#kh arranged marriage series

[intoevernightfanfic]

Today I received my hard cover copy of The Arranged Marriage of a Tochigami and a Wild Fox (Rated MA), designed and bound by @pinkjellymoon ! I am OVER THE MOON to have something physical in my hands! It's the coolest thing I've ever gotten that's fandom related, and I want to thank Kiki so much for all the time, effort, and love she poured into making this a reality! 💖💖💖💖

I also can't believe just how thick it is; I've clearly done a LOT of writing, and seeing it in physical form makes the amount of work I've put into this series more real. I'm proud tbh! And I'm so flattered and tickled that Kiki wanted to make my story into a book. Serious kudos to her; it looks so good!

Credit to @nartistadigital for the image on the back cover and @pinkjellymoon for the art on the inside sleeves!

[cats2019forthenintendoswitch]

Theory: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is canon to Kingdom Hearts

Ok I know the title is a bit clickbaity and probably won't happen. But it could, knowing KH's history... just hear me out. Also this is a long-ass post but I won't tag it as such cus I already have a read more so w/e. Click it at your own risk

Part I: What this theory actually means

It means exactly that: Sora is not in fact just another guest fighter, but in fact Sora himself. Compare this to, say, the fighters from the Zelda universe, who are each based on a specific character but whose appearance are accepted as non-canon to the Zelda lore, or Pit, in a similar situation, referencing Smash Bros explicitely in the fourth wall-obliterating Uprising.

Part II: Super Smash Bros lore

Possibly other than the N64 game, the Super Smash Bros Series takes place in what's known as the "world of trophies". As the name implies, it's a world inabhited by trophies, or figurines, which come to life and fight, and when defeated or "killed" simply revert to their trophy form until "reactivated". This can be seen in every game since Melee, most notably in the two "canon" modes of Smash Bros history, The Subspace Emissary and World Of Light.

All of this to establish that Super Smash Bros. has its own world and lore, even if it's mostly relegated to separate story modes.

Part III: Final Fantasy versus XIII (yes, this is important. And if you already know why, you can skip this part)

Circa 2006, Square Enix was planning to make Final Fantasy XIII the next-gen equivalent to the VII, with an extended universe and several spin-offs. Wether it was a success, a failure, or neither, is up for debate, but what's important is that one of the most notorious and ambitious planned titles, directed by Tetsuya Nomura, was Versus XIII. See the trailer here:

This game would not only ditch any shred of turn-based combat altogether (something that Nomura already had experience with, as he had already helmed the Kingdom Hearts series) but he had also planned to go beyond, seamlessly weaving story and gameplay together without need for cutscenes, ridiculously interactable environments, a rich story centering around the arranged royal marriage of the protagonist, a prince from a kingdom that worships death...

Eventually, versus XIII transformed into XV. Maybe due to this change and Square Enix wanting to play it safe, maybe due to Nomura's overambitions, maybe due to a change of director, maybe due to the game's sheer hype, maybe due to other factors, and probably due to a combination of all those, when the game released, it was mostly seen as pretty good, but underwhelming, even or specially after all the DLC came out. This video goes more in-depth:

The point is, Nomura was probably a bit frustated with the situation. Still, he continued to work on KH3, and added an easter egg (well, I don't know if it's even correct to call it that since it's so obvious) to Versus XII/XV in the form of Verum Rex, a fictional game in the Toy Story world.

It has very obvious parallels, Rex geeks out over it, there's ever a section where you get digitized like in Tron and get to play an arcade set in its world! And afterwards, Woody tells Xehanort he has no friends. Overall, a great time! Just a cool easter egg that Nomura put in for the Versus XIII fans and nothing else, right?

Part IV: The absolute state of Kingdom Hearts (if you skipped the last one you can probably skip this one too)

At the end of the story, Sora basically dies and awakens in Shibuya. Not real life Shibuya, not the Shibuya from The World Ends With You (oh yeah he met TWEWY characters, in a similar way to how he met Final Fantasy characters), but a different Shibuya, likely the one from where Yozora (the protagonist of Verum Rex) is from. Probably, because he's there. In fact, in the DLC Sora even fights him.

The DLC also hints that Yozora has a deep connection to Sora. And this character from a fictional videogame that is an homage to a kinda cancelled real life videogame project, along with the mobile game (mostly the characters it introduces) form the cornerstone of current KH theorizing. Just to show you HOW over the place Kingdom Hearts storytelling can be. Meaning this theory (remember this is a theory relating to smash bros) is somewhat plausible.

Anyway, in Melody Of Memory, the only KH game on switch that isn't cloud-based, we find out that Quadratum, the world in which Sora and Yozora are, is a new kind of world called fictional, one that exists outside the normal scope of worlds in the KH series. We already see this in the game itself, as it is, in fact, a fictional game in the KH-verse.

So to summarise: Sora is still currently lost, and exists in a world outside his home series' normal scope. And perhaps, somehow, he managed to get out of the Verum Rex world only to land in the world of trophies?

Part V: "Evidence"

In the trailer, Sora enters by emerging from a giant keyhole summoned by a keyblade, which, in his home series, generally represents travelling between worlds

Most other trailers have the DLC character getting an invitation or even just showing up, but this is the only one to explicitely use a in-universe dimensional travelling ability.

Furthermore, Sora's trailer and inclusion seems... a bit more aware of Smash Bros-specific lore. At the start of the trailer, all the fighters seem to be expecting the last fighter... until it's revealed they were simply reverted to trophies.

So it acknowledges the lore compared to, say, the Belmont trailer, where Luigi appears to die.

Sora's final smash is also a reference to the end of Kingdom Hearts 1, when he seals the door to darkness. And while they could have simply recreated said door, it goes above and beyond in showing that Sora is, in fact, sealing the WORLD OF TROPHIES' heart's door, by having a giant Smash Bros logo on it.

Finally, when Kirby absorbs Sora, the keyblade he summons is made of pure light because he's literally too pure. Which is kind of just a neat little detail but it's cute.

Part VI: What does this mean for Kingdom Hearts?

Well... probably not much. If it turns out to somehow be true, it probably won't get much more than something like "and I also went to a world where everyone fought each other. It was pretty neat", maybe more expicit in a Nintendo-exclusive game. But given the nature of Kingdom Hearts, and more specifically its current state of the story and how it seems to want to deal with metafictional concepts, it very well might happen. The biggest obstacle seems to be, as always, copyright.

[kattitina]

I don’t like AkuRoku . . . Anymore

If you don’t know, AkuRoku, or Axel/Roxas, is a fairly popular M/M pairing from the Kingdom Hearts video game series.  On AO3 it is the second largest KH ship, trailing Riku/Sora by a hundred fics at the time of me writing this.

It’s also a ship at the center of a lot of controversy.  More controversy than I think it deserves.  But that’s because I don’t believe in ship-based assumptions of a person’s character. I’ll get into that later.  The controversy surrounding AkuRoku is that there is a major age disparity between the two characters, with Axel being about 25-27 and Roxas being something like 14-16.

And the ages laid out plain like that should give newcomers to the KH fandom, or to the ship, some pause. This age difference is made worse because we only see these characters interact at their current ages and don’t know how they will interact when Roxas is an adult. But Axel’s age was not given to us at the time when the ship was created and first gaining popularity.  

So December 22, 2005 is when KH 2 was first released and the AkuRoku ship was born in it’s wake.  AND BOY was that a terrible time for fandom. Not because AkuRoku, but rather fandom culture in general was kind of terrible up to around 20009-2013. Progress is slow going.  But AkuRoku was big and popular.  It was meme-able to those of us who didn’t know what a meme was.  It was at cons, it was in the fanfiction and the fan art.  It was everywhere.

Axel was this 17-19-year-old bad boy reformed by his love for Roxas, a moody and sullen teen trying to take on the world.  And honestly this is the most common iteration of their relationship, except sometimes they were both adults.  Because we didn’t even know that Axel was in his 20’s until Birth By Sleep, which released in January 9, 2010.

“THAT’S WHY YOU DON’T SHIP IT ANYMORE, RIGHT KATTI???!!!111?!”  

Nope.

Honestly age differences in fiction don’t bother me a lick.  I actually really love arranged marriage AU’s which sometimes involve age differences.  Historical dramas tend to include age differences.  Vampire AU’s always include age differences.  If there is no age difference in canon fans will make one if it fits their fic.  If there is an age difference in canon, they are going to magic eraser that away for their story about high school, or college, or being two young soldiers on opposite sides of a war. Canon ages don’t matter in fanfiction.

Honestly the worst things about AkuRoku isn’t the age difference.  In my opinion the worst thing about AkuRoku is how the characters were presented in the fics.  Regardless of what their age differences were, Axel was often presented as this obsessive and manipulative dude constantly ignoring Roxas's desire for space and Roxas was constantly presented as a “no means yes and get lost means take me I’m yours” character.

And that’s not okay behavior.

I admit I occasionally like reading fics with obsessive and manipulative characters, but only when I want to read those fics and when they are tagged properly.  I might on occasion go “this is a well-written fic drawing from me emotions I’m not opposed to feeling right now” or I might table the fic for a time when I want to read about the obsession and manipulation. But on the whole it’s not something I like to see in a romantic lead.  

But it’s really Roxas’s characterization (and the characters around Roxas) that I don’t like anymore. Because a lot of peak AkuRoku was Axel being told by everyone but Roxas that Roxas did really like Axel, when Roxas was reluctant to associate with Axel at best.  Sometimes Roxas was outright hostile to Axel and yet characters like Sora would tell Axel that “He does like you, you can’t give up.”  Axel was never made to accept Roxas’s feelings, except in fics which would then have Roxas confess this love that Roxas had never shown before.

This gaslighting was a real problem in the Akuroku community.  And I don’t know if it’s gotten better or not.  Between 2011 and (late) 2014 I was pretty out of the KH fandom.  My time, energies, and interests were elsewhere. And it wasn’t until after I graduated from University that I went back to KH, this time with a new love for Soriku and SoRiKai.  And I was more into reading the gen fics, the found family fics, the speculative post KH3 fics.  I was less interested in the organization as a whole and AU’s for KH in general.  Not that I didn’t read the AUs, but now they were mostly canon divergent AU’s instead.

But when I think of AkuRoku as a ship, when I read an interesting summary for an AkuRoku fic, I’m not thinking about 25 year old Axel and 15 year old Roxas.  When I see fanart of Axel and Roxas I don’t think “Axel is kissing a 15-year-old” I think “Wow, Roxas is short just like some of my friends and coworkers.”  

Now let’s get to the idea that someone’s ships can be used to make assumption about a person’s habits, attitudes, outlook on real life issues.

Frankly, they can’t.  

Someone can like reading or writing or drawing a pairing without that being an indication of what they do off line.

I love kidnapping fanfictions.  Don’t know why but I adore fics with characters being kidnapped.  Bonus points for isolation and mental manipulations.  But kidnapping is a terrible thing, it should not happen to real people.  

Same with certain ships.  People can know that the dynamics of the ship is wrong in real life and still enjoy it in fiction.  

Do look out for people who say it’s fine for teens to date adults.  But Don’t think that just because someone ships a teen and adult, that they believe it’s fine for people with that dynamic to date.

[rox-the-proxy]

KH TerraVan Tribal AU

Always Updating/WIP

Notes:

Note, this AU was inspired by superfluous-Vanitas tribal AU art. Note i have added my own plot line, ideas, and different creatures that hail from the games The Isle and Ark: Survival Evolved. Thus, the creatures/mounts that that characters have in this AU are NOT to be changed unless its been stated in the canon AU story line.

Notes 2:

If you wish to use this AU please be sure to give me credit for it! And if you have questions, please feel free to pm and ask me! Or comment below and I’ll answer as soon as i can.

Notes 3:

Note, this is a TerraVan ship AU thus this ship is NOT TO BE CHANGED. Another ship that is not to be changed is IsaLea! These ships are set in stone! Other ships are free to be added!

Notes 4:

Any and all other characters that are mentioned will be in different tribes depending on the story line! If you dont see a character name on any of the lists below, assume they currently do not play a super important role!

Notes 5:

Note creatures that are listed as a character Mount i will not be adding photos of for as there are quite a few! Please feel free to look them up as most of them come from the Game Ark: Survival Evolved.

Notes 6:

Note, Adding ocs is fine, however please do not ship them with characters who are already a canon ship for this AU!

Note 7:

Note, information here can be found on the Kingdom Hearts Rp amino and the Kingdom Hearts amino as well, i go by Prince Vanitas in the Kingdom Hearts rp amino and Rox on the Kingdom Hearts aminos.

AU Information:

°This AU takes place during a time where Dinosaurs and people lived at the same time. Though this doesn’t mean there isn’t modern day technology when it comes to the scientific aspect. Meaning the ability to genetically modify dinosaurs is possible. However it’s only possible if the tribe has the means and knowledge. This takes the ideas of taming dinosaurs from the game known as Ark: Survival Evolved and some ideas, creatures and things of the like from the horror survival game The Isle. I do not take credit for the creatures from either of these games or the Kingdom Hearts series. This AU was inspired by someones art of a tribe AU for the TerraVan ship you can find them on Tumblr as superfluous-Vaniats so go check them out, give em some love!

World Information:

Based on the Idea that Dinosaurs and humans lived at the same time, this tribe AU revolves around Vanitas, the adopted child to the Seeker’s Tribe leader Xehanort, and his Mount a odd looking ( Hyperendocrin) T-Rex who goes by the name of Hypo. In an effort to cease a constant tribe war between the Guardians Tribe ran by Tribe leader Eraqus, the two have decided on an arranged marriage between Vanitas and Eraqus’ own child; Terra. Though, while Vanitas seems to easily go along with the plan, Terra doesn’t. As the weeks go by, Terra and Vanitas learn more about each other and about the past Vanitas can’t seem to remember about himself.

Tribes:

Seekers Tribe:

A tribe that specializes in Predator taming. This by far one of the larger Tribes that can be found in the area, and a Tribe who’s leader leads with a firm, iron fist. Their skills in taming predator type creatures makes them a force to be reckoned with. The people from this tribe are seen as cynical, cunning, cold and distant. They take habbitance in the wide open plains of the land, and a medium sized portion of the dense forests by the plains. Though there seems to be something more…sinister with it’s tribe leader then what meets the eye.

Seekers Tribe Notable Members:

Xehanort:

A mysterious old man who seems to always know more then what he lets on. The tribe leader who rules with an iron fist. With golden eyes he watches over his tried silently all while training his somewhat rebellious adopted child. Though he is anything but a loving man, strict and off cold, he is not a tribe leader to be messed with.

Vanitas:

Child to the Seekers Tribe leader, local and resident trouble maker, owner of a powerful mount; Vanitas is the next in line to rule the Seekers Tribe. Taken in at a young age after he and his strange T-Rex (who was a just a young as Vanitas was at the time) starving and wounded by none other then Xehanort himself. Seeming to be a sort of ‘freak’ among his own tribe members, Vanitas is often found out in the dense woods alone or out in the grassy plains of his tribe’s territory with his T-Rex Mount; Hypo. He is to be wed to the son of another tribe’s leader to merge the two together and end a constant war they seem to be at.

Isa:

Resident voice of reason to both Vanitas and Lea, and seeming to be one of only two people in the entire tribe who sees Vanitas as a friend. Head of the Allosaurus hunting party, he keeps a cool head and logical thinking to almost everything he does. He may seem distant and cold, but once one gets past that hard exterior he’s kind and gives sound advice to any who seek nothing but honest answers and opinions.

Lea:

Second in command of the Allosaurus hunting party; Lea is all spitfire personality and a unpredictable person over all. He happens to also be Isa’s significant other making their Mounts the Alpha pair that run the pack. He also is Vanitas’ best friend and usually the one who is ride or die with him. Despite this, Lea is cynical and can flip on a dime when a job needs to be done. This makes him a valuable asset to the hunting party. He is also Vanitas’ constant support as well as being more then ready to defend him should anyone try to pick a fight with him.

Luxlord:

Third in command of the hunting party, usually the last person to take charge. This isn’t due to him being incapable, but merely because it’s rare for both Lea and Isa to not be available. A gambler and always willing to take risks he usually is the one who leads the more risky missions but we his history of good luck he’s managed to always come back alive and the hunting party unscracthed. Laid back, but a bit cocky he and Vanitas have a bit of a complicated like and hate relationship. As Luxlord is okay with supporting him, but rather put the good of the tribe before him in a heart beat.

Guardians Tribe:

A tribe that specializes in Herbivore taming type creatures. This is typically a peace loving tribe, though it’s leader is always prepared for a war, he never goes looking for it. As a decent of the first settlers of the land, this Tribe’s leader is a kind hearted man with a wisdom that leaves anyone who seeks advice from him stunned. His tribe takes up the cliff sides, some plains and a small portion of dense forest. Not a extremely large Tribe, but one that is constantly having issues with the Seekers Tribe.

Guardians Tribe Notable Members:

Eraqus:

One of the kindest Tribe members, a once old friend to Xehanort and a man with wanting the best for his tribe. Wise, calm and understanding to a point, Eraqus is loved by his tribe and is respected by many others who have encountered him. Despite having been a friend to Xehanort back in their youth; something drove them apart and now both their Tribes are always at each other’s throats.

Terra:

The Protector, Son to Tribe Leader Eraqus himself, and one of few Tribe’s people who has a predator type mount; a T-Rex by the name of Ash. Clam, cool and collected Terra is a man of few words and the future tribe leader. Physically Strong and strong willed; Terra is never one to give up easily or underestimate opponents of any kind. He is to be wed to the son of another tribe to cease a decade long war and is not pleased about it.

Aqua:

Resident Healer and student to Tribe Leader Eraqus, she is loving as she is honest. With her Shantungosaurus Mount named; Eva, they are a duo that is rarely seen far away from the Home as she tends to sick and injured. She is also originally from another tribe who was wiped out by the Seekers tribe, thus her hatred for them runs deep. Her years friendship with Terra allows her to understand his displeasure with the arranged marriage, she can often he found with him and their third friend.

Ventus:

The youngest of the Trio, Ventus is a young boy with a uncanny ability to quickly tame most herbivore type dinos. He is also one of a few small handful of tribe members who have a Predator type mount. With his Ceratosaurus named Avea the two make a perfect team when it comes to River fishing. Though despite this, Ventus is a bit shy and prefers to stay at home or stick close to Terra and Aqua. Like Aqua, Ventus once originally came from a different tribe. What tribe he came from however is unknown as he himself doesn’t recall.

Roxas:

Twin brother to Ventus, sometimes harsh and sassy, Roxas is usually always off with the Tides Tribe hanging out with Sora and his two friends. Though when he is not with them, he’s with the hunting part of his Tribe, as an elite member of the Hunting party, Roxas has a Utahraptor mount named Oblivion. Together they make a deadly team, often hitting their pray when it’s unexpected.

Tides Tribe:

One of the kindest Tribes in the Land, this tribe dwells and lives along a large part of coast line and distant islands off thr main land. A peace loving tribe and oddly enough one that has rarely been attacked, this seems to be due to the many trade deals that this tribe has to other larger Tribes. However, this doesn’t make them a target. This tribe specializes in water based creatures due to their constant travels between the main land and tiny off set islands. However, it seems this tribe had and still has issues with children of the tribe being kidnapped or going missing.

Tides Tribe Notable Members:

Mickey:

A young man who rules a tribe that dwells and rules over the Tides tribe. Kind, laid back and caring he can always he found helping the members of his tribe be it with simple tasks or heavy duty tasks such as hulling in fish nets or building new homes. He is a rather new Tribe leader having been a tribe leader for only about four years, making him one of the youngest Tribe Leaders around.

Sora:

A happy go lucky boy with a sun bright smile and a even brighter personality. Always smiling, kind to everyone and willing to see the good in anyone he meets, Sora is one of a kind and never fails to put a smile on anyone’s face. With his Kaprosuchus Mount named Riptide, it’s not strange to see Sora often fishing while on the back of this creature or he could he found enjoying a sunny day with his two best friends. It’s also said he once had a twin, though all he remembers is the one night he was hidden by his older twin while their villa was raided by another tribe. What became of his twin he doesn’t know, but seems to feel at blame for his disappearance.

Riku:

Adopted child to Mickey, future Tribe leader and a boy who comes off as the residents cool kid. However, considering he is best friends with Sora, it’s suspected he’s just as kind as he is. However, to those he doesn’t know, Riku is distant, cold and can come off as a bit of a jerk. Unlike his friend who has a semi- aquatic or completely aquatic like creature, Riku has a Megalosaurus as a mount named Dawn. He can be found during the day hanging out with his friends while at night he’s off with a night but I party group.

Kairi:

A girl who originally came from a completely different tribe at the age of four, she now lives with the Tides Tribe and seems to love her new home there. She is the third and final best friend to Sora and Riku, she can often be found with the two, watching over their daily shenanigans or scolding them for whenever they do anything that gets them into trouble. Unlike her friends, Kairi has two small “Mounts” the first one being a Shinehorn named starlight, and the other a small Featherlight named Sparks.

Demyx:

Local musician, a laid back guy and generally very easy to get along with. He seems to get along with a lot of kids as he helps the mothers of the tribe keep an eye on the younger kids. He’s often found at the harbor playing his guitar like instrument while chilling on the back of his Aquatic mount, a Liopleurodon by the name of Storm. He often times plays music during the Tribe dinners or for the birthdays of Sore, Riku and Kairi, making him someone the teens and young kids go to go have fun or relax.

Deep Land Tribe:

A mysterious Tribe that keeps to itself, not much is known about this tribe but it’s suspected there is more to them then what meets the eye. What is known that this was the Tribe Xehanort originally came from before braking off and starting his own tribe. Though the man has never spoken a thing about them.

Deep Land Tribe Notable Members:

Xigbar:

A mysterious, one eyed man with scars that litter his face. Cocky, and giving off a dark vibe; this man is not the actual leader of the Tribe but is currently acting as tribe Leader. Where the actual tribe leader went, is unknown. However, it is known that the scars on his face and the missing eye are a result of an unsuccessful attack he lead on the Guardians Tribe, the one who caused tue injuries was Terra himself. His Mount is known at the current time.

Larxene:

A young woman with a sharp tongue, and even sharper knives. Her aggressive personality makes her perfect for being the second in command of her tribe’s hunting party. She’s ruthless, harsh, and hates most if not all children, this includes children of her tribe. Thus this leads to her usually leaving them for dead should they mess up or join the hunting party, leaving them on their own without help. Her mount is currently unknown

Marluxia:

leader of the Hunting party, he is as handsome as he is cynical. His joy for playing mind games, or toying with his pray makes him a deadly opponent. Despite this, unlike his second in command he can be a man of logic as well, he’s not afraid to question the motives of his own tribe and seems to have bigger plans for himself and anyone else who joins him I whatever plans he has in store. His Mount is currently unknown.

Even:

Scientist, cynical, mad even. Even is what many would see as the book definition of a mad scientist, though he would say otherwise. Despite this, no one dares argue the fact that he is indeed intelligent. This has lead to his tribe being the most advanced Tribe on the main land when it comes to Generic Modification in dinosaurs. Though, while others see his practices and experiments unethical and cruel, he doesn’t think so. His Mount is also currently unknown.

Xion:

A young, troubled young lady who seems to be miserable in her tribe. She is part of the hunting party, but despite her clear displeasure in being part of her tribe, it is unknown as to why she doesn’t leave. She’s skilled when it comes to tracking and setting up traps, making her a valuable asset to the Tribe. Her mount is currently Unknown.

Naminé:

another young lady who doesn’t seem content with her tribe. What her role is and what she does is completely unknown she has only been seen once and that was by Vanitas. Before he could even ask who she was and if she needed help, she managed to turn tail and run, loosing him in the dense forest.

[jjillekkot]

SHIPPING INFO !! Answer the following for your muse so people know how shipping works on your blog.

WHAT IS YOUR OTP FOR YOUR CHARACTER?: As a fair warning, I’m going to say Yuffentine is not high on my list of priorities. I know it’s there, I know we all shipped it in 2006 including middle school me because DoC really pushed it into our faces, but... I really prefer them as friends or like, post-DoC if we’re gonna go that far but only because Vincent’s seen Yuffie’s personal hell at that rate and has seen her for the adult she is, and she’s saved his ass, and it’s at her peak maturity in the series & it’s like a “you’ve saved my life, I’ve saved yours, you’re a woman now.” No star-crossed lovers trope, no slow burn over time. More of a “I recognize you now as an adult and an equal peer and we both have needs.”

THAT BEING SAID. I’ve always fancied Yuffie with Tseng. That’s probably my favorite? It’s rarely seen, but something about him ( probably ! ) being from Wutai, his sheer loyalty, his goodass looks & how in some respects they mirror each other ( she wants to belong to the homeland but is rejected, defiant vs. he refuses the homeland but his appearance [ his long hair in respect and honor, his tilak, his unmodified features ] is inviting and accepting, he is fiercely loyal ) that is like... what a good ass pair? 

I also like her with the other Turks ( fight me! ), Rufus, and Cloud.  In KH, I ship with Leon, but her age is so ambiguous that she could really go up or down depending on the timeline. I also currently ship with a Lea.

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO WRITE WHEN IT COMES TO SHIPPING?: > Friends with benefits. I think it’s extremely likely that Yuffie would hook up with someone but not tag them along with a full-time relationship, given that she’s still the crown heir of Wutai and that would be a hefty responsibility for someone not interested in becoming part of the royal family.

> Casual hook-ups. Someone she could go on dates with from time to time, but not too seriously, for the same reason as before.

> Long-term relationships, but this would have to be an AU or something that does not take place in the VII universe. 

> Political commitments / relationships. This could include arranged marriages, but isn’t exclusive to it. I like the idea of like... two royals getting together to better their kingdom? Or maybe a business partners? Maybe clans cooperating? YO. I vastly prefer if there is some sort of romance between Yuffie and the other person, even if there’s a slow burn.

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?: As long as Yuffie is of age, then I’m fine. STOP MAKING ALL THIS UNDERAGE SIN OF HER, THAT’S THE UNCOMFORTABLE FACTOR.

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?: I am. I’m definitely a ship with chemistry kind of person, and I like to have a good relationship with the mun as well. If I don’t feel comfortable with them, then I won’t feel comfortable writing the ship. I don’t know if anyone else has issues with that... but consent is pretty important to me, okay? Please ask, but also please respect my comfort levels.

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE CONSIDERED NS/FW?: Nudity, heavy petting.

WHO ARE OTHER THE CHARACTERS YOU SHIP YOUR CHARACTER WITH?: I currently ship with a Crowe ( @nomadicnovice​ ) & a Noctis ( @rexcrystallis​ ) outside the VII / KH fandoms. In them, I ship with a Cloud ( @ndeavor​ ) & a Lea ( @gotitmemorised​ ). 

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?: Most definitely. I’ll assume everything is platonic until explicitly asked. And if I see outright flirting / sexual advances on the muse, I’ll ignore it ( if I’m uncomfortable ) or ask what your intentions are ( if I’m okay with the mun ).

HOW OFTEN DO YOU LIKE TO SHIP?: It’s not like... my priority on this blog, but I’ll admit it’s fun and I do like them.

ARE YOU SHIP OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?: More-or-less? Like, I’m happy for the ships I have, but I recognize that all writing isn’t just ships & I like all the threads I do, whether they’re serious, fluff, romantic, etc. 

ARE YOU MULTISHIP?: I have been in the past. I’m not necessarily opposed to it, but I would follow my partner’s preferences.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?: Tsuffie. Followed by Cluffie. And then... whatever you would call Leon/Yuffie. They’re cute af ok.

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?: Let’s have a few asks back and forth & like show our characters having some good chemistry, and then maybe while we’re plotting we can be like... hey? What do you think about this? I think that’s a pretty solid way to start the conversation.

Tagged by: A whole lot of y’all. Like half a dozen. I get it y’all I swear. I finally did it scoobs. Tagging: If somehow you haven’t taken it, you have now.

[ngfics]

Swallows at Dusk (Birds of Dawn)

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Swallows at Dusk (Birds of Dawn)

SIOC - Celandia is born into a Keyblade Wielder legacy, unfortunately (or fortunately) for her - her Succession Ceremony results in a Dive to the Heart that unearths some confusing and alarming truths about her situation. Now she has to handle Keyblade Wielder politics, family problems, child exploitation, tests and half-truths. She turns and the sky...well, it’s - it’s hypnotizing.

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Series title: Swallows at Dusk (Birds of Dawn)

Story title(s): The Stairway to Sky (not Heaven) - Building Castles in the Sky (remember, remember) - Empty Skies (in land of always night) - Reach for the Sky (too high, too high) - Sky is the Limit (sky is falling) - Wingtip to Wingtip (evening skies aflame)

Genre: friendship / romance / drama / tragedy / adventure

Characters: Celandia - SIOC, Xehanort, Eraqus, Various Kingdom Hearts characters, OCs to populate Scala, OCs to populate in general

Pairings: Xehanort x Celandia x Eraqus, Xehanort x Celandia, Xehanort x Eraqus, also many OC x OC pairings since we’re short on population here

Tags: Scala ad Caelum world building, society of Keyblade Wielders, how might things go, caste systems, reasons for complicated relationships, Light and Darkness, Seekers and Stewards, Kingdom Hearts Lore mashup, I take bits and pieces and run with it, headcanoning stuff, ...a lot of stuff, polyamory, Keybalde lore mashup, Keyblade succession ceremony, SIOC doesn't know everything, but does know a lot, Dive to the Heart loosens up some stuff, some romance, a lot of pining, on all sides, canon will doubtless betray me, but who cares, it's not more convoluted than the original, no one can beat Nomura there, OCs because we need to populate Scala

Summary: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that much is true, but can one still find beauty in the wonderfully vibrant castles on water when one knows of skeletons those depths hide. Celandia looks to the sky and wants to fly.

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Next up, some coherent notes for the series:

The Stairway to Sky (not Heaven)

Young Celandia unearths some past-life memories after a successful Bequeathing.

She is her mother’s heir/pet-project, this quickly drags her into the world of Keyblade WIelder nobility. Their priviledges, their burdens, drama and duty.

Celandia would honestly prefer to be a farmer and not deal with politics and backstabbing, but she has no choice - her father is essentially a hostage for her good behaviour.

This story follows her time training, learning and making friends in Scala ad Caelum (white Scala), up until she leaves for a sabbatical of sorts.

The last freedom she’ll have before her arranged marriage.

Building Castles in the Sky (remember, remember)

This story follows the sabbatical she takes, travelling with Xehanort, visiting Eraqus, sometimes going on research binges alone. Up until tragedy strikes and she’s lost in the Realm of Darkness.

Romance, polyamory negotiations, nostalgia and sadness.

Empty Skies (in land of always night)

Celandia’s trials in the Realm of Darkness, how it affects her mind, how she manages to survive and what she gives up - or doesn’t.

Up until he manages to leave - with the help of someone hauntingly familiar.

Reach for the Sky (too high, too high)

Xehanort and Eraqus after Celandia’s fall (and persumed death) up until end of BBS. How they deal, how they come together and how they fall apart.

Sky is the Limit (sky is falling)

Cela’s time through KH3 and ReMind - her point of view about the things going on. Also, about her dealing with the effects The Realm of Darkness has had on her - she’s been in there for a LONG while.

Some of her memories return, some are forever lost.

Wingtip to Wingtip (evening skies aflame)

How Cela manages after KH3 and ReMind and Melody of Memory, possibly up util the end of KH storyline - or at least vs. MoM battle.

We’ll see if I change things and add stories in between this and that.

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Story is up on AO3!

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Posts: . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 .  

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After the snippet stream for the first story in the series is done I will be posting a chapter 1! on AO3! Because I finally managed to write one!!

Yaaaay!

I will keep adding some snippets for future stories in this series, but they will likely be heavily edited by the time AO3 story gets there - if I ever manage it :p

For the first story snippets...well they can hardly replace a full story, but they may spoil you or give you ideas as to how it’s going to go, but who knows I might change it by the time full story is un anyways; still, I hope you enjoy them!

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Also! some art! Here you have young Celandia and her close relations!

[hyhnorms]

Could polyamory become as common monogamy?

Polyamory is defined, very broadly, as “ethical non-monogamy”.

Observation:

More and more open conversations are being had and content being produced around polyamory, especially relating to the increase in throuples. Yesterday, Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow, and mother Adrienne gathered around their Red Table to discuss the dynamics of an intimate relationship with more than one partner, with the consent of all partners involved. 

Prior to this, on the 22nd of March 2016, Netflix released You Me Her - billed as television's first "polyamorous romantic comedy”. What starts as an arrangement soon evolves from a financial commitment into a meaningful romance with real consequences between 3 people. This year, this idea filtered into our fiction world too when hit mermaid series, Siren introduced a throuple relationship between their lead characters.

Although the community of polyamorists may still linger in the exclusive rooms of your favourite lounges or the comfort and privacy of their homes as society warms up to the changing structures of intimate relationships, the numbers are growing and little gatherings are forming.

To find polyamorists today, head to Brooklyn.

In areas of the borough dominated by corporate-sponsored graffiti and homogenous warehouses-turned-craft-cocktail-bars, the practice of dating multiple lovers has developed into a social scene... there are events where polyamorists get together and no one has sex: Film screenings, picnics, cocktail parties, and other PG-friendly rendezvous.

- Olivia Goldhill, QUARTZ, December 20, 2018

For now, the conversations being had are centered around the curiosity around the emotional dynamics, balancing the needs and setting boundaries between more than 2 people.

Past:

On one hand we grew up watching all the Hollywood fairytale stories centered around the search for and happily ever after with ‘the one’ – that single person we can grow old with. They became our aspiration. The challenge in finding the right one and looking forward to the simplicity of a life with them thereafter. 

On the other hand, we grew up our aunts, uncles, friends’ parents all getting divorced and family units breaking and working to amend those relationships again. & sometimes that trend crept into our own homes with our own parents.

The increasing commonality of divorce has made newer generations less certain about marriage and more open to the idea of different approaches to human relationships. Finding the one became less important - an indicator of this was when women started looking forward to a life centered around a career and independence.

Future:

Changing relationship norms to include more than one partner

- KH

[intoevernightfanfic]

I've been slacking on these. X) But I thought I'd tease the draft for the next chapter of Arranged Marriage: Between This World and the Next (Rated MA).

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Before they could continue their conversation, there was a sudden gust of air from above them, and a figure burst down into the alley, the wind from his entrance whipping Nanami’s hair in her face. She scrambled to brush it away from her eyes, but when she’d finished, she found herself face to face with the newcomer — an odd man with a mane of white hair and what looked to be a red ogre mask on the top of his head.

“Wha—?” she began, but didn’t get a chance to even finish her thought.

“I, Yatori, have got her, Kirihito-dono!” the man called out cheerfully.

In the next second, a flash of light reflected off the mirror he held in his hands, shining in her eyes and making her raise her arm, squeezing her eyes shut. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kirihito’s mouth open, and then he scowled, lunging towards her with a hand outstretched. Whether he meant to grab her or to push her out of the way, she didn’t know. Because in the next second, that beam of light engulfed her whole body, and she felt the pressure of a sharp suction and the whistling, sucking sound of wind splitting through her skull.

[intoevernightfanfic]

Hi, friends! I have posted two chapters of Arranged Marriage: Bonds Beyond Godhood (Rated MA) since my short hiatus announcement (one from two weeks ago and one today). If you haven't had a chance to read the one from two weeks ago, be sure to catch up on that one before reading today's chapter! We'll be back to a regular posting schedule until the next part of the series (I plan to take 2 weeks off between the two).

At any rate, here is a snippet from today's chapter!

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She couldn’t prove that Kirihito had even taken Akura’s power anyway. But what Tomoe had said — that Kirihito could use Akura’s power to revive a yokai’s body — had her breaths coming quicker. Maybe he’d taken yokai energy from her not for his human body’s longevity, but for his real body. If that was the case, then it had to be a body which could withstand such power. And, recalling the rip of Tomoe's energy through every cell of her being, she realized it had to have been someone on par with Akura himself.

No, maybe she didn’t have proof, but she was beginning to wonder. Perhaps Kirihito was connected to Akura-Ou.

[intoevernightfanfic]

No update for Arranged Marriage: Between This World and the Next (Rated MA) this week, but I will give you a sneak peek for next Sunday's update! The Hokkaido arc has Tomoe doing a fair amount of reflection about his past and his place in the world in the present (particularly, the human world and what makes it appealing to Nanami). I liked exploring this side of him!

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He recalled the summer nights of being a child and settling in tall, sweet-smelling grass to sleep, half hiding behind his tail and blinking heavily, listening to these same bird calls — plus a few more, whose voices had died out long ago. Then there were the summer evenings when he’d grown older, when he’d wandered throughout the countryside before meeting Akura-Ou, happening serendipitously upon some stream and dangling his hot, dirty feet into the cool water, watching every second of the light shed from the sky in favor of the darkness, that transitory state where everything could change in the blink of an eye.

The human world felt like that — always changing whereas he remained, frozen in time. And he wondered — in a hundred years, would Nanami realize this too? He remembered the first time he’d seen it — how quickly the world around him had changed like a scene cut in a play, how jarring and unsettling it had been. It would be harder for Nanami to live like that when she was those summer nights — that lazy twilight unending and unhurried, quiet and calm like a warm blanket over sloping hillsides, stable with the promise of another day just like it on the horizon.

[intoevernightfanfic]

The Arranged Marriage series is back with part 5 -- Arranged Marriage: Between This World and the Next (Rated MA)! Unlike previous installments of the AM series, this one will be updated every other Sunday (at least, for now). I anticipate that changing back to its weekly schedule after a bit.

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Characters: Nanami, Tomoe, Mizuki, Ookuninushi, Kirihito, Tanuko (Tanuki Girls), Yatori

Pairing: Nanami/Tomoe

Tags: Violence, AU, Romance, Drama, Smut, Angst, Supernatural, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Near Death, Illnesses, PTSD, Eventual Happy Ending

Summary: With Tomoe’s birthday and the end of summer coming rapidly, Nanami decides to treat him by taking him on a trip to Hokkaido. What was meant to be a couple’s retreat turns into a mess as Nanami’s energy fades away to nothingness, leaving her close to death. And Kirihito intends to use her weakened state to his advantage, to use her to get Akura-Ou’s body back — even if he has to force her and kill Tomoe in the process.

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Sneak peek of Chapter 1:

As soon as the car purred to life, he jolted. Damn it, he thought. Stupid Nanami. He cursed her in his thoughts, grinding his teeth, and then took a moment to adjust the rearview mirror until he could see her. She was making a strange motion at him. Twisting his head, he lifted an eyebrow and shrugged. There was that pout again. She marched over to the driver’s side door and tapped on the window. He just looked at her blankly.

This was already going horribly, Nanami thought, and then grabbed the door handle. A strangled sound of annoyance left her as she found it was already locked. Pressing closer to the glass, she yelled through it, “Roll your window down!” Another blank stare. She tapped the glass, pointing to the interior of the door. Finally his eyes drifted down. After a moment of fumbling, he found the button and rolled the window down. “Now you’ll be able to hear me.”

“Nanami?” Tomoe grimaced. “I hope you realize that we are fucked.”

[intoevernightfanfic]

I wanted to share a preview of next Sunday's update of Arranged Marriage: Bonds Beyond Godhood (Rated MA). In this scene, Tomoe has taken possession of Nanami's body to catch the little fox they're "babysitting." XD

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As his vision re-focused, he found they were floating in the sky in the spirit plane, far, far above the ground. Realizing that her arm encircled Mizuki’s waist, he made a small sound of displeasure, then stuffed her cell phone in her bag. Now he just needed to test if he still had enough of his powers to do what he needed to do. 

Focusing on their energetic bond, he tapped into his own body, and then flicked her wrist. A small ball of foxfire escaped, but it singed her palm and elicited a hiss of pain from her. He’d need to be careful, he noted.

“Nanami-chan, what—?” Mizuki began, turning to look over his shoulder. Their eyes locked — teal and amethyst.

“It is me, you fool.” Tomoe’s voice overlapped Nanami’s. “Before you complain, Nanami has given me permission. Now, do not panic, but if I fall, you must catch me.”

“What?” Mizuki’s mouth twitched, his eyes widening. He watched as Tomoe released him and then crouched on the snake shikigami’s back, balancing and then standing tall. “Are you crazy?”

“And are you a fool? Can you not sense that I have used a spell to anchor myself?” Tomoe spat.

He hated being in a human body. He didn’t have the same sense of smell or hearing and his vision was weak. If only he still had the power to completely detach his spirit from his body and wander freely, but his seal prevented that. So he’d have to deal with it.

[intoevernightfanfic]

I'm low key nervous about the next update for Arranged Marriage: Bonds Beyond Godhood (Rated MA). I'd definitely recommend reading the tags on AO3 if you haven't already, because the snippet below isn't in full context lol.

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About half an hour later, Taishiro had finally fallen asleep. Carefully, Nanami disentangled herself from him, holding her breath and watching to be sure he didn’t move. Thankfully, he didn’t so much as stir. She moved as quietly as possible, slipping out of the room and to the main floor. Unfortunately, Takehaya had taken over the bathroom for his bath, so she had to wait, anxiety and irritation rising inside her.

Luckily, she didn’t have to wait more than several minutes, and then she dashed in. Slapping the door shut, she opened the cabinet and retrieved the pregnancy test. Heart thumping, she turned it over — and froze. There was one bold line, and then...a second fainter line. She slumped back against the wall and slid down, hand shaking vigorously as she stared at it, unmoving and holding her breath.

What was she going to do? That was the first thought that came to her mind. The second was — how did this happen? She’d been so careful… Or she thought she’d been careful. Now she wasn’t so sure.

[intoevernightfanfic]

Here's a longer snippet of the chapter I'm editing for this Sunday's update of Arranged Marriage: Bonds Beyond Godhood (Rated MA). In this chapter, Nanami and Mizuki get babysitting duties over the little fox who was dropped off at the shrine, and shenanigans ensue LOL.

--

“He’s going by the traditional way of raising kids,” Mizuki said, folding his arms behind his head. “Besides, he’s not wrong — raising an ayakashi is really hard. I’m more worried about you actually.”

At this, Nanami grinned. “You’re worrying too much! I love kids. I’m really good with them!” When Mizuki didn’t reply, she glanced back at him. “Don’t tell me you’re taking Tomoe’s side.” 

To this, Mizuki shrugged and laughed awkwardly. “Not really.”

The next second, they heard the rattle of the swing’s chains, and both turned to look. The seat was empty. And Taishiro was nowhere to be found. Nanami’s heart sank; she was so busy staring, she didn’t notice the seat coming back, and it slapped against her thighs, drawing a pained groan from her. But she quickly forgot her discomfort.

“Taishiro?” she called, heart beating faster. Nothing.

Maybe he’d gotten bored of swinging and had gone somewhere else, she reasoned. But everywhere she looked, she only saw other kids with their mothers, playing peacefully. She called his name again, stepping away from the swingset. Not a peep.

“Oh, no,” she whispered into her hands, mortified. Not even an hour into their outing, and he’d disappeared.

[intoevernightfanfic]

I've been slacking on these. X) This week, I wanted to share next Sunday's update for Arranged Marriage: Bonds Beyond Godhood (Rated MA). I thought I'd post a little more than usual, because I couldn't choose where to cut off!

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“It’s so domestic!” she thought, inwardly squealing. “Like we’re a normal husband and wife!”  She couldn’t be happier at her luck. “I’d love that.”

As she went into the kitchen, Nanami couldn’t help but wonder at the stillness and quiet that had fallen over the shrine. It was so tranquil, so relaxed. Since it was a nice evening, Tomoe slid open the doors at the main area so they could air the room out — likely because he wanted to get the dog smell out of there, she thought with a small smile. But the sweet night air wafting in and the sounds of the insects chirping, the occasional flash of fireflies, added to the peaceful atmosphere.

“I will be back in a moment,” Tomoe said from the doorway. His ears turned back, eyes sliding towards the hallway. “I need to burn some incense and purge this place.”

She giggled, smiling and nodding. While he found and lit the incense, placing it in a burner, she tied an apron around her waist and pulled her hair back. Once she’d secured a handkerchief over her hair, she washed her hands and opened the refrigerator, humming in thought. He’d never answered the question about what he’d like to eat, she thought. She poked around, then looked over her shoulder at him, watching him place a small incense burner in the corner of the kitchen. Another laugh left her at the sight of him using his fan to spread the scent around, a look of indignation on his face.

[intoevernightfanfic]

It's been a minute since I posted anything from Arranged Marriage! I thought I'd tease next Sunday's chapter of Arranged Marriage: Bonds Beyond Godhood (Rated MA). The excerpt has been edited for length, but it's still twice as long LOL.

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He flicked a quick glance over his shoulder. They were being followed, and if they weren’t exceedingly careful, she’d get caught up in his capture. Before he did anything to stop that from happening, however, he had to tell her what was going on. Somehow, they had to slip away.

His squirrelly behavior wasn’t making her feel any more secure. Now, she hugged his arm in both of hers, a small, strangled sound catching in her throat. As she shifted closer, something tapped against her thigh through his haori, and when she glanced down, she realized he wore both of his katana. Her blood ran cold.

“Act normal,” he said through his teeth. “And do not look behind you.”