#squama

[searchsystem]

Maximilian Schachtner / Squama / Popp – Blizz / Album Cover / 2022

[twistedsoulmusic]

Enji - Taivshral (Official Teaser) [Squama]

[lenofiga]

[vollmond-laboratory]

Sea Rover Squama — In-Depth Character Introduction Profiles

Snow: Squama. He travels the world laying siege on various pirate ships in order to find his twin brother, White, who was kidnapped and separated from him by pirates when they were children. His powers grant him the gift of eternal youth, and he uses his cute, childlike appearance to catch his enemies off-guard. In addition to his natural-born abilities, Snow’s unrelenting efforts to save White from the hands of pirates has made him into a highly skilled fighter, enabling him to single-handedly eradicate a number of pirate crews. He excels at quick and light fighting techniques that make the most of his small build.

Bradley: Squama. Captain of the Pirates of Death, whose motto in life is to challenge those who are stronger than him and steal all of their treasure. He took in Nero as part of his crew after finding out he had nowhere else to go. His gift allows him to see how hostile his opponents are in the form of a black haze. He chose to become a pirate after hearing stories of the Cintamani Stone as a child, fascinated by the tales an old former pirate would tell him. His dream in life is to one day find that legendary treasure. He enjoys Nero’s honest reactions to things that are now the norm for Bradley, and finds teaching Nero the fundamentals of piracy worthwhile because of it.

Nero: Squama. His unique blue scale crest sets him apart from his kind, and is referred to by the nickname “giftless”. He became a member of the Pirates of Death after Bradley found him collapsed on the beach, and took him under his wing. Though he looks like an adult, there’s still very little he knows about the world around him, and at first he knew barely more than a child would. Despite this, his quick understanding of things and attention to small detail helped him integrate easily within the crew. Though he respects Bradley for saving his life, he finds it frustrating sometimes when he’s still treated like a child.

White: Squama. A Lieutenant Commander in the Vollmond Navy. His powers grant him the gift of eternal youth. He was kidnapped by pirates from the slums where he lived with his twin, Snow, with the intention of selling him on the slave trade. When the pirates were arrested, however, White ended up being adopted by the Vollmond Navy officer who caught them, and was trained to become a gifted soldier as a result. Upon being told by his adoptive father that Snow had died, he lost any interest in his life and career, choosing to settle for his current position despite his admiral-level accomplishments.

Heathcliff: Human. A First Lieutenant in the Vollmond Navy. As the son of a highly distinguished military family, the Blanchetts, he rose quickly through the ranks despite his young age. He has mixed feelings regarding his childhood friend, still a student at the Naval Academy, who would enthusiastically talk about “becoming Heath’s shield”. Heathcliff’s earnest personality sometimes makes it difficult for him to handle his superior officers, what with Murr’s mischievous behaviour and White’s indifferent attitude. Alongside his solemnity and thoughtfulness, his sensitive, unsoldierlike care has earnt great trust from those above him.

Murr: Human. An Admiral in the Vollmond Navy, he’s pursuing the whereabouts of the Child of the Cintamani Stone, who fled while under his care. Though there are rumours abound of him having once used whatever means necessary to rise through the ranks and achieve his current position, nobody can explain exactly why he might’ve done such a thing. His methods having backfired on him, a certain incident left him with a severe head injury, turning his intellectual personality into that of a mischievous cat. He’ll occasionally visit his old friend’s house on a whim for a glass of wine, though only he knows when best to go and why.

Arthur: Squama. His gift draws in good luck from the world around him, and he has never once lost a bet. When he was about 4 years old, a crew of pirates almost succeeded in kidnapping him – only thwarted by the lucky appearance of the great and legendary pirate Oz, who then took Arthur in. There’s not much he remembers from before he was 4, and has no memory at all of his real family. When he was 13, he once had a nightmare about being kidnapped from Oz by other pirates. Though he calls himself a pirate out of respect to Oz, the truth is that he prefers helping people by fighting off the truly bad pirates, all while on his journey to reunite with the man who left him behind.

Oz: Squama. A legendary pirate whose reputation extends to every corner of the world. Equally as famous for his strength, his gift of being able to control the weather at will is well-renowned, and many pirates grow out their hair in admiration of Oz. He found Arthur onboard the ship of a pirate crew that had challenged Oz to battle, soundly defeating them and then taking Arthur in himself. Though he did his best to balance child-rearing with piracy, overhearing a 13 year old Arthur say “I want to go home” in his sleep prompted Oz to leave him at the nearest house available – which just so happened to be Cain’s – in order to set off on a journey to find Arthur’s real family for him.

Cain: Human. A master cutlass swordsman and member of Arthur’s pirate crew. He took care of Arthur after he was left behind by Oz, and found himself so charmed by Arthur’s personality that he decided to come along on Arthur’s journey to find Oz again. The cutlass-using character in many of the stories sung by bards is said to be modelled off of Cain, who is well-loved by the children that know of him. While fighting against the red-eyed pirate Owen, their left eyes were somehow exchanged. Since then, he’s been searching for a way to make things right, planning on returning Owen’s eye immediately once he knows how.

Chloe: Human. Though he doesn’t know it, many of the clothes he’s made as a hobby while travelling around with Rustica are now incredibly fashionable, known by many as the “Wandering Chloe’s Ensemble”. As he was being arrested by the Vollmond Navy, Rustica’s last words to Chloe were “I’ll be alright, just wait for me here,” and so he waits for Rustica to come back while keeping watch over their ship. Once, while praying at a well-known church for Rustica’s safe return, he met a blond boy who unexpectedly helped cheer him up, and hopes to see him again someday soon.

Rustica: Squama. Although he’s unaware of his status as a pirate, he has been officially recognised as one by the Vollmond Navy due to him always skillfully turning the tables on any pirates who attack him and brazenly taking their treasure while on his carefree travels. His gift is the ability to charm people with the music he plays. He was recently arrested without warning by the Vollmond Navy for some unexplained reason, separated from the friend he had been travelling with. He’s especially talented when it comes to playing the ocarina, and his habit of playing a tune every time he stops for a drink at a bar has built up quite the fan following, unbeknownst to him.

Rutile: Squama. His gift allows him to paralyse whoever he touches. Having lost his mother at a young age, he took up caring for his younger brother in her absence. An incredibly good surfer, he’s become something of a speed demon capable of going unbelievably fast due to his spectacular riding skills. Ever since his younger brother started living at the Naval Academy boarding school, Rutile has begun drawing his own picture books based on stories about his mother, a famous female pirate, reading them to the children around Vollmond Island. Having met his mother’s old friend only once a long time ago, he hopes to someday see him again and tell him of his mother’s death.

[aria0fgold]

Okay, I'm calm again. Okay but like also ngl though, squama au is more of a bradnero au if anything. It's good! But I really did wish coly made Cain an evil pirate in there. I agree with the majority of the fandom that Owen should've gotten the special gift of immortality in that au and Cain being an evil pirate in which HE swapped out their eyes in that au instead. Like a reverse from canon caiowe. I wanna see him be in the position of the "evil one" and take FULL advantage of Owen's immortality and just swap their eyes together. That'd be more interesting than Owen's gift being that he's able to take something from another person and it somehow malfunctioned and just straight up exchanged their eyes.

[houseofdisplacement]

tags for the timeline

#world lore. - tags that are strictly text, reblogged if they make sense to the editors of the blog to fit into the world or written up directly.

#world aesthetic. - tags that are all the pretty pictures and posts about the different mythologies.

#plot update. - used whenever there’s a new plot relevant structure going on and there needs to be updates about it. self explanatory i think.

#acceptance letter. - as the home functions as a school to blend into society a little better instead of just a home for the displaced people, they have psuedo acceptance letters. this is the tag for the ‘submissions’ for the timeline.

#( refugee ) / #( student ) / #( teacher ) / #( consul ) - this basically says that you are what role you fill. nothing serious. you can be refugee and student or teacher at the same time. however you cannot be refugee and consul (which is basically headmistress/treasurer/etc. tax purposes.

#status update. - an update to warn people of availability or hiatuses or anybody in the timeline.

#back to glory. - the treasurer’s update tag. will be updated personally.

#celestial talent. - the headmistress’s update tag. will be updated by the headmistress’ mun.

#true witch. - the admission’s officer update tag. will be updated by whoever picks up the role. 

the above three will be the only three who have access to edits to the blog.

#pluma caelesti. - house of the birds, such as phoenixes, cocktrices and other famous legendary or mythical birds or gods that have taken a more familiar form to blend in.

#dente fictili. - house of the beast, such as huehuecoyotl, anubis, and other famous legendary or mythical beasts or gods that have taken a more familiar form to blend in.

#vivae squamae. - house of the ocean, such as water nymphs, aphrodite, and other famous legendary or mythical water based oceanids or gods that have taken a more familiar form to blend in.

[aceghosts]

And I try to move on, but I just can't let go

Summary: Rooney Shepard takes a missing person's case at the request of Rogue Amendiares; they do not expect the client to be their ex-boyfriend, Yorinobu Arasaka. Title comes from nightlife's fallback. Rating: Mature Warnings: Referenced Character Death (Specifically Jackie and Rooney's), Referenced Human Experimentation (Rooney), and I think that is everything. Let me know if I need to tag for anything else. Words: 5,198 Author's Note: Just wanted to explain: Rooney's original universe is Mass Effect. I've tried to blend part of the events of Mass Effect (not the aliens and reapers, but their pre-service history and similar events) into Cyberpunk 2077. I tried to fit it in as best I can, staying within the confines of the universe, but I've changed parts of canon. Tagging: @bbrocklesnar. @marivenah, @voidika, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @amalkavian, @onehornedbeast, @captastra, @alexxmason, @captmactavish, @inafieldofdaisies, @vizarding, and @thedeadthree. I added everyone who liked this post; I hope it's okay that I tagged you. If you want to or don't want to be tagged, let me know.

AO3

Music blasts loudly as Rooney Shepard steps into the Afterlife, a deep frown on their face. Around them, patrons of the club shout, trying to make themselves heard over the music. Their head throbs, a headache forming as they head towards the bar. Why couldn’t this have been a holo call? Rooney supposes it must be an important missing person’s case if Rogue wanted to drag them down to the Afterlife. Glancing over to her booth, Rooney catches sight of Rogue holding court, already occupied with some merc. Could be a while before she’s ready to see them. They grab a stool at the bar, catching sight of themself in the reflection of the glass panels. In the neon green light, Rooney looks sickly pale, washed out. The dark circles under their eyes stand out prominently, a thousand-yard stare gazing back at them. If it were anyone else, Rooney would describe them as haunted, but they’re fine, nothing is wrong with them. They have to be fine.

A moment later, Claire is in front of them with a sympathetic smile as she places her hands down on the bar. “Here for work or play, Shepard?”

“Work.” I would never come here for relaxation, Rooney adds silently. Relaxation used to be nights building model ships with a decent beer. Or a night at some cheap dive bar with V, Jackie, Misty, and Vik, chatting and listening to classic rock. Now…Now, V is dying, and Rooney needs to help them find a cure. No matter what it personally costs them.

Claire nods, motioning over their shoulder. “Understood. Although, I think some hope that you might come in here for a night off.” They follow her gaze, towards a Corpo, sharing a table with two of his colleagues. He raises his beer in greeting before motioning to come over, all while giving Rooney a flirtatious smile. Not interested. Shaking their head, Rooney looks back to Claire. They weren’t really interested in anyone like that since…“I’ll get you your usual, Shepard, even though you look like you could use a beer.”

“Thank you.” As Claire goes to get their drink, Rooney breathes deeply. Focus, Rooney, Focus. They need to be focused, especially for a case.

She returns with their soda, sliding it towards them as she glances over towards Rogue’s booth. “Rogue is ready for you.” They nod, flicking the creds to her along with a good tip as they get off the stool. Rooney takes the drink with them, making their way over to Rogue.

Squama nods as they approach, with Rooney returning one of their own as he moves to let them pass. Behind him, Rogue lounges, faintly reminding Rooney of a Lioness from the old nature vids they used to watch as a child. She watches them carefully, despite her fairly relaxed posture. “Shepard,” She greets them with a fairly no-nonsense tone, motioning for them to sit.

“Rogue,” Rooney sits, placing their drink down on the table. They watch her carefully, knowing Rogue is one of the few people not to underestimate in Night City. You do not become Queen without disposing of a few pawns. Besides, Rooney is curious about why they are here. Normally, Rogue preferred to give them cases over the holo with a slightly mocking tone or have a client reach out to Rooney directly. It was the rare few that ever required Rooney to come to the Afterlife. 

“I have a job for you.”

Rooney raises an eyebrow, holding back a sarcastic response. “I assumed. Why meet in-person for this one?”

“This job requires…” Rogue pauses, looking away briefly as she searches for the right word, “discretion.”

As Rogue looks back at them, alarm bells ring in their mind. Adrenaline spikes as their heart beats faster. Rooney tenses, eyes scanning around the room for potential threats. Nothing good ever happens when someone mentions being discrete. They know all too well from their time in the military that it meant covering up dirty laundry, protecting the reputation of powerful people. And if anyone should find out the truth? God help them all. For all Rooney cares, someone else can have this case. “No.”

“No?”

Shaking their head, Rooney stands, on high alert, “I don’t want it. Give it to someone else.”

“Shepard, don’t be so dramatic,” Rogue rolls her eyes, “You haven’t even heard-.”

“Don’t care.” Right now, they’re getting the same bad feeling about this job as they had about V and Jackie’s gig with that idiot Dexter DeShawn. And look where those two ended up: Jackie six feet under and V well on their way there. “I’m not interested. You can find-.”

“Sit,” Rogue commands with more authority than some of their previous COs, “Hear me out, and if you still don’t want it after, I’ll find someone else.”

Leave. LEAVE! Their brain screams at them, but curiosity wins out in the end as Rooney sits back down.

“You weren’t my first choice for this gig, Shepard.”

“So, that means others passed on it.”

“You might not be my first choice, but I haven’t told anyone else about it yet,” She pauses for a second, “I hoped I could think of someone else for this. You won’t like the client.”

“Rogue, if you’re trying to convince me, you aren’t being very persuasive about it.”

“You’re only here because you get results. And the client needs results.” She emphasizes that last part, her voice taking on a serious tone. “The client needs you to find someone. Quickly and quietly.”

“A merc could do that for you.”

“They also need someone who isn’t the type to shoot first and ask questions later. They need someone who can handle this with a fine touch.”

“Again, I’m sure you could find a thousand mercs in this city who meet that requirement. I’m a PI.”

“Not as many as you would think,” she counters, her gaze drifting down to their left hand, the metal one forced on them by Arasaka, “You might find this case to be personal.”

They clench their fist, his voice in their head: “I hope you make him and Arasaka regret doing this to you”. Saburo Arasaka might be dead, but his shadow loomed large over Night City and Arasaka still. “Rogue, are you saying that Arasaka is going after someone who might need help getting away from them?”

Rogue smirks and Rooney finally feels like they’re catching on. “Maybe,” she shrugs, playing a slightly disinterested tone, “But you don’t want-.”

“I’ll take it.” Rooney has a terribly bad feeling about this job, and they’re playing right into her hands, but they won’t let someone suffer at the hands of Arasaka. What if this person could help V, saving them from the parasite in their head? Or what if it was V? Arasaka had already sent exterminators after V. Rooney wouldn’t put it past them to send someone after V, and who better to help V evade capture than a friend? This job might be a trap, but they’ve walked willingly into traps before and come out alive. Unscathed was a different matter.

“Good,” She flicks her wrist, sending them a text, their holo beeping a moment later. “You’ll find the details for your meeting with them in an hour and a half.” They frown, opening the message as they notice the meeting location set for the Ebunike with very little information on the client. “You’ll hear the exact details from the client. Wanted to keep some of the mystery.”

Dismissed. They get up, sighing. “I’ll get to the bottom of this, one way or another.”

“I’m sure you will, Shepard.” As they leave, all Rooney can think is: What have they gotten themself into?

—

As soon as they leave the Afterlife, Rooney heads towards the docks on their black motorcycle, hoping they’ll have some time for surveillance. They do, but their preliminary surveillance leaves them with more questions than answers. Maelstrom guard the dock, providing little useful information. They hear the name “Grayson” a few times, who seems to be in charge of the operation. Rooney would need to investigate him more, but it wasn’t a good sign that he was working with the Maelstrom or Arasaka. Whoever Arasaka was looking for was in deep, deep trouble.

Deactivating their optical camo, Rooney emerges from the shadows, hands by their side as they approach the two Maelstrom guarding the entrance. They are hyper-vigilant, keeping an eye out with their electrified monowires at the ready. “Oh fuck!” One of the Maelstrom exclaims while they both jump at the sight of Rooney approaching. Rooney…wasn’t on good terms with the Maelstrom. While they preferred to use non-violent methods to resolve conflict, the Maelstrom weren’t always willing to listen. And Rooney was willing to use violence if necessary. “Shepard, what the fuck are you doing here?”

“I’m not here for you two,” the two Maelstrom glance at each other, seemingly unconvinced by their words, “I’m here for a meeting with your boss on the Ebunike about a missing person’s case.”

Scratching his head, one asks, “Why should we fucking believe you?”

“Yeah,” the other crosses her arms, “What if this is a trap?”

If it was a trap, these two would have never seen it coming. “Call your boss and tell him Rogue Amendiares sent me. If he does not vouch for me, I’ll leave. Peacefully. You have my word.”

The Maelstrom sighs, his eyes alighting as he makes the call. “Grayson, we have someone for you. Says Rogue fucking sent them. Want us to send them home in a body bag?” He’s silent for a moment before his eyes flick back over to them. “It’s Shepard.” Silent again before sighing, “I’ll fucking bring them over”.

 The call ends, and he turns to Rooney. “Grayson vouches for ya. Says I’m supposed to fucking bring you to him like I’m a goddamn messenger boy.”

“Lead the way,” Rooney motions, “We both have a vested interest in having this end as soon as possible.”

The Maelstrom motions for Rooney to follow as his compatriot stays behind to guard the gate. Rooney follows him silently, making more mental notes as they weave their way through the docks. Lots of containers, stacked high, which meant lots of hiding places, a good and bad thing. Good as it meant plenty of places for Rooney to disappear to give them an edge. Bad as it meant their enemy also had the same opportunity to surprise them. They also noticed a few good vantage points, which would have been excellent for sniping if they brought their sniper rifle, Black Widow, with them. They had the sniper rifle with them during their whole military career, even during the Unification War. Eventually, they reach the Ebunike with the Maelstrom guide, climbing the stairs behind him. As they ascend, Rooney wonders who at Arasaka would need such a large, moored ship. It did not seem like a typical Arasaka meeting place. If anything, Arasaka liked to hold meetings in their buildings or businesses with which they had deep ties. Corps liked to be in control, and Arasaka was no exception.

Dread grows within them, like the blade of a guillotine hanging over a soon-to-be executed man. Reaching the center of the deck, Rooney finds Grayson with a few Maelstrom beside him. He looks relaxed, too relaxed for their liking. “Shepard, thank you for coming. I hope the Maelstrom weren’t too rude to you,” Grayson greets them with an unearned air of friendliness.

“They were fine.” No, the Maelstrom weren’t, but Rooney was not about to tip their hand. They glance around the dock, taking stock of their situation. Some more containers, but nothing that would be too useful. Too open for their liking. Keeping a professional tone, Rooney states, “As I said to your friend, Rogue Amendiares sent me. Told me you had a missing person’s case for me.”

“We do, Shepard.” The world drops out from under them as the door to a container opens behind them. Rooney’s eyes widen briefly at the sound of a familiar borg voice, their anxiety spiking. Instinct kicks in a second later, and Rooney spins around, activating their electrified monowire. The wire gleams brightly in the dim lighting of the ship’s deck, an audible hum of electricity in the air. Rooney tastes the electricity in their mouth, a side effect of their monowires. In the dark of the container, two red glowing eyes stare at them. A second later, they heard the sound of loud machinery, Adam Smasher, Yorinobu Arasaka’s personal bodyguard, stomping towards them. He laughs, sending a shiver down Rooney’s spine as he comes out into the light. “Put the fucking wire away, Shepard. I’m not here to kill you. Yet.”

He’s trying to get a rise out of them, and it’s fucking working. Rooney never liked Adam Smasher, too machine-like for their taste. Too cruel; too callous. They don’t put the wire down, wondering why Smasher would be on the Ebunike of all places. And then, the awful thought hits them like a rocket a second later. Oh no. Oh no. Smasher has to be here for V. Or he’s looking for Takemura, who will undoubtedly lead him straight to V. They cannot let that happen. V won’t stand a chance against Smasher. At least, not without some serious chrome, firepower, and allies. Rooney won’t fail V, not like how they failed to protect-. “What do you want?” Their tone is sharp as steel.

“Put the wire-.”

“I’m only going to ask you once,” Rooney cuts Smasher off, the Maelstrom and Grayson audibly gasping at their audacity, “What. Do. You. Want.”

The tension is thick in the air with Rooney ready to snap at any moment. They know they might not win against Smasher in a straight-up fight, but if they get clever, Rooney can-. “He’ll want to tell you himself. The brat will have a fucking tantrum if I don’t let him tell you.”

They holster their monowires, fairly certain that Smasher doesn’t mean them harm. Curious eyes burn into Rooney, everyone wondering why they would cause such a stir with Smasher’s boss. “I doubt he wants to see me. I think it would be better if you and I talked-.”

“No one ever rejected him the way you did, Shepard. Was licking his fucking wounds for weeks.” Dread morphs into guilt, and Rooney looks away. They hadn’t wanted to hurt Yorinobu, but they needed to return to the Military. It was their home, or at least, it had been at one point. “’Sides, even if I told you, you don’t fucking think he would come to find you himself?”

He would come looking for them, which would place V in even more danger. Vik, Misty, and Mamá Welles too. “You don’t have to tell him. You could always withhold my identity.”

“Pays me too much for that, Shepard. You want the fucking gig or not?”

No, they don’t; they really don’t. But this might have something to do with V, and they can’t fail V. Rooney won’t fail V. It also sounds like Yorinobu might be in trouble too. He was the whole reason Rooney got through their time with Arasaka, after being reanimated and jacked with experimental mods. Yorinobu was the first one to make them feel like a person, not so alone. They wanted, no, needed to help Yorinobu if he was in trouble.  “I’ll do it. When would he like to meet?”

Something akin to a smile appears on Smasher’s face. “Now.”

—

The ride up to the Arasaka CEO’s office is a silent one as Rooney watches the numbers tick on as the elevator climbs upward. Their last interaction with Yorinobu plays over in their head, the memory as clear as day.

Yorinobu is panic-stricken, holding onto their arm tightly. “Rooney, you cannot go back to them. They threw you away, leaving you to the whims of Arasaka. What happens if you die again?”

Three more floors…

They frown, confused by his behavior. “Yorinobu, you can’t stop me from returning. We both knew I wasn’t going to stay here forever. What did you think would happen?”

Two more floors…

His grip on their arm loosens, face softening. “I thought you might want to stay with me. Help me destroy Arasaka from the inside.”

One more floor…

Rooney pulls their arm from Yorinobu. “In another life, I would have,” He looks heartbroken as they continue softly, “But I made a promise to serve, and I intend to keep my promise.”

The elevator door opens, releasing Rooney from their memories of heartbreak. They walk beside Smasher, gaze focused on the office in front of them. Rooney swallows nervously, rolling their left shoulder, out of habit. They never expected to see Yorinobu again, especially under these circumstances.

Rooney enters Yorinobu’s office with Smasher, Yorinobu standing in front of his desk, his back towards the two. In front of him is a large screen, detailing Arasaka’s stock value, and other information. “Do you have them?” Yorinobu asks, sounding vaguely annoyed.

“Course I have them,” Smasher motions to Shepard, “Do I ever come up fucking empty handed?”

Yorinobu shakes his head, placing the holopad down. He turns, facing Rooney and Smasher as the pair stop a few feet away from him. Trying to stay collected, Rooney feels like they’ve had the wind knocked out of them. He’s in front of them; Yorinobu is really in front of them. Yorinobu must be feeling the same way.  His eyes widen behind his glasses, shock clear on his face. “Rooney?”

He says their name, and they want to run to him so badly. To hold him in their arms and tell Yorinobu that they wish they had reached out sooner. Instead, they clasp their hands behind their back, aiming to treat him as they would any other client. “Good evening Yorinobu,” Rooney feels fairly confident in using his first name while staying professional, “I understand that you need help finding a missing person. I’m happy to work with your team, or I can recommend-.”

“That’s it?” Frustration colors his voice as he shakes his head. “This is the first time we have seen each other since that day, and this is how you react? Like I am stranger? Like nothing happened?”

Yorinobu is so much more to Rooney than a stranger. He’s the one that they let go, the one person who still holds the still-beating pieces of Rooney Shepard’s perpetually broken heart. “You are a client,” Their tone is firm as they continue to dig their grave, ever obstinate, “You are hiring me to find someone. Unless you would prefer someone else to take this case.” Someone who has less emotional baggage.

He looks hurt at their declaration, mumbling something under his breath about how stubborn they are, a badge that they wear with pride. To Smasher, he dismisses the man with a wave of his hand. “Leave.”

“Gladly,” Smasher replies, likely relieved to not be part of their argument. He stomps out of the room, leaving the two alone.

Silence permeates the room as Rooney searches for the right words. Yorinobu huffs, “What about us? Did any of that mean anything to you?”

They flinch a little, hurt a little by the insinuation that Yorinobu thought that Rooney didn’t care about their relationship, that it didn’t matter. But, they were treating him like a client. Sighing, Rooney unclapses their hands from behind their back. They join him at his desk and lean against it as they cross their arms over their chest. “What we had meant a lot to me, Yorinobu,” He perks up a little, some of that signature cockiness returning, “but you made it pretty clear when I left to return to the military that you wanted nothing to do with me.”

“I did not mean-.”

“It doesn’t matter that you didn’t mean it,” Rooney looks up at him, “I wanted to respect your boundaries, and you made it pretty clear about where we stood.” Yorinobu looks down at his desk, avoiding their gaze. Damnit, they were screwing this up. “Yorinobu,” they gently call his name, and he looks up at them, “I’m here now. Tell me about this case.”

He comes closer to them, the scent of his familiar cologne invading their nose. Woodsy with bits of Cedar and Nutmeg. “Saburo Arasaka is dead,” He admits quietly, meeting their gaze.       

“I would give my condolences, but I feel it would be more appropriate to say, may Saburo Arasaka rot in hell.”

Yorinobu smirks, a small laugh escaping him. “May he rot somewhere worse than hell,” He looks away from them, “He was poisoned by his bodyguard.” Not the story I was told, Rooney thinks. They trust that V’s version is more accurate, knowing how much Yorinobu hated his father. But, why was he continuing to give them the same tale he was giving everyone else? Probably because they were an ex he hadn’t seen in a few years. Yorinobu couldn’t know where their loyalties lie. Besides, he wasn’t the only one who was going to keep secrets.

“There were also two thieves that day,” They raise an eyebrow knowing full well that he is referring to V and Jackie, “They stole something from me. Something important.”

“Important how?”

Deftly avoiding the question, he picks up a black flash drive from his desk and comes to stand in front of them. Holding it up, he asks, “I have footage of the crime if you want to see it. Would you like me to insert it for you?”

Rooney nods, tilting their head slightly as brush away their dark red hair, offering him better access to slot the drive in. His right hand gently wraps around their throat, holding them still in place, fingers slightly interlaced with their hair. His brown eyes meet their ocean blue ones for a second, and Rooney’s breath hitches in their throat, a small flame of yearning they thought long buried flickering within them. He slots the drive in, the footage begins to play a second later. Two thieves pop out of the wall, clearly shaken: V and Jackie Welles. Formerly Night City’s dynamic duo. Close friends of Rooney’s. While Jackie and V’s faces are blurred, Rooney can still tell them from a mile away. The two mercs rush over to Saburo’s corpse, panicking over the dead man. The audio is distorted, perhaps on purpose to keep any mention of Yorinobu’s deeds hidden.

“Notice anything?” He asks, leaning in closer, his breath warm on their ear. Yorinobu’s thumb lazily strokes along the edge of their jaw. Rooney swallows, reminding themself to focus on the matter at hand: the footage.

“No.” Jackie and V freak out. Jackie paces back and forth in place, awkwardly holding the stolen goods. V is running back and forth, looking terrified as they search for a way out. A few moments later, Jackie and V are gone, the footage ending. The drive pops out, Yorinobu taking it as he releases their throat. Rooney tries not to miss the touch of his skin against theirs, but it’s hard to shake. “I don’t recognize the perpetrators,” a bold-faced lie, “I can reach out to some of my contacts underground to see if they’ve heard anything. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“You will need to find only one of the thieves. The man holding what they stole is dead.”

“Anything more?” Yorinobu looks away, placing the drive down, and Rooney senses some hesitancy. But they need to know. If Rooney can find a way to help him and V, they want to. There has to be a path forward; Rooney just can’t see it yet. “Yorinobu,” They say his name softly, uncrossing their arms. Gently, they place their hand on his shoulder, giving his shoulder a soft squeeze, “I know this must be difficult for you, but any detail helps. I want to help you.” Please let me help you.

He grabs a holopad from his desk, swiping it a few times before passing it to Rooney. Taking the pad, their brows furrow as they begin to read the details. Shit, that is the thing that is killing V. “What is this?”

“Do you remember how I told you that my Father did worse things? Things worse than experimenting on you?” They remember the conversation very clearly, the one where Yorinobu swore that he would destroy Arasaka from the inside out. “This is one of them: the Relic.”

“And what does the Relic do?” They already know what it does. It turns idiot mercs with delusions of grandeur into long-dead rockstars.

“My father wanted to live forever,” Yorinobu’s voice is grave, “The Relic was his answer to that.”

Horror washes over them like a wave capsizing a boat in a stormy sea. Their heart skips a beat, the awful insinuation not lost on them. That’s…that’s…There are not enough words in the human language for Rooney to express how awful it is. Shakily, they place the holopad down, facing him with horror clear on their face. Instinctively, Rooney cups his face, searching his eyes. He’s still Yorinobu, the man they knew. But that still doesn’t make them any less worried for him. “Yori..,” their nickname for him slips out in a breathy tone as he uses the opportunity to pull them closer, hands on their hips, “Saburo…he didn’t try to… he didn’t…?” Even after all the terrible things they’ve seen, Rooney can’t bring themself to finish the sentence.

“No, he never got the chance.”

Rooney breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”

“Worried for me?”

“Always.” From the moment they left the Arasaka labs, Rooney worried about him, afraid that he might do something rash.

“When did you come to Night City?”

They’re surprised at his question. “I thought we were talking about the case, not about me.”

“You know you need to find the thief and the relic, and I would prefer this was kept between you, Smasher, and I. You will also be compensated generously for your work. But, I am curious as to how you came to live in Night City.”

“I arrived a year and a half ago. Something about being with the military didn’t feel right anymore. I ended up here in Night City, a place where the Free States and the NUS would leave me alone.”

“Did you know I was here?”

They sigh, knowing this would go in circles. “Yes, but I thought-.”

“I know what you thought,” Yorinobu cuts them off, “But did you ever think about contacting me?”

More than he knows. Rooney remembers the first time that they thought about contacting him. It was a rainy day, and they were limping to Vik’s after a nasty run-in with Scavs. As they walk down the rainy street, they catch sight of Yorinobu’s face on a screen. He stops them in their tracks, the world seemingly stopping. They watch, mesmerized, no longer caring that the rain was drenching them as the news report continued. Without thinking, they pull up their contact list, scrolling down to Yorinobu. Rooney hovers over his name, wanting so desperately to call him, to hear his voice. Instead, they close the phone, knowing that some things are better left in the past. The second time was when V was in critical condition. Things were going to shit, and he was one of the first people Rooney wanted to contact. Actually, he was the first, but they decided against it. “I did,” They admit quietly.

“Did you miss me?” A loaded question if Rooney’s ever heard one. And one they refuse to answer. They should keep things professional, already having crossed several lines. “I missed you; I missed you terribly.” He leans down toward them, longing battling within Rooney. God, they want him badly, so badly that it threatens to consume them. He’s so close and Rooney leans up to meet him, wanting Yorinobu so much more than they realize. 

“Arasaka-sama,” A voice speaks over the intercom on his desk, “Hanako-Sama is here to see you.” Rooney is jolted back to reality, realizing what they were about to do and how monumentally of a bad idea this was. They release him, gently pulling themself out of his arms. Yorinobu looks pained at their rejection, and a sharp spike of guilt rises in their chest. It’s better for them both this way.

“I should go,” They have to do this, someone has to stop this, and Rooney will take on that responsibility, “I should start working on the case.”

“Rooney, please do not-.”

“Stop.” The wounded look on his face sends another stake of pain in their chest. “Hanako, your sister, needs you right now.”

“And you do not?” They open their mouth, and he cuts them off. “Do not give me some self-serving bullshit about being fine.”

Rooney is fine. Or at least, maybe they’ll convince everyone they are fine if they repeat it enough times. “Doesn’t matter what I need,” They say sharply, giving him a pointed look, “Right now, we need to find the thief and the Relic.” Or at least, buy enough time that they can figure out what to do with this shitstorm of a situation. “I’ll leave my number with Smasher and pass anything I find on to him.” Smasher was one of the last people that Rooney wanted to have their number, but this would be better for everyone.  

“No,” They raise an eyebrow before Yorinobu’s eyes alight and they’re receiving a call from him, “Since I still have your number and you have mine, please contact me with all updates. I plan to be very involved in this.”

The door to this office opens, and both turn towards the door, the sound of heels clicking drawing their attention.  Hanako Arasaka steps into the office, Sandayu Oda hot on her heels. “Shepard,” Hanako looks surprised, all while staying very prim and proper, “I did not know you were in Night City.”

“Just moved within the last year, Ma’am. Your brother didn’t know either.” Rooney knew what Hanako was fishing for. She had been aware of their relationship with Yorinobu the last time, even if she did not always approve of it. “Oda,” They nod a greeting towards him.

“Shepard,” He returns with a nod of his own.

“Please excuse me. I was just leaving, Ma’am.” They start, making their way to the door.

“Have a pleasant night, Shepard.”

“You as well.” Rooney quickly excuses themself, throwing one last glance over their shoulder at Yorinobu. He catches their gaze, winking at them. They shake their head, fully leaving the office.

As soon as they reach the elevator, Rooney leans against the back wall, letting out a sigh as the elevator door closes. Their holo pings a second later, a familiar name appearing. The text read: We should get a drink sometime. An offer that sounded far more tempting than it should. Rooney closes the message, leaving him on read. This was going to be a long case. 

[tearsofmilky]

ENG:

"He grabs your barely perceptible shoulders and breathes hard, looking into the face, as if he didn't expect to see you among the living.

Y: Yulian... Are you...

Vodyanyk doesn't let you finish and hugs you close. His lips cover yours and at that moment the world around dissolves..."

This fragment still makes me cry. This made me so emotional...

And the drawing took a long time (for me). If it weren't for the ref (I don't know who the author is, let me know if you know, please), everything would have gone to hell ;-;

Save me from squama!

UA:

«Він хапає за ледь відчутні плечі і важко дихає, вдивляючись в обличчя, ніби й не сподівався вже побачити серед живих.

Є: Юліане... ти...

Водяник не дає закінчити і пригортає до себе. Його губи накривають твої і цієї миті світ навколо розчиняється...»

Цей фрагмент досі змушує волати. Я буквально випала, коли це відбублося..

А малюнок — було довго (для мене). Якби не реф (не знаю, хто автор, підкажіть, якщо вам відомо, пліз), все попливло б до біса ;-;

Рятуйте від луски!

[estasiapocalitticadeldisagio]

La sintassi di un attimo

Lascia defluire i fotogrammi della memoria non ancora fenice di una simulazione che forse mai sembrerà essere. Effigie di me che non esisto finché non sono. E solo l’urgenza di evitare il presente, fuga senza coscienza, e la vita squama di dosso sgretolando dietro le spalle.

[gregor-samsung]

“ Oggi ancor piú ho precisato il mio collega Brizzi: il suo sacrario è la famiglia, in lei ritorna candido; fa tutto per i figli, perché non soffrano, perché si istruiscano, perché il plebeo non li ferisca. L'uomo è come un buco dentro la terra, ogni volta che si scava piú profondo vien fuori altra sostanza e terra piú nera o piú scialba o ghiaia o roccia o squama e ogni volta è un mistero che genera meraviglia. Avevo sempre frequentato Brizzi qui al manicomio ed anzi mi era sembrato che piú volte avesse voluto praticamente indicare, a me piú giovane, le sue definitive conclusioni, cioè che gli uomini sono disposti al peccato, che è necessario adattarsi alla ferocia dei tempi, e chi si abbandona alla generosità è debole o sciocco; ridicola ogni speranza. Oggi è Natale, ero solo, non sapevo dove andare e non mi riusciva scacciare, mentre si avvicinava mezzogiorno, una sconsolazione che sempre piú mi pungeva come volesse farmi arrivare al pianto. Proprio lui, Brizzi, oggi, Natale, è venuto apposta al manicomio, mi ha cercato, mi ha invitato a casa sua, nella quale non invita nessuno. Gli sono grato. Tre ore sono passate fuggendo, cosa per me fino ad ora rarissima durante i pranzi dei giorni celebrativi. Il merito è anche dei suoi due figli, educati ammirevolmente e di anima limpida, Vincenzo e l'altro minore che ora, dopo essersi laureato in medicina, si specializza in pediatria. Il padre era cosí felice in mezzo ai suoi figli da divenire timido e rincantucciava le membra in un gongolamento che gli toglieva ogni pensiero. Il giorno di Natale, oggi, io solo come un cane da pagliaio, come la Lella che oggi ha mangiato col gatto e quando ha saputo che anch'io sono stato invitato si è messa a piangere, Brizzi mi ha detto di andare a casa sua e io ho sentito che era sincero e ci sono stato con quella felicità che si intende dopo che è passata. Ma dunque è sera, sono le sei e mezzo, fuori è il plumbeo cielo del Natale ormai scuritosi in notte, io ho fra ventidue giorni quarantatré anni e il Brizzi mi ha fatto testimone della sua battaglia: crede invece segretissimamente al futuro, segretissimamente violenta si risolleva la sua religione, la piú nascosta; forse ripete, tentacolando cieco, e nello stesso tempo chiarissimo, che dobbiamo iniziare dalla famiglia. “

Mario Tobino, Le libere donne di Magliano, introduzione di Geno Pampaloni, A. Mondadori (collana Oscar n° 90), 1969²; pp. 190-192.

[1ª Edizione originale: Vallecchi, Firenze, 1953]

[memorycycle]

the longy squama

[possidere]

☆ SEA ROVER SQUAMA  ,  APRIL FOOLS' 2023

a blue and pink marbled sea and the sound of waves from summers bygone. waking up, I found myself atop a deck, and in front of me stood my saviour - a man with hair the colour of the sky. though I have no memories of how I got here, I know one thing for sure. this opulent ship and the distinctive shape of the man's hat; a black flag with a white skull for an insignia fluttering in the sky. these men  ... they were pirates !!

[lenofiga]

You would think...they'd have lower chances of divorcing...given the nature of the town ...and that in this au they work under the people who put an end to the 400-year miracle/feat they painstakingly built...but even if bu never deserted...you can see hints of their relationship tumbling down to its doom anyway...but you would think right...

[vollmond-laboratory]

Sea Rover Squama — A Teensy-Weensy Pirate Battle!

CENTRAL

Oz SS: Do not presume to think that you could beat me on these seas. S: …Could the Goddess of the Sea be displeased, I wonder? A: (All the things I have done… I can never speak of them to that child.)

Arthur SS: Hooray! I shall be sure never to forget how happy this has made me. S: I suppose this proves I still have much left to learn. I shall ask Cain to teach me some new tricks. A: (As lacking as I am now, I’ll never be able to meet him again at his level…)

Cain SS: All right! C’mon, let’s celebrate our victory with a feast! Time to let loose and party! S: Guess I gotta report this to Arthu… No, I mean– to the captain. A: (Damn… How am I supposed to give that guy his eye back like this…)

Riquet SS: So I have taken the righteous path after all, just as I thought. S: I am not yet as capable of protecting others as I had hoped. A: (Uuu… Did I not study enough beforehand, perhaps…) 

NORTH

Snow SS: ‘Tis I, Snow – one half of the strongest pair of twins! Now, here I come! S: Hohoho. You are a hundred years too young to win against the likes of me. A: (Oh dear… Will White scold me for this, I wonder…)

White SS: ‘Tis I, White – one half of the strongest pair of twins! Now, here I come! S: You mistook me for a student, you say? How unfortunate! As you can now see, I am actually a lieutenant commander. A: (Oh dear… Would Snow have scolded me for this, I wonder…)

Mithra SS: Haha, as expected. Everything within this ocean is mine, after all. S: Good enough. Now then, I shall be taking my nap.  A: (Hah? Does this person want to die, I wonder?)

Owen SS: That’s right, run away. And don’t you ever think about invading my territory again. S: Alright, now it’s snack time. A: (Haha… So you want me to make this your watery grave, is that it?)

Bradley SS: I’m in luck – I’ve got both the sea and the undine workin’ on my side. S: At the rate we’re goin’, all the treasure in the world’ll be mine soon enough. A: (You ain’t seen us Pirates of Death at our true strength yet, mark my words…)

EAST

Faust SS: We’re one step closer to creating a whole new world. S: It’s alright. I was taught a long time ago to never get impatient at sea. A: (I can’t allow myself to stop here. Not until I’ve accomplished this dream.)

Shino SS: Heh. Time to go brag about this to the guys in my dorm. S: I’ll do even better in the next drill, you’ll see. A: (Tch… I’m gonna get called into the teacher’s office if I keep screwing up like this…)

Heathcliff SS: Looks like everything went according to plan. That’s a relief. S: Phew. I was starting to feel a little nervous… A: (For the sake of everyone’s peace, we cannot allow ourselves to lose…!)

Nero SS: I’m one of the Pirates of Death too, yanno. S: Guess this brings me one step closer to becomin’ a proper pirate. A: (I’m still so goddamn weak…)

WEST

Shylock SS: Fufu. A job well done. S: We can do a little better than that, don’t you think? A: (I won’t go so easy on you next time.)

Murr SS: Just leave keepin’ the peace at sea to us! …Yeah, right. S: Another job complete. Aye-aye, sir! A: (I seem to be acting in poor form for you today, my love.)

Chloe SS: Now I’m a real man of the sea, too! …Haha, just kidding. S: Phew! I’m glad everything worked out okay! A: (I really need to toughen up if I want to stay on this ship…)

Rustica SS: Now then, shall we have a tea party to celebrate our victory? S: How relieving to know that the ship and crew are all safe. A: (Oh my, the sea appears to be in a rather bad mood.)

SOUTH

Figaro SS: Can’t just sit around and let my students show me up, can I? S: Your trusty teacher Figaro’s skill isn’t all just for show, y’know. A: (Oops, looks like I went a little too easy on ‘em that time.)

Rutile SS: I want to follow in the footsteps of my mother’s dream, too. S: One mistake here or there doesn’t make me any less of a pirate’s son. A: (Ugh… No, I can’t give up here…)

Lennox SS: The waves are on our side. S: So long as everyone is safe, that’s really all that matters. A: (Time for a temporary retreat.)

Mitile SS: This is just proof of all my hard work in class! S: I knew the practice sessions would make me nervous… A: (Uuu… I should go over everyone’s feedback again…)

[cavedwellermusic]

Enji Erkhem – Ulaan (2023)

Naz Basaran looks at Ulaan, the new album from Munich based jazz/traditional Mongolian artist Enji Erkhem, released July 28th on Squama.

Enji Erkhem’s Ulaan offers a pit stop in life. It makes you present in your whole body and cuts the rushing anxieties of your mind for 36 minutes. The strong and gentle vocals of Erkhem combine with the brilliance of Mongolian touches on Jazz music to form a diamond sparkling inside the rock that is 2023’s releases.

Read Naz's full review and listen to and order the album at the link below:

[ikemenfangirl]

Promise of Wizard : Mahoyaku Pirates 🏴‍☠️ "Sea Rover Squama" event

Title: Promise of Wizard (Mahoutsukai no Yakusoku) By: coly Genre: Simulation Language: Japanese Platform: iOS, Android Website: https://mahoyaku.com

A pitch-black flag flutters across the blue sky. and the skull was dyed white. they are pirates.

🏴‍☠️ Mahoyaku Pirates https://mahoyaku.com/pirates/index.html

PV:

Start: April 3rd

🏴‍☠️ DOWNLOAD iOS: https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/id1481949790

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.colyinc.mahoyaku