and tried to do, you still didn't get what you wanted. You brought me two great kids in your attempt to get Corrin and even in your final moments, he wasn't there for you. He's got a husband who adores him and two children that worship him. And what did you get? You're dead." Azura stared at him, pain in her eyes, but Leo relished the sight.

"I will leave you then," Azura said, her voice strained. "May you find the happiness you seek."

"I'm not done yet," Leo said, taking a step closer to Azura. "You're dead, and as you've already given me permission, I'll see to it that nobody remembers who you really were. I'll keep you in my family's records, as my first wife. You wished to be Corrin's and in doing so you decided to mess with the wrong Prince of Nohr."

"This darkness you're allowing yourself to feel," Azura said, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "it will consume you, Leo. You must forgive me!"

"I'm done with forgiving everyone who's done me wrong and then blaming myself for their hurtful actions," Leo declared. "The only person I need to forgive is myself, for almost ending up as your cuckold." Tears swiftly fell down Azura's face, and her spectral form began to cry. "You can leave now. And even if you're not here to stay, I'm happy the universe allowed your soul to stop by. You've been able to set me free." And just like that, Leo blinked and she was gone.

For some time after, Leo wasn't sure whether or not he had truly met with the spirit of Azura. Maybe, in his agony, he had hallucinated or dreamt the entire thing. Nobody else had been there that night, and Leo didn't dare say a thing. The last thing he wanted was to spread rumors about what Azura had told him only for them to have just been the product of his own imagination. So Azura's memory was maintained as shrouded in mystery like it always had been. Leo had chosen not to give into whatever darkness that lurked in his heart, but felt satisfied with the threats he given spectral Azura.

Nothing seemed to change from that day on, except for Leo's demeanor. He had ditched the inferiority complex to the best of his ability, and sought out to repair his relationship with Shigure. Shigure had helped him appreciate Hoshido's culture, something Forrest was eager to learn about as well. He never forgave Hinoka for killing one of his best friends, but he was surprised to find himself spending more and more time with Princess Sakura. Leo ended up taking Ophelia on as his second retainer, and his fears that Niles would leave his service never became a reality. After many years, Leo found himself confronting Corrin in a manner similar to confronting Azura, but unlike with Azura he found Corrin to be accepting of his mistakes. A genuine apology was given, as time had taught Corrin how much he had to learn about the real world. Their relationship was no longer the happy-go-lucky sort that Corrin had hoped for, but Leo had built up some sort of respect for his older brother as a result. Now, Leo could look forward to what the future would bring. Yes, there was the fact that one day he'd be reunited with Azura in death, but he had the rest of his life to figure out whether or not he was going to truly forgive her.

[teeky185]

The Home Office has stripped jihadi bride Shamima Begum of her British citizenship, but the ongoing saga of what will happen next to her and her days-old son remains up in the air.  International law forbids nations from making people stateless by revoking their only citizenship, prompting speculation that Begum held dual citizenship through her Bangladeshi parents. On Wednesday morning, Begum's lawyer Tasnime Akunjee said his client does not have dual nationality, but the Home Office told The Telegraph laws in Bangladesh means the teenager automatically retains dual citizenship until she is 21.  Her family say they will consider "all legal avenues to challenge this decision", and Begum herself said that she may think about trying to travel with her terrorist husband to his home country of Holland to claim citizenship there.  The case has prompted fresh discussions over how Britain manages those returning or attempting to come back from Syria, once gripped by the tyranny of Islamic State (Isil). Begum was one of three schoolgirls, along with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, from Bethnal Green Academy who left the UK in February 2015. She married an Isil fighter and on Sunday have birth to her third child at a refugee camp in northeastern Syria. Her first two children died. Begum's family has pleaded for the 19-year-old to be shown mercy and to be allowed to return to east London. But what options do authorities have in such instances? Remain in Syria If Begum is not repatriated, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could hand her over to neighbouring Iraqi forces, Middle East Correspondent Josie Ensor explains. The Telegraph is aware of at least three cases, including European citizens, where male Isil suspects have been transferred from Syria to Iraq to face trial. This would be a controversial option as Baghdad has the option to impose the death penalty, which the UK opposes. Foreign detainees are currently being held by the SDF in an area of Kurdish self-rule in northeastern Syria. The SDF has said that they do not have the money or resources to hold them forever. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria They have warned that if Turkey invades, which it has threatened, it could see the prisoners being set free in the chaos. The Syrian Kurds are also in talks with the Syrian government about ceding some of their territory, which could see some foreign prisoners being handed over to the regime. A third option - Mustafa Bali, the SDF spokesman, has called for an international court to be set up in Syria. This would see them tried by international judges in Syria but return home to serve their sentence. However, sources at the UN say it would be difficult if not impossible to set up such a court in Kurdish-held territory without the authority of the Syrian government. Bangladesh dual citizenship The Telegraph understands that the Home Office made the decision to revoke Begum's British citizenship based on Bangladeshi law.  There, until the age of 21, it is understood the Isil bride automatically retains dual nationality due to the fact her parents are both from the country.  At the age of 21, a child born to Bangladeshi parents has the right to waive their right to dual nationality, but not before. The complication lies in how she gets to Bangladesh - where it is understood her father is currently living - and how she proves that she is Shamima Begum.  The teenager has never visited the country and does not have a Bangladeshi passport. Her old British passport is invalid due to her citizenship being revoked and she has previously said she used her sister's passport to travel to Syria back in 2015.  One possible option for her would be to travel to Turkey via the notoriously penetrable border with Syria and present herself to the Bangladeshi embassy.  But officials in Dhaka may well appeal the Home Office's decision to make Begum their responsibility, insisting that she has never even been to the country.  Attempt to gain Dutch citizenship Begum married Isil fighter Yago Riedjik in Syria having travelled to the Middle East from Bethnal Green in east London in 2015. His whereabouts are still unknown, but when asked what she might do next, the Isil bride told ITV News: "Another option I might try with my family is my husband is from Holland and he has family in Holland. "Maybe I can ask for citizenship in Holland. If he gets sent back to prison in Holland I can just wait for him while he is in prison." This would need a number of elements to align for it to even be a possibility.  First, Holland would have to accept to take Riedjik back, having left the country to become a terrorist in the Middle East.  Yago Reidjik The country doesn't offer to help its citizens in Syria who are willing to return, and if they report to an embassy, they would be transported to Holland, arrested and prosecuted.  A foreigh fighter with dual nationalities deemed a threat to national security - like Britain - can have their Dutch citizenship and passport revoked.  If that happens, Begum would have to follow him. But her British passport is - as it stands - invalid. And she previously said she had travelled to Syria on her sister's passport, which has since been taken from her.  Dutch legislation dictates that a spouse or partner wishing to live in Holland would need a residence permit, and in order to be eligible for a permit - they must have a valid passport or other travel documents.  Somehow, if she manages to make the 2,000-mile journey from Syria to Holland, the Dutch authorities would have to accept that she and Riedjik are married.  The pair were wed within the confines of Islamic State a matter of weeks after she arrived. It is highly unlikely there is paperwork to prove they are legally married, and even if there is, the Dutch authorities would have to accept it as binding.  Home Office decision is rescinded  As the Home Office's letter states, Shamima Begum and her family have the right to appeal the decision.  Her lawyer Tasnima Akunjee's rhetoric all along suggests he will help his client fight any move to strip her of her British citizenship.  The letter to the Begum family Credit: ITV News If judges side with Begum, deciding Sajid Javid had no right to revoke her British citizenship because it renders her stateless - the Government would be back to square one.  The appeal might not necessarily need to happen. If, as Begum's lawyer suggests, the Isil bride is currently stateless - the Home Office would be forced to reverse it stance.  In that scenario, all these options are once again back on the table.  Sent to Guantánamo Bay As revealed by Ben Riley-Smith, Robert Mendick and Laura Fitzpatrick on The Telegraph's front page on Friday, the United States is planning to send British Isil fighters to Guantánamo Bay amid frustration at the UK's failure to take responsibility for its homegrown terrorists. Senior US officials believe Guantánamo can house more than 50 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters, including the two surviving British members of the so-called "Beatles" terrorist cell that executed Western hostages. It has emerged that the vast majority of Islamist fighters returning to the UK from Syria have been placed on "secretive" government rehabilitation schemes rather than prosecuted. Despite British concern, Guantánamo Bay is being readied in the run-up to Donald Trump's withdrawal of US troops from Syria as soon as April. There is acute frustration within the Trump administration over how Britain and other western European countries are refusing to take back their foreign fighters for prosecution in their own courts. Returning jihadis: What other countries do Arrest and prosecution Home Secretary Sajid Javid previously said those who make it back "should be ready to be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted". But authorities have faced difficulties obtaining evidence to prove someone committed crimes in Syria.  Most recently, The Isil Beatles have caused the Government enormous problems. Two of the four suspected terrorists' fate has been left in limbo as the UK and the US play tug-of-war with where they will end up in court.  The Home Office previously blocked their return, and they could end up in an American federal court facing the death penalty after the CPS said there was "insufficient evidence" for them to be tried in the UK.    uk drops opposing of death pen Figures disclosed in the Commons last year suggested that only around one in 10 returnees has been prosecuted over "direct action" in Syria, although ministers say a significant proportion of those who have come back were assessed as no longer being of national security concern. New legislation which passed last week made it an offence to enter or remain in overseas terror hotspots, officially termed "designated areas". Managed return to UK Powers known as temporary exclusion orders (TEOs) were introduced in 2015. They can last for up to two years and can be imposed on those suspected of involvement in terrorism abroad, making it unlawful for them to return to the UK without engaging with authorities. The powers were unused in 2016, while nine TEOs were issued in 2017. Isil schoolgirls' journey into Syria TPIMs Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) allow the Home Secretary to impose a range of disruptive measures on individuals who are suspected of posing a threat to security but who cannot be prosecuted, or, in the case of foreign nationals, deported. Restrictions can include relocation to another part of the country, electronic monitoring and limits on the use of phones and computers. As of the end of August, six TPIMs were in force. Deradicalisation back in Britain Returnees could be referred to the Government's £40 million a year Prevent programme, which aims to stop people being drawn into terrorism. There were 7,318 individuals referred to Prevent in 2017/18. The schoolgirl who turned to Isil In most cases, referrals are found to require no further action or passed to other services, but when authorities conclude there is a danger the person could be drawn into terrorism, they can be supported through a voluntary scheme known as Channel. Prevent is backed by ministers and police, but has been described as "toxic" by critics, and the Government announced earlier this year that it would be independently reviewed.

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The Home Office has stripped jihadi bride Shamima Begum of her British citizenship, but the ongoing saga of what will happen next to her and her days-old son remains up in the air.  International law forbids nations from making people stateless by revoking their only citizenship, prompting speculation that Begum held dual citizenship through her Bangladeshi parents. On Wednesday morning, Begum's lawyer Tasnime Akunjee said his client does not have dual nationality, but the Home Office told The Telegraph laws in Bangladesh means the teenager automatically retains dual citizenship until she is 21.  Her family say they will consider "all legal avenues to challenge this decision", and Begum herself said that she may think about trying to travel with her terrorist husband to his home country of Holland to claim citizenship there.  The case has prompted fresh discussions over how Britain manages those returning or attempting to come back from Syria, once gripped by the tyranny of Islamic State (Isil). Begum was one of three schoolgirls, along with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, from Bethnal Green Academy who left the UK in February 2015. She married an Isil fighter and on Sunday have birth to her third child at a refugee camp in northeastern Syria. Her first two children died. Begum's family has pleaded for the 19-year-old to be shown mercy and to be allowed to return to east London. But what options do authorities have in such instances? Remain in Syria If Begum is not repatriated, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could hand her over to neighbouring Iraqi forces, Middle East Correspondent Josie Ensor explains. The Telegraph is aware of at least three cases, including European citizens, where male Isil suspects have been transferred from Syria to Iraq to face trial. This would be a controversial option as Baghdad has the option to impose the death penalty, which the UK opposes. Foreign detainees are currently being held by the SDF in an area of Kurdish self-rule in northeastern Syria. The SDF has said that they do not have the money or resources to hold them forever. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria They have warned that if Turkey invades, which it has threatened, it could see the prisoners being set free in the chaos. The Syrian Kurds are also in talks with the Syrian government about ceding some of their territory, which could see some foreign prisoners being handed over to the regime. A third option - Mustafa Bali, the SDF spokesman, has called for an international court to be set up in Syria. This would see them tried by international judges in Syria but return home to serve their sentence. However, sources at the UN say it would be difficult if not impossible to set up such a court in Kurdish-held territory without the authority of the Syrian government. Bangladesh dual citizenship The Telegraph understands that the Home Office made the decision to revoke Begum's British citizenship based on Bangladeshi law.  There, until the age of 21, it is understood the Isil bride automatically retains dual nationality due to the fact her parents are both from the country.  At the age of 21, a child born to Bangladeshi parents has the right to waive their right to dual nationality, but not before. The complication lies in how she gets to Bangladesh - where it is understood her father is currently living - and how she proves that she is Shamima Begum.  The teenager has never visited the country and does not have a Bangladeshi passport. Her old British passport is invalid due to her citizenship being revoked and she has previously said she used her sister's passport to travel to Syria back in 2015.  One possible option for her would be to travel to Turkey via the notoriously penetrable border with Syria and present herself to the Bangladeshi embassy.  But officials in Dhaka may well appeal the Home Office's decision to make Begum their responsibility, insisting that she has never even been to the country.  Attempt to gain Dutch citizenship Begum married Isil fighter Yago Riedjik in Syria having travelled to the Middle East from Bethnal Green in east London in 2015. His whereabouts are still unknown, but when asked what she might do next, the Isil bride told ITV News: "Another option I might try with my family is my husband is from Holland and he has family in Holland. "Maybe I can ask for citizenship in Holland. If he gets sent back to prison in Holland I can just wait for him while he is in prison." This would need a number of elements to align for it to even be a possibility.  First, Holland would have to accept to take Riedjik back, having left the country to become a terrorist in the Middle East.  Yago Reidjik The country doesn't offer to help its citizens in Syria who are willing to return, and if they report to an embassy, they would be transported to Holland, arrested and prosecuted.  A foreigh fighter with dual nationalities deemed a threat to national security - like Britain - can have their Dutch citizenship and passport revoked.  If that happens, Begum would have to follow him. But her British passport is - as it stands - invalid. And she previously said she had travelled to Syria on her sister's passport, which has since been taken from her.  Dutch legislation dictates that a spouse or partner wishing to live in Holland would need a residence permit, and in order to be eligible for a permit - they must have a valid passport or other travel documents.  Somehow, if she manages to make the 2,000-mile journey from Syria to Holland, the Dutch authorities would have to accept that she and Riedjik are married.  The pair were wed within the confines of Islamic State a matter of weeks after she arrived. It is highly unlikely there is paperwork to prove they are legally married, and even if there is, the Dutch authorities would have to accept it as binding.  Home Office decision is rescinded  As the Home Office's letter states, Shamima Begum and her family have the right to appeal the decision.  Her lawyer Tasnima Akunjee's rhetoric all along suggests he will help his client fight any move to strip her of her British citizenship.  The letter to the Begum family Credit: ITV News If judges side with Begum, deciding Sajid Javid had no right to revoke her British citizenship because it renders her stateless - the Government would be back to square one.  The appeal might not necessarily need to happen. If, as Begum's lawyer suggests, the Isil bride is currently stateless - the Home Office would be forced to reverse it stance.  In that scenario, all these options are once again back on the table.  Sent to Guantánamo Bay As revealed by Ben Riley-Smith, Robert Mendick and Laura Fitzpatrick on The Telegraph's front page on Friday, the United States is planning to send British Isil fighters to Guantánamo Bay amid frustration at the UK's failure to take responsibility for its homegrown terrorists. Senior US officials believe Guantánamo can house more than 50 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters, including the two surviving British members of the so-called "Beatles" terrorist cell that executed Western hostages. It has emerged that the vast majority of Islamist fighters returning to the UK from Syria have been placed on "secretive" government rehabilitation schemes rather than prosecuted. Despite British concern, Guantánamo Bay is being readied in the run-up to Donald Trump's withdrawal of US troops from Syria as soon as April. There is acute frustration within the Trump administration over how Britain and other western European countries are refusing to take back their foreign fighters for prosecution in their own courts. Returning jihadis: What other countries do Arrest and prosecution Home Secretary Sajid Javid previously said those who make it back "should be ready to be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted". But authorities have faced difficulties obtaining evidence to prove someone committed crimes in Syria.  Most recently, The Isil Beatles have caused the Government enormous problems. Two of the four suspected terrorists' fate has been left in limbo as the UK and the US play tug-of-war with where they will end up in court.  The Home Office previously blocked their return, and they could end up in an American federal court facing the death penalty after the CPS said there was "insufficient evidence" for them to be tried in the UK.    uk drops opposing of death pen Figures disclosed in the Commons last year suggested that only around one in 10 returnees has been prosecuted over "direct action" in Syria, although ministers say a significant proportion of those who have come back were assessed as no longer being of national security concern. New legislation which passed last week made it an offence to enter or remain in overseas terror hotspots, officially termed "designated areas". Managed return to UK Powers known as temporary exclusion orders (TEOs) were introduced in 2015. They can last for up to two years and can be imposed on those suspected of involvement in terrorism abroad, making it unlawful for them to return to the UK without engaging with authorities. The powers were unused in 2016, while nine TEOs were issued in 2017. Isil schoolgirls' journey into Syria TPIMs Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) allow the Home Secretary to impose a range of disruptive measures on individuals who are suspected of posing a threat to security but who cannot be prosecuted, or, in the case of foreign nationals, deported. Restrictions can include relocation to another part of the country, electronic monitoring and limits on the use of phones and computers. As of the end of August, six TPIMs were in force. Deradicalisation back in Britain Returnees could be referred to the Government's £40 million a year Prevent programme, which aims to stop people being drawn into terrorism. There were 7,318 individuals referred to Prevent in 2017/18. The schoolgirl who turned to Isil In most cases, referrals are found to require no further action or passed to other services, but when authorities conclude there is a danger the person could be drawn into terrorism, they can be supported through a voluntary scheme known as Channel. Prevent is backed by ministers and police, but has been described as "toxic" by critics, and the Government announced earlier this year that it would be independently reviewed.

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Shamima Begum: What could happen to the Isil bride?

The Home Office has stripped jihadi bride Shamima Begum of her British citizenship, but the ongoing saga of what will happen next to her and her days-old son remains up in the air.  International law forbids nations from making people stateless by revoking their only citizenship, prompting speculation that Begum held dual citizenship through her Bangladeshi parents. On Wednesday morning, Begum's lawyer Tasnime Akunjee said his client does not have dual nationality, but the Home Office told The Telegraph laws in Bangladesh means the teenager automatically retains dual citizenship until she is 21.  Her family say they will consider "all legal avenues to challenge this decision", and Begum herself said that she may think about trying to travel with her terrorist husband to his home country of Holland to claim citizenship there.  The case has prompted fresh discussions over how Britain manages those returning or attempting to come back from Syria, once gripped by the tyranny of Islamic State (Isil). Begum was one of three schoolgirls, along with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, from Bethnal Green Academy who left the UK in February 2015. She married an Isil fighter and on Sunday have birth to her third child at a refugee camp in northeastern Syria. Her first two children died. Begum's family has pleaded for the 19-year-old to be shown mercy and to be allowed to return to east London. But what options do authorities have in such instances? Remain in Syria If Begum is not repatriated, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could hand her over to neighbouring Iraqi forces, Middle East Correspondent Josie Ensor explains. The Telegraph is aware of at least three cases, including European citizens, where male Isil suspects have been transferred from Syria to Iraq to face trial. This would be a controversial option as Baghdad has the option to impose the death penalty, which the UK opposes. Foreign detainees are currently being held by the SDF in an area of Kurdish self-rule in northeastern Syria. The SDF has said that they do not have the money or resources to hold them forever. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria They have warned that if Turkey invades, which it has threatened, it could see the prisoners being set free in the chaos. The Syrian Kurds are also in talks with the Syrian government about ceding some of their territory, which could see some foreign prisoners being handed over to the regime. A third option - Mustafa Bali, the SDF spokesman, has called for an international court to be set up in Syria. This would see them tried by international judges in Syria but return home to serve their sentence. However, sources at the UN say it would be difficult if not impossible to set up such a court in Kurdish-held territory without the authority of the Syrian government. Bangladesh dual citizenship The Telegraph understands that the Home Office made the decision to revoke Begum's British citizenship based on Bangladeshi law.  There, until the age of 21, it is understood the Isil bride automatically retains dual nationality due to the fact her parents are both from the country.  At the age of 21, a child born to Bangladeshi parents has the right to waive their right to dual nationality, but not before. The complication lies in how she gets to Bangladesh - where it is understood her father is currently living - and how she proves that she is Shamima Begum.  The teenager has never visited the country and does not have a Bangladeshi passport. Her old British passport is invalid due to her citizenship being revoked and she has previously said she used her sister's passport to travel to Syria back in 2015.  One possible option for her would be to travel to Turkey via the notoriously penetrable border with Syria and present herself to the Bangladeshi embassy.  But officials in Dhaka may well appeal the Home Office's decision to make Begum their responsibility, insisting that she has never even been to the country.  Attempt to gain Dutch citizenship Begum married Isil fighter Yago Riedjik in Syria having travelled to the Middle East from Bethnal Green in east London in 2015. His whereabouts are still unknown, but when asked what she might do next, the Isil bride told ITV News: "Another option I might try with my family is my husband is from Holland and he has family in Holland. "Maybe I can ask for citizenship in Holland. If he gets sent back to prison in Holland I can just wait for him while he is in prison." This would need a number of elements to align for it to even be a possibility.  First, Holland would have to accept to take Riedjik back, having left the country to become a terrorist in the Middle East.  Yago Reidjik The country doesn't offer to help its citizens in Syria who are willing to return, and if they report to an embassy, they would be transported to Holland, arrested and prosecuted.  A foreigh fighter with dual nationalities deemed a threat to national security - like Britain - can have their Dutch citizenship and passport revoked.  If that happens, Begum would have to follow him. But her British passport is - as it stands - invalid. And she previously said she had travelled to Syria on her sister's passport, which has since been taken from her.  Dutch legislation dictates that a spouse or partner wishing to live in Holland would need a residence permit, and in order to be eligible for a permit - they must have a valid passport or other travel documents.  Somehow, if she manages to make the 2,000-mile journey from Syria to Holland, the Dutch authorities would have to accept that she and Riedjik are married.  The pair were wed within the confines of Islamic State a matter of weeks after she arrived. It is highly unlikely there is paperwork to prove they are legally married, and even if there is, the Dutch authorities would have to accept it as binding.  Home Office decision is rescinded  As the Home Office's letter states, Shamima Begum and her family have the right to appeal the decision.  Her lawyer Tasnima Akunjee's rhetoric all along suggests he will help his client fight any move to strip her of her British citizenship.  The letter to the Begum family Credit: ITV News If judges side with Begum, deciding Sajid Javid had no right to revoke her British citizenship because it renders her stateless - the Government would be back to square one.  The appeal might not necessarily need to happen. If, as Begum's lawyer suggests, the Isil bride is currently stateless - the Home Office would be forced to reverse it stance.  In that scenario, all these options are once again back on the table.  Sent to Guantánamo Bay As revealed by Ben Riley-Smith, Robert Mendick and Laura Fitzpatrick on The Telegraph's front page on Friday, the United States is planning to send British Isil fighters to Guantánamo Bay amid frustration at the UK's failure to take responsibility for its homegrown terrorists. Senior US officials believe Guantánamo can house more than 50 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters, including the two surviving British members of the so-called "Beatles" terrorist cell that executed Western hostages. It has emerged that the vast majority of Islamist fighters returning to the UK from Syria have been placed on "secretive" government rehabilitation schemes rather than prosecuted. Despite British concern, Guantánamo Bay is being readied in the run-up to Donald Trump's withdrawal of US troops from Syria as soon as April. There is acute frustration within the Trump administration over how Britain and other western European countries are refusing to take back their foreign fighters for prosecution in their own courts. Returning jihadis: What other countries do Arrest and prosecution Home Secretary Sajid Javid previously said those who make it back "should be ready to be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted". But authorities have faced difficulties obtaining evidence to prove someone committed crimes in Syria.  Most recently, The Isil Beatles have caused the Government enormous problems. Two of the four suspected terrorists' fate has been left in limbo as the UK and the US play tug-of-war with where they will end up in court.  The Home Office previously blocked their return, and they could end up in an American federal court facing the death penalty after the CPS said there was "insufficient evidence" for them to be tried in the UK.    uk drops opposing of death pen Figures disclosed in the Commons last year suggested that only around one in 10 returnees has been prosecuted over "direct action" in Syria, although ministers say a significant proportion of those who have come back were assessed as no longer being of national security concern. New legislation which passed last week made it an offence to enter or remain in overseas terror hotspots, officially termed "designated areas". Managed return to UK Powers known as temporary exclusion orders (TEOs) were introduced in 2015. They can last for up to two years and can be imposed on those suspected of involvement in terrorism abroad, making it unlawful for them to return to the UK without engaging with authorities. The powers were unused in 2016, while nine TEOs were issued in 2017. Isil schoolgirls' journey into Syria TPIMs Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) allow the Home Secretary to impose a range of disruptive measures on individuals who are suspected of posing a threat to security but who cannot be prosecuted, or, in the case of foreign nationals, deported. Restrictions can include relocation to another part of the country, electronic monitoring and limits on the use of phones and computers. As of the end of August, six TPIMs were in force. Deradicalisation back in Britain Returnees could be referred to the Government's £40 million a year Prevent programme, which aims to stop people being drawn into terrorism. There were 7,318 individuals referred to Prevent in 2017/18. The schoolgirl who turned to Isil In most cases, referrals are found to require no further action or passed to other services, but when authorities conclude there is a danger the person could be drawn into terrorism, they can be supported through a voluntary scheme known as Channel. Prevent is backed by ministers and police, but has been described as "toxic" by critics, and the Government announced earlier this year that it would be independently reviewed.

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The Home Office has stripped jihadi bride Shamima Begum of her British citizenship, but the ongoing saga of what will happen next to her and her days-old son remains up in the air.  International law forbids nations from making people stateless by revoking their only citizenship, prompting speculation that Begum held dual citizenship through her Bangladeshi parents. On Wednesday morning, Begum's lawyer Tasnime Akunjee said his client does not have dual nationality, but the Home Office told The Telegraph laws in Bangladesh means the teenager automatically retains dual citizenship until she is 21.  Her family say they will consider "all legal avenues to challenge this decision", and Begum herself said that she may think about trying to travel with her terrorist husband to his home country of Holland to claim citizenship there.  The case has prompted fresh discussions over how Britain manages those returning or attempting to come back from Syria, once gripped by the tyranny of Islamic State (Isil). Begum was one of three schoolgirls, along with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, from Bethnal Green Academy who left the UK in February 2015. She married an Isil fighter and on Sunday have birth to her third child at a refugee camp in northeastern Syria. Her first two children died. Begum's family has pleaded for the 19-year-old to be shown mercy and to be allowed to return to east London. But what options do authorities have in such instances? Remain in Syria If Begum is not repatriated, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could hand her over to neighbouring Iraqi forces, Middle East Correspondent Josie Ensor explains. The Telegraph is aware of at least three cases, including European citizens, where male Isil suspects have been transferred from Syria to Iraq to face trial. This would be a controversial option as Baghdad has the option to impose the death penalty, which the UK opposes. Foreign detainees are currently being held by the SDF in an area of Kurdish self-rule in northeastern Syria. The SDF has said that they do not have the money or resources to hold them forever. Islamic State losing its grip on Syria They have warned that if Turkey invades, which it has threatened, it could see the prisoners being set free in the chaos. The Syrian Kurds are also in talks with the Syrian government about ceding some of their territory, which could see some foreign prisoners being handed over to the regime. A third option - Mustafa Bali, the SDF spokesman, has called for an international court to be set up in Syria. This would see them tried by international judges in Syria but return home to serve their sentence. However, sources at the UN say it would be difficult if not impossible to set up such a court in Kurdish-held territory without the authority of the Syrian government. Bangladesh dual citizenship The Telegraph understands that the Home Office made the decision to revoke Begum's British citizenship based on Bangladeshi law.  There, until the age of 21, it is understood the Isil bride automatically retains dual nationality due to the fact her parents are both from the country.  At the age of 21, a child born to Bangladeshi parents has the right to waive their right to dual nationality, but not before. The complication lies in how she gets to Bangladesh - where it is understood her father is currently living - and how she proves that she is Shamima Begum.  The teenager has never visited the country and does not have a Bangladeshi passport. Her old British passport is invalid due to her citizenship being revoked and she has previously said she used her sister's passport to travel to Syria back in 2015.  One possible option for her would be to travel to Turkey via the notoriously penetrable border with Syria and present herself to the Bangladeshi embassy.  But officials in Dhaka may well appeal the Home Office's decision to make Begum their responsibility, insisting that she has never even been to the country.  Attempt to gain Dutch citizenship Begum married Isil fighter Yago Riedjik in Syria having travelled to the Middle East from Bethnal Green in east London in 2015. His whereabouts are still unknown, but when asked what she might do next, the Isil bride told ITV News: "Another option I might try with my family is my husband is from Holland and he has family in Holland. "Maybe I can ask for citizenship in Holland. If he gets sent back to prison in Holland I can just wait for him while he is in prison." This would need a number of elements to align for it to even be a possibility.  First, Holland would have to accept to take Riedjik back, having left the country to become a terrorist in the Middle East.  Yago Reidjik The country doesn't offer to help its citizens in Syria who are willing to return, and if they report to an embassy, they would be transported to Holland, arrested and prosecuted.  A foreigh fighter with dual nationalities deemed a threat to national security - like Britain - can have their Dutch citizenship and passport revoked.  If that happens, Begum would have to follow him. But her British passport is - as it stands - invalid. And she previously said she had travelled to Syria on her sister's passport, which has since been taken from her.  Dutch legislation dictates that a spouse or partner wishing to live in Holland would need a residence permit, and in order to be eligible for a permit - they must have a valid passport or other travel documents.  Somehow, if she manages to make the 2,000-mile journey from Syria to Holland, the Dutch authorities would have to accept that she and Riedjik are married.  The pair were wed within the confines of Islamic State a matter of weeks after she arrived. It is highly unlikely there is paperwork to prove they are legally married, and even if there is, the Dutch authorities would have to accept it as binding.  Home Office decision is rescinded  As the Home Office's letter states, Shamima Begum and her family have the right to appeal the decision.  Her lawyer Tasnima Akunjee's rhetoric all along suggests he will help his client fight any move to strip her of her British citizenship.  The letter to the Begum family Credit: ITV News If judges side with Begum, deciding Sajid Javid had no right to revoke her British citizenship because it renders her stateless - the Government would be back to square one.  The appeal might not necessarily need to happen. If, as Begum's lawyer suggests, the Isil bride is currently stateless - the Home Office would be forced to reverse it stance.  In that scenario, all these options are once again back on the table.  Sent to Guantánamo Bay As revealed by Ben Riley-Smith, Robert Mendick and Laura Fitzpatrick on The Telegraph's front page on Friday, the United States is planning to send British Isil fighters to Guantánamo Bay amid frustration at the UK's failure to take responsibility for its homegrown terrorists. Senior US officials believe Guantánamo can house more than 50 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters, including the two surviving British members of the so-called "Beatles" terrorist cell that executed Western hostages. It has emerged that the vast majority of Islamist fighters returning to the UK from Syria have been placed on "secretive" government rehabilitation schemes rather than prosecuted. Despite British concern, Guantánamo Bay is being readied in the run-up to Donald Trump's withdrawal of US troops from Syria as soon as April. There is acute frustration within the Trump administration over how Britain and other western European countries are refusing to take back their foreign fighters for prosecution in their own courts. Returning jihadis: What other countries do Arrest and prosecution Home Secretary Sajid Javid previously said those who make it back "should be ready to be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted". But authorities have faced difficulties obtaining evidence to prove someone committed crimes in Syria.  Most recently, The Isil Beatles have caused the Government enormous problems. Two of the four suspected terrorists' fate has been left in limbo as the UK and the US play tug-of-war with where they will end up in court.  The Home Office previously blocked their return, and they could end up in an American federal court facing the death penalty after the CPS said there was "insufficient evidence" for them to be tried in the UK.    uk drops opposing of death pen Figures disclosed in the Commons last year suggested that only around one in 10 returnees has been prosecuted over "direct action" in Syria, although ministers say a significant proportion of those who have come back were assessed as no longer being of national security concern. New legislation which passed last week made it an offence to enter or remain in overseas terror hotspots, officially termed "designated areas". Managed return to UK Powers known as temporary exclusion orders (TEOs) were introduced in 2015. They can last for up to two years and can be imposed on those suspected of involvement in terrorism abroad, making it unlawful for them to return to the UK without engaging with authorities. The powers were unused in 2016, while nine TEOs were issued in 2017. Isil schoolgirls' journey into Syria TPIMs Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) allow the Home Secretary to impose a range of disruptive measures on individuals who are suspected of posing a threat to security but who cannot be prosecuted, or, in the case of foreign nationals, deported. Restrictions can include relocation to another part of the country, electronic monitoring and limits on the use of phones and computers. As of the end of August, six TPIMs were in force. Deradicalisation back in Britain Returnees could be referred to the Government's £40 million a year Prevent programme, which aims to stop people being drawn into terrorism. There were 7,318 individuals referred to Prevent in 2017/18. The schoolgirl who turned to Isil In most cases, referrals are found to require no further action or passed to other services, but when authorities conclude there is a danger the person could be drawn into terrorism, they can be supported through a voluntary scheme known as Channel. Prevent is backed by ministers and police, but has been described as "toxic" by critics, and the Government announced earlier this year that it would be independently reviewed.

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Debt Settlement Companies Are They A Scam Or They Do Legit Work?

When it concerns looking for financial obligation relief, numerous Americans feel the only viable alternative they have is credit counseling or filing personal bankruptcy. Exactly what many people are not familiar with is the unknown process of debt settlement. The objective of financial obligation settlement is too, one please your lenders for less than what they declare you owe and two save you as much loan as possible throughout the process.

One factor many people pick a debt settlement business is due to the fact that their debt amounts are expensive for them to realistically handle to payback completely and wish to prevent insolvency. Another reason that thousands of Americans choose a debt settlement company is because they are exceptionally upset and fed up with the credit card business over the fact that their rate of interest has actually increased to an unjust high rate like 28 - 30% and the company refuses to decrease it no matter how much you plead.

However the top reason Americans select a debt settlement business is since their desire to have closure on being in debt and their top priority of becoming debt complimentary becomes their number one objective and it surpasses any real or viewed idea of any negative impact that it might have on their credit rating while going through the process of financial obligation settlement.

According to the Fair Isaac Business your debt to credit line ratio accounts for more than 30% of your rating, so it ends up being definitely important to eliminate your debt first when you are trying to enhance your credit rating. Likewise remember your credit report is only a picture in time and is never ever a permanent record, you can recover and improve your credit rating in time. Everyone gets a 2nd possibility in America!

The banks would love to keep you in the mind set that your credit rating is definitely the most fundamental part of your life and by not paying them back completely would reduce your score and put you in the gutter forever. By all means your credit is necessary but must not entirely control your life. This mentality works in the banks behalf and keeps you in worry, just where they desire you.

But think of it, if the banks where actually were worried about you and your credit report then why would they extend you more credit on your current charge card so you can charge more when they know that this will decrease your score. So do they truly care, NO.

When researching the alternative of financial obligation settlement as your choice to become financial obligation totally free understand that there are basically 2 types of business to utilize when considering who you will opt to settle your financial obligations. Initially there are the typical non-lawyer based financial obligation settlement companies which consist of over 95% of the business presently marketing online and TV. The rest are law practice that practice financial obligation settlement as one of their services.

In the rest of this article I am going to note some of the major essential points that you need to consider when choosing a financial obligation settlement business to assist you end up being financial obligation totally free. Along with provide you a warning sign for each point when talking to the representative of a debt settlement company.

1. The business must save you at least 40% of your debt consisting of costs and paying your creditors.

You can normally conserve 20% on your own with hardly any effort however anymore than that needs experience and working out savvy.

Warning Sign:

When you are speaking with the agent from any debt settlement business you need to be cautious and do your homework. There are lots of financial obligation settlement business that just want to make as much money as possible without any genuine regard for the customers benefit. A great deal of these representatives will state practically anything that pleases you to register you in their program. One way to recognize this type of business is by the technique of setting a month-to-month payment amount to whatever the client wants. Usually very low and for a lot longer amount of time than exactly what other trustworthy companies provide. This beats the function of their claim of conserving substantial amounts of money since the interest keeps growing and the consumer does not understand that the longer the payback plan amount of time the less they conserve.

The majority of Americans are getting captured in the magic bullet or quick fix syndrome, which these deceitful business' operators comprehend all to well and sign up 10s of countless relying on people each year. If the representative is saying that they will conserve you over 60-70% of your financial obligation beware, in the beginning it may sound fantastic but validate what the overall cost is before signing on. Once they additional their fee and include your payback to your financial institutions it will be a lot less and they never discuss this. Ensure to ask the representative if their claim of high cost savings for you is also including the companies charge.

2. Make certain your payback plan remains in a reasonable timespan to finish this process.

The major advantage of debt settlement is to become financial obligation complimentary in a very short period of time verses paying minimum payments to the credit card company which averages over 38 years to pay back. You ought to select a financial obligation settlement business that will focus and emphasize on enrolling you to becoming debt free in two years or less, but only under particular circumstances not than three years.

Warning Sign:

By extending a financial obligation settlement repayment strategy farther than three years you'll never receive the full benefits that you were told in the beginning. Why, because of accruing interest. Simply puts the portion of cash your conserving on the initial debt decreases considerably when you register in a program that has you paying for four or five years due to the fact that the financial obligation quantity drastically increases.

3. Make certain the collections calls will be stopped.

One of the negative aspects of financial obligation settlement is that you do need to fall behind in order for these lenders to be going to accept less. While falling behind you will get barraged with calls from debt collector. Simply put these can be extremely frustrating, scary, awkward, and aggravating. Now when it pertains to avoiding collection calls from 3rd celebration collectors, just by keeping a lawyer to represent you will stop them from calling. The Fair Financial obligation Collection Practices Act states that if a customer has attorney representation the 3rd celebration collector by law must handle the attorney and not the debtor. As soon as the collector has been informed but continues too call you straight then the collector ends up being subject to a prospective lawsuit.

Warning Sign:

If a representative from a non-attorney based financial obligation settlement company informs that they can stop the collections calls ask them how and why the collector has to abide by what the debt settlement company declares. By law the collector does not need to deal with them. Generally their encourage is to send out a stop and desist letter, this can stimulate a hornets nest. While this might stop the calls it will leave the collector no other option of calling you to gathering the debt. So if they wish to continue to pursue with their collection attempts they will need to serve you documents to appear in court. Suggesting that you will be sued.

4. Ensure the business is reputable.

A good place to start is to inspect the Bbb (BBB). Next thing to consider is for how long the business has been in business. A general guideline is to search for a company to have been in business for over Ten Years. Thus guaranteeing that they understand exactly what they are doing and have actually settled many individuals's debts in the past. Exactly what the rip-off operations do is open up as ABC business executed hundreds of individuals on their program that they understand are not gotten approved for debt settlement simply to take costs. Once they have these individuals complaining about not doing the best job they close down and launch somewhere else brand new as XYZ company. So if the business is brand new within a year or two that may raise a warning and ought to be a significant concern.

When it comes to law practice you have an extra layer of protection, the bar association. Examine the state bar for the lawyers standing if you are going with a law practice. The attorneys are held to a greater standard by being a member of the bar association. With unanswered problems to the bar a lawyer can lose his/her license and business. The lawyer can not get another law license and simply open up somewhere else. So it is in their benefit to do the best job for the customer.

Warning Sign:

This is pretty apparent, if a company has an unacceptable record with the BBB and is not a member it would be best to stay away. If a law office is not in good standing with the bar in other words under investigation, then stay away. If the company is relatively new and is showing a few of the warning signs mentioned above, absolutely keep away.

While debt settlement can be a really clever and feasible alternative for many you need to be very mindful about the organization you are utilizing. By following the points and indication above you will significantly decrease the threat of being enrolled into a program that will not benefit you.