#she is travelling now since she isn't able to come back for 3 years...

[zellk]

I'm in love with Aamira ❤️❤️🙏 can you give us more info about her? Some fun and maybe not so fun facts about her?

Hi Anon ! Thank you for your kind words and for your interest \o/ Aamira's side of the family is the one that Qalaa got her "Beast Curse" from. It's a bloodline hereditary curse that boosts the strength of those in good health (like Qalaari) and eats away at those that have a weak constitution... like Aamira. "Weak" members of the family are usually cast aside or cast out. Aamira ; while still quite young, 16 or so ; ran away from all of this to try to live her life following only her will and enjoy as much of it as possible. Even without the curse Aamira would have had a weak health, but think of it as her Beast basically making her immunodeficient and weaker and weaker as the years go by.

She managed to make a little life for herself in a small unremarkable place close to one of the older forest of the region. There she developed close ties with two siblings, Temhos & Olgha. Both of them members of a tribe that lives deep deep withing the old woods who come to visit the village semi frequently to trade goods and buy things to carry back where they live. Both siblings tried to court Aamira (after months of good relationship), and, eventually, Aamira chose Temhos. For two or three years things were pretty idyllic fro all of them. But then Aamira started talking about wanting a child... Temhos tried to reason with her that with her health it was really fucking dangerous for her to try and that her chances of not making it through were too high for his tastes... Aamira pretended to listen but actually didn't and things got really bad when Temhos found out she was pregnant. They argued, Aamira's health took a downside, Temhos took care of her until she got better again (and Aamira, with her rose-tinted delusional glasses, thought it meant he'd stay). When Aamira was around 7 month pregnant Temhos ran away (very very far away). It broke her heart but not her (by now frantic) determination to see her pregnancy though. She (somehow) found her away again to Temhos' village where she was taken in by Olgha (who was very confused, then very angry (at both Aamira & Temhos), then very panicked). Qalaari was born in this village. Olgha became her surrogate parent to help Aamira raise her (she was still in love with Aamira, but knew that her heart, broken as it was, would still never be hers... I think Aamira knew Olgha's feelings too and could only just be very thankful she still helped her raise Qalaari, despite how painful it must have been for her.) Aamira was very loving with her daughter, but her (now very bad) health and broken heart left her with long dissociative episodes, on top of moments where she wouldn't even managed to get out of bed. That's when Olgha would take care of Qalaari most (frustrated and heartbroken as she was over the whole situation, Olgha genuinely loves Qalaari like her own daughter.) 12 years after, the Beast finally eroded all of what Aamira was (she was still young... probably around 32 or 34 years old ??) and she passed away. Also, how Aamira survived giving birth is nothing short of a miracle. Most likely due to her will of titanium to meet and raise her daughter... Eventually the Beast got the best of her, but she managed to hold on for 12 more years !!

[komitomi]

Fateful Encounter. // Prologue.

Neteyam × F!reader

based on this idea || chapter i || chapter ii || chapter iii || chapter iv || chapter v

Synopsis: You and few others humans were sent on a mission to find Jake sully and get his help, and possibly resolve the issues between navi and the humans, which were caused by the unethical procedures of the RDA. Will you be successful?

A/N: neteyam has won the poll so he will be chosen as the main lead, this will be a "x reader" fanfic, kinda follows avatar 1 plotline except it's reader and neteyam instead of jake and neytiri, RDA is obvs the villain, idk how many chapters this story will have but it's gonna be a ride for sure, so buckle up peeps!

After the first great war between the Na'vi and the Humans, conflicts rose back on Earth as the unethical procedures issued by RDA on Pandora got leaked to the public eye.

There were many protests, petitions signed to stop RDA's project, humans sympathizing with the Na'vi, they didn't want the same fate as Earth and Humans occur to Pandora and it's living beings.

This led to a new organization being formed, now competing with RDA, called Space and Earth Resources Organization, SERO for short, they had the same idea as RDA but much less violence and battle equipment involved.

Y/n was the daughter of the scientist who worked in SERO, her avatar body was in progress, as the organization decided she and few others will be sent out to Pandora, they all will be sent to separate locations to look for jake sully.

Ever since she was young she had always dreamt of being a scientist, her curiosity to learn and obtain knowledge was one of the main driving reasons, but on a unfortunate night, her mom was killed in a gang encounter, they were unable to defend themselves having no fighting skill or a gun, after that she started training, she wasn't officially a soldier but trained just like them, she had both decent battle skills and knowledge which is what made SERO become interested in her.

Obviously she isn't perfect since she was only 18, but she was able to stand out, showing mediocre but consistent results.

As technology further advanced back on Earth, SERO accidentally figured out a way to travel faster to Pandora, it used to take 5 years, but now it only takes 3, due to the flaws of RDA's operation in the past, when SERO first sent out the very first batch of scientists they implemented a information system, where any information can travel faster through a communication device, it takes 2 - 3 days, but that's still better than 3 years of delayed information.

Their main goal was to reestablish good relations between the Humans and the Na'vi, while also simultaneously contributing to Earth, SERO has managed to bring back few of the extinct flora and fauna from DNA cloning, which resulted in positive reactions from both the Humans and Government.

This all led to the moment now, you said your goodbyes to your family, your dad and your siblings, giving them a hug, “I'll miss you, child.” your dad says while giving you a headpat and you pout “Dad! I'm not a child anymore.” you say, he smiles at you before reaching for something in his bag.

He pulls out a medium size box before handing it to you, you open it and gasp, it was filled with few polaroid photos of your family and a necklace of your mom.

“I know you'll miss us too even if you don't say it, so we decided to send you a few things that will remind you of us.” he says and you smile, tears filling your eyes and your dad looks at you with a soft smile before pulling you in for a hug.

“Thank you dad.” you say while sniffing and crying onto his shoulders, your siblings also start crying and you all have a nice family hug before you had to say your final goodbye for now.

“Goodbye everyone, I'll keep you updated through the communication device.” you say the last part to your dad who nods at you.

You look back once again before boarding onto the spaceship, “miss, come this way” you heard a a voice say, you follow them, leading you into a room where you see bunch of other humans, you go up to them and introduce yourself, they do the same.

3 years later

you had finally arrived to pandora after 3 whole years, your spaceship landed in a beautiful spot, it was so vibrant and filled with various plants, SERO decided to build around the flora on pandora rather than destroying it, which led to this vibrant and peaceful looking place, you put on your oxygen mask before stepping down from the spaceship and taking in the beauty of the planet.

“yo! welcome.” you and your group were greeted by this friendly lady with a smile, she looked like she was in her 30s, you greet her back with a smile too.

“come ill take you guys to the scientist camp, its not far from here but it is quite the trek.” she says brightly and you guys nod before following her, you gasp as you notice creatures of pandora flying over the area, they were so mystical, “btw i never told you my name, its Aria, Aria stone.” the lady says and you smile at her “nice to meet you miss stone.” you tell her.

“the animals here seem comfortable with flying over this area.” you point out which makes Aria look over to you “you noticed huh? we tried our best to build around the flora and not destroy the homes of many creatures living here, it was difficult at first but we figured it out and the animals dont mind us existing here, rather, it seems they actually like us but we cant get too cocky now.” she says with a wink which makes you chuckle.

you guys finally reach the scientist camp, you guys go inside and remove your oxygen masks as the air inside is machine based and pumps oxygen needed for humans, as you guys go further inside you notice a bunch of avatars sleeping with masks as few humans scurry around them.

“those are your vessels.” Aria says noticing you studying them, you look at her and give her a nod “they we're originally stored in liquid to preserve their body but since you guys are here, we bought them out, soooo are you guys ready?” she asks and you all say yes in unison, “perfect, but let's go freshen up first” she says and you guys scurry off to freshen up and come back in a few minutes, bodies more relaxed than before and faces glowing brighter, she then leads you guys to the room full of link units.

“this is where you'll be connecting with your avatar, you'll be training a bit in your avatar body, learning to hunt and survive how the na'vi people do, but based on the locations you're sent to, things will vary, but these are the basics” Aria finishes and leads everyone to their respective link unit, you lay down, excited for what to come, she closes the top and you close your eyes.

Your mind goes blank as you enter into a different world, visions of tree roots and everything passing by before you open your eyes in your avatar.

“hello? can you hear me?” you are questioned as soon as they saw you open your eyes, and you nod, getting up slowly, moving your hands and legs, wiggling your fingers and toes. “Motor control looks perfect, can you stand up?” they ask and you nod before following what they said, as soon as you stand up you notice how tiny they are next to you, you take some time to balance yourself and adjust to your new body.

“are you able to walk?” they ask and you try doing so, it takes a couple of steps before you can get used to the body and start walking normally, “everything looks perfect miss stone.” they talk into the communication device.

You are examining your body, you noticed that your senses have heightened than your normal human body, you're able to see, feel and hear better, “alright miss, everything looks perfect, you can change before going outside.” they say and hand you over human like clothes that were made to fit the Na'vi body.

You quickly remove the patient typa gown before getting in your normal clothes making your way to the exit, you open the door and close it before stepping outside to a beautiful garden with crops and a volleyball court made from tree branches and roots.

You breathe in the fresh air on Pandora, feeling euphoric, oxygen on earth isn't that great, you can't go outside without a mask sometimes due to the heavy pollution but here, the air is so fresh.

You go further into the garden and run around, feeling excited, the rest of your avatar peers are in their own world too, taking in Pandora's air and beauty, wishing earth could be like this too.

“Alright everyone! gather up here.” you hear a familiar voice say and you turn the direction where it's coming from, it's Miss stone, in her avatar form, her avatar form is just as beautiful as her, you quickly join the crowd who are gathering up in front of her.

She clears are throat before proceeding.

“I think we're all aware of what mission we're here for, is to fix the relations between the Humans and the Na'vi, and coming to an agreement with them, we have already managed to convince few of the clans taking help from the humans who were allowed to stay here, who partnered with us to this cause, but the main issue at hand is RDA.”

“I'm sure everyone is aware that RDA doesn't have good intentions anymore, they used to, they are trying to find a man named jake sully through a seperate mission and god knows what will happen if they do but before they find him, we need to find him first and ask his help, RDA is continuously destroying the neutral stance other clans have of Humans and robbing this planet, our mission is to prevent that.” she continues on with a serious face.

“For that, we will need to train first, learn to hunt and live the Na'vi way, I'm sure you guys have learnt the language in the past 3 years, but if you didn't fully grasp it you can still do it now, and after that you will be sent out to find Jake sully, RDA still doesn't seem to have successfully found him, he apparently left the original clan, and we have to find him first and fast, our team have been trying their best to distract them from their mission and it's working, you will be training for 3 months before being sent out, individually or just 2 people.” she says, the last sentence makes the other gasps

“That's too dangerous! It's better to go in groups.” one of the people say and Aria sighs “I know it is, but sending in groups will cause panic and confusion, other clans do not know that we exist and might confuse us for RDA and attack us, which we don't want to happen, and we have to be as less threatening as possible, if we go in groups then it's like walking right into the fire.” she says while looking down, the avatars are still not okay with this but everyone can understand what Aria means.

Silence falls as everyone is looking down before y/n speaks out “i'm ready.” she says making everyone look at her in shock but after seeing her serious face, everyone suddenly gets the motivation and encouraged by the aura, they all look up to Aria and say “We are too.” with pride lacing in their voice.

Aria gives a bright smile before nodding her head in acknowledgement.

“Let the training commence.”

[techwrecker]

"You're my brother, until the end of times. Even after that."

I found this quote on pintrest, and it reminds me of the batch.

It's in your hands now.

whatever you do, don’t imagine Omega saying goodbye to Hunter for the very last time.

𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Genre: just.. sad.

Word Count: 1.8k

TW: death (non-violent), SFW (please let me know if I missed any)

After the fall of Tantiss, the Batch had retired to Pabu in order to raise Omega and give her the childhood she deserved. As well as catching up on much needed rest and relaxation, the remaining members of Clone Force 99 integrated quite nicely into the island's rich community.

Crosshair became extremely proficient in net weaving. His synthetic hand was able to twist and weave at twice the speed and accuracy with the fibers. With his eyes going as he got older, he was able to rely on muscle memory to make the most intricately woven nets in the galaxy. Wrecker's main job had been boat building & repair, but as time waned, the elderly man had shifted to quiet fishing. As was his kind nature, he shared whatever he caught with anybody who asked. When he was younger and his hair had not yet begun to grey, Hunter had served as Mayor Shep Hazard's advisor on the goings-on of the outer galaxy. As he grew older and frailer, the children of Pabu would come to Hunter for his grand stories and tall tales of his time serving in The Republic. He was careful to omit the more gruesome details or skirt around sketchy missions. He became known on Pabu as The Storyteller.

It had been 3 years since Wrecker had passed away, and 6 before that, Crosshair had gone first. That made today even harder. Hunter had always been there to console Omega. Their bond was special and innate. Who was going to be there for her today?

Lyana had commed Omega about a week ago.

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

"Ly! It's so great to hear from you!" Omega beamed at the holographic image of her best friend.

"You to Meg. I just wish it were under better circumstances," she said.

Omega's face fell. "What is it?" she asked, though she already knew the answer deep down.

"It's Hunter. He isn't sick or anything, but our healer has assessed that he is at the end of his life-journey," Lyana replied, looking down at her hands solemnly. "I think you should come back."

"I'm on my way."

Omega immediately shut off the holo and raced to the pilot's chair. She flipped on the ignition switches and punched in the coordinates to her home. From where she was in the galaxy, it was about an 8 hour flight. But not with Omega in the chair. She could shave it down to about 6 and a half. Once in hyperspace, the young woman let herself lean back, slumping into the chair. She looked at the dash where Tech's goggles called home ever since Omega had left initially to join The Rebellion. Gingerly, Omega picked them up. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks, hot tears already threatening to spill over.

"I miss you, Tech," she whispered to the shattered goggles. She let herself clutch the delicate goggles close as she fell into a light sleep.

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

After hours of travel, Omega brought The Mini-Maud into the Pabu atmosphere. The clouds were a thick grey color and dense as a Bantha. A sense of relief washed over her seeing the planet reflecting her mood. She flicked on the auto pilot and retreated to the back of her ship to change out of her grimy flight suit. She was careful to keep track of her belongings, always keeping them in their place on the small closet shelf. Wrecker's Lula doll was now ragged, with multiple tears along the seams. Thankfully, Omega was quick with picking up how to repair items so she could keep it a while longer. Omega stroked the right ear for comfort, a habit she had picked up as a child.

"Oh, Lula. What are we going to do?"

She quickly changed into her civilian clothes, careful to tuck the strip of deep blue mourning fabric into her pants pocket. It was Pabu custom for the women to weave it into their hair in a simple braid to symbolize their loved one's return to the sea. She would wear it until the after the cast-off ceremony.

Omega returned to the cockpit to pull her ship up to the open-air landing dock next to the various fishing vessels. She expertly landed the reliable ship without so much as a jolt. Omega glanced out the viewport. Lyana was already waiting for her on the loading dock. She released the hatch and walked out to meet her friend.

Lyana pulled her in for a tight hug. "It is so wonderful to see you, Megs."

Again, tears welled up in Omega's eyes, distorting her vision. She squeezed them shut before they could fall. "You too."

They pulled away and began up the steps, toward Hunter's home. Ever since Hunter became the remaining Bad Batcher, he had moved to the lowest level of Pabu. He claimed that he had seen enough of the sky and wanted to be close to the ocean, that it reminded him of Kamino. Though Omega knew it was because his knees were beginning to give out, he just didn't want to admit how weak he was becoming.

"He sits for hours on the rocky beach, just listening to the waves," Lyana said. "But since last week, he hasn't been able to get out of bed. Too weak."

"He wasn't only listening to the waves," Omega said, ignoring that last part. "His ears remained sharp all these years. He was taking in all sounds, from the sand-crabs to the fishing bells out at sea, making up the landscape of his peace,"

The pair had reached the door.

"Are you ready?" her friend asked gently.

Omega hardened her face in resolve. She was going to be strong. Hunter had been strong for her all her life. Now it was her turn.

"Yes."

She opened the creaky, wooden door and stepped into the homey, one-room hovel.

"Hunter?" Omega inquired gently into the air. She knew he knew they had arrived, but it was more habit than anything. Especially since he couldn't be anywhere else except in bed.

"I'm in here." She heard him call back.

The door to his room was slightly ajar. All it took was a gentle push for it to open further, revealing Hunter, covers pulled up to his chest. His hair was thinner and whiter than the last time she had seen him, making the now-dull red of his signature bandana stick out even more. His eyes drifted to meet hers and he smiled.

"You're back." He began to reach out toward her, hand shaking. Omega pulled up a chair and sat at his bedside, encasing his hand gently between her own.

"Yes, I'm home," she replied.

"I'm afraid this old clone just isn't what he used to be, Omega," he said with as much humor as he could muster. Even his voice sounded weak.

"Are you comfortable? Is there anything I can get you?"

"Oh, no, no. Now that you're here, I have everything I need." He smiled up at her. "Now tell me about what you have been up to."

Omega began to tell him of all the missions she had been on now that she had been promoted to a pilot in the Rebel Alliance Starfighter Corps. Being as tired as he was, Hunter didn't ask many questions, but his interest was piqued when Omega told him she had been working closely with Hera Syndulla before she was transferred. He was relieved to know she was doing well. She only took a break from her stories to make Hunter a quick clear broth for his midday meal that he could sip on while she continued.

The day went by too quickly for Omega. She could feel Hunters grip slowly getting weaker as the hours passed. The inevitable was coming.

"Omega," Hunter began after a lull in her stories. "I need you to do something for me."

"Of course, Hunter. Anything." She squeezed his hand tighter.

"When I'm gone-"

"No! Stop." Omega cut him off. "Don't say that. Not yet. You're still here. You're not going anywhere." The tears that had been threatening to arise all day had finally won. She let them fall down her cheeks and drip onto their hands, all hopes of staying strong out the viewport.

"Omega, this is important. When I'm gone," he began again, slowly. "Promise me that you will not hold on to the past too tightly."

She felt betrayed. Her face burned. "How could you say that? I owe you and our brothers my entire life! I can't just forget that, Hunter." It came out harsher than she meant it to.

He tried to push himself up with one elbow to meet her at eye level, struggling. Omega reached behind him as support so he could sit up. "I didn't say forget us. That would be an impossible ask, even of you. I said don't hold on to the past. You have to let us go, continue your life without us. You deserve to be happy, Omega. And being happy means making peace with the past."

She knew what he was trying to say, but how could she let go of her brothers? Of her family? Omega slipped of the chair and kneeled at his bedside. Now looking up at him, she felt like a kid again. She was taken back to the first time she had seen them at full maturity when they came back to Kamino as a whole squad. They had been wary of the little female clone trying to tag along with them. She was eternally grateful that they had put up with her and welcomed her as one of their own.

Hunter reached over to her cheek and wiped away her tears with his thumb. It felt icy against her burning cheeks. All the love and kindness in the entire galaxy couldn't compare to the look on his face now.

"Okay, Hunter. I promise."

That was enough for him. He laid back down against his pillow and gave one last look at Omega.

“Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum, Omega"

"I love you too, Hunter."

His gaze shifted to the ceiling above his bed. She could tell he was looking past the plaster, already seeing the stars of the galaxy ahead of him. She gripped his hand tighter and watched as he closed his eyes one final time. Hunter's chest rose and fell a few more times before he drifted into the forever-sleep.

Omega placed his hand gently across his abdomen, never to hold it again. She leaned over him and placed her hands on either side of his face, bringing her forehead to meet his own. She whispered the phrase Clones say when releasing one another back into the stars.

"You're my brother, until the end of times. Even after that."

[twin-chains]

Thoughts on the Zelda news

HOLY SHIT

I'm surprised we're getting a new mainline game so soon. I genuinely expected a port of older existing games at best if anything. (We did get Four Swords which I'm really happy about). I was worried TOTK would ruin future Zelda games for me but the prospect of playable zelda saved it (which almost feels purposeful so good on you Nintendo)

Speaking of TOTK, thank the stars they're not trying to squeeze a third game out of the BOTW map. TOTK is amazing and a third one would just be tired out

I like that it's in the Link's Awakening remake toy style. It'd feel wrong for Nintendo to make a new realistic 3D open world type game that we have to wait 6 years for like TOTK (still waiting on the TP port tho!). However, a shift to a more cute cartoony look makes more sense without regurgitating the same toon Link designs from the Wind Waker and Four Swords trilogies. Plus LA is so charming!

I'm hyped for playable Zelda! I know there's been Wand of Gamelon (and Spirit Tracks as a command-able companion) but this is so exciting since it's a more new mainline release. This truly is Zelda's Awakening (for taking a more active protagonist role in her own franchise). And hopefully this'll open the door for more playable Zelda? (but I'm getting ahead of myself). It truly is the legend of Zelda!

This might be controversial but I think it's a good decision for Zelda to not wield a sword and shield. Cause that would defeat the purpose of having a new protagonist in my mind; if you just swap Link for Zelda but don't change anything else than what's the point? What distinguishes the hero's Courage from Wisdom? She can fight but has the wisdom to take a more magic-based combat approach with the tri-rod or wand (of Gamelon haha). Though it'd still be pretty sweet if EOW Zelda pulled out some Sheik moves or a cool shot with a bow to be honest.

I really appreciate the union between the older top-down style (hopefully more linear!) and the newer mechanics that allows for multiple creative solutions for the same puzzles. Of course, Nintendo's trying to lean towards the openness and creativity of individualizing one's gameplay experience from TOTK by incorporating the echo mechanic but it really works to give it to Zelda! I will find a way to complete the game solely with the potted plant echo or something stupid.

The triforce is back, baby! The little fairy Tri reminds me of Rosalina's star pet thing from Mario Galaxy. I can't believe the essence of the triforce incarnate is Zelda's cute travelling companion. Does this make her one of the most powerful heroes? (aside from the earliest ones where Link wields the entire triforce). Also it's probably for the sake of the echo mechanic but I'm curious why Tri seems to have 4 little triangles instead of 3? Lore implications?

Speaking of lore implications, WHERE in the timeline will this go??? I've seen a lot of people suspect it's in the downfall timeline, maybe after Link's Awakening or ALTTP because it's the same Hyrule map so I'm willing to agree for now. Even if I'm getting OOT vibes for whatever reason. Though if Ganon isn't creating the purple cracks in space, there has to be a cool new villain for Zelda to face off against that messed with the triforce in some way for Tri to become the way they are. For lack of knowledge, my silly little theory is the multiverse is collapsing and Cia comes back or something idk (I may be biased tho because the cracks are visibly inspiring the rifts in space-time I'm planning for TC).

All in all, I'm so happy!

[attackfish]

5 hcs for any Avatar AU, idc which, all of the ones I've read from you are great!

I have chosen my airbender Mai universe. Continued from: [Link], [Link], [Link], [Link], [Link], [Link], and [Link].

1. Azula does not keep Mai and Ty Lee at the Boiling Rock. The Warden is Mai's uncle, after all, and her treason saved his life no less than Zuko's. The two are instead taken to the tower prison at the capital. Azula does not visit them on the journey back to the capital, spent, perversely, locked in their shared well appointed cabin. For all they have committed treason, Mai and Ty Lee are left with the trappings of their noble, privileged childhoods, locked in their room like naughty schoolgirls. It gives them time to think on what will happen to them, on the enormity of the choice they both made. It gives them time to wonder when, if, their trial will take place, whether they will be sentenced to death, what will Azula do? So they wait and they worry, and Azula doesn't come.

2. They are marched up to the prison tower, stripped, searched, Mai's less obvious knives are finally taken from her, and they are handed the prison rags which will serve as their uniforms. Mai's brain is buzzing and spinning with a thousand thoughts, a thousand ways she could break out, shove themselves to the forefront of her mind, nearly all of which would involve airbending. The prison feels like it's made out of paper. But she can't airbend. She doesn't know what is happening to her family. She can't risk them. But she doesn't know what Azula is doing to them. This whole time she has traveled with Azula, the threat that she would hurt them, kill them, if Mai stepped out of line, has hung over her, and now, well, she sure stepped out of line. But she can't escape, because what if they're fine? The prison is made of paper, and Mai has to be careful not to tear it.

3. They are locked in their cell, together, which feels like an oversight. Wouldn't it be better to keep them alone and isolated? But no, they are together. And one room over, that Ty Lee can hear through the window at the back of their cell, are the Kyoshi Warriors. Predictably, Ty Lee starts trying to make friends. With the people who they helped Azula capture and imprison. Of course she does. And because she's Ty Lee, she succeeds. She weathers their anger, and self-righteous well-what-did-you-think-would-happens, and smiles and laughs until they soften to her. She's a wonder, honestly. Mai has no idea how she does it, only that she never would be able to pull it off, not in a million years.

4. Through it all, Azula doesn't come. She stays away, and Mai is glad for it. But she also isn't. It scares her. She didn't expect it. It leaves her on edge. She paces their little cell long into the night. Then, one evening, Azula turns up like a bad coin, disheveled, hair ragged, looking like neither of them have ever seen her, her air of untouchable perfection nowhere to be seen. She yells at them and blames them for everything that happened since she put them in there, her voice more and more... out of control. Her tone, her volume, the pitch, are as wild as her hair and her eyes, and as she rants, she lets more and more slip about the world outside the prison, and Ty Lee tries to soothe her, practically on instinct, and Mai doesn't. She tries to stay quiet and in the back. It's also on instinct. But Azula never mentions their families, and Mai starts to hope that Azula forgot their families exist. Either way, after Azula leaves, Mai feels even more on edge than before. That night, she whispers her secret to Ty Lee. When Ty Lee gasps in the darkness, that soft little sound is as loud as a thunderclap. And then Ty Lee squeezes her, and Mai tries to push her away and tell her she doesn't like hugs, but just this once, Ty Lee holds her, and tells her she will never tell.

5. And then the world turns on its axis once again, and Mai, Ty Lee, and the Kyoshi Warriors are set free, and Ozai takes their place. The prison guards scramble around like termite-ants whose mound have been kicked over, and Mai, Ty Lee, and the rest beat a hasty exit before anyone can change their mind. Mai runs to her family townhouse while Ty Lee goes off with the Kyoshi Warriors to meet Suki, their leader. She stands in her room in an empty house, and washes and dresses as quickly as she can, her hands putting her hair into order with quick, practiced motions she doesn't have to think about. Zuko knows. Zuko is Firelord now, and he knows about her airbending. Zuko's friends know. The Avatar knows. And in a few minutes, she's going to have to walk out the door and deal with that. The metal knob is cold and hard under her fingers as she turns it open.

[iviarellereads]

The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 42 - Easing the Badger(1)

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Dragon fang icon) In which we finally learn what that smell was.

PERSPECTIVE: Perrin enters Illian, it's marshy so there are bridges sometimes, he misses blacksmithing. He notices two palaces on either side of a large square, and Faile explains that the bigger one is the King's Palace, and the Council of Nine were allowed to build any palace as long as it's no larger than his, so they built the same palace two feet smaller in every direction. So it is with the relationship between the two, ever since.

Loial's presence isn't novel here, and he worries that Ogier come here so often, and from his own stedding at that. Perrin tells him Moiraine values him too much to let them just take him back if he doesn't want to go.

Perrin's hearing is sharp enough to hear Moiraine say "something is wrong in this city". Perrin wonders what he's not seeing. On closer inspection, he can feel it, in the way the people are acting, but nothing specific. Many people look angrier than they should be. They finally come to an inn called Easing The Badger, its sign a badger dancing next to a man with a shovel. Perrin assumes it's some old local story he's never heard.

Moiraine is known as Mistress Mari here, and she asks the innkeeper if people are angrier than usual. The innkeeper, Nieda, says the previous winter was harsh, she woke to ice in the washbasin a couple of mornings, even. A winter not seen in a thousand years here, surely, almost enough to make her believe in traveler's tales of frozen water falling from the sky.(2)

Nieda says that there's a new lord on the Council of Nine, Lord Brend, nobody remembers hearing his name before winter, but he was raised to the Council within a week of entering the city, and now he's the strongest of the Nine.(3) She has strange dreams about him sometimes, too, walking in strange places with staircases like mazes. Nieda says she does maunder on, she'll show them to their rooms, and then a nice dinner. Moiraine asks what ships would be sailing to Tear, and Nieda says, well, none! The Council forbade all ships sailing to Tear a month ago, and the King never contradicted it.

They go to their rooms, and Perrin worries at Moiraine's fear as Nieda talked. They all wash up and make their way back, and Loial tells Perrin the Ogier stonemasons left with their work unfinished last winter, very unusual. Soon, everyone’s down for supper, at which Moiraine is stiff and distracted. Also, the meal is focused around fish. Faile hates fish, so Perrin taunts her by smiling around a big mouthful of his, and Moiraine tells her to eat, any meal could be her last, especially with them.

As Nieda clears the fish dish and lays out an assortment of cheeses, Perrin smells something vile, the same something he smelled in a few other places this book. He sees six men with ordinary faces crossing the floor toward them. He yells "They have knives!" and before the bouncer, Bili, can even cross the floor, the group have taken out all six.(4)

Moiraine heads for the door, Lan intercepts her, and Perrin can just hear their conversation. Lan says he pledged to keep her whole, but she says she must go alone. He protests, but...

She cut him off. “Heed me, Lan. Should I fail, you will know it, and you will be compelled to return to the White Tower. I would not change that even if I had time. I do not mean you to die in a vain attempt to avenge me. Take Perrin with you. It seems the Shadow has made his importance in the Pattern known to me, if not clear. I was a fool. Rand is so strongly ta’veren that I ignored what it must mean that he had two others close by him. With Perrin and Mat, the Amyrlin may still be able to affect the course of events.(5) With Rand loose, she will have to. Tell her what has happened, my Gaidin.” “You speak as if you are already dead,” Lan said roughly. “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, and the Shadow darkens the world. Heed me, Lan, and obey, as you swore to.” With that, she was gone.

=====

(1) Begin the sex jokes again! You may recognize this inn name from TGH chapter 9. Bayle Domon gets some trouble there before he goes off to meet the Seanchan. Even the places get recycled in this series where appropriate. (2) Yeah, consider Illian just about synonymous with Florida or the parts of California that don't bother to look a little north and west at their mountaintops. (I mean that as fondly as I can mean it for places I've never been and have no interest in seeing for myself.) The last time I read this chapter according to my notes was late in the winter, with the snow piled at least a good 2 meters/well over 6 feet deep. (You may have heard of lake effect snow, now multiply that to Atlantic ocean effect snow, that's what I get where I live.) (3) That's a suspicious rise to power. Do we have any clues to what might have happened in, oh, the last year or so, any people maybe freed from three thousand years of sleep who might seek power for themselves and be able to attain it without attracting any unwanted outward attention? (4) Ah, so the smell was Gray Men after all. (5) Er, hate to break it to you, but she doesn't have Mat anymore anyway.

[aylaaescar]

Tysinno, please! I love him and want to know more about him!

nd I'm always happy to talk about him! :') thank you, Kris! he's my best guy <3

01. Full name:

Tysinno Maratis. if he has a middle name, idk what it is... or if people in Maj had middle names? maybe next Q&A I'll ask that one.

02. Best friend:

this one is kind of a tie between Tallys, Shery, Briony, and Mimir. :D back in his circle days, it was Red. they're still friendly now, but their relationship is a lot more awkward than it was when they were teenagers. (it'll get better, though.)

03. Sexuality:

biromantic and demisexual. I was wondering if he's demiromantic as well, but I think not, given how quickly he got a crush on Ayla.

04. Favorite color:

I'm thinking a really dark navy blue? like:

05. Relationship status:

as of right this moment in-game, he's single. he's absolutely fallen for Ayla, though, and I'm eagerly awaiting when they can become an official couple. :')

06. Ideal mate:

someone who isn't afraid of harsh truths when necessary, and is able to pull him out of his own head. someone with a good heart, and a sense of justice. someone he can talk to about travel and art and literature and know they'll be listening. :)

07. Turn-ons:

kind of N/A for most of his life, tbh, given that he's demisexual, but I guess it's worth noting that seeing Ayla in the sheer outfit she wore for the Lockwood dinner is where I realized he is demi and not ace, so... 🤣 I'm gonna say muscles definitely do things for him.

08. Favorite food:

you know, I'm not entirely sure. I think that as of right now, I'd go with the Blest equivalent of spiced chickpea stew, with coconut and turmeric. Tysinno doesn't eat a lot of meat, and enjoys things that are both hearty and have some spice.

09. Crushes:

Ayla <3 he started crushing on her pretty quickly. probably while they were still in Capra after Quiial, tbh. he had a (mutual) crush on Red back in their circle days, but it never went anywhere, and there was some brief attraction to Tallys and Chase that fizzled out in favor of friendship.

10. Favorite music:

I have no idea how I'd answer this for Blest, since idk what music styles exist, but in terms of a modern AU, he'd definitely lean towards gothic, dark rock and metal. he'd be very fond of O. Children's sound, and special mention to The Cure and Guns n Roses (obligatory shout-out, since I named his undercover name and call sign after those bands lol)

11. Biggest fear:

being responsible for the deaths of all his loved ones. oh, wait.

honestly, anything like Maj happening again. he's been avoiding groups and connections for years because he's convinced he's bad luck - it's kind of why he left the Circle without so much as a goodbye after graduation.

if you want a silly fear, I feel like clowns used to creep him out until he befriended Chandry, lol.

12. Biggest fantasy:

just kidding (or am I...). I think that his biggest "man, I wish this was my life" fantasy is being a traveling artist. going all over the continent, able to make a living off his art, seeing all the sights and exploring different cultures and having a home to come back to. also, having a cat. or several. he's not picky.

Ayla, of course, also features in his fantasies a lot more lately. :)

13. Bad habits:

he bites his nails. he knows he shouldn't, but he really can't help himself when he's stressed. it gets kind of gross, and it's the one nervous habit he's retained from childhood and hasn't been able to kick.

14. Biggest regret:

well, there is Maj. :') Tysinno also regrets leaving the Circle without a goodbye, the more the story goes along. he left because of his fears of a repeat of Maj, but as time passes, he just wishes that he hadn't been so afraid. he doesn't know what life would've been like if he hadn't left.

15. Best kept secrets:

the Words of Power and the incident at Maj are probably the biggest two he's kept, so far. Tysinno also keeps his art to himself, but I wouldn't call it his best kept secret by any means.

16. Last thought:

"Gods, if I catch those recruits ignore Shery again, I'm making them run laps around Haven itself."

17. Worst romantic experience:

technically speaking, Tysinno's never actually been in a romantic relationship prior to Ayla. but he and Red had a mutual crush on each other in the Circle back as teenagers, which was never acted on. they didn't want to ruin their friendship, for one, and Tysinno just... wasn't ready for a relationship, yet. he left the Circle because he was terrified of something happening to another group of people he cared about, and telling Red that he had feelings for him just wasn't something he was ready for then. obviously that ship has sailed by the time SHOH rolls around, but I'd say that's the worst (and only) thing so far?

that, or the mutual crush on Zori when they were kids. poor Zori.

18. Biggest insecurity:

I've mentioned already that he thinks he's bad luck for people, and it remains true. it gets better over time, but it's still very much there. he tends to second-guess his decisions, does that count as an insecurity?

more minor ones: his prominent eye bags, and how bad his nails can look if he's been chewing on them. this is why he wears goggles and brings around a pair of gloves, just in case.

19. Weapon of choice:

healer with a gun! he's no Tallys or Trouble by any means, but his aim isn't half bad. I think he favors magic more often in a fight, though.

20. Role Model:

he looked up to his mother, Hecathe, a lot when he was a kid. I think he also sees Tallys as a role model in some areas, but not enough to really qualify her as one in general?

[notsodailycake]

I have fallen for you baiting with the Zelink kids, I’m begging to hear something about them

If you need something specific maybe their names and favorite hobbies or who they most take after

Whauwie YES

OK OK SO, so far i have built already how they come to be and all, I'm just working on how life will be like after totk (dont have the game yet, but friends do so imma be asking for sum help)

But so far, we have 2 kids! Both of them are girls, 3 years apart. Older sister is named Sonia (yes in honor of Queen Sonia herself), and the youngest is named Adira

Sonia is more like her dad, especially in terms of looks, but she had inherited her mother's eyes and thurst for answers. She's very energetic and adventurous, and likes helping others

She tends to be the guinea-pig to alot of her sister's projects and creations since she has almost no self preservation. She enjoys it tho, thinking it as a fun activity to try out new things and hang out with her sister. She also enjoys carving things, mainly toys and masks. Most of her sister's toys were made by her when they were around 11 and 8

Although she is usually quite the airhead, and not really the brightest (like her dad, cough-), she definitely inherited her mother's overthinker mind. Doesn't help that she also tends to think little of herself, being the firstborn of the Princess and Hero themselves, alot of people put her under alot of high expectations and although her parents tried their best to show she didn't have to prove her worth, the gossip around town was hard to ignore, doesn't help the fact that her sister has started to become a prodigy to her mom, creating inventions to help hyrule and planning to bring the royal system back when she's old enough

Sonia though, has no intention of bringing the royal life back, nor to continue it. Like her dad she wants to explore, she's fascinated by history and wants to disvover every small relic left unseen. And she wants to travel beyond Hyrule one day as well and help those she comes across her path. But also perhaps, escape the duties and expectations others put on top of her, and perhaps prove herself better then those expectations

She loves her sister tho, despite everything, and will never admit to her how jelouse she actually is of Adira. How jealous she was of Adira of being able to hang out with their mom so much, have so much in common with her, sometimes she wonders if she has anything from her mom other then her eyes

Adira is alot like her mother, especially in the looks department, but she has her father's eyes and thurst for chaos. She's usually quiet, but very sassy when needs be, and although seeming quite shy, she got quite the temperament and wont hold back her tounge

Like mentioned previously she becoms a prodigy to her mom, creating and getting invested on inventions to help hyrule and planning to bring the royal system back when she's old enough. She spends most of her time studying and working on anything technology finding it fun to see what possible outcomes it came give

Although sometimes the pressure is too much, as much as her parents give her the liberty to explore her interests, as she had started to show advancements in her creations and helping hyrule, as well as proclaiming to bring back the kingdom (even tho she was a child when she said that), all eyes were now set on her and she is terrified of any failure, and to disappoint everyone, she usually confides on her sister who never cared of her status and just liked to be around her for her (and well, she felt too embarrassed about it to tell her parents about it, they didn't need to worry about such simple things in her eyes, they already fought the townsfolk so much bc of that, she didn't want to make them dislike her parents bc of her)

She admires her sister alot, looks up to her and wishes she could be as cool as her, as free as her, but she isn't good in any sort of physical activities and is usually just stuck in the lab. And that causes a smidge of jealousy as Sonia is able to bond more with their dad then Adira ever could, she feels like she has nothing in common to her dad other then his eyes and need for chaos (which the second part was something looked down apon by others)

And those are the basics i have so far, there is more but I'm unsure about it for now, and aren't 100% concrete yet, so i wont share at the moment

But before i end this, here are some small fun facts:

Both Sonia and Adira are pure glutons, just like their dad XD. They have cooking sessions together quite often, helping around the kitchen when they can;

Sonia loves horses as much as her dad does, but she is terrified of riding them, because when she was little and riding one for the first time, the person who set settle on didn't do it properly and she fell, head first into a rocky ground, and to add onto it, the horse stepped right onto her pinky. Now she has small panic attacks trying to ride them

Sonia actually used to hate Adira. Since Adira was a rainbow baby, Zelda and Link did kinda get overprotective with her, and accidentally neglected Sonia. That didn't last long after Sonia did cause a whole scene with running away and almost getting killed- but that's likez a whole other story in itself lol (i might make a more detailed post about this later). But after that incident they were able to work things out and Sonia ended up being way more protective over Adira then her own parents

[pancake-breakfast]

It really feels like we're moving into the home stretch, doesn't it?

Stream-of-consciousness thoughts for TriMax Vol. 12, Chapters 1-3 below.

Volume 12 Covers

Eyyy, it's Grape Juice Vash! Wait. Why is his hair all black? WHY IS HIS HAIR ALL BLACK?!?!?!

Huh, was the gag cover not done by Nightow?

The people on the back cover are... an interesting and volatile combo.

Why is Livio strapped down and being tormented on the back cover? Noooooo....

By contrast, Legato looks much too pleased with everything.

Kuro looks like she just noticed she has a butt.

I don't like these chapter titles. They don't sound like things that bode well for our intrepid heroes.

Chapter 1: The End of the Journey and the Echoes of Breathing

Eyyy! Dramatic Livio!

Oh, so while Knives expects they'll never see him coming, these folks have dealt with this sort of thing before and actually have formalized plans for how to deal with it.

Chronica doesn't look particularly happy about this situation. What could be going through her mind as she heads off to fight another of her kin?

Is Domina another Plant? Or are we just running with dramatic names at this period in history?

LOL, Chronica just shut Domina down.

Oh, so Chronica's experienced in this.

Domina's gonna die. I'm calling it now.

Dramatic Vash!

Geez, how high up is he??

Did... he just think about jumping and then stop himself??

Kinda wish these two pages were put together in a spread. Makes it a bit easier to follow Vash's... er... cheerful reminiscing.

Heh, but in spite of all the destruction he's witnessed and been a part of, his thoughts go back to all the kind people he's met along the way.

This isn't even just the kind people anymore. It's just all these people who made an impact on him. And Kuroneko.

Oh, hey. It's Fake Vash.

Man, Legato takes up so much space here.... Definitely not all people who had positive impacts. Good to see Lina and her grandma kinda balancing him out a bit on the other corner of the page.

All the Gung-Ho Guns.... I like how Razlo and Livio are given separate panels, and how Livio's panel is still kinda Razlo-centric. It shows him not being him, but just being a mask and a tool, the real person buried down deep and nearly lost to shadows.

The fact that Chapel's here is interesting. Wolfwood had the coin, but it seems like, as far as Vash is concerned, only the actual Chapel was truly a Gung-Ho Gun. That would line up with his insistence that the coin was Chapel's in the previous volume despite Wolfwood explicitly noting it was his own. (Though Wolfwood was actively trying to push Vash away at the time, so who knows how truthful he was being.)

Ah, and there we end with the two most important figures: Wolfwood and Rem.

MOAR dramatic Vash!

I love everything about this panel. I love the dramatic layout. I love that he loved both the good times and the bad. I hate that he basically expects to die here. I love almost everything about this panel.

Anti-Plant missiles?!? Dang, that's a thing to have to invent...

Ah, so Domina is a plant.

LOL, ranting about your coworker out lout while forgetting your still in voice chat with them.

Uhhhh... the arc just disappeared??

Oh, whatever that is (the warhead, probably) does not look good.

Knives doesn't look so hot. (Alternatively, perhaps he looks too hot.) So that's where Stampede got it....

I'm glad no one else seems to quite know what's going on, either.

Chapter 2: Corrosive Thunder

CW: Body horror

That seems like a dangerous amount of electricity....

Oh, cool. A crater.

Great, Knives has discovered warp travel.

Aaaand it's an entirely new thing in Plant warfare.

If it's been 200 years since they sent out the colony ships and 150 since the Great Fall, then the ship Vash and Knives were on was only out for about 50 years before they crashed.

Hahahaha, Domina's cute when she's flustered.

Seems like Domina might be able to sense Knives.

Nah, it's not the system he hacked into.

Uh... why are we zoomed in on Domina's crotch??

The heck?! That can't be one of Legato's filaments... is it??

LOL, Milly and Meryl just bowling over a guard to get a better look.

Aaaand everyone's shooting for some reason.

RIP Domina. Body horror for everyone.

I'm guessing Knives' "extreme intelligence" is what's allowed him to maintain his will through all of this.

Knives really doesn't care about the lives of his siblings, does he? Even the ones with a legit conscious free will, he'll destroy and/or absorb if they disagree with him. Shouldn't really be a surprise given how he treated Vash, but it's still a bit shocking how far he's willing to go.

Chapter 3: The Interceptor

This isn't going so well for the Earth fleet.

Yeah, the townsfolk really weren't gonna do much against the ark with their puny guns...

It is very dangerous to fire straight into the air! Gravity's a thing! Physics is a thing! Thank you for recognizing this!

This is probably the first time I have ever seen a piece of media honor the "what goes up must come down" property of shooting guns off into the air. Dramatic things like Elandira's nail and Wolfwood's rocket don't count. It's never honored with normal bullets.

Yeah, stupid general man is still sitting there with his stupid warhead. At this point, it might actually be useful if it distracts Knives... but a dirty bomb is called that for a reason. It would devastate the population below, too.

For all her good talk about forgetting Knives is a fellow Plant, Chronica's struggling to do the same with her assimilated sister.

Uhhh, Vash? Vash, babygirl, whatcha doing?

Dang, he managed to cut Knives' tie to Domina. What... what will that even do to her??

Guess I'll find out next time....

Archive

Trigun Vol. 1: Covers + 1-3, 4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 || Vol. 2: Covers + Extras, 1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8

TriMax Vol. 1: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 2: Covers + 1, 2-4, 5, 6-7 || Vol. 3: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 || Vol. 4: Covers + 1-2, 3-5, 6-7 || Vol. 5: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 6: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 7: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 8: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5 + Bonus || Vol. 9: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 || Vol. 10: Covers + 1-3, 4-5, 6-8 || Vol. 11: Covers + 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Extra Credit: Trigun Vol. 1: Nebraska vs. Vash's Motivations, Vash's Loneliness, Vash's Depression (pt. 2 of post), Soupy Brains || Vol. 2: Coin Factoids || TriMax Vol. 1: Lina, Vash, and a Haircut || Meryl, Vash, and the Pursuit of Happiness || Vol. 5: Knives, Vash, and Hatred for Humanity || Vol. 6: Coping Series: Wolfwood, Meryl, Vash || Vol. 8: The Uncoordinated Counterattack || Vol. 9: Justice, Punishment, and Mercy, The Tolling of an Iron Bell || Vol. 10: Crucifixion Symbology (pt. 2 of post), Merging of Families, Being Childlike (And Why God Hates Chapel) || Vol. 11: New Hair, New Outlook

[writteninscarlet]

random, mundane headcanons part 3(??) of ????

favourite piece of technology?

"Currently? The new system at the shop. I like the antique style, but modernity is far better in terms of being able to actually do my work," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. Wanda was far from against technology, and could use most things handed to her. But her way of living tended towards the mystical rather than the technological.

"Surely, the antiques I've kept from the place or receive to sell or display are amazing. Quality pieces. However, technology certain has it's place and makes things so much easier. ....costly though. It was a pain to update and used up most of the savings to get new things fitted."

Outwith the technology at her shop, The Emporium, Wanda's favourite technology changes often. She'll always be amused and impressed by whatever new thing is going on with Stark, and still impressed and amazed by what arrows Clint can make. Her most used piece of technology is her phone, and she doesn't mind the odd game here or there to pass the time or some social media but she tends to just use the call features or various messaging systems. She has to hand it to tech, it doesn't have the flair of astral projection or sending ravens or words just appearing in the air! But it is far simpler and more efficient.

what did their parents want them to do?

"Well, it depends on what set of parents we're referring to," she mused, mostly past getting upset or nostalgic at the thought. "But shall we talk of the Maximoff's since my first few years were with them?"

"The Romani community at the time, at least with my parents and their social circle, was geared towards males being... more important. My job was to bring people in. I was taught how to dance, and taught how to sew and crochet. I was also taught how to read tarot cards - though certainly not the variation of reading decks that I now know." A silence for a moment as she thought it over. Her childhood was happy and she wouldn't think otherwise, but it was filled with hard work, a lot of travelling, and a lot of taking the blame because Pietro was right and she was wrong. "I think my parents simply wanted me to do something that made me happy. They weren't limited, I don't think so, but they were accustomed to how they lived their life and didn't think about other things. I suppose they just thought I'd travel with them indefinitely."

In terms of the Maximoffs and Max/Erik, they wanted what a lot of parents want - their child to follow in their footsteps. To follow their religion (difficult when the Maximoffs and Erik followed different faiths), to follow their beliefs, their line of work... She was taught various skills as a child because staying with the Maximoff's she was likely to be a matriarch at some point. Taught a little medicine, some languages, dancing, tarot, various otehr skills. But Wanda certainly believes that her and Pietro's happiness were paramount.

do they fall asleep easily?

Wanda cast a glance away, then a shake of her head. "Not... Not usually. No." She gave a small shrug, thinking it over for a moment. "For starters, my schedule isn't set. The shop is open during the day, but some customers and clients only come at night - from people brought by the Last Door, to creatures of the night. Not to mention, a call for the Avengers can come any time."

"But... Even when I have the time to sleep, be it night or day, I can lie awake for some time. Sometimes I think, sometimes I don't think anything. I simply can't sleep. And when I do sleep I normally end up waking up early-- It's-- Well, it's my issue. I'm used to it, so it's not anything worrying."

Sleeping hasn't come easy to her in some time. When her depression was high, before and after 'House of M', she could spend days sleeping or just lying in bed. She had no energy, nor the will to see anyone. She does her best to have what schedule she can so as not to fall into that again. But she does have insomnia, of sorts. When with someone, a partner, she does manage to sleep better - she'll still not fall asleep instantly, but it takes less time. It's partly security, partly... who knows what. A skill, a sign of love? Wanda does try her best to get the sleep she needs, and there are plenty of good nights/days. It's not something she's worried about currently.

do you get car/sea/(flight?) sick?

"Not at all. I love a journey," she replied with a smile. "I enjoy a car journey, partly because I never really have to drive or be driven. It's a nice way to see a place I think. I rarely travel by boat or ship, but I'm incredibly used to flights through the Avengers."

"Car is maybe my preferred mode... The faster the better sometimes. You can't beat my brother for speed, however I enjoy a fast car because you can still see the sights. Of course, I wouldn't want to be the one driving. As I say, I don't tend to use cars. I have magic. I'd like to properly learn, though I can drive when required it's a skill I'm probably rusty with."

She happily doesn't get sick. And loves a journey. The travel really is important to her. She does like a nice car, probably more than a nice ship or plane or jet, whatever. She can drive, but the last time she did so? Long time ago. She can affect probabilities so you'll live, but maybe some lessons wouldn't go amiss. She actually knows a fair bit about nice cars. She doesn't know all by sight or sound, but she's been around quite a few people who do enjoy a good super car - and prior to/around her depression first hitting, she enjoyed studying anything and it was so easy to watch shows about cars or read up on them. Or ask Tony or someone else to talk about them.

who do you bicker with them most?

"Pietro, by far," she responded. There wasn't even a split second of hesitation. He was still, and always would be, one of the people closest to her. They had a lot of similarities, far too many perhaps, including arrogance and pride which was probably reason enough for most of their arguments. "We bicker over many things. We tend to overall have similar ideas and feelings, but how we go about things changes a lot."

"We love each other, but we're not the same person. So our closeness leads to bickering." Outside of Pietro? Probably her teammates, though not usually over major issues. Again, when you saw someone often there was always going to be little things that come up.

The answer is Pietro by a long shot. Sometimes it's just for the fun of it and to tease him. They are similar, but their differences are wide and varied. Their pride doesn't like when they're beaten either. And they've both made a lot of mistakes in how they've 'protected' one another in the past, so whilst a lot of bickering is simply surface level and joking, easily resolved, there are larger issues too. Wanda will also bicker, teasingly and properly, with partners. It's not a power struggle or show of dominance, and she's not one to ignore what another person says. But if she feels differently about something she'll state her argument, especially if she feels close to someone. But with a partner she isn't one to hold a grudge, and she's more than happy to compromise or lose. Communication is really important to her, and not all communication is lovely dovey. If she teases you, you're well liked.

does your voice stand out?

"Possibly. Especially around some more than others. I've not yet managed to lose the accent from my home country. ...Or countries. We travelled a lot when I was younger - Serbia, Romania, countries such as these. And my accent isn't yet gone. But I've learned that it can be easier not to show this. I've worked to have a more 'American' accent because it prompts less questions. I used to use this fake accent more regularly but... I use it less now, and let my own accent come through."

She was proud of who she was, but she hadn't always been. Her accent didn't seem to bring 'good imagery' to mind, and always seemed to set her 'lower' in peoples estimations. Or that she could not truly speak english when she thought her understand better than most others. She hid it to make life easier, but it didn't really help. She was prouder now.

Wanda really is proud of her accent, and around those she's most comfortable with (partners, or close members of the Avengers) the accent will come through more pronounced as she's relaxed. She's the kind that when excited or in high emotion, her accent is more noticeable and thick.

[baileyboo2016]

merry Christmas! it's me, fae-spy, your secret santa! I hope you enjoy. I'm not super good with angst so I hope it's enough! I hope you have an amazing Christmas<3

Link had no idea what the winter solstice celebration was.

He had heard it mentioned once in a blue moon, from the odd passersby. The first time Link heard about it he was five years old. A while ago, he had just lost his family, and was living by the kindness of a few fairies. Though, they could not talk and had very little understanding of human needs.

He was in the market, which was a rare occurrence, to buy something with a little money he found on the side of the road. An older woman had mentioned something about how “winter solstice has no meaning without her grandchildren.” Link had asked her what the winter solstice was, but she paid him no mind. People barely talked to others outside their family in Hyrule, much less strangers.

Later that night, Link couldn't help but wonder what the winter solstice was. It was the only thing that was keeping his mind off of the cold. He was unable to find a coat to buy with his money. He huddled against the dark walls of his cave in a desperate attempt to feel warm.He was sniffling and shivering. He was cold and alone. The only thing that kept him alive at that moment was the hope that things would be better next winter.

…

“Are you okay?” Hyrule asked. The Chain was staying at Lon Lon Ranch for a bit on account of all the snow that piled up outside. Of course, Malon gave them chores to do like she always did. Hyrule and Wind were tasked with cleaning the guest rooms, and while they were making the beds, Hyrule could hear small sniffles coming from Wind’s side of the room.

“I’m fine,” Hyrule saw Wind bring his arm up to wipe his eyes. Wind sniffled once more.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Wind continued to make the bed.

“...Well, if you need anything let me know…” Hyrule went back to his chores. He was still awkward when it came to interactions with other people.

Not a minute later, Wind spoke up. “Do you think we'll be able to leave soon?” Hyrule thought that statement was odd. Wind always loved to see Malon and the ranch.

“Time says we can't leave until the snow lets up. It depends on if a portal appears or not then.”

“Oh… it's just… nevermind it's stupid.” Hyrule turned to face Wind. His eyes were glossy and red, matching his red, slight snotty nose. Wind usually looked small to the others in the Chain because he was the youngest. But Hyrule never thought he looked like the youngest, he always thought that was Four, because he was so short. However, right now, Wind looked like what he was, a child.

“Wind, what's wrong?”

He sat down on the bed. Gingerly, Hyrule sat down next to him. “I just miss Aryll… I mean, more than I usually do, since it's close to Christmas and all. I just wish I could make it in time…”

Hyrule had no idea what Christmas was since he grew up as an orphan in a crumbling country. Even though his curiosity was burning, he felt this wouldn't be a good time to ask. “Well… Legend has this theory that when we go through the portals we don't travel… linearly… through time I guess? Anyway, maybe you will be able to make it in time.”

“...yeah, I know I have you guys for Christmas, but without Aryll it isn't the same…” Hyrule didn't know how to respond to that. The only family he ever had were his dead parents and the fairies, so he didn't really understand.

“You two must be really close, huh?”

“Yeah…” Wind wiped his eyes again and stood up. “Don't tell anyone about this, ‘kay? …Promise?”

Hyrule nodded. “Promise.” He wasn't planning on telling anyone about Wind, but he was planning on figuring out what Christmas was.

…

Hyrule didn't really understand why he'd been sly with his inquiries, so he asked the first person he ran into after his chores were done. Which was Malon.

“Hey, Malon?” Malon paused cutting the vegetables for dinner. “... what's Christmas?”

Shocked features painted her face for a second before her lips formed into a soft smile. “It's just a celebration during the winter. People decorate, give each other gifts, stuff like that. Do they not have something like that in your Hyrule?”

Hyrule shrugged. “They had something called the Winter Solstice, but I never really did anything for it… when is it?”

Malon continued to chop the vegetables. “In a few days.”

“Oh, do you and Time celebrate it at all?”

“Of course! We were talking about doing it with y'all if your circumstances allow it. Wind has been seeming particularly sad lately, maybe it’d cheer him up, ya know.”

“You noticed too? …Maybe we could make it a surprise for him. Kinda like a surprise birthday party?”

Malon clapped her hands together. “That sounds like a great idea! I'll talk to Time and see what we can do!”

…

“Wind,” Hyrule shook Wind softly. “Wind, wake up. It's important.”

Wind rubbed his eyes and groaned. “What?”

“Come down stairs, quick!”

Eventually, Hyrule coaxed when to stumble out of bed. They walked to the living room together. A soft glow was drifting out of the living room paired with soft whispers.

As the two walked into the living room, they were met with the sight of a lit fireplace surrounded by presents and a tree decorated with red bows and candles in jars. Everyone sat in front of the presents. Time sat right next to Sky, making sure he didn't fall asleep.

“Merry Christmas!”

Wind grinned widely, now fully awake, “wow, thanks you guys!"

“Are you just gonna stand there looking stupid?” Legend remarked, holding a gift out to him. “Or are you going to open your present?”

Giddily, Wind grabbed the gift and quickly unwrapped it. Taking off the paper revealed the gift to be an ornament. A telescope one, in fact, just like Aryll’s. It was red and orange with small seagulls.

Wind eyes started to water slightly as he looked at the telescope. “Thank you!” He said to everyone. Then, he ran to Hyrule and tackled him with a hug.

Hyrule smiled, this might just have been his best winter yet.

awwww omg this is so sweet???? 🥺🥺🥺🥺 poor rulie, im glad he gets to have a good christmas with his family!! sky trying not to fall asleep is such a mood LMAOOO. and wind needs a hug too :((

thanks so much and merry christmas fae-spy!! 🥰🥰🎄🎄

[zorkaya-moved]

Zarina's Touchstarved AU is basically would be smth like this:

Zarina was exiled from Senobium 3 years prior to the game's prologue. Which means, she has been outside of Eridia for the last three years. During that time, she traveled back home for a year and then returned to Eridia to work on hunting Soulless and trying to get back into Senobium.

Zarina was one of the higher-ups of Senobium for years, thanks to her genius, abilities, and research. She was called the 'Golden Moon' of Senobium. Charismatic, intelligent, and hard-working. The peak of what Senobium's mages wanted to become, greedy and envious.

Her research was diving deep into studying the Shroud, Elements, and Magic's connection to Life/Death to see if immortality was possible but only because she wanted to prevent anyone from reaching it since she sees immortality as a waste of human potential.

Her downfall comes from how far she went in studying the Shroud and nature's elements. Her study of elements within magic led her to a ritual that seemingly went awry. By the time she was awakened, she could no longer conjure any magic that she was able to do before, and after seeing that she no longer had what made her 'special', she was tossed out of Senobium. However, her ritual was successful, but no one understood it as it took time for her body to actually recover.

Zarina's actual research dived into the study of ancient magic and Elementals, beings of pure magic who had ownership over certain elements. She wanted to see if those creatures could be used for energy purposes within Eridia or could be used to control the weather/environment around them. Zarina's main reason for that was to help her family back in the highest up North region where brutal winters were making it hard to live.

Senobium mages thought that Zarina would die in the Lowtown, thinking her to be just an Academic, but she did not. They did not know even half of what she was capable of when she was in Senobium. However, it's well known in Eridia how big her 'banishment' was as many mages have gathered to scorn at her and call her out on becoming useless, powerless, and dethroned. Quite a humiliating experience, but it didn't matter. Her research was a success and those fools let go of her.

What was the research? What happened? By the ritual's powers, Zarina was able to summon the ancient elemental within Senobium, but at the cost of her own mortality and her own magic. A power trapped inside her body, an endless blossom of elemental magic of a specific element: ice. Mortality and humanity had to be sacrificed, a curse she wishes to undo. She did not wish to have this power for herself, she wished to have it be externally controlled, but... That is the reason for her research now.

Vere, Ais, Kuras are all able to sense that Zarina isn't a human. Hands down. Not god modding. Zarina smells like winter forest and death. Her bare hands' touch leaves frostbite on others, that's why she wears gloves.

Zarina has a secret laboratory under Eridia that no one but a select number of people are privy to.

[arcann]

Ok I promised to talk about Cassandra, my Scarlet MC but December ran over me like a truck. Now that I feel better here it is.

- Updated: Street Smart / Mystical.

- Call her Cass or Cassandra, not Cassie or anything else.

- Virgo ♍️. Favorite color is green. Favorite ice cream is mint choco (smh). Uses a lot of earthy tones in her clothes. Love language is acts of service but they will also lend you their clothes, especially in cold weather. They have A Lot of very neat longcoats. Likes to drive but they sold Vivian's old car to pay bills and regret it most of time.

- Working as a teacher for a decade so their college debt is forgiven. Likes the job but wishes it would pay more.

- Had a very close relationship with Vivian as a child but they always wished their mom would spend more time with them. Vivian was the only breadwinner in their family of two so she missed a lot of Cass's achievements in life. By the time Cass goes to college they barely talk across the years and once they comes back it's not long before Vivian gets sick. Their roles reverse but Cass isn't able to pull their mom through that trail. They isolate themself after they lose Vivian and only their more casual friendships survive. By the time they arrive to town they're still mourning but are resolved to making new friends and learn about their mom's childhood.

- Has never traveled much so they packed like they're going to stay in the Holler for a month. The baggage was a bitch on the way (he. hehe) but it works for their benefit. Dustin is very comfortable and warm and they still have enough to change for the week.

- Allergic to peanuts. Coffee over tea 10 times out 10 so they never drinks the tea. Bad diet habits but not as bad as Tabitha's. Promised herself to learn how to cook but it's not going great.

- Doesn't like the way Tabitha treats them and they let her know but at the end of the day they realizes they went to Scarlet Hollow to be there for her and accepts grief does express itself in many ways. Losing friends was the cost of their mourning and already Tabitha has been isolating herself more than they ever did. So by Wednesday they make an effort to spend time with her.

- Takes on Stella's proposal to find the skunk ape very quickly and only freaks out after Duke dies. Still they appreciate her optimism in most situations and is genuinely scared over her disappearance in ch 4. On god were gonna get you your coal baron gf Stella... just not on Thursday.

- Relates a lot to Avery and is very glad when they start to seek them out. They appreciate being able to share the feeling of being slowly accepted in the small community but still being very much a stranger. They do admire Avery's charisma and lighthearted nature even in rough situations. One day they're going to get little ditchling babies ✨️together✨️

- Loves Kaneeka's style and sense of security even in the face of danger and relates to her situation, since her going back home for family while studying is something Cass wonders if they should have done but by chapter 4 they're very worried over what that means for Kaneeka.

- As a teacher they must put children first so they had to rescue everyone in the mines. It was not up for debate. Feels very protective over Rosalina and after what happened they just want to make things easy for Oscar. It works in chapter 3... it might not be so after chapter 4...

- Very conflicted about Reese by chapter 4. They lov- like the guy a lot, finds him incredibly interesting and immediately agrees with Kaneeka about there being something suspicious happening with his mystery illness. For a moment they're immensely glad that nothing supernatural had happened by late Thursday and the risk of planning an escape was worth the reward. But then That happened and now they're truly complicit in a murder. But the alternative? That was a million times worse in her mind. They could never do that to him. The narration says MC thought nothing after falling asleep but oh no, not her. Cass became three very different people in their mind and they screamed at each other until morning.

- Does practically nothing in the Scarlet estate except sleep and bathe. Highkey does not want to be there even if they like the Holler.

- For now her decisions are accepted Stella's invitation quickly, grabbed Gretchen and returned to the estate. Talked with all the miners without being discovered, called and waited for Tabitha and rescued Becka and Alexis at the risk of Rosalina's safety. Talked with Isaacs but didn't tell Tabitha about the strike. Everyone went ghost hunting and Tabitha made the sacrifice. Didn't stay in the basement and didn't use the tranquilizers. Open to change but I am excited to see what will happen with this world state 🤪

[moumantaimf]

Something important

============

Panel 1: Roi says "Mom? Dad? I have something to tell you. I already talked about this with Sher, Rowi, D and meky goo". Khi says "What is it, dear?"

Panel 2: Roi says (while having her head gently pat by Mekari) "I'm not going to stay at home. I'll come to get some of my trinkets, but besides that, I'm going to keep traveling through space with my brother's family. I know you want me home, but ever since I came back a decade ago, I knew I wanted to come back to space... and now I have the chance to do it safely and not alone".

Panel 3: Nau says "Roi...", Khi says "Oh honey, I know we won't be able to stop you. We knew you'd ask us about it. And we know you'll do it no matter what we reply. We know you have a whole year of experience here, but we still care for your safety. Can... Can you promise us that you'll do your best to stay safe?"

Panel 4: Roi says, blushing, "I will do my best to stay safe and... and... I know I tend to be a bit ditzy but... I... I won't... be alone.. and... and... yeah... staying safe... uh". Mekari talks. "Sir, ma'am, all I'm going to say is that no matter what happens or what Roi does, I promise you that she isn't going to be alone. As her friend I am going to stay with her and protect her no matter what". Nau says "M... Mekari, thank you. Please, dear, you're a good boy too... Can we entrust her to you?" and Mekari says "With my life, if necessary".

[demidevildiva]

welcome to marina, VALENTINA FLORES ( female, her/she ) ! they are a 27 year old who has lived over on LOCKE ROW for HER ENTIRE LIFE and works as a COACH AT YOUR AVERAGE X. everyone says they look a lot like ANYA TAYLOR-JOY. what do you think? —

Name: Valentina Flores Gender: Female, her/she Age: 27 years old Sexuality: Pansexual Occupation: Coach at Your Average X (rage cage/axe throw) Neighborhood: Locke Row D.O.B: April 16th Height: 5'8" Body: Tall, Slim Hair: Blonde Eyes: Hazel Definable Marks: knife tat on her forearm

Character Summary:

Val is an overall eccentric person. She loves hard, and hates even harder. Can be rather blunt at times which comes off as rude to many people, but she couldn't be bothered to explain herself to anybody. She absolutely is a ride of die for her friends, and would not waste a minute to sucker punch the first person to say something bad about them. Has a bit of an obsessive personality in that she becomes love stuck easily and without a reason given. Is the type of person to break into your house and not see the error in her actions simply because it's something she's done her entire life. She has a lot of abandonment issues so can become clingy with friends, and easily emotional if she's pushed aside. Her strongest emotions come out as anger outburst.

Intro:

Valentina doesn't remember anything before her 6th birthday. All she knows is what the island has on paper for her, which isn't much other than the location of where she came from. She was born somewhere in the United States and spent most of her life in the foster care system. At the age of six she was adopted and that family brought her to Marina, but none of it lasted. By the year she turned eight the family sent her to a friend's house and she never saw them again. Ever since then she had been moving from home to home, and by fifteen she could be found sleeping out in the streets beneath tarps and blankets.

She decided to get herself together and started working with local farmers collecting eggs from their chickens, and milks from their cows in exchange for money and sometimes even a place to sleep for the night. In a year's time she was able to afford a small trailer over in Locke row which is where she has lived until now.

Having had spent so much of her youth alone and alienated, Val learned a lot of things on her own. She did a lot of things that are questionable like stealing food, picking pockets, breaking into houses and shops whenever she was in dire need of anything. She isn't proud of it, but she looks back fondly at all of her experiences because they made her the woman she is today.

While in high school she spent a lot of time at friend's houses where she found a new love for horror movies, anime, and video games. Since she had no television or computer in her house she stayed with them whenever she wasn't working.

Despite living in the same trailer she's been renting since she was fifteen, Val makes just enough money where she was able to buy herself a computer, and television and turn her sad home into somewhere that she enjoys spending time with and is proud to call her home.

Headcanons:

AESTHETIC: pastel goth/e-girl

Loves playing video games and watching anime. Will talk about it for eons if you let her

Has a pet hamster called Gargoyle, and a small hamster cemetery behind her trailer home for the previous hamsters. (unfortunately they only live for around 2-3 year. Talk about more abandonment issues)

Loves cinematography, and would love to one day be able to create her own Claymation short stories.

If she ever dreamed of becoming anything worthwhile in life it would have to be a movie director

Travels the island in a bicycle

Loves people watching. It's her favorite pass time

Owns a panther named Hela

Wanted Connections

tba

[josieoh]

[ moon gayoung, cis woman, she/her ] - was that JOSIE OH i saw by the lighthouse today? i heard that the TWENTY SIX year old who has been in nightrest for HER WHOLE LIFE and works as a PARALEGAL has a reputation of being PERSUASIVE, but also OBSESSIVE. they reside in ASHMORE & people in town usually associate them with ADAM AND EVE IN THE SECRET GARDEN, A DAMSEL WHO BECAME THE DISTRESS, & SILK SHEETS KISSING BARE SKIN. let’s hope the killer doesn’t go after them next. ╱ pinterest. dossier.

BRIEF BACKGROUND!

tbh i'm too lazy to do anything special with the bg so we just gonna have to agree to settle for this sry

raised in the shadows of her siblings, jealousy was the emotion most often felt, especially towards their mother's favourite jacob. tried to be the best kid, kept her grades up, got every award she could, played sports, danced, but nothing seemed to work to gain her parents attention ( or the attention of the adults taking care of them ). by her first year of high school, josie was over it. while she maintained her grades, she began hanging with the wrong crowd and leaning more into the black sheep persona among her peers while still trying to be the golden girl for her parents. nothing was off limits and by the time she graduated, she'd secured acceptance to a university out of state where she got her bachelors in paralegal studies. she took a year off to travel ( read: party ) and got together with the wrong guy. long story short, it was another two years before she was able to break away from that situation and finally come back home to nightrest where she's been putting her degree to good use ever since. -- basically she's been back nearly two years now.

HEADCANONS!

now onto her as a person.. she's a #Mess. petty, spiteful, overly confident, twisted, loves to argue and will literally do it just for shits and giggles ( even better if it pisses someone off ), does whatever she wants whenever she wants with no regard to other people and their feelings, and very i am woman, hear me roar. she's loyal to one person and that's herself ( and her siblings so ig 3 people ). here for a good time, not a long time. doesn't believe in anything that isn't a dress or skirt but wears pants suits to work bc the men she works with are pigs and she likes her job. speaking of her job, i imagine she works for one of the best lawyer firms in the area and specialises in criminal law, but she knows her way around business law too thanks to her parents ( yes she's still trying to find acceptance what of it ). takes her beauty seriously --- the type to have an extremely intensive skin care routine, work out routine, and diet. think like patrick bateman from american psycho sorta serious.. just minus the psychopathic murderer tendencies ( maybe. it's a surprise ). a practicing wiccan with an altar and all. will happily read your palm or tarot for free if you're a friend or for a "price" if she thinks you're hot enough. still a partier with nothing being off limits. has probably gotten really good at detoxing herself just in case there's ever a drug test at work. despite the fact that nothing's off limits and she's..well, her..she's very diligent when it comes to her job and probably one of the best around. organisation skills are on point, attention to detail is top tier, mistakes are an absolute no-no, etc etc. don't get her started, she can talk about how amazing she is forever still very much jealous of her older brother, but won't hesitate to add your ass to nightrest's body count if you fuck with him in even the SLIGHTEST way 😠 and did she settle in ashmore to be close to said brother? maybe. we don't talk about it. if you wanna help her help her bro find love tho......ig you can hit her up. just don't use her in an attempt to get to her brother. been there done that didnt want the ugly tshirt. did i mention she was a scrapper? bc she is, she just prefers to do so verbally due to her job ( tho given her parents, she's probably not likely to lose it even if only due to them trying to keep their rep in place ).

anyway she's an annoying lil hellion but i hope yall love her as much as i do thank u