#preparation phase poll

[dgrailwar]

Round 5, Day 3 - Team Avenger

"There's much to think about."

That was the first and only thing that the Avenger said when returning to the base. He paced in the prison cell, before sitting down on the metal bed, eyes focused elsewhere.

"..."

It seemed as if he was lost in thought.

Servant Skills:

Determination of Steel (EX Rank): If Avenger is about to take a fatal wound, if there's at least a 3% difference in their score and the victor above him, he may avoid damage. When facing a single-target (1-on-1), he will gain a +3% boost.

Monte Cristo Mythologie: The King of the Cavern (C Rank): When battling enemies, his flames are like a poison. He reduces demerits against him by 3%, and when he is victorious against another, he inflicts a -2% demerit for their next round. This demerit increases by 2% by every 10% difference in scores.

Wisdom of Predicament (A Rank): When engaged in a Free-for-All, gain a +3% boost. Additionally, if Avenger earns last place, both the victor and the 2nd place Servant gain a -2% demerit, rather than simply the 2nd place Servant.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Enfer Château d'If (A Rank)

A high-speed Noble Phantasm that inflicts 2 ‘wounds’ rather than 1. If this Noble Phantasm is triggered during a one-on-one battle, then he gains a +20% boost. If it is triggered in a Free-for-All, the boost increases to +30%. Demerits lose any and all effectiveness against him for the duration of the round.

-

Class-Traits:

AVENGER-CLASS Servants are vengeful by nature. The first time they are defeated by a Servant, they gain an automatic +2% bonus against that specific Servant, without needing to study them (but can in order to increase the bonus). They gain a permanent +3% bonus per wound they attain that will remain if the wound remains, but will disappear if the wound is healed.

[sonic-fankid-showdown]

Poll 3, Round 1.

About Geode: (by @oddogoblino) In an attempt to impress The Eggman, a mad yet inexperienced scientist stole Gerald Robotnik's blueprints of Project SHADOW and tried to improve on it to make the definitive true ultimate lifeform to defeat Sonic once and for all. To add insult to injury, the eggsupporter had chosen to use some of Sonic's DNA along with Shadow's, that'd been found from battle aftermaths, to make his creation. Before their prototype was even finished though, GUN had found out about Project REMASTERED. Rouge told Shadow about it before GUN could do a raid though so he could handle this personal matter how he found fit. Well, Shadow went and destroyed the lab of course, though he wasn't prepared to see just how early in development the project was. He was expecting something full grown but all he found was the prototype barely in the infant phase in its development. Being unable to just kill a baby or adopt this all powerful baby off to an unsuspecting family (and also being unknowingly motivated by Black Arms instincts to keep the species alive), Shadow decided to take the little hoglet in as his own. At first, Shadow was too caught up in caring for Geode off instinct to think about telling anyone about him, but just a few months in and Geode already began showing his defects in creation and Shadow turned to Sonic and Tails for help. Now, Geode has inhibitor rings to keep his chaos energy at a stable level and has been growing up comfortably from home to home, adventure to adventure. Geode himself though, by the time he's 16, is a very quiet, introverted, affectionate, emotional, compassionate, and sort of awkward character. He's not good at social but he cares about others and is very forgiving when hes wronged and has decent emotional intelligence. He's a "be mindful of how you use the water if the cup's half empty" kinda thinker. He's very curious on just about anything new he discovers. Others can think of him as being a bit simple minded sometimes though. People tend to overwhelm him easily so he finds most comfort in spending time with Chao. If he's not on a mission, he's a bit of a clumsy puppy of a guy. But, if Shadow puts 2 thoughts into something and Sonic puts none, then Geode only puts 1 thought into everything he does. He's a pacifist who can't bring himself to hurt living beings, he can fight nonsentient robots just fine but otherwise he prefers to trap any living enemies in whatever he can get his hands on. He's a stealth type and has a habit of stealing artifacts and other magical things he deems too powerful to let be taken even by his dads. He can see chaos auras 24/7 to a heightened sense, being able to see the chaos energy even in plants along with being able to see the chaos energy left behind from those deceased (aka, ghosts). He's faster than Sonic but he's weaker than Shadow. He loves the world around him very dearly, having Sonic's passion for life/the world and Shadow's determination to fight for himself. Geode also has picked up mechanics as a small hobby though he's not very passionate about it.

About Brutus: (by @susahnasomething) A genetically enhanced clone of Shadow (mixed with Sonic's DNA) Brutus was made and raised by Eclipse the Darkling, who hoped to bring back the black arms by making a bunch of super powerful clones. This was not good for her. Eventually the heroes defeated Eclipse, and Shadow rescued her (not her clone siblings sadly, cause SOMEONE DECIDED THAT THERE SHALL ONLY BE ONE) and was then raised by sonadow. Brutus is a dark and conceited girl, reminding everyone of past shadow. Who firmly believes she cannot be killed nor destroyed, so she tends to throw herself into danger. (shes the ultimate lifeform nothing can hurt her!!) . . . totally!

[kindalikerackham]

The Black Sails Drama Highlights™️

Like, what the fuck happened over there?

Lucky for you, I was there on the ground floor (even sent in some propaganda that elicited a truly baffling response from the poll runner) because I'm a nut for goofy little tumblr polls and a nut for best little lesser-known-tv-show Black Sails.

Alright, so. @/pirate-battle (from here on out referred to as OP -- the Original Pollster) was running, as one might expect, a pirate bracket. At first glance, it wasn't explicitly presented what the criteria were, so people voted on their preference, often moving along pirate icons (Hook from Muppet Treasure Island)/characters from active fandoms (TAZ), etc etc you know the drill. (Although they later clarified they were looking for favorites, not the "best pirate.")

OP's first mistake, I think, was the assumption that a silly goofy little tumblr competition about characters archetypically ungovernable would remain silly goofy and with minimal strong language.

But this wouldn't become visible until they made their second mistake, creating a first-round poll between James 'brutually murdered a crewmate in the first episode solely to maintain power for his revenge-quest against England' Flint of Black Sails vs Stede 'notable used tissue' Bonnet of OFMD. They did recognize some of the coming danger even with that post, tagging "#I predict slaughter in the tags"

O Apollo, strike down these children with prophecies that bite them in the a--

Anyway. Predictably, there was slaughter in the tags. Violent language rather typical of the tumblr that I came from (the tumblr of the early 2010s), but seemed to be utterly shocking to some OFMD fans.

Exposition time: It should be noted here that there exists at least two-ish different kinds of users of tags. Those that use them to scream personal thoughts into the void and/or whispers into their mutuals' ears, and those sneaky little fools who will peruse everyone's personal little screams/thoughts to their internet buddies. And original posters are relegated to suffer the yelling/whispers without choice.

So that slaughter, in the tags, those rivers of blood through the whispers of a fervent fanbase of a violent and freeing queer show, did reverberate around other users, regardless of etiquette.

And for some of those very sweet very uwu our flag means gay fans, that was.. very scary. (Must be all those spooky theatrics with the smoke and mirrors).

(....Idk??? Maybe I'm just battle-hardened from superwholock, but saying a tag a la "AHHHHHH I'm going to rip something's head off my BOY BETTER WIN" just doesn't really phase me?? Nor does "#I'm literally going to k/m/s if x wins." Overkill? Yeahhh... But this is tumblr. We invented overkill for the media we like. And again, this was in someone's tags.)

Moving on, as tags of that violent nature starting pulling through, and people started vigorously defending black sails as a franchise over ofmd, myself and others sent in some propaganda of my own, urging OFMD fans to really understand that Black Sails is mostly incomparable to OFMD and... Black Sails is just kinda better. Cuts deeper. Genre difference at work here.

Soapbox Side Note: Black Sails can actually be kind of game changing, especially for a show that came out in 2014. There's so much to say about it but it's hard to talk about without spoiling. I might add a link to a good 'things to know' post if you're looking to get into it.

Anyway. OP was starting to lose it.

Like, I really just don't think they had mentally prepared for how truly feral Black Sails folks were/are about that show, and how they were willing to get all HRRRRRRR CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP about it.

Additionally... OP was white, and they were super duper unprepared to engage with any of the discourse about racism that these shows dig up (They're about pirates, and a lot of pirates engaged in the slave trade. Or had freed slaves on their crew. Some even owned slaves themselves. It was complicated and pirates are typically a white fantasy vehicle and anyway I'm getting off-track--)

OP started to really fan the flames with more and more visibly emotional responses

They said "it's not a competition" between the two shows, despite it... being a literal competition...

They called people out for "gatekeeping," but didn't really define what it meant in the context of saying one gay pirate show was way better than the other.

They told Black Sails fans not to express negative feelings towards OFMD on the internet (because good representation is the god us internet queers pray to, and we wouldn't want some network exec to say "oh those mean people on the internet, better not renew the popular pirate romcom" obvi)

After some more of this, they then threatened to overturn the results of the poll entirely and remove Flint from the poll wholesale, despite the fact that he had won. (Which is hilarious if you know anything about Flint in Black Sails. He's literally That Guy That Makes People Break Democracy Attempting To Unseat Him).

Finally, after a day of trying to ignore the fact that they'd become a meme within black sails circles (one post even screenshotted then with "new copypasta just dropped" yikes), they threw in the towel. And bless them, I do think they needed the break. They were kind of going through it.

In conclusion,

The Black Sails fans pulled what I might even daresay to be,, , a fuckery "of censorship and fear",, over OFMD fans and some poor unprepared poll runner who had no skin in the game, while using only strong language and some mild mean-spirited memes (95% of which in their own tags and posts).

[melishade]

Attack on Prime: What if Soundwave arrived in AOT and caused trouble? AKA The Chaos Timeline

Main Story

Peaceful Timeline Pilot

Beloved Timeline Pilot

TFP Optimus in Episode 1 Pilot

War Timeline Pilot

So I had promised this months ago with that pilot poll that I ran, but I never got around to it because I was so focused on the main AOP story line. But I had time, and the inspiration! And I was finally able to write the pilot for one of the first AOP AUs on my Tumblr blog: What if Soundwave was in AOP, aka the Chaos Timeline! Now let us begin!

Summary: Soundwave's loyalty was unwavering. True in the face of hardship and suffering. He believed in the Decepticon cause, and he believed in Megatron. He's held onto the hope that Megatron would lead them into a bright future, which is why he immediately searched for him the minute he got out of the Shadowzone. However, when he found Megatron on this strange world, all of those years of loyalty and service went out the window. And he finally snapped. Also TW Gore and TW Blood

Soundwave tried to attack those human pests. He tried to kill them. He tried to remove them from the controls of the ship and stop them, and in turn, the Autobots, from gaining the advantage. But he couldn’t even touch them. His body phased right through them like it was nothing. But he wasn’t wearing a phase shifter. This happened because these children somehow managed to cross streams with the bridges. And now he was stuck in an alternate dimension where he couldn’t touch anything. He tried accessing his comm. link, but no one responded to him. What was going on?!

Soundwave realized that the rest of the Decepticons were left unattended. Megatron was left alone to fight the Autobots! Soundwave bolted out of the deck of the ship, racing down towards the Omega Lock. Their numbers had already dwindled so much after the infestation and the loss of the Insecticons. The Autobots had a chance to end the war in their favor! And Megatron! Megatron would be killed!

Soundwave noticed to door to the Omega Lock was open and he bolted through the opening. He looked down the opening of the ship to the cyber matter and the Lock’s structure. But it was too late. Soundwave had bare witness to Bumblebee ramming the Star Saber directly through Megatron’s chest. Soundwave felt his spark drop at the sight, and he ignored Laserbeak’s cries to him, trying to pull him back to reality. But…Soundwave couldn’t even hear. His master. His friend. His brother in arms, was fell by the lowly scout Megatron had mutilated eons ago.

Soundwave snapped out of his shock when he saw Megatron’s corpse slide off of the Star Saber and plummet to the Earth below. Soundwave jumped off the Nemesis and onto the Omega Lock structure. He leaned forward while gripping one of the pillars of the lock, seeing Megatron’s body starting to burn upon reentry. Soundwave contemplated diving after him. He had to go back to his friend. He was even prepared to jump, but the Nemesis jerked and began to move. Soundwave held onto the pillar as he felt the Nemesis go through the spacebridge, taking the ship and everyone who was still on board back to Cybertron. Soundwave reached out towards Earth, to where Megatron was, but the spacebridge closed, leaving any chance of him returning to Earth null and void.

==

Soundwave hated these clowns. He despised them with every fiber of his being.

The Cybertronian had believed that once the Quintessions were disposed of, his people would create a just society. One that didn’t require putting down the common bot and forcing them into unhealthy working conditions. But the new council decided to take a page out of the Quintessions’ books and implement their own caste system. This caste system didn’t allow those in it to move above their station if they so desired. It didn’t allow those who were built differently to receive services that would help them thrive on Cybertron. It just used the bots and scrapped them the moment their usefulness ran out.

He gave them chances. Time and time and time again. He pleaded his case, and gave them every opportunity to repent and fix the system before any long term damage had settled in. But they all refused. They didn’t care about freeing Cybertron. All they wanted was the power for themselves. And he was done.

He had left the council right in the middle of one of their meetings, stunning quite a few of them. Someone did approach him and begged him to stay. The bearded one: Alpha Trion. But Soundwave quickly pulled his shoulder out of bot’s grip. He took a vow of silence. He had covered his face. He had changed his appearance to prevent the council from finding him. If Soundwave could not change the system through reason, then he would destroy it with force.

==

Soundwave worked tirelessly, trying to get out of his prison. Whatever commotion was happening outside of the Nemesis, he chose to ignore it. It wasn’t a priority at the moment, and nothing outside of this dimension could harm him, which allowed him to maximize his efforts. He ignored the shaking and jerks of the ship. He ignored the arguments the Autobots were having, and the mutiny that Starscream tried and failed to achieve. He had heard words being thrown around regarding Unicron the Chaos Bringer, and that did make him hesitate a little. He didn’t want to deal with Unicron again, but he also didn’t want to stay here until he perished. He was going to get out of this place first, then he was going to deal with Unicron.

Laserbeak was chirping at him, trying to tell him something important, but Soundwave ignored the mini-con for the moment. Nothing could hurt them in this dimension; he didn’t have to worry about Laserbeak’s safety. The spymaster became elated when he realized that he could still connect to the spacebridge, but grunted when he felt the Nemesis crash into ground. He immediately checked on Laserbeak, seeing if he was alright. Maybe that was what the mini-con wanted to tell him. Laserbeak signaled that he was alright, allowing Soundwave to breathe a sigh of relief and continue working, ignoring an unfamiliar aircraft fleeing the planet in shame.

==

Soundwave didn’t realize how hard things would be on his own after leaving the council. He had to burn all traces of his original existence to prevent himself from being tracked. No home. No assets to his name. Just his new armor and covered face.

He scoured the streets of Kaon, doing odd jobs here and there in order to get some energon. But he had no roof over his helm, and he refused to work under someone in a place like the mines. He’s aware that the bosses there will bind poor Bots into unbreakable contracts, and work them until the rust away or get crushed to death. He would maintain his freewill, no matter how hard it would be. Soundwave winced when he felt something sting his shoulder. He noticed his armor was beginning to erode and quickly bolted to take cover. Acid rain. It was worse in these parts of Cybertron than in the upper caste sectors.

Soundwave scrambled towards an alley and took cover under an awning. He could hear the sizzle of the metal eroding and he could see the acid rain hitting the ground hard, but he chose to ignore it. He was safe for right now.

Then he heard shrill cries for help. Soundwave raised his helm and followed the noise to see…a mini-con. A mini-con that was getting pelted by the rain, unable to fly away and take cover due to its damaged wings. Soundwave initially decided to leave it alone, and let nature take its course. He didn’t want to receive any more damage from the rain. But the mini-con kept on crying, begging for salvation. Those cries grew weaker and weaker, until…it stopped flapping its wings and fell limp to the floor. Soundwave internally swore as he ran out into the rain, feeling the searing acid all over his body once more as he snatched the mini-con and ran back to his shelter. He examined the damage the mini-con had suffered, and they looked severe. He wasn’t sure if it was even going to make it. But no creature deserved to die like this.

Soundwave immediately got to work, taking parts of his own damaged armor and surgical tools lying around to seal and repair the mini-con’s wounds. He worked as quickly as he could, ignoring the rain and ignoring his pain to keep this Bot alive. After grueling hours of work, Soundwave managed to repair it enough to keep it stable for the time being. He then used a syringe he found lying on the ground, thankfully not too severely damaged from the rain, and injected it into his neck, siphoning out some of his own energon to transfer over to the mini-con. As the energon in the syringe continued to decrease, Soundwave saw the visor of the mini-con flicker to life. It was still weak and frightened, so Soundwave used his E.M. field to reassure it that it was alright and that it was safe. It was safe from the rain and Soundwave promised that he would keep it alive.

He wasn’t going to abandon it like the council abandoned its people.

====

Soundwave waited patiently in the shadows while the Autobots were distracted. With their rebuilding and reconstruction of Cybertron. He listened to their talks of peace and ceasefires, knowing full well they didn’t have the same charisma and leadership as Optimus Prime. The only Autobot who came close was Ultra Magnus.

He had tested the range he had from the Nemesis controls to that of the newly installed spacebridge that the Autobots were constructing under their name. His spacebridge could reach theirs. Now he just needed to time it right. He waited. Waited and waited until they least expected it. And then the opportunity arose when the spacebridge opened and a large ship came through. Soundwave activated the spacebridge from the Nemesis, causing a third portal to open up. Soundwave made sure that Laserbeak was fastened to his chassis before transforming and flying through and making it to the other side.

Soundwave transformed into his bipedal mode hearing panic and surprise from the other Autobots. He saw the Autobots drawing their weapons and aiming it at him. Soundwave immediately got into a fighting stance, prepared to attack and defend himself.

“Soundwave, stand down!” Ultra Magnus ordered him, but the spymaster refused. He wasn’t going to bend to their will.

“Soundwave, stop! The war is over!” Soundwave felt his anger flare when he heard Bumblebee speak. He snapped his helm towards him, contemplating tearing out Bumblebee’s voice box again himself for killing Megatron!

“The war will continue in Megatron’s name!” Soundwave had compiled the voices he had on file to speak.

“Wait…you don’t know?” Bumblebee was surprised.

“Know what?” Soundwave demanded.

“Megatron…he came back to life, but he forfeited the war,” Bumblebee explained.

Soundwave nearly lost his composure right then and there. Megatron was…alive?! That should have made him elated! Happy! But he didn’t go back for his master and merely stayed on the Nemesis as it took him back to Cybertron. But the confusion came. Forfeited? Megatron would never forfeit the war! Megatron would never quit! His attention fell to the other Autobots, but they didn’t have any expressions or features that would indicate that they were hiding something. Were they…were they actually telling the truth?

“His body got hijacked by Unicron, and Unicron tried to destroy Cybertron, but Optimus sacrificed himself to defeat Unicron, and that was before Megatron forfeited the war and left,” Bumblebee continued explaining. “We do have proof. I used the cortical psychic patch to show the memory.”

The patch doesn’t lie, and the Autobots don’t even have enough information on the schematics to even attempt any forms of manipulation. The fact that they were so confident to use it and show it to others meant that they were telling the truth. Megatron was alive, but he had forfeited, but it sounds like they didn’t have him.

“Where is he?” Soundwave demanded.

He heard Ratchet scoff. “You really think that we would tell you that-!”

“We don’t know,” Bumblebee answered truthfully, earning surprised cries from his allies, “I saw him fly off world, but I don’t know where he went.”

Soundwave took a look at his surroundings one more time. He was outnumbered, possibly outmatched, and he didn’t have the resources to repair himself if he got hurt. Not to mention, he still had Laserbeak to consider. Without giving any of the Autobots time to consider, he transformed and quickly flew off into space. He could hear the cries of the Autobots fade as he continued flying upward and out of Cybertron’s atmosphere.

“Bumblebee, what were you thinking?!” Arcee demanded.

“I figured if we answered him truthfully, he might’ve left us alone. Which he did!” Bumblebee retorted.

“And everyone here knows that Soundwave is fiercely loyal to Megatron and the only ‘Con that Megatron would even consider listening to!” Ratchet reminded.

“Soundwave has no leads! We’re talking about the span of infinity! How in the Allspark is Soundwave going to find Megatron through that?! And even if he did, it would take him eons?! Long after the war is over!” Bumblebee reasoned.

“And what if you’re wrong?!” Ratchet demanded.

“Then!...” Bumblebee trailed off, realizing the point to Ratchet’s words. Soundwave: the third-in-command to Megatron was now roaming freely in space. And will no doubt use his freedom to restart the Decepticons.

“If Soundwave is ever to return, then we will prepare plans to counteract him and any other Decepticons that choose to align with him,” Ultra Magnus declared, “For now we need to focus on rebuilding and bolstering our forces in the event of a Decepticon invasion.”

Soundwave’s first decision was the land on Luna-1. He knew he had no leads to go off of in order to locate Megatron, but he did inform his master that he had sent Airachnid to Luna-1. There was a chance that Megatron came to the moon in order to permanently dispose of her. When he stepped over a hill and saw the remnants of Insecticon carcasses rusting away on the surface, he knew that he was correct. He walked towards the carcasses that remained and examine the ground for any information that would direct him to Megatron. He found the outlines of spider legs in the ground, no doubt belonging to Airachnid, but he also saw a new set of pedeprints one that he did not recognize. But he noticed the way these new pedeprints tracked in the ground. The steps and patterns were familiar, unforgettable. These were Megatron’s pedeprints! Megatron was here on the moon, and based on the pedeprints, he had fought Airachnid, probably killing her in the process. Bumblebee did mention that Unicron had hijacked Megatron’s body. There was a possibility that his appearance was altered in the process to compensate for the damage he had undertaken from the Scout. But Megatron was here and he was still alive. But where did he go from here?

Soundwave looked up towards the expansive throws of space. He knew it would be a fruitless effort to try and find Megatron in the vast universe. Megatron could have gone anywhere, and disappeared to a place no one would ever find him. But Soundwave wasn’t going to give up. He refused to believe that Megatron would abandon the Decepticons. Not after all of the hardship and sacrifice.

Soundwave transformed and flew off of Luna-1 and away from Cybertron. He had Megatron’s signal on file, and even though his range was small compared to the Nemesis, he could use it to find him. The Decepticon movement could wait. His new mission was to search for his master and friend and bring him back to his senses to finish what they started.

==

Soundwave didn’t mean to acquire more mini-cons. It ended up just happening if he was being honest.

Soundwave was still taking care of Laserbeak and helping him regain his strength when he encountered Ravage. The feline mini-con was savaging for energon nearby, and Soundwave took some pity on it by providing a small cube. It wasn’t much, but it should have kept the creature alive for another night. Besides, he was focused on keeping Laserbeak alive.

The next thing he knew, Ravage had returned, and in its mouth was a rare metal meant to help repair wounds. Specifically for Laserbeak. Soundwave couldn’t help but be surprised, but Ravage had wagged his tail, expecting praise for his hard work. Soundwave thought he would be useful and let Ravage stick around. He did not bind the cat to him, and let him choose to follow him. He wanted to give him a choice. It was going to be the same for Laserbeak. With Ravage’s help, he had managed to repair the mini-con’s wounds and bring him to full health. Soundwave gave him the option to fly free, and expected the avian creature to never return, but Laserbeak merely turned back around and landed right back on Soundwave’s arm. Soundwave couldn’t help but be moved at Laserbeak’s loyalty while Ravage purred, rubbing up against his leg. Soundwave kept them both as companions from that point on.

Rumble and Frenzy tried to con him when they first met. Rumble was meant to be the distraction while Frenzy was trying to pickpocket him. Ravage sniffed him out and grabbed Frenzy’s arm with his mouth. Soundwave stopped Ravage from tearing the arm off while Soundwave grabbed the twins and lifted them high into the air. Soundwave was prepared to turn them over to the authorities. He had two mouths to feed. He didn’t need two mini-cons trying to steal from him. Soundwave’s anger dissipated when he noticed the way their optics flickered, and he realized that they were experiencing energon deficiency as well. Soundwave also remembered punishments were harsher against mini-cons. The discrimination against the mini-cons were stronger.

Soundwave decided not to turn them in; however, he had to force them to stay by his side as punishment and to keep them out of trouble. Soundwave did his best to keep all four of them fed, and it was difficult. Soundwave expected the twins to run when they had the chance. Pits, he actually played coy to let them run, but they continued to stay. They wanted to stay by his side. It was extra mouths to feed, but they kept him alert and they kept him alive.

The five of them helped each other survive in the worst of Cybertron.

==

Soundwave searched but found nothing.

He searched the cosmos for Megatron, trying to find any leads on Megatron. He had infiltrated both Autobot and Decepticon ships that he encountered for any leads, killing the Autobots aboard their vessels and stealing their basic supplies while sparing the Decepticons in order to build allies and maintain relationships.

The Decepticons he encountered willingly lent him their ship’s navigations in order to locate Megatron’s signal, but so far, the ranges that were provided yielded nothing. He thanked them in his own way by informing them that Cybertron was alive and provided them the map he had recorded for himself to get back home. He informed them of the dangers of an Autobot driven world, but what they decided to do was completely up to them. The Autobot’s navigation systems weren’t any better; he still had no leads regarding Megatron. Even so, he used the information from both Autobots and Decepticons to chart a map of this particular sector of space. Which places were safe to cross and which places were not.

Laserbeak had informed the Decepticon that he needed to rest, and Soundwave couldn’t help but agree. He landed on a barren asteroid, lying back against the dirt and sighing to himself. He expected Laserbeak to eject, but the mini-con chose to stay on his chassis of his own volition. Soundwave enjoyed the simple act of comfort, and powered down to regain his energy.

==

Soundwave heard the rumors of a gladiator making a name for himself throughout Kaon. An undefeatable champion that was not only strong with his combat, but wise with his words, which was considered a feat for many low caste workers. Many were cut off from a proper education in order to keep them locked in their caste position.

Still, Soundwave was intrigued at this gladiator, who had gone so far as to naming himself after one of the Thirteen Primes: Megatronus. Soundwave had witness both ends of the caste system, and his ultimate desire was to change it. However, he had no true leadership skills. He was someone who worked in the shadows and stayed away from the spotlight. Hiding and waiting was his specialty. If Soundwave wanted to change the system, he needed someone who could influence the sparks and minds of all Cybertronians.

Soundwave entered the Pits and signed up for the gladiator matches immediately. He used his skills to rig the match so that he would be fighting Megatronus, much to the dismay of the mini-cons. They advised and begged him not to fight Megatronus. They’ve seen his matches. He hasn’t lost a single one since he started. But Soundwave needed to know. He needed to know if Megatronus could help bring about the change he so desperately desired.

Soundwave stepped into the arena when he heard his name being called, sword and shield in servo, and was immediately met with boos and jeers from the crowd. None of the onlookers knew much about him, and a fresh face usually meant a fresh kill. That was made especially clear by the energon stains on the ground from the previous match. It was a massacre.

Soundwave then looked ahead when the announcer started to hype up Megatronus, getting the crowd excited for their champion. Soundwave watched as the gladiator stepped into the ring, and was met with an interesting sight to say the least. This gladiator was mostly silver, and his appearance wasn’t as intimidating as some of the other gladiators tried to make themselves. A shield resided on his left arm, showing signs of damage and use. He saw red marks around the gladiator’s joints, and his optics were a common blue. What made him so special?

The announcer declared that this would be a fight to the death, causing Soundwave to snap his helm towards the announcer in surprise. A fight to the death? This was supposed to be a fight to the first wound. Who rigged this system? Soundwave searched the crowd and glared through the mask, seeing mob bosses transferring credits to each other. Slag. He should have been more mindful.

Soundwave stared ahead to his opponent, who merely clenched his right servo into a fist, summoning a sword of his own. He got into a fighting stance, shield in front of him while sword behind him. Soundwave got into his own fighting stance, preparing himself to fight. He needed to live. He needed to live for them.

Fight! Both combatants raced towards each others, swords clashing upon impact. Soundwave did his best to plant his pedes into the ground as Megatronus pushed him back. He was strong, but he was putting too much force in the attack. Soundwave released his sword, letting it drop to the ground before bending backwards, causing Megatronus to lean forward. The gladiator was looking at Soundwave in surprise, but Soundwave curled his digits around the handle of his shield and smacked Megatronus in the face with it, sending him flying sideways across the arena. Everyone gawked at the sight while Soundwave straightened himself out, grabbing the sword that he dropped in the process. He wasn’t going to go down easily. Soundwave was also a skilled combatant, but he made sure to keep that hidden in order to have the element of surprise.

Soundwave saw Megatronus standing up, looking just as surprised as everyone else. The gladiator wiped some energon pouring from his mouth and examined it. And then, Soundwave saw it. Megatronus neutral expression so far, had turned to such a maniacal grin. Megatronus snatched his shield and raced forward towards Soundwave, but Soundwave dodged the swing of his sword at the last minute. Soundwave saw the sword swinging upright and quickly bent backwards, the edge of the blade just narrowly missing his mask. Soundwave swung his own sword downward, but Megatronus raised his shield above his helm to absorb the attack.

The announcer declared that they had a true match on their servos as the crowd became divided. Half of the members cheered for Megatronus while the other half cheered for Soundwave. As the cheering continued, Soundwave and Megatronus’ swords continued to clash. They twirled and danced with each other, locking blades and shields before releasing each other to gain some distance. Soundwave was lighter than Megatronus. He was able to jump into the air to gain a height advantage, but Megatronus was prepared for that, blocking and countering his attacks so easily. It was impressive.

But Soundwave wouldn’t be able to achieve his dream if this was a fight to the death. And Megatronus had no real connection to him. The gladiator wouldn’t throw the match for his own dreams. Neither Cybertronian wanted to die, but it was apparent with every swing, every punch, every kick, and every cut that neither would relent. Soundwave had to live. If not for his dream, then for the mini-cons he had sacrificed everything for. He wouldn’t let them go back into the dark.

Soundwave and Megatronus had forced each other to the other ends of the arena before charging at each other. Megatronus let out a battle cry, but Soundwave remained silent as the familiar sound of metal tearing through metal was apparent. Both had stopped in their tracks, arms and swords extended outward, both covered with energon. Soundwave could feel the searing hot pain in his side, but he remained standing. He wasn’t going to buckle, or waiver. The whole arena waited with silence. They wanted to know who would collapse first. Soundwave heard cries of shock and disbelief and looked behind him to see Megatronus bending the knee first. He had bested Megatronus, and caused the crowd to be in an uproar, but this fight was still a fight to the death. Those were the only options given to him, and he had to abandon his ideas for a better Cybertron to protect the mini-cons. Soundwave tried to limp over to Megatronus to deal the killing blow, but Soundwave found himself collapsing to the ground in response. Scrap. The wound was deeper than he anticipated. Soundwave held his side, trying to force himself upright. He heard the crowd cheering and careened his helm to see Megatronus standing up. The gladiator walked towards him with his blade still protruding from his arm. Soundwave saw Megatronus looking down at him, but he didn’t waiver. He would face his death right here and now. He just hoped the mini-cons would be able to survive without him.

However, Soundwave, and the crowd was taken aback when Megatronus discarded the shield and recalled his sword before extending his servo out to him. What was Megatronus doing? This was a fight to the death.

“This combatant is filled with great strength and pride! The mark of a warrior!” Megatronus addressed the crowd, “To have someone like him die here would be a waste of such strength! And I defy anyone who believes that he deserves to die!”

Megatron addressed Soundwave. “Can you stand?”

Soundwave forced himself upright, and took the servo that was offered to him. Soundwave wobbled and forced himself to stand, but Megatronus was kind enough to offer his own body for support. Both warriors were injured, leaking energon, but Megatronus raised his clenched servo high into the air, causing the crowd to cheer wildly.

“Raise your servo,” Megatronus advised in a whisper. Soundwave was confused at the idea, but decided to take his advice and raised his fist in the air, causing the crowd to act like madmen.

“We gave them a good enough show, and you’ve made a good impression,” Megatron explained, “Both of us will get to live, regardless of what the mob bosses say. Trust me on that.”

Soundwave nodded his helm in response.

“Let’s get you patched up.” Megatronus assisted Soundwave in walking out of the arena, “And if you’re willing, I wish to discuss possible arrangements.”

Soundwave looked up at him in surprise, and Megatronus smirked. “Over a match, of course.”

Soundwave couldn’t help but smile behind his mask. Perhaps there was hope for the future.

==

It’s been six months. Six months since Soundwave started his search for Megatron. The farther he flew out into the universe, the less Cybertronians he found. The less help he received. The less hope he had in finding Megatron.

By the Allspark, where would Megatron even go? He had nowhere to go. Was he really just abandoning the cause because of Unicron? Or something else? Megatron has dealt with Unicron before and he still remained the same. He still fought for the Decepticon cause…whatever that was now. But all that effort. All that sacrifice and energon spilt, it couldn’t have been for nothing, especially after going through the Pits together and back.

Soundwave found himself begging a little. He wanted to find Megatron. He wanted an explanation. If Megatron said he was tired, if Megatron was showing adverse effects of Unicron’s influence on him, he could accept that. Unicron was a powerful entity. Megatron would have been influenced by him.

Megatron wouldn’t abandon everything after all this time. Not of his own free will and volition. Not after all of that sacrifice.

==

Soundwave was devastated. Sparkbroken. He let rage consume him earlier, but now his processors were silent. He couldn’t think of anything else.

Peace talks had failed, and Megatron declared war against the Autobots, against Optimus. Megatron apologized to Soundwave for not properly considering the consequences of bringing someone from a higher cast into the fold, but it was too late now. The war raged on, it consumed the planet. Both Autobots and Decepticons were killed.

And so were Rumble, Frenzy, and Ravage.

Soundwave had heard Ravage scream out in pain before the comm. links were cut. He ignored protocol and raced out towards the battlefield to get to them. But it was too late. His mini-cons were dead, Laserbeak only being spared because he wasn’t assigned to this mission. And the Autobots there celebrated their deaths. They had taken out the minions of Soundwave, they had said. Well, Soundwave didn’t have much to say. He never did. He let his actions do the talking, and he slaughtered all the Autobots in the vicinity. He ignored their screams of pain and pleas for mercy. They didn’t deserve any of that.

The Decepticons had only arrived moments after the carnage, stunned to see the damage the quiet and reserved spymaster had caused. Everyone except for Megatron. The Decepticon leader approached his third in command who was on the ground, gently holding Ravage’s corpse in his servos.

“Soundwave-!”

“The Autobots need to burn,” Soundwave used his audio recordings to declare, “The whole system needs to burn. They did this. No more negotiations. No more peace talks. They will not change.”

Megatron placed a clawed servo on his shoulder. “We will conquer Cybertron and kill the Autobots, and bring about a new age.”

Soundwave didn’t say anything regarding his declaration.

“Take time to grieve,” Megatron ordered him, causing Soundwave to snap his helm towards him, “I never liked mini-cons. You know that well about me, but I know how much they meant to you. And they had contributed greatly and fought valiantly. We will give them proper burial rites.”

Soundwave nodded his helm at that, grateful that his master was being considerate and showing mercy.

==

Soundwave searched for a year for Megatron’s location, slowly giving up hope that he would ever find Megatron at all. The thought of Megatron giving up, and not wanting to be found ached him. It made him angry and desperate. After everything that they had been through, Megatron couldn’t have abandoned the cause like this. Abandoned him like this. Soundwave needed the fight to continue and they needed to be victorious so their efforts wouldn’t be in vain. That was when Soundwave came across something.

It was a ship that crash landed on a moon a while ago. It looked like it was still operational to a degree, and wasn’t claimed by the harsh and cold environment of space. Soundwave landed on the ground and stepped inside the ship to investigate. He walked down the quiet halls, keeping watch for any signs of life. He didn’t want to deploy Laserbeak in an unknown environment just yet.

Soundwave found an open door leading directly to a console and saw that it was operational. Soundwave instantly used his tendrils and attached them to the keyboard, downloading information into his databanks. Soundwave saw that the weapons systems were still maintained and operational and quickly disabled them. Instinct kicked in as Soundwave turned around and smacked the Autobot that was trying to ambush him, sending him flying across the room and slamming into the wall. Another Cybertronian appeared from the shadows and tried to attack, but he wrapped his servo around his neck cables and lifted him high into the air.

“Let go! Let go!” The second Cybertronian screamed at him. Soundwave ignored him as he continued searching through the ships logs. The spacebridge they somehow managed to construct had been used over eleven months ago. Soundwave searched the video feed to see what it was used for, and froze when he saw video of Megatron stepping onto the ship. He never expected his leader’s form to be so different because of Unicron’s influence and control, but the optics. The optics were the same! It was him!

Soundwave quickly pulled up the last set of coordinates used on the spacebridge and opened the portal to that location. Looking closely at the map of the planet, it looked like Megatron was sent to an island. That might make the search easier for him. The spy master slammed the Autobot into the floor of the ship before overheating the energon tanks of the ship through the console. Soundwave bolted through the unstable spacebridge before landing in a grassy field on this new world. He felt the heat of the explosion of the ship on his back, but the spacebridge collapsed in on itself before it could do any real damage to him. Soundwave then took a moment to examine his surroundings, noting how similar it was to the scenery on Earth. He then ignored the sight before widening his search radius for Megatron. He nearly gasped when he finally, finally, managed to pick up Megatron’s signal. He was here! He was here on the island! He was alive!

Soundwave immediately transformed and flew towards Megatron’s location, feeling more excited and elated than ever.

==

Soundwave felt like he should have said something when Megatron’s obsession with dark energon grew. The way that the substance seemed to have called Megatron to him, and the fact that Megatron carelessly stabbed the shard into his chest with no consideration for the consequences or even his own life. He still made the decision to trust Megatron’s decision and not question his actions, even though he could help but agree with Starscream and some of the other sentiments whispered among the vehicons.

But still, Megatron had changed. Sure, change was bound to happen when engaging in war, but Megatron changed for the worse once dark energon got involved. He was obsessive, more controlling, more violent at times.

But Soundwave decided to trust Megatron. He decided to trust his judgment as he had always done, because Soundwave believe that he wouldn’t abandon them or turn his back on them.

==

Soundwave flew over a set of large walls when he saw Megatron’s signal getting closer. He was about to land and greet him directly, but stopped when he realized that there was another signal that was next to him. Soundwave landed a safe distance away and hid within the trees to get a closer look without being seen. He peered through the gaps, and saw Megatron standing there, looking so different, looking annoyed, but alive. After a year, Soundwave had finally found him. Soundwave grew tempted to approach once more but froze when he saw…

Optimus.

Optimus Prime was there. He had approached Megatron and the two were talking. They weren’t being hostile with one another. They were on speaking term. What? What was this?! Why was Optimus alive and in his previous form?! Why was Megatron getting along with him?! Soundwave heard loud footsteps and gawked behind his mask, at the sight of some organic titan that was big. Taller than all three of them, and it had no lips, revealing its teeth. Soundwave looked at his surroundings further and saw humans on the ground, staring up at all three of them, but they weren’t bothered by the sight. They weren’t afraid of Megatron. One of them was even throwing insults Megatron’s way which Optimus scolded them for.

Megatron was alive…working with Optimus…working with humans….working with…whatever that massive thing was! Megatron had let them, left him! He had abandoned the Decepticon cause for Optimus and lowly humans! He couldn’t believe it! Megatron had betrayed them! Megatron-!

Laserbeak tried to calm Soundwave down and reason with him, but the spymaster could only see red as he lunged forward.

==

Sasha was bored today. She shouldn’t have been. Hanji declared that they were all going try some new battle plans when going up against Marley. It’s why they were all equipped in their 3D gear and why Eren was in his titan form. Still, Megatron was kind of throwing a fit about it as they were discussing battle plans.

The teen yawned, resting her chin on her hands, waiting for something to happen, when she picked up on something. It happened so quickly that she couldn’t properly register it, but it was like a predator, waiting in the shadows to strike unsuspecting prey. It was filled with rage and murderous intent, and it was heading for Megatron.

“DUCK!” Sasha screamed, causing everyone to be on high alert, but a purple object rammed directly into Megatron’s gut sending him flying across the field. Megatron rolled across the dirt as the purple object flew up into the air and transformed into another titan. It landed on the ground with grace, and everyone took notice of its strange features. It was skinny and nimble, coated completely in purple, but the titan had no face. Its face was just a black mirror.

Eren looked over at Optimus to see shock in the Prime’s optics. Eren then snapped his head forward to see of Megatron was alright, but he looked just as shaken as Optimus at the sight of this new titan. Megatron’s mouth moved and uttered a single name.

“Soundwave.”

Soundwave bolted towards Megatron, forcing the ex-con to flip backwards and dodge a strike clearly meant for Megatron’s head. The strike hit the ground instead, and the Survey Corps was stunned to see the new titan create a crater. Soundwave rushed him, forcing Megatron to take out his shield and block a flurry of attacks, each one meant to be more lethal than the last, causing more damage to his own shield. Everyone was stunned to see Megatron struggling and getting overwhelmed, but he didn’t go on the offensive at all.

“Damn it! Attack!” Hanji ordered as they flew towards the fight.

“Are you serious-!”

“Just do it!” Hanji screamed at Connie.

Levi followed close behind, prompting the rest of the Scouts to follow.

“Wait, wait! Soundwave might still have Laserbeak!” Optimus snapped out of his shock and called for them.

“Who?!” Jean snapped his head back towards the Prime. Mikasa snapped her head to Soundwave, and the spy master took notice of them closing in. Soundwave drop kicked Megatron to create room for himself and extended his arms outward. Everyone was shocked to see his chest move and drop off of his body. His chest then transformed into that of a strange bird who flew directly towards them. With its sharp wings, it managed to cut the cords of both Connie and Armin’s 3D gear, causing them to drop to the ground. It then flew back around and started firing red bullets at the Scouts, forcing them to scatter. Jean gasped in horror when Floch was hit by one of those bullets, causing his body to be incinerated in one shot.

“Fall back! Fall back!” Hanji ordered as they all scrambled to get away and make some room for themselves.

"Eren, stay back! Do not engage!" Optimus ordered as he activated his battle mask and charged at the faceless titan who went back to attacking Megatron. The titan shifter was still baffled at the sight of Megatron refusing to attack Soundwave, ordering him to stand down and talk this out. Eren turned to his friends in his titan form, and saw they were preoccupied with the strange bird that detached itself from Soundwave's chest. They kept on dodging the flying creature in a panic, not really sure how to approach this thing or even respond.

He didn't know what was going on. He was so confused and afraid. Why did Megatron seem afraid of him? Eren examined Soundwave's movements. He was fast and agile, dodging attacks from Optimus like it was nothing while striking Megatron with all that he had. And despite that small, nimble, frame, he was actually causing some push back against the massive titan.

Eren gasped when Soundwave managed to grab Optimus' arm and throw him over his shoulder towards Megatron. The two crashed into each other before slamming into multiple trees. Eren had no choice. He knows listening to Optimus' advice was probably the best way to go, but he had to engage. They were in danger. Eren charged at threw a punch at Soundwave's back, but gasped when Soundwave dodged the attack without even looking behind him.

Eren looked at the faceless titan, and despite everything. Despite the size advantage, despite the fact that Soundwave had no face, the titan looked furious. He saw his own reflection mirrored on the screen, but he could've sworn he saw eyes glaring at him. And he could feel the murderous intent radiating off of this thing!

Soundwave raised his slender arm and slammed it down on the back of Eren's neck. Eren felt his senses shut down and he almost passed out from the hit. It actually broke his connection to his titan body for a brief moment. Eren slammed face first into the ground and groaned, feeling his human body reconnecting with his titan body. Eren gasped when he noticed out of the corner of his eye Soundwave reaching for the nape of his neck once again. Eren quickly rolled out of the way as Soundwave's fist hit the ground hard.

“We need to tag team and coordinate a single shot!” Hanji ordered.

“How?!” Jean demanded, “Oh fuck!” The bird had its own set of long tendrils that grabbed Jean midflight and tossed him into a building. He crashed through the window and hit the floor hard.

“Mikasa, with me!” Levi ordered the other Ackerman, “Hanji!”

“Hey pretty bird!” Hanji called out to the purple bird, waving around frantically and drawing as much attention to themselves as possible, “Look at me! Come and get me!”

Laserbeak’s attention was now on Hanji as he tried to chase them down. He then noticed Sasha grabbing a thunderspear and firing it at him, but he quickly flew upward, dodging the attack and letting the explosion go off. However, Laserbeak felt two hooks latch onto him and looked up to see Levi and Mikasa flying down towards him with two thunderspears. Laserbeak couldn’t help but notice the blue in their eyes mirroring that of energon before the thunderspears were wedged into his wings. They flew past him, and pulled the pins off the spears, causing them to go off. Laserbeak screeched in pain while Mikasa got caught up in the explosion.

“Mikasa!” Levi saw Mikasa hit the ground hard, dislocating her shoulder and arm in the process. Levi flew over to her, ignoring Laserbeak spiraling out of control and crashing into the ground.

Eren scrambled to stand upright and charged again, but yelled when a long, glowing, snake-like appendage emerged from the side of Soundwave’s body and wrapped around his arm!

"What the hell?!" Eren screamed in the nape, but Soundwave seized Eren's moment of weakness and used his appendage to crush and rip off Eren's lower arm.

Eren forced himself to regenerate quickly, thankful for the recent injection of the energon serum, but Soundwave was unrelenting. Another appendage emerged from the other side of his body before jamming into his ribcage. Eren screamed when Soundwave started electrocuting him from the inside out. Eren couldn't retain his proper bodily functions as Soundwave pulled out the appendage in his side. The titan shifter noticed small tendrils at the end buzzing with electricity at the tips. Eren tried to smack him in the head, but the faceless titan ducked before digging his hand into the open wound in Eren's ribcage. Eren was stunned to find his wound didn't even regenerate, but ignored it as he tried to kick Soundwave away. However, Soundwave's appendage quickly wrapped around his leg and began crushing it.

Eren screamed out in pain as he felt the crushed leg get torn off. Eren then felt something heavy get ripped out of his chest, and he was horrified to see that it was the beating heart of his titan form.

Soundwave didn't crush it though. He merely tossed it aside before wrapping both appendages around Eren's waist. Eren yelled in fear as Soundwave swung him around with his whole body before throwing him across the grass. Eren's body skidded to a stopped, destroying the foliage and whatever else was underneath him. Eren tried to regenerate, but...he couldn't. Why couldn't he regenerate? What was he even hit with?

Eren's gaze forced himself to see Soundwave approaching him. He didn't understand. Who was this...this thing? Soundwave's appendage reached for his neck and wrapped around it, ready to crush it, and him, but Megatron quickly rushed Soundwave and slammed him in the face with his shield. Eren was shocked at the sight of the screen shattering on impact as the appendage let him go.

Soundwave rolled across the ground rather violently as pieces of his mask scattered across the grass. Eren tried to force himself onto his arms, but his body felt so weak. He could only adjust his head to see Soundwave scrambling to get up. Those long fingers of his right hand were pressed upwards against his broken mask, trying so desperately to hold it in place and keep it intact. But broken glass still fell to the ground, and Eren managed to catch a lone red optic staring in horror at Megatron. It looked so betrayed at Megatron's single act, but why?

"Soundwave! I am ordering you to stand down!" Megatron commanded.

"Traitor!" Eren couldn't tell if that was Soundwave's voice. It sounded like someone else was speaking, but even then, the voice that came out was broken and distorted.

"The war is over and we lost!" Megatron yelled, "There is no need for this senseless fighting! Now stay down!"

"No."

Eren managed to blink at that. That sounded real. That sounded like a monster. It sounded like the voice of a monster that would hide in the closest or under the bed. It was the stuff of nightmares. The lone red eye that stared in horror now burned with rage towards Megatron. Megatron seemed to think Soundwave was something that came from nightmares too, since he looked horrified at the sight of Soundwave speaking.

"Megatron: No longer my master."

Before Eren could think, Optimus had shielded his body as Soundwave used his appendage to fire red bullets at everyone in sight. In all the chaos and confusion, Eren saw Soundwave grabbing the bird that was on his chest before transforming and flying off to who knows where.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hanji screamed at Megatron as they landed on the ground, "Go after him!"

The Commander ended up pausing when they noticed just how horrified both Optimus and Megatron looked at the figure that was flying off. They had managed to catch Megatron's lips moving, mumbling something about 'breaking a vow'. What the hell did he even mean by that? Hanji nearly scowled at Megatron’s catatonic state before turning to Sasha. “Go get Jean!”

“Got it!” Sasha flew up towards the window that Jean had crashed through and pulled him out before flying over to them and setting him down on his back.

Optimus quickly cut Eren out of his titan body and laid him down on the ground. “Are you okay?”

“God, I feel sick,” Eren groaned in pain.

“Eren!” Armin ran over to his friend to see if he was alright. Connie could only limp over, feeling that he had a bruise on his leg.

“Optimus…who was that?” Sasha asked, still shaken by the experience as Levi helped Mikasa over to everyone else.

Optimus deactivated his mask as he stood up. “Soundwave: Megatron’s third-in-command during the war, and his minicon companion: Laserbeak.”

“The what?” Hanji demanded.

“That was one of your soldiers?!” Levi shouted at Megatron, but stopped his shouting when he noticed how shaken he still looked.

“Soundwave is a very skilled, very powerful combatant,” Optimus continued explaining, “He was once a gladiator like Megatron, and a fiercely loyal ally. He was Megatron’s eyes and ears during the war, listening for Autobot intelligence and for Decepticon traitors.”

"…He was the only one I trusted as Leader of the Decepticons," Megatron finally spoke up, "We fought together in the Pits of Kaon. He was the only one who had ever come close to besting me in combat. He took a vow of silence long before I met him, and had not spoken a word during the war.”

Megatron turned his attention to the humans on the ground. “He just broke his vow today."

The Survey Corps couldn’t help but be shaken at Megatron’s declaration. They turned his attention to Optimus, who’s expression looked just as grim as his former enemy.

"...oh fuck," Levi swore.

==

Soundwave didn’t know how long he was flying, but he ended up landed in the desert out of exhaustion. He still held Laserbeak close to his chassis and was mortified at the damage those humans managed to do. They had damaged his wings, and the poor mini-con was croaking in pain!

Soundwave’s feelings of mortification quickly turned into rage when he saw more pieces of his mask falling and hitting Laserbeak. Megatron. Megatron! Megatron you liar! You traitor! All those years spent on his war! All of those eons promising change! Going against the council! Going against Optimus! Everything! He just abandoned it all! All the loss! His mini-cons! Dreadwing! Anyone that was still loyal to him! He just casted them all aside! He abandoned them for weak organics and a Prime!

Soundwave let out a scream of rage and fury, causing the birds in the area to fly away in a panic. No more. No more waiting in the shadows! No more serving under anyone else! If Soundwave was going to enact the change that he desired, he would do it with his own two servos!

(A few notes:

-The Chaos Timeline does take place a year before the Azumabito Clan show up. -Yes, this is more Soundwave centric and the AOT cast don't show up until the end, but I gotta build background and character motivation since we don't have much on Soundwave in the actual show. -Speaking of, I had to dip within the aligned continuity in order to build a story for Soundwave. His motivation, his loyalty, his mini-cons, why he went batshit on Megatron. -Yes, I brought in the other mini-cons and yes I decided to have them killed. We never see them in the TFP show so I assumed they died in the war. -Soundwave really just came in, rocked everyone's shit and left.)

[nullcasting]

Ok! Well! taking the results of the poll into account, here's the one character that I feel comfortable introducing before making a model / plans for him. <The other fellow, while cool as hell, doesn't have as nice reference art yet, and is much more of a spoiler)

This is Monty Carlo! A rootin', tootin', shootin' robot from the outskirts of Warp City. His game was an... ambitious farming - slash - lightgun game, where the player would both manage their robotic farm during the day, and defend their western town from alien invaders at night. (Like every other game, suffice it to say that it was never, ever completed.) His files were dumped, but garbage collection glitched, and threw them out into the area bordering the Unfinished Expanse and Warp City.

Ever since getting a solfile, he's still been doing the same old thing: 'Wake up', take care of the farm simulation, chat with Curie before she goes on her adventures into the Expanse, and prepare the farm for the 'nighttime'.

The start of night triggers the 'alien attack' phase of the game. Wave upon wave of mindless aliens descend upon the farm to attack, and he defends it. It's all he knows! It's nothing much but it's honest work, etc etc.

His code is even buggier than the Mayor's, and he has a very itchy trigger finger to boot. He's infuriatingly affable to make up for it.

[christian-oc-tournament]

and with that we conclude the poll posting phase of round one!!

we now enter Round One Propaganda Week, june 11-18, in which no new polls are posted (so that the results from the prev poll can be consolidated and prepared for round 2), but you can still send some last minute propaganda for the polls that are still open

I want to use this week to discuss organisational aspects of round 2

[dirtgemini]

launching my patreon, just a little heads up & some info!

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👁️‍🗨️ paid content includes:

regular work in progress updates, including extra wip content

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polls on future perks & art

older art that i dig up

art not posted publicly

first to see new finished art

an inbox for dms if you have any questions

18+ art (optionally)

🎵 there are two tiers - phase one is for only sfw content, and phase two includes 18+ content!

🎶 i have created a tag definition list to help prevent confusion & to prepare you for any potentially triggering topics as well, which you can view before deciding whether to follow or join!

🎵 patreon recently introduced collections to all creators, so i have some put together that you can check out if you're interested in specific content!

i am launching with a special offer for all those who sign up during my first couple of months!

⭐️ if you become a patron during november, you will receive an exclusive 2x3 printed photo sticker of the image of your choice! some examples from my sewing machine:

🌟 if you become a patron during october, you will receive the sticker and a one-of-a-kind 8x6 pencil sketch of the subject of your choice!!

🎃here it is👻

that's my pitch, thanks to anyone who hops on, paid or not!!! 🫶🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏴‍☠️

[pyropsychiccollector]

Shiro Harem: Holy Grail War... of Love 2/7

As you guys know, the poll ended up being a 3-way tie... Technically. Although, based off the accidental "first" poll where Artoria had more votes tying her with Sakura... I'm gonna be generous and throw the King of Knights in here as an "unofficial" winner. It's the only poll that changed drastically enough, and I feel bad for flubbing up the first time. XD

... So, uh. Yeah. I'll be writing up 4 posts before posting anything. Be sure to cycle through my posts to find your favorite girl(s)... The official winners are Rin, Sakura, and Luvia. I'll be getting to Mitsuzuri, Illya, and Reines later. XD

The Beginning

Let's just jump into #2 now~... (人◕ω◕) Sakura-chan is... She's an interesting one. I like her supportive dynamic with Shiro, but for my own peace of mind I'm tweaking things... Mostly for Sakura's sake, but a bit for Shiro's sake as well.

But first, the disclaimer:

Fate: Stay Night is all about branching timelines. As such, to cater to all seven members of this harem in a single worldline, we'll be looking at an AU separate from the canon ones, regardless of how similarly events may play out. Just a forewarning.

With that out of the way... I do need to stress this is where we begin to look at the divergences in the timeline. Because even if she didn't show up often in Fate Zero, you could argue she had an important role even back then... The Fourth Holy Grail War is where her life began going down the crapper, and the war's conclusion shattered Shiro as a person. You could argue that the divergences in the Fourth War play into why the Fifth War panned out so differently in this AU. Both wars are intimately connected~... So I'm gonna go ham here. Apologies for those who might prefer a more broken Sakura... But that's too angsty for my palette. I won't allow it. (人◕ω◕)***

Let's start with the big one. Sakura had an Uncle Kariya who meant the world to her. (人◕ω◕) Sakura was born the second daughter of the Tohsaka family, and her father Tokiomi being the brilliant man that he is... He decided to judiciously follow the laws and traditions of magi families - that there can only ever be one heir that inherits the Magical Crest of the Tohsaka's. And instead of letting Sakura choose her own life, her own path, Tokiomi decided because Sakura had so much potential that she should be given away to the Matou's, an ally mage family. So that she could be groomed into their heir, since they didn't have one. Not a proper one; Shinji was too weak to be considered an heir.

Seems "reasonable", yeah? Just give Sakura away to an ally magus family. Give the "unnecessary" child up for adoption... (人◕ω◕)*** Unfortunately, Tokiomi is a fool. It's one thing to want what's best for your kids... It's also one thing to follow traditions zealously because that's always how things have "always" been done, not all cultures encourage reflection and adaptation... (人◕ω◕)** But this guy gave his kid away to a veritable vampire and didn't know it. Of course Zouken hides his longevity pretty well... On top of how he's stayed alive for centuries...

It was a pretty big mistake. But that's what it was: A mistake. Because for all that I can harp on Tokiomi's idiocy all day, he didn't do it maliciously... He did want Sakura to thrive and come into her own as a magus. Even if that meant competing with her sister Rin one day. ... But you know what they say about good intentions, the road they pave... (人◕ω◕)

Still, this is when Kariya enters the picture. Just as the Fourth Holy Grail War is entering the final phases of preparation, he returns to Japan from some trip around the world that took a while. His lifelong friend Aoi Tohsaka, Rin and Sakura's mom, is used to him being away for lengthy periods and is simply happy to see him back. Rin is happy enough to see him, too... But when he opens up the can of worms that is Sakura, mother and daughter grow despondent. He learns about Tokiomi giving Sakura away to the Matou's, the family that he's distanced himself from because he can't stand being around them... Particularly around "grandfather"...

But Kariya can't let things be, no matter how much Aoi begs him. Aoi was the woman he loved, and still loves... And he treasures her daughters just as much. Sakura was especially fond of "Uncle Kariya", and that's why he goes to confront Zouken about the adoption. Because he knows the Matou family magic will break Sakura, it would break anyone. The Matou's really only exist for Zouken's benefit...

... Unfortunately for Kariya, Sakura was already thrown into the worm pit, and has been down there for days... Already broken and traumatized. Kariya is beside himself, and instantly tries to strike a bargain with Zouken: He'll win the Fourth Holy Grail War, and when he does Zouken will release Sakura. Return her to the Tohsaka's. Zouken isn't exactly keen to hedge his bets on Kariya, but it gives the old fossil a chance to torture Kariya and make him suffer... So he tentatively agrees, insisting Sakura will continue her training until Kariya returns with the Grail.

... In one timeline, Kariya dies failing to save Sakura. He dies with Aoi believing that he killed Tokiomi... And he severely wounded her in grief and outrage.

This timeline goes better. ... For the most part. During the war, Kiritsugu's assistant Maiya encounters Kariya. She's about to kill him, threat of Berserker be damned, but he winds up begging her for an alliance. Kariya asserts that his life doesn't matter - he's got an unruly Servant, and his body is rapidly deteriorating... Kariya intends to keep fighting even if he expires in the process, but his ultimate objective is to save Sakura. Maiya and whoever she works for is under no obligation to help him, but he begs them to save Sakura... Kariya's willing to offer them his Servant's power for however long he has it, as long as they follow through on their end of the deal.

Maiya contacts Kiritsugu about Kariya's offer... And while he'd sooner just kill Berserker's Master and be done with it, his wife Iri talks him into the alliance. She points out that Kiritsugu should be able to understand Kariya's pain, wishing to save a child that he cares for dearly... And Kariya is rather bedraggled and barely functioning as it is. What's the harm in helping a dying man?

So Kiritsugu agrees to meet with Kariya. They hash out what makes Zouken so damn near "unkillable", and they agree to go to the Church about the matter. Kirei's father, Risei, knows of ways to deal with corrupt magi such as Zouken, and as the matter is not related to the Grail War directly... he agrees to put the war on hold to deal with Zouken Matou.

Zouken attempts to flee the Matou estate with Sakura, unwilling to lose his best chance in the next Grail War... But gets taken down by Risei, Kirei, and Tokiomi, who is repulsed to learn about the truth of the man he entrusted his daughter with. The "vampire" doesn't die so easily... But he is exterminated. And Sakura's body is purged of all the crest worms that defiled her body.

Kariya is offered the same treatment, but he refuses. He knows that he will die whether they deal with the crest worms or not... He needs what magic they can offer him to keep going in this war. Because even with Sakura saved from his monster of a "grandfather", Tokiomi is adamant about giving Sakura away to a different family once the war is resolved... Kariya simply refuses to allow that to happen. He continues to fight for Sakura's sake... striking a new deal with Tokiomi that should Kariya survive the war, Grail or no, he'll retain custody of Sakura for however long he lives for.

Tokiomi isn't so enthused to accept any "deal" with Kariya, a waste of a magus like him... But he's also a father. And he is well aware that Sakura will need a... grace period to recover from her trauma. He figures that whenever Kariya dies, he can negotiate with Kariya's brother to take Sakura back. With this strategy in mind, Tokiomi "accepts" Kariya's challenge.

... To his own detriment. In the end, Kirei still kills Tokiomi. He loses the chance to torment Kariya, as the Matou representative honors his word and keeps fighting alongside Kiritsugu and Saber... But it's still the same old, same old. Kiritsugu still kills Kayneth. Saber takes on and defeats Iskandar, and Gilgamesh annihilates Lancelot because of his "weak" Master. Kiritsugu fights Kirei to the death, and Saber is forced to "destroy" the Grail... which brings about calamity, anguish, and despair.

But Kariya... He manages to survive those events, similarly to Kiritsugu. It's nightmarish, wading through what would later be known as "the Great Fire", but they manage to find and rescue Shiro. Kariya leaves the boy in Kiritsugu's care, once they get him to a hospital. He returns home to the Matou estate and hashes some things out with his brother, who's leery and uncertain of what the future holds for them now that they don't have Zouken breathing down their necks...

For a few years, Kariya manages to cling on. They're not entirely happy, Sakura can tell her Uncle is seriously ailing and worries over him... But moreover, she just struggles to... accept that "grandfather" is gone. That she doesn't have to be tortured anymore. Deep down, she's bitter that she suffered at all, that her father gave her away like that...

But Kariya helps Sakura to reconnect with Aoi and Rin. He gives Sakura the choice to return to them now that Tokiomi's gone - and yes, that was an ordeal working out what happened to him; Kirei had no one to easily pin his teacher's death on, and so the man denies knowing anything at all, plays the part of the "aggrieved" student who happened to discover the body - and Sakura turns the offer down. She's... conflicted about her mother and sister, who allowed her to be given away. Though Kariya insists that they love her, and want to be with Sakura again... She just can't bring herself to fully believe him. Sakura wants things to go back to the way they were... But her initial year with the Matou's was hell. Even if she starts talking to Rin and her mother again... It's just not the same. It can never be the same. And besides... she's deeply worried about Uncle Kariya, and wants to spend as much time with him as possible. She has a terrible feeling about his deteriorating health...

A few years pass them by, and Sakura slowly goes back to the sweet, kind girl she used to be. She buries her trauma and heartache, managing to reconcile with her mother better, but Rin... It's still a little difficult. If only because Rin keeps asking if Sakura wants to learn magic, and Rin just... she keeps assuming, and... Sakura doesn't like it. After her horrifying experiences with the Matou magecraft, Sakura has grown to... hate magic. Or at least, Sakura herself wants nothing to do with it. She has no opinion if Rin practices it.

Aside from the brittle connection with Rin, Sakura has also established a sibling bond with Shinji. He's not the nicest brother ever... But his father, at Kariya's insistence, tones down Shinji's worst qualities and punishes him when he steps out of line. Shinji does try getting Sakura to be more assertive and less of a wallflower... But to his frustration, Sakura's not keen to change her ways. Especially with Kariya's rapidly failing health...

And then one night, Kariya passed away in his sleep. No warning. For a little bit, it seemed like he might be recovering... Sakura got her hopes up, and then they were dashed. She was... inconsolable for weeks after Uncle Kariya's passing. After the funeral. She spent a lot of time alone, even with Shinji, Rin, and her mother checking in on her...

Around that time, Kirei also... "checked in" with Sakura. Technically, Rin was the only one he was supposed to take on as a student... Tokiomi made no contingency for Sakura. However, with how free-spirited Rin was, she was never going to be easily manipulated. Kirei had plans to raise Rin up only to crush her later, but Sakura was... vulnerable after Kariya's death. It was all too easy to take her on as a second reluctant student. Kirei relished the opportunity to destroy both of Tokiomi's children after molding them to his liking...

Unfortunately for the sadistic priest, not all goes according to plan. A couple of years after Kariya's death, Sakura met Shiro Emiya. (人◕ω◕) They attend the same school, with Shiro being in the same year as Rin, a year above Sakura. Shiro is... He's a lot like Sakura in that he's not very outgoing. Doesn't like to impose. He's a kind, gentle soul that just tries to help everyone... And Sakura really falls hard for the boy.

It doesn't take long for her "training" with Kirei to get severely behind schedule as she spends more time with Shiro before and after school, discovering that Shiro lives by himself with only Taiga-sensei checking in on him. ... Well, to say that Shiro's alone would be a vast... understatement. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;;;; After the Fourth War, Kiritsugu went to rescue Illya from the Einzbern's. Meeting Kariya in that war inspired Kiritsugu to power through his own injuries and rescue his daughter and bring her back to Japan. So... Sakura also meets Illya, who's a year above Shiro in school... And Illya is very protective of her little brother. (人◕ω◕);;; She's grumpy the first while that Sakura visits, but eventually gets over it when Sakura helps with chores around the house. ... Illya hates manual labor. (人◕ω◕)

More than that, however... Sakura discovers that Shiro technically has an adopted mother, named Maiya. But she's rarely home, as she's working all the time. She says it's to help put food on the table, but... Shiro and Illya know there's more to it, and Maiya's just not explaining herself.

The Middle Act

Over the next several years, Sakura grows close to Shiro (... and Illya, to some extent). They settle into a routine of Sakura coming by before and after school, the routine only broken up sometimes by Kirei who grows... impatient... with his second student. (人◕ω◕)

Before they know it, the Fifth Holy Grail War arrives. ... 50 years early. (人◕ω◕) Sakura receives a set of Command Seals, marking her as a Master... And she just doesn't show interest in participating. Not when Rin is definitely going to be fighting, too. Nevertheless, Kirei tempts her with prospects of the Grail, which has the power to bring Kariya back to her. And it's not like Sakura herself has to fight to kill her enemies... Certainly, there will be participants who will take advantage of her naivete, but it's up to her how she conducts herself in battle.

Sakura's not eager to throw herself into any kind of war... But with how the last one ended, she's worried about Senpai getting impacted and wishes to protect him. ... And if she can revive Uncle Kariya, that would just make her so happy... With Sakura onboard with joining as a participant, Kirei arranges for her to receive a relic to summon a spirit - Medusa, who is summoned as Rider Class.

... Shortly after the war starts in earnest, Sakura's devastated to hear about Senpai getting grievously wounded after stumbling on a battle between two Servants. But when she goes to check up on him the morning after that attack... It's a very awkward breakfast. (人◕ω◕) For one: Senpai apparently managed to summon Saber and become a Master. And Saber picks up on Medusa's concealed presence around the home. (人◕ω◕);;;

For two... Illya is also a Master. And she summoned Berserker, of all Classes...!

Sakura-chan is very anxious during breakfast, you understand. She and Saber both are. (人◕ω◕) Illya's not bothered in the slightest. If Sakura makes a stupid move, Berserker will smash. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕) Shiro plays peacemaker as usual, and it's really only his cooking that manages to keep everybody calm. He explains to Sakura that Rin is also a Master, and her Servant is Archer. Shiro doesn't feel good about blabbing about Rin, but Sakura deserves the head's up, especially since they agree to be allies in this war. Sakura's rather... eager... to agree to any alliance with Senpai. ... Even if Illya would rather deal with her now. There can only be one winner, after all... (人◕ω◕);;;

Unfortunately, Sakura and Illya hanging off of Shiro in the early part of the war makes Rin rather... distant. Unwilling to add to their alliance when that's four of the seven Servants right there. Even three of seven is overkill... It makes Sakura, Shiro, and Illya pretty easy targets. None of the other participants want to drag out that alliance... Caster makes a move first, figuring that taking Shiro hostage and attempting to steal Saber from him would tip the balance of the war in her favor...

Sakura and Illya don't let that stand, however. (人◕ω◕);;; Sakura leaves Medusa to take on Assassin at the gate, while Illya and Berserker race right in to wreck Caster's crap. (人◕ω◕);;; Medea wasn't too happy to see Heracles again, and she proves no match for him. Her Master is similarly dispatched when he tries to avenge Medea's defeat... Medusa manages to defeat Assassin.

... This does leave Rin in a regrettable state of affairs. (人◕ω◕);;; With Caster and Assassin dealt with, it's literally just down to her and whoever Lancer's Master is to deal with the... alliance. Archer is particularly determined to kill Shiro Emiya, and willingly agrees to work with Lancer to keep everyone else off of Shiro...

That... could have gone a lot better. (人◕ω◕);;; Lancer's Master reneged on the deal, leaving Rin and Archer alone to tackle the alliance. Rin had absolutely no chance, going up against Sakura, Illya, Rider, Saber, and Berserker. There was just no way. Sure, Archer tried to corner Shiro, but that proved detrimental to him as Rin grew angry about Archer trying to kill Shiro of all people, and using Command Seals to make him go strictly after the Servants.

Archer does try to sever their contract, but it proves inadvisable when he's up against Berserker, Saber, and Rider. As much as he has faith in his Unlimited Blade Works... Going up against all three at once is just too much. Archer gets a severe thrashing, and has a bitter exchange with Shiro before passing on.

That's when Gilgamesh makes his move and takes down Berserker, whimsically leaving Saber and Rider alone when they prove to be resilient. He kidnaps Illya, counting on her to be the Lesser Grail, and so wishing to cross swords with Saber once more as he elaborates on the Grail's true nature.

It comes down to a fight between Shiro, Sakura, Rin, Rider, and Saber up against Lancer, Kirei, and Gilgamesh. Rin finally comes around and helps Shiro able to get enough magic to access his Reality Marble.... Something that Sakura isn't too eager to let happen, as Rin has to be very intimate with Shiro to share her crest... But it's for the sake of rescuing Illya, so she allows it. (人◕ω◕);;; But she'll be having words later...

Medusa gives Lancer a hearty battle, and he loses. Shiro defeats Kirei, with Sakura and Rin for backup. And Saber defeats Gilgamesh. With the Grail just short of completion, they go after the Greater Grail, using Saber's mightiest attack to destroy it.

... And somehow, after all that, Saber and Medusa receive new mortal bodies. How... fun. (人◕ω◕)

The Future

... So how do you suppose this all ends, anyway? (人◕ω◕) I gave a bare-bones synopsis of the Fifth Grail War, and I apologize for devolving into that... But the bottom line is that Sakura was faithful and loyal to Senpai throughout the whole thing. (人◕ω◕) Despite other interested girls popping up, despite battles getting intense... Sakura-chan fought hard to protect her man. (人◕ω◕) For a while, she almost didn't care about resurrecting Kariya... Like, of course she wanted to bring him back... But if it cost her Shiro to do it, then it's not worth it. Trading one soul for another. Much less when the Grail wasn't working as intended, and Sakura-chan was very angry to hear that the tainted Grail was responsible for how her beloved Senpai became so scarred on the inside...

It was touch and go, keeping everyone alive... But even Artoria and Medusa got to stick around, how delightful is that? (人◕ω◕);;;

Sure, by the war's end she's pretty much patched things up with Rin-neechan, getting over her past hesitation and bitterness. They're a family. And families share. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;;;; Yes, share even boys they like... Sakura isn't so coldhearted as to turn Rin away when she and Shiro have a deep, intimate bond now. But Sakura isn't so keen to give up either. She won't let Illya hog Shiro all to herself, either. Or Artoria. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

But Rin knows Shiro isn't all okay... Archer was a piece of work, and she doesn't want Shiro turning out like that. Sakura agrees with neechan, and grudgingly allows Rin to take Shiro on as an apprentice and study at the Clocktower for a few years. Sakura doesn't like it, and understands Artoria and Illya's objections... But Senpai needs to clear his head. Figure out what he wants to do. And besides, Sakura doesn't have any affection for magic, no desire to study at the Clocktower herself. She'll patiently wait for Senpai's return... Sure, Rin will be in the doghouse after they get back, hogging Senpai for years...

But. It's. Fine. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕) Before Senpai departs for London, Sakura gives him a very special gift... Her virginity, to be precise. Is it extreme? Sure. But all these other girls around Senpai, Sakura-chan didn't have a choice. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. Everyone else will just hafta deal. (人◕ω◕)

In the meantime, she, Medusa, Artoria, Mitsuzuri, and Illya will watch over the house... and later explain everything to Maiya when she gets back, flabbergasted at the developments. (人◕ω◕);;; They have a looooooot of splaining to do~...

Shiro's in for a rude awakening when he gets back to Japan. Sakura will be at the forefront of the pack, wanting another round and wanting baby Shiro's... But that's a story for another time. You know that Sakura-chan will have proposed to him within days of his return. Cuz Sakura-chan knows what she wants. (人◕ω◕)

The bottom line with this ship is that they're not perfect. Shiro still lost Kiritsugu, and Sakura still lost Kariya. The latter just got a better childhood, and wasn't a pawn of Zouken. ... Not for very long. (人◕ω◕) Shiro still has his hero complex, wanting to protect and keep Sakura happy... And Sakura's about the same as him. She wants to support and care for Senpai, to bask in his warming presence~ This Sakura's just learned to stand on her own somewhat. ... And there might be some stuff to work through with Rin because of Kirei whispering in Sakura's ear for several years... But by the end of the Grail War, Rin showed herself to be reasonable and nothing like Kirei said.

The crux of my enjoyment of this ship... is that I can understand the criticisms that remark how Shiro throws everything else away, just to be with Sakura... I get that the Heaven's Feel route is... heavy. That's why I decided to entertain a Sakura that's a little less broken. She's still got bitterness and uncertainty about the Tohsaka's, and that's understandable. But she learns to move on with her life, and she's allowed to move on~... She's not at Zouken's mercy. That's just my two cents about the Sakura x Shiro ship. It's pretty cute and wholesome overall... Just don't have Shiro abandon everything else for Sakura. That's just me. XD

[dgrailwar]

Round 9, Day 3 - Team Alter-Ego

The Alter-Ego scowled. Despite her calm demeanor, the star was pushing at her fractured psyche, drawing upon her worst ideas of blood and violence. She wanted to get scratch of the itch and get rid of it swiftly before it took over.

"Imperial Edict. Wage war.": Boosts and demerits will be doubled for the upcoming round, as part of the Imperial Edict!

The strength of Alter-Ego's Noble Phantasm has been increased by the decree!

Damage has the potential to be doubled in combat upon reaching a certain threshold!

SERVANT DETAILS

HP: 3/3

Team Alter-Ego has all 3 Command Spells remaining!

Servant Skills:

Melt Virus (EX Rank) - When engaged in a Free-for-All, inflict all foes with a -3% demerit. If Meltryllis gains 1st place in the Free-for-All by a margin of 10% or more, inflict a -3% demerit to your foes for their next round and gain a +3% boost for your next combat round.

Crime Ballet (A Rank) - When engaged in a one-on-one, increase the Alter-Ego Class Trait one-on-one boost to +5% rather than +3% (+6% if targeting a Servant that's Playing Defensively).

Saint Graph Expansion (B Rank): When engaged in a Free-for-All, gain a +2% boost. Additionally, if Alter-Ego finds herself in a tie against an opponent in a one-on-one (according to the final results, including boosts), her opponent takes a wound and a -2% demerit while she fully escapes damage and gains a +2% bonus for the next round.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Saraswati Meltout (EX Rank)

A powerful, debilitating Noble Phantasm that inflicts 2 ‘wounds’ instead of one. Meltryllis gains a +30% boost in her combat poll scores for the round, and if her target survives, they’re struck with a -10% demerit for the immediate next round as Meltryllis holds onto a +10% boost.

If the Noble Phantasm successfully kills, Meltryllis successfully absorbs the ‘Class Traits’ of the destroyed enemies.

Boost from the Imperial Edict: If the gap between scores is wider than 50%, the Noble Phantasm inflicts 3 wounds rather than 2.

-

Class-Trait:

ALTEREGO-CLASS Servants fight at their best when given a specific target. When engaged in a standard one-on-one confrontation, they gain a +3% boost. If attacking a Servant 'Playing Defensively', they gain a +4% boost instead.

[mistynatweek]

In case you missed it, event date voting has closed and MistyNat Week will take place from October 1st to October 7th!

Additionally, theme suggestions are officially closed, and theme voting has begun! You can vote on your favorite MistyNat Week theme options by completing this poll. Theme voting will be open from now until August 23rd at 5pm ET (countdown here). Note: if we end up with a theme tie and need a run-off lightning round of voting, that will take place from August 24th to August 26th.

Below the cut is a list of the themes to choose from and descriptions, as well as additional information about this stage of the preparation process.

Voting is open to everyone. When you complete the poll, you will get the option to vote for your top three themes. This is to ensure that we choose a theme with strong interest across the board, however only one theme will win. As you choose your top choices, keep in mind that you are voting for theme, not prompt. This means we will need to break the winning theme down into 7 smaller prompts. Once our theme is chosen, we will open the ask and submission boxes for prompt suggestions, and any prompts fitting the chosen theme can be submitted.

Please note, you may not see your theme suggestion exactly as you sent it; some very similar suggestions or very specific suggestions have been combined or generalized to ensure that we will be able to create multiple prompt options in the next phase.

When voting, be sure to look at the options carefully as there are several prompts you may be thinking of that can fit multiple themes. So if there is one prompt you really, really want to see in the next phase, be strategic in your voting!

THEME OPTIONS

Alternative Universes; each prompt is a different type or genre of alternate universe (examples: role reversal AU, no crash AU, soulmate AU, fairytale AU, superhero AU, etc.)

Tropes & Cliches; each prompt is a different fandom trope or cliche (examples: bed sharing, trapped together, fake relationship, amnesia, truth serum, accidental marriage, etc.)

Supernatural; each prompt is a supernatural concept (examples: vampires, spells, curses, demons, ghosts, powers, etc.)

Halloween; each prompt relates to halloween (examples: trick-or-treat, candy, pumpkin, costume, horror movie, etc.)

Love Languages; each prompt is a different type of love language (the seven love languages are activity, appreciation, emotional, financial, intellectual, physical, and practical; alternately the five love languages are gift-giving, acts of service, physical touch, quality time, words of affirmation - in this case, we would take unofficial options in addition)

Color Emotion; each prompt is a different color with meanings attached as part of the prompt (examples: red = excitement/passion/bold, yellow = hope/friendship/joy, blue = trust/loyalty/dependability, etc. example images can be found here and here)

Horror; each prompt is a horror trope or element (examples: came back wrong, slated to die, final girl, hauntings, etc.)

Weather; each prompt is a different type of weather (examples: sunny day, storm, clear skies, rain, heat wave, etc.)

Food; each prompt relates to food (examples: breakfast, potluck, ice cream, cooking, dinner date, etc.)

Movie Genres; each prompt is a different movie genre (examples: action/adventure, romance, superhero, post-apocalyptic, horror, mystery, etc.)

Music; each prompt is a different genre of music (examples: rock, pop, grunge, showtunes, r&b, etc.)

Time; each prompt has to do with time (examples: time travel, historical setting, through-the-years, etc.)

You can vote for your favorite three themes here. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us here.

[artistic-scribbles]

as always, rb for a larger sampling size :3

[4noki-vns]

August Update - Recent News & Game Announcement

Summer is coming to a close! It’s hard to believe that we’re two-thirds of the way through the year. Let’s take a look back on what’s been going on recently and what my plans are for the near future:

Recent releases

Short story poll results

Socials

Game announcement…!

If you want this content straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to my newsletter at https://4nokivn.substack.com/

releases

We had two releases in the last two months: a demo and a Steam release.

Consummation ~wind above the dragon sea~ (demo)

This is an island spared by the heavens, a cage for the remnants of humanity. A freelancer blessed by the wind receives a strange letter, leading her to a promised place of her youth. In that same district-city, the four great families chosen by the four great gods gather for their biennial conference. As the paths of those hated and loved by the gods cross, a darkness beneath the sea stirs—to devour, to drown, to destroy, to choose.

Lachesis or Atropos (Steam Edition)

A private investigator visits a small town after recovering from a coma. She searches for her mentor's lost beloved, but the very eyes she was born with, those that can see the black strings of hate, drag her down into the darkness of conspiracy. A cult, two priestesses, and the threads that puppet the world.

short story poll results

After a combination poll on Twitter, tumblr, and Substack, it was decided that I will write a Who is the Red Queen? short story to be delivered via this newsletter!

This short story is still in the concept phase. Please note that due to the multi-ending nature of the game, the short story should be considered non-canon or alt-canon.

I wonder what it’ll be about…

Perhaps a little short featuring Cheshire and the White Rabbit? Perhaps an exploration of what happens after a certain ending? Perhaps a story about the past between the White Queen and Red Queen?

Only time will tell.

socials

And with the slow and excruciating death of Twitter, I will make a quick aside to mention some other social media sites that I have made an account on.

tumblr

cohost

misskey.io (fediverse, can be followed from mastodon)

bluesky

It’s hard to say what will take the place of the dying corpse of the bird app, but for the time being, please feel free to follow me on any of those places!

Still, the best way to keep track of my work will be:

this newsletter (even if substack dies, the newsletter can be transferred easily)

itch.io

game announcement…!

Now, enough with the gloomy talk. Let’s talk about something exciting! A game announcement!

This is not the long term project that I spoke of previously (you’ll have to wait a bit longer for that), but rather…New Project!! The Final Prize is Soup - a spooky grey background with 3 chibis of girls with black hair and gold, red, green-blue eyes from left to right.

I will be participating in Spooktober again this year as director, character designer, and co-writer for a survival horror yuri visual novel by the title, The Final Prize is Soup.

After a disastrous break up, Qian Hailu wakes up to find that she's dead. Luckily (or unluckily), she's been given a chance to turn back the clock and avert her death—as long as she can pass three rounds in the game of life. You who are unqualified to drink Meng Po's soup, you have been chosen for the game of life. Three worlds, three rounds. Win all three and you may avert your fated death. Lose any and your bones are forfeit for tomorrow's lunch broth. Good luck. Our ghosts have prepared their takeout containers, all plastic, non-microwaveable.

tldr. death game in the afterlife (ft. cannibalism lesbians)

You’ll hear from me about this game, hopefully, quite a lot during the upcoming month of September. Please look forward to it!

(((o(*°▽°*)o)))

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See you in September!

shino

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[mcabalse]

Progress Update #3

The production phase of my capstone project is now underway. I emailed Sharla the design and template of what one Instagram post would look like and I was given approval! However, I had to make a couple of changes to my project. I initially was going to use four ChatGPT models and Canva Magic Media, but I felt that it was too excessive and would overwhelm my viewers with so many choices. So, I decided to use three ChatGPT models instead, as well as drop Canva Magic Media.

I would first like to mention that by doing this project, I am, by no means, claiming that I am a "color expert." Color perception is subjective, and this project is an exploration of the different color perceptions of people and technology. I will first create my color palette before generating in AI because I don't my color decisions to be influenced or swayed by the results that AI generates. I will use a variety of image search engines such as Google Images and Unsplash to seek inspiration and create a mood board.

After I create my color palette, I will generate color palettes from the seven AI models that I am using: ColorMagic, Color Palette Designer (ChatGPT), Color Palette & Design (ChatGPT), Color Palette Generator (ChatGPT), Adobe Firefly, & Midjourney. Adobe Firefly & Midjourney are particularly different from the rest of the AI model because they spew out images rather than a color palette, so I use Adobe Color to extract colors from the images and create a color palette.

After I create all 8 color palettes, I will gather them together and post them on my Instagram stories, asking two questions: Which color palette best represents the word prompt, and which color palette was human made. It is a blind poll, meaning that there are no labels indicating who or what model made the color palette.

In the next two weeks, I will start working on each word prompt and preparing posts to upload to my Instagram page.

[catsafarithewriter]

A/N: I’m starting to think ya’ll are lying about getting poll privileges. Anyway, part 9!

x

Haru turned the ribbon over in her hands while the carriage bumped around her. The ends were marked with their initials – pre-marriage – and Haru tried not to think of another wedding ribbon she’d encountered not so long ago.  

Across from her sat Baron. Her (temporary) husband. 

Wary of not being too presumptuous, he’d gone out of his way to take the seat opposite her, rather than taking the one at her side. The only slight issue with this act of chivalry was that Muta had already been occupying most of that side of the carriage. The two Cats were elbow-to-elbow and were doing their best to make it look manageable. 

“It’s usual for one of the newly-weds to wear it for the following day,” Baron remarked, probably meaning to be helpful, but mostly managing to make Haru very aware her fidgeting was rather overt. “We probably should adhere to that tradition, if nothing else if to keep my family’s suspicions at bay.”

“Are they likely to be suspicious?” Haru asked. 

“Well, I am turning up with a bride who I failed to mention until yesterday.”

“So you have told them?”

Baron hesitated. “My uncle has passed it on to the rest of the family.”

“You haven’t even given them the news yourself?” she demanded. 

Baron held up his hands defensively – or as best he could while his shoulders were pinned between Muta and the carriage door. “For what it’s worth, I discovered my sister’s wedding through a great aunt.”

“So yer whole family’s like this,” Muta grunted. 

“Not – not all of them,” Baron said, although the hesitation made it sound as if such folk were in the minority. “My uncle on my mother’s side – Toto – is a fairly down-to-earth Cat. He’s also,” Baron added, “the only family member who knows the true circumstances of our marriage.”

Muta coughed, with what might have been covering for a laugh. “Yer have an uncle called Toto? Like the Wizard of Oz dog?”

Haru kicked Muta’s foot. “Says the Cat who goes by Muta No Last Name. Be nice. Or,” she added, remembering just who she was talking to, “at least civil.”

“Toto won’t tell anyone the realities of our situation,” Baron assured them. “He may doubt my sanity, sometimes, but he’s loyal.” 

“That’s at least one thing we can agree on,” Muta muttered. 

Haru kicked Muta’s foot again. To Baron, she asked, “Do you think they’ll like me? Your family, I mean?”

“What do you care, Chicky? It ain’t like yer sticking around for the long term.”

“They’ll love you,” Baron promised. “And you won’t be the only new addition to the family; my sister is bringing along her recently-wedded wife too, remember? And, if my sister is still the same as ever, I’m sure she’ll be hoarding all the limelight.”

Haru thought back to Baron’s (brief, it had to be said) cape phase, and somehow doubted that this elusive sister had inherited all the dramatics the von Gikkingen family had to offer. She held out the ribbon to her ‘husband’. “Since this started life as your bowtie, do you want to be the one to wear it?”

“Seems sensible.”

"Well, that’s no good,” Muta said once Baron had returned the tie to its rightful place. “Yer can’t see the ends.”

“Are the ends important?” Haru asked. 

“If yer can’t see the initials, it just looks like an ordinary tie. You’d better put it into yer hair, Chicky.”

Haru grinned. “Aw, I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

“If yer gonna be sticking with this ridiculous ruse, you might as well make it convincing. Right, Fancypants?”

Baron’s whiskers twitched with only a hint of irritation at the nickname, but he removed the bowtie, passing it across to Haru without any complaint. She turned it over in her hands, preparing to set it into her hair, when her eyes lingered over the initials. “Hey, Baron, what’s the ‘A’ stand for? Your side says ‘B.H.A.vG’?”

There was a flash of something which may have been mortification on Baron’s face. “That must have been a mistake.”

“But they used your birth certificate to validate the paperwork?”

“Yes, but you recall our clerk,” Baron said. “He was a few fish short of a lake.” 

 “You’ve got a secret middle name and you won’t tell your wife?” Haru demanded, faux-insulted. Her hand pressed against her heart. “We’ve been married not even two days, and you’re already keeping things from me! Oh, the betrayal!”

Muta grinned. “Good luck, Baron.” 

“Haru, you know my first name is Humbert,” Baron said. “Don’t you think that if my middle name was any less embarrassing, I would be going by that? Not all of us were blessed with reasonable names like Haru Yoshyko.”

There was a pause. 

“Yoshyko,” Haru echoed. 

Muta snorted. 

“Yes,” Baron said. “I – that is, was, your name, was it not? Am I... Is that the wrong pronunciation?”

“Oh, no, it’s perfect,” Haru replied.

Muta’s snorted again, and this time his shoulders began to shake with unshed laughter. 

“I rather feel,” Baron said slowly, “that you might be lying to me, dear wife of mine.”

“And whyever would I lie to you, Baron Humbert Ambrose von Gikkingen?”

“That was a good guess, but wrong.”

“Albert?”

“No.”

“Antigone?”

“No, and it’s pronounced ‘an-tig-gony’ not ‘anti-gone’.” 

“Bold words from the Cat who can’t even remember his wife’s maiden name.”

Muta leant back in his seat, grinning. “You’re perfect for each other.”

[beardedmrbean]

Finland's media appears to have moved into the listicle phase of this week's pipeline damage incident, with Ilta-Sanomat noting 17 of the "malicious ways Putin's Russia harasses Finland".

This is one way to feed interest in the story, after the NBI said on Wednesday that they are not yet drawing conclusions, but the pipeline damage appeared to be caused by mechanical means rather than explosion.

In September, President Sauli Niinistö said Finland had to be prepared for the difficulties Russia might try to inflict.

The paper has gone through official reports on risk factors to find out what might happen if and when Russia decided it wanted to hurt Finland.

The paper lists Russian property holdings in Finland, the power grid, media influence operations, publishing information recovered in data hacks and more.

The Security Committee's 2017 report, on which IS based its listicle, is available in English here.

NCP tops HS poll

A Helsingin Sanomat poll suggests that Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's National Coalition Party is the most popular political force in Finland once again.

Some 21 percent of those respondents who gave an opinion said they would vote for the NCP, which topped the poll in elections this May, if there was a parliamentary election.

The Social Democratic Party was second, with the Finns Party third. The monthly HS poll has shown the nationalist, populist party losing support in each survey taken since May.

Stormy morning

Finland was in the grip of an autumn storm on Thursday morning, with high winds and rain battering much of the country.

STT reported that 14,000 households were without power at around 8am.

Meteorologists said that a deep low pressure system centred on North Ostrobothnia was dominating conditions, with warnings in place for heavy rain and high winds.

Many of those showers were arriving in the form of snow and sleet in northern regions, making for a challenging morning commute for many motorists.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

The Silver-Calcium Binary System

Phase Poll #7 concluded last week - apologies for being a little late with this post! You guys were almost equally split this time between silver (at 51% of the votes) and calcium (at 49%), which puts us squarely in the middle of the phase diagram, pretty near to the equiatomic intermetallic AgCa.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the Ag-Ca system, there’s not much to say. Not to worry though, I wanted to use this opportunity to talk a little more about the components of phase diagrams! Invariant points have already been covered by this blog, but I’m going to touch on them again to give the definition as points on phase diagrams with no degrees of freedom - they only occur at specific compositions, temperatures, and pressures, etc. In the above diagram, there are several eutectic points, and a couple peritectic points.

Congruent melting, meanwhile, is a phase transition wherein the composition of the liquid is the same as the composition of the solid. In incongruent melting, contrarily, a phase melts to a composition of liquid different than that of the solid. The former case is common in binary systems, with intermediary phases and two-phase regions wherein solids precipitate from the liquid before full melting occurs.

Returning to the silver-calcium system specifically, there aren’t many applications that make use of binary mixtures of the two elements. Silver-calcium batteries, despite the name, are still primarily lead-acid batteries with small amounts of calcium and silver added (as in, even less than 1%). Historically, silver-calcium alloys have been prepared as an intermediary step in the creation of silver catalysts. Another interesting feature of note in this phase diagram is the high temperature calcium phase. While calcium is fcc at room temperature, it has a phase transition above 450°C.

Sources/Further reading: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( congruent melting ) ( understanding phase diagrams ) ( phase diagram definitions )

More phase diagrams: ( image 1 ) ( mole fraction and mass fraction )