#how it may help them be a better fighter/warrior

[bhaalsdeepbat]

Lae'zel is like a play on the "I'm not other girls" thing, except she's trying SO hard to be like other Gith girls. She's trying to steel her heart and be a perfect soldier in the collective army serving beneath Vlaakith. No will of her own. Just blind servitude alongside the other Gith who are also denying their own individualism.

Rather than gutting the companions right then and there - as any other Githyanki would do - she joins them AND promises them a cure. A cure that was meant to be ONLY for Githyanki warriors. And she doesn't know about the lies or the fact that he cure is a death sentence, but she still extends that olive branch to the group. She'll speak up when she's grouchy and try to project a hard exterior, but she's SO secretly soft.

When you approach Rosymorn, she'll stay on that part of the map if you try to leave. Upon returning, you can make her admit she missed you.

You can make the strong Gith who was raised to pillage, kill, and conquer admit that she missed the player character.

Lae'zel isn't like other Gith Girls.

Her act two scene is trying to progress the romance as though it were between two Gith raised within that culture. It's a fight to prove your worth through your battle prowess, which makes only the best *warriors* worthy of companionship. However, it becomes clear that isn't want Lae'zel wants. If the player loses, and Bae'zel beats the fuck out of them, she becomes distraught because she doesn't WANT to fight her romantic partner.

She wants to mutually protect one another. She wants companionship with her partner. She wants to enjoy the sunrise with them, feel the tickle of the night breeze, see the Tears of Selune chase after the moon across the night sky, she wants to live and she wants to share those experiences with her love. She doesn't WANT to be the stone cold Gith that she was raised to be.

Lae'zel wasn't given any role to do with the eggs, but once the egg is in the party's possession, she's instantly drawn to it. When Xan hatches, she gives him a name to represent that he'll be raised to be free to be himself. He'll have the freedom to choose his own path, whatever that maybe. Xan DOESN'T have to be like the other Gith. He could be a scholar, an artist, a warrior, anything he wishes to be. It's his life and Lae'zel is just happy to see her little Xan be raised with the freedom she didn't realize she craved until she arrived on that silly little planet.

Lae'zel isn't like other Gith girls because no two people are the same, even if raised in the same circumstances and culture. Everyone is an individual, even when they serve a collective or are fighting alongside Allies with the same main goal.

Lae'zel isn't just a nameless, faceless soldier. She isn't interchangeable with other Gith. She isn't like the other Gith girlies.

[hunterwritings]

𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐲 | 𝐛𝐢-𝐡𝐚𝐧, 𝐤𝐮𝐚𝐢 𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬, 𝐬𝐲𝐳𝐨𝐭𝐡

summary: "Ayoo!! May I request for headcanons on the Lin Kuei Trio and Syzoth (need to give that lizard some love) on how they’d react to being jealous? Like their s/o is getting flirted on by someone stuff like that?" | requested here warnings: creepy men, mention of violence, blood, etc., suggestive, implied smut notes: why do i write better in the middle of the night | there might be spelling mistakes

↳ 𝐁𝐢-𝐡𝐚𝐧

oh this man will get violent

out of the four, bi-han holds the most jealousy over his partner and can sometimes be possessive

he knows you can hold your own, your his partner after all, but every time he sees someone trying to take your as theirs, it sets off something in him

"You are one of the most beautiful warriors I've ever seen." The man pressed as he leaned over the table in the dining area of the temple. You just nodded as you tried to subtly tell this man off. Your eyes scanned the room to see if there was anyone too help you, then you noticed your husband staring from across the room, you cold practically feel icy blades digging into this man's head. He crossed his arms tightly as his gaze never left you.

You have taught Bi-han to try and not resort to violence where it is unnecessary, so in most situations, he will walk up to you and snake his arm around your waist as his eyes beam into the person in front of you.

Now, if someone had done anything to make you uncomfortable? Then blood is being drawn.

This man will beat down whoever dares to make his partner uncomfortable in anyway, not stopping until various bones are broken or until you command him

Whenever you two are out, he now will instinctively wrap his arm around you whenever he feels someone staring and will follow their gaze every second. He's not ashamed to stare, he thinks of it as a power move to make them uncomfortable. But if he had it his way, he'd beat down every person that tried to take you as their own until they are nothing but a pile of blood and guts.

You would reassure him that you were his as you kissed his neck and whispered in his ear. He would take the opportunity to fuck you any way you wished as you'd tell him that he was the only one for you.

↳ 𝐊𝐮𝐚𝐢 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠

although he has his hot nature, Kuai Liang isn't as easy to be jealous

he is very secure and knows that you are bound to him when you agreed to spend the rest of your life with him

even though it can be rare, there are still moments when Kuai Liang can get jealous

If he happens to see someone spending a lot of time with you and become increasingly closer to you, he can feel that pit of jealousy build in his stomach. He knows it's wrong to feel this way and knows that you would never leave him, but he can't help himself.

His jealousy wouldn't be something he would express outwards unless he felt he had to to get someone away from you.

Kuai Liang's eyes pierced you as you spoke with another Lin Kuei member. He had gone on about fighting techniques and how he thought you were a great fighter and asked if you could teach him some moves, to which you politely declined. As you felt eyes on you, you turned your head to see Kuai Liang staring through your soul. As your eyes met his, he looked down and away, as if he had gotten caught. After the training regime, you confronted Kuai Liang as the two to you returned to your shared bedroom. "What was that?' You ask as you stand on the opposite side of the bed as him. "What was what?' He tries to seem clueless but can't help but avoid your glare. "Kuai Liang." You spoke his name and he knew well enough to look up at you, your arms crossed over your chest. "He's just very talkative with you, it's obvious to everyone else." He explains. "Is that jealousy?" You rhetorically ask as you walk over to him. "You have nothing to fear, my love. I have no interest in him." You speak as you wrap your arms around his shoulders. "I know." He says softly. You pressed your lips against his before pulling him back onto the bed. If he was so worried, then you were going to prove that you truly belonged to him.

↳ 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬

Tomas is also quick to be jealous, but unlike Bi-han, he will not address the situations through violence

Tomas has much faith in you and hates the fact that he has the thought of someone else making you more happy than him. When he sees another man making you laugh or impressed, it makes him feel bad about himself. He will go out of his way to do something impressive in front of both you and your admirer as a way of showing them that you liked him more.

You stood at the edge of the training arena as you watched your husband, Tomas, demonstrating his skills on a test dummy. Your smiled as you watched him hit and slice at the dummy, seeing all the younger initiates at your sides as they watched him.

"Any one of us could do something like that. Put me in there and I'll show you a real man." One of the other Lin Kuei members had leaned down and spoke to you with a large smile on his face. "Excuse me?" You say, a bit taken aback. "I just don't understand why this guy is praised for something everyone else can do." He adds. You turn to see Tomas glaring at the man next to you, he never heard him speak but somehow he was still fully understanding of what he was saying. Toomas grunts before turning back to the dummy and cutting it clean in half using his karambit. Then, he tightly grabs ahold of the dummy and turns to fling it in the air, launching it over 100 feet. As it flies through the air, Tomas grabs a large boulder and spins around to launch the boulder into the air, using both his strength and smoke to guide it to hit the dummy mid-air, smashing it to bits. The younger children around stared in awe as they talked amongst themselves. "I doubt it will be easy to do better than that." Tomas bites as he walks back over to you. The man scoffs before walking away. "That was quite a show." You smiled as he rested his hands on your hips. "It looked like he was getting top comfortable." He smirked before leaning in to press a sweet kiss to your lips.

↳ 𝐒𝐲𝐳𝐨𝐭𝐡

Syzoth isn't an inherently jealous person, but he can find himself being jealous and almost possessive of you at times

With everything he had lost from Shang Tsung, he is very protective of his partner and wouldn't let anyone get a chance to steal you from him.

If someone were to approach you and flirt with you, he would be open about his feelings. He would stand close to your side and let them know at the first given moment that the two of you are betrothed.

A man began to approach you as you were standing outside of Empress Sindel's castle, waiting to hear about certain arrangements. "Well look at you, just waiting to be swept off of your feet by someone like me." The man shot you a wanting smile as your face contorted in disgust. Before you could even protest, Syzoth was at your side, standing slightly in front of you. "They do not need anything like that, we are already happily vowed to each other." Syzoth explains, taking in pride in your relationship as he holds your waist tightly. "Exactly." You add on with a proud smile. The man rolls his eyes before grunting and waking away, Syzoth's eyes following him as he walked away. "I didn't know you were a jealous Zaterran" You smile as you held the side of his face, he brought his hand to lie over yours. "I will not lose what is mine." He shakes his head as he looks up to you with a smile before pressing his lips on yours, holding the crook of your back to pull you closer into him.

Sometimes, if people really get on his nerve, he will go into his Zaterran form to intimidate people.

[shirefantasies]

hii i’ve read all your hobbit fics and i love them. i was wondering if you can do one with the company who underestimated the readers fighting abilities and when a pack of orcs attack they seem to be doing better than everyone else. like they got this bloodthirsty look on their face and it terrifies them while also in their heads like “oh yeah that’s the one i wanna marry” feel free to ignore this keep up the good work🫶🫶

I love this! I can so see like, all the dwarves having this exact moment 😆 Warnings: some blood/violence mentions

Fiery, Fierce, Fabulous!

Balin

He had been working with you a bit, lightly sparring with his sword and an old spare, but it was all just playful. Swords, it seemed, weren’t for you, but all that changed in Balin’s mind was furthering his desire to protect you. The orcs were upon you seemingly in an instant, not giving your company a single break. Exasperated, Balin made to run forward, stopping in his tracks when he saw you. In a heartbeat you had pulled out a bow and arrow, launching quite the volley into the growing crowd of enemies and picking off a surprising number of the ghastly running figures. It was like you knew exactly where to shoot past the armor despite them being outfitted differently. Balin had always looked upon you with affection, a special care he’d not given many before, but as he watched you bloom into a capable warrior of your own right, he knew it was love.

Dwalin

You were usually off helping Bombur cook, so he supposed he’d written you off as a fighter. Not that knowing your way around a good meal was no merit. In fact, you’d been explaining how you made your cheese sauce so good-something you called a ‘roux’- when the howling started. Wargs, all mounted with riders coming in an ambush, a flurry of scimitars and axes raised. Jolting up from the rock you sat on, you unsheathed a sword from who knows where, seeming to briefly perceive the raise of Dwalin’s eyebrows before you ran off. One of the first into the fray along with Bifur, you swung, taking the eye out of one warg and catching the leg of the rider, who slipped enough for you to run him through. Barely pausing, you took another hack at the warg before moving onto another loose orc, unceremoniously lopping his head off. He always knew he wanted someone at home who could have dinner waiting, but up until that moment Dwalin assumed he’d marry someone he could protect. The grin that spread across his face, the pound of his heart, the irresistible focus across your face, though? They all told him you were his One.

Thorin

His company is small, but they are fighters. At least all the ones he can vouch for. Having never seen you in a fight was one reservation he had to your joining, though your presence is soothing above all else. The sense, the trust you have for him, your willingness to do what is right in the dwarves' eyes. Not to mention the way you constantly remind Thorin to focus on the good, resistant to it all as he may have once been. When the orcs come, he sees apprehension glint in your eyes before it quickly evolves to focus. You reach for some article hanging at your back, something Thorin had assumed to be a frying pan handle. Erroneously. Very. You've pulled out a spear, parrying attack after attack and even catching the brunt of a blow meant for Dori. Your weapon looks quite regal in your hand, beauty to be found even in a bloodbath. Perhaps especially so. You were no charge to them, you were one of them. Somebody the others looked up to, respected. Somebody Thorin himself could depend on. Never did he think the day would come, and yet in that fight the king-to-be knew he looked upon his One.

Oin

The company had taken you on as a healer, knowing your skills would be beyond valuable; thus, you worked and trained beneath Oin. Even handling scrapes, your touch is so gentle it warms his heart, filling it with pride…and maybe a little something else. That same heart drops when an orc grabs you by the arm, yanking you and lifting you up like little more than a doll. His hands tighten upon his staff. Unnecessarily, it seems, for your other arm swings and sets the orc cursing in its dark speech and dropping you. Promptly stabbing him with the large knife you still held, you take out both of his neighbors for good luck. Cheering in encouragement, Oin thinks to himself that it’s about time he had a talk with you.

Gloin

You’re quick with your words, he’ll give you that. Always with some joke or barb to shoot back at the others when they tease you. Gloin swears you could make up a story for anything, and sometimes he can’t help but imagine hearing your voice reciting some little tale under the stars, to him and him alone. Naturally, when Azog sends his ilk after you, Gloin’s first instinct is to stand in front of you, an arm outstretched in cover. Cover you promptly ignore, rushing forth, unstrapping a pair of axes from your back, and unleashing hell upon the great ugly things. What better story to tell of how he knew he found his One?

Bifur

Not everyone took the time to try to listen. Most people waved a dismissive hand at signs, flailed and pantomimed in some cruel mockery or otherwise concession. Not you. You pulled him into nearly every conversation, made little jokes just for him. Made the world feel like it was just the two of you sometimes. Was it ridiculous? Maybe. Then again, a little showing off couldn't hurt, just in case. Wait, since when did you have an axe? And since when were you so swift with it as to chop the arm off an orc like that? And since when did you start looking so good splattered with blood? Bifur must've been staring, for suddenly there you were giving a merry laugh, asking if he liked those moves, wholly his One. Oh, that was it- he was a goner for sure.

Bofur

From the moment the company had entered Bag End, you’d been right there up front singing and dancing along with the dwarves. Privately Bofur thought of you as the company’s songbird the way you performed and found a song for any moment. Protecting your pretty pipes is all he’s thinking about, in fact, when goblins swarm you down in their town. Hoisting his mattock, he’s ready to do what he must…. Only for you to take them out yourself, swinging your own blades with a rhythm all your own. You’re like a tornado the way you tear them up! Scary? Maybe a little. But beautiful? Definitely a lot. Despite the goblin-hole you’ve landed yourselves in, Bofur chuckles and smiles to himself. What can he say? He loves you.

Bombur

More than once does it occur to Bombur how badly he wants to make you smile, see you relaxed and comfortable every minute of the day. His heart positively thumps out of his chest at the way you lay your hand over his, thanking him for the meal he made or the extra blanket he gave you. Your safety is all he thinks about running headlong into battle, weapons ablaze. You won't be afraid if... thwack! Bombur's thoughts are utterly interrupted by an orc tumbling headlong, another soon joining them with a strike by your twin staffs. Twirling them about your head, you part the crowding battle with a look of impressive calm. The first words you speak in that battle are to ask him if he's alright, followed by a compliment to his own kill count. Clashing with orcs as he may have been, Bombur couldn't help smiling merrily as he got to watch you, further cementing your status as his One in his mind.

Dori

The two of you bonded over Bilbo’s china, each of you having favorite plates and cups amidst all the dishes you used, washed, admired. He thought of you as someone who enjoyed the delicate crafts in life, appreciated the little flowers and traces of gilding on the one that was Bilbo’s mother’s. Just like him! Pessimistic as he could be, he didn’t much fancy the sight of you in battle- after all, you had had no cause to be forced into such a situation, right? Wrong, it seemed! Upon the first ambush you were asking him for a weapon, rolling your eyes when he gaped and grabbing up his flail, shattering a shield immediately and smirking when you caught his eye again. Heart leaping, Dori wonders for the first time in his life if maybe he isn’t the only one meant to care for his brothers, suddenly seeing someone else more than belonging in his family.

Nori

You were such a sweet little thing, so shy and kind it took everything in Nori not to sweep you off your feet at every little gesture. Instead, he opted for teasing you, slinging his arm around your shoulders to watch you get flustered or taking things to get a rise out of you. Or at least a cute look of confusion. Now, he thinks, is my big chance when you’re all being chased, assailants quickly escaping archery range and getting ever closer to his blades. You rush forward at his side, though, offering a sunny smile that contrasts heavily with the massive hammer in your hand. Nori slits a throat, you wallop the dickens out of several more orcs. When it’s all said and done he can’t help but tell you what a great team you make, taking that opportunity to finally sweep you off your feet.

Ori

All your blades were ornamental, carven with flowers into their wood handles and swirls patterning the metal. One had beasts upon the cross-guard and pommel. Ori knew this because you’d shown him, pride glittering in your eyes at the beautiful things. You loved his art and collected your own, pressing flowers and gushing over Bilbo’s trinkets. It was what inspired him to make you little gifts in the first place, in fact. Panic shoots through Ori’s chest when orcs barrel your way. Something flies through the air and he gasps as he realizes it’s your little flower knife sailing straight into the throat of your enemy. You take up the beastly dagger next, slicing another throat and finishing off the one Ori startles with his slingshot. His heart leaps when you congratulate him, thanking him for helping save your life as he reminds you you did the same. He can’t help staring as you walk away, completely smitten.

Fili

Maybe he shouldn’t play favorites, especially among friends and family, but you are by far his favorite in the whole mess of travelers the dwarven prince has fallen in with. Fili is addicted to the sound of your giggles at all his jokes, the way your lips circle in surprise when he shows you all the weapons he boasts. Perhaps that’s why he assumes you haven’t any, but you know what they say about that. He should’ve known better with the way he keeps most of his concealed. A pair of daggers immediately swung about still come as a more than pleasant surprise, pride glowing in the smile Fili flashes you. You are beyond special, he sees it now: you’re the one for him.

Kili

You get so bashful every time he sends a wink your way, your smile an absolute balm for his soul no matter what the day brings. He loves the way you get his attention only to hand him a flower you plucked from the roadside with a little for you. Kili himself practically can only imagine the surprise he feels when he sees you cross your blades and decapitate two adversaries in a row like they’re nothing, a look he can only describe as fiery passion across your face. Practically feeling as though he’s in a dream, Kili knows through the haze it’s more than flirtation, he’s head over heels. This must be that ‘One’ feeling Gloin and Bombur always talk about.

Bilbo

Seems like you're always by his side. Offering him a hot drink, chatting on watch, sharing blankets. It's like a little piece of home followed him off on this absurd journey, and thank the stars. He's struggling to adjust to the rowdy bunch you two have fallen in with, but you? A gentler soul indeed. Bilbo's heart sinks at the sight of orcs at your heels, wishing never to have need of the blade he was given. You tell him none of them will get near him, causing him to peer up at you with wide, confused eyes before you whip out a crossbow and start shooting. Your marks go tumbling off their wargs, blood bursting from across their chests as the mob thins. Gaping, Bilbo swallows and shakily thanks you, his gaze darting to and from your eyes shyly. You're something new, something quite between home and an adventure, he dares say.

[littlefanficprincess]

Dancing across my mind

🎆One shot🎆

Pair: Tai lung x reader

Song: Someone to you (Banners)

"Dive and disappear without a trace, I just wanna be someone"

Important: (Y/A) = Your animal, ‼️Spoilers for Kungfu Panda 4‼️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It felt like it was ages ago when I had first met him, a life time ago.

I was about the age of eight, just moved to the valley of peace with my family. It truly lived up to its name, a lot calmer compared to the big city. A very welcome change.

A young (y/a) emerges from a building which was covered with posters. In her paws/feathers/claws were a (f/c) colored fan.

My mother was a traditional dancer, a famous one at that. She use to perform at theaters near our old home. I wanted to be just like her.

The small creature stumbles through the villages, watching as other pass by. Her (e/c) look up and latch onto a mountain with a Cherry Blossom tree on it.

Her eyes sparkle in fascination. She picks up the pace, and almost begins running. Unknownly, she almost jumps into a geese who was carrying a crate full of vegetable.

Finally after a few minutes was carrying herself up. She reaches the top of the mountain. It was really high, she could even see her house from here!

I sometimes wonder if I never went to the mountain on that faithful day, I most likely would've never met him.

The (f/a) moves to stand in the beginning pose, she in- and exhales like her mother taught her. She carefully moves her arms/feathers, feeling the wind flow past her form.

She couldn't imagine how amazing she looks as feels cherry bottom leafs flow through the breeze.

Her grip on the fan loosend and she accidentally drops it on the moss covered rocks. She was about to retrieve her when a pair of paws grab them.

She looks up, meeting two kind golden eyes. Those belonging to a snow leopard that seemed her age. He shyly bends down on one knee "I think you've dropped this" He holds out the fan for her grab.

(Y/n) reaches and takes it from him, feeling her wing/paw brush against his. "Thank you, um..." She says, not knowing his name.

"Tai...Tai lung!" He introduces himself, seeming to have trouble with his words. He seemed shy and excited at the same time.

There was something special about him, but (Y/n) couldn't place her feater/finger on it. "Thank you, Tai Lung" A smile appears on her face. "May I ask what brings you here?"

"I might have had a burst of anger and my jiaolian had send me over her to meditate and dim my anger" Tai Lung explains, akwardly fiddling with his paws.

(Y/n) resumes the begin pose, holding the fan tightly "Why don't join me, dancing always makes me relax"

Hesitantly, Tai Lung moves to stand next to the other. He copies the begin pose, looking at his arms and legs to make sure he was doing it correct.

His eyes watch (Y/n)'s movements, observing the dance. He follows her moves, soon they were moving in sync. Tai Lung realises how peaceful he felt, feeling the wind flow through his fur.

Not so far away stood Shifu, proud to see his student was able to calm the burning rage in himself.

For years, (Y/n) and Tai Lung met on the mountain. Dancing and training togheter, Tai Lung was even able to teach (Y/n) some fighting moves. (Y/n) became a better dancer and Tai Lung became a greater fighter.

But it came all to an end on the day he told me about his 'Destiny'.

(Y/n) sits calmly ontop the mountain, her eyes were shut. She in- and exhales through her nose. From behind she could hear someone approaching, she knew those footsteps all too well.

She turns just time to be grabbed by the waist and held up. The one holding her up was Tai Lung himself, seeming very happy for some reason.

(Y/n) couldn't help but let out an excited giggles, gripping into his strong arms as support "What has you so overjoyed?"

Carefully, Tai Lung places the (y/a) down back on her feet "The next time you will see, I will have the title of the Dragon Warrior!"

"Fancy title, will you get a metal of honor along with it?" (Y/n) Jokes, smiling at her companion.

Tai Lung chuckles, shaking his head, amused by her remark "Maybe, If I'm lucky. I know you'll be proud of me"

"I already am, I always have been"

After he left, I waited for him. It was so quiet underneath the cherry Blossom tree. I missed his laughter, his snarky remarks that would always brought a smile to my face.

(Y/n) looks at the letter she was holding, she was planning to give it to Tai Lung. She sighs and places it in a drawer, closing it after.

Rumors grew, stories about him destroying a nearby village. They would follow me everywhere, as many knew how close we were. Most of my shows had town.

Years past, the rumors became less and less. Until he left everyone's mind, but not mine. Fifteen years later, I had walked out of theater I usually perform at.

The infamous (y/a) strolls out of the building, holding her trusty (f/c) fan by her side. She pauses when she hears crashing nearby.

A figure gets flung infront of her, only a few meters away. They use their fist to bring their motion to a stop. It was Tai Lung.

As if feeling her presence, he turns his head to look at her gaze. Their eyes widen at the sight of the other. Tai Lung didn't get much reaction as he was punched in the stomach by Po, making him fly out of sight.

Scared, (Y/n) rush out, trying to find her old friend. She follows the trial of destruction, going all throughout the valley.

She found it stopped in the middle of the street, with a huge crater in the street. She turns to a pig standing nearby "Have you seen a snow leopard by any chance?"

"The dragon Warrior had defeated him a few moments ago, you just missed it" The pig explains to her.

Next to pig were three bunnies, jumping up and down, excitedly. "It was so cool, he went like pow pow pow!" "Then he did skadoosh!" "It was like send that cat to another dimension"

Hope dissapears in her eyes as the possibility of him being dead. After all these years she sees him finally, only to hear that he could already be dead.

A few years later

One by one, the old enemies return to the spirit realm. General Kai flies into the golden portal, leaving Tai Lung to be the only one left.

"Guess it's your turn now" Po turns to his old foe, holding his staff with a tight grip.

Tai Lung shakes his head "I won't, atleast not yet, Dragon Warrior. I have some businesses to take care of" He turns and walks up the stairs. The Bandits, along with po's dads stand aside to let him walk past.

"Should we just let him walk out of here like that?" Zhen asks Po, using her thumb to point towards the leaving snow leopard."I mean, what is the worst he can do now that he isn't out for revenge" The panda replies, shrugging his shoulders.

Meanwhile (Y/n) was in her home, pouring some tea in a small cup. She pauses when she hears rummaging, it sounded like it was near.

Turning around, she finds her old friend bend down on one knee. Tai Lung had his head lowered, not meeting her eyes.

"Tai Lung..." (Y/n) mumbles underneath her breath, taking the few of someone she hadn't seen for so long.

"I have down many reckless and irresponsible things. All I ask for you is your forgiveness, only if you think I deserve it" Tai Lung says, not moving an inch.

(Y/n) stays quiet, not sure what to say. The snow leopard takes the silence as rejection, he was about to get up and walks away.

When he was brought in to en embrace by one other than the (Y/a) "You don't know how much I've missed you"

"I missed you too, my dancer"

[masterjedilenawrites]

Hi! How about a good old hurt/comfort whump type prompt like a "this is gonna hurt" or the more fluffy "hey, don't look at that. Look at me". Maybe with Boba Fett or Mando.

Din Djarin x Reader | 1.9k words

Content: Hurt/Comfort, detailed descriptions of pain and injuries, a lil fluff toward the end

Pain, unlike any you'd ever felt before, radiating from the point of impact throughout the rest of your body. That was all you could think about as you lay on the ground, blinking up at the stars and holding on to whatever may be left of your life.

Neither of you had seen the ambush coming, which made your efforts to fight against it that much more chaotic. Din was a trained and skilled fighter, and even he had been struggling. You, whose abilities paled in comparison, had stood no chance. You ran as soon as he told you to, and then within the blink of an eye, you found yourself flat on your back wondering whether death may be the better option.

It was impossible to tell how long you lay there... writhing, sweating, praying. You couldn't even scream, let alone comprehend the passage of time. Even one second of this pain was far too long. When he finally came, you swore you'd aged years.

"Stay with me..."

"Hang in there..."

He repeated himself over and over. Or perhaps your delirious mind was replaying his words over and over. You weren't sure how you suddenly ended up inside of a cave. You preferred the view with the stars, to be honest.

"Din," you croaked out through cracked lips.

You knew was around somewhere; you could feel him in the air that gently moved around you. But it was hard to tell if he was tending to you in any particular way as your whole body radiated. Pain, pressure, heat... it swirled in and out with your vision, your consciousness.

"This is gonna hurt," you heard him say at some point and it almost made you laugh. Hurt. You were well past hurt now, Djarin.

And then the pain got worse. Thank the stars you hadn't actually laughed.

Where before it felt like your body was expanding with hot, heavy air, now it was like an electric bolt was slithering from your leg across every other appendage. You could taste it. There were sparks in your eyes. Whatever Din was trying to do to help, it only seemed to be making it worse.

You must have blacked out. You were opening your eyes again but couldn't remember ever closing them. You felt weaker. The pain was still there, but it felt... hidden? Like someone had thrown a blanket over it, trying to hide it from sight. It was as if your body had decided it could no longer feel something that intense again.

You risked using what energy you had to lift your head. You wanted to see the damage, what all the fuss was about. It was your right leg, gnarled and twisted in a bloody mess. There was blood all over the ground surrounding you, definitely more than should be outside of your body. No wonder you felt so tired.

"What the hell..." you breathed out in shock.

Din was by your leg, alternating between work on some kind of split and adding stitches to keep the blood at bay. As soon as you moved, he immediately shifted over to get you to lay back down.

"Hey, don't look at that. Look at me."

You did, and there was something off about what you were seeing. Din's large brown eyes met yours, full of a sort of strained determination, a warrior's hope that if he just pushed a little more, a little harder, the fight would soon be won. His hair was matted to his head in a sheen of sweat, and flecks of blood - likely yours - highlighted one side of his jaw. It would have been a little hot in any other circumstances. You'd always wondered if he ever looked more haggard than the cool and collected beskar helmet ever let on...

And that's when it hit you. He didn't have his helmet on.

"I just have a few stitches left," he was saying, voice completely unfiltered. "And then I can tighten the splint and that should keep your leg stable enough to travel. The bone will take a long time to reset, but if we can make it to the ship, I can get you somewhere safe where you can heal in peace. I just need you to stay strong a little while longer."

You didn't hear a single word he said. He had a hand clasped under your neck, his thumb brushing soothingly just by your ear. His eyes were so beautiful. They pleaded with you to stay awake, to keep looking.

You were dreaming.

You must be dreaming.

You were unconscious, pulled into an unknown state of being where your mind conjured up pleasant, wonderful images to keep the pain at bay, to keep you alive and sane. That's all this was. Din would never remove his helmet, not even for you.

"Stay strong," he said, squeezing the back of your head just enough to be reassuring. "I promise I'll get you out of here."

Those beautiful brown eyes disappeared and you were faintly aware of the pain starting up again in your leg, but you didn't care. So what if it was a dream. Gods, what a thing to dream of. You clung to the image and let yourself drift away with it peacefully....

* * *

It was strange, all the different ways one could feel pain. Sometimes sharp, sometimes dull. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold.

The pain you felt when you woke again was definitely on the colder, number side, at least so long as you continued to lie still. It sucked, but it was a relief from what you'd endured before. Any movement that affected your general hip and leg areas, though, brought those sharp, prickly stings. So you did your best to limit your movements.

The view you had now was of the Razor Crest ceiling. You didn't remember the journey here at all. How had Din even managed? You shifted your hands a little. They were set at your sides and glided along familiar patterns of fabric, your own blankets. He had moved your cot out into the main hull, probably to better tend to you as needed.

Next, you tried testing your voice. You assumed Din would be up in the cockpit, trying to find a medical facility to take you to for better care. But something within you yearned to have him closer, to know you were not alone in this, that everything would be okay.

You could get out a few croaks, garbled groans that didn't resemble any known language. But that was all it took anyway. Din had been right there, just outside your field of vision. He came into view at your call.

He had his helmet on.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," he was quick to reassure. A gloved hand laid gently on your shoulder but it didn't squeeze, no fingers caressed.

So maybe you had dreaming after all.

You felt a little disappointed, but that quickly passed now that you simply had him here with you again.

He brought some water up to your lips and helped you drink from it. You winced a few times as you lifted your head and jostled your spine, and therefore your hips and leg. But it was worth getting some hydration and helping bring back your voice.

"What the hell even happened," you managed to string together some words after you finished and settled back down.

Din's helmet just shook slowly, like he couldn't even comprehend the events. "It was all my fault. I--"

"Don't you dare say you should've seen them coming," you warned, knowing how he got with things like this. "And I wasn't asking about the ambush. What the hell happened to my leg?"

"Speeder bike. Caught you right in your side, fractured your femur. Worst bone to break. You're stable now but you'll have a long recovery time."

"Lucky me," you sighed.

"You lost a lot of blood, too," he added.

"Well, at least I'm alive," you offered, mostly to be dramatic. But a cock of his helmet and you knew those words carried much more weight.

"Yeah," he agreed somberly. "It was bad. I was... worried, for a while."

You didn't know what to say to that. If anything, you wished you could be the one to come to his side and provide him with comfort and healing. This whole situation was messed up.

Din sat back down beside you and you did your best to shift your head and keep him in view. He had his hands resting on the edge of the cot and his helmet was trained on them in thought.

"Do you... remember anything?" he asked timidly after a few moments.

You immediately remembered his face. The line of stubble along his upper lip. How his hair curled slightly along his temple. Those big, beautiful brown eyes....

"Bits and pieces," you responded. 

"Anything in particular?"

Now you were wondering if maybe it hadn't been a dream after all. He was acting like he didn't want to get caught for something.

"You really want me to revisit my trauma so soon, Djarin?" you teased.

"No, no, of course not," he quickly backpedaled and you both fell into an awkward silence for a minute.

You finally decided to pry a little further "...Why?"

"No reason."

"Hm." He wasn't giving you much to go off of. This was getting silly. "Well, come to think of it, I do remember something... odd..."

"Oh?"

His hand gripped the blanket anxiously next to you. You looked at his helmet and desperately wished you could see beyond it, to see how he felt so you could know what he wanted.

Oh but who were you kidding? You knew him well, just as he did you. You knew exactly what those eyes would be pleading for you to say, because you knew what was important to him. So you put him out of his misery.

"But you know, it's all so fuzzy. I was probably just hallucinating."

You slid your hand across to rest against his and gave it a short squeeze. He visibly relaxed and that made you just as happy as it would have been to hear him admit what had really happened.

"Okay, good. Um, I mean, that's... that's normal. You were in and out of it a lot."

Din let out a nervous breath but then gently twisted his hand around to hold yours properly.

"Were you really worried about me?" you asked.

He nodded his head slowly. "Yeah... yeah, I was."

You gave a comforting little smile and squeezed his hand again. "Well, thank you, for being there for me. And being here now."

"Of course. This is the way."

Normally you would've rolled your eyes at that, but now it was reassuring. Encouraging, even. In some ways, it symbolized a bond between you that you'd wondered would ever come. You'd been traveling together long enough, fighting together and dining together and making decisions together. Now you were helping each other live. He'd gotten you out of a firefight, pieced you back together, hefted you unconscious across a forest. And now he was staying, right here, right beside you, for no other reason than because he could.

And maybe, just maybe, he had given a little part of himself to you, too. Maybe on accident, sure, but meaningful nonetheless. You would hold that piece of him close to your heart, and keep it safe there for as long as you continued to live.

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[mishwanders]

• BG3 companions (and others) with a disabled Tav •

AN+Warnings: I come to bring you some comforting headcanons <3. Some specific incidents, but not super in depth, I tried to keep them more general. Safe for everyone, written by Mishwanders, please do not repost. Reblogs, nice comments, and likes are appreciated!

Gale

food sensitivity or have a feeding tube? Never fear my dear, for Gale will keep a look out for things that you can have while on your journey, will even make yours separate from the others so not to cause any cross contamination.

However, he will have tons of questions, just so he can get it right so prepare yourself for those.

Which will then lead him to looking for it in literature so he can learn about your condition as much as possible.

Truly the finest nurse you could have in the wilds of the fae-realms. Will even sit with you and read books to/with you if you so wished.

Astarion

Anemic? POTS? He’s quick to catch symptoms you might be experiencing. That dexterity especially comes in the clutch to catch you if you grow dizzy or faint.

However, he’s like a worried hen after that, even if he does try to play it off as being level headed and having the situation totally under control (he doesn’t).

If you tell him what you need though for those instances (salt, meds, etc.), be sure they’re always in his bag if they’re not in yours.

He may not be the biggest person on details, but be sure that these are details he WILL notice because he can’t have his fearless leader out for the count forever.

Karlach

Hard time moving across the vast distance of the world? She will stay by your side until you are ready to move again and will even carry any of your mobility aids just in case you need them on the way.

Hells, she even offers to carry you the moment she realizes you’re in pain.

She gets it, when she’s burning hot, it is hard to go on and forces her to slow down too. So she’ll tell you to take all the time you need if you need to stop and rest.

Also a wonderful companion to stick around if you’re susceptible to the cold or have muscle aches because she’s so warm. Is willing to cuddle to keep you warm and ease the aches and pains (please cuddle with her oh my god she’d be so happy about that).

Wyll

He's disabled too, so he’d definitely lend a listening ear when things get rough and will do what he can to help you alleviate symptoms or even take on extra chores to help out.

He’s also one of the first to defend your honor if anyone has anything nasty to say against you or your disability if you want/need it.

He realizes it’s not always a means to draw blades over, but he knows how to tango his way with words through snobby high society in Baldur’s Gate or even with the most eloquent of goblins or devils.

The blade of the Frontier/Avernus is always ready whenever you need him.

Shadowheart

This girl knows chronic pain - that damn mark in her hand is always causing her problems.

If you’re both experiencing chronic pain, it will definitely make her see you in a new, better light and help you grow closer.

She is willing to bitch with you about how much the pain SUCKS because honestly, sometimes it just helps to complain with someone who just truly understands.

Has extra pillows and furs under her sleeping bag in her tent for comfort and if you two are super close, she’s definitely willing to let you curl up in there with her for a while to help ease some of the pain.

Lae’zel

Now, she might be a bit sharp with her words, but she truly only wants the best for you and will do something if you ask.

She knows how a warrior's fatigue can get the better of them, so she will point out the signs to you when she notices you working yourself past your limits.

Is willing to stay with you and scare off anyone who would say otherwise about your condition or situation. Anyone who back talks about it is getting a pommel strike, guaranteed.

She will remind you that even the best of fighters need their rest too.

Halsin

Big guy will do anything to help out where he can. He is a master healer after all.

Has the BEST bedside manners, so willing to listen to you and your experience and give input when needed or asked (and like honestly? That’s the dream right there).

Is so willing to help you with anything without any judgment for your condition. Will help you change out tubes, colostomy pouch, etc. if you need it.

Surgical scars or other scars that you may feel self conscious of? It’s okay, he won’t push to ask unless you want to talk about it, but he will tell you about the bear story and how he got his scar on his face to make you feel better.

Minthara

The second biggest defender of your honor with your disability/disabilities.

While Wyll is less susceptible to bring out the blades all willy nilly, Minthara is already asking you if she can make the perpetrator suffer.

She is ready to cut someone’s tongue out for it, laser locking eyes on any of the bastards who dare try to make a mockery of you.

An enemy to you is an enemy to her and she will not stand to hear a lick of slander about your condition(s).

Jaheira

She is old, wizened, and she understands what you’re going through the most I think.

It may even lead to her doting on you, a little bit, cub.

Because getting older is rough for anyone, but for someone with a disability/multiple disabilities it can be much tougher than others realize.

She finds it the true testament of your willingness to live though, in spite of everything or anyone and that’s something she admires greatly about you.

Minsc and Boo

Minsc has a round about way of understanding what you’re going through.

Because Minsc too, have pain in wrist. Although, he does not always understand why.

He thinks you’re wise if you're able to tell him the cause. He still thinks you're wise even if you’re not able to, but are able to figure out how to ease any of your suffering.

Minsc will tell you that Boo thinks you’re the best of the best and that’s the highest praise anyone can get from a miniature giant space hamster.

[gow-ragnarok-imagines]

I love your Tyr Content 😻

Could you Write him with A Female Warrior Reader??

◇ A/N: Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I am glad you enjoy my work!! 💜 I wasn't sure whether you wanted HCs or a Oneshot, so I just did HCs for this one. I hope you enjoy! ◇

Týr x Warrior!Fem!Reader ♡

As the god of war, people would normally expect for Týr to be violent and a mighty fighter at first, right?

Nope, not the same case with good ol' Týr. He may be an Aesir god, but this man right here? Wouldn't wish death upon anyone.

He made an oath to never brandish his spear once again, because why do that when he's got you??

You two had met during one of his travels and had soon grown to be friends, and eventually more than just friends.

Ever since you've known Týr, he was a diplomat, a pacifist and someone who sought out justice for those who've been wronged.

Meanwhile, you had the heart of a warrior and what a brilliant one you were. Not only were you powerful and strong during combat but you were also graceful, not thinking with just your muscles but your mind aswell.

You rescued Týr when you once saw him being attacked by a full group of Raiders, which ended up with half of them killed by you and the rest running away, screaming the most vulgar words at you.

While the gruesome sight wasn't one Týr had always enjoyed, he was impressed and even more thankful that you fought off the attackers.

Soon after that, you always somehow found yourself rescuing Týr when he was in need of help during his travels. The funny part of this is that you were never aware that he was around and just bumped into him constantly.

After a few more sessions of what was essentially practice to you, you now begun to travel around with Týr.

He was polite, patient and had always an aura that calmed you down. He always knew how to make you feel better, you couldn't appreciate him more for that.

While travelling, you both found yourselves in a fight which ended up with a close call. You were severely injuired but you were both safe, the bleeding didn't stop because of that though, unfortunately.

You ended up passing out due to the blood loss and then awoke hours later in the small shelter you and Týr had built togheter for whenever you were out travelling.

You didn't actually open your eyes as the only thing that made you realize you were actually conscious was the fact you heard the god's voice.

He was quiet, his voice soft and you could hear the concern in it.

He mumbled out apologies for not being able to protect you, to have done anything to prevent you from getting harmed.

And you were certain that after a long pause, he said "I love you" .

"Of course you love me, dumbass." Was your response. Týr was startled by the fact you were awake and had heard him.

When you opened your eyes, his face was as red as an apple. It was quite cute.

And as you nay have guessed, you both ended up confessing to eachother.

The night was full of hugging, kisses and some well-deserved rest.

As the two of you sat by the fire, his arms gently wrapped around you, you glanced over at your sword across the room.

You usually stood awake in secret to make sure Týr would be safe, even if always told you there was no need to.

And for once, you listened to him and closed your eyes, falling asleep in the embrace of your beloved.

[bluegekk0]

I was in the process of waking up when I sent the ask about Zote's hobby possibly being cooking, so I forgot to say that him cooking for the family is something that would happen later in his arc, apologies for that! Also, I like the idea of him having an interesting in instruments and playing the trumpet!

I do agree that it fits his personality, but I also feel like to think that there may be a part of Zote that feels like his family may not be supportive of his interest or ask him to stop while he's either playing or practicing, when in actuality they would support him fully!

Though I do see fpk and any other noise sensitive members of the family asking to be informed in advance about any practices Zote does with the trumpet because iirc, trumpets can be quite loud and therefore unpleasant on the ears to those who have sensitive hearing. - Zote the Hobbyist Cook Anon

oh, don't worry about it! i just wanted to clarify that, since i do think his arc takes a while to really go anywhere. he's definitely a stubborn and arrogant type, after all

i like the idea of him assuming they would hate it. i imagine that's the kind of response he got from his birth family. perhaps being a strong warrior was a big part of his community, so the fact that he was terrible at fighting and instead found interest in something as "useless" as music, would certainly paint a target on his back. and i think it would be interesting if that was the reason for his obsession with becoming a knight, when in reality he's just not made for that. his interest in music was frowned upon, so he rejected it to instead prove to himself that he could be a better fighter than all of them. y'know, it reminds me a little bit of hiccup from how to train your dragon. except hiccup realized that being different was what made him special, while zote doubled down on trying to prove his skills despite not being born to be a knight

it'd also act as an interesting parallel to fpk, who similarly was an outcast in his childhood. i think, if zote ever opened up and spoke honestly of his past, fpk would sympathize with him more than anyone else in the family. similarly to zote, fpk rejected his kind, and he tried to be someone he just wasn't. where he differs from zote is that he wanted to prove that his way was better than that of the other wyrms, as opposed to trying to become better than them at what they do. unfortunately, he still ended up choosing a path he wasn't really made for

but to return to zote's interest in instruments. i definitely think him playing the trumpet would cause the others a lot of headaches. especially fpk, since his hearing is the most sensitive (part of it is because of what his brain went through when he was abruptly woken up from hibernation). but they wouldn't be against it, they'd be quite supportive of it, though i definitely think zote having his own little house helped. if he wants to practice, he can do that here and not disturb the others, but a heads up is always appreciated

as a little side tangent, i remember a while back i had the random idea of zote joining the grimm troupe. it's an unfortunate fact that, unlike fpk's family, his days are limited, he is still a mortal. i'm not sure how exactly that would go, if it even happens, but perhaps as his arc progresses he realizes he wants to spend more time with the family to make up for all the years of being alone, and the immortality offered by the troupe would allow him to do that. or maybe his trumpet playing skills would be welcome in the troupe's performances, and so he would make the conscious decision to join it to perform with them. which, i imagine, would still be much later in the timeline. both of these would be a bit out of character for present day zote, but there's potential for him to reach that point. plus, troupe!zote would make for a really fun design hahah

of course, there's also the possibility of him just eventually dying from old age. it's not something i like to think about, and the rest of the family would dread it just as much. but death is a part of life, and something that has to be faced eventually. but since it's an au, and it's my little comfort place, i'm certainly leaning more towards him finding a way to avoid his mortality. the family would feel incomplete without him

we'll see. these are all just random concepts. not to mention, the au is "stuck" in the current point in the timeline and i'm not planning to move it any further, so there's a good chance i won't explore any of those possibilities. but it's still fun to think about

[lightthewaybackhome]

The Seed, AKA, welcome to the Pegasus Galaxy Mr. Woolsey.

I compromised the safety of this base to rescue someone who may well have been beyond our help anyway.

Now Woolsey knows why Sheppard doesn't play by the rules.

I enjoy this episode because we get to see Woolsey taken down a few notches, but also made to better understand what life is actually like in Atlantis. I love that Sheppard basically goes into leader/older brother/dad mode for his whole team because Woolsey isn't really inspiring confidence. I love that when Sheppard is quarantined, Teyla steps up right up. I love that Sheppard is in full Lieutenant Colonel Suicide Mission mode, taking the drug first and then administering it to Keller. I love that he was ready to shoot Keller, but even gut-stabbed he didn't. I love Carson. (Why is his hair so dark??? It always bothers me. Looks fake.)

At the start of the episode when they're gathered around Woolsey's new conference room table, Rodney says, "The fact that Sheppard's here makes all the difference, right?" He's referencing The Last Man, and it just made me happy because Rodney basically spoke for us, the viewer. Sheppard is here. So, no matter how bad it gets, Sheppard will make the difference. That how they feel and how Atlantis feels, and how we feel. Sheppard will see everyone through the dark times and back into the light of home.

Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”

— Heraclitus

[cienie-isengardu]

I could definitely new timeline Bi-Han being jealous honestly. Not to mention I imagine New Era(NE for short) Bi-Han was kind of... aggressive as a toddler given his current personality. Hell, when Bi-Han was sent to test Raiden and Kung Lao, he shows way more aggression than Smoke and Kuai do so I imagine this sort of thing was always there.

He's not evil(he's a literal toddler) but I imagine he wasn't fond of Kuai at first sight and he doesn't get what is special about him or why he's 'hogging' mom's attention.

Which is why he doesn't see any problem with poking a newborn Kuai in the eye and not understanding why he can't roughhouse him as play. Kids tend to not understand how delicate babies are so I could easily see him doing something like this.

I respect your opinion but it seems we will need to agree to disagree about that one.

Bi-Han as an adult being frustrated and aggressive does not automatically mean he was that kind of child to begin with. And honestly, I wish the fandom's tendency to reduce character to only one(1) trait displayed at certain and a very specific moment of their life (story event) will die with Extreme Prejudice. A sweetest child can turn into a bitter adult, the same as the problematic kid can become the most kind, responsible person and it is as much about their nature as much about the upbringing and circumstances that shaped them. Because even the most pure person can be radicalized into a hateful being if said person fell into the wrong crowd or was raised in such a toxic environment. 

Bi-Han being angry now is closely tied to long-term frustration, both shown by story mode and specifically mentioned by Kuai Liang and so far, the only mention of his childhood behavior is him being cold to Tomas, which again is not the same as open aggression and bullying tendencies. So no, I don’t think just because Sub-Zero is now bitter and prone to violence, he was an angry toddler back then.

What is even more, we don’t have any clue how older Bi-Han is than Kuai Liang - if the difference is about two years old, I think he wouldn’t be old enough to hate baby on the first sight or roughhouse him in play, as I doubt their parents would left any of them without a proper supervision, whatever their own or nanny’s. If he is older than let’s say 5-6 years, he may as well already started his Lin Kuei training and not have time to play with baby nor reason to think the baby takes all the love and attention from him, as I imagine Grandmaster would have a special spot for his first-born son, if not the boy himself then his  education but also, the man was leader of the whole clan, and duties could keep him busy and away from both children. So kinda hard to hate a baby on sight, if the baby himself doesn’t get any special attention and its arrival doesn’t change much in regard to your own life. The attention of mother may be a different thing, but then again, the woman was a fighter, so why assume she was there to babysitting both boys all the time and not have a nanny to take care of Bi-Han and Kuai Liang, so she could fulfill her own share of duties, as a great warrior and Grandmaster’s wife? 

And you know what I also dislike about the whole jealous kid Bi-Han or general angry kid Bi-Han takes? The erasing of his parents’ contribution to the situation. Why are people so set on demonizing kid Bi-Han, even if just as “kids know no better and have a hard time to understand their feeling” way, but won’t include his father and mother into the picture? When I hear things like  Bi-Han poking a newborn Kuai in the eye or roughhouse him as play, I don’t wonder if the boy was jealous or cruel or purpose, only why a parents would left a baby and a few years older kid alone, without a proper supervisions or why they didn’t set a rules for little Bi-Han to know how to act and treat a new born brother and so on. And if he was jealous or unhappy, why didn't they help him process the negative feelings. Like, why do people exclude father and mother from such scenarios, as it is them who should be there for both sons and ensure their safety alike yet it is always somehow just Bi-Han was a bad, angry or difficult child?

I’m here for “innocent until proven otherwise” in regard to Bi-Han as a child but also, if only to spite the fandom, I will say this: for all we know kid Bi-Han could be truly happy to have a younger brother and helped his mother taking care of the baby as much as a few years kid could. And the bitterness and anger came when he was much older and had a better understanding of Lin Kuei's servitude to Earthrealm and Fire Lord. Here, you all will need to pry it from my cold, dead hands as I won’t change my mind unless the lore provides me irrefutable evidence.

As you see, I’m done with the jealous, abusive, bad kid Bi-Han. If someone wants to see him like that? Go ahead and have fun! But on this one aspect I can only agree to disagree.

[dailycharacteroption]

Prestige Class Spotlight 12: Aldori Swordlord

[photograph by MD-Arts on DeviantArt]

It’s funny, we’ve covered a fighting style and a Second Edition Archetype based on it, but only now are we doing the original prestige class for the Aldori Swordlords and their fighting style.

For those who aren’t familiar, The Aldori style of combat was named for it’s founder, who lost a fight against a bandit lord, left, learned some sweet sword skills with a unique weapon and came back for revenge, and eventually caved and began teaching other people his techniques, but only if they swore an oath to never share the secrets of the style with anyone who had not taken the oath.

Some take this very seriously, others do not, but the fact that the former have a tendency to hunt down the latter and those they’ve taught does skew the percentage between the two by a significant margin. Whether or not a prospective swordsperson has taken the oath is inconsequential to the prestige class requirements, of course, so you’re free to play either freely, though of course being oathless means you’ll have a lot of enemies if other masters figure that out.

In any case, these swordlords specialize in the use of a longsword-length blade with a slight curve to it, making it into an effectively single-edged weapon. The style centered around it allows the weaponed to be used with surprising grace, and it is mostly meant to be used in single combat, focusing on parrying foes and creating openings to strike.

In order to pursue this path, one must have learned how to use such a blade to it’s fullest extent, including the ability to strike with dexterity over strength and perform intimidating displays, as well as skills geared towards the elite lifestyle and physical prowess associated with the swordlords, putting this option as available around the 8th level mark (6th if you have a bonus feat at first level as a human, or even faster if your starting class grants bonus feats, such as fighter.)

Dextrous attacks are a key part of the style, and these warriors utilize it with ease, causing extra harm to foes thanks to their precision.

As duelists, these warriors must be prepared to fight at any moment. As such, they learn to draw their weapon quickly if they have not already done so, and how to best use their weapon for defense if they already have done so, (as well as using their dueling sword for various duelist or swashbuckler abilities).

The mastery these swordfighters display is truly impressive, and consequently, intimidating, giving them an edge when they demonstrate it to strike fear into the hearts of others. It even helps in performance combat, wowing the crowd with impressive displays.

They also demonstrate their agility to better dodge incoming strikes.

Another strength of their fighting style is how these warriors learn to read their opponents, letting them fight more defensively while remaining accurate, and then turn around and catch sight of their foe’s weaknesses and exploit openings.

A key maneuver at the right moment, especially one that leaves a foe at a disadvantage can shatter their confidence. As such, these warriors capitalize on that and demoralize foes further when they deal especially grievous blows or succeed at a maneuver that puts them at a serious disadvantage.

A parrying sword may not always be able to block an incoming blow, but it can sure throw it off course from your vitals. As such, these duelists always go for the parry, and have a decent chance of negating crits as a result. Later on, this improves as they get better at such defense.

Not all fights are duels, and not all duels are done on fair, even footing. As such, the swordlords learn to keep mobile even when hanging from a handhold. This training also helps them right themselves without taking a hit when knocked down.

The most powerful among them can shatter not just confidence, but also discombobulate foes, leaving them unable to use their mastery and insight in the fight for a few seconds.

The Aldori Swordlord prestige class is honestly a masterclass in building a prestige class that works for as many classes as possible while still keeping it’s gimmick concise and fun. Now, naturally, this archetype is meant for martial classes, but it actively goes out of it’s way to integrate with the rules for certain classes and archetypes, from potentially granting a bonus feat meant for swashbucklers and duelists, to integrating with the Aldori Defender archetype for fighter. Additionally, the ability to suppress morale bonuses, and at max level insight and competence bonuses as part of free demoralizations you get every time you pull off most combat maneuvers and all critical hits is potentially huge, shutting a buffed-up foe down long enough to secure the victory. You can easily build these characters using fighter, swashbuckler, ranger, paladin, or even sneakier classes like rogue and slayer, and really come up with a powerful character with good defense, offence, and debuffing built right in.

Closed fighting techniques are interesting, and not just for the intrigue that comes from knowledge that outsiders aren’t supposed to know. It’s more defensive than anything else, an attempt to stave off war’s cycle of innovation and reverse-engineering. After all, a foe can’t copy, or worse, pick apart your technique if they don’t know it. On the other hand, however, such concealed knowledge does mean that there is the risk not just stagnating, but of the style being outright lost for good if nobody remains to teach it. It really depends on what you value.

Distrusting them from the moment he laid eyes on them, Argyo has hated the party ever since they came to the lashunta homeworld. What’s worse, he hates how readily the rest of his kind have accepted these strangers from the stars, and now his master is offering to teach the warrior their sacred swordfighting techniques? This is the last straw, and he may do something completely rash as a result.

They say that the caligni, the so-called dark folk, were once humans transformed by centuries of meddling from their owb masters. However, now an owb prophet known only as the Snuffed Flame seeks to develop a way to transform humans into shadow-bound servants within a matter of minutes rather than generations. As such, it has orchestrated several kidnappings, including the current arena champion Zolta.

In the land of Byarna, it is said the first dueling swords were made as copies of the legendary Foeslicer, an enchanted blade of incredibly lethal power. However, it has been so long and the weapon hasn’t surfaced, making many wonder if it was ever real to begin with. That is until a young man, a spy caught stealing secrets of the dueling sword style, is forced to draw the weapon he found during his work.

[brendathedoodler]

May I ask a bit about AS!Legend? His adventure involved multiple dimensions, right? Can I ask what that's all about? Loving your AU! It's so fun to think "hm, how would this Link do in this Hyrule?" Thanks!

I wanna preface this by saying I haven’t played Twilight Princess yet, so I’m gonna avoid the specifics of the plot and focus more on just the general idea for the changes, and specifically how Legend is impacted.

So, essentially Zant’s attempt to take over the Twili realm ended up putting other dimensions in danger as well, something that wasn’t his problem. Legend had to go through a variety of other worlds in order to prevent them from being impacted, harmed, or outright destroyed by Zant’s meddling. He traversed several worlds, but there are three main ones that he got specific transformations for. (These worlds are added as a way to kinda mix how many adventures LU Legend goes on with the singular adventure he takes on here, if that makes sense)

(Continued under the cut)

A big theme in Legend’s adventures is that he never has an advantage. All of his forms are smaller, weaker, and not well equipped for fighting. He’s become a cautious fighter, but a master of evasion. He learned how to run, hide, and escape. It’s better to run and live to fight another day (a mindset he shares with Warriors).

The first main realm is the Twili realm, where he got a bunny form (which is activated by a necklace he wears, hidden under his tunic). In this realm he also met Ravio, a twili cursed to be an imp by Zant for getting in his way. Both of them are small and weak, and so they have to avoid, sneak, and evade enemies to try and get the upper hand. Early in his adventure Legend, being a courageous warrior to the core, often tried to fight his opponents head on. It was usually Ravio who suffered for his impulsivity, and he learned quickly how to evade just to ensure Ravio wouldn’t get hurt.

Legend can’t deny that he caught feelings for the imp that followed him through the journey. It’s why it hurt so much when he had to leave. The Twili realm was saved, but the portals snatched Legend away before he could even say goodbye. He’d never see Ravio again.

The second main world is the oceanic realm, where Legend got a mermaid form (which he uses an anklet to transform into). These mermaids are large, with sharp teeth and claws. Legend is small, clawless, and has dull teeth that could never hope to pierce flesh. This transformation didn’t affect his body visibly, but it had many effects on him that aren’t so obvious. These mermaids are incapable of making the vocal noises of any Hylian, but Legend’s transformation allowed him to make the melodic notes and sharp clicks that make up their language. He can also breathe underwater (but it’s much easier in his mermaid form), and his skin dries out very easily (he has to put on lotion every night and his lips are permanently chapped no matter what he does).

Other than just the transformation effects, Legend also met Marin there. She saw this weird squishy little guy and wanted to help him. She taught him her language and all sorts of things to help him save her world from destruction. At the end of it all, their parting words lasted a little too long, and the final portal that would send Legend home ended up taking Marin with him. She’d never see her home again. Legend tries his best to make his own home work for her, and when he was whisked away on a time travel adventure he’d just finished cleaning his house in preparation of modifying it for her to live more comfortably with him.

The final world he’d visited is the mural realm, where Legend got a 2D painting form (which he can turn into with a bracelet on his wrist). The 2D world was cruel at best. He’s a 3D being that was never meant to function in a world like this. Learning to even walk was difficult, and when fighting there he’s always at a disadvantage because he’s not properly equipped for it. He avoids using his painting form, since it poses the same sort of problems that he faced in the 2D world.

He didn’t meet anyone in particular here, but this is the world where he suffered his greatest injury. In this world of paint, a great weapon from another world was located. An eraser. Legend, being from the 3D world, was not intimidated by a simple eraser. That mistake cost him his hand, but he managed to draw it back later. Unfortunately, his drawing skills are… Subpar at best. His crappy stick hand worked, but when he left the 2D world his hand was instead replaced with something akin to a stalfos.

Legend doesn’t think he’s Hylian anymore. He can make sounds they never could, his hair now grows pink, and his hand has been replaced with magic bone. As much as he enjoys dropping hints and leaving the other members of the chain to guess what he means, he does feel a bit of shame at what he’s become. He was Hylian once, but he can never go back to that.

Learning Twilight can turn into a wolf helped with that somewhat, though admittedly the reveal moment between the two of them was pretty comedic. Twilight transformed from wolf to Hylian, only to turn around and make eye contact with mermaid Legend in the water nearby.

What wasn’t comedic was the reveal of Legend’s hand. He always keeps it hidden under a glove, no matter what. On the bright side, magical bones heal much easier than normal ones, and he’s become accustomed to using his hand to block things he would never do with his flesh hand. If he had to choose between a sword to his skeletal hand or his face, he’d pick his hand in a heartbeat.

The point is, his hand gets badly injured, and he’s forced to reveal it. He argues about it, extra defensive thanks to the pain he’s in, but it’s a fight he won’t win, because nobody is going to let him go with an untreated injury. Two potions and a healing song from Hyrule helped, but it’s not completely fixed. Sky convinces him to let him help, if only because Legend knows it a losing fight and he’d rather reveal it only to one person.

Legend doesn’t like to look at his hand. Everything about it looks wrong, even if it feels natural. The glove makes it easy for him to forget that there’s no longer any flesh there, just bone.

Sky doesn’t say anything about it to the others beyond, “I’ve done the best I can to bandage it. This isn’t the sort of injury I know how to treat”. What kind of treatment can he offer to exposed bone like that? His medical training didn’t mention anything like it. Besides, it’s not his secret to tell, and it’s clear with how much Legend fought them over it that he doesn’t want them to know.

So, to summarize: Legend has trauma around portals after what they took from him and the people he cares about, he has three transformations that have impacted his body in various ways (some more visible than others), and he likes to act mysterious about it even though deep down he struggles with the idea that he’s no longer Hylian.

[letsquestjess]

Blood Daughter - Chapter 18: The Good Fight (End)

Story Summary: After Kallar Viren flees the Empire, his daughter sets out to find him, only to discover he has been taken by Imperials. With help from Clone Force 99, Zeraphine pushes through her losses in a race against the clock to rescue her father or face the galaxy as the last of her family.

Warnings: None.

Chapter 17

Read from the beginning.

A/N: I can't believe I actually finished this one, but here we are at the end! To all of you who have read this all the way through, thank you so much! I am planning a sequel but it may be a bit of a way off yet.

-- -- -- -- --

Grumbling, Zeraphine straightened up and picked off the specks of lint from her fitted shirt, twisting slightly and studying her reflection in the floor-length mirror. The knives strapped to her knee-high boots soaked in the silvery light on top of the reflective glass and cast a rainbow shimmer up the side of her trousers. 

She brushed away the last of the fluff from her clothing before fastening her chest plate and matching shoulder pads, her touch lingering on the distinctive grey and red style of Mantle Squad. Vesper had spent weeks perfecting the design, refining elements from their former division and the familiar patterns of her home. Their late night discussions and her candid admission of not wanting to abandon her past completely had sparked the idea, and he figured what better way for her to carry her family and her loved ones with her than in the armour she wore to shield herself. 

‘A token of love and protection,’ he whispered to her as he’d helped her try them on for the first time. ‘An emblem of how far you have come.’

With the pieces fixed into place with a satisfying click, she slid on a pair of snug, fingerless gloves and flexed her hands. A strange sense settled over her to shed the Blood Daughter uniform, to set that part of her in the annals of her life and step out into the world anew. 

As she trailed her fingers up her left arm, she tracked the smooth lines of her newly healed tattoos. A stark black skull with a crimson Aurabesh ‘99’ contrasted the pale skin on her bicep, and delicately dotted on her wrist were three powder blue achelda flowers, the symbol of peace on her homeworld and representative of her departed family. 

She took in her appearance and smiled. The restless fidgets subsided, and she began to see herself through clearer eyes, as the person she always dreamed of becoming. A fighter on her own terms. With no superiors left, there would be no more bowing or obeying orders. Her path from now on was her own to decide, hers to shape and create, and a dispirited thrill surged through her. 

One half of her vibrated with anticipation, eager to unleash havoc upon the Empire, but the other clung to fragments of her old life. All she had ever known was the Phominian army, the esteemed Blood Daughters and their mission to safeguard their home. In truth, she wasn’t entirely certain of her identity without them, but she remained resolute in her quest to discover it. To honour the warriors of Phomina Nine and do her family proud. 

The door slid open with a soft whoosh. As Vesper entered, he slowed, mesmerised by the woman checking her reflection. Since she had returned to the clone base, her reserved silence had transformed into a quiet, resolved rage. The once loose clothing that hid her form now hugged her silhouette, and the braided hair that used to cascade down her back and obscure her face was fashioned into a regal crown atop her head, openly displaying the bold red markings on her cheeks. A storm disguised as a dream, he’d thought to himself a few mornings ago as he watched her dress from the comfort of their bed. 

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Vesper said, retrieving her glass swords from the clips on the wall and helping her clasp them to her belt. Their delicate, deadly sound twinkled in such an alluring way he couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of it. 

“It is a little odd to be out of the uniform I spent so long in,” she confessed, savouring his touch as he placed his hands on her hips and nestled his chin on her shoulder. “But… this is more like me. The start of my legacy.” Her fingers instinctively found their way to the Viren family pin dangling from her slender chain. 

Vesper’s agreeing hum resonated up his throat as he planted kisses on the Mantle Hawk markings she once told him she hated. Yet now, she bore them with pride, with tenacity. “I am proud of you,” he murmured between open-mouthed pecks.

As he tightened his arms around her midriff, she placed her gloved hands over his scarred ones and tilted her head to catch his mouth, her eyebrows dipping as he licked along her bottom lip and teased his way in. 

“Sometimes, I wonder if I have dreamed all of this,” she breathed. “If I’m going to wake up and you’re gone.”

“I am here,” Vesper promised, squeezing her hands to emphasise his presence and his commitment. “You aren’t dreaming. You feel me here with you, right?”

“I do. I feel your body close to mine, and in here.” She guided his hand to rest against her chest, above her heart. 

The room hushed. Their breathing aligned and for a peaceful moment, they existed as one, united in love and cause. 

“I love you, Vesper,” Zeraphine sighed. “By the stars, I love you.”

“I love you too,” Vesper replied, inhaling the citrus scent of her shampoo. “My sunlight.”

The device around the captain’s wrist buzzed and beeped, shattering the tranquil lull they had cultivated. “It looks like they’re almost here,” he said, parting from her with reluctance and angling her away from the mirror. “Okay then. Are you ready?” 

* * *

Like a halo crowning the horizon, the sun sank and waved goodbye in a bloom of fiery gold. Crouched in the autumnal grass, the clones of Rex’s network got to work painting the mass of paper spheres, replicating the helmet patterns of their fallen brothers. Chatter tickled the evening air, and the occasional flutter of laughter broke out amongst the groups. Joining the gathering, more arrived from the base, armed with paint and contributing to the symphony of voices and the flourishing field of remembrance. 

Rising from her knees, Zeraphine set her brush into the water jar and dusted the residue off her palms. Across the plain, the wilting grass bore the weight of hundreds of designs, the survivors memorialising the departed in the only way they knew how: together. 

As she walked between clusters of preoccupied clones, she picked up on the promises spoken to the orbs, pledges to fight for a better day uttered into the paint like oaths. Even after the longest night, the sun always rises, she thought, reflecting on the Phominian proverb her mother had shared during setbacks. And it will. We will bask in that warmth. 

The longer the Imperials continued their tirade, the more her doubt grew, questioning if they would ever embrace that comforting light again, whether the Republic would be born anew and the troubling times left for the history books. But as she looked around at the assembled clones, the unbreakable bond they shared blanketed her in a warm optimism. How could such unwavering loyalty and fearless bravery not grant them the quiet they so rightfully deserved? The Empire would fall and they would all get their peace. She would make sure of it. 

A ship approached from above the city line, engines purring as it came to an abrupt halt and pivoted before touching down on the dirt. Spotting familiar armour descending the landing ramp, she broke into a sprint. Wrecker caught her first, his brawny arms lifting her into a dizzying whirl. “I was wondering where you were,” she said as he gave her a quick squeeze and deposited her back onto her feet. 

“We were taking our new ship for a spin,” Hunter replied, patting the exterior.

“How does it fly?” Zeraphine asked. 

“Like a dream,” Echo reported. “It’s an incredible gift. Thank you.”

“After everything you did for me, it was the least I could do. I also installed a secure channel in your communications unit that will put you straight through to The Progenitor. You know, if you wanted to call.” 

“Based on how Omega’s been talking, you’ll be receiving weekly transmissions.”

“I can’t argue with that.” 

A warm smile passed between the two, and the young female clone peered up at her with eager eyes, a silent promise that she really would be in contact every week. 

“What do you plan on doing now, commander?” Hunter questioned. “I’m guessing Rex has asked you to stay.”

“He has,” Zeraphine confirmed, “and I have promised to do everything in my power to help him, but…” 

“But?” Hunter prompted. 

Zeraphine reached for her datapad, tucked away in a small pouch on her belt, and began scrolling through her messages. “A few rotations ago,” she stated, turning the translucent screen around to reveal the attached image, “I received a transmission from Rillen. He got home and started gathering information for me.”

“Is that…?” Squinting at the slightly pixilated photo, Wrecker shook his head in disbelief. “Is that Vault?”

“Yes,” Zeraphine said in a delighted yet concerned breath. “Rillen discovered he has been stationed on Phomina Nine since the war ended to protect the governor. Given Vault’s knowledge of the land, I suppose it’s only logical to assign him there.”

“Either that or they’re rubbing salt in his wounds,” Hunter pointed out. “I wouldn’t put it past the Empire to want to hurt him more than they already have.” 

“Does he still have his chip?” Echo asked, not wanting to dampen her hope, but also not wishing for her to jeopardise herself any further. 

“I don’t know,” Zeraphine admitted, “but one way or another, I am going to bring him home to his family.”

“We are going to bring him home,” a soothing, low tone corrected from behind her.

With clasped arms and nods of solidarity, Vesper greeted his brothers in turn and ruffled Omega’s blonde curls. He positioned himself beside Zeraphine, and his hand instinctively found its place on the small of her back. “It’s good to catch up with you all again. I see you have your new ship. It turned out better than I expected.”

“You doubt your own skills?” Zeraphine said with a devilish grin. 

“No. When I did the sketches, I wasn’t sure about the secondary thruster placements, but it ended up working out nicely.”

“You designed our ship?” Omega said in awe. 

With a slight shyness in the gesture, Vesper nodded to the young clone. “I did. You’ve all done a lot for Zera and me, and we wanted to give you something in return.” 

A high-pitched whistle cut through the air and captured their attention. From the centre of the field of painted paper spheres, Rex signalled to the Phominian commander. 

“Looks like we’re good to go,” Zeraphine said, her footsteps crunching through the dry grass as she led the way to the spread of waiting clones.  

After they were all gathered, she inhaled deeply, connecting with the Force to harness that harmonious energy and release it steadily into the dirt. Slowly, the orbs began to lift, their illuminated interiors activating and casting a radiant glow that made the early sprawl of stars look dim in comparison. 

She concentrated on the gradual ascent and once the air caught them, she let the breeze curl its caring hands underneath to continue their journey into the sky. 

“There,” she said to Echo, gesturing up to one orb in particular. 

He identified the design as soon as he saw it. White with curved blue lines and red dots, and a black Aurabesh ‘5’, it was difficult to miss. 

“Rex painted it himself,” Zeraphine told him. “Poured weeks of work into it. He did a few others too.”

As she pointed them out in turn, like a calling, his brothers were there with him, jostling his shoulder and offering words of encouragement. Never forgotten and always a part of him. 

The night sky blossomed in remembrance and Zeraphine looked up at the squad who had willingly followed her into darkness, who had helped her as loyally as her own and risked their lives to support her. Through every twist and turn, they had remained by her side, devoted almost to a fault. “Keep on fighting the good fight, Clone Force Ninety-Nine,” she told them. “I sure as hell am.” 

[morningstar-warriors]

Abilities and Skills

Strength

Strength refers to a cat's physical prowess. This Ability dictates the power behind attacks, endurance, and how muscular a cat appears. Warriors who are skilled hunters and fighters often excel in Strength. Though this Ability doesn't necessarily account for precision, it does give cats a bonus in dealing and taking damage.

Intelligence

Intelligence is about a cat’s training and knowledge. This Ability is what delivers good aim, careful thought, and battle strategy. Healers often excel in intellect due to their studies in herbs, and clan history. Intelligent cats have excellent precision, and strive in tackling the unexpected. 

Spirit

Spirit is a cat’s insight and willpower. This Ability aids cats in their empathy, instinct, and voice. Stonetellers are proficient in Spirit, as they examine the world from an ethereal and mortal lens. Spiritual cats tend to be better in-tune with their surroundings, and are best at handling high stress situations. 

Strength Skills:

Arch

Cats Arch to scare off weaker enemies, or threaten challengers into backing down. The Arch Skill focuses on your cat’s physical intimidation. This can be shown through the iconic arcing pose, fluffing out one’s fur, or simply looming over another with massive presence. 

Bite

The bite skill pertains to the power of your cat’s maw. Cats use their fangs to defend against enemies, or deliver life threatening blows. A cat’s Bite doesn't always have to be lethal. Sometimes it can determine their grip or jaw strength. 

Climb

The Climb Skill shows how well a cat can traverse up trees, rocky mountain faces, and thin fence posts. Climb is all about a cat’s grip and balance on their paws. This check is best used on precarious terrain, or when a cat wishes to scale up something. 

Chase

Cats are known to be quick, they can twist and change direction in the drop of a hat. A cat’s Chase Skill determines how fast and maneuverable it is. Sometimes a cat needs to get away from a threat in time, or rush after a fat juicy mouse. This check is best used in cases of speed, hunting, and evasion. 

Swim

The Swim Skill determines how well a cat can handle themselves in water. Most cats find swimming unpleasant, but it can be an invaluable skill. Though swimming may not feel important to a clan cat that doesn’t live near water, the unexpected can still happen. Rivers, flash floods, and other natural disasters could make your cat confront getting wet. 

Wrestle

Wrestling is what cats use to initiate a fight. It’s up close and personal brawling between two foes. This is a test of brute strength, the struggle before an explosion of claws and teeth. The Wrestle Skill can help your cat gain the upper paw in a fight, or even pin down an enemy. If a cat’s goal is to fight, they should wrestle first. 

Endurance

In some cases cats may be doing strenuous tasks for prolonged periods of time. Or worse, they’ve eaten a dangerous herb. Endurance dictates how well they can handle being put under tough situations. Especially ones that strain them physically.

Intelligence Skills:

Ponder

The Ponder Skill is used in situations where your cat encounters new and unfamiliar things. This check is best for when a player isn’t sure what to do. Ponder allows a cat to decide what other Skill or action would be appropriate at the moment. 

Tradition

The Tradition Skill puts to test how well a cat has been listening to their elders. This Skill is used to identify unique aspects of different Clans or outsiders. Aside from understanding different customs, cats use Tradition to recall old stories and Clan history. 

Medicine

The world of Warriors is dangerous, and cats often get hurt. The Medicine Skill helps a cat know what herbs to smell for, or understand how critical someone’s condition is. Through these discoveries a cat can help alleviate pain or prevent death.

Pounce

For cats Pouncing is a versatile skill. This is a calculated maneuver that springs a cat towards any direction they please. The Pounce Skill can be used for leaping over obstacles, jumping up onto high places, striking paws onto prey, or launching into an enemy.

See

Though not the strongest of a cat’s senses, Seeing is a skill cats use to determine new things in their surroundings. Sometimes certain scents or sounds are too old or cleverly disguised. A cat using See can figure out what they can’t detect with their ears or nose. 

Swat 

Swatting is a Skill that requires precision and a meaningful aim. In a fight a cat may unsheathe their claws to make their paws more dangerous. Swatting isn’t exclusively violent, with claws sheathed a Swat can be used as a warning strike, or to smack something out of the way. 

Smell

Smell allows a cat to detect what might be nearby and out of sight. This can also be used to track down different scents and follow the trail. The better a cat’s smell the easier they find it to track down scents that are stale or well hidden.

Spirit Skills:

Focus

Sometimes cats face challenging or intense situations that may draw away their attention. Feeling ill, scared, or a bad wound may deter a cat from properly completing a Skill. Focus is a cat’s concentration, and their ability to ignore outside influences. 

Faith

A cat may ask their ancestors for signs or an answer, the Faith Skill gives them a chance of being answered to. Certain cats have abilities gifted to them by Star Clan or the Dark Forest that could be tapped into through Faith. Other times they are being influenced by forces they wish to push away, or want to recall a detail regarding religious stories. 

Hiss

Cats Hiss to intimidate different foes. It serves as a piercing warning sign that whatever wants to tussle, is facing something ferocious. If a cat wishes to speak authoritatively or scare away enemies, Hissing is a good skill to use. In some situations cats may Hiss to warn allies of incoming danger. 

Jump

The Jump skill is what allows cats to land on their feet after a long fall, or reactively spring out of the way of danger. During combat jumping is a good way to evade a pouncing cat, or leap away from the jaws of a fox. Jumping is what cats do to get down from high places as well, as pouncing is moreso done for scaling up things. 

Speech

Speech determines how well spoken a cat may be. This skill can aid in persuasion, or an attempt to impress those listening. Cats who are particularly cunning use Speech to lie or manipulate others.

Listen

Listening is how cats detect sounds. This comes in handy when tracking another animal, listening for movement while hiding, or trying to detect where a noise is coming from. Listening comes in handy when a cat is hunting, sneaking, or tracking. 

Sneak

Being light footed is something cats are particularly skilled at. While Sneaking is used for hunting, cats often face a lot of dangerous situations being smaller animals themselves. Sometimes they’re trying to avoid larger threats, or are attempting a risky maneuver through enemy territory. Stealth is about silence and still calculated movement. 

[diamondangelkitten]

Vierapril Day 16: Defend

Annabeth takes a look around the battered city, with its high peaks and stone walls, and sighs. Ishgard is beautiful in its own way, but its people are ugly. She shakes her head as she watches how poorly those in the Brume are treated and she understands why Alira remains in Fortemps Manor to not lose her cool. She meanders the streets, slowly making her way back to the Pillars, and shortly upon entering the Manor and sitting by Ali, there’s a commotion at the front door. The girls share a glance and make their way to join Count Edmont and his sons. “Warriors of Light,” a knight of House Fortemps says, “Master Alphinaud and Mistress Tataru have been arrested on accusations of spreading heresy.” Alira can’t stop herself facepalming, while Alinea and Aurora act far more outraged at the accusations. Annabeth is saddened at this turn of events, but after seeing how everything has thus played out, she is not fully surprised. “Is there nothing we can do?,” Alinea asks. The Ishgardian men tell them to seek out Ser Aymeric, so the girls leave the house, dressed for war, weapons in hand.

Along the way they encounter Haurchefant, a bright light within a dreary day. He accompanies them to a meeting with Ser Aymeric, where it is discussed that one of them can stand in for Mistress Tataru. “But what about Alphinaud?” Aurora is quite distressed, as even though they are near in age, she knows she’s the far better fighter between the two. Aymeric sighs and shakes his head, “Unfortunately the boy will have to fight. Now, which one of you will fight for Miss Tataru?” The girls glance among themselves. Alinea starts to step forward, but before she can, Alira slams a fist down on the table. “I can do whatever damage I can to them?” The men look between each other, “It is not meant that the other parties are killed,” Aymeric begins. Haurchefant intercedes, rather excitedly, “But you are more than welcome to wound or maim in whatever desire you wish, Mistress Alira. It would be an honor to see your skill at play.” Alira smirks, “I accept.” “Are you sure Alira?” Alinea looks at her, “I don’t doubt your skill whatsoever, but nor do I want your anger to cloud your judgement.” Annabeth steps between them, “No, let Alira do this. We’ve all been upset at the way Ishgard treats her people, but Alinea, you are too calm for this. Let Alira give them hell.” Aymeric casts a worried glance to Haurchefant, who can’t help but look enthralled at the rather fiery Viera. As the girls leave Ser Aymeric’s office, they can hear, “This is certain to be a spectacle for the ages.”

And what a show Alira puts on, Annabeth thinks. Her friend is a force of nature, and what else to bring against of heart of ice, than scorching flame and heat. Her friend unleashes wave upon wave of destruction, all the while keeping Alphinaud as far from harm as possible. It is a resounding defeat for the Heavens’ Ward, and Alira can’t help but turn to the crowd. “We are the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. We who defend those who cannot defend themselves.” There are cheers around the arena, though more likely for Alira’s battle skills than her words. Annabeth follows their cheering party through the crowd until they meet Alira, Alphinaud, and Tataru. Tataru runs to Alinea, hugging the Elezen who’s bent down to catch her. “Oh, I’m so glad you are all alright.” Annabeth sighs, “Us, Tataru? We can take care of ourselves. You have to be more careful.” The Lalafell pulls back, tears running down her eyes, “I know! I just wanted to help you.” Aurora gently pats Tataru. “It’s alright! We all made it out! And Alira done it in style too.” Alira’s leaning against the railing, and it’s becoming apparent that she had slightly over done it. “Aye, and it was great fun doing it.” Alphinaud shakes his head, “You did not need to provoke them more with your words though.” Alira glares at the boy, “I meant it. While you may not, the four of us will always make sure that the weak are defended. That everyone gets a fair chance to be heard. We are not just your weapon to be wielded.” Alphinaud jumps back at the venom in Alira’s words, and even Aymeric pales a bit at her fire, but Haurchefant just raises his fist in the air, “Hear hear! A knight lives to serve. To protect. There is no greater calling.” Alira’s eyes soften and she smiles at Haurchefant before she turns to Alinea, “You really got lucky with him.” Alinea smiles as Haurchefant wraps his hand around hers, “I know.”

[lord-squiggletits]

hi!!

I do actually have a question about IDW1 Optimus Prime for you... it may be a weird one, but still. So. If you were an IDW writer, what would your OP be like? I mean, if you had that chance to make your vision, you know, officially canon? Would you change something, or create something new?

And thanks for all your works, those are amazing

Tbh that's a little bit of a tough question? Because the way I interpret your question, I think of it in a couple different ways like: If I were a writer at IDW during the IDW1 run, what would I have done? Or if I were just given an opportunity to add an OP-centric story? Or if I were completely starting/writing for a completely different continuity? It's truly not as simple as just me writing whatever my own vision is, because my understanding of IDW1 in particular is it was a very collaborative effort with writers and editors (iirc Barber wrote his own series as well as being the editor for JRO's stuff and possibly others, for example).

I guess if I were an IDW writer and got to write an Optimus-centric story, I would've preferred that his post-war story be more focused on Cybertron and Cybertronian politics. It's not that I don't like the Earth story (in fact, I think I'm one of the only people who cares about humans in the story and thought the Earth plot was fun), it's just that the plot is so contrived and full of mess/unrealized potential that I would probably scrap everything except a few bare bones things and start fresh. ANYWAYS.

TLDR: If I'd gotten to write for the IDW continuity, I'd have 1. focused more on Cybertronian politics and 2. set up a rivals-to-friends/foil relationship between Optimus and Pyra Magna

I would've liked to see an Optimus-centric story that focused on Cybertron's politics instead, especially with his efforts to create post-war peace and arbitrate issues between Autobots and Decepticons. I really enjoyed the Punishment story which showed the pitiful state of the Decepticons (mostly jobless, everyone sees them just as fighters and criminals, pushed to slums on the outside of the city) and how it was an Autobot who was going around murdering Decepticons based on his own sense of vigilante justice. I really liked that story because it showed how Optimus' ideals of post-war conciliation clashed so much against reality, the way that not everyone is as willing/able to move on as he is. I think more stories where Optimus specifically works to resolve Autobot-Decepticon differences while also trying to deal with Starscream's shitty behavior and getting involved in politics and Primacy shit with the colonists would've been great. Because I mean, Megatron isn't here to give a shit about his Decepticons being in slums, so if someone is going to help them it might as well be Optimus.

I also really enjoyed the parts of various stories like the Autocracy trilogy and Death of Optimus Prime that showed how neutral Cybertronians only saw his legacy with Zeta and/or the 4 million year war. Those are very real positions for members of their species to take: not trusting Optimus to be anything more than another corrupt Prime, or hating him because of his involvement in the war that painted their species as all bloodthirsty warriors and led to mechanical species being persecuted to some degree. I feel like a story focusing on the politics of Cybertron would've been a way better way to criticize Optimus than the weird crap that became canon (Optimus being equated to Megatron for the annexation of Earth which only happened because of tricky politics and to get more resources to avert another invasion, being framed as 'going too far' by killing Galvatron, and some other stuff I don't care to get into). And I feel like a story focused on Autobot-Decepticon social conflicts post-war, and the division between the war faction mechs and neutral non-combatant mechs, and the different cultures of all the colonies, would've fit in better with all the pre-war lore brought in by MTMTE/LL. MTMTE/LL would've given us a lot of pre-war lore that would've then given more context to how and why people see Optimus the way they do in the present on Cybertron. There would've also been more chances to show Decepticons as sympathetic characters suffering from a similar systemic discrimination as they did before the war. I mean, there ARE sympathetic Decepticons, but there's not as many as there could've been IMO.

I also would've set up Pyra Magna as a more fleshed out rival/foil to Optimus. Canon gave us fucking nothing, man. Pyra and Optimus met, Pyra (as Victorion) made Optimus admit that he doesn't believe in the Primacy and doesn't think there's anything good in that legacy, Pyra is like "you know nothing and you're a shit Prime, I can try to teach you something though".......... and then Pyra Magna and Optimus literally never talk about anything except tactics and Pyra is only there in the background to punch people, until OP when all the sudden she's bitching at Optimus for manipulating people and being "unteachable" when she never fuckin taught him anything??? Maybe Optimus wouldn't have been like that if Pyra had actually had character interactions like the story SET HER UP TO HAVE, but I guess Barber just really wanted to have another person scream at Optimus about how much he sucks.

I would've liked to see Pyra and Optimus butting heads over the issue of the Primacy and having a lot of cultural clashes because of the separate histories of their planets. Because clearly Pyra Magna is offended by Optimus viewing the Primacy as nothing more than a tool, but she came from a planet where Primes were venerated as gods so of course she's offended by Optimus' secular position. Optimus grew up on a planet where the legacy of the Primes was corruption and oppression and genocide/colonization of organics, so of course he's really jaded about the Primacy and thinks that it's nothing more than a corrupted mantle that he's trying to clean up by being as good of a leader/person as he can be.

It would've been nice for Optimus to have a genuinely spiritual person as his critic/advisor and eventual supporter/friend who could try to alleviate Optimus' cynicism about the Primacy and maybe teach him more about the history of the Primes and the spiritual importance of his job from her perspective. While simultaneously, Optimus could talk to her about the burden of leadership and how his position is tied so much in warfare and corrupt legacies, and Pyra Magna would come to see Optimus with more empathy as a person who's suffering under the burden of trying to be a good Prime and questioning whether it's even worth it. I really would've loved to see Pyra and Optimus having some sort of rivals-to-friends dynamic in that regard. Pyra could've been a little bit like Windblade, providing Optimus with advice on the culture and politics of Caminus (and other colonies) but with a firmer and more aggressive style that Windblade doesn't have (and Windblade would be busy doing politics, herself). Just UGH Pyra Magna was so fucking interesting the way she was first introduced in canon. Also she's so fucking sexyyyyyy why did Barber have to do her dirty by giving her basically 0 meaningful purpose in the story for all of exRID.