#nessa deserves the effort

[avid-idiot]

I am alive!!

[invictarre-archive]

@sereina​ asked: 💎💎💎  /  three things (accepting!)

                     ❝  I have great respect for Serena. I wouldn’t have heard of Ever Seasons had it not been for her efforts there, and I’m confident in saying the pokemon at the sanctuary appreciate all she does for them. As someone who has rescued and adopted before, I understand how... emotionally taxing it can get, to see them hurt or dealing with the consequences of whatever horrors they’ve experienced, and anyone able to do that long-term has either endless courage or endless kindness. In Serena’s case, I’m tempted to say it’s a bit of both.

                     I heard she does modelling work, too; what a Jack of all trades! I think Nessa mentioned it offhand when I was last in Hulbury. 

                     I’ve actually considered asking her to help us try out next year’s Mega Tournament uniforms, since as a battler and fashion expert she’s sure to find us a good balance between sporting function and aesthetics. Of course, I’ve already gotten a couple test designs reserved for me ‘n Dani to try on, and I’ve roped a couple of the League into this too, but it never hurts to get a little extra feedback! We need to remember that this a symbolic co-op effort between the regions, so it’s only fair to get Kalosians’ feedback as well.  ❞

                     ❝  And, as a final note, I simply can’t talk about Serena without mentioning how happy she makes my brother. Red always deserved the kind of fresh start I found with Dani, and it makes me delighted to see them settling down together. Their wedding was a simply magical ceremony, and I wish them both all the best for the future!  ❞

[flamedork]

framed by wisteria

✨🌙

idk which account to tag @midnightlie

[catalinaroleplay]

Now that we’ve seen some of the answers from the survey, I’d like to take a moment to address a few things. I hope that you will take some time out of your day to read this message in full. 

WITH REGARDS TO DIVERSITY: We have decided not to implement a diversity requirement. I’d like to highlight that Nessa and I are members first, admins second. We try to make this environment as freeform as possible while still keeping it a safe space for everyone to join, and policing what kind of face claims you are allowed to play is not what we want to do. We cannot be on top of everyone 24/7. We have thirty-five members here, and almost double the amount of characters, and we also want to keep up with our own threads. The last thing we want is for someone to portray a minority muse in a one-dimensional, haphazard way that may inadvertently hurt other muns.

However, I DO want to use our platform to discuss the whiteness in our roleplay. We got some people who expressed concern of not having “inspiration” or “resources” for face claims of color. I want all of us (especially white players) to examine long and hard WHY we may not have muse for playing face claims of color. Do not cite resources, as I can provide you with many gif makers that provide amazing, beautiful gifs of POC for free. I have created a list here of minority muses that all have a decent amount of resources. Think about what kind of media we are consuming that only allows us to only have muse for white faces. Think about why it is that some of us will do the extensive research and work to accurately portray a muse that is a doctor, a drug addict, a horseback rider, or a surfer, but cannot put in the time to accurately portray the nuance involved to play a Black muse, a Muslim muse, or an Indigenous muse. 

We are not going to offer resources to “accurately” portray a muse of color, as your anti-racist efforts should not begin and end at roleplaying. There are plenty of posts of the sort out there on Tumblr, and if you so wish, you may look through the countless of RPH blogs that have them reblogged. Instead, I hope everyone will take a look at this Google doc I have compiled of a fair amount of books, movies, TV shows, and IG accounts that we all can engage with in our own time that can help in, not only our portrayals, but our efforts to be anti-racist in real life. These are not directly writing resources, but information that can help enrich our personal lives and efforts for racial and social justice.

I understand that some of these resources I have offered may slate towards an American viewpoint, as that is where I live. This doc is by no means is a comprehensive list of every resource ever, but I have made an effort to include voices from as many races and ethnicities as possible. Please feel free to suggest resources for me to add to this list.

I truly believe that once we diversify the ways we interact with BIPOC and other minority groups, our writing and interests will reflect that. I cannot force anyone to look at any of the resources I have shared, or to play a minority muse, but I urge everyone to stop being performative in our activism. Really LISTEN TO BIPOC and their stories, their struggles, and their joy— that is when we will understand the nuances of what it means to truly portray a minority muse with the justice it deserves. I want to note that these actions also apply to portraying trans muses, disabled muses, and non-binary / genderfluid / genderqueer / any non-cis muses.

Roleplay-wise, we will be looking over our locations list and diversifying our location to be inclusive of religious muses and incorporate foods from different cultures. Our @catalinatimes page will begin to post about holidays from different religions and cultures, in hopes that it can inspire some threads as sort of mini-events. We will also be dedicating our Friday acceptance for minority muses only, which means that cis, white, able-bodied and Christian / non-religious muses will not be accepted on those days, but will be pushed back until the following Monday. 

If anybody disagrees with this stance, or would like to argue with us about this, or feel as if “this is not the place to have this conversation”, you are free to leave this roleplay. This is not something we are going to waver on, and we will not tolerate any sort of hate aimed towards us.

I would like to end this note by saying that I am in this with you. I am not free from being racist, whether implicitly or not, and that I am still on my journey in being actively anti-racist all the time. I hope that you will join me in this effort here together. Lastly, thank you, thank, THANK YOU to everyone here for making this roleplay such an amazing, warm environment to write in. 

With all the love,

Admin Say.

[nicnacsnonsense]

I said yesterday that every single song on the Wicked soundtrack is a Good Omens mood, so today I went song by song, and yep, checks out. (I am going to be skipping three songs -- “I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)”, since as a stand alone song it is not meaningfully different than “I’m Not That Girl”; “Dear Old Shiz” since it’s only intended to transition us from the opening number which takes place at the end of the story back to the beginning; and “Finale” since it is just a reprise/combo of the previous song “For Good” and the next song (in the stories internal chronology) “No One Mourns the Wicked” and does not meaningfully add to either -- and I will be adding in “Wicked Witch of the East” which does not appear on the soundtrack.)

“No One Mourns the Wicked” -- Aziraphale (Glinda) talking to the Archangels (Chorus) about Crowley. “Nothing grows for the wicked/They reap only what they've sown”

“The Wizard and I” -- The general sentiment echoes Aziraphale’s continued faith in God, despite private doubts about Heaven and the Great Plan. “He'll say to me, "I see who you truly are/A girl on whom I can rely!" 

“What is This Feeling” -- Heaven (Glinda) vs. Hell (Elphaba) with the Chorus representing Christianity, on Heaven’s side despite neither ultimately being appreciably better than the other. Alternatively, there’s some solid Ineffable Bureaucracy feels if you’re into that. “There's a strange exhilaration/In such total detestation/It's so pure, so strong!/Though I do admit, it came on fast/Still I do believe that it can last/And I will be loathing, loathing you my whole life long.”

“Something Bad” -- Aziraphale (Elphaba) believing God will stop the Apocalypse. “If something bad is happening to the Animals/Someone's got to tell the Wizard/That's why we have a Wizard/So nothing bad....“

“Dancing Through Life” -- Fiyero’s opening section is very remiscent on Crowley’s policy on working and his efforts to tempt Aziraphale into the Arrangement. In that context, him coming to this philosophy after having been kicked out of schools in the past is a bit... painful. “Dancing through life, no need to tough it/When you can slough it off as I do.”

“Popular” -- This one is a bit harder to place, but I can imagine that if Crowley and Aziraphale had to teach each other how to do their jobs in service of the Arrangement, this is the kind of energy I imagine they’d bring. Alternatively, if you dial down the good-natured intentions and dial up the judgement and condescension, there are shades of Heaven/Hell (Glinda) wanting Aziraphale/Crowley (Elphaba) to be a proper angel/demon. “Don't be offended by my frank analysis/Think of it as personality dialysis”

“I’m Not That Girl” -- Crowley through 6000 years of pining, with the “that girl” he’s losing out to being Heaven. Though the general longing for someone you feel you can never have also has some pretty strong Aziraphale through 6000 years of pining vibes too. “ Ev'ry so often, we long to steal/To the land of what-might-have-been/But that doesn't soften the ache we feel/When reality sets back in “

“One Short Day” -- This is the background music every time during the 6000 years when Aziraphale and Crowley manage to sneak in some time to enjoy each other’s company just for the sake of it. “ And then, just like now, we can say/We're just two friends/Two good friends/Two best friends/Sharing one wonderful/One short day!”

“Defying Gravity” -- The main feel of the song has a lot of Crowley (Elphaba) immediately pre-Fall energy, but the conversation between Elphaba and Glinda in particular is very reminiscent of the bandstand. G:”Elphie, listen to me, just say you're sorry!/You can still be with the wizard/What you've worked and waited for/You can have all you ever wanted.” E:”I know/But I don't want it/No, I can't want it anymore”

“Thank Goodness” -- Aziraphale (Glinda) trying to put on a obedient and faithful attitude while dealing with his doubts about Heaven and his forbidden feelings for Crowley. “ And if that joy, that thrill/Doesn't thrill like you think it will/Still, with this perfect finale/The cheers and the ballyhoo/Who wouldn't be happier?/So I couldn't be happier”

“The Wicked Witch of the East” -- Most of this doesn’t connect much, and very little of it is sung, but this last bit here is absolutely Crowley (Nessa) sitting in the bar after the bookshop fire. “Alone and loveless here/Just the girl in the mirror/Just her and me, Wicked Witch of the East!/We deserve each other”

“A Sentimental Man”/”Wonderful” -- I combined these two because “A Sentimental Man” by itself is really short and doesn’t really tie in, but thematically it goes with “Wonderful” so I think it works with that context. One thing for this one is to keep in mind that in Christianity Gabriel is an Archangel, but he’s generally consider the messenger, which one would think would generally put him at the bottom of that top group, and yet in Good Omens he seems to have worked his way up to de facto leader of Heaven in God’s absence/silence. Making the Archangel Fucking Gabriel feel a lot like the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Not to mention the general point about labels and history has a lot of Good Omens Heaven and Hell are basically the same thing with different names vibes. “There are precious few at ease/With moral ambiguities/So we act as though they don't exist”

“As Long as You’re Mine” -- Azcrow Saturday night “you can stay at my place” feels. Enough said. “ Say there's no future/For us as a pair/And though I may know/I don't care/Just for this moment/As long as you're mine/Come be how you want to/And see how bright we shine”

“No Good Deed” -- The bookshop fire. The first three-quarters or so of the song is Crowley running into the burning bookshop, desperate to find Aziraphale and being overwhelmed by how absolutely everything has gone completely wrong this week capped now with this, losing the love of his life. The last bit of the song transitions to Aziraphale up in Heaven completely done with all this bullshit and flipping the entire Host off on his way out. “Fiyero, where are you? Already dead or bleeding?/One more disaster I can add to my generous supply?”

“March of the Witch Hunters” -- This is literally just the Witchfinder Army’s theme song. “Go and hunt her/And find her/And kill her/Kill the witch!”

“For Good” -- Aziraphale and Crowley on Sunday morning as they wait for Heaven and Hell to come for them, not knowing if their plan will work or if they’ll ever see each other again. “ Who can say/If I've been changed for the better? I do believe I have been changed for the better/And because I knew you/.../I have been changed/For good.”

And there you have it. Every single song on the Wicked soundtrack is a Good Omens mood, fact checked and proven. Still compiling evidence for the “Stephen Schwartz is a time traveler who did this all on purpose” theory. I’ll keep you posted.

[mermaidmafia-official]

{PART III: SLEEPING EVIL}

written by: @interluxetumbra

outfit ref: see above set

tag list: @BEBEMOON​ @AYZRULES​ @VAMPIRKANINCHEN​ @blubbingbeautifully​

[VAMPIRES PETS DO NOT MAKE]

The Mistress spent three days locked in the bathroom humming, splashing, and soaking in whatever amount of blood she had drained from the former Mr. Maminot, before consuming both the blood and petals from the flowers Sabine had brought to her. She left the bathroom in an absolute chaotic mess of bones, discarded gore, and flower stems, but emerged from the bath looking anew - her hair now had an incredible luster, her skin no longer appearing waxy from her years of sleep, and her eyes brighter now that she had been properly fed. Amare announced she felt prepared to unveil herself to the Bloodmother, however Sabine hastily tried to convince her otherwise.

Mistress was unarguably vexed about being kept in her rooms for a little while longer, but her bathing sojourn had given Sabine time to think about approaching the coven's senior members to explain that Amare had woken up to smooth the way, but Sabine was also partial to the small sense of self-importance due to Amare's dependency on her assistance. A few days turned into a couple weeks as Sabine scrubbed bloody footprints off the flooring, took extra precautions to avoid drawing attention to Amare's rooms and herself by not increasing food and blood orders (causing the Mistress to, surprisingly, sulk), and attending to the Mistress's needs as best she could (turns around the room most oft requested, Amare clinging to Sabine's arm despite the strength she undoubtedly possessed once again)... yet filling a porcelain basin with blood and flowers for Amare to soak her fingers and hair in would only last so long. 

Sabine had to explain to panicking florists about the reduction in her weekly orders, all the while fielding questions from the Mistress about things that had happened in the last century and the cause of the coven's relocation. Still, Sabine was able to keep the Mistress and her radiant attention upon herself and herself alone for a little while. However, in the constantness of her questions and requests, Amare was able to niggle out of Sabine the most recent events of the house concerning Poppy and the event of Lord Greggor's party.

The Mistress wouldn't hear of herself *not* going, not when such a grand opportunity of reemergence presented itself so prettily to her, wrapped quite nicely in a gossipy bow by Sabine herself under the effects of Amare's compulsion.

[SOL PUTS ON HIS DIADEM OF MYRIAD RAYS]

Amare admired Sabine's level of obsession and dedication in her attempts to keep her locked up - a girl after her own shriveled heart - but enough was enough. As soon as Sabine told her of the party the coven would be attending, she could no longer pretend to resist Sabine's efforts. Amare did not particularly like Lord Greggor (she supposed no one truly did), but he did throw some of the best parties she had ever been too. At least since the Renaissance.

Luckily, Sabine was one of the most organized servants Amare had come across and was easily persuaded to divine a costume for the revelries - the girl had sorted everything by colour, century, and style which was very impressive to Amare and only took mere minutes for her to tear through everything in search of the necessary pieces, resulting in heaping piles of garments and accessories about the rooms and more work for Sabine.

Costume fully assembled, Amare waved away Sabine's concerns as they watched from the window as the others gathered in the garden - Granny Zhang, Zammourad, Angelika, darling Poppy, the Bloodmother, and two women she did not recognize.

"Nessa - is the one with the dark hair," began Sabine, "and-"

"And the Celtic waif clutching Mother's arm like a mewling quim?" Amare asked sweetly, eyes narrowing on the flaming redhead sporting fluttering wings. She knew this scene far too well.

Sabine cleared her throat. "Amaelia, or Lia I suppose she prefers to be called. The Bloodmother's new-"

"Trite little strumpet?"

"I-I was going to say, ehm, lover, but-but yes that-that ... too ... I guess?"

Amare snorted derisively. She should have known Mother would have taken a new interest without her to guard against unseen parties trying to nose their ways into the coven through the Bloodmother's giving heart. The last one didn't last long, and Amare was determined to see to it that this one on her way to a new coven (... or preferably a long interment in a dusty tomb somewhere far, far away...). 

Sabine pulled away from her thoughts of flames and personal vendettas with a somewhat overly-friendly shoulder nudge as the party-goers disappeared through a portal opened by the Bloodmother. In a split second, the casement was thrown open and Amare darted out, much abusing her lethargic powers in attempts to catch the tail end of the portal to no avail. Not too put out, Amare beckoned and Sabine dutifully followed, climbing carefully down the side of the building with the aid of a precarious trellis and nearby tree branches to attend her Mistress.

"This will be a complicated bit of spellwork that I'm afraid I haven't done in ages, and will need your assistance," she purred. Sabine nodded hypnotically. "Good girl." Amare trailed her fingers down the sharp edges of Sabine's angular face, eyes holding the girl's, and drew them softly along her near translucent skin, picking up her right palm all the while. Amare sang a quietly as she could in her high voice, fumbling through half remembered words in a language she had nearly forgotten, so unused to doing her own spells (that's what servants and other vampires were for, after all), but did not miss a beat as she slashed the tender skin of Sabine's palm open to complete the necessary rune for travel. Sabine barely flinched, so beneath the roses as she was, as her blood poured to the frostbitten ground, guided by Amare's own hand. A flicker of her tongue against the palm to lap up the excess, a command, and a flash of light followed by a faint popping left Sabine standing alone in the Blitis House garden, alone and cupping her bleeding hand only slightly confused.

[HELIOS THE SUN RIDES HIS CHARIOT, HE SHINES UPON MEN AND DEATHLESS GODS]

In an instant, Amare was no longer in Blitis garden, but the terrace of Greggor's villa, the scent of the sea coming up to greet her. Breathing it in deep only because the smell was so pleasing after so much sleep and isolation in a bland room, she followed the faint sounds of string instruments, distant laughter, and undercurrent of something that made her mouth water ever so slightly. The villa was the same as it had always been: ancient, crumbling bits of marble here and there, but still remaining that commanding essence of an old queen that refuses to acknowledge the end of her reign. Amare kept to the shadows, flitting along the edge of the loggia and courtyard as best she could, fingertips trailing over cracked mosaics and eyes trained on the Bloodmother. She watched silently the exchange between Ysa and Lord Greggor, flinched inwardly as Poppy hand-fed the vampiric slug dripping gore - did Popelina really deserve such punishment for killing a few mortals? Amare suppressed a shudder; perhaps Mother was getting more severe in her age. 

Removing a decorative golden death mask from a display, somewhat akin to the face of Agamemnon but with the mouth skillfully removed, Amare delved into the crowds, not wanting to interrupt Mother's business with Lord Greggor. She was drawn in by the overwhelming abundance of scents - bodies, blood, gore, crackling flame, and human food. Amare relished her anonymity under the mask, body undulating as she moved with the tympanic rhythm through the crowd, smiling and biting, slithering her way through mortals and underworlders alike. Almost as if she were back in her dreamland, the music familiar and atmosphere near delicious (she could never argue that Greggor did not throw the most sumptuous parties), shaken only from this deja vu by the sight of burning red hair and flittering gossamer wings - Amaelia. Irritated, she now noticed the bright stone at Lia's throat - a scarab, Mother's scarab to be precise. The one which Mother had promised her. Frown turning into a terrible rictus as her mind churned, Amare slipped further into the crowd, redirected away from the event now gathering everyone's attention - the presentation of the wolves. Like the predatory creature she was, she circled to put herself behind Lia and watched her as the redhead cheered and jeered mightily for the treat Greggor's wives brought forth, dragged on chains. Ignoring the wriggling stench of wolves, Amare wrapped her spindly fingers lightly around Lia's throat and whispered, "You have something that belongs to me", before melting back into the crowd, knowing the fledgling to be looking around wildly for the source of the sussurated threat.

Pleased with herself, Amare turned her attentions to things she excelled at: being fashionably late and dramatics. Finding suitable higher elevation on the peak of the loggia, Amare spied upon the crowd, particularly the figures of Mother and Granny Zhang dancing together. A combined opportunity to surprise Mother and annoy Granny should never be taken for granted - as such, Amare rearranged her hair and skirts, tossed away the mask, and descended from the roof, levitating prettily with her costume billowing lightly around her and attracting the attention of onlookers. She landed perfectly in front of the Bloodmother and Granny Zhang, savouring the opposing looks she received from them both, and said sweetly, "Hello, Mother."

Seconds later, another sort of chaos descended upon the party.

------

Having ripped and torn her way through the remains of the night's events, Amare now stood amongst her coven as she had never left, feeling muzzy from a blood high and the comedown from exercising muscles too long kept immobile. Warm blood still spattered her face, which she dabbed at with her fingertips and licked lazily, relishing the aftermath of battle. She barely registered how on edge and upset everyone was - a brush with absolute death felt like nothing now. Despite what Sabine had told her, wrangling with wolves, locked in embittered battle, was something Amare had relatively enjoyed. Pressed into her memory now was the image of a wolf's face as it grinned victoriously at having cornered her before melting into confusion as Amare burst into a giggling fit, covering her mouth with her hands demurely, yet the sound of someone entirely unhinged in the face of danger seeped out between her fingers. Fingers that had already twisted heads clean from necks in frenzied escape. Fingers that outstretched as she lunged at the wolf.

Fingers that now cradled a bloodied head against her chest like a beloved doll.

[feathers-and-fisticuffs]

Homecoming...

[Chapter List HERE]

Rose stared down at all of his work, scatter across his desk, scribbles and mess and chaos.  How had things gotten so out of control?

And Leon... Leon telling him to wait, that was the final straw.  He couldn’t wait another day.  It was too dangerous, word was already out and if all his research were to suddenly fall into the wrong hands tonight?

Galar, nay, the whole world would be doomed.

He alone was smart enough to make this work.  And Leon was the only one strong enough to stop it before it got out of control.  Bede had already been taken care of, Rose knew Opal would help the boy become everything he had pushed him towards and more, no thanks to Oleana’s meddling of course... He hadn’t wanted things to end that way, but he couldn’t lead the boy along further into danger. 

Basil, however, was another story.  But Basil had a good heart, a strong heart, and would never understand why things had to be the way they are.  If he let Basil in on the plan, he would run.  He would turn his back, and leave.

And it would be better for him, that way.

And Rose would fall on his own sword.  Galar needed a hero, they needed Leon.  He would play the part of the villain, and Galar would live on without him.

Basil spent two more days in his hospital bed, and Kabu spent those two days without letting Basil out of his sight.  Piers and Marnie even came to visit, and it made Kabu happy to see them getting along, and to see Basil smiling and laughing again.

While they waited for the release papers, they sat idly together and chatted.  Basil was antsy to get home, and Kabu was doing anything he could think of to keep him distracted enough to not think about it.

“How come Piers calls you Master?”  Basil asked after the two visitors had left.  “Its kind of weird.”

“Because he respects me, as his teacher.”  Kabu smiled.  “It’s not weird, it’s polite.”

“I don’t want to call you that it’s weird.”  Basil wrinkled his nose.  “I’m not some servant!  And you shouldn’t make Piers call you that either!”

Kabu laughed.  “I don’t make him call me anything.  He does it because he wants to show me respect!  Because unlike SOME people--”  He ruffled Basil’s hair playfully, “He has manners!”

Basil squeaked and tried to put his hair back in place.  “I have manners!”

“You don’t have to call me anything you’re not comfortable with Basil.  You can keep calling me Kabu, whatever you’d like.”  He chuckled.  “What brought this on?”

“Well... Mr. Rose always tried to get Basil and I to call him Dad and I just...”  He was obviously thinking of a polite way to say what it was he was trying to say.

“You don’t have to call me Dad if you don’t want to, Basil.  You’re not hurting my feelings I promise.  And you won’t hurt Rose’s feelings if you do.”

Basil leaned back then, thinking hard.

“Is there something else on your mind?”  Kabu inquired cautiously.

“Do you think Rose misses us?”  He asked quietly after a while.

Kabu squeezed his hand.  “I think he misses you both very much.”

“Do you think he’ll try to visit when he gets out?”

“Maybe,”  Kabu admit, though he hoped not, “We’ll just have to wait and see won’t we?  Unless you don’t want him to visit.  If you don’t want to see him again you won’t, I’ll make sure of it.”

Basil nodded then.  “Okay. I don’t know.”

The doctor came in with the papers, left him with some medicine, and told them Basil was free to go home.  Basil couldn’t be happier, and Kabu had to hold on to him to keep him from booking it out the door, walking him calmly out to the flying taxi so he didn’t knock anyone over in his haste. It was good to be going home...

************

“Milo?!  Nessa!  We’re home!”  Kabu called as they walked in the door, and found Milo at the table with Cyrus in his wheelchair at the table. 

“Welcome home!”  Milo grinned.

“Please make him go home...”  Cyrus growled pathetically.  “I can’t take it anymore.”

“Oh, we’ve had tons of fun!  He’s doing really well, I’d love to come back and help more!  Reminds me of taking care of my Nanna before she died.” 

Cyrus made an indignant noise.  “I’m 27!  And I’m not dying!”

Milo giggled and stood.  “Maybe not but you’re just as grumpy.  You two would have been friends.”  Basil and Kabu laughed, and Kabu told Milo he was free to go, thanking him again for helping out.

“Well Cyrus, you’re looking well.”  Kabu chuckled and cleared his empty plate for him.

“How dare you leave me here with those two!”  He seethed, but it didn’t sound very threatening.  “I’ve got a headache from him!  No one should be that bubbly!  And the girl was just mean!”  He pouted.

“Did you deserve it?”

“That’s beside the point!”

Kabu just chuckled, and Basil went to his room to change clothes.  Once he was gone, Cyrus wheeled around the table so he could lower his voice.

“What happened?”

Kabu explained, briefly, that he had been hurt by a Pokemon.  If Basil wanted to tell him that was fine, but he didn’t feel it was his place to tell someone like Cyrus what had happened.

Cyrus listened with a frown and looked towards the stairs.  “He doesn’t look like you at all.”  

That earned a scoff from Kabu.  “Yeah no shit.  He’s not mine.  I’m just taking care of him.”

“Oh.  Seems like a good kid.  Reminds me of the kids who used to work for me.  Real bright kids.  Good kids.”  He said solemnly.

“The ones you forced to help you try to destroy the world?”

A pause in the conversation.  “You’re making it sound like a bad thing.  And no, I didn’t force them.  I didn’t force anyone to do anything.”  That was almost the truth.

“What are you getting at, Cyrus?  Or are you just trying to test my patience.”  He put the dishes in the drainer then and turned to face him.  Cyrus was still staring at the stairs.

“If you think I’m such a bad guy, why would you ask me to tutor him?”

Kabu walked around him and pushed the wheelchair, earning a cry of protest.

“Hush.  If you honestly must know, I think it would be good for both of you.  And don’t think for a second I’d let you hang out around him alone.”  He threatened, pushing him to the living room and sitting on the couch in front of him.  “But if you’re going to make an effort, then I have to show you as much trust as you show me, understand?”

Cyrus leaned back, a glint of anger and annoyance in his eyes, but he held his tongue for the most part.  “Don’t touch my wheelchair.”

Kabu crossed his arms.  “Fine.  I won’t.  I was just trying to help.”

“I didn’t ask for your help.”

“You’re right.  I’m sorry.”

They sat in silence, glaring at each other for a while, unsure of how to proceed.  Basil fixed that problem by rushing back down and plopping on the couch by Kabu happily.  “Kabu Kabu!  Come look come look!”  He tugged on Kabu’s sleeve impatiently.  “Look look look hurry!”

Kabu was startled by this and stood with him.  “What what is it what’s wrong?”

“Come on ugh you’re so slow come on!”  He tugged him along up the stairs, and threw open his bedroom door.  “Look!”

Kabu stepped inside and his jaw dropped.  Everything had been rearranged, his garish beanbags had been replaced with cute chairs, everything had been decorated and updated and looked, well, amazing.  He pulled out his phone to text Nessa and saw a message there from her already.

<Got bored, hope the kid likes what I did. 💙

Kabu laughed and shook his head.

<What would I do without you two, Ness?

Basil was looking through all the new stuff, books and a tv and some games, there was even a black and gold vanity mirror desk to replace his sad little desk and mirror set up.  Nessa had even left a giant sampler of her makeup there, too.

<Well you’d be way less cool, first of all.

Kabu sat on the edge of the bed and watched Basil gleefully taking everything in, sneaking a few pictures to send to her.  Eventually Basil turned around and rushed back to him, giving him a giant hug.  

“Thank you Kabu..!”

Kabu laughed and hugged back.  “You’re welcome but don’t thank me, I didn’t know either.”  He smiled and showed him a picture of Nessa.

“NO WAY!”

“Yes way.”

“You two know each other for real!?”

“Why do you assume I don’t know these people we’re co workers!”  He teased.

“Because they’re so... Cool!  And you’re... weird.”  Basil teased back, making Kabu laugh again.  

“Keep talking like that I’ll let them keep you!”  He threatened, squeezing him a little tighter and poking his sides.

“No!  Kahabu!”  He wriggled out of his arms and rushed back to the other side of the room to look around some more.  “Can I meet her?  Oh, she wouldn’t like me.  I don’t want to meet here she’ll think I’m weird!”

“I think she’d love to meet you.  Despite what Cyrus said she’s actually very nice.”

“Marnie said sometimes she and Nessa go clothes shopping together...”

“Well that sounds like a ton of fun.”  Kabu stood again.  “Don’t wear yourself out too much, you’re still recovering.”  Basil was already curled up in bed with his pokemon snuggled around him, reading a book.  

He stepped back downstairs where Cyrus had moved to the staircase, listening to them with a small smirk.

“What, you knew?  What’s with that look?”

“What?  I’m not as heartless as you make me out to be.”  Cyrus shrugged.

Kabu shook his head.  Cyrus was a strange man indeed, he couldn’t get a read on what he was thinking at all.

************

Bede sat in the waiting room, surrounded by strangers, many of whom recognized him, all of them much bigger than him, gruffer and meaner and frightening.  He sat with his eyes glued to the floor, crumpled letter in his hands, fidgeting idly, waiting for his turn.  He wanted to run away, he hated it here, he should never have come.  He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was staring at him.  Of course they were, look at him.  He was out of place, and out of his element.

Finally someone called him, and he stood curtly, making his way to the door with his head down.  The officer led him back to another room, gestured to a couch behind a little table.  At the front of the room was a large TV.  The officer reminded him of the rules, made sure Bede wasn’t carrying anything dangerous, or any recording devices, and that he was ready, and he nodded.  He could do this.

The lights dimmed slightly and there was an electric crack as the TV clicked on, and in front of him sat Rose.

He looked terrible.  His hair was a mess, dark circles under his eyes, he hadn’t shaved and his facial hair was getting scruffy.  His wrinkled orange prison clothes looked so strange, so informal, so messy on him.  Bede couldn’t manage out a word, caught off guard by his appearance, and the look on his face.

There was a moment of confusion, on Rose’s face, before recognition brought that small, familiar smile to his lips, that made Bede’s stomach turn.

“You came...”

[umbrahighpriestofgiratina]

Umbra Plays Pokemon Shield Bonus 3: Shield Snippets

Here’s all the ficlets I did for Umbra Plays Pokemon Shield in one place! Plus a small bonus one because @taggthewanderer asked for at least one postgame bonus

Shield Snippets

Funky, Heinwald, Mantle, and Duke were idling around the Gym lobby as Siegbert got them registered.

"Doesn't all this seem... Funny to you?" said Heinwald.

"In a cosmic sort of way, yes," said Funky, shrugging his shoulders.

"No, no no," said Heinwald. "I mean... Suspicious."

"What's suspicious about this?" said Mantle. "We get to enter a big tournament! See lots of humans and Pokemon! It'll be incredible!"

"I shall truly be able to show my might!" said Duke, flexing his muscles.

"Yes, I know we all are excited-"

"I'm dreadfully bored," said Funky.

"...Most of us are excited, but some things aren't adding up. The legend of the Darkest Day. The mysterious Pokemon Funky mentioned he encountered in the woods. The infuriating boy collecting Wishing Stars. Something is going on here and I will be the one to find out what."

"Hey! Seigbert is done registering us!" said Mantle.

"It is time!" said Duke.

"Finally..." said Funky.

The three went over to the counter as Heinwald shook his head and sighed.

"I almost wish I had a proper partner right now..."

---------------

Mantle was the happiest he'd been in his entire life.

He'd started out as this lowly Bug-type crawling around in Route 3, catching easy prey and hoping stronger Rookidee didn't notice him. But then Seigbert found him and recruited him for this fancy-ass Gym Challenge and now there was a screaming crowd all around him in a huge stadium cheering for him! Yes him!

(The notion they were cheering for his Trainer crossed his mind, but he dismissed it as ridiculous.)

And now all that stood in his way was Milo's Gossifleur.

"You think you're a bigshot, being a Gym Leader's Pokemon? Take this!"

He curled in a ball and barreled at the Gossifleur with a Flame Wheel, bouncing off him and sending him skidding back. In response the Gossifleur started... Singing, using Round.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" said Mantle.

He used Flame Wheel again, and whatever the Gossifleur was trying to pull was cut off as he was knocked out. Milo promply boasted a few things Mantle wasn't really listening to and sent out an Eldegoss.

"More of the same?" said Mantle. "This'll be ca-"

Several things happened at once.

The Eldegoss was recalled into his ball. The ball ballooned and the Eldegoss was sent back out, now titanic in size. Mantle was about to object about how it wasn't fair when the same promply happened to him.

He couldn't belive it. He was huge! There was so much power flowing through him. No tiny bug anymore, he towered over all these humans. He was the apex predator now.

The Eldegoss slammed into him with a Max Strike, shaking the stadium. He didn't care. He fired a Max Flare, a massive gout of flame that made the sunlight harsher via its mere presence. They traded blows again. Both were weaker. Mantle shook away fear in his mind so he-

His trainer ran over to his massive form and sprayed him with a Super Potion. What was he planning?!

Then the Eldegoss caused a mass of plant growth to sprout beneath his massive form, which did... Almost nothing to his fiery, chitinous body. Then, the two Pokemon shrank back down to normal size.

It was then that Mantle realized what his Trainer was trying to do. Outlast them.

"So much for that, huh?" said Mantle, ignoring a Leafage and slamming into the Edelgoss with another Flame Wheel. This time, he went down.

The crowd cheered. His Trainer cheered. Mantle cheered. He'd done it. He'd made it to the big leagues. Mantle realized his Trainer was a big help here.

...But he still deserved most of the credit.

-----------

Funky really wished he weren't here right now.

He could be looking at the beautiful Galarian scenery, or cities, or even other Pokemon, for inspiration for a painting. Instead... He was facing down a Goldeen. A measly Goldeen.

"Let's get this over with," he said, rolling his eyes.

He swirled one of his paintbrushes in the air, sending a flurry of Razor Leaves at the fish. The Goldeen air-swam out of the way and rammed a Horn Attack into Funky's side, but a second, up-close flurry finished her off. An Arrokuda was sent out in her place, but the second fish suffered a similar fate.

"Is this a joke?" said Funky.

Nessa sent out her Dreadnaw. Both the Drednaw and Funky ballooned to kaiju size via Dynamax power. Funky admitted it felt good. Inspirational even.

His thoughts were interrupted by a G-Max Darkness directly at his massive knees, causing his enormous body to stumble dangerously close to the crowd - not that this interrupted their frenzied cheering. Funky gritted his teeth and caused a massive burst of plant life to erupt beneath the Drednaw in a G-Max Overgrowth. The Dreadnaw let out a mighty roar of pain as the plants penetrated her shell. There was an explosion, and the Drednaw shrank back down to size, KOed. Funky shrank back down to size as well, smirking.

"Like I said. A joke."

------------

The crowd cheered, the music blared, the lights shone down on the battlefield... and HeInwald didn't really care. He was looking for traces of how this place allowed the Dynamax phenomenon, and was so engrossed in doing so he barely noticed the Ninetales in front of him.

"You going to fight me or not?" she said.

"Hm? Oh. My apologies."

He lunged forward with a Night Slash. The attack barely cut into the Ninetales' fur as she spat a Will-o-Wisp at him, burning him.

"Concerning," he said. He let out a Snarl, dampening her retaliatory Ember. And again to her Fire Spin. And again to her Quick Attack. A second Quick Attack eventually took him down.

Mantle was sent out in his place. He was excited! He was in his element! Literally! Quickly he Coiled in on himself to sheild himself from the Ninetales' Quick Attack. A Fire Spin was sucked into his body via Flash Fire. Finally he used Bite, biting down hard on one of the Ninetales' legs.This was too much, and the pain caused her to promply fall to the ground, fainted.

An Arcanine was sent out in her place. "Stay, puppy!" said Mantle as he lunged and Bit the much larger Pokemon. The Arcanine Bit back, and the two Pokemon kept wrestling and Biting one another until Mantle proved victorious.

"Alright, who's next? I'm ready to take on any-"

He was promptly recalled and replaced with Lir.

Lir promptly panicked. There were so many lights, so many noises. And a very powerful-looking Centiskorch right in front of him. He wanted to go back in the ball. The ball did not judge. It only hated.

It got worse when the Centicorch grew and stretched into a much more intimidating form, and Lir grew and stretched in turn. The massive centipede hit him with an overwhelming blast of heat that turned the temperature in the arena up by several degrees, and in turn Lir hurriedly dropped a pillar of rock on the Gigantimax Centiskorch. Weak Armor causing bits of his body to fall away, he promptly yelled and dropped another pillar of rock on his opponent. When the G-Max Rockfall crumbled away, the Centiscorch was normal sized and unconscious.

Lir couldn't believe his eyes. He'd done it! He'd defeated a scarier foe! He could get used to this kaiju thi-

He shrunk back down to normal. He was small and vulnerable again. Where was the ball when you needed it?

---------

Heinwald had a soft spot for Ghost types, as paranormal as they were. He felt it was his obligation to inspect them. But no, his trainer wanted him to fight this one, this Galarian Yamask in front of him. Ah well.

"Hold still a bit will you?" said Heinwald.

He lunged at the Yamask with a Night Slash, only for a twofold tingling feeling to creep up on him. It didn't take him long to deduce that not only had the Yamask stolen his Ability with Wandering Spirit, he'd also Disabled his Night Slash. His Trainer concluded the same, recalling him.

Upon entering the battlefield Uk was hit with a Brutal Swing. Uk did not care, it barely scratched him. What did phase Uk was all the lights and noise and worse of all PEOPLE. Uk wasn't used to this kind of attention - normally Uk fed on negative emotions, not the screaming frenzy of an excited crowd. But Uk wanted to make his Trainer happy, so...

"Uk no let you win!" he said as he slammed the Yamask with a Sucker Punch, taking him down. The crowd cheered, and Uk did as well... only to be recalled.

Duke was sent out next. Finally. He had been honing his blade-claws long enough, and he would finally be able to prove his worth in a gym battle. A Mimikyu was sent out to face him, and he scoffed.

"Glorified Pikachu-shaped eldritch sack of oats! You think you can face ME?!"

As the Mimikyu Honed its Claws Duke slashed at him with Metal Claw to break his disguise. Duke barely flinched at the following Shadow Sneak as he  barreled through and struck the Mimikyu with an Iron Head, taking it down.

"Ha! Is that all you've got! I need stronger opponents! Give me more! MORE!"

His request for more was ignored as he was swapped for Uk, and the Mimikyu was swapped for Cursola.

"Hey!" said Uk. "Enemy look like Lir! Maybe I should go easy on her... NOT!"

He jabbed the Cursola with a False Surrender. The Cursola attempted to Curse him in response... Only to KO itself from the effort. Uk scratched its head.

"Uk confused."

He was promptly recalled and replaced with Heinwald, who found himself facing down a Gengar.

"I suppose this is the part where things... Escalate," said Heinwald.

Indeed Heinwald grew to massive size as the opposing Gengar transformed into a massive, gaping maw. Heinwald sent coils of G-Max Darkness at the Gigantimax Gengar while the Gengar spat a wave of G-Max ooze that would have smothered the crowd if not for the protective barriers in place. Heinwald was hurt, but also mostly annoyed. He sent another Max Darkness that shook the stadium, doing the Gengar in. The crowd cheered. Heinwald shrank back down to size and smirked.

Guess fighting Ghosts was ALSO worth his time.

----------

The pastel colors of the arena almost blinded Duke, but he didn't let it get to him. This was his finest hour. Members of the Galaian Meowth line were raised to be warriors, and now he would be a warrior on the grand stage.

Also this Galarian Weezing was looking at him funny and that would not stand.

"You dare cross the great Duke, slayer of Champions? I'll END you!"

The Weezing sneezed a Fairy Wind in his face, further incensing Duke to deliver an Iron Head to her floating form. The Weezing collapsed to the floor and was recalled.

"Ahaha! Come at me! I will end you all!"

A Mawile was sent out. This one gave him pause... Those jaws... He missed an exchange between his Trainer and Opal but he felt something cause his abilities to falter further.

"Warrior's retreat!"

He was swapped out for Mantle.

"Some warrior you are..." said Mantle.

He Coiled in response to the Mawile's Iron Defense, also guarding against her Crunch. A Flame Wheel straight into the Mawile's Iron Defense position caused the Mawile to skid back, Mantle was confident when -

"What do you mean pink isn't your favorite color?"

This outburst from  his trainer made him realize he was far more vulnerable, and he Coiled again, the Mawile attempting to shake him around with Crunch. Finally he yanked the Mawile's jaws into another Flame Wheel, taking her out. Opal sent out a Togekiss in her place.

"Heh... Guess you are tough..." Mantle said. "But you aren't tough eno-"

There was an Ancientpower and he went down. Duke was sent back out, and was torn. On one hand, one of his comrades had gone down. On the other, he felt invigorated.

"DIE WEIRD BIRD"

He slammed an Iron Head into the Togekiss' face, ignoring the Air Slash in reply. The Togekiss fell out of the sky as the crowd cheered. An Alcreamie was sent out, but Duke felt invigorated and felt more so after Obal said something about liking his trainer's "answer." He felt strong.

And he felt stronger as he grew and stretched and his foe grew and stretched to gargantuan sizes. Now it was a battle of titans. Bright bursts of light that reverberated through the stadium hit Duke, and it only increased his bloodlust. Steel spikes ran from him to the Gigantimax Alcremie, impaling it, breaking its massive form and causing it to shrink down, unconscious.

Duke shrank down and gave a roar befitting a much larger cat mon. He had conquered this puny Fairy gym and all had seen it.

Meanwhile his Trainer scratched his head. "Can't believe the quiz was in the gym battle too..."

------------------

Mantle felt a little insecure. He could kind of feel he was falling behind a bit. No. No he wouldn't let such thoughts get to him. Especially not against this damn Frosmoth.

"I know you're all head but heads up!"

He used Flame Wheel, rolling through the Hail the Frosmoth cast and slamming into it for an instant KO. The crowd cheered. A Darmanitan was sent out in its place.

"You really think you can clear this gym with moves like that?" said the Darmanitan with a Taunt.

"Oh I sure can!" said Mantle, ramming into her with another Flame Wheel. It was then the Darmanitan's form shifted - to a bouncing, hopping mad firey snowman.

"Woah, you seem mad... Good!"

The Darmanitan attempted to clamp down on Mantle with a Fire Fang, only for Mantle's Flash Fire to absorb it and Mantle to wrap her up in a Flame Wheel, tossing her across the arena and knocking her out. Next came... a Eiscue.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Mantle said.

He rolled into her with another Flame Wheel, only to merely shatter the ice around her face as she spat an Icy Wind at him. Mantle spat in annoyance as as the Escue tried to hit him with a Freeze Dry before he coiled into another Flame Wheel and KOed her.

"Aw yeah, I'm on top!" said Mantle.

He was promptly recalled and replaced by Funky as the opposition sent out a Lapras.

Funky cocked an eyebrow at the creature. How did it move around on land?

The question remained unanswered as the two embiggened to massive sizes that towered over the crowd. Funky waved his paintbrushes in the Gigantimax Lapras' direction to summon a G-Max Overgrowth, thinking it would end it quickly. Instead the Lapras responded with a song, a chilling song that clutched at Funky's heart like ice.

The pain The song. He thought back to his old troop. How they all were supposed to be musicians, it was in their blood. But he didn't want to be a musician, he wanted to paint amnd draw, but they forced him to do what they wanted, scolded him, until he finally ran away. But this icy song ate at him, damaged him both physically and psychologically untill he finally cried out, his booming voice aweing the crowd and echoing beyond the stadium.

"NO! ENOUGH MUSIC!  I AM A PAINTER!"

Another Max Overgrowth. The Lapras collapsed, shrunk, was recalled. Funky shrank as well, panting heavily, even as the crowd cheered. He felt... Relieved.

Maybe this Gym challenge was an even better inspiration for his art than he thought.

----------

Heinwald didn't like the look of this place. And this Gym leader was totally copying his hairstyle. But what was more concerning was this Scrafty. He was Intimidating, and Heinwald knew one good Fighting move would take him down.

"Uk, don't let me down."

The two swapped places, Uk coming out straight into a Brick Break.

"Ow! You break brick? Uk break spirit!"

He lashed out with a hair-whip in a Spirit Break, sending the Scrafty flying and knocking him unconscious.

Before Uk could celebrate Heinwald was sent back out, and found himself facing another Obstagoon.

"...I forgot the rest of my kind were this crude."

He hit the other Obstagoon with a Brick Break, only to be grabbed and slammed with a Counter that took him down instantly. Funky was sent out in his place.

"Of course I'm on cleanup duty..."

Funky's Brick Break did the job this time, nailing the Obstagoon in the head. Funky was then swapped out for Mantle as Piers sent out a Malamar.

"Alright you overgrown piece of calamari time to get yours!"

He clawed at the Malamar with X-Scissor, ignoring his Foul Play, causing the Malamar to screech and keel over.

"Alright who's nex-"

He was swapped for Duke, who was now facing a Skuntank.

"Your stench offends the way of the warrior! You will be defeated!"

A Sucker Punch glanced off Duke's migty beard as he burrowed beneath the Skuntank and attacked from below, and a second Sucker Punch didn't dissuade him from doing it again, taking the Skuntank down. Duke roared a victory cry before glancing around in confusion.

"No Dynamax this time? I wanted to be a GIANT warrior..."

--------

Galadriel looked at the Flygon and Gigalith before her as a sandstorm raged. Then at her partner, Uk.

"Fascinating... You're my partner again then?"

Uk nodded. "Uk happy to share limelight with team!"

"It is settled then."

She lunged at the Gigalith with a Smart Strike as Uk attacked the Gigalith with a False Surrender. Galadriel dodged a Steel Wing from the Flygon as the Gigalith threw up a Stealth Rock.

"Hey! Trainer say Stealth Rock cheating!" said Uk.

"Refocus on the Flygon!" said Galadriel.

The Flygon slammed her with a Steel Wing as it tried to swoop out of the way, but a Spirit Break and Dazzling Gleam did it in. The Gigalith hung on, and Body Pressed Uk to little effect. A Sandaconda was sent out in the Flygon's place.

"What we do now?" said Uk.

"Get rid of the Gigalith!" said Galadriel.

A Dazzling Gleam from her took him out and heavily tore into the Sandaconda, which failed to do much of an impression with its Glare. A Spirit Break tore into it further, but the Sandaconda hissed in defiance as a Duraldon was sent out.

"Uk, now's your chance!"

"What Gal mea-"

Before Uk knew it, he was a giant! He couldn't believe it! All the humans in the audience looked so tiny and cute! He wanted to pet the-

Uh-oh. The Duraldon looked like a building now.

Galadriel sent out another burst of Dazzling gleam, taking out the Sandaconda and cutting into the massive Duraldon. The Duraldon, however, sent out a Max Steelspike, causing Uk to keel over and shake the stadium before shrinking down and being recalled.

"Uk! No!" said Galadriel. "You will be avenged..."

"And I'll do the avenging!" said Duke, being sent out. "Aye, glorified high-rise! You don't hurt my friends."

"I'll hold him off!" said Galadriel. "You get the jump on him."

Galadriel bombarded the Duraldon with another Dazzling Gleam. The Duraldon's massive fist crushed Duke with a Max Knuckle, but by the time the fist lifted Duke had buried underground. Galadriel fired one last Dazzling Gleam before a Max Steelspike left her prone.

"Duke... I leave this to you..."

Suddenly, the earth beneath the Duraldon shook as Duke burst from it, clawing at the Duraldon's underside. The Duraldon gave an unearthly creak and moan before toppling over into the protective barrier around the crowd, then  shrinking and being recalled into his ball. The crowd went wild.

Duke cheered! His and Galadriel's plan worked! He was the friend-avenger! His name would be legend for ages to come!

...Also he'd hopefully get skritches and treats from his Trainer.

--------------

Galadriel peered around this city of Wyndon; it was so very different from the forest Seigbert had found her in. She wasn't sure she was so fond of the pollution and the noise but the bustling Auras of the people and Pokemon there... They were fascinating.

Almost took her mind off the looming threat.

Heinwald had told her everything. The conspiracy to hide the true nature of the Sword And Shield and the dual heroes, the strange boy on a mission from the chairman... and she had seen some of it herself. The resurgence of rouge Dynamax Pokemon, the state of Spikemuth, the tremors, all of which they refused to let her handle...

She turned her horn from Wyndon back in the direction of Hammerlocke. She could still feel the immense power radiating from its spire, and how... unstable it was. She feared the worst. She hoped that Heinwald wasn't right.

That the Darkest Day wasn't coming back.

In the Glimwood Tangle, they told stories about that event. About the rampages as the astral projections known as Dynamax and Gigantimax went out of control. About... it.

She knew a resurgence would be devastating. But at the very least she had hope.

Her Team. Her Trainer.

-------------------

The crowd was extra-wild today. Why wouldn't they be? It was rising star Seigbert vs. long-standing Champion Leon. Funky understood this and yet he did not care. All he was concerned about was getting rid of the Aegislash in front of him.

"Don't blink that one eye of yours."

Funky slapped the Aegislash with a Knock Off only to take a Shadow Ball to the face. With an annoyed grunt, Funky slapped the Aegislash to the ground with another Knock Off, knocking him out.

"Hmph. Thought so."

He was recalled and replaced with Mantle, as Leon sent out a Cinderace.

"Hey, Funky told me about you!" said Mantle.

He Coiled in on himself, only to be sent flying by an Acrobatics. He was quickly swapped for Duke, who ate a Quick Attack with little effort only to be sent flying himself by a Pyro Ball. Uk was sent out and delivered a couple Sucker Punches before he too was felled by a Pyro Ball.

Galadriel was sent out. Pyro Ball tore into her even as she dodged an Acrobatics. Seigbert switched back to Mantle, but as soon as the Cinderace let loose another Acrobatics Heinwald was switched in in his place.

"You may have been able to fell my friends... But not me!" said Heinwald.

He slammed into the Cinderace with a Double Edge, smacking him into the side of the stadium, KOed.

Heinwald was then switched for Funky as a Sesmitoad was sent out. Funky smirked.

"Cake."

He let loose a Drum Beating, knocking out the Seismitoad easily. Leon sent out a Dragapult to replace it. While his Trainer was fumbling around in his bag for Max Revives, however, a jet of flame left Funky unconsious, and Mantle was sent back out. Mantle tanked a few Shadow Balls and lashed out with a Crunch.

"Man this guy is tough!"

He was swapped out again, for Uk. Uk withstood another Shadow Ball and Sucker Punched the Dragapult to metaphorical death. A Haxorus was sent out in its place, and slammed Uk with an Iron Tail, KOing him again. Mantle was sent out only to fall to an Outrage. Finally, it was Galadriel's turn.

"Your rage only makes me stronger!"

She absorbed the Outrage without the scratch, and then, in the Haxorus' subsequent confusion, took him out with a Dazzling Gleam. Then... came Charizard. It grew and stretched into Gigantimax Charizard, dropping a pillar of rock on Galadriel. She fell, and Heinwald was sent out.

"This ends now."

He grew and stretched to Gigantimax form. The Charizard buffeted him with a Max Aircurrent before Heinwald dropped Max Lightning on him... And the Charizard shrank back to normal. He grinned.

"Too bad."

He charged his foot with Max Lightning and stepped on the Charizard. When he lifted his foot the Charizard was unconscious.

Heinwald shrank down to normal. The crowd went nuts. His Trainer went nuts.

Heinwald, ever so subtly, allowed himself a small fist pump.

------------

Zacian stared into Galadriel's eyes as she steeled her resolve.

"If I must face you this way... So be it."

Zamazenta's Iron Defense did not stop a barrage of Dazzling Gleams, but a Behemoth Bash did. Mantle slithered into the battlefeild.

"We're fighting a Legendary AGAIN?"

He was sent skidding back by a Behemoth Bash, but retaliated with a Fire Lash, striking Zamazenta's hide. Zamazenta bit down with a Crunch, only to have her jaws singed by a second Fire Lash.

"Sigbert, NOW!" said Mantle.

A Luxury Ball was thrown, but torn asunder. Zamazenta bit down again, knocking Mantle out. Funky came out next, eyeing the situation warily.

"You might want to bring out the big guns."

At this, a Master Ball was thrown. It sucked Zamazenta in, wobbled three times, than clicked. Funky grinned.

"Something something unstoppable force meets immovable object."

---------------

And that's all of them! There might be another bonus down the line but that depends on if an in-game thing can stop kicking my ass.

[artificialqueens]

dancing to the rhythm [in our heart and soul] (Branjie) - PinkGrapefruit

A/N - We got here! This will contain spoilers from this weeks episode (duh). So far it’s made all three of the people who’ve read it cry (thank you to Meggie, Alex and Frey for sacrificing yourselves). As usual, all content is my own and the characters are fictional representations even though it is based on truth. Please let me know if you cry (and what line set you off - it’s for science) and enjoy! x

*

He picks up the letter with shaky breaths and fumbling fingers, twirls the paper in his hands like it is a deed to the universe - like it could easily alter everything. He wonders, briefly, if this is what people feel like when handed divorce papers or a marriage licence. If this weight is what holds the world together. He knows he’s being overdramatic, but maybe this letter really could change everything.

  He doesn’t want to open it. It’s been closed with a tiny rainbow smiley face sticker and José suspects that Brock stole it from him because he sure as hell didn’t bring any himself. It’s cute that he put so much effort into it (he can see the tear tracks on the paper even from the outside, prays Brock used waterproof ink).

  *

  Vanessa knew this was coming the second Brooke said she was going to rap about Canada. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but she sure as hell could see it. That monster grin the other queen wore as she threw her limbs around, bendy man at a carwash style - it’s why she loved her. Loves her.

She hoped the cameras caught her face as she uttered those words, knew it would be priceless because no matter how confident Brooke might have felt, she, on the other hand, was terrified. She’d had the audacity to say she didn’t need luck, to pretend that the nicknames had no effect on her and the peck was just for show but she knew how she felt in that moment, cold fear spreading like ice in the warmth of her heart. A wildfire heading towards a forest. A powderkeg about to explode.

  *

  His fingers falter as he rips the sticker. It feels symbolic  - although of what, he doesn’t know. He moves one hand from the paper, braces himself against the workbench they always shared. He can smell his cologne on the paper and knows Brock cradled it the same way he is doing now, all sorry smiles and heavy hearts.

  ‘Nessa, José,’

  He gulps hard and loud, tries to shield his eyes from the studio lighting and the cameraman who’s not giving him enough space to feel all the things he’s feeling. His emotions are a cacophony, a diabolic symphony in his mind, playing each note like it has all his life in it, all at once.

  ‘I am so proud of you baby.’

  *

  She watched her dance like a mother watches her child learn how to ride a bike. It was so very painful and she just wanted to reach out, steady it, give her a hand to hold. But she stayed strong. Every move was measured and placed perfectly and she looked so fucking elegant but that wasn’t the challenge. There’s no fire behind her eyes, just the poise and dignity that she’s always had and Vanessa can’t help but worry that that isn’t going to be enough.

There is an unparalleled joy on her face when she learns it’s going to be done in one take. The production value makes her want to squeal like a small child and one look at Brooke’s face tells her the same thing. The excitement lasts longer than it should. Neither cares.

  *

  ‘You won this thing the second you walked backwards off the stage in season ten and I am endlessly proud of you for everything you have achieved since.’

  *

  They knew it was low energy when they filmed but they couldn’t bring themselves to care. The stress is too much and all of the top five felt it seeping into their bones like a cold Canada winter - harsh and draining. She messed up lipsyncing and she knew she was in the bottom, there was no question.

They talked about the future when they de-dragged, let themselves wander into a pocket dimension filled with cats and glitter and freedom. (She might have known she was in the bottom but she didn’t think Brooke was. They considered it nonetheless.)

  *

  ‘You are the Allie to my Noah, the Vivian to my Edward and the Pam to my Jim’

  *

  They went in on Brooke on the main stage and it’s that moment when the lightbulb switched. She wanted to fight every single producer on the show because she knew what was coming, goddamnit, and Brooke, her beautiful ballerina Brooke - she didn’t deserve a word of it.

They talked in Untucked - it was bittersweet because they knew what was going to happen. They knew it would hurt and neither wanted to have to send the other home. ‘Sophie’s choice’, Brooke said as a kind of justification to the way they felt. It didn’t need justifying and when their lips touched they felt it alleviate a little bit of the pain that was to come.

  *

  ‘I am so excited to start a life with you outside of these walls, where we can go on dates and stay the night and you can meet my cats. I can’t wait for pancakes and waffles and taking you to Canada. I can’t wait for us.’

  *

  They fought.

It hurt.

When Brooke’s name was announced, Vanessa didn’t cry. She didn’t do much of anything until Brooke looked at her with those sad eyes and walked towards her like she couldn’t bear another moment alone. When they kissed, it was hard and needy and as if they were trying to convey every emotion they’ve shared over the competition. It was apologies and love songs and longing sewn into a kiss. She needed it, even if she hadn’t quite realised how much.

She didn’t look at her when she was leaving - something about salt in open wounds and how roses only grow with time. She didn’t look because she was scared that if she saw Brooke crying, she would lose any of the dwindling resolve she had  - she wasn’t mad. She wasn’t pressed. She was happy for the experience, she was happy for Brooke.

If she cried in the holding room later, no one had to know.

  *

  ‘I love you so much, José - my winner. I will see you very soon,

  Love, Brock x’

  He knows he lost, but he is Brock’s winner and it feels more real than any crown or sceptre. He loves Brock with every fibre of his being and he knows that truly, he has won.

  When he falls to the floor crying, all he can feel are Brock’s arms around him, anchoring him home.

[chrisevansbabymama]

Call Me

Summary: Vanessa, plus-size protagonist gets ditched by her date after Chris persuades her to give it a chance. 

Disclaimer: I haven’t experienced what the character goes through so there’s so much cognitive dissonance on my part which might come across as ignorant, but please know it’s not intentional or with malice.  Be gentle with me. I hope I do it justice. 

______

“Chris! I’m so nervous, my hand is shaking, literally shaking,” Vanessa shrieked to her best friend, as she got ready.

Her phone was wedged between her ear and shoulder as she strapped on her midi heels.

“You’ll be fine,” Chris laughed on the other line. “You’ve been talking about this guy and how you just click over text and on the phone, it’ll be even better in person. I promise,”

Vanessa heaved a heavy sigh. First dates with anyone were always nerve wrecking. But the added pressure of meeting in person someone that she had met online wasn’t helping. She’d never done this before.

She’d worked with Chris as his assistant for three years, always side by side, as the nature of the job permitted. Not that she would ever complain; he was the loveliest person to work with, funny, endearing and of course good looking. That little crush she had on him never went away, but she also really loved him as a friend to even risk losing him. So she never thought of pursuing him, more so because she believed she wasn’t his type.

What on earth would Chris Evans, with his dating history, be doing with a plus-sized black woman? As ‘woke’ as he was, surely that wasn’t a territory he wanted to venture into, she would muse.

 But to give him due credit, he had been a good friend, his humility, honesty, loyalty and big heart was what she treasured the most. And of course his pretty darn good looks were the oversized cherry on top.

“Okay, if you say so,” she looked at her watch. “I have to go Chris,”

“Okay beautiful, let me know everything! Sneak off to the bathroom and give me updates, if he gets weird, just call me, I’ll be right over,”

Vanessa laughed, “I will, I promise,”

“Oh and Nessa?”

“Mhhh?”

“If you get stuck, have fun tonight, just relax and be you. He’ll love it,”

“Really?” Vanessa asked incredulously, grabbing her bag and turning off the lights.

Chris groaned, “Oh hell yeah, trust me,”

And she would do just that; be herself, and not the first-date version of herself that she often put forward. Everyone had one. But if Chris said it’d work, she believed him. He had a way with women, so of course, he knew what he was talking about.

______

Nessa: how late is too late?

Chris: still not there?

Nessa: He said he’s running late, but that was thirty minutes ago, there’s no update.

Chris: Call him?

Nessa: Voicemail

“Ma’am, would you like order?” The waitress came to Vanessa’s table tucked at the corner, for the third time.

The first time she was offering the menu. The second she had been taking Vanessa’s order of white wine.

“I’m still waiting for my uhh friend,” Vanessa said with a nervous giggle, gesturing to the empty seat.

The waitress nodded and pursed her lips, “Just to let you know we only hold our tables for twenty minutes ma’am, and I’ve let your surpass that by a mile,“

“He’ll be here,” Vanessa said quickly.

“Okay, let me know if you need anything,” she smiled contritely before walking away.

She felt more self-conscious than she had after the first fifteen minutes that he hadn’t bothered to turn up. Now almost 45 minutes later, it was as if everyone was really watching her. 

People dine alone all the time, I could be one of those. It’s normal. She thought, trying to ignore the occasional glances from other diners that she had imagined.

8:43pm, her iPhone displayed. If he wasn’t here by 8:50 she was leaving. She felt even more stupid for staying that long, despite him notifying her about his punctuality. He couldn’t even make the effort to be there on time? Why even give him that chance?

She picked up her phone and messaged Chris to let him know that she was going home as soon as she finished her wine. He didn’t reply. So she sat there, looking around and watching people walk past in groups, ready to paint the town red. There were couples linking arms, another kissing by the car across the road. And in the restaurant alone, there were plenty. Everyone but her seemed to be having a fulfilled night. She wondered which ones, if any were on their first date. Which ones were in their honeymoon phase? It’d been a while since she’d been there. 

When 8:50 came, she decided to give a few more minutes, just in case, slowly nursing her wine as rationale. The looks became obvious; the waitress was now at the door speaking to the maitre dí, pointing towards her table. Well, she couldn’t blame them, she’d held the table for a while and had ordered nothing but a glass of wine. She took out her card, knowing that the next time the waitress came, she’d be kicking her out.

She messaged Chris...

Nessa: I’m done!

Nessa: This is so embarassing!

Nessa: I should have followed my instincts.

Nessa: I’m SUCH an idiot!!!

Nessa: I can’t believe he really didn’t show up!

Chris didn’t reply again, but he called straight away instead, the worry in his voice was apparent as he spoke the minute she answered on the first ring.

“Hey,” he said tentatively.

“Chris!” she could only muster. She wanted to cry, she palmed her forehead, hiding her face, because surely now the whole restaurant was watching her. Oh the pity she imagined they wore on their faces.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry, I feel bad I pushed you to go on this date,”

“Ma’am?”

Vanessa looked up at the waitress, “Chris, I have to go,”

“Vanessa-?”

“I’m sorry ma’am-“

“It’s okay, I understand,” Vanessa forced a smile and raised her card to the waitress.

The waitress merely nodded, wearing a look of sympathy that Vanessa resented because she was too familiar with it, “I’ll get the card reader,”

Vanessa forced herself not to cry. She wasn’t going to cry. Not just yet. She was going to once she got home. She could scream into her pillow and not face the judging faces of the others. She could almost laugh at how hilarious this whole situation was. She always told herself to follow her intuition, and the one time she ignored it, the universe had to prove a point. At her expense. Great.

She put her blazer on, downed the last of her wine and waited for the waitress to return so she could pay, and rush home to call Chris and shout at him for making her do this.

“Hey,” a familiar baritone said behind her.

She turned around so quickly she almost gave herself a whiplash, and then a heart attack at the sight of him.

“Chris?” she frowned, as if she’d seen a ghost.

He was assessing her to see what state she was in; she had her brave face on. He was very familiar with it. She always did that, hide her feelings behind a contrite smile that he’d become so familiar with.

“You okay?” he asked, sitting opposite her.

Suddenly, the room filled with murmurs of excitement at the unexpected spotting of a celebrity dining at a hidden gem. 

“Of course I’m not okay Chris,” she scoffed. “What are you doing here?”

“I knew from the minute you told me he didn’t call, that he wasn’t coming,” Chris frowned apologetically, then grimaced at how harsh he sounded. “I made my way as soon as I could. I’m sorry, he’s a jerk,”

Vanessa shook her head and looked out of the window, those tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. She wasn’t going to cry. Especially not in front of Chris. She waved her hand dismissively, and chuckled.

“I’m an idiot,”

“Why?” Chris asked, sounding upset with her. “Because you trusted someone and they let you down?”

She shrugged, “He probably had time to think and thought nah, ‘she’s not my type, why bother?’” she laughed. “You know, at least be a man and own up to it?!”

Chris could detect the pain in that sinister laugh. He wanted to roll his eyes at how ridiculous she sounded, but he realised that’s how she felt and he wouldn’t want to trivialise that.

“Or maybe he came here, asked for the table and saw me, and thought hell no,”

“Vanessa, stop it,” Chris said fiercely, reaching for her hand. “Look at me...please,”

“Chris, it’s not your reality okay? You don’t have to ‘get it.’ You won’t ever. The world swoons just at your face alone, then of course, you are built like fucking Steve Rodgers in real life...what could you possibly get? Look around this room alone, as soon as you walked in, everyone gets excited,”

And then for the first time since he’d walked in, he suddenly became aware of the onlookers and sneaking iPhone cameras. He was thankful for the loud music blaring through the speakers, because this wasn’t a conversation for strange ears. He turned his attention back to her and listened. She’d always shared her insecurities about her weight to him, and how that got in the way of her love life or people just treating her like a person worth their attention. He wanted to take the pain away and make her realise how beautiful she was. But he knew, and had said it to her many times, but when the rest of the world wasn’t so accepting or as kind, it would take more than his efforts to change her heart. That wasn’t going to stop him from playing his part and doing right by her though, even if she didn’t believe him. 

“I’m sorry Vanessa, I know there’s nothing I can do to make this better or go away,” he said solemnly, tightening his grip on her hand. “But you know, it’s probably for the best that he didn’t string you along. I know it doesn’t make it better, but he didn’t deserve your time,”

“Uh..., sorry to interrupt,” the waitress returned with a sheepish smile.

Vanessa rolled her eyes internally. Of course Chris would have that effect.

“A...a...re you uhmm...still paying?” she looked at Vanessa.

“We’ll have the menus, please?” Chris looked at Vanessa, she gave him a small smile for confirmation. “And we’ll have a bottle of what she was drinking,”

“Yeah, sure, I’ll be right back,”

“Thank you Chris, for coming,” Vanessa finally said, heaving a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry for being a bitch,”

“No, you have every right to be mad. And at me for coming along with unsolicited advice. Man,” he shook his head. “Guys are jerks, I’m sorry on behalf of the entire male specie,”

Vanessa laughed, “It’s not your fault,”

“Yeah but women really put up with hardcore jackasses every day, can’t be easy,”

“Well,” Vanessa finally smiled. “Not all men. You turned out pretty decent,”

“Mhhhh,” Chris grimaced, slightly shrinking into his seat. Vanessa rolled her eyes. He always did this, deflected compliments, just as she did. “I try, I’m not perfect,”

“You’re miiiillleeesss ahead of the foolishness I’ve encountered, you have a good heart kid, I know you wouldn’t pull something like this,” Vanessa said confidently.

“Don’t make me blush,” he joked, then straightened up. “But no, I wouldn’t, especially not to you,”

“You don’t have to tell me what you think I want to hear,” she scoffed. “Besides, you’re now paying for this dinner, so stop sucking up to me,”

“Here you go,” the waitress interrupted again, placing menus in front of them.

“Thank you,” Chris and Vanessa said in unison.

“You’re welcome,” she said, needing a reason to linger a bit longer to take Chris in before she went off again.

“Have you been here before?” Chris asked from behind the menu? “What do you recommend?”

“The prawn tacos are amazing, oh and the nachos too, but they’re a lot - we can share,”

“Uh yeah, no, I don’t share,” he said avoiding eye contact. “You know this,”

“This is true. Evans doesn’t share food. And here I thought you were the good guy,”

“I am,” he smirked. “And also, I wasn’t just saying what I thought you needed to hear by the way, I meant it,”

Vanessa glanced at him, smiling as her heart warmed. She knew he meant it. Chris had a mantra where he always insisted on saying exactly what he meant and meaning what he said. But that wasn’t what warmed her heart; it was that the night had turned around for the better after all. There was no one she’d rather share the evening with than Chris. He looked up too, smiling in return.

What is happening here? She thought. She looked back down quickly, studying the menu as if she hadn’t decided on what she was having. Then her phone flashed on the table, her eyes flickered to it quickly, not wanting to rush to pick it up and be rude in Chris’ company. Until she saw his name flash on the screen.

"Shame he didn’t get to see how good you look right now,” Chris said, before Vanessa could even process what was going on, he continued, “Also, this is a much better date. Don’t you think?”

She shook her head at him for his silly antics, she couldn’t take him seriously when he was in flirting mode. It was that smirk that made it hard to discern how serious he was. Though it felt good whenever she was the recipient of it, she also wished that he really meant that, and not just said things to make her feel good. The problem with him saying things that felt good is that it was fleeting, he’d say it and move on.

“Are you ready to order?”

Vanessa looked up, grateful for the waitress’ presence for the first time that evening.   

“I think we are,” Chris said, Vanessa glanced over at him and met his eyes that were lingering on her. He smiled and raised his brows at her, “Don’t you think?”

Vanessa turned to the waitress and nodded rapidly, suddenly fumbling awkwardly with menu, “uh yes, I think so,”

Chris smiled from across the table, knowing that wasn’t an answer for the waitress.

[djinmer4]

Paimë i Valaina (Silmarillion)

“Are you worried?” Elrond approached the figure at the rail, watching the rapidly nearing quay.  The other ellon turned to look at him, grey eyes calm with none of the apprehension the Peredhel had expected.

“Not anymore.  I was worried at the beginning of the trip, that the Valar might choose to do something dramatic during the journey.  But we seemed to have made it safely through the Straight Road.  Even if Manwë takes it into his head to hit the ship with a lightning bolt to drown me, we’re close enough to the shore that the rest of you can swim to safety.”  Maglor leaned back and shaded his eyes.  “I’m not seeing a company of Maiar on the docks to escort me to the  Máhanaxar so I’ll take that as a good sign.”

Indeed, when the ship docked there was only a small contingent to meet them.  Galadriel had taken it upon herself to be their spokeswoman and commented on the lack.  The head of the delegation apologized, “We were indeed warned by Uinen and other Maiar of Ulmo, but ‘The Ship bearing those who fought against Sauron will arrive soon’ doesn’t actually give a time frame for expected arrival.  Your parents, Princess, could not take leave of their duties for such a great time period to meet you here, although word will be sent to Tirion to let them prepare a celebration for your arrival.”

“That is acceptable,” piped in Elrond.  “But the ship that left prior to ours should have given word that we would be the next.”

“Indeed they did.  However, they did not know if a new ship would be built from scratch or if you would take whatever was available or if you would wait a few more years to tie up any loose ends or even what the weather conditions would be like.”

Now it was Maglor’s turn to interrupt.  “Practical enough.  But I believe you were told that not only the leaders of the Resistance would be coming but also a notorious criminal.  Were there no preparations made for that?”  The Teleri ner simply looked confused, and the Feanorian realized that he was far too young to have known who he was currently speaking to.  To make his point clear, the eldest Elf there slipped off his black leather glove and held out his hand, palm facing the other.  Even then, it took the Teler a few minutes to understand what the bright red design on his hand meant.  “Oh, uh, yes, we were informed.  Again though, we weren’t sure if the rumors that you had chosen to return was true.”  Maglor put his gloves back on and spared a bemused glance to his cousin and foster-son.  “Well, as you can see, it is.  Perhaps we might get things over with and you can escort me to Máhanaxar so that I may face the judgment of the Valar.”

Brown eyes looked away, the ner darting glances back at the Noldo.  “That won’t be necessary.  There will indeed be a trial over your actions back in the First Age, but the advocates from Tirion, Alqualondë and Tol Eressëa will need at least a month to prepare.  In the meantime, given your good behavior since then, your bond has been given to your family.  You can spend the wait in Formenos, catching up with them.”

“My family?  Surely you must be mistaken.  My mother and grandparents perhaps, but my family has been condemned unto the Void for being unable to fulfill our Oath.”

“With the exception of Maedhros, the rest of your family has returned from the Halls of Mandos.  And given that you’ve returned, I’m sure your last brother will also be released soon.”  Before any of the three Elves could comment, the Teleri delegate continued.  “I’m a bit surprised you mentioned facing the judgment of the Valar.  Surely Olorin and Aiwendil had mentioned that the Valar no longer rule Aman.”  That statement made even Galadriel jump.

“Truly?”

“The Valar have not ruled since the end of the Second Age.  Did not Curunír or any of the other Istari tell you so?”  Before they could respond, they heard Bilbo gasp behind them.  “Why Gandalf!  You look so young!”  Turning around they saw that Olorin had returned to his form of shining light.  (Trust a hobbit to describe it as looking young.)  Tired but still compassionate eyes looked over all of them.

“I think it’s time for you three to see the truth of Aman.”

The cavern was deep underground, underneath the crater of what had been the  Máhanaxar.  It was cut off from any wind or light.  Inside the gloom they could hear a thin, reedy voice, begging for news of the outside world, for someone to answer its cries.  “He once was the King of all the Valar in this world.  But when the Downfall of Numenor occurred, so too was the Ring of Judgment struck.  The Noldor eventually discovered this cavern while searching for new veins of ore.  Now he crawls alone in the dark, blind and deaf to anything around him.”

Galadriel and Elrond were struck speechless.  Only Maglor had the presence of mind to respond and even he took more than a few minutes to recover.  “How did this happen?”

Olorin shrugged, as much as any being of light could.  “The survivors are not certain but the most popular theory is that it is Eru’s punishment.  The Valar exist as custodians of Arda and as guides to the Children of Eru.  By the time of Numenor, it may have been that they had failed all their duties.”

“I can think of plenty of ways they failed the Elves but how did they fail otherwise.”

“They ruled the Firstborn but aside from the Maiar sent to help the creation of Numenor, ignored the Secondborn completely.  As for they’re other duties, they restricted themselves to Aman.”

“Some of that was fear of Melkor.  But even after he was gone, very little effort was made on their part to repair the damage from the war.”

“Exactly.  So when they called on Eru to defeat the Numenorean invasion, apparently Eru decided if they were going to be derelict in their duties, they should not have the benefits of power that went with their position.”

Eyes that still glowed with the light of the Trees contemplated the black hole in the ground.  “Surely they are not all like this.  The Telerin delegate mentioned Ulmo.”

“No.  Ulmo, Aulë, Irmo, Nienna, Estë and Vána have all been seen since then and appear to have retained their duties.  They have given up ruling the Firstborn but will offer advice if one seeks them out.”

“May we see any of the others?”

“The other Valar are scattered across Aman.  However, Yavanna is close by and we can walk to her prison within an hour.”

Not far indeed.  Yavanna was standing on the mound where the Trees had once grown.  The strike that had destroyed Máhanaxar had also caused the hills around it to cave in.  The Giver of Fruits was dressed in rags of brown and as far as she could see, nothing grew.  She did not move, staring at where her greatest creations had fallen.  “Not all of them are uncommunicative and still.  Varda and  Vairë were only struck blind-”

“Given those two, that’s punishment enough.” stated the Feanorian dryly.

“On the other hand, Nessa, Tulkas and Oromë were all encased in partially in stone.  And we’re not precisely sure about Mandos.  He still rules over the Dead in his Halls but he hasn’t left them since the end of the Second Age.”

“I’ll bet he makes no more prophecies either.”  The Vanyarin guide gave Maglor a funny look.  “You’re right about that.  How did you know?”

“It’s fairly obvious.  Eru must have quite a sense of irony or humor.   Manwë had the winds bring him news from all over the world now he knows nothing about anything.  Yavanna was in charge of growing things now all she sees is sterility and decay.  Nessa, Tulkas, they never stood still and now they can do nothing but.  Varda loved the light, all she sees is the dark.  For Mandos, he ruled over the Dead but also the living and pronounced Doom over the Firstborn.  Although I suppose he didn’t fail his duty, just tried to rule over the living Eldar and reduce their free will.  Maybe that’s why he’s still Ruler of the Dead.”

The blonde looked too much like his step-grandmother, and Maglor’s tone was more condescending than perhaps he intended.  “Tell me, did the decision to reduce themselves come before or after the end of the Second Age?”

“I-I don’t know.  Nienna, Ulmo and some of the others had long withdrawn away from Taniquetil before the Incident occurred.  But the others, Vana and Nienna were still seen.”

“Hmm, I’ll bet then, that the ones who were punished were the ones who voted to let Eru take care of the Numenorean problem.”

“I can’t confirm that.”

“I suppose even the Valar have their own secrets.” 

“Cousin.”  Maglor turned from where he was saddling a horse.  Last night it had been decided that he would await the trial in Formenos with his family.  Elrond would follow later, after meeting with his wife in Lorien.  Galadriel had not yet decided if she would go to Tirion to meet her parents but was staying longer on Tol Eressëa to take the time to make up her mind.

“Cousin,” he responded in kind.

“What you said yesterday, do you really believe the Valar deserved what happened to them?”

Glowing grey eyes looked into the same.  “Artanis, do you agree that the Valar abandoned their duties to Aman after the War of the Wrath?”

Reluctantly she nodded.  “Melkor was gone.  They could have helped us all rebuild and did not.”

“And do you agree that they also abandoned the Secondborn?”

“I’m not so sure about that.  But certainly, aside from the Gift, no aid ever came to them after the First Age.  And really, the only thing that happened before was Ulmo trying to warn Gondolin and that wasn’t even for the benefit of the Secondborn.”

“What about their treatment of Melkor?”

Here her face hardened.  “No, they were definitely in the wrong there.  It’s all well and good to say that Manwë didn’t understand evil, but even after being shown he was wrong, they took no responsibility for his actions until the War of Wrath.  Melkor was a Vala, one of them.  Instead, they abandoned the rest of us, Noldor, Secondborn, Sindar, everyone to the mercy of him and his lieutenants.”

“Then I take it the part you object to is their treatment of the Eldar?”

“Maglor, they are not like us.  They couldn’t possibly understand what they were doing was wrong.”

“Perhaps.  There have been times when I too want to believe they had good intentions and were merely misguided.  Certainly, the line between advising and guiding and actually ruling is very blurry.”  His eyes were as hard as hers.  “But even if I ignore the crimes to our family, that still leaves them guilty of three out of four charges.  And I think even one of those still shows an unforgivable breach of duty, with no signs of remorse or restitution in sight.  In my view, Eru is only handing out the just retribution those of Arda would inflict if they had the power to do so.”  He finished saddling the horse and easily mounted despite the scarred hand.

“Talk to others here, cousin.  Life is more complicated now than it was during the Years of the Trees.  But I think you will find most are satisfied with the trade-off of more responsibility in return for freedom.”

[nessaastalda-archived]

Absolve

How many days and nights have passed? She could not say, her mind was clouded, and her usual nightmares were enhanced by the resilient fever, that refused to break. She’d have woken up screaming each night, had shehad but a little strength. Instead her screams came out as heavy groans of pain, followed by tears. Somewhere in the distance she would feel hands holding her down, in those moments, murmuring words of comfort, but it felt as though it was not her own body or her own ears that felt and heard these actions. 

Tonight, though, she opened her eyes with much effort. A crescent moon shone down upon the peaceful night. Peaceful… Peaceful.. What an irony that was. The night was silent and yet Nessa could hear a clear sound of her comrades screaming, the clash of steal on steal, the whooshing of the arrows through the air, as their forces were attacked from behind. She could taste the bitter taste of men’s betrayal. Her fingers curled around a fistful of hay upon which she was laid on. She was still incredibly weak, so even the small action caused her immense pain, but it mattered not. 

She was angry. In that anger strangely she thought on the words her foster father had spoken to her years ago. He had been right, of course.. Back then she could not have possibly grasped what it meant to willingly go into this war. She did understand now. She had learnt now. She too had betrayal in her blood, she had betrayed his wishes, then. She had run away. This? She drew in a shaky, broken breath.. These were the consequences of that choice. Though she did not regret the choice itself, she understood now that she will never be absolved of the guilt she carried in her heart. Which was just as well, for all the wrong ways she had undertaken to achieve her goals, she did not deserve any kind of absolution. Not anymore. She was a Ñoldo, and she shared in the tragedy of her own kin. She had that streak in her own spirit, the rebellious, hardy streak. She would never ask absolution for that, even if it means staying cursed to fight this war for the rest of eternity. 

Entangled in her dark thoughts the fever took her again, and the sight of the small shiny curve of the moon slowly blued and faded from her vision. 

[codedsarcasm-archived]

                               - ̗̀ SYLVEON LOVES OC’S !  ̖́-

that alone should be obvious considering just how many oc’s i have and actively write, both on and off this website. i’ve been doing this ( with primarily oc muses ) for about nine years. i’ve been on dozens of platforms, and the same things tended to happen: the oc hate ran me off in the end. even here, i’ve been run off several blogs by it. it’s not fair, it’s not right, and i want to take a moment to share with you guys some of my favorite oc’s that i write with currently:

♡ daayaan has more than earned my admiration. rohini is not only a beautifully constructed, very real character, she is a strong woman of color, she is a way for the writer to connect with and celebrate an absolutely beautiful heritage, and the time & effort put into the worldbuilding and the construction of original lore for this blog has never ceased to amaze me. as a practicing witch, i’m a little hesitant about dipping my toes into witchy roleplay blogs, a lot of them do some very problematic things / overlook very important things, but this blog is so respectful, so informed, so wonderful, and it sheds light on the practice of witchcraft in another cultural context, which i love learning more about every time they post!

♡ freckledbats is an oc multimuse, which just means that there’s even more oc’s to love! z has this way of creating super real, super interesting characters. every single time they add another one, i can’t wait to pile on more threads. i can’t even pick a favorite off this blog. it’s impossible. z is so creative and so talented, and their blog offers so many different muses --- you can see the diversity in kinds of muses created. there really is something for everyone. and z is one of the kindest people i have ever met, and deserves far more recognition for their talent than they get.

♡ gunmetclgrey is one of those blogs that just blows me away by the amount of thought and love poured into one muse. alex is the daughter ( or sister, depending on verse! ) of sebastian moran, but does not in any sense take away from sebastian as a character --- i feel like she adds so much more dimension to his story, but it’s also important to note the dimension of her story! there is such a well thought out backstory, such well thought out verses, such detailed headcanon posts, and sometimes it’s hard for me to remember that alex is not a canon character. 

♡ letagin has followed nessa from the beginning --- don’t think i don’t remember your old blog, i recognized aaron’s last name immediately! watching the development of kino as a writer has been an awesome treat but i also got to see aaron develop as a character and i am just so blown away. the lore surrounding this blog is so carefully constructed, so complex and unique, that i honestly sometimes feel like there just has to be an entire book series about aaron and his world somewhere out there published by kino and gods damn it, i wanna read it. and if you think aaron’s awesome, check out kino’s multi ( pasthaunted ) for even more awesome muses.

♡ lcsingstars --- it’s no surprise that my girlfriend’s on the list. but here’s the real reason why. we first met when i wrote a canon character; and virgil’s muse absolutely loved alexina brody. when i kinda lost virgil’s muse, i made nessa again, i missed her, and kiki actually followed me over to this oc. not many people follow a writer from a canon male character to their female oc. obviously i’m glad she did. not only did it end very well for us out of character, it gave me the chance to keep writing with lexi, and to meet some of kiki’s other original characters! every single one is unique and fun to write with. i love them all so much that over 80% of the memes sitting in kiki’s inbox are from me. whoops. seriously, check this blog out. you won’t regret it!

♡ worldvisitor ; i say this all the time but seriously, i’m one of your biggest fans and when i finally get to buy a copy of your book, i want it signed. as somebody who does write ocs from in progress novels, i understand the struggles; as somebody currently trying to finish a book, i understand those struggles too. but you’ve got a best seller on the way, i just know it. reese is such a fantastic character! relatable, hilarious, strong --- and the story you’ve constructed, the world you’ve built up around her, is one of the coolest i have ever heard of. when i was first scrolling through your pages, i just told myself: holy shit this so cool what the fuck. i am so proud of everything you’ve accomplished on this blog and as far as your books go. you fucking rock!

♡ whydragons is my favorite dungeons & dragons based character of all time. i like patrck better than i like a good chunk of my own ocs. he’s always true to who he is, he’s such a good person that it makes us root for him to overcome the bad things, even though he’s an asshole the whole time. it is absolutely no surprise that you’re on this list. grump has managed to bring this character to life in a way that only a theater kid could, i think. he’s currently in multiple d&d sessions i’m running and i couldn’t be happier to get to have him around. 

this list is by no means a list of all the oc’s that i love. these are just a handful of my particularly noteworthy mutuals. if you’re interested in some other really cool oc’s i happen to know about, maybe check out: acrimoniious / brumouus / bloodoathed / jungleruler / liimerances / magicmirrored / oftheatrics / peristcra / triumphbred / veinstate / youthdumb ! they’re just as awesome and cool and unique and talented as the oc’s i’ve already listed off. some of them are multis, which again just means there’s even more oc’s to cherish and enjoy! to my fellow oc writers: i hope you get the attention and love you deserve every single day. you have more than earned it and i’m so proud of all the work you put in. you’ve created something incredible, you’ve created something beautiful, you’ve created something. that takes guts, it takes skill, it takes time and effort, it takes a lot out of you. i see you. i see your work. and i love and appreciate all of it. 

[justafunkylildude]

love train ♥️

okay so yesterday i was hit with a really hard wave of affection for all my friends and mutuals and i really wanted to express my love for you guys so here i go!

💘 @laggage : avery i am so glad you are a part of my life and that you brighten it up every time i see you being so passionate about something new, i love how you think and how you are not afraid to think and speak for yourself and how you stay true to yourself! life might be a bit confusing for you right now, but i know you will get through it just fine and i love every single art piece you create bc it shows all the emotions and effort you put into it and it just makes me feel things, i am so happy that we are friends!

❣️ @a-mess-of-a-princess: faith i adore your personality so much and how you bring so much love and humor into this world - you may not think too highly of yourself, but please know that i do and that i look forward to every single one of our conversations and that it makes me so proud when i see you grow and love yourself, every step is important and i am so proud of you for taking them!

💓 @littlegirlgoescrazy : nadja, i love your blog more than words can express and looking through your posts always brings me so much joy, especially when i see you being happy about green day! i really love that you have something that you can be this passionate about and that i as a mutual can see you have that much fun and scream about music!

💕 @hesnotgay : ian i'm sorry that i don't regularly check up on you, but pls know that i love you and i'm so happy that i have you in my life! every time we meet is precious and i wouldn't trade it for the world :* your sense of humor is a treasure and it gives me so much joy seeing you enjoy yourself and experiencing so much, even if a giant ocean separates us rn ^^

❤️ @elfroots420: francey i am so glad you introduced me to the arcana discord chat and i love hearing you yell about tall boi! even though you have gone through so much, you persevered and are such a wonderful person, pls keep being this amazing!

💖 @fade-steppin /@swampwitched : nessa you are a treasure far too good for this world and i adore your humor as much as i love seeing you in discord, i appreciate you being my mutual more than words can express and your voice is so pretty, i can't handle it!

💗 @vesuvia /@helonias : justine i can't believe how a person can be that funny and compassionate at the same time, i love everything you do and i hope you do too!

💙 @jeremytheannoyingpenguin : fre we might not know each other for too long, but i love seeing your url pop up in my notes every single time! i hope you feel as appreciated as i do and that you will meet many more people on here who will make you feel great!

💚 @kawizzle /@devorwack : elise your humor is out of this world and i love you just the way you are! i can't stress how much i love the discord chat and how much i appreciate meeting people like you on there, and i hope scooby doo boi will get a grip and get to know you better bc otherwise he would be really missing out!!

💛 @promt0 /@trans1ents : claire i can't thank you enough for that reading back then and really adore seeing you and your gf being so happy and gay together, may your cats be blessed and may you get that house in the woods together with all these other dream goals we talked about the other day soon!

💜 @coffin-skate /@fireflytrio : another great artist i have the pleasure of knowing! jess your oc is amazing and i love having you around and yelling together in the discord chat :D

💝 @seafucker : kai my fellow enfp, i love your blog and fashion sense and aesthetic so much and am so glad that i met you in the discord chat!!

💟 @asrawrites : maria i hope you know that your writing is amazing just like your personality and that i look forward to every single piece of writing you create? if not, here's your reminder!

💞 @debesmala : lin i listened to your voice clip and it is so beautiful, your art is awesome and i love how devoted you are to your followers and that you are so happy in the discord chat! (as far as i can see at least)

💋 @nadias-bitch : hero my fellow nadia stan, i love that you adore that queen as much as i do and that you are such a great person with so much affection to give!

👌@mitsushide : ems i know it's pretty stressful for you at the moment, but pls know that i'm here for you and that you are loved and appreciated, okay? i always look forward to our chats and screaming with you about snek boi :D also your editing skills are awesome!

👼 @actualangelmitsunari : ash first of all your url is awesome and i'm glad we can spread all that mitsunari love! i adore all that empathy and compassion you have and your great way of thinking, especially about mental health and relationships (considering the topics we talked about so far) ^^

👍 @girlganqs : eva it might be quite a distance from here to singapore, but i can feel the love you put out there and i love talking with you about kpop and making each other laugh with reaction gifs :D i hope you will do well in all your studies and that you won't get stressed out too hard!

🤙@bratfleck : johana, as much as i love dc, i appreciate you being so passionate about it just as much! i am so happy to be your mutual and i hope we can talk even more in the future :D

i hope this didn't sound too mushy but i follow the rule "if you feel something strongly, show it", so here i am, expressing the love and affection i have for all these amazing people my life has been blessed with in one of the best ways i know!

pls feel hugged and loved, guys, you deserve the appreciation! 😄💕

[coruscantholonet]

Sim ongoing

Soooo,first a small update on the sim in that work on it is still going down.  We’d love to have an opening date but playing it by ear.  Real life comes first, and I’ve been dealing with a lot of health issues so progress is a lot slower than it normally would be for me.  Fortunately have had several talented volunteers who are doing great with the build, so expect some more updates soon.

Some things we’re looking for include;

1. Getting a few rigs done.

2. Have a few staff positions as well in both the GM and storyteller department. As always longstanding policy is that we only take on those who do not have staff/responsibility positions elsewhere. 

------------Skip below if you don’t like rubbernecking.

Next, I need to apologize.  I fucked up.  Recently I went at some people who didn’t really deserve the “wrath” which seemed to be a catalyst in a domino effect that crippled “Unification”.  I still have many criticisms of it, but that chain reaction allowed for something much worse to fill the void that was created and I speak of “SWU” and “Taris”.  While 0% of what I said was a “lie” there was of course items that were speculation and a bit harsh and in retrospect it was regrettable.  I had some people with real life connections to Cyprus in my ear and it was very much a fire which was extensively fed by those with a malicious agenda.  For all the flaws Loosh and others may have, they would be far favorable to Cyprus.  In the entire decade I’ve been here I don’t think I’ve ever encountered someone so corrupt, someone who has not an ounce of integrity or any idea what fair play is.  Over the last few weeks I’ve had to hear so many of the regulars here speak of how they’ve been screwed over there and it’s been a bit gut wrenching with the knowledge that I am partly responsible. 

One example I will provide of how he and his clique engineered the feud was that they were the ones leaking information from Unification chat.  I’ve always aspired to be the same in public as in private, so I’m not usually too concerned with “leaks”, but in this case it was a clear effort to escalate the fighting so that he could benefit from it.

Some other examples during this was when two votes where occurring in Unification at the same time.  One of them to take away Loosh’s server admin position, the other on banning me. 

So to make that clear.  Both Cyprus and Sabastiion/JOINASR traded votes in order to gain support for their effort to oust Loosh.  When that didn’t happen and they couldn’t obtain virtual “power” through Unification they instead broke off to make SWU.  

Everybody knows I don’t mind a “fight”, to some extent I’ll embrace it.  That’s just who I am, but in this case I do think that was used against me as I swallowed the bait and didn’t really take pause to see the agendas at play.  In retrospect, with the history Cyprus and Sabastiion/JOINASR have for this kind of thing, I should have seen it from a mile away.

So let’s start with their last sim, in 2017 they made a Corellia sim back when we were Coruscant.  We had been under construction much like now, however we had a major setback when those two saw the build then offered the builder a much higher sum than we were able to pay.  So they pretty much bought the build out from under us, then there was even some griefing during this period as they sought to do what they could to keep us from re-opening.. much like the present in which they’ve bribed several people over.  Eventually their co-admins got fed up with their antics and voted to remove their admin status.  In response they returned the build, several builders who had worked on parts of the sim where negatively affected by this and I’m not even sure it ever opened again.  Here is what their co-admins sent out at the time..

“ Tonight, (9/4/2017), the ownership team voted on the removal of another owner (Talon) and an Admin (Cyprus). The two of them had continually goaded another SWRP sim into conflict. That sim being Fourth Dimension/Legacies. They bought a build out from under the owner of that sim, trying to use it as their own and rushed to open before 4D was fully able to, and are now pinning that on us. They griefed said sim, and harrassed its players in their group chats on multiple occasions in attempts to either poach from them, or simply troll them. Talon, as an owner did not actually pay into monthly sim tier, and never passed along the money from rentals to the ownership team. We still don't know where that money is. Cyprus, controlled the tip jar in the landing zone, and we haven't seen a dime from that. This sim was started on the idea of civilizing Star Wars roleplay, and being done with this sort of drama. We, the ownership team are deeply sorry that this occurred, and we are going to be working as hard as possible to get the sim back open, and on a clean slate, starting from square one. We will have a skybox area open for roleplay ASAP as we complete the entire sim build. We greatly appreciate your support and patience during this time, and we hope to be back to full scale RP soon! Any further questions, please contact torresalpha12 “

And here is one of the builders of that sim;

[18:34] RedactedA: Eesh, Talon just did a seriously fucked up thing to Corellia. 

[18:35] RedactedB: yeah I heard he returned the whole sim

[18:35] RedactedA: He deleted the sim and is now advertising 4D in the groups. [18:35] RedactedA: That's seriously poor form. 

[18:35] RedactedB: wat 

[18:35] RedactedA: [18:31] Φ Brother Talon (sabastiion): Fourth Dimension (148,128,4083) ((Builds were stolen from here, and they also have 31 people. Looking for more RP outside of corellia? Consider this) 

[18:36] RedactedA: I worked on the build there too, I'm a little less than pleased my work was deleted as well. [18:36] RedactedB: He's such a cunt

So, they got removed from position, returned the build then started advertising for my sim.. this after they bought our builder out from under us.  I guess they figured they needed to get back on our good side after alienating everyone who had worked with them on that sim.  

They didn't even end up paying the builder all the money they'd promised, after they rage returned the sim they blamed the 150USD that never got delivered on the people who they had just left build-less that had nothing to do with the deal.

They turned around and offered us the build parts that the people they tried to stick with the bill didn't even have access to.  Trying to get back in good favor with us, we declined though, we pretty much sat there and watched that sim implode like "huh".  

09/06/2017 [00:08] Φ Cyprus (DarthWyyrlok Resident): Btw, the hutt palace that [redacted] made for us, probably one of the better things hes every made, did you want to use it?

There are countless other stories like this, they’ve ripped off many people over the years. 

[Redacted C]Years ago he was attempting to make a sim. He asked if i wanted to help out and be an admin. Said sure. Paid him 10k and he immediately banned me. Called me a dopey retard for believing him.  Part of me agrees with him.Ever since, if he shows up, i typically warn the fuck out of people and avoid him like a herpes ridden 3rd avenue hooker.

[Redacted D]Havent seen him on sim. But he sounds like a cunt.

[Redacted C] he's the lead for the empire on taris

This pattern of underhanded behavior extends to the roleplay itself.  I don’t think I’ve seen many cases of worse meta-gaming than from that circle of real life friends with Cyprus, Sabastiion and Nessa.   Here is just one example in which Cyprus plays both a Darth and a Jedi Master at the same time.. and...hunts himself.. clearly using one character to inflate the other, this is perhaps one of the worst abuses of alt accounts I’ve seen in my decade in SWRP...

[ Have cut out irrelevant posts from other people ]

[01:46] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1) walked in slowly, a shadow casted over his face as he stood on the dance area for a few moments before continuing forward. His footsteps where silent as if he was trained to walk in silence and his breathing nominalized. He hooded figure would proceed to the bar area where he would slowly sit down on the stool. Once again keeping the silence he had brought in with him

[02:11] Lord Talon walked in slowly his face hidden from all to see. The force around him pulsated as he walked in, each step he took created a soft tick that would echo across the room before drowed out by music. He then looked at the grey robed figure, his scent was masked but he could easily distinguish it from their past incounters. “Ah master Raven Tal” he said with a grin “It seems we meet again”

[02:13] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1) chuckled lightly as his head remained facing forward "It seems I've found you" he said in a low tone of voice as he stood up from his chair and faced Cyprus. Feeling the immense hate that radiated off of the sith warrior. His hands would extend outwards as the jedi warrior's lightsaber flew to his hands and ignighted, the blue blade humming to life.

[02:19] Lord Talon would simply grin at the comment that ordered him out. Instead he would enclose both muscular hands slowly around the hilt of the customized duel phase fouth generation saber as his skilled digets of his fingers locked into place. The weapon reacted to the brush of his touch in which followed a sudden snap and hiss igniting forth an extensive blood shine blade that illuminated the dark room. He gave a slight flourish of the imense blade as he twirled it between his hands before grasping it in a double djem power stance as he looked at the jedi that stood before him as a slight growle escaped from his teeth

[02:20] -Shiva- X -Shev'la Dinii- (ellisa01.turbo) drew her blaster pistols them, aiming one at the sith and then another at the jedi. With her fingers over the trigger she would then shout. "Oi, the fuck out of the establishment, now. Yo uare ruining business."

[02:21] Cyprus Talon (arijonas1) inclined his head slowly, tiping forth his chin in a silent acknowledgement of Lord Talon's invitation. His immense hands had enclosed around the enlongated staff hilt of his legendary blade and drew it close in a duel handed battle stance of Djem So in mirror of Talon's own. The laser blade gave a banshee wail as it whirled about suddenly in a brilliant flourish within the skilled flow of his hands, creating a whirlwind like effect of weaving blue blade before him as he approached abruptly foward, unleashing a controled thrust foward of the extensively long blade towards Talochest as he looked at the mando figure "I wouldnt shoot if I where you my friend" he said as he lunged forward

[ As if the style and names didn’t give it away, here he posted Raven’s post from the Cyprus account, then tries to cover in OOC ]

[02:23] Cyprus Talon (arijonas1): (whoops trying to send that back to him) [02:23] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): (i sent him that post lol and he was meant to check it and send it back incase i missed something lol) [02:23] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): (so just count that as my post so i dont have to re post lol)

[02:27] Lord Talon grinned slightly as he saw him lundge at him. He was more than prepared to dodge such an attack. He would side step away from the blade as he used his own to push it aside as he spun inwards and attempted to knock the side of the saber into Raven's head using his immense speed and strength that was fuled by his darkside enriched powers.

[ Some OOC arguing happened here, as Cyprus did not seem happy other people where interjecting in his fight..with himself, so back to the IC..]

[02:37] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1) moved around the woman standing there as he took into account the woman standing there as he simply rolled around her preventing her from getting in the middle. having maintained direct control over the fluid motion of the drive of the blazing red blade as it plunged forth from Lord Talon to his head, he would not overextend his balance and thus allowed him to counteract the strike to his head from Talon's own saber. There was a cracking hiss as the searing blades would connect he would extend a hand to Talons stomach he would attempt to push the Sith outward of the club to prevent any other distubance of the people inside, this was a jedi's fight, not theirds. And he would do whatever it took to finish it

[02:39] Lord Talon Eyes opened wide as he got hit by the force push, he was send flying out of the room as he then regained his balance by sliding across the floors with his boots that brought him to a halt. As he griped his lightsaber once more ready for Raven. He knew the jedi wouldn’t let the others get in the way so he left them alone and would focus on the jedi who he faced.

[ More OOC arguing about other people interjecting who then called for defenders choice RHCS, admin sides with them. ]

[02:49] Sihivus Verne: ((While V may not have been directly attacked, it is a club. Considering their club is being shot up, they are welcome to take action as judging per group defender roles)) [02:49] Cyprus Talon (arijonas1): (sighs  fine just let me and Raven finish because this was an really important rp taht had to be done and this was a sim we chose to meet at we didnt think others would get involved like this and lead to this ooc)

[ Extra hillarious when it is fairly obvious they’re the same ^  argument continues, eventually RHCS fight happens, Cyprus losses to the club bouncer. Of course the Jedi was mysteriously afk during the fight.. ]

[03:17] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): (ugg sorry about that everyone can someone fill me in on what happened, if anything happened in ims thanks!))

.[03:20] Eva Lekach: ( It's ok they got the Sith you are saved. )

[03:20] Eva Lekach: ( back ic )

[03:20] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): (i could have taken him lol)

[03:22] Lord Talon: m would be dragged out into the sidewalk of the the streets of the undercity as he chuckled lightly as he cluched his shoulder which had a bullet wound in it. after she let him go he would get onto a knee placeing on hand on the ground to stabalize himself as his sith coloed eyes looked at Shiva with long hatred. "I will find you and I will kill you, if you have family I sudgest you hide them for I will kill them.  You will cry out in pain beggin for death and i will not grant it to you, your pain will be that of 1000 dying souls.: he said as he collapesed onto his back and attempted to roll of the edge of the platform

[03:29] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1) shook his head "An interesting character Cyprus is, as stupid as his creator aparently" he said with a sigh looking to Sparrow "I'm sorry if he disturbed anything here, I mearly came by word of mouth that whe would be here, now it seems that I didnt need them." he said turning to Shiva "As for me, I do need them"

[03:29] Raven Tal (aaronsterling1) "when I leave"

[ The End.  Now while that was a few years back, he can’t use the “I was young” excuse, he was in his 20′s at the time as he’s now pushing 30, so this isn’t a case of ‘kids being dumb’.  This is a blatant abuse of alts IC, and clear attempts of deception OOC.  This pattern continued OOC elsewhere.. ]

[2013/11/02 01:34]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): And there is one thing I want to get clear, whats the big deal if I am an alt, or an old account of someone, which I am my old account got deleted and couldnt be recovered, Look the only reason im still in swrp is to get the rp back up and going between groups, thats why i cam because I know you guys are doing that do. Otherwise I would have given up swrp a long time ago, we all see it deteriating slowly and all I want to do is fix that, and I dont want to do this if people have anegative aditute twoards it. Honestly if I did something that got you upset please tell me and I can fix it! Please, I'm not sure what I did wrong, mearly came to say hello oocly thats all, nothign more nothing less then I got bombarded with questions. Im just confused is all [2013/11/02 01:35]  Chaos DarkRose (nymph.zenith): alts are fine, but pretending to be an elder ooc is not and might get you banned in some places. [2013/11/02 01:37]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): what are you talking about lol Ive been around for a very long time in swrp. Back when the soverignty existed and besipin was still going strong and coursant was a dominant system, Ive been around for a while, my old sith master was MagmaRyu, he was one of the most well respected sith back when I was an apprentice and I was very luck to have him as a master otherwise I woulndt be her today [2013/11/02 01:37]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): So I'm not making anything up [2013/11/02 01:37]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): there would be no reason to [2013/11/02 01:38]  Chaos DarkRose (nymph.zenith): that is not old [2013/11/02 01:39]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): thats about 5 years ago that im talking about [2013/11/02 01:39]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): 6 probably now [2013/11/02 01:39]  Chaos DarkRose (nymph.zenith): well log on and lets see, if you are as old as ranogar [2013/11/02 01:39]  Chaos DarkRose (nymph.zenith): he would remember back then [2013/11/02 01:40]  Raven Tal (aaronsterling1): i cant, my account was deleted my some ass, honestly how else can i prove this to you haha [2013/11/02 01:40]  Chaos DarkRose (nymph.zenith): do you realize how many times i've heard this? Over the span of almost 8 years?

[00:57] Cyprus Talon (arijonas1): Raven came to me earlier today and seemed upset and confused by something you said, hes a dear friend of mine so if I could, what did you say to him? [00:58] Chaos DarkRose (nymph.zenith): i have no idea what you are talking about [00:58] Cyprus Talon (arijonas1): Raven Tal, he said he talked to you the other day...

Besides learning how to use spell check? there has been little growth in Cyprus, he’s still someone who utilizes OOC methods to gain IC power.  When he failed to make a mark legitimately, he now tries to buy the status. Rewarding those who support him with high combat system ranks or even real money in some cases.  So like I said, going after Loosh and Uni was dumb on my part as I enabled the rise of the most corrupt motherfucker in SWRP.  So there is some obligation to raise transparency and awareness of some of his past antics. Some of his past names even seem to be banned by Linden Labs, I couldn’t tell you why but found that interesting. Take all of that for what you will. I’ve provided materials to backup pretty much everything I’ve ever said on him, it is a rarity when you have to speculate so little to illustrate what a colossal garbage person someone is.   Play where you wanna play and do what you wanna do, but do it with eyes wide open.

Their platform is the exact same pledge they made in 2017, just a couple weeks before they destroyed a sim many people had worked hard on..

8-22-17 “Star Wars Universe Town Hall Agenda”; created by Sebastiion

“This notecard will explain what we will be talking about in more detail during the Townhall Meeting, as well as explaining a little more about Star Wars Universe. The purpose of Star Wars Universe is to strive to create a multi sim roleplay experience, executed through Star Wars Roleplay groups within the community. In light of recent events, and in the past couple of years of roleplay, the community has drifted far from what is used to be. By working together and by leaders stepping up to the plate we can accomplish a community that speaks for all of us instead of only one individual.

What will we be talking about?

*Why has Star Wars Roleplay fallen apart.*

*How Star Wars Universe can play a huge role in restoring trust within our community.*

*How Corellia, Dantooine, and other key sims can play a supporting role in this.**

Why it's important that the leadership within the community drives their ideas from its *entire* player base, and not just from a *few* key leaders.*

*The future of Star Wars Roleplay and how we can make this project a success.*

Once these topics have been addressed there will be a time for questions, comments, suggestions, etc. Remember this movement is a grassroots movement that starts with you. Attending this town hall and making your voice's heard can help shape the future of Star Wars Universe. The link will be posted in a notice an hour before we begin.”

I guess they changed their mind by  9/4/2017 when they returned the sim :(, point being, they are full of false promises, and pretty much anyone would be a favorable alternative to having these meta-gaming scam artists continue to assert influence over the community.   

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“Dark Lord”  lolo, not sure if I’ve ever seen a case of someone less deserving.

[03:22] Lord Talon: m would be dragged out into the sidewalk of the the streets of the undercity as he chuckled lightly as he cluched his shoulder which had a bullet wound in it. after she let him go he would get onto a knee placeing on hand on the ground to stabalize himself as his sith coloed eyes looked at Shiva with long hatred. "I will find you and I will kill you, if you have family I sudgest you hide them for I will kill them.  You will cry out in pain beggin for death and i will not grant it to you, your pain will be that of 1000 dying souls.: he said as he collapesed onto his back and attempted to roll of the edge of the platform

[forkanna]

Characters, settings, and selected lyrics © L. Frank Baum, Gregory Maguire, Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. This story, original characters and plot elements ©2016-2017 me. All rights reserved.

NOTE: Rated T for Teen. Will contain occasional nigh-NSFW moments, including sensuality and mild gore, but nothing out of place in a PG or PG-13 movie. TRIGGER WARNING: there will be some racism and an attempted sexual assault in later chapters. See below for more notes!

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

Unlimited Together, we're unlimited Together, we'll be the greatest team there's ever been, Glinda - Dreams, the way we planned 'em If we work in tandem There's no fight we cannot win

Just you and I defying gravity With you and I defying gravity They'll never bring us down...

                                                            CHAPTER ONE

"Glinda, come with me. Think of what we could do! Together…"

Time dragged to a standstill as poor, bewildered Glinda-née-Galinda Upland stood somewhere she definitely shouldn't be, riddled with indecision. Never had Elphaba Thropp looked at her with such intensity, such desperation in her eyes. No one in all the land of Oz had! Not Fiyero, nor any other classmate, nor Elphaba herself before today. Even during those classes at the university in which she had spoken so passionately about the mistreatment of sentient Animals, she had not seemed so… fervential? Was that a word?

And here she was, hoping to enlist her help in this cause. Was she out of her tiny verdant mind?!

"Elphaba… I…" Her throat worked to swallow as she glanced between the barricaded attic door and the brilliantly green hand clutching the broom handle. Wind seemed to come from nowhere, swirling around them and blowing the long strands of raven-black hair around her strong jawline. Now she had to turn her eyes away from those of her roommate, which she could no longer meet; too much intensity that made her stomach feel strange. Then again, Elphaba's intensity had always done that to pretty much everyone she met.

"Well?" the newly-awakened wizardess demanded of her. "Are you coming?"

What a crazy notion! How brazen, how reckless! She couldn't simply uproot and follow on Elphaba's heels. How could she? Her entire life was at Shiz University; her classes, hopes for a brilliant future in sorcery. Following that, a modern, Ozmopolitan life, and the prospect of becoming more than just another tittering debutante, beholden to her family name. Friends, admirers…

Fiyero…

"Elphie, you're trembling." Was she coming? Casting around for some kind of distraction, she found a large black cloak discarded upon the floor. At least it matched her hat. "Here, put this around you…"

As Glinda fastened it around her friend's bony shoulders, heart aching from the prospect of losing one of her dearest companions in such a ridiculous way as this, she decided: no, she could not go with her. Of course, she had great respect for the sentient Animals of Oz — the deposed Dr. Dillamond especially. They were every bit as important as the human persons that she attended Shiz with. Why shouldn't they be? They could walk, and talk, and exchange ideas the same as anyone else.

At least, they could. A recent shift in tense from present to past. Catching and caging them was a deplorable idea, and she had been equally sickened by that class in which they were forced to look at the Lion in its prison, presented as a spectacle instead of a person. The Wizard and Madame Morrible should be ashamed!

But Elphaba truly was taking things too far. Some things simply defied her understanding. All of this fuss, over sticking a few pairs of wings on a few monkeys?! Her unsociable roommate could be mistaken, after all; perhaps the Wizard had simply flipped to the wrong page in the Grimmerie before handing it to her. It needn't be his fault, not necessarily. Didn't the great leader of their entire Land of Oz get any benefit of a doubt? And what was so awful about monkeys having wings? Wouldn't that only improve their lives? She herself wouldn't mind having a set, being able to soar above the clouds…

"GLINDA!"

Rousing herself from her introspection, she took a step forward. Perhaps she had taken too long to contemplate; they didn't have the luxury of time on their side. In the end, of course, it was mostly the thought of the lean, masculine Fiyero and his easy charm that prompted her to tell Elphaba what she must tell her. But she needn't be harsh about it; she could break the news to her gently, with the warmth of their friendship and a wish for her future. She deserved that much.

"Oh, Elphie…" A hand laid on the one holding the broom, causing Elphaba to blink at her in surprise. "I hope-"

There came more pounding at the door. Elphaba's emerald eyes flicked toward it, then back to her in a wild panic as a gruff voice on the other side barked, "Break it down! For His Ozness!"

Cursing under her breath, the black-clad girl straddled the broom, the Wizard's spellbook still tucked under her arm as she bade her, "Get on! There isn't time — we can discuss this later!"

"Wh-what?! We can't, surely they wouldn't truly-"

Her words were eclipsed by the sound of wood splintering. Apparently, they surely, truly would.

"Galinda, it's do or die! Get on this broom now!"

Do or die. They wouldn't use deadly force… would they?

The attic door suggested otherwise.

Before she knew what was happening, Glinda was on the back of a broom, arms looped around Elphaba's waist. They were already rising into the air before her mind caught up with her body, and she squeaked, "Wait!"

In vain. The guards were nearly within arm's reach of them when Elphaba rose above their heads, cackling madly at the feeling. Glinda was too terrified to share in her joy at the sensation of flight, but in the back of her mind, she knew it was one of the most exhilarating experiences she'd ever had in her lifetime. With an effort of will, they were shooting toward a large stained glass window on the Western wall.

"ELPHIE, LOOK OUT!"

But she needn't have bothered shouting; making things explode was something at which her green-hued classmate had always excelled, even before classes helped her hone the magic within her. Amid a shower of breaking glass, the two exited the Royal Palace.

Soon, the Emerald City was laid out below them, sparkling and majestic. Glinda caught her breath. Every street and every spire reflected the sunlight, dazzling her eyes as they hung in midair. Had any of her fellow Ozians ever seen this? Had they been so lucky?

"I don't know where to go now," Elphaba confessed, frantic voice intruding on Glinda's reverie. "Back to Shiz? Do we… should we get Nessa, or Fiyer-"

"NO!" When Elphaba twisted around to look at her, strong, severe features mildly surprised underneath the brim of the large black hat, Glinda shrank back from the stare as she added, "We… don't have the right to drag them into our sensationifical mistake! This is something we've done, we…" Her face went completely ashen. "We're criminals. You are, and I'm your accomplice, and…"

Setting her proud jaw, Elphaba turned back around and gazed down at the ground, at the guards amassing in the streets, though they had no hope of catching the two women suspended at such a height. Eventually, her eyes slid closed in shame. This was a deeper look of pain than she had ever seen in her roommate's forestful features, which looked yet greener due to the twinkling emeralds that lit up the cityscape below. But she did not speak on that matter.

Elphie looks so phosphorescent in the sunlight, she suddenly noticed. Though that thought seemed to come from nowhere.

"We'll go to my home, to my father. They won't think to look there right away, and then…"

"And then?"

"And then… I don't know."

Glinda swallowed hard as she tightened her hold on Elphaba, the vertigo finally catching up to her adrenaline-soaked brain. "Th-then maybe we'll drop in on my family? Or… well, we'll just have to think about that later, I suppose. But yes, let's go see your father, and hope that he doesn't… turn us away."

"I'll head West first," Elphaba said, even as the broom tilted in that direction. "To confuse them, and then North until we're past Shiz, and then back East to Munchkinland. Might save us having any unpleasant surprise visits, at least for a while."

"A better plan than I had, which was 'say you're sorry'. Don't think that would work now."

"Probably not, but… oh, let's just be rid of this place!"

And without another word, Elphaba shot off toward the lowering sun, gliding over the tall skyscrapers, the gorgeous palaces and museums. Ones Glinda was terrified she would never see again.

                                                            ~ o ~

The Coven Of Oz

A Canon Divergence in Three Parts By Jessica X

                                                            ~ o ~

Only once they had made good their escape and circled the Emerald City and its environs by a wide berth did either of them speak. It was Elphaba, turning in her seat to make herself more easily heard. Her voice was hoarse from the earlier shouting, and perhaps with grief, but Glinda didn't want to assume anything.

"Before we left, you were going to say something."

"What?" Glinda whispered, then cleared her throat and repeated it louder, so as to be heard over the sounds of rushing wind. "What?"

"You… were going to tell me you didn't want to come."

Her heart seized. "Oh. Well… please, Elphaba, try to understand… it's not that I-"

"No, no. You had every right not to… follow me on this dangerous crusade. I'd think you a coward, but not a fool; I'm the fool." Her body became more and more tense, which was impossible for Glinda not to notice due to their close proximity. "The Wizard, Madame Morrible, and the entirety of the Ozian military… they're all intent on the suppression of Animal rights, and here I am, thinking any good and decent citizen of Oz should want to band together to stop it! They should, if they have a damn conscience, but they…"

Some time went by with the wind whipping at their faces before Glinda prompted in a soft voice, "They?"

"They have something to lose. I do not. I'm just a hideous green bean with a weird trick or two up my sleeve — unlike them, who all have family and reputations to protect."

"Hmm… that is true." Wincing at how that had come across, Glinda hastily added, "About them, not you, obviously! Because you do have a family, right? And… and a couple of friends, at least. And you're not hideous, just perhaps… deciduous!"

The hands tightened on the broom as she growled, "Why was I put in this position? All I've ever wanted was to… work with the Wizard, ask him to guide me, and maybe…" Her voice had grown more and more embarrassed, and she finally fell silent again. "Nevermind. I'm just a romantic idiot. And he's just a charlatan. Maybe we really were made for each other from the beginning. A couple of bumble-brains."

In all of those words, Glinda heard something unsaid, as she was so used to searching for when her roommate spoke. An apology. The antisocial thing had been so opposed to interaction in the first place, and only through steady insistence from her — and from Elphie's sister, Nessarose — did she begin to blossom from her tightly-clenched bud. Of course, she still preferred isolation and study, but at least they had begun to get her to attend various social activities, to travel all the way to Emerald City, even if only for one short day. There had to be some room left for understanding her idiosyncrasies.

"Aww, Elphie…" How could she word this? "It isn't that I didn't want to come with you, alright? I admire your stance, your zeal! You've got a moxieness when it comes to Animals, and I think you have a chance to do some real good in this world! Or did have, anyway… I just… your cause is not my cause, you know? So it wasn't about you, it was… a difference in interests! Does that make sense?"

After a moment to mull that over, she more felt than heard Elphaba sigh. "It does. I'm… you're right, and I should have waited to listen to you instead of pushing you to join me."

"Too late now," she muttered.

"It is."

"Oh, no, I- that isn't how I meant- I don't blame-"

"You should; you have every right. I let my fury at how the Wizard tricked me make me forget that you were there, and that you were with me. That my actions would reflect badly on you, as well. That was selfish." Another sigh, louder, more stunned. "Wow… I've completely ruined your life."

"What?! Come on, Elphie, don't be so dramatical. Nothing's 'ruined', we just have to… okay, I don't know exactly what we 'have to', but there's a thing we have to do to make this right, and we'll figure out what it is! Together!"

"But you shouldn't…" Shaking her head back and forth, she admitted, "Guess it doesn't matter anymore. Let's just figure out where we're going and what we're doing right now, and the rest of it later."

Nodding, Glinda pressed her face into Elphaba's back. Her warmth was becoming more and more necessary, with the chill wind pulling her own body heat away. That was odd; given how cold and standoffish the woman had been during their year at the university, she would never have guessed she had any heat at all. Like the reptiles she resembled with that green skin and those sharp features. A pleasant surprise, especially in such a time of need.

And that's how things will be for a while, she admitted to herself as their speed increased, skimming them over treetops. Until we get this all straightened out, we're going to need to stick together, whether we like it or not. Just hope we don't end up hating each other before it's all said and done. Not two best friends like us. Wouldn't that be an awfully tragic tragedy?

                                                              To Be Continued…