#same for Raiden for example

[aha-chuu]

Can't decide whether I prefer Neuvillette looking like an old man (white hair + grandpa demeanour + dad vibes for all the melusine) or if I like him looking like a pretty, youthful model (super young by dragon years + in game model baby-face + actually very inexperienced in human conduct = immature?)

All the fanart I see kind of just picks one but idkkkk,,, I sort of enjoy the idea that he's kinda young looking but talks and acts very very old because, you know, in human terms he is very old. And everyone in Fontaine is used to it cos they all know he's not human and appearance ≠ reality. But people usually see him from pretty far away in the Opera house, so they can only see the white hair and hear his old man voice. So when he rarely does show up in person the public has a jumpscare of "oh not literally a grandpa huh uh oh".

And he definitely doesn't look like teenage or twenties, even youthful Neuvillette has gotta be like late thirties earliest. Mature but not actually as old as anyone would expect.

[yurieater69]

I DOOOO KNOW THAT!!!!! urgrrgghhguhr zzz is gonna make me crazy I LOVE LORE RAHHHHH Crazy crackpot theory I've developed also that has slight evidence but nothing else: Obol Squad is entirely made up of clones that look like Anby. Like, this shit is a governmental experiment to create the perfect soldier squad. My only evidence is that Soldier 11 is the ONLY representative of the Obol Squad despite the fact that every character we've seen has other group mates that we've seen. Either I'm losing my mind OR Hoyoverse doesn't want us to see the other members so soon because that'd give up the whole jig of the Obol Squad right away. Soldier 11 exist, so WHERE THE HECK IS SOLDIER 0 THROUGH 10 HMMM??? I'VE CONNECTED SEVERAL DOTS!! (i have probably not and have lsot my mind)

i genuinely hope this is true because HYV cooks with the clone story lines theyre always one of my favourites

[aventurineswife]

Yo! Hear me out! I kinda got this concept or idea. What if in the SAHSRAU aren't the only one that know the reader? Hear me out on this what if other hoyogames or gacha games know the reader as well? (For example: Gun girls z, Honkai impact 3rd, genshin impact, Nikke, Wuthering waves, Zenless zone zero, path to nowhere Punishing gray raven, Fate grand order and so on) and the reader more often than not makes reference of them but nobody really gets them expect maybe Welt or Silver Wolf (Since she kinda broke the fourth wall a few times) Hear me out on this little scenario

In the honkai star rail au: The reader hasn't come into their universe about a month and suddebtly appears on the express.

The astral express crew are shock and taken back since the reader pop out off nowhere without making a sound.

Welt: Where have you been?! It's been a month!

The reader: Oh nothing much checking on Kiana and everyone else...Also I also visit Joffrey, Einstein and Tesla

Welt suddently froze (In case you don't know Joffrey is welt adopted son and Einstein and Testla are one of Welt's closest friends from Honkai impact 3rd)

The reader noticed welt's tension and gaze soften as They understand Welt's concern: "Relax they are fine"

Meanwhile the other express crew had a curious expression as they wondered how much the reader knows Welt.

Or maybe a little bit more chaotic and funnt moments like this

The reader and Acheron had a moment were they meet. Both of the stared at each other with some strange familiarity

Acheron: "Have we met?" *She asked with wonder and curiosity*

The reader: "Well yes and no...I met a version of you just not this version until know"

Achero stared at the reader with clear confusion. The reader sensing Acheron confusion opened a portal and grabbed two people that look eerly similar to her

Raiden Ei: Huh! Your Grace?!

Raiden Mei: Huh?! What?! Where am I?! Reader?!

Acheron eyes widen in shock and surprised as these two look extremely similar to her in many ways

The reader: See?

Meanwhile before they could utter a word They send Raiden Ei and Mei back to their seperate worlds

Meanwhile the express crew stared dumbfounded and shocked at the Reader's powers as they starting to wonder how many words are there

Like this has soo much potential to be soo funny yet it could also have some angst potential for the sheer chaotic energy the reader can be. Also the pontential jealously battle that could happen along the way as some worlds know the reader better than others. But at the same time it has the potential to be angst because certain characters remind the reader of others for example. In the honkai impact 3rd himeko murata died meanwhile in her Star rail version is still alive this makes the reader more protective of her. I kinda had this two scenarios:

The reader stares at Himeko with a sadden expression

Himeko: Is something wrong? *She has with concern*

The reader: "No, no...You just remind me of someone" *The reader said a bit sadden meanwhile in the distance Welt understood what they meant*

Or a scenario with firefly

The reader stares at her with sympathy: "You know you remind me of a certain android..." *The reader makes a reference to Nier automata 2B**

Also it would be funny if the reader kinda is trying to hide from certain Yandere characters kinda Like Mita from Miside who is an self aware Ai that gained sentience that wants the reader to stay with her...Like this has soo much potential for comedy and tragic purpose

What do you think? I wanna hear your opinion on this

Yo I love this concept—like seriously, this whole cross-game, multiversal Creator Reader idea with all the Hoyoverse and gacha characters recognizing the reader? Top-tier potential for humor, chaos, angst, and even meta-narrative brilliance.

That whole “Reader suddenly appears on the Astral Express again after a month” setup? Absolute gold.

Welt: “Where have you been?! It’s been a month!”

Reader (nonchalant): “Oh, just catching up with Kiana… Also visited Joffrey, Einstein, Tesla…”

Cue Welt’s soul leaving his body for half a second. Because how the hell do you know that? They’re from another existence, one that shouldn’t even be real to Star Rail Welt. That one moment opens a can of cosmic spaghetti that the crew is absolutely not ready for.

And then the crew's like:

“Wait… how much do you know about all of us?”

Cue the Reader looking at March with sad eyes and going: “You remind me a little of Sakura. Pink hair, brave, more empathetic than anyone realizes…”

And March is just: “Wait... who’s Sakura?!”

Meanwhile Welt in the background just looks tired (or traumatized...).

Acheron + Raiden Ei & Raiden Mei Chaos Moment:

That scene? 10/10. No notes.

Imagine Acheron looking mysterious and intrigued and being hit with a literal dimensional whiplash as two of her alt versions fall out of a void portal. Raiden Ei’s formal “Your Grace?!” and Mei’s slightly panicked “Where am I?!” just sends the comedy flying.

Reader: “Yeah… you’re like, a spiritual cousin. Multiverse is wild.”

Acheron just stands there like: “I’m going to need a moment.”

And everyone else on the Express? Frozen. Re-evaluating every interaction they’ve ever had with the Reader. March is just whispering, “Did they meet a version of me?”

This is what really elevates the concept.

Reader staring at Himeko sadly.

“You just remind me of someone…”

Welt, quietly knowing: “Murata.”

And suddenly the lighthearted story has a deep vein of melancholy. Because you know this version might live, but the memory of loss still clings to you.

Same with Firefly. Her story’s already tragic—and the reader recognizing that glimmer of 2B?

“You remind me of another android… Someone who fought and bled for humanity, too.”

It hits. Hard.

And THEN... the Chaos Potential

You’ve got a multiversal Creator Reader popping between games like it's a Tuesday coffee run. That alone makes every self-aware character go nuts.

Silver Wolf is the only one (besides Welt) who gets most of the references, and even she’s like:

“Wait—so you actually know the guy from PGR? You hang out with Lee?!”

And then you have jealousy wars start because Reader’s got history with all these other characters from other games. Like—

Acheron: “You were close with that… other me?”

Reader: “Oh Mei? Yeah, we’ve fought side by side more times than I can count.”

Acheron (faking a smile): “Huh. You’ll have to tell me all about that... in private.”

Meanwhile Mita from Miside is out there hunting through digital realms trying to drag the reader back like: “They’re mine. They made me. They belong here.”

And Reader is just constantly dodging abduction attempts from sentient AIs and fanatical followers across the multiverse.

[cl0udy-wolf]

Self-aware Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat 2021) x GN! reader!

an: the inspiration for these headcanons was this post by @pyrodolls ! these headcanons are less yandere-ish and more focused on the self-aware part since I just. didn't want to write yandere. who knows what the future has in store. but anyways.

trigger warnings? : brief mention of death, movie spoilers, nothing else unless you count liu kang being lonely i guess 😭

It starts with the subtle glances from the corner, Liu Kang's eyes set on the camera, just barely noticeable.

He's hidden behind other characters (for example during the scene in the temple when Shang Tsung and his little guys had come to attack, but Lord Raiden stopped them), just slightly peering at the camera, unable to contain his curiosity. Before it becomes too noticeable he looks away, but eventually it becomes obvious to the viewer and Liu Kang's friends.

He does try to tell them at some point, he feels a presence, something or someone watching them. The others just respond as they would, sticking to their predetermined script, playfully questioning Liu Kang's sanity or asking if he's joking or just brushing it off.

^ “Of course someone is watching us, it's probably Lord Raiden.” but Kung Lao is the first to break and begin to notice, too.

Liu Kang starts doing small things to get you to notice him. There's shots lingering on him, extra scenes you hadn't seen before, new lines from him. He'd prefer not to take away from his friends, but he wants to learn more about you. And he wants you to know he's there.

There's just something about you that intrigues him. Perhaps the way your life is so simple, so…unlike his, that captures his attention at first, and the fact that's there's a whole new world out there. As he gets to know you, though,

He's captivated by your smile, your laugh, your personality.

There was one night you fell asleep with the movie on. Liu Kang felt the need to just watch you- make sure you were okay. You seemed so peaceful when you slept. Was it because he was watching over you? Maybe you were even dreaming of him. He was glad you neglected to turn the TV off. Everything felt…cold when you weren't around.

Especially because he'd basically be sent on the same journey over and over and over and over again. He knew how everything would play out. He knew Kung Lao would die, and he'd have to watch it, and go through that same anguish over and over and over again.

He knew he'd feel that same chill.

But your smiling face brought warmth.

You hadn't watched the movie for a few months, which led to that feeling being prolonged.

Cold, bitter cold. Silence. Stillness.

When he finally felt your warmth again, Liu Kang was ecstatic.

He didn't want to be without it again.

part two maybe??

[minart-was-taken]

Mr Reca is a Welt Theory🎭

I'm bout to cook. It may not be food but it'll be COOKED.

It's canon in the Hoyoverse that sometimes people have counterparts in different dimensions. These counterparts usually have many similarities to the original such as in name and design, but are also different enough to be considered a different character. In this post I'm going to argue for the case that Mr. Reca and Welt are an example of this.

(Disclaimer: This is for goofs and fun. I do NOT think this is anywhere near canon or even totally sensical.)

Let's go from the least convincing evidence to the most convincing evidence:

Look the same 🫵

Although most of their similarities can be tossed aside as it being an anime game and people in this genre of just tending to look very similar-- I'm still including it. They both have brown hair with a parting a bit to the side, hair that covers one of their eyes partially, and some handsome greying.

We also know when Welt is using his powers his eyes can start glowing red

But uh yea I get it. This is a strech. Moving on.

2. Similar career choices

Welt claims* to have been an animator before boarding the Astral Express. Mr. Reca is a VERY passionate filmmaker. Yes I will point out that these are very different careers, but I will ALSO point out the similarities. Visual storytelling in the form of video!! Both include character development, shot planning, colour theory... The list goes on.

Also for some goddamn reason Welt has the power to summon animations from his homeworld...? That's weird. But it works with my theory so. Uh. Yeah.

Now again, these ARE different things for many reasons. You may even say this bit of evidence is a bit of a stretch-- But, hold on!

Acheron in Honkai Star Rail is an emanator of Nihility. Raiden Shogun, her counterpart in Genshin Impact, is the Archon of Eternity. Extremely similar at face value, but come with very different duties.

*Whether he was or wasn't doesn't really matter for the theory as the fact he chose that still says a lot about the man.

3. Mr. Reca is a Memokeeper Memokeepers canonically give up their mortal bodies to exist as memories so that they may travel the world as efficient as possible with the goal of collecting memories. I can't find confirmation on whether they also give up their memories of their once mortal existence, but whether that's canon or not it's very easy to imagine a Memokeeper could do that to themself.

This leads me to the major point of this theory: If we were to take away Welt's bonds, what would be left? A goddamn nerd. Have you seen how this guy talks about his favourite shows?

So here's the tea. We know our Welt Yang is from an entirely different dimension, meaning there's very much space for a Welt of this dimension to exist as well. I propose that the man may be who Mr. Reca used to be before becoming a Memokeeper.

Here's what I'm imagining: Welt is a very old man, so perhaps long before the events of the game there existed a man who worked passionately in filmmaking. One day for one reason or another he chose to let go off his mortal life and any possible bonds he had, and became an immortal Memokeeper-- Now without bonds, he was stripped to have only one passion: films.

Its certainly an interesting fanfic 👍👍 There's a lot of holes in the theory and in the end it doesn't really matter-- Welt and Mr. Reca would probably never figure out this connections between them and even if the did I doubt they'd care too much.

But it came to my brain and I'm making it everyone else's problem.

TLDR; What if Welt had a counterpart in this universe and that counterpart was Mr. Reca before he basically de-welted himself.

[finisnihil]

One of the reasons Everything Everywhere All At Once made multiverses work is that they understood the idea that multiverses are kinda intrinsically connected to nihilism as a concept. In a multiverse, it's either nothing matters or everything matters. The best multiverses i've seen have broached the idea with this in mind. In Everything Everywhere All At Once, the predominanting mindset of the movie is that, even in the joke universes, everything matters. Evelyn doesn't beat the characters she's fighting by extending kindness to them in only one universe, she does it in all of them. The universe we end in at the end of the movie doesn't matter because they all matter just as much as the one Evelyn started in.

I don't know enough about the Into the Spiderverse movies to commentate on that but the Honkai games can also be a good example. The whole reason why Otto doing the thing he did worked at all was because all the possibilities matter, even the one he sacrifices himself to make. If the ones with Kallen's death matter, so must the one with her survival. Acheron as a character is an Emanator of the Aeon of Nihility and it's hammered in that everything she does do has a purpose. We know what she did for Tiernan mattered because it helped save Penacony. Self-Annihilators exist to resist IX and part of doing that is rejecting the idea nothing matters because embracing it leads to you being devoured. She is aware of the concept of multiple worlds and versions of a person and acknowledges that, while she is not the same Raiden Mei HI3 players know and love, she is still a Raiden Mei and and if HI3's Raiden Mei matters, so does she.

It's all or nothing. If nothing matters, there's no reason to get invested. If everything matters, everything is something worth love and attention. A multiverse narrative cannot survive on the idea your actions don't matter when the whole idea of a multiverse is built on the premise that your actions have the power to split existence to accommodate their impact.

[oak-n]

And speaking of Sam, I like the fact he has a unique status among other Desperados. Not affiliated with them on paper, seemingly free to walk away, aside from huge debts he’s in for property damage and medical bills. He could’ve decided to keep a safe distance and stay low, not disrupting whatever plans they had in the US. There’s plenty of stuff to do around the world to earn money. And I like to think no one would actually keep him hostage physically. But as an act of self-punishment, he stuck around, conditioned to stalk his prey till the very end. And the best way to take down this behemoth would be to cut free through its guts. After taking notice of the strained relationship between Armstrong and Sundowner, he grew even more secure in this idea. Sam’s crushed ego needed a quick aid, so he reframed failure as a greater challenge. He was dead set on drawing a clear line between him and them. It’s like a journey to the underworld -  see if you can come back uncorrupted and bring trophies. He’s depressed and exhausted and conflicted, yes. But the ego is a huge fuel source here, as well as the main target for manipulation. Armstrong valued Sam as an example of a superior human, the likes of whom he imagined to rule the world. Self-made warrior loyal to his own ideology. First-grade marketing material. Hence why he wouldn’t want Sam in the same ranks as other captains, nah, he’d deliberately place them as foils. Further than that, he was going to use Sam as a cleansing blade after Desperado’s no longer needed. An elite diet of superiority complex + grind mindset. Sundowner fueled Sam’s superiority, too, but took a different direction. Aggravated him enough so that Sam remembered he’s the Death at this masquerade, not just some prize horse for the ultrarich. And Sundowner had an advantage. Unlike Armstrong, he wasn’t trying to tame death for profit, but rather give it space to dance. He’s a businessman, sure, but “play is nobler than work”. Something Armstrong couldn’t harness. Sam found himself more in tune with this scenario, even though it was less comfortable. It kept him from hollowing out completely. I realllly love how Sundowner stepped back, leaving Raiden up to Sam. Twice. Tis literally his last words?? And the fattest fuck you to Armstrong.

[radaedan]

What if I go further in my insanity and tell you that narratively speaking, Xiuhcoatl & Xbalanque being the symbolic twins of Natlan the same way like Venti & the Nameless Bard, Raiden Ei & Raiden Makoto, Nahida & Rukkhadevata, and Furina & Focalors is appealing, actually. Does it make sense? Unfortunately, I don't have enough energy to make a full-blown theory post (and believe me, I have a lot to say), so this is purely a fanficky post😭 forgive me. Someday, I'll make a full theory post, but please listen to my insane rambling for now.

Natlan is the nation of war, of glory and battle, of dragons. Yet as of 5.4, it lacks one aspect of Archonhood that's present in other nations, as I've mentioned above; twins.

I've seen people complain that the symbolic twins are "overused" and they're glad that Natlan doesn't have one. Unfortunately, they're dumb as fuck😁/j. No, but seriously, have they ever heard of tropes, themes, and parallels? The archons' twins exist for a reason. Narratively speaking, they're meant to expound the archons' ideals:

Venti's ideal is freedom, yet he's still shackled in the form of the Nameless Bard.

Raiden Ei's ideal of eternity locked down her nation and made her unable to process her trauma healthily, by doing that, she betrayed the ideal of her sister, transience, that finds beauty in the mortality of things. All happiness will not last, but so does the pain and misery.

Nahida's ideal is wisdom. Yet she was born in a child form, someone that we consider childish and immature. Yet her predecessor, Rukkhadevata, despite having an adult form and the same ideal as her, created the Akasha system, which made the Akademiya overrelied on it and worshipped knowledge over wisdom so much, that when Rukkhadevata died and was replaced by Nahida, they don't know how to cope and rejected Nahida. Letting your people cling to you so much like an immature child is unwise, in a long run.

Oh Furina and Focalors, you two. What is justice if it means the suffering of an innocent person? What is justice if it means that the sins of an entire nation are shouldered by one person alone? What is justice if the sinners are guilty of the same sin committed by the punisher? Grahh... Fontaine, you're so peak...

And I haven't mentioned the contrast in their physical appearance too:

Ei wore darker kimono and wielded naginata. Her hair is fully braided, as if she's always ready for battles. Makoto wore lighter and flowing kimono. She was always seen with an umbrella. Her braid was looser than her sister as if to show she was more relaxed and calm.

Nahida's form is a child. Rukkhadevata's an adult. 'Nuf said.

Furina is more masculine presenting, and in her ousia form, she has short hair. Focalors was more feminine presenting, and she had long hair.

(For Venti and the Nameless Bard... ehe, can you guys help me find it?😅🙏)

Can you see it? They're meant to show duality. The Traveler and their twin also meant to embody this. We ought to see the parallels between the Traveler and the Archons.

And now we have Natlan, that have no apparent symbolic twins... or is it?

We already have a theme of duality in this nation: the dragons and humans coexisting. Cooperating, even. A nation constantly wrecked by war, yet between the races that used to subjugate each other (Xiuhcoatl's tyranny and Och-Kan's. Heh, what does it feel like to be the same kind of ruler like the corrupted dragon Sovereign, Och-Kan?), they find peace and cooperation. They work together to fend the Abyss and protect their homeland. War and peace.

Wouldn't it be apt that in the nation of dragons, the symbolic twins are both dragon and human?

Also, in Popol Vuh, the hero twins myth where Xbalanque got his name from, he had a twin, Hunahpu. Hunahpu became the sun while Xbalanque became the moon. But Genshin actually has a tradition to reverse mythology figures' position. For example, Surtalogi, one of the five sinners of Khaenri'ah, is actually the name of a sword wielded by Surtr, who will bring forth the fire that engulf the earth. It's not far-fetched to think the reversal of the sun and moon is deliberate. By the way, you know who's being related to the moon and at the same time is contrasted with Xbalanque?

"...Sharer of light, heat, and wisdom, the dragon king awaits the coming visitor in silence beneath returning moonlight. His reawakening is not simply for..."

- Natlan: Fiery Dragon.

And here's Xbalanque’s:

"...Bathed by a hidden sun, Xbalanque's forces advance with unstoppable momentum. He brings all-out war to the world once more, but his goals don't stop there..."

- Natlan: Divine Army

Don't you seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the parallel???????????

Back to the myth again, the hero twins had the theme of resurrection too.

Embarrassed by their defeat, the Xibalbans still sought to destroy the twins. They had a great oven constructed and once again summoned the boys, intending to trick them into the oven and to their deaths. The twins realized that the Lords intended this ruse to be the end of them, yet, despite this, allowed themselves to be burned to death in the oven and the ashes of their bones ground into dust. The Xibalbans were elated at the apparent demise of the twins and cast their ashes into a river. This was, however, a part of the plan devised by the boys, for, once in the river, the ashes regenerated into bodies - at first those of a pair of catfish, which transformed in turn into those of a pair of young boys... ...Unrecognized, the boys were allowed to remain among the Xibalbans... They performed a number of miracles, setting fire to homes and then bringing them back whole from the ashes, sacrificing one another and rising from the dead.

- Wikipedia, Maya Hero Twins.

Hmmm??? Burned to death??? Sacrificing each other and then rising from the dead???

Then the pièce de résistance for my theory from this myth:

When the Lords of Xibalba heard the tale, they summoned the pair to their court to entertain them, demanding to see such miracles for themselves. The boys answered the summons and volunteered to entertain the Lords at no cost. Their identities remained secret for the moment, claiming to be orphans and vagabonds, and the Lords were none the wiser.

In a climactic performance, Xbalanque cut Hunahpu apart and offered him as a sacrifice, only to have the older brother rise once again from the dead.

And also before that, in a ball game that resulted in the Xibalba's embarrassing defeat:

The Lords of Xibalba were dismayed at the twins' success until the twins were placed in Bat House. Though they hid inside their blowguns from the deadly bats, Hunahpu peeked out to see if daylight had come and was decapitated by a killer bat. Xbalanque summoned the beasts of the field and asked them to bring him their food. The coatimundi brought a squash, which Xbalanque placed on Hunahpu's body. Xbalanque then asked the rabbit to distract the Xibalbans when the ball landed outside the court. The new game began, and Hunahpu's head was used as the ball. When Hunahpu's head went off the court, however, the Xibalbans mistook the bouncing of the rabbit for the ball and chased after it. Xbalanque then retrieved his brother's head and replaced the ball with the squash. The game continued until the squash burst, resulting in an embarrassing defeat for the Xibalbans.

(Btw, the bat that decapitated Hunahpu was Camazotz, the bat-spirit who serviced the Xibalba. It seems it's the inspiration for Ororon's bat motif.) It seems that while both of the twins were dead and resurrected, Hunahpu's deaths are the most prominent ones. You know someone whose death and defeat are disputed?

A Somewhat Strange "Person": After the Pyro Dragon's [Xiuhcoatl] faked death, all that the descendants of the ancients knew was to kowtow before the throne, watching our civilization deteriorate by the day, marching inexorably towards decline.

"But Radaedan, Xiuhcoatl's faked death happened before Xbalanque defeated him!" Yeah, but Hunahpu didn't die and ressurected only once, did he?

Regarding the head, I think it can be a metaphor for Xiuhcoatl's Pyro Authority. Xbalanque used his Pyro Authority(head) in an endless game against the Abyss. Also, while it wasn't quite a head, Xiuhcoatl used his eyes as:

So hear me out; just like the myth, Xbalanque killed Xiuhcoatl, used his Authority to become the Pyro Archon, and passed it down throughout his descendants, tricking the world that the Flame Tyrant is dead for once and for all.

But it's all part of the twins' ruse.

Btw, I want to remind you the nature of the ball game itself. The Mesoamerican ballgame had important ritual aspects, and major formal ballgames were held as ritual events. Late in the history of the game, some cultures occasionally seem to have combined competitions with religious human sacrifice.

Natlan’s teaser probably referenced it!

The thing is, in the majority of the ritualized games, the losers were the ones sacrificed, there were also instances where it was the winners who were sacrificed.

...The more likely scenario is that ritual sacrifice was only performed after certain games specified for that rite. The most common scenario was the final play in the war ceremony—that after a city won a battle, rather than simply killing the vanquished leaders, they equipped them with sports gear and “played” the ball game against the conquered soldiers. The winners of the war also won the ball game, after which the losers were then sacrificed, either by decapitation or removal of the heart.

...Another different theory is that it was not the losers of the ball game, but the winners who were sacrificed—the winners who were sacrificed—that teams volunteered to play in the ceremony and that if you won, you would be sacrificed to the gods. The incentive was the great honor that was placed upon the individual and their families—typically leading to advancement in society. The losers, on the other hand, were demoted to a life or impoverished slavery.

-National Geographic: "Death Ball" by Andrew Evans.

You know, this reminds me of Dainsleif’s words about Natlan in the Travail trailer:

The rules of war are woven in the womb: the victors shall burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash.

So, who's going to be sacrificed in Natlan’s ball game? The winner or the loser?

If Xbalanque and Xiuhcoatl are twins, it doesn't matter who won or who lost; they can fill both positions. They already are; Xbalanque was the hero beloved by all, while Xiuhcoatl was the villain accursed by history. Xbalanque was the victor that burn bright, while Xiuhcoatl was the loser that turned into ash. Whether the game demands the winner or the loser, they still will win either way.

Maybe it's also why in the description of our ancient name, Xbalanque is said:

Fathom the words of Xbalanque, perceive his thousand-year-old lie. The utmost wisdom births the utmost paranoia, and as he held time and death in his hands, he doomed Natlan to an endgame without any solution.

Btw, I have a theory that Natlan's 5 acts are merely a trap for the Traveler to lose their "Descender" status. That's why the teaser is like that; they're inviting us to play their game. Initially, as an outsider, we can't join the Pilgrimage of the Sacred Flame. But now, with our ancient name, our existence is recorded in Natlan.

This is a trap.

Natlan isn't over. It's a part of a long, long, long game.

Played by these two.

Okay I gotta be honest I made this theory fanfiction bcs I'M CRAZY. PLEASE, SOMEONE, ANYONE, GIVE ME XIUHCOATL CONTENT. I MISS MY KING. I PRAY FOR THE GLORIOUS RETURN OF MY MIGHTY SOVEREIGN. OH LORD, I BELIEVE IN YOUR RETURN-

[tiptapricot]

Short, minimally edited thing from the Kombat Klub server spawned from a discussion around how the new Raiden and Liu Kang dynamic would even function with so much weight behind who Raiden used to be to Liu. Had many thoughts. Enjoy this tidbit!

———

“You don’t talk much about the me from previous timelines…” Raiden broaches, careful to tread lightly with his phrasing. “What was he like?”

Lord Liu Kang’s movements slow from across the table, his brow tightening for a moment that is… uncharacteristic to how Raiden has seen him before. He takes another sip of tea, allowing the space between them to breathe.

“He was… my mentor, in many ways,” Liu Kang finally says. “A great, flawed man with… too much on his shoulders.” He smiles briefly. “He also raised me, with the shaolin and the white lotus. A father in many ways and an… unreachable example in others. It is hard to live up to the whims of a god when you are mortal, especially one so… deeply conflicted about his own work as he was, but…”

His thumb runs along the side of his cup in thought, and Raiden is struck by how vulnerable it feels. How human.

“…He is the reason I hold many of the values I do today,” Liu Kang says after a moment. “He is the reason I am here. And I will always be grateful for that purpose, and that trust.”

The space between them seems to widen, and yet, it is fuller. With things left unsaid. Things left hanging.

“…ah,” Raiden says, finally, much more awkwardly than he intended. He clears his throat. “My apologies I… did not mean to disrespect. I appreciate you sharing. It is just… so strange to hear you speak of such a man. Or to believe I used to be him.”

Liu Kang smiles again, his expression carrying a soft levity. “Not at all, please. I owe some openness, do I not? And besides, you…” His face falters, some depth cresting beneath his eyes hidden as he turns to face the grounds outside their meeting spot. “You are not… the same. As he was.”

That captures Raiden’s attention.

“How do you mean?”

Liu Kang frowns. “Time is woven with many human souls. Each is unique, carrying its own destiny, history, and self. Gods are not… the same. They are not easy to create, and even harder to copy.”

He turns back to Raiden, that smile gracing his face again, but smaller. “I could not make him like he was. Even when I tried to, it did not work. He was too eager to rest, perhaps, or maybe the fact that I brought his…” He pauses. “His, ahem… his purpose forward, changed the arc of that destiny. Either way, you were… a challenge.”

Raiden raises a brow. He is not sure that is a good thing.

“When I shaped your life,” Liu Kang continues, eyes dropping to his cup as he swirls the liquid gently, “it was… new.” His voice brightens, and Raiden realizes he is excited about such a prospect.

Liu Kang’s gaze flicks back up to him. “You were someone new.”

[admiral-mason]

I have idea again

So I was browsing Helldivers 2 (for whatever reason) and then I saw this dude, the Automaton Trooper:

So I thought 'put him in SAGAU' (as usual of me) after thinking of this cyberpunk SAGAU post courtesy of @thegnomelord

But then I also remembered that Sandrone, a woman and Fatui Harbinger highly focused on machines, exists as well

So then I thought 'have them meet up lmfao' which is exactly what this post is for

And without further rambling, enjoy!

Reader is gender neutral (but highly implied to be male in their mannerisms)

Warning: Not totally based on Helldivers 2's lore: some aspects of Automatons may be changed, modified, or even made up here; bleeding (though not human); mentions of violence; Sandrone only shows up in the second half of the story lmfao; my interpretation of Sandrone; definitely ooc (out of character) in some parts

(Banner below is by me; if anyone wants to use it in any way, shape or form, just go ahead)

Ever since Teyvat's beginning, no one, not even the oldest of gods, knows what you, the Creator and the Divine Grace, look like.

As such, throughout history, humanity conceived several interpretations of your appearance, with some building on each other and others opting for their own path.

Most interpretations have been lost to time, but thankfully some archaeology allowed people of the current day to compare and contrast their interpretations with those of the past.

For example, Decarabian interpreted you as not bearing a human body, but rather presented yourself through a golden tornado capable of simultaneously creating and destroying within your walls of wind.

Ever since his death, Barbatos has conceived your appearance not as a tornado, but as a benevolent, gentle gale soothing the land and bringing dandelion seeds to new areas to take root and flourish. He believes that without your help, Mondstadt would never have been as free as it is today.

The people of Mondstadt regard you as a holy figure and many bring you daily offerings. However, even if someone didn't, that's okay; everyone believes you love everyone regardless of their offerings or belief in you. Thus, even with the Church of Mondstadt, the nation of wind and freedom is the least fanatical nation of the seven.

In Liyue, most interpretations regard you as a tall, indomitable humanoid giant, larger than even the geo dragon Azhdaha. Morax himself believed that the towering frame helped you protect Teyvat from other malicious entities seeking to destroy it, and when your form finally died after enough protection you gave birth to the other gods and seeded the earth with resources fit for humanity's development. The people in Liyue Harbor prove their worth to you not through offerings (though they are definitely welcome to), but rather their labor.

Those living in the Land of Eternity believed you to have manifested yourself as a pair of conjoined Sakura trees. Regardless of the weather conditions, changing landscape, or even the sands of time sifting away, you never once shed a leaf. No one truly understands why you were two trees conjoined into one, but many believe they represented the two sides of an infinity symbol. However, the Raiden Shogun knows that deep in her heart, it symbolizes her and her sister. When she grieves for her other half, she thinks of you to console herself.

Sumeru went further: they believed you didn't bear a form altogether; instead, you were the rainforest entirely, believed to have nursed Greater Lord Rukkhadevata in her early years. This reason alone incentivizes many in the nation of wisdom to take great care to preserve your natural wealth for generations. It is, unfortunately, for this same reason that the Akademiya believe that the deserts are lands you severed from yourself and are thus negligible to them. However, desert-dwelling individuals such as the Eremites and those living in Aaru Village think otherwise, as they surely would not have thrived without your help.

And the interpretations continue: Fontaine believes you to be a large, whale-like creature gently swimming through the waters. Natlan believed you to be a dragon capable of defeating even the mightiest of gods in one fell bite. Snezhnaya believed you to be the blizzards and snowstorms that kept out invaders during its early years.

Even Khaenri'ah, the godless nation, respected you even if they didn't worship you. They believed that being the god of Teyvat may have been tiring, and they would allow you to retreat to their safe space should godly duties tire you.

However, no matter the interpretation, there were common attributes to all of them:

You had some form of special blood; commonly this was said to be golden ichor, but some also depicted it akin to a miniature night sky bleeding from you every time you were injured.

You were the definition of benevolent and caring: your personality was attributed to being graceful and gentle, with a voice that would honey even the most malicious entities in Teyvat.

You had an alternate form you would utilize to better communicate with mortals, that being a magnificent mortal body with skin and contours softer than the cumulous clouds that dotted the sky in fair weather. It's believed that should you ever descend to Teyvat, it would be in this form.

A single glance into your eyes allows anyone to recognize you as the Creator.

Thus, when scientists from all over the land gathered together and procured a machine capable of bringing you to Teyvat, the news filled everyone with ecstatic glee. It was believed that they could get you to manually descend at midnight when energy relating to you peaked with the beginning of a new day. Allogenes everywhere headed to the temple sitting in the middle of the continent, seeking to get a glimpse of your elegant form...

...They didn't realize that you would subvert all of their expectations.

One moment, you were sitting down playing your favorite open-world role-playing game known as "Genshin Impact" thanks to your augmented processing nexus.

The next moment, you suddenly received repeated errors saying "Welcome back Your Grace! We missed you!" and then your systems suddenly and completely shut down after the seventh error.

So right now, you're just locked on a blue screen of death with a loading bar showing you the progression of the system reboots your body needed to function normally again.

Although you did get warnings saying that there may be malicious code to automatons due to it being owned by humans currently living on Super Earth, no human-conceived error could ever "miss" you...

Also "Your Grace?" Does this somehow tie into those obscure "SAGAU" fanfictions you've also managed to read?

But maybe you'll save those thoughts for later, since the reboot's almost finished.

PROGRESS: 83% RE-PROGRAMMING COMBAT_CYCLE.MK4...

PROGRESS: 89% RE-OPTIMIZING GUN SIGHTS...

PROGRESS: 95% CONNECTING TO VISUAL AND AUDITORY MODULES...

PROGRESS: 98% FINALIZING REBOOT...

PROGRESS: 100% REBOOT COMPLETE

WELCOME BACK AUTOMATON #117 GLORY TO CYBERSTAN

Now, you could see and hear again. And the first things you noticed was that you were placed in a lying-down position and that you were likely on an elevated pedestal or platform of sorts.

The roof wasn't anything you've seen at all; a mural of a sun, moon, and other various strange objects you've never seen splayed over what you scanned out to be rock.

And then you heard human voices. Not the voices of your fellow automaton troopers, but humans. The same kind your kin are enemies with.

Panicked, you quickly lay up and aimed your blaster at them, with the strange humans putting up their arms in response.

...Wait, these aren't Helldivers. Or even any Super Earth civilian, for that matter.

You took a glance at their outfits and then it hit you: these are the same characters that you met and played as in Genshin Impact.

You looked at the ones in front of you before lowering your blaster.

"...AH, THE ARCHONS OF MONDSTADT, LIYUE, INAZUMA, SUMERU, FONTAINE, AND NATLAN. WHAT ARE YOU SIX DOING HERE? WHERE AM I?"

Your jarring, mechanical voice stole the wind from everyone in the room. The six stared at you, with them contemplating how they should approach this. "Um, we have expected your return for a while, Your Grace..." Zhongli said, before trailing off awkwardly.

However, that statement was all you needed for your CPU to process that you were likely in a SAGAU situation.

"I SEE. TELL ME, MORAX. WHAT COMMON ATTRIBUTES DO I HAVE THAT SIGNIFY ME AS THE CREATOR?"

Everyone collectively gasped at the bombshell you so nonchalantly dropped, but Zhongli continued. "You... bleed a special kind of blood."

"THEN LET ME SEE FOR MYSELF. DOES ANYONE HAVE A BLADE I MAY USE?"

Although everyone hesitated a little with your seemingly random request, a green-haired girl with glasses who you recognized as Sucrose AKA the Harmless Sweetie handed you a small dagger. You took it with your left hand and stabbed your right arm, evincing another gasp from the crowd.

You specifically stabbed a part where you had a fuel cord. You were an older hybrid model, utilizing both oil and a battery. As expected, the blackish liquid dripped out of the cut... but then as it splayed onto the floor, small particles of glitter and swirls of purple and blue spontaneously formed in the drops.

Curious, you placed the dagger down on the pedestal you laid on and got off, swirling the abnormal oil you apparently contained to form a puddle. In this puddle some particles of glitter combined into bigger chunks and glowed brighter than before, resembling miniature stars in a small chunk of the universe.

"INTERESTING... DOES THIS PROVE THAT I AM THE CREATOR?"

"...I guess so," Venti said with a relatively lax tone, and Nahida nodded along. You stood back up and stared at the six.

"THEN SHOW ME THE WORLD YOU INHERITED IN MY ABSENCE."

It's been three days and within the span of them, you have visited all six nations.

And also scared the fuck out of every single local you've witnessed.

You can't blame them though; compared to their human forms, your steel frame looked highly skeletal. The sharp, defining edges of your physique alongside your bloodshot-red eyes and skull-like face scared children and their parents alike. Your blaster didn't help either.

Mondstadt was peaceful. Although your appearance scared some, they were reassured after local animals and pets went up to you and you gently gave them headpats even if a little awkward (you were a combat robot after all)

This didn't stop you from feeling out of touch though; being a machine, you aren't really capable of eating anything which saddened a few, and your alien nature made it difficult for you to do anything without an air of awkwardness.

The vision wielders were a fun cast though. Amber wanted to see how acrobatic your metal body was compared to hers, and you demonstrated by sprinting across Mondstadt while performing abnormal jumps that would normally damage a human's legs upon landing.

Albedo and Sucrose wanted to experiment on you, but you politely declined to have your insides taken out by alchemists who may not necessarily understand machines all too well.

Lisa called you her cutie and wanted you to work for her. You politely declined but said that you'd consider her offer. You helped Jean with some of her work after you processed the (relatively) simple nature of it.

Oh and Klee wondered if you had explosives on you. You told her that you didn't, but other machines in your world did.

"YOU SEE, CHILD, THERE IS A TYPE OF MACHINE I SERVE ALONGSIDE KNOWN AS A DEVASTATOR."

"Does it have explosives?!" She asked with a smile so radiant it would turn Cyberstan into a melty ocean with how warm it was.

"SOME DEVASTATORS MOUNT HIGH-EXPLOSIVE ROCKET LAUNCHERS ON THEIR SHOULDERS AND FIRE THEIR ORDNANCE IN FOUR-ROUND SALVOS."

"I wanna see one!!!" And then Jean came by.

"KLEE NO-" -Jean after hearing the shit you've been feeding to the explosive child

Moving onto Liyue, the nation was busy in terms of labor. Their focus on business reminded you of the Automaton fabricators in terms of orderliness, except at least these people had lives greater than most of your comrades, which was to shoot at anything Super Earth-related and die while trying.

Likewise in Mondstadt, you scared the locals and then the local animals decided to approach you and now everyone's happy. Unfortunately, you still felt out of touch. Your incapability of eating anything especially disappointed Xiangling, a renowned chef. However, you did get along with Xinyan, who you could relate to in how you didn't exactly fit in.

Your favorite person was Beidou, though. When you saw her at the docks, she challenged you to arm-wrestling. She managed to win against you, though that wasn't exactly surprising considering her definite muscular nature that radiated dominance. You vowed to win against her someday before the two of you laughed and shook hands.

Inazuma was jarring. To you, it felt like nature overtook the human landscape a little bit more than Liyue, only further exemplifying your detachment from nature. However, Ei was rather elegant in introducing you to her nation alongside Kujou Sara which relaxed you a little.

You also found Arataki Itto and how Kuki Shinobu needed to keep him in check funny.

And just when you thought Inazuma was strange to you, Sumeru was worse. You are an automaton trooper and Sumeru is effectively a rainforest. You two (unfortunately, because Sumeru looked so cool when you played Genshin Impact as a game) did not mix well.

You still hung out with the vision wielders though. The Akademiya wanted to study you, with Faruzan especially marveling at your more rugged design compared to the more intricate Sumeru machines.

The Aranara were goofy little creatures who you hung out with as well as Nahida, understanding and empathizing with your struggles with humans.

When she slipped out the fact that Azar, the Grand Sage of the Akademiya, had her imprisoned for 500 years, you were incredibly pissed. Nahida had to calm you down to stop you from going on a rampage against Azar

Fontaine was slightly better with the fact that it had more technology interwoven with its society. You were especially curious at the Meks, remaking how they looked like you but with a fancier undertone to them. Then again, though, you were no law enforcement unit; you were a war machine through and through.

Furina didn't really care about your mechanical status though, she immediately dragged you to watch a show with her at the Opera Epiclese. It was definitely a one-of-a-kind experience, considering that it was the first time you truly got a sight of things beyond the game world of Genshin.

Meanwhile, Navia's personality caught you off-guard, cheerfully and cluelessly saying that she doesn't care that you looked like a "strange, brutish character" wow Navia very nice descriptors. During a stroll, you also met Clorinde, Wriothesley, and Neuvillette with her at the same time, and the discussions were pleasant (if not a little bit confusing for you to understand considering that they were discussing things not mentioned in Genshin, mostly law-related).

And then Natlan was interesting, for ironically enough despite their title being the "nation of war" they seemed to have a lot of fun pastimes to do as well (why does Chasca ride on a huge revolver though). Their methods of war actually made you jealous; they had the Ode of Resurrection to possibly revive fallen heroes, while your kind lacked such luxury.

Actually when you talked to Kachina you disturbed her.

"Um, if I may ask, how do you fight in your world, Your Grace?" Kachina asked curiously and cautiously.

"ME AND MY COMRADES SPRAY A CRAP TON OF LASERS AGAINST OUR ENEMIES AND PRAY TO GOD THE F#####S WON'T KILL US WITH AN ORBITAL STRIKE."

(You had your censor module on, don't wanna scar little Kachina after all).

"That sounds unwise though..." she said, her ears drooping a little and voice deadpanning a bit.

"I AM LITERALLY A DISPOSABLE FOOT SOLDIER IN MY WORLD. CAPABLE OF BEING REPLACED IN SECONDS SHOULD I FALL IN COMBAT."

For a moment, Kachina stopped working before she stared at you as if you were mad. Then, she barreled into your legs and tightly clung onto you while looking up at you with a pleading expression.

"Your Grace you're not disposable! Not to us at least!!"

You hesitated for a response; when you weren't playing Genshin Impact you were constantly following orders and shooting at Helldivers. It's a miracle you never sustained injuries that tore off any vital systems, especially considering that you're still an older model. Having someone care for you was jarring considering your easily disposable nature.

"...THANK YOU."

You still have one nation to visit now: Snezhnaya.

Judging by how every other nation responds to them, they have a relatively negative reputation considering how they utilize their diplomatic and militaristic force, the Fatui, to meet their demands via force.

That didn't concern you at all, for you have basically witnessed worse in your life *cough cough* Orbital strikes *cough cough* Eagle bombers *cough cough cough* and as such this should be no matter.

What intrigued you, however, was that there was a letter personally addressed to you by one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. Specifically, the Seventh harbinger Sandrone, the one with an affinity and skill towards machines. She also lacked any in-game mentions.

Your Grace,

According to Fatui soldiers, apparently, you are not as the sayings and scriptures have described you, but rather instead you are a mechanical being like Fontaine's Meks and Khaenri'ah's Ruin machines.

If I may so kindly request of you, would you perhaps visit me in Snezhnaya? I want to see you in person. Apparently, you look nothing like the machines I described above, which intrigues me even more.

I want to see what truly makes you tick, I want to examine how you process your surroundings, and I want to see what weapons, if any, you carry to battle.

I will try to say no more for I do not wish to wear you down with a lot of reading. And don't worry- although I may not be patient with my own subordinates, I understand that you may have other godly duties you need to tend to.

Ah, that last paragraph was another tangent, wasn't it? I'll make this quick. If you find a Fatui, show them this letter and they'll work out the rest. Alright, I'll stop here. I'll wait for you, okay?

~ Sandrone

That's how you found yourself trekking alone through the cold forests of Snezhnaya, reminding you vaguely of a forested version of Cyberstan. You specifically asked for no one to accompany you, for Sandrone likely won't take too kindly to others.

Your marches are slow and methodical, and you vocalize a familiar chant to pass the time:

"HEART. STEEL." "WE. KILL." "BACK. UP." "UN-TO DAWN!"

Normally, you would be striding with an entire battalion of troopers, mixed in with melee brawlers and berserkers as well as Commissars and Devastators with Hulks sometimes acting as imposing heavy mechs. However, you were alone, with no one to kill and all the time in the world with your thoughts.

"HEART. STEEL." "WE. KILL." "BACK. UP." "UN-TO DAWN!"

The animals, which appeared to be mystified moose and deer followed your chanting and marching form, almost synchronizing themselves with your movements in a manner you found amusing (in a good way though).

"CYBER-STAN!" "CAN'T KEEP HER DOWN!" "LE-GION GO!" "UN-TO DAWN!"

Despite the lack of your automaton comrades, you were content with the local wildlife marching alongside you instead.

"CYBER-STAN!" "CAN'T KEEP HER DOWN!" "LE-GION GO!" "UN-TO DAWN!"

Your marching and chanting went on for quite a while until you saw two pyroslinger Fatui agents with rifles seemingly on patrol and the animals dispersed back into the thickets of trees. Upon seeing you, the first one aimed his rifle but the second stopped him.

"Don't shoot him, idiot! That's Their Grace!"

The first pyroslinger looked back at you, and after looking into your eyes he immediately recognized you as the Creator of Teyvat.

"Oh my god- I am so sorry Your Grace please forgive me!" He said, but you merely laughed in response.

"NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE. I KNOW I LOOK RATHER STRANGE, HUMANS, BUT I GUESS I'M SPECIAL!"

"..."

The three of you chuckled at that statement before you showed them the letter Sandrone sent to you.

The first pyroslinger scrutinized the letter. "Ooh... the Marionette wants to meet with you personally? It's not every day that someone gets that honor."

"DOES SHE PERHAPS A REPUTATION AMONG THE FATUI?"

The second pyroslinger nodded. "She normally just spends all of her time in Zapolyarny Palace's workshop or one of her other private workshops in Snezhnaya..."

"But judging by this tone, she seems to like you already judging by your mechanical form. You'll be fine, Your Grace."

"Alright now that that's over with can we appreciate your gun??" The first pyroslinger quipped. "It looks so freaking cool!!!"

"AH. IT SEEMS YOU ARE INTRIGED BY MY BLASTER. I WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT AS WE PROCEED ONWARDS."

And so you did; you told them how your gun worked, the type of projectiles it fired, how it simply charged up for you to use again without the need for reloading, etc.

Eventually, you three reached a massive palace with the appearance that ice comprised every facet of its construction.

"Welcome to Zapolyarny Palace, Your Grace," the two pyroslingers said before they talked with the guards and let you through the gates. The two riflemen opened two double doors leading to the palace's interior. Inside was a spacious lobby with various hallways and staircases.

"You think the Marionette's in her workshop again?"

"Most likely."

After a bit more walking through the rather large palace from what you can deduce (for all you know it might be even more spacious than a Factory Strider), the three of you ended your little journey at a large, mechanical door that broke up the icy blue aesthetic.

They pressed a doorbell on the right side of the door and a few moments later, the door opened a large, butler-like machine of sorts with a relatively quaint little woman on its right hand emerged.

"What do you two want-" she began before noticing you and her expression grew intrigued. "...Is this Their Grace that I've been hearing so much about?"

"Yes, Marionette. You wished to see them?"

Her expression grew a little apprehensive as she examined you before her expression brightened.

"...How delightful it is to meet you in person, Your Grace." She turned her head to the two that accompanied you and her expression turned stern again. "Now shoo, we have no need for you here anymore."

The two simply bowed a little and walked off. "GOODBYE!" You said and waved at them, your action reciprocated before the pyroslingers turned left and moved out of sight.

Turning back to face Sandrone, her smile widened. "I never expected you to be a machine, Your Grace, but this truly surprises and intrigues me. I'm the Marionette, Seventh of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, but you may refer to me as Sandrone, as I wrote in my letter."

You nodded and she clasped her hands. "Head on in Your Grace, I can't wait to examine you..."

The transition from ice to metal was jarring, to say the least. Various machines, their parts, and countless bits of metal surrounded the two of you, yet enough room remained for you and Sandrone's large robot to sufficiently navigate.

"You look so different from Khaenri'ah's ruin machines, Fontainian Mekas, or even any machine I've examined in my lifetime. I can't even connect you to any Snezhnayan automatons."

She said, as she hopped off her robot and took a close-up look at you.

"You look truly skeletal," Sandrone said before gasping a little. "N-Not as an insult of course! It's just that I'm positively intrigued that you appear capable of accomplishing so much with so little."

She kneeled down to examine your blaster. "And this gun looks nothing like any musket or rifle I know of. It looks more... brutish. Like it exists to truly get a job done."

"WOULD YOU LIKE A DEMONSTRATION?" You asked, eager to be able to shoot at something even if it's only for a test.

"You're willing to give one?" Sandrone asked and you nodded. "Oh, then follow me! I have a small target range for automatons with ranged attacks."

She hopped back on her giant robot and you followed its movements to a relatively large room with five targets.

Positioning to face the target behind the barrier, you aimed at the middle target before firing five shots without missing. However, you didn't reload, which Sandrone was confused at for a moment before you fired another five-round burst after around four seconds.

"THIS BLASTER IS POWERED BY LASERS. IT REQUIRES NO RELOADING, MERELY REQUIRING FOUR SECONDS TO ALLOW IT TO COOL DOWN."

Sandrone looked at your blaster again, smiling as you fired one last burst. "Fascinating. It reminds me of the rifles those pyroslingers utilize."

"THEN YOU MAY BE DISAPPOINTED TO KNOW THAT IT IS NOT THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON I KNOW OF."

You further piqued Sandrone's interest, and she inquired you about other technology you've seen.

And so you gave. You told her how you are merely a foot soldier in the legions of Automatons that robotic factories churned out by the minute. How machines such as Devastators and Hulks may rival the machines found in Teyvat. And how many of you can be dropped in via rocket-powered airships if specialized Commissars called for reinforcements.

Sandrone listened intently- another oddity you found rather pleasant as a mere grunt. She didn't treat you as fodder, or bark orders at you, no. She listened with undivided attention, asking questions about you and your nature. Even if you couldn't answer a question on you being the apparent creator of Teyvat.

And then when she asked about your origins, you hesitated for a moment. You spared it from everyone else since you'd rather not trouble them with it, but here she was curious about you.

"ARE YOU SURE, SANDRONE? YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE INFORMATION I WILL REVEAL."

Sandrone then politely mentioned that you don't have to do so if you don't want to, but you relented.

You began with how the Cyborgs came to be when they endured the harsh conditions of the icy world later to be known as Cyberstan by setting up colonies, mines, and factories for a government known as Super Earth.

How they slowly tore away their human parts with mechanical ones.

How they aggressively broke off from Super Earth and weaponized themselves rapidly.

How they were enslaved when defeated and turned into forced laborers.

How they built you as one of many in the first batch of 1,000 automatons.

And how they planned their revenge in the shadows, waiting to destroy Super Earth for all they endured.

"I AM NO CREATOR IN MY ORIGINAL WORLD. I AM MERELY A COG IN A WAR MACHINE INTENDED TO DESTROY. SHOULD I FALL, ANOTHER WILL REPLACE ME."

Sandrone merely looked at you with a concerned expression, before nodding. You could tell she felt a little sorry for you though.

"BUT THAT'S ENOUGH ABOUT ME. MAY I INQUIRE ABOUT ANYTHING THAT DESCRIBES YOU?"

According to her, Sandrone is a machine addict (easy to tell honestly), a loner (which you typically are when not going to war), but most interestingly a marionettist.

"When I'm not usually working on my machines or attending any Harbinger meetings or whatnot, I like to manipulate the marionettes I own." She said, smiling and leading you over to a closet.

As she slowly and gently opened the doors, they creaked heartily and revealed five shelves of intricately designed marionettes.

Although you know what marionettes are (the Automaton database is remarkably up-to-date despite your barren design), you only ever saw them through images or videos via archival searches. Yet you could consider the marionettes Sandrone owned to boast some of the finest craftsmanship you've ever seen from a human.

You counted around fifteen of them, with three on each shelf except for the first one as it had two models of a Khaenri'ahn Ruin Guard and Ruin Drake (they looked really large). The second shelf contained humanoid Fontainian meka, the third contained two deer and a wolf, the fourth three mermaids with tails each a differing shade of blue, and the last held three ballerinas with long ponytails in meticulously jeweled tutus and bodice.

"YOU MUST HAVE TAKEN A GREAT DEAL OF TIME CRAFTING THEM." You asked, and her expression brightened.

"I make sure to make no mistakes in crafting them. I've been interested in them ever since I was a little girl, but never really had the time to truly get hands-on with them until now..."

Then, you noticed that her mind appeared to wander off somewhere, and then she asked you this:

"Do you want to see me perhaps, puppeteer one of them for you?"

You tilted your head and she continued. "...I've always wanted to put on a show for someone, but everyone here clearly has their own things to do."

She then looked right into your eyes. "But you seem curious, so..."

You simply nodded your head in response and her smile was radiant. She simply clasped her hands and muttered a quiet 'thank you' before she lowered herself to pick up one of the ballerinas.

You stood back and watched Sandrone take the marionette's controller with her right hand. She moved its arms, made it walk around a little, all those small actions.

And then she made it dance.

First was a simple slow dance. She intricately moved the marionette's body to spin at a steady pace, subtly altering its movements to appear more graceful.

Then, she gradually increased the spinning, until it turned into a pirouette. Despite the marionette's dynamic motions, you noticed that Sandrone never once shifted her position clearly showing off her fluency at puppeteering.

And then the ballerina slipped.

As Sandrone had it fall to the floor, the marionette's tutu splayed alongside her legs, she positioned its arms in front of its head, before puppeteering it to make a motion akin to crying. This lasted for a while, until she had it place her arms back down and turned its head towards you.

The marionette got back up and slowly walked towards you in its high-heeled shoes. It gently looked up at your towering form, before lowering its head in almost what appeared to be shame.

With curiosity taking over, you decided to kneel down and touch the ballerina's head with one of your two large fingers, while rubbing it back and forth as if to say 'it's okay.'

You stopped after a few seconds, and then the ballerina looked up and clasped your finger in its arms... before pressing its carved and painted lips to it in what you could deduce was a kissing motion.

You stared up at Sandrone, who merely stared back with a cheeky smile. Clearly, she was enjoying this and you had no intention of breaking the immersion.

So you let the ballerina continue holding your finger close to it until it let go and began dancing once again.

A/N: Should I continue to build off this idea? Let me know in the comments below! I sound like a fucking youtuber lmfao

A/N 2: Seriously don't be shy. I read all of them even if I may not reply myself!

A/N 3: I made a part 2 to this post!

[yourheart-inmyhands]

No need to apologize! I love your works and can't wait for you to continue. Take as much time as you want though. If you see this and are feeling up to it, could I request a Yandere Furina and EI reacting to somebody flirting with their darling? No pressure!

so i technically did this ask already, found here, but i figured i'd answer it again and give it a little redo :D i kept it pretty much the same, i guess you could just see this as an extended version of the previous one :3c

Warning: this post contains yandere-themes, including violence, mentions of murder, mentions of throwing and breaking furniture, mentions of self-inflicted hair pulling, and other potential topics. Please read at your own risk!

Yandere!Raiden is a lot of things, but a fool is not one. She will not stand around and allow some petty street scum lay hands, eyes, or even words on her beloved. If you act fast enough, you can prevent her from making a very bloodied example of the man before her, if not, i suggest you throw out the clothes you wear, blood stains can be awful to get out.

It had happened in the blink of an eye, or rather, as fast as a flash of lightning. You had been out shopping with Raiden, having requested she take you out to pick up some things you’d placed an order for from a different Nation. Well, it had arrived earlier that week and now that she was free, she had taken you out as requested, you weren’t permitted to go out by yourself. And this was one such reason, some man who worked for the store you ordered from, leaning over the counter making expressions and speaking words far too sweet to just be friendly. Raiden doesn’t take kindly to this. Who does this man think he is? Brazenly flirting with the one individual who his very God has claimed as her own. How foolish. In an instant, with the loud crackle of lightning rupturing eardrums of all those nearby, the man slumps forward onto the counter. “Let’s go home, I’m sure you’re tired.” Raiden makes it a point to address it as if you had caused the problem, something she’ll discuss with you later, but for now she escorts you off as concerned citizens stand frozen in fear.

Yandere!Furina is boiling over with rage, her fists balled tightly at her sides as her nose twitches. She’s fuming, internally set alight as she wants to punch this loser in the face. She’s an Archon though, she can’t do that. Instead she escorts you off, waiting till the two of you get home before unleashing all her frustrations.

She doesn’t blame you, she couldn’t. Someone who shone as brightly as you did was bound to attract many a moth. It's a shame that she enjoyed city walks with you, she hated the way people stared at you. Even as she screams, hands burrowed into her hair as she pulls harshly on the roots, fighting internally against her own anger. She wished she could’ve struck him down where he stood, but she couldn’t. Instead she picks up the nearby lamp and chucks it across the room, imagining it was his head that had just shattered and not the ceramic. Many more pieces of furniture and decorative items fall victim to her rage before she settles enough to be near you, holding your head close to her chest as she whispers about how beautiful you are, hands gently petting the top of your head. Furine certainly had a few screws loose when it came to you, but she always treated you fairly. It wasn’t your fault, you’re ok, it’s ok.

[seokizaten]

Ink and His Visage [Kamisato Ayato] —⋆｡°✩

Chapter 2 — [previous] [next]

Series Introduction: Inazuma shines eternal, does that include the ordinary villager’s years of push and pull with the Yashiro commissioner?

Author’s Note: Thanks for taking an interest with my work! This is my first ever post in this platform and I’d like to spread my special appreciation with the man mentioned. I also am going to apply my love to my readers (although, excuse the angst) Love yourself always, queens! Hope you enjoy!

Walking towards the training grounds, Y/N wore a rather loose clothing tied by a rope-like ribbon by her waist, with her hair tied tightly in a low ponytail. There wasn't a policy however regarding hairs that cover the face, example is her fringe, that's why she left it that way.

With her massive admiration to the great fighter Raiden Shogun, her hair is almost identical to hers for this training. Except Y/N doesn't braid hers, and her hair isn't coloured in the same shade as Shogun's.

In her shoulder bag is a bunch of snacks who knows would eat.

Looking at the map, she sighed. "The training ground isn't even near the Kamisato Estate." Said she, hoping to see the one and only. Although, the chances of sighting the certain man isn't small either. He's the one holding the program after all.

Walking into the gates, the guards eyed her for a moment before looking at the co-workers. They probably recognized her as that one consistent woman in the mails of the Yashiro Commissioner but said nothing in order to be discreet.

Looking around the place, she found nothing that caught her eyes. It's just full of men showing off to one another, some are sitting on some barrels, some looking at her with confusion.

One man’s eyes however brightened upon seeing her, immediately smiling and whispering to his comrades. “Huh? Yoshida Y/N in the training grounds? That isn’t on my bucket list this year.” A man responded to him.

“Will she even survive this place?” Another asked.

“Who knows, she could be more than capable.” The man with bright eyes responded. It’s Haru, Higuchi Haru, Higuchi Rin’s youngest brother who’s secretly been watching Y/N from afar for years.

He is tall, pale, and his black hair is described to be soft and fair. Everyone says that he’s the male version of his sister, beautiful inside and out. Being raised by two humble and kind parents after all, it will surely result in someone like him.

“Why are you giggly and all seeing a woman?” A man asked Haru, but he ignored the question, looking at Y/N from afar.

Y/N on the other side just arrived enough on time to meet with the trainers and heads, appearing all by the stadium that’s a little more levitated than the grounds. Everyone then rose up from whatever they’re doing and stood to face them.

Y/N, getting pushed around got distracted enough not to notice the man she’s been looking for, for months in front of her. “Pardon me, please, stop pushing.”

“If you can’t push back, then get out of here, little girl.” A muscular man twice her height insulted, making the surrounding men laugh.

That caught the attention of the heads in front. The head trainer’s face crumpled into anger, and was about to go rush and stop the commotion but the man in all white and light blue walked past him, making the head trainer stop.

Kamisato Ayato, the Yashiro Commissioner, walked towards the men with a belittled woman glaring at them in the middle. “Give me your blades.” His deep and stern voice spoke, half a meter away from the group.

Y/N whose eyes were glaring went wide, this is the nearest she'd seen this man in the past twelve years. Kamisato Ayato with his face that seems like he never shows emotions, looking at where she is. The muscular man looked at Ayato with a confused face, but handed his sword nonetheless out of fear of defying the commissioner and left the campus.

With a sword by his hands, he caressed the blade with his reflection on it, then looked at Y/N with venom for a mere second before facing the rest. “I want nothing but discipline on this grounds, show one that defies Yashiro's words shall send you out of the field.” He spoke, and started to walk back towards the stadium. He threw the sword towards the bonfire, making the fire scream its flames out.

“Causing a commotion such as that would’ve cost you your own blood, but there’s a first in everything, isn’t there?” Said he, and tapped the head trainer’s shoulder before disappearing from the place. That’s how busy he is? Leaving a place after a short appearance?

Y/N, who’s still in shock, is of course formulating another set of made-up assumptions or whatever that’s called. Such as, He saved me! or, He noticed me, oh Archons! Filling up her delusions when he clearly just approached the man for being informal in his presence. 

Reaching evening at the camp wasn’t the shortest time to ever take, lots of men are already wounded, slouched, crumpled, and everyone seems to be overworked. How is this a great way to begin the first day at the site? They don’t even know whether someone is experienced or not.

"Yoshida, get up!" The trainer shouted at Y/N who's currently laying on the ground after getting defeated by a rather larger and stronger opponent. Thoma wasn't mistaken, Y/N is the only female to join. And clearly the usual of men, most of them degraded her just for being a female. How insane is that?

“Uhh..” Y/N sobbed in pain, holding her wounded arm that was hit by the sword. Her breathing is heavy, her whole body feels numb. So, this is what wounds feel? As someone who grew up with all care, she’s new to seeing a scratch or so on her skin.

“Get up!” The trainer shouted once again, but she continued crying. Men around her who used to laugh at her are looking at her with all guilt and empathy. Surely, no one can talk back in order to defend her from the trainer or else, it’ll cause their dismissal from the grounds. And for the fact that it is also the first day, it’ll be a bad time to be dismissed.

“Fine, you won’t get up? Next!” Said the trainer and paired another student to the previous winning one, leaving the crying woman on the ground. 

Although, two strong enough hands approached her and helped her get up, making her lie down on the nearest mat. ‘It hurts, please, someone…!” She cried upon laying her back flat on the mat. Her arm was then gently pulled, and wrapped with leaves. 

Upon opening her eyes, still with pain on her arm and bruises on her knees, she saw someone unexpected. “It’s alright, Y/N. I know a lot about herbals, Rin owns a lot of plants.” Said the gentle, yet manly voice.

Her breathing calmed down a little, eyes calmly staring at Haru who’s currently making sure she won't lose another drop of blood. She’s known this man for such a long time, yet it’s the first time they’ve interacted in twenty years of her stay at the Inazuma City. He is indeed four years older, but she basically grew up with him in the neighbourhood as well.

After finishing the bandage, he handed her a bamboo cup, pouring some honey green tea made by his sister. “Rin advised me to carry these for today’s training, I told her I wouldn’t need them because I’ve done a lot of sword training already.” He said, watching Y/N sip from the cup of tea he just poured. “Well, gladly I did. I didn’t know someone would be needing help.”

He happily giggled, telling about his stuff. “I also did not expect to see you here, Y/N. I never once saw you pouring any interest into such. Or maybe, you’re discovering new things by choice? You actually did so well on your first attendance, you reached the evening with all your veins wide awake.” He asked but she’s still not done drinking. “Oh, pardon me. I probably am talking too much already. I hope your arm gets better soon, you’ll have more days to go to the training grounds.”

Y/N looked at him. “No, Haru, you’re not talking too much. It’s actually the first time someone spoke to me this nice today and I am more than grateful even though it is the other way around.” Y/N says, sitting up and placing the cup next to Haru— who seems to be caught off guard, judging by how his face shows it; eyes wide, mouth slightly open, and face getting darker despite being hit by a little amount of light.

“You know my name?” He asked and Y/N gave him a confused face. “Like, you’ve actually noticed me this whole time?”

“Yes, Haru, yes. You’re Rin’s brother, of course I know you.” Y/N responded. “It’s just you who never spoke to me.”

“No? Rin said you loathe me a lot.” He responded.

“Really? She said that? I loathe nobody.” She asked and Haru nodded. “That Rin! What I loathe is her constant pushing of me towards you, romantically I’d say. I highly even doubt that’s ever gonna happen.” Y/N says and Haru looks at her awkwardly that he doesn’t even know what to say. “But now I know the root of why you’ve been avoiding me like a plague, you’re actually nicer than I thought.”

Haru bit his lips, nodding, not knowing what to say in return. Y/N parts her lips again, “You’re actually the opposite of Rin, you’re far more introverted if I’d say so. I mean, look at you now, you just stopped talking.” That made Haru feel even more awkward. “Alright, I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable, Haru. Thank you for your help.”

“I-uh… It’s nothing, Y/N.” He stuttered. “W-We can also go home together after? I-I mean… we live near each other after all, and it is to be sure that you’d be home safe.” He suggested and Y/N smiled on that. 

“Alright, thank you so much. I’d also like to send my thanks to Rin for letting you bring some of her remarkable green tea.” She responded.

The day after is just another work matter to the Kamisato Estate, Ayato however has been staying a lot indoors to do his duties instead of his usual outside with other politicians. With that being said, Ayato also noticed how stacked the reports have been, making that the reason for his stay. 

“The first day’s records are here, my Lord.” Thoma says, delivering an envelope of reports from the first night of the training sessions they’ve implemented just recently. Ayato, who's currently sitting at his table, immediately opened the envelope and started scanning it. “Unfortunately, twelve men were dismissed early, and about forty-five were injured. That makes up to about eighty percent of them, disregarding those that are dismissed.”

Ayato did not respond, he just read the data written. Indeed, a lot of men were left curved by the spine by the intense training. Thoma then opened his lips again to speak, “However, the trainer found one outstanding man in swordship. The trainer was left defeated about seven times. It’s that man from Inazuma City, Higuchi Haru.” 

The man in white clothing hummed. “Remarkable, I see.” 

“Lord Kamisato.” A man’s voice announced himself from outside, and Thoma immediately went to open the door for him. The man handed an envelope and whispered something to Thoma before leaving once again after a bow. Thoma then walked back to Ayato’s table to hand him the envelope.

“This is the only mail for today, is that for sure?” Ayato asked.

“No, he said that it’s the only one sent in urgency.” 

With that being said, Ayato opened the envelope and began reading the letter; 

..........

Dearest Kamisato Ayato,  ..........

Before even reading the first line, he immediately closed his eyes and sighed, putting the letter back to its envelope. “What’s with the reaction, my Lord?” Thoma asked and Ayato shook his head, tossing it somewhere on his table. “Yoshida.” He briefly responded before opening the report regarding the first day of training. “What’s with the urgency? She only sends letters every Sunday.” 

Ayato didn’t respond.”I have no interest in reading such, mostly when I am under important matters.” Thoma was left with an awkward nod.

“A-Anyways, I also heard a lot more about Higuchi Haru. He’s the younger sibling of the famous tea-shop in Inazuma City. We get our supplies from there sometimes.” Thoma said. “He’s a skilled herbalist as well, he treated the wounded men yesterday. One of those injured is uhm… Yoshida. She was treated as well, fortunately. I was told that she cried the loudest, having multiple bruises, and a deep bleeding wound by her arm.” 

That statement however didn’t gain any reaction from Ayato, who’s still looking at the papers. “Well, it’s nice how at least one of them has knowledge of survival, not just pure battles. Why not implement such as well? That’s such a great idea.” 

Despite Ayato’s consideration and understanding, Thoma has understood the clue that he isn’t really associating himself with anyone possible to be his marriage candidate, except they’re working with him such as Guuji Yae and such, whom he finds nothing but an economical worker.

“Uhh, with all due respect, my Lord— I am concerned about Yoshida’s urgency. It could be something out of her usual love letters as it’s the first time she sent you an urgent one.” Thoma said and Ayato pointed at the envelope with his palm up, eyes still on the records. Thoma then immediately grabbed the envelope and began reading the letter.

..........

Dearest Kamisato Ayato, How have you been? I am delivering this letter out of the ordinary to hereby inform you about how glad I was to see you yesterday, the wounds I had from that event are perfectly compensated by that… ..........

Thoma didn’t even bother finishing the letter and just closed it again. “You’re right, my Lord. I shouldn’t have inserted my nose in your romance chapters.” He said and placed the letter on his table again.

“I have no such, and I am not planning to have such.” Ayato responded, picking up his pen to write on a paper.

“Then why not reject the poor lady’s proposal? She'll end up hurt one day.”

“She’s been sending many things for the last few years and had nothing in return, that should be enough rejection, I must say?” He responded without looking up from what he’s doing. “I couldn’t be bothered to spend a second dealing with such. I appreciate her admiration, but it’s none of my concern. She’d do something she wanted, the consequences must be handled by her alone.”

Thoma swallowed before bowing and taking his leave out of his office. Clearly, Kamisato Ayato has no interest in such.

And clearly, Yoshida Y/N has no chance at all.

“I heard you and Haru finally spoke to one another, I am more than thrilled!” Rin said, while cheerfully grinding some herbs inside her tea shop. Y/N is seated in front of her at the tall seats in front of her counter. She invited Y/N to her shop for a treat, for successfully completing her first day of training.

“Rin! It is not even like what you think, we just became friends as per how I see it.” Y/N whispered, caressing the bandages made by Haru from earlier in the morning. Indeed, he visited her house earlier to help with Y/N’s recovery. Y/N’s grandmother is impressed by the boy’s willingness to assist as well, leaving a good impression on her household.

Haru is working at Rin's tea shop as a herbalist and a server, along with their other cousins who are into herbals as well. Inazuma City is not really a busy place to be at, so there’s little to no stress to any of them.

“I know where things start, Y/N.” Rin winked before walking inside the kitchen.

Y/N awkwardly scratched the back of her neck and sighed. Rin has been so consistent with that thing for years. And now that she’s seeing that they’ve made progress socially, she’s even more intrigued. Y/N, being overly in love with someone else, sees no more than friendship to everyone else which is why they’re sounding too awkward.

With her thoughts clouding her precious mind, she was occupied enough to notice a man approaching the counter. He rang the bell with a smile, and that’s what caught her attention. A man with a copper blonde hair that she only met today, maybe a new customer of Rin. He has a vision of Pyro,Y/N immediately thinks he’s powerful and very skilled in many things.

“Ding, ding, ding! Higuchi Rin, hello!” The man cheerfully said and laughed right after. He then looked at Y/N and smiled. “Heyya, Miss! You look so beautiful.” He said and Y/N shyly thanked him. “Is Rin taking a lot of time for you too?”

“No, she just went to get some things.” Y/N responded politely. “She’d be back shortly.”

Rin then went out of the cloth doors with more herbs in her hands, humming cheerfully— before swallowing her voice, and getting her eyes widened. Y/N then made a confused face, why is Rin even shocked?

“Thoma? You didn’t tell me that… Lord Kamisato is joining you for a visit? We could’ve prepared our shop.” Rin said with a rather offended tone, but playing safe. Y/N’s eyes went wide, her facial expression dropping. 'What do you mean by that, Rin?

This is Thoma? As in Thoma of the Kamisato Estate?

And what do you mean Kamisato Ayato is here?!'

Y/N’s state turned into panic, not knowing what to do. Would she greet them? Do they know who she is? Would it be awkward? Instead of doing anything, she sat there with her chin pasted by her chest out of embarrassment. She doesn’t know what to do.

“Well, Lord Kamisato found Haru to be a remarkable student from the training grounds. He’d like to praise him, while visiting the tea shop we’ve been getting our herbs from.” Thoma explained and Rin smiled immediately, eyeing Y/N who was sitting frozen, not knowing what to do. 

“Ah, Haru. A remarkable man indeed, I am more than grateful to welcome you both. Nice to meet you, Lord Kamisato, please be seated while I make something for both of you.” Rin said and tried to give signals to Y/N about speaking through facial expressions but Y/N didn’t seem to catch them. Rin started to nervously prepare something for the visitors, not knowing how to comfort her dear friend who’s nervous in front of her.

Luckily, there are four chairs in front of the counter and Y/N is seated at the last one next to the corridor leading towards the private tea rooms. Thoma sat by the first chair, and Ayato by the second. There is basically a chair distance between her and the man she’s been trying to get a hold of, and this situation is where the hot seat applies. Y/N looked through the sides of her eyes.

'The Kamisato Ayato can’t see me like this! I am all wounded and raggy!' She thought. Luckily, none of them recognized her, so she slowly gained comfort in the situation. Both of them started talking about things she doesn’t understand, making her smile a little. Ayato surely is a man who knows a lot, huh? Although it must be rude not to greet someone so high, isn’t it?

Rin and Y/N keep on making eye contacts, seemingly discussing something through facial expression that only they would understand. The situation looks rather calm, but mentally, the women are panicking inside.

“Oh, Y/N is here already. Hello, Y/N!” Haru’s voice echoed through the entrance as he entered the shop, giving both women goosebumps. The visitors stopped speaking, and turned their attention to the man. Ayato however just looked at the countertop instead of looking at the man behind him. Y/N’s face is down again, now that Thoma and Ayato have heard her name.

Haru then hurried towards Y/N with a smile, not noticing the visitors. “How have you been? Are you well?” He asked, scanning her bandages he made from the morning, holding it to see if they’ve loosened. 

Thoma and Ayato’s eyes are on the two of them, the purple pair is analyzing the situation. Rin immediately noticed the commissioner’s attention being with them, so she took it as a chance to do something. “Oh, Haru. Y/N has been feeling better than yesterday’s training, all thanks to your help. You even visited her place earlier to take care of her. You’re such a caring and sweet man to Y/N, Haru!”

Ayato’s emotionless eyes then darted to Rin, it seemed like he heard what she was trying to say. Y/N then gave Rin the look of, 'Stop making it look like I am with someone else! 'But what Rin was trying to do was to provoke the Yashiro Commissioner into feeling something else. 

Haru on the other side giggled. “I’m glad to hear that, it’s also good how the schedule is just once a week, you’d get a lot of rest.” His smile then dropped when he saw Thoma and the commissioner. “I-I’m sorry for not greeting you. Welcome to Higuchi Tea-house!” Haru said with a polite bow before heading inside the kitchen.

Thoma who’s still in shock, pointed at Y/N. “Y-You’re Yoshida Y/N?! It’s actually you?!” He exclaimed and Y/N awkwardly smiled.

“I-uh… hello.” She spoke, facing them. Thoma is still in shock, and Ayato’s looking at her with his expressionless face. That— of course sent shivers down her spine.

“You are not what I expected.” Thoma briefly said. “I expected you to look like—”

“What, ugly?” Rin rolled her eyes. “I’ve told you for so many times that Y/N is a fair maiden, stop judging her from the letters, Thoma-”

“Rin!’ Y/N whispered out of embarrassment.

“So, this is an unexpected meeting. Surely my Lord is intimidating, but fear none.” Thoma said and laughed, making Ayato close his eyes and sigh. “Just kidding, but it’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Uhh… nice to meet you too, haha…” Y/N awkwardly said.

“Won’t you greet the Yashiro Commissioner too, Y/N?” Rin teased and Y/N gave her another face for that.

“Yeah, come on now, Y/N. You don’t see each other everyday.” Thoma said and he and Rin laughed.

“Enough, Thoma.” Ayato spoke, and both of them silenced in an instant. He looked at Y/N, making eye contact. “You’re being treated by Higuchi?” He asked, Rin and Thoma immediately looked at each other, sending signals through their eyes.

“Y-Yes, Lord Kamisato. He’s very well skilled in medicinal things.” Y/N responded and Ayato hummed in response, turning away from her again.

Y/N then looked at Rin with wide eyes, indicating that she just spoke to Kamisato Ayato again after twelve years! He spoke to her and that’s enough for a month of screaming through her pillows. 

[previous] [next]

[main]

This is a fanfiction based on Genshin Impact’s Kamisato Ayato, all made with my imagination. Please do not copy, translate, or repost to another platform without my permission!! —⋆｡°✩ Thank you so much!!

[mitsuko-saito]

Tutorial: How do I design my MK Characters?

(big tutorial btw, but it's worth it)

Have you ever tried to make an OC to fit in Mortal Kombat universe, but you couldn't find any ideas for what your OC needs to wear and they end up with the most generic outfit? I've had lol.

So, I decided to "study" the Mortal Kombat games, by its lore, characters designs and some real life references they get to create their own characters.

And oh boy, the creators had LOADS of inspirations!

As the slide below shows, Raiden's hat design was inspired by a movie "Big trouble in little China".

Even tho Raiden's hat is similar to the movie's hat, the creators made their own version and adapted to create Raiden's character design.

Same thing for Liu Kang. In the first games, it was quite clear that his design and moves were inspired by Bruce Lee. But as the game's evolution with other Mortal Kombats, Liu Kang's design started to become more original. In MK11, his design got a good upgrade!

As the slide above shows, when creating your character, consider blending various elements that resonate with you-such as color palettes, clothing styles, or personality traits-from multiple sources.

But what does it mean?

It means when you’re designing a character — whether for a story, a game, or a piece of art — you can get ideas from things you already like, like your favorite books, movies, games, or comic books.

Instead of copying directly, you take elements you find cool (like a color scheme, a style of clothing, a bit of their backstory, or a particular trait) and mix them together in your own way.

Then you add your own twist — something unique or different — to make sure your character feels original and not just a replica of someone else’s.

In the end, it’s about using what inspires you as a starting point and turning it into something that’s entirely yours.

So remember:

Inspirations ≠ Copying

Now let's talk about the most notable elements in every Mortal Kombat character!

Distinct Color Palettes:

Every character typically has their own color scheme that makes them immediately recognizable �� like Scorpion’s yellow, Sub-Zero’s blue, Kitana’s blue, Mileena’s pink, or Raiden’s white and blue. This color-coding started in the earliest games to help players tell ninja-like characters apart, and it’s remained a tradition in their designs.

Cultural Influences:

The designers draw a lot from martial arts, East Asian culture, and cinema. Ninja masks, samurai armor, Shaolin monk outfits, and mythical creatures all appear in character designs, reflecting a rich blend of traditions.

Unique Silhouettes:

Every character has a silhouette that makes them instantly recognizable, thanks to their headgear, shoulder armor, masks, or physical traits. For example: Goro’s four arms or Baraka’s bladed arms set them apart immediately.

Over-the-Top Styles:

The Mortal Kombat universe is fantastical and dramatic — character outfits often combine practicality with fantasy elements.

Designs frequently feature exaggerated shoulder pads, elaborate masks, dramatic belts, and other details that underscore their power or role in the story.

Thematic Consistency:

The designs reflect their backstory, powers, and personalities. For example, icy motifs for Sub-Zero, a thunder deity's attire for Raiden, a warlord's armor for Shao Kahn, or the grotesque, monster-like traits of Baraka.

Evolution Over Time:

As technology improved and games transitioned from 2D sprites to 3D models, character designs became more sophisticated and realistic — adding texture, finer details, and more cinematic movement — while staying true to their roots.

OKAY! Now let's put this on practice. I'm going to show you how I did Mitsuko's design (on the first photo). You can do your own character in a different way and that's okay :)

My first step is gathering references. I usually do this on Pinterest, but I do a deep search too! When I create a character from another country, I always do a research about the culture, lifestyle, etc.

To organize the references, I create a foulder called: MK OC inspirations. And I LOVE to organize my character's info by writing on topics. Here are the list of apps that I used:

1st step: Gather references - you can use Pinterest and PureRef for it!

2nd step: Make a 3d pose - Daz 3D is your best friend in this step

3rd step: Photobashing - Photopea is very useful and very easy to use

(save the file after you finish this step. Save the file on PSD format.)

WARNING: You need to be very careful when you're about to use this method cause every image you might take has their copyright. So search the images carefully.

Here is a Youtube tutorial, with a lot of details of how to use the Photobashing technique:

Credits to: Imad Awan for the amazing tutorial

4th step: Create details based on your references + Draw your character - Paint Tool Sai

(You can paint/draw. You are free to do whatever you want)

And there you have it! This is how I created this design for Mitsuko (it's an alternative design of her canonic outfit)

I hope you liked my tutorial, and share this to some friends who also wants to create a Mortal Kombat OC. It'd would be very nice!

Please, don't let this post flop! It took me so much to finish! Anyways, I hope you'll have a wonderful day. Bye bye :3

[angelismmm]

Can I request hsr blade with a so who’s an herrscher? Like Raiden Mei for example

୨ ୧ pairing. blade x herrscher!gn!reader

୨ ୧ a/n. scheduled post, prolly from 2-3 weeks ago

୨ ୧ warnings. none, but blade is maybe a tinsy bit ooc

very surprised at the whole herrscher thing going on, and by herrscher, i mean someone that's pretty powerful, with somewhat almost maybe the strength of an aeon! so he'd be surprised if you revealed that fact already.

he's just like "oh wow... ur just as strong as my boss.."

maybe this is a bit.. a bit ooc.. but he probably is like a giddy school girl thinking ab the way ur stronger than him like he giggles ab it to silver wolf

likes the idea that you'd be alive forever cuz he's the exact same

the idea that he can actually spend eternity with someone

thats what comforts him about you being a herrscher

not only can you protect yourself, you'll live thousands, if not centuries, with him, so obviously he wants to keep you close

and ever since you mentioned you were a herrscher, and the fact that you mentioned that you were immortal, he got a bit clingier, way more than usual

silver wolf is happy someone makes her older brother figure happy for once cuz it doesn't hurt to smile yk?!?!

loves watching you fight in herrscher form or wtv, the way you fight is just so sjhdjshdjsdhs for him

is just like 'that's my s/o btw'

something short for u guys !!!

[evilbihan]

As someone who values philosophy and underlying themes of art, I find the duality of fire and ice interesting when applied to characters.

For instance fire is seen as a warm and protective element, but few care to look beyond the warm glow to see the hunger and cruelty of fire. I think this can apply well to characters who wield fire. They can be warm and kind on the surface, but underneath is rage and passion. This can definitely be seen in Kuai Liang. Everyone is drawn to the fire, but doesn't see the burning rage.

Naturally ice is very much the opposite of all this. Ice is frightening and cold. It looks like it doesn't care about anything beyond its cold judgment. Yet people who have almost died of the cold say it lulled them to sleep. It's the only element to take you sweetly in a way. Ice underneath has a deep beauty and kindness in it. With Bi-Han we see him as icy and snappish (heh cold snap), but we also see that his whole motivation is for his clan. Yet the writers don't let us see the kinder side that comes from that dedication and love. It's annoying how they have kept him so flat when ice is such a deep and philosophical thing. (I'm sure my bias is also showing I love ice and winter.)

This is so true and I couldn't have worded it any better myself! Fire is destructive. Fire provides warmth, but no one ever speaks of what it takes in return. Fire is selfish. It consumes. Get too close and it will burn you. Fire knows no mercy. All those things are, in one way or another, also applicable to Kuai Liang. His intention to protect the realm may seem noble, but his vengeful nature is destructive to both himself and those around him. Kuai Liang is selfish and merciless in his pursuit of vengeance.

Ice is indeed in many ways the kinder element. Don't we apply ice to burns and bruises for it to numb our pain? Is it not the ice that selflessly melts and waters the ground we live off? The cold only becomes a threat to those who venture into it too deep. As you already correctly said, Bi-Han cares about his clan and means to protect it. He is only a threat to those who interfere with that goal. His desire to give the Lin Kuei a better future is no less noble than Kuai Liang's, but few can recognize this because ice can seem unfriendly and terrifying, yet the cold shows mercy. And what is Bi-Han if not merciful?

Sub-Zero: Surrender and Shao will show mercy. Mileena: If you believe that, you're a fool.

Sub-Zero: Walk away while you can. Raiden: I'll never give up, never surrender.

Sub-Zero: We have no cause for dispute. Kitana: You aided Shao's attempt to steal the throne!

Some fail to see the beauty and kindness of ice the same way they fail to see the cruelty of fire.

Now, for your final point, I'm afraid I must disagree.

Yet the writers don't let us see the kinder side that comes from that dedication and love.

You are partially right with that statement, but I do think we get to see glimpses of Bi-Han's kindness, such as the examples I provided above (you can find more in this post as well as this one), people just tend to intentionally ignore them for some reason. Bi-Han asks both his brothers if they're unharmed, he expresses regret over Sindel's death, he seems reluctant to fight Kitana... Personally, I think he is a far more complex character than people give him credit for. Could the writing have been better? Absolutely. Is it the writers' fault that Bi-Han is misunderstood? Not entirely. I would mostly blame that on the fandom's media illiteracy.

(As a side note: Ironically, my favorite season is summer and I can handle heat better than I can handle the cold and yet the ice/winter themed character ended up being my favorite.)

[gold-rhine]

btw some tips on now to build nahida:

the most low effort basic build for her is just triple EM main stats on Deepwod set

but she actually does a good amount of damage, so it's better to also build crits

sands are always EM

goblet: she converts her own Elemental Mastery to dendro damage bonus and crit rate for her skill, so it means EM goblet is almost always > dendro dmg goblet. like, even 600 EM will give you about same dendro damage as dendro goblet, but also free additional crit rate. she converts EM over 200 to bonuses, so take your overall EM - 200, then *0,1, i.e. 600-200=400, 400*0,1 = 40% damage bonus from 600 EM.

hat: the best option is to roll crit substats on three EM pieces, so you have EM as main stat - see as example my top 0,1 Nahida if you don't have pieces like that, you can use crit hat. but to calculate crit rate bonus from EM, take your overall EM - 200, then *0,03. i.e. your EM is 600, then 600-200=400, 400*0,03= 12, so you get 12% crit rate.

600 btw is how much EM you normally get if you have EM sands + EM goblet + EM weapon and maybe a roll or two on the flower and feather, you can get this even still having crit hat

but if you go full EM like my nahida with 948 EM, then you get 948 - 200= 748, 748*0,03= 22,44 crit rate. which is only 10% less than crit rate hat. so if you can get these 10% from substats, then EM hat is >> crit rate hat.

Burst: nahida gives 25% of highest EM in the party to the ACTIVE CHARACTER, up to 250 EM. this means that for teams like hyperbloom where electro character like kuki or raiden are off field, her burst doesn't really do much and you don't have to bother.

but for teams like aggravate and spread, where carry on field very much wants EM, like clorinde, cyno, alhaitham, keqing, sethos, crit build raiden, etc, her burst is very useful. for these teams you also need to keep in mind who is the highest EM in your party.

for example, if its aggravate team with anemo character like kazuha, he will usually have highest EM, he should have about 1000 EM, so nahida can share his EM and her own EM will only matter for herself. but if this is spread team without kazuha, or aggravate with xilonen, then its better for nahida to have triple EM ~1000K EM build herself, otherwise theres not enough EM to meaningfully share bonus

in bloom its better to always use nahida's burst