#frontier brains especially

[lyricalchrysanthemum]

Grabs the stat trainers and frontier brains by the hands

We’re gonna make you so relevant

[antirepurp]

im gonna love putting him into frontiers and discovering 170 vertices with shit-tier weight painting that float above his head

[qiinamii]

followed you for your gorgeous demon slayer paintings but soon discovered you’re also a sonic fan <3 what world am I living in theres so many amazing artists in my fandoms!!

I jump from one fandom to another! but with big gaps in between, though if the feeling hits I’d just draw em :)) glad to see another sonic fan too!

[loverboypercy]

I haven’t talked abt the hedgehog media in a hot minute but,, I love them all so much you don’t understand. they are just my little guys,,,

[helladventurers]

GOD, i forgot how good the legendary beasts theme is 😫💦

[illusivelle]

shake the frost / 1

pairing: william 'ironhead' miller x female reader rating: t (for now) length: 2,140 words content: established relationship with the triple frontier boys, drinking, light pining summary: you've always held a small spark for will and tonight is the first time you realize he might be looking at you in the same light, with a promise of something more. a/n: been a long time since i put something out there so please be gentle, but figured why not, especially if the idea's been rotting in my brain. not edited or proofread, will likely be one part of a series (that will gradually become nsfw surely). mostly just taking it as i go, but hoping you enjoy! thanks for reading. link to ao3 here!

You’ve known Frankie for most of your life, a constant presence akin to a brother. You’ve witnessed him transform from a once fun-loving guy into a steely, quiet one. Still outgoing, still willing to go to bat for his friends – just different. Different in ways you couldn’t begin to understand when you were younger and couldn’t bear to think about it now that you knew. Not that you would ever know it all, but it was easy enough to grasp the change war brings around, especially to someone you long considered family.

But it was nights like tonight that made everything feel normal, you and Frankie playing rounds of pool and betting on rounds of drinks. You finally had a string of days off from work and as soon as you got the text from Frankie to join him and his buddies at the bar, it was hard to find an excuse to say no. Not when he’d been hiding out for a while, not after everything that happened with one of his closest friends. You wished you could’ve been there for him but Frankie didn’t let you, but he was inviting you out now and you’d be foolish to miss the chance again.

“Pay up, pilot.” You settle a hand on your hip, a waiting palm out in his direction. Frankie had that shit-eating grin while he shook his head at you, his hand sliding into his pocket when the bell chimed above the door and a loud laugh echoed through the dim space.

“Oh-ho-ho!” Your head jerks to find Frankie’s friend stride in, first the tall one you remember as Benny. He’d been the fighter you stitched up some time ago when Frankie called you over for help. Trailing closely behind him is a blonde, that one with striking blue eyes you couldn’t seem to look away from when you first met, while you were tending to his brother’s wounds. Will, he’d introduced himself then. A name you found hard to wipe from your mind, a face you found hard to look away from as his gaze connects with yours. You suck in a deep breath like that might help ground you but what actually does is the way Benny’s frame cuts into your line of sight, suddenly feet in front of you. “If it isn’t Doctor Shortcake.”

You cast your eyes up at him with a shake of your head, one because you weren’t a doctor, and two because “just my name is fine. You do know it, don’t you, Benny?” You’ve never been fond of pet names or nicknames and you weren’t about to be now, not even with the low drawl of Benny’s voice. He doesn’t say anything, just walks to the bar with his hands shoved into his pocket whistling a tune. It’s then you register Santiago is here, too, as he’s pulling you into a side hug and calling you mija. A term of endearment you’d let slide if only because you saw Santiago as more of a parental figure than you ever did Frankie.

But the one you’re really waiting to talk to is leaning against the edge of the pool table, his arms crossed against his chest as he talks with Frankie. His voice draws you in, your eyes landing on his mouth before they drift up to those powder blues. Ones that were looking right at you, heat crawling up your cheeks. “Hi.” You murmur and take a step toward him. Maybe it would be better to lean into it than to pretend he hadn’t just caught you staring at his lips.

“Hi.” The faintest smile hangs from his mouth while his gaze lingers on yours. “It’s been a while.”

A while was an understatement. You’d first met Will, and the rest of the guys, what felt like years ago. You were as much of a fixture in Frankie’s life as they were in his, but it was always either you and Frankie, or you tagging along with Frankie and the guys. You never had a moment alone with any of them, and certainly never with Will no matter how often you might’ve thought about it. Instead, the two of you stole fleeting glances, exchanged small smiles, the occasional conversation here and there but never about anything too personal – and never for too long. Frankie didn’t say much about it, just a sordid reminder one of the first times he noticed you eyeing Will for too long that the captain kept almost everyone at arm’s length and to not get your hopes up.

But that didn’t mean you couldn’t… look, right? Besides, you’re far too shy to try to make any kind of move, especially on a guy like Will Miller. Quiet, stoic, hard to read. Everytime you were around him, even just the feel of his sea of blues on you made your skin prickle, the depths in those eyes something you could get lost in. Every wash of blue something you might see in the ocean. Something you could drown in.

“Beating Frankie at pool?” His words cut into your thoughts.

“Oh, I was–” you chuckle softly, chin tucking into your chest bashfully, “I was, yeah, but he doesn’t wanna pay up.”

“Let’s play. I’ll double it.”

What? You blink up in near surprise but your head tilts with slight intrigue. “You sure? I’m pretty good…”

This pulls a gentle laugh from him and you can’t help your smile. You’ll replay that sound tonight, you’re sure, until the next time you could hopefully draw it out of him again. “Yeah. Frankie’s gonna go broke, so I’ll bail him out this time.”

At this, Frankie snorts, claps Will’s shoulder and mentions that he’s off to the bar to grab some drinks. Benny is still there, Santiago chatting him up, and it leaves you and Will alone – for the first time. Sure, there’s the energy of the other patrons and the giant pool table in between you, but they all seem to blur the second he’s offering you one of the pool cues. It’s barely a graze of his fingertips but it’s enough of a touch to reel you in. “Alright. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” There’s not a drip of a threat in your tone, light and teasing to accompany the warm flush sprawling over your face.

It was something you couldn’t hide, either, not even with your hair falling against your temple. You knew Will would see it, knew he was entirely too observant to miss a beat. Maybe he was already counting all the ways he made you blush, and why were you so curious to know how he felt about that? 

“Let’s see what you got.” He’s already set up the balls, gesturing for you to break.

For as shy as you were, there were always a couple of scenarios where you were braver than usual. One, at work. Helping others came naturally to you, something you studied long and hard for. It wasn’t that you were turning your brain off, but in a weird way, it felt like that – a sort of routine that came easy. The second was times like now. A little competition always lit a spark in you, confidence growing with each drop of a ball in a pocket or each round of poker you won. It helped that guys like Frankie were always so appalled and confused when you’d win, thinking they had the upper hand. And wasn’t it just so much more fun to surprise people that way?

You break clean, sinking a solid colour in a pocket, turning to Will with the corner of your lip tugging up into half a smirk. “That makes you stripes.” You say as you move around him, leaning forward on the table to line up your next shot, but Will is quick to shift his body to face you. It’s almost unnerving and your grip on the stick loosens a little, or maybe your palm’s just become damp from the nerves. Why were you nervous? It was just Will. A friend of Frankie’s. It was just pool. A game you’ve played too many times to count. Just another guy, just another game.

“You okay?” He chimes and for a second, you swore he wasn’t teasing. Swore that you could hear that underlying concern in his tone.

You flash your eyes up at him, a light crinkle at the corners. “Good. Thanks.” Then you turn your attention back to the game and sink another ball.

You’re good – but Will is, too. You should be frustrated every time a striped ball makes it in but you’re finding this thrilling, someone who could challenge you, innocent as your interactions were. Even when you were looking at each other from across the table, it felt like a small exchange. One final ball for the both of you, but it’s your turn, your chance to end the game. “You sure you said double?” You breathe out, glancing up at Will from where you’re folded over, pool cue aimed at the white ball. 

“I’m sure.” He’s propped up against the back of a bar stool now, beer in hand, the boys scattered about having their own conversations. Benny pipes in at the perfect time to taunt his brother and if Will even hears him, he doesn’t show it – his blue eyes strictly on you. Taunting you in silence, instead.

Another deep breath, one you let out slowly as the end of the stick hits the edge of the white ball, rolling and rolling until it knocks into a coloured one. But you don’t pay it any mind, not quite caring whether or not it went in because you’re daring a glance up at Will… and he’s still looking at you. A few beats pass before you hear a loud smack on a table, “she got you good, man!” Benny clutching onto his brother’s shoulders, shaking it almost violently.

You roll your lips in between your teeth to hide a coy smile, but it’s obvious the way a blush steals across your cheeks. Will manages to escape Benny’s hold, slow and steady strides until he’s finally standing in front of you, one hand wrapped around the cue he’s holding and the other digging into his pocket. “Why don’t we–” you nod to his hand, the one that’s about to procure your prize, “have a rematch sometime? Triple or nothing.”

“Oooooh boy, that confidence is unmatched.” Benny laughs.

You lift a shoulder in a faint shrug, “just a thought,” though really it’s more of an excuse for you to maybe see Will again without the company of the others. You told yourself before you wouldn’t make any moves, but this wasn’t one, right? It was hardly forward. Just about the game. When your gaze darts to Frankie, however, his expression tells you he knows exactly what you might be up to, even if you don’t know it yourself.

“Sometime?” Will asks. “Why not tonight?”

“Because I should probably get going.”

“Do you need a ride?”

The question stuns you for a moment before you’re shaking your head. “No, it’s okay. You stay, you guys just got here.”

“You sure?”

“I’m…” not sure that you don’t want to take his offer, but not sure that you’d be able to handle any more time alone with Will, “sure.”

Will’s mouth twists in something you can’t discern. He’s got so many different emotions that play out across his face, some you’ve noticed over the times you’ve seen each other, though many you see for the first time when they play out – and sometimes, never again. This was new. After a pause, he finally nods. “Okay. A rematch next time, then.”

You’re quick to say your goodbyes to the boys, and once you get to Will, you find yourself fidgeting with your knuckles. “See you next time, then.” You echo his earlier sentiment, brushing a tendril behind your ear before you spin on a heel to make it to the door. One foot in front of the other – it’s the only thing you can focus on, else you might find your mind fluttering to thoughts of the blonde haired blue eyed captain.

And you don’t know why you do it but you steal a look over your shoulder and find those exact blue eyes locking with yours, Will resting against the bar’s patio, taking a swig of his drink. It was as if you felt his gaze on you, or maybe he felt the way you were thinking of him. Either way, you throw him a timid smile before you’re disappearing around the corner. Thoughts of Will Miller the entire walk home, the entire time you undress and slide into bed, the entire time your eyes are closed.

[romanarose]

Favorites of 2023

Hi! I've seen a lot people doing these so I thought I would too!

These are all sorts of Oscar Issac/Pedro Pascal fics that delighted me this year <3

I tried to keep it to one rec per author just because I have soooooo many friends with wonderful fics and blogs who deserve recognition

If yours didn't make it, NO FEAR you are still wonderful to me &lt;3

Everything is labeled properly in the fic so be warned, many of this contains dark!

3 series that I couldn't stop thinking about

Hungry Hearts By @atinylittlepain: The Last of Us, A Bruce Springsteen themed Joel series? SHEEEEEEEESH

Yearling by @justagalwhowrites : The Last of Us, Jackson!Joel and a victim of prolonged sexual assault. If you know me, you know I love a traumatized reader healing with the power of love and friendship

The Fractured Moon by @melodygatesauthor : Moon Knight, NON CON, dark moon boys is always a slay but the way Marc is so tortured and Steven is so needy?!?!?!?! Mels characterization of Steven may or may not have influenced my Ben in ROF

Three fics that rewired my brain

On the Waterfront by @beefrobeefcal : Triple Frontier, Now, I've always loved a tubby man with a belly (who else had a crush on Samwise Gamgee in LOTR?) BUT DARK FRANKIE?!?!?!?! Turned it into a full obsession.

I can be your pretty girl by @walkintotheriveranddisappear : The Last of Us, Wow, I devoured every single chapter!!! I thinka bout it so much, ESPECIALLY that scene with Tommy... I've never looked at a pool ball the same way.

Dancing With Wolves by @hon3yboy : Moon Knight, Now, I'm not the biggest monster fucker out there, but this?!?!?!?! WEREWOLF MARC SPECTOR??? Unwell about it.

3 times men jerking off was hot

Caught by @toxicanonymity : The Last of Us, I've mentioned in the authors note for Keep Cry'n that this fic inspired it, it's one I go back to allllll the time

Take Care of me Tonight by @missdictatorme : Moon Knight, Jake is horny and lonely and jerks of..... reader helps, and makes our boy feel special <3

Pent Up by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin : Narcos, Javi is... well... pent up, needs to let loose! and boy does he.

4 times it got gay bc something is wrong with me and I couldn't decide

Behind Enemy Lines by @astroboots : Triple Frontier, Y'all know how much I love this series, seeing as I wrote a fic for it XD but this chapter is something i always hold close <3

Captain of the team by @writefightandflightclub : Triple Frontier, MAAAAAANNNNN this fic is why I will never be the same as a person.

Trine by @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction : Sucker Punch. Anyone who reader blue jones should be reading this. Incredible.

What if he never had to go? by @velocibeewords : Triple Frontier, The infamous series I read on my friend bachelorette weekend! So good I couldn't put it down, going so far as to read it at a casino XD Benny and Santi, my babies

3 times underused characters shined

Oxford Comma by @whatthefishh : The Two Faces of January, Tell me, how does someone take a character with almost no following and make a series so damn beloved by many??? Only Mona could.

My Ex's Tapes by @runa-falls : Lighteningface, Basil Stilt AND Jake Lockley??!?! God bless this mess hnnggggg

I'm Getting What's Mine by @winniethewife : The Card Counter, dub con, I think we as a society need more William Tell, and sensory deprivation to break down reader? Amazing.

3 times they talked dirty to me *trumpet noises*

Not a Survivalist Girl by @tightjeansjavi and @chaotic-mystery : The Last of Us, when they finally fuck??? HELLO?!?!! unreal

Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line by @millerscoffee : The Last of Us, Joel is so degrading and condescending in this I think about it so much it's fucking unreal.

Making Trouble by @juneknight : Moon Knight, The fic that completly fried the brains of the moon knight fandom. "You cried like I was killing you—except you were begging me not to stop" yeah. Yeah...

3 times there were three or more

The story of us by @pimosworld : Triple Frontier, This series has a special place in heart bc Priscilla said I influenced a lo of it with the characterizations and thats such a big honor. Priscilla Is so talented and I adore how she writes these guys... and the FishBen wins my heart

Eyes on Me by @cavillscurls : The Last of Us, Soft Joel? Tommy watches? AFTERCARE?!?!?! Y'all know how much I love aftercare.... I should read this again shouldn't I?

Run the Table by @katiexpunk : The Last of Us, MORE TOMMY JOEL THREESOME! MORE!!!! This one came out recently so its still fresh in my mind

3 Times I should NOT have been into that

No Soul to Sell @atticrissfinch : The Last of Us, NON CON V DARK, this is the fic that made me like... yeah I'm into piss. No doubt. It was so dark and hot ;-;

Plushies Series by @pedge-page The Last of Us, Haru knows how much I love this, and it was a toss up between this and their piss kink but seeing as I got that above.... plushes needs more love bc its so soft and domestic and horny <3

Plaything by @missannwinchester : The Last of Us, wow, I adored this fic… then I lost it!!!! Thank you to everyone who helped find it bc it’s one of my favs. I wanna be Joel’s lil doll he dresses up 🥺

3 times I said “this is underrated af”

No One But Me by @koshkamartell : The Last of Us, Are y'all tired of me talking about this fic yet? Koshka told me my series The Wrong Way inspired this so it's special to my heart <3

Safe by @criticallyacclaimedstranger and @apascalrascal : Triple Frontier, Cal has so many good Frankie one shots it was hard to pick, but this one is sooooo soft. We love Frankie being willing to listen and learn.

Through the Scope by @ssuperficialspacecadett : Triple Frontier, Y'all know I love a traumatized reader learning to heal, but his fic is fantastic bc it's a traumatized reader who has done a lot of the work already and is strong and brave as it is <3 Also, all 4 of the guys are her friends now which is the best way to have a fic

Thank you all soooooo much for all these amazing fics and for a great 2023! Well. Not so great, I had terrible time lol but y'all were my solace <3

If you feel so inclined, check out my best of year wrapped for both RomanaRose and Romana-after-dark

I'm not gonna say 2024 is my year, I leanred my lesson XD I am approaching 2024 with RESPECT. It will be the year it is.

[mindblowingscience]

Ancient Egyptians may have tried to treat cancer with surgery more than 4,000 years ago, a study has revealed. The findings were published in May in the journal Frontiers in Medicine and add to a growing body of work seeking to expand our understanding of how one of the world’s most important civilisations tried to tackle diseases, especially one as deadly as cancer.

Continue Reading.

[mcfanely]

Do you guys ever think about how, like, not only lonely Knuckles must feel being on Angel Island, but how trapped he may also be - even if logically he can leave whenever he so chooses, and he does on and off to go to the surface/save the world

But just, how bound to his duty he is. Bound to protect the Master Emerald, this object of immense power that people vyy for and try and take/have taken in the past. How his responsibility is also to Angel Island, so the creatures on it, to the upkeep of historical sites, old shrines, old buildings of his people just so his species won't be lost to time.

And, especially after Frontiers, after his quiet promise to Sonic that he'll go out on more adventures, do his own thing, explore more and not be as tied down as he currently is, be more like the hedgehog himself - the odds are, he probably wouldn't be able to make himself do that because of the guilt he would harbour.

Watching as Tails and Amy go off on their own adventures, to explore places theyve never been before and Sonic, being the regular free spirit is all for them both finding their own way.

Knuckles couldn't be prouder either, he would be extremely happy for them

But also, internally, there would be a little jealousy for the freedom that they have such easy access to.

All the while, Knuckles is bound by his mind and spirit and soul to Angel Island and the Emerald. Sure, he could ask some of his friends to watch the place whilst he goes on a trip, but that's temporary. He'll always be back to where he was in the beginning. Languishing and hidden away from a world that doesn't even know of the sacrafice he's giving to keep chaos balanced and everyone safe.

Wanting to leave, but knowing that he can't. His chores becoming harder, getting up in the morning turning into a struggle, the enjoyment of his duty - something he once took pride in, becoming something that is harder and harder because whilst he is blessed by the purpose he has, he wants more. He wants a life on the surface, in a world he doesn't truly understand but it's something different and new.

He just can't have that because he's needed for a thankless and unseen role.

The anxiousness, the sadness of what he can't have leading to depression that he doesn't exactly have the words for since it's not something he's heard mentioned all that much when surface-side, he doesn't know why he feels sick, hollow, tired, like a void is in his chest and his mind is floating seperate from his brain and why his thoughts are foggy and motivation is hard

And along with that, no one truly understands why he can't allow himself to have the freedom that everyone else takes advantage of. Knuckles will just keep on keeping on until he eventually burns himself out, or whatever may come next

[sneasedtomeetyou]

At least all of you appreciate me! Rather than replying with the same story to each of you, I will simply recount it here if that's quite alright!

So these past few years regulations have been contested in regards to rare pokemon. With the relatively recent increased visibility of pokemon native to regions such as Hisui, there's been a push to include them in tournament play. Keep in mind that obtaining these pokemon is not easy and in many cases heavily restricted. There are groups that breed pokemon like Hisuian growlithe, but they're typically bred for working and not for battling. They aren't available in high numbers, and they aren't as well known about by the average trainer, making them often expensive and high maintenance. Not to mention, the rarity of this pokemon means knowledge on how to counter them in modern battling is limited at best. It's the ultimate wild card.

Allowing them in tournament play is still considered a controversial decision by many. Ultimately they've been allowed as many other extremely rare pokemon have been permitted in high level tournaments for decades. Another controversial instance of this was the Lily of the Valley Conference in 2010 that was won by a trainer with a Latios and a Darkrai! Darkrai was especially controversial as it is part of a classification of pokemon so rare that it's typically banned from tournament battling. It's nothing new, as unfair as it may sound.

Multiple finalists this year had obtained rare pokemon that the general public knows little to nothing about. It drew in some of the largest crowds we've seen for a tournament hosted in Alola. Regardless of their opinions on the entire thing, it seemed pretty clear that people were curious about how these pokemon battled.

Sneasler was a sought after pokemon for these sorts of tournaments, actually. Their high speed and devastating dire claw attacks would be extremely useful, but the breeding program is still too early on for me to feel comfortable giving many of these out. While I've considered gifting a Sneasel to a well respected Sinnohan Frontier Brain, selling them is never going to be on the table for me. Though it's been pretty clear by the existence of pokemon like Cheddar that... something is going on. Anyways. Focusing on the things we know for a fact.

Another controversy this year if you can believe it is one of the quarter finalists was also disqualified for unsportsmanlike behavior after winning a match. He performed some... questionable gestures on broadcast television and his match was disqualified several hours after the fact. His opponent then had to be notified that despite losing he will, in fact, be moving on. This isn't how this sort of thing is usually resolved, so the decision stunned a lot of people. This meant that someone who lost the quarter finals was moving to the semifinals. His team that included a strange seemingly... robotic tyranitar people questioned the legitimacy of from the very start considering it looked more like a movie prop than a living breathing pokemon, then won the semifinals. Then, in an extremely close best of three match managed to win the entire tournament.

And despite how fascinating all of this is including the fact they had to prove this pokemon was actually alive and not just a robot someone was attempting to pass off as a pokemon, Amy was not in the mood to hear it as I was looking further into the details. New information regarding these teams and the disqualification have been coming out more or less by the hour, so I've been following it closely.

[battle-facility-zine]

📇Contributor Spotlights: Page Artist Vinlynce

Don't forget to clock out after your shift's done before heading on over to see the piece by our artist, @vinlynce!

Here's a little more about them:

Hello, I'm June and I'm very excited to spread my wings with In Pursuit of Victory as my first Zine work! I've personally been heavily interested in Battle Facilities as a whole for the last few years, especially the Battle Frontiers and their Frontier Brains, so I just had to join! I want to thank the wonderful mods for this opportunity!

➡Twitter: AbilitySymbol

[lelianasbong]

HEY ive seen talk here & there about how EA!wyll is way different from how he is now. can you tell me what the rewrite changed about his character, im so so curious

AAAHHHHH YES. So okay. I tried to break this down into more digestible pieces and I'm working almost entirely off my memory so please forgive (and for anyone who's reading and knows better, feel free to correct) any errors.

Wyll's story - originally Wyll was a son of house Eltan (relatively minor noble house compared to Ravengard but still very well-known, they founded the Flaming Fists). He was sent to the Fists as punishment for stealing (this was seemingly where his strained relationship with his father began, rather than the pact with Mizora - which came later rather than him defending Baldur's Gate at seventeen). Apparently he didn't excel there because in addition to the disastrous goblin attack that led him to treating with Mizora in the first place, one of the Flaming Fists talks shit about him when you meet her, the gobbos call him Captain Failure, etc.

Wyll's personality - he was quicker to anger, especially as it concerned goblins. His whole vendetta was against goblins: they killed people, stole his eye (and were HOLDING ONTO IT IN THE CAMP) rather than him losing it during the battle with the Cult of the Dragon. He was ready and willing to torture the goblins at the windmill on the off chance that they had intel on the one that took his eye, and when you met Spike Wyll would tadpole into your brain with an eager LET'S KILL THEM. His Blade of Frontiers persona was just a little more obviously put-on, like he was clinging to it out of insecurity.

EA Wyll was more prone to puns and saying weird shit than even his final release self (which is saying something bc Wyll as he is now loves puns & whimsy & being a huge cheeseball).

Wyll's romance - EA Wyll was willing to get physical sooner, even though Mizora's presence cast a dark cloud on the romance. She'd interrupt your moment of intimacy using Wyll's sending stone (though it's a bit ambiguous whether it's actually her or Wyll's conflicted feelings toward her that makes him hesitate). You can tell he's sort of playing the suave hero during the scene - "may I kiss you?", "where were we?", leaning in and smirking, the whole bit. You basically had the choice to 1) fuck him so good he forgot all about Mizora or 2) hold him through the night and just make him feel safe and protected, which surprises and pleases him - "I'm used to being the hero. Not so used to needing one."

Mizora - she was kidnapped by goblins in EA and that was her whole rescue mission, rather than being spirited away to Moonrise. Wyll in final release explicitly states that he's never slept with Mizora - "I'm really not that kind of man" - but in EA there was some indication that their relationship was physical, that he wanted her despite himself.

[weaveandwood]

The Bard and The Blade Chapter 1: What a Day

Wyll/Named Tav | Slow Burn | Read on AO3

Summary:

What if you met your favorite hero and they fell in love with you?

He stuck out his hand to shake hers for an introduction. “Wyll Ravengard, Blade of -”  “- Blade of Frontiers, I know. Big fan here.” Rosalind interrupted as she shook his hand, actually shook his hand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted, that was rude. I’m Rosalind Sunlark,” she introduced herself. She thought she saw a flash of recognition cross his eyes, but it passed in less than a moment before their minds connected, which meant The Blade had also been on the mindflayer ship.  “Seems like we’re in the same predicament,” he said, his smile replaced with a serious countenance.

AN: I had a lot of fun writing this! I hope you enjoy my new fic!

Rosalind Sunlark was having a weird as hell day. 

Waking up on a mindflayer ship? Having a tadpole in her brain that will turn her into a mindflayer? Somehow surviving a fall out of a crashing ship that should have killed her if not for some magical force? 

Pulling a wizard out of a rock?

Fine - just another day on the Sword Coast, if she was being honest. Weird things happen here on the daily. She had sung about most of them, it felt like, when she performed at her favorite coffee houses and taverns in Baldur’s Gate.

But seeing The Blade of Frontiers? It was too much. Her brain was having trouble reconciling what her eyes were seeing. She recognized him immediately, and even if she hadn’t, he did that thing that folk heroes do and introduced himself to his enemies while brandishing his rapier. He was the folk hero she sang about the most, the subject of stories she wanted to pass on to everyone in her vicinity whether they wanted to hear it or not, the person who legends should be written about. He was The Blade of freaking Frontiers.

In front of her. Wielding a blade. Taking down goblins without getting so much as a scratch.

She needed to sit down. 

An arrow shot past her, the draft causing strands of her hair to rustle as it flew by. She shook her head and blinked twice, remembering she was in the middle of a battle, helping the Blade of Frontiers. She aimed her crossbow at a particularly ugly goblin and amplified her voice. 

“Pernicious, putrifying pissant!”

The goblin winced and was distracted as her crossbow bolt found its mark, taking the goblin down completely. 

“Nice shot!” she heard from across the clearing. From The Blade himself. She smiled and gave what was potentially the most awkward wave she had ever given. She was going to pass out.

What a great day Rosalind Sunlark was having. 

******

“Nice shot!” 

Wyll did a double take when he saw who shot the bolt that took down a goblin in one fell swoop, having to stifle a chuckle at the vicious mockery the bard uttered from across the field before shooting. The bard looked familiar, somehow. Something tickled at the back of his mind, and he was positive it wasn’t his brain’s new houseguest, courtesy of the mindflayers. Was that…surely it couldn’t be The Sunlark? Not all the way out here. She was a firm fixture of the Baldur’s Gate music scene. And yet…

Clang! The sound of his steel against a goblin’s brought him back to the task at hand. He needed to focus, the Blade of Frontiers didn’t get distracted by a pretty girl who was a good shot. 

He saw the flash of bright, almost white-blonde hair as the bard assisted one of her party, a wizard from the looks of it, with a healing spell then rammed a shortsword into the nearest enemy’s stomach with a shout of desperation. 

He smiled to himself as he ran his rapier through the last of the goblins. He most definitely would get distracted by pretty girls who were good shots and absolutely brutal in battle, even if her fighting skills were a little raw. 

Especially this one, if she was who he thought she was. 

He was transported back to Baldur’s Gate on a warm summer evening when he was almost seventeen, walking through the streets with a few of his friends, sons of other nobles. He didn’t get much time to himself after his studies - his father, newly promoted to Grand Duke, thought his time was better spent training with the sword to eventually take his place as a Flaming Fist, then as Grand Duke in the future, so he relished the time he got to spend with them, being as normal as sons of nobles could be - swimming naked in fountains, wandering about the lower city, participating in minor mischief that only sons of men with privilege would be able to get away with. If he was being honest, though, they were mostly looking at pretty girls and talking about adventures they wanted to have outside of the city.

Strolling down one of the larger plazas in the lower city, they were all laughing and joking about some prank they had just pulled when he heard the faintest melody of a lute, a soft mezzo soprano voice drifting over the din of the crowd who were all absorbed in their own conversations and cups of wine. He looked around and saw a bard sitting at the far side of the plaza. The dancing lights surrounding her cast a warm glow, like she was illuminated by fifty candles. Her light white-blonde hair was practically incandescent as she sang, and her voice made him want to move closer and closer. There was a small crowd, maybe twenty or so people, standing around her, watching and swaying back and forth to the music. 

He was transfixed, even at that distance. A hand waved in front of his eyes, drawing his attention back to his friends. 

“Wyll, you there, man?” He said with a laugh. “We’re going to go get some drinks at the Elfsong, you in?” 

He looked back at the bard. “You guys go on without me, I think I’m going to stay here a little while longer. I’ll meet up with you there.” 

******

“Wow, that guy was a prick,” Rosalind remarked, reaching out a hand to help Zevlor to his feet after getting clocked by Aradin despite her attempts at defusing the situation. “You okay?” 

Zevlor affirmed he was fine and started talking about the tensions in the grove between the tiefling refugees and the druids. Rosalind tried to pay attention, she really did, but when she looked over Zevlor’s shoulder, she saw a glimpse of a training platform with small tiefling kids being taught how to swordfight. It looked like they had a guest teacher - it was him. Now was her chance to introduce herself. Gods, what if he - 

She startled as Gale elbowed her in the ribs, bringing her attention back to where it should have been. Zevlor looked at her, confused. She definitely should have been listening instead of daydreaming.

“I’m so sorry, what was the question? I must have gotten hit in the head during that battle,” she laughed, trying to play off how rude she was being. 

“I asked your name,” the tiefling said, smiling warmly at her. 

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I’m Rosalind. And this is Gale, Shadowheart, and Astarion,” she smiled as she made introductions. Gale was the most exuberant of all of them, eager to learn more about the tieflings and their journey out of Elturel. Normally, Rosalind would be eager to learn more too, to add to her lore as potential material for future songs. The journey of the tieflings would actually be pretty epic, but…him. She felt her gaze drifting back to the training session.

Astarion leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Have your eye on a certain handsome hero? It looks like Gale has this under control by not shutting up so now is your chance - go.” She nodded and slinked off, attempting to be discreet about it. She smiled to herself. She knew it was a good idea to invite the pale elf on their journey, she liked him already. 

As she got closer to the platform, her heart started beating faster and faster. She hadn’t felt nerves like this since her first paid performance in that large plaza in Baldur’s Gate all those years ago - gods she must have been only seventeen. She shook her hands and exhaled, trying to calm herself before stopping a few feet away to watch for a minute. 

“You don’t have to be as good as me, you just have to buy yourself enough time to be able to run,” she heard him tell a child. Such a frightening scenario for one so small, but a strategy she knew all too well from her own childhood. 

The Blade of Frontiers noticed her standing near the platform and smiled at her. Don’t pass out, don’t pass out, she thought. 

“You had some pretty great shots out there, any advice for these kids?” He said as he beckoned her to come closer with a nod of his head. After looking around to make sure he wasn’t talking to someone else, Rosalind stepped up onto the platform and put on her cool, calm, and collected face, even though inside she was a storm of nerves and excitement. 

“Alright,” she crouched down to be at eye level with the kids. “Be sure to back up your friends. You’ll only get through a fight if you stick together. And then you can tell all your other friends stories about your heroics. Then they tell their friends, and they tell their friends, one of whom happens to be a bard, and that’s how legends are started.” The kids cheered and raised their wooden swords before their instructor urged them to take a break and get a drink of water, leaving her alone on the platform with The Blade. She smiled as she stood up. 

He stuck out his hand to shake hers for an introduction. “Wyll Ravengard, Blade of -” 

“- Blade of Frontiers, I know. Big fan here.” Rosalind interrupted as she shook his hand, actually shook his hand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted, that was rude. I’m Rosalind Sunlark,” she introduced herself. She thought she saw a flash of recognition cross his eyes, but it passed in less than a moment before their minds connected, which meant The Blade had also been on the mindflayer ship. 

“Seems like we’re in the same predicament,” he said, his smile replaced with a serious countenance.

“Indeed it does.” She took a deep breath. Now or never. “I know you’re The Blade of Frontiers and all, but my party all has the same affliction. We’re looking for a healer and you’re welcome to join. If you want. If not, that’s alright. Totally fine. I’m sure you’re busy.” She was rambling. Why did she ramble when she got nervous? Singing in front of hundreds of people was easier than talking to him. 

“Actually -” The tadpoles connected their brains again, interrupting Wyll. The image of a devil’s advocate flashed through their linked visions. Wyll laughed softly, “As I was saying, actually that sounds great, but I am currently hunting down a devil who will lay waste to the Sword Coast if not dealt with.”

“Hmmm…two big problems at once. How about you join us and we can help you hunt this devil down? We may not be seasoned heroes, but I do have a wizard that seems to know what he’s doing most of the time. That has to count for something, right?” She smiled at Wyll. Why did that name sound familiar?

He gave her an easy smile. Gods, that smile already made her weak in the knees and she only knew him for five minutes. “That sounds like a plan. I have some things to take care of, but I will meet up with you in a few hours. Until then, please, explore the grove and speak with these tieflings. I imagine their stories would provide a bard with plenty of material. Maybe help spread a kind word about the refugees.”

“How did you know I was…right! The violin strapped to my back,” she laughed. “Obviously.”

“And your fighting style. Very impressive insults - I almost felt bad for those goblins. Almost.”

“Well, growing up in the Outer and Lower Cities of Baldur’s Gates does wonders for one’s vocabulary,” she said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gale, Shadowheart, and Astarion attempting to haggle with the merchant at the entrance of the caves. Poor guy. “I better go see what they’re up to. Meet outside the grove in a few hours?” 

“Absolutely. It was a pleasure meeting you, Rosalind,” he smiled at her and gave a half bow with a funny little flourish and walked away. 

She exhaled deeply, puffing out her cheeks as she watched him leave. Not only was he handsome, compelling, and good with the blade, he was kind, a good teacher, and going to join their party?

Oh, she was in trouble.

Big trouble. 

Worse trouble than the tadpole.

[000marie198]

Hi Marie! 💛✨ In honour of Sonic Appreciation Friday I thought I’d send over a lil thought I’ve been having about him recently with lots of post Frontiers stuff floating around and it being on the brain!

I’ve been thinking a lot of Tails, Knuckles and Amy going their own ways and the impact that would have on him (so glad to see people talking about it more cause like OW💔THE ANGST POTENTIAL). There’s something so tragic about the way he fought so hard and almost lost himself to save them, but by the end them ultimately still all going their own ways for while. I love how it’s developed, especially with their own sacrifice to return back to cyberspace to restore him and appreciation for all he’s done for them. And in turn how supportive Sonic is of their wishes, how he’s the one who lifts them and encourages them to follow their truths, to grasp the freedom life has to offer.

But I can’t help but feel something deep down would sting knowing that so much of their self improvement and growth comes from distancing themselves further from him in some form. The fear and resentment within himself that those he loves most have lived in his shadow or that he’s held them back without even knowing. The realisation that it took them being in this situation for them to open up to him about how they feel and that while they’ve had more time to face these feelings, they must have still been lingering for a while. And Tails hesitation when he asks Sonic “if that’s okay” as if Tails thought there was a chance Sonic would say no or be unsupportive (a thought which definitely would break sonics heart ahh).

Ahh just the thought that in getting his friends back he’s still in some form lost them just ahakajka does things to my heart. Especially since it obviously isn’t true! Their growth and the concept of change doesn’t change the strength of their friendships, but those internalised feelings deep, deep down definitely must effect him in some form. Especially given him being a sorta social introvert and missing their company but hesitating reaching out unless they do first to give them space and respect boundaries.

I guess in a short non rambly way: Lonely post frontiers hedgehog has me sad and I wanna study him under a microscope like a bug 🫶✨

Sorry if this made no sense! Feeling kinda ill today and my brain feels so scrambled but defo thought I’d send some thoughts over! Happy Sonic Appreciation Day!

Hi Passion!

Yay, Thanks so much! I am obsessed with Frontiers Sonic jffhjfjfgnjhkgjg. *Slaps the head of blue hedgehog* you can fit so much angst in this boy.

So true! His closest friend, his family, his home, going away. Chasing their own dreams and growing and expanding their horizons and he knew and he was ready to give it his all even if he knew he might not survive that. He loves them so so much!

And while that in itself is super angst material (bro didn't share what he was going through with anyone and fully supporting them while not just one but all of them decided to go their own ways) but also, he would get left behind 😭 alone. After everything. And while he fully supports them and seems to be okay with it on the outside, you can't tell me it wouldn't hurt, that he wouldn't atleast experience the empty neat syndrome or feel depressed at times, combined with aftereffects of the Cyber corruption...

So much angst for this guy.

Happy Sonic Appreciation Day! :D

[ransprang]

thank you to @magnitude101999 for your support <3 we hope you like your match up

if anyone else wants a match up this is our ko-fi

your match up is....

WYLL!!!

How you met: You were a bard at the Blushing Mermaid, a tavern which Wyll, still the son of a nobleman often frequented. He heard you sing one night and was enchanted by your voice so much so that he sought to have a drink with you afterwards. You were too shy to speak much to him that day, but he was polite and charming so he stuck in your memory. You began to look for him in the crowds, and he would always give you a bright smile whenever you caught his eye. You both began to chat after your performances since he always made it a point to compliment your singing. One night, you noticed Wyll looked troubled. When asked, he confessed that his father was set to disown and exile him for becoming a warlock. You refused to believe that kind man would do anything evil intentionally. Wyll heartened by your faith in him, invited you to accompany him in his travels. And so the pair of you roamed the Swordcoast, a traveling minstrel and the Blade of Frontiers.

When resting at camp Wyll performs his dances in private along with his sword practices. In those serene moments you love drawing him. And if you choose to show him the pages of drawings he'll be so pleased and a bit shy, “Wow darling, is this how you see me?”

He’ll pepper your body with innocent, light kisses on your hands, fingers, cheeks, forehead. He’s slowly build up his way to your lips like a gentleman

Wyll loves to caress your hair, admiring the color and beauty after a long day. The gentle touches turn into a head massage which helps you destress.

As a bard you have very weak capabilities in fighting with weapons, so Wyll teaches you the art of the sword. Similar to the modern world of teaching one to play golf, Wyll stands behind you and clasps his hands on top of yours. Guiding your hands

You would sing some funky tunes and Wyll would dance to them. He would drag you into a dance too once his solo performance was over.    

Wyll and you are both 6 feet. You both could exchange clothing if you wanted. Some nights you put on his little black crop top before going to bed. 

Wyll would appreciate your bubbly and cheerful personality in dark times, especially with a worm stuck in his brain. He has been through some difficult times but always tries to keep an optimistic outlook. He would admire your ability to stay positive.

It would be ages before you guys would do more than kiss and Wyll would be all the more happy to go slow with you. He wants that storybook romance, and is happy to play the part of Prince Charming.

Wyll often waxes lyrical about his partner. He would give you all the sappy, romantic words of affirmation you needed. "Your red hair dances like flames in the sunlight.” “For me, Y/n, your eyes hold the entire universe, and when our eyes meet, it feels like getting lost in a beautiful, enchanting night sky.

N/SFW

Wyll teaches you the way of his sword. Since you are shy, he’ll slowly teach you what he likes and how he likes it. At the beginning he’d let you pump it and put his cock in your mouth however you please. The longer into your relationship the more comfortable he grows teaching you what he prefers.

He’ll never pressure you into anything you don’t want to. He’d be the king of consent asking you if he can remove your blouse and panties.

Absolute praise kink and body worship enjoyer. He’ll tell you how gorgeous you look clothed, topless, between his legs, sweaty, full of his cum, and more. He is wholly devoted to you and only you.

Wyll takes it slow, he caresses your body softly with his finger tips, feeling your skin, curves and bends. You can see him breathe heavier, the more he feels. His pants get tighter, pushing against his zipper. His hard erect cock fully visible to you.

Wyll pleasures then gets pleasured. He would give your naked body soft kisses all the way down to your clit, while he lets his hands and arms roam freely around your chest and hips. Skin to skin contact already has him on cloud 9.

Wyll would slowly and steadily take you from behind as he would squeeze your breasts. He also brings himself close to your neck and ear while pumping to whisper about how much he loves you, and how you are his everything.

Wyll would take your hands and move them around his body, feeling your fingertips against his abs. Tracing his v line, smooth against his skin, that man would be dripping with precum.

He would have sex to classical music playing in the background. As the music and the instruments would get more intense, so would he. Wyll would pump faster and breathe with the rhythm to songs like fur Elise,

Wyll is going to look after you so well. He would play with your red locks, tangling them around his fingers, and kissing your forehead. He would say I love you at least 10 times after sex.

Wyll will make you lemonade to make up for all the sweating, especially if you’ve sucked him off. He will offer to cook you dinner or take you out for a meal. You are his princess and you’ve given him so much pleasure, so he must thank you.

yours wyllfully,

admins sar, san & sav

[secretly-of-course]

hi!!!! i need to know your opinion on this but do you think hunter knows he has a crush on willow/what a crush is? and do you think willow has a crush on hunter? i need your huntlow opinions 😌🤌🏼

hi!!! I want you to know I have been looking forward to answering this ask all day 🥰

*slams fists on the table* NOW LET'S DO THIS THING

Now we KNOW that Hunter has a crush on Willow. I mean just look at this boy and tell me he isn't completely smitten. But does HE know? That's a bigger question.

[ID: a screenshot from the episode "Thanks to Them," showing Hunter wearing his Cosmic Frontier cosplay and smiling and blushing at Willow (out of frame).]

For starters, I believe that Hunter does in fact know what a crush is, at least in the text book sense. He reads a lot, so it would be likely that he has encountered romance in some form through that. We know at least he likes Ruler's Reach, which despite King's edits we know still had some of Luz's influence. Also, fans who know Star Trek have pointed out that the character Hunter's blorbo is a parody of is married to a botanist so there's no way he would miss that.

Since it's common for teens to have one-sides crushes on adults in their lives like teachers or friends' older siblings, I used to head canon that when Hunter was younger he could have had baby crush on Steve or someone (bi hunter rights!) but since in "Thanks to Them" Hunter specifies that he wasn't allowed to interact much with the other scouts I now find that to be unlikely. Willow is most likely his first crush.

As for being AWARE of his crush, let's look at the timeline.

In Labyrinth Runners, Hunter is already showing signs of his crush on Willow though I don't think he is aware of what his feelings mean yet at this point. He blushes at her, he tries to make himself somewhat presentable for her, but he doesn't really know why.

[ID: Two screenshots from Labyrinth Runners. In the first, Hunter is blushing while looking straight ahead. The second shows the moment immediately after where Gus confers with who he believes to be Willow while in the background Hunter is seen awkwardly brushing dirt off his cloak.]

But fast forward to Thanks To Them? I think he knows by now. For this reasoning I point to the "Buff Brains" scene.

[ID: Two screenshots from Thanks to Them showing the hexsquad minus Luz in their shack. In the first, everyone is cheering and posing triumphantly all except for Hunter who is standing with his arms limply by his sides as he looks at Willow flexing and blushes from his cheeks to his ears. The second image is nearly the same except now Hunter has raised his arms to cheer with the group.]

Hunter doesn't just get distracted by Willow's muscles here, he catches himself getting distracted, which leads to him snapping himself out of it and adding on his awkward "HA HA YEAH" several seconds after everyone else has gone quiet. Hunter here to me seems like he is trying (and failing, bless him) to keep it cool, as opposed to in LR when he made no such attempts, because at that time he wasn't aware he had to. Whether or not he came to this conclusion on his own or had help from Gus or Amity is a question for fan fiction.

Now the next part of your question, does Willow have a crush on Hunter? Absolutely.

But Secretly, you say, how can you be so sure of this when Willow has never blushed at Hunter? Well I'm here to say she doesn't have to, and why? Because of Raeda.

When just looking at Hunter's side of things, or looking at our canon blushy couple lumity, it can be easy to say that only blushes equal crushes, but this isn't always the case.

Enter Raine. Raine does not typically blush at Eda, even when she blushes at them, but no one in the fandom doubts that they are in love with her.

Raine and Willow are actually a really interesting comparison because for the most part they only blush when they are embarrassed. Raine especially blushes when they are on stage.

[ID: two screenshots, the first of which is from "I Was A Teenage Abomination" and shows Willow with bright red cheeks as Amity mocks her poor abomination skills. The second is from "Eda's Requiem" and shows Raine looking red and embarrassed after Eda mocked them in front of the BATs.]

The only time I could find Raine blushing at Eda was in this flashback, and they only did it AFTER they were caught being flirty not while they were LITERALLY CARESSING EDA'S HAND suggesting they were more embarrassed about being caught than anything else. And even that blush was nothing compared to how red they get on stage.

[ID: Two screenshots from the flashback in "Eda's Requiem," showing young Eda and Raine sitting on their hilltop. In the first, Raine is shown adjusting the position of Eda's hand on her lute, while in the second Raine has pulled away and is looking to the side awkwardly with a slight blush on their face.]

Willow and Raine will literally be holding the object of their affection in their arms and not blush.

[ID: The first is a screenshot from "King's Tide" and shows Willow smiling softly while carrying a Hunter over her shoulder as she has just caught him in midair. Hunter is blushing but Willow is not. The second is a screenshot from "Eda's Requiem" and shows Raine carrying Eda bridal style while she proudly holds up a glyph. Raine is smiling but not blushing.]

Willow and Raine will BLATANTLY flirt without blushing.

[ID: the first is a screenshot from "Thanks to Them" and shows Willow standing in a doorway while winking and pointing at Hunter (out of frame). The second is a screenshot from "Eda's Requiem" and shows Raine reclining while smirking and pointing at Eda (out of frame).]

They also have these fond smiles that are reserved just for the object of their affection.

[ID: the first is a screenshot from "Clouds on the Horizon" the moment after Hunter and Gus have just done their special handshake. Luz looks extremely confused as she looks at them but Willow looks at them with soft eyes and smiles fondly. The second is a screenshot from the flashback of "Eda's Requiem" and shows young Eda and Raine on their hilltop while Eda plays her lute. Raine is leaning their head on their knee and looking at Eda with soft eyes like Willow's and a fond smile on their face.]

Damn, these spot the difference games are getting tough!

And just for fun, let's compare Hunter and Eda.

These two blush early and often.

[ID: The first is a screenshot from "Any Sport in a Storm" from the moment after Willow refers to "Caleb's" next day off. Hunter looks back at her with Flapjack on his shoulder and has a slight blush on his cheeks. The second is from "Them's The Breaks Kids" from the moment after Teen Raine has just done an impressive grudgby move. Teen Eda stands holding the ball with a light blush on her cheeks.]

I mean look at them.

[image ID: the first is a screenshot from "Labyrinth Runners." Willow has pulled Hunter in for a group hug with her and Gus. Hunter is blushing deeply and has a confused and distressed look on his face. The second is a screenshot from "Eda's Requiem" and shows Eda smiles and blushing while Raine extends their hand to her.]

In addition, we know Willow goes completely FERAL when Hunter is in danger.

[ID: two screenshots from "Clouds on the Horizon." The first shows an angry looking Willow, surrounded by vines she has summoned and eyes glowing with green magic and spell circles around her hands. The second shows Willow frantically trying to start the air ship to go after Hunter who she believes has been kidnapped while Amity tries to assist while also telling Willow to slow down.]

Of course, Willow is a protective spirit by nature, but we've never seen her act so rashly to protect her other friends, not even Gus or Luz. Because if you recall, to protect her friends Willow thinks she must be both strong and wise. It would have been wiser to take a minute to come up with a plan to retrieve Hunter before jumping in, it was not so wise to try to commandeer and airship that she has no idea how to fly. This is significant because Willow's emotions are so strong here they are overpowering the part of her that's usually rational and likes to think things through before acting. She cares about Hunter so much.

So in conclusion, Willow definitely likes Hunter back. She at least is more likely to actually be aware of her feelings from early on though, since unlike Hunter she had normal social interactions growing up and is more likely to be familiar with the subject of crushes.

Thanks so much for asking!