#of gutters and galaxies

[iliterallydecepticanteven]

omg a christmas miracle!!! chapter 21 is up at long last!!!

[chiyoso]

“THE MARA'S WILL”

someone as fragile as you shouldn't have to reign the bloodied fields of cloudford, along with raging war against two powerful factions—as well as an internal presence that invaded your mind that started all of this mayhem.

content warnings; oneshot · female reader · honkai impact 3rd inspired · takes place after xianzhou arc · canon universe · manupulation · mentions of depressive tendencies · declining mental health · war · death · traumatic events · mentions of blood · fighting · sensitive descriptions · dead dove: do not eat.

author notes; an open ending is an open ending. i appreciate all your of love for this oneshot, but i won't be making pt2. ty.

The Astral Express.

A widely known faction of celestial mysteriousness that traverses across the galaxy, they dedicate themselves to the ways of trailblaze and adventure, an enormous train conducted by a rumored fluffy creature that travels through vast worlds with its starry residers.

However, you didn't expect to meet the faction like this. The time that you yourself encountered the famous members of the Express— or rather, they bumped into you.

A memorable impression, leading their hearts and minds to waver in complete uneasiness, fear and curiousity.

It was one of those moments. Moments of tranquility, replaced almost immediately with unsightly chaos, and screeching horrors.

And they weren't coming from you.

2:49 PM — CLOUDFORD, XIANZHOU LUOFU

NOW PLAYING ♪ TOT MUSICA

11 minutes until eruption.

ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᚲ ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛒᚱᚨᚲ

ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᚲ ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛒᚱᚨᚲ

“F- Fu-aahh.... Haah...” You groaned in pain. The sounds of alarms, crumbling and a voice of elegant dread echoed inside your mind, chanting unfamiliar, incomprehensible sounds that you were unable to understand nor fathom its sound waves.

Your flesh continued to crack as gold seeped out from the insides, bright lightning marks all around your form, accompanied with your heavy eyelids, struggling to keep your consciousness as you panted heavily. Your thoughts fogged viciously with memories of all kinds, your mind had felt like a mix between ice and fire. A flaming vortex along with an Icy storm that seethed inside, causing a severe throbbing that had you wailing in pain in heaps of volume consecutively as you grip your head.

“M- Mr. Yang!” A high pitched voice trembled, struggling on her feet while a grey haired female helped her up to stabilize her balance.

“Go. Call for reinforcements. I'll take it from here.” He says, gripping his cane while the other hand hoists his frames up to his nose bridge, returning his gaze towards the sight of you.

Reinforcements?

“H-hhgk—” You coughed up gold. Your face stained with your aureate tears, gasping for air as you clenched the area of your heart, which was beaming light, pulsating with the same color as the liquid that stained your whole being.

What was happening?

You screech, lower limbs suddenly at work, executing swift dodges that your untrained body couldn't handle physically, stretching and tearing your muscles.

Something was fighting for survival, and it wasn't you.

Your actions lowered the morale of determination from the Cloud Knights that had stationed on the sidelines, now replaced with a panic and fear from your ever so visibly increasing strength and agility, etching negative emotions into their wounded states that you have inflicted previously.

The man with the glasses, distance away from you clicked his tongue in frustration, he had summoned a multitude of black holes, raining hellish orbs of gravity towards you in such high speeds and velocity, but you... despite your poor state of self, you've managed to avoid them all.

But,

Even you weren't aware of your own skillful sequences.

ᛗᛁᛖ ᚾᛖᚷ ᛟᚾ ᚷᛁᛖᚲ ᚷᛁᛖᚲ

ᚾᚨᚺ ᛈᚺᚨᛋ ᛏᛖᛉᛉᛖ ᛚᚨᚺ

“P- Please... shut... get out of m—”

Feeble attempts of retribution, cease your resistance.

Play into submission, child of Lan.

You cocked your head to the skies, letting out gutteral sobs to the heavens, screaming and pleading your heart out while your own nails dug into your skin, your eyes weeped in gold, blurring your sense of sight.

Your thoughts were a sea of fragmented memories, bad ones, the negative ones that only fueled your transformation and the thread of your consciousness that you desperately were holding onto, was now being threatened harshly.

The man in glasses gripped his cane, firming his hold while witnessing your overwhelming presence and what was happening infront of him.

You were talking to yourself. You were visibly in pain, you were weeping, and the mara that was supposed to overcome you right now was... being barely resisted. Resisted. Resisted?

That's impossible.

You can't resist the Mara.

Beads of sweat formed trickled down along his jawline, his eyes diluded towards the sight that was all too familiar for him.

Someone- or something was talking to you, and he felt nothing but the sensation of dread swell inside him.

He didn't know what to do. Based on your own visible actions, it was clear—you didn't mean to do any harm, you were struggling more than anyone in this dire situation.

You brought your tainted hands that was darkening onto your face, trying to hold onto what's left of yourself, your consciousness.

“PLEASE! L- LEAVE M—” You choked out.

You were stumbling on your feet, drowning in pain as you sobbed your pleas of desperation.

His face scrunches, biting his bottom lip, frustrated over his hesitancy and lack of determination into going all out against you.

You reminded him of a state that reminded him of his past companions from another world, a state that only led to an upbringing of a powerful force, leading to the destruction of humanity and civilizations, a state that almost destroyed his homeworld.

But he had to remind himself repeatedly, you were just... Mara-strucked. A man-made work from the schemes of Sanctus Medicus, their work, befalling to an unfortunate character before him.

But... why the hell were you talking to yourself? Why were you pleading? Crying? How were you still able to talk? And most importantly, how were you still able to resist your supposed inevitable demise?

You peeked through your digits, your eyes pierce to the man with glasses, before lowering your hands to your sides in idle, continuing to pant heavily in place.

Your stance had your staggering legs slightly bent, your chin upwards—but your stained eyes remained on the figure infront of you.

His eyes diluded upon meeting your sorrowful gaze, his hand tightened around his cane further, seemingly ready to take on any action you will commence, but he wished you didn't engage, he wished for your attacks to cease. He didn't desire to harm you at all—You were in obvious pain, emotionally, physically and mentally, and only his veteran observations can see that.

“M- Miss—”

“Kill me.”

You said breathily with your burning throat, your voice had been accompanied with a second, mixing with your original tone with a now deeper, and sinister chord that showed the fruition of the transformation you were currently experiencing.

Your hands find their way to your throat as you coughed out more gold, along with the taste of iron that mixed with the aureate liquid that had turned into an morbid shade of color from your blood.

Your legs gave in, bringing you to your knees while you continued to choke on your own secretes, sobbing continuously from the sensations you were experiencing.

“BENEFACTOR! SHE HAS FALLEN!”

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!”

“END HER LIFE BEFOR—” “Gghk-... Nngh...”

“Reinforcements are on their way.”

“I- It hurts.... It HURTS!!!”

“Call for further units! At ONCE!”

“P- Please tell me I'll live...”

“BENEFACTOR ITS YOUR CHANCE!”

“M- Monster!” “M- MY ARMS!”

“KILL HER!” “HER STRENGTH IS ONLY-”

“KILL HER!” “KILL HER!”

“KILL HER!!!!”

“KILL HER!”

The man with glasses was overwhelmed with contradicting emotions, hindering his wavering will to use the opportunity of your vulnerability.

The cries and pleas of desperation from the several Cloud Knights that have fallen from your battle, ring through the bloodied field, along with your genuine—sorrowful filled sobs that only haunted and hesitated him much more.

His own thoughts were only mirroring the mess that you were in, having to be filled with deep memories of a life that was filled with death and torment, reminding him of his sins once again.

The child of the Hunt, hopelessly clings onto the wretched humanity, only to be shunned out and betrayed by your own race.

I feel their sea of desperation, their desires for your lesser existence to perish without a trace in the galaxy.

Give into the sensations of truth, let it embrace your poorly sculpted soul, for I will accept you without fail.

You were already on the floor arched, your hands had continued to hold your head, gripping your hair as you wallowed in your pool of tears, gold and blood that soaked your once beautiful skin.

“Sss-top... Stop... Please...”

You've already hurt your own kind.

“I- I... Hgk— Ahh-Haah...”

You've already inflicted enough despair and chaos to the point where these lowly humans cling onto their life in a feeble attempt of living.

“Th- That's not...”

Savor their pleas and screams of anguish as they call upon your death. You aren't wanted, you aren't needed.

“THAT'S NOT TRUE—”

The floor beneath your shaking body began to crack, the density and force around you had only drastically strengthen, creating a growing crater below you.

You are only inducing fear in your surroundings, and you are more than aware of what you're causing.

Hatred. Anguish. Despair. A need for violent measures. A selfish greed of clinging onto life from their grave wounds you placed upon them. This is all you.

All you.

Mindlessly in pain, your body unwillingly helps itself up despite your own injuries. You took a heavy step forward, only ceasing the noises that surrounded you as they witness your hauntingly beautiful yet bloodied form, but there was no attraction, they were now instilled with a new type of fear.

2:55 PM — CLOUDFORD, XIANZHOU LUOFU

5 minutes until eruption.

You were a golden death. A victim.

A new dreadful existence that was unintentionally yet successfully created by Sanctus Medicus.

The golden liquid had already burned the rest of your outfit. Your body only continued to pour gold from the rifts on your skin, your heart—or your now crystalized core, pulsated with consecutive glows, as if your former heart, and the rest of your biology had changed, in which case, it did.

That's it... Embrace it... Your perfected, honed and better self.

Shut up.

The voice chuckles, continuing to fog and envelope your whole essence.

The unwavering, unbearable pain was now released, replaced with the sensations of your skin, healing slowly. The paleness in your face had become warm once again along with your body.

Your hair only grew longer, luscious and free, your eyes glimmered in high self esteem once more, while previous cracks all over your body had almost disappear as if nothing was there in the first place.

You will never admit it, but you felt more healthy, you felt beautiful, you felt confident, you felt...

New, refreshed and reborn, and you grasped control of yourself once again.

Your newfound vigor and vitality only brought unease and curiousity to the Cloud Knights who loathed your existence being a supposed child of Yaoshi the Abundance now.

The man with glasses couldn't help but be reminded of his weakness from your newfound growth, he had hesitated until now, witnessing your upbringing and his own actions had left a sour feeling on his drying throat, unease had surrounded the man, in fear of what will commence. He doesn't know how much longer he can fight, accompanied with the knowledge of his two fatigued Astral companions seeking out help of any kind, but another question lingered in his thoughts;

What were you?

You weren't a mindless Mara-strucked individual that they've previously continuously dealt with, nor you had the appearance of golden leaves that battered and grew out of you. You were just a woman, at what he assumes to be your very prime, the high peak of your health, appearance, physicality and mental state, and your curiousity and confusion about your own state confirmed his assumptions.

“I-...” Your senses interrupt you as your instincts come into fruition, tilting your head to the right, only to reveal a Cloud-Piercing spear infront of your vision that had thrusted forward from behind. The light, horizontal slit from your left cheek which the Cloud Knight slightly grazed, begun to heal almost quickly, as well as suddenly realizing your hand was already around the unfortunate Cloud Knight's neck, lifting them up in a chokehold as their air supply begins to be cut off.

With widened eyes, you immediately loosened your grasp upon becoming aware of your actions, retorting your hand while guilt pumped into you.

“It- It was... It was instinct I-” Your voice cracked, bringing both of your hands to cover your mouth as your once blurred vision finally had a good look to your surroundings, grasping the situation and your hellish surroundings at bay.

Remember the sight.

Your mind throbbed once again, yet your nerves find ways to soothe the pain, but... even then, it will never be able to heal your aching heart and the damage you inflicted against the soldiers of the Xianzhou Alliance.

Instincts went into play once more, feeling a sudden familiar, pulling force behind moving towards you in a faster, denser velocity, only for you to barely dodge a faster orb of gravity that you had previously, went up against.

“W- Wait! I-” You turn your face quickly towards the man whom attacked you just now, only to be met with a bright, icy blade that moved quickly towards you, but both of your hands had already instinctively raise to your face, piercing both of your palms instead, grasping in the side of the bloodied tip of the cold sword that pierced you.

“FUCK!!! NNGH—!” You whimpered in pain, feeling the sensations of burning that sourced within your palms, along with the skin and nerves that was already healing, your own rejuvenating flesh, pushing out the icy sword as a 'CLANG' follows suit.

“Hmph. You're lucky I didn't throw it with too much force, otherwise you wouldn't be able to survive that!” A voice of a young boy graced the battlefield, turning the red sea into a cold, thundering storm of snow and ice, putting the injured Cloud Knights at ease and discomfort from the coldness that surrounded the environent.

“L-Lieutenant Yanqing!” A Cloud Knight gasped at his arrival, alerting the rest with jarred cheers erupting, while your gaze dilutes back and forth to the man with glasses—and a child who happens to be a lieutenant that had arrived.

“P- Please- I-”

“Save it servant of the Abundance!”

A continuing, cold breeze of snow enveloped the young boy, his aqua colored swords flying towards you once more.

Now equipped with newfound, engraved instincts that you have begun to get use to, your body- that had not tasted the ways of war and battle, danced its way around elegantly and flexibly from the skillful wrath of ice that relentlessly continued to attack you.

Despite your consciousness and having a sense of control once again, you felt another sensation, one that felt like another presence, another soul, tangled with yours, tugging at your essence, and it was most definitely the reason as to why you were moving in such a way, that continued to inflict fear and uneasiness to the Cloud Knights, and the man with the glasses whom continued to witness your dance of agility and grace against the right hand of the Arbiter General.

...

...

Why me...?

Imperfect.

There are many others.

...

The embodiment of failure and success.

Wh- What does that even mea—

A host of purity and defections all in one. All suited for me.

A canvas of the purest, warmest of soul, painted with absolute grief, sadness, regret, pain — yet harboring no anger, rage, hatred. A non-existent need for revenge.

Something a certain diciple of mine lacked, thus her inevitable defeat from the subjects of Akivili.

And you are mine to break and reconstruct. I can finally fathom why the Hunt had their arrows set on you.

The words gnawed your logical, racing thoughts, leaving you in a moment of disarray, visibly seen from your relentless opponent.

The Hunt... The... Reignbow Arbiter? But—

“Hhgk—!”

Tch. So flawed.

You felt another burning sensation to the left side of your waist, looking towards a deep cut that split your flesh into two from the icy blades that hailed like the rain against you, yet once again, it had begun to heal slowly, as sounds of your flesh and cells crickled, halting the young boy in his trained steps for a moment.

“What... What are y—” The young boy gets cut off.

Your gaze suddenly returns to the boy, with your left iris flickering into a golden color, replacing your original shade.

“Your demise.” The voice took over your vocals for a moment.

“N- No! you will NOT HARM ANYONE FURTHER!” You grit your teeth, holding your curled fists into each other, retraining yourself and letting the voice solely focus on avoiding further attacks.

How unpleasant.

Why do you continue to resist, child of Lan?

The sight of you... talking to yourself? No... Your voice had continued to change back and forth, only confusing him further.

Something was amiss, but the young boy and his youth couldn't fanthom the uniqueness of the situation before him, he had only one thing in his determined mind, the solution of exterminating a being that threatened the peace for the Xianzhou Luofu; You.

The boy took his stance, his flying swords once again stationed behind him, but a sudden deep voice emerges from behind him, only startling the whole battlefield in his appearance.

“Yanqing. Well done in keeping the adversary at bay.”

A commanding presence immediately intensified the trickling air of tension, only leaving sounds of sharp breaths and your continuous argument with yourself.

Hush.

Huh?

You fall into silence to its bidding, only to look around to the young boy, who was now accompanied with the famous Arbiter General, holding a glaive that had a threatening presence, along with the General himself.

“I apologies for my tardiness Mr. Yang. I had matters to tend to.” The strong presence spoke, his eyes hovering upon your naked, yet coated state, assessing the situation with an unknown gleam in his eyes.

“Where of Stelle and March?” The man with glasses walked beside him, mirroring his gaze upon the beautiful woman before their sights.

“I sent message to the High Elder Vidyadhra medic to tend to their wounds, not to worry, they will be back.” He said faced to him with a knowing smile, only causing goosebumps to your skin, he was taking in this stage you set lightly, only irritating the voice in your head slightly.

“Now... What of the contexts of this fascinating situation?” The Arbiter General's penetrating gaze returns to you, eyeing your undeniable attracting form. You were oblivious, but the voice wasn't.

Leave the premises, now.

Wha? W- Who are you to tell me what t—

The throbbing had begun once again. Their conversations sealed upon noticing your actions as your hands gripped tightly around your head, whimpering in place.

“S- Stop...”

No. If you perish, I-

...

Leave, woman.

“Is she...?” The Arbiter General looks towards the man with the glasses, his eyebrow raised slightly in speculation.

“She's... She had been at this state for more than a few minutes since earlier...” He frowned, gripping his cane, being reminded of fragments from his life that whispered evily to him.

“Who cares? Let's extinguish her presence already General!” Impatient, the young boy firmed his grasp around the hilt of his sword of ice, pointing the tip of the sharpness towards you, his sky filled eyes sending daggers to your direction with determination.

“Patience little lieutenant. One does not rush in unknown, trifling matters.” The General warns with a faint smile that doesn't reach to his eyes, and without a choice from the tone of command, the young boy's will wavers with a sigh, lowering his blade in defeat.

“P- Please, end me...”

Your words grasped the attention of the trio, while your tears began to flow, taking note of your willingness to submit in defeat.

“See?! Even—” The young boy gets cut off once more, earning a serious glare from the General that hushed him almost immediately.

“Please I-... I'm sorry for causing harm...” You continued to sob quietly, gritting your teeth while your head continued to throb mercilessly with ruthless, familiar pain.

I said leave now, and I'll cease the pain.

The Arbiter General takes a step forward, his left hand holding the body of his glaive, no words left needed to describe that despite his aloof hold around his weapon, he was more than ready for any attempt of violent assault.

NOW.

Mirroring the gesture of his, you took a step back abiding the voice's word, your glistening, heterochromic eyes lock with the readied General, only fascinating him further from your saddened, alluring gaze. Noticing your hesitancy for closeness.

“...My lady, if you escape this very moment, I will make sure that every inch of the Xianzhou Luofu will be well guarded, awaiting your presence in every corner you find yourself in to hide away from our— from my grasp.”

A silence from him ensued for a few long moments, following a faint warning smile from earlier, his gaze unwavering towards you while you weeped, assuming you aren't able to grasp his own chords.

“I- I do not... wish to harm anyo—”

“You're right my lady, I won't allow it.” He came closer, moving towards you with delicacy in his footsteps.

“ ... ”

...

...Stubborn child.

“Don't go, my lady.”

“It- It hurts... My head... General I-”

“Our High Elder Vidyadhra apothecary will assist you.” The General says firmly with undertones of softness, taking another step forward, but you remained still, weeping in silence from the continuous throbbing and regeneration of the nerves that seethed you repeatedly.

He manipulates.

S- Stop the—hhnghk... Please...

His experienced words, eons worth of vocabulary, coming into fruition, laying the power of syllables onto you. Do not—

I DON'T- I CANNOT CARE FROM THE UNBEARABLE PAIN YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE ME SUFFER IN!

A befitting punishment for your unwilling soul.

“I- I didn't mean to... General I- Hnnhk—...” Your form staggers, suffering from the internal turmoil that resumed, collapsing in place—but before you hit the floor, the sensation of warmth arrived behind your lower back and waist.

You found your crystalized golden core, your bare, coated chest pressed up against a man with command, towering and holding your suddenly weakened state that matched a situation one again in prior events.

“Jing Yuan.” He said, lowering his own golden to you, his expression, hidden with enthrall from your weakened state.

You hear the voice click its tongue.

“I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so—”

“Hush my lady,” He said in his low, husk voice, holding your weakened body, his hand firming against the soft, coated and warming flesh of your waist, stirring a once familiar sensation that rooted in his stomach.

“General Jing Yuan—” The young boy averted his gaze with a slight flush in his cheeks. Jing Yuan had not heard him, lest deciding to tend to the injured Cloud Knights instead, grumbling under his breath.

The man with glasses came closer to the two of you, his gaze feigning ignorance on the display.

“Miss... What—” He gets cut off, both men alarmed from your sudden intense grip around his biceps, your golden, crystalized core beaming, pulsating rapidly along with your quickened breath.

A golden ray of light erupted from you surrounding you vertically in a circle, sending the light up towards the sky endlessly, alerting everyone who bore witness to the intense display.

So be it.

A powerful, echoing screech escaped your mouth, tilting your head up to the direction of the clouds that welcomed your gaze as rubbles of cement from the previous struggles of the battle began to levitate the surroundings.

”ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᚲ ᚷᚨᚺ ᛉᚨᚾ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛏᚨᛏ ᛒᚱᚨᚲ”

I claim your soul, little child of the Hunt.

You will be my host, my pure, imperfection of despair.

Only I shall intertwine with you, body, mind and soul eternally.

And this mortal, blessed with the lightning guardian spirit, shall be your first prey.

3:00 PM — CLOUDFORD, XIANZHOU LUOFU

The eruption commences.

how ironic, this fic being my first successful hsr fic ended up being the reason why i got my ppl pleasing tendencies back pfft. anyways, reblogs help my audience reach, thank you!

[taliadoesrpgs]

I’m a professional Game Master, and I've got my July lineup of games ready.

For July, I’m offering:

- Dragon Heist for D&D 5th Ed

- Fate of the Galaxy, a space opera in Fate

- Solstice Rain, an introductory Lancer campaign

- The Summer Valor Build An OVA Workshop

- Slayers Detention, an Occult Punk Valor OVA

All of my games are $25/3 hour session and meet biweekly. Sign-up and is handled through the third party site Startplaying.Games - Descriptions and sign-up links below!

First off, having completed Dragon Heist for one group, I’m running it again for new D&D players - or those new to the campaign! Will you outsmart five crime lords and grab the treasure hidden in Waterdeep, worth half a million Gold Dragons?

Second, I have Fate of the Galaxy, a rollicking space opera adventure in the vein of Wars, DUNC (the slams must jam!), Nine Sols and Outlaw Star!

Join us to unleash psychic powers, make daring raids on Imperial bases, find alien allies and punch a Space Nazi!

Third, I’m bringing back Lancer with its introductory campaign, Solstice Rain. Become an elite mecha-jock for the benevolent Union as you intervene in an invasion. Save as many civilian lives as you can! Are you a bad enough pilot to rescue your captain?

Last but not least is a tradition of mine - the Original Valor Adventure Workshop! I’ll help your crew come up with a self-contained anime premise and characters, then do a short and sweet minicampaign - self contained, like an OVA series!

And, of course, we’re continuing the campaign created in the Spring OVA Workshop, Slayer’s Detention! There’s still room for two more punk teenagers who dare to fight spiritual and criminal corruption with gutter magic and street fighting!

[jbk405]

I think I've found one of the key reasons why I prefer the old Expanded Universe to the current Star Wars content: Unique types of villains.

More specifically, people who weren't just Evil Force Users With Long Robes And Red Lightsabers. While there were always a few Darth Vader-clones that popped up to fill up space, so many of the Arc Villains were distinct not just in personality, but also how they were dangerous.

Grand Admiral Thrawn was a military tactician, which wasn't the point of any of the main villains in the Original Trilogy. Grand Moff Tarkin was a "Build a bigger superweapon and bludgeon the galaxy into submission" kind of villain, and Vader and the Emperor were mystical dark wizards. This isn't a complaint or criticism, but just pointing out that military tactics were never on display in the films since that wasn't the type of story they were telling. But Thrawn didn't have prophetic powers or Destiny, he had to analyze and plan around what he could learn about his adversaries. It's a different type of fight than Literal Magic. In the original Thrawn Trilogy, Captain Pellaeon frequently internally narrates how different Thrawn's style of leadership was to either Vader or the Emperor (Even if his art-analysis did verge on magic by itself).

Ysanne Isard was a political and/or espionage manipulator, which was even less a point of the Original Trilogy than military tactics were. She took advantage of the realities of actually needing to build a nation out of an underground military movement. With all of the dirty gutter politics, self-serving agendas, and logistics that doom so many revolutionary movements. I'm not as big a fan of her arc as I was when I was younger (I re-read the Rogue Squadron novels a few years ago and the writing quality is not as good as I remember, and Isard's plans frankly don't hold a lot of water), but the concept is still fantastic.

Warlord Zsinj on the surface seems like a merger of Thrawn and Isard -- he's a military commander who specializes in espionage -- but he also has a big focus that neither of them demonstrated: Business. While he still blows stuff up with his giant space ships and is sowing dissent through brainwashing and spycraft, he's simultaneously establishing a galaxy-wide network of completely-legitimate commercial businesses that he owns through untraceable pseudonyms. They fund his campaigns, give him influence on planets outside of his direct control, and allow him to control resources without any of his adversaries even being aware of it.

Even one-shot enemies like the Ssi-ruuk were so unique: They're invading the galaxy because their technology is powered by living souls and they want to harvest all life in the galaxy. That's messed up, and so distinct from the general "Take over the world" motivation of the Empire.

But as time went on, more and more of the enemies were just "Darth Vader Again". Another Jedi who fell to the Dark Side, or another long-lost schism of the Sith who rediscovered mainstream galactic society, or some other thing that is eventually resolved by a one-on-one lightsaber duel and a personal grudge against the Skywalker or Solo families. It definitely felt like they were out of ideas and kept running through the same villains over and over again.

This kicked into high gear after the Prequels came out, and continued in the new continuity after the EU was rebranded as "Legends".

I wish we could go back to the idea that there could be an enemy who wasn't super powerful in the force and consumed by Hatred Of The Jedi. With their own skills, their own methods, and something that makes them more than just another wannabe-Sauron. Pirates who are just pirates, marauding ex-Imperial Warlords who are just marauding ex-Imperial Warlords, and corrupt politicians who are just corrupt politicians, instead of revealing that Palpatine returned (somehow) all over again.

[hiveworks]

June is winding down, but our recommendations are never ending. Now is also a great time to remind you that our creators are supported by ad rev. When you read these comics, be sure to white list their websites and support your favorite creators!⁠

Ghost Junk Sickness by @studiocartridge

Trigger Elliot is a bounty hunter who travels around the galaxy with his not-so-fully-licensed-and-technically-illegal-hunting-partner Vahn Gavotte. They're lousy at what they do and often resort to petty tactic just to get a bounty. This is their life. Their home planet, June 7, is a world rebuilding itself form an inexplicable catastrophic phenomenon that destroyed 75% of the planet's surface. It has been 5 years since the destruction of June 7 and the planet now thrives on the transient and growing population of bounty hunters. Trigger and Vahn's routine changes when an ambiguous huge bounty surfaces; an alleged bounty hunter killer named "the Ghost" with frightening abilities and an unknown motive. When Trigger's past catches up with him, there begins a strain on his and Vahn's hunting dynamic, forcing them to become further involved in chasing the elusive and unpredictable ghost. Ghost Junk Sickness is an action packed sci-fi LGBTQ+ comic created by CARTRIDGE.

Kochab by Sarah Webb

Kochab is a YA wlw fantasy comic about two girls lost in a pile of ruins under the woods, inspired by various myths and fairytales. A lost skier trying to survive a snowy wilderness and find her way back to her village stumbles across and awakens a fire spirit trying to fix the home that she’s let fall apart around her.

Shaderunners by Alex Assan & Lin Darrow

A thousand years ago, the last colour in the world faded to grey. Now, after the great archaeological discovery of Queen Sorizahana’s shade-stocked tomb, it stands ready to enter the world again. Ironwell City will become the birthplace of the burgeoning colour industry, where colour is pumped out of factories, poured into perfumed bottles and sold at exorbitant prices to those wealthy enough to afford the luxury. At least, that’s the plan according to the Five Financiers of the Sorizahana excavation. One part Prohibition fantasy, one part Robin Hood, and a whole lot of epic heist, Shaderunners follows a group of ragtag bootleggers and bohemians who band together in an effort to steal colour from the wealthy echelons of Ironwell’s high society. Among them: a philosopher, a puppeteer, a gutter rat, an opera singer, a naval officer and a hopeless romantic. Together, they run The Glass Dial, former watch shop and future night club, where all the house drinks run red. Speak easy, pal, ‘cause the road to ruin is paved with good intentions.

Augustine by @windywallflower

Augustine follows the adventure of August and her friends: Brick, Heti and Ande as they survive in the perilous region known as the Crater. You can call them all Trouble (with the capital T) as they wrack up bounties for their rowdiness, most especially from the local head honcho Tanto the Bull. During these escapades, however, the group stumbles into an ancient artifact, a possible piece of an old myth surrounding the Crater. This discovery soon leads them down a path of chaos, chased by bounty hunters and old forgotten gods. This comic uses aspects of Greek Mythology, and delves into concepts of ancient relics and the deities they represent and what it means to find your own family.

[mychlapci]

I've had a scenario in my head for tfa Optimus for a while.

Optimus - for some reason or another, either before, during, or after canon - ends up in Decepticon custody. I've been reading fics like "House Divided", "The Silver Lining", "Can't Survive With you, Can't Survive Without You", "Of Gutters and Galaxies", "Exorcise My Mind", and "Return Me To The Stars". All stories in which Optimus, in one way or another - whether it be stabbed in the back by Sentinel ... literally ("Return Me To The Stars") or Kidnapped and forced to learn how to properly care for himself, gain self-confidence, and work through his Autobot inflicted trauma through kinky, master/slave, sexual roleplay ("Exorcise My Mind") - he ends up in Megatron's care.

Consider that some Fic Recs for ya.

EITHER WAY! My point being, Optimus in the care of Megatron. BUT!

They both end up pregnant at the same time.

Like, the two somehow their way into a relationship that the Autobots are either completely oblivious to or know full well of but are powerless to prevent, and they have Spectacular Sex. So Spectacular in fact, it gets them pregnant.

Imagine, Optimus and Megatron lounging on Meg's massive throne - easily big enough to fit them both, clearly a love seat - Oppy tucked into Meg's side, abdominal plating and chest plate discarded showing off a big swollen belly full of bitties and full, leaky titties. Legs spread just enough to show off his bare array stuffed full to the brim and drenched in transfluid and lubricant. He's dozing lightly, cuddled against Megatron who similarly has his plating removed and array bared. Though his belly, while swollen, isn't as large as Optimus due to the size difference but those Boobs (UGH gimme). His array is also drenched, but it's mostly his massive spike (more than half the size of Optimus' thigh) laying against his belly angled to show that Optimus had only just pulled himself off, his valve however is dribbling with transfluid buts still certainly glistening with lubricant. They've both softly drifted off into a sleepy haze, nodding off and so out of it that they didn't notice the doors to the throne room opening.

Oops, they forgot that peace meeting was today.

Well if the Autobots didn't know about them before, they certainly do now!

hgrhrhh... tfa Optimus and Megatron knocking each other up, oh lord, that's good. The two of them, having lazy sex on the throne, filling each other up until they're exhausted.

I can just imagine their pregnant bumps rubbing up against each other as Optimus rides Megatron's juicy spike... Once he's overloaded, he pulls the spike out of his twitching valve and curls up besides Megatron.... Megs grabs him and rubs his belly, as his spike depressurizes, feeling so full and comfortable with his little autobot at his side... mhmm The two of them getting caught lounging around, high command bursting in for a peace talk that Megatron swears was supposed to happen tomorrow. They get a very detailed view of both their arrays before Megatron remembers to cover up his, pulling Optimus in so that he's at least somewhat modest.

[lewismathesonart]

Did I ask you for attention When affection is what I need? Thinking sorrow is perfection I would wallow 'til you told me There's no glitter in the gutter There's no twilight galaxy. . .

I'm all right, come on, baby I've seen all the demons that you've got If you're not all right now, come on, baby I'll pick you up and take, take you where you want Anywhere you want Anywhere you want Anywhere you want

Any Thing You Want!

Fantasies

Pen and ink

2024

[lei-lei-artz]

There’s no glitter, in the gutter. There’s no Twilight Galaxy…

[trashmouth-richie]

Congrats on 200!

Can i get Eddie with the 2 words "best friends"

(maybe smutty, but totally up to you; either way it'll be amazing i'm sure)

- @eddiesprincess86

@eddiesprincess86 thank you for the sweet req! This one is short but very sweet.

Bestfriend! Eddie x bestfriend!Reader

Best friends didn’t act like this, best friends didn’t have each other so wound up on a hot summer night, high out of their minds, the only sound being the rain gushing from the gutters and thunder like gunfire; breaking against the dark sky. Best friends didn’t look at eachother with lust filled eyes as the thin strap of your tank top fell, again, for the umpteenth time that night, off your tanned, sweat kissed skin. Best friends didn’t carefully put the stubborn strap back into place, gently caressing and skimming over your shoulder with rough calloused fingers, a colossal difference between the sweet softness of your skin and his strong, rugged hands. Best friends didn’t sit on each others lap, wiggling and rocking hips when Eddie’s endless reign of terror of tickling against your sides and hips were relentless. Best friends didn’t shotgun weed together in the dark with only a dim flicker of light illuminating Eddie’s room since the power went out hours ago. Best friends didn’t end a laughing fit by tucking your hair behind your ear and holding your gaze for far too long. Best friends didn’t lean in close, only bated breath between you both as you played truth or dare. Best friends definitely didn’t taste each other's lips for the first time with an entire galaxy erupting behind their eyes. Best friends didn’t do any of these things. But Eddie was always more than your best friend.

[korva-the-raven]

Just gonna post these here, as a love note to all my fellow cryptids...📝💚

Saw these at the local Fair, and really wanted one, but am broke af, so sad face...

Love the galaxy design, but I really wanted a bright green alien hanging in my corvid corner...

And check out this giant plushie. Winning a giant plushie from the fair is on my bucket list.

There is another Fair in August, maybe I'll have some extra fun money to get myself a blow up alien...whoa whoa, get your mind outta the gutter, I just want a big shiny piece of palstic to hang in my corvid corner..👽

[moltengoldveins]

Homie, I’ve got insomnia, it’s five hours past my bedtime, and I got just one question: 

*slams fist on table* WHERE is the 150k pre-clone-wars-era qpr Emeraldduo fic where Techno is a creedbound beroya under the Haat Mando’ade and Philza is a Jedi Shadow??? Where they meet under random circumstances chasing the same bounty while Phil is pretending not to be a Jedi and they become (Allies? Partners? Friends??) and Techno asks Phil to help the Mando’ade out with this One Excursion only for Phil to reveal his powers saving Jaster from betrayal (because I SAID SO) yadda yadda “I feel so betrayed” yadda yadda “you’re my ancestral enemy” yadday yadda a ton of angst and they don’t speak to one another again until the senate sends the Jedi to Galidraan. Phil takes one look at the mission report and goes “oh, HECK no” and flies himself out there just in time to keep Dooku from going all Murder on them, and talks everyone down to a decent level of calm. Jaster is suspicious, but Does owe Phil a life debt, so he’s willing to cooperate. They uncover a Strange Conspiracy with money leading to Strange Dead Ends. Hm. Odd.

Techno is meanwhile off-world burying his feelings hunting down an ‘escaped pet’ for a rich lord, under the assumption that this in fact an actual animal and not A WHOLE TRAFFICKED FORCE-SENSITIVE CHILD WHAT- (it was Exceedingly obvious the guy was talking about a person ok, like painfully so) kinda panicked, up one whole child, and now bountyless, Techno KNOWS Jaster is really busy on Galidraan right now but he needs Help gosh darnit. He’s gonna go get help. There is lots of bonding with this traumatized child as he attempts to get halfway across the galaxy in his ship (options for names for the ship the Blood God, the Blade, and Carl. Phil’s ship is called the Angel of Death, because duh.) 

Cue dramatic reveal when they get there that Phil is on Galidraan and a very fun sequence in which Wilbur, Jedi Knight and former padawan of Phil’s, takes one singular look at the child (Tommy, it’s tommy, we all know it’s tommy) and decides “this is My Padawan now.” There is a brief custody battle between Techno and Will resulting in shared cultural exchange and switching off on holidays in exchange for Will getting Tommy 90% of the time. Phil is assigned as the Haat Mando’ade liaison by the council to investigate these Strange Proceedings, which in the one hand: yay! A job that keeps him out of the gutters and away from fancy dinners! On the other….. Techno’s been assigned as his escort. Woo. 

Cue epic plots, fun shenanigans, and tons of technobabble as these two idiots unravel the centuries-old plots of the Sith by being really blunt, really chaotic, and really hypercompetent. They spar a lot, meditate a lot, and talk about Philosophy. Sun Tzu is mentioned often. They kill a few Sith. It’s great. 

The fic ends with Phil becoming the first mandalorian jedi in like a thousand years because ✨character development ✨ and because Techno took literally no seconds before flat-out clan-adopting Phil, they’re in the same clan, and he can show him his face. They hug and it’s great and the galaxy is saved and they raise Tommy together whenever Will doesn’t know what he’s doing (a solid 70% of the time) WHY DOESNT THIS EXIST- 

[iliterallydecepticanteven]

Thinking about doing a spin off of Of Gutters and Galaxies that just follows all the medical staff as they try to get along.

Because I have two Decepticon nurse OCs that I briefly introduced, Hazardwing and Nightgale, plus Knock Out representing as a Decepticon doctor. Then throw in Ratchet, Red Alert, and First Aid and you've got a bunch of medical professionals who are arguing over everything all the time. Like the first time Ratchet did the calculations for how much of a drug to administer to Lugnut, he did it five times, thinking every time that the number was way too high. Then Nightgale just leans over his shoulder and is like "yeah that's right."

But also Knock Out and Hazardwing panicking because they don't have syringes or vials small enough to administer the right amount of medication to Autobots. After all, most of their patients are huge, so why stock small, diluted forms of meds? Then combine that with the fact that First Aid doesn't have combat training and the first time he sees Blitzwing walk in carrying his left arm that had been ripped off him in battle, the poor guy passes out right then and there.

Also, because the entire medical staff is busy keeping everyone in one piece, the duty of running samples for diagnosis and analysis gets shoved onto Blackarachnia. That results in her swinging by the med bay to either collect samples or talk about her findings, as well as gossip with the medics there. I feel like she and Ratchet would get along if given the opportunity to just stand around and shit talk.

[maitaiwiththecorpses]

letters to him

Thank you all for voting so much, so without further ado, all five parts of letters to him!

letters to him (natalya)- April 9th, 2024

dear,

dearest,

my dearest,

but not anymore

because you see we can’t seem to stop fighting

it’s like we’re always at war.

it used to be cute back when we were

Love,

Loved,

Loving (?)

of each other

but perhaps it’s just me pushing

all that love down the gutter

i’m a prude and so crude and you can’t seem to make up your mind about me

i piss you off, and damn i’m so off and Miss. Rachiminoff in your shadow

treated like a little sister and despised by all of your misters

‘aggressive, much?’ You asked one noon and I knew in that moment all I was to you,

an exotic little girl who begged for your plastic spoon

the promise of life and death and “fly me to the moon”

and when my heart pumped blood enough to be fuel to our moon

you made me your Monna Vanna and wrote me as a fool

letters to him (sabrina)- April 9th, 2024

little poem little lie

what a beast, ‘Here She Lies’

three time’s the charm

that’s a damn lie

I tried once,

twice,

five thousand times

their screams and cries inside these walls

bounce around like his favorite tennis ball

“NO”

one more time

“NO”

just one more

“NO”

i’m on the floor wishing it would all just stop.

you threaten me after hearing my words

languages i never thought you’d learn

swears that we promised in the dead of the night would never spurn from your mouth to mine

on the ground, in the air, right in front of us to plead with sighs

you to took my image and ground me to the core

and now all that’s left is some numbskulled-whore

letters to him (olivia)- April 10th, 2024

Rageful women never get far

darling, maybe that was our destined start

Me, to rule with a crown full of tears and a head full of hope

You, to strike me down with all of my fears and the promise of a tantalizing grown man

someone to come home

but

Teenage girls never get far

and baby, that’s what’s been wrong from the start

You, expecting perfect

Me, thinking it too

i wish i could come home

but

After everything I said to you?

letters to him (taylor)- April 10th, 2024

Speak the words that nobody else does

I wonder how long these words were unsaid

Passive belonging and talk of my talent

You never believed it till I softly said,

“Come for me at the dusk and the dawn,

Where the daylight bends and the rivers are gone

How come women are weak when it’s time to move on?

Every regret has its own mournful song”

And to keep in the light from this shadowed world

I decided no regrets are spared on men with subpar clothes

Maybe a king would have mercy, or even a queen

But a goddess primordial no man has ever seen.

letters to him (lizzie)- April 10th, 2024

It takes time to put aside

Every painful boy

Till one comes up and says “that’s love” with a shrug and a mournful smile

He reminded me of nebulas

And galaxies

And stars that were tested with time

At this point most people think the list is over, but I've only just described his eyes

It’s like the sun found a boy and said,

“you will walk my earth,

and with that blessing,

may your very heart

be that of Hestia’s hearth”

And then they pulled him from fiction, and put him in the rain

Those eyes of galaxies and stars that could never know such pain.

He waited patiently till monster turned friend,

And when found by a hunter, he predicted their crooked end.

I know when I get too dark I should avoid his gaze

But for him, I’d waste every birthday wish, loose eyelash, and every single star

And if he doesn’t want my stars and wishes, like the ones in his eyes,

I’ll pack up my letters

And kiss him goodbye

[queen-scribbles]

Writing Patterns Tag

tagged by @snowfolly @greyias and @dingoat

Rules: list the first line(s) of your last 10 posted fics and see if there's a pattern! Since there's so many of you (lol), I did more than ten.😉

tagging hm, @haledamage @undyingembers @starlightcleric (no pressure, obviously <3)

Long Burning Torch ch 9 (ShoH)

Gutter water seeped into Xaeryn’s shoes as she misstepped, but she hardly noticed.

2. gut feeling (SWtOR)

Jorgan was wrapping up an op when Aygo commed.

3. Brykar prompt fill (SWtOR)

The wind cutting across the ridge made conversation difficult, but Briyoni had never been one easily dissuaded from sharing her opinion.

4. Indi/Vector handholding fill (SWtOR)

Parties like this were dreadfully boring, salvaged only from complete indignity by the company she was allowed to keep

5. OC Kiss: Dare (TOW)

“You ever feel like your life could do with some excitement?’

6. OC Kiss: Reach (PoE)

Kei growled softly as her shoulder pressed the baseboard and the small piece of steel remained just beyond her fingertips.

7. OC Kiss: Darkness (Wayhaven)

The movie ended, the room plunging into darkness when Kira clicked off the rolling credits.

8. OC Kiss: Lost (SWtOR)

He had just sunk into the sack chair, eyes drifting closed and every inch of him sore beyond words, when a quiet, whimpering cry came from across the room.

9. Unmasked (SWtOR)

Endrali was starting to wonder if the galaxy had it out for her.

10. OC Kiss: Sunrise (Dragon Age)

The sky was still dark when Trinne woke

11. Slow Dancing Prompt (Wayhaven)

Janine was singing.

12. OC Kiss: Rain (PF:WotR)

There was nothing to see here.

13. OC Kiss: Almost (PoE)

Tavi groaned and swore as the back of her hand met the table’s weathered surface.

14. It's Cold Outside (PoE)

The snow had reached Brighthollow’s first floor windows and was still coming.

[xamaxenta]

what type of dragons do you think mas would be? (what element, scales or feathers, big or small, etc.)

I dont ever shut up about monster hunter so youre gonna get that for what “dragon” they would be

Ace, hellblade glavenus big chunky high dps big sword tail that sets on fire i know hes more dino coded but dinos are pseudo dragons too idc ill die on this hilll ooooo look at this handsome fellow id kiss him 🥰 i like his dorky legs… big boi… hes a winner in my heart also gutteral purring noises

Sabo was really hard but honestly nothing serves more cunt than the newest flagship Malenzo especially Primordial with its noble look and spearlike tail that it uses to stab prey and opponents, also its inflicted form has a fluffy cravat like beard that looks cute af haha i love… insane vampire dragon… it goes crazy out of love and has beef with the monstersonification of pure evil which is so babocoded…

Marco was harder to decide for i could say Safi’jiiva (Left) for the self healing aspect and bc its got galaxy wings and i think thats so pretty but i feel like he could be something like Shagaru Magala (right) for the whole six limbed im gonna get u with all my paws but also its got a divine aesthetic and its rly pretty idk very marco in vibes chill af until scorned and then it brings out the laser beams

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Tracklist:

Neonhead • Occultation • Gutter • Cannibal Gods • Culture • Satellites • This City Is Going to Kill Us Babe • Radio • Multiverse Market • Lovebeats • Propaganda • I Demoni • Causality

Spotify ♪ Bandcamp ♪ YouTube