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pagingdoctorbedlam · 3 years

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My final potion for @quirkyseastone ‘s “Brew a Love Potion” event is complete! Hope you’re ready for the fluffiest darn thing I’ve written for this fandom (and possibly ever).

Characters: Franky x Reader

Genre: Sci-Fi AU, Fluff

TW/CW: Mentions of loss/death

Inspiration: Kudos to “A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers for inspiring this fic~

Word Count: 2.7k words

"Alright, we've successfully docked. Good job, crew." You sit up from the captain's chair and gaze out at the starport outside your window. It's been some time since you'd landed on one of the Sabaody Moons, but you've always found the view breathtaking. The moons are more tree than earth, and bubbles slowly float from the roots up toward the stars. While some of the moons are still hives of scum and villainy, others seem almost paradisiacal as beings from far-flung galaxies intermingled in the Sabaody ports.

Before you can get too far from the bridge, the intercom of the Thousand Sunny buzzes to life. It's Franky, the A.I. that runs your ship. "Hey Captain, can I nab a word with ya' before you go on shore leave?"

"Sure thing. Need me here, or down in the core room?"

"Core Room, if ya' don't mind. I've got a super new design to run by you." Though Franky works admirably as a ship A.I., he'd originally been coded to design ships, including the one he now ran, the 1000 Suns (colloquially the Thousand Sunny to you and your crew). Even though his focus is now centered on ship diagnostics and flight procedures, the A.I. still delights in crafting new machine schematics, and you have a rule that he needs your approval before he modifies the ship.

You wave off the rest of the bridge crew, and they're all too eager to touch solid ground again after months in space. You are too, but if Franky's waited this long to check on you, it's likely something for your ears only while the rest of the crew is offboard. You stride through the winding metal hallways that make up the ship's guts, flashing your clearance badge here and there until you are down in the deep bowels of the ship, close enough to the engines that you can hear the machinery thrumming as the ship went through cooldown procedures. It's familiar. You come down here more often than others would expect, enough that you've got a futon and blanket stashed nearby for nights you don't spend in your own cabin.

"Franky? Said you wanted to see me?" You call out as you entered the Core Room. The entire room is covered in segments of a giant computer, with retractable screens and limbs for interacting with others; all of this is Franky. In a way, you're standing in his brain, which is something you try not to think about too much. What catches your attention is that all the screens are down, a rarity when Franky has company.

"Sure do!" His voice echoes, but not from the speakers. "Got a surprise for you. Close your eyes a sec, alright Captain?"

"Franky..." You're sure no other ship A.I.s play games with their commanding officers, but then again, you've yet to meet an A.I. with half the personality Franky has. You close your eyes and cover them with your hands. "Alright, ready when you are."

You expect to hear wheels, a cart with some sort of prototype wheeling into the room. Instead there are footsteps, heavy and so in-sync that it borders on unnatural. Then a hand on your shoulder, warm and soft. Too curious to resist temptation, you open your eyes and peek through your fingers.

"Franky, is this...?"

"An android body? It sure is!" He spins you around and takes a step back so you can take in his full visage. He looks human for the most part, even if the muscles in his forearms are overemphasized and patches of metal poke out from his skin. Still, he has skin, the medical-grade sort often used for replacing lost flesh in humans, and hair that's sculpted into a bright blue pompadour. He must have borrowed clothes from someone in medical too, though he's only wearing a floral patterned shirt, sunglasses, and a speedo. You suppose he was too excited for the big reveal to finish getting dressed.

"You made this, Franky?"

"Yeah, alongside Dr. Chopper and the rest of the medical team, plus Usopp over in Engineering. Surprised none of 'em spilled the beans." He flexes to show off the musculature of his arms. "We'd talked about what happened to your last ship, and figured we should make me a back-up body in case I ever needed to leave the ship with you all. Not that I plan for anything to happen to the Sunny..."

"But better safe than sorry." You still miss Merry, your sweet A.I. lost with your previous ship. She and Franky would've gotten along well, you think. "It's a good plan, I approve."

"Excellent! Now I just need to take it for a spin, test it outside the ship. Seeing as we've docked for the time being..."

Ah. Now you see what he's getting it. Pretty sly, for an A.I. "As your Captain, I'll accompany you on your first excursion out on the spaceport, to make sure everything's in working order." You offer an arm. He raises an eyebrow. "Loop it with mine. Like this...there we go. Now let's get going, shall we?"

Even among the strangest aliens, Franky stands out in his own way at the space docks. This is only partially due to his lack of pants: he claims this is because he designed his legs to vent most of the heat his body builds up, and you wouldn't want him to overheat and faint on his first outing, would you? No, he stands out because even though he's clearly an android, there's an excitement to him that would rival even the most starry-eyed space explorers.

"Would ya' take a look at this, Captain?" You'd expect to find Franky gawking at any number of the docked spaceships, and indeed he's gushed about many of them already. Instead, he directs your attention to one of the tree roots. A trail of iridescent beetles scurry up the bark, and overhead, a couple smaller Southbirds (rare here, likely escaped cargo from the planet Skypiea) call to each other as they watch the busy port below.

"Thought you'd studied all these, Franky." After all, he's a powerful computer who can research multiple ideas at once, and innately curious as any inventor tends to be. And he's asked you and the crew many, many questions about the world beyond his metal hull.

"Yeah, but no matter how advanced the notes and visuals might be, it doesn't compare with the real thing. I mean, look at 'em!" He points at one particular beetle as its shell reflects the lights of the spaceport back with an opalescent sheen. "Even if you could theoretically simulate all this on a computer, most wouldn't think to do so on their own. Out here, stuff just...happens."

You have never seen an A.I. quite so excited about life outside, but then again, you've never met an A.I. quite like Franky. "Yeah, I guess that is pretty exciting when you put it that way. Part of the wonders of space travel; you never quite know what's going to happen out here."

Then a realization hits your brain with the full-bodied force of a supernova. "Franky, you've spent so much time traveling through the stars, but have you ever actually seen them the way we do?"

Franky looks up at the sky overhead. "Hard to see 'em from up here, even if I zoom out my eyes to max. Watch this!" His eyes...actually telescope out of his head. That's a bit disturbing with how human he looks. "Figure that's due to light pollution, though. Pretty bright out here."

"Sure is." You offer your arm to him again. "Come with me; I'll show you how folks groundside go out to look at the stars."

Years ago, you'd come out of the harshest space battle of your life. Your crew narrowly avoided becoming space dust, and after giving her all to save you, you lost Merry. The ship that had been with you since the beginning, the A.I. with the biggest heart you'd ever met. As her files corrupted and her hull fell apart, you'd honored her final wish and set her ablaze once you reached planetside, cremating her as one would a human. You still carry a vial of her ashes on a necklace, so you never forget what you've lost to get this far.

You'd wandered through the streets of the moon of Water 7 in a daze. Hadn't even paid attention where you went as the rest of the crew licked their wounds. Before you knew it, a robotic voice called out to you from the depths of a starship demolition yard.

"What's got you down, Captain? Can't be you're sad to be out among the stars!"

You'd blinked, not recognizing the source of the voice. But you called back, "I just lost someone important to my crew. My ship." You didn't care if most folks didn't see A.I.s as people. Merry had been more than a crewmate to you. She'd been a friend.

Even though the voice emanating from the demo-yard was auto-tuned monotone, it took on a warmer tone somehow. "I'm sorry to hear that. But you say you're looking for a ship? I might be able to help with that." A crackle of static. "And if you'd like, you can tell me about your lost pal. I can't bring 'em back for you...but I've heard that talking about these kinda' things helps."

"You don't even know who I am."

"No one does when they first meet, do they? Speaking of which, call me Franky."

Somehow, pouring your heart out to a stranger was easier than talking to your crewmates. You'd wandered into the heart of the scrapheaps and talked to the mysterious Franky, his voice surrounding you from so many static-filled speakers. You'd watched as overhead, he controlled cranes to start putting pieces of a mighty vessel together. He'd asked about your specifications, what you'd loved about Merry both as a ship and a friend. You'd cried. He did too. And when you'd asked how much the ship would cost, he said the only charge would be that he could come along.

You agreed willingly, overjoyed to have such a skilled shipwright onboard. It was only when you talked to the demo-yard owner that you learned that the person you'd poured your heart out to was an A.I.

That didn't stop you from doing so again once the Thousand Sunny was complete, and Franky took to his new home in his core room. You'd wander down into the depths of the Thousand Sunny whenever you needed a second opinion on the ship or a mission, and soon after that just to talk. You'd spent hours surrounded by the computer that served as Franky's brain for so long, talking and laughing just as you used to with Merry. Except, it was more than that with him. He wasn't just a friend, you'd realized over time. But you'd shoved those thoughts away. It was ludicrous, falling in love with an A.I. whose brain you could walk through, whose body was a starship you controlled with the push of a few buttons.

But now he has a body. You can squeeze his giant hand, and he squeezes back so softly as he gets used to his own strength. He smiles the way you always imagined he would, grinning with pearly white teeth and eyes that (literally) glow with joy.

He follows you with infinite curiosity as you weave through the Sabaody streets and gather supplies for your excursion. You ask about his body's capabilities and discover his fuel source is...astonishingly close to soda, so you pick up a few colas along with some food for you. Franky gets to carry a blanket hand-woven by the locals, and you catch him marveling at the texture when he thinks you aren't looking. Finally, you rent a small paddleboat to traverse the moon with, and a map that lays out the canals and waterways of this particular moon.

"You know, it'd be a lot faster if I rowed," Franky says, mouth quirked into a lopsided grin as your comparatively tiny arms pull the oars back and forth. It's amazingly, how perfectly imperfect he looks, more human than any other android you've seen even with all the metal bits.

"There's an old human adage about the journey being more important than the destination, Franky. Take in the experience."

You watch as his attention zeroes in along the waterways, eyes zooming in on every detail until they're pulled away to something new. You expect him to be interested in the flora and fauna, as opalescent leaves bigger than your boat stretch over the water to shade you from the encroaching moonlight and soft purple creatures vaguely reminiscent of otters circle your boat before chasing each other down the river. But the entire world is new to him, and you find him fascinated by even the dirt or the buzzing insects swarming your head.

"Aww, look. I think it likes me!" Franky lifts one giant finger, where a mosquito (why did those have to be a universal constant?) tries and fails at piercing his skin.

"It probably thinks you're human and is trying to suck your blood," you point out, as the bugs try to use you as a personal juicebox. This only gets Franky to smile. Must feel validating, having even nature recognize him for what he is in his heart.

It takes a bit more rowing, but you finally arrive at your destination. A small island, mostly shore, with a small field and a lone tree with leaves that glow silver in the moonlight. You dock the boat on the shore, then set up the blanket and food for a small picnic. You motion for Franky to sit with you, and can't help but laugh a little at the faces he makes when touching sand for the first time. Then you lay back on the blanket. Franky joins you, and his eyes go wide.

A ribbon of starlight glimmers overhead. Hundreds of constellations twinkle overhead. You'd ask if he knows any, but you keep quiet so you don't break his wonder-filled gaze.

His giant hand encases yours. "Space seems even bigger from here than it does when you're in the middle of it. I mean, look at all those stars! I read that you could see 'em from so far away, but seeing it in person..."

"This is what inspired me to go into space," you say. Your finger drifts up to the brightest star in the sky. "I'd look at that one and say, I'm going to go there someday! Didn't care how far away it was, or even what might be around it. Just wanted to head to the brightest star I could."

Franky narrows his gaze up at that star. "That's over eight light years away. Might take a bit, even with a warp drive like mine. But if that's where you wanna' go? I'll take you anywhere, Captain. Long as we're together, I'll explore every corner of the universe with you."

For a moment, both of you are quiet. The air fills with the gentle rhythm of the flowing water, the buzz of insects, bushes rustling as creatures move in the night. In the distance, the hum of a starship engine taking off from the port; you soon see its lights trail across the sky as it ascends back into that void above, the space that's so comforting because it holds planets and stars and spaceships and you and Franky all together in its embrace.

"I think this is the part where one of us says 'I love you'," Franky says softly.

You smile and squeeze his hand back. "You're such a romantic. But yeah, you're right. And I do. I love you."

"Love you too, Captain. And thanks. For, y'know, helping me be human."

"Franky, you've got more heart than most anyone I know. You're plenty human already. I'm just here to steer you steady. And I always will."

You pass the rest of the night watching the stars overhead. And for the captain and A.I. of a starship, you wouldn't have it any other way.

#seas brew a love potion challenge #bedlam writes #cyborg franky #franky x reader #scifi au #fluff

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prettycottonmouthlamia · 4 years

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Mata Hari Analysis: Because I LOVE HER

By god if there’s any of my analyses that get numbers please let it be this one, I’m very passionate about my appeals that Mata Hari is actually a very usable Servant, especially comparatively to other 1-stars.

Mata Hari Assassin Max HP: 6,565 Max ATK: 5,377 (Effective ATK: 4,839) Attribute: Man Star Absorption: 98 Star Generation: 24.6% NP Charge ATK: 2.1% NP Charge DEF: 4% Death Rate: 55% Traits: Female, Humanoid, Servant, Weak to Enuma Elish

QQQAB Quick = 2 hits, Arts = 1 hit, Buster = 1 hit, Extra = 3 hits Quick: 4.2%, Arts: 2.1%, Extra: 6.3%

Espionage A++: Increases own critical star generation rate for 3 turns. (10 -> 30%) Cooldown: 7 -> 5 turns

Pheromone B: Chance to Charm all Male enemies for 1 turn. (30 -> 60%) Reduces all enemies' defense for 3 turns. (10 -> 20%) Cooldown: 8 -> 6 turns

Double Cross B: Seals one enemy's skills for 1 turn. Reduces their defense for 3 turns. (10 -> 20%) Cooldown: 8 -> 6 turns

Mata Hari Arts Chance to Charm All enemies (40 -> 60%, NP Level) Reduces their attack for 1 turn. (20 -> 40%, OC) Reduces their defense for 1 turn. (20 -> 40%, OC)

Primary Role: DPS Support, Debuffer Secondary Role: Disabler

Mata Hari is one of my favorite Servants in the entire game, and not just because she's beautiful and I love her, but because she's a pretty competent Servant when used correctly. The key word there is correctly, and a lot of new players will end up overlooking Mata Hari because she doesn't play as simply as other Assassins do. She's not going to be as effortless to use as your Sasaki Kojirou and your Cursed Arm Hassans, but to a certain extent, it is understandable because DW has given her very little love. But that's okay, that's what we're here for.

Starting with her fundamentals, the first thing that will probably standout is her stats, which are pretty atrocious. Her HP is OK for a 1-star Servant, but she's not going to function as a tank any time soon, and her ATK is so low, especially with the Assassin ATK modifier, that she will struggle to deal any damage. Fortunately, Mata Hari is not really suited to tanking or attacking, and so largely her stats are mostly irrelevant. Her NP generation is actually quite standout, however, because of her very high base NP gain per hit. Her AQQ chain will generate on average about 44% of her NP gauge, which is quite standout, especially for a launch Servant. Even her QQQ chain has rather decent NP gain at 25%, especially since there are no Arts cards involved. However, when it comes to star generation, Mata Hari has a ton of problems. Her Quicks only have 2 hits which drastically limits her star generation potential. Her QQQ chain will generate 15 stars on average, and 25 with the Quick bonus, and with her 1st skill, she'll generate...18 stars on average. Without any star bombs like Sasaki Kojirou or Cursed Arm Hassan, she has no way to patch up her star generation. Even with maximum star generation though, she only has a potential maximum of 27 crit stars (6 + 6 + 6 + 9), or 37 with the Quick bonus. Low hit counts really suck kids.

Moving onto her skills, we first have Espionage, which is a borderline garbage skill. Star Generation buffs are nice, but 30% hardly moves the needle. All it does is give an extra 30% chance for a crit star. This is why the actually good star generation bonuses are much more often 50% or 100%. For Mata Hari's best chain this results in just a measly 3 extra crit stars, so this skill is only worth leveling if having a Servant at 1/10/10 gives you anxiety. Pheromones however is actually a pretty decent skill, having a moderate chance to Charm any Male enemies as well as reducing the defense of all enemies by 20%. The Charm chance is more of an added bonus, but the Defense down is what you're looking for the most here. This can be combined with Double Cross, which inflicts Skill Seal for 1 turn and reduces their defense by an additional 20%, and the gameplay strategy of Mata Hari might start to become clear. She's a Defense debuff stacker, and really more of a support Servant over anything else.

Mata Hari's NP is largely an optional bonus. It presents another moderate chance to charm, but this time its not gender locked, and she'll inflict an Attack and Defense down debuff to all enemies. This can be as strong as 40% with maximum OC, but it is extremely rare to get to that point or make it worthwhile, since the debuffs only last for 1 turn. Mata Hari doesn't need to use her NP to make an impact, but incorporating it into your strategies can be pretty helpful.

Mata Hari's role is to boost the damage of the team, and do largely little else. Due to this, her low stats don't really impact her, and in some cases, can be even beneficial. Since she's not going to do any DPS or real damage and she's not really meant to stick around for a long time, low HP and ATK will end up being okay. Of course, this also means that Mata Hari is a fairly inflexible Servant since she only does one thing really well.

Grails: Grails for a 1 star can be really important to cementing them amongnst competition. For Mata Hari however, this is largely just for love. It'll put her Max HP to 10,120 if you grail her all the way to Level 100, and her Max ATK to 8,355, or 7,520 effective ATK. Essentially, it allows her to stick along longer and have passable ATK.

Support Options: Supporting Mata Hari is...a choice, to be certain, but I salute you brave person for wishing to make a Mata Hari team actually work. You might want to grail Mata Hari just to make her a bit safer to use though. Since her NP generation is already pretty good, and her Defense debuffs will help sustain her damage enough, all she would really need is extra stars and added consistency to her Charms. Caster Gilgamesh can provide both of those, along with additional defense down and a source of DPS. Phantom of the Opera can also be used here, providing a massive, long lasting Debuff resistance down, Crit star regen for more crit consistency, and his own Charm with buff removal.

In reality, just use Mata Hari to boost the damage of your DPS.

Command Code: Since Mata Hari is mostly meant to be used asd a support, you can use some of the more supportive Command Codes like Bridge of White Rose or Jeweled Birds Coat of Arms. Command Codes that can generate critical stars ca be used to help out her star gen, and Command Codes that increase star absorption can be used to give her some extra help with NP. Command Codes that remove buffs from the opponent can also be useful, especially since they can be difficult to field on DPS with the large number of good DPS Command Codes.

Craft Essences: The biggest one out of the gate is GUDAGUDA Poster Girl, which will give Mata Hari 3 turns of taunt. This allows her to use her skills, tank a couple of hits and then make room for another Servant to continue the job. If you don't want her to just be a sacrifical pawn, you can use CEs such as Kaleidoscope or Demonic Bodhisvatta to abuse her NP. Even her Bond CE is pretty okay, since it'll boost the NP generation of allies as well. Fragments of 2030 can be used to provide an extra 8-10 crit stars, helping to even out her crit star generation for the team.

Competition: While Mata Hari is definitely not a DPS support on the likes of Waver, Merlin, Tamamo, or Skadi, the Servant she most faces competition with is Shuten Douji. Not only is Shuten of the same class, but her kit is extremely similar, just largely better. Howver, Mata Hari has a couple of things going for her. She fits much better into the support role than Shuten does, since Shuten not only has much better stats but also a hard defensive option, which means that playing Shuten as dedicated support means you're missing out. Shuten has the highest ATK of any Assassin currently in the game, and that shouldn't be neglected. But the biggest benefit of Mata Hari is cost, since she only costs 3 in comparison to Shuten's 16. Support Servants are overwhelmingly benefited by being in lower rarities if they aren't meant to also be defensive some way, and Mata Hari fits that bill extremely. Her low Cost means you can run more expensive Servants around her comapred to Shuten.

Pros: -While having a somewhat flawed kit, it is surprisingly synergistic and will allow her to pull her weight -NP generation is quite good, meaning that her NP is never too hard to access if desired -Low HP makes her a fantastic Poster Girl option -Low cost on a support Servant is amazing

Cons: -Very inflexible. She's only really useful as a support Servant without extensive help -Low stats mean she will struggle doing anything else, even if it makes her very good in her support role -Crit star generation is really bad for a triple Q deck -Charm chances are pretty bad, maxing out at only 60% -DW didn't give her an animation update for either Salem or Ooku or Ooku re-run so she still has magic orbs

I'm biased a bit towards low-rarity support Servants since they are the least hampered by their stats. Using Kojirou as DPS, Bartholomew to farm, or Spartacus to tank will always run into problems with their low stats: low ATK reduces their ceiling on their damage and low HP means they simply cannot take many hits. But for a Servant who can be considered "fire and forget" neither stat matters and its much more about kit and cost, which Mata Hari delivers.

This all being said, Mata Hari getting a buff would really not be a bad thing in the long run. Espionage is a terrible skill, Pheromones is not only outclassed by Shuten's 1st skill, it's also outclassed by Europa's version which also outclasses Shuten. Her NP could also use an upgrade, at the very minimum to extend the duration of her debuffs although it could also boost her Charm chance, similar to D'Eon.

You will love Mata Hari though, this is non-negotiable.

#fate grand order #fgo #fate series #mata hari #servant analysis #literally the most overlooked servant in the game imo

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ask-the-party-god · 3 years

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SIEG! His name was sieg, I just remembered. -HNK Anon

hi hnk anon! im using this second ask of yours because its shorter, and putting your other one under the readmore to answer more extensively! X)

Okay. So I just got through the prologue, and I have a few things to say.

1. I’ve only had mash kyrielight for a day and a half, but if anything happened to her I would kill everyone in this and then myself!

youre absolutely RIGHT shes such a good girl! i love her and she only gets better and better as the same goes on! speaking of ‘better’ as it goes on, the game starts kind of slow? okay, so- the company that started fgo unsupervised, and they were making a cash-grabby game with less effort than it deserved... around the fourth singularity, though, nasu, the owner of the ip, saw the state of the game, stepped in and went like “nope, youre making this good, or youre not making it, period”, so... yeah he stepped in, put quality standards, lowered the saint quartz cost, added third skills to a lot of lower-star servants that didnt have them, reworked some other servants... also every milestone they include a quality of life change! earlier this year they increased the saint quartz you got from daily missions, then a retroactive change to interludes that gave me like, 100 pieces of it all of sudden... its good, i actually really appreciate them for that X)

2. The leveling up is a bit confusing for me.

yeah, the levelling up is, gacha levelling up, it was a bit weird at first, buuuut:

there are a few different things with exp in the game! you have your mystic code (your clothes, which have special skills), and your master level, both of which increase by just, doing any quest at all! master level determines your ap point limit, how many friends you can have, how many servants and ces you can have in your team at a time, etc... the mystic code level increases the effectivity of your mystic codes skills

theres bond level! this is how ‘close’ you are with your servant, and you raise it by fighting with those servants in your team! levels 1 through 5 unlock new information about them and new flavor text while theyre in your room! levels 6 through 9 give you rewards, like extra saint quartz, apples, etc... and if you get to level 10, you get a specific craft essence! some are like, “as long as the servant has it equipped, everyone in the team gets a buster buff”, but theres specific effects like, heracles gets a stack of 3 guts- which is insaaaaane

theres craft essences! theyre basically ‘buffs’, and levelling them up gives you some extra hp or attack, but ultimately theyre proooobably the least like, necessary thing to level up? still, you get spare craft essences out the wazoo so you probably want to feed the ones with effects you use a lot... anything with default np charge is GREAT for example, as it lets you charge up nukes all that much easier

and finally we get to servants! so you have the normal servant level up, THIS is what youd consider the classic ‘rpg level up’, but instead of levelling them up by fighting, you need items! specially, embers... feeding a servant embers and other spare servants you dont want (low rarity, pls dont feed people gold servants-), you level them up! this is a basic increase of all stats, but theres a level LIMIT! once they reach the level limit, you can ‘ascend them’ to their next stage, usually accompanied with unlocking new skills, and new cool outfits! you can ascend them up to four times, and once theyre at max ascension and max level, you CAN technically feed them holy grails (palingenesis), to break that max level limit to eventually reach 100... this is mostly unnecessary? but if theres a lower-rarity servant you REALLY like, that can put them on par with 4-stars, for example, or giving them a well needed extra boost to hp and attack

finally you have np and skills! skills are just that, servant-specific abilities! evades, healing, debuffs, buffs... levelling up skills reduces their cooldown at level 6 and 10, and generally increases their effect! np level up needs you to have multiple copies of the same servant, you can boost their np to be more damaging or to give you stronger buffs, depending on what it is

so basically, fighting will increase your master and mystic code exp, and your bond level! to actually level up servants, you have to feed them embers (you can farm them in the chaldea gate quests, or simply get them from story missions and free rolls)! to ascend them or level up their skills, you need special materials, which can drop in some free quests in singularities, be sold/drop during events, or drop from other chaldea gate free quests! not all materials are available from the beginning, so i suggest just, going through the story and upgrading your characters as you can, rather than obsessively farming to get them super high up before continuing with it

3. What’s the deal with the unregistered spirit origin currency? Because they are blocking me from getting the servants I want. That leads me to—

oh yeah no, dont worry about that, you are never, ever EVER going to use that X) basically, if you get 5 copies of the SAME 5-star, that is, if you get them to np level 5, and you get a SIXTH copy, which, again... insane odds? you will be given an unregistered spirit origin currency! basically its the way the game has of saying “sorry you keep getting this same servant so much, here, you can CHOOSE which one you want instead”

basically, insurance so you can never get a useless extra 5-star after fully upgrading a previous version of them

you gotta roll the gacha to get servants! its random! there is NO ensuring which one you will get, you just gotta try! well- there ARE occasionally events, like, twice a year, where you get to PICK a free 4-star actually

4. There are currently six servants that I want, everyone else doesn’t matter at the moment. The first is mash (so that’s one down) the second is artotia, third is Jeanne d'ark. Fourth is Jeanne alter, and firth Lancelot! And sixth- I SAW A MAID ALTER WITH A SNIPER RIFLE- WHAT? THATS COOL/FUNNY AS SHIT! I WANT THAT! (Maybe astolfo and uhhh... what was his name with the gray hair, he’s a caster- but that’s for later, the ones I listed are top priority,

lets see, six servants you want! believe me, you WILL get attached to more, but...

mash is obviously in your possession!

artoria is always, by default, in the summoning pool! theres occasionally ‘rate up’ banners, which give certain characters more weight, but ultimately, every saint quartz roll you do always has a chance of summoning her... specially right now, the more of the game you complete, the more servants you will unlock in the summoning pool, so technically shes at her highest drop rate right now

same with jeanne, shes part of the default summoning pool

jeanne ALTER is limited though! she does not appear normally, she can only be summoned when shes on a rate-up banner! i am not sure if she will be on rate-up before this, but the next banner i know she will for SURE be in is in may! oh! but- if you dont get her, there IS a 4-star, summer version that will be FREE this next summer, if you complete the summer event!

i think lancelot is also in the default summon pool!

maid alter is the summer outfit version of artoria X) i am unsure when she is available again honestly :o we had her event rerun not that long ago, so she may not be available for a while...

astolfo is in the default summoning pool AND theyre going to get a 5-star version this next year i believe! so, double stolfo!

sieg is, the free servant you get for the apocrypha event! it happened earlier this year, so i think that means theres a rerun of it still pending! eventually though, they will add a thing where you can replay events you missed and get the free servants from them, so while ideally youd wanna be playing while the event is up, theres a contingency in case you missed someone you REALLY want!

5. Please tell me how the start system works- I’m very new to this and I wanna be invested. Please help-

-HNK Anon

i think thats pretty much all there is! you get saint quartz through the story, by doing interludes, bond-levelling servants, through rewards, etc, as well as summon tickets, and you use those to roll the gacha! free friend currency only gives 3-star and under servants, while saint quartz can give you pretty much anything

theres almost always a ‘banner’ up, which offers ‘rate-up’ servants! the normal summoning pool has all the default servants and the story-locked ones you have unlocked, but the rate-ups can bypass the locks entirely! some servants are limited, so if they seem cool in a banner, you may wanna try to roll!

even if you dont get the servants you want- and believe me... it WILL happen... you WILL get more and more and more cool servants so, dont worry about that X) also a lot of lower-rarity servants are actually really good and can be used for a lot of things, so if you have a favorite, do not be afraid to level them up!

but yeah thats kind of the loop? you do stuff, get sq... roll the gacha for characters you like, level them up, do events... i honestly play mostly for the story, the main story gets really good, and the events are all charming and nice, but id be lying if i said i didnt want some specific servants... most of which are alter egos-

yeah sorry im rambling X) just... ask me anything else you may need! :D

#party god #ask #fgo

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tinytendril · 5 years

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we stayed up all night (to watch the sunrise) | A High School!Robbaery AU

Summary | Robb enlists Margaery’s help, by pretending to be his girlfriend for the end of year ball in order to make Jeyne jealous. At some point, they’ll have to convince themselves it’s all just an act.

AN | mostly inspired by the wonderful ramblings of this small yet fantastic fandom. Also, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Robb as the avid poetry-writing romantic (duh), and Margaery as the shamelessly popular it-girl. Also, who doesn’t love a good fake-boyfriend/fake-girlfriend trope!? Allllso, an excellent song to go with this fic.

‘She was a rose in the hands of a blind man who could only feel her thorns,’ Robb finishes, looking at her imploringly. Any passerby, swaying in time to the overhead music as they are, would assume that he was reciting poetry for her.

She rolls her eyes, but does so with unmistakable amusement.

‘Stark…’ Her lips, twisting upward into her habitual smirk, eventually gives way to her laughing.

Everything Margaery expresses makes anyone encounter her feel like they’re the cause of her infectious laughter, easing them into feeling like she’s let them in on an inside joke. She’s fast friends with what seems like their entire year because of this. That and the fact that half the student body has, at one point or another, fancied her since primary school.

He, unfortunately, was looking for actual feedback. He is afraid to ask, ‘What?’

‘I was at Waterstones the other night, picked up a magazine and found a little ditty in it too, a caption for the Who Wore It Better page.’

‘Except I wrote that one.’

‘Dickon wrote me a poem in our fourth year. I think it went something like, “There once was a woman from Nantucket—”’

‘It’s surprising how little I’m getting from this conversation,’ Robb finally lets out an exhausted sigh, steering her into the dramatic dip she taught him to do just before entering their PE hall. In the corner of his eye, he spots some friends of Sansa’s blushing and whispering about them from the no-dance zone, against the walls of the hall. Thankfully, his family wouldn’t be witness to any potential mortifying moments tonight.

‘Oh hush, it’s working.’ Margaery gestures for him to look over her shoulder to where Jeyne Westerling is in the arms of Harry Hardyng. Or, the person who had the guts to ask her to go to this ruddy dance before he could get the chance.

Jeyne, to his surprise, already has eyes on him and isn’t quick enough to avert her gaze without suspicion. If he’s not mistaken, he catches a small, fleeting smile his way.

Robb comes to and finds that Margaery still has her own knowing smile on her face.

‘Do you know what girls want, Stark? Girls in our year don’t want roses or poetry, they want a guy with a car, or a guy who can sit pretty for an instagrammable moment, and they definitely want a decent promposal just in time to set up hair and makeup appointments for an even better selfie for prom night.’

‘That’s shallow…isn’t it? Besides she’s not like that.’

She shrugs, though he does have a point, since she’s almost certain that Jeyne would be the type to coo over Robb waxing poetic over her being his ‘flower’. Still, he's one to talk when he, just days ago, asked her a favour by pretending to be his girlfriend for the night, in hopes of making Jeyne jealous. If it wasn’t so out of character for him, she’d be calling him out on this behaviour, but she decides against it. In fact, she decides to berate Theon about this scheme later.

It’s a lucky thing that Sansa is a dear friend. Lucky that she also knows their mother to be just as dear. All the Starks are legitimately the kindest people she’s ever met. And luckily, Robb happens to be familiar enough to her to know his intentions were and have always been pure, if their sharing a kiss during a game of spin-the-bottle and the ensuing hand-crafted Valentine’s Day card in their fifth year was any indication. More lucky is the fact that her actual, non-fake boyfriend Joffrey is on holiday and would not be interfering tonight.

‘It really is working, isn’t it?’ Robb gestures for her to watch Jeyne this time, especially since Harry has disappeared to the refreshments corner and Jeyne’s curiously watching them, sitting at a nearby table with a gaggle of other girls.

Before she can stop herself, she ties her hands around Robb’s neck so that he has to dip his head lower, low enough to count how many freckles he has on the bridge of his nose. Close enough to see that his blushing may be because they haven’t been this close since fifth year’s spin-the-bottle days. If this is all part of the plan, she thinks, either of them could be successfully convincing the other.

‘It’s weird,’ she says softer than she meant to sound, maybe because she realizes that their charade and the rules they had set up for themselves hadn’t called for any unnecessary physical contact (though she instantly questioned his experience of being in a relationship before this half-baked mission), yet she is contemplating this closeness as well.

Gods, Joffrey will be asking her to offer some kind of penance for this when he returns.

‘What’s weird?’

‘Well, you’re so stubbornly kind to everyone,’ she tells him as if he should know better. ‘You’re smart and Gods know you’ve got a better reputation going for you compared to half the boys in school. You’re not bad-looking either. You looked even better in your football kit when you and Theon won last Saturday’s match.’

Theon: i’m not v good at lip reading, but did Margaery actually say my name? mate, is she asking about me????

Robb silences his phone, and tries to silence the fear that Theon (the only person he somehow entrusted with this scheme) could give them away at any moment.

‘Smart and not bad-looking. I should make that into a shirt,’ he quips.

‘You know what I mean.’

‘What are you trying to say?’

This is a terrific feeling, he thinks, and is reeling from this rarity; suddenly, she’s out of witty comebacks. He figures he shouldn’t take this moment for granted and triumph a little. Margaery and her academic accolades, her family’s summer house in Dorne, and her doe eyes literally opening doors for her. He can’t explain the thrill of having an upper hand over her for once.

She even lamely replies to his silent amusement, ‘Oh, shut it.’

Though true to form, and because she’s right about him being stubborn in his ways, he tries to make her feel comfortable again, ‘Thanks for doing this, Marge. It was a long shot in asking you, and we haven’t spoken or even hung out in ages—’

‘That, right there,’ Margaery says with wide eyes, bright and focused again. ‘Why wouldn’t Jeyne want someone kind and humble and smart over someone as simple as Harry—’

‘And Harry’s got his arm around her, and she’s going mad from laughing at something he’s said, and he’s definitely going to ask her out tonight. That’s it, that’s what’s happening.’

He’s not sure what possesses her, all he knows is that he sees her inching forward and he does not stop her. Suddenly, he feels her lips on his, and he instinctively shuts his eyes. This kiss isn’t like fifth year’s tentative, purse-lipped one. This is her pink-laquered pout softer and more appealing than he imagined (and yes, he’s not going to be that idiot who denies his eyes flitting to find them throughout the night), and this is her perfume that reminds him of the shopping bags his sister and mother have sometimes brought home from one of their girly shops. Except, he doesn’t remember his mind feeling hazy from smelling this honey, flowery scent before.

‘Robb…’

If it wasn’t for his perfume-addled brain, he might be analyzing how she’s openly chewing on her bottom lip when they separate. But, she’s already starting before he can, ‘She’s coming.’

‘What—’

Then, Margaery shoves him away, and dramatically bursts for the surrounding people to hear, ‘Robb, you’re right. I’ve got to go back to Joffrey—but—’ A single tear tracks down her cheek. ‘This was—I won’t forget you.’

Robb finally sobers at that, ‘On the nose, that one.’

‘Hush,’ she whispers and angles a wink just for his eyes.

Like a scene in a play, he musters his strength to not laugh after she departs their stage, taking her last act with her. He almost misses what Jeyne has to say as she finally approaches him, while, in the distance, Margaery tosses her chestnut curls over her shoulder before she finally exits the hall.

‘Is everything alright?’ Comes Jeyne’s sweet concern.

‘Erm—aye—fine, yeah. Just got dumped, but I’ll uh—be fine.’

‘I didn’t even realize you two were together.’

‘We barely started,’ he explains, though he surprises himself to hear how genuinely disappointed he is to admit this.

#robbaery #robb x margaery #robb stark #margaery tyrell #got fanfiction

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comicteaparty · 4 years

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November 11th-November 17th, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from November 11th , 2019 to November 17th , 2019. The chat focused on Closer to Home by Jess Peck.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Closer to Home by Jess Peck~! (https://closertohomecomic.com/)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until November 17th to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. What has been your favorite aspect of the world-building or the alien species shown so far? In what ways can you relate to the differing cultures, and in what ways do you find yourself confused like the rest of the humans in the story?

Capitania do Azar

1. I honestly can't pinpoint a specific scene, don't hold this against me! But I love the general feeling of the comic. The characters are going through some very specific, emotional things, and I really enjoy the way that those are always handled with a certain softness that I think it's very... refreshing!! That being said, I loved the overdramaticness of The Heist

2 I am confused all the time and I love it. It's always nice to find weirdly alien aliens!! I also appreciate that even tho aliens are familiar with some human things, they're very unfamiliar with others, serving for further confusion. Give me all the confused aliens.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 4. Which character’s reaction to the extinction of humanity really impacted you? In what ways do you think the characters will still continue to deal with this emotionally? Also, what do you think would happen if they found more humans?

Capitania do Azar

3. Samira best girl and Tachs best ∆oid. Samira takes responsibility and is in charge and that's a trait I always like to see, while Tachs is a jolly presence, always questioning everything and being super supportive to everyone. And xi's fashion af.

Capitania do Azar

4. I don't think we've heard the last of that, especially since it seems that it was mostly an intelectual experience, but not an emotional one. Like, the characters KNOW humanity's gone, but they don't actually experience it so I think it'll probably come back to them in the future. That being said, I am very emotional on all things Nike related

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?

QUESTION 6. Who do you think caused the genocide for humanity, even to the point of hunting down remnants that had escaped? For what purpose, and how does this tie into all the people hunting for humans still?

Capitania do Azar

5. Really digging the vibes here: https://closertohomecomic.com/post/169303849473/first-smackjeeves-about-topwebcomics

6. I don't really have any theories about the genocide, but it's super intriguing that it happened so early after the first contact with alien species.... with such a short ttimespan, I don't think it could have been anything mankind did. Unless we did it to ourselves, but that doesn't sound like the case (I could be wrong). I suppose humans are just valuable because of their rarity now!!

RebelVampire

1) My favorite scene is probably the impromtu museum heist. I kind of liked seeing the newbies embrace that pirate lifestyle. Yet I kind of like this feeling of being lost that kind of hangs around the background. Like to me that scene was a real sign that things are truly starting to sink in for them that Earth is gone, humans are gone, there's no hope. I think I'd actually equate this to the bargaining stage of the 5 stages of grief. To me it feels this action is born from them trying to find meaning again. So for me this scene is both fun but has the right amount of tragic undertone still there. 2) My favorite aspect of the world building has actually been the language translators. I like the logic behind how they work, since it really fits how language works in general. And I like that they aren't perfect so, inevitably, there are things they can't really translate all that well. It really creates an interesting balance between being able to understand while also possessing opportunities for differences. Which is something I kind of like about this comic in general. There's a lot of cultural differences, yet everything is actually explained in a way that's easy to relate. Like a lot of the emotional things alien and human alike go through are universal, so whether things are different or not doesn't matter. It's still easy to attach yourself to what the characters are going through.

RebelVampire

3) Definitely Tachs. I like how kind of disconnected from humans Tachs is in terms of cultural upbringing. But at the same time, I like that Tachs is probably the most (ironic phrasing) down to earth of the entire crew. If I had to trust someone with my life, I definitely would pick Tachs, cause Tachs I trust enough to not get me killed. 4) Honestly, for me the character that impacted me the most is Nike. Not cause Nike has been dramatic, but because she's just been really accepting despite having left a wife and two daughters on Earth. And like, I can't begin to imagine the sort of inner strength it takes to internalize it as much as she seems to have done and still move on with life. I think for the newbie humans who just found out, I think they're basically gonna go through a whirlwind of the five stages of grief. Cause I still don't feel like they are ready to accept every implication with the fact that all humans are gone. Which to be fair, I don't think any human could really take that heavy of an idea into their head all at once. For everyone, though, I think there's gonna be a lot of soul searching about what their purpose is, or if they can live without purpose, and a bunch of existential dread questions that are hard to think about. As for if they found more humans, probably not much to besides bring them into the family. However, depending on how many they found, it might lead to potentially false hope that the genocide was fake news.

5) I really like this space shot of the ship https://closertohomecomic.com/post/138665523507/first-smackjeeves-topwebcomics-last-shhh It really expresses not only the majesty of space, but the sheer scale of the ship. Which that last one is not something I see in a lot of comics, since there's rarely any shots of how the characters are to scale with other parts like this. So it's nice to get a real feel for just how large the interior is. 6) I'm not sure who caused the genocide, though I kind of feel like Vee knows more than he's letting on. I feel like the two most viable options are either a) someone stands to make a big profit by genociding humans or b) somehow humans are basically the ultimate threat to the universe. Which I lean towards b right now as this would explain why they're still being hunted. Although, I am willing to give a C) option that the genocide was caused by someone looking for someone specific, and the only way to be sure they killed that someone specific was to kill all humans.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?

QUESTION 8. Why do you think Vee was in a stasis pod when he was discovered, and how do you think he managed to escape the genocide since he apparently saw it? Do you think Vee will overcome whatever it is he witnessed?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or story details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?

QUESTION 10. Given the themes of this comic around identity, what about the characters do you think will change as the story goes on? In other words, what will they discover about themselves given the rules of society have changed?

soyamilk🌙

1. I haven't read far yet, but the scene with Nike and her family really tugged at my heart. Both the loving family but then a heart that seeks the stars... and then missing that family. Owie my heart. And I think I pretty much like all the flashbacks to Mothers Days on Earth I've seen so far. It really hits that contrast with the new space life hard. 2. It's definitely cool seeing how aliens will interact with humans, and how the aspect of communication is handled! There was quite some thought put into how the actual translation would work, and what kind of technology might have been developed for it. And just like on Earth even when you don't need to speak across language or culture you already have a lot of things that could be misunderstood. I like seeing how even across the universe people/aliens who are all different are getting along better than when they were in their own groups that are supposed to be like them. 3. So far, Samira is my favorite, and the worm doc (sorry I forgot his name > <). I love Samira's boldness, she really stands out. She's a go getter, but I'm glad that she has the rest of the cast to balance out those rash plans. And the doctor is cute! Plus his flat humor is funny hehe. Science!! I think all the characters are slowly growing on me, I didn't really have a great impression of anybody at the beginning.

5. My favorite illustration has been this page. https://closertohomecomic.com/post/133065092214/first-smackjeeves-topwebcomics-last It just has great balance and so much emotion. It's subtle, but I really like it. Plus while I enjoy the pacing and the humor of other parts of the comic, this is really nice and lets that feeling just settle in. I also like the scene with Adam on the rooftop (in the past. Obviously I enjoy those past segments haha. So sentimental. 7. I like this moment here. https://closertohomecomic.com/post/162861036256/first-smackjeeves-about-topwebcomics But I honestly can't say yet, I think some interactions are really surprising me. Have to read some more!

RebelVampire

7) At the moment, I like seeing Tachs and Vee interact the most. Something about their relationship really clicks with me. I like how they have shared interests, but are also still vastly different from one another. And I like the weird mix of caring dialogue along with the banter. It just overall warms my heart for reasons I don't quite understand. 8) I feel like Vee was put there on purpose. Like, I like Vee, but I am also suspicious of Vee's part in the genocide. And I kind of feel like Vee in particular might be a target, though for what reason I don't know. And while I get the genocide was traumatizing, I feel there's more to the reason Vee avoids the topic. As for overcoming what he saw, I'm not sure that is something you can get over. If Vee isn't guilty of anything, I feel like Vee is legit in the best emotional place possible after witnessing the genocide of your entire race. Like what a trooper O_O

RebelVampire

9) I've enjoyed a lot of the little cultural clash cause alien details considered in the story. Like the language translation issues, the sexuality issues being culturally specific, etc. Like, it is really hard to consider what an alien culture would be like. Since we've never met an alien, it's hard to say what culture aspects would be universal vs. which ones would be extremely specific to earth. So I love seeing when those things are explored, because it really is a topic we need to consider should we ever actually meet aliens. 10) I feel like, overall, the characters are going to discover how to be happy and just go after it. Like take Nike wearing clothes that surprises all the others for a moment till Nike explains "everyone is dead who cares." I feel that is the exact kind of thing were going to see a lot of. The characters will embrace new things, and slowly learn that society is kind of dumb sometimes and tells us not to do a lot of things because its seen as weird. But that society's choice to view them as weird is arbitrary and gets in the way of happiness. And I think slowly the characters will explore and embrace more wild and fun aspects of themselves, cause there is no society to pressure them anymore to conform.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.

QUESTION 12. What do you think Sam’s backstory is? How and why did she wind up in space? Given the sorts of activities Sam is involved in, where do you think life will ultimately lead her? Also, do you think we’ve seen the last of her old captain?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

QUESTION 14. In the larger picture, what do you think will become of Kay, Latoya, and Nike? Will they stay with Sam or eventually find a place to settle down? Also, will they manage to remain friends as their future adventures challenge them?

RebelVampire

11) I think this comic's strengths are definitely its world-building. There's a lot of effort put into the small details of what an alien culture would be like and the sort of road blocks that would be hit for humans because of it. That takes a lot of though and preplanning, but it really helps make a super fleshed out setting that feels unique and really pulls you into a separate world. 12) I feel like Samira probably came from a broken home given the info we know. And so when she found out aliens were real, it was no question she should skip out on her home planet. I imagine she kind of just felt in general there was nothing for her, so it'd be easier to get a fresh start somewhere else in the universe. I think Samira is...kind of heading down a dark path at the moment, probably one that mirrors her old captain. Cause I feel the old captain wasn't that bad...but do enough bad stuff, and your morals really start to corrupt. And while I'm sure Samira think she's above it, no one really is. As for the old captain, I do feel she'll make an appearance again, maybe even as a human hunter or something.

13) I am looking forward to exploring some of the other characters we haven't explored that much, like Fuzz who I don't think nearly has had enough screen time. But overall, I think that's a lot more troubling and interesting cultural aspects to explore here. 14) I feel like eventually the three of them will split ways in some regard. Kay I feel is most likely to stay with Samira, cause I feel like Samira's lifestyle suits Kay the most. However, I kind of feel that, when you get down to it, Latoya would rather pursue science stuff and Nike would still explore but do so in a different way than crime. I do feel like they'll all manage to remain friends. Least of all just cause when you're the last humans, I feel it's hard to hate at that point. That's a lot of pressure to be the last of your kind with only a few people who can understand the same things you're going through.

anneapocalypse

(Picking a few favorite questions!) 2. One of my favorite pieces of worldbuilding so far has been learning about the tiers of alien species, and the kind of sinister underlying implications of that. 3. It's very hard to pick a favorite character but so far I would have to say Kay. They're just so spunky, and I love that even in that initial horror and grief of learning that humanity was functionally extinct, they were the first to stop and really take in the wonder of their situation. They're in space, among the stars, meeting aliens. It's all they ever wanted. 4. To me the most powerful reaction was Nike's, when Latoya tells her she looks cute in her new style, and Nike says (in sign language), "Everyone is dead. Wear what you want." There's so much in that statement--not just the grief she's still feeling for her family and her species and her old home, but also the pressure she must have felt back on Earth to dress and generally conform to a certain set of expectations. In the midst of this terrible loss, she finds a little bit of freedom and she seizes hold of that, as a way to express herself and to cope with the loss.

7. I love Latoya's subtle protectiveness of Nike. I can tell she really cares about her. And currently I'm very interested in Kay's relationship with Charli and where that might go!

12. I suspect Sam maybe didn't have the happiest childhood on Earth. You know that saying in RPGs, "Happy, well-adjusted people don't become adventurers"? I doubt a happy, well-adjusted kid leaves her family and everyone she knows behind forever, even for something as cool as going to space. She didn't say, "I want to go!" she said, "You have to take me with you!"

And I definitely don't think we've seen the last of Schzaar.

13. I am looking forward to many things, but especially learning more character backstories.

14. I predict that the main three will remain friends for life, but if there's any splitting up I would put Latoya and Nike as more likely to settle down somewhere, whereas Kay would want to continue traveling the stars.

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Closer to Home this week! Please also give a special thank you to Jess Peck for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Closer to Home, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: https://closertohomecomic.com/

Jess’ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jestershark

Jess’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jesspretend

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #book club #bookclub #webcomic book club #webcomic bookclub #comic tea party #ctp #closer to home #jess peck

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deceasedatsunrise · 5 years

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Killer AU Concepts

Eh, Killer!Survivor AUs may seem done to death but it's still plenty fun and I wanted to take a crack at it.

Whenever a new chapter comes out I’ll try to come up a killer au! for any new survivors and add them via reblogs.

Here's my ideas, I’ll try to give them all a Killer Alias, short backstory, an idea of what their power would be, a quick description of their appearance, and their weapon. I’m not good at perks so for now, just imagine all of their killer perks being reskins of the canon killer perks.

More below cut.

Warning for DBD typical topics: Murder, Torture, Trauma, Parental Death, Body Horror, drowning, dismemberment, car crashes

Dwight Fairfield (The Ghost) - It was meant to be an innocent prank, one where they’d laugh at Dwight’s expense once again. While the boss was still asleep they simply took advantage of the cheap inflatable mattress Dwight brought along for the retreat and simply let lake do the rest. When he woke up, he panicked, and fell off the floating mattress into the chilly water. The others laughed, but stopped when Dwight never emerged. They lied, saying that he left early, and pretended nothing was wrong. They would never know that, as his lungs filled with water, Dwight begged for help from anyone-or anything...and something answered.

The boss left for a moment, just a few minutes to call Dwight to tell him he’ll be looking at even lower pay if he leaves again without checking with him. He returned to the retreat’s site to find the bodies of his employees.

Now as a malignant spirit, Dwight resembles a cold, bloated corpse suspended in the air as if carried by invisible puppet strings.

His Power would be called Haunting Grounds, a teleporting ability that assists in locating survivors. He can see the auras of generators in his terror radius, and may teleport to one as long as it’s not being worked on by a survivor. The teleport and recharge takes a couple of seconds, with a very small sound cue. He cannot teleport to fully charged generators, but when the gates are all powered he gains a significant speed boost. (This is based on the teleporting mechanic in Soul at Stake, so yes I am in fact stealing from a DBD Clone).

His main weapon is a large tent spike, stained with blood and rust. Useful for quickly killing those who’ve wronged you.

Meg Thomas (The Predator) - Meg Thomas never lost hope, even as her mother fell ill. Then one day, her mother collapsed suddenly after she supposedly began to feel better. Meg was in a hurry, she simply loaded her mother into their car and made her way to the hospital. No time to wait for an ambulance, no time for seatbelts, and no time to take into account that she didn’t have a license. She was reckless, believing she knew enough to save her mother, and it had cost her. She ran into a car and was sent flying, she came crashing down. She dragged herself through debris, both legs maimed by the crash alongside a useless arm, to look for her mother. She found her, she didn’t make it.

She heard the cries of the man she rammed with her mother’s car, and crawled her way to him, along the way she picked up a tire iron that had fallen out of the trunk. When police investigated they found two bodies, one was chalked up to the accident while homicide investigated the skewered driver. Meg dragged herself into the nearby woods, the only way she could escape her mistakes, as she was in no state to run. The entity had repaired her body, with grotesque, gangly limbs made in it’s own image, allowing her to hunt the survivors she could’ve ran with if she wasn’t so, so reckless. Several small spider-like legs jut out of her back and her eyes have been touched by the entity, making her vulnerable to flashlights.

Her main Power is New Instincts, her new body follows the rules of beasts when hunting her prey. Think of it as a mixture of the Pig’s Ambush ability and Fatal Frenzy. Using the power button will make her enter Stalking mode, where she’ll crouch down and lose her terror radius. Using the power button again will initiate Frenzy mode, where she’ll chase after survivors and instantly attack them if she’s close enough(this attack can also destroy dropped pallets). This will apply Deep Wound, or shorten the bleed out timer of a survivor who already has the status effect. If she attacks someone who already has Deep Wound in Frenzy mode she’ll be momentarily stunned but the survivor’s mend meter will lose a part of it’s progress as well.

Her main weapon is a her own Mangled Arm, an appendage similar to the entity’s claws, regrown after she was collected. After making a hit she’ll grip her head in agitation.

Claudette Morel (The Gardener) - Claudette Morel found happiness a rarity, none of her relationships extended beyond others taking advantage of her knowledge. Stress was killing her, in more ways than one, all because she was lucky enough to make it to a good college. Under her façade of a curious student, was a ticking time bomb waiting for a single spark. She was aiming for a great opportunity, to intern for actual botanists, as long as she kept her grades up. But she had overslept, too many all-nighters added up and she paid the price. Her strict teacher locked her out of the classroom, and she had to watch the class finish the test without her. Her grades were already in danger of falling, but this one F sealed it, so her spot went to another student. Claudette stopped coming to classes, and her chat rooms were left silent. There were five students selected for the Internship, all five and one teacher were found in the forest. The bodies were buried, but beautiful, non-native flowers were planted on top of their graves as markers. Claudette was spotted by a jogger walking into the woods, but she was never found.

The Gardener was once a human, now she’s merely a vehicle for the parasitic plants consuming her. Vines entangle her body, and flowers obscure her face. Her stomach is gruesomely torn open, thick vines spill out like intestines and have wrapped themselves around her waist and legs. The flowers are “Pustulas”, the flowers that grow from the hallowed blight cankers and produce the Putrid Serum.

Her Power is called Parasitic Saplings, giving the gardener the ability to infect survivors with nutrient draining plants. When a survivor is downed, she may use her action button to “plant” the seeds in their open wounds. The survivors are now in a short timer where the plants grow, once the time is done they can now remove the fully grown plants. However a second timer pops up, if the survivor does not “prune” themselves in time the vine growing on their bodies will bind them in place until either another survivor untangles them or the killer downs bound survivor. Pruning is a non-healing action, and being hooked or hit by the killer’s weapon will pause the timers for varying amounts of time.

Her main weapon is a Gardening Shear, half of a pair that still leaves it’s mark in bone just the same.

Jake Park (The Greenman) - When Jake Park ran away to live off the grid, only his mother bothered to keep tabs on him. When she reported him missing the police gave up their search in little time, despite her pleading. If they searched harder, perhaps they would’ve found him. He went on a hike to restock, but made a mistake while climbing. He found his leg trapped between a rock and a hard place, and his screams were swallowed up by nature. No one truly knows what it means to survive, not even Jake Park until this very moment, when he tore himself free. Even with a splint Jake’s skills only grew, his near death experience proved to him that he truly was alone in this. He fully integrated into the forest life, only interacting with humans to steal tools and food. When hunters entered his territory, he dealt with them with skill and precision.

Jake had fashioned a mask from the skull of one of his victims, the only warning sign his victims would receive before he killed them. He crafted an outfit that would blend in easily, leaves were woven together into a cloak and skins were stitched together to provide warmth. Urban Legends cropped up, of a “Greenman” who raided campsites and mauled solitary survivors with ease.

The Greenman’s Power are his Handmade Arrows, with only natural materials the Greenman had created a formidable secondary weapon. Similar to the Huntress’ hatchets, the arrows will have a charge time that allows you to aim and shoot them. Two arrows, without add-ons, will make a survivor go down one health state. However, when an arrow hits a survivor it will stay embedded in their body until the survivor pulls it out. If the arrows aren’t pulled out then the survivor will groan audibly until it is, add-ons can add status effects to his arrows.

His main weapon is a Broken Antler, taken from a moose he fell. It’s best to use every part of the animal after killing it, right?

Nea Karlsson (The Shadow) - Nea Karlsson delinquency became a downward spiral into disaster. She had grown sick of her parents and ran away, she mainly couch surfed to get by, pick pocketing to afford food. She never lost her interest in tagging, becoming more bold every time. Her skills developed, allowing her to sneak past guards and dogs with ease. She was a shadow, as that was the only thing anyone saw of her when she struck. Except one day, when she was caught. Pure chance, but she wasn’t going to jail. She tried to break free but he wouldn’t let her go, not until she struck him with the crowbar in her hands. Nea wondered if she meant to do it, or if it was an accident, but something in her gut told her that it was necessary. And something even deeper inside of her told her it was thrilling. She experimented with her crimes, violence became a norm for her. She no longer associated with others, and a string of violent assaults, and murders, began to gain media attention. Nea was never caught...by the police, anyway.

Nea is a shadow, a pitch black hole in the rough shape of a human. Bright, white eyes peer out of the darkness.

The Shadow’s Power is called Security Measures, barbed wire traps that remind her of the many gates she’d jumped. She begins the game with eight Barbed Traps that she can place on Vaults, areas where pallets were, and between doorways. They are extensions of the entity, and ensnare victims to unknowingly go through them. When caught in a Barbed Trap the survivor will have to wiggle out, doing a skill check at the end of the wiggle meter. If they fail the skill check they can still get out, but they are downed by one health state. They work similarly to the Hag’s traps, where an old one will disappear if you use another trap after placing all at your disposal. The shadow can pick them up and move them to other areas.

Her main weapon is a simple crowbar, a tool with many purposes for her lifestyle.

Laurie Strode/Cythia Myers (The Copycat) - Michael Myers was let out of the asylum without much fanfare, yet Cynthia Myers never got to meet him before a car crash left her an orphan. Michael was legally old enough to live on his own, but she went to live with the Strode family as he refused to take custody of her. Cynthia had grown to resent her brother, as his legacy followed her wherever she went. Her classmates were not kind to her loss, and she shrunk away from large crowds. Even after convincing her adoptive parents to let her change her name, any person she attempted to grow close to would find out about her brother’s crime. The bullies were one thing, but the “True Crime Freaks” were a hell of their own. Judith would be remembered as a corpse, and “Laurie” would be remembered as the sister of a murderer. A dark whisper began to grow louder, asking why she should be the one to suffer? When her brother was the killer, shouldn’t have the one to pay for what he did to his sisters?

She found him, and paid him back. Murders began to spring up in the town he lived in, the victims were the eldest daughter of families with more than one child. Laurie thought it’d be easy, they’d easily assume Michael went back to his old ways and then lock him up again. But that wasn’t enough, she had to make sure he suffered. No one knew what happened on Halloween Night, except Michael and Laurie, who both disappeared that same night.

Laurie wears a clown mask similar to the one Michael wore that fateful night, alongside a bulky jacket and grimy jeans. Every inch of skin was covered, so that it’d be easier for any escapees to confuse her for Michael.

Laurie’s Power is called Survival of the Fittest, watching the survivors from afar has led to her learning their tricks. The Copycat can do many actions that were thought to be limited to survivors only.

- She can Sabotage Gens, Chests, and Lockers. Sabotaged Gens will need to be “recharged” before they can be repaired. Sabotaged locker doors and chests are stuck and have to jimmied open, with a short sound cue after they’re unjammed. It takes forty seconds to sabotage a gen, and four seconds to jam chests and lockers.

- She’s the only killer unable to break a pallet. However, while in a chase she can jump over pallets. Outside of a chase she can lift up a pallet back in place and sabotage them as well, making it so that survivors have to do the pull down action twice to drop the pallet.

Her main weapon is a Butcher’s Knife, the tip had been broken off in her attempt to spill the blood of her kin.

Ace Visconti (The Misfortune) - Ace Visconti, was a foolish as he was confident. Too many debts with the wrong kind of people were bound to catch up to him eventually. One bet, involving some underground fighting ring, sealed his fate. He ran, and made it pretty far before the goons came to collect. What meager winnings he had on him weren’t enough, so their boss ordered them to make an example out of Ace. So they cut him into pieces, wrapped them up in plastic wrap, and dumped them all into a murky swamp. As they held him down he made one final desperate deal, the goons didn’t buy it but something did in fact take him up on the offer. The goons stuck around the swamp for a smoke break, and went missing soon after. A police investigation ten years later would lead to the swamp being drained, all the bodies found at the bottom would help send a dangerous man to the big house. Ace Visconti’s body was never found, but the goons were. Drowned in the murky waters by the looks of it.

Ace wear his water damaged, and muddy clothing, with plastic wrap obscuring his entire head. Duct tape is wrapped around some parts of his body to prevent him from falling to pieces. He lacks shoes but wears a ridiculous amount of jewelry, perhaps collected off his fellow victims in the swamp’ s depths?

His Power is called Unlucky Deck, cards that he uses as offerings for bonuses in the entity’s game. All cards are randomly generated, and more cards can be found in chests,. The Misfortune is the only killer who can loot chests but he closes them after use, he cannot use chests search by survivors without add-ons. Add-ons can increase his chances to get a certain type of card. The killer can shuffle his deck to look at his other cards, when a card is chosen he will pick it out of his deck and it will instantly burn away into ash. His deck consists of the following:

Ten of Clubs - If any of the crows are disturbed, they will flock to the survivor and follow them for ten seconds. This lasts for 30 seconds.

Jack of Clubs - The aura of survivors opening chests or lockers will be revealed for 6 seconds. This will last for 30 seconds.

Queen of Clubs - Once used, after hitting a survivor with a base attack all survivors in your terror radius will have their auras revealed for 8 seconds. This will continue until all survivors still in the game are hit at least once.

King of Clubs - When a Generator is completed after this card is used, all survivors will gain the Exposed status for 20 seconds, and their auras are revealed for 4 seconds.

Ace of Clubs(Incredibly Rare) - All survivors auras are revealed for twenty seconds regardless of distance, however the killer’s movement speed is slowed for the duration of this card’s use.

Joker Card(Tremendously Rare) - A random affliction of another card is played, lasting for thirty to forty seconds regardless of the original time limits.

The Misfortune’s main weapon is a Bloody Saw, used to make an example of him and later thrown into the water as evidence.

Bill Overbeck (The Carrier) - Left behind, left to rot. When the entity found him it knew just the way to “fix” him, after all, he was already a carrier. Becoming one of the creatures he had tried his damnedest to evade. Very similar to a Smoker(Type of Special Infected), with the bloated skin and a gross, long tongue. However his lumpy skin would be a charred black with cracks that glow like the claws of the entity(also makes his skin look like the black lungs of a cigarette smoker). When hit by a pallet or a decisive strike he will emit smoke. He no longer sees survivors the same way he used to, and now hunts them without restraint. This is due to the entity skewing his perception, making all the survivors resemble infected that attempt to escape to spread their disease, with dark thoughts urging Bill to prevent them from getting out alive.

His Power would be Ensnaring Tongue, an ability he shares with other smokers. He shoots out his elongated tongue straight forward to choke a survivor in place. Hitting the survivor or the survivor managing to wiggle out(similar to escaping a beartrap) will break the connection, resulting in tongue being torn off and a small cooldown for his ability to regrow it. A secondary ability is that survivors will cough in close proximity, and will continue coughing for a few moments even after gaining distance.

His weapon would be a combat knife, a memento of his younger years.

Feng Min (The Patient) - Taking inspiration from the controversial Dr. Yang Yongxin(Chinese Clinical Psychiatrist that likely inspired the Spark of Madness chapter), in a timeline where Feng Min is taken to a “Gamin Addiction Treatment Center“, where her parents handed her over to the “good doctors”. The head doctor’s experiments in curing their patients came crashing down when, after the electroshock treatment became to much, Feng proceeded to escape and murder the staff. She would wear the hospital gown she was given for her stay and would still be connected to electroshock equipment. Her face is heavily bandaged, and a syringe is stuck in her neck. The only hit the main doctor got in before he was snuffed out. Her Power would be similar to the Carter’s Spark, Remnants of Rewiring, driving survivors exhausted to the point of self-destruction. She afflicts survivors by creating an electric pulse that flows in a straight wave, that extends for several feet in front of her. When affected their progress may go backwards, either destroying any progress they had made before or not even getting far in the first place. Maybe at the highest tier of her pulse ability, Survivors might go into a “drowsy state” where they will have to do a skill check or two to not fall asleep, this leaves them open for attack but if the survivor falls asleep and is woken by a survivor/killer they return to tier 2. They would need to escape The Patient and “relax” to lessen the effects.

Her weapon is a chipped baton, ripped out of the hands of her main watch guard as he bled out.

David King (The Boar) - David King was meant for greatness, in this life or the next. He squandered his success, all in his search for a good fight. While out drinking he met a shady man who took interest in his fighting prowess, and offered him an experience even more thrilling than his less-than-legal underground tournaments. Two men go in, one comes out, gladiator style. It took David one night to agree. He grew notorious in the underworld fighting circuit, wealthy spectators paid extra to watch King’s own unique style of brutality. He was a bloody mess, and his victims were worse off in every aspect. His “Manager” gave him a unique reward, a boar’s skin, said it would liven up the crowd if they saw David wearing it. David couldn’t give a shit if he tried, as long as he got good competition.

He was soon more animal than man, taking extra measures to make the losers “squeal” for his own personal pleasure. He soon disappeared abruptly, his manager admitted that David King simply left and never came back. Sure, King was his best fighter, but even he wasn’t stupid enough to order the beast around.

The Boar’s Power is Beastly Brutality, when a survivor is downed the brutish man will grab their leg and break it, applying the Fractured Status effect. Until healed the afflicted survivor will be slowed and unable to vault, They will also grown audibly. If the Fractured status effect is reapplied, the grunting is less frequent, until it’s barely noticeable the next time it’s applied(The Boar’s base speed would be similar to the Huntress’ to give the survivors a fighting chance). There is also a “Struggling” action where the survivor can try to pull away from David until he gives up and carries you or wins. His secondary ability can be used after every two hits with his base weapon, where he tosses the Pig Skinner to his other hand and strikes a survivor with his balled fist after gaining a short speed burst. This will distort the survivor’s vision and make their ears ring.

He wields “The Pig Skinner”, a cleaver with a broad blade and long handle. Of all the weapons he used to mutilate his opponents, this one was his favorite, besides his own hands of course.

Quentin Smith (The Sandman) - Forever haunted by endless nightmares he set out to do the impossible by avoiding sleep all together, slowly destroying himself in futile attempts to avoid the necessary part of human life. His parents were forced to admit him to a hospital when it began to make a toll on his health, where he met familiar faces(whether he remembered them fully or not) with similar problems. When a friend took his life in front them all, he broke, and set out to escape. In a desperate attempt to “save” Nancy, the only one who believed him about the “darkness“, as well he proceeded to murder the staff that tried to restrain him. He escaped into the surrounding woods, vowing to return for Nancy. When the entity collects him he desperately searches the realms for her, hoping to save his fellow victim in this life now that he had failed in the other.

He’s severely sickly from sleep deprivation, and his eyes are permanently closed, this does not affect his eye sight. He wears the clothing the hospital provided, with noticeable burn marks leaving holes in them. His Power would be Dreamwalker, when used the survivors will experience “Micronaps” slipping into the dreamworld where the Sandman may harm them. The Sandman can only interact with survivors doing “Skill“ actions, such as healing and gen fixing, afflicting them with “Fatigue”. They are now on a timer until they “rejuvenate” themselves with a health kit(by healing to full health), every ten seconds they will enter a Micronap for ten seconds, in a continuous loop until fatigue is lifted. The Sandman can attack during the entire time you are in fatigue but is invisible outside of Micronaps, only his red stain reveals his location during these brief moments.

His main weapon is a fire axe, meant to be used for emergencies but stolen in his escape.

David Tapp (The Detective) - (The Following is based on the first Saw Videogame, where Tapp had to travel through an asylum until being given a choice at the end of the game. He could’ve chosen “Freedom”, the canon ending where he gave up his search for Jigsaw and freed all occupants of the Asylum. Or the alternate ending, which I’m following for this au, where his obsession makes him choose “Truth” which results in the death of an innocent.)

His choices made him who he is, in his obsession he had cost the deaths of many. He was as equally guilty as jigsaw, and the mastermind took advantage of this fact. Detective Tapp died that day, and whatever was left took up the dying man’s offer to join him. As an officer, he knew who deserved punishment, and became another valuable asset of Joh Kramer. During one kidnapping, where he accidently killed a victim before they could be tested, he vanished. Jigsaw was disappointed, but not surprised, he had already lost another disciple before and there were always more who could be taught.

He wears his old uniform, the bullet proof vest provides better protection than the red robes his coworkers wear. A pig mask, modified by a wire frame under the latex to give it structure. Leather straps ensure it stays in place without obscuring his vision.

The Detective’s Power is called Night Watch, he carries a large flashlight that acts as his secondary weapon. When using it, any survivor that is caught in it’ s light will be stunned for 2 seconds and have their aura highlighted in yellow for 30 seconds. The flashlight can charged to flash brightly, this blinds the Detective for a few seconds but any survivor who sees the flash will be put into the exposed state for 16 seconds. The flashlight works as long as it’s beam is in the survivors line of sight, ie. like how flashlights work for killers.

His main weapon is a Modified Bat, nails have been driven into it to increase the damage it can cause. What was once evidence is now his tool to free his victims.

Kate Denson (The Siren) - One must always be weary of the dangers of travelling alone, who knows what kind of people you could meet. Men who can’t take a hint, who do not like to be told no. It was not her fault, she simply wanted a quiet place to write. The woods nearby reminded her of home, but one must always be careful when wandering away from civilization. The man from yesterday still hadn’t let it go, this time he brought along friends to convince her. She was a fighter, but they played dirty, so she had to run when she spotted a window of opportunity. One of the men stopped her easily, and she fell as her guitar splintered into several pieces over her head. They had killed her, or so they thought. They were prepared to leave her in the river to be swept away, but she woke up kicking and screaming, they would be caught if anyone heard her voice so they silenced her with a nearby rock.

Kate Denson was reported missing after she ceased all contact with her family, her Chevy was later found abandoned in the woods. The law enforcement already had enough on their hands though, in only three days several bodies had been found in the river. There were no sign of struggle, it was as if these men jumped into the waters by choice. Anyone passing these woods would swear they heard singing from deep within, but no one had ever been brave enough to look for the source of such a beautiful voice.

Her Power is Song of Remorse, a mournful song that entrances survivors into letting their guard down. If survivors are in the radius of her song they will be “Enchanted”. Similar to madness, it applies different effects as it’s tiers increase. Survivors can snap enchanted teammates out of it, or they can “clear their thoughts”. Clearing thoughts will make the survivor’s vision blurry for 5 seconds.

Enchantment Tier One - An image of the Siren’s face will flash on screen for a second, darkening the screen for a moment until the image fades away. This will happen every 20 seconds. A quiet humming will be heard for 2 seconds after these flashes occur.

Enchantment Tier Two - Whenever a Survivor attempts to drop a pallet there will be a chance that they do the action without actually pulling it down. The flashes will now occur every 10 seconds. Quiet humming can be heard for as long as the survivor is in this tier.

Enchantment Tier Three - Nonsense singing fills the survivor’ s ears, obscuring all other noises. Survivors can no longer heal, drop pallets, or fix gens. All flashlights will point downwards.

Her main weapon is the Driftwood club, her prized guitar now acts as the handle of her makeshift weapon. Driftwood, old rope, and what remained of her guitar have been crafted together to ensure only the most devastating of blows.

Adam Francis (The Ember) - It’s difficult to break such a disciplined man, but not impossible. The crash left him in shambles, but the person he failed to safe was left as a smear. He refused to die, dragging his legless body even as flames began to spread. For the first time in his life he displayed weakness, and allowed himself to feel fear. Death, the ultimate end, or at least so he thought. Something dark loomed above him, dark whispers making offers. Even as he bled out, he chose to think of others. He had a feeling that whatever deal he made, it would not end well, the last hope he ever had was that that young woman he failed was saved. He closed his eyes as flames devoured him, dark tendrils dragging him away.

When he awoke, he’d find a fire contained in his own body, now a hollow shell of the man he used to be. Lacking legs he instead floats in place, he breaks pallets by striking them with his weapon.

The dutiful Ember uses his Power, The Onibi’s Lament, as a way to close the distance between him and far away survivors. Activating his power makes a small orb of fire containing his soul shoot out of his corpse’s midsection. His corpse stays behind as a husk, with the player now controlling the orb to bypass pallets and quickly search for survivors for a short period of time. When the power is stopped, either by cancellation or the power bar going empty, his husk disappears and he silently “reforms” from the ball of fire. As a ball of fire he can harm a survivor once by running into them, but this automatically cancels the power and the “reforming” takes a few seconds to finish(think of Wraith’s uncloaking). His secondary ability is releasing a harmless decoy Onibi, to fool survivors into thinking he’s a harmless husk. The false orb goes in a straight line until it either hits something or fizzles out.

His main weapon is the Steel Shrapnel, a jagged piece of metal from the train wreck that had embedded itself in his arm.

Jeff Johansen (The Unseeing) - Losing one’s sight is a horrifying experience, especially for an artist. One fight and he was forever changed, his shyness promptly became a need to isolate himself. Even though he attempted to adapt to his new life, dark whispers in the back of his mind never allowed him to forget what he lost. He began to dream, and as if guided by invisible hands, he began to sketch what haunted him in his mind. A dark mass of unknown shape, with hundreds of arms reaching out in search of something. He created several drawings, greatly worrying his mother. Jeff left home without a word, and seemingly fell off the earth’s radar. A series of murders began, a bloody trail from Winkler to Ormond, nicknamed the Mural Murders due to what the police assumed was the killer’s calling card. A mural, in blood, paint, or other materials, depicting a many armed creature could be found on any wall or flat surface near the bodies. The trail went cold and the murders were left unsolved.

Jeff as a killer looks similar to his Heavy Metal skin, though his clothing is covered in numerous paint stains. His eyes have been touched by the entity, making him more vulnerable to flashlights.

The Unseeing’s Power is called All-Seeing Entity, a gift from the entity that allows him to hunt and steal the sight of survivors. The Unseeing will always see the maps as a pitch black abyss, all surrounding items in his terror radius are highlighted by a white glow. Aka, this is how he can find survivors while physically blind. Holding down his power bottom will make him release a harsh yell, any survivor caught in the yell’s radius will be cursed with “Dying Sight”. A two minute time will begin, the survivor’s vision will slowly be consumed by darkness until they are fully blind by the time the timer runs out. Once blind they cannot see at all until they’re downed, which restarts the timer. Survivors can cure their Dying Sight by finding a fellow survivor and being healed to a completely healthy state by them, Dying Sight is not affected by Self-Care or medkits.

His main weapon is a sledgehammer, a tool with a surprising use in his art. It reshapes rigid materials to his liking.

Jane Romero (The Idol) - No matter how influential you get, or how famous you become, nothing will drag you out of the pit of your own creation. Stress builds, expectations become increasingly more difficult to meet, and sleep becomes a rare luxury. It all builds up, until one final straw breaks your back. Did Loretta Lawrence expect to die, by the hands of a daughter she declared not hers? Envy fuels hatred, and when all you see is red, what’s a little blood gonna do? Jane wears her mother’s dress, the beautiful gown she wore for the interview that led to her demise. When Loretta’s body was found in her dressing room, everyone searched for Jane, it was as if she vanished. Many of her loyal fans refused to believe she’d done it, leading to an increase in sales for Jane Romero sponsored products.

Her Power is called Shattered Reflection, giving her the ability to leave behind copies of herself while the true body went on the prowl. She can create a total of five "Reflections" without add-ons, if she creates a new reflection after using them all up, the oldest made reflection will disappear. Survivors with flashlights can destroy copies, however it’ll take about 10 seconds. Reflections have a simple AI that allows them to move around a bit like an NPC, if a survivor is close enough they can strike once. If they land a hit the survivor goes down one health state and the reflection disappears. Each reflection has a small terror radius. The idol will receive a notification when a reflection is destroyed, a survivor is in a reflection’s small terror radius, and if the reflection lands a hit on a survivor. The survivor’s auras are highlighted for 6 seconds.

Her main weapon is a Glass Shard, a piece collected after she smashed a mirror in frustration. It’s size and shape ensure damage equal to a knife.

Notes

- David’s Boar Skin is based of the Greek Erymanthian Boar

- Dwight is similar to the ghosts in Silent hill 4

- At least two of these powers were inspired by a DBD clone called Soul at Stake

- I tried my best to make each power fair and interesting, but I guess it’s up to your opinion to know if I succeeded

- My favorite concepts are Ace, Adam, and Quentin’s

- Ace’s backstory was inspired by a character in the movie “13 Ghosts”

- Yes there are Survivor Versions of the killers

- If it’s not clear, Adam wished to save Rin Yamaoka after failing to save her in this au. You can probably guess how the entity “saved” her

- Asks me questions about this au if you like, there’s a bunch of details I left out because it was already long as is

#dbd #dead by daylight #dbd au #deceased at sunrise aus #this post contains all survivors from Dwight to Jane #too many to list #killer au

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scribe-the-write-thing · 5 years

Text

The crew of the Felicite.

So, I’ve posted about the three main characters -- well, that’s to say POV characters; Jess, Theodor and Cecil. This is an exploration more of the other characters that are also present.

And oh boy its a long one.

Buckle in.

Taglist: @ps-nippets @the-musings-of-michael @quilloftheclouds @cawolters

Beginning, first, with the crew of the Felicite, the vessel captained by Jess.

Aksel Kristiansen

A blacksmith and craftsman originally working from Tortuga -- from swords to metal jewellery, Aksel made his craft at the forge. A found quite a bit of coin in it, too; though that may have also come from making his own forgeries. Aksel met Jess upon her return to Tortuga after Emmerson’s death; and they became fast friends, with him joining her and Theodor on the Felicite, and fighting with her during her mutiny. He became her boatswain, with his no-nonsense nature and efficiency, he was the perfect choice to divide the spoils among the crew, and ration where need be.

“You’ve been here sorting supplies all day; have you even seen the daylight?”

Aksel slams the crate of maps down atop the barrels, looking up at her, thoroughly unamused. And she flashes back a lazy grin in return -- because Aksel would never be truly angry with her, despite his posturing and threats.

“Perhaps if certain people stopped moving them, I wouldn’t have to.”

Theodor -- he always means Theodor when he goes so vague. Certain people. Some members of the crew. Select individuals. He refers to everyone else by name if he needs to; which is a rare occasion, Theodor is about the only one that ever stirrs up trouble for his ridgid order.

Jess snorts, stepping aside to allow Cecil through, waving her hand vaguely at Aksel.

“And this grumpy bastard is Aksel, boatswain. If you need any supplies, he’s your man; but be aware, he’s rather stingy when it comes to rationing.”

“I’m fair. Everyone gets their share of what they deserve.”

She rolls her eyes, leaning sideways against one of the barrels. “Unless they’ve got a little extra coin to throw your way, huh?”

“First come first serve.” He shrugs, a small smile playing on his lips. “Though if you’re nice I might put the nicest treasures aside, just for you.”

Daithí Ó Maol Fábhail / Lavelle

A wandering merchant and self-proclaimed bard, Daithi found himself on a vessel from Ireland, eventually settling in Port Royal and making his way as a trader, singing the occasional song for extra coin. After a drunken night in Tortuga, Daithi found himself volunteering on a Privateer vessel known as the Felicite -- and later joining the mutiny aboard it. Daithi is the youngest, widely regarded as somewhat of the ‘baby’ of the group. Daithi finds his closest bond in the newest member of the group, Cecil -- mostly out of being glad to no longer be the ‘newcomer’ despite being there months.

“Perhaps if we’re lucky, Daithi might sing for us tonight.” Jess says, with a hum. “Boy has a voice as sweet as honey, I would swear he was half siren.”

“Awh, Jess, you’re makin’ me blush.” Daithi replies, hopping up onto the barrel next to her. “’course I will. Just don’t let Theodor choose the songs again. He made me sing ‘bully in the alley‘ five times last time.”

“It’s a song that really resonates with me.” Theodor says, with a huff -- though he still sounds amused.

“Oh we heard how well it resonated with you. You always insist on singing along.” Jess chuckles. “You sounded like a drowned cat.”

“I did not!”

“He’s right Jess, he didn’t really.” Daithi shrugs, though his expression quickly melts back into that goofy grin. “I’d say he sounded more like a choking seagull.”

Einari Heikkilä

A gunsmith initially doing business from within Port Royal -- trading underhand to less reputable men on the side. Einari found his most loyal customers in the crew of the Felicite; to the extent that when the law finally came calling, he found his new home aboard their ship as a part of the crew. Einari finds his closest bond in Theodor, with the two most often being found together, despite Einari being relatively quiet himself in comparison. He finds Theodor’s confidence and general loud ways to be something to be admired.

Theodor’s hand is slapped away before he can so much as brush his fingers over the gun.

“I thought I told you not to touch anything.”

“I was just curious,” Theodor grumbles, pulling his hand back and crossing his arms over his chest with a mock pout. “I only wanted to hold it. It’s a nice design, is all.”

“You can hold it if you buy it.” Einari doesn’t even look at him, so focused with fiddling with the gun on the workbench -- at least it looks like fiddling to Theodor; he’s never understood how it’s actually goes towards fixing it. “You don’t exactly have a reputation of being careful with your weapons.”

“It’s not my fault they stop working.”

“They don’t just break for no reason.” Einari says, and Theodor can see the faintest trace of a smile quirking his lips. “I know you tinker with them. Break it again and I’ll shoot you myself. Write out ‘idiot’ in bullets. Send a nice message.”

“Seems a waste of ammo.” Theodor says, with a non-chalant huff, leaning back against the wall. “Jess would kill you in turn for that. You could get the job done just shooting me once.”

Florian Krause

Originally from Germany, Florian is a tailor -- and makes it clear that it’s a profession he feels goes unappreciated. Florian found himself working in numerous villages and towns before boarding the Felicite before its commandeering by Jess, joining her mutiny when it began. Florian attempts to introduce a little style into the life of the crew -- or at least to make sure they aren’t running around in torn rags. Whether it be making warm blankets and clothing, or repairing clothes torn in escapes and battles, Florian is determined to earn due respects for his skills.

“You what?” There’s surprise in Florian’s tone -- but it’s minor. There’s not even anger, or distaste, just some resigned disappointment. Cecil wonders, briefly, how often he’s dealt with this. He doesn’t mean to stare, and knows really that he should leave now he’s done here, but some part of him wants to see how this will play out.

Theodor doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest.

“I cut all the sleeves off my shirts.”

“Oh.” Florian nods, stiffly. “I thought that was what you said.”

“So can you fix them? Before Jess finds out? She’s going to be angry otherwise-”

“Yes- But first let’s just, go back a bit-” Florian clasps his hands together, seemingly trying to will away his confusion and fully comprehend the situation. “I just have a question.”

“Yes?”

“Why?”

“Why not?” Theodor shrugs. “Jess was asleep. I wanted to see what would happen.”

“Right.” Florian inhales deeply, closes his eyes -- and Cecil can pratically feel the frustration wafting off of him. “Why your sleeves?”

“Thought my biceps might want to breathe. Just felt like trying short sleeved for a while.”

“Fair enough.”

Jay Burnett

A half Senegalese, half-Haitian originally sailing with smugglers from Haiti, Jay is a demolitions expert with a love for all things fire-power and cannon-related. Jay met Jess during a barfight in Tortuga, after she saved his life from a stray bullet. After a long night of drinking, the two became fast friends; both due to a similar heritage/history and their taste for adventure. Jess brought him aboard for his knowledge, and he has remained one of her closest companions since. As explosive as his talents, Jay has a love for experimenting and finds a willing fellow experimenter (and occasional test subject) in Theodor.

Jess sighs, deeply, adjusting her head to rest against his shoulder -- the scent of smoke and ash drifting to her nostrils almost immediately, but she doesn’t have the strength or the will to move her head away, even if she wanted to.

“You still stink of explosion.” She murmurs, softly, wrinkling her nose.

“Better than you, you still smell like damp seawater.” He chuckles, softly. “And you look like a drowned cat.”

“You’re one to talk.” She replies, nudging his side, shifting her head to glance at the frazzled locks. “You’re actually singed.”

“All for the good of science.”

“You and your experiments. I think Theodor’s still smoking from your last one.”

“Hey, that wasn’t my fault,” Jay says, fauxly-indignant, she can see the playful smile quirking his lips, hear the humour in his tone. “I told him to throw the firework as soon as I lit it. He was the one that hesitated.”

Serefina Cassara

An ex-nun, originally from Italy, who left behind her country and life in pursuit of more excitement in her life. Either stowing away on a ship, or travelling with smugglers, Serefina sought out the Caribbean, soon finding herself in Tortuga and bonding quickly with Jess -- and soon taking up her offer of being aboard her ship, a rarity considering so few allowed female members. Serefina became something of a ‘mother’ to the crew, working as a medic and last form of a moral centre. As of late, she has bonded most with Cecil, taking him under her wing as he is inducted into the way of life aboard the ship.

“So you think... that I- that everyone here, can be a good person?”

Serefina pauses, eyeing Cecil carefully for a while, long enough for him to begin to wonder if he’d offended her, perhaps.

“Maybe not good people, but passable ones.” She says, finally. “They’re trying. And rules are different, here; I don’t think it fair to judge any of them as being strictly bad people. They may do bad things, but they do good too. Neither outweighs the other.”

“But I- and you served as a nun- so you must know...” He trails off, tries to find the correct wording for what he’s trying to get across. “Isn’t everything... against-”

“I think that, if there is a god, he doesn’t particuarly care what we’re doing. There’s plenty of other things to worry about.” She shrugs. “I’d worry less about what he thinks; and more of what you think of yourself. We all have our own codes, our own standards; as long as we’re sticking by them, all else follows.”

#how to pirate #h2p #writing #writeblr #character introduction

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recentanimenews · 5 years

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Shield Hero Fans Rejoice As Naofumi FINALLY Gets to Upgrade His Party!

Come one, come all, for it's that time you've been waiting for every week: Shield Hero time! If you haven't watched this week's episode of The Rising of the Shield Hero, please shield your eyes from these spoilers!

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Naofumi, Raphtalia and Filo kick off this episode by arriving at the newly changed the Four Heroes Church; not only does it have a spiffy new crest that includes the mighty Shield, but now the BEST TEAM can finally upgrade their classes! It was about time, really! But... something's up. Raphtalia and Filo were unable to choose their preferred class. What's going on here?

Yes, they were succesfully able to upgrade the classes, but they couldn't choose the one they wanted. That's kind of a buzzkill after FINALLY being able to upgrade! According to our fierce Queen, some special items can affect the whole class upgrade process, locking them into specific classes, even if it's not the class they wanted. For Filo, that probably means that cute cowlick she got from Fitoria.

When the Queen heard the name "Fitoria", her eyes shone like stars! Could it be... she also loves Filolials like Melty? YUP! They both share an inmense love for our adorable feathered friends! Melty told her awestruck mom the details about Fitoria: her size, to her feathers, and even that she rode Fitoria in her majestic bird form. I hope Fitoria is ready for a visit from another member of the Royal Family!

But enough of that, why did the Queen suddenly call them over to the castle? Remember that celebration they talked about, but Naofumi wouldn't go to it? It's happening on that very night. A disgruntled Naofumi complains, but the party is all but a front; there's something important that the Queen has to tell all four Heroes. What could it possibly be?

Our team has no choice but to get ready for these... "festivities". But not before Naofumi plants a new seed of worry! He apologized for the whole class upgrade fiasco; he just wanted them to choose their upgrades freely so they'd be okay after he's gone. After he's..."gone"? That's definitely not what Raphtalia and Filo want! What's going to happen when that time comes? Hopefully this party will be actually be fun so they can ease their worries about what he said. And hopefully this "party" will be as painless as possible for Naofumi... one can only hope!

Melty rejoins the BEST TEAM for the duration of the party, YAY! Naofumi's off with the other Heroes for their vital discussion with the Queen... but wait, who's that?!

Oh dear... It seems like the disgraced ex-princess is up to no good! No worries, though, Melty's on the case!

As if that twist wasn't enough, a drunkard has made his way to the table and has chosen to be a total pig towards Raphtalia. Seriously, CAN YOU NOT?! He made himself known as one of Itsuki's cronies, and he declared that as long as they have him, they don't need any OTHER heroes. Is this guy for real? He's not making any friends at this party, that's for sure!

To make matters worse, this guy made the terrible mistake of calling the Shield Hero a coward. Raphtalia has had ENOUGH, and now she's ready to throw down! I guess that's one way of spicing up the party.

With all the commotion going on... oh look, it's the disgraced ex-princess skulking about in the food prep area. Of course she'd try to have her revenge by trying to poison the Shield Hero team. NOT TODAY! Unfortunately for her, she got caught red-handed by the great Melty!

MEANWHILE, the four Cardinal Heroes are once again reunited, and... yeah, it doesn't look like they're BFFs yet. Naofumi once again reflects on Fitoria's words, and decides that it's time to clear the air with them so the Waves will be easier to take care of. The Queen starts the conversation with wanting to make it up to the Heroes after that whole ugly situation with the Three Heroes Church. With the Cal Mira Archipelago activating soon, she wants them to reap the most benefits as they possibly can with the boosted XP they can all earn. Time for a leveling party!

Naofumi had no idea this was a thing, and he gets mocked for it by the Idio-, I mean, the Spear Hero.

Before they can get further into their discussion, word of Bitch's poisoning attempt reaches the Queen. Of course, the Spear Hero is quick to defend her, but what can ya do with someone who refuses to acknowledge what's going on and change for the better?

But enough about her, let's get to the heart of the discussion!

The Queen finally lays out in the open that the constant infighting between Heroes has prevented them from leveling up as necessary to take care of the Waves. They wasted so much time bickering that they forgot what was truly important! The extra boost that they'll get in Cal Mira will fix that (what are the chances of THAT timing?), but they all need to play nice and exchange information to work and fight together as one.

Of course, the three freakin' Stooges (Sword, Spear and Bow) object to that! What the heck...they haven't learned anything, have they? Looks like they need a wake-up call.

If the three Hero Stooges don't cooperate, it could very well be the end for them; they'll pay with their lives! Y'all remember how easily they lost the battle at the last Wave while Naofumi had to carry their butts to survival? Well, there's the possibility they wouldn't live through the next one. They ALL need to rally up to take on the Waves, otherwise, not only will they likely die, but the world will pay for their negligence to team up properly.

Alright, so they finally decide to talk, but their first questions is where Naofumi got the "cheat shield" from... Dear LORD, nevermind, just tape their mouths shut so they never speak again!! All of this has been a culmunation of Naofumi's hard work, but they still called it a "cheat" item. Can you believe these guys?!

The other Heroes begin to relay what they know, like how to copy weapons, to easy crafting and even teleportation. This is something that Naofumi didn't even know; no one bothered to tell him about any of this!

"I'll tell you the secret to growing stronger," says the Bow Hero. Okay, let's hear it! It's all about weapon rarity? But the Sword Hero notes that's a lie, and it's more about proficiency. Yet, apparently that's not right either? The Spear Hero says that it's actually about refinement and stats. These... are all different answers. And their help screens differ in information too! So it's apparent that each hero is working on a different system the second they were transported to this world. Will this info actually help out Naofumi? What a mess...

Bickering and fighting went on both in this meeting and in the party as well! Are folks able to come together to try and conquer the threats that the world is facing? From the looks of it, it's a lost cause!

Thinking on all the different ways the other Heroes detailed on how they got around in this world, Naofumi reflected that maybe they weren't lying about it after all. And as soon as he thought that, the option to copy a wepon was unlocked for him! What luck! Time to go raid some shields at the shop! But one thing to remember: it looks like Naofumi's system is dependant on hearing details about how one does a particular skill, like the weapon copy.

Aww yeaahh, now the BEST TEAM is ready to level up lots in Cal Mira! Before they get to that, Raphtalia requests an important pit stop.

The remnants of Raphtalia's village lay bare for all to see, but the most touching act is that the remaining villagers buried the recovered bodies of their loved ones, including Rifana, to welcome them back home and ease their spirits to rest. It would be wonderful if this village could go back to how it used to be: happy and full of hopes and dreams.

In the midst of wondering whether he could do more to help, Naofumi runs into a random traveler asking about a village. Could this be a potential new member to the BEST TEAM?

It's time to march on, but Raphtalia can't help but worry about how all of this will end. Will they conquer the Waves? Will Naofumi forever disappear when all of this is over? There's no way she'll let that happen! But Naofumi mentions that there's no way that he'll leave them behind, especially not with the other three Idiot Heroes around! But how much of that is the truth? Naofumi at some point has to go home to Japan, right?

Our team finally make it to the pier, where there's only one ship at the dock ready to depart. OF COURSE, all the other Heroes took all the available rooms, leaving none for Naofumi and his crew... They sure love to hold grudges! Now Naofumi has to share a room with...

Hey, it's that guy Naofumi met at Raphtalia's village! What are the chances of that? Will this guy be a friend or foe? Will he side with the other Three Hero Stooges or will he be a valuable ally to the Shield Hero Team? And how many levels will they all gain in Cal Mira? You'll have to wait until next week's episode to find that out!

But now's the best part of the week... YOUR reactions! Let's check out how y'all liked this week's Shield Hero episode:

Just watched episode 22 of #ShieldHero. Good episode. Glad to see the four heroes beginning to share information, although they seem to have different mechanics. Kinda sad Melty will be staying at the capital, but it makes sense as to why. I want to know what class Filo is now...

— CascadeHope (@CascadeHope) June 5, 2019

Naofumi is much better than the other Shield Hero pic.twitter.com/dBHg1wyevj

— Juan ???????? ❤ ???????? (@jc_the_pony) June 5, 2019

From The Queens Childish side of her liking Filolials like her daughter was Adorable. And the long awaited reveal of the the Red haired character wielding a Scythe we saw in the anime's opening 2. Episode 22 was nice and light hearted ????????#shieldhero pic.twitter.com/OAxRK0NLNJ

— Sovik Pan???? (@sovikpan48) June 5, 2019

Today is a good day, because both Senko San and Shield Hero come out today! Wednesdays are always amazing now <3 pic.twitter.com/7KYfh0eJFs

— Pat || PlayerTwo ???? (@owTreyalP) June 5, 2019

The Rising Of The Shield Hero Episode 22 (Review) Did We Just Meet Two New Team Members!? XP Island!https://t.co/TdEQKOCqu3#TheRisingoftheShieldHero Was pretty fun and good at points this week, i kinda wish they tell us more about his skills, Etc pic.twitter.com/qCKNeAlpUF

— The Anime G (@TheAnimeG_) June 5, 2019

People choose shield just because of rise of a shield hero https://t.co/dr75ZGfWhg

— Lamix (@Lamix_0) June 5, 2019

When will these people learn to not bad mouth Naofumi in front of Raphtalia ???????????? #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/ukgmuOpWvk

— Chandler Ingram (@Chandler_Ingram) June 5, 2019

One door closes as another opens. Great transition between arcs. Glad they kept Raphtalia paying respects to her village. Now it's time to get tropical with the Cal Mira Islands ???????? #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/Nh8Y8cZUig

— Chandler Ingram (@Chandler_Ingram) June 5, 2019

L'Arc and Therese hype!! ???????? Anime nailed their designs so well #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/HMsAPQiTBc

— Chandler Ingram (@Chandler_Ingram) June 5, 2019

Literally less than one minute appearance in Shield Hero and already in love with this redhead ???????????? pic.twitter.com/40bk7NFCRh

— ???? Έτσι είναι η ζωή ???? (@Hoejabixx) June 5, 2019

rising of the shield hero :)) pic.twitter.com/oh48YbJTzn

— Ernest Rafael (@InfiniteBlnk) June 5, 2019

@ShieldHeroEN Even though the Queen has to be serious at the most crucial times, even she can have her inner fangirl moments when it comes to the Filolial Queen. ???????????? #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/xnTLW0EOk7

— Urzu 38 - ????????FFVII: R TEASER TRAILER???????? (@SlvrIceDrgn1981) June 5, 2019

I’m ready for the new episode of Shield Hero pic.twitter.com/xtiAJXrMiq

— Anime Anonymous (@AnimeAnonymous) June 5, 2019

New key characters in today’s episode of The Rising Of The Shield Hero pic.twitter.com/3Q5Y8yTqDi

— Austin-Sensei (@LordOfOppai) June 5, 2019

Give some love to the official Shield Hero Twitter and Facebook fan page where you can discuss the latest episode with fans every week!

Watch The Rising of the Shield Hero on Crunchyroll

----

Nicole is a features writer and editor for Crunchyroll. Known for punching dudes in Yakuza games on her Twitch channel while professing her love for Majima. She also has a blog, Figuratively Speaking. Follow her on Twitter: @ellyberries

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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blueangelicrose · 5 years

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A New Beginning: Chapter 5(part 1):A Deal Made and a Piece of Freedom Lost

As Joan pinpointed where their destination was, she realized that their belongings were gone! She was about to ask Adrian where their bags were, especially the big brown one. But before she could he spoke out, "And before you ask me where our luggage is, it's right behind us." Joan turned around and right before her eyes their luggage was levitating a few inches from the ground. And what was making this happen, was what appeared at first glance, three little glowing white orbs. "Really Adrian? You're making the caretakers carry our luggage?" Joan gave him a look that said, "Seriously?"

These 'orbs' were actually light fairies that Joan had picked up and adopted from her time that she spent in the fantasy realm for business purposes. (One of her 'adventures' from eight years ago.) The three fairies were triplets, a rarity to have in the realm of Fairy, especially if they were from the Light elemental faction. Joan and Adrian was given special permission, from the King and Queen of the Fairy realm, to have them, (the triplets), as assistants/family members of the famous hybrid family of Heaven. The triplets names were Lillian, Lorelei, and Lucille. Lillian was the oldest of the three of them. She has long, silky, and wavy hair that she would prefer to wear loose. And always prefers the most elegant and fancy things. That also includes her wardrobe. Lorelei was the middle child. She has semi-long, soft, and curly hair that she prefers to be in a ponytail than any other hairstyle. She's very athletic and old fashioned; and prefers things that are vintage or very antique-like. This also includes her wardrobe. Lucille is the youngest of the trio. And she, out of the two of her sisters has the shortest and straightest hair, and prefers to have her hair in cute pigtails. She also prefers things that have significant meaning in her and other's lives. Doesn't matter whether if it's shiny, fancy, or old. As long as it has meaning, she'll be interested. They were given the important task, by Joan and Adrian, of being the caretakers of the 'Void'. Or in other words, beings that takes care of and organizes the things that come into the 'Void'. On the authoritarian scale of one to ten, one being the top dog and ten being the bottom. Joan would be a 4, Adrian would be a 6, and the triplets would be a 7.

Even though that the triplets were technically underneath the both of them, status wise, didn't mean that Adrian had the authority to order them around like they're servants. Joan was about to say this, but before she could, Adrian cut her off once more and said that he politely asked them to keep their stuff safe while he and Joan were in the casino and to make sure that no one saw their luggage unattended. The triplets supported him in his decision to give them the important job of looking after their stuff until they left the casino. So, all in all, the girls didn't mind doing at least this much. The triplets reassured Joan that they willingly did this for both her sake and Adrian's and that they were not forced in any way. Thanks to that witness testimony, Adrian was spared from Joan's nagging wrath, for now.

Joan let out a heavy sigh, and held her head as if she was having a headache. Then continued towards finding the convention before the day was over. After about an hour or so, they reached to a barren dead end alleyway, or so it seemed. Joan and crew went all the way in the alleyway, and as soon as they did, Joan reached out and gently touched the brick wall, and quietly but subtlety chanted a spell that was in an ancient language that could only be described as Holy. Then, as she was chanting her spell, a Holy magic circle appeared from her hand and was projected onto the wall and started to glow. And as soon as she was done, the bricks slowly started to disappear, and revealed another part of Inkwell Isle, that not even the residents themselves know exists. The streets were filled with food and crafts vendors and along side them, were shops that sold various things that came from multiple dimensions and could only be bought and sold there. The streets were lively with angels, nephilims, and any other creature that serves under God. She even saw a few familiar faces along the way, and wished them well during their time at the convention.

After a few minutes of walking down the street, they finally found the hotel where the convention was being held. It was an impressive looking hotel. Fancy and imaculate to the T, and the service was fantastic! They made their way to the front desk in the lobby, and asked if a Nephlim named Lynne Blanca Star was there. And the manager replied, "Why, yes. Are you by any chance her daughter, Joan?" Joan smiled and nodded her head vigorously in agreement. She then showed the invitation to the manager to confirm his guess. He smiled and said, "Alright then, miss Joan, please follow this bellhop boy to show you to her room. She's been eagerly awaiting for you." She couldn't believe it! She was going to finally meet her mother after all these years and actually spend quality time with her!

When they finally reached the room, Joan gave the bellhop a decent sized tip and sent him away. As she was knocking on the door, she tried to keep her cool until she got in. And before they entered the room, Joan made sure that Adrian kept his mouth shut about what happened today and to make sure that the money that they won was kept in the 'Void'. And if her mother asks where they got the money, "Just tell her that we won the lottery. It'll work, I know it will. Because it happens to you a lot!" Adrian couldn't argue with her on that logic, especially if it was true. Then finally a gentle, loving, caring, but powerful voice spoke up. "Come in! The door is unlocked!" Joan was excited but nervous at the same time. Which was understandable since she hasn't been able to see her in over a few thousand years. As they opened the door and walked slowly in, they saw a beautifully pale, milky white skinned woman with rosy cheeks. She had beautiful and flowing bright blonde hair and had a gorgeous looking flower crown dawned on her head. She was also wearing a beautiful, silky, and flowing pure white dress, and had pretty, but cute, white comfy looking flats on her feet. She was peacefully and calmly reading one of her favorite books. When Joan spoke up, her mother's face shot up with surprise, and a beautiful and wonderful smile spread across her face and her eyes twinkled with longing to love her daughter in her arms.

Her mother quickly got up from her chair, and ran right into Joan's arms. The both of them hugged each other so tight that not even an andaconda can't match or even survive from their grip. Joan breathed deeply in her mother's scent, she smelled of roses, gardenias, lillies, and lavender. She desperately missed her mother's scent. It was so comforting and relaxing, that one sniff from her mother just melted all of Joan's problems and worries away. "So what are we going to do today?" Her mother eagerly asked. Joan smiled and said, "Anything you want to do, as long as I'm with you, I'm fine." Her mother giggled and said, "Oh you! Stop it! Both you and your sister definitely inherited your father's silver tongue and his loving nature and personality." She wasn't wrong about that. Her father loved her mother with a burning passion. Nothing could separate those two from loving each other. Not even death himself could separate them. It was thanks to her parents incredible love for each other that she and her sister were able to be born. And she was forever grateful that she was born from her. This loving and wonderful woman loved Joan and her family so much that her mother would move or possibly destroy an entire mountain for them. She couldn't ask for a better mom. Joan asked if her sister came by yet to spend time with her. Her mother told her that Joan had just missed her. She said that Josephine left the Isle early this morning, but said that she would come back soon.

Joan rolled her eyes, and replied, "That's Josephine for you. Always on the move." Switching the subject Joan encouraged her mom to immediately get started on doing stuff together, and that they did. All throughout the day Joan, her mom, and the crew spent the entire day playing, eating, laughing and having a good time. But time is a fickle thing, the more fun you have, the more time seems to pass. As the convention drew to a close everyone packed up their things and started towards Heaven and their home realms. Joan sadly gave her mother a hug and kiss, then waved good bye as she saw her mother ascend the Heavenly staircase. As they went back to the hotel, they were expecting to head towards their rooms and stay there until it was time to leave the Isle, or at least steal back the locket and then leave Inkwell. But fate has a funny way of doing things. When they arrived at the entrance of the hotel, there was two people(?) standing out front, waiting for them. As they got closer, Joan recognized the uniform that one of them were wearing. She then grew concerned and wary of her surroundings. As they finally approached them, she noticed that their luggage was right beside them. Joan was about to ask how they managed to get their stuff from their room without the key card. But before she could, the female stranger spoke. "I'm sorry to do this to you, but I don't really have much of a choice." This stranger wore a casino bouncer uniform, and she knew who the uniform represented. The female stranger also had a fancy but fearsome looking French styled sword on her waist belt. And at first she looked like an normal African American human woman, but then she noticed all the stitches and battle scars all over her body. Oh, and did I mention that her right arm was cut off and replaced by a functional robotic-like fake arm? She looked like Sally from the movie, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' except more fearsome looking. And standing right next to her was a semi-tall humanoid cigar man with flashy gangster-like clothes on. She asked them who they were and what business that they had with them. The woman sighed and introduced themselves. "Hello, my name is Victoria Doll and this is my colleague, Mr. Wheezy."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma'am." The cigar man, Mr. Wheezy, spoke in an accent that she swore she heard before but couldn't remember where she heard it from. "And for the other thing you asked, well, here. This will do the talking for me." Victoria handed her a yellowed and worn out looking note that emitted a hideous aura. She hesitated at first, but then grabbed the note, unfolded it, and read the words that were in red ink(?). It said, "If you ever want to see your beloved locket again, then come back to the Devil's Casino and meet me in my office. I'm sure we have a lot to talk about."

To Be Continued....

End of chapter 5 (part 1).

To be continued in chapter 5 (part 2).

Guest star appearance: Victoria Doll

Not my OC.

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fuzzballsheltiepants · 6 years

Text

Purrtrait of a Disaster

All For the Game/The Foxhole Court. Neil is conflicted, as usual. Next in the Mewment Like This series. Read the rest: Name Games, That Cocky F*%!ing Smile, and Imagine Me and Mew, Too F*%!ing Deep , Don’t Freak Meowt, and Absolute F*%!ing Ridiculous. On AO3 if you prefer. TW for panic attack.

Neil cursed inwardly when he realized neither Jean nor Jeremy were at the pub when he got there. He checked his phone. He was almost half an hour early. Damnit.

He strolled up the street for a couple of blocks until the cold leached through his clothes. Like an idiot, he’d left his jacket at home, taking the daytime warmth for granted. With a sigh that made the air gust white in front of him, he turned and shivered his way back.

Ducking through the crowd, he made his way up to the bar. He ordered Jeremy’s favorite craft beer and Jean’s wine, and a ginger ale for himself. The bartender snorted at him. “I’m going to need to see some ID, kid.”

Maybe Nicky wasn’t exactly wrong about how he came across. He fished his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out his license. The man examined it, eyeballing him suspiciously before tossing it back at him. He snatched it out of the air before it hit the counter and stuffed it back in next to his social security card.

A girl bellied up to the bar next to him and ordered some drink with a weird name. These always baffled Neil; he still didn’t understand why someone thought Anus Burner or Cock Sucking Cowboy were appealing names for a beverage. The girl didn’t get carded, Neil noticed, though he was willing to bet she was younger than he was.

There was a game on the TV over the bar and the flash of a white jersey caught his eye. Baseball. Spring training. Why must they put baseball on at the earliest possible moment? There weren’t even real games being played yet and they were already melting his brain cells.

“Hey,” came a voice next to him. He turned to find the girl looking at him, a smile playing on her lips. “I’m Marissa.”

He stared at her blankly. Was that supposed to mean something to him? Had Jeremy invited someone along and he’d forgotten? “Neil,” he said, feeling his cheeks heat.

Her smile grew. “I’m supposed to be meeting my friend here but she just texted me that her asshole boyfriend is making her have dinner with his parents instead.” Clearly not one of Jeremy’s friends, then. He wondered why she was telling him this. “You waiting for someone?”

“Yeah.”

“Girlfriend?” she asked, lips pursing into a pout.

“My coworkers.”

“Well, you should hang with me instead,” she said, brushing his arm with her hand. “I’m much more fun.” He glanced down at her hand on his arm and wondered why she was touching him. He didn’t mind, exactly, but it was strange.

“I like my coworkers.”

“Trust me,” she said with a little laugh that sounded fake. “You’ll have a better time with me.”

He stared at her, confused about why she was so sure when she didn’t even know him or his friends.

“He’s not interested.” Jeremy appeared next to him, Jean right behind him. Neil almost sighed in relief.

“Who are you, his boyfriend?” There was a hint of acid in her bubblegum voice and Neil went rigid at the change.

Jeremy smiled pleasantly. “Just his friend.”

“Then you don’t get a say.” She looped her arm through Neil’s. “You want to come with me, right, Neil?”

Neil looked at Jean and Jeremy. “She wants you to go home with her,” Jean said in rapid French. “If you want to we won’t stop you.”

Neil responded in kind. “Why would I want to do that?”

“Do you want to sleep with her? If you do we won’t stop you.”

Neil recoiled slightly, almost yanking his arm out of Marissa’s grasp. “You can’t be serious.”

Jean gave a wry smile. “I’m pretty sure she is.”

Neil’s stomach twisted. He had no interest in her, not least because he didn’t need to try to imagine the girl’s reaction if he let curiosity get the best of him and actually said yes. Even the FBI agents and doctors had not been able to hide their revulsion at the scars that littered his body. To some people the ones on his face made him seem interesting, but nobody had ever seen him without a shirt on and been anything other than disgusted.

She tugged on his arm, a little impatiently. “What are you guys talking about?” she asked, pouting.

“I was asking him about a project at work,” Jean said smoothly.

Marissa rolled her eyes. “See, Neil, I told you I’d be more fun.”

“I’m not here to have fun,” Neil said, wondering why she was still touching him. “I’m just here for trivia night.”

Jeremy choked on his beer and Jean looked amused. Marissa’s expression turned frosty. “Well, good luck, then,” she said, her tone indicating that she hoped he’d die painfully in a sea of stupid questions, and she released his arm and disappeared.

“Hope you don’t mind I interrupted you back there,” Jeremy said after they had found a table and ordered their burgers. “I didn’t mean to cockblock, I just thought you looked like you needed help.”

“I did,” Neil said. “I still don’t know what her deal was.”

Jeremy’s expression was impossible to read, which was a rarity. “She wanted to sleep with you.”

“Yeah, I got that from Jean. I just don’t know why.”

Jeremy and Jean exchanged looks that Neil had no chance of deciphering and didn’t answer his question. Jeremy jotted down their team name—Les Quizerables, and yes, Jean had come up with it—and they waited for the game to start.

“I think we should change the name,” Jeremy said around a mouthful of burger while the guy in charge got the computer set up.

“You think the name is why we keep losing?” Jean said, his accent drawing out his disdain.

Jeremy shrugged. “Can’t hurt, right?”

“What would we change it to?” Neil asked. “‘And In Last Place Is…’?”

Both Jeremy and Jean laughed. “Fuck off, Neil,” Jeremy said, but he sounded affectionate.

It was their usual debacle, Jeremy being good at sports and movies and Jean at music and none of the three of them doing much more than brain freezing for any other questions, even the obvious ones. Neil knew two answers, an all-time high. Jean and Jeremy seemed oddly disturbed that one of the two was that a human has nine pints of blood. Neil himself was more agitated by the fact that he knew Baltimore was Maryland’s largest city. It took him a minute before he could stop smelling the odd mix of fish and garbage that permeated that city’s streets.

For the first time, they didn’t finish last. Jeremy’s celebration at being second to last seemed a bit overblown, but Neil thought that was the beer talking. He was just relieved to get back to his apartment and cuddle with a very needy King for a while. He started a text to Andrew: A girl tried to pick me up tonight—but deleted it. As much as he wanted to talk to him about it, it seemed wrong to do via text. Instead he typed out did you hear why god created snakes before lawyers? He waited a while for an answer but his phone remained silent and eventually he dropped into a dreamless sleep.

He startled awake and glanced around the apartment, reaching instinctively under his pillow, his hand closing on nothing. There was a faint scratching sound that his brain recognized after a few agonizing seconds as King using the litter box. He slumped back down in his pillows and dropped his arm over his eyes. Shit.

As he lay there he found himself getting more awake instead of less. He squirmed around, trying to get comfortable in the tangle of his blankets. It didn’t help that he was hard. Usually if he ignored it it just went away after a while, but he knew from experience that he was more likely to fall back asleep if he helped it along. With a sigh that sounded aggravated even to his own ears he grabbed the tissues off the nightstand.

His mind skipped around as he stroked himself lazily, half of it focusing on the sensation and half skimming the surface of the things he had to do that week. The image of Andrew, standing squarely in front of that giant splash of a red painting, popped into his head. Then of him outside, the sunlight turning his hair and eyes into different shades of gold. He froze: he had never thought of anyone while doing this, not like that. He’d never…pictured someone. But he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if it was Andrew’s hand on him instead of his own. Or his hand on Andrew—

When he came, it was more intense than usual. And when he dropped back onto the bed after cleaning himself up, sleep was nowhere to be found.

*****

Part of him was dreading running into Nicky at the gym, but it occurred to him as he changed in the locker room bathroom that he may be able to do a little reconnaissance about Andrew. Nicky looked almost startled to see him and came over while Neil was still setting his water in the treadmill cupholder. “I wasn’t sure you’d come back,” Nicky said by way of greeting.

“It’s raining,” Neil answered, puzzled.

Nicky just looked at him for a moment as he started the treadmill up at a walking pace. “I do want to apologize. I really should have let you know what I was thinking.”

Neil nodded. “It’s all right. I’m sorry I bailed.”

“No, I get it. Andrew bailed too. It meant I didn’t have to cook all weekend though so that was good.”

Guilt tugged at the pit of Neil’s stomach. “I do want to hang out with you guys,” he said as he turned the speed up to a light jog. “I just don’t want to be set up.”

Nicky brightened. “You want to come over tonight?”

Neil pictured his apartment, blank except for King. “You guys want to come over instead? You can bring that movie you were talking about and I’ll order something.”

“Lemme check with Erik!” Nicky scrambled off and Neil set in to really run.

By the time he had finished, Erik had replied that he would meet them at Neil’s apartment with the movie and food. Nicky’s shift was over and he was waiting for Neil when he came out of the shower. King was startled by the appearance of an extra human but remembered Nicky quickly and was soon doing her best to trip him by twisting through his legs.

“Aww, baby. I’ve missed you!” Nicky cooed and picked her up. He was the only person other than Neil she allowed to do so, and Neil couldn’t help but grin as she settled onto Nicky’s shoulder and sniffed his cheek. He surreptitiously took a picture and sent it off to Andrew.

Your cousin’s not all bad

A minute later his phone vibrated in his pocket. I see how it is

Neil put the phone away. The last thing he needed was for Nicky to notice. He snagged one of the beers he kept in the fridge for just such an occasion and brought it over to Nicky. “What’s the story with Erik and your cousin anyway?” he asked.

“Oh, that.” Nicky made a face. “Andrew—he’s a great person, but he’s not exactly the warm and fuzzy type, you know what I mean?” Neil nodded, though he couldn’t say he agreed. “Well, a couple of years ago he and his brother had a huge fight and Erik sided with Aaron.” Neil felt an unpleasant jolt. He hadn’t even realized Andrew had a brother. “Now Aaron lives in Chicago and Andrew lives here.”

“So you sided with Andrew?”

Nicky shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Not really. I mean, I kind of saw both sides of it. I kept thinking they’d get over it but it’s been almost three years and they haven’t spoken.” He petted King for a moment. “It’s funny, everyone always thinks Andrew’s the stubborn one, but I think he’d let it go if Aaron would. But Aaron just can’t. I guess it was one thing too many.”

Neil wanted desperately to know what had happened, but he didn’t feel right pushing further. It was a relief when the buzzer sounded and he had to get up to let Erik in. The movie involved some people of various colors, a talking raccoon, and a walking tree riding around in a spaceship blasting old music. He was completely lost within five minutes but he didn’t really care. Nicky and Erik were laughing and King was purring in his lap and it was good. Not the same kind of good as wandering through a museum with Andrew, but good all the same.

He had never known there were so many different kinds of good. So many different little flavors to happiness. It had started with the weight of a brass key in his hand, and now…now there was laughing Jeremy happiness and purring cat happiness and smiling Nicky happiness, and a dozen different types of happiness centered around Andrew.

Nicky and Erik left a little after nine, and Neil pulled out his phone. You still up?

The phone rang a minute later and he couldn’t keep from smiling as he picked it up. “Well that answers one of my questions.”

There was a brief pause, then Andrew said, “What makes you think it was God who created lawyers?”

Neil laughed. “Okay, that’s a better answer than I had.”

“Of course it is.” He sounded exhausted, his voice wrung-out and slow.

“Should I let you get some sleep?” Neil asked.

“You’re the one who had to deal with my cousin tonight.”

“Eh, Nicky’s fine.” All his questions jumbled together, fighting for primacy, and he ended up not saying anything.

“Spit it out, Josten.”

Neil opened his mouth and closed it again, wondering how Andrew could tell over the phone. “I, uh, didn’t know you had a brother.”

Andrew snorted. “Is that what has you all wrapped up in knots? Yes, I have a brother. And no, I’m not going to kill Nicky for telling you.”

“Any other hidden family members I should know about? Wife and two kids, perhaps?”

That earned him a tired laugh. “Of the two of us, I am not the one with secrets about my family.”

An icy knife twisted in Neil’s gut. He pulled the phone away from his ear, instinct screaming at him to hang up, destroy the phone, get out get out get OUT. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, louder than the desperate pull of air through his teeth. For some reason the room was going blurry. He tried to take a step, but his knees were weak and he ended up crumpling onto the couch.

“Neil. Neil. NEIL.” Muffled cursing was emanating from somewhere near his abdomen when he finally got a deep enough breath to be able to register. He fumbled around and felt the hard edge of his phone. Huh. He thought he’d hung up. His thumb found the red button and pressed it and he fell and he fell and he fell.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when the buzzer to his apartment rang insistently, pushing through the fog. King was curled up against his side, a tiny island of warmth. He buried his cold hand in her fur and she gave a quiet chirp and tucked herself more tightly against him. The buzzer sounded again. And again.

They were all dead or in jail, he reminded himself, all of his father’s people. There was no one left to come after him. He would have been notified if anybody had been released. With an effort, he pushed himself to his feet and stumbled over to the door and answered. “Yes?”

“You’re alive.” Andrew.

“I’m fine.”

There was a beat of silence, then “Okay.” There was something in that word—resignation, or maybe just fatigue—that thawed Neil.

He pushed the button to unlock the door. He had no idea if Andrew was actually coming up or not; his legs still felt shaky underneath him, the room a little surreal. After a couple of minutes there was a single knock and he opened the door.

“What the fuck, Neil.” There was no heat to his voice; Neil thought he would have preferred it if there were.

Neil just pulled the door wider and waited. Andrew stared at him for a long moment then came in. He looked even more worn than he sounded, as if something was rubbing sandpaper across his facade and showing the cracks underneath. “You look like shit,” Neil said.

“Likewise.” No doubt, but that was pretty much always true for Neil. Andrew usually was so self-possessed, it was startling to see him like this. Neil went into his tiny excuse for a kitchen and started heating water, then got out two cups and dropped tea bags in them.

Andrew picked up the box of tea. “I had no idea you were actually a middle-aged woman,” he said, reading the label. “Your disguise is excellent.”

Neil flipped him off with one hand and poured the water into the cups with the other, then set a timer. The scents of lavender and chamomile drifted through the apartment and Neil breathed in deeply. The ground settled beneath his feet, and he wasn’t sure how much of that was from the tea and how much from Andrew’s solid presence.

When the tea was done steeping Neil carried his over to the couch. Andrew followed. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“I…” Neil took a sip of the too-hot tea and tried to think of a way to tell the truth and not violate his training. “My parents are dead,” he finally settled on.

“And that is why you had a panic attack.” His tone was mild but there was an undercurrent of skepticism.

“Isn’t that leading the witness?”

“Who’s the judge here? Your cat?”

King had fled at Andrew’s knock but had reappeared on the top of her tower and was looking down at them both. In the dim room she was mostly eyes. “Aren’t cats always judging us?”

“I call bias in this case.” Andrew took a cautious sip of his tea and made a face. “Why does this taste like an attic?”

“I was unaware an attic had a taste.” Neil set his mug down and went into the kitchen. He found the vanilla-infused sugar cubes that he had grabbed at Whole Foods once by mistake and had been trying to figure out how to get rid of ever since. He dropped one in, then at Andrew’s gesture, a second.

“When did your parents die?” Andrew asked. Neil noticed he didn’t ask how.

“My mother died six years ago, and my father the year after.”

“That’s some bad luck.”

Neil couldn’t stop himself in time. “Not really.”

That damn eyebrow went up but Andrew didn’t comment; just drank his tea, evidently more tolerable and less attic-y with the sugar. “My mother is dead too,” he finally said, and there was no grief in his voice. Just an odd note of satisfaction.

“And your father?”

“I’ve never met him.”

“Some people have all the luck,” Neil muttered, then flinched. He didn’t know why his edit button disappeared every time he was around Andrew, but he needed to watch himself. Especially since Andrew was a lawyer, or almost.

Andrew stood, giving no indication that he had heard him. “Now that I have confirmed you’re not dead, I’m going to go get some sleep.”

“You can stay here, if you want,” Neil offered, then flushed when he realized how that sounded. “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.”

“I don’t sleep well in new places, and I already didn’t really sleep last night,” Andrew said, tugging on his jacket.

“Thank you,” Neil said. Andrew didn’t acknowledge him. When he reached for the door, Neil asked, “How did your mother die?”

Andrew turned to look at him. “Drug overdose. My brother tells everyone it was a car accident.”

With that, he was gone. Neil went through the motions of getting ready for bed. He took out his bottle of Ambien even though he already felt like he had run a marathon, but after a moment put it back unopened. He set the alarm on his phone, then opened up Andrew’s text window. My father murdered my mother he typed into the box. He shut off the phone without hitting send and lay back, staring at the flicker of streetlights playing across the ceiling until finally sleep swept him under.

#aftg #all for the game #neil josten #andrew minyard #andreil #jean moreau #jeremy knox #nicky hemmick #erik klose #law student andrew #panic attack #a mewment like this #my writing #tfc #the foxhole court

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veridium · 6 years

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OC Interview Meme

I have been tagged by @dickeybbqpit to do this wonderful interview, this time I will be doing it for everyone’s favorite petite, sweet badass, Olivia!

I am tagging @orlesianbard, @wardenofmyheart, and @ladylike-foxes but if you have already done one already I’m sorry! whoops!

This is an UNNOFFICIAL face-claim that I am having stand-in for an image since I do not have access to playing DA:I right now in order to craft her character!

1. What is your name?

Well, that would be Olivia.

2. What is your real name?

...Olivia? Oh, I’m so silly, you’re probably suggesting my full name. That would be Olivia Berenice Sinclair.

3. Do you know why you were called that?

My father got to choose my first name, but my mother insisted that ‘Berenice’ be put in somewhere. It’s funny to think I was almost a Berenice, actually! I wonder what my nicknames would be? Hm. Well, my name also means ‘peaceful victory,’ which is a testament to my father’s virtues. If only he knew who he was naming.

4. Are you single or taken?

Oh my goodness, *laughs* how hilarious would it be if I were to tell you I had no sweetheart, if Cassandra heard? She would be so bothered. But, I suppose that means I should say I am happily in love with someone. A certain Seeker who looks very attractive when she’s sparring, and filing reports, and...well, most everything she does.

5. Have any abilities or powers? Besides the power of persuasion? Oh yes, silly, I am a Mage. I did not develop any particular elemental abilities when I was in the Circle -- I preferred Apothecary and Natural sciences. I can make most anything blow to smithereens, or turn to mush, or chemically break down. That is a hard-won skill, I must say. The construction personnel here are not particularly fond of me, now.

7. What’s your eye color?

They are a light hazel, though the Seeker insists they are honey-gold. Oh, whoops, *giggles* should I have not said that? Does that complicate her tough persona?

8. How about your hair color?

Blonde, like my father’s. It was very fair when I was small, but gradually it’s turned darker.

9. Have you any family members?

Hm, well, yes. My father passed many years ago, but I imagine my mother is still alive and well -- I would have received a letter dictating the contrary otherwise. She lives on our small estate in the northeastern countryside of Orlais. Then there are my relations on either side of my family tree, though I was never very close with them. My cousin was the only one I had contact with, and she has recently passed.

10. Oh? What about pets?

Oh, no no, not for me. I could scarcely find the time! I like going for walks out on the trails and watching the wildlife just fine. I don’t need any other tasks to manage. Although, I must say, it would be adorable to have Cassandra be around a puppy, don’t you think?

11. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like.

Oh, my, well. That would be...hm. Men who think they know more than me because they see I am pretty, and petite, and kind. Most Orlesian food, besides those little chocolate pastries, uh, I can’t remember the name. The Ambassador would know.

Other than that, I suppose unkind people? I really don’t pick things to dislike in my life, they find me.

12. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing?

Making explosive substances is always riveting. But, when I’m not hard at work, I enjoy bathing with candles, reading, walking around the fortress...sometimes, I sit by the fire with Varric and he tells me about his writing. Don’t tell Cassandra, but I know what happens in the next book of Swords & Shields.

13. Ever hurt anyone before?

Yes, yes, but is that really a rarity around here? I can’t find a person who is a tried and true pacifist. Also, if you have done the work I’ve done, and made end’s meat like I have had to, you find nonviolence to be an impossibility.

14. Ever… killed anyone before?

..Technically?

15. What kind of animal are you?

Animal? I could tell you the human speciation term, if that is what you are referring to. But, I am confused as to what you are referring to other than that.

16. Name your worst habits.

Oh, drats. I’m a terrible workaholic. Really, I could spend overnight hours here in the tower if I get a project that I an enthusiastic about. I am also very silly and clumsy, I’m afraid. If it isn’t precise measurements or recipes, I tend to knock into things or stumble.

17. Do you look up to anyone at all?

Plenty of people! My friends, Veronica, Naomi, and Theia, the Inquisitor. They are strong and wonderful souls, and I am so blessed to have them in my life. Cassandra, because she is so brilliant and just...well, just amazing. Vivienne, because she is so endlessly confident in herself. Dorian, because his humor is wonderful and he is terribly intelligent.

I suppose the better question would be who I don’t admire!

18. Gay, straight, or bisexual?

Hm. I love people, I do, but...I would be content never knowing the attention of a man ever again. With Cassandra I feel as though that is no longer a concern, but, I would say I prefer women.

19. Do you go to school?

Yes, I was a very attentive scholar. My mother sent me to school in the Capitol when I was of age, and before that I was tutored. I showed great promise in the performing arts, so when I got a bit older my schooling was focused on those talents most of all.

Truth be told, I consider my time in the Circle the most educationally nourishing time of my life. It was where I found something I was passionate about, and now I am here serving the Inquisition with all that I learned.

20. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day?

Marriage was one of the first virtues ever instilled in me, so I...hm, I really don’t know if I have an objective taste for it! I think if the conditions were right, and I felt like I wasn’t giving up a life I wanted to lead, it would be something I would consider.

Children...children, I don’t know. I don’t believe I learned from the right person how to mother, and thus I am not confident motherhood is my fate. There is so much of this world to see, and so much to do, besides be a mother. I could easily spend the rest of my days finding out what all those things are, and not bring a child into this world.

*Laughter* I just imagined what it would be like to proposition Cassandra about parenthood and just the image of her complexion turning to snow, it’s priceless! I may have to steal that question.

21. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls?

Besides the children that insist I be their best friend, I suppose not. I am a controversial person here, I believe. A former harlot and Circle Mage, who has no ensnared the heart of one of the most faithful Chantry figures who could be the next Divine? That does not exactly make me the world’s favorite person.

Surely, I don’t see why not, though. I consider myself a splendid person.

22. What are you most afraid of?

Veronica and Theia when they get into arguments. Naomi and I have to almost threaten freezing them to opposite walls in order to get them to cease. Other than that, I don’t have any real fears.

...Okay, well, my dreams would suggest otherwise, but I am not defined by my trauma as a Mage. I believe fears to be unexplored understandings.

23. What do you usually wear?

I have a couple dresses that are simple and practical, that I wear day-to-day. When I travel, it is typically to the Capitol, so I wear more fitted and formal attire. But, for all other excursions, I prefer a light patented armor I had specifically made for me. It is nimble, flexible, and sturdy -- and I must say, makes my butt end look positively delectable.

Nothing beats a masterful seamstress. Absolutely nothing!

24. Do you love someone?

Yes, I love many people! Well, alright, I struggled with romantic love for a long time. I had signed myself away to a life of no real romance, and no true love, to protect myself. I felt calloused from my upbringing along with my experiences as a rogue harlot.

Now, though? Love has been redefined for me, and I intend on exploring its depths for as long as I can. It helps to have someone who inspires such a new direction in your life.

25. When was the last time you wet yourself?

Oh, never! Never, ever, surely. How could you ask such a silly thing? *Giggles.*

Although, on many an occasion, I have stained my dresses in such a way where it looks like I had an accident. Those always make Cassandra chuckle when I come back from the tower.

26. Well, it’s not over yet!

What fun this has been, I’ve never been interviewed about my life in such a way before!

27. What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class)

Well, being a Mage, I am pretty nomadic in life. But, I was born into a comfortable gentry life with my family, so, I could say I’ve experienced multiple areas of class in my short life. I don’t need wealth, though, as much as I have depended on its proximity. I like a quiet life where I can do what I want to do.

28. How many friends do you have?

Oh, many! Many dear friends in my life, whom I adore. There’s the girls, and then some of the allies in the Inquisition -- have you by chance met Cole? He’s such a dear. Ambassador Montilyet and I have much in common. Vivienne and I have struck a good reporte as well.

Friends are wonderful, and I am fortunate to have them in this stressful and uncertain time.

29. What are your thoughts on pie?

Oh! My goodness, you reminded me that tonight there is to be thindleberry pie in the kitchens. I have to bring several spices for it before dusk hits, or else it’ll be terribly bland.

Pie? Pie is delicious. The crust bottom is the best part.

30. Favourite drink?

Honeyed tea, just warm enough to make my tongue tingle!

31. What’s your favourite place?

Somewhere in the countryside with pastureland and woodlands. Oh, and anywhere the Seeker is. *giggles*

32. Are you interested in someone?

Yes, of course. I am interested in you, for example. Where did you come from, and why did you search me out of all people?

33. What’s your bra cup size and/or how big is your willy?

*Giggles* Precisely one-Seeker’s-hand’s worth.

34. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean?

Lake, because that would suggest there is lush land around it, and I love valleys and meadows where there are flowers and trees to enjoy.

35. What’s your type?

Someone honorable, who is passionate about what they do! I cannot be with anyone who is apathetic or uninterested in life’s intricacies. Someone who is kindhearted and has respectable virtues. Someone who loves to be impulsive and silly sometimes! There has to be sweetness to balance out life’s bitterness.

Oh, and I have to say, if they have dark hair and battle scars, that also melts my lard, if you know what I mean.

36. Any fetishes?

*Laughs* No! I don’t need them to be creative.

37. Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive?

I prefer the term “Persuasive.” But also, I’m afraid I’m far too flexible and nimble to simply remain on a pillow. I have talents, and just because I’m no longer utilizing them to survive, doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy partaking in them.

Plus, it is thrilling to find out what makes someone with an assertive and dominant personality feel more...comfortable. *giggles*

38. Camping or indoors?

Camping, certainly! And with those wonderful fleece blankets that come out of the Hinterlands? Agh, there is nothing more beautifully engrossing.

39. Are you wanting the interview to end?

I mean, no, but I do have a kettle of jasper elixir on the fire and it is temperamental once it gets to a certain temperature. Oh, I should show you what it is when we are done here! It turns water into....well, you’ll see!

40. Now it’s over!

Oh, splendid! Let’s go, I have much to show you!

Thank you again for tagging me!

#oc stuff #olivia sinclair #oc meme #long post #I love bby Olivia

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grandfates · 7 years

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A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO...

Hi all! With the upcoming NA release of Fate/Grand Order on June 25th, I thought I’d write up a beginner’s guide on how to get started! There’s a lot of things I wish I knew when starting the game, so I’ll compile some advice into this post!

This guide will assume that you have finished the tutorial and will have three parts:

1. Terminology - What Does X Mean? How Does It Affect Battles? 2. Powering Up - Craft Essences, Skills, Interludes, and Grailing 3. Team-Building - Picking a Team You Like, and Some Suggestions

If you want to peruse the information yourself, some helpful resources are below. I’ll do my best to keep this updated, so keep checking back on the original post.

-Fate/Grand Order Wikia (X) - Provides tons of guides and explanations for beginners. Acts as a database for Craft Essences, Servants, and more!

WARNING, THE BELOW SITES CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE GAME’S STORY AND FUTURE EVENTS.

-Cirnopedia (X) - A database for Craft Essences, Servants, and more! Provides guides for events. -Reddit (X) - The F/GO Subreddit thread. Usually provides helpful guides on events and Servants and whatnot. May be spoilers heavy.

Now, without further ado, let’s begin!

1. TERMINOLOGY In Fate/Grand Order, Servants have skills. Some of these skills buff or debuff things like “Star Absorption Rate” and “Debuff Resistance.” These are all referring to traits, some of which are hidden. Let’s use two examples: Hans Christian Andersen and Child Gilgamesh!

All Servants have Passive/Class Skills, which are visible on their profiles! (Don’t worry about the Japanese, if you’re playing the NA Version it’ll be in English.)

Passive/Class Skills typically give you boosts to damage, resistance against certain status effects, or increase the likelihood of casting a debuff on an enemy. The descriptions will generally be self-explanatory!

Hidden Stats are a little trickier. You have to go digging for these because they aren’t located on a Servant’s profile! But having a general understanding of them can help you make a good team.

Let’s compare Andersen and Child Gil. Using Cirnopedia or the F/GO Wikia, we bring up their hidden stats:

Whoa! There are some huge differences in those stats! But what do these numbers mean?

NP Gain (Attack/Defense): How quickly you fill up your NP bar when attacking or being attacked. The higher this is, the faster you can smack your enemy with your special move!

Star Weight: The rate at which you absorb critical stars. This is also affected by star absorption abilities. Each turn, your Servants can produce critical stars which are then distributed next turn, allowing you a chance of a critical hit! The higher this is, the more stars your Servant will absorb.

Star Rate: The rate at which you produce critical stars. The higher this is, the more stars you’ll create!

Death Rate: The lower this is, the lower your chances are of being insta-killed. This doesn’t come into play too often, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

Traits/Attributes: Only comes into play with certain attacks or skills. Again, I wouldn’t worry about it too much unless you have a Servant targeting a specific one.

“Wait!!” You cry out! “I don’t want to pull up a wiki each time I make a team! That’s an absurd amount of work!”

Not to worry! You don’t have to memorize the actual numbers unless you want to play a little more hardcore. All classes possess a certain propensity for certain stats. In general...

Casters have the fastest NP Gain. Riders have the heaviest Star Weight, followed by Archers. Assassins have the highest Star Rate.

But I cannot emphasize enough that everything depends on the unit you use. For example, the Caster Irisivel has abhorrent NP Gain -- only 0.42% when attacking! Ouch!

Furthermore, skills and team set-up may mitigate some weaknesses. Putting a Rider and an Assassin together allows your Rider to make tons of critical hits while your Assassin makes it rain with stars! If you don’t want to look up the numbers, the best way to figure out which unit works for you is through trial-and-error. Think of it like Pokemon ;)

2. POWERING UP Now that you’ve received a crash course on Servant stats, let’s talk about how to make your Servants the best they can be. In the game, you may roll something called Craft Essences from the free or paid gacha!

Think of these as equipment for your Servants. All CEs confer an extra “skill” to your Servants while giving them a lil stat boost. They may boost your attack, boost your defense, allow you to heal more, and so much more! It’s all in the description, so this section will be fairly short ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

I cannot emphasize this enough: participate in events! Events typically have limited CEs that they give out for free or in the paid gacha. And a lot of these are super useful!

You’re also capable of doing something called Limit Breaking. This means you combine 4 copies of the CE in order to boost its effects. This also raises its level!

In regards to max leveling CEs - I don’t suggest it. It uses a lot of time and resources that you could be better spending on your Servants.

The rarest of all CEs are Max Bond CEs. These are only unlocked after you’ve achieved a full 10/10 Bond with your Servants. Depending on your Servant, they may possess powerful effects beyond normal CEs! The only downside is that they must be equipped to the Servant they’re attributed to. You can find them all on this page.

Skills are abilities Servants can use in battle! You’re able to level up skills much the same way you can level up a Servant, through materials and QP. Since these are self-explanatory--and somewhat expensive to raise--my suggestion is to raise the skills you use the most. The difference between a Lv. 1 (10%) and a Lv. 6 skill (15%) may give you that edge you need to win!

Interludes and Strengthening Quests are a series of battles you can undergo in order to strengthen your Servant’s skill or NP! I highly suggest these since a) Interludes include a mini-scenario where you learn more about your Servant’s personality, b) you typically gain a Saint Quartz from completion, and c) it makes your Servant stronger in battle.

Finally, Grailing basically raises your level cap for your Servants. You receive a Grail each time you complete a chapter or participate in certain events. This is especially helpful for 3* and below Servants, whose survivability are often limited by their HP!

There is no right or wrong way to Grail. Some people use their Grails on only their most powerful 5* while some use their Grails on 2*. It’s wholly up to you and it depends on which Servant you love the most. The best thing about F/GO is that smart team building can often overcome the absence of a certain unit. There is no “one super powerful” Servant, so choose who you want to raise!

3. Team-Building As you play F/GO, you’ll find yourself changing your teams frequently. Some bosses require a different approach than others, so plan accordingly! And don’t be frustrated if something doesn’t work out. Some battles are a matter of trial-and-error.

Since everyone’s Servants will be different, here are some general tips:

1. How Am I Dealing Damage? Are you using a Berserker? Will you rely on NPs? How you build your team will depend on how you choose to beat up the enemy! If you want a Berserker/Buster-oriented team, choose Servants that can buff your main attacker or whose card set-up can create Buster chains. If you’re aiming for a critical-oriented team, don’t put multiple Riders on your frontline! All those stars will go willy-nilly and that’s asking for trouble.

2. Does the Enemy Have a Gimmick? Are they an Assassin whose NP gauge fills up rapidly? Is it a Demon Pillar, which makes it strong against Sabers, Archers, and Lancers? Do they have a dodge skill? You won’t always know what enemies have in store for you, but once you’ve had enough experience with certain maps you’ll have an idea of how to prepare.

3. Does My Team Synergize? “Well,” you say, “if it’s a matter of damage why don’t I just put ALL my 4 and 5 stars into the same--”

Stop right there!! Attack isn’t the only thing that matters in F/GO. If your team synergy is terrible, the fight won’t go smoothly for you. Furthermore, Servant costs add up very quickly if you’re relying solely on 5 stars.

The above team, while full of SSRs, doesn’t give much in the way of CE choice. Even if it does work, you’re relying primarily on brute force. Which, granted, isn’t a bad way to play but it can only get you so far. For one, almost none of these 5* skills aid each other. If your team needs a boost, they won’t get that increase needed for maximum damage.

Keeping Tamamo in our roster, we use her ability to boost Arts and combine her with some fellow Arts boosters! Since Robin and Kuro have powerful single-target Arts NP, the idea is to spam as much of their NP as possible. Caster Gilgamesh and Andersen are capable of providing stars, so this essentially creates a nifty Arts-Critical team meant to kill Saber bosses quickly.

And the cost is just right!

4. Get Yer Mystic Codes Get all of them as soon as you can! Different Mystic Codes allow you to cast different buffs on your Servants, which in turn allows you to diversify your team set-up.

And finally, the one question everyone wants to know: Which Servants should I roll for?

Keep in mind that a 5* rarity =/= a good Servant. I have several 5*s on my Japanese account which I don’t use because they’re extremely niche and don’t perform as well as my 4*s or even 3*s! I’ve listed some free gacha Servants my friends and I have found helpful, but this is by no means a solid guide.

1. Mashu (Shielder) - 3* Raise. Mashu. As much as you can. With 0 cost, invulnerability, defense up, AND a taunt that raises your NP bar, she’s one of the best Servants you’ll ever have. And you get her for free! Don’t neglect your kouhai. Love her.

2. Cu Chulainn (Lancer) - 3* There’s a reason why so many people use Cu even when they’ve gained higher star Servants. With Guts, Dodge, and Debuff removal, Cu is legendary for surviving almost any situation you throw him into. With the right support, this dog can outlast anything.

3. Hans Christian Andersen (Caster) - 2* A cheap and versatile healer. His NP provides ATK, DEF, and Star Gen up while also healing 1000 HP per turn. His skills also provides critical stars and increases critical damage.

4. Robin Hood (Archer) - 3* Easily one of the best Archers in game, and with his possible damage output, it’s easy to see why. Provide him with a good Arts support team and he’ll kill any Saber you point him at with ease.

5. David (Archer) - 3* With his group-wide Dodge Buff AND removal of debuffs--not to mention his ability to increase the party’s attack--David is an excellent support Archer who can fit on most any team.

6. Euryale (Archer) - 3* Euryale fits a specific niche: killing male enemies and doing it well. With her charm and powerful NP, she’s able to stall off the enemy’s NP and attacks while killing them with a smile.

7. Sasaki Kojirou (Assassin) - 1* If you need a cheap Assassin who can deal a huge amount of critical damage, Koujirou’s your man. There’s a reason why he’s called the Savior of France when the game first launched.

8. Any Event Servant - 4* In events, you sometimes gain a free Servant that’s fairly easy to level up and final ascend. Collect as many of these as you can. The developers themselves have said they intended these Servants to act as 4.5*s and they’re sometimes powerful enough to overshadow some 5*s in certain situations.

I can’t really speak for which paid gacha Servants (4*/5*) you should roll for. From my experience, the ones most people want:

Sabers: Lancelot, Nero Claudius, Altera Archers: Tristan, Artoria Pendragon, Ishtar Lancers: Elizabeth Bathory, Scathach Riders: Martha, Francis Drake, Anne Bonny & Mary Read, Ozymandias Casters: Zhuge Liang, Tamamo no Mae, Merlin Assassins: Carmilla, Jack the Ripper, Shuten Douji Berserkers: Hercules, Nightingale, Cu Chulainn [Alter], Ibaraki Douji Extra Class: Jeanne D’Arc, Jeanne D’Arc [Alter], Martha [Ruler]

Some Servants are story-locked, which means you’ll have to clear a certain chapter before you can roll for them. You can check this by looking up their page on a wiki.

Again! Keep in mind that rarity =/= usefulness. It all depends on what you need as a player.

And that should about wrap up my guide! Don’t forget, the most important thing is that you have fun. Fate/Grand Order is a unique experience in that it combines a visual novel with a gacha game. There’s so much to read for almost every character and I hope you find a character you love while playing this game. And, of course, that you enjoy the wonderful story that lies ahead of you :D

And if you’ve got any game-related questions, send me an ask at my main blog, @tackypies! I’d be more than happy to help!

#fgo #fate grand order #fsn #fate #my writing

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Text

An Evening of Moonlit Skies

((My entry for Pony Prom 2017, in collaboration with Indigo Skies!))

"Wow, if I thought this place was pretentious before..."

Tank Buster glanced around as he stepped out of the train and onto the platform. The entire city of Canterlot seemed to be more than a little excited to be hosting the prom if the decorations here at the station were anything to go by, but it all struck him as just a bit excessive. His gaze turned to his outfit as he spent a moment fiddling with his bow tie.

"Hey, Tank!"

As a voice called his name, Tank looked up to see a familiar tall pegasus waving at him through the crowd: one Indigo Skies, not only his date but the pony who had convinced him to come in the first place. She seemed to hesitate despite looking excited to see him - was she worried about stepping on her outfit, perhaps? - so he trotted over to meet her.

"Hey, Skies. I - "

Tank stopped halfway through his greeting as he got a proper look at her dress. Despite its simple design, it fit Skies perfectly, giving her the appearance of a finely crafted porcelain doll. "...Wow, you look great!"

Skies' cheeks lit up."T-Thank you... I was worried it wouldn't look right on me," she admitted, turning her attention to Tank's vest and tie. "You look great too! The color works well with your coat."

Tank glanced down at his outfit once again. "You think so? I don't usually wear quite this much blue..." Not sure what else to say, he simply shrugged. "We should probably get moving in any case. The gardens ought to be open by the time we get there."

Skies nodded, taking her position beside her date and smiling warmly. "I'm ready when you are."

Tank's cheeks turned subtly red as a thought struck him. After a moment of awkward hesitation, he slowly lifted a foreleg and held it out, offering it to Skies... who took it happily, placing her own foreleg over his as they began their walk toward the castle.

A few moments passed before either of them spoke, the silence finally broken by Skies. "This should be fun, you think?"

"It'll certainly be interesting, at the very least. I was never all that keen on formal gatherings like this, but... well, let's just say I've been trying a lot of new things recently." Tank rolled his eyes at his own statement before turning back to Skies. "Though sometimes it helps to get a nudge in the right direction," he added with a smirk; their presence at the prom had been more or less her idea, after all.

Skies giggled, meeting Tank's gaze. "Trying new things is better than regretting not trying them at all! At least, that's what I tell my kiddos to get them to try something out of their comfort zone once in a while."

Tank nodded assent. "You don't know what you might be missing if you never try it, right? I mean, I'd draw the line at anything obviously dangerous, but you know."

"Well, of course. They know to ask me, Auntie, or Grandmare about that sort of thing first." Skies sighed. "Then again, you know how kids are; they'll charge headlong into things if they get excited enough..."

Tank shrugged. "I dunno, I think there's something to be said for being bold sometimes. You know..." He paused before continuing, as though for dramatic effect. "...like marching into a dark, timberwolf-infested forest to go picking magic flowers?"

Skies gave Tank a puzzled look. "What do you mean by that?"

Tank quirked an eyebrow. He wasn't sure whether she was being coy, or had somehow already forgotten the incident that had brought them together to begin with... but he quickly shrugged and decided it wasn't important. "Never mind, I guess. In any case, do you know anyone else who's going to be there?"

"Oh, hmm..." Skies searched through her memory for a moment. "I think my ex is going to be here. The last time I spoke to her, she said she'd be wearing something that would 'drop jaws,'" she explained with a shrug.

"Is that so?" Tank quirked an eyebrow, sounding largely unimpressed. "I guess we'll see, then."

"She's really pretty, and she knows how to work all kinds of ponies... in all sorts of ways..." Skies' cheeks turned red again, prompting her to quickly shake her head to clear the thoughts from it and put on a sheepish smile. "Um, anyway! I heard the garden is home to all kinds of plants and animals!"

Tank had to stifle a chuckle at the abrupt change of topic. "Huh, that sounds cool. I doubt we'll get to see much in the way of animals while the prom's going on, though; they probably won't like the noise too much."

Skies' ears folded back. "Oh, that's true..."

Before long, the two found themselves passing by numerous well-dressed unicorns, Canterlot locals presumably going about what business remained before the prom was set to begin.

Skies lowered her head a bit and whispered to Tank. "Looks like the snooty ponies are gonna be really judge-y this evening."

"Ugh, tell me something I don't know." Tank rolled his eyes, making no effort to lower his voice as he shot an annoyed glare at a nearby unicorn looking down his nose at them. "The ponies around here are so stuck-up, I'm surprised the weight of their collective egos hasn't collapsed the mountain by now."

Try as she might to resist, Skies burst out laughing, the sudden noise startling several ponies nearby. Grinning a highly satisfied grin at her amusement, Tank glanced at the unicorn again to find his expression changed to one of great indignation. This was enough to push him over the edge, finally joining in the boisterous laughter. The startled ponies pointed their muzzles in the air and marched off, muttering words like 'uncivilized' under their breath as they went. Tank and Skies paused a moment, grinning at one another as they caught their breath before heading off toward the castle garden once more.

*******

As soon as they'd passed through the ivy-covered gate to the royal garden, Tank glanced curiously around at the festivities. A fancy-looking band played a classical piece from atop a short stage behind a fairly large dance floor at one end, while the other featured long tables covered in enough food to satisfy a small army. Smaller paths led deeper into the gardens from beyond the main area.

"Well, I know what I wanna do first," he declared with a grin.

"Hmm, let me guess..." Skies' gaze swept across the garden, taking in all the finely dressed ponies before she continued. "You wanna eat and then dive deep into the garden to see what might be lurking there, right?"

Tank rubbed his neck with a free hoof. "Am I really that predictable...?"

"Nah, we just think alike is all~" Skies giggled and began tugging Tank toward the buffet. "C'mon, let's grab some food before the good stuff is all gone!"

Tank trotted alongside Skies over to the buffet tables. All the food looked exquisite, making it difficult for him to decide where to start, but he soon settled on gently plucking a small sandwich from a nearby plate and lifting it to eye level for a closer look. "Is that... cucumber and watermelon? That's... unorthodox. Well, nothing ventured..." He took a hearty bite, eyebrows raising as he chewed. "Huh, that's better than I was expecting."

Skies slowly traveled the length of the table, equally plagued by indecision. Distracted as she was, she hadn't noticed the well-dressed unicorn sampling a glass of juice near the far end until she'd already bumped into him.

"Oops! I'm so sorry!"

The unicorn turned to face Skies, the juice glass held aloft in his magic entirely unharmed. "No worries at all, my dear! No harm, no foul, as it were." He took a sip from the glass, his monocle-clad eye quickly scanning her up and down. "Say, if I might ask... by any chance, was your dress designed by a Miss Rarity?"

It was then that Tank caught up to the two, quirking an eyebrow at the stallion's inquiry. "Actually, yeah. We got it from Carousel Boutique in Ponyville. How'd you guess?"

"Why, I'd recognize her impeccable work anywhere!" the unicorn boasted. "She has the most exquisite style, her dresses simultaneously standing out in their own right and enhancing a pony's natural beauty... and you do wear it very well, my dear." He took another gentle sip of juice. "But do forgive my interruption! I should be off; ponies to meet and sights to see, after all!" With that, he nodded and wandered off in the direction of a small crowd now giving Skies and Tank quizzical looks.

Tank's brow furrowed. "Well, that was... a better reception than we got on the way through town, at least."

"I - I suppose so..." Skies' ears folded back and her cheeks turned red as she began fidgeting uncomfortably.

Tank tilted his head, his expression softening. "Uh... you alright over there, hon?"

"I'm fine..." Skies' face had regained its usual color, though the smile she now wore looked... strained. "Um, I saw some chocolate-covered strawberries over at the other end that looked good."

Tank hesitated for a moment. Though he hadn't known her for very long yet, he had already figured out just how bad Skies was at masking her feelings... but prying into the matter sounded like a less than stellar idea even if there hadn't been a crowd nearby. Whatever was bothering her, it seemed best all around to leave it be for now and let her decide to open up on her own.

"Ooh, that sounds good," he finally decided. "Where'd you see that?"

Skies wiped her eye with a foreleg before pointing it at the far end of the tables, her smile now looking much more sincere. "Over by the fruit bouquet and chocolate fountains."

Tank's eyes widened as he followed along. "Wait, chocolate fountains? How did I miss that? Please tell me they have marshmallows too."

"You probably missed them because they're not all chocolate!" With a giggle, Skies came to a stop in front of a series of fountains, each one's contents a different color and flanked by platters covered in various fruits and confections.

Tank walked slowly along the row of fountains. "Chocolate, strawberry, caramel..." He stopped to sniff at one containing a thick yellow syrup. "Is that... banana?" Plucking a wooden skewer from the table, he speared a marshmallow from a nearby bowl and coated it in the yellow syrup before moving the skewer to his hooves to eat his treat. "...Yef."

"See? Not just chocolate!" Skies deftly grasped a skewer of her own with her wing and used it to dip a strawberry under the flow of chocolate. Satisfied with its hefty coating, she popped it into her mouth and chewed happily, oblivious to the chocolate it had left on her lips.

"Well this is redundant," Tank declared, staring at his strawberry-coated strawberry before chowing down. "But delicious~" He glanced over at Skies, noticing the mess around her mouth. "Hey, uh. You got a little right here," he warned, pointing his hoof at his own muzzle.

"Oh, dear... you're always such a mess, aren't you?"

A tall, stunning gray unicorn clad in a beautiful glittering gown approached Skies, stopping only once their faces were scant inches apart. She glanced over at Tank for barely a moment, only long enough to give him a devious smirk before turning back toward the pegasus before her. "Let me get that for you, sweetie..." Before Skies could react, she found the mare's lips pressed against hers.

Skies hesitated for a moment before finally pulling back and shielding her mouth with her foreleg. "Winter Snowfrost! Stop being weird in front of my date!"

Tank stared at the strange mare blankly. "That... certainly was a thing that just happened." Still facing the unicorn, he glanced over at Skies. "I'm getting the sneaking suspicion we just found your ex."

Winter directed her smirk at Tank once again. "Of course it did, darling. Who wouldn't want to smooch such a beautiful bird? Ah, but I miss when we used to - "

"WINTER!" Skies snarled, her wings flared reflexively. "I know you like teasing, but will you please not bring up our past in front of a bunch of strangers?!"

Tank's eyes went wide as dinner plates. He'd never seen Skies this genuinely angry before; this situation needed de-escalating, now. Straightening up, he stepped forward and stood beside her, looking Winter square in the eye. "Alright, I've seen enough. If you're only here to cause trouble, I think you need to step off."

"Oh, my Skies... I do believe you've found yourself a good one." With a glow of her horn, Winter floated a napkin over to Skies. "I'll talk to you later, my dear; you know where to find me. Do let me know if he gives you any trouble," she added, giving Tank one last glare before turning up her nose and trotting off to mingle.

"Wow, I couldn't possibly imagine why you two broke up." Tank rolled his eyes before turning back to Skies. "I see what you meant before though... You okay?"

Skies finished wiping the chocolate from her face and tossed the napkin in a nearby trash can. After several seconds of silence, she finally spoke up. "Can we go for a walk?"

Tank nodded. "Sure."

The two made for one of the paths that led deeper into the garden, stopping only once they were out of earshot of any other ponies.

"I'm sorry about her." Skies glanced over her shoulder at the path behind them as she spoke, as though expecting the unicorn to appear behind her once again. "She tends to get extra flirty with me whenever she sees me with somepony else. She means well... I think... but she gets carried away really easily."

"If you say so." Tank took a seat beside a rose bush. "Sorry if I got too aggressive back there."

"It's fine... I was pretty guilty of that too." Skies sat down beside Tank, her eyes fixed on the flowers. "The roses are really pretty in the moonlight..."

Tank craned his neck, looking skyward. "Yeah. I love these bright moonlit nights; everything is familiar and different at the same time... It almost feels like walking through a dream, you know?"

"A dream you never want to end," Skies added.

"Well, maybe." Tank looked over at Skies. "But if good things lasted forever, then they wouldn't mean anything anymore, would they? Being rare and fleeting is part of what makes them special."

For a moment, Skies' only response was to continue staring at the roses. "Um... Tank?"

Tank tilted his head. "Hm?"

Skies turned away, ears flattening against her head. "I'm sorry for... asking you to ask me to prom."

Tank spent a moment staring incredulously at her before responding. "...Uh. Why?"

Skies took a deep breath. "I dunno, I just... feel like I forced you to bring me is all."

Tank put a hoof on Skies' shoulder and smiled softly. "Hon, trust me - if I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be. You have nothing to apologize for." He retracted his hoof and used it to rub his neck instead, his smile fading. "I'm... sorry if this is because I haven't been a very good date. Like I said before, I don't usually do this sort of thing very often."

"Aw... you're a fine date." Skies lowered her head, resting it gently on Tank's shoulder. "You're more fun than most of the dates I've had before. I don't think I'd have even enjoyed being here tonight if not for you."

Tank rested his head atop Skies'. "I guess we're just being a couple of worrywarts then, huh?"

Skies smiled. "Hehe... I guess we are."

click!

A sudden camera flash startled both ponies, soon followed by the head and shoulders of a strange-looking earth pony wearing pink-tinted sunglasses popping out of a nearby bush. "Zat is perfect!" she declared before leaping from her hiding place and galloping down the path, out of sight in a blink.

"What the - ?!" Tank straightened up reflexively, eyes darting this way and that before fixing on the path down which the clandestine photographer had retreated. "Wh... Did I consent to that?"

"Oh, I think that was Photo Finish... She's probably just taking pictures of outfits she likes." Skies stretched a little as she sat up, idly scratching her ear. "I wouldn't worry about it. She might not even publish it, since we're common folk and all."

"...Hmm. I'm wondering if I should've read the fine print on my ticket a little more closely..." Tank shrugged. "Oh well, it's not a big deal. Probably."

Skies' smile finally returned in full. "Wanna stay here, or walk around some more?"

Tank stood up. "Why don't we check out the rest of the garden while we're here? I don't imagine we'll get the chance to see it again anytime soon."

"Okay. Let's go then!" Hopping up on all fours, Skies led the way as she and Tank delved deeper into the royal garden.

#mlp #mlpfim #my little pony friendship is magic #mlp oc #pony prom 2017 #ask-indigoskies

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