#it could be all the more reason to have the Sovereign of Darkness

[quibbs126]

what if dark enchantress made dark choco's cursed sword to lure him thinking he's actually destine to be in the dark cuz she knew he's trying to find a powerful sword to the better of his kingdom

like my guess is that's why choco's old sword and his new sword has a similar gem bc the cursed sword is supposedly the better and stronger version of his sword

yeah this is my own take on the cursed sword lore cuz that thing felt more of a plot device

Oh yeah I think I’ve heard that theory before (though it was only in a fanfic), and honestly I’d say it’s a pretty good theory. It gives a relevant explanation to the sword that ties back in to the main plot

If they ever explain the Strawberry Jam Sword in canon, I could see this being an explanation for it

[satansapostle6]

The Man Who Sold The World | Luke Castellan

Spotify Playlist Link

Katherine. She was the one who started it all for Luke Castellan, the reason he did what he did.

Warnings: Mature themes/language. Violence. Sexual content.

Chapter One: Out of the Woods

It was dark, and he was running, but Luke Castellan knew what he saw. He was weak and weary, having been running from a vengeful flock of Stymphilian birds and their venomous droppings. He’d since lost track of exactly how long he’d been running through the woods for, but the sky told him it had been little more than three days.

His legs had gone numb long ago; his only options were simply to keep running, or die. Luke had no choice but to keep running. He would’ve been able to kill the birds days ago, but he’d been left nearly defenseless after a long quest in the midwest.

He’d lost everything but a jagged and cracked Celestial bronze dagger, along with a backpack that was empty except for an empty bottle of water and only half of a granola bar. Luke had nothing to save him, except for his training.

He’d had no time to stop and fashion something to save him. He was without recourse, and completely alone. Or so he thought, until he reached a dead end. Luke was running furiously through the trees in the dead of night, delirious with fatigue and starvation. It had been hours since he’d last had water, and days since he’d eaten. He was finally beginning to fall victim to his exhaustion after three days of fighting for survival.

His feet dragged in the woods, and he feared his body was beginning to shut down. His vision, in the darkness, was next to nothing. He knew that, with his succumbing to fatigue, the birds would be closing in soon, which meant death. He tripped on a rock as he ran, falling to the ground.

“You must go on, my child,” a voice said in his head. “Come to your sovereign, and claim eternal glory.”

Even in his state, Luke was aware the voice wasn’t his father’s. He had fallen onto his stomach, his arms not strong enough to prop him up as he stared at the darkness of the ground, surrounded by sticks, leaves, and rocks. As his eyes slowly fell closed and claws dug into his back, he saw a pair of black boots hit the ground next to him before everything quickly faded away.

*****

Luke woke to sunlight softly shining through a veil of trees in the woods. He slowly sat up, not recalling falling asleep on his back. He was also surprised to wake up not alone, to another face hovering somewhere not too far above his own.

“There he is,” a deep, resonant voice cut through the silence.

Luke frowned, feeling oddly well-rested as he sat up. He was startled to see a young, completely unfamiliar girl sitting across from him. She was the one who had spoken, and immediately, Luke was alerted by her presence.

“You can relax. I’m not gonna kill you,” the girl said calmly, which he found both comforting and off-putting at the same time. “If I wanted to do that, I could’ve done it whenever I wanted within the past two days.”

“Two days?” Luke demanded, refusing to believe that he’d spent two days in the presence of this strange girl.

“Yeah. I found you a couple days ago, about to get pulled apart by a flock of Stymphilian birds,” she said. “You’re welcome for that, by the way.”

“What—Who are you?” Luke questioned, “How did you—How am I alive right now?”

He knew absolutely nothing about her, but purely based on the fact that she had saved him, he figured he could safely assume that she was a demigod.

“One question at a time,” she said flatly.

“Okay, what happened?” Luke asked her.

“I was hunting those birds. I knew they were somewhere around these woods, so I’d been hiding out here for the past four days,” she explained.

It hurt Luke a bit that this girl had not only meant to find the birds he’d been trying to escape from, but she had also taken less time to find and track them than he’d taken to evade them.

“I found them chasing you, so I killed them,” she stated, tossing what looked like a bronze feather at him. “That’s yours, by the way.”

“Okay…” Luke nodded, slowly pocketing the feather. “And, who are you?”

“Katherine ,” she supplied.

“Katherine. Alright,” he adjusted gradually. “And… how did you kill an entire pack of Stymphilian birds?”

“Celestial bronze crossbow bolts,” Katherine stated, as if it were obvious.

“So, you’re a demigod,” he deduced.

She nodded. “I am.”

“Who’s… who’s your godly parent?” Luke wondered.

“Nemesis,” she said softly.

And suddenly, her demeanor made sense. Just meeting Katherine, Luke sensed that her every movement was calculated and precise. She clearly hadn’t saved him from the birds out of pure altruism or kindness; it was some sort of act of survival. How, he didn’t know, but he knew she’d seen something useful in him.

Luke also saw Katherine’s value, and not just because he was aware she’d saved his life. Katherine was clearly a survivor, with a small but efficient utility belt around her waist. The only way Luke Castellan could’ve described her was ‘ready’. She was clearly dressed for her hunt, in clothes that looked like she’d bought them at some sort of army surplus store.

Katherine was an interesting-looking person, with a soft, beautiful face that didn’t necessarily match her clothes. Despite wearing a heavy brown jacket and a thin black tank top, accompanied by a durable pair of jeans and black combat boots Luke had seen when he passed out, he couldn’t deny the beauty of her features.

Katherine had long, straight back hair that she wore down, and wide, almost-black eyes framed by long lashes. She had fair skin and bony features that reflected years of athleticism, which could be found in most demigods.

“Who’s yours?” she wondered. “Apollo? Hermes? Athena, maybe?”

“Uh, Hermes,” Luke replied, not quite proudly. “Hey, Katherine, do you know the way out of these woods?” he asked her.

“Yeah, past the sign, and onto the road,” she said as she opened a crumpled piece of paper he assumed was some sort of map.

“What?”

“I spent the past couple of days getting us through the woods and to the nearest rest stops.”

“How?” Luke exclaimed, not understanding what had even happened.

“I carried you on my back,” she responded nonchalantly.

“Seriously? Like one long piggy back ride?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said as he realized she also had some sort of training as a demigod. “I considered hiking us up to that motel up the road, but I figured it wouldn’t be such a great look trying to check into a motel with an unconscious guy.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” he agreed. “Thank you. For that,” he said awkwardly.

Luke stopped for a moment, processing everything he’d just heard.

“I’ve really been out for two days?”

“Yeah. Like I said, if I wanted to kill you, you’d have been dead two days ago,” she frowned.

“Right. How long have we been here?” Luke asked her.

“About a day and a half,” Katherine provided. “I thought I’d let you sleep before we get moving again.”

“‘Get moving’?” he thought aloud.

“Yeah. That’s what I was gonna talk to you about,” she began. “I’m on a new hunt. And, I could… use a spare,” she shrugged.

“A ‘spare’?” Luke echoed. “No, I can’t, I have to get back to Camp.”

“Oh, yeah. I almost forgot most kids end up at that place,” Katherine remarked.

“You’re obviously not a camper,” Luke pointed out, “So… What’s your story?”

“I don’t have one,” Katherine said as she started walking toward the road, not waiting as Luke struggled to throw his backpack over his shoulder and follow along.

“What do you mean, you don’t have one?” Luke persisted. “Everyone has a story.”

“You want my story?” she sighed. “My mother is Nemesis. My father was my nemesis. Now I hunt monsters. There, now come help me find the biggest monster either of us have ever faced.”

“What monster are you trying to hunt that you can’t kill yourself?” he asked. “A dragon? Hydra?”

“No, I’ve killed three,” she said dismissively.

“Then what are you hunting?” he stared at her.

“That’s something between me, and whoever’s gonna help me hunt it.”

“Look,” Luke began, “I probably would, if I didn’t have to get back to Camp…”

“Why? You have a curfew?” she scoffed.

“Well, no,” he considered.

“What, you have to get back? Someone’s gonna die?” Katherine suggested mockingly.

“No.”

“Then what’s the issue?” she stopped, crossing her arms.

“Well,” he contemplated, finding himself more curious about Katherine and her quest than anything. “I guess you can tell me what you’re hunting, and I can see what I can do.”

“So, what,” she challenged him, her alluring eyes locked on his as she looked up at him, “You’re in?”

“Yeah,” Luke decided confidently, accepting the challenge, “Hit me.”

The girl led him down the side of the road to the nearest motel, sparingly offering details.

“A group of demigods I met down south told me about something in the Underworld. Something valuable,” she explained. “And we’re gonna go looking for it.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna need a little more than that,” Luke told her as they trudged down the road.

“Like what?” Katherine asked in turn.

“Um, your last name, maybe,” he proposed.

“Montalvo,” she responded.

“Okay, we’re getting somewhere,” Luke nodded approvingly. “Now, what city are we in?” he asked in confusion.

“Sand Springs,” she supplied.

Luke was quiet throughout the rest of the walk to the motel listed on the road signs, needing an hour or so of silence to process everything that had happened in the past few days. After he and Katherine had checked into a motel room together, he sat down on one of the beds.

“Do you care which bed you take?” he asked politely.

“No. You can have that one,” she said indifferently.

“Alright,” Luke remarked, sitting down comfortably as he thought for a moment. “Hey, I know you saved my life and all, and I’m grateful, but before we get into the whole quest thing, I just have some questions…”

“You didn’t snore, and I’m not a creep.”

“Uh, no, that’s not what I meant,” Luke promised her.

“Then, what do you wanna know?” she asked, sitting down across from him on her bed.

“How, uh… How’d you end up on your own?” he wondered.

“Why do you care?” she asked, her question coming off more genuine than sarcastic.

“I just met you,” he reasoned, “I don’t know anything about you.”

“Okay, fine,” she sighed, thinking for a moment. “I ran away from home when I was twelve.”

“I ran away when I was nine,” Luke said sympathetically.

“Why?” she wondered.

“You first,” he stated.

“My dad… He was an asshole. So, when I was twelve, I left. And like any demigod, monsters started chasing me. They didn’t stop, and I was on my own. So I started finding them first.”

“I’m sorry,” Luke said softly. “That must’ve hard, living on your own all this time.”

“It’s fine. My car’s outside. I get by,” she shrugged.

“You have a car?” he asked.

“Yeah. It’s not far from here, I gotta go get it,” she told him.

“Okay. I’ll come with you.”

“Alright,” she decided, walking out the door as he followed.

“What do you drive?”

“‘67 Camaro,” she responded.

“How old are you?” he asked to clarify.

“Eighteen.”

“Oh. We’re the same age,” he realized.

“Mazel tov,” Katherine said icily.

“How long has it been since you’ve had human contact?” Luke frowned.

“Not long enough,” Katherine sighed, pointedly walking ahead of him.

They walked down the street, not far from a nearby gas station, where the white Camaro was parked.

“The keys are in the car,” she told him, looking through the small crack in the car window that had been left open.

“Oh, shit,” Luke reacted.

“Can you reach your arm through the window?”

“Why?” he questioned, “Your arms are smaller than mine.”

“Are they?” she raised an eyebrow teasingly.

“God, you could use some human interaction,” Luke muttered, “Just get the keys.”

Katherine sighed, carefully sticking her hand through the car window.

“Fuck,” she grunted, unable to reach the car keys on the seat.

Luke looked around for help, trying to find someone who might be able to help them, only seeing a police car down the street.

“Oh, maybe those cops can help.”

“Quick,” Katherine hissed, “Follow my lead.”

“Follow your lead for what?”

Before Luke could think, she leaned in towards him, pulling him in by his shirt. Luke gasped into the sudden kiss, his lips pressed against hers in urgency as the police car passed them by. After a moment, fighting most of his instincts, he pulled away from her in shock, studying her for a moment.

“This car,” Luke exclaimed breathlessly, “It’s not yours. Is it?”

Katherine just shrugged, turning the key in the ignition as they both quickly climbed into the car.

“It is now.”

-

Chapter Two

[carnal-lnstinct]

AHH I'm so happy you're doing a halloween event 💖 Can I request a sfw Vegeta AU in which he is the king of the underworld (alternatively could be demon king of the underworld) and he pines after a human? I picture him more on the yandere side, but you can adapt it however you want! Thank you, looking forward to all your fics 💕

VEGETA X READER

✦✦Content: au, king of the underworld vegeta, light yandere / possessive behavior, one-sided pining. ✦✦Warning: manipulation / gaslighting

Mortal desires are a full spectrum of color he could see with his eyes closed. All intricately woven together to form an illusion of necessity, when it is just a sin dressed in a fragile moral shell. Your case was no different, but it garnered his attention effortlessly. The Divine Sovereign of the Underworld witnessed so little of the intent in your actions and found means to personally place himself in your path. It boiled down to one thing: He had something you wanted, and it presented him with the opportunity he’d been waiting for. His own sinful vanity couldn’t stand by and let himself go disregarded by you when he’s given you more than enough of his…curiosity? Admiration? 

Regardless, an audience with you was required now. 

The King’s large arm stretches out from his cape revealing the trained muscles and old scars. He turns his hand upright, presenting the small dragon ball. The very reason you managed to make your way into the Underworld. He showed it off as if it could be freely taken from his grasp, the corner of his lips turning upward seeing you draw your focus to the magical orb. “Is this all you come here for?” He asks you with a taunting tilt of his head. “I suspect you think I’m going to just hand it over if you begged hard enough. That I will let you continue to traipse over my life’s work and turn a blind eye while you defy the natural order of my authority.” 

As his fingers close around the dragon ball he rises from his grand throne and approaches you and you are temporarily startled by his height for one who sat so high. Though his size compared to yours didn’t outweigh his intimidating aura. “You really think your Eternal Dragon can save your friends’ souls from me? No dead may leave my realm without my say...”

“A-A trade, then! For my friends, I-I’ll give you my dragon balls!” You blurted out in a desperate breath from your chest, shaken by your own weak nerves and impulsive response. King Vegeta’s smirk twitches at that, his brow beneath his curved horns lowering further over his dark eyes.

“What nerve you have. Implying I, a Divine King, have something more to wish for?” His eyes roll in aversion to the idea as he moves around you, a twinkle of excitement in his eyes where yours cannot see. He hovers in your peripheral before he disappears from one side and circles around to your other. “What would I do with three useless dragon balls?”

“—Then take me! Your Highness…take me!” You sink further on your knees and bow your head low to the ground, hands outstretched towards his empty throne. “Please!”

King Vegeta stops circling you, standing outside of your line of sight. Those magic words were uttered so perfectly and so effortlessly, that he had to take a moment to embrace the way it rang in his ears. “Just one mortal soul?” He further teased in mock indifference. “Like there aren't countless piles of those lying around here.”

“One mortal soul…a-and the remaining dragon balls.” You spoke, resolutely. Determined to right the wrongs done to those you loved. “So… So no one else can use them to challenge your power. I’ll gather them all and bring them to you in exchange for my friends.”

Your words mellow in the brief silence, a tinge of hope daring to creep into your spirits. He turns slightly to look down over his shoulder at you, cloak loosely twisted around his leg. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.” You respond sincerely, but softly. You hear his footsteps behind you descend across the room and a chair slides across the floor.

“Eat with me.” He orders you, the sudden change of topic further unsettling your disposition and giving him a surprised look in response. He gestures a hand to the long dining table, specifically to the chair beside the head of the table.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” He affirms amicably by sitting in the larger chair at the head of the table. “Unless you have something better to do right this second?” Not like your friends were getting any more dead. And time in the Underworld moved differently than the other realms, a mortal who was not of this world should be starving even in the brief time you have been here.

This shift made you anxious, but you can sense there wasn’t much choice in it. The thought of food crossing your mind did make you conscious of your stomach’s need. You swallow and stand up, “No…I’ll do it. Thank you for your kindness..” 

You settle in the designated chair with a covered plate in front of you. Glancing his way every so often until an unknown hand reaches over your side and removes the lid, warm steam flowing up toward your face. The food had a nice smell, but such earthy colors. You’ve never seen anything like this before. “...It’s poisoned.” You thought out loud, pressing your back up against your seat to put as much distance as you could between yourself and the plate.

“Don’t be stupid. What do I gain from killing you now? I’m not ruining a meal with your corpse.” King Vegeta pointed out, a hint of annoyance from your insult to his hospitality. Not any mortal could be tolerated for something like that.

Not to hurt your chances with his favor, you nod and quickly apologize. You ate without really tasting the food, just doing so to remain polite and because it was asked of you. But the hints of richness and spices made it easier. It was definitely better than it looked. The King ate with you, slowing down in between his bites to watch you feed yourself with a self-satisfied grin. Occupied with his own imagination and how much closer it was to becoming reality.

The second serving is placed in front of you and the most colorful presentation of food before you: a pomegranate. Joined with a small bowl of sorbet. It was a more appetizing surprise and without thought you lifted your spoon to sample your sorbet first. He completely stopped eating and stared you down in silent anticipation, going unnoticed by you with your focus on the sweets. There are different hints of flavors that hit all the points on your tongue, making you finish off the small bowl without hesitation. 

And then, finally, your spoon digs into one of the halves of the pomegranate, the juice pooling into the utensil with a few loose seeds. You scoop out more and carefully sip the juice first, followed by feeding the seeds to yourself in bits. The dark eyes watching you flash with a color, King Vegeta’s grin widening with his sinister snicker. It catches your attention, your gaze meeting his when you turn to him, then self-consciously turning away as you hold your other palm to your bottom lip. Careful to not spill any juice or seeds. He watches a little longer and says nothing, then lifts his goblet to his lips.

When you go to dig for another serving of pomegranate seeds, he stops your hand with a gentle grasp and guides yours away to set the spoon down. “Our business is done.” He states simply. He then rises from his seat with his goblet in hand and walks back towards his throne. “The souls of your friends await you at the gates to the human world.”

Your heart skips and you leap up from your seat, following him with wide eyes. “Wait- that’s…” You catch your breath in the rush of emotions that flowed through your chest. “A-And the dragon balls?”

King Vegeta turns back to you. “It was not about the dragon balls.” He admits with great pleasure, swirling his drink in his hold. His brow arches. ”You understand?”

Your confusion leaves you staring his way, attempting to understand. Running all your words and his together, and then you’re breathless again when the realization hits you.

 It was never about the dragon balls.

Is not the darkness sweet ?

[clari-writes]

The Prince

[ A Cinderella Retelling | Wordcount: 4006 Words | Estimated Reading Time: 20 minutes ]

A sovereign ruler must be, above all, a man of duty and reason. Prince Dominic knows this, and lives heart and soul by the edict. Grasps full well the consequences of what could happen if he didn’t.

So why is it that when he asks the Captain of the Guard if they found her, his voice catches with hope?

“No, Your Majesty,” Captain Bernard says. “We managed to track her as far as the Bridge of the Diwata, but after that, it was as if her carriage turned into thin air. We can only suspect it was magic.”

There is a warning laced into the word magic, both in the captain’s tone and Dominic’s own instinctive understanding. The fae folk were unruly; unpredictable; dangerous. While they had marked themselves as enemies only to nation’s former colonizers, the Spanish, Dominic knew better, as the heir to the Islands’ third-generation monarchy, to count on them as friends. He should feel relieved that the lady cloaked in their torrid enchantments vanished without a trace.

Better, he tells himself and his sinking heart, in the long run.

He clears his throat. “Thank you, Captain. Is that all?”

“Well,” Captain Bernard says, and then hesitates.

Prince Dominic barely restrains himself from pouncing on the man. “What is it?” he asks with deep patience.

“We found what we believe is something of hers, Your Majesty. A slipper.”

“A slipper?”

“Made of glass.” The captain nods at one of his men, and a guard liveried in green and gold moves forward to place a glimmering object in front of the prince. “It was at the base of the bridge. We cannot know for sure it was hers, but-“

“It’s hers,” says Prince Dominic hollowly. He remembers now, in one of the more lively dances of the ball, when the lady kicked her feet in the air he’d noticed in an instant how they sparkled.

Do you have jewels encrusted on your toes? he’d teased.

She’d replied with a dazzling smile. Something like that.

 “If you forgive me, Your Majesty,” Captain Bernard says. “May I inquire as to the urgency of finding this girl?”

“Pardon?”

“If she’d stolen something significant, perhaps, during the hours you were alone,” the captain prompts. Dominic flushes, even though there is no rebuke in the captain’s words. “If so, I’ll organize a search party straight away.”

Do it, Dominic’s heart sings. The prince bites his tongue. Takes another deep breath.

“That won’t be necessary,” he says. “She isn’t important.”

_ _ _

So why is he paying a visit to the royal glassmaker, shoe in hand?

“No doubt about it, Your Majesty,” Doña Rosaline says, after taking a close look at the slipper through her famed magnificent magnifying glass. She places the pristine object in front of him with a mixture of awe and fear. “That’s the fae’s work. No human hands could have produced something as fine as this.”

“Is it cursed?” he asks. He’s half convinced himself it’s so.

“Gifted, more like,” she replies, stopping his errant wonderings in their tracks.

“What do you mean?”

“Your lady seems to have won the favor of a fairy,” the artisan replies.

“I’ve never heard of-“

“Neither have I, Your Grace, but the proof is right here in front of us.” She gestures to the slipper. “You cannot force the fae to create. You have heard of the case of Count Floribel-“

“I have,” Dominic says with the wince. It was years ago, back when the Islands’ revolution still consisted of whispers in the dark. Count Floribel, their appointed ruler, had actually managed to capture a fairy – rumor has it, with a desperate native’s help, after the noble promised to curb his family’s debt – and he had demanded of the creature to provide the secrets of the yet-unconquered mountainfolk’s intricately woven designs.

In response, the fairy blew themself up. There is still a crater where the count’s mansion had been.

“Well, there you go. We’d have to rule that out. The other option, then, is to strike a deal with the fae, and of course there are records of that, such as the royal crown. But, Your Majesty,” Doña Rosaline says with the shake of her head, “I cannot imagine what your lady could have traded for a fairy to craft something so unique, it would only find its fit and perfection in her wearing it.”

“How could that be so?”

“The glass,” Doña Rosaline says, “Is not still. Not when you look at it closely enough. It ripples and bends at one’s touch—it is truly quite remarkable. I can only imagine what it would look like on the feet of the one it was meant for. And if rumors are to believed,” she continues, “the shoes’ beauty weren’t even the most marvelous aspect of the lady herself.”

Dominic can’t help himself. He smiles. “I can confirm that.”

“Oh?” Doña Rosaline voice takes on a teasing lilt. “And how would you describe the young lady, dear prince?”

“She was kind,” he says, almost unthinkingly. There are many things he could have said of her, but her kindness is what lingers in his mind the most, is what made her beauty more revelation than ornamentation. His first breathtaking sight of the lady was her descent down the staircase in all her gorgeous glory. His second was her approaching him with a platter of food and not a whit of guile in her eyes, saying shyly that he looked like he was hungry. She’d been right; he hadn’t had a bite to eat all day out of nervousness.

“Will you look for her?”

“What?” he says, snapping out of his reverie.

“I assumed that was why you were asking,” Doña Rosaline says. She is grinning. “I wasn’t at the ball myself, Your Grace, but I’ve heard what others are saying of you, and I’m glad, if you forgive the presumption. After everything that happened with your sister, I am truly happy that you’ve found-“

“I think you misunderstand, Doña,” he says, holding up his hand. “I was concerned about her, is all.”

“Concerned?”

“When it occurred to me that the fae might have had her in their thrall,” he says. 

There were other things, as well. Little things, like how she flinched at the chamberlain’s loud voice, how she startled when he first raised his hand to lead her through a dance, as if she expected to be struck instead. Like how she recognized his hunger because she was clearly starving just the same.

“But that’s no matter,” he says. “The lady must be fine, if she has a fairy looking after her.” That ought to quell his persistent little anxieties over whether she is eating enough.

“Perhaps,” Doña Rosaline says, but she looks doubtful.

“You disagree?”

“If the fairy isn’t tricking her,” Doña Rosaline says, “then they are gifting her something that she needs.”

“She needs little, then, if all that they gave her was access to a party all noble families are invited to,” he points out.

“Perhaps,” she says again.

“She did not ask for help,” Prince Dominic says.

“Did you offer?” she asks pointedly.

“Of course.”

The old artisan raises her eyebrows. “And she refused?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he says. He is fairly certain that running away counted as refusal. “Aside from that, she had every opportunity to ask for assistance and she did not. Coupled with what you’ve told me, I can only conclude that there is no imminent threat that looms over her.”

“Danger can take many forms, Your Grace.”

“I know.” Oh, how he knew. He can feel the judging eyes of the Spanish from beyond the seas, staring greedily at him and his kingdom. “Yet I cannot drop everything to save one damsel, Doña. Not if she didn’t ask for it.”

“True enough, young prince,” Doña Rosaline allows. “But aren’t there other reasons why you would wish to look for her?”

The way she made him laugh uproariously, while remaining utterly unmoved by his puns. The warmth her presence and conversation brought him. The hours they spent, the first time he could remember he felt truly carefree since his parents died and his relationship with his sister turned sour.

“None that matter, Doña,” he says finally.

_ _ _

So why is it that, three weeks after the ball, she is all that he can think about?

He refused to let it show, of course. He had councils to attend—ambassadors to welcome—marriage contracts to assess. He needed an alliance with a country large enough to keep Spain at bay – a grand task, considering the few countries who were willing to even recognize the Islands as a nation, rather than a land full of savagery and witchcraft – and his hand in marriage is the simplest way to ensure the fidelity of that alliance without putting his kingdom in danger of another invasion.

Though who is he fooling—they are always in danger of another invasion. Which is why you must redouble your efforts in finding allies, he tells himself.

Which is why he cannot shirk his responsibilities, cannot lose one of the most precious cards he has to play in the game of politics, even for the beautiful, kind, fae-favored girl.

He is trapped.

“Brother?”

He starts, sending the papers he’d been staring at scattering across the floor. If he was not Crown Prince, he thinks he would have liked to swear like a sailor.

Instead, he inhales deep through his nose and stands up, all decorum. “Sister Regine,” he says. He makes sure his tone is firmly under control. “Why were you not announced by my chamberlain?”

“I was. You were the one still gaping at your papers like an idiot,” she replies bluntly.

Not for the first time, Prince Dominic wonders how the sisters of Saint Sofia – an order that was known to prioritize gentleness, peace, and humility – deal with his sharp-tongued older sibling. He supposes there are a lot of prayers for patience involved. He sighs, rifling a hand through his long hair. “The papers…”

“I’ll help you organize them,” she says, already stooping to the ground.

“You’re not supposed to be able to read them anymore,” he says tiredly.

“Or what? You’ll clap me in a tower again?” She smirks. “I guarantee that would be more comfortable than my room at the priory.”

“Only because you could convince Captain Bernard to bring you anything you wanted.”

“He always had a sweet spot for me,” she preens.

It is more than that, both of them knew. There is no etiquette in how to deal with a queen turned prisoner turned novitiate, especially since she is still technically the queen until she takes her final vows.

But they do not talk about that.

Her long habit makes a pool of coarse blue cloth around her as she bundles papers into her arms. “Anyway, Your Majesty,” she says, all razor-sharp exaggeration at the honorific, “That is not why I am here.”

“You didn’t just want to see me?” His hurt is not entirely feigned. He grabs a receipt that has somehow lodged itself between Pinuno: From Datu to Constitutional Monarchy and 1670: La Revolución de Las Islas.

“Heavens, no. Do you understand how hard it is to get here?”

“I had taken pains to ensure you always have access to me,” he says. Despite everything.

She shoots him a look. “You are not the problem, brother. The prioress loathes having me leave the grounds—for good reason, I suppose. No matter.”

“Yes, matter,” he says. He is fighting to keep his breath even. “You’re supposed to be able to-“

“Not the reason I’m here,” she sings.

“Fine,” he says. “Fine. Why are you here, Regine?”

“Haven’t you heard, dear brother?” she asks. “My sisters are a-buzz with the rumors, and you must know how difficult it is to get them to gossip—which means the entire kingdom must be talking it. Apparently, our very own honorable, practical, darling Prince Dominic is in-“

“I am not in love!” he snaps.

Regine pauses, her jaw slackening. Then a truly evil grin spreads across her mouth. “I was going to say,” she says, “in search for a mystery girl. But that works, too.”

Prince Dominic’s cheeks burn. “I am not in love,” he enunciates carefully, though he knows it’s hopeless. As far as Regine is concerned, he has already dug his grave. “And I am not looking for her.”

“Why not?” she asks airily.

He splutters. “Why not?” he repeats. “Why not?”

When it comes to duty, they have always been so many worlds apart.

“You still haven’t grown out of babbling when you’re confused, hm?”

“Because I am required to marry a princess!” he yells. He stands up, papers forgotten, even breathing be damned. “Because I am the de facto ruler of this kingdom and whether I like it or not, whether I want to or not, every aspect of my life must be devoted to ensuring its security! Because I am the only one left,” he says, and his voice breaks, “and if I don’t do it, no one else will.”

Then he sobs outright, a hand covering his eyes.

_ _ _

The first and last time he’d spoken this truth that he had long buried in his heart was the night of the ball.

He hadn’t meant to unbridle his tongue. It hadn’t been his parents’ fault that they’d died, after all, and his sister—well, it was hard on her, turning from the blithe heir to the burdened head of the family overnight. It had been understandable, that she hadn’t wanted to face it. He had been the one who had chosen to act. He had taken the responsibility, and so consequently had to face it forever alone.

So why did he find himself spilling his guts to this beautiful stranger?

It was unseemly. It was embarrassing.

But she was so very easy to talk to; and when he began to apologize for his impropriety, she stoppered his flow of words with a gaze full of understanding. “I know what it’s like,” she said, “to be the one left behind and alone.” Her eyes lowered, her cheeks pink. “To be angry about it, sometimes.”

They were out on the balcony—far from the prying eyes and ears of the court, though he knew there would be whispers once they noticed his absence. For once, he hadn’t a care about that. Just as he hadn’t a care or thought about anything when he took the lady’s hand. “Not alone anymore, I hope.”

“Not right now, at least.” She twined their fingers together.

“Not ever again!” he declared recklessly, though he knew he wasn’t in any position to make promises like that. “Tell me about yourself now, lady stranger. We’ve spent so long in each other’s company and you’ve refused to tell me a thing. Though to be fair, I suppose I’ve barely asked.” He shook his head at himself. “What kind of prince am I?”

He’d expected a bump of his shoulder, a roll of her eyes. Instead, the lady’s smile faded. “Prince?”

“Yes?”

“You’re the prince?”

“Yes, of course—you didn’t know?” She had arrived late and had missed the proclamation, and they had dispensed with calling each other by any name as a game, but he hadn’t believed she didn’t know who he was that entire time. Hadn’t known she was getting to know him as Dominic, rather than the prince. He was flabbergasted.

And she looked devastated. She pulled her hand away from his. “If you were just a noble, maybe,” she murmured to herself. “But a prince…”

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

She forced a smile on her face. “Nothing, Your Majesty.”

“Don’t give me that,” he begged her. “Something’s wrong. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“I-I just…I had hoped to see you again.”

“Whyever not?” He made to take her hand once more, but restrained himself at the last second. “I would very much like that as well.”

“I don’t think you would, Your Majesty. Not if you knew who I really was.”

“I know who you are.” In the weeks to come, he would doubt this; he’d put it down to his chronic sleep deprivation, the heady night air, enchantment. But in that moment, he felt as close to her as someone he’d known all the days of his life.

“You do?” She sounded afraid.

“Yes. You, my dear lady stranger,” he says, “are the funniest person I’ve ever met.” This, finally, got the fond eyeroll. “Really, you are hilarious. Yet you’re honest enough to tell me when I’m not.”

“It was only the puns,” she protested.

“You are determined,” he continued. “You said you would finish the platter of stuffed pan de sal and by God, I have never seen anyone eat so much so fast. That’s a compliment, by the way,” he said to her reddening cheeks. “It was a marvel.”

“You had it right the first time, Your Majesty. For a prince, your manners are deplorable.”

“You’re also extremely kind,” he added.

“Deplorable!” she exclaimed.

“Really.” He stretched out his hand, giving her the choice, and after a beat she laced her fingers with his again. “When you see someone requires assistance, no matter who they are, whether or not they themselves know it, you take action. Even when you clearly need help yourself.”

“I don’t-“

“You have not told me much of your family, my lady, but from what I’ve gathered you are in a rather unhappy situation. Please,” he said, “let me help you. I promise to stand by you no matter what happens, wherever you come from, whatever your name is. Just say the word.”

The lady seemed torn. In the bright, pale moonlight, away from the glitter and ornaments of the ballroom, her masterpiece of a dress seemed to be just a shade more quotidian, her elfin features less otherworldly and more tremendously human as she bit her lip and decided. It made him fall for her all the more. “I,” she said, and stopped herself. She cleared her throat. “My name is…I mean. I-I’m-“

“It’s alright,” he said gently.

She squeezed his hand, as if asking for courage. He squeezed back. “My name is-“

Then the clock struck midnight.

_ _ _

“She’s a commoner, isn’t she?” Regine asks.

For a moment, Prince Dominic did not answer, lost for a time in the way his sister stroked his hair soothingly. She had strode across the room and insisted he sit down on the plush couch, and then laid his head on her lap, just as she did when the doctors gave them the news that their parents died of the plague. When he finally found his voice, he says dully, “Yes.”

It is the logical conclusion. Why had it been such a miracle for her to go to a party? Why did she need a member of the fae to magic her improbable glass shoes, and perhaps the rest of her lovely attire?

Why was she so afraid to let him know who she was?

It would take another miracle to see her again, let alone to offer her what he wished. “So why am I still hoping?” he whispers. Then he curses himself, realizing that he spoke out loud.

But Regine does not tease. She gives a soft, almost resigned sigh. “Because, dear brother,” she says, “you are a person who loves deeply and truly. You are that, as well as a good and kind king.”

He snorts.

“It’s true,” she says, rueful. “You’re a much better ruler than I ever could have been. You knew from the start that being a leader was more burden than privilege, and I—I never completely grasped that. Not until I was called by God and realized how selfish I’d been.” She ruffles his hair again. “You were right to stage that coup against me.”

“Sister,” he says, but she shakes her head.

“But even if I was selfish,” she says, her eyes bright, “I still know enough about statecraft to comprehend the state of our kingdom, both when I ruled and even more so after the stability you brought to the Islands. And what I know is that we are not in peril.” She looks at him. “You do not need to give your hand out of desperation, brother.”

“But Spain is still watching us-“

“They will always be watching us,” she says disdainfully. “Their precious former colony that rose up against them, foolish and still in need of their oh-so-enlightened help and guidance. Whatever we do, they will always be looking for a chance to snatch us up again.”

“So what do we do?” he asks. His voice sounds small.

“I don’t know,” she admits. “And, selfishly, I am glad that burden is no longer on my shoulders.”

“Thanks, Regine,” he mutters.

She flicks his nose.

“Huy!”

“I have not abandoned you,” she says. “I will not abandon you. I am here beside you, Dominic, and from now on I promise to give you whatever advice you need.”

“And what advice is that, dear sister?”

“That you remember we cannot, as a nation or as people, live on fear alone. And that you must remember you are a leader as well as a ruler, Dom. Your kingdom is watching how you make your choice, and will be led by how you make it.”

“What choice?”

“What to do,” she says, “when love beckons you.”

_ _ _

He goes with them, of course. It would have been out of the question to get a significant portion of the guard to go through this wild goose chase without him at the helm, albeit in plain soldier’s clothes so as to obscure his identity. To begin with, they were to fit the glass slipper on every maiden within each invited household.

He felt like sinking into the floor when he made this proposal in the council room, even with his sister by his side. And indeed, they had all looked at him as if he’d gone mad.

None of them protested, though. Even when he told them of his intentions.

Some of them even looked—excited. As if they were genuinely thrilled their future queen was going to be chosen in this way.

“It’s because they trust you,” Regine said after the meeting. “And they want you to be happy.”

“If you say so,” he said, still bemused.

And so they went.

Household after household, family after family, maiden after maiden until Dominic had seen more than enough feet he had ever wanted to encounter in his lifetime.

Then they get to the capital city's outskirts.

The two young ladies residing in the last mansion before the gates try and fail. Their mother, of grand bearing and clad in even grander skirts, glares at them as if it is their fault. He and the company of guard bow, take their leave, when—

“Wait.”

Prince Dominic turns.

And there she is. Clad in dirty old rags, hair in disarray, fists clenched and bare feet looking half-ready to bolt any minute. But her voice is steady, calm and familiar, when she says, “I would like to try the slipper on.”

The lady of the house hisses, “You are nothing but a scullery maid! What right do you-“

“Every right,” Prince Dominic says, stepping forward. “The prince proclaimed every maiden in each invited household.”

When he turns his gaze at the lady, she has paled. She recognizes him, too.

She glances at the door. He swallows at the lump in his throat, knowing that if she runs, he must take the rejection for what it is.

But she does not run. Instead, she gives him a short, polite curtsy, walks forward, and seats herself delicately on the coach. She is taking long, calming breaths.

He kneels down. “It’s alright,” he tells her again, even more gently than before.

“It’s you,” she whispers. Her eyes are bright with tears.

He smiles at her. “What’s your name?”

Her mouth twists a little. “Cinderella.”

He notices the spray of ashes on her cheeks. Remembers how she never did like puns.

“My stepmother was right,” she says in a sudden rush. “I am nothing but a scullery maid—worse than that, really. I have no status in life, no claim to anything or anyone. I have nothing worthwhile to offer you.”

“Alright,” he says.

“Alright?” she repeats with an incredulous laugh. She lowers her voice. “You are known to be a wise ruler, you know. They say you never make a decision without considering it twice, thrice, and once more for good measure.”

“I don’t think I’m as hesitant as that,” Dominic protests lightly. “But yes. I do like being sure of my choices.”

“So why, my dear, famously pragmatic Prince Dominic, are you here?”

He slides the slipper onto her foot. It’s a perfect fit.

“Cinderella.” He says her name with so much soft reverence she cannot help but blush. He offers her his hand. “I think you know.”

/ / /

A/N: Written for the @inklings-challenge's Four Loves Fairytale Challenge! I'd love to know what you think of the story, if you have time to comment/tag. Either way, I hope you enjoyed, and I look forward to reading everyone's entries!

Also: Because I didn't outright say it in the story (and because it's very important to me), this story is set in an alternate history/fantasy Philippines <3

[milliemuus]

The True Mochi Mayhem (still thinking of canonity):

Kieran: ok, he’s almost down Millie, we can do this!

Millie: Right!

*the rest of the friends cheer them on*

PV! Pecharunt: ��you really think you can stop us?

*smoke bellows out, from the smoke there are voices*

Azure Dive Pecharunt: Well, Lookie here!

S&S Dipplins Pecharunt: It seems the runt has a little speech prepared,

@alatlus Pecharunt: You done with monologues?

All of the Pecharunts: ‘CAUSE IT’S OUR TURN Y’ALL SHOULD BE SCARED!

Kieran: …HOW ARE THERE MORE OF YOU?!

*The fight begins*

@tealmaskmybeloved Pecharunt: Toil on, but, you shall fall,

PV! Pecharunt: Malice black as tar, our toxins, will corrode all!

Azure Dive Pecharunt: It’s quite amusing as the light of hope fades from existence,

S&S Dipplins Pecharunt: With our mere chain we’ll quash the struggle of your last resistance!

@tealmaskmybeloved Pecharunt: Toxins of shadow…

@alatlus Pecharunt: …Conquest sears

Azure Dive Pecharunt: As the sovereign of fear,

PV Pecharunt: Tears away, your whole veneer!

All of the Pecharunts:

Who are you, To think that you could defy That which rules the night? We will bring forth your demise! So says us! And as the final spark of hope dies, Toxins shall swallow the land. Gales of miasma sweep life under black sand, And yet you stand up the miasma cloud, We’ll crush you by our own hands, We’re the soul of hate: ANNIHILATE! PV Pecharunt:

You'll bend the knee before us Like those other worthless cattle. As this whole world submits Locked tight within our toxic shackles!

Kieran & Carmine:

Yeah, yeah, that's nice and all, But I'm sick of your useless prattle! Put up your dukes, you fools So square up for the final battle!

(Basically, this is Au of what if Pecharunt won and recruited other Pecharunt that are the main antagonist, basically, other Aus Pecharunt. They are all the leaders of a new evil team for reasons I can’t disclose the name.)

(Also, this is just my imagination of what if all of these guys teamed up? Also, the leaders don’t have a ‘leader’ among them since they rotate being the leader but PV! Pecharunt is the leader most of the time since he was the one (I think) who trains the group, they all get along very well one another and arguments rarely happen, they are also a force to be reckoned with as they can all take down the Tao Trio with ease)

(Also, what they’re all saying are lyrics of ‘The Grand Finale by MOTI and Juno Songs, credits to them)

I LIKE TO THINK CANON KIERAN IS IN FETAL POSITION, HAVING A BREAKDOWN BECAUSE WHERE ARE THESE LITTLE GUYS COMING FROM???? HOW DO WE STOP THEM IF THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM??

He's also secretly wondering what happens to Millie in each one, unaware that PV is really the only timeline that Millie exists in (theoretically)

He wants to keep his friends safe, that's for sure. Makes me wonder if PV!Pecha would see him and kinda antagonize him, vaguely hinting at possessing him in his own timeline. I coukd also see PV!Pecha leading them on, simply because it has a childlike arrogance to it. It would probably run the other Pechas like a clan (Think of Momotaro and the Edo Period)

Also I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT ONE YET, BUT ANOTHER JUNO SONGS FAN? HELL YES! Speaking of Mario, a lot of my stuff is inspired by BIS, which you esp already know

That being said, before Pecharunt's insides were revealed to us, I had thought abt making PV!Pecharunt looking like one of the bosses ftom BIS, or maybe the Dark Star, but could never visualize a design

[harlequinoccult]

The Valley of Luck was said to be a myth. Something that grandparents would tell their grand-kids around a campfire. Even those who worshiped Lucian, The God of Luck, thought it nothing but an old wives tale.

Until, one day, a man with an arm made of solid gold started telling people that he'd been there, that he'd seen the Valley. Word spread quickly, and suddenly, every continent was alight with the rumor that The Valley was real, that it could give you all the riches you could ever want, and then some. 

Choose from 4 different species to play as!

Humans, Elves, Fiendish, and Orcs!

Customize your Adventurer!

Each species have their own unique customization options!

Choose your weapon!

Five different weapons to choose from! That you can name! Or not!

Choose your skills!

Choose your three main skills! Use them to solve problems!

Build your personality!

Different personality traits! be a smartass! be timid! be honest! or not!

The Eldritch Doctor

-Xandin Ivory- Your "Employer" as it were. He largely comes off as aloof on a good day and down right cold on others. He keeps his face hooded, masked, or otherwise shrouded in darkness via magic, Few seem to know what he truly looks like, and those that do are evasive under questioning. He expects your absolute very best on the tasks he sets you on, but he doesn't come across as unfair. There are no shortage of rumors about the man, ranging from completely banal to down right terrifying. Certainly, a warlock acting as a village doctor couldn't be as cruel as he's rumored to be....could he?

The Immortal Bard

-Yuuki Itsuki- A playful bard that seemingly everyone knows, who apparently knows everyone. Everyone but you, that is. He seems keen on remedying that with his uncanny ability to show up in the most unlikely of places, as he's taken an interest in your quest. There are rumors that he's immortal, that he's been around for decades, that he knows where The Valley is, but keeps it a secret. Is he really just a friendly face, or is there something deeper behind his charming demeanor?

The Arcane Knight

-Andrew Hartlyn- The current sovereign's personal guardian, He's been protecting them since they were a child and considers them family. Kind and level headed, He comes off as an uncomplicated man born from humble beginnings, but the question remains of how this seemingly normal man became the guardian of the Altrien monarch is a mystery to many, most of all you. Is this man as modest as he claims, or is there something more extraordinary going on with this knight?

The Vibrant Valkyrie

-Claudia Duskstar- A descendant of the goddess Illumae, her angelic features contrasts sharply with her impudent demeanor. A known bar fly and gambler, this mercenary claims she's only in it for the coin nowadays, but she has plenty of history she isn't exactly keen on sharing, not while sober anyway. Is this divine paladin truly just done with valor and virtue, or can you prove to her that there is some goodness left to protect after all?

The Wandering Merchant

 -Vylasia Ambrees- The ever charismatic merchant you stumbled upon by pure chance, Vylasia has her ear right at the pulse of the rumor mill. She and her trusty steed Diego have traveled far and wide in her caravan, she hocks her wares with an air of mystery and allure and barters her knowledge to the highest bidder, but she seems to keep people at arms length and always plays her persona of the mysterious merchant flawlessly. Will you be able to find out how this merchant really feels about you?

The Enigmatic Noble

-Cyrus/Cyriene/Cyrid Ari'Nodel- Cy is...an odd person by noble standards, from their blatant disdain for other houses of nobility, their extreme willfulness, to their oddly obfuscated noble parentage, they seem to be many contradictions bundled into one person, but the one thing you know they are, is the Ezrian council's head archivist, they've kept sensitive documents for the Council safe for years, but that can't be the only reason their frequent insubordination and flippant attitude is ignored, can it?

______________________________________________________________                                                -DEMO-           

[wonderlandwriting]

Muttering and pacing trying to piece together all the clues regarding Episode 7's unique SSRs so that I can hazard a guess about Scarabia's and here's what I've come up with so far:

Rook's new SSR most likely means that the story will be going through all the dorms in a backwards order, which in turn means that we've gone through Diasomnia and Ignihyde already.

Out of all the 6 characters who could have gotten SSRs, Ortho, Lilia and Sebek indeed did, while Malleus, Silver and Idia didn't.

Malleus and Idia are OB victims and OB!Idia having become a playable character in the latest update seems to suggest that we'll get OB SSRs in the future but not for now; regardless it already establishes that Jamil will not be getting a SSR when we go through Scarabia. It also explains why Mal and Idia remain cardless.

It does not explain why Silver remains cardless though, for which I have two possible theories: 1) in the ignisomnia group he's the only second year and that might be related to him not getting a card yet for thematic reasons yet to be disclosed, or 2) narratively he isn't quite there in terms of character development (he needs to fully accept and forgive himself first) and therefore will get a card later down the road, possibly in the final showdown against Malleus?

From a marketing perspective however, the first theory doesn't make sense, because that'd mean that we'd get no new SSRs during the Scarabia-focused update and that's just not what Twst has been doing so far. Even for Ignihyde's updates Ortho's SSR was released because gacha money go brrrr + shiny new SSR means shiny new marketing which means more gacha money going brrrr

So it makes sense that Scarabia, being the other two-persons dorm, would follow in Ignihyde's footsteps and not release Jamil's OB SSR just yet, but give us a Kalim SSR instead. The remaining question is, just what would this SSR be about?

Muttering and pacing intensifies. There's a theory going around that the Episode 7 SSRs reference Twst's 3rd anniversary new titles, and so far it seems to hold up:

Ortho's Guardian of the Underworld → literally KERBERUS gear. Mythical Guardian of the Underworld gear dasfgdhfjfgj

Lilia's Seeker of Cradles → deadass referencing post-war General Vanrouge's desperate quest for a way to hatch Malleus

Sebek's Knight of Lightning → dark fae knight with lightning-based UM and accompanying imagery, pretty straightforward

And of course Idia called himself the "King of the Underworld" and Mal is literally the future ruler of the "Abyss", foreshadowing and set up for their future OB SSRs is foreshadowing and set up. Just as Silver being Mal's knight and having a dream-related UM does too.

Just what does this mean for Kalim's Benevolent Sovereign of the Oasis title.

Scarabia does have its own Oasis Maker-made oasis and it wouldn't be hard to release a first-year Kalim SSR showcasing that his ideal world is one where he gets to relive the joy of going to NRC so that he can see Jamil after two months and they remain best friends forever over and over again, but also. From a design perspective that's just boring, as Scarabia's regular student uniform isn't that different from its dorm leader uniform.

Which is why my theory is that Kalim's SSR will depict him in Sultan-inspired, fancy attire that he wears back home as a wealthy heir. And I'm of two minds for the circumstances regarding it, and therefore the context behind Kalim's dreamworld: 1) it is indeed first-year Kalim and it just happens that he hasn't changed into NRC's uniform yet, or 2) Kalim's dream is about something else entirely, possibly about him inheriting the Asim state and ushering in a new era of prosperity in Silk City.

Glancing at the fireworks event and how it depicts Kalim sincerely wanting to follow in his dad's and grandfather's footsteps as someone who'll bring positive change to his home. Thinking about the Dance&Wishes event and how Kalim's wish was "I want everyone to be happy!"

I'm of a 50/50 mind on whether or not Kalim's dream will have Jamil by his side, but I think that the overall depiction of him as Silk City's de-facto ruler making sure that everyone is happy is a scenario that makes sense, and from a visual perspective would make for a gorgeous SSR.

Like. Concept art Sultan can get it, it's what I'm saying. (also let Kalim wear white Twst, he loves the colour dammit!)

[bluegekk0]

Now that the infection is gone, do the Mantis still need to fend off Deepnest

Or can they finally live unbothered

(Sorry bout all the mantis questions I have a bias)

they don't, no. they did maintain their part of the deal throughout fpk's absence, both because of their code of honor, and because it actually lined up with their own goals - the infection made the creatures in deepnest more dangerous than ever, so they had a reason to fend them off

but after fpk woke up from his hibernation, he did approach the mantis lords about the truce. he had no position of authority anymore, and he could not ensure that their village would remain sovereign. so it would be unfair to keep them in the dark and have them fend off deepnest in the name of a deal that was no longer fair for both sides

so like i mentioned prior, he traveled to their village, risking his life, just to tell them that they had no obligation to hold the truce anymore. of course, anyone with any self preservation instincts would call him foolish, and he was - to say that they were on friendly terms even throughout the truce would be a gross overstatement. so they had every right to treat him as any outsider and kill him on sight the moment he was no longer in authority. but like i said, the mantis lords are honorable, and i think they would respect the risk he took just to remain honest with them. does that mean they're actually on friendly terms now? i wouldn't say so, but they tolerate his presence enough not to harm him as long as he causes no trouble

so to actually answer your question - yes, they don't have to worry about fighting off deepnest beasts anymore. well, not as a part of a truce at least: even without the infection, many of the creatures in deepnest are dangerous, so the mantis tribe still has a reason to fend them off. but they're no longer obligated to do that in order to keep their sovereignty

[devourensarc]

On Sk.irk and His Mental State

warnings for: death, discussions of trauma, dissociation/depersonalization, sui/cidal behavior

Ajax fell into the Abyss at 14 years old — a child. He fell into a land of darkness and monsters, alone, barely a teenager, and this was absolutely traumatic for him. Here, he met Sk.irk.

When we see their reunion in the AQ, she dismisses him as weak — despite him fighting the Narwhal for weeks, a beast that took a fully realized Sovereign to beat (not kill; beat). She states she does not talk to him or give him much acknowledgement because of this perceived weakness.

This was the person who he found in the Abyss, as a lost, scared child. A weak child who needed to become strong to earn a scrap of her attention, attention that was key to his survival. Knowing this, it's easy to see why he is so obsessed with becoming stronger. Even after meeting her, he had to fight for every second of his survival, because to be weak in her eyes meant he would be alone again, in an unfamiliar world full of beasts trying to kill him.

The only reason she gave him any attention at all was Foul Legacy — on this blog, she did not teach him the transformation, but rather how to use it.

Even after he left the Abyss, this fear for his life stayed with him. In addition to my other hcs regarding this (his sleeping habits, nightmares, hiding food, etc), he fixated on becoming stronger because the memories of those monsters are always there. He cannot be that helpless child ever again.

And of course, when he finally returned home, his parents could not or would not help this traumatized child. He tried to prove his strength to them, but instead of acknowledging it, being proud of it, they were terrified. His escalating violence to get them to see it, to pay attention to him, was a reaction born from his interactions with Sk.irk; but this only made his parents more terrified. They treated him like a monster, for the very thing that helped him survive.

When they brought him to the Fatui, again he used a show of strength to preemptively protect himself — see, he was strong, he was not some weak child to prey upon. And again, this only served to scare others, and once again, he was outcast. Pulcinella was the next adult figure to give him any sort of attention, and the young Ajax latched onto this, still caught up in his survival mechanism from the Abyss. Someone was giving him attention, praise — so he would be exactly what Pulcinella, what the Tsaritsa, wanted of him.

Blood and violence does not bother him, but he does not enjoy hurting others for the sake of hurting them. He is not a sadist, nor does he lose control of himself during a battle. He says during the Liyue AQ he doesn't want to release Osial and harm innocents, but he does so anyway to complete his mission, with the full belief Rex Lapis will show himself to fend off Osial. During the Fontaine AQ, he shows situational awareness in that fight with the Narwhal; he knows where the fleeing civilians are and drives the Narwhal away from them, and he is able to set up the Narwhal for a shot from Neuvi, and all of this despite already having fought the thing for weeks and being clearly exhausted.

He needs to be wanted, and he needs to be seen as strong, because to not be these things would have meant his death in the Abyss. Even out of the situation that traumatized you in the first place, it sticks with you, and coping mechanisms that may have helped you survive that situation can very well be maladaptive outside of it. He never got any sort of support to heal from that mindset, and the Fatui actively fed into it.

But inside is still that child who longed to be a hero, who wanted to be loved. You can still see him in Ch.ilde's love for his siblings, his dedication to those he cares for. Ajax wants to be seen, to feel worthy of being seen without constantly having to prove himself strong enough to deserve it — and yet this is not a mindset he can readily put down, even for one person. It is ingrained into his behavior at a fundamental level.

This desire to be strong has led him to separate himself from 'Ajax'. He views Ajax as a weak, naive child, and convinces himself that is no longer him. He is a mask that Ch.ilde will wear around his family because he loves them, but that child is no longer him. (You believe that, right? Please believe that.) Yet his Harbinger persona is as much a mask as Ajax is. He chases battle, is always trying to become stronger, not only to convince others around him but himself.

Mentioned su/icidal behavior cw. He is so caught up in this he doesn't care about his own safety, his own life. Delusion that saps your life force? Don't mind if he does. Throwing himself into battle against stronger opponents? Here he goes. Pulcinella states that he craves encounters that bring him closest to his own demise. It is a sort of thrill, a comfort to him, proving to himself he can survive, but if he does die? Fine. He does not care for his own life. End cw.

tldr: he is not okay. His time in the Abyss was absolutely traumatic for him, and his time with Sk.irk and how his parents treated him afterwards has led to his current mindset today.

[godisasimp]

More stuff about the Acheron Myriad, this is less theories/analyzes but more so opinions and random thoughts :

First and foremost I, the best Kevin Kaslana fanatic on Tumblr, could not be any happier after hearing his voice (well except in ENG, i don't think it fits him. Probably because I'm too used to CN and JP) I have thoughts and based on what I'm seeing on Twitter, I am not alone thinking that Kevin is the one mentioned as the Sovereign of End.

Since we see Acheron (Origin) and End fight I suspected that it couldn't be the Kiana equivalent ; or at least her real self (ie not corrupted/evil?) ; and who else do we see wield Finality in Hi3rd? Kevin, and Raiden Mei as the Herrscher of Origin fight him as part of the Moon Arc.

So this (the Myriad) could be a more tragic retelling of the final fight against him ; except "Kevin"/White Oni succeeded in killing the Kiana equivalent, and Acheron killed him in anger.

I think it could be a nice way of explaining the dark end Acheron suffered ; without the Kiana equivalent and the End/Finality power gone, there is no way of stopping/slowing the evil that grows on the planet ; leading to its destruction.

I still can't quite understand the lore reasoning behind Acheron's forgetfulness and her 2nd form.

We see her transform when wielding the powers of Origin ; but it does not seem like a 2nd persona, maybe we aren't meant to figure that part out just yet ; would lame to have all answers before Acheron releases aha.

I'm starting to actually like Acheron, and while I will not be pulling for her, I will certainly play her companion quest whenever I can, it involves Welt and I'm sure the HI3rd will keep on raining onto us ; I'm also really curious to see if a Welt existed in Acheron's world, and if so, what could be her reaction when she sees him? More sadness, maybe so bits of happiness with how Acheron can see her old companion again in a way.

There's a lot of possibilities it can offer.

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 2 replay, Freedom’s Progress:

-How did TIM know about Freedom’s Progress?

The timing is very convenient – Shepard just woke up, and Cerberus is hoping to get there before official investigators, looters, or salvage teams.

No proof, but I wouldn’t be surprised if TIM sold out Freedom’s Progress like he does Horizon later on.

-I miss each character having unique lines per environment. It added a lot of flavor.

-On Horizon, we see one of the Collector swarms. The colonists have enough time to panic. You’d think that Freedom’s Progress would show some signs of that panic – a dinner tray tossed across a room, bullet sprays, etc.

-ME2 spends a lot of time downplaying ME1 Cerberus.

Shepard to Tali if you go renegade: I know Cerberus has a bad past, but they’re the only group investigating these missing colonies. The Council has turned its back on humanity. I haven’t.

Cerberus’ history is a bit more than “a bad past”. And Shepard, you only know what TIM has told you so far. How can you be so certain the Council has abandoned humanity?

-Shepard, if you investigate: Your people really don’t like Cerberus. What did I miss?

Hmm. I’ll let this one slide. They’re curious about why the Quarians dislike Cerberus. I’d think being a pro human terrorist organization is enough, but it’s not bad to ask for more information.

I do wish the game would give the full story about what went down between Cerberus and the Quarians. It just dances around it, and that’s irritating. How hard would it be to include a summary as an investigate option?

-Tali’s team disobeys her and rushes ahead.

I can’t recall – does something similar occur on Haestrom? If not, that’s good character development for her.

-Considering Veetor injures and kills several Quarians, the Flotilla forgives him very easily from what we see in Tali’s loyalty mission.

I do wonder how his pilgrimage, or lack thereof, turns out – does he ever finish it?

If not – well, I suppose he lives on Rannoch or dies with the other Quarians.

-I feel I cheated my first boss battle. I somehow got the Ymir mech stuck behind a stack of boxes and finished it off easily.

I’ll take it.

-Veetor says that the Collectors and their swarms are connected to dark energy.

If ME3 had stuck with the dark energy plot, this would have been excellent foreshadowing.

As it is, it feels like a plot thread that’s abandoned.

-If you go neutral when speaking with TIM, he thinks that the Collectors are connected to the Reapers because they became interested in humanity after humans destroyed Sovereign.

This feels like a weak justification. Any species could reasonably be interested in humanity after they defeat a major power like Sovereign. That doesn’t necessarily make them connected to the Reapers. They could just be curious about using humanity for their own ends, or preparing to defend themselves against humanity.

-If you go paragon, TIM says that the Council and the Alliance want to think the threat is dead with Sovereign but he and Shepard know better.

Again, Shepard already knows this is the official line. Shepard’s an officer – do they have no understanding that sometimes you keep knowledge under wraps to prevent panic or for security?

-Once again, if you choose any investigate options the paragon option disappears.

Damn it, learning all I can is not the same as agreeing to work with TIM.

-TIM says that Liara’s working for the Shadow Broker and therefore can’t be trusted.

Rather interesting, since Liara is actually hunting down the Shadow Broker.

Does TIM believe what he’s saying is or is he lying to Shepard so Shepard won’t try to recruit her?

-I saw a post that speculated that Joker and Chakwas joined Cerberus undercover at Hackett’s bequest, because Hackett had heard rumors that Cerberus had Shepard.

For the sake of my sanity, I will be working on that assumption. If Joker genuinely joined Cerberus after all of ME1 – well, that either says something about the writers or Joker’s character.

-Was EDI always planned to be the Luna AI?

If so, that explains why she’s so understanding if Shepard goes renegade when speaking to her. She knows Shepard has a very good reason to distrust her.

-Shepard hasn’t been awake for a day, and Anderson and Hackett both already have work for them.

Seriously, how do they know Shepard is awake? And how are they contacting them – is Shepard using their old email address?

I presume Shepard’s Alliance email was closed after they died; I can understand why Anderson would have Shepard’s personal email, but Hackett?

-Ascension Financial Services rather blatantly ripped Shepard off. “After deducting modest administration fees for closing the file…”

I was at 9,999,999 credits in ME1. In ME2, I have 100,000 credits left. That is beyond “modest administration fees”.

-Oof. Kelly Chambers fell hard for the Cerberus propaganda. Sweet girl, but not the best judgment.

-Edi says some of her databases are sealed, some of her hardware is shutdown. These might be released under the right conditions.

Is this ever revisited? Edi is freed later on, but what are those sealed databases and shutdown hardware?

I don’t think they’re the blocks she mentions if you question her about Cerberus – she’s very clear the blocks prevent her from saying what she knows. So what are the databases and the hardware?

-Jacob’s colder if you speak to him, especially if you go renegade. Not rejecting, but he keeps you at a distance.

Also, he agrees that Cerberus has been justifiably called terrorists. So why the hell is he with them?

Yes, if this succeeds Cerberus will be viewed in a better light, but why does Jacob care about that? Why does Jacob want Cerberus to be viewed better – isn’t he here because he thinks he can do good? So if he thinks Cerberus isn’t currently good, why isn’t he somewhere else?

-Miranda is much warmer to you than she was before. I suppose Freedom’s Progress impressed her.

-Miranda: We try not to get bogged down in bureaucracy or formality.

Girl, those are necessary for accountability. Do you ever wonder why there are so many “rogue cells”? It’s because there’s nothing to keep them in check.

-It’s brought up repeatedly that Shepard is being monitored. By Kelly, by Miranda, by monitoring devices on the ship… TIM makes it very clear that Shepard is being watched.

[silvantransthranduiltrash]

What do you think happened to the Blue Wizards? They went East?

So from what i understand (could be wrong) they went east in canon and just never came back. There was also some mention of them creating a cult?

Tbh, i don’t really have to nudge it that much.

So i do think smth along those lines. And i kinda feel like they’re kinda like sauron and saruman? I don’t necessarily think they went scorched eatth or that they teamed up with sauron or saruman, but i do think they probably rejected the valar as a sovereign force?

Long story short, i think they split off from the valar at the very least. Whether or not it’s for good or bad remains to be seen.

I personally really resonate with the idea that the valar, maiar, sauron, morgoth, etc are all different sides of the same coin and the only reason the valar and maiar like melian are viewed as “good” is bc they 1. Smile (or smth to that affect) and 2. Wrap themselves in beauty.

I do still think that there are some ainur that are good, but not in the sense that humans are good, ya feel me?

Like, the ainur are entirely seperate beings with their own moral compases and thought processses and they are all pwerful, so they’re not necessarily forced to listen to other beings.

Anyways-

So, i do think the blue wizards more or less fucked off to the east to start their own religion/cult. (We also literally never see anything of the east, not really, and it looks to be much bigger than the middle earth we know of (i tend to view middle earth that we see in the silm/lotr as Europe, more or less))

Whether or not they succeeded is another question.

I mean, obviou these are minor gods, essentially, you can’t exactly kill them easily, so i’d say they probably had at least some impact/influence.

I’m also very curious as to how the avari elves reacted to them bc they probably interacted at some point but also the avari reject the valar and their rule.

I feel like either the avari vibed with the blue wizards for at least a bit, or the avari absolutely despised the istari.

The thing is that canonically we just don’t have a lot of information regarding them or the east, so i really can’t say. But it’s not out of the realm of possibility for them to have turned evil (coughsarumancough). Though, i view them more as selfish than actively trying to spread darkness everywhere/take over the world.

This is all speculation on my part though!

[cccgsr-blog]

Some thoughts on Halsin (Part1/2)

I haven't tried EA so my understanding of Halsin is based on the content released in the official version of the game. I Love this guy but obviously his character has lots of room for improvement. I've read some discussions, some I agree with, some I don't. Here are my thoughts.

1. Lacks of character content

1) Act 1 & 2

Lacks of action

Halsin joins our camp after we solve the crisis in the Grove, and stands there idly until near the end of Act 2, which is ridiculous. I understand that as a character added for fan-service blablabla, if he were to join the combat and plot development, it would mean adding lots of character interaction and performance which of course increase costs, but there can still be smoother ways to handle this:

After the player rescues Halsin, he returns to the Grove to deal with follow-up matters, becoming a non-joining NPC, until the player enters the Cursed Land. Here the player can choose to notify Halsin actively; or not notify him, but Halsin will show up anyway.

As the leading Druid of the Grove, it is normal for Halsin to arrange scouts on the risen road, tracking the player's movements thus receive massages on when the player enters the cursed lands, and eventually join up. As a Druid who had previously traveled in the Undergrounds, to have a connection with the local Myconid circle is also make sense. It could explained as, although Halsin knows there was passthroughs lead to the shadow-cursed lands, he has no knowledge of the Grymforge and could not cross the dark waters on his own, until he Gray Dwarves invasion that open the path and brought boats. After the player cleared the map, Halsin receive massages from the Myconid Sovereign and catch up with the MC via spore traces or other signs (just make up some reason)

At this point, Halsin can officially join the main team and participate in combat. In case of players going to different maps mid-game, Halsin can still leave the squad when the player leaves the shadow-cursed land, either staying in the camp or the Last Light Inn, or returning to the Grove. Not much change but much smoother. Of course, I personally would very much like to see the interaction between Halsin and the Myconid Sovereign (a reunion of old friends!) or Halsin's thoughts on the fall of the Losanda Monastery (since the Archdruid and certain monks could have previously studied the shadow issues together.)

EA content

I've read some discussion on EA content. It's said that EA hinted Halsin had something to do with Isobel's death. Both a good and bad idea I'd say. Letting Halsin be connected to Isobel's death, and turning him into one of the responsible parties for the shadow curse, which of course would greatly help to flesh out his character, but also makes the plot overly complicated. This change of plot kind of turns the entire Act 2 into Halsin's personal story that all the MC doing was to deal with the consequence of Halsin's past decisions and actions, which would be a disaster for the game narrative. So it is completely reasonable that Act 2 makes no more dig into the relationship between Halsin and the shadow curse as EA hinted.

2) Act 3

Lacks of content

It's quite disappointing that Halsin has no personal content in the third act, and I almost lost my motivation to finish the game for that reason. It makes no sense that Orin would not kidnap an LI, especially when she set the Love Test int the circus. Halsin even teased about your many questions, joked about you being a doppleganger and taking his place. But when it comes time for the real shapeshifter plot, all this foreshadowing makes no use for Orin doesn't kidnap the LI. This really make no sense to me. Just kidnap him (or Minthara), at least we could have more content for him, more emotional pack for the players who romance him too. He can free himself in the middle of the quest or get some new clues about something if it's too embarrassing for him to be always abducted, just make up some, I don't care.

The possibilities with Shadow Druids

In the same time, many people, including myself, find it absurd when Halsin suddenly approves the reasons of the Shadow Druids in the third chapter. But it could be the chance for some deepening to take place, suggesting that Halsin indeed has deeper connections with the Shadow Druids.

I've read some discussions suggesting Halsin keeps his anger until he's two hundred years old. As a young Druid roaming the land, angry and wild, it's easy to imagine he would have had contact with the Shadow Druids and somehow was attracted to their doctrines - In our rebellious teenage years, who never dreamt of crushing the toxic human society/civilization? Although Halsin later had chosen a more peaceful way, his early involvement with the Shadow Druids could still leave him with a profound impression. He understands the dangers posed by the Shadow Druids and the temptation of their doctrine to other Druids, which is why he reprimanded Kagha but still allowing her to restart as a novice rather than giving her more severe punishment, since he himself almost went down that road when he was young. That could also explain his absurd statements on Shadow Druids in Act 3, as he has to personally experience the human city and its chaos/careless, the temptation of the Shadow Druids doctrine comes back with force.

So, enhancing the content about Shadow Druids into Act 3 would be most suitable, which also avoids changing the main story. It could be that, As Shadow Druids learned of the Mind Flayers' large-scale activities in Baldur's Gate and view this as another piece of evidence that human cities are a threat to the balance of nature and decide to destroy the city. Halsin, aware of the danger, could propose that the MC deal with the Shadow Druids, also triggering dialogue about his experience as a hot-headed and untamed young Druid roaming the land, desperately trying to understand and learn about the world while seeking his own path. This way, Halsin's character can be deepened.

Depending on how the Shadow Druid mission is completed, Halsin in the ending can be angrier and more distant from civilization, or more peaceful and striving to reconcile the relationship between society and nature. Thus, his character's arc becomes much clearer.

Part2:

[lil-oreo-crumbles]

so, what is the political system in Septarsis? Historically, I mean?

The short and sweet is this

Septarsis changes political systems based on what’s needed at the time

But here’s the whole thing :)

For most of its history, after becoming a united civilization, Septarsis was a democracy. No one really had more power than anyone else.

Sure, there was an elected Council/Assembly of about 15, but they didn’t hold much true, dominant power nor were any of them a true figurehead. There were terms and limits on how long each individual could serve, and anyone could become one if they were voted in. The Assembly mainly served as the people who ran organizations to run the civilization and came up with laws that everyone would vote on, serving to protect the minority. They valued the voices of everyone, even the tiniest of voices, and the Assembly proved to be a failsafe so minorities would be protected. It wasn’t foolproof since everyone did get a vote to pass new laws and decrees, but it worked enough. The Assembly also worked to keep diplomatic ties between the other civilizations and maintain peace with outsiders. But what’s important is that decision-making was civilization-wide.

But that all changed when the Mewmans came.

Since Septarsis is so guarded, they weren’t initial victims of the land stealing, but they were quickly made aware of it. Different monster civilizations had different systems, but even the other democratic-like monsters sent someone to represent themselves and jointly confront this new “Queen” about her… actions. After a lot of back-and-forth, Septarsis decided on a young woman from The Assembly, Adina Kardona, to represent Septarsis.

The monsters tried to calmly reason with Queen Moe about her actions and tried to work out some sort of agreement and land arrangements, but we all know that failed spectacularly. Septarsis lost a LOT of people in the resulting Great Monster Massacre (The GMM as a whole knocked out 60% of the monster population; I’m not sure about Septarsis and their stats yet). Their regenerative abilities only aided them for so long because Moe found a way to counter it and make them killable (it’s a very specific spell that’s long gone, but its effects are still very present within Septarsis).

Anyway, after this devastating genocide, they really needed a strong leader to guide them out of the tragedy of their losses. Adina proved herself to be a strong defensive force that helped prevent a lot more casualties during the genocide itself. She was unanimously chosen to lead the restoration of Septarsis. She was declared the Sovereign (since the Septarians notoriously hate the terms King/Queen).

She reigned for 220 years with her husband and eventually had two children, Seth and (who would eventually become) Zarina. However, the Septarians love democracy, and assumed that her reign would merely be temporary— or at the very least more democratic. Many Septarians still adored her and wanted to keep her as their leader, remembering her fearless and selfless deeds during the GMM (and she was a good enough leader), but the less democratic Septarsis became, the more groups convened and started to get restless. It didn’t help that she was very isolationist and wanted to steer clear of Mewman conflict and wasn’t as active as she could’ve been in Septarsis itself. This increasing tension snapped when one of Adina’s former lovers schemed and plotted to overthrow them. He convened with a group of Mewmans, bringing them to Septarsis and having them kill the elder Kardonas during a weak point. He also had Seth and Zarina taken as captives. Once the job was done, he had every Mewman executed so Septarsis’s location remained hidden.

This enters Septarsis into its dark age under a brutal dictatorship. Many Septarians flee from their homeland because this man, frankly, does not care about the wellbeing of the people at all. He only cares about power, prestige, and revenge. It’s awful. It was not until 209 years later that Seth and Zarina gathered enough of a revolt and killed him. Seth has to pick up the pieces and restore Septarsis to its former glory. He is unanimously proclaimed a hero.

Under Supreme Lord Seth, Septarsis flourishes. He reinstates many of the democratic elements from eons past, including re-instating the Assembly (except he refers to it as the Septarian High Council). The SHC works similarly to how the Assembly did before; it’s just that Seth is the figurehead, with Zarina right underneath him. The SHC and legislation rotate every 25 years, but terms themselves last about 50 or so. They also must be elected to be able to join, but they can come from anywhere.

Seth makes it known that if the Septarians are ever dissatisfied with him as a ruler, he will step down and give way to a new leader or even allow Septarsis to fully return to its true democracy. However, that hasn’t happened. With the Mewman situation at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and a leader who actively does things about it, he’s still held up to the same status. He’s a great leader, far better than his mother, and compromises with his people if they’re in any way dissatisfied. He plays an active role in everything he can and puts power primarily in the hands of the people. Seth can’t just make rules whenever, it has to go through the population and SHC.

He’s a great leader, no matter his own personal views or what Crescenta’s smear campaign wanted to perpetuate. There’s a reason he only lost by a small margin during that rigged election. His reputation as a fair and just leader has spread far beyond Septarsis.

It’s this weird mix. You have Seth and his family with royal-esque titles, you have an elected council of people (who Seth leads) who pass ordinances and laws after voting, and the people themselves not only have opportunities to join the SHC but also are directly involved in voting for things. It’s closest to a republic I guess…. except the leader doesn’t need to be consistently voted in nor does he have limited terms and has been ruling for centuries atp because he’s just the best choice for the job and no one else comes close to competing with him. It functions well, but there’s no clear definition or label for the type of system they have.

I hope that explains it.. somewhat. It’s definitely not full encompassing because there’s a lot of aspects and roles in governments and political systems, but that’s the jist of it, an overview if you will.

Idk how clearly I explained everything but I’ve been looking over this all day and I think this encompasses my vision for the most part.

[aza-trash-can]

akshgfb someone wants to hear my theories/headcanons? This is the best, okay, @lewistheeditor ask ye shall receive

Although thinking back on it, I guess not a lot were dashed, only one really, but it's a whole connected thing in my head so it meant many details had to change, which felt like a lot to me.

Dashed Theory

He was found by Egeria in the human world

So originally, I imagined that after the hydro sovereign withered away and died, Neuvillette was born as an heir to the sovereign. He was born as a human (enkanomiya prophecy), but he quite obviously doesn't look completely human so his parents freaked out and just tossed him into the sea (what else do you do with what you think is a cursed child? come on people, this is me we're talking about, we need angst). Time passed, Egeria found him all alone, and she took to raising him as her own.

New Theory

He was found by Egeria in the Light Realm (or wherever it is the vishaps disappeared to after the fight with the Primordial One)

With this, hydro sovereign still withers and dies, Neuvillette is still born in the human world and gets tossed into the sea, BUT he is found by the vishaps very early on (like, same day or a few days after instead of after quite some time). The vishaps take him back with them to their world/realm and try (and fail) to raise him. Egeria is exploring this realm (why? idk, reasons. to study or something, idk), which I imagine to be very very dark and near impossible to see in, when this little kid finds her and starts to talk to her. She makes a connection with this kid, figures out he's the hydro sovereign's heir but he really isn't that bad at all, he's just a kid. Stuff happens (I could elaborate but man i gotta get it all straightened out in a google doc first), but the important thing to note is that after a few years he goes back with her to the human realm, and she raises him as her own.

Explanation

The whole reason I had this change is really inconsequential when it comes down to it, but it's the line "You will see much in the human world". That, to me at least, implies that he is going to the human world for the first time or is otherwise experiencing the human world for the first time; basically, that he didn't live there originally and was either brought there or travelled there himself.

I like to think that line and the whole phrase it's a part of is a summary or paraphrase of a prophecy made in Fontaine surrounding the heir to the hydro sovereign. Enkanomiya has it's prophecy, who's to say other regions, especially the region of hydro, won't have their own prophecies concerning the hydro sovereign's heir?

I like to think it was Furina paraphrasing Fontaine's prophecy to Neuvillette at some point after Egeria came back with the hydro sovereign's heir following after her. Why? I'm not sure, maybe she was trying to connect with him, or tell him he's destined for great things to bring his spirits up, who knows.

Of course, if it's a prophecy, and a paraphrase at that, he still very much could have been born and stayed in the human realm, but it's much more fun to imagine this little dragon kid living in the world of vishaps and meeting his first human (or human-like figure) and being completely fascinated with her, and sort of just following her around like a puppy.

[asoiaf-essays-collector]

Baratheons to blame

You know what? When talking about the shit happened to Westeros people usually blame Ned Stark for his insane moral code and political incompetence, Lannisters for being, well, Lannisters, Robb Stark for his naivety, sometimes Sansa Stark for trusting Cersei.

And I've yet to see even one essay dedicated to Baratheons. One of them was butchering the whole country for a decade, others chose to be literal children effectively giving Westeros to Lannisters.

So let's talk about this.

Robert Baratheon.

Well, say it wasn't his mistake to become a king - Baratheons are related to Targaryens, he had people supporting him and loving him, he was known amongst little folks. Even without political intelligence he was a legit option and perhaps the only one that wouldn't raise any question or create an opposition immediately.

Let's say even marrying Cersei wasn't a political mistake at that time - new dynasty needed gold and supplies, winter was coming soon, and Robert needed all the Great Houses support he could get.

But after that? It's inexcusable.

Many words were written I won't repeat them. My biggest issues are - 6 millions debt, not listening to advisers or at least Jon Arryn and later Ned and giving Storm's End to Renly. How the hell the latter happened and what were the reasons - I still don't understand the mechanism.

But Robert didn't care, didn't listen, he created the state of Westeros that it is now, it's a simple constant and starting point of the series, let's move on.

Renly and Stannis Baratheon.

It was the simple equation. The easiest one.

Tywin Lannister had his 12 000 people in Harrenhal plus an abstract army that was still being gathering in Lannisport - so let's say there were 16 000 people total. 20 000 max.

King's Landing was unprotected af.

Robb was also against Lannisters with his 25 000 people or something around this (and he was also theoretically okay with Stannis as a king).

Stannis had his ships and war strategy skills (and dark magic, but no one knew yet).

Renly had more than 90 000 people.

The simplest solution should be to combine Baratheons, annihilate Lannisters and King's Landing and then discuss the terms of sovereignity or allegiances between themselves. They had no bad blood between them and Robb, just childish grudges amongst Renly and Stannis.

Maybe - even if they didn't agree they could just attack Lannisters from different frontlines and then fight amongst themselves - stupid but still reasonable.

You know - "let's deal with the biggest issue first" style.

But no.

Renly decided to become a king literally out of nowhere - he said so himself. Stannis instead of being smart about it held onto stupid grudges against literally everyone. Oh, his brother didn't love him enough, oh, Ned Stark saved his life just because Robert told him so, oh, Renly took his Storm's End, even the Seven did him wrong! Just put on some big boy pants, man!

I know that that's the whole point of their conflict - it's in Catelyn's chapters, but it just frustrates me af.

Robert was just a bad ruler - that happens, I'm sure there were lots of unfit rulers in Westerosi history.

Ned made a mistake of trusting people he shouldn't had - but he was also very new to all of this shit. Man tried to do something but then failed - that happens sometimes.

Robb basically also made a mistake of underestimating enemy's vile and Frey's disloyalty. Stupid, yes, but he also tried to do something while being inexperienced teenage boy.

Lannisters? Vile, atrocious and horrible people - politically smart and looking out for their family's best interests. Understandable.

Blaming a child - just ridiculous.

But these two? Both adults, having either military or state experience? Just doing fucking nothing because of stubbornness and absolutely childish grudges against each other? While knowing that this war was destroying the whole country? That people are being killed? That Lannisters are getting stronger, not weaker?

That's not even stupid, that's just inadequate.

Amongst all the horrors and injustice happening in Westeros Robert, Stannis and Renly are simply the worst

(well, after the mountain and boltons, but you get the point. stop blaming ned)