joshwashingtn

[bita-bita]

Last night I had a dream where I broke up with Erwin for some reason, but we still loved each other. (As always I was a civilian in the dream)

After that, my close friend (adult) Eren started to be closer to me, being even more caring than before, and he sorta confessed that he's had feelings for me all this time (which I already knew). And we started a relationship but I told him to take it slow because I was still dealing with my emotions about the previous relationship. He accepted.

One day, I knew Erwin would be in some part of the forest in some sort of a meeting or something. And I sneaked into the forest to see him from afar. (PATHETIC) I missed him so much T - T

And while coming back, I lost my way but found a road and walked along it and then my Military Police Captain dad accidentally saw me and left his work to take me back to our area 😬😁

When I arrived home it was early morning and Eren was very worried (me and Eren stayed in the same house 🤔)

And I think I lied to him about where I've been... 😞

That night, we were both sitting on Eren's bed, and I was thinking of Erwin all the time and I was so frustrated with myself that I couldn't just forget about him and focus on Eren who clearly cared so much about me. In an overwhelmed state of feeling too many emotions at once, without thinking, I leaned in and kissed Eren. It was our first kiss since I had asked him to take things slow with me. He was shocked but then relaxed and slowly returned the kiss. After a while I pulled back and had tears in my eyes. I was angry with myself that I had kissed him and made him think we're making progress while I still had Erwin on my mind. But I couldn't bring myself to say my thoughts out loud in fear of hurting Eren. Eren wiped my tears and comforted me, and I left as quickly as I could to sleep in my bed in a separate room.

So... we had phones in this dream? And there was an app in this universe.. which had a vintage cozy vibe to it. I can't remember its name. I had a few people followed on it, and Eren wanted to cheer me up and entertain me so he shared Hange's and Levi's accounts with me so I could follow them, and I did, but then noticed there are some very scary images on their accounts, some of them were about titans and titan shifters, they were way too scary for me to handle and I started crying and rushed to Eren's room, He quickly sat up and opened his arms for me, I curled up against his chest. He gently kissed my temple and forehead, murmuring an appology saying that he didn't notice the images would be scary for me and he only meant for me to be entertained.

I gave my phone to him so he could unfollow Hange and Levi for me so I wouldn't have to look at their accounts myself. And as my new boyfriend, he just decided to unfollow Erwin too while he was at it 🙄 and blocked him too. WHY EREN?????

Then he continued to comfort me until I could fall asleep in his bed that night (well we always had been close even before this romantic relationship started)

The next day the scouts were at the beach

Not for swimming, but.. idk. Maybe they wanted to search the sea and find out more about it. And I was there too xD But it was a chill trip to the beach. None of them were in uniform. Erwin was there too, and Oh. My. God. He looked GORGEOUS under the sunlight. I wanted to cry, okay???

He was wearing a thin white button-up shirt, the top part was unbuttoned, and I think he was wearing light brown/beige pants and had folded them up a bit so they wouldn't get wet. He was standing on the beach near the sea, he had found a... dragon. And was trying to tame/befriend it. The dragon was pretty chill with Erwin.

@wyvernslovecake I'm sure I had the dragon part in my dream because of you, Cas hahah

So, for some reason, no one was surprised by the dragon we just thought, "Oh cool, a sea creature perhaps." And it was only, hmm.. a bit bigger than a horse or a bear. I'm sure it wasn't the kind to breathe fire. It was white, with blue eyes, and was standing next to Erwin. The pair of them looked so graceful jehishsihsosj Erwin deserves a white dragon by his side T - T

And I just missed him soooooo much, so I went up to him. I didn't have anything to say. I just really really needed to interact with him, or I would have died T - T

Erwin looked at me with a gentle expression, but I knew him, and I could see the sadness in his eyes. He held a hand to the dragon's head to keep it back so it wouldn't unexpectedly move towards me or something even though it was unlikely. The dragon seemed way too chill to want to attack or anything.

I looked at the dragon for a while, admiring its white scales under the sunlight. Then I looked at Erwin, and after a few moments of silence, we started to talk. Erwin was very polite and gentle as always. And at some point I told him "Eren treats me well, and he loves me so much.. but I miss how it feels to love..." implying that I didn't love Eren back

Erwin's expression softened even more, and his beautiful blue eyes showed even more emotion now.. he was doing a good job of masking his emotions, but I could tell! I knew him well enough to notice. He looked away a bit. We were both conflicted about the situation we were in. We were both holding back ourselves not to jump on each other and just hold onto the other one. I couldn't help the tears that were forming in my eyes and to not make it hard for him, I started walking away while silently crying and thinking oh just how beautiful his golden hair looked under the sunlight and how his blue eyes matched the sea behind him T - T *dramatic music in the background lol*

I was gonna go tell Eren that I couldn't try with him anymore and that my mind was.. focused elsewhere. And I was TOO sad that it woke me from the dream ×_×

[ruby-whistler]

Why c!Dream should (and probably will be) redeemed

Hi! I’m bad with intros. You’ve read the title, so, let’s start with the definitions.

In this essay, we are considering the popularized definition of “redemption” instead of the classical one, which is, as per the Oxford Dictionary, “the act of saving or state of being saved from the power of evil; the act of redeeming.” That’s not however the way the word is used in fandom and media.

/dsmp /rp

The definition of redemption I’ll be working with in this essay is not forgiveness by the people who c!Dream has hurt, nor is it removing himself entirely from his past actions, but moreso the decision to change for the better and abandon destructive mindsets for himself and others.

A “redemption” in a narrative sense would be circumstances and a character arc that would allow that kind of healing and betterment.

I’d like to start this off by the fact that being “irredeemable”, in this sense, also doesn’t exist; redemption is a thing of conditions and choice, not of being allowed by someone else. You can’t gatekeep healing from people who seek it, just to be clear, and that even goes for people who have done terrible things.

Since I understand there is a lot of concern for c!Dream’s past actions, here is a post from people who are much more fit than me to speak on the matter, about the way in which they see a possible c!Dream redemption arc.

Another disclaimer, I am not going to be considering c!Dream only from the perspective of c!Tommy in this essay. c!Dream appears in other people’s perspectives and he himself has his own, unseen perspective. As a character, he is an individual person in his own right rather than just the antagonist of c!Tommy’s story, and so I do not have much concern for their narratives intertwining too much should this writing choice occur.

I’d also like to note that redemption is, in this sense, always a positive thing for everyone involved - someone who’s been prone to doing bad things in the past deciding not to do them anymore and try to change, or just simply heal enough to consider it, isn’t going to have a long-term negative effect in any of the characters, but rather the other way around. Healing is an unlimited resource, and the victims do not have to heal first for the person who hurt them to consider being better.

Here’s a well-written thread on Twitter that elaborates a bit to finish off this point, and let’s move on to actually talking about redemption in the context of the Dream SMP, and c!Dream specifically.

Why a c!Dream redemption arc is not only a good writing choice, but in this case the only good writing choice;

c!Dream, as we all know, has been subject to mental and physical abuse to the point of straight up torture by both c!Sam and c!Quackity (to different extents). He has been in indescribable amounts of suffering for the past 74 days at the time this essay will be published. That is six and something times the duration of the entire exile arc in canon.

Whatever the interpretation of his words in prison is, what is undeniable is first of all the fact his mental stability is absolutely crushed at this point, second that no human being could possibly ever deserve to undergo this, and third, his stay in the prison is showing off his humanity and making him out to be sympathetic.

Now, consider this; how would it feel if c!Tommy died at the end of the exile arc? Empty, there would be no catharsis to such an end, especially because of all of the hurt he’d gone through. Objectively, a bad writing choice.

Let’s compare, narratively of course, this situation to the prison arc. Even though I would never say one of them is “better” or “worse” than the other, since both are terrible and undeserved, c!Dream’s current state checks off all of the boxes that would make his death unsatisfying in the storyline; even if people want him gone, there would still be the dissatisfaction at the current build-up and why they even did it in the first place (it really wasn’t necessary to anyone else’s story to make him out as a victim, and yet they did) if they were planning to kill him off anyways. And since the prison arc is naturally meant to induce sympathy, even from an angst perspective it would simply not make sense within the themes and writing of the plot.

So, c!Dream can’t die, and he also can’t stay in the prison forever - the build-up must lead to something, which is logically a breakout. Great… what now?

Well, the Dream SMP prides itself in accurate representation of trauma and mental instability, specifically cc!Tommy and cc!Dream who have pulled it off incredibly during the exile arc.

Now, undoubtedly, after the prison, c!Dream is going to be just terribly traumatized- considering the writers’ past creative decisions, would it make sense for him to play the role of a dangerous, heartless villain in other people’s stories, while completely ignoring the logical fallout of what he’s been through?

In my mind, no. The most possible result is that cc!Dream is going to rightfully portray someone who’s been hurt so much he is broken, scared and tortured into submissions over months of agony and slowly stripping away of his agency, his dignity, his humanity. And that is… not going to be pretty, nor is he going to be in any way the same as before.

After everything, I’d be surprised if he can properly look at shears without shaking. That’s not villain behaviour, that’s the behaviour of someone who needs help.

Which leads me to another point, which is relatability. Believe me or not, there are people out there who heavily relate to c!Dream because they have been through things that allow them to see themselves in the character - abandonment, mental illness, etc. - or who have had destructive mindsets they have struggled to let go of in the past.

To them, as well as to the viewer, redeeming c!Dream could actually be a very good example, showcasing that anyone who has done bad things or has been hurt in the past can learn that it is possible to be better, to move on, to not be stuck in a loop but to actively seek help and then use that support to find the path to healing.

Making c!Dream a better person, who in a way, wins over his past, over his trauma, over the hurt he’s caused, and manages to actually get better… is inspiring, in a sense. It shows that you can abandon unhealthy mindsets, you can find a support group of people who care about you, you can make your life better simply by deciding to be better and then sticking to that, no matter how difficult the process.

This is why I believe that redeeming c!Dream would not be bad writing, but quite the opposite, and that the prison arc is an obvious set-up. Alright, but how does that work with the character? How could someone so widely hated mentally improve in such a seemingly violent and terrible environment? Would it even make sense within the context of c!Dream’s character so far? Well,

Why c!Dream has the capacity for healing and the Dream SMP the ability to provide it;

First of all, let’s remind ourselves that through c!Dream’s entire spiral he wasn’t ever directly given a chance to change. He was regarded as someone to defeat in order to accomplish a happy ending, or as someone who needed to be removed in order to achieve power on the SMP. Ever since the 16th, which is when the corruption of the character is the most obvious, there have been no attempts to reach out or to help him. I do not blame the characters for this - I am simply pointing out that since it has never happened before, we do not know how he would respond, and that, after everything he’s been through, any bit of kindness or compassion towards him will be a new concept he will have to learn to deal with somehow.

This point is especially driven home by the fact that both c!Quackity and c!Sam would often tell him he is a monster who deserves nothing but to suffer, and that what he’s going through is never going to amount to all the hurt he’s caused - basically removing any possibility for ever getting better (because by this logic, he doesn’t deserve support, and he doesn’t deserve to get better) from his line of sight.

He also hasn’t had a support system since shortly after the 16th, when his friends left him over c!George’s dethronement and made no effort to mend their relationship afterwards. c!Dream isn’t used to having allies and people on his side, but to being hated; again, wouldn’t that mean positive reinforcement could very well be all he needs to make the choice?

His bad mindsets - attachments are weakness, ends always justify the means, people will consider you a bad person no matter what you do - have been continuously proven right by his environment, even in prison. Any kind of subversion, plus an explanation as to why they are wrong, could be of great help to c!Dream.

Just another disclaimer; I do not believe c!Dream would change thanks to the treatment in prison, but rather despite it. His mental stability is non-existent at that point, and in order to get better he needs genuine emotional support from the people around him as well as to heal before he can redeem himself.

Alright, but… c!Dream has hurt a lot of people. Who would be fit to help him?

Let’s start off with the worst option and why it’s impossible the writers would even attempt this; c!Tommy.

c!Tommy has no responsibility to help or ever forgive c!Dream - not to say he could. The two, as it is, would drag each other down instead of helping in any capacity, and only make matters worse. The two of them shouldn’t even interact in the best case scenario - the best thing for both of them would be if they got enough healing and support individually that they could live around each other and not get their trauma or toxic habits triggered when interacting for whatever purpose of the plot.

So, if not c!Tommy (and c!Tubbo neither by extension), who could redeem c!Dream?

Well, he can’t do it on his own for sure. Being in nature with animals is nice, but further isolation from other people would merely help with the prison trauma, not with the state of his tendencies when interacting with others. He, once again, needs positive reinforcement from other people for him to heal properly.

There are two main options for this in my mind, and then there’s a few individuals he could also find comfort in, including people from both groups or those unaligned.

1) Kinoko Kingdom

From the people of this new country, c!Dream has never negatively interacted with c!Karl before, he has never hurt c!George and he hasn’t directly harmed c!Sapnap. Although the relationship with his old friend group could be difficult to rekindle, none of them have grudges against him that are too personal, and they have been canonically close friends since the beginning of the SMP, so it would be very much possible to rebuild burnt bridges. They’d be familiar, and with the addition of c!Karl they could be a good source of comfort for c!Dream after he either breaks out or is released from prison - just gotta convince c!Sapnap not to kill him first.

2) The Syndicate

From the Syndicate, c!Dream has never directly interacted with c!Nikki, and from what I know of her character she never seemed to be very affected by his actions - even doing his work for him when he was planning to burn down the L’Mantree. c!Techno is an ally who doesn’t have anything against him, and as for c!Ranboo, here is why I believe c!Dream being in the Syndicate could be positively influential on his character arc as well;

c!Ranboo and c!Philza have had a conversation about change, during which c!Ranboo made it clear he thinks everyone can change except for c!Dream; who, in his mind, is “too deep down the rabbit hole”. c!Philza replied that he thinks anyone can change if given enough time.

… you see what I’m getting at?

c!Dream has been implied to be an ally to c!Ranboo’s enderwalk state (or the state when he has access to his full memory), and hence would most likely not behave negatively towards him at all. While it might make it more difficult for c!Ranboo to deal with his own issues, it might also give him more motivation to get to the bottom of it as well, especially since he now has access to the person who, presumably, started this all. While this is going on, c!Dream would show himself in a much different light than c!Ranboo sees himin, which could lead to confusion, realization of the flaws in his own logic, and hence, positive character development.

Here’s a great post about why c!Techno as a character could be a great asset in c!Dream’s healing process & redemption, and why there is not much need to worry about him not knowing or finding out about c!Dream’s actions.

Of Kinoko Kingdom and the Syndicate, as far as I know, neither c!Tommy nor c!Tubbo have ever been directly involved with these groups, nor are they planning to.

Another important point to make is that, while c!Tommy needs to be kept away from c!Dream in order to heal properly, the same goes for c!Quackity and c!Sam in c!Dream’s case. While c!Quackity has high chances to interact with either Kinoko Kingdom or the Syndicate in the future, there’s an even higher chance, in that situation, that c!Dream would be offered protection, which is also important; there is no healing from trauma without the knowledge of safety, to some degree.

So, this was an essay as to why I think c!Dream’s recovery and redemption (one needs to come before the other, naturally) is not only extremely possible but also could be pulled off well and have a positive impact on both the characters, and the audience.

[lucemferto]

You know, I've been reading a lot of discourse on the Dream SMP's failures and I want to throw some thoughts at a bigger brain than my own to see if they're any good.

I think the SMP's main issue, the fundamental flaw which has caused the downward spiral of narrative quality is not actually anything to do with the narrative - it's that the narrative is suffering from poor world building and conveyance, which is in some way endemic to the medium of minecraft streams.

See, the problem is that unlike some other video-game based story, like Red VS Blue*, the DSMP doesn't have much of an assumed lore that can be taken from the game medium. RvB is essentially a Halo AU, so stuff like the Aliens showing up is explained by the intertextual knowledge the viewer can apply from the Halo games. But that doesn't exist for Minecraft, so the CC's have to put in the work themselves and they didn't.

*I know RVB is very different to DSMP (although I'd argue Quackity's lore streams are getting close to it) but ignore that.

So because there's little to no base lore, and the CCs didn't expand upon the worldbuilding early on, it means HUGE parts of the world have no concrete truth in the Dream SMP. Take Death for example. The idea of permanent death was just... not a thing. Not until Schlatt died. At Tubbo's execution, sure it was shocking, but it wasn't like he'd actually die - there was no understanding it was possible! Same for the independence war, Eret's betrayal, Tommy and Dream's duel, etc. Permanent Death only comes when Schlatt, and subsequently Wilbur, kick the bucket.

So Wilbur and Schlatt are DEAD dead. Okay, that's something that apparently can happen. But then Wilbur goes on reddit and responds to a question about 3 canon lives, says he likes it, and BAM! Now the SMP has an official canon, and death has stakes! But it retroactively gives much more narrative weight that didn't exist and wasn't intended to so many events!

Not to mention, there's still no concrete basis for what makes a death "canon". Why you get three. There's an afterlife and a goddess of death and totems of undying and immortals, not to mention minecraft's default Zombies, Skeletons, and oh what's that? Ghostbur? Cool, what the fuck is this worlds metaphysics anyway. Coherent worldbuilding? Nah, who needs it.

Death is one huge, glaring example. But the DSMP crew hasn't given enough thought to so MANY aspects of the world these characters are in and it kneecaps the narrative. You can't tell a good story in a setting that doesn't have established rules because how do we have anything resembling reasonable cause and effect if the rules of the universe are basically set out on a whim.

We don't understand their economy - businesses exist and presumably generate profit somehow? See: BigInnit Hotel, Tommy monetising Church Prime. But how does this mesh with villagers and stuff?

Countries can exist, sure, but none of them seem to have concrete laws or anything that actually... makes them countries. Your anarchist syndicate doesn't work as a plot line when there's functionally zero difference between "guys being dudes" and a country except what they call themselves. L'manberg had no clear legal system, no currency, no actual mechanism for the president to exert power - the entire reason Wilbur called the election is no one doing what he said!

Which brings me to L'manberg's elections... over 200 thousand people voted. Who are they, canonically? Citizens of L'manberg who have no representation on the server? Are they the fucking mobs? Is the Canon explanation that L'manberg's elections were online and people in a far off continent voted?

I can't wait to see how they handle the End. It will most likely be a train wreck.

My ultimate point is that the narrative would benefit an awful lot if the creators sat down and hashed out the details of their world. It might even let them weave some themes and story elements into the world, which they can later pull from instead of their asses.

Yeah, the problem is that the Dream SMP is kinda at a crossroads in terms of what it wants to be.

Does it want to tell a serious (or, rather, non-farcical) story within this Minecraft-world they created or do they want to do more casual rp? Because with casual rp that does not necessarily care about story consistency or prioritizes the viewing experience over the playing experience a world with consistent rules and traditional storytelling and worldbuilding might seem too restrictive.

Back in Season 1 that wasn't too much of a problem, because - in spite of how well told it all was - they still had a fairly simple story and skewed pretty heavily and obviously towards the casual rp, "this isn't a serious story we're trying to tell"-vibe.

Even Wilbur's descent - probably the darkest part of the story - carried itself with much more grandeur and theatricality when compared to Tommy's exile and Dream's torture.

But the fact of the matter is that Dream SMP-content has attracted a considerable number of fans specifically interested in the storytelling and narrative. People like Quackity, Karl and Dream play to those preferences by dialing up the sincerity of their storytelling, by reducing the metafiction, just generally treating the story more like a story being told to an audience and less like friends having fun.

If they want to push the storytelling of the Dream SMP, I definitely think that heeding what you said would probably be a good call. Because now they're in this weird twilight zone, where it's not casual enough to succeed with wacky improv-bits, but also not consistent and intentional enough to tell a story that matches their aspirations.

[seven-spirits-of-light]

The Reunion

This is an RP I did on discord with the fabulous @agena-sinclair-zexal​ with Eshra and her Vector. Her replies are in bold. Under the Read More is where it gets... Spicyyy. So you’ve been warned!!!

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

"It... was a long time ago."

Vector blinked rapidly at that information, either Don Thousand had screwed with his memories more heavily than he thought, or this was an alternate reality. Either way, he gave her a faint grin and a pat on the shoulder. “I still find it bizarre, though I’d be willing to hear more about it, if I can get to know you better in the process ~ that is~"

Eshra's face lit red at his words, causing her to bury her face in her hands. "O-okay… Em... so, in this world... you weren't friends with Nasch?"

"No… we  are enemies."

"Ah... But... you are both... Barians?"

"Yes both of us are Barians… to put it simply we hate each other and want the other dead."

"Oh. Hm... How strange. Are you certain... he can’t forgive you? Forgiveness doesn't mean you have to forget... it helps you move forward. It's something I've had to learn to do a lot. Not a lot of people like gypsies, you see."

“Some things you just can’t get over, and I’m one of them. I don’t expect forgiveness either."

Eshra turned back to him, her hands clutching her stomach. "I forgave you. In my realm... I forgave you because... I knew it wasn't you. You're eccentric, certainly, but the Phecta I knew was never cruel. Mischievous? Yes. Malicious? Heavens, no." She explained. "I don't think you should force it, forgiveness can't be forced, but... maybe think on it a little? It doesn't mean you have to be friends again, but it does mean you won't have to carry that burden in your hearts any longer."

Vector looked off, unable to stop a wry grin at the female’s words. “For you, my lady? Sure.. I’ll think about it."

She smiled, giving Vector a warm hug. "I can help you if you would like."

The fourth Barian Emperor was not used to being given such affections, so he tensed the slightest when she held onto him, though a strange calm returned just after. He returned her hug slowly but firmly. “..I think I’d like that.” Vector chuckled. 

Eshra blushed, almost snuggling into his arms. It had been a long time since she'd held the man she loved. If only... if only he remembered. 

Vector held her back, feeling a vague pang of familiarity to the action, but it was buried deep in the recesses of his being, too far away to grasp fully at the moment. 

"So then... em... a-about this... duel game..." she began, blushing furiously, finally looking up into his eyes. Ooooh, fuck. she'd forgotten how flustered he could make her. Shit.

Now his smirk was returning, eyes crinkling with amusement which sparked brighter purple shades in his eyes. “Uh huh~? What would you like to know~?"

"U-uh... um... how does it work? I mean... the last time I saw a duel was-.... um... well, a long time ago." she replied, thinking of the battle he had with Nasch in the Labyrinth. "It... doesn't use stone tablets anymore, does it?"

“Nope~ It’s done with these sorts of cards now.” Vector unlatched his Umbral Horror deck from his belt and showed it to her.

"'Umbral Horror?' What is that?" she asked, inspecting the cards in his deck.

“Oh, that’s my deck archetype. The theme, basically.” Vector explained, watching her carefully as she examined the cards. Why was she so familiar yet felt like a stranger.

"You can have themed decks? That's amazing! Do you think they'd have gypsy cards?" She laughed.

He laughed with her, “I’m sure they do! You can find archetypes of pretty much anything these days. We.. um..” Vector scratched the back of his head and looked off. “...We could go out and, you know, look for you some cards.. no better place to start than at the beginning... if you wanted?” Lord, when was the last time the Vector felt this awkward?

She looked up at him, wonder in her pretty lavender eyes, and grinned with excitement. "I-I'd love to! It's been a while since we last went out together! A-and things have changed a lot..."

Another pang. Another sense of deja-vu mixed with a fuzzy dream-like remembrance. What was this sensation? “Great!” Vector flashed a rare, true smile at the beautiful gypsy.

She practically squealed, grabbing his hand and tugging him onward. She wanted to see the city, absorb all the new sights, and most of all spend time with the man she loved. Hopefully... maybe he'd begin to remember.

Vector let himself be tugged along, finding his heart was far less heavy when in this lady’s company. He did not want to go long without being near her ever again, and the intensity of that truth surprised no one more than him.

She slowed once they came to the edge of the downtown shopping district, marveling at all the lights and massive buildings. Eshra practically bounced with excitement, turning to Vector with a big grin. She paused a moment, looking at this necklace, a fond smile lighting her eyes. The gypsy girl reached up and carefully picked up the ring hanging from the chain, giving a breathy chuckle. "You... you kept it. All this time..."

More pressure was accumulating in Vector’s skull, like a memory trying to force its way out from its locked place in the back corners of his mind. In his rebirth he had always favored the necklace for a reason which he was never truly certain of. “...is this yours?” He whispered, breath becoming unsteady by her close proximity.

She gave a slight laugh. "It used to be... but I gave it to you... as a promise that I-... I'd find you again someday. I... guess the meaning is a little lost since you don't remember. But that's alright! My promise still stands. I'll help you remember... and then we'll b-be together again." Eshra replied, blushing.

“I..” He looked down to her hands, taking them into his with a serious expression. “I think I want that."

Eshra blushed again and, after a moment of hesitation, she stood on her toes and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, her eyes glittering with love and cheeks tinged red in both excitement and embarrassment.

There was, the barian emperor knew, at least a half a moment where he went completely brain-dead. The kiss was somehow everything he had never known he wanted, and something he’d been yearning the return of. Nothing made sense to him anymore, and Vector found that he did not give a damn. His arms snaked around her waist practically on their own accord, dipping the gypsy back a little to deepen the kiss when Vector reciprocated.

She squeaked in surprise but after a moment, she hummed and melted into his touch. Home. This was where she'd been yearning to be for hundreds of years.

Just like that, Vector felt something within his mind snap and break free, carrying him away towards a distant voice which he had all but forgotten in his rebirth. “Y-you did it… you fought back. I saw it… You’re s-so much stronger t-than you think, Phecta.” Vector broke away from the kiss in shock, holding his head and panting hard as his heart raced. A feeling of whiplash nearly sending him to his knees. “Wh-What..?"

"Vector? Are you alright?" Eshra asked, placing a hand on his cheek and the other on his forehead. "Are you unwell? W-we don't have to do anything today if you're feeling ill. Oh, God, I-I should have known this would all be too much."

“I... I hear your voice...” Vector muttered, “..in my head, it...... you’re dying.."

Her eyes widened, that spot on her stomach twinging ever so slightly. She looked around at the other people milling about, slightly panicked. Carefully, she supported him on her shoulder and walked into an alley, letting him sit in the shade. "I... em... I-I did... I did not want to overwhelm you... but... if you would like... I can try to explain... what happened." she offered, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Vector was breathing restlessly still, his hand clasping over Eshra’s even after they sat in the dark alley. Whether this was to calm her down or to center himself, he wasn’t sure. He just needed to feel her. “Yes.” He managed after a pause.

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. I... I did know you a very long time ago. You were the prince of a kingdom along the coast. Your... father wasn't pleased when we arrived, but I think your mother convinced him to let us stay for a while, after all we did have goods to trade. We often brought with us a festival to the kingdoms we visited, and decided to hold a performance as a thank you. T-That... was when I met you." She started, looking to him.

As she spoke, Vector felt he could see all of this happening before him, in his mind’s eye. Just from a slightly different perspective. The gypsies arrival. His father, angry. His mother, understanding. A festival that he should not have been at, watching a girl dance her way towards him. He was remembering.

She laughed a little, glancing away as she blushed again. "I ah... spotted you in the crowd a-and... I thought you were just a very handsome commoner s-so... I gave you my scarf. When you came to find me, I still didn't recognize you. Your disguise was... very well done. I showed you around the festival and... it truly was one of the best days of my life. It got even better when you asked to meet near the palace. I found that a little strange but I just chalked it up to you working for the royals. God.... I nearly fainted when you approached dressed as a royal. Never in my life did I think..."

They'd toured the garden that night. She’d complimented the vines of flowers which climbed the walls of the courtyard. Her skirt swished with every skip-like movement she made. Vector couldn’t stop staring at her lips. He felt like he wanted to cry, or laugh, or be sick.

"I came to see you frequently, and you told me of your friends across the sea, of your lament that your father's war had separated you, and your dreams of ending the wars. I... I was captivated. You doubted yourself at times, but I told you I believed you were destined for greatness. I knew that... that you were supposed to bring peace to the realms. When your father fell ill and you were made regent... God, I felt awful, but part of me rejoiced. He was too weak to harm anyone anymore, and you could finally make your dream a reality. A-And then... you... you offered me and my people something we have yearned for but have never been able to find... you offered us a home." Eshra continued, her voice wavering with emotion, a few joyful tears spilling down her cheeks at the very memory.

Vector’s hand gripped hers tighter, images swimming behind his eyelids in tune with what Eshra spoke of. It was dizzying, but he couldn’t stop now. He needed to see and hear this through to the end. He needed to remember the worst along with the good.

"I was so excited... I went to tell my fellows the news, and we all rejoiced. But then... then some of your guards came and told us to pack anything we could carry and come to the docks. They told us... the King and Queen were dead. They said you'd requested us there so... we went. When we met, you had us all ushered onto a ship, and said that it wasn't safe for us, but that you would send us somewhere that was safe. You looked... so ill, and I begged to stay with you, but you insisted. So... I gave you my ring as a promise that I would return to you again. You gave me a letter and... and I kissed you goodbye. God, I felt like my whole world was collapsing as that ship set sail." She recalled, shuddering.

He had too. Don Thousand’s hold on him was new enough that he managed to fight back at least to get Eshra and her family of travelers to safety. But even as he had kissed her farewell, Phecta felt himself slipping deeper and deeper away. As soon as she had left his sight, the madness  began to creep in, and by the time Eshra and her ship had sailed beyond sight into the horizon, The Mad Prince was shaking with barely concealed laughter. Vector pulled her into his arms as she continued, hating this story but needing to hear it’s finish.

"Nasch was... surprised to see us, but when he read your letter, he didn't hesitate to take us in. He and his sister really were very kind to us... but those months I spent there didn't even feel real. Haha... at one point I feared I was losing my mind because I swore I heard and saw a mermaid. She sang beautifully." Eshra said, smiling softly. "Anyway... my people and I stayed in Nasch's kingdom for 5 long months, but I never once gave up hope that I would see you again. I... I was right. We began hearing news of a ruthless Mad Prince who was tearing a valley of carnage and headed our way. I knew... I didn't want to believe it, but I knew i-it... it was you. And again, I was right. Two days later, your fleet of ships converged on the United Lands. Nasch tried to keep me in the palace, but I needed to see you. I hoped I could help end this before anyone was hurt. I escaped the palace and had to fight the waves to get to your ship." Eshra shuddered, but snuggled into his arms. "I was dragged aboard and thrown at your feet... I feared for my life, but to my shock and terror, you ran the guard who had manhandled me right through, as if he were mere cattle. Oh... Vector, your eyes. I couldn't see you in your eyes. It was as if your very soul was gone. Even so, you welcomed me, helped me to my feet, and... and promised the United Lands to me a-as... a wedding gift. My heart shattered. I begged you to end this, to call off your monsters and to just... go home. I had no desire for riches or land... all I wanted was to be with you. I could see you fighting it and... and for a moment I had hope. But then, you lashed out, called me weak... s-said your... your father was right about us... but I was not going to be scared away so easily. I just... let you rant. When youd finished, I just... opened my arms to you. I still believe you would have come if Merag hadn't-... h-hadn't sacrificed herself. But she did, and you, driven by a rage I knew was not yours, drew your sword... and ran me through."

A compression built in his chest the closer Eshra got to the end of her story, Vector shut his eyes hard while cradling the gypsy girl to ease her shaking, but the barian was in no better shape. “...Eshra..” He grasped at the right thing to say, but found nothing save the bitter taste in his mouth which accumulated when she said those final gut wrenching words.

"And then... I looked into your eyes, and I saw you. You were... horrified. You started screaming and caught me as I fell... but I was so happy. You were back." She said, caressing his cheek and turning his head so she could see his eyes. It was so eerily similar to the scene on the ship, but this time there was no danger of death. Just two souls basking in one another's presence.

“I know.. Eshra...” He bent down to rest his forehead on hers, breathing in and out deeply while their arms were tangled up around each other. The redhead couldn’t recall the last time he felt this whole. “...I remember."

"Even as I was dying... I felt at home. Do you... remember my last words?" She asked curiously, her breath warm against his neck.

He swallowed hard, fighting back the sting behind his eyes. “You said.. you said it was going to be okay. That.. you loved me... you said..” Vector met her gaze then, his hand sliding up to weave gently through her dark hair, tilting their faces closer and closer.“...I will always love you.”

She let out a breathless laugh and closed the distance.  He remembered. She wasn't too late. She nearly laughed aloud, oh how she would have loved to see the look on Don Thousand's arrogant face. He had failed. She pulled back for a moment, her breath heavy. "I promise you... I will never leave you again. I love you, Phecta. My beloved Prince."

Vector finally let out a laugh of his own, rising to his feet and spinning Eshra around in the air happily. When he finally set her down again, he kissed her with all the love he had been unknowingly holding locked away.  “You’re damn right you’re not leaving me again,” He smiled, peppering her face with smaller loving kisses. “We’re back.. we’re both back, Eshra!"

Eshra squealed, laughing and holding him close. "I knew I'd find you! I knew you'd return to me." She giggled, caressing his face. "You went through so much... I'm so sorry I wasn't able to return sooner. That cretin Don Thousand  did his damndest to keep us from you. But he failed! He failed, and he can never harm us again! Vector we.... we can have a second chance. We can have a life together." She laughed breathlessly, tears of joy in her eyes.

Vector held her face firmly but carefully, pecking away her tears and smiling through his own watery violet eyes. “We can, we will! I won’t let anything take you away from me again.. I swear it, Eshra, on my new life."

She hummed happily, snuggling into his arms. "Do.... do you have somewhere to stay? If not... I think a friend of mine can help us."

“I’ve been staying with Nasch and the other emperors at his manor.” Vector explained, frowning as he realized he may have to try to be buddy-buddy with his former greatest enemy. But that was a can of worms for another evening. “I don’t want to leave your side, not now. Where are you staying?"

Eshra laughed, kissing him softly. "Funny enough... I've been staying with the Spirits of Light. Avina has a rather lovely house on the edge of town, large enough for us. I guess her music career pays very well."

“The Spirits of... Light?” He had heard the name Avina  before too, Gilag listened to her music along with that other pop singer Scarlett Starling, who had that dreadful ‘Take A Chance’  song. “That’s fine, Eshra. I’ll stay anywhere so long as it’s with you."

She giggled, taking his hand and walking with him to the city edge and leading him to a lovely looking house, definitely modern architecture. A girl with bright magenta hair sat out on the porch, plucking the strings on an electric guitar. She noticed the two and grinned, waving at Eshra. "Hey Esh! I see you found ya boi. You two love birds need a room or something?" she crowed, giving a playful wink. Eshra's face lit bright red as she buried it into Vector's chest.

He smiled in a soft way down at his girl and slid his arm more securely around her waist, then addressing the new female with a much more, well, Vector  smirk. “Supposing we do~ How soundproof are the walls here~?”

Avina's brows rose, a huge grin spreading across her face, Eshra sputtering like a flustered mess. "Weh-he-helll, I think I can help with that~~" She replied, setting her guitar down and leading them into the house. She took them downstairs and into a room at the end of the hallway. The inside was nicely decorated and the walls had these plush wall hangings. Avina leaned on the door frame and winked at Vector. "This should be eh.... quiet enough for ya. Well, quiet for us, I'm sure that won't be the case for you two."

Vector flashed a teasing smirk to Eshra, nodding to Avina in thanks as he surveyed the room. “Yep~ this ought to do nicely~ I’ll try to keep it down, but you know how it goes when you just can’t help it~"

Eshra wheezed while Avina laughed. "Just be sure to play it safe you two~~" she cooed, winking. "Hhhhnnn, thank you Avina..." Eshra mumbled, nuzzling into Vector's chest.

Vector gave her a fluttery fingered wave goodbye until Avina closed the door, looking down at Eshra in satisfaction. “What~? I snore.” He purred, then laughed at his girl’s face. “So-rry, dear~ Couldn’t resist~"

.

Eshra fairly pouted, but rather suddenly snaked a hand behind his neck and pulled him down to kiss him. "Is that so? Well, maybe I'll just have to make sure the room gets used for exactly what Avi thinks, hm? Or would you rather I just tease you? I never got to hear you... sing last time we were together~" she countered, giving a mischievous smirk of her own. Turns out the little gypsy could be quite a vixen behind closed doors.

Vector’s teasing smirk turned positively wolfish, snatching the girl by the hips and tossing her onto the bed, making quick to climb over her with a deep growl rumbling in his throat. “Keeping talkin’ like that, sweetheart~ I’ve seen the way you dance on your feet, but how about on your back~?"

Eshra giggled, her arms sliding around his shoulders and pulling him down so their bodies were flush against one another. She gasped softly. "Ah- oh god! I-I missed you so much. I hated watching from afar. Oh God, Vector, please!"

As if he needed more  encouragement. Vector was already tossing away his jacket and sliding his hands under the fabric of her shirt before Eshra was finished speaking. His heart was drumming wildly in excitement and love towards the girl beneath him, as translated in his eager but gentle movements. He intended to prove she belonged to him and that he was hers just as much.

Desperate hands pulled at the laces on her vest, quickly discarding the article of clothing. She pressed a passionate kiss to his lips before laying back, her hair splayed out like a halo, an open invitation to her beloved. She trusted him. After everything... she trusted him. She'd gladly put her life in his hands a thousand times over, no hesitation at all. Her shirt rose up on her torso, revealing a flat stomach... and a scar.

Vector hesitated when seeing the mark of her past death, a hitch cutting in to his breathing like the sight wounded an unseen part of him. He bent down to press his lips to the scar, a husky but emotional apology spilling from his lips between each loving kiss.

Her hands lovingly stroked his hair, urging him to move back up to her. "My love... I forgave you. Nothing can change that. I have no regrets, and I would do it a thousand times over... if it meant that I would get to have you one day kiss my stomach for another reason..." she cooed, blushing softly. Her hands trailed up and down his sides, admiring the feeling of his bare skin in her hands.

“..I know, sweetheart. And you have waited long enough~”  He purred, a hand dipping down around her back to press their bodies closer as he rose back up to meet her lips with a searing kiss. A mix of his barian powers and his free hand quickly beginning to peel off the remaining clothes separating them. Adding teasing caresses here and there, coupled with deepening the kiss and pinning Eshra to the mattress.

Eshra gave a wanton moan, arching into his touch. She squirmed out of her shirt and skirt, laying against the soft sheets, panting and insanely aroused. "Vector... Vector~"

Her moans were met with another growl, one filled with desire and impatience. Vector nipped at Eshra’s lower lip longingly, trailing his warm mouth down her delicate neck to her collar. His hands roaming her bare body whilst he positioned himself over her, “Eshra~” 

Her hands slid down his sides and back before quite suddenly grabbing his ass and squeezing, giving a coy smile. 

Vector grunted and then chuckled, peering down at the gypsy girl with a rogue smile, “Naughty girl~” Arching his body, the red haired male moved his hips so their lower halves pressing and grinding together teasingly, his mouth moving to suck and kiss along Eshra’s breasts in retaliation. 

Eshra gasped, arching into him and closing her eyes in ecstasy. She then got an absolutely sinful idea. She sat up slowly, pushing him so he lay against the pillows while she kissed a trail from his neck on down, down, down. She looked up at him through thick lashes, seductive and mischievous intent lighting her eyes. "I... I want to try something." 

Oh Vector was well acquainted with sinful intent, and his eyes grew alight with desire and lust. “Very well, my dearest gypsy~ Just remember, don’t dish out anything you yourself cannot handle~ It’ll be your turn before the night is over~” 

Eshra grinned, freeing him from his pants. She moaned in anticipation, wrapping her fingers around the heated length. With her heart hammering in her chest and her mind clouded with lust, Eshra took him into her mouth, easing down so as not to choke. Christ, this feeling was addicting. She could taste him got God's sake, and this alone had her moaning around him.

Vector could not stop the cry that left him when he felt her mouth over him, he had to force himself not to buck up as a spark of pleasure zapped through him. “Ah-!.. God.. Eshra!”

She chuckled slightly but continued to take him in. She sucked every so lightly as she pulled back before swallowing him again. Her hair bounced slightly as she moved, her hands stroked from the crease of his thighs, down and back. She wanted to drive him mad in her own way, she wanted to see rapture on his face, she wanted to give him all the pleasure they had been denied.

His hands fisted into the covers tautly, head tilted and adam’s apple bobbing, groaning with the girl’s every intake of him. He couldn’t even begin to describe the feeling, just jolts of pleasure cascading up every moment Eshra moved. And Numeron Code, her mouth was so warm! “Fuck~! Eshra~ Mmh~ Yes, sweetheart, just like that~”

Eshra moaned at his praise, deciding to kick it up a notch by humming around him. Her own center burned with need, and every groan and twitch from him only served to stoke the fire in her. She was consumed by him; his taste, his scent, his touch, his voice and his look all converged on her senses and, God help her, she never wanted it to end.

There was a knot building up from the repeated onslaught of Eshra deep throating him, and his moans and growls were becoming sloppier with the intensifying friction. His fingers massaged into her scalp and tugged gently on her raven locks. “Ah~ M-Mh! God, Eshra~ Sweetheart~ I’m going to--“

She knew it was coming, and God did she want it. She bobbed her head a couple more times before she stilled, ready for him.

Vector released with a sharp breathy cry of overwhelming fulfillment. Dropping back against the pillows and panting hard, enjoying the afterglow of pleasure still echoing in his body from the experience.

Eshra moaned, feeling him pulse and flood her mouth. She looked up at him, his length still in her mouth, and swallowed before slowly pulling back. She panted softly, admiring her work. He looked like the god Eros himself, and her heart soared knowing she was the cause.  She kissed up his chest, settling for sucking a little hickey into his neck since she doubted he wanted to taste himself on her tongue.

Vector hummed contently, letting her kiss over his chest and neckline while his hands roaming over her body, giving her  ass a quick but gentle teasing smack. Grinning down at her devilishly as he leaned up suddenly so Eshra was seated in his lap. “Your turn~”

Eshra squeaked, biting her lip in excitement. Fuck, he was hot. She wasn't entirely sure if she'd fallen for an angel, or a devil. One look at his captivating eyes, and suddenly she just didn't care!

He started slow, grinding his pelvis against her womanhood while his hands roamed up and down her backside. Sucking and licking Eshra’s collar and chest, teasing her nipples to coax out more of those delicious noises she made.

She moaned softly, leaning into his touch. His hands on her breasts felt so good, her vision going hazy. "V-Vector~ Don't stop~ I-I... I need more~" she breathed, sucking softly at the skin on his neck.

Smirking against her smooth skin, Vector dipped his head to move his warm cavern over Eshra’s left breast, bucking up more so that his tip brushed her entrance.

She threw her head back, crying out in pleasure. She ground against his length, her center aching for relief. Lost in a haze, Eshra couldn't help herself, a string of incoherent moans and words spilling from her kiss-bruised lips.

“This may hurt~ tell me if you need it slower~” Vector murmured huskily in her ear, arms tightening around her hips to lift her slightly. With an eager thrust, he pushed inside of the girl he loved, grunting at how hot and tight she was.

There was pain, but this was something she knew would happen. Her mother and the women of her band had taught her all they knew about maturing bodies and reproduction. The brief pain of the first time was an honor, and really only served to heighten the pleasure. She bit her lip at the sting, but moaned loudly, burying her face in his neck. She felt him inside of her. They were one. Her body squeezed him ever so gently, eager to take all he had to offer. "Oh- oh my g- ah! Oh, Vector! I love you, I love you so much! Oh fuck.." Eshra panted.

“And I love you,” Vector moaned lowly, picking up his pace involuntarily while just being mesmerized by how gorgeous and erotic she looked while riding him.  His member hitting different areas within her in search of those special bundle of nerves. ”Sing for me, sweetheart~ call my name~”

"Nnn, Vector~ I-I- ah! Phecta! My Prince! Mmn!" She cried, meeting his thrusts as best she could in her pleasure-hazed state. Suddenly, she yelped, seeing stars. "There! There! Oh, my god!"

There. Vector purred to himself in triumph, that was the spot. He hit that place deeper, moaning in adoring towards Eshra as he made hard but sweet love to her. His movements were getting subtly sloppier, faster in anticipation and want to send his girl over the edge with pleasure.

Eshra could feel something coming. She gasped, his thrusts filling her and hitting that spot within her every time. She took one of his hands and guided it to her center, showing him exactly what spot would push her over the edge. Overcome with passion, she pressed herself as close as she could get, kissing him with abandon.

A breathy purr left his lips, watching in devotion as she came undone at his touch, each motion like he was worshiping her with every fiber of his body. Their kiss was burning and passionate, the rhythm of their souls entangled and in sync. Vector hit her good spot as hard as he could, going faster and stronger, groaning her name with mindless fervor.

She opened her hazy lavender eyes, and the look in his eyes alone nearly undid her. She caressed his body, his shoulders, his neck, his sides. It felt like an eternity and yet only a few brief seconds... and she was at her peak. Her eyes rolled up and a scream of pleasure tore itself from her lungs, her release crashing over her like a tsunami. She gasped, her whole body trembling in ecstasy. "Vector~!!"

If he could have released again, he would have. The feel of Eshra tightening around him and being driven to her limit by his hands was a feeling Vector was doubtful he wanted to go a day without again. He kissed her lip softly, slowing his pumps to a steady rhythm before exiting her carefully.

She slumped against him, panting in satisfaction, her fingers trailing along his skin. "I-... T-that was... oh, Vector... I'm so happy. I don't know what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you... but I thank whatever god saw fit to bless me with you." she murmured, one hand toying with his necklace absentmindedly.

Vector fell back into the pillows, cradling her close while they bathed in the wonderful feeling of completion with one another. “It’s me who doesn’t deserve you , sweetheart. This night was by far the greatest thing that has happened to me, and I don’t just mean the sex. Though, let’s be honest, we killed it.” He flopped on his side to give her a bright-eyed smile. “But we returned to each other... we’re together again.."

She smiled, snuggling into his arms and kissing him, her movements slow and leisurely. "No matter what happens... I'll never leave you again. I will not let anything take you from me. Hell will freeze over before I let you go." Eshra replied, caressing his face. "I love you, Vector. I will always love you."

“I’m not leaving you ever. Never again Eshra. It’s you and me.” He murmured tiredly but happily, kissing her damp forehead. “I love you, more than I thought I could ever love anything.."

She giggled, nuzzling his neck and sighing. It was only a few seconds until her soft breathing confirmed she'd fallen asleep. Upstairs in the dining room, Avina and Larissa clinked their glasses, taking a drink in solidarity for their friend. SongLi knitted in a seat across from the other two, a knowing smile on her face. Eshra and Vector certainly did make a lovely couple...

Vector fell asleep soon after her, just utterly enraptured by her beauty, and who she was as a person. His dreams were filled with her, of them together, and he kept his arm about her the whole night.