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rawliverandgoronspice · 10 months

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Actually, sorry, I still don't see why TOTK is imperialistic. The imperialistic one does seem to be Ganon in his greed to conquer. I'm not saying I doubt your argumentsz just... Could you help me understand that?

Hey, yes! No problem at all. If that's okay with you, I'll compile my arguments in a series of links where I reply to previous asks.

Again, I want to reiterate that I don't think what we see in-game is secretely an imperialistic story about Rauru being a bad guy. We can speculate all we want, but there is no evidence in-world for Ganondorf to be anything other than a horrible baddie. My point is not that Ganondorf is secretely misunderstood in TotK, but that I believe Nintendo should have constructed its storytelling in a way that avoided falling into very loaded narrative patterns with real-life imperialistic echoes, and I am criticizing that they didn't try to deliver a version of Hyrule that gracefully accepted its own history, its influence over the world and its inherent moral grayness, instead of nervously scrubbing itself of substance out of fear of its own legacy.

This is the big one, that addresses the game's framing and why I think TotK's version of Hyrule parallels imperialist narrative movements.

This one talks about my problem with Rauru's character writing and what doesn't land for me.

This one is about why I don't think Nintendo is cackling about that good imperialist story they did, that it was probably accidental but still worth mentioning.

And this one, which I assume is the previous ask you sent me, adresses why I think saying that the zonais (and Sonia) are also PoC-coded kind of misses the point in my opinion.

Hope this clarifies my argument! I feel like, as the conversation matures in the fandom, this specific position (not talking for anyone else but me here) is getting kind of warped into something that it's not, or being conflated with the way people are creatively invested in the characters, which, while I certainly won't deny one obviously feeds off the other as far as I'm concerned*, are two separate things.

Again, it's completely fine to disagree! Or to agree and not be put off (everyone stop feeling guilty over the rare joy we manage to catch mid-flight --we can critique media without demanding people to Feel Bad as a result of the conclusions): it's a really fun game and I did play over a hundred hours! But I think the conversation is at least worth considering in a way that isn't caricatured as its weaker arguements.

*(to be very transparent so my own position is crystal clear, and it helps people making up their own mind: Ganondorf touches me as a character because of the way he inherently tries to fight against the limitations Hyrule/The Goddesses/the fiction itself try to force upon him --to devastating and unproductive results-- so the more his own canon tries to flatten him and the more poignant his character becomes to me. Won't deny that! It's this exact realization that made me spiral into hyperfocus to begin with --I am deeply touched by themes of tragic ambition and the impossibility of meaningful rebellion while STILL willingly burning everything down for the sake of refusing your place in the universe, even when the only thing accomplished by the end was the unflinching expression of your agency as well as General Suffering. So of course he would just catch me by the throat like that, that bastard. That being said, I don't think TotK Ganondorf (or any Ganondorf tbh) is a poor little meow meow, especially not in this game's canon where he is *obviously* nothing more than a threat to be stumped and doesn't ever meaningfully oppose you ideologically, which is kind of my problem. Even OoT Ganondorf, simplistic as he may be, questions Hyrule's inherent stability, inevitability and glory in many, many ways. Here's another, final post about why I liked the gerudos better in OoT despite All of The Problems, that partially addresses this exact point!)

#asks #thoughts #totk #totk critical #totk spoilers #ganondorf #rauru #when will my brain return from the imprisoning war....#thanks for the ask!#it actually allowed me to rassemble my points in a more digestible way so it's pretty neat #I feel like I forgot a couple of posts so maybe I'll add stuff back later #again while I think I'm right because I mean... I wouldn't invest that much typewriting in the whole thing otherwise #I'm completely fine with counterpoints and cordial disagreements #(as long as the counterpoints are not like huge mischaracterizations or understand that... I'm talking about the narrative framing)#(not the reality of Hyrule itself)#(I don't care about Hyrule itself it's not real!!!)#((I mean I care deeply but you understand me))

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monarchamos · 7 months

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I know nothing about ur pokemon au tell me about Chuuyas team pls- i wanna know the poke-parallels between his team and Dazais

Ah!!! i'm glad you asked!!! :D

In this AU, Dazai is the strongest of Yokohama's Gym Leaders. He specializes in Ghost types! His team consists of a Dragapult, a houndstone, a spiritomb, a froslass, a mimikyu, and a lampent! here's so fun(debatable) facts about his team!

he used to be an admin for the Port Mafia, so he still has like. a big fat kill count. So that's where the Spiritomb comes from. yeah.

Dragapult is usually the one dragging dazai out of his attempts. It's been with him since even before Dazai joined the mafia, so it's his signature pokemon

His mimikyu likes playing with children. Dazai often leaves it with Kyouka and Kenji to play with whenever the gym leaders get together

Dazai found Lampent when he visited Lupin after Oda's death. It was hanging around the alleyway, and he decided to catch it.

froslass is always freezing him. yk like james in the pokemon anime with all of his pokemon. bc he's pathetic like that. Dazai caught froslass on a mission with Kunikida, shortly after becoming a Gym Leader. (yes this froslass is the nightmare of all of his challengers).

Chuuya tried so hard to convince Dazai to catch a Greavard. Dazai eventually relented, but only because he could name it chibi. eventually he got actually attached to it and evolved it to Houndstone

Chuuya, on the other hand, is still an admin for the Port Mafia

His team consists of flying types. This is because, as his brother Verlaine is French from Kalos, got Chuuya super into sky battles. he prefers sky battles, but he's obviously just as formidable in normal battles. In Chuuya's team he has a corviknight, a skarmory, a honchkrow, a mismagius, a talonflame, and an oricorio (sensu style)

Honchkrow is his signature pokemon! it's been with him since he was in the Sheep

the oricorio, believe it or not, is actually from Kouyou and not Dazai, despite the ghost typing. its usually the pokemon to drag chuuya away when he's overworking himself.

the talonflame was gift from Verlaine! yk. as an apology. for killing the flags. Chuuya raised it from an egg. Verlaine battles with it every once in a while to see how it's doing. the battle's just an excuse to spend time with his little brother though

Corviknight was a gift from Adam as well.

Mismagius used to be Dazai's, but he left Chuuya its pokeball when he left the mafia so its his now :P

Chuuya had to add skarmory to his team during the DHC but ended up bonding with it and now its a staple in his team

Back when they were in the mafia, soukoku were often paired up for double battles on missions.

#look man im all up for switching up the terminology so chuuya's an admin instead of an exec but i refuse to call the PM “team port”#also i know that in the games neither of them should have full teams but also have you considered: let me have my fun #i'll draw these two losers later im rlly busy rn but i wanted to post my thoughts (yes thats why im answering so late sorry!!!)#dont ask why chuuya's team is 4/6 just gifts from people hes a very sentimental guy okay #chuuya also takes care of the flags' pokemon but he doesnt use them in battle #dazai #chuuya #skk #soukoku #bungo stray pokemon au #idk what to call it so we're just going for a basic title ig #might add more details and their designs later

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cindersnowsstuff · 10 months

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VOCALOID6 Free Trial Review

The short version: I didn't like it.

The long version: I tried out the VOCALOID6 free trial over the weekend and instantly hated it. Not being able to draw the pitch line with the pencil tool is so disappointing, and making pitch edits feels sluggish. The default AI tuning doesn't really do much either, and it makes the vocals sound drunk. It's crazy how lame this feels when it's so easy to make something sound good in SynthV. I think the worst part is that AI voices don't have the voice color options (like growl and character) that non-AI VOCALOIDs do. I double-checked the manual just to make sure I wasn't blind. Shouldn't AI voicebanks give you more options instead of less? I should note that I sold my past VOCALOID stuff, so I wasn't able to try any non-AI voices in this editor.

V6 is fine if you want a robotic/autotuned vocal sound, but past editors can already do that. The Vocalochanger is certainly there. It exists. I'm not sure what the point is though. If you can already sing well enough use the voice changer and not have it sound like ass, then why even use a vocal synth in the first place? Maybe I'm missing something. I was surprised to see that the custom style presets I made in V5 were saved to V6 when I had uninstalled V5 previously. That's something nice I guess.

V6 is very underwhelming, and I don't see myself buying it unless there's some insane 90% off sale or something (and they also make Lily or Mayu AI so they can sing in English lol). It's not really an improvement over V5. I've never used V4 or earlier, but I've heard others say they prefer those over V5 and V6. I've only started using vocal synths in the past year, so I'm definitely not as knowledgeble as others. This is just my experience. V6 probably is fine once you get used to it, but it doesn't seem worth it to buy or upgrade at this point. Maybe someday they'll improve things like pitch editing and voice color options, but I'm not getting my hopes up. SynthV is the only other AI editor I've used, and V6 doesn't even come close to matching it.

#vocaloid #vocaloid6 #vocal synth #maybe i'll do more posts like this where i ramble about my vocal synth thoughts #also i don't know how to add a read more to posts so i hope this isn't too long to scroll past if you don't care

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bandaidfingers · 2 years

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🩸DRACULA’S DAUGHTER (1936)🩸

First film in my list that is neither an adaptation nor features a Dracula! This film is a direct sequel to the Bela Lugosi film. Not exactly a good movie imo, but one with some worth-while (if a little underexplored) concepts. The only recurring character/actor is Edward Van Sloan as Professor Van Helsing, the film opening with him being arrested for the murder of Count Dracula which he proudly confesses guilty to. The B-plot continues with Van Helsing attempting to prove his justification for killing the Count, and consequently prove his sanity. Unfortunately we don’t learn the outcome of Van Helsing’s trial, but can only hope he won his case as the film proceeds with its main antagonist, the titular Countess Zaleska. Circling back to the theme of sanity, Zaleska tries to force a psychiatrist to cure her of her vampirism, arguing just as Van Helsing does, that the mysticism of vampires goes hand in hand with science and medicine.

The scene I based my illustration off of is one in which Zaleska fails to resist her vampiric urges— luring a young woman to her home and convincing her to undress (did I mention I’ll be going out of my way to mention homoerotiscm in these little movie essays?) under the guise of using her as a partially-nude model for an art piece. The actress is shown, both front and back, with her bra loose and unhooked (rather racy for the era!) before being bitten by Zaleska.

#I FINALLY GET TUMBLR TO LET ME ADD MY RANT UNDER THE CUT LOL #tragic that I couldn't add them to my first two. they're on insta but you guys care more about my film opinions here <3 #dracula #dracula's daughter #inktober #hannah’s dractober #zaleska hypnotizes people with her huge ring instead with just like . her eyes for some reason lol #it's kinda fun #this movie also has a Plucky Secretary Girl character type that you usually see in detective movies of this era.#she's got the best outfits AND she drives a car <3 I'll post her on main actually you guys have to see her #I'd say this movie is worth watching just for her actually lol. she causes problems for her boss on purpose

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red-moon-at-night · 9 months

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"No. No, stop getting into my head like that…” She blinks a few times, struggling to look Es in the eye. “I'm dreaming. I have to be."

"But what if you're not?"

HELLO EVERYONE... here you go. Koike Yumemi's trial 1 interrogation/voice drama: the fanfiction.

I hope you enjoy! 💜 It was too long to post here >w> like, WAY too long to post here. trust me.

#milgram #Es #milgram oc #fanfic #koike yumemi #I don’t care what the time is I'm posting this now asdfghjkl I have not been typing away for nought okay it's being delivered now!!#I'll add the authors note here ->#Hello!! This ended up being much longer than I thought! But overall I'm happy with how it turned out ^w^#I wanted to write it in this way - more of a narrative than a script - since of course I have no voice actors to read my lines and--#--and the emotion behind someone's delivery can change the way something is interpreted and add additional depth.#So! I did what I could with the tools I have and went this route to provide a little extra intrigue!#I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it 💜#ocgram #my writing

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kinda-daily-warriorcat · 11 months

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Going back to my roots and drawing on MS Paint

#Day 166 #Warrior Cats #Warrior Cats OC #OC: Shiningdrop #Tumblr really killed the quality on this lol #Weird because this is the same file type and relative photo size at 1110x1826px #Maybe it's because the simplicity makes it more obvious to me?#I pulled out my old drawing tablet that I used from 2018-2021 and some of 2022 and how is this thing still alive #Like sure 3-4 years isn't a horribly long time but I took such horrible care of that thing and I broke my first one that I got #on christmas of 2016 after a year and my brother had the same second one and his broke a year in when he took much better care of it #I ended up spending 4 hours on this because I'm not used to MS Paint but using the tablet itself felt so natural #I'm using an actual tablet - like handheld device - for art now and so happy that Clip Studio's UI is exactly like the desktop version #because I'm so used to art program UIs made for desktop - not ones with everything hidden away in menus (well some things are)#But only a couple of things that are tucked away in menus I use frequently and it's become muscle memory #It really sucked learning to use the tablet at first but this challenge especially helped me get more comfortable with it #Turning this into a speedpaint that I'll add onto the post later #2023 Daily Drawing Challenge

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duskgryphon · 11 months

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btw. i’ve been setting up a funny little neocities site finally :]

#gryph.txt #it'll have all my links (or at least most of them i dunno. don't care about twt)#but! it'll also have galleries (already working on building those up) and information about my funny project #and hopefully eventually that's where i'll put my commissions page?#i need to figure out how to add alt text on neocities (if that's possible) so that it's more accessible hopefully #< i'm really bad at remembering to add alt text to posts/never have the energy #i've put a few blinkies and stickers on there (slowed down so hopefully no flashing)#and even a button/link thing #^-^#i want to at the very least get my banner up before i go linking it properly but like #if you have neocities my name's the same so feel free to try and find it lmao

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kellystar321 · 11 months

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#periodical life updates #lets hope this one goes better than the last one </3 #anyway hi everyone. im in an entirely different timezone during this trip so its actually mid afternoon right now #thats not what this is about though this is about how im EXCITED FOR ARTFIGHT AS USUAL!!! lemmy posted his s/is and theyre so cute <3 #also the theme reveal is coming on the 23! i hope its enough time for the theme templates? i love doing the theme templates with everyone :#this'll be my seventh year participating holy sht!! ive been doing this for seven (7) years!!!!!!!!#ive been feeling like ive been improving in art every artfight but idk how i'll fare this year. i feel like ive been a bit stagnant #and i did some PRETTY KILLER PIECES LAST YEAR;;; who knows if i'll top it; especially with summer college classes UGH #miserable about that btw. college my beloathed forever and ever amen. :/ ive been meaning to fix a few characters profiles and add some too #FINALLY going to separate kelly and jace! kelly is now the bureau of balance halfling only <3 ive been redrawing a new design of her :>#she has cute pointed ears now heho!! and actual more fantasy-esque clothes to fit her universe <3 jace is getting a separate profile!#jace is now solely my sona and i look SO much more gender now with the haircut and i can post my refs <33 #i also want to post agent and icarus and all the javelins but that means i have to draw them actually hfjkh <33 #i should also actually add something to shen's profile hfkjfh i care more about xer worldbuilding than xer character i feel </3 #IVE BEEN MEANING TO GET QUEUE BACK UP but everytime i look at my drafts i feel so tired </3 theres ART i want to reblog!!!#ough. some other time. okay! im gonna get my artfight discord channel back up and running for the new artfight season! let's go let's go!#oh and i'll be sure to announce which team im joining obviously hdjfdh it'll probably be the lighthearted one <3 #some of the themes this year are a little off? (stars vs nebula? heart vs soul? arent those the same thing?) but im hoping for the best <3 #okay frfr going now! hope for queue soon maybe if i have time/energy! working on artfight! lets goooooo!! <3

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diademreigned · 10 months

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Visions of Red

A story of what became of the Crimson Duelists at the time of the Ala Mhigan Revolution. Proceed with caution, and mind the tags before reading. This story is long and unforgiving in its telling.

They'd all been sitting down together around the campfire, under the stars in Gyr Abania; Virdjala to be specific. The stars had loomed overhead and they'd since put up their tents for the night. One of them had been stirring the spoon inside the boiling pot to make sure it remained hot.

Crickets chirping, a breath or two of laughter, words escaping simple lips; engrossed in conversation. If one looked closely they would see the darkened clouds passed the shimmering lights shift gently and ever so slightly.

"And I'm telling you, Verholy is a lot stronger than Verflare," laughed M'neia, her ears jolting with her excitement as she waved the spoon around, the steam wafting into the skies above. "I've been practicing it for the longest time and I think I'm really getting the hang of it! Wouldn't you agree, X'rhun?"

No response.

"X'rhun?" Those deep green eyes stared back at the other, mostly looking at the dip of the red hat, arms folded over said man's chest, legs crossed as he sat upon the floor. "Are you asleep? We haven't even gotten to the good stuff."

"I'm delving into my thoughts a little more about tomorrow." The Deep Red spoke, lifting his head ever so slightly, eyes squinting as though he had actually been asleep. "One of us is going to need to scout ahead before we begin making preparations in regards to the Revolution." He gave a softened smile. "I just want us to make sure we clear and cover all our bases before we think we have this won. We can never be too cautious with things the more rapidly they approach."

The Highlander, Declan, scratched the side of his head before taking off his red hat, playing with the feather. "We'll see through to the end of this right? Our families will get to live the lives they deserve, right?"

X'rhun shot his head up to gaze at the other, and the other Miqo'te; who had been stirring the pot, V'yanat, had long since began to stand up straight.

"I should expect nothing less from us. Be in mind, we've done things like this before. The only difference is that more has been riding on us since the beginning. We cannot let our nerves and our insecurities outweigh our very reasons for doing this."

"For Ala Mhigo," M'neia answered, sitting down on one of the stumps, where her tail moved to rest on her leg. "Aye, that's the task set before us because we're Duelists." Crimson Duelists to be exact, those who fought for the justice of those who endured never-ending violence and subjugation that may may find peace where it once belonged. There were sixteen of them in total, each one consisting of squads based in groups of four. After barely reaching his twenty - second birthday months ago, X'rhun was the one who initially was granted the title of Deep Red.

It symbolized his maturity and his unyielding loyalty to his cause. No different than the ordinary rank of being a captain. Each Crimson Duelist was handed their own distinguishing title to establish race.

The Deep Red: The leader, the one who formed the squad and otherwise overseas their tasks and accomplishments.

The Tempered Red: The second in command, granted very similar advantages to the Deep, but otherwise would step in if needed.

The Loyal Red, and the Burning Red. The list could and would progress on and on, each time becoming a revamped version of what it used to be. New titles, the perks that came with it and the like. The Crimson Duelists shared in only one thing: Red. Each delving into Red Magic at several points in their life, and if they grew in their own mastery, perhaps they too joined the Duelists.

X'rhun held up his crystal medium, letting it rotate slowly as he observed it, the crackles of the fire and the flickering embers illuminating his relaxed expression. "Lambard agreed to take his squad to the other end and make refuge there. All that's left is to scout and retrieve information regarding the whereabouts of the Garleans should they proceed any farther." Clenching his fist, he slipped the medium back at his side. "I assume we all know our positions."

A band of three nods responded in kind, without words, without hesitation. That's how his squad was, and had been since they first formed. Whilst each squad was bestowed a leader, X'rhun and Lambard being two of them, reviving Red Magick didn't come easily. They had to gather those who were willing. Declan was the first, having wanted to be both a protector and a fighter for his people and his family. V'yanat was quickly next, being spared with a second chance after being caught in a small group of aggro'd enemies. He had quickly become second in command.

It was him indeed that recruited their newest member M'neia, and whilst she'd been with them for a little over a year; this is where it truly did matter. She'd finally get to see the front-lines of all she'd been working up toward. Close knit and supportive, each time they ended their nights beside a campfire, darkened and tanned skin glimmering against the burns of flames, bright eyes wide as they gazed at the stars . . . X'rhun was always sure that he'd never felt more home with them, fighting beside them.

"We best be getting off to sleep," V'yanat grunted as he stood over the fires, grabbing the bucket and slipping it over the flames, dousing it immediately. The once brilliant red hats now concealed to the darkness. "Or at least I am, and you know I like my beauty sleep."

"Ain't really going to help you, lad," X'rhun laughed, standing up. "But I agree. I'll scout out tomorrow. Await my signal before engaging."

Silence had filled their location for quite some time, as they'd all curled up in their makeshift beds under the stars. Save for, unfortunately . . . two of them. X'rhun Tia was never one to go to bed as early as the others, finding it easier to take less sleep than it was to rouse when he'd been given a good amount of hours. However tonight he was still under the stars, leaning back against a tree as he looked at them. Hat resting on the dirt as his whitened ears rested in a relaxed state. They flicked suddenly and his head jerked upon hearing a noise.

M'neia jolted, tail pointing outwards in her surprise. "I didn't think you heard me get up."

"Red Magick does quite wonders to one's hearing if you can find the means to amplify it." He watched as the shorter Miqo'te sat down beside him. "Why aren't you asleep, lass?"

"Nervous for tomorrow," M'neia propped her legs so she could wrap her arms around them, staring into nothingness. "I don't want to let mother down."

"She will be proud of you for all you've accomplished in a short amount of time, Neia. Red Magic does not come easy for most, but your improvement would deny that statement as quickly as it rolls off the tongue. Have more faith and confidence in your skills." They locked eyes for a moment, and X'rhun smiled. "You've found a kindred spirit in the arts, my friend. You're ready."

Her cheeks squished when she smiled, feeling her eyes light with tears before she stood up. "You always know what to say. Maybe that's why you're a really good leader."

X'rhun shook his head, reaching up to meet her hand when she showed it, clapping them together with a squeeze. "Can you sleep now?"

"Easily. I'll see you on the field." The Seeker watched the other depart back to the tiny circle a few ilms from where X'rhun had been resting, noting that she quite quickly slipped back into the rugged blankets and curled up under the stars. He shut his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree. Sleep would find him easy enough, he just had to sit in quiet a while longer.

His eyes stayed shut as he listened, despite the hat covering his ears, he let the vibrations around him carry their weight. The cold breeze sapping away any amount of sweat that collected upon his forehead and neck. He was never at a disadvantage when regarding his disability for hearing, letting the waves of red mana and black mana magnify their strengths to grant him what many have never lost in their lifetime.

Beneath his fingertips he could feel the Earth tremble. Rocks shook and thumped, eyebrows grimacing as he waited. Things or others have been moving, shifting, walking. The air smelt off, caked in unfamiliar scents and bad intentions. He felt his nose twitch at the sensation.

Then his eyes burst open, wide and alert, heart hammering straight into his throat as his ears flicked. X'rhun's head wasted no time turning in the direction he didn't think he'd need to. Ever.

"Gods, no!"

One wouldn't deny that Red Mages weren't the fastest amongst those who considered themselves combatants. They were dancers, they were swordsmen, they were artists bathed in crimson. They stepped in, and stepped out whilst making careful love with every step they found their boots. There was speed and execution when it needed to be done.

Running may not have been part of that, but that didn't stop the Miqo'te from being spent with energy as he closed the distance to his destination. When there, he skidded to a halt, but found no strength and had to fight to keep from collapse at the sight before him. Mouth agape, he could only reach his hand out.

Sprawled across the campsite, was his squad. His squad, his family, his team, his . . . best friends. Each one laid out in different areas, and it was clear to X'rhun that they'd been ambushed. Caught unaware at moments most vulnerable.

Declan was stuck against the trunk of a tree, gripping his stomach as his face warped in pain, despite it peering at the ground. Mouth open, eyes wide. Whoever done him in was careful to nail him there as a means to put him on display. X'rhun's shaky hands lifted the Highlander's face to properly shut those eyes, pressing his lips to the brown strands of hair on his head to bestow a goodbye kiss.

"I'm so sorry my friend, I know you fought with your life. Had I been here, perhaps you could've escaped." Blinking quickly, X'rhun reached into his soiled clothing, wincing as he did so, and yanked out the blade that attached him there, catching the other as he fell from the tree. All that . . . that weight, he almost couldn't bear it alone. His legs buckled and he gently lay the other mercifully into the dirt.

This wouldn't do, they needed a proper burial. He'd do it himself.

Staggering to his feet, X'rhun was careful to step around the contents of the struggle in search of his companions. It shouldn't have been difficult since there were only three, but he couldn't keep his eyes off the destruction that riddled the site.

Splayed out onto his stomach, V'yanat was next to be found. The Miqo'te had appeared to be crawling away, leg sliced and bearing a clear wound across his stomach, but he refused to drop the Rapier that now lay within his limp fingers. His second in command, brown ears caked in dried red, even his markings, dark and noticeable, sported some red patches.

X'rhun rolled him over with a shuddering breath, bracing him against his leg as he hoisted him up. The way his head bent back so quickly made the other cry out, turning away for a mere few seconds before turning back to close those unwavering brown eyes. It was unfair, there used to be so much life in them.

"Be well my friend," he whispered against his forehead as he lay a similar kiss as he had for Declan, lowering him gently to the earth. "I'll hope your spirit walks with me, I always welcomed your advice. I'll never forget you. . ."

X'rhun remained kneeling for the time being, unable to find the strength to see the remainder of the carnage, bowing his head in silent prayer, until he heard it.

A cough. A pained, clinging to life, terrified and hopeless cough. Followed by a whimper and shuddering quickened breathing. He shot his head toward the source and jumped upright, quickly side stepping everything to get to where this voice was. Where -

. . . M'neia . . .

"My gods, you're still - !" X'rhun quickly knelt down, taking the shuddering Miqo'te into his arms, holding her with both mindfulness and care and attention as she convulsed in his arms. "How are -"

"They - they have - they're all dead . . . they got 'em. All of them!" She was speaking too fast, panting as she clung to life that constantly kept sapping away. Tears welled in her eyes as she felt her hand get encompassed by X'rhun's, a last squeeze. Something she wasn't allowed to forget. "A - a letter came by and - and. . . slaughtered, e. . . every last one of the - . . . Duelists."

She was swallowing and tasting iron at this point. X'rhun's eyes widened. So they weren't the only ones ambushed? So his squad was the last one. They'd gotten notice too late and the other squads had already been vanquished then? His thoughts ran to Lambard for a moment or two before a groan from below brought him back.

"My mother - X'rh. . . my - mother, she can't know I - I tried I. . . please. I don't - please don't let me I - I never got."

"Sssh, ssh, ssh. . . Stop talking, stop." His hand shook as he kept squeezing a hold on her cold hand, attempting to liven her body with any amount of Vercure he could spare. "Be still my friend, you're going to be just fine. I'll ensure it."

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon. . . Dammit, work! You're no healer but work damn you!

It was no good, her aether was pooling out at alarming rates, his Vercure could not compensate. Her other hand twitched against the rocks, grappling for anything that felt tangible to the tingles that radiated through her skin.

"Gods I'm so sorry," X'rhun whispered, forehead resting against hers, lower lip quivering as he kept trying more and more to force Vercure to become more effective. "I let you all down I -"

No response.

He couldn't bear the thought. He kept going, this time switching his process to Verraise. It was such a bad idea, the way he felt no connection to her aether with his, because there was none. He'd wasted enough time just attempting before. Several seconds later he gave up, peering down with blurred vision at her peaceful expression. She was the youngest of them all.

Her first time out here and after all she fought to get to this moment, this is how X'rhun repaid her!? Letting his emotions overtake him, he held her closer, rocking her form slowly as though he were sending her to sleep. He took a few moments to allow everything to drain that he held so desperately to.

He cried. For twenty minutes he never let her go. She had waited for him, she knew he would return and she wanted him to be the last thing she saw. She saved that energy to give him word, let him know so that he, at the very least could be spared.

They all now rest side by side at a small riverbank, out of view of others. Their Rapiers pressed to the Earth where they sleep. Crystal Mediums shoved hard into the sands so they would not be disturbed. It was the hardest thing he had to do.

He had bowed to them, tears staining the soils until at last it could finally rain. He let the world know that they too would be fought for. All Ala Mhigans deserved peace and salvation and quiet when they needed it most.

X'rhun would fight for them. His hat, once held in his hand, now rested against his head. He had since removed a few pieces from their person to return to their families.

The earrings from V'yanat, several rings from Declan, and M'neia's necklace. Mementos for their families, if any of them were still around. Things had since gone South from before up until now. He'd search them out if he had to. They deserved it.

"Fairwell my friends," he whispered, raising his Crimson Medium up into the skies above, Rapier following as it pointed sun-ward. With a quick flare or two, Verholy was first, followed by Verflare. It was always their favorites.

With his heart as heavy as lead, X'rhun turned, hand to his chest, and he walked.

#* // ♦︎ the scrolls of legend’s word — › drabbles.#extremely long post #tw character death #cw character death #tw blood mention #cw blood mention #I HAD THIS IDEA IN MY HEAD FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND #and I know that like it can go many different ways and I hope I portrayed it as I saw it in my head #I'm sure if I could spare it it would be REALLY FREAKING LONG #this story deserves to be told - and told it shall be #I care about X'rhun Tia way too much to let this memory of his be swept under the rug #also in regards to X'rhun's hearing it was a headcanon that someone brought up in a post #where cats with blue eyes are 60-80% more likely to be deaf #and X'rhun compensates for that by using Red Magick to amplify everything else and I think that's neat #if I need more tags please let me know and I'll add them #ALSO SPECIAL THANKS TO ALLEN for sending me tribe and name origin links and stuff #i probably messed up but ;;;

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