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pinkyjulien · 3 months

Note

Just a heads up: you, a white creator, putting Native American/First Nations/indigenous inspired clothing on your white OC, and then calling it the "wilding" appearance, could be considered cultural appropriation and could also be considered offensive to people from those cultures.

And yeah, I am doing this from a throwaway account to protect myself because I know how Tumblr and the cyberpunk 2077 fandom works. Even if I do have a valid point or critique, I could still be attacked by "fans" on my main who refuse to use any critical thinking for themselves.

Safe travels 👋 I hold no animosity towards you personally.

(From a "cowardly" anon in an extremely hostile fandom which likely will pretend that this outfit and the name for it isn't tinged with implicit and internalized racism.)

(And, no, I'm not one of the so-called "housewives")

Hey Anon,

Not sure what to say, you claim to not hold any animosity towards me, yet this could've easily been a DM. I'm only assuming you're blocked and had to create a side blog to by-pass the said block.

If this was truly a well-spirited heads up, it would've been a DM.

But anyway, if you're here to accuse me in a sugarcoated way, I already know you're having the time of your life about it in some obscure discord server, so might as well.

The Aldecaldos (and Nomads in general of every clan and family) are multi cultured, there's people of every races, every ethnicities- we see it in game and it's mentioned time and time in the sourcebooks. They're communities, formed of many minorities; queers and pocs alike.

Valentin joins the Aldecaldos during the Star ending, just like the canon game event; he makes friends left and right, and friends makes gifts to one another. We also know that resources, clothes, cars, guns, are shared in nomad communities.

The name "wilding" is a direct reference to the Neo Tribe sourcebook, page 21. I used that same name for Mitch's appearance. They use those outfits to ride off near cities, just like the definition on the page below. They're both proudly showcasing their Aldecaldos colors in whichever place / cities they're visiting.

In my own canon, Dakota is kind of a mother figure for Valentin; she helped him after fleeing the Wraiths, she gave him his first gig with Jackie, she made sure the 'caldos ripper kept the bullet he revoved from Valentin's skull, etc etc

That Jacket could've well been a gift from her before leaving to Arizona, but I haven't decided yet. I was just happy to share my modding project of those past two days.

I've always liked Nomads and what they stand for, their diversity, their lives, their outfits and aesthetics too.

None of the above information is presented as an excuse, they shouldn't be seen as excuses either; I'm simply sharing what inspired me (actively or subconsciously) for this outfit.

If Valentin's appearance, both models and name, did actual upset anyone, I apologize, as this obviously WASN'T the intention. If it does bother you, I invite you to block me.

With all of the "explaination" out of the way; why are you really here?

Because we both know you already knew that about the Aldecaldos. You played the game, you know Panam is half native, you know there's a bunch of native characters in the Aldecaldos and in the game in general.

This ask isn't fueled by kindness or by an attempt at educating someone who could've made a simple mistake.

Nope, you're simply part of this "hostile fandom" problem. Everything you said in brackets reeks of past drama.

Again, you claim to not hold any animosity, but I believe otherwise; that's totally fine, but refrain from contacting me with this fake benevolence, everyone can see it's bullshit.

Repeating myself, this could've been a DM, yet you choose to assume I have some "internalized racism" that You Need to point out, doing so via a side-blog supposedly out of fear (since I don't know who you are, I'll choose to believe you simply by-passed a block) while also dragging in the "Housewives" for no reasons.

You're part of this fandom problem. You're part of the reason why nobody feels safe about sharing anything; you and your friends are out there spying, monitoring what everyone does, assuming the worst at any given occasions and ready to write callouts, to throw witch hunts.

Please, do some critical thinking yourself, remove all the bias and all the "Pinky Bad so this is obviously Racist" bullshit fogging your brain, and ask yourself why you really sent that ask.

#ask #anon #cyberpunk 2077 #long post

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nintendoni-art · 7 months

Text

So the Night Terrors.

Since by the time of this circulating around there's gonna be at least 2 of these guys in tournaments, with one of them being in one already, it felt about the time a post should be made about each of them with a bit of info attached. As a group, the lot of them are from a Sonic Chronicles AU-ish timeline where the Nocturnes didn't get pulled into the Cage, and the Knuckles Clan successfully got the Master and Chaos Emeralds, causing both groups to eventually fizzle out into a centuries long cold war, and causing untold damage to the environment as they gathered up resources. [And then it rolls into the OTHER AU I've been working on...] Fair warning, this is gonna be long under the cut, so heads up! [Also, a quick thank you to @galactirabbit for all the art I'm using!]

Tabi - Currently in @sonic-oc-showdown 2!

The leader of this motley crew of ragamuffins, Tabi is a fearsome little critter who's brain is just as terrifying as their brawn. Though most of their deeds are more legend than fact, their ability to keep those under their watch safe out of the hands of those who may want to exploit the abilities of their species [or worse, used to recharge and power devices with the chaos energy they're made out of] is second to none. Originally a healer to a group of mercenaries who got dumped in a forest after a terrible injury, their views on Mobians are dim at best, to outright despising them on their worst days. Still, they refuse to confront them directly, instead robbing them blind and using said resources to keep their actions hidden as much as possible from prying eyes, keeping anything they find "interesting" to themselves. Also after another incident, they have a bit of a complex when it comes to "helping" other species they come across by bullying them until they lash out, mostly to make sure they're tough enough to survive if something bigger attacks them. They'll also swear up and down they're in the right about it, which has caused some...issues. Serious, driven, is just ...so very, very tired.

Trackball

When the village they were raised in was evacuated, and everyone except the old, infirm, and "pets" were left behind in order to slow down an advancing army, Trackball refused to back down when Tabi came to scavenge what they could find for themselves. After a battle that lasted until sunup, they ended up gaining Tabi's respect, friendship, and services in protecting those who were left. After the last of the Mobians who lived in said village passed away peacefully, Trackball pledged the rest of their life to Tabi's service, and to follow them wherever they, or "the demon in their employ" would go. Granted, this action and Trackball's wording slightly weirded Tabi out a bit, but as the Night Terrors grew, Trackball eventually became second in command, and the defacto leader if Tabi isn't around. Always the first one awake, they're usually found double checking heist plans, arranging scouting and salvage teams, and making sure things run like clockwork behind the scenes. Quick thinking, dependable, Is far more adept than what they think they are.

Shortfuse

As the environment was collapsing around them, some factions tried to replicate species that were dying out, to...mixed results.

Shortfuse here is one of those said artificial lifeforms, and the only one out of all in the project that made them that ended up anything close to stable. Alas, the rest of their fellow A-Life constructs proceeded to go feral and tear apart the scientists that made them, so that left Shortfuse alone. All who loved and wanted them, dead. Cast to the Wilds with no defense, or support. You know, besides the warp powers. And the immunity to any and all toxins and poisons. And the sheer amount of explosive devices they could just summon at a moment's notice. Honestly, most of the Night Terrors don't even remember when Shortfuse showed up. When other members pointed that fact out, Tabi just said they are a chao, they think Shortfuse is cool enough to stay and if anyone had an issue with it, they could take it up with them, and that stopped most questions. Shortfuse generally has their trademark smile plastered on their face, and aside for a few giggles with different tones, is pretty much mute, which, crossed with their generally silent movement can badly startle those unused to that. It's also sometimes hard to tell if they're paying attention, and the fact they can use their stomach as extra storage space has left some a bit disquieted at their actions. Still, they're an integral part of the heads of this gang, if not with their explosives expertise, then with their ability to quickly write down and organize records, and making medicines and helpful compounds by breaking down what components something is made out of by....licking it. Ok, so they're a little off. And they're well aware of this. But the Night Terrors, despite their eccentricities, accept Shortfuse as their own, construct or not, and are more than willing to be patient with them. And that's something Shortfuse will absolutely fight for, no matter what.

Eccentric, a lover of the arts, a bit of a sad clown some days.

Rime

Driven by rumors of a treasure guarded by a fearsome monster that lived deep within the aqueducts of a fallen city, when the Night Terrors went to check out these claims, Rime was the only living thing there. Mutated to twice the size of a regular chao, with a cast iron stomach, keen sense of smell, Rime was also more adept to living in more aquatic climates, fresh water be damned. With the rest of their pack not evolving fast enough to survive said toxins, the joy of finding others of their own species was enough to follow the rest of the Night Terrors anywhere, really. Though they may play up their size and ferocity, and they'll keep quiet to seem like a brick wall both physically and mentally, Rime's a tenderhearted creature who gets lonely easily, and can get a bit awkward when they want to interact with others, easily getting flustered and getting self conscious about being a big fish in such a small pond for so long. They're in charge of training regiments, aquatic scout work and underwater salvage. They're also super picky when it comes to food, and uses their sense of smell to help prevent spoilage from overtaking food storages, and knowing the best time to covert fruits into seeds. Stoic, hardworking, really just wants a hug most days.

Slight -

Currently applied to @chao-race-tournament !

Forced to flee for their life after their more aristocratic family fell out of favor with those more in charge, Slight was basically left to fend for themselves on the street with only their security blanket. Still, their drive to survive, and their ability to talk themselves out of [or into] most situations, Slight managed to rule the streets of the city their owners used to run until one too many lies caught up to them and Tabi decided to see exactly who'd been saying they beat them in a fight. Still, Tabi couldn't help but be intrigued by this upstart who had the sheer audacity, and after securing Slight's territory firmly under their rule, allowed them to stick around, allowing them to work their way up into the organization. Currently, they're team treasurer and keeper of all the warehouse keys. That being said, they aren't the most moral chao, and don't quite have the same qualms the others may have with selling, say, chao eggs they "found." Wicked cultured, mildly neurotic, will sell you for one corn chip.

Zori - Previously in @sonic-oc-showdown, out in round 3!

Zori is the most....unique, of the Night Terrors, and possibly the second oldest member of it all. They don't really deal much with the day to day minutia of running a crime syndicate, generally preferring to patrol any gardens under the groups protection, testing out defense systems, or digging up neat ore or rocks Tabi might like. More of a mascot, despite their attempts to seem more ferocious, they also take care and do upkeep of any bases the Night Terrors are operating from unless their expertise in umbrakinesis or electromagnetic manipulation is needed. Deeply curious, loyal to a fault, great with younger team members.

Jika

An unofficial leader of the Night Terrors, Jika was a wanderer and a scholar, and did their best to keep ancient traditions and rituals alive, using their travels in gather and write down stories and histories before they were gone forever. Seeing how the world was slowly but surely driving itself to entropy, however, they started working on plans in order to try and save the rest of their species, working with Tabi, who'd by that point, they'd known for ages, and who Tabi saw as their closest confidant. Yet... Before they could see their plan to save the rest of their species to it's completion, the actions taken drew the ire of a raptor hawk using falconer. Frankly, they had to choose between fleeing with the chao that were starting to scatter despite everyone's best efforts, or drawing it away from keeping Tabi cornered, and hoping that what they wrote down was enough for the rest of them to keep going. ... It was, but you know how it is with choices. Sometimes even with the best of intentions, ones sacrifice can cause such consequences. Trickster, academic, The most doomed by the narrative

#Galaxy Spiral AU #Chao OC #Sonic OC #Sonic AU #Tabi #Shortfuse #Trackball #Slight #Rime #Jika #Zori #Zori the Zeti #Zeti OC #chao #sonic #zeti #I'm MORE THAN WILLING to elaborate more when asked.

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zestrya · 1 year

Text

Siblings Rivalry

The Kamisato siblings were nothing less than perfect, or at least, that's what the rumours around the college said, by now you were aware that one should never trust such rumours mindlessly, especially since after being stuck between the Kamisato siblings themselves a number of times, you were now sure that their "perfection" was nothing but a rumour that people senseless spread.

pairing:: ayaka kamisato x gn!reader; ayato kamisato x gn!reader

cw:: none; colege!au, fluff.

notes:: have been with this idea rotting on my head for months now, grr, but ayaka gave me strength to post it now.

Ayato and Ayaka

— one would say they got along well, quite like a perfect family

— but those who knew the both of them for a bit longer would know that couldn't be farther from the truth

— being the type to argue over petty things, the both of them could be considered to be insufferable (by thomas's words)

— you on the other hand would rather say that they were simply... annoying

— usually they make both you and thoma pick sides, fuming in rage if you both try to keep things balanced

— ayaka choose you the strawberry frappe, but you'd much rather have the unnecessarily expensive expresso ayato recommended, wouldn't you? choose a latte, the mildness could be a nice change of pace

— ayato invited you to a business party, but oh my, ayaka's concert is on the very same day! actually you have a group project reunion that day, so sorry

— honestly, at times you just wished they wouldn't make things so much bigger than they actually are

— still, when you end up having to actually choose one side, be sure to make up to the other later, okay? or else they'll sulk for a whole week and it can be quite the headache

— they have a very good team work though

— years of playing pretend did make them learn about it better than anyone

—they're very good at keeping their potential rivals at bay by maintaining your schedule packed full

— when that doesn't work they can just make threats with a polite smile, scarily enough, it always seem to work

— but even with all that they're really good friends

— they try to make you feel at ease with them even if your upbringing is different from theirs

— if you ever feel burdened to accompany them to a party, they'll be sure to not insist

— instead, why don't you recommend them a place where the three of you could go together?

— ayato and ayaka will do anything in their power to make you feel better, and with the kamisato in their name, believe me, there's not much they can't do

— the siblings care greatly for both your wellbeing, so let them take care everything, won't you?

Ayaka Kamisato

— the sweet himegimi of the kamisato clan

— the very definition of purity, many may say

— you also believed in it before you got to know her for what she is

— your first encounter with her was with a theater piece you were participating under venti's urging

— “i won't let them use my work unless you participate as my muse” his smile gave away how amused he felt with the situation, even when he despised the thought of sharing works about you with someone else

— with much arguing venti let you off the hook of acting as a protagonist, instead playing the protagonist attendant

— the kamisato would play your original role instead, acting as your master and the center of the stage

—she helped you during all of the trainings with immense patience, you even felt bad for her

— but she was enjoying it far more than acting alone as usual, it was like having a real friend for the first time

— the training went by fast and when it finally came to the show day you felt as if you'd panic

— but then ayaka, like the saviour she was, took you hands in her and saying you'd do good and to just look at her if you, didn't know what to do

— and it surprisingly worked, the kamisato covered for your every mistake with perfection and no one seemed to notice

— after this you thought you'd never see her again, after all she was one of the most popular girls around the college

— but one day you just found her waiting for you in front of you class, deep blush painting her expression as she asked if you wanted to be friends with her

— heart attack! the only response you could offer was a quick nod, being as flustered as her

— when you accepted, she took your hands with the brightest smile you'd ever seen, quickly dragging you to get acquainted with her other friends

— she was still quite shy even after months of friendship, but she was surprisingly clingy with you

— everyone warmed up to you quite quickly, especially thoma, who instantly understood that his best friend may have a little crush on you

— days with her lean more on the calming side, her attitude reminding you of a curious kitten at times

— you get reminded really often of how she made part of a higher class of sorts whenever she was amazed by a simple coffee downtown or some hobbies of yours

— that however was kinda cute, since she was always eager to try anything with you

— thoma always tried to help the girl with her helpless flirting skills, setting up dates or ways to make her earn some points with you

— expect lots of hot pot parties upon thoma's urging, all of them who end in a sleepover on one of your houses

— but your obliviousness made the both of them speechless

— she'd invite you to every single show she was participating, at times even inviting you to watch her brother model and badmouth him

— she was really happy to just spend time beside you, but please, notice her intentions quickly

— she may not be able to maintain her perfect facade for long if you start to spend much more time with those she acknowledge as rivals

— and honestly, she fears so much you'd disapprove of her after she argues with someone you're friends with

— for now though, she'll be happy enough with hand feeding you with the highest class cakes and pastries she bought especially for you

Ayato Kamisato

— you wonder to this day how you even got friends with him

— you got acquainted with him considerably later than with ayaka, with reason too

— he's in his last year of political science, a major quite know for the growing animosity between it's students

— he got interested in you after he saw his own little sister wandering too much around someone, a little curiosity of sorts

— he dropped by one of your hot pot parties by chance to talk with thoma

— but the way his eyes sized you up the whole time he was there gave his intention away, that is, for ayaka and thoma at least

— being too intimidated by his presence you didn't even dare to look at his face the whole time

— after that uncomfortable first meeting you could only hope he wouldn't come to you, demanding you would get out of ayaka's life

— however the older kamisato head seemed to function in strange ways

— the next day he just appeared in front of the college with a luxury car, saying he wanted to talk with you

— you know, like a mafia boss

— and of course, you, scared shitless, ran like your life depended on it, leaving an utterly confused ayato there

— fortunately the misunderstandings were solved the next day while thoma poked fun at you for your reaction

— the friendship between you bloomed quite easily, as, despite his appearance, ayato was the friendly kind

— however he, differently from ayaka, couldn't seem to hide his diamond spoon nature

— if ayaka's curiosity for new things was cute, ayato's felt condescending

— he'd spew shit like "oh, so that's what common people usually eat"

— excuse me, sir? he said such things as if he didn't mix the most disgusting things into his drink daily

— though ayaka saw him as a rival, he wouldn't say he loves you, yk, like a liar

— dude has been seeking you out the whole day with that dumb lovestruck gaze of his

— also, the way he'd just nonchalantly give you expensive gifts at if it was nothing

— “it just made me remember of you, nothing much” this diamond encrusted locket that cost at least 7 months of a normal wage worker..? sure, if you say so

— honestly, man's whipped, he's just afraid to admit it

— don't take him wrong though, he'll try to pursue and do things right, just wait until he can calm his mind down first

— also, please, let ayato spoil you, he's not that good phrasing his affection for you, so intead let him show you off otherwise

— dressing you prettily/handsomely and taking you to a dinner night

— talking about unimportant things until the break of dawn

— he's way too fond of your presence, too bad you can't seem to notice it, don't worry though, for he has enough patience

— and otherwise, some dirty tricks to keep you bound to the kamisato's could work too

#genshin headcanons #kamisato ayaka #genshin ayaka #ayaka x reader #kamisato ayato #genshin ayato #ayato x reader #kamisato siblings #— zestrya's writing

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clanwarrior-tumbly · 1 year

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Hey clan was wondering if you could do a fic or hcs about reader finding out Larry is a missingno because they used to live in Kanto?

Yesssss I honestly love that Missingno!Larry theory to the moon and back

.....

Being born and raised in Kanto, you were caught up on the many myths and legends shared around the region. You've done a lot of research on the Pokémon associated with them, believing all the tales to be true.

But while most libraries and websites displayed stories of the legendary bird trio and the feline genetic experiments...there was one particular Pokémon seldom mentioned by even the oldest Kantonians.

One that was so bizarre and otherworldly that it could hardly be described as a Pokémon at all.

That was Missingno.

It piqued your interest, although it took a good while to find people who witnessed this creature...and even longer to find anyone willing to share what it looked like, as no photos of it existed anywhere.

But the responses weren't what you expected, as they claimed to have seen different forms of it.

One person said it resembled one of the ghosts seen in the Pokémon Tower, while a few theorized it was a haunted Aerodactyl or Kabutops skeleton seeking revenge against poachers.

The only thing these accounts had in common was the alleged location of Missingno: along the eastern coastline of Cinnabar Island.

And so you set off on a quest to find it, with your Lapras assisting you in the search as it surfed along the coast.

After some time, you finally encountered Missingno's true form.

It could only be described as incomprehensible--a clump of computerlike glitches forming the shape of a backwards "L".

You didn't even know how a thing like this could exist. But it was real, and you made sure your pokedex scanned it, revealing its number was "000" and some other unusual information about it. Such as it being a Normal/Bird type.

Not flying..but bird.

At the time you were too anxious to catch it, fearing that the stories of it corrupting people and Pokémon were true, and that it could wipe out all the progress you made on the dex. Even Lapras was terrified, as it nearly threw you off its back upon seeing the creature, so you sailed back to shore with the data entry secured.

That was all the evidence you needed.

You've helped the puzzled scientists with studies of this creature a great deal with what you've gathered, although they got ambitious about capturing it themselves and enlisted your aid in tracking it down, calling it "Project: Missingno".

You initially objected to that; they never confirmed it as being a Pokémon, so trying to catch and control something they didn't quite understand yet seemed like a terrible idea...

But to satiate your own curiosity, you led their expedition team to Cinnabar weeks later, following the exact same path that took you straight to Missingno's habitat.

Yet it was nowhere to be found, much to your confusion. Nothing but sand remained.

Maybe somebody else caught it.

Regardless, Project: Missingno was terminated right there and then, and the town's interest in it died down rather quickly. Even the scientists who once obsessed over finding it suddenly dismissed your evidence as "glitches", saying your pokedex was corrupted and needed a reboot.

They were sure quick to scorn you when yesterday they praised you for making a "historic" discovery.

But you knew for a fact Missingno was real. You believed in it.

If it truly was a Pokémon..then perhaps more of its kind were out there in the wild. They might be simply hidden away.

Yet even after you visiting a few other regions, they had extremely scarce information on it..oftentimes none at all.

You began to think it was only a legend meant to stay in Kanto.

Then you took a trip to Paldea to study the Treasures of Ruin and got the most surprising lead..

..............

"Where are you taking--?! Oh...y-you just wanted to eat here, huh?"

"Zarrr!" Licking her chops, your Cyclizar smiled as she stopped short in front of a nice restaurant within Medali City. It was labeled "Treasure Eatery".

"Fancy name." You mused, stepping off her back and walking up to the menu posted outside, reading over what this place had to offer. "I guess we afford some "fine-dining", huh girl?"

Smiling, you patted her head, and in turn she grinned and licked your cheek. "Hahaha, that tickles." You snickered. "C'mon. I think this is the place that can alter your tera type with a quick meal, too."

Surprisingly enough, you've become well-acquainted with Paldea's many customs and Pokémon--among them being the Cyclizar you found. She helped you get across the vast region and out of many sticky situations with the unusually aggressive Tauros herds.

You noticed that the flying taxi cabs carried by groups of Squawkabillies was the main source of transportation, but the idea of riding a motorcycle dragon-type seemed astronomically cooler.

In a way, it reminded you of the bikes you always rode in Kanto.

Once you both entered the Treasure Eatery, you patiently waited behind who appeared to be an academy student ordering something to eat.

But after the host hollered out their order to the chef-

A battle court unexpectedly appeared in the dining section.

You and Cyclizar jumped back in shock, becoming even more confused at what the host declared:

"Congratulations! You've passed the Gym Test! Are you ready to challenge the Exceptional Everyman himself, Gym Leader Larry?"

'Huh? A gym battle...is here??' You were bewildered.

Last time you checked, the gym building was back outside: a tall, bright, and white structure with the logo plastered on the front. But then you remembered that you're not in Kanto anymore, and Paldea probably had its own gym customs.

Ordering a "secret menu item", however, did seem quite odd for a gym test...

Shrugging, you headed further in, securing a spot where the court was in perfect view. You passed by Larry who, sure enough, looked much like any ordinary business man. He was rigid in his movements, and monotone in his voice, even as you overheard him praise the challenger for passing his test.

Everything about him was plain and simple.

Regardless, you were eager to see the battle. So you ordered Cyclizar a dish of grilled fish, while you ate your own meal and watched the fight go down

Larry first sent out a Komala, who was swiftly struck down by the challenger's fighting type, before he sent Dundunsparce out next.

Although it put up more of a fight than the last Pokémon, it went down just as quickly. Yet Larry didn't seem all that concerned with losing, even as the staff and patrons tried getting him riled up, demanding something more exciting.

However, you immediately noticed something quite...off about him that made you do a double-take.

When he tossed out his final Pokémon, a Staraptor, his throw seemed unusually aggressive this time around. And it may have just been your imagination...but you swore on your life you saw a familiar pattern of glitches flickering around him, and his head becoming entirely detached from his body for a split-second.

Only then did you see his emotionless expression briefly change to one of panic, almost physically recoiling at the pain. Though it was quickly masked as he made eye contact with you, before refocusing on the match and terastalizing Staraptor.

Nobody else seemed to notice, but you knew exactly what you saw, as your Cyclizar began hissing and snarling in distress...much like what your Lapras did that fateful day.

It's obvious that she realized the same thing as you..

That Larry's physical body had become unstable, as if he were a living glitch masquerading as something else...

Just like it did.

#clanask #pokemon x reader #pokemon scarlet x reader #pokemon violet x reader #pokemon larry x reader #pokemon larry #missingno #missingno larry #platonic

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sea-side-scribbles · 5 months

Text

Solas wakes up in the strange new world of his own making and it terrifies him. Frail and confused, he has to learn everything from scratch again. The more he learns, the more the world looks like a nightmare.

When he joins the Inquisition, he figures he's still not strong enough to withstand everything this world throws at him.

In the end, he made too many promises and he can't keep them all.

But who said the Din'anshiral would be easy?

_____________________________________________

Part 1 | Chapter 1- ? | Right after uthenera, Solas is found by a Dalish clan. This goes well until it doesn't.

(Basically my excuse for world building and hilarious misunderstandings.)

Chapter 6

Temalas and Alhannon stayed for a while until they realized the lesson was over. Solas shared his grief with Rosala and they both eventually fell asleep.

When he woke up, the halla rested by his side with her head on his stomach. She didn't flinch when he unwittingly grabbed her fur, struggling with his awakening. He then lay in silence as he recovered and longed for someone to visit him. He needed more answers.

Later, he felt ready to make his way to the exit again. To his surprise, Rosala helped him. She offered him her neck, so he could lie an arm around her, then she effortlessly walked him through the aravel. They settled down at the exit and Solas began to pet Rosala's soft fur. For once, he appreciated that she was small. He was so occupied by the halla that he didn't notice Halven appear.

The Healer worried about his patient, especially after Temalas and Alhannon had told him he still lost focus now and then. Halven had even scolded them for stressing him too much, but had quickly backtracked because he saw their reason. Their new lethal'lin had so many questions and not much time, supposedly. According to Alhannon and Temalas, he had heard about the elven peoples' burden for the first time and he hadn't taken it well. Only time could tell if his wounds healed.

But when Halven saw him and the halla together, he drew new hope. The elf smiled such a genuine smile he hadn't seen on him before. A comfort no one else could've given him. Halven quietly smiled to himself as he gathered some bread and honey - and chestnuts for Rosala. “An elf and a halla, there's no greater bond in the world”, he greeted them cheerfully when he approached. “Breakfast is ready, too”, he said to his patient. “I hope you had a good night?”

Solas accepted the meal his body craved with a thanks. His intense hunger yet felt strange to him, but he saw no harm in sating it. “It was...uneventful”, he decided to answer. „No strange lights then?“ “None.” “That's good to hear. And you already made a friend.” He held out a chestnut to the halla, who happily crunched it. “How about you take over?”, he then asked Solas and offered him a chestnut. “Sure.” When the fruit fell onto Solas' palm, he needed a moment to feel the smooth, cold but also rough surface under his fingers. He found it astounding how different objects felt here. The sensation was intense but didn't last. When he flattened his hand again, the tingle in his fingers was gone.

Halven let him observe the fruit for a while. The sight both amused him and tore at his heart. This elf had never seen something as simple as a chestnut before. Cities really were no places for elves. “Just hold out your hand like this.”, he eventually said and showed him his flat palm. Solas nodded and offered the fruit to an excited Rosala who's ears shot up at the sight. Her snout shortly touched his hand when she snatched it and he couldn't help but chuckle quietly at the sensation. Rosala then eyed Halven again, the source of her delicious snacks.

Solas accepted another chestnut from him and offered it to her. She squeaked with delight. “Halla like it when we share”, Halven explained. “And then they share with us.” In a moment of silliness, Solas imagined the animal feeding the people with bread. Then he remembered the bread on his lap and began to eat. “I think I can trust you with these.” Halven held the bowl of chestnuts to him. Solas took it without hesitation. Bonding with the halla seemed to be the best idea yet. He didn't have any other friends here since the spirits only visited him in the beyond.

When his hunger was sated, he decided it was time to get more answers. “Halven...”, he began carefully, “I need to ask you again....about the history of our people...” The Healer nodded. “I heard it from the two. You spoke about the ancient age, right?” The term made Solas flinch slightly. “How long ago is it?” The question slipped before he could stop himself. “According to our records, it is about 2000 years ago.” “2000?” Solas couldn't believe it. “Yes. A long time, isn't it?” Solas furrowed his brows, but decided not to debate on it. Instead, he gathered hope. It wasn't long ago. They could still find a solution, make peace, rebuild their cities. Not as temples, this time. They could start new. But for a prisoner, that time must've felt endless. Even though none of them appeared to have witnessed the “ancient age”. They were young souls, easy to manipulate. Where were their elders? He closed his eyes and shook his head. Too many questions at once.

Halven feared he had overwhelmed the elf, but then he spoke: “What happened in all this time?” The Healer fell silent and Solas wondered if he had to ask Temalas again. After a pause, he answered: “I'll...try to give you the short version, lethal'lin. You already noticed it's not the happiest story for the most part.” “Don't spare me”, the elf said with a stern look. “I am ready to hear it.” Halven marvelled at his determination. At his state, he could've told him to leave him alone with the dreadful stories. Or begged to tell him something brighter. Or something about the clan, the present. Instead, he was rather fixated on the past.

“Well, after the shemlen destroyed Arlathan, our ancestors were driven out of their homeland, into the shemlen empire, Tevinter. They were forced to serve the shemlen as slaves.” He glanced at his patient, who closed his eyes. He braced himself for another breakdown, but the elf opened his eyes again and drew breath, forcing himself to go on. He was visibly stricken.

“This dark age lasted for 800 years until a rebellion emerged.” He liked to see that his listener's attention grew. “The elves began to revolt against their oppressors and uprisings began all over Tevinter. One of them was led by an man named Shartan, who would later be remembered and honoured as the Liberator. He fought to give his people a homeland where they could live without masters. At the same time, the shemlen peoples were at war with each other. Tevinter had conquered other shemlen lands and had made enemies in the process. And so, it came that elves and shemlen could fight side by side for the same cause.” The elf's eyes lit up at that.

“One fateful day, Shartan's rebels came across a shemlen army, led by a warrior named Andraste. Shartan and her formed an alliance that became a real threat for their mutual enemies. But as fate willed, Andraste was betrayed by her husband, captured and executed in Tevinter. Shartan and a hundred of his rebels raced to her rescue, but they were killed before they could reach her. However, Andraste's husband granted the elves their own homeland, as a reward for their alliance. So for the first time in centuries, the elves left the shemlen cities. They had to set off on a hazardous, long journey to a land called the Dales and not all of them made it there. The survivors founded a city and called it “Halamshiral”, “the end of the journey”. There, they could live in peace and restore the ancient knowledge they had lost to the shemlen raid centuries ago. Their greatest warriors, the Emerald Knights, patrolled the borders of the Dales to protect the land from harm. It was supposed to be the new beginning Shartan dreamed of. Alas, it lasted for only 300 years.”

Solas noticed that the fate of Halamshiral moved Halven much more than that of the fabled city of Arlathan. Perhaps they came from there as outcasts? Clearly, something had happened to this place as well. For the first time, he pitied these people deeply. It must've hurt to glimpse at a new beginning and to lose the chance so quickly. “What happened?” “The shems broke their promise, joined forces and attacked Halamshiral with a massive army. Not even the Emerald Knights could prevent their invasion. Again without a homeland, our ancestors had a difficult choice. Some of them set their hopes on the shemlen's promises and moved to their cities, submitted to the shemlen culture and expected to be treated as equals in return. But their hopes were in vain. Not all city elves are slaves, but they live in unworthy conditions, in the poorest districts the shems call alienages. The other elves chose to keep their freedom. They never set foot into a city, never submitted and instead salvaged their ancient lore and traditions. Such as the founders of our clan Enasvaral – “The grace that remains.” There are other clans like us all over the world. We call ourselves the Dalish elves, as a reminder of what is rightfully ours. We keep away from the shemlen, live our old ways and teach our children what it means to be elves. We are certain that one day, the shemlen will fade away and the creators will return.”

Solas silenced, curling his fingers into Rosala's fur. In his mind was chaos. There were so many things he didn't understand. But one thought rose above the others. “You're hiding...” “Well, we like to call it, keeping a low profile...” He chuckled. “The shemlen are easily provoked, you know? The less they see of us, the better. We never stay long in one place and travel the unsettled lands. Like this, we remain unbothered and can do as we please. This life is less comfortable than Halamshiral I suppose, but it's ours alone.” “You...you lived like this for how long?” “About 800 years.” Solas shook his head. This was...not good.

“You have no contact to those in the cities?” “It's not that you can walk in there to chat, lethal'lin. But sometimes, we come across fugitives. The last time that happened, even I was still a child. He found a home here, a family. And he'd never go back.” “So...it's unlikely that the situation has changed since then?” “Very unlikely, lethal'lin. The shemlen would never free us just like that.” “But why...why did this happen? Clearly an alliance is possible? Why do they keep attacking you?” “I'm afraid it's within their nature. Their lands are still at war with each other. The shemlen, however, would tell you a different story...” The elf straightened himself.

“They would call us heretics for we don't worship their god...” Solas had wondered if this word would fall. Now, this story could become depressing. “They call him the Maker. A resentful being that abandoned his own creation and would only come back if his song was sung from all corners of the world. Thus, the shemlen have a reason for their endless conquest. Ironically, Andraste was considered to be the Maker's prophet and the only shem he ever spoke to. So they murdered their own prophet and later, conquered our land in her name. I can't say I'm fond of this Maker.” “So...the Maker is their god? Who or what is he?” “If you ask me, he's a demon they mistook for a god. That's why he's silent and passive. Who would abandon their own creation willingly and demand war? The creators only left us because they were tricked.”

Solas snorted at Halven's naivety. Every self-proclaimed god wanted war. But was the Maker self-proclaimed? Or another ancient being the Elvhen People stirred in their search for power – and this time they failed?

“You said they murdered Andraste. Why? Did she lose the Maker's favour? For siding with the elves?” “No..she's still considered his prophet. His wife, even. I'm afraid only the shemlen may know the true circumstances of her betrayal.” “Jealousy?”, Solas offered. “Did she have rivals?” “Perhaps.” Solas imagined pathetic little god's toys, fighting for attention. Why was every god the same?

He froze, realizing something. What if it was the same?

The Evanuris were locked away. The Maker was distant. A resentful being, disappointed. Perhaps filled with rage? Thirsting for revenge? Unable to speak. Only to Andraste? Why her? And what about the whispers from the beyond?

There were still empty spots in the image he painted. Still, he didn't like it already. It would explain why the shemlen fought so fiercely. And he had to admit it felt comfortable for him to imagine he knew the threat. But it could still be another, elder being, like a Titan. A true creator. Couldn't they ask the shemlen? Did they ever care?

“Did you try to understand the shemlen's actions? I suppose they can speak?” Halven was once again surprised by how little the elf knew. He was probably lucky to have forgotten. “Sure, what you speak is their language. They forced it upon us and since then only us Dalish made an effort to recover our ancient language. We're still learning.” Like that, Halven served Solas a huge piece of the puzzle. The Elvhen language wasn't forbidden. Forgotten. Someone like him sounded like a creature from another world. It hurt how his all his worries looked ridiculous now. The Dread Wolf was the least of their problems.

“So did you speak to them? Back then before the fall of Arlathan?” “I'm sure our ancestors would've tried to reason with them, if they had the chance. Sadly, no memories of the first encounter are left. Only the notions of disease and a shortened life span.” “But you realize they could've been accidentally? Effects that could've been prevented by understanding?” Halven was surprised that the elf suddenly sounded like a hahren. “Possibly, but all we have is our present reality. The shemlen never regretted what they did to us.” “Your reality is the consequence of past actions! You don't know their perspective!” “I doubt any shemlen remember their ancestor's perspective either. They have short memories.” “Maybe they keep their memories where you can't see them!” Halven lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Solas fell quiet. Veins of blue, solid blood appeared in front of his eyes. Glittering, growing, writing... They looked primitive to the Elvhen People. Mindless, soulless creatures. Their death will be a mercy. We will make the earth blossom with their passing. He didn't like how they spoke about the shemlen. Quick children. “How quickly did they age?” “Presumably just as we do now. They lived no more than 100 years.” This was a hammer into Solas' guts. He made an effort to hide his reaction, waiting for Halven to say it was all a joke. But the Healer silenced.

And the prison? “Did the shemlen change the world somehow? Apart from...destroying cities...?” Halven gave him another questioning look. “I mean...are you still somehow...imprisoned? In this forest? The lands you travel through?” “Well, supposedly all these lands belong to some shem noble or another, but they own so many lands, they can't guard them all at the same time. They rarely wander these woods. We are save here. And free.”

Solas looked at Rosala who just stared at him with round eyes. He deflated. If this was a prison, how would they know? He could barely gather his own memories. The name Andraste rang differently his ears, but the truth hid in the fog. He was sure that there was more to all this. But what was he supposed to do about it?

Deep in thought, he reached out for the chestnuts. At least Rosala would take something nice out of this conversation.

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age fanfiction #solas/dorian #dragon age solas #dragon age dorian #maker preserve #dalish elves

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adamwatchesmovies · 8 months

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TMNT (2007)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

In some ways, TMNT is a better film than the previous live-action installments in the series. Unfortunately, it still suffers from major shortcomings. This makes it less fun than even the worst of the ‘90s adventures because there’s nothing nostalgic about it and no elements that are so bad they can be kind of fun despite themselves. This movie is doomed to obscurity - theatrical release or no theatrical release.

3,000 years ago, a warlord named Yaotl opened a portal whose energies granted him immortality but turned his four trusted generals to stone. The portal also unleashed 13 monsters into our world - previews of the army the portal would unleash the next time someone opened it. In present day, Leonardo (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), Raphael (voiced by Nolan North), Michelangelo (voiced by Mikey Kelley) and Donatello (voiced by Mitchell Whitfield) have grown apart. Leonardo has been sent away to South America to train and his brothers have either taken on mundane jobs or become masked vigilantes. When Yaotl resurrects his generals and begins gathering the monsters with the help of the Foot Clan, it can only mean trouble for New York and its shell-wearing protectors.

While there’s a certain charm to the old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies and their practical special effects, making the next chapter in the series an animated film was a good idea. It gives the characters freedoms they never had before and they're the most expressive they've ever been. Too bad they have nothing interesting to say and the plot is a complete mess. There’s just way too much going on here. Why 13 monsters to collect to open up the portal? Eight of them are captured during a montage and the turtles only interact with three of them, making that number way excessive. In fact, why are there monsters in the movie at all? Isn’t a villain that's trying to open up this portal to a dimension of demons with his four granite warriors - none of which get more than a handful of lines - enough?

Let's examine this story deeper. The portal only opens up once every 3,000 when the stars align, and only if the creatures are arranged in a circle. Yaotl sure was dragging his feet gathering them then, wasn’t he? They’ve been around for longer than Christianity and he’s gotten exactly NOTHING done before the plot kicks in. Thankfully, the monsters are - for reasons that are never made clear - hanging out in New York city, waiting to be scooped up like Pokémon. This entire plot is so muddy and so full of holes you just don’t care about any of it.

Not helping are the titular heroes. Splinter (voiced by Mako) has sent Leonardo away to train to be a better leader. Did he really need to go to a different continent to do this? Speaking of bad ideas, the “Nightwatcher” subplot makes NO SENSE. Raphael has been wearing a disguise and sneaking out at night to fight crime. Why? The turtles live in secrecy in the city's sewer tunnels. He has no civilian identity to protect. The disguise fools no one anyway - well, except his brothers, who take forever to put two and two together. As if the huge humanoid with three fingers and a big shell on his back jumping around doing martial arts wouldn’t be immediately recognized by them. And if he is going around fighting crime as a vigilante… so what? The turtles have always been vigilantes! So is their friend Casey Jones (voiced by Chris Evans)!

Once again, the plot centers solely on Leonardo and Raphael, with the other two turtles given nothing to do. You’d think with the years of comics and television series, someone would’ve figured out a way to give everyone involved some task crucial to defeating the villains. Donnie could hack into a security system, April (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar) could gather intelligence or put on a disguise, Mickey and Casey could distract the guards, that kind of thing. No. We get hammered by themes of family and brotherhood over and over but all the siblings do is argue until the final act when they finally put their differences aside. None of it is any fun, and certainly not with the quality of the jokes we're subjected to. The entire picture only contains one funny moment, which makes the brisk 87 minutes feel like an entire season of a TV show you’ve been forced to sit through.

Despite all my criticisms, I must admit that an 11-year-old who loves the ninja turtles would probably love this movie because the ridiculous story seriously (too seriously, I’d say) and feigns a grim and gritty theme throughout. Nothing about the story or visuals will date TMNT like its predecessors but it’s hard to imagine anyone fondly looking back at this 2007 film. (March 26, 2021)

#TMNT #Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews #Kevin Munroe #Chris Evans #Sarah Michelle GEllar #Mako Iwamatsu #Kevin Smith #Patrick Stewart #Ziyi Zhang #Laurence Fishburne #2007 movies #2007 films

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blackbird0blog · 1 year

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Naruto Fanfic Recs

One of the funniest fics I'm currently into, it definitely deserves more recognition! It's a comedy starring Sakura, Deidara, Kisame, and Hidan in an alternate universe where none of them defected and they get thrown together in bizarre situations. Trapped in a cabin while drunk, stuck in a cave with a pregnant shark, sent to each other's villages as envoys... It's hilarious. Please check it out!

Preview:

It had been almost two years since the cabin and they were still running into each other. He shouldn't be surprised they were getting to know him.

"So how come you're not competing either?" Hidan asked as the clan head plopped down on the other end of the couch and threw one arm over the back as he kicked his feet up on the resin coffee table made to look like a deep sea abyss. "You're all about the scuffle and tussle life, and no way you'd turn down a chance to kick someone's ass."

"And then what?" Kisame sighed. Navy hair smushed against the cushions. "Like you said, I'd rather not showcase myself in front of anyone out there. Other Swordsmen are fighting, and what've I got to prove?"

"If you can KO a bitch with your arms crossed."

"I did that a couple years ago."

"... God, what's it like being the hottest motherfucker on this island?"

"The worst. The proposals are getting out of hand." Kisame clicked his tongue and took another swig, making sure he got a couple coconut cubes for his troubles. "Last week a family offered me their entire kiwi orchard if I married their eldest daughter."

Hidan snorted, sputtering up some of the water he tried to drink while still lying down.

"And, okay, she was perfectly decent and everything, but they gifted me sixteen kiwi baskets before I could tell them no, and even after that they wouldn't take it back. It's just been kiwi after that—kiwi smoothies, kiwi bread, kiwi popsicles, fruit salad with guess what? God. Damn. Kiwi." He massaged his forehead. "I'm not letting free stuff go to waste and the rest of the Swordsmen won't help me because they barely eat the food group despite all our surnames somehow ending up as derivatives of fruit names. Fruit names, and they won't eat my kiwi!"

Magenta eyes watered and didn't even try to hide how much they were enjoying this. "Wait, so all that baked shit over there—"

"If I eat another kiwi, and I cannot emphasize this enough, I will reject all earthly possessions to go and live as a shark man in the ocean."

Cackles burst out from Hidan's mouth. "You want help with your stash?"

"I would love you forever if you did."

One last cackle and Hidan hefted himself to his feet to knock a fist against Kisame's arm and ambled towards the closest counter space.

#comedic #crack fic #naruto fanfiction #comedy #sakura haruno #kisame #deidara #fanfic rec

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maggicktouched · 1 year

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Name: Robin Morozov Goes By: Rob . Robbie Gender: Nonbinary Sexuality: Lesbian Age: 43 (Verse dependent) Height: 5′8 Species: Witch . Fox Clan FC: E.R. Fightmaster Magical Affinity: Manipulation of the senses . Illusions . Astral Projection . Potion Making Profession: Researcher (primary focus is on spirits and the dream realm)

Robin Morozov née Tandy and their sister Kasja were the second born daughters of Linnea and Stefan Tandy. Rob grew up with everything a child could ever want. For a long time they didn’t really have a problem with that. Sure they didn’t love the long hair and the dresses their mother put them in, but there were worse things to be than wrapped in uncomfortable clothes. They were always close with Kasja, and for the first few years of his life, before he made his first shift, they helped out with their little brother Leif as well. Everything was normal. Everything was fine. Even if it wasn’t perfect.

Until Leif changed.

None of them had expected him to shift so early. There hadn’t been a feral witch born to the family in three generations, and Leif wasn’t anything like the temple elders described ferals to be. Leif was a sweet boy. Quiet, usually, and agreeable. He liked to wander out into the garden sometimes, but that was normal kid stuff. Leif was only four when it happened, and if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, then they might not have ever known. Their father Stefan took their baby brother up north not even a day later. That was the last time Robin told either of them.

There was an unspoken rule not to talk about it. Anytime it was brought up, their mother brushed it away, but Robin could see the anxiety in her eyes. The tension bled into every aspect of their lives. They had to look the right way for the public; they had to say all the right things. Their mother had never been especially warm but a coldness came over her as the years went on.

The dresses fit tighter and tighter. The long hair framed their face in the mirror in such a strange way that it made the rest of their face look out of proportion. Sometimes even the way people said their name put them in an ill mood. They couldn’t put their finger on it... but something didn’t feel right.

It would have to wait.

Everything came crashing down when the news traveled down from Kiruna. Leif was dead. Leif was dead and---and it had been their own father who did it. It’d been several years since they’d even seen him, Elea had snuck off to live with their father a year or so prior. All of the letters had been so normal. No one ever made it sound like anything was wrong. And then he was dead. The sweet bright eyed boy who loved to chase butterflies in the garden, who they had snuck extra desserts to when no one was looking, he was gone. Their mother was in shambles. She practically destroyed the house that she was oh-so-fond of. And their father? The healers had brought him back from the ordeal mangled, missing pieces of himself and unable to walk, and if not for Elea’s attempts to defend him, their mother might have slain him in his sleep. He was cast out. Even if he was alive, he was to be dead to them. Their father was gone.

Pictures were burned, and tensions were even higher in the house than they’d ever been. Elea was furious and in that fury she was vicious and ugly. She fought constantly with their mother. The walls around the family tightened even further. Even a toe out of line, even an expression on a face, could be a punishable offense. And every day they looked in the mirror they felt less and less real.

At sixteen, Robin Tandy escaped the house that had become their prison the only way they could think: by committing to the priesthood. They were accepted into an internship into the Order of the Fifteen Pillars on account of their high aptitude for potion crafting. The Order of the Fifteen Pillars is primarily dedicated to magical research and discovery, and during their extended stay, they were exposed to hundreds of subjects. Upon the completion of their apprenticeship, they devoted themselves to the study of the Dream Realm and of spiritual beings; specifically feral witches.

Away from home and on their own, Robin finally started to do things for themselves. They cut off their hair, clipped their nails, withdrew their bid for marriage that their mother had set up, and tossed every dress they’d ever owned in the trash. They hadn’t meant to change their name, not at first, not until a coworker offhandedly called them “Rob” one day. It just felt---right. Another piece of the puzzle fitting perfectly into place.

Rob is definitely a black sheep in the Tandy family. In most verses they are married to a woman name Olja Morozov that they met while backpacking. Olja is also a witch, but not a shifting witch, not connected to the history/bloodline of the Bregtha. It was a big scandal when Rob ended up taking their wife’s last name, further separating themselves from the Tandy legacy.

Rob goes by just about any pronouns, but they prefer gender neutral terms. They do allow any nieces and nephews to refer to them as “aunt” or “uncle” interchangeably with no real preference.

In Beck/Fen’s Hogwarts verses, Rob is living with Olja in Scotland and it is Olja who went to Hogwarts and suggests sending Beck and Fenris there. They even offered to let Beck and Fenris come live with them on breaks, but Linnea refused.

#idk if i'm actually going to add them to the character list or not #but i'm REALLY tempted #at the very least this can be another named/fleshed out NPC in Beck's universes

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scottybomb · 1 year

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Ironsworn Starforged - Session 0 Part 4: Starting Sector

Welcome to part four of our session zero for a new Ironsworn Starforged adventure! Last time, we did a full write-up of our character. Today, we’ll finish our session zero by randomly generating our starting sector. Step one in generating the sector will be to determine the starting region. I think that Val is going to be starting close to the heart of the Forge, in the Terminus. This means the sector will begin with four known settlements for us to generate. We’ll go through them one by one, rolling on the appropriate tables from the Oracle, and maybe coming up with a broad strokes picture of the location based on the roll.

First Settlement Lagrange (Deep Space) Population: Thousands Authority: Ineffectual Projects: Migration, Hunting

Interesting first roll! A deep space station with a population in the thousands, an ineffectual local government, and a focus on migration and hunting? Okay, I’m getting a picture of Lagrange Station being originally founded as a hunting preserve for some kind of space fauna which are harvested for food and other goods. The location was at a drift system crossroads of sorts within the sector, which slowly turned it into a trade and transportation hub, too. Today, the station has ballooned into a thriving city supporting both the travelers passing through and the space fauna hunting industry. As the station was originally a hunting and processing site - so the station administration wasn’t equipped to manage the now huge population, and so the station has become increasingly controlled by various non-governmental interests.

Second Settlement Hearth (Deep Space) Population: Hundreds Authority: None Projects: Surveillance, Energy

Hmm. I’m already off-put having rolled two deep space sites in a row, but I’ll keep it. The low population and the surveillance project intrigue me, for sure, but I’m not sure the name fits, so I’m going to make an executive decision to change it a bit.

Hearth Watch is a clan surveillance outpost near the edge of the sector - whether it's spying on a rival clan, or keeping an eye on the Sundering is TBD. The population is almost entirely clan intelligence, intelligence adjacent or support staff, and the “none” authority is more an indicator that there’s no formal government in place outside the staff and their general orders. As a secure site, Hearth Watch is also being used as a scientific research outpost working on new experimental energy systems.

Third Settlement Rhiannon (Orbital) Population: Thousands Authority: Unyielding Projects: Defense, Entertainment

I’ve already rolled two space stations, and I want to have a little more variety in the sector, so I’m interpreting this orbital settlement as actually based on the moon of another planet. Let’s find out where. Planet: Jovian World Star: Blazing Blue Star A Jovian moon! Perfect. This means we could even cheat it a bit and say the moon is, essentially, a medium-sized vital world in itself. The massive O-type star can help explain how life evolved here, in orbit around the gas giant.

Rhiannon is an established lunar colony in orbit around a massive gas giant. The colony was founded as a major tourist destination - a tropical pleasure world of leisure, primarily for clan nobility. The thriving industry on the beautiful moon caused a bit of a population boom. With clan tensions recently on the rise, Rhiannon has been militarized due to its strategic location. A larger clan military presence has been established so one of the defense fleets can operate out of the system. The local government has always run a tight ship behind the scenes to ensure the safety of the tourism industry, and the military presence has only heightened vigilance.

Fourth Settlement

Silvana (Planetside) Population: Dozens Authority: Corrupt Projects: Agriculture, Engineering

Got a planetside colony on the final roll, so that’s nice, but it’s also a tiny place. Hmm. Let’s see what the planet looks like. Planet: Ocean World Star: Burning Yellow Star

Okay, an ocean world settlement orbiting a G-type star.

Silvana is a relatively young colony in the Terminus, with under a hundred people. It’s essentially a farming village - the majority of the population works in aquaculture, generating food which is traded elsewhere in the clan. Due to the trade ships coming into the system to collect foodstuffs, a small orbital station was built to help service them and act as a shipping hub. The noble who bankrolled the station has been skimming money, which has kept the people of Silvana in relative poverty. Let’s put this all on the map, including the three known drift passages in the sector.

1) Lagrange Station 2) Hearth Watch 3) Rhiannon 4) Silvana

Now we zoom in on one settlement, which is where we’re going to begin play. Looking at the four locations we’ve made, two stand out as possible starting locations based on Val’s backstory - either Hearth Watch, or Rhiannon. Both have military presences, and Val’s story begins with him having just sworn his oath and being granted leave by his CO. I think he was commanding a patrol boat monitoring the ATHENA clan’s border with the Sundering, and while this might tie into a small outpost like Hear Watch, I think I’m going to have him at Rhiannon to start. The navy outpost there seems more like where he’d have been recalled. Rhiannon (Orbital) Population: Thousands Authority: Unyielding Projects: Defense, Entertainment Trouble: Dangerous Discovery

Planet: Pwyll (Jovian World) Atmo: Marginal Life: None Superheated Atmosphere, Severe Electrical Storms

Moon: Rhiannon (Vital World) Atmo: Ideal Diversity: Diverse (Glacial, Ocean, Islands) Life: Diverse Towering Geological Formations, Crystalline Formations

Star: Blazing Blue Star Good stuff here. Rhiannon (the largest settlement has the same name as the moon) orbits the gas giant Pwyll, which is super hot and riddled with spectacular electrical storms. The moon is smaller than Earth and is a world of island chains with no continent-sized land masses outside of massive polar ice caps in the Arctic zones. The main colony is on one of the larger tropical islands, with several outlying resorts and attractions on nearby islands. The naval base is on an island further north, with a spacedock in geosynchronous orbit for larger vessels. The planet became a tourism hotspot because of the beautiful, towering crystalline spires formed from naturally occurring forces. These spires rise from the ocean and can reach astonishing heights. Smaller deposits can be found on the islands. Life on the planet is diverse - land species are smaller and more primitive, but the oceans teem with life from minuscule to titanic, filling every niche. A recent and dangerous discovery is being hushed up by local authorities (who run a pretty tight ship, remember) and may partly explain the military presence outside of it just being a good strategic location.

Next thing we need to do is create a local connection. I think the obvious choice here is Val’s CO. Name: Commander Cassidy von Barlowe Rank: Dangerous Location: Rhiannon Role: Clan ATHENA Naval Officer Goal: Defend a Place Features: Attractive, Adorned, Poised

Commander von Barlowe is Val’s direct superior in the ATHENA clan fleet. She’s an honourable, decorated officer of noble birth who can be described as “statuesque.” Val has nothing but respect and loyalty for her; loyalty and respect which is returned. She understood the gravity of his oath and immediately granted him leave to pursue it. While associating with Val might currently be seen by many as political suicide, she’s secure in her position and trusts him implicitly. She’s a decent “friend in high places,” but associating with her could rope Val back into detached naval duty - hence her Dangerous rank. Let’s finalize the sector! Sector Name: Sundered Verge Sector Trouble: Settlements or factions are on the brink of war Two perfect rolls to end this. Sundered Verge sector is on the border of Clan ATHENA and the Sundering. Trailing to Heath Watch (west on the map above) is where the Sundering begins. The trouble is not internal but rather relates to a breakdown in relations between ATHENA and ARTEMIS. This is why the treason charge against Val’s family was so plausible and damning. Both clans are gearing up for a renewed conflict.You guys! We can begin play next time, with session 1, as Val and C3dric set out to restore the von Aetos family honour in the Sundered Verge!

#ironsworn #starforged #ttrpg #world building #sector creation

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i-cant-sing · 3 years

Note

I know requests are closed so this isn’t a request I just had an idea based off an ask you got about hawks and the Todoroki clan. What if the reader escaped from yandere Todoroki clan (Dabi scared the reader/took it too far with the threats, or because endeavor and the brothers had a fight and the reader got scared)and they ran into hawks, crying and panicked thinking that he would help. But hawks recognizes them from the pictures in endeavors desk and offers them a lift to somewhere safe. Only for hawks to fly the reader back to the Todoroki estate where the whole family is waiting for them.

The reader feels hurt and betrayed and everyone is angry, but hawks being hawks tries to diffuse the situation by saying,”stop scaring the poor kid. They came to me scared out of their mind, but being the outstanding godfather that I am, I made sure to bring them back safely.” (Or something like that)

And endeavor just accepts that hawks claimed himself as the readers godfather, and tells the reader to get inside and to clean up.

So now hawks takes it upon himself to hang around the estate more to fulfill his “godfather” duties, spoiling the reader as much as he can.

Yandere Godfather Hawks x Todoroki clan reader

I was going to write boyfriend Hawks, instead of Godfather Hawks but this was just too good. I kinda thought that the age gap between Hawks and reader would be too much so maybe Godfather would be a better role for him, but the chaos that would follow if they find him dating reader would be just *chef's kiss*. I think I just might write bf Hawks too. Let me know what you guys think.

Anyways, enjoy!

Check out my MASTERLIST here!

Yandere Hawks:

You didn't know how long you had been running for. You didn't know how far you had gotten away from their house. You didn't even know where you were going, to be honest. But you did know that you had to get away from there as far as you could.

Sure, you only had a few hours headstart. But for them, the most powerful family in Japan, this wasn’t enough time for you.

You had planned your escape with their schedule in mind.

Enji would come home from his office at 9pm; he used to return at 11, but ever since you were kidnapped adopted by them, he tries to come home early.

Natsuo had already visited you during the day. He habitually comes after his shift at the hospital. Once he would check you over for any injuries and be satisfied with your overall health, he would join you, Rei and Fuyumi for a quick lunch before leaving.

Usually, you would spend the day with Rei, Fuyumi and Shotou, then Enji would come by the time dinner was served. And once everyone went to sleep, Dabi would come to visit you around 2 am. He would tap on your window and disturb you from your sleep, but its not like you have any engagements in the morning anyways. Once you would let him in, he would talk to you and maybe watch a movie too. If he's pissed, he might "accidentally" leave a burn mark on your arm (and you've tried asking your family for help, but they wouldn't do anything. Natsuo would just bandage you up, while Shotou would comfort you. Besides, you've learned not to snitch on Dabi because he would even get angrier than before.)

That was your routine ever since they had took you, almost 7 months ago. Well, they had actually adopted you an year ago, and everything was going well. But then you started noticing their odd behaviour. You thought they were just being protective of you at first, but as time went on, their obsessive tendencies and no regard for your personal boundaries started weirding you out.

Then one day, they just stopped letting you out of the house. No matter how much you cried, begged or fought, they just wouldn't let you go outside, telling that you its for your own good.

At first, they would use cuffs to keep you bound since you fought so much. But then you started behaving, and they slowly started trusting you more and stopped putting on the restraints.

What they didn't know was that you were just biding your time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to escape. Like today.

Shotou had to go to his friend's house to work on a school project, so he wasn't able to join you at lunch today and would be coming home late.

After lunch, once Natsuo had left, you asked Fuyumi if she could go to the mall and buy you some books. You had been complaining to her about your boredom for quite sometime now, so she agreed and left to go shop for you.

So that only left you with Rei in the house. And while she had a weaker quirk than the rest of the family, your quirkless self was no match for her either.

But she was easier to fool. You told Rei that you were going to take a nap in your room and to call you when dinner was ready. Rei nodded before going to the kitchen to start preparing for dinner.

You went to your room and opened the window to get out. It used to be bolted shut but after months of working on it slowly but stealthily, you had managed to pop it open. It was 6, and you were sure Fuyumi and Shotou would be coming home by 7, so without having anytime to pack, you ran.

It was stupid. You should've at least gotten your coat and shoes on, but there was no guarantee a chance like this would appear again, so you left without them.

You kind of regret it now, as you winced in pain at all the rocks and twigs pressing into your bare feet. You shivered in the cold, which didn't bother you at first because of the adrenaline pumping through your veins, but now as you slid against a dumpster in an alley to give a break to your legs, you wished Rei could've given you some proper clothes, instead of the light, pastel pink dress. In her defence, the house was centrally heated during winters so you didn't really need warm clothes inside the house. But now, looking at the dark clouds forming in the sky, you wished she could've at least given you a sweater.

It had soon started raining, and the wind had picked up as well. Shivering, you decided to stay put by the dumpster and wait until it stopped. It would be easier for them to find you if you ran now because the streets will be empty because of the rain. And its not like you could go to a police station either. How will you explain to them that the no.1 hero had kidnapped you?

Sighing, you closed your eyes. You just have to vanish from their eyes until they give up on you, or at least find someone else to replace you.

Hawks was flying home when it had begun raining. Tutting, he flew back to the ground to walk his way home. It was dangerous to fly during the rain; his feathers would get heavy and weigh him down.

As he was walking, whistling to himself, he heard someone whimper in the alley to his left. He walked in the dark alley, bracing himself for any sudden movements. The little whimpers came from near the dumpster. The alley had no light, so he couldn't see much. He walked closer to the source of whimpers and he could make out a silhouette of a shivering girl, who was completely drenched. Her eyes were closed so she hadn't noticed Hawks yet.

He took a step closer. "Hey. You okay?" As soon Hawks voice reached her ears, she snapped her eyes open and backed away from him. Hawks backed up a bit, raising his hands in surrender. "Its okay. I'm a hero." He said, calmly.

Once she seemed recognise him, or at least realise he wasn't dangerous, she relaxed a bit. "What are you doing in the rain?"he asked. She paused for a bit, before replying in a tiny voice,"none of your business." Hawks smiled. "It kinda is. Now you can either tell me, or I can take you to the cops and you can tell them. What's it gonna be?"

Your breath hitched at his question. If he takes you to the cops, Enji will surely find you, and the punishment that will be waiting for you...you didn't even want to think about it. "I'm just...running." you mumbled, hoping he would leave you alone. "From who?" When you didn't reply, he sighed. "Okay. Can you tell me why you're running?"

You thought for a bit. Would he believe if you told him the truth? You knew he was close friends with Enji and you heard from Enji that he was very loyal to him, so you doubted that he would believe you if you told him the no. 1 hero had been holding you hostage for 7 months. But maybe he could help you. If you just tell him that someone's after you, then maybe he could drop you off somewhere safe?

Gulping, you answered. "I- I was kidnapped. And they've probably noticed that I'm missing now and- and I need to hide before they can find me. I can't, I can't go back there-" your voice broke down as you slowly started crying.

Hawks's eyes widened as he heard you confess. He hugged you, rubbing your back soothingly. "Shh, its okay. I'm here now. Tell me who it is." You shook your head no. "Don’t be afraid. I'll keep you safe. Just tell me who-" "No!"you cut him off, realising that you would be putting his life in danger if you told him the truth. The Todorokis have done it before, with your old family and friends; you have no doubt that they will do it again.

Hawks was taken aback by your outburst. Who were you so afraid of? Was it a crazy ex? Or a family member? Maybe you had gotten in trouble with the wrong crowd? Whoever it was, fear was evident in your voice. He had to help you.

"Okay. I'm sorry. How about we get out of the rain? Maybe to a cafe, where we can get a coffee to warm ourselves up?" He asked you again, trying to look at your face in the dark. You shook your head again, before speaking. "Could you- could you just get me out of this city? Or at least as far away from here as possible?"

Who were you so scared of that you wanted to leave the city? He could investigate that later, but first he needed to get you out of the rain.

He nodded. "Alright. It should stop raining anytime now, so I can't fly you out right now. How about we walk to my apartment and warm ourselves and then, I could take you anywhere you want?"

This was the best you were going to get. You know you need to leave the city right now, but he was your only chance of leaving. So you agreed. Hawks smiled at that. "Can you walk?"he asked you. You nodded, but as soon as you took a step, you yelped in pain, almost falling down. Thankfully, Hakws was near to catch you. He laughed. Noticing your chattering teeth, he gave you his jacket. "You're going to catch a cold." Once you had worn his big, warm jacket, he lifted you up into his arms and started walking out of the alley and towards his home.

As he got out of the alley, the street lights finally illuminated your face.

You looked familiar, like he'd seen you before, but he can't seem to remember where he saw you. His eyes scanned your face. Your brows were furrowed in worry, and you kept looking over his shoulder. You looked scared, almost like a child. Looking down, he noticed your pink dress was completely ruined. He moved his gaze to your feet. They were bleeding, due to the stones, twigs and broken glass that had pierced them. Your legs had tiny burns, some had faded, others looked still fresh.

Were you being abused? Is that why you're running? He wanted to ask you these questions but he knew he had to wait for you to open up.

"Thank you."your tiny voice brought him back to reality. Hawks gave his famous heroic smile. "No problem." You gave a tiny smile of your own. It was kind. "Why do you keep looking back?"he asked you. Your eyes widened slightly, looking like a kid who got caught stealing cookies. "Are you worried about them taking you away again?"he asked, not really sure who he was referring to. You started tearing up again. Your lips wobbled as you slowly nodded your head. He stopped walking, causing you to look up to him. "Its okay. I promise I'll never let anyone hurt you again. I promise." His voice held such sincerity, you started crying into his chest as you kept on thanking him.

Hawks meant every word. He's going to make sure nobody ever lays a finger on you. How could anyone harm such a sweet thing like you?

He rubbed your shoulder with one hand to calm you down. Once you had stopped crying, he spoke again. "Hey, look. It stopped raining." You looked up and he was right; the sky had cleared up. "Well, are you ready to fly?" You smiled slightly before nodding. He told you to hold on to him tightly, and you buried your face into his chest before he took off.

Once you guys were in the air, Hawks told you to open your eyes. You did and the view was breathtaking. Tall buildings and sky scrapers were all over the city, and tiny lights from cars and street lamps looked like stars. It looked like a scene from an anime. Really pretty.

"Wow."you finally said. Hawks chuckled at that. Your looked like you just saw Santa. So adorable.

"I'm glad you like it."he said, as he started flying towards his home. You smiled. "Hey! You never told me your name."he said, mocking fake surprise.

You giggled at that. "I'm Y/n."

And just like that, Hawks finally remembered where he had seen you.

A year ago Endeavour had asked him to find everything he can on this one particular girl. Hawks thought that maybe you were linked to some case, but your records were clean, so he thought that maybe Enji was just looking for someone for Shotou. Hawks thought it was weird when you suddenly disappeared from the public eye a month later. He tried to ask Enji about you but he would just brush him off, telling him he had mistook you for someone else. It was odd, but Hawks eventually let go of it.

Wait. Does that mean Enji had been hurting you? No, that can't be it. Enji had been working with him on a lot of missions abroad, and the burn marks on your legs were rather fresh.

"Whats wrong?"your soft voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Hmm? Oh nothing. Why do you ask?"Hawks faked a smile. You stared at him. Something was off. "Nothing. Its just you were lost in your thoughts, I guess."

Hawks laughed at that. "You’re really observant, aren't you?" Deciding to test out his theory, he continued. "Well, you're right. I was thinking about a work colleague. You might've heard of him. Endeavour, hm?"

At the sound of his name, you stiffened, confirming his suspicion. You were connected to him somehow. Hawks didn't know how, but he was going to figure it out. "Um, y-yeah. He's the no.1 h- hero, right?"the fear in your voice had returned, although you were trying hard to hide it.

Hawks nodded. "Yeah!" He had to find out how you were linked to Enji. Suddenly, he turned around and started flying back where you guys had started.

"W-what are you doing? Why are we going back?"you asked him. He looked down at you and replied, "we need to get bandages for your wounds. Otherwise your feet will get infected." You nodded. "Oh. Okay." With that you closed your eyes to prevent them from drying against the wind.

After maybe half an hour or so, you opened your eyes to look where you guys were flying to. You looked down and to your horror, saw a familiar house coming up. You looked at Hawks and he seemed to know what you were thinking. "We're going down there."he nodded his head towards the Todoroki estate. Your eyes grew wide, and your body started trembling. "No! No! We- we can't! We can't go there!" You started shaking your head. "And why not?"Hawks stopped flying towards the estate, simply flapping his wings to remain in the air. You just shook your head. "We can't. I can't. Just drop me off somewhere else. I'll be fine on my own." Hawks wanted to know the real reason. He frowned. "Tell me the truth right now or I'll take you down there this instant."

You gulped, his eyes were showing that he wasn't bluffing. Your eyes started to glisten with unshed tears as you finally told him the truth. You told him everything; about how Enji had kidnapped you, how he got rid of your real family, how he and Rei had tried to keep you a secret from everyone, how their kids found out about you but instead of helping you out, became attached to you just like their parents, about how the famous villian Dabi was Enji's son and how he would sometimes burn you. By the time you were done, tears were flowing down your cheeks as Hawks tried to process what you had just confessed to him.

"Do you trust me?"he suddenly asked you. You looked at him confused. "What?" He repeated again. "Do you trust me?" Did you? Honestly, not that much, but he was the only one who was going to help you so you slowly nodded. "Yes?" Not really sure of it yourself but Hawks accepted the answer anyways. "Good." As soon as he said that, he started flying again, towards the house. You started thrashing in his arms again. "No! You said you wouldn't take me back here! You said you wouldn't!"you were full on sobbing against him, trying to wring yourself free from his vice grip, but Hawks was neither listening nor relenting his tight hold on you.

You looked down and that's when you saw them. Enji, Rei, all of them, were standing in the garden looking at you and Hawks. Even Dabi was there. Rei must've panicked and called everyone. And from the look on his- everyone's face, you could tell you were in deep trouble.

You thrashed in Hawks arms, begging him to fly away, but he didn't listen to you at all.

Once you reached the ground, you didn't pull your head out of Hawk's chest. You don't want to see their rage or the punishments they have planned for you.

"Hey, Endeavour!" Hawks broke the silence first. "Mrs Todoroki. Kids." He nodded towards them. "Hawks. Who do you have there?"Enji asked, pretending as if he doesn't know you. Hawks laughed. "You don't have to pretend! I know everything." At this, Dabi activated his quirk, ready to cremate him but was stopped by Shotou.

Thinking that this was some sort of blackmail, Enji asked, "What do you want? Money?"

Hawks smirked. "Nope! Look, I know you kidnapped her and all but you are providing her a good life, right?" He paused to look at them. Everyone nodded. He continued. "And you're just keeping her home to protect her from harm?" Again, everyone nodded. "But she still managed to escape you all even though she's quirkless and you all are not."

"Get to the fucking point."Dabi said impatiently.

Hawks sighed. "Clearly, you need all the help you can get. You need me. I can help you help her keep safe and healthy!" He paused, before his eyes lit up. "I can't have my goddaughter getting hurt again." Everyone looked at him weirdly. Goddaughter?

"How about you hand her over and you'll still be able to fly." Dabi threatened, blue flames engulfing his hands. Hawks laughed again. He was right. It wasn't Enji who giving you those nasty burns, it was Dabi. "If something happens to me, I have enough evidence gathered against you" he pointed to Dabi, "and then cops will get involved and maybe take away Y/n away."

The threat of someone taking you away from them, made their heart drop. Rei, who had been previously sobbing, put a hand on Dabi's shoulder, telling him to calm down.

Hawks grinned at Enji, raising his eyebrows. "So what will it be, Endeavour?"

Enji understood the ultimatum Hawks was giving him. Either let him in the family or risk losing you to the authorities. And he knew Hawks wasn't one to make empty threats.

Enji's eyes snapped to you. You were trying to bury yourself into Hawks chest, trying to hide from them. He wasn't that mad at you for running, more worried if anything. Had his family really spooked you that much? He'll have to worry about that later. First he needs to get you back into his and Rei's arms.

Enji sighed, before nodding. "Fine. We'll do it your way."

Hawks beamed at that. "Great!" He was glad that Enji had accepted. "Now, you need to take Y/n in before she catches a cold; although I'm certain she already has. Oh and tend to her bloody feet too! Poor thing was just running around barefoot." He chuckled. Shotou moved forward to take you from Hawks but you clung tightly to Hawks shoulders.

"Please. Please. Just take me out of here. Please." You whispered to him, fresh tears pricking your eyes now.

You looked so scared. Your eyes were saucer wide, nose red from cold and cheeks flush. Fear. That was were you emitting. But the longer he looked at your face, he found something else too. Hope. Innocence. Naivety. And while fear was the predominant emotion, the latter were the ones that he wanted to protect. "Hawks." Enji's voice broke him out from his trance. Hawks smiled. Addressing you, he started rubbing soothing circles to your back. "Hey. Hey. Its okay, princess." You kept on crying, your eyes begging him to whisk you away anywhere but here. You looked so much like him when he was little. So afraid. "Listen, do you remember what I promised you?" You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. You're so endearing. "I promised you that I'll never let anyone hurt you again, didn't I?" You nodded slowly. "I intent on keep that promise, dove. Infact I'll talk to your dad tonight! But you need to go in and take warm bath. I don't want you getting sick, okay?"

You had seemed to calm down as you slowly nodded and let him hand you over to Shotou, who quickly ushered you in, with Natsuo, Rei and Fuyumi quickly following behind, leaving Hawks with Dabi and Enji.

"Lets go to your office, Endeavour! I have to go over some details as Y/n's new godfather." Enji nodded and went inside to go to his home office. Hawks was about to follow but was stopped by Dabi. "What game are you playing, you freak?"

Hawks chuckled, before swiftly pulling out a very sharp feather and pressing it against Dabi's jugular. "I'm just here to make sure that no one hurts Y/n again. And if I see another scorch mark on her, I'll find you and carve your skin into ribbons."

I will be accepting requests and asks for godfather hawks and Todoroki clan!

Oh and don't worry, I'm working on part 2 of rei hurting the reader. It'll be done soon! :)

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dragon-in-a-mug · 2 years

Text

Up In The Tree

Fandom: Natsume's Book Of Friends

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3.110

Summary:

Or: Natsume gets invited to an exorcist meeting. He is not too happy about it, but at least the view is great.

Notes:

This was inspired by this one shot :

So if you like my fic than please also check out their work. I absolutely loved the idea behind it.

Natsume already regretted coming here. Here being another exorcist meeting. He hadn't really enjoyed the meetings he had been a part of so far, mainly because he'd always ended up getting caught in some kind of trouble. Still he kept showing up when he was invited, in the hopes of maybe, someday, finding a kindred soul. This time the invitation came from Matoba Seiji, Natsume's least favorite exorcist of the bunch. The man was unscrupulous and cold, having no regard for neither humans nor youkai. In that aspect he was the polar opposite of Natsume Takashi, who had a heart too big and bright, that couldn't ignore someone in need, no matter if it hurt him in the process.

To be honest, he only showed up because Natori promised he would tag along. He had asked the man for his help, despite worrying about burdening him. Of course he had agreed, not wanting the boy to run into any problems, as he tended to do in his good old Natsume fashion.

Natsume was incredibly thankful for the presence beside him, especially when he was missing the weight of his chubby bodyguard in his arms. Nyanko-Sensei thought it would be best if he kept to the shadows and didn't show his furry face until he was needed. Natsume could understand the reasoning, of course he did, with this being a huge gathering and himself wanting to stay under the radar, but that didn't make him miss the safety that the grumpy cat provided any less.

Natori's voice brought him back to the present. "You alright there, Natsume?" The look the exorcist was giving him was warm and a tad concerned. Natsume gave him a small, but earnest smile. "I'm fine, Natori-san. Just a bit nervous." This was the truth. He had no idea why the head of the Matoba Clan invited him this time, but he was sure that the man had some kind of mind game planned out for him, probably to try to convert him to become a member of his clan again. That was not going to happen though. Natsume may not be the best judge of character, but even he could see that Matoba Seiji was bad news. If push came to shove, he still had Natori and Madara, who seemed fiercely protective of him from time to time, contradicting the cool and unapproachable facade they liked to showcase. They were huge softies on the inside and Natsume knew that better than anyone else.

Natori put a light hand on his shoulder. "That's okay. It's probably for the best if you stay alert around some of these exorcists. Especially Matoba. But don't worry, I won't leave your side tonight." That promise actually made Natsume feel a little better. "Thank you, Natori-san. Matoba-san can be unpredictable. I'm glad you're here, although I'm sorry for dragging you into my problems again." But Natori immediately waved him off. "Don't worry about it, Natsume. You're never troubling me." It was still hard for Natsume to not see himself as a burden and he appreciated the reassurance from the other. Natori gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze before he let go.

They made their way slowly across a stone path. On each of their sides was foliage, but it expanded into a deep, quiet forest to their right, while they could catch glimpses of water and the sound of small waves rolling onto the shore to their left. In front of them a big mansion came into view. The windows were all alight, soft chatter reaching their ears as they got closer. Natsume was amazed by the size of the house. It wasn't as big as some he had visited before, but it was still impressive. The entire building was buzzing with life. Through the windows he caught glimpses of many exorcists. He knew that a lot of people attended these gatherings, but there were probably more exorcists than he had ever seen before, all of them accompanied by their shikis. In contrast to the almost empty forest this liveliness was staggering. It reminded the boy of a busy anthill. That thought brought an amused smile to his face, but it didn't last long as his gaze landed on the form of one Matoba Seiji, standing in the middle of the pathway.

The two newcomers stepped out of a bamboo grove into the open as Matoba made his way towards them. The man was always smiling, but it could have kept ice caps from melting. It was sickly-sweet and just so fake even Natsume cringed when he saw it. He waved at them. "Ah, Natsume-kun, I'm so glad you came. And you brought Shuuichi-san with you. How nice. I don't see your cat though. I hope he is not neglecting his job again? We wouldn't want something to happen to you, do we now?", he asked, false concern laced into his voice. He was still a few meters away, but the gap between them was closing fast. Natsume just hoped the evening would pass by without a hitch and as fast as possible. Matoba really gave him the chills. Of course he didn't want to tell him that Nyanko-Sensei was close by, keeping himself hidden so he could swoop in and get Natsume out of every tight spot he might get himself into. Instead he changed the topic.

"Why did you invite me here, Matoba-san?" Natori had positioned himself slightly in front of Natsume, ready to step between him and anything that may try to get to him. Matoba chuckled in his usual foreboding way. "My, my, I would almost assume you think I had some ulterior motives when I asked you to come here. Don't you worry, Natsume-kun. I simply thought this would be a great experience for you", he said placatorily. Natsume gave him his best glare, but didn't say anything. Natori spoke up beside him. "Then why don't you lead the way? The meeting is inside after all. No need to stand outside and waste time." He gave the head of the Matoba Clan a polite, but cool smile, raising an eyebrow challengingly. The other man didn't look bothered in the slightest, probably already drawing conclusions about his missing bodyguard on his own. He wordlessly turned around and lazely waved his hand to signal them to follow him.

Natsume and Natori walked a few steps behind Matoba and the little procession made its way towards the mansion. It was surrounded by water, only accessible through a bridge that slithered its way over the small lake. They were almost at the house, when Matoba suddenly stopped.

"What color does that kimono have, Natsume-kun?" He turned his head slightly to gaze at Natsume. The other two came to a halt as well. "Kimono?", repeated Natsume confused. He sent a questioning look towards Natori, but the man was slightly glaring at Matoba, which the other didn't even bother to return, his eyes still solely trained on Natsume. They both knew what was going on and he had no idea what this whole ordeal was about.

Natori seemed to take pity on the poor confused boy because he gave up on his one-sided staring match with Matoba, turned in his direction instead and pointed at something behind Natsume's back. He turned around and followed Natori's extended finger until he saw the object of discussion. Then his breath froze in his lungs.

With wide eyes he stared at the thing up in a gnarled old tree. It was so beautiful he forgot how to breathe for a moment. "So, what color is the kimono?", Matoba asked again, now standing right next to him. Natsume flinched, the presence of the others having temporarily slipped his mind and the sudden proximity not helping his nerves at all. He furrowed his brows at the question, but when Natori laid a reassuring hand on his back and took position on his other side, he relaxed slightly.

He studied the fabric closely, which was being illuminated only by the moon and stars above, the lights from the mansion not reaching it. Despite his little knowledge regarding the topics of textiles and clothes, even Natsume knew that this kimono was special. And in spite of the darkness he could make out all the details perfectly fine.

The fabric was likely handmade silk. Its color was the most radiant crimson he had ever seen. Whenever they read poems about the war in school he could never quite picture what red flowers blooming on a blood drenched battlefield were supposed to look like. He thought he had an understanding of it now.

Blossoms made out of golden yarn winded their way across the expensive cloth. Petals of gorgeous chrysanthemums and lovely peonies were stitched carefully onto the garment, one wouldn't be able to find similar flowers in any earthly garden.

How was he supposed to describe this magnificent kimono with mere words? And even more so, why? Why did Matoba ask him in the first place? Both he and Natori clearly knew what it looked like. So why?

Natsume finally peeled his eyes off of the kimono and turned to either men at his sides. Both of them looked expectantly at him, so he told them what he saw. "It's red." Natsume cringed internally at how mundane it sounded, not worthy of the thing in the tree. He tried again. "It is a dark crimson color. It's lovely." Natori patted his back. "Very good, Natsume." Natsume looked confused at him. Good? What was good? What was going on? From his other side Matoba asked, "Do you see any patterns?" Turning towards him, Natsume slowly nodded. "Flowers. There are golden peonies and chrysanthemums," he answered, hoping someone would explain to him what this was about. Apparently not because the only thing he got in response from Matoba was "Like I thought."

Having enough from the exorcists' cryptic behavior, he decided to just ask. "What are you talking about? Why are you asking me this?"

Again it was Natori, who took him out of his misery. "That kimono looks different for everyone. Depending on the spiritual level of someone it has different colors. For people with low spiritual power it looks white. The more powerful ones see it in different shades of red. For me it is crimson,which is pretty good, if I may say so myself. But people who can see any pattern at all, let alone both chrysanthemums and peonies, are really spiritual. Not many are that capable," explained he. A magical kimono. Natsume couldn't say it was his first one, but this was definitely the best one so far. "In fact, I'm currently the only exorcist that is able to see the whole flower pattern," said Matoba, casually flaunting his superiority. But now it turned out that Natsume could see the same things as Matoba. He hummed pensively as he turned back towards the tree. Was Matoba, too, breathless when he first laid his eyes on the beautiful robe? On one hand it was kind of hard for him to imagine, but on the other hand, he couldn't think of any other possible reaction one could have for such a masterpiece.

"So, not everyone gets to see it like this? That is tragic!" Natsume's heart bled just from the thought of it. Either everybody should be able to appreciate its beauty or no one. "Well, yeah, but there is no need to feel sad about it. It is what it is. The people who only see a white piece of fabric don't know what exactly they are missing, so they won't feel bad about it," Natori tried to give him some kind of reassurance.

But Natsume knew better than most other people that you can yearn for things you never had. Still, Natori was right. If he dwelled on that thought for too long, it would only bring him grief. So he turned away from the tiny island in the lake that hosted the tree with its precious treasure and the three continued their way towards the mansion.

Natsume was deep in thought until Natori gently nudged his side. He smiled warmly down at the boy. "Penny for your thoughts?" Natsume returned the smile. A small thing that seemed to hold the light of an early summer morning in it. "I was just thinking about the kimono." Natori nodded, encouraging him to continue. "It's just so pretty, it's a shame so few can see it. Though it is kind of hard to make out due to the distance and because of all the hair," told Natsume the man.

And then both Natori and Matoba came to a screeching halt. They whipped around to face him.

"Hair?", asked Natori, looking at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Hmmm yeah… the long hair shields quite a bit of the kimono, don't you think?"

Hair… that didn't fit though. It irked him the wrong way. It was simply too plain to just call it hair. It was way too beautiful, far too precious for that. The way it was flowing down the back of the kimono like liquid moonlight, every strand glowing in a cold, but gentle light. They were so delicate, that every time a soft breeze passed by they billowed up, lapping at the sky not unlike a rushing stream making its way down the mountains towards a valley. The kimono may have been gorgeous, but the being on the tree was ethereal.

The person who the silver locks and the red kimono belonged to was a youkai. There was not a single doubt in Natsume's mind. No human being could possess such an inconceivable beauty. Their long legs dangled with a grace from the place the person was seated on, that it would make gazelles green with envy. Thin arms gleamed like bone china and fragile fingers rested in their lap. They looked like a zephyr-like wind could blow them away, yet they radiated a confident air, strong and constant. Natsume was sure, nothing could get them out of that tree if they didn't want it. They had sat there for a long time and they would continue to be here for a time frame that a simple human couldn't wish to comprehend.

Natsume had seen his fair share of gods, all powerful and unbelievably handsome, but never something like this. The way they held themselves, their timeless nature, it was something unique and felt almost forbidden to look at. Everything seemed to gravitate around this being with such an effortless ease. He was so close to them, yet they felt unreachable. Despite looking like the moon sat foot on earth, the being had an aura to it that told him that it could do so much more, than just change the tides. Natsume wouldn't have been surprised if someone told him that this tree was the middle of the universe. If he were a gambler, he would have even bet on it.

His eyes had wandered back to the celestial body perched on the ancient tree. He admired the figure with an ache in his chest he could not hope to put into words.

And then they turned their head. It was a small movement, just enough so that they could look at Natsume. His heart stuttered in its place only to start beating faster. He now could see a part of their face.

Their pale skin stood out stark against the dark background. They possessed a face so lovely, that they must have been at least an angel. Long white eyelashes adorned the eye that was now focused on Natsume. Its observant look made his knees weak and he felt like falling to the floor and yet he could not avert his gaze or even move an inch for the life of him. An eye of the color of a dying star, burning with the intensity of a thousand suns, stared right through him, no doubt gazing into the farthest corners of his soul, uncovering his whole essence in the blink of an eye. He felt stripped bare under their scrutinizing gaze, every secret and his deepest desires laid out before him for the holy being to judge.

Then their lips quirked up into an unfathomable smile and he felt like, if he would die right now, right here, he would die happy and blessed.

This eye contact only lasted for a moment, but to Natsume it felt like an eternity. When the being turned back around a wave of emptiness washed over him, but the feeling was gone as soon as it had started. Instead something light and precious made its home in his heart. Air rushed back into his lungs and Natsume hadn't even realized he had held his breath. He looked back to the exorcists that were watching him in unbelieving fascination. At that moment he realized that they couldn't see it, hadn't witnessed what had just happened. He had grown accustomed to the fact that those people could see the same things as him. They may not perceive everything as he does, having a rather dark view on youkai and the likes, where he saw kindred hearts full of longing and love, but now being able to see something that they couldn't? Especially something as wonderful as this? It made something in his stomach twist.

He looked at them with saucer-big eyes, not sure what he should do or say now. In the end he didn't have to say anything, as Natori slipped back into his role as the unofficial older brother. "You are really amazing, Natsume," he said in awe and with a bright smile, nothing like his sparkling actor ones. There was an understanding look in his eyes and Natsume just knew he didn't have to hide, didn't have to feel bad for something like this. If he didn't know better, he would say Natori looked proud, but that couldn't be right. Then the man put his hand on Natsume's shoulder, warm and strong and oh so safe and gently pushed him towards the mansion.

"Let us head inside. That cat of yours would kill me if you'd catch a cold out here." Natsume nodded in agreement and they resumed their path towards the house.

Matoba had a thoughtful look on his face and Natsume was sure he had to deal with that at some point, but for now he had to deal with this exorcist meeting.

And so they finally headed in, joining the other exorcists and their shikis.

#natsume's book of friends #natsuyuu #natsume yūjin chō #natsume takashi #natsume yuujinchou #natori shuuichi #matoba seiji #one shot #fanfiction #fanfic

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sneezemonster15 · 3 years

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I am new to Naruto fandom. Even newer to SNS fandom. I observed the shipping wars, and frankly, participated in it a couple of times. Just to see what it's all about. And I have come to one conclusion.

It's bonkers how far one will go to convince oneself about one's shipping whether it makes sense or not. At the end of the day, it becomes not really about the content itself, but one's comprehension and understanding of content. Which helps me understand why SS, NH, or NS stans exist. Their projection (which it certainly is) almost seems delusional and definitely inconsistent with the content itself.

When I first started watching Naruto, I wasn't aware of Naruto fandom. I am a cinephile and I am used to analysing content involuntarily while I am watching it. I wasn't expecting much from Naruto, I definitely underestimated it and wasn't expecting any emotional impact given it was shonen and I am very hard to please (yes, I am a film elitist). But as I kept watching it, I had to grudgingly change my opinion. By the time I reached Shippuden, I could tell that I was almost fevered with excitement and looking forward to more emotional impact.

I didn't watch it with any romantic lens, I was mostly interested in the fighting sequences initially. Hell, that's all I was expecting from a shonen show about ninjas. But at the end of vote 1, I was like, hmmm. What?? This was so emotionally wracking. Are they really just rivals, or friends? Now, I am a fully fledged cinephile and have watched a lot (a. Lot.) of LGBTQ films, given my interest in shows about emotional and sexual repression. And throughout my first watch of the first part, I kept picking up on the subtle sns moments without actively thinking about them. I was really into the story and wanted to see what will happen next. But at the end of vote 1, I had to stop and think, wait what, are they in love with each other? They are definitely not just friends. Or rivals. The language of their interaction in vote 1 is so fraught with underlying currents of repressed emotions that it just made the cinephile in me ask, what am I watching exactly? Like isn't it shonen (I am also relatively new to anime/manga) where gay relationships are a strict nono? Like why does it have all the tropes of repressed homosexuality in men, just like all the films I had seen. The way Naruto and Sasuke constantly gravitate to each other, their interactions at times feel like a borderline attempt at just staying close to each other, their violent, strong feelings and devotion for each other (land of waves arc) and then denial of those feelings (after the land of waves arc), their contant physical fights for no apparent reason, Sasuke goading Naruto for no apparent reason especially when Sasuke is not the type to talk without reason which had been made abundantly clear. Sometimes, it literally felt like he was flirting with Naruto (during the chuunin exams) while rejecting Sakura. Sasuke constantly appears to be caring and attentive towards Naruto while treating Sakura like trash. This was even acknowledged by Naruto who asks Sasuke to be nicer to Sakura. But Sasuke doesn't even think about it. He instead flirts (?) with Naruto. It made me think, why did the writer choose to do that? Why make it clear that in hierarchy, Sasuke keeps Naruto much higher than Sakura, so early in the show (when there hasn't been so much development either, we were mostly shown how they keep fighting and arguing with each other)? If they are supposed to just be comrades or friends, why pinpoint this? Why use this trope at all if it's about friendship, especially in a show that can't include a gay relationship.

And this kept happening consistently. The writer made the interaction between Sasuke and Naruto to be major turning points in the plot. Vote 1 fight made it clear to me that there was something more going on, but I didn't want to be presumptuous, so I kept it on the side and kept watching.

After watching Shippuden, I was convinced that none of it, was accidental. The writer painstakingly wrote a gay love story and was even obvious about it in a very clever way. Like he fucking got away with writing a gay love story in shonen. I know Naruto is basically a kids' show meant for entertainment purposes, but it touched so many important, dark and adult themes. I knew that it would be difficult for the writer to actually give a proper conclusion to these themes because they really aren't that black and white or even appropriate for children. So I wasn't surprised that he couldn't actually show peace being achieved after the war arc or slavery abolished in Hyuuga clan.

But one thing I was sure of. He wanted to show a gay love story, maybe out of a twisted sense of humor, I don't know. But that's what he did. He could not have made it clearer. He flagrantly used all the related tropes, visuals, sound, dialogues, hell the story. The fucking story...

He was so shrewd about it too. He made it so that people can take away whatever they wanted to take away from it as long as there was some plausible deniability about things that weren't made clear in the show itself. That fucking minx! But he knew that anyone who watches shit carefully, will be able to see what he actually did. He knew that at least some of us will be able to connect the dots. He went out of his way to make sure we connect the dots. There is no other way to explain why Sasuke repeatedly kept asking Naruto why he cared for him so much. There's no other way to explain why he concluded everything with the dialogue where Naruto explains that he hurts when Sasuke does. There's no other way to explain why that affected Sasuke to such an extent. Kishimoto went out of his way, like seriously, to tell the audience that they are Not just 'friends'. He basically used this friend thing with so much saturation and intent in such a twisted way that he made it into something else entirely. In that sense, the concept of 'friend' changed its meaning. Like you can try, but you can't change my mind about it.

Whether I approve it or not, but my takeaway from content depends mostly on the content itself. I do believe that more often than not, the simplest explanation is the right one. And this applies to the phenomenon of Naruto as well. Of course, as a viewer, I can't ignore that my suspension of belief relies on my own understanding of the external world and how I perceive visual language. But that is something that happens anyway, in tandem with consuming the content, while I was pretty much consistently objective about it.

I believe I have a pretty good understanding of how cinematic language works, and I know every creative or narrative choice has a reason and meaning behind it. Absolutely None of it is random. Cinematic language may not be universal in terms of styles, but all the styles definitely have a common ground. And any creator worth his salt knows it, he knows how his content will be perceived and what it is exactly that he wants to show or say. Do not delude yourself that it was accidental or on a whim.

I know for a fact that Kishomoto wanted to show a gay love story. I know for a fact that he wanted to show that Sasuke has feelings for Naruto and he knows it. He also wanted to show that Sasuke not only had feelings for Naruto but also knew that he couldn't show them openly. He wanted to show that Naruto has feelings for Sasuke as well but is confused and naive, like he is about so many other things. He wanted to show us that Sasuke is not into Sakura, that he doesn't even respect her. Any enthusiast of visual/cinematic language and narrative can tell all the above things without going into headcanon or deluded explanations (like SS, NH stans), with just on the basis of content they consumed.

At the end of the day, I don't ship SNS because it's in my head. I was forced to see and believe SNS by the creator. Not forced literally but forced to notice and acknowledge the emphasis and meaning of the twisted/manipulative ways of the creator.

Kishimoto, hats off to you, you sly bastard. You succeeded in trolling people endlessly, you had a lot of fun pitting people against each other, didn't you? Hahahahaha. Well, I call your bluff/or non bluff in this case since you obviously knew what you were doing.

#narutomanga #narusasu #naruto #sasuke #sasunaru #sns #shippuden #shippudennaruto #naruto shippuden #sasunarusasu

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byorder-fanfic · 3 years

Text

How They Look After You When it Gets Bad: Bonnie

Preference Masterlist

Requested by anonymous

Word count: 1727

Warnings: Reader going through a hard time, suggestive comments, swearing, Bonnie gets hurt (emotionally), not favourable descriptions of Small Heath (apologies to any Brummie readers- it’s for the plot)

Author's Note: Hi! I’ve had some trouble with the Ada and Finn preferences so I’m mixing up the order a bit. Those who’ve requested, your fics will be out soon! If there’s any other characters you want me to write for, feel free to make any more requests. Hope you enjoy and I’m wishing you all my best

(Gif by @sophieshelby)

The Golds were travellers. It's what you loved the most about their life, the life that you jumped into in the greatest leap of faith that came with loving Bonnie. Now, whilst watching him ditch button-ups in favour of short vests, giving you full view of his lean arms attacking bags and people with so much strength was fun, it was the wind in your hair as you sat behind him on his horse, arms wrapped around his middle, it was huddling up in your shared bed in the caravan and arguing as to whether or not you could fit another ugly knitted blanket on top of the rest of them, and the maps you kept in a drawer that was slowly becoming more crosses than roads with all the places you've visited- it was that which made you love this life all the more. Plus, living with you Bonnie and his family (who had welcomed you with open arms the second Bonnie introduced you) created a second home, a home that lived on wheels and trotted down dirt paths. You knew that Bonnie getting his boxing licence would make the travelling come to a halt, and Small Heath would have to be home for as long as there was a job to be done and a reward to be reaped. And you were okay with that. You really were. Maybe there were a few tears as you hugged Esmerelda, Naomie and especially little Floss (she was desperate to see Bonnie go head to head with the Peaky Blinders!) goodbye as they continued travelling, you knew Bonnie felt the absence of his sisters more than you would. So, you made sure he never felt lonely, and the bed never felt empty; well, it wasn't as if it was a particularly difficult task to keep him company.

Small Heath was not a particularly enthralling place. Although you were on friendly terms with the Shelbys and their clan (and that was no exaggeration, they multiplied like rabbits!) and, after many, many threats from both the elder and younger Gold, none of the younger Peakys were planning on making a move on you, it was the place itself that seemed to bore you. All those things that you'd learned to love from your life on the road- the fresh air, the constant movement, the friendly welcomes when you saw another caravan cross your path, and the freshly caught food cooked over an open fire- there was none of that here. The sky was full of fumes that burnt more than the dark char of over-exposed meat, there was no patches of grass or flowers and everything was so fucking grey. Grey streets, grey sky, and a very grey mood for you. Sometimes, when Bonnie and Aberama were busy with the Peaky business that they left you out of, you'd just go over to the Cut and sit by the water to get even the slightest feeling of being back amongst the rivers and streams where you and Bonnie would set a number of ugly knitted blankets down and spend the night besides. You always thought the sound of water, and the view of the stars was the best way to fall asleep. Bonnie said the best way was next to you. You loved him, you truly did, but things were getting hard. Bonnie was always so busy now, between boxing and whatever the hell Tommy bloody Shelby had him apart of. Wrapped up next to him under all the blankets was the most time you spent with him, and he was usually so spent from work that he was snoring after seconds of laying his head on the pillow. All you could do was hope he didn't wake as you breathed softly next to him, trying to ward off sleep as much as you can just to see him as much as you can. By the time the sun rose, he was already up and at it. In stinking Small Heath.

You didn't want to resent him for bringing you here. You wanted to be proud of him when he boasted about getting his boxing license. You wanted to be happy for him when he came back, completely sloshed, after a night out at the Garrison with the Peaky boys he'd gotten close to, and he smelt like bloody whiskey and cigarettes when he cuddled up to you, drunkenly nuzzling his nose into your neck. You hated whiskey and cigarettes. Well, at least you think you did. You hated everything right now. You had tried to distract yourself from this frustration that was slowly building up in you, especially after you 'accidentally' broke one of the cups Naomie had made. You would pay for that when you saw her again. You had gotten Charlie Strong and Curly's permission to help with the horses in the stables. Eventually, though, you just felt sorry for the poor buggers: trapped in a scrap yard in a place full of people and so little greenery. Of course, you refused to admit you were projecting your own feelings on them. After feeling lonely for too long, you decided to make friends with the Shelbys. The Peaky boys that Bonnie had become fast friends with were nice enough, and Bonnie was happy for the excuse to see you more. As for the Shelbys, you had to be honest, they were a bit bloody scary. Esmerelda had made sure you were prepared for them, and you kept a whittling knife on your person every time you left the isolating sanctuary of the caravan, so you knew full well you could keep yourself safe amongst the blood and gore of the gangsters.

Eventually though these feelings caught up with you. You didn't even bother leaving the caravan today, knowing the streets were only going to further sour your mood and, even the bright presence of Bonnie's sleepy, half-awake smile, couldn't stop your erratic scrubbing of the plates. Ever since the Naoime's-broken-pottery-you were-sure-to-pay-for incident, you had only been entrusted with the metal pots and pans that weren't so easy to shatter. Still, you managed to scrub the metal dish in such a way to rouse the weary boxer. He had the day off, as Arthur had told you the night before when you sat in the Garrison, and the rest of the boys gave such a cheer their whiskey splattered on your dress. Bonnie had blushed, but you could see the hints of mischief in his smirk. And, with Aberama taking last night and today back in Small Heath, there was no misunderstanding Bonnie's intentions. You heard his stumbling foot steps as you moved further out of the open caravan door, focusing far too much on the washcloth and the practically sparkling pot that you still scrubbed.

"Hey, dove," he said in sing-song tone that usually made your heart melt. Now it made your blood boil.

"Mornin' Bon," you replied back, far too snappy for his soft voice.

He was startled. You didn't have to see his face to know he had flinched, feeling the sudden twinge of pain in the air like a broken string.

"Are you alright?" He asked, kindly, reaching down to rest his hand over yours. Instantly, you dropped the pan and cloth on the floor, hearing it crash against the soft grass.

"Well, you'd know if you'd have been there!" Along with your swift movement to stand up, the fierceness in your voice made Bonnie back away into the caravan. He saw the frustration clear in your face, and his shoulders hung in shame. He knew he'd been busy- too busy- and it must've hurt you.

"I'm so sorry, dove, I swear I'm trying to do this for us."

"For you! And all I fucking do is stay in this fucking city!"

"It's not for long- then we can have that life we planned, with the boxing licence and our own caravan and-"

"And I don't wanna be here!"

You screamed it so loud that you were sure the birds in the trees surrounding you had flapped away from your voice like a shot had been fired from one of the Golds' many, many guns. And Bonnie seemed like he wanted to flee too, face so smushed up and hurt.

"I hate this place! It's dirty and cold and it smells like fucking shit!"

Bonnie felt his whole body crumble at the tightness in your face, the look of pure anger making your fists squeeze in so tight he knew your nails would be digging in. He was the boxer and it was of his opinion that you should never have to raise a fist like this. You must hate him. You must do, and he was feeling his broad shoulders dip at the wildness that flickered in your eyes.

"I don't want to be here!" It was the crack in your voice that revealed yourself. A crack that mended Bonnie's wounded expression into that of concern. You didn't hate him. You didn't. You probably didn't even mind stinking old Small Heath.

"Then how about we get outta here?" He suggested, giving you that lopsided grin that always made you childishly giddy. Even now, with frustration embedding your palms, you felt a kinder warmth flood to your cheeks. With more confidence, he moved towards you, cupping your cheek as you felt yourself just drop a little without the weight of frustration on your shoulders.

"Please," you muttered, leaning forward to rest your forehead against yours. "I want fresh air and empty fields and a blanket next to a stream."

"Just you and me lying down and looking at the stars?"

"That's all, Bon."

"Then you'll get it. Let's get changed, pack some food and we can get on a horse and just keep on riding, ey?" You chuckled a little at his romantic proposition, burying yourself closing into his grasp. "And get out of smelly old Small Heath that's been keeping me away from my dove."

"You're gonna have a lot of time to make up for." A little bit of frustration still hung in your mind, but the sweet look of adoration on your Bonnie's face was enough to soothe it into a cheeky remark.

"Indeed I do," he whispered into your neck. His expression got sadder again. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

#bonnie gold #bonnie gold x reader #bonnie gold imagine #bonnie gold fanfiction #bonnie gold fanfic #bonnie gold preference #bonnie gold fluff #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders preference #peaky blinders fluff #peaky blinders oc #Aberama Gold #tommy shelby #Arthur shelby

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artzychic27 · 3 years

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Artist Family 1991 movie?

All is more sullen than usual for the Artists. It’s the third anniversary of Rose’s disappearance

Juleka: *Solemnly staring at Rose’s empty room* Think of it That. For years we’ve attempted to contact Rose in the Great Beyond. And for years… Nothing.

Ever since Rose’s disappearance, Juleka has been looking through her spell books for other ways to contact her, but just can seem to find anything

For Marinette, she tries to cope the only way she knows how… Through torture.

Alix: *Tied up: Screaming through her binds*

Marinette: *Aiming an arrow at Alix* Don’t be a baby. I know what I’m doing.

Marc is more unhappy than usual… And it gets Nathaniel in the mood.

Nathaniel: *Watching Marc sleep* Look at him. I would die for him. I would kill for him… Either way, what bliss. *Marc wakes up* Unhappy, darling?

Marc: Oh, yes. Yes, completely. Nathan... The sun. Me atraviesa como un puñal.

Nathaniel: Oh, monochrome. That's Spanish.

Marc: Si.

Nathaniel: *Grabs a bucket of black paint and splatters it all over the window*

Marc: Mi amor... Last night, you were unhinged. You were like some desperate howling demon. You frightened me… Do it again.

Also, their neighbor, a well-respected judge, hates them because Marinette can’t keep her flaming arrows on the Artists’ property. Why does this matter? You’ll soon see.

Nathaniel: *Playing chess with Juleka while Marc snips the buds off of roses* It’s a milestone, Marc. It’ll be our third séance. All those years, gnawed by guilt, undone by woe, burning with uncertainty.

Marc: Nathaniel, don’t torture yourself… That’s my job around here. But, imagine if Rose did return. Half alive, barley human, a rotting shell.

Juleka: *Sighs* That’d be a sight.

Unbeknownst to everyone (Except Félix), Juleka has a crush on Rose.

Later, the Artists’ lawyer, Cecil and his wife Bridgette arrive to ask for a loan. (Wow. Asking for a loan from teenagers? Yeesh.) Why? Because they owe a loan shark.

Bridgette: Why did I marry you?

Cecil: Because I said yes!

While Cecil tries to work out a deal with Nathaniel, Bridgette collects expensive looking items for a charity auction from Juleka, Marc, and Félix

Marc: *As Félix pulls body bags out of a closet* Uncle Niknak's winter wardrobe. Uncle Niknak's summer wardrobe… Uncle Niknak.

Nathaniel: ‘The Rose Artist Off-Shore Retirement Fund’?… A tribute to thee. Some called her inhumanly evil.

Cecil: No!

Nathaniel: Only her parents before she fled her home.

And they make a deal… But…

Nathaniel: It’s going to have to wait, you know the rules better than that. Old business is old business and new business is new business. And this is new business and we do not discuss new business until… The next quarter.

After an unsuccessful attempt at stabbing Nathaniel with one of the many swords in the house, Cecil gives up until Nathaniel mentions going to get money for the monthly expenses from the vault

Meanwhile, Marc shows Bridgette a golden finger trap from the court of Emperor Wu

Bridgette: *Trying to not pocket it and run off* Oh, Marc, this is too extravagant, even for the auction.

Juleka: Let’s keep it.

Marc: Juleka, it’s for charity. *Bridgette gets her fingers trapped* Widows and orphans. We need more of them… Bridgette, about the séance tonight, why don’t you come? It's Nathaniel I'm terribly worried about. He won't eat, he can't sleep, he keeps coughing up blood.

Bridgette: He coughs up blood?

Marc: Well, not like he used to...

Cecil returns to his office with a suitcase full of doubloons from the Artists’ account, no knowledge of how to get the vault open, and in his office is Ms. Craven, a loan shark and her familiar-looking daughter, Willow

After some intimidation from Willow, Cecil gets an idea of how to repay Ms. Craven the money he owes her when he sees how similar she looks to Rose

There’s thunder and lightning on the night of the séance. Perfect weather

Marc: Marinette, Alix, put down that antenna, and come inside.

With their plan in place, Cecil and Bridgette arrive

Bridgette: *Shows Marinette the finger trap still on her fingers* Could you help me? *Marinette removes it with ease*

Marinette: Push, do not pull.

Marc: *With everyone seated around the table for the séance* Harken all souls. Every year on this date, we offer a clarion call to Rose Artist… Alix, drop the cleaver.

Marinette: *Sees Alix aiming the cleaver at her* Stop it.

Marc: From generation to generation, our beacon to the beyond. All close eyes and join hands.

After a practical joke on Bridgette involving That, the séance continues.

Marinette: Let us ransom you from the power of the grave. Tonight, oh Death, let us be your plague.

Juleka: Rose Artist, ceoli couris, ferimani bo… She’s near. *Félix plays a dramatic sting on his organ* Rose! Gather your strength! And knock three times! *One knock… Two… Three*

Nathaniel: She’s at the door!

That quickly goes to unlock the front door. And there, much to the Artists’ disbelief and joy is Rose… Or so they think. And there with her is Ms. Craven, posing as a psychiatrist named Dr. Schloss

Ms. Craven makes up some story about how “Rose” was found in Miami, tangled up in a tuna net. There were psychological tests, and a bunch of crap.

Nathaniel: And now she’s back.

Rose: At least for a week. I’ve got things to do back at the Bermuda Triangle.

Marc: *Sighs* Oh, the Bermuda Triangle./ Nathaniel: The Devil’s Island./ Marc: The Black Hole of Calcutta

Nathaniel: Pardon me for a moment. *Kisses up and down Marc’s arm* Our fifth date.

Marinette: No one escapes the Bermuda Triangle. Not even for a vacation. Everyone knows that.

Any attempts Willow tries at getting a good night’s sleep, it doesn’t work because The floors are constantly creaking, Marinette and Alix keep staring at her from down the hall, and That keep sneaking up on her which causes her to scream.

Nathaniel: … My dear friend. I’ve got goosebumps./ Marc: I know./ Nathaniel: Screams in the night. It can only mean one thing./ Marc: She’s home.

The next morning, Marinette and Alix suspect something is up with “Rose”. Meanwhile, Nathaniel takes “Rose” to the vault

Alix: *As Marinette warms up the electric chair* Do you think that’s really Rose?

Marinette: Nathaniel and Juleka seem to think so. But I think Marc isn’t sure. Now let’s a play a game. Sit in the chair.

Alix: What game?

Marinette: ‘Want to meet God?’

And Nathaniel does take Rose down to the vault, via gondola in the catacombs of the Artist home, only this vault leads to a secret room… That also leads to the money vault when a certain vial of poison is lifted

During that time, while they’re down there, Nathaniel reveals to “Rose” that his jealousy over her catching the attention of conjoined twins Ali and Eli drove her off

~Meanwhile~ Alix: So, if that’s not Rose, then who is she?

Marinette: An imposter. Now give the chair a few more seconds to warm up./ Alix: Why?/ Marinette: So it Can kill you./ Alix: I knew that.

~Later at the charity auction ~

Auctioneer: *Presenting the finger trap on Bridgette’s fingers again* This piece is encrusted with rubies and 15 emerald chips. It was donated by Marc and Nathaniel Artist. Remember, over half our proceeds will benefit the elderly and the mentally disabled. The bidding starts at $5000.

Nathaniel: Five, hah! Not good enough. $25,000!

Auctioneer: I have twenty.

Nathaniel: Twenty-five! *To Marc* Meyn Ziskeyt?

Auctioneer: Twenty five.

Marc: Thirty. *To Nathaniel* My howling demon.

Nathaniel: *voice cracks* Thirty-five!

Marc: Fifty!

Auctioneer: I have $50,000.

Marc: Your turn, my ecstasy.

Auctioneer: Fifty thousand going once, fifty thousand going twice. Sold to Marc Artists for fifty thousand dollars. *looks disgusted as Marc and Nathaniel obscenely make out*

They bought it back as a gift for “Rose”, but… She doesn’t know how to take it off! The Artists are now starting believe that she really is an imposter

Marc attempts to break “Rose” and get her to confess by taking her to the Artists’ cemetery where he reminds her of the credo

Marc: "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc." "We gladly feast on those who would subdue us." Not just pretty words… Rose. As an Artist, you understand completely.

“Rose”: … As an Artist, I do.

Seeing that everyone’s onto her, Willow calls Ms. Craven and has her pose as the psychiatrist to try and make the Artists none the wiser

Marc: Nathaniel, Juleka, why don’t you speak to Rose? She’s right outside the door.

Juleka: We would… If that were the real Rose.

Nathaniel: She’s an imposter! A charlatan! A sham! A counterfeit!

While wandering around the home, Rose sees Marinette and Alix sword fighting and practicing lines for something.

Ms. Craven successfully convinces the Artists that their reason for suspecting “Rose” is an imposter is due to displacement, and meanwhile, Rose helps Marinette and Alix out with their sword fighting scene for a play they’re in at school. A play she’s not allowed to attend but goes to anyway

Just a few minutes before the play, Mme. Bustier, asks Marc a question about Marinette.

Mme. Bustier: Now, the students did projects on their heroes. Alya Cesaire chose Lois Lane.

Marc: Have you spoken to her parents?

Mme. Bustier: And Marinette did her project on someone named Calpurnia Dupain.

Marc: Oh, her great aunt on her father’s side. She was burned as a witch in 1706. They say she danced naked in town square and enslaved a minister. *Unaware of Mme. Bustier’s horror.* Don’t worry, we told her university first.

And after so many horrible performances, comes the best one yet… Where Marinette and Alix splatter fake blood all over the audience.

Nino: … I suggested a evening in the park, but no. You wanted to see the performances.

Alya: *Spits out fake blood* Shut up.

Furious that her plans to get into the vault have failed since “Rose” decided to go to the play, Ms. Craven insists that “Rose” must leave again… But not before the Artists mark the occasion with a going away party where the entire Artist clan is invited.

Marc: *To Marinette who is dancing with Luka* Marinette, would you go check on Rose upstairs, please?

Marinette leaves (Not before kissing Luka) and overhears Willow and Ms. Craven going over their plan to break into the vault. She quickly runs to go get help.

Meanwhile, Cecil figures out a way to get rid of the Artists for good. And here’s where the judge comes in- He gets a restraining order agasint them so they can’t set foot on their property

After the party, the Artist family tries to find Marinette when they realize that she’s gone missing. But when they return with her, they find that they can’t get inside their own home. And when they attempt to appeal to the judge, he sends them away out of spite.

The Artists are now living in a motel. Nathaniel is in a state of depression knowing they’ve been betrayed, and Marc is just trying to keep Juleka, Marinette, and Alix from going crazy… Er.

Also, he gets a job as a kindergarten teacher’s assistant. Let’s see how that turns out.

Marc: And so the witch lured Hansel and Gretel into the candy house by promising them more sweets. And she told them to look in the oven. But, before she herself could push the children inside, Hansel pushed her, that poor defenseless elderly witch into the oven instead and burned her to a crisp as she writhed in agony… Now children. How do you think that feels? *The children cry* … Exactly.

That gets a job as a courier, and Marinette, Juleka, and Alix sell poison macarons.

Not able to stand the sight of his family in such a state, Marc returns to the Artists home to confront “Rose” only to be captured by Ms. Craven and Cecil. And unknown to Marc, That followed him.

Craven, Cecil, and Willow torture Marc so he can tell them how to access the vault means of torture, but he’s a total masochist and is loving every second of it

That returns to the motel and- through Morse code- tells the Artists that Marc’s been captured

Nathaniel: Mar... Marc... Marc? Marc is what? Slow down, That! It's terrible when you stutter!

*That starts tapping in Morse Code with a pen*

Nathaniel: Marc... in... danger... stop. Send... help... at once... STOP! *He runs out. That collapses*

Nathaniel arrives just before they can try and kill Marc, and engages in a sword fight with Cecil, which he gains the upper hand on, then loses when Ms. Craven has Marc at gun point. She forces him to show Willow the vault or she shoots Marc if they’re not back in an hour

Before Nathaniel can pull out the book that activates the secret door on the shelf, Willow pulls out a different book- A spellbook that projects It’s contents into reality and creates a storm. A bolt of lightning strikes Willow and launches Cecil and Craven out the window and into graves dug by Marinette, Alix, and Juleka

Alix: Are they dead?

Marinette: Does it matter?

Months later on Halloween, it’s revealed that Willow has been Rose all this time, and the story about the tuna net and the Bermuda Triangle were true. She just suffered from amnesia

Bridgette: *To Marinette* Dear, where’s your costume.

Marinette: This is my costume. I’m a homicidal maniac; they look just like everyone else.

While the others play a good game of ‘Wake The Dead’ Marc and Nathaniel stay behind because Marc has something to tell him.

Nathaniel: Monochrome, what is it?

Marc: I finally received a letter from my mothers, and… *Shows him an ultrasound photo* They said if it’s anything like me, they want us to have it.

Sequel

#miraculous ladybug #marc x nathaniel #nathaniel kurtzberg #marc anciel #marinette dupain cheng #alix kubdel #rose lavillant #juleka couffaine #félix graham de vanily #the addams family #addams family au #the artist family

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