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destielharlequinchallenge · 4 years

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The Destiel Harlequin Challenge Master Post: 2020 Mega Bang

Participants in the 2020 Destiel Harlequin Challenge completed an amazing 20 fics and 3 sets of artwork! You can learn all about those here!

Spectre (fic by a_dusky_gold, art by aceriee)

This whole thing… this was supposed to be a fucking farce. A way to keep Nicholas Vaught occupied until the deadline he’d given Dean would run out, and he’d still get the money to send Dad to the Town Hall rehabilitation for alcoholism, because that was the goddamned deal.

There were no such things as ghosts or magic or a Book of Life. Dean knows, okay? He wasn’t the Army’s goddamned Mystery Raider for nothin’; he knows history, he knows artifacts, and he knows that the Book of Life is an ancient myth that is about as real as werewolves or vampires.

And yet.

“The Book of Life,” the man had said. Dean can’t even remember his name.

Shit, shit, shit.

Dangerous Ground by Amethystaris

Special Agents for the Department of Diplomatic Security, Castiel Novak and Dean Winchester have been partners and best friends for three years, but everything changed the night Cas admitted the truth about his feelings for Dean. And when Cas was shot a few hours later, Dean felt his reluctance to get involved was vindicated.

Can a camping trip in the High Sierras save their partnership?

Honour Undressed by andimeantittosting

Among his friends, Castiel, Lord Milton is everyone’s confidant and, along with his trusted valet, the fixer of problems. But there is one secret Castiel has never shared: he is in love with his valet and has been for years.

Born in the gutters, Dean Winchester was assigned as Castiel’s batman in the war, and when Castiel travelled home to take up his title, Dean followed him as his valet. To assist Castiel, Dean is not above a little burglary or blackmail. But the one thing he wants for himself is Castiel’s heart.

When Castiel’s closest friends become the target of a blackmailer, certain truths come out. But while Dean determines to seduce Castiel, Castiel is adamant that he must resist, for if there is one rule a gentleman must follow, it is never to dally with his servant.

Havenport by BlueMasquerade

Castiel cleared space on his desk by the expedience of sweeping the previous contents to the side. He set the bundle down in the center of the surface and studied the knots in the rope before expertly untying them.

The book was old, its leather bindings cracked and crumbling. He carefully opened the cover to reveal the pages within, each hand cut, the edges beautifully deckled, the text written in pen and ink.

“This is written in ancient Enochian.” Castiel looked up, gaze narrowed. “Where did you obtain a book written in ancient Enochian?”

“Is that what it is? All I could tell is that it sure as hell isn’t English.” Mr. Winchester grinned, a dimple flashing in his cheek.

an aching in my heart by contemplativepancakes

When Dean’s best friend dies, leaving behind her daughter, Dean knows he has what it takes to give Claire the life she deserves. The problem is, they’re not related by blood, and Claire’s long lost uncle gets called to take her in. Castiel Novak was bad news when he was in highschool with Dean, and judging by his blue hair and tattoo sleeves, nothing’s changed. Castiel ran out on his family once before, and there’s no way Dean’s going to let that happen to Claire without putting up a fight.

Fools and Fate by Danica_Dust

Castiel Novak fled his coven to escape the rigid, predetermined Fate laid out for him within its confines. Desperate and alone, he took shelter in the city of Sacriloga, forsaking all magic and living off whatever he could steal. There, witches like Cas are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

When Jack, a young witch also on the run from his own coven, seeks out Cas’ aid, however, Cas finds that he cannot reject the boy, leaving him to his sure destruction. Especially after the newest visitor to Sacriloga makes his presence known: the legendary Hunter, Dean Winchester, who has been following Jack’s trail.

Sworn to the Men of Letters, Hunters live by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Dean’s path was never meant to cross with Cas', but a desperate stunt and a single mistake forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between the witches and the Men of Letters is an ancient one and Cas' most dangerous enemies bring a Fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore his growing feelings, yet powerless to change what he is, a choice must be made.

A suffocating Fate on one hand. A precarious freedom on the other. And in between, the kind of love that makes fools of us all.

Ozone by Deancebra

A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Dean’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Castiel Novak. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly destroyed the village, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Castiel is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Castiel must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Castiel, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Castiel the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.

A Demon Like Him by EllenOfOz

Dean Winchester doesn’t want to be a warlock. The idea of working in a lab, channeling demonic magic into enchanted batteries is not what he wants to do with his life, but it’s a dangerous opinion to have—his father was a powerful and well-connected warlock, and Dean is expected to follow the family tradition.

His only way out is to fail the demon summoning class—failure means expulsion from the Warlock College. Despite Dean’s best efforts to fumble the summoning, it works. Although not the way anyone expects.

Dean’s demon, Castiel, is an incubus, but also a powerful mage on a mission to rebalance the magic that is being stripped from Demonside by warlocks.

Dean must choose: fail out of his final exam and turn his back on becoming a warlock, or help Castiel and graduate. But he doesn’t count on how hot the incubus is, or how close they have become in just a few days.

A Working Relationship by fangirlingtodeath513

The homes that Castiel Novak designs for Angelic Houses are to die for. They’re pristine, perfectly designed and organized, and they’ve caused more than a few bidding wars. It’s the perfect job—he’s organized, good with math, and he’s able to pick up on design trends relatively quickly. The only thing that isn’t perfect? His obnoxious older brother, Luke. Castiel’s been vying for a position on a flipping team for years now, but Luke has never even considered it. When a lecherous gossip reporter overhears an argument, they receive an offer they can’t refuse.

They’re invited to compete on Flip Off, a competition where two people flip houses and compete for the highest profit. Castiel wants the leverage a win would bring him, but he also wants to prove himself. Enter Dean Winchester, a contractor with his own team and one that’s blissfully unconnected to Angelic Houses, allowing Castiel to prove himself without any help from the family company.

The undeniable attraction between them certainly doesn’t help matters, but Castiel is resolute in his decision to make a move only after they’ve finished working together. At least, that had been his plan until Dean made him an offer he simply couldn’t refuse.

Crashing In by followyourenergy

Castiel Novak is convinced he’s the last unwillingly single person in Lupine Cove. Even Gabriel, his perpetual bachelor brother, has found love. It’s probably because Cas leads the most boring life in existence. He’s a gay man living in a rented, one-room cottage in the same small coastal town he grew up in, just getting by as the owner of the same convenience store he was practically raised in. The most excitement he gets is chatting with the locals or maybe, if he’s unlucky, oversleeping and rushing to work. So when a baby is left at the Safe Haven drop-off at the local fire station, he takes the opportunity to step in for the child temporarily, at least until suitable parents, plural, can be found.

Life certainly gets more interesting.

And it gets even more interesting when a handsome man comes crashing—literally—into his life.

Make Me Believe by GhoulsnHalos

Ten years ago, Castiel Novak’s stepfather disowned him, taking from him his place as hereditary heir to the head of the Hunter and Warrior Guild. Now, he’s a self-made, and celebrated, master gem and metal smith. Castiel doesn’t believe that the God’s decide your soulmate. Until he designs what can only be a gift fit for his soul mate, who in contradiction to the etiquette, if not the laws of Neffroen, must be a man.

Dean Winchester is convinced that he is a lowly, dumbass, no magic hunter who couldn’t possibly be on the same social scale as a Novak. So, why is it when he spots the jewelled torc in Castiel’s shop, Dean develops an obsession over the neckpiece and its creator? It can't be anything to do with the will of the Gods, no matter what anyone says, because that's baloney and Dean's not into men.

When Castiel’s long-lost brother turns up and suggests he ought to challenge their stepfather and that Dean is destined to help Castiel rule the clan, Castiel takes some convincing. The real problem is Dean. Can Castiel with the help of family and friends convince Dean of his place by Castiel’s side? Can Dean play the part everyone expects of him to help Castiel regain his rightful place in society?

Shielded Heart by JuniperJones

Arthos, the Infinite City, is a place of alien wonders and indescribable beauty—and, most importantly for Dean, it’s also halfway across the universe from his abusive ex-fiancé. He came to the city desperate for a fresh start, but he finds himself downtrodden on a world of aloof alien beings with little hope of finding his place—and a good chance of being kidnapped or killed before he can even settle in.

At least until he is saved by an irresistible alien with piercing eyes and a seductive smile.

Castiel is the living embodiment of temptation, and he makes no effort to disguise his desire for Dean. But when his past threatens to drag Dean into a dangerous underworld, Dean discovers Castiel isn’t who he claims to be. After enduring so much suffering, can Dean bear to take a leap of faith with this mysterious alien? Can he trust Castiel with not only his life, but his heart?

Stumble and Fall by Kitmistry

Castiel was raised to do one thing: serve his country, whether that was fighting a war or becoming an expert spy. But when his lover is charged with treason and executed Castiel defects. He has evidence that can destroy the KGB’s entire spy ring in New Mexico, he has names of scientists involved with atomic weapons who send information to the Soviets, and he won’t stop until he has revenge.

Putting all his trust in the Americans, Castiel finds himself under the protection of U.S. Marshal Dean Winchester, who is too cocky and attractive for his own good, but at least seems to know what he’s doing.

When a routine transfer to a safehouse goes horribly wrong, Castiel and Dean narrowly escape with their lives. With the Marshals compromised and Castiel being framed for murder, he and Dean are on the run from KGB and law enforcement alike. They have no one to trust except each other, and nowhere to go that their enemies can’t reach.

The Shots We Don’t Take by MandalaRose

Still nursing the tatters of a broken heart and trying desperately to stave off the terror of his impending graduation, college senior Cas Novak decides it’s time to blow off a little steam. Not just any hook-up will do, however. The last thing Cas needs right now is a distraction. On the lookout for someone he can enjoy a steamy night of passion with before leaving them behind entirely, Cas thinks he’s found exactly what he needs in cocky university hockey star and well-known playboy Dean Winchester.

Dean is gorgeous, doesn’t date, and is the singular most infuriating person Cas has ever met. He’s the perfect one night stand...that is, until Dean decides he wants an instant replay of what was supposed to be a one-time event. Will Cas’ offer of friends, sans benefits, convince the arrogant love ’em and leave ’em hockey defenseman to find an easier score? Or will Dean wear down Cas’ defenses and lure the sexy nerd in the dorky trenchcoat back to his bed?

Bullets Over the Bayou (fic by mattzerella_sticks, art by dontbelasagnax)

Everyone wants Castiel Novak to quit the force, including Castiel. But he stays on despite the toxic work environment he’s surrounded by. Still believing he can do some good despite the many lines of red tape impeding him. Luckily, a pair of scissors by the name of Dean Winchester drops into his hands, and he finally feels like he can do some good.

Dean Winchester thought he would be in New Orleans for a day or two. Identify the body of his deadbeat father and then move on. No one knows he’s here. His mother and brother are blissfully unaware of the danger his father roped him into. With a parting gift of a journal, delivered to him the same day he received word about his father, Dean has become the target of a group of people who want him dead. The same people who killed his father.

Racing against the clock, can Dean and Castiel figure out what is so important about John Winchester’s journal that someone would kill for it?

Masquerade by noxsoulmate

It had begun as such a good plan; one that benefitted them both. And masquerading as Castiel Krushnic's boyfriend during the weeks of balls, galas, and charity events certainly was no hardship. With the impending end of their arrangement, though, Dean Winchester must admit that behind the mask of an aloof CEO lies a man he could fall in love with. Or maybe, he already has…

The Medium by raths_kitten

Detective Dean Winchester hates it when his Chief sends a medium to consult on his cases. But this time, the murder is closely linked to Castiel’s world and they both need to work together to solve it.

Any Semblance of Touch (fic by saltnhalo, art by c-kaeru)

1925, New York.

Dean Winchester’s life’s work is protecting the world from the supernatural relics that could destroy it. When an amulet with the power to control the tides is shipped to New York, he must intercept it before it can be used to devastating effects. This time, in order to succeed, he needs a powerful psychometric… and the only one available has sworn off the magical world altogether.

Castiel Novak’s gift comes with great risk. To protect himself, he’s become a recluse, redirecting his magic into museum research. But with the city’s fate hanging in the balance, and faced with the power of Dean’s charm and persuasion…

He can’t force himself to say no.

The Love of a Righteous Man by SargentMom573

Five years ago, Captain Dean Winchester defied his father, Senator John Winchester. With his brother Sam, and his spaceship Impala, Dean found his place among a ragtag fleet of pirates and smugglers. Their latest mission left him with a price on his head and a scar on his heart. When a surprise attack separated him from Sam and revealed a Sith weapon, he would do whatever it took to bring his brother back – even sacrifice his own happiness.

After Emperor Michael’s death broke the psychic link between them, Emperor’s Hand Castiel Novak spent years drowning his sorrows at the bottom of a barrel. Mostly sober, three years ago he found a new purpose as the Impala’s Chief Medical Officer, and Sam Winchester’s guide in the Force. And a good friend in the Impala’s gruff but kind Captain.

Dean and Castiel must work together to bring Sam home alive. But when Castiel’s last mission is exposed, will Castiel complete it and destroy any hopes Dean had for a family? Will Dean forgive Cas’ horrific purpose before it is too late? And give them both what they really want — the love of a righteous man.

SKID by spnsmile

Dean Winchester swore off love after getting dumped and fired from his job the same day. Badly drunk, he ended up balcony-hopping until a pair of hands snatched him inside a darkened room. But it's no hero, it's someone with deep voice whispering threats with a gun pointed at his back. Dean’s too drunk to deal with life but one good look at his hot assailant plus enough beer sold him to his accursed fate. The next morning, he found himself engaged to the most notorious leader of a powerful clan, Castiel Novak.

Married life in the compound for a month was not as blissful so when he could, Dean fought for that freedom. Castiel relented and as Dean tried to put the pieces of his normal life together, getting a bike messenger job and dealing with pain in the ass clients, he now also needs to deal with the dangerous presence of his very jealous and very protective husband watching over him.

Is his life ever going to get back to normal?

#2020 masterpost #destielharlequinchallenge #destiel harlequin challenge #destiel fanart #destiel fanfic #destiel

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demonprosecutor · 4 years

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TURNABOUT HEROES AU! A COMPREHENSIVE POST

BASIC PREMISE:

Miles Edgeworth is a big-shot prosecutor who, much like his mentor, specialized in the prosecution of super-powered individuals, more specifically, heroes and villains. He doesn’t have any powers; however, it does not dissuade from the fact that he has considerable influence to ensure that retribution is often a rarity in his line of work

(far too often he’s heard stories about his colleagues being offed by a vengeful loved one or a villain who managed to smuggle in a weapon)

However, his luck was bound to run out anyways. After sending too many of their colleagues’ into high-security prison, Miles finds himself the unfortunate target to many villains and unfortunately takes up a new role of ‘Damsel-in-Distress’ if he wanted to play with cliches.

But even with his string of bad luck, the mysterious Firebird is someone who always seems to know when and if he’s in trouble. At the same time, Phoenix Wright had somehow reappeared in his life and now? He’s being SAVED on both ends, what does a man have to do in order to get a semblance of peace around these parts.

Or, as I like to call it, the “oh no, i fell in love with a superhero AND their secret identity unknowingly and i am in a crisis 24/7 about it” au

WORLDBUILDING:

The world is composed of individuals who have powers and who don’t. Generally, there is peaceful co-existence between these two groups - however, there are spots of tension between the two that culminates in trouble. Sometimes, powered individuals use their abilities for evil and others use their powers for good. Non-powered individuals are usually stuck in the middle LMAO

ROUGH TIMELINE:

Gregory Edgeworth is a non-powered defense attorney that specializes in crimes that are committed by powered individuals because they have the tendency to be indicted more harshly than non-powered individuals. He, while not too famous like his enemy, has steadily been growing in fame in terms of his willingness to help anyone no matter what, something that Miles, as a child, cherished.

As a kid, Miles, who is non-powered as well, is someone who grew up in a very loving environment. In spite of the fact that his father was a single father and sometimes came home late, he was always surrounded with a wealth of love and care from his father and his uncle. During this time, Phoenix and Larry, both powered individuals (and whose powers I will explain further downwards), were his tentative friends at the beginning - that is until the dreaded class trial. Phoenix was accused of stealing Miles’ money and the teacher + class was unfairly going against him, citing his powers as being evidence towards motivation for crime. But Miles stood up for him, his dad as inspiration, and told everyone off because you can’t accuse people without proof. From that moment on, these three were inseparable.

They would always go to each other’s houses, always pair together for group projects, and always hang out - they were thick as thieves.

But tragedy struck around Christmas. Miles does not know exactly what happens, but all he knows is that when he woke up from fading consciousness, a moment of time seared in his mind for eternity is throwing the gun, the ear-splitting gunshot and a blink later, his father slumped dead on against the elevator wall.

From that moment on, it just goes downhill for Miles. He gets taken under Manfred’s wing and has the ideals of always getting a guilty verdict and people with powers are bad. For years and years, he grew up with this poisonous mindset with his adopted sister, Franziska, and together, they grew up to be the second-most feared prosecutors (the first being Manfred).

Meanwhile, Phoenix is desperately trying to find miles, trying to see if he could reconnect with him, but he never does. So in college, he ends up with Dahlia and gets subsequently accused of murder of Doug Swallow. He gets poisoned in the trial, a gift from Dahlia’s powers, but miraculously heals - figuring out another facet of his powers.

It is then when Phoenix meets up with Mia, determined after seeing that newspaper with Miles in it, she takes him under her wing and teaches him everything she knows about being both a defense attorney and a hero. Together, they make the dynamic duo of Firebird and Spirit! They fight crime on both sides of the law for years, while Phoenix thinks about his goal of reaching Miles.

Years later, Mia gets murdered by Redd White after obtaining information that could stop him and his company.

The trail for Mia’s murder is the first time Phoenix and Miles meet again. Instead of Winston taking the role of prosecution, it’s Miles!

Miles completely ignores Phoenix initially and focuses on the investigation and having the perfect trial. He does a lot more hands on investigations because sometimes, the police have a tendency to misplace evidence or not find things that he needs, so he’s at the crime scenes frequently. The night before the first trial, Miles goes to the crime scene where he first meets the hero Firebird. He is a bit of a jerk to Firebird before Miles writes him down as a potential suspect.

After his first loss, Miles is completely stunned. Before chalking it up to beginner’s luck. It doesn’t help that Manfred reprimands him very harshly for losing to a green attorney.

But for some reason, after that first trial, Miles ends up seeing more of Phoenix and Firebird around. Phoenix has the tendency to take cases that Miles is prosecuting for chances to talk to him and Firebird is always around the crime scene - he’s sure that they’re in cahoots with each other.

It’s difficult for Miles to talk to Phoenix because it brings up too many memories that he had repressed for his own mental health. But for some reason, Firebird is much easier to talk to.

It’s like Miles has a target at his back because he cannot go a few days without being kidnapped, being held at gunpoint, being used as hostage, and being rescued by Firebird, that insufferable flirt. However, Miles is reassured that he has someone out there who is willing to save him because not many would, especially since he would judiciously prosecute them without much guilt.

Firebird; however, is another story.

He talks to Firebird and Phoenix about each other and it’s clear over the years that he’s slowly being less cold and more warm -- and it’s hard to not fall in love! Firebird is the one who falls in love first because if Phoenix is being honest, he’s been in love with Miles since forever, but it’s easier to confess behind a mask. And this was during a time where Miles hated powered people, so it was always left with taunts. But Phoenix never let that deter him, he had always cared for Miles, no matter what.

Eventually, Miles ends up falling for both Firebird and Phoenix and he spends many sleepless nights thinking about the hero who saves his life literally and his rival/best friend who saves his life emotionally.

NOTABLE CHARACTERS:

Phoenix Wright AKA Firebird:

His powers are pyrokinesis, healing, flight, and regeneration

Body is the same fragility of humans, but if he dies, he crumples to ashes and comes back to life brand new and without injuries!

Miles Edgeworth, non-powered:

A prosecutor trained under Manfred von Karma, specializing in powered crime

Terribly unlucky to the point where people wondered if bad luck was his superpower

Franziska von Karma, powered, but repressing her abilities:

A prosecutor trained under Manfred von Karma, specializing in powered crime - eventually upgrades to international prosecutor

Her abilities, once found out, are ice powers!

Dating Maya

Maya Fey, non-powered:

A journalist charged with protecting the secret of the Kurain Village - which is a place for resting heroes or villains who wish to reform!

Dating Franziska

Pearl Fey, powered:

Her powers are super-strength, extreme durability, and extreme endurance

Literally the strongest AA character

Iris Fey, non-powered:

The twin of Dahlia and aided her charade with Phoenix back at college

Now she works at Kurain Village with Dahlia in the reformation of villains.

Dahlia Hawthorne AKA Sweet Tooth, powered:

Her powers are poison control!

She used to be a villain, but reformed

Works at Kurain Village with Iris in helping villains reform

Morgan Fey, powered:

Her powers are the same as Pearl’s; however, they are a LOT weaker than her daughter’s

Very scary

Larry Butz AKA Toy Soldier, powered:

Powers: brings inanimate objects to life

But he prefers to bring toys to life as puppets, not really an effective fighter, but he’s trying and that’s what counts!

The Phantom, powered:

Powers: can shapeshift perfectly down to their voices. They can also steal memories

They are the perfect assassin

Gumshoe, non-powered or is he? huehuehue

The detective partner of Edgeworth’s

Very loyal and energetic! He is such a sweetheart

Manfred von Karma, non-powered

One of the best prosecutors for powered crime

An asshole jerk

Trucy Wright, powered:

Powers: teleportation

She uses her teleportation for her magic tricks, but shhh, don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret!

Apollo Justice AKA Chords of Steel, powered:

Powers: sound manipulation

His chords of steel are sometimes A BIT MUCH!

But he could manipulate sound to make his footsteps quieter, his ability is really versatile

He can only SCREAM

Klavier Gavin AKA Piano Man, powered:

Powers: sound manipulation

BUT HE CAN ONLY SING IT!!!

Can charm/mind control people, but NEVER EVER does it because he knows how bad it can get!

Kristoph Gavin, powered:

Powers: charm

Can charm/mind control people hehehe

Ema Skye, powered:

Powers: perception

She can see the gross nasty fluids from a crime that can be seen with the human eye, she loves it

Lana Skye, non-powered:

Once the Chief Prosecutor, but now jailed

Currently, she is on parole and is going to be soon let out for good behaviour

Athena, powered:

Powers: She has the capability of knowing someone’s TRUE emotions and their deepest desires

It’s honestly a curse because she frequently gets overstimulated by crowds

Blackquill, non-powered:

A fearsome prosecutor that was jailed for crimes not of his own making

He seeks the phantom and wishes to either put them in jail or kill them, whichever comes first.

Mia Fey AKA Spirit, powered:

Powers: psychokinesis + phasing

LIKE A GHOST

Phoenix’s mentor as both a defense attorney and as a hero

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lilylilym · 3 years

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2000 years of Path Experiments and why AOT ending is the Ultimate Ending

In this essay, I will make an argument that the version that we saw in the AOT story is both an Ultimate Ending and the Last Resort where Eren has to be killed by Mikasa, which is something Mikasa could never accept before and thus Eren and Mikasa have been spending (two?) thousands of years in the path living their lives over and over again in hope of finding another way (Path Experiments). In the end, Mikasa's choice to kill Eren helped to solidify a reality and solve the Titan Problem.

The premise of my argument is that I think Eren and Mikasa have been exploring all of the alternatives outside of the main one we're watching, but every time they don't like how it ends, they restart another experiment to find a better one. This is the logic: Insofar as the Founding Titan Power exists and Eren has it, they could live infinite lives and carry on infinite Path Experiments, but once Eren (host of the Founding Titan and the Life Source) and the last Titan with royal blood (Condition for activating founding titan power) have been eliminated, the Path will close and the Titan Life Source itself will disperse. That will marks the end of the Titan Problem.

What is the Titan Problem? Both Zeke and Eren understood that what needs to be dealt with, is the Titan Life Source itself, which has been biologized and able to reproduce through blood-relation of human offsprings (subjects of Ymir). If not controlled through cannibalism, the Power of the Titan will spawn in a random child and the Titan Existence continues. Zeke and Eren could die a couple times over and wouldn't amount to anything. All you need to know is the enemy of Zeke is Titan Existence, and to a certain extent, that's what Eren is after as well. With their learned knowledge from the Path and the true matter of Titan Power, they perceived the existence of Titan Life Source itself to be the problem. If it continues to exist, it will implicate all Eldians and would be used as war machines. While Zeke wants to just sterilize all Eldians (thus prevent new children to obtain Titan Power and gradually eradicate all Titans), Eren think it would not make Paradis Eldians' lives better since the whole world already learned that Eldians are potential devils, taking away their offsprings is to sentence them to slow deaths subjected under intense discrimination.

Eren's Ultimate Plan and its Logic: At one point, it becomes increasingly evident to Eren that he needs to die in the ultimate course of action: come into contact with Zeke and enacts the rumble to flatten the world (to avoid retaliation), Zeke and Eren have to die while they were Titan shifters so these abilities will not be transferred to random children being born elsewhere (this is potentially why Eren is trampling the earth and killing off Subjects of Ymir elsewhere to avoid the situation where his founding titan power after he died just randomly spawn in a new born child. Can you imagine if he's unlucky and amongst the 20% of the population left there were some Subjects of Ymir surviving in some remote villages giving birth at that very moment?). Also, this is important: Eren can only rely on the Ackermans to kill Zeke and himself, since both of them are powerful Titan shifters, and that Ackermans cannot be turned into Titans nor controlled even when Titan Life Source acts out (as seen in chapter 138 when it releases the gas to turn everybody into Titan).

Back to my main argument about Path Experiments to find out Ultimate Ending: Let's call Eren's plan to die in that way the ULTIMATE ENDING (UE). This UE is what Eren is after, and wants to find out, but cannot control because it relies on other people, especially Mikasa and her choices. This UE, before it is confirmed by Mikasa's ultimate action, is just one of many alternatives. In a technical way, it is activated by Key Moments that need to happen, and Key Moments are both presented by Eren's and Mikasa's Key Choices + other people's choices. When Key Moments happened and Key Choices are made, they align into a particular possibility I will call Timeline. In other words, I'm saying that the path toward this Ultimate Ending is a process of experimenting with Key Choices in certain Key Moments while the time allows in the path, and eliminating the unwanted outcome. So that means, every steps of the way, since Eren was able to use Founding Titan Power, he has been bringing Mikasa into the Path to experiment different routes.

The Timeline toward Ultimate Ending, let's call that Ultimate Timeline, follows Key Moments (of Carla's death, Grisha's murdering Reiss family, Eren et al became Survey Corps, Mikasa saving the little Yeagerist girl, Armin's revival, Eldian Refugees' Conference etc) and the most important Key Choice is this moment in Chapter 123:

📷

This Key Moment presented (at least) two choices: keep fighting or running away. In the story, the Ultimate Timeline was enacted when Mikasa said "family" and then whatever happens, happens (the one all the way to the end of 139).

So, Mikasa's reflection implies that she has exhausted all options and up to this point (in real time), she has made all the choices she could, INCLUDING this Timeline:

This timeline is shown In chapter 138, a glimpse into a version of Life in the wood, (I will call that Timeline X). People have think that Timeline X is a vision similar to that of Armin's in 139 - which I argue to be untrue. Chapter 139 is Eren's stories he told Armin after having been exploring all these Timelines and seeing that the Ultimate Timeline has to be enacted. The conversation between Armin and Eren happened when the Ultimate Timeline was well underway but in reality all the events haven't happened yet:

At this point, Armin was told a version of Eren's future memory (and Eren's deduction toward the Ultimate Ending) but his memory has been erased in order for him to keep moving forward. This is why in the path Eren said this:

He knew what he decided to do, but unsure about Mikasa's choice -- only that she has to decide. Note that Eren can only be killed in a way that forms a Key Moment constituting a new Timeline by Mikasa. So he knows he had to die but at that moment she hasn't made the choice, because

Reading chapter 139 and chapter 131 together with chapter 138 leads to my theory, that: the version of the story that we see (Ultimate Timeline) is the last resort and the Ultimate Ending can only happen when Mikasa proceeds with killing Eren thus ending the Titan curse. Which means in other Experiments she refused to kill him and terrible shit happened. Both Eren and Mikasa knew it, but they are patiently playing out different scenarios. (Aka no one knows better because the number of endings and actions are near infinite so they themselves as they live these lives also don't know what is going to happen). For those who have seen Avengers, there was that scene where Dr. Strange disappears in the middle of a battle to explore all the thousands of possibilities and go back to report that out of all, there is only 1 possibility that would result in them winning the battle, so it's similar to that.

To reiterate again: Armin and everyone else (Jean, Conny, Annie, Reiner, basically the survivors of the 104 crew) were given some explanations about what has been and is about to go down toward the Ultimate Ending of Eren's death -- which he hopes/assumes/expects Mikasa to make happen -- then have their memories suppressed until he died. Meanwhile, what Mikasa sees in chapter 138 is not Eren's future memory but her own. Timeline X wasn't a conversation but a reality that was lived in its full, as one of the many Path Experiments in which Eren and Mikasa were trying to find a way out of Titan vs Humanity mess.

How do I know that?

Visually: here Mikasa and Eren both have different hair (but Mikasa still has the scar, so this Timeline X is one identical to Ultimate Timeline all the way until Chapter 123 ("What am I to you") except Mikasa chose to confess to Eren, ran away, and Eren didn't choose genocide.

In this memory, you see that Eren's face was regular (with a different haircut and everything), but by the time Mikasa said "Eren, see you later" his face has the titan mark and the scar again, and that triggers the end of their experiment.

Her "see you later" here means "aight let's rerun this experiment and I'll see if I can do something else differently so I don't have to kill you." I assume that this moment of understanding comes from all the previous Experiments that they have explored together in hope of finding a different outcome, but everytime it narrows down to the same war and the options just become whether or not Mikasa will kill Eren. I imagine that in many Experiments, they get very close to the Ultimate Ending but Mikasa always chose to not kill Eren. They probably have lived out some horrifying realities and were like "okay this is not it, let's explore another one."

In other words, Mikasa, like Eren, did not forget - she has just been living hundreds, even thousands of years in the Path (2,000 years total probably since the title "from you, since 2000 years ago" and "to you, in 2000 years" might also be referring to Mikasa-Eren in addition to Ymir-Eren). They have been living many, many lives, with every Key Moments presenting an opportunity to explore a different Timeline. Let me be clear, in all of these experiments, everything is new to them as well while they were more or less informed by what had happened, as in they can only control their choices and not others, thus they also do not know if some shit's gonna happen differently this time because of some random butterfly effects. In this way, aside from Eren and Mikasa, you can think of literally everything else as not the same -- including the existence and decisions of other people, like for example Marcel lives and Reiner dies, or Reiner chooses to stay with them, etc, everything is brand new everytime they starts a new Path Experiment.

Let's go back to chapter 138. Timeline X was triggered by the Key Moment where Mikasa was asked "who am I to you" and her Key Choice "bruh let's run and live in the wood." You can say that everytime Mikasa has a headache, that's a Key Moment in which everything aligns to present different key choices that would lead to different Alternative Timelines. Every Timelines that they live, they hit a moment when they, as fully entrenched people in that reality, are forced to make a Key Choice that would determine the fate of Paradis Eldians. It's safe to say that they have experienced some of these outcomes and did not like the aftermath. Timeline X seems to conclude with Eren's death as his Titan 13 years runs out - and Mikasa dying alone in the wood. (She can go back and fight after Eren's death all she wants but it will not have an effect on the grand scheme of thing because Key Moments have run out and an Ending has been decided, not dependent on Eren and Mikasa. In other words, once a Key Moment was presented and a Key Choice has been made, if that Key Choice prevents the emergence of the next Key Moment, then an Ending is set.)

So in Timeline X when she said, "see you again, Eren" upon realizing that there is nothing else they could do, they start ANOTHER reality -- the one we are watching. It loops back to Chapter 1. For us, the beginning of this story, the first chapter, is the start of a timeline besides the many realities that they have explored, and it IS the final resort. As audiences, we witness THE ULTIMATE REALITY after all other alternatives have been exhausted. For Eren and Mikasa, they still don't know that this is the Ultimate Timeline until everything falls into place -- Mikasa was confronted by Key Moments, had to make Key Choices of whether or not she kills Eren, ending the possibility of reliving another reality, or continue to experiment.

In chapter 138, by the time Zeke was killed, Eren no longer has founding titan power, Mikasa gets a headache - this is a Key Moment where choices have to be made. The rumbling stopped - so half of the catastrophe has been solved. What remains is Eren, being tied with the Life Source. Jean blew Eren up, separating the Life Source itself from him. What does Eren choose to do? He moves forward, turning into his Titan self instead. The Life Source itself cannot be destroyed, so long as the Founding Titan is still alive. It released the gas to turn all Eldians into Titan, except Levi and Mikasa. This is when Levi said "the only thing to do is to kill Eren." Mikasa's headache gets worse - this is the last Key Moment in which she has got to make the defining choice. In previous experiments of Alternative Timelines, she probably had been here before, but never chose to kill Eren.

The next following pages is indeed her memory of Timeline X and her favorite one because in this one, she had made a choice to confess to Eren, while Eren made the choice to not committing mass genocide, and Marley is coming for Paradis' neck in a all-out war. Them holding each other is the last of that favorite memory, because in that timeline Eren dies peacefully, and Mikasa lived a long life alone knowing they left everyone to horrible warfare and slow deaths. She remembers this, wishes she was there instead ("I want to go back to our home") but that when that timeline concludes she's fucking back in the game again to find another solution. So this time, she made the decision that in all her previous timelines she couldn’t make: killing Eren.

Back to the memory: "See you again, Eren" - that was the last time she would say that. Killing Eren ends her time with Eren in the Path and there will be no need for another Path Experiment. This is it. When Founder Ymir smiles at her, that’s because Mikasa released herself from the looping of 2000 years trying to save Eren, the boy who was meant to die (You can see Lost Girls OVA to see how this plot point was iterated before). In return, Mikasa frees Ymir from the Path and the horrible curse of the Titan Life Source.

A note on the Life Source: In chapter 137, Zeke's and Armin's conversation touches on Life Source and its true mechanic to survive and to multiply, thus led to Zeke's nihilistic view on stopping reproduction while Armin argues that life exist in the smallest way that doesn't fulfill such functions. Happiness and content does define humanity in a way that mere existence, while define all lives, does not. In AOT, the theme of survival because one has been born onto this world is in juxtaposition with the theme of humanity and free will, choices, and the beautiful stillness of life even within unimaginable catastrophe. When the Life Source found Ymir the enslaved girl, she wanted to live, so it attaches onto her. And yet, wanting to live and living a good life are two different things. In a way, Ymir sees no reason to die (because to live is to choose life) yet she chose to "sacrifice" to save King Fritz. She doesn't choose death, but the Life Source gets transferred into other bodies than hers because she was eaten and forcefully extended into bodies that don't belong to her and choices she didn't make. In the end, Ymir was also held hostage by the Life Source itself and the Founding Titan that has been Born Into This World, existing as a physical body in Eren, so the only thing Eren could do in a way that ends the Life Source is to be killed by Mikasa. That's what it means by Mikasa was meant to be the one who kills Eren. She kills him because she loves him, and like Grisha told Zeke, "From now on, everything goes Eren's way."

Back to my point of Multiple Timelines and Ultimate Ending:

I don't think that there were only 2 alternatives, but many that have to be willed through "pushing forward." There are countless moments throughout the story where difficult choices were made by Eren and Mikasa, and they often have been at odds. It is because they have different end goals: While Eren's end goal is freedom for Eldian people, even in death, Mikasa's end goal was to keep Eren alive. The Ultimate Ending is that Eren has to die in order for Titan curse to end (thus releasing Eldians from the ability to turn into Titans itself, not from war or conflict -- because it has been mentioned multiple times in the story that conflict never ends amongst humans). Mikasa is the only one that can kill Eren, being an Ackerman who is destined to bond with Eren in his own lifetime, in a way that activates the Ultimate Ending. So long as she refused to kill Eren, the ending will be horrible.

So in all of these realities, while come with different courses of action, the death of Eren is inevitable - and Mikasa has to be the one who chooses it because it's literally up to her given

a) Eren can't fuck with her memory,

b) she was meant to be the one to save AND kill him at the right moment and

c) he wants her to make her own decisions about her life -- whether or not to hold on to him or let him go, she has to decide because even though Eren knows he has to die for the cause he still deep down wants someone else to save him, stop him, do anything outside of what he has to do on his end, you know?

Mikasa is aware of ALL of these alternatives, and just like Eren she was accumulating all these knowledges about what she was supposed to do, meanwhile literally wrecking her brain in order to find a way for herself to save Eren. That explains why in the very beginning, even as a 15 year old girl why she was ready to fight a whole army to keep Eren safe -- because in the thousand years of stimulation in the path, she refused to lose Eren every time, while knowing that Eren dying is likely the only thing she couldn’t change. So for her, life kind of becomes how to have the best ending possible with Eren throughout these Timelines in the path, and all her choices were informed by the fact that Eren will eventually die, and the only thing she can change is the condition in which other lives are happening surrounding Eren's death (aka when are how Eren dies). That's why when Annie was asking if Mikasa could kill Eren she was all reluctant, she was really out here trying to the bitter end to avoid killing him. But the choices were limited to begin with. So, the reason why she was reluctant is because if Eren dies in her hand, they will not be able to spend eternity in the path anymore, and the Ultimate Ending will confirm that one Timeline as, for the lack of the better word, reality.

In other words, the ending that we get in 138 is an Ultimate Ending because only this time Mikasa makes peace with killing him, goes through the act, which ends the Path Experiments.

tl;dr: Mikasa and Eren have been exhausting every single possibilities in the Path together everytime the time comes for them to be able to do so. It wasn't an imagination nor a future memory. They explored these experiments together, and eliminated all the alternatives on by one, until it boiled down to the ultimate outcome, which is Levi killing Zeke and Mikasa killing Eren after he enacts the Rumbling. This ending is inevitable, but it was not inevitable how they get there; Mikasa will have to make this choice, otherwise this shit will never end.

#mikasa ackerman #ymir the first #ymir fritz #og ymir #eren yeager #aot #aot spoilers #aot theory #armin arlert #snk spoilers #snk thoughts #snk theory #lilylilym #text post #snk ending #aot ending

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secret-engima · 4 years

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Kinda busy atm so I won’t stay logged on long but I had this thought and HAD to share. Literally all of Naruto’s mistakes and plot holes, as a show, can be explained in one sentence.

What if it’s all a DnD campaign.

THINK ABOUT IT. You’ve got a rotating group of players aside from the Core Quad of Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi, each driving their poor DM up the wall in a different way, and the stakes keep escalating because the DM doesn’t want to outright railroad these nut jobs but they keep rolling just high enough to make their ideas pass.

“I summon a giant snake to save me from the suicide bomber.”

“You don’t ... you don’t even have enough chakra to use a fireball jutsu or a shunshin, how-”

“I. Want. To. Summon. A giant snake. To save me.”

“...Roll for it.”

“Nat 20.″

Naruto *pounding the table*: “Crit! Crit-crit-crit-crit-!”

DM: “Yes, THANK YOU Naruto.” *sighs* “Fine. You can summon snake to save you despite HAVING NO CHAKRA LEFT.”

And-

“Okay so you’ve finally found the real Pain, he’s this weak dude in a medical rig, looks like skin and bones, totally helpless once you get past Karin, which is going to be one heck of a boss-.”

“I give him a heartfelt speech of about our shared loneliness and pain and ask him to come to the good guys side.”

“... you wat.”

“I give him a heartfelt speech about our shared loneliness and pain and ask him to come to the good guys side.”

“...That’s going to be one heck of a charisma check.”

“Nat 20!”

DM: *sighs* “You not only convince him ... but he uses the last of his chakra to revive all of your friends and villagers he just brutally murdered. Konan flies away with his body.”

“Oh yea!”

And then there’s Sakura, probably a new player or just plain unlucky, who keeps TRYING to be useful in the party but instead rolls 1s and 0s except for the times she DOESN’T and hits like- five natural 20s in a row and that’s how we get scenes like Sakura saving Kankorou, Sakura vs Sasori, and Sakura punching Kaguya in the head.

Itachi is a guest player and Sasuke’s older brother, he’s actually from a different campaign the DM ran a while back, and the one who inspired Sasuke to go Chaotic Neutral/Evil after Itachi told him about how he rolled a series of 1s on his “save the clan” plans in that previous campaign, then just shrugged and rolled to murder everyone but his baby brother’s character. The DM kinda wants to strangle him, because whenever he shows up, he and Sasuke get into competitions on who can get away with rolling for the most overpowered nonsense (see: amaterasu, both susannoo’s, and the izanagi/izanami combo). Kisame is Itachi’s friend from work who likes to pop in and stir up trouble in the campaign just to unwind, the other Akatuski are probably NPCs. Kisame USED to be an NPC until Kisame’s player popped in and was like “Shark guy sounds epic can I steal him?” and nobody said no loud enough.

Kakashi is a veteran player who used to DM but decided it was more fun to be the background troll. The DM is sure that Kakashi uses loaded dice but can’t prove it, because how ELSE does this guy keep his character alive when he keeps triggering the chakra exhaustion condition?

The bad guys keep getting crazier because the campaign keeps escalating and no one wants to call it quits and that’s why the plot falls apart because the DM keeps introducing a new Big Bad to keep up with his players that keep rolling crazy dice combos that let them get past, kill, or reform the previous big bad. This campaign was supposed to end with the freaking WAVE ARC and now Naruto is rolling to use Reverse Sexy Jutsu (why oh WHY did the DM let him create his own jutsu he knew this would happen) on the RABBIT GODDESS FROM THE FREAKING MOON. What is even this campaign anymore.

Bonus if this entire thing is a stupidly popular youtube DnD series ala Critical Role and all the players are voice actors and the terrible fight scenes are fan animations the players got permission to use until they got an actual animator on board for things like the Kakashi vs Obito fight.

#Secret Engima Rambles #new au #crack au #naruto #Ninja Dice verse #oh dear

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totaldramafan-lauri · 4 years

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I know I haven’t updated in a few days......but I actually HAVE been playing a lot! It’s just that, well......I wasn’t emotionally in a good place, and didn’t feel up to making a post. Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious, and I’m healing.

But anyway, yeah, quite a bit has happened, and since it took place over multiple days, there are a few points to hit here, so.....cue the Read More

Deli and Bianca

My fourth and fifth villagers moved in, one after the other! As expected, they didn’t make as big of an impression as the adorable Margie did, but I do like them, and I already know what they’re like....well, kinda! Bianca is very cheery and full of energy! Also I love her color scheme, it kinda makes me think of a snow leopard or something like that. Deli goes to sleep early so I haven’t seen as much of him yet, but he talk about snacks a lot.

Apparently I have a good house

The HHA ranked my tiny little house an S!? This was.....kinda a shock. XD I don’t know if that’s really THAT impressive.....but, going by Splatoon logic, S is the highest rank, and I’m not sure if that’s true here as well....Nevertheless, I got a reward for it, some bronze decoration (which lets me know that there ARE steps above that), which I displayed in my house cuz....bragging rights? XD

Swindled!

So, like I said before, the museum expanded to add an art exhibit (which it really should’ve started with). This means that I got my first visit from this, er, friendly face-

-who invited me to visit his collection. It took me a bit to find his boat, which is kinda embarrassing.....but once I was there, I was initially very cautious. Going off of what he did in New Leaf, I knew not to trust him completely, buuuuut......at the same time, I really wanted to give Blathers some art, and I had no idea to tell the right from the wrong, if you know what I mean.....So, after mulling it over, I bought a statue. XD I knew it probably wasn’t the smartest choice, but I’m completely in the dark about most art pieces and was too lazy to look stuff up, so....I just hoped that either I was lucky, or his gimmick was different in this game that it was in New Leaf.

.......Weeeeeell, turns out that the statue was a total fake. WELP. I sure felt like an idiot after that! XD Yeeeeaaaah, I’m probably not gonna be throwing Bells at this guy all willy-nilly again after that. Eh, I deserve it. Shows me to ignore the obvious warning signs!

The wonders of coloring stuff

I’m now able to customize furniture, which I immediately put to good use! You’ll be seeing that in the next house update. Also, remember the shell lamp I was gonna give Margie? I customized it before giving it to her. I gave it a shiny pearl-like color. Cuz I just adore Margie so much already! I’ll try not to spoil her, but still.....you could say that I’ve taken a shine to her....C-cuz....lamp, shiny....moving on.

Gigajolt

Hazel, the funny lil sassmaster that she is, came up with a nickname for me......Gigajolt. I.....literally have no idea where it came from, it has nothing to do with my name......and I like it. I like it because it’s like Hazel herself - quirky, yet I can’t help but love it.

This flower doesn’t go here!

Remember my flowerbed? Well, after it rained, naturally, more flowers started growing around it. I anticipated this, and was prepared to relocate any new tulips to that the flowerbed will keep its....sh-shape......I’ve done this a few times, but....guess what happened yesterday? A different color tulip started growing! I thought that could only happen if two colors bred, but....no, all I had was red tulips! Just red! But this new one looks like it’s gonna be BLACK!? How did that happen? Well, after it grows, I’m certainly keeping some souvenirs.....O__O

Also, while I’m talking about flowers, I’ve planted another bed recently, this one fenced in, of red and while lilies (as an experiment), as well as planting some lilies outside of each villager’s house (cuz I wanna show them I care).

Striking gold

This one’s pretty simple - I found my first gold nugget, completely at random! I’ve been so used to hitting rocks everyday, collecting iron and clay.....and I was NOT expecting something new like that! I wonder how rare it is.....Maybe it’s really rare, or maybe it’s not and I’ve just been unlucky up till now. Either way, it was a pleasant surprise. XD Now to find out what it could be used for....

Plans for the future

I still haven’t found the time to plant my orchard, and I really should get on that! That should be my next big thing to do! ......If I don’t get distracted again, and it really seems like this game keeps throwing new objectives at me. XD For example, my newest problem is that my storage is full. Taking all the fruit out WILL help that, but not enough. This means that.....yup, I’m gonna have to expand my house soon. Not complaining, since I do have a lot of stuff. I REALLY like saving things for later, or even hanging on to things I’ll never use just because they were gifs. XD I’m.....sentimental like that, I guess.

#heartstone island stories

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audrewrites · 4 years

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chapter one: the bounty

a/n: hi friends! this is my first attempt at writing literally anything since i was like 12 so please let me know what you think! this could definitely be a series if y’all wanted it! with each chapter i’ll include a few of my fave songs that had an influence on the chapter (even if they seem irrelevant lol)

chapter song (s) : you should see me in a crown - billie eilish, elastic heart - laura dreyfuss & noah guthrie, carry me away - john mayer

The air in the cantina was sticky, far too sticky for the young women’s preference. In that moment she was thankful for the yellow strip of fabric that kept her hair pulled from her face and neck. It was crowded, but that’s what she wanted. Needed. The only reason she was in the cantina was to hide, maybe get a drink, and find a place to sleep other than the streets.

The music was mediocre at best, but it was far better than the one-sided conversation the man next to her was attempting to have with her. However, the conversation in the room seemed to dull significantly and she quickly glanced behind her. In the doorway of the cantina stood a Mandalorian in all his glory, his masked eyes gazing around the room. Her blood ran ice-cold in her veins.

She wasn’t positive that he was there for her, but nonetheless, she was out of her seat in an instant and running for the back exit, praying that maybe she had gone unnoticed by the Mandalorian’s prying eyes. She knew she had no such luck as soon as she heard the clanking of his armor and weaponry behind her, his heavy footfalls almost in perfect time with hers. She ducked into an alleyway and continued to run, hoping that she could lose him. She had only been on this planet for a few days and in the village for a mere few hours so she truly had no idea where she was going or where any of the winding streets ended up.

After trying to throw off the Mandalorian by ducking into a few more side streets, the young woman found herself unlucky enough to have turned into a dead-end alleyway. She turned to face the Mandalorian in pursuit of her and held her hands up in surrender as she slowly back towards the wall at the end of the alley.

“Hello Mandalorian...”she quipped, a sight smirk on her face, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Turn around.” He barked, emotionless.

“Okay, metal man. Calm down.” She responded quickly as she turned around and offered her crossed wrists behind her.

He immediately shut the cuffs around her wrists and tugged her to face forward. With a huff of breath, the young woman attempted to blow her hair out of her face, her yellow hair fabric lost during the chase. She found her heart aching at the thought of losing it, for that fabric had been her trademark accessory since she was a young child back on her home planet.

As they began the trek back to the Mandalorian’s ship, the young women eyed the civilians around her. They all stepped out of the way as the Mandalorian marched her through town, on purpose she wasn’t sure.

When they arrived at the Mandalorian’s ship, the young woman took a deep breath anxiously. Her end was near, she was just lucky the Mandalorian finding her wasn’t her end. The Mandalorian nudged her up the ramp and she found herself complying without second thought. It was easier to do as he said than to risk a blaster bolt in her head.

She was lost in thought; thinking about her past, her family, her village. She hadn’t thought about it in a long time. She thought about what was to become of her. She was bound to be caught eventually, she just didn’t think it would be this soon. She thought she had more time. When she snapped out of her thoughts, she realized the Mandalorian was readying to freeze her in carbonite.

“Wait!” She fumbled over the single word. It fell messily out of her mouth and she cringed at how desperate she sounded.

The Mandalorian halted in his motions and looked up at the girl. The desperation in her eyes struck a cord within him. The look reminded him of one his mother gave him, one of the last looks she gave him. He felted his hardened heart ache at the memory of his mother, a women he loved dearly.

“I promise you, whatever that bounty is for. Whatever they told you. It isn’t the truth. None of it’s true. I’m not a bad person. I’m not a criminal like they say I am.” Once agin the words tumbled from her mouth before she had a chance to think. She had never been this inarticulate in her life.

“I don’t care about the truth.” He lied. He cared about the truth, about justice. But he had a job to do. He needed the credits.

“Please...please just let me tell you the truth. Let me tell you why I did what I did. Why I have a bounty over me. I need someone to know. I need one person to know what really happened before they kill me.” She pleaded with the Mandalorian. She knew as soon as they arrived to her home planet, she would be killed.

The Mandalorian eyed her curiously through his helmet. Her request was odd to say the absolute least. It got him to thinking. Why was the truth about this bounty so important to her?

On the one hand, she seemed non-threatening. She was cuffed. She was exhausted. Mentally more so than physically, but her epic sprint in an attempt to evade the Mandalorian had obviously taken a toll on her.

On the other hand, though, was the fact that her epic sprint had taken a toll on him as well. She was strategic in her evasion, more so than any bounty he’s ever had. He was quite tired as well. She had a hefty bounty over her head. If he let his guard down for even a second, he could end up dead. He had no idea what this girl was capable of, but judging by the size of the bounty, she was capable of something terrible.

“Fine.” He hears himself speak the short, affirmative word before his mind could even catch up. Though the exhausted gleam in her eyes when he said it eased his anxiety over the situation.

He nudges her towards the cockpit of the Razor Crest and she slowly begins making her way towards the front of the ship. She walks slowly, eyeing everything around them. Though, the Mandalorian couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed with her. Perhaps he was thankful for the short change in pace from his normally high-speed life style.

She takes a seat in the co-pilot’s chair and looks around, admiring the technology before her. Though she had seen many ships in her days, this was the first time she had sat in the cockpit and truly seen a ship. Seeing all the lights and buttons made her feel like a child again.

The Mandalorian takes a seat in his pilot’s chair and begins readying the ship to leave the planet. He notes that she had yet to begin speaking, and he started to wonder if she had a change of heart. He wondered if she had accepted that her truth would likely die with her.

“You can talk. I’m listening.” He said in a short, gruff way. To the untrained ear, he seemed angry, annoyed. But deep down he was showing the young woman that although he seemed preoccupied, he was invested in her story. In her truth.

She inhales deeply before she begins, obviously preparing herself for the story that only she seemed to know.

“A crime syndicate invaded my village. They took over everything. Politics, education, resources, everything. All the resources were piled into one building, the ‘Resource Center’ they called it. To get anything, and I mean absolutely anything, you had to put in a request. Sometimes they would review it right away, if you could give them something they wanted. Other times it would take days or weeks to hear back from them.

The Mandalorian stayed stoic as he listened to her. So far there were no indicators as to why she had such a large bounty on her head. Just a sad backstory that hit a little to close to home as he knew how deeply violence effected villages and cities and planets.

“My younger brother fell ill. Very ill. So I put in a request at the resource center for medicine and made sure they reviewed it right away.”

“What did you give to them?” The Mandalorian couldn’t help himself as he interjected into the young woman’s story. She had said herself that they only reviewed supply requests right away if you had something they wanted.

“They would only accept one thing from me. Men like that think that’s all a woman is good for. I did what I had to do.” The way she sneered was enough for the Mandalorian to understand what she meant. He felt a pang in his chest as her took in the weight of the words that had come out of her mouth in a stream of fire.

“Anyways, they denied the request. I went home empty handed. As time went on though, my brother got worse. I put in another request for medicine and got denied. So my family put in a request to travel to a different planet for medical attention. Denied.”

He could sense her pain. People often thought that the Mandalorians had no feelings, but that was far from the truth. The Mandalorian felt something for her, though he was unsure what. Anger at the people who tortured her village, maybe. Empathy, perhaps.

“I was fed up. He was going to die soon. So I broke in. I took what we needed. Only what we needed, and it wasn’t enough for them to notice. I made sure he survived. Word got around that I was able to get into the Resource Center and people started to offer to pay me to smuggle supplies to them. I could have said no, but they needed me. My people needed me and who was I to leave them to suffer? So I did it. I smuggled supplies for weeks. Months even. But the head of the syndicate found out and started to look for the person who was stealing. My people would hide me in their homes for a few days at a time before passing me to the next home to protect me.”

The Mandalorian was shocked to say the least. She had stolen, but to save her brother. Was this what made them so mad? This was too large a bounty for stealing supplies.

“It went on like this for a few weeks until they were able to figure out who I was. Immediately my village loaded me on to a transport ship so I could get out of there. So I could be safe. I ended up on some sand planet, Maker knows where. I did some odd jobs around there until I heard that they were after me. So I hopped another transport to a new planet. I’ve been doing that since the day I left. Hopping transports and smuggling ships. I haven’t been home in years, I have no clue if my family is even alive anymore.”

Her voice began to waver, though she tried to cover it up with a cough. The Mandalorian could sense that she was beginning to feel emotional.

“How did you know I was after you?” He asked. Usually people with bounties on their head were none the wiser, easy catches. She was easily the hardest bounty he had ever taken, after the child.

“Mandalorians don’t often come after people of the likes of me unless there’s a sizable bounty.” She chuckled sadly. He could hear the tears in her voice and granted himself a glance back at her.

Her tired eyes were wet with tears and he could see the remnants of one trickling down her face. She raised her cuffed hands to wipe at her eyes, attempting to mask the hurt.

“Mandalorians do not often allow bounties to escape either. How did you manage to get away?”

His question came out more harsh than he had wished.

“A woman never reveals her secrets.” She jeers, the playfulness evident in her voice, though it could have been easily missed due to the wetness of her remaining tears and the obvious exhaustion that was setting in.

The Mandalorian considers this for a moment. He considers her story, her truth as she had called it. Her bounty was so large because she had escaped the hands of many bounty hunters, of many Mandalorians at that. Though, she was not a bad person. She was not a criminal. And as rude as it sounded, not worth such a large bounty, especially considering what she had done for her family. For her people.

She had made a great sacrifice, the Mandalorian could see that. That’s why he found himself standing and closing the space between them. The tension was palpable as she looked up at his mask. Her heart caught in her throat at the Mandalorian approached her. He was tall and the Beskar armor made him all the more imposing. The look in her eyes made her heart leap into he throat and he began to feel slightly nauseous. She looked defeated, like she had accepted her fate, but behind the defeat was a small glimmer of hope. He hadn’t taken a chance to really look at her, but he found himself admiring her beauty.

She wasn’t beautiful like the other women he had been with, and there had been a handful. Her hair and skin seemed permanently dirty from years of running, but was indicative of her hard work. Her skin was splotchy with red spots, probably from spending too much time in the sun. Her hands were rough and calloused like his. The small gem in her nose glimmered in the dim light of the Razor Crest. She was unconventional in every sense, but to him it was everything. And he hated it.

“You’ll stay and work with me. Lay low until I can get your bounty cleared.” He grunted as he removed the cuffs from her wrists, revealing the screaming red indentations beneath them.

She looked up at him in shock. She felt like she was going to throw up. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes and her hands began to sweat as her heart rate increased tenfold. Before she could even think she was on her feet and throwing herself into the Mandalorian’s arms, wrapping him in a tight hug of thanks.

Jumbled words tumbled from her lips as tears fell from her eyes. The Mandalorian felt himself go stiff. He couldn’t quite believe what he had just done and it had been a long time since he experienced any contact like this. The girls shaking form in his arms, however, brought him back to reality and he found himself relaxing slightly. He gave her small pats on the back in a way the he hoped was comforting.

The young woman could sense his apprehension and slowly stepped back and quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve as she corrected her posture, obviously wanting to keep up her front she had put on earlier, though the Mandalorian could sense that she was tired and broken. He began to silently walk to the small sleeping area on the ship, it would have to do for now. She quickly caught on and followed behind him. He did his best to make sure she was settled on to the small cot before he began to make his exit.

“Hey. Since I’m going to be living with you...well working with you, or for you, I’d really like to know your name.” He heard her call after him. He turned to face her.

“Mando.” He said simply, though there was a slightly playful lilt to his voice that almost gave away the smirk he held under the mask.

“Well, Mando. Thank you. For...you know...”she trailed off, not really sure what she could call what he did. Sparing her? Maybe. Saving her? Yes, but that seemed too extreme and she was tired of sounding weak and desperate.

He examined her for a second more as he took in her tired eyes and the way her body was slowly giving into the exhaustion of a life on the run. Her hair fell in a frizzy, tangled mess around her face, her signature hair piece long gone. He could see that she was somewhat comfortable, she felt safe with him, otherwise she wouldn’t be slowly lowering herself to lay on the flat pillow that sat just behind her. The Mandalorian quickly turned on his heel and returned to the cockpit before he could allow himself to feel anything for the remarkable young woman that was now sleeping in his bed.

As he sat down in his pilot’s chair once more, he couldn’t help but think about his choice. How was he going to get the crime syndicate to pull the bounty? Possibilities of the future blurred through his mind as he glanced back to the sleeping area. The modulated sigh that left his mouth was indicative enough of the feelings he felt for her: he was in deep.

#the mandalorian #the mandalorian x reader #star wars #din djarin #din djarin x reader #fanfic #fan fiction #star wars imagine #the mandalorian imagine #din djarin imagine #the mandolarian #the mandolorian x reader

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truthbeetoldmedia · 5 years

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Doctor Who 11x08 “The Witchfinders” Review

Okay, let me level with you all… I had about a million thoughts watching this episode, the first being “YAS, WITCHES,” immediately followed by “Holy shit, this is dark.” Not even ten minutes in and they’ve already drowned an accused witch whose granddaughter is watching amongst the crowd. The Doctor, of course, tries in vain to save the accused and as a result angers local aristocrat and Satan enthusiast Becka.

Now, obviously, you can’t make an episode about witch trials completely free from at least a mention (or implication) of death. The death of Willa’s gran at the very beginning of the episode signifies yet another dark Doctor Who death that only serves as a damper on the whole season. Doctor Who has never needed death to be effective in conveying dire straits, so this was definitely a bit much. Which brings me to the point that the show is losing a bit of its whimsy in favor of darkness — they could have landed in the midst of a witch trial without a death and it would have still been effective.

The “big bad” of this episode is another new alien race called the Morax (spelling debatable since they weren’t listed in the credits). I have to give it to Chibnall, too; this is about as scared as I’ve been watching Doctor Who since the days of the weeping angels.

The Morax have been imprisoned on Earth inside of an alien prison fashioned to look like a tree, and when Becka chopped it down they were released. They need bodies to occupy, however, so when Willa buries her gran this mysterious haunted mud LITERALLY fills up her dead body and reanimates her (and a few other unlucky of the deceased). Yup, that happened, and I hated it. That part of my notes just says “what the ACTUAL fuck, guys,” and I meant it.

Becka is also being slowly taken over by these super fun and chill aliens, of which she of course interpreted to be Satan. So, what do you do when something strange and terrible is happening to you? Start a full witch hunt, obviously. She’s fully taken over by the Morax by the end of the episode, her new Morax form trying to free the rest of them now that she has a body to do the job. The Doctor and co manage to trap them back in their tree prison at the end, but not before a whirlwind of an episode.

I did, in all honesty, enjoy most of the episode. As soon as they landed in the middle of a witch hunt I knew the Doctor, now in a female body, would get caught up in this in a way her previous male regenerations wouldn’t have had to worry about. We meet King James (brilliantly played by Alan Cumming), who immediately dismisses the Doctor and declares that Graham (the white guy!) must be the Witchfinder General, a title claimed by the Doctor to gain some credibility with the locals. The whole exchange between King James and the Doctor is infuriating, resulting in the best quote of the season from her: “If we’re not being drowned we’re being patronized to death.”

Honestly? New quote for the insta bio.

We also FINALLY see some much needed intensity from Jodie this week while facing the obvious evil of the episode, the Morax, and the even more obvious evil, misogyny. After being accused of witchcraft (honestly, if you’re not living your life as someone who would have been accused a witch in the eighteenth century, are you even living?), King James and the Doctor have a great exchange about his tragic past and his current affinity for killing witches, which results in the Doctor accusing him of living behind a title. He throws it right back at her: what’s she hiding behind that title of “Doctor”?

With all the whimsy surrounding Jodie’s acting, it’s hard to remember that the Doctor is several thousand years old and has seen some of the worst things imaginable. That’s part of what makes the show compelling: this character that’s seen the best and worst of everything. They’ve been so focused this season on the Doctor now without showing any of that depth, so imagine how excited I was after King James accused the Doctor of hiding who she is behind a title and Jodie came through with that thousand year old stare.

As for King James, his introduction as such a flamboyant character seemed ill placed amongst the dark story line, but Alan Cumming did an absolutely stunning job of walking that line between menacing and theatrical. He’s unashamedly flirting with Ryan one second and threatening to burn down an entire village the next, and I truly had fun watching his performance once I settled into it.

I wouldn’t have been mad if this one was stretched into a two parter. The story had the potential, and it seems criminal to not utilize Alan Cumming for a little while longer. Besides another weak alien and some odd placements, this was a sold episode. Let’s see, with only two episodes left, what kind of note the series will end on.

Alyssa's episode rating: 🐝🐝🐝.5

#Doctor Who #The Witchfinders #King James

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gascon-en-exil · 6 years

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I Liked Fates Before It Was Cool!: Birthright Part 1

Prologue

Opening Chapters

Chapters 6-11, in which Hoshido’s military is extremely disorganized and only regroups because the mere idea of Ryoma is just that awesome.

Chapter 6

Not much to say here. Corrin tells Xander they’re siding with Hoshido against Garon and implores him to do the same, Xander accuses them of being brainwashed and, after repeated refusals, tries to kill Corrin. Following this is a chapter that will probably be finished during the first enemy phase unless Ryoma gets really unlucky. I suppose it makes sense that this is the shortest of the three versions of Chapter 6 as Corrin went to the border already with the Hoshidans. While it’s kind of neat that all the Hoshidan royals are playable on this map as a bit of a preview, note that this is the fourth of just seven chapters in which Ryoma has appeared as a unit prior to his formal recruitment. We get it already, the guy’s an OP powerhouse and a clear favorite of the writers.

This is also where I should probably bring up My Castle, but I don’t have much to say here as it was never a feature I particularly enjoyed. Other FEs have addressed the concept of a base for your army integrated into gameplay far better than this. Genealogy and the Tellius games and others may not let you perv on your units taking a bath or disgust them with your horrendous cooking, but what does that really add to the experience? I know, I know, a bunch of small and scattered stat boosts....

Chapter 7

Oh, silly banter in the middle of an attack while surrounded by wounded and dying soldiers. Never change, FE. But seriously, even if he’s just Cordelia with a dick whose semen produces more Cordelias let’s take the time to appreciate that Subaki is the series’s first playable male pegasus knight. Fates’s take on classes is actually very egalitarian, a fact that often gets lost in its sea of fanservice and subtle story-enforced misogyny and everything about <insert character whose gender/sexuality-related presentation offends you most>. Moving on.

I’m still not entirely clear what happens to the Hoshidan army between this chapter and the preceding one. They really appear to just break ranks and scatter: Corrin and co. go fool around in the astral plane with Lilith, Ryoma and Takumi lead some of their forces toward Izumo (why?), no one cares about Hinoka, and Sakura retreats here to Fort Jinya to tend to the wounded at a makeshift military hospital. It makes sense that the Hoshidan army wouldn’t have the strictest organization thanks to their years of protection under Mikoto’s barrier, but the problem is the game never tells us that and we’re left to infer these things based on the events of the next few chapters.

The Nohrians meanwhile are still on the offensive, but they screwed up by sending Silas’s unit to attack the fort. Silas has an unhealthy attachment to Corrin that frankly rivals Camilla’s, and his abrupt defection here because he wants to hang out with his partially amnesiac BFF undoubtedly bodes ill for anyone associated with him when news of it reaches Nohr. I guess it’s cute in my case that Silas’s obsession with Corrin knows no gender, but the guy probably steals underwear to sniff. Saizo is entirely justified in being suspicious of him.

Paralogue 1

Oh yeah, I forgot all about this chapter. Mozu’s just not as memorably meme-worthy as Donnel, and recruiting her is less frustrating since you’re not forced to make her poke things in her joining chapter. It does make the Faceless seem like more of a threat to Hoshido, although as a consequence playing through this paralogue in Conquest always feels a little weird. This plus the first Castle Invasion were mostly for EXP and support farming. For anyone wondering, I’m going to be keeping most of my characters in their default class sets since I don’t feel like grinding skills or anything elaborate like that. Also, I’m playing on Normal, so I’ve got a lot of latitude in how I play which is how I prefer FE anyway.

Chapter 8

Hinoka sums up my feelings on her and her retainers. Azama’s got some amusing lines and if I knew more about Buddhism his...interesting take on philosophy would probably be even funnier, but that’s about it. And yeah, Hinoka really just does pop onto the scene with no explanation except that she’s also trailing her brothers and I guess everyone really did forget about her. Sucks to be a late development addition.

Iago tosses the conflict ball to ensure the party’s trip to the Wind Tribe village is a rough one, though since Fuga was set on testing Corrin’s worth by sending a bunch of his tribesmen to get slaughtered by their army anyway I wonder why he even bothered. This is a rare case of a desert map that isn’t a frustrating pain in the ass, because it’s small and there are Dragon Veins to reduce the amount of sand. I also like how even on the lowest difficulty of the easiest route the game is already throwing a boss at you with some annoying skills. Fuga’s motivations may be silly, but at least he leaves us with the memory of a good chapter, some cryptic foreshadowing for the Yato, and a shota wind mage who unfortunately continues in the tradition of Ricken stepping away from their archetypical dynamic after Tellius made it just a little too close to explicitly gay.

Chapter 9

Izana, huh...Izana is...

Let’s talk about Zola!

Zola is one of the rare Fates villains who isn’t (always) exactly what he looks like. On first glance he’s just a typical simpering syncophant with a fitting talent for illusions, but he actually comes with a bit of a character arc in Birthright which I have to say I wasn’t expecting. It was almost as unexpected as Leo’s unexplained appearance at the end of this chapter to kick off said arc by leaving Zola exiled. One big problem I have with Fates is how characters have a tendency to teleport around off-screen as the plot demands it, distance between locations or basic geography be damned, but it’s marginally more forgivable here since Leo is shown later in this route to know how to perform literal teleportation.

I believe this is also one of the only times in Birthright where Hinoka gets to do something that affects the plot, so good on her for acting suspicious of fake!Izana. She’ll go right back to being overshadowed by her brothers - including being overshadowed at being overshadowed - soon enough.

Izumo’s role as the designated neutral nation is delved into more thoroughly in Conquest, weirdly enough. Here Corrin and co. get left only with a vague directive to head toward the Bottomless Canyon and some of Azura’s song lyrics. That’s kind of a good thing, because I’ve got nothing on Izana now. I get that he’s an amusing surprise the first time around, but...who wrote him like that?

Chapter 10

Allow me to divert for a moment from the Takumi angst to pick some very large nits with the geography of this game. In the previous chapter Corrin learned that Ryoma and Takumi had been pushed to the Bottomless Canyon, which is nowhere near their location - but hold onto that thought. The canyon is clearly northwest of Izumo, yet the party goes south to Mokushu allegedly in an effort to reach them there. Fates has a bad time in general with giving a good impression of where its events are taking place, partly because the scale of the map is odd and not helped by it being a topographic rather than a political map like in every other FE, partly because there are times like this where the information presented appears to be simply wrong. What’s worse, the major plot development surrounding Takumi’s possession in Birthright does not, at least so far as I recall, necessitate that he have been possessed by Anankos or anyone else connected to the Bottomless Canyon. I’ll certainly be revisiting this when the time comes.

But...whatever. In spite of everyone getting lost except Ryoma (because of course) this is actually a good chapter, with a cramped map filled with environmental hazards to add challenge. The treachery of Mokushu spans all three routes and is one of those set pieces that benefits from development in each of them. Kotaro’s connection to the, er, Christmas ninjas (and elsewhere, Shura) isn’t developed here unless you choose to have them engage him in combat, but that just saves stuff for the other routes.

Chapter 11

Pictured: easily one of the most forgettable playable characters in this game. It’s a shame too, because she’s the only default kinshi knight and her bits of dialogue and few supports offer hints of an interesting backstory that would speak to gender roles in Hoshido. Alas, she’s merely a Corrinsexual.

This chapter itself is filler, but mechanically it’s good filler. Your new OP archer royal gets plenty of targets for his bow, there are some promoted generics to spice things up, and the Dragon Veins can either help or hinder you depending on how you use them. I don’t care for the antagonist fake-out between the opening and closing cutscenes and the chapter proper - where did possessed!Sumeragi the mysterious swordsman go while you were fighting the fliers? - but that’s a minor quibble. Corrin already beat that guy.

A larger problem is with Takumi’s development, or rather lack thereof. As I said last time the events of the opening chapters explain his initial hostility to Corrin (and Azura) quite well, and Mikoto’s death only reinforces that feeling. Why then does that hostility vanish so quickly in Birthright? Just one chapter after recruitment and he’s already turned his characteristic prickliness onto Zola instead, and I don’t recall it appearing much again except in the context of possession. It’s only the route the ends with Takumi as the final boss that allows him space for his feelings to develop organically (albeit in a negative direction), possibly because Conquest is the only one in which he’s not beholden to love Corrin like all playable characters in Avatar-centered games.

Next time: Birthright Chapter 12 - 18

#Fire Emblem #Fire Emblem Fates #Fire Emblem Birthright #FE14

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duckybeth99 · 6 years

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From Life to Death (Past!Fic)

I’d like to call this from life to death, here and there, but that’s too long lol. really short compared to my normal stuff; literally tiny fics strung together with a similar theme. wasn’t a real order to this? but I did put the most surprising one at the end

—

To become a demon of Hell requires two things: either to commit some great sin or make a demon deal, and die. This is true for every non-born demon, even the most kind of them. Some choose to move on once they have suffered their punishments or reformed. Some choose to stay.

A few who have chosen to stay are Mabuz, Vincent, Elliot, Sharp, Valerie and Violet. What got each of them there is different. Who they once were are all different. Some from Earth, the UpSide, Realm Prime, whatever one wants to call it. Others from different Realms, always from the UpSideDown, always otherworldly. There was little to no difference, though.

They all did something that brought them here.

—

He was the first of his kind. One of his parents, a grand dragon, wild and free. The other, domesticated, raised and cared by humanoid beings, and learned to be small like them. To walk on two legs, to hide their wings when not needed. So he was an oddity. No one quiet knew how he came to be. Some say it was fate. Some whispered of changelings and shapeshifters blood or malicious magics. Some say he was just born unlucky.

But there was their son, hatched from one of several eggs. He was the runt. Cracked his egg a day later than the others, who all appeared as, while smaller than the grand dragon, still as dragons. But the last one was different. Meek horns, tiny height among his siblings, scales that were uneven with some too large, others so small they looked like freckles across his body, and looked more humanlike than the rest. Than even the domesticated dragon. He was pathetic compared to his family. Nobody outright said it to him, but he could see it in how they treated him. His elder siblings, the disappointment his great dragon father showed. He knew he was lesser. To use his family name on itself would bring shame to them.

So he never did when he could prevent it. He only went by the nickname Sharp, and only to those who weren’t in his family, for they were the ones he showed his skills to.

While his brutal strength lacked due to his diminutive stature compared to his family, he was still clever. Sharp has a focused mind, speed, persistence, all on his side. What he didn’t have in raw power, he compensated in those skills. While his siblings used their dragon strength, their abilities over elements in combat, Sharp humbly took to a simple bow and arrow.

The day he discovered his first one was when he was a child. These weapons, laid about next to the carcasses of mortals who tried to hunt for his kind in sport. The swords were too heavy for him, too big to hide from his parents who would be angered by his wandering near fallen hunters. So he stole a bow and pouch of arrows from one body, and began to teach himself.

But still, he was looked down on.

His brothers and sisters mocked him, and the grand dragon said he was worth nothing as a misshapen. While he had the grand dragon’s blood, no symbol of it showed. He was still seen as weak, weaker than even the domesticated ones of his kind.

The pressure and rage built up in him until it reached a fever pitch. And that’s when the stranger came and offered Sharp a deal.

To find acceptance, the stranger said, would be to find power and end his weakness. Sharp listened to the stranger and they revealed a magic arrow he could use to end it all. The stranger warned the damage would be permanent. Sharp wasn’t worried.

Ready to display his power, Sharp took the magic arrow and called for his family to watch. But as they gathered, the grand dragon scolded the son for waisting his time with the power that even humans had at their disposal. Sharp begged for the attention, but the grand dragon showed disapproval still. The children soon joined and were about to make their exit.

Sharp pulled out his arrow, planning one shot to gain their attention. But the arrow in his hands was the magic one given to him. In his rage, he didn’t check the arrow, only drawing back and shooting.

When it released, he realized he was too late.

The magic arrow released its power, slaughtering Sharp’s brothers and sisters, his parents, including the mighty grand dragon. Their souls were ripped from their bodies as the arrow flew near them, as they tried to rush away. It landed straight into the grand dragon’s heart.

Sharp ran to take the arrow out, to try and save his father, but it was to no avail. The arrow disappeared, it’s mission complete. Sharp screamed in agony as his family laid dead around him. At his young age, Sharp wanted to run from the crime he committed. He tried to. But running doesn’t work if it’s the guilt that follows you.

Never the one to do well with a sword, he chose the weapon best wielded by his eldest sibling, the daughter who was the pride and joy of the grand dragon. Forged from his own fires, Sharp took the weapon that marked the crime he committed, the symbol of all his shortcomings an failures, and stabbed himself.

He waited for the pain to overtake him, to bleed into unconsciousness, before his life ended. Soon after, transformed into a demon, he served the same being that gave him the magic arrow that sealed his doom. It was only when a stranger of flaming red hair teamed with an old demon, did Sharp join in support and win his freedom, and became a knight in the new kingdom.

———

Fate was not always fair or kind. Sometimes, fate offered only cruelty to those who did nothing. Many demons found themselves in that position, defined as sinners by archaic reasons, or for deals made in desperation, ones made in attempt to do good.

For them, the girls paid the price for choices not made by them. Their names were Valerie and Violet, twin girls. The elder with darker hair and lighter eyes, the other with lighter hair and darker eyes. They thought they had peace in their life. Happiness. Love. But a deal was made behind their back.

The parents of these two had little love for them in their hearts. So in exchange for long life and wealth, they offered their girl. But soon, as young women when a demon came to take their souls, the brave older sister chose to fight for her and her sister’s life. She offered her parents lives for theirs, and they would do the harm themselves, not ask the demon to do it themself. So they agreed, never being one to pass the chance for more chaos and ultimately, more lives taken.

Valerie promised to keep her sister safe from the chaos, so lied of her plan to carry out the deal. In the dead of night, Valerie slit the throats of her parents in their sleep. The stains on her cheeks followed her into her death. As Valerie left the old home to find her sister, cloaked for the night, the younger sister, confused and mistaking her for one of their parents, killed her.

Valerie forgave her sister as she felt herself die. But Violet didn’t forgive herself. With splatters in her own face now, villagers came to try and see what the screams and chaos was caused from. Violet, knowing what would happen next, allowed the people to come and take her, to kill her for the murder of everyone else in her family.

Only hours later, did she awake as a demon, skin purple, with the slashes of blood now marks on her face and neck, matching her sister. Their deal meant nothing to the demon, but in truth, they upheld their end of the deal: the girls wished to undo their parent’s deal and live longer than them.

They got just as they wished.

Along with so many others, they were tortured for their crime, then made slaves in the palace of Discord, abused servants who knew no freedom, no true peace would ever come to them.

Or so they thought.

——

A legend when it came to building weaponry. That’s how he was seen. An ex-soldier named Elliot Edgar, a brave, hulking man who was a gentle giant. He retired early in his work as a soldier, preferring to be a man who crafted instead, but still desired to aid his friends and allies.

As a gentle giant, he stood tall with arms thick with muscle, but a stomach plush enough for hugs, and had an affinity for caring for others. He went so far as to sacrifice his own eye when rescuing a fellow soldier in battle.

Hair tied high in a bun on his head, he took in the trade of blacksmithing, crafting only the finest weapons for the finest knights, each playing to their own strengths and targeting an enemies’ weakness. But a battle is never one sided.

For his skill and expertise, other kingdoms and empires envied him. They desired to take him for their own, or steal his work, or sabotage it. They continued to try and continued to fail with each and every attempt. Elliot remained loyal and clever.

That was, until a stranger slinked through the shadows of his workspace, and whispered an idea into his ear, before vanishing into the shadows as though they were never there.

The idea was a grand weapon, one to end the current war for good, for all the people to move on and progress in peace. So Elliot stayed awake, day and night, crafting a spectacular piece of work that only lacked one quality. It had all the power man could create, but it needed more. The power of magic. The power of a god.

So Elliot turned to people who lurked in the night, asking for help, begging for their wisdom and resources. All turned him away, saying he could not handle the price of his actions. That is Dream was only fantasy and would lead to a dangerous end. Elliot held faith in himself and his creations. Soon enough, a stranger stepped forward to offer their wisdom, one with ginger hair and mismatched eyes.

Offering no name, they cast their magic, promising incredible strength and the final end to come, and the device was ready. Too excited and not wanting to even consider any more rejection, Elliot brought his grand machine, his grand weapon to the field to carry out its task.

Just as the stranger had said, it filled the sky with its power and the final end came. But the end was not the kind he had anticipated or wanted. His homeland, the enemies’ homeland, and all those neighboring were slaughtered. The machine destroyed. No life remained.

Elliot lived for only a moment longer to witness the ruin he brought, his tears sliding against his face before his eyes closed for good. His mortal life had ended. His demon life had him born anew, with violet skin, monstrous teeth and hands like a bear, claws and blank eyes. Though, despite his change, he kept love in his heart. He worked as the cruel Discord commanded, who built their elaborate palace and their empire, but where he could, he showed kindness to the others suffering under their rule.

He hoped he could make up for what he did one day, and craft for good again.

——

Vincent was always considered a smaller man. He was five foot four, not the smallest person, but the smallest boy. However, his ego easily compensated his height. His pride. It wasn’t undeserved, though.

He was a clever young man, one of the smartest people in the town. An orphan who took advantage of his time to educate himself past what schools taught him, continuously advancing his mind and leaving little time to work on and maintain humbleness. He was fairly handsome as well, with lovely red hair and vivid violet eyes. Fantastic with math and arithmetics, biology and sciences, and he was also very formal but blunt. Arthur Archibald Vincent achieved much in his education at a young age, and took quickly to earn the title of a doctor. His skill was incredible for his young age, his studies and papers captivating to his fellow peers. It captivated an employer, too.

He forgot the name of the place over the years, as though erased from his mind, but the men who represented the laboratories remained enough. They came to his current working place, helping maintain and curate a museum containing feats of science, and he introduced them to his private lab. He impressed them with his own studies, own experiments, his own creations. They offered him the job at their mysterious labs. He happily accepted.

He worked alongside plenty of other scientists during that time. Vincent was but another great mind behind the top secret work that was being done, in the discovery of monsters and creatures. Albeit, he did garner plenty of looks when first hired for his young age. The youngest at the labs, the youngest certified doctor. He worked towards the advancements he dreamed of and was promised he would help create. He worked for his patrons to create advancements including some devices used to study creatures.

What the labs deemed as the most valuable, though, was a serum he invented, which with a small device would inject it into the brain.

Initially created to distract a subject’s mind and make it easier to test on them without opposition, it instead intensified and projected fears to their fullest extent. Mental torture. Vincent only realized its flaws on his first test of it in front of many of his superiors. But they didn’t see the mistake.

They saw something fascinating. Something more powerful than they had even asked for.

Vincent was shortly promoted to a supervisor and lead scientist position, the same level as his former boss, Dr. Collins, much to his jealousy and annoyance. But as his ties with the labs became tighter, so did their watch. The torture he saw to the monsters increased. Passing by one of the experiments one day, he realized his serum was being used without his knowledge on the subjects. He heard it be threatened to be used on his coworkers.

Vincent slowed his inventing. Tried to impede on progress where he could. Slow down his research team, try to lose data and hide his findings. The superiors were starting to take note of his disloyal, suspicious behavior.

It came to a head when Vincent released a child.

He didn’t care what the species was, he didn’t ask for a name, nothing. He opened the cage and told it how to escape.

Little did he know, he was watched while he did it.

Soon after, alone at his home, people in the dark were watching him. Stalking him. One night, they broke in. Using his own device, his own serum, they tried to inject it into his head. Vincent fought back, accidentally injecting it into the attacker’s head. As the man screamed and wailed, he stumbled around and knocked a candle down. Vincent tried to escape, but couldn’t make it out of his home. The heat sweltered, the screams continued, and seemed to layer and layer atop itself.

The screams weren’t just the attacker’s. The screams weren’t his.

It was all the screams he heard for all his life.

The air turned worse, smoke filling his lungs. He fought to keep his eyes open, fought for his body to keep moving before he fell, before his eyes closed and he felt his body turn weaker.

Like a candle itself, he went out in an instant after.

When he awoke, he was changed forever. Smaller, meeker than he ever was before. Short like his temper, small like his forethought, his body both there and not. Not entirely physical like a human body, instead the element of fire.

In the past, he bragged about his name, his title as a doctor, his achievements in science.

Here in Hell, nobody knew him. Nobody except Discord, who had knowledge on all they possessed.

Vincent made a choice that day he was brought to Hell. He refused to refer to himself as a doctor. He refused to use his full name anymore. He wouldn’t be Dr. Arthur Archibald Vincent, famed for his science.

He would just be Vincent. Fade into the crowd the best he could.

Be nothing.

#Beth writing #welcome to riverview #sharp #elliot #vincent #valerie and violet

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wilddaydreamingcat · 4 years

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The Untamed 陈情令 - Translation of Chinese Subs - Episode 9

The Untamed – Episode 9

Notes:

The line breaks mostly correspond to each line of mandarin subtitles within the episode. However, I have switched some around so that the English translation can make more sense and flow more smoothly.

I’ve decided to re-translate the female address of 姑娘 (gū niang) as ‘Young Lady’ (for example ‘Young Lady Wen’ instead of Miss Wen) as I felt that this would suit the ancient time period better. This will be adjusted in the previous episodes that I’ve translated.

Please do not post this outside Tumblr, thank you.

I am skipping the recap.

Nie Huaisang: Save me! Brother Wei! Brother Lan! Why am I always the unlucky one?

Wei Wuxian: Be careful!

Lan Wangji: Stop. They are not dead. Did you forget? You said so yourself. Look at their pupils.

Wei Wuxian: Lan Zhan, do you have a better plan?

Lan Wangji: Charge out.

Nie Huaisang: Wait, wait! Brother Lan, Brother Wei. Isn’t it rather rash for us to go out like that? Shouldn’t we have a good discussion on what our next move is? We’re courting death by going out like this, right? Brother Wei, I don’t want to die yet! My golden sparrow...*

* Translation Note: In case anyone has forgotten, it’s the bird that Huaisang caught in episode 4.

Wei Wuxian: Listen to me, Brother Nie. When we go out, you must follow me closely. Don’t ever let go, understand?

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

Wei Wuxian: Let’s go.

Jiang Cheng: Stop there. Stop there.

Nie Huaisang: Why is she attacking again?

Jiang Cheng: You ignorant little brats trespassed on the Goddess Temple. Do you plead guilty?

Nie Huaisang: Spare us!

Jiang Cheng: Wei Wuxian! You left on your own without permission! Do you accept punishment?

Wei Wuxian: Jiang Cheng! If you don’t come out right now, Lan Zhan will get really pissed. Jiang Cheng, why are you here?

Jiang Cheng, Since you’re here, why can’t I? You’ve been travelling all over, how carefree!

Wei Wuxian: Without you nagging at my ears, I’m naturally feeling more carefree.

Jiang Cheng: How dare you say that! Leaving us a note and just disappearing! Did you know how much I... ...my sister worried for you?

Nie Huaisang: Brother Jiang! It’s enough for you to just give Brother Wei a fright! Why are you dragging in Brother Wangji and me as well? Both of us are... Oh, the silence spell has been removed.

Jiang Cheng: I don’t know who got dragged in this time round.

Wei Wuxian: Jiang Cheng, that’s enough. I was the one who wanted to follow Lan Zhan. Even if you wanted to blame someone, don’t blame him.

Jiang Cheng: I haven’t finished lecturing you, and you’re already speaking up for him! I really don’t know what on earth you guys are up to! All of you could see how dangerous it was! If you didn’t have Young Lady Wen...

Wei Wuxian: Young Lady Wen! Wen Qing is here too?

Jiang Cheng: Oh no! How long has the flute music stopped? I’m afraid Young Lady Wen has run into danger!

Wei Wuxian: Where is she? How did both of you come together?

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

Jiang Cheng: Young Lady Wen!

Nie Huaisang: That owl again! Is Wen Chao nearby as well? Why is he trying to harm us?

Jiang Cheng: Young Lady Wen, are you all right?

Wen Qing: Young Master Jiang, didn’t I tell you that once you save them...

Wei Wuxian: Young Lady Wen, why are you here as well?

Nie Huaisang: They’re coming again!

Wen Qing: All of you, hurry up and leave!

Wei Wuxian: We’ll leave together!

Wen Qing: I can’t leave. Young Master Jiang, you promised me that while you were here, you would follow my orders, so take them away quickly.

Jiang Cheng: Young Lady Wen, you can’t save them. Soon, it'll be too late!

Lan Wangji: You do know how to save them.

Nie Huaisang: Isn’t this caused by the Dancing Goddess’s soul absorption? Can they still be saved?

Wei Wuxian: Wen Qing, I don’t care why you appeared here, but now, we’re all trapped here. We must work as one if we want to leave, If you know how to restore them to their senses, I hope that you can tell me now.

Wen Qing: All right. I’ll tell all of you. The power that is controlling them now is not strong. Wen Chao is merely borrowing the power of the Yin Iron that Wen Ruohan sealed within the owl to manipulate them. If you really want to help them, you must first kill the owl.

Wei Wuxian: You should have told us earlier.

Lan Wangji: Wei Ying, cast the Golden Net Barrier to protect them.

Jiang Cheng: Wei Wuxian, what are you doing?

Nie Huaisang: Brother Wei, this spell of yours will not last long. Isn’t this going to end up harming us?

Wei Wuxian: Jiang Cheng, you’re highly skilled, so protect them well.

Jiang Cheng: You...

Wei Wuxian: If you can no longer hold on, then add a layer of protection to it. Aren’t you really good at this? You must protect them well! I’ve wanted to kill that owl for a long time! Wait for my return! Wait for us!

Jiang Cheng: Wei Wuxian! You idiot!

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

Wei Wuxian: Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan, where are you? Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan, where are you? Lan Zhan? Lan Zhan. What’s going on?

Lan Wangji: Listen.

Wei Wuxian: What is this bird reincarnated from? It’s smarter than me. Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan, where are you? Oh no! Lan Zhan hasn’t been caught by the owl, has he?

Lan Wangji: I’m beside you.

Wei Wuxian: Ah! You should have said something!

Lan Wangji: The owl created these illusionary sounds and summoned the disorienting fog.

Wei Wuxian: No problem. I’ll use my flittering light spell to break it.

Lan Wangji: The illusionary sounds not only causes one to lose their sense of direction, it can also disrupt one’s mental state. We will be unable to focus on summoning spells right now.

Wei Wuxian: That’s not right. Why are you not affected?

Lan Wangji: With the illusionary sounds made by the owl, the more thoughts a person has, the more easily the person is disrupted.

Wei Wuxian: Isn’t it obviously bullying me because of my intelligence? Lan Zhan, are you all right?

Lan Wangji: I’m fine.

Wei Wuxian: Did you see who was it?

Lan Wangji: No. Wei Ying, close your five senses. Use the Crimson Rending Talisman.

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

Jiang Cheng: Wei Wuxian, that bastard! Why isn’t he back yet?

Nie Huaisang: Thank goodness my fan is made of black iron. Otherwise... Go away! Brother Jiang, help me mend this! They almost grabbed the netting

Jiang Cheng: Mend it yourself!

Nie Huaisang: How do I mend it? Young Lady Wen! Hurry! Help me mend this! Young Lady Wen! Young Lady Wen, don’t go too close! They might capture you!

Wen Qing: Granny...

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

Wei Wuxian: Lan Zhan! This move of yours is indeed effective!

Lan Wangji: Keep silent.

Wei Wuxian: Can your quick wit ever beat mine? That was close. Lan Zhan, thank goodness you came on time. Did you see who it was?

Lan Wangji: Whoever it was only sent part of their spiritual senses. They did not come here personally.

Wei Wuxian: That person got off too lightly.

Lan Wangji: The villagers should have regained their senses. Let’s go.

Wei Wuxian: Hey, wait for me!

Wen Chao: Useless thing!

Wei Wuxian: Sir, where are those three people just now?

Villager: What? Where am I?

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

Granny Wen: I’m too ashamed to face the family head. I nearly caused harm to Young Lady Qing.* This old lady is so useless!

*Translation Note: There has been some confusion with viewers thinking that Granny Wen is Wen Qing’s grandmother, but she’s not. Granny Wen actually addresses Wen Qing as 情姑娘 (qíng gū niang), literally ‘Young Lady Qing’, which is extremely deferential and polite, and not how a grandmother would address a granddaughter. If Granny Wen was her grandmother, she would be calling Wen Qing: ‘A-Qing’, ‘Qingqing’ or ‘Qing-er’ (For example, see how Yanli addresses Wei Wuxian as ‘Xianxian’ or ‘A-Xian’ without honorifics to demonstrate their close relationship). The deferential address is because Wen Qing is the leader of her branch clan. Wen Qing calls her ‘Granny’ out of respect and probably because they are relatives.

Wen Qing: Please get up. Granny, please get up.

Granny Wen: Young Lady Qing, I’ve let you down. I’m old and useless.

Wen Qing: Granny. Everyone, please get up. Granny, please don’t ever say that. I’m the one who has let everybody down. All of you should leave here as soon as possible. Go wherever you want, but don’t go to Qishan, and don’t ever return to this place.

Nie Huaisang: Brother Jiang, how do they know Young Lady Wen? Also, why did she bring us to this graveyard?

Jiang Cheng: How would I know?

Wei Wuxian: Jiang Cheng! Young Lady Wen!

Nie Huaisang: Brother Wei! We’re over here! Brother Wei, I knew you would definitely defeat that owl. You are certainly full of battle spirit.

Wei Wuxian: However, why are all of you here? Young Lady Wen, what is this place?

Wen Qing: This is the place where the people of my clan are buried.

Wei Wuxian: So, that temple...

Wen Qing: You’re right. That was the Wen Clan’s ancestral hall. We are the bloodline of a branch of the Qishan Wen Clan, specialising in medicine. After we left Qishan, the clan lived in this place for generations. We didn’t expect a disaster to suddenly happen here.

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

Young Wen Qing: Father!

Wen Qing’s Father: A-Qing, run away!

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

Wen Qing: We are the only survivors of this branch of the Wen Clan.

Wei Wuxian: It’s because of the Dancing Goddess’s soul absorption?

Wen Qing: Yes. From that day onwards, Wen Ning and I were taken in by the Chief Cultivator, and returned to Qishan.

Wei Wuxian: But why would the Dancing Goddess suddenly harm people?

Wen Qing: I don’t know either.

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

Wen Chao: Father, we could have defeated Wei Wuxian and the others in one fell swoop, but that ill-raised trash, Wen Qing, actually dared to obstruct me behind my back!

Wen Ruohan: You fool! The Wen Clan’s bloodline at Dafan Mountain are Wen Qing’s clans people. If you hadn’t used the power of the Yin Iron that I sealed within the owl to turn them into puppets, would Wen Qing have reason to go against you? Moreover, I ordered you to assist Xue Yang. Who told you to act without permission and intercept them?

Wen Chao: I deserve your admonishment, Father. I was wrong.

Wen Ruohan: Find the Yin Iron and bring it back. This time, there had better not be any mistakes.

Wen Chao: Yes, Father.

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

Nie Huaisang: Please don’t let there be any trouble again.

Wei Wuxian: As long as you’re with me, I guarantee that you won’t even lose a hair.

Jiang Cheng: Stop boasting already. If Young Lady Wen hadn’t come to rescue you at Dafan Mountain, would you be frolicking here right now? I’ll get eight generations of bad luck following you around.

Wei Wuxian: Jiang Cheng, if you actually feel that following me around brings bad luck, why are you still coming with me?

Jiang Cheng: I... Who says I’m following you? To get through Dafan Mountain, this is the only road. I’d say you’re the one following me!

Nie Huaisang: A reed flower chicken! Look! Over there!

Wei Wuxian: How did it know that I was hungry?

Nie Huaisang: Brother Wei, we’ll surround it, one of us in front and the other behind. Let’s go.

Wei Wuxian: Jiang Cheng! Help me block it from there.

Jiang Cheng: I’m not going!

Wei Wuxian: Quick! Brother Nie has already gone far ahead! Brother Nie!

Lan Wangji: Young Lady Wen, twenty years ago, do you truly not know why the Dancing Goddess went out of control?

Jiang Cheng: Where’s Wei Wuxian?

Nie Huaisang: He was saying something about needing to relieve himself just now. I guess he went to look for the latrine.

Wen Qing: Second Young Master Lan, I said so just now. I was still a child then, and couldn’t understand anything.

Wei Wuxian: Then, does Young Lady Wen know what was the thing missing from the Dancing Goddess’s heart? Since we left the Cloud Recesses, Wen Chao has been following our every step. Do you also not know the reason why? Young Lady Wen, if you really do not know anything, why did you suddenly come to assist us?

Wen Qing: Wei Wuxian, you saved A-Ning’s life once, and I’ve saved you once. Both of us are even. The motto of the Wen family is “Every debt of gratitude must be repaid.” I don’t know anything else, so you shouldn’t ask me again.

Wei Wuxian: The thing that is missing from the Dancing Goddess’s heart is the Yin Iron, right? Young Lady Wen, we were deliberately lured to this place. The old lady brought us to the Goddess Temple once we entered the village. The Dancing Goddess was awakened, but only attacked Lan Zhan, not us. If not because of the Yin Iron, then I guess there can only be one other reason: She must be attracted to Lan Zhan!

Lan Wangji: Shut your mouth.

Wei Wuxian: Young Lady Wen, Dafan Mountain resembles the shape of a Buddha, and has excellent feng shui. Due to this reason, this should be a place rich in spiritual energy. But while we were on the way here, we saw, very strangely, that the spiritual energy had been depleted. Even though the Dancing Goddess had been a naturally formed spiritual object from the earth, if she had wanted to transform into the shape of a human, she would still have to use the energy absorbed from other creatures. Everything had been peaceful for a hundred years, so why is it that in these twenty years, she changed suddenly and began consuming spiritual senses from human beings? The only reason I can deduce is because of the piece of Yin Iron that was in her heart. The power from the Yin Iron was enough for her to transform into the shape of a human, similar to those water spirits. And ten years ago, someone took away the piece of Yin Iron from her heart. Because she could not absorb spiritual energy, she turned to consuming spiritual senses from humans. Was what I said correct? Also, the person who took away the Yin Iron was Wen Ruohan.

Lan Wangji: Young Lady Wen, Twenty years ago, Wen Ruohan released the seal and removed the Yin Iron, causing your clans people to lose their lives. Now, Wen Ruohan is pursuing the other pieces of Yin Iron. Because of him, the people who will die will only increase.

Wen Qing: Wei Wuxian, Second Young Master Lan, I cannot help you. There’s also no point in saying such things to me.

Lan Wangji: Young Lady Wen, the Yin Iron is being suppressed in four different places. Now that three pieces have appeared, where is the last piece?

Wen Qing: Wen Ruohan took in my younger brother and I. We owe him a debt of gratitude. I don’t know anything else, and I do not want to know. I, Wen Qing, cannot help you. Farewell.

Jiang Cheng: Young Lady Wen, wait! Young Lady Wen. Young Lady Wen, It’s too dangerous for you to leave by yourself now. Previously, you had revealed yourself at Dafan Mountain. How will you explain yourself after returning to the Wen Clan?

Wen Qing: Young Master Jiang, thank you for your concern. I will take the utmost care.

Jiang Cheng: Why don’t you come with us for now, before deciding later?

Wen Qing: I must return. My little brother is still in Nightless City.

Jiang Cheng: But...

Wen Qing: Young Master Jiang, you need not persuade me. I acted in Dafan Mountain to help my clans people, not to save others. Wen Ruohan needs my medical expertise, he will not give me much trouble.

Jiang Cheng: Young Lady Wen!

Wei Wuxian: Let her go. She has her own plans. Besides, I believe we will meet again very soon.

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

Liquor Seller: Yueyang City’s Changshan Red Liquor! Try for free! Young Sir! Try our Changshan Red Liquor from Yueyang City! Young Sir, just give it a try. No need for payment. Come and try our Yueyang City’s Changshan Red Liquor!

Wei Wuxian: Ah! Where are you going?

Lan Wangji: I’m searching for any cultivation clans in residence here.

Wei Wuxian: Why are you looking for them for? Like I said, you really can’t do without me when you’re out on business, can you? There’s no way you can find out anything by looking for them.

Lan Wangji: Then how should we inquire?

Wei Wuxian: Of course, we should go to... that place.

Jiang Cheng: You’re just thinking of drinking liquor!

Wei Wuxian: Wrong! I, Wei Wuxian, have always made a clear distinction between work and my private life. Think of it clearly. This place has many customers every day. Scores of people exchange information here. If there is anything strange happening around here, it will definitely not escape their ears.

Jiang Cheng: You can say whatever you want with that mouth of yours.

Nie Huaisang: Hey! Brother Wei, Brother Jiang.

Wei Wuxian: How is it, Brother Nie?

Nie Huaisang: Meng Yao and the others have not arrived yet. Let’s find a place to rest first.

Wei Wuxian: That’s excellent. Let’s go!

Nie Huaisang: Let’s go.

Wei Wuxian: Let’s go! Come along!

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

Wei Wuxian: Three flasks of liquor!

Jiang Cheng: Have you gone mad?

Waiter: That’s excellent, Young Sir! Once you’ve drunk our Yueyang City’s Changshan Red Liquor, you’ll be full of vigour! Only a person of your calibre could withstand it! Please wait a moment!

Wei Wuxian: We’ll spend some money to coax some information out of him.

Jiang Cheng: Don’t come to me when you’ve spent all your money.

Waiter: Liquor is served! Young Sir, here’s the liquor you wanted.

Lan Wangji: Ask your questions quickly.

Wei Wuxian: Waiter, we’re visiting Yueyang for the first time. In Yueyang, can you tell us of anything interesting that has happened here?

Waiter: What kind of interesting news do you want to know?

Wei Wuxian: I’m referring to the kind of news where the weirder it is, the better. So, has anything strange happened?

Waiter: Strange things?

Wei Wuxian: Strange things like where can we find haunted residences, deserted graves and dismembered corpses. Or perhaps places where strange activity has happened... if anyone has had their soul eaten... things like that.

Waiter: Young Sir, you really have some extreme tastes.

Lan Wangji: What’s located in the south-east of Yueyang?

Waiter: In the south-east...there is... the Chang Cultivator Clan’s residence? Young Sir, now that you’ve said it, I remembered that something strange had happened recently.

Jiang Cheng: Speak quickly!

Waiter: If the Young Masters follow this road out of the city and walk a few li, (one li is about half a kilometre) you will see a beautifully constructed house. That’s the Chang Clan residence.

Nie Huaisang: Yueyang’s Chang Clan? Is that the cultivation clan that is defending this area?

Waiter: That’s right. They’re one of the cultivation clans. Although the members of the Chang Clan are few in number, there are still more than ten of them staying in Yueyang. But I don’t know what happened recently. Every one of them has disappeared.

Wei Wuxian: They’ve gone missing?

Waiter: I guess so. But, I suppose it’s not either.

Jiang Cheng: What do you mean?

Waiter: When I said they disappeared, it’s because the ten or so members of the Chang Clan suddenly stopped being seen in Yueyang. But once the night fell, we could hear “dong, dong, dong” sounds knocking on the door of the Chang residence.

Wei Wuxian: Knocking sounds on the door?

Waiter: That’s right. The sounds have been going on for more than ten days already. There will be loud, deafening knocking sounds every day. And in there, they’re crying and wailing, as though everyone has been trapped in there with no way out.

Jiang Cheng: Did no one go in to have a look?

Waiter: They did, but it was absolutely empty during the day! The knocking starts once it’s night time. Don’t all of you think that it’s scary? Look, it’s about to be night soon.

Wei Wuxian: Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan, keep calm and focus! Lan Zhan, concentrate!

Jiang Cheng: It’s the Yin Iron!

Nie Huaisang: What? Something’s going to happen again?

Wei Wuxian: Lan Zhan!

Lan Wangji: Let’s go. To the Chang Clan.

Nie Huaisang: I’m not going. I’ll wait here for Meng Yao.

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

Jiang Cheng: There are no knocking sounds. Maybe that waiter was talking nonsense?

Lan Wangji: Someone used the Yin Iron here.

Wei Wuxian: Let’s go.

Jiang Cheng: The sounds of knocking.

Wei Wuxian: Open! Blood is flowing like a river. The entire clan has been massacred? The bodies have turned blue. Their eyes have changed colour. There are red cracks on their necks. Before these people died, they were all turned into puppets.

#陈情令 #the untamed #chen qing ling #the untamed episode 9 #chen qing ling chinese to english translations

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