#it would basically give him info for people monsters and plants when he actively asks about it

[torchstelechos]

While objectively this wouldn't work at ALL I do think it would be funny if LBH also had a System. Mainly little annoying ass blurbs that pop up like achievement unlocked! The Endless Abyss Greets You! and LBH is just like. Hmmm. I do not like that. But obviously they wouldn’t be helpful, right? In the Water Prison arc I think he would get a pop up that’s basically “Achievement Unlocked! No Matter The Universe, We Find Ourselves Here Again!” and hes just fucking FUMING at this point internally but after he leaves he gets a few new ones and he looks over as they scroll in the air and promptly chokes on his own spit; Achievement Unlocked! You Call This A Fan Service Scene? Achievement Unlocked! No Answer, No Problem! We’ll Just Act It Out! Achievement Unlocked! Ripping Him A New One...? Achievement Unlocked! UST Over 1000+ Points! For every choice SQQ makes LBH gets like fifteen pop ups and if LBH knew what an adblocker was he would have installed one ages ago. But alas, he just gets more pop ups.

[jaws330]

Fatalis

Four men sitting apart from each other in the hull of a ship. Wood creaks as the ship pushes through another swell. None of the men have spoken much to each other since preparing for the trip 2 mornings ago. Marlow hadn’t moved in hours. The groups Palico, Thellow, had brought fish from the upper decks down and encouraged everyone to eat but no one seemed interested in eating. Somehow the journey was worse than many hunts the men had been on.

Jackson and Ike had been hunting wyverns and dragons all over the continent for the last 10 years. Marlow was new. That isn’t to say he was without skill. Jackson and Ike had seen the kid rip a diablos tail clean off with about 5 good slice shots that Ike had bet strongly he wouldn’t be able to make. Marlow had a keen eye, but he didn’t have the same will power the others did. Jackson was worried he wouldn’t be up to par for this hunt.

He didn’t have the greatest tact when talking to others so after a while of contemplation he moved over to Ike and sat down next to him on the floor. The floor creaking more as Jackson’s weight came upon it. The damp wood smell didn’t help lift the mood either. Not that any of them seemed to notice. The simple act of moving towards the pray they had been asked to hunt was harder than any of them expected. Jackson leaned his head over to Ike and whispered, "could you check on Marlow? I don’t think he’s doing well". Ike looked back at Jackson. His eyes were red and the skin under them had sagged. he must have been sobbing without Jacksons notice. Ike gulped and took a deep breath. he was about to say something but couldn’t find the words and just exhaled in despair. The two looked to Marlow who had lifted his head at the new activity. Marlow stared back at his two seniors and within a few moments he broke down and cried out loud. Ike rubbed his eyes and started to compose himself. standing up he walked to Marlow and placed his arm around his shoulders. Comforting him as best he could.

Hans hadn’t said anything or even noticed the energy in the room change. He had been meditating for the last day. The Wyverians had it easy. they could focus their minds and remain steeled even in the worst situations. The rest of the men were only human and could not help but dread the impossible task they had been given. The monster they had been sent to kill was growing more and more confident in its prowess. Each day it seemed like its area of influence had grown. More towns burnt to the ground. More bodies incinerated while running for their life’s. And more hunters burnt, killed, or mutilated beyond recognition. The impression of glory from the hunt had faded from most hunters’ minds. All that was left was the depression of knowing that those who face this creature have forfeit their lives.

Jackson was nervous but had expected a fight like this to come at some point in his career. Ike to, but with less acceptance than Jackson. Marlow had only been an official hunter for 2 years. He showed lots of potential but still had allot to live for. Despite showing strong will in the face of an impossible task, Jackson still had something burning in the back of his mind. He had a song stuck in his head for the last few days since news of the hunt came in. He was surprised by the persistence of his own brain to keep the song running at every waking moment. It was not even a good song. It was only ever sung by kids playing games and Jackson couldn’t remember the last time he had even herd it sung out loud. But in stressful situations the mind can fixate on things. Even things you might not want it to.

 _______________________________________________________________

A few hours later the boat came up to port. "finally," said Ike. He was the first and by far the most eager to get off the boat. Actually getting on with things was probably the best move for everyone. Waiting just let the mind stew and overall wouldn’t help the hunt at all. Hans jumped to shore first and tired down the boat. The others prepared their gear and passed it over one by one. The metal boxes of explosives, ammo, and blades were an awkward shape and heavy for most. Ike jumped on shore as well to help Hans with carrying it over while Jackson and Marlow passed the boxes across. They made extra care not to slip on the wet stone of the port. It had been sleeting rain here for some time and most of the stone and wood was covered in algae or moss. Losing a weapon box here would be not just embarrassing but tragic. Even loosing one weapon would put a huge burden on the rest of the hunt and create even more risks none of the men wanted to take.

Once the supplies were on shore, they set about looking for a place to stay the night. The clouds around Schrade were always thick and dark ever since the beast moved in. The port town down the mountain where they had just landed was a hollow shell of what it had used to be. The towns name had been burned away with its people. Now all that was left was a few streets of wooden shacks. Either black from ash and fire or bleached white from the sea and time. The streets were a coble path of wet granite. Grass and small plants pushing past the stone to reach what little sunlight they could. The group ventured into town and already knew the location of the one building that would give some refuge for the night.

At the end of the main street was a rather well-built stone and oak building used by the towns fire brigade. Suitably it was the only building that was not totally destroyed by fire. The hunter’s guild had already scouted out the area to make the journey a little easier and after the two nights of boating the old abandoned building seemed like a luxury hotel. The metal door swung open easily and inside were a few old sleeping mats, a pile of firewood, and a pile of scrap papers. The group paused after seeing the rather basic and dismal interior. Marlow had been looking forward to a real bed. Hans entered first and moved to the right-hand side of the building. He dropped his bag to the floor, swung around and clapped his hands together. "all right boys, who’s getting the fire started? Thellow crawled in between the hunter’s legs and ran for a pile of old drapes. Rain was not a Palicos friend and scrapes of cloth seemed like a nice reprieve. Marlow, Ike, and Jackson let out probably the first smile in a few days. They needed someone like Hans to take the reins for a bit.

After about an hour Marlow got the fire burning. Thellow had set up a camping grill and was preparing some fish for the group. Hans was thumbing through the scraps of paper while Ike was writing on one of them. "Would you like to write one to, Jackson?" Hans called out from across the fire. Jackson was going through the metal boxes they had brought. Checking everything was where it was meant to be. Some hunters hated how neurotic he got when preparing. However, his policy of triple checking before a hunt meant that no one hunting with Jackson had ever worried about running out of medicine or drugs during the expedition. He had checked the weapons and med packs 12 times since packing. Hans called out again " Jackson, do you want to write something?" finally out of his packing trance Jackson perked his head up and quickly replied "yes, yes, of course I’ll write something. Let me just finish and I’ll come over". Hans rolled his eyes while Ike snickered. They were both a bit sick of this behavior.

Ike stood up and said "I think this will do. If anything happens then at least people will know how cool I was". Hans added Ikes paper to the stack. For a hunt of this caliber it was tradition for hunters to leave a note at base camp. Each hunter would write a bit about themselves and why they were going after monster they were. The Notes would pile up at base camp until someone slayed the monster. Only the winning person or team could take the papers home with them. A symbolic way of carrying the efforts of other hunters with them. Even if hunters did not lose their lives it was still a way of showing respect to others in the field. After another 3 minutes Jackson walked over and took the pen from Ike. He didn’t want to write anything to sentimental or emotional, but considering the monster they were fighting, he tried his best. Thellow was just about done with the first part of dinner. Grilled fish with lemon and mashed potato. It was basic but filling. Marlow and Ike both took the first serving. Hans would probably eat a small amount after everyone was done. He wasn’t the one hunting. Hans was a Recorder and handler for the hunt. It was his job to get the hunters safely to the monster and gather what info he could during the fight.

Jackson put his pen down, satisfied with the dribble about the honor of such a hunt. the song rattling in his head didn’t help. He wrote and scratched out a few parts and the whole thing looked a bit fake. He moved to get the next serving of dinner while Hans started reading Jacksons note. While Jackson filled his mouth with potato mash, Hans snapped at him "is this really what you want to leave? you’re not doing any of these other notes a service by mixing your crap in with them" he gestured to the pile of about 50 or so papers piled on a supply crate. Ike and Marlow both looked at Jackson assuming he had written something dumb about it all been bullshit that they even need to do this. Jackson finished his bite and swallowed "I did really try but I couldn’t find it ya know? It’s kinda hard to think about good things for a hunt that we are been forced into" Ike and Marlow looked back to Hans expecting a well formed argument but surprisingly He nodded in agreement "I know its not the best situation but every day more and more towns are destroyed. The guild can’t get hunters up here on short notice like this" Marlow cut in "if we don’t kill it now then the next closest town is Minegarde. Hans is right, we should knock on its front door rather than let it come knock on ours." They were both right.

the port town of Minegarde was usually rather safe and had a high quantity of hunters ready to take on whatever challenged them. But stories of an elder dragon, Darhen Mohran had drawn most of the town’s skill away to the east. Ike let out a laugh and said "bet you don’t think the Mohran hunt is overrated now Jackson" Jackson laughed and sheepishly said back "yeah I kinda wish I had gone with the rest. Probably would have been a livelier trip" Marlow let out a small smile and Hans chuckled.

Jackson looked back to Hans "would you like to write it for me then? you seem to be better with words than me" Hans shook his head "no this will be fine. I’ll make sure anyone who comes here will know of the great Jackson who thought he had better things to do than hunt an elder dragon��. It was the first time the 4 men had laughed together in days. The joy a simple meal and good conversation can bring to people’s hearts is astounding.

The dinner bolstered the spirit of the party far more than expected, and when armor and skill are stripped away, spirit is all that’s left. An hour later the group had settled in for the night. They all tried to get a good sleep before tomorrow’s hunt. Jackson still struggled to sleep, the song running in his head like a ticking clock. He started thinking about how maybe the song was written by the monster itself, to drive hunters mad before even fighting it. eventually he dozed off.

 _______________________________________________________________

Morning came but day did not. The sky was still dark and only a few rays of sun could pierce the black clouds that loomed over Schrade. They were unnatural. They weren’t from a volcano or storm, but they lingered around the mountain where castle Schrade once stood. The castle had been destroyed hundreds of years ago. The town was a settlement that tried to take advantage of the castles well-built infrastructure. They planned to turn castle Schrade into a hunting hub for the mountain ranges above Minegarde. It would have made a great port town between the western coast and northern town of Pokke. It would have if it wasn’t for the last living resident of castle Schrade.

The group spent the early morning getting ready. Hans helped the men get their heavy armor on while Thellow sorted the packs to make sure everyone had the correct equipment at the ready. Jackson had his armor on first, a nice well-made set from a Brachidios. He had a reputation at the guild for his humorous encounter with it, so he figured it was a good armor to wear for a hunt like this. The Brachadios obsidian hide was naturally fire resistant and considering his roll at the front line, it seemed like it fit both thematically and practically. He cleaned his gun lance one last time while Ike and Marlow were getting ready. Ike was a jack of all trades and enjoyed hunting with whatever he found most suitable for each hunt. For this he chose the matte red Rathalos armor and a great sword. he figured that to kill a big monster he would need a big sword. Marlow would provide cover fire and support from behind with his bow gun. He didn’t usually bring more than a few kinds of ammunition. He liked to keep it simple. As long as he could shoot the monster down then it would be fine. For this hunt he made sure to bring an intense variety of ammunition. Poison, electrical, a few sticky bomb shots. Each of the hunters had prepared an appropriate kit for a fight of this caliber.

Finally, the crew was ready to depart. Hans would be climbing the neighboring mountain to observe and record the encounter. From there he would be able to tell if crew was successful and if anyone or anything survived the fight. Hans grabbed Jackson’s hand and looked straight into his eyes "don’t let this beast be your end Jackson. I will see all of you when you return. legends of the guild" the three waved him goodbye as he started his own journey. The group didn’t waste any time and set out climbing the mountain where castle Schrade sat atop.

The sides of the mountain were a trial in of themselves. They had narrow walkways with sheer drops on one side. For a gun lance user like Jackson this was a bit of a joke. He had Ike and Marlow go before him for the first part of the climb and even tied a rope around his waist just in case the weight of the cannon mounted on his back became too much. Eventually the path came to an end at a plateau. The area was larger than expected at this height. The group could have easily fought the beast here if it were not for the rusted graveyard of old weapons.

Infront of them was about 20 or so old worn out Dragonators. A metal spear a few meters in length designed to drill straight into the hide of even the toughest monster. They were a devastating defense the guild had been employing since its early years and they were a staple of elder dragon defense operations. This pile must have been hundreds of years old. It was hard to tell if the previous occupants of castle Schrade had used this as a close by dump or if they were been hauled to the castle and simply forgotten. Regardless the team climbed over with care. Making sure not to slip and fall onto one of the viscous spikes.

Then the real climb began. A sheer cliff with only a few outcrops for about 100 meters. Jackson and Ike tied their equipment to a rope and would hoist it up after they had made it to the top. They weren’t the best mountain climbers, but they made do. At about halfway up Jackson pulled his head up into a cave that could easily fit the party. He called out to the crew "we should take a rest here" after entering the cave the group lined up and together pulled the weapons and Thellow up the cliff, into the small cave. The Palico made sure the knots stayed firm and the weapons didn’t rock to much while ascending. Ike made snide remark while huffing and pulling on the rope "jeez Thellow how much fish did you eat last night". The Palico meowed loudly from outside the cave as the group pulled the equipment inside.

They each fell to the ground and passed around a water bottle. While Marlow and Ike had a drink, Jackson investigated the back of the cave. Finally, been able to spend more time examining it. It wasn’t very big but at the back was a pile of ash and rusted metal. He walked over to inspect it. Reaching out to wipe the ash away, the whole thing crumbled and exploded into a black cloud. He wiped the black soot from his visor and had the chance to see what remained. It was an empty suit of old armor. It only took a second for Jackson to realize what the ash filling the armor had used to be. He lost focus for a moment. The song was louder than ever. He could even hear and make out the voices of the children singing it now. His heart was pounding, and he felt like it was banging on the metal armor around his chest. "What was that?" Ike asked from behind. It snapped Jackson from his trance, and he swiveled around, quickly replying with "nothing, just some old scrap". Jackson had some water and the group continued up. Another 40 or so meters and Jackson finally put his hand onto the stone base of what once was castle Schrade.

 _______________________________________________________________

They just finished pulling up the last of the weapons. Quickly both Ike and Jackson grabbed their tools. Been un-armed for that long had made them both a little jumpy. Marlow had already started surveying the area. He needed good vantage points and places to move to while gunning. Infront was a large courtyard using stone bricks. On the upper side was a castle wall connected to a stone watch tower. spears and swords lay around it, as if the men they belonged to simply evaporated. It was giving all of them chills.

Behind that was still more of the castle. The entire building was massive and expanded over 2 mountains and across the range in between. This was only the entrance way. It was by far the best place to fight something big. The rest of the castle was to jagged with corridors that would restrict movement to much. The team knew that the monster would almost certainly take advantage of that and blow them to pieces before they even knew it was attacking. Out in the open was the best they could hope for.

Marlow had already started moving to the side wall to get some height. It was a great place to have a gunner and gave a brilliant view of the area. There were a few pieces of old ammunition around. Not much but some ballista and cannon balls might help if given the opportunity. The castle wall even still had one intact Dragonator in it, still unfired. Jackson had already set to work getting a plan ready using what little they had on the castle.

It was only morning but still extremely dark. Not much light could get through the clouds even this high up. It still felt like night was around them. Ike moved over to one of the cannons and started checking the fuses while loading a ball in. Jackson started walking to the eastern side to check if the last cannon had a working fuse. He stopped. frozen in place. The creature appeared out of blackness. As if the clouds that swirled around this mountain were the monster itself. A beam of light shone across it revealing the full size of the dragon.

It was allot bigger than anyone expected. Standing on his back legs it stood easily over the entire watch tower, over 40 meters tall. Its tail was an enormous black chrome whip that stretched the whole length of the beast and more. Its legs were short, but its claws were long. Covered in crusted blood from those who had come before. The spines along its back looked like bladed gravestones. Its scales were a hideous black and blue, as if its entire skin was one giant bruise. The wings on its back stretched out in the air, welcoming the hunters to its roost. Its neck was long and gave it incredible height. At the top was a head full of more teeth than its mouth could hold. Two sets of two horns each side of its head that twisted away from its skull. And its eyes. Its awful eyes. They had black slits like a snake but furious red Iris that looked like a fire storm inside its head.

It hadn’t even made a sound. Jackson wasn’t even sure it was real yet. He didn’t know if Ike or Marlow were even still here. The world paused for a second. The dragons tongue slithered out of its mouth and licked its lips. It stared down at its new guests. Jackson had fought allot of monsters and after fighting enough he could tell why a monster fought by the way it looked. Some were hungry. Others scared. But this was something new. Never had Jackson seen a monster smile back and its combatant. This unholy creature of night didn’t care for food or to defend its home, it just wanted to kill. It was genocidal to the core and wanted nothing more than hunters to die. The dragon was going to enjoy this.

Jackson yelled out to whoever might still be behind him. "Time to show it what were made of!". He flicked the main barrel of his gun lance down and took out his shield. Turning the safety off with a click, he rotated a few shells through the main gun. The dragon let out a bellowing cry that changed from a roar to a shriek. This close, it felt as if his ears were going to bleed just from standing near it. His heart slowed down, and a smile crept into the corner of his mouth. Both the song and his fear had left his mind. Without his fear he felt confident, nothing holding him back from his fate. The song’s lyrics made sense now.

 The Legend of the Black Dragon

When the world is full of wyverns, the legend is revived

meat is eaten, bone is crunched

and blood is sucked up dry

he burns the earth and melts through iron

he boils the rivers and mows down trees

he awakens the winds and lights the inferno

he is called Fatalis, the wyvern of destiny

he is called Fatalis, the wyvern of destruction

call for help, run for your lives

and don’t forget to pray to the skies

he is called Fatalis, the wyvern of destiny

he is called Fatalis, the wyvern of destruction

Fatalis, Fatalis

Heaven and Earth are yours

Fatalis, Fatalis

Heaven and earth are yours

________________________________________________________________

Quick note. i wrote this over a few days after having some dreams about monster hunter. Im not a writer or much of a creative. i work with animals mostly so monster hunter has a good place in my heart. This is very much a first go at writing and im hoping people enjoy it. 

[sunderedstar]

Lalli, orders, and a driving force of the narrative

let me be clear, this post is about trains.

but it is also about moving walkways that take you in a single direction, whether you meant to get on them or not.

and finally, it’s about people who push you to get on the train against your will, and the consequences of being railroaded (ha! funny joke!) like this.

(and it’s also about how Taru is a deceptive asshole who probably deliberately targeted a vulnerable Tuuri to try to manipulate Onni, but I digress.)

-

actually no. let’s start there. let’s talk about the hypocrisy, deception, and all around shady tactics used by the expedition planners. the expedition is set up for failure from the start by gross mismanagement because the organizers slack off on safety and even their mission statement – they just want money. even before they get the mission approved, the budget they submitted was already “refreshingly low.”

(yeah, you guys are so damn brave.)

from the very start, all Torbjorn wanted was a cash grab. he finds normal work degrading, and that's basically it. rare, priceless books obtained under the misleading guise of a research/exploration expedition. they don’t even mention it in the mission contracts. there is nothing on the books about this shit. the proper documentation is never filed. they lied to the Nordic Council through their teeth to get the funding for the expedition. every moment of that prologue section is marked by deception and shortcuts taken at the expense of the young people they’re throwing under the bus.

(yes, Emil. there’s like a 100% chance they absolutely ripped you off. you guys got some unknown set bonuses, they get percentages. without question.)

it’s like Siv trying to cover the hole in Torbjorn’s pants with ink to fool people from a distance. it’s a fucking mess.

and then they have the audacity to strip away all the safety measures that might have prevented disaster instead of, I don’t know, cutting their own salaries. you can trace the majority of the mistakes and mishaps right back to this line here, where Taru and Trond decide NAHHH, you don’t need a day and a night scout and a cat.

one scout. pulling a basically 24/7 double duty in completely uncleansed, unfamiliar, monster-infested territory, in a role that would normally be filled by three different people/animals. way to go, guys. if Lalli and Onni hadn’t been mages of any kind of talent, everyone would have been dead.

and then there’s this blink and you’ll miss it moment, where Taru claims that she knows people who are “extremely bored with their lives” as they discuss desperate people and idiots they can hire for their underfunded, doomed expedition.

One. Taru knows one person bored with her life.

She knows Tuuri.

But she doesn’t want Tuuri. Taru wants Onni as a defense mage. She asks him first, before any other member of her extended family. And when Onni says no…Taru targets Tuuri, the actually bored, adventurous, inexperienced, easily manipulated target she had in mind to force Onni’s hand. she sells Tuuri the exact same lie about this being a research trip, and because Taru is family who also previously worked at Keuruu, she knew exactly how to lure Tuuri in with the call of adventure and discovery.

(Tuuri, you are absolutely being tricked into this.)

Taru is family, and Taru is a military strategist, and Taru plays Tuuri like a fucking fiddle. there's a blithe, almost breathtaking disregard for human decency going around here. (the Vasterstroms probably took one look at their disaffected, undereducated, prideful nephew and thought, ah, how convenient! we’ll send him off into the meat grinder instead.) Taru only failed in that Onni showed up late – she still ultimately succeeded in luring him out of Keuruu, and then afterward has the gall. the audacity. to say she intended to try to recruit him again. after Tuuri fucking died.

how callous can you get.

a lot of this is also played for laughs. Siv and Torbjorn and Trond and Taru are often comical beats, because that’s the tone the comic has taken for them. Onni’s angry protests at the start of the comic come off as that of a bad-tempered, inflexible older brother whose concern is over-exaggerated and unreasonable, who is obstructing Tuuri’s first ever chance at Adventure!!!

oh wait. whoops. that happened.

now, let’s talk about Lalli.

-

Neither Lalli nor Onni want to leave Keuruu. Lalli’s just quieter and less assertive about it, especially once Tuuri starts steering him around, his only lifeline in countries where he doesn’t speak the language.

in a lot of instances, however, Lalli defaults to doing what he’s told. he believes Tuuri when she fills in details for him. he keeps going to his scouting job even after Tuuri quits his job for him OH WAIT THAT’S RIGHT, TUURI LITERALLY SIGNED HIM UP FOR A NEW JOB AND VOLUNTOLD HIM TO LEAVE WITHOUT LALLI REALIZING IT HAPPENED.

because Lalli is tired. it’s a running theme. he works nights. and Tuuri eagerly dumps all this info on him during the daylight hours where their shifts overlap, and apparently pushes all of the paperwork for their new job through without Lalli actively signing off on it or processing what’s happening even once. Tuuri claims they resigned together. I highly doubt Lalli had a damn clue.

a lot of bad shit happens because people keep pushing Lalli into things when he’s exhausted. from the moment they stumble off the boat to meet Emil, Lalli is plagued by nausea, poor sleep, and sometimes no sleep at all. but for Lalli, a lifetime of obeying orders – from Ensi, from Onni, from the Keuruu military structure he grew up in – has primed him to go along with it when he’s told what his job is, almost without question.

it's a kind of inertia. Lalli doesn’t want to leave the safe routine of Keuruu, because that’s what he’s used to. but once Tuuri literally shoves him into motion, he keeps going along with her as a path of least resistance. Tuuri wants her adventure, and what Lalli wants won’t stand in her way. even when Lalli does say no, Tuuri gets what she wanted.

and only very rarely does Tuuri not get her way. Lalli plants his feet only once, really. but Tuuri still goes behind his back to make sure someone else forces Lalli to continue on, while he’s trying to assure their safety in the only way he can.

Lalli keeps winding up on/getting manhandled into one-way trips. boats he’s told he’s not allowed to leave. trains that continue to push him along the track in one direction. a walkway that inexorably pushes him toward the outside world, and change. a bridge literally collapses after standing through a century of the apocalypse so that they have no choice but to continue on the expedition. once he accepts this as his new job in a weird, scary foreign country full of death, inertia keeps him there.

and Lalli isn’t the only one who can be pushed.

 Tuuri is the driving force behind a lot of the first adventure, at least as far as Lalli and Onni is concerned. literally – she drives the cat tank.

but somehow, despite her entire family and village apart from Onni and Lalli dying a horrific death to the rash en mass, Tuuri has not internalized the reality of the world. she’s running on her own plucky excitement and blind optimism and scotch tape and whatever Taru fed her about the expedition. she chafes at the confines of Keuruu and wants to see the outside world, and we’re supposed to sympathize with her sense of feeling trapped by military restrictions and an overbearing, overprotective older brother, because that’s how adventures usually go.

so reality in the form of a troll punches a hole through her and the tank.

Onni isn’t overprotective. it turns out that, in the end, he was exactly right. but just as Lalli is forced to work perpetually exhausted and psychically burdened every day by the mass presence of trolls in the silent world, Onni is now forced to work at an extreme distance. he pulls out all the magical stops, potentially gives himself a literal stroke to try to protect Tuuri from that distance – but the expedition planners bought a cheap tank and hired the bare minimum of people and picked the most dangerously careless, cheap options every. damn. time.

so as Tuuri’s illness progresses, the tank progressively falls apart, until both of them die. the crew is forced to continue on foot. it's not a fun adventure anymore; it’s survival, dealing with the ghosts and notoro hazards, and retreat. there's no new impetus without Tuuri.

(the way Tuuri treats/disregards/runs rampant over her reluctant, neuroatypical cousin is a meta in and of itself, tbh.)

-

once they’re back, without Tuuri pushing him along, Lalli defaults to obeying Onni. inertia in action. Lalli has been taught since he was very, very young that if he doesn’t obey orders or if he makes a mistake, he’s a risk, and he’s just seen his cousin die because he was exhausted, because Sigrun didn’t want to backtrack and has casually trusted or brushed off Tuuri’s word on Lalli’s fatigue this whole time, Tuuri pressed exactly that button while scolding Lalli about forgetting the snow, and it set off Lalli’s stubborn pride and prior trauma at the worst possible moment.

and so Onni orders Lalli to stay and get a job with Emil instead of coming with him (supposedly) back to Keuruu. it works. Lalli accepts without really understanding what has happened or why, and lets inertia keep him in Iceland for a month without questioning it, because Onni knows what to do and Onni never lies.

but Onni has lied, and Lalli has been left behind. deliberately, intentionally, by someone who he trusted to make the call.

time to take some initiative!

except things are a lot harder, without Tuuri greasing the wheels, with Lalli trying to go at it alone.

there are no one-way trains or walkways directing Lalli toward a set destination when he sets out like this. there is no Tuuri to keep corralling him when he goes the wrong way. now Lalli keeps running into minor stumbling blocks, language barrier-induced delays, and confusing evidence of where Onni’s final destination might be. unlike the silent world expedition where they had set destinations and book library targets based on prior research and maps, Lalli is essentially choosing where to go on the fly, based on what he learns as he gets there.

but that’s because this isn’t a money-grabbing, glory hounding trip instigated by greed under false pretences. the silent world expedition was inevitable in a very doomed sort of way, which was why the trip there went so (relatively) smoothly. this is Lalli, defying orders, upsetting what used to be the natural order of his life, because he’s worried about Onni.

and in a way, it’s healthier. there are no warning signs like the troll breaching the saw train early in adventure 1. we see sea trolls killed without fuss; no one has been in danger in Finland itself yet, really. They’re trying to find Onni to clear up a deception, not perpetuate a deception for someone else’s gain, at their own cost.

now with slightly more power of friendship!

trying to find Onni is…a more genuine motivation to start a trip. for Lalli just doing this goes against every instinct he’s been trained to follow, and the bumps along the way reflect that it’s an uphill journey as he finds a new way to live.

the contradiction has been there all along, though:

Tuuri tells Lalli to wait for her in Mora. he steps on the moving walkway without realizing, and has to go against the flow to get back to her. (even then, he’s still trying to do what he’s told.) Lalli’s narrative track has been leading up to this confrontation about his own inertia and tendency to fall in with what others want for a while now.

ironically, he can’t be afraid to try new things.

-

speculation time – this new direction for Lalli is probably leading up to a confrontation first with a kade-possessed Ensi, and then (even more speculatively) with a kade-possessed Onni, with the kade playing on Lalli’s documented tendency to defer to their orders. particularly if the it hunting the Hotakainens = the kade that possessed Ensi = the nightmare moose that attacked Lalli in the dream sea. an attack which, in addition to Tuuri’s death, would have prompted more of Onni’s urgency in returning to Saimaa. Tuuri died and Lalli almost died, and Onni’s got a very strong protective and self-sacrificial streak.

we see the prototype for what’s to come as Ensi slowly loses control of herself under the kade’s influence. she gives Lalli the order not to look into her eyes, first – but she hasn’t realized yet that the kade can just use Ensi herself to contradict that order. we can assume that if Lalli meets Ensi again, he’s going to have to disregard any order she gives him that might be suspect, in a way he’s been trained not to since he was a child. even back then, when faced with the contradiction in Ensi’s orders, Lalli wound up doing...what Grandma told him…

…but he can’t rely on Ensi’s last moments of clarity anymore. it's been too long. Lalli has to make his own calls under his own direction, with no way to know if what he’s choosing is a mistake or not.

and for a maximum ironic callback, Ensi says that she’ll retire when her replacement is trained…and when she’s dead.

if kade!Ensi is looking for a replacement for her now aging body...Onni and Lalli certainly fit the bill.

[inu-jiru]

Erro Dreemurr

(Template by HarmonyParty on DeviantArt)

~BASIC INFO~

 Name: Erro Dreemurr (Pronounced like “Arrow”)

 Nickname: Airhead (by bullies), Little Rascal (by his parents), Curly Top (by Sans), Punk (by Undyne), and Small Asgore Clone (by Papyrus).

 Gender: Male

 Age: 7, in human years.

 Species/What Are They: Boss Monster

Soul (Color): White

 Sexuality: Straight

 ~BATTLE INFO~

 Atc: 8

 Def: 4

 Exp: 64

 LV: 1

 HP: 104

  Weapons: He has an old dagger given to him by Undyne (ONLY for emergencies, she warned him), and a slingshot.

 Powers/Attacks: He has the same fireball attacks as his parents and Asriel. He tends to combine his fireball attacks with his slingshot, using them as ammo when he fights. He also uses his dagger as a makeshift sword. He has a special magic spell that conjures up a magic-made dagger similar to his own that he gives to his opponent in order to have a fair fight.

 Fighting Style: He takes inspiration from Robin Hood, and it shows in his fighting style. Robin Hood was a master swordsman and archer, so he mimics the attacks of someone fighting with a sword. Since he isn’t allowed to have a bow, he uses his slingshot to launch fire attacks at his opponent.

 ~RELATIONSHIP INFO~

 Friends With: His closest friends are a band of monster children born after the Barrier broke. He calls them his band of “Merry Monsters”.

 Neutral With: Most humans. Frisk and Chara are the only humans he likes.

 Enemies With: A small group of human bullies at his mother’s school.

 Family: Asgore (Father), Toriel (Mother), Asriel (Older Brother), Chara and Frisk (Adopted Older Siblings).

 Crush(es): None.

 Single, Taken, Or Talking (If the last two, with who): Single.

 ~PERSONALITY~

 Personality Towards Humans: Aside from Frisk and Chara (and to a lesser extent, the human teachers at his school), he does not like humans very much. This is because of what he’s been told about the war, as well as the fact that he’s constantly harassed by human bullies at school. Because of this, he’ll either just ignore their presence, or be really supicious of them if they engage in conversation. His parents have tried to convince him that humans and monsters are equals, but it hasn’t helped.

 Personality Towards Strangers: See above for human strangers. For monster strangers, he’ll typically stay away unless he absolutely needs to interact with them for whatever reason. Most times, he’s in his own world, so he’d come off as odd to people who don’t know him.

 Personality Towards Friends: With his band of Merry Monsters, he acts very confident, putting on his persona as a ringleader to their shenanigans. He can come off as bossy at times, and sometimes his friends can be overwhelmed by his overzealous attitude.

 Strengths: Erro’s strengths are his athleticism, his offensive capabilities, his bravery, his understanding of right and wrong, and his sense of honor.

 Weaknesses: Erro’s weaknesses are his youth and inexperience, his defensive capabilities, a lack of any sort of strategy when fighting, a short attention span, and his naivety.  

 Flaws: Erro’s ultimate flaws are his mischievous behavior and overall disregard for rules, his lack of understanding as to why violence is a inherently a bad thing, his prejudice and mistrust of humans, and an ego that tends to get him in trouble. He also only sees things in black and white, so he doesn’t understand just how complex morality can be.

 Likes: He likes stories, especially ones of adventure and action (the stories of Robin Hood are his absolute favorite). He likes sweets, especially marshmallows (he has his own secret stash of him hidden under his bed. He likes to help Toriel cook sometimes (even if she only lets him do boring jobs like mixing batter), and he often gardens with Asgore (he plants Venus Fly Traps because they’re cool). He likes puns, and action-oriented anime, although he “ironically” watches Mew Mew Kissing Cutie from time to time. In fact, he “ironically” enjoys a lot of things one would consider “girly”. He especially likes the outdoors and any activity associated with it. He enjoys spending time with his “Aunt” Undyne so she can teach him some basic fighting skills (nothing too serious; Toriel won’t allow it).

 Dislikes: His hair can be irritating at times, since he has to keep blowing it out of his face to see (although he sees it as “his style”, so he won’t let it be cut). He hates bullies and anyone fitting the stereotypically “evil” label. He hates vegetables and Papyrus’ spaghetti (he’ll do anything to get out of eating it). Being lectured annoys him, as well (unfortunately, he goes through that a lot). Lastly, he can’t stand rain, only because his parents refuse to let him go out when it happens.

 Fears: He fears that humans will attack the monsters again someday, sealing them away like they did in the past. He also has a fear of losing someone he cares about to someone cruel and evil. Being alone makes him nervous as well. A minor fear of his is spiders (he’s no longer allowed in Muffet’s bakery for this reason).

 ~APPEARANCE~

 Eye Color: Erro has blue eyes.

 Clothes: His clothes are based off a medieval style, with a Lincoln Green tunic, and dark brown pants. He wears a rope belt around his waist, which is where he keeps his dagger and slingshot. A black delta rune is printed on the back of his tunic.

 Hair: Erro has short, curly, blond hair that covers his face.

 Skin: The skin under Erro’s fur is a soft, fleshy color.

 Other: Erro has abnormally long fangs, and despite being as younger than Asriel, his horns have started to grow in. His ears aren’t floppy like the rest of his family, but are similar in shape to an Angora goat’s ears.

 ~OTHER INFO~

 Alignment: Chaotic Good

 Goals/Purpose: His ultimate goal is to be a true hero and warrior, like Undyne. Unfortunately, he focuses too much on the violence aspect rather than actual justice.

 Job: None, although he does want to do something hero-related in the future.

 Items: His dagger and wooden slingshot. He sometimes carries some marshmallows on his person.

  ~BACKSTORY~

 Backstory: Erro’s story begins a few years after the Barrier broke. Asgore and Toriel, after months of gradually growing closer after their time apart, finally decided to rekindle their old marriage, living together with Frisk as their child. Not long after that Asriel and Chara were restored to their former selves, and the Dreemurr family was back to what it once was. But one day, Toriel and Asgore broke the news to their friends and family: Toriel was pregnant. After nine months, a healthy baby boy was born, Erro Dreemurr.

 Erro’s first years were peaceful, being part of the new generation of monsters born in freedom. He was taught the history of the monsters, although the darker moments were often skipped over. Knowing how much monsters were hurt by humans, Erro gained a distrust for most of them. It didn’t help that a lot of humans acted antagonistic towards monsters because they were monsters. Despite that, he found a lot of their culture interesting, like Robin Hood, which influenced him to take an interest in heroism and justice. He wanted to be a hero and protect the innocent, like the heroes in his stories. He went to Undyne, who he idolized greatly for her history as the Captain of his father’s Royal Guard, and asked her to train him. Undyne agreed, but she taught him only the basics, knowing how upset Toriel would be if she taught her son to be a killer, or caused the boy to get hurt.

 As Erro grew older, he began acting out his heroic persona in public, acting as a warrior who’d beat up bad guy he came across. This led him to have many fights with the local bullies. While the other children idolized him for his bravery, Toriel and Asgore didn’t approve of his impulsive and violent behavior. Erro wasn’t sure why; he was only trying to be helpful. He didn’t understand what it meant to solve his problems in a pacifistic way. So Toriel and Asgore tried to turn his interests elsewhere, with baking or gardening. They have helped a little, but Erro was still set in his ways. Currently, he’s still a rambunctious, wannabe-hero, although he has more outlets to channel his energy than he used to. But he still has a lot to learn, and a lot of growing up to do.