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leeeeeeef · 11 months

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still thinking about the similarities and differences between miles edgeworth and trucy wright's upbringings,,, like i get that its no big secret that miles and trucy both lost their biological fathers in the courtroom in incidents regarding forged evidence and wrongful convictions and that their adoptive guardians were somehow involved in gregory/zak's disappearance and that miles and trucy both may or may not have played some role in their disappearances as well (whether it's perceived or unintentional)

but also i think its kind of interesting how trucy didn't become a defense attorney like phoenix did, but rather stuck with being a magician like her bio parents and grandfather. and phoenix supports her in all of her endeavors!!! phoenix loves trucy regardless of her occupation, and it's such a stark contrast to how manfred completely shapes miles's career, personality, etc. miles ended up not following in gregory's footsteps, and it's completely different to how trucy was allowed and even encouraged to continue her family's business.

also i love how phoenix brings trucy and apollo closer together even before they find out that they're half-siblings. and even more, trucy and pearl are almost like sisters to each other (capcom please give us more trucy/pearl interactions pleaseplease please) and since phoenix was a friend of the fey clan long before he met trucy, there's no doubt he had a hand in their friendship. anyways what i'm trying to say is that phoenix puts effort into making sure his daughter has a vivid social life - an extensive support system that she can rely on.

on the other hand, miles and franziska's siblinghood is entirely different. as much as i love their dynamic, it's pretty clear to see that a big part of that dynamic is their rivalry. franziska doesn't want to fall behind miles; she becomes a prosecutor at around the same time that miles does, even if she's seven years younger than him; her entire motive is to beat phoenix in court as a way to surpass miles; and in aai1 fran and miles are competitive with each other (albeit in a sibling way but still). and i get that this is pretty much completely speculative but i cant help but think that maybe manfred had some hand in that?? perhaps pitting them against each other as a way to isolate miles from any sort of familial connection,, i like to think that fran and miles seeing each other as siblings shows how they free themselves of manfred's polarizing influence.

and i haven't watched the anime but i heard that manfred makes miles study in europe for a while?? in a country where he can't understand anyone else (at least until he learns the language),,, and compared to trucy's upbringing, miles had been so isolated from everyone, from his sister, from his childhood friends, and that isolation was in no small part due to manfred's influence.

(another note: i feel like trucy's and miles's differing social skills show this disparity even more; miles is a lot more socially awkward and standoffish due to how isolated he is while trucy is very comfortable and friendly with others, possibly due to how trucy has had a lot more opportunities for socialization. i can see why someone might chalk it down to trucy working as an entertainer but miles's profession also requires a level of social adequacy in the form of persuasion, so it's probably more than just their jobs)

i think it ultimately comes down to how manfred and phoenix perceive miles and trucy. im pretty sure manfred says at one point (im too lazy to find the screenshot to cite it..) that his treatment of miles served as a sort of revenge against gregory, corrupting him from a young age to completely purge gregory's influence. he sees miles as a vessel of his hatred towards gregory, almost like an extension of gregory himself. meanwhile phoenix sees trucy as,, well... a person - his daughter, with all of the wants, personality traits, and idiosyncrasies that make her /her/. and even though zak has done so much to hurt phoenix, phoenix doesn't let that get in the way of his love for trucy. hell, it's even reflected through their surnames; miles keeps his father's first name, showing that manfred doesn't really see miles as an adoptive child, while trucy changes her last name, showing that she and phoenix truly are father and daughter.

also. like. im sorry for tying this back to wrightworth but it's kind of poetic that miles ends up holding phoenix in such high regard. it's as if phoenix represents a life that miles might have had a long time ago; a symbol of security and warmth and unconditional love that was robbed from him at such a young age. it's especially apparent since phoenix and miles are childhood friends, like phoenix is a literal remnant of miles's past.

but there's one monumental similarity between miles and trucy that i've neglected to mention, and it's how they both learn to use the influence of their predecessors for good. although manfred had made miles a prosecutor as a way to get back at gregory, it's clear that miles still holds the values and morals that gregory had instilled in him close to his heart. and with phoenix's help, miles eventually learns how he can help others as a prosecutor. miles remains a prosecutor, just like manfred, and even retains many of the same mannerisms and fashion choices. however, his motives and morals, as well as the impact that he leaves on others, are undoubtedly his own, with the compassion and conviction that he had held since he was a child.

and it's no secret that troupe gramarye has their own history of scandals. but the heartless, manipulative way that magnifi, zak, valant, and even mr. reus treat both members and outsiders of the troupe,, it's nothing like trucy's brand of magic. her magic is so much kinder (yes, even the knife dances and catching bullets between her teeth) and she has so much more respect for the other magicians she works with. even when she inherits the troupe, her shows are traced with cheerfulness and wonder. she performs magic simply to put smiles on faces, even after the death of (as far as she knows) her only remaining biological family, even after being held hostage, even after being accused of murdering someone she had so much respect for. and that's probably more than anyone else in the troupe has done.

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cswizzledizzle · 10 months

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Random observations of the trophies in Super Smash Bros. Melee, because I thought they were interesting - Part 6

We're at the finale now, so let's end it with some random trivia! Luigi has three designs as a trophy; his design during the N64 era, his design in Melee (based more on the 64 design), and his Luigi's Mansion design, which may actually be his model from that game. Also Luigi in Luigi's Mansion has shoelaces and I don't think any other game has that.

Bowser's Classic trophy has that anime vein thing.

Peach's Classic trophy has legs that clip through the dress.

Unlike her fellow princess, Peach does not have a third eye.

Pichu's Classic trophy depicts it with pure black eyes while the Smash trophies (at least Red, because Blue has the eyes closed) depict it with black eyes that fades to a blue at the bottom.

Mewtwo's Melee head shape is more "squarish" compared to its Classic trophy. Colorization is also slightly different, using a darker gray than white.

I believe this is the only game where stages have trophies, though may be wrong on that. I'm also not counting the Great Fox, since that's more of an object than a location.

Unlike later games, Pikachu is not the first trophy for Pokémon series; that goes to Bulbasaur, due to Melee listing the Pokémon in Pokédex order, the former being #25 and the latter being #1.

Mario is the first trophy in the Normal and Game organization categories, but not the A - Z one for obvious reasons. That would be Alpha.

And finally, a non-trophy thing I wanted to bring up. In Melee, Marth's white alt is based on the character Leif, from Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, the fifth game in the series. What makes this version of the alt different from later white alts is the faded blue color to it, the inner bright red of the cape, and the gold trimmings to his armor.

Later games do not have the faded blue, dulled the red, and replaced the gold trimmings with white. It doesn't look as good in my opinion and I feel like it loses that cool reference. I know this has nothing to do with trophies, but I really wanted to bring this up.

Okay, I am finally done rambling about the trophies and giving you my oddly specific notes/trivia. And of course, as per usual, to those that have gotten this far, thank you for giving this and any other post I've made about this subject the time out of your day/night to read my inane ramblings.

#nintendo #smash bros #super smash bros #super smash bros melee #super smash melee #trophies #Marth's white alt got done dirty #Bring back the original colors #Justice for the Leif reference

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mouse-drawings · 4 months

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Now, I think Leif might feel more connection to the Mistakes in the Soul Sanctum, but his journey of figuring themselves would do the pale siblings some good.

(Not to mention that he doesn't need to hear about the Soul Sanctum... but I imagine they would be very proud of Ghost for delivering justice, if he ever found out.)

#mousedrawings art #hollow knight #bug fables #the knight hk #the hollow knight hk #leif bf #id in alt #sometimes you are a dead bug brought to life via experiments in order to defeat time itself #hollow fables

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bumblesimagines · 1 year

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Under The Moonlight

Part 2

Request: Yes or No

~~~

Their cell felt cold and dark. Hay sparsely covered the solid ground and the windows were covered, making the circle in the ceiling their only form of light apart from the single torch in the corner. Dust clung to the air and walls, telling (Y/N) the jail was very rarely used. Jarl Haakon appeared to run a tight ship.

But even with years of experience under her belt, she hadn't foreseen the attack Freydis had launched on the Christian. She'd been successful without Harald's keen eye trained on her. Using her knife, she had carved a cross into the man's chest just as he had done to her back years prior. The aftermath had been far from calm but Jarl Haakon had been convinced to provide them a proper trial rather than take their heads.

So, there they were... Sitting in a cold cell with a murky future ahead of them. (Y/N) could only stare at the flickering flame of the torch, his finger tracing over the thread of his necklace, feeling his skin brush against the canine teeth tied to it. None of them had gotten a wink of sleep with the threat of death looming over them and (Y/N) could feel the consequences of it knawing at the back of his eyes. His siblings sat silently with their knees up to their chests, gazes distant as they stared forward.

"Do you feel justice?" Leif broke the silence first with his words, lifting his head and looking at the exhausted Freydis.

"Yes, I do," Freydis answered softly and craned her neck to look at them over her shoulder. Even with the dim lighting, (Y/N) could still see the drops of blood splattered on her face. "I feel cleansed."

"Good." Leif breathed, nodding to himself before continuing. "Because now they intend to kill us."

"I don't believe that. Father said-"

"Father was wrong." Leif interrupted and Freydis frowned, looking away from them as her bottom lip began to quiver. "He's a stranger to this world, Freydis. He does not know how much has changed since he left."

"Then I believe in Jarl Haakon." Freydis asserted, eyes beginning to gloss over with fresh tears. Guilt and hope battled within her, (Y/N) saw it in her eyes. She'd gotten her justice but at what cost? Her life? Her brothers' lives?

"I believe in her too." (Y/N) muttered, voice barely above a whisper. "Her face changed when she heard what happened, Leif. She may not allow us to go unpunished, but she may allow us to live."

"Jarl Haakon may feel sympathy, but she is in a difficult position. If she releases us, she risks war. Christians will burn down Kattegat and many of her people will die. It is in her best interest to have us killed."

"Then we die together. We came here for Freydis. We knew the risks and dangers. I would rather die beside my family than surrounded by strangers on a battlefield." (Y/N) declared, turning his attention onto Freydis. Her lips pursed and she released a breathy, sad chuckle as she turned her head to gaze fondly at her brother. Tears had already begun to slip down her cheeks but his words put a warm smile on her face. Allowing his shoulders to slump, Leif inhaled deeply and nodded in agreement, reaching his arm out to wrap it around his brother's shoulder.

"We fought together and we'll die together," Leif muttered, resting his cheek against (Y/N) head.

Freydis's lips parted, almost as if to speak, but her words caught in her throat when the cell door slung open and three Vikings entered with chains and shackles in their hands. While the one with chains approached Freydis, the other two walked toward the brothers and roughly pulled them up onto their feet, placing the shackles on their wrists and shoving them forward toward the doors. They were escorted out of the cell and down an equally dimly lit hallway before being directed outside and toward the hall where Jarl Haakon and King Canute waited for them.

The hall had already been filled with Vikings, mainly Christians seeking justice for their fallen friend. They glared and sneered and jeered, gazing upon them as if they were mere filth. (Y/N) felt the hate and rage in their gazes. Even if they barely cared for the murdered Christian, following another god was a sin worthy of death for many of them. Their hatred could move mountains, but on most days, it burned down homes and slaughtered innocents.

"Freydis Eriksdotter, you are accused of murdering a man you claimed attacked you." Jarl Haakon took her seat on her throne, head lifting as she regarded Freydis. "Have you a way to prove this?"

"Did I put the scar on my back?"

"Any one of your lovers could have done that to you!" One of the Christians, Jarl Olaf Haraldsson, sneered from his spot in the crowd, glaring at them with the same fury and disgust.

Freydis scowled. "The Gods know the whole truth!"

"False Gods!" Jarl Olaf spat back, rousing the crowd with his words as Vikings called their agreements or disagreed with him. In an attempt to quiet the crowd, Jarl Haakon repeatedly hit the floor with her staff, frown deepening when it proved futile and tensions grew.

"There is only one false God! Your Christian God!" Jarl Gorm bellowed, his voice carrying above all others.

"Silence!" Jarl Haakon called, slamming her staff down one last time and watching the men finally settle down. With the attention back on the trial instead of religion, Jark Haakon sighed and nodded to Freydis.

"In the old ways, you would be well within your rights to take revenge. But we live in different times. There are those gathered among us who feel that your claims require further truth. Can you provide it?"

"A trial by combat." Freydis proposed, shifting her gaze onto Jarl Olaf, a man thrice her size. (Y/N) felt his breath catch in his throat, widened eyes meeting Leif's as the two exchanged a panicked glance. Freydis could hold her own, they knew that well, but Jarl Olaf was far more experienced in combat and strategy than any of them. "If I am lying, the Gods will not protect me."

"Combat? With me?" Jarl Olaf snickered and the rest of the hall howled with laughter.

Lips pulling into an amused smirk, Jarl Haakon eyed the cackling man. "You are her accuser. Are you afraid?" Her words caused Jarl Olaf's face to burn, glaring at those among him who laughed at him instead. Eager to shake the embarrassment and attention off, he stepped forward and addressed the quiet man beside Jarl Haakon.

"King Canute, this woman's actions have robbed you of a valuable part of your arsenal. Not having Gunnar puts the lives of everyone in this room, Christian and Pagan, at risk. Therefore, I implore you and the noble ruler of Kattegat to acknowledge that debt and make her pay for it with her life!" Turning, he shouted as he pointed at Freydis. With the crowd once again growing rowdy, Jarl Olaf smugly smirked and stepped back into line. The confidence on his face made (Y/N) grind his teeth.

"Jarl Haakon, may I speak?" Harald called out, stepping forward when the woman nodded. Motioning toward Jarl Olaf, he began. "Jarl Olaf makes an excellent argument. Gunnar was an important part of our strategy, and his loss will indeed cause hardship. But my brother may have also offered a better solution. Since this woman cost you a vital element to your mission, should she not be forced to render something of equal, if not greater value to our endeavor?"

"Such as?" King Canute prompted and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. With King Canute's interest piqued, the end of Harald's lips twitched upward and he turned his head to look at the siblings, gaze lingering on Freydis before he lifted his arm.

"Her brothers: Leif Eriksson and (Y/N) Eriksson." Harald answered. Freydis went rigid, eyes widening as her brothers were pushed forward for King Canute to look upon. "Sons of the Great Berserker, Erik the Red. Leif is one of, if not the best ship captains in this room. He piloted his ship across open ocean from Greenland through a storm that killed scores of others, with the help of his brother, (Y/N), who possesses incredible fighting skills I've witnessed myself. Should we doubt their motivation, they will be fighting for the life... of their sister."

Harald had offered a solution without bloodshed. A solution that saved their lives, if they didn't die in the war instead. (Y/N)'s throat felt dry but a sense of relief settled on his chest, eyes shifting to look at his sister. Freydis appeared near tears, nearly trembling as she stared at Jark Haakon and King Canute. They could easily dismiss it and proceed with killing them but as the two leaders looked at each other, it seemed like they were in agreement.

"Leif Eriksson, (Y/N) Eriksson, I ransom your sister to King Canute. To repay her debt, you both must pledge service to his cause. Do you accept these terms?" Jark Haakon asked. (Y/N) looked at his brother next, staring into Leif's blue eyes and searching for any ounce of doubt. But he found none. And Leif found none in (Y/N) either.

"I do." With their answer, Jarl Haakon nodded for her men to release the brothers. One man took Freydis by the arm and pulled her away, only letting the brothers stare after their sister as the shackles were removed from their wrists. And while they physically weren't shackled anymore, they were still in chains. Tied to King Canute until his war ended. But their sister would live and that was all that mattered to (Y/N).

"I believe this is yours," Harald said, pulling their attention onto him. Harald extended his arm toward him, offering back his precious dagger. (Y/N) felt a sense of relief and security wash over him, gently picking up the dagger and sliding it into his rightful place. Noticing the calm that wash over the younger man, Harald smiled. "Come, both of you. I must show you something."

"What is it?" Leif asked curiously, a hint of caution in his voice as the brothers followed Harald out of the hall but the Viking simply grinned at them. The other Greenlanders quickly joined them, quietly asking questions and glancing at each other nervously when Leif answered them. They weaved their way through the bustling town, reaching the dock where ships awaited them, many being prepared and packed for the trip to England. Harald led them toward one in particular.

"It was my father's ship." He revealed, stopping before it and watching the Greenlanders begin to board and explore it curiously. (Y/N) followed his brother on, looking over the woodwork of it. The ship was far larger than the boat they'd used to sail to Kattegat, sturdier and meant for many Vikings. A true warship. "And now it's yours," Harald added, drawing the brothers' attention. (Y/N) met Leif's gaze, shrugging his shoulders when the older man raised a brow.

"It's a nice boat." (Y/N) murmured, running a hand over the ledge of the boat before peering up at Harald and catching sight of his prideful smile.

"I'm glad you find it so," Harald replied, his gaze focused solely on the young Greenlander. His eyes studied (Y/N) closely, almost as if he were trying to commit every detail about him to memory. When Harald finally pried his eyes off him, he motioned toward the boat docked beside them. (Y/N) turned his head and easily spotted it. Perhaps twice as large as the boat they were on and suited for royalty. Shields had been fasted to the sides of it, proudly displaying the colors of Norway's flag. "But that is the ship I covet."

"King Harald of Norway, hm?" Leif spoke in a teasing tone, his grin only growing when he noticed the surprised look that passed over his brothers' features. (Y/N)'s eyes widened slightly and his head snapped in the direction of his brother. His skin flushed lightly and he avoided Harald's amused gaze.

"Someday." Harald smiled warmly before nodding to them and heading down the dock.

Leaning his hip against the wall of their new ship, (Y/N) watched the dark-haired prince, feeling his skin prickle with some embarrassment when Harald looked back toward him, coming to a slow stop and holding his gaze. Averting his eyes, (Y/N) cleared his throat and faced his brother, arms crossing over his chest. "You could've mentioned he was a prince."

"I enjoy it when you make a fool of yourself." Leif chuckled, helping Yrsa and Toke bring everyone's belongings on board. (Y/N) couldn't help the small smile that stretched across his face, rolling his eyes at his brother's words and stepping toward Yrsa to help as well. Leif questioned his friends, allowing them to choose whether they'd join him in battle or remain safe in Kattegat. With the boat ready to go, (Y/N) and Leif stepped back onto the dock and exchanged farewells with the friends who chose to remain in Kattegat.

Feeling Leif tug on his arm, he turned his head and spotted their sister making her way down the dock with Harald, a wide smile on her face. She embraced Leif first, giving him a tight hug and rubbing his arm. Gazing at (Y/N), she hugged him next and sighed softly, tightening her hold on him for a moment before stepping back. With quivering lips and watery eyes, she smiled. "I will make sacrifices to Odin for your safe return."

"We'll be fine. You take care of yourself." Leif smiled softly at her and she nodded, leaning in to kiss his cheek. She inhaled and looked at (Y/N), rolling her lips into her mouth and stepping forward for a second hug. (Y/N) chuckled softly, stroking the back of her head and holding her close.

"Protect each other." She whispered shakily, hand rubbing his back.

"We will." (Y/N) assured, pressing a tender kiss to her temple. Freydis leaned back, using the back of her back to wipe away the tears sliding down her cheeks. She smiled warmly at the rest of her friends, stepping forward to give them each an embrace. The familiar feeling of tears prickled the back of his eyes but he blinked them away and stepped onto the boat, inhaling shakily. With the goodbyes finished, Freydis smiled sadly and looked over each of them, taking slow steps along the dock until she reached Harald and uttered a soft thanks. She glanced one last time over her shoulder before heading down the dock and disappearing from sight.

A few more Vikings joined them, some Christian, others Pagan. Among them were Jarl Gorm, the outspoken Pagon with a large figure and long ginger hair, and his son Arne, a young man with a scruffy beard and short blonde hair. Then there was Johan, a Christian Viking with hair that swept over one eye, and Tomas, a younger man with short curly black hair and boyish features. Birger, a Christian Viking who appeared to be a close friend of Harald's, joined them as well.

(Y/N) watched the new faces join them and introduce themselves, and even with each friendly smile, he felt more and more uneasy. It'd taken nearly a year for (Y/N) to grow comfortable around the other Greenlanders, and it took another year for him to fully trust them. To have so many strangers on a boat with growing animosity between a few of them... (Y/N)'s stomach twisted.

Noticing his tense figure, Leif placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Easy, (Y/N). We're all working together." He murmured and (Y/N) nodded, turning to watch him step onto one of the seats and look over his new crew as Njal and Skarde brought a barrel to the center of the boat.

"Listen up! All knives and axes in the barrel. No one rows with a weapon on them."

"I don't give up my knife for anybody." Jarl Gorm voiced defiantly.

"There's only one reason to row with a weapon, and that is to kill someone else on this boat. Your enemy is not here." Leif responded, gaze shifting to his brother and giving a small shake of his head. (Y/N) rested his hand on the hilt of his dagger, satisfied he didn't have to toss it into the barrel.

"What if he is?" Arne piped up, eyeing Johan and Tomas when the two stepped by him.

"Then I'll deal with it," Leif answered cooly, face remaining stoic as he looked over the crew. For him to be taken seriously, he needed to act like a leader. Otherwise, those like Arne and Jarl Gorm would do as they pleased, even at the cost of others' lives.

Moving forward, Harald spoke and dropped his axe into the barrel. "I have no enemies here."

With Harald making the first move, the others soon followed, dropping their axes and knives into the barrel. The outspoken men hesitated, glancing at each other and staring at the barrel as weapons were dropped in. Arne cracked first, begrudgingly dropping his axe in. Jarl Gorm held Leif's gaze challengingly but ultimately stepped forward and tossed his weapons in. (Y/N) watched him, taking note of the way he readjusted his coat with his back turned to them. Humming softly, he looked back at Leif and quirked a brow, his brother giving a small nod of acknowledgment before beckoning him over.

"I want you beside me," Leif told him, sitting down on his seat and resting his arms upon the steering oar. (Y/N) eyed Harald when the prince sat down behind Leif, a small smile appearing on the prince's face. (Y/N) frowned at him in return and took a seat on the bulwark, feeling Harald's eyes burn into the back of his head. Propping his leg up, (Y/N) placed his arm on his knee as the boat began to move forward, following King Canute's ship. Vikings released shouts and cries of encouragement as they rowed out into open water.

"Interesting necklace," Harald mentioned, retrieving a discarded rope and beginning to toy with the ends of it, gazing at the threat holding the canine teeth together around the Greenlander's neck. (Y/N) turned his attention out onto the dark waters, watching the ripples and small waves in a blatant attempt at ignoring the prince.

Leif made a noise of amusement and shook his head, fingers drumming lightly against the steering oar. "My brother has never been much of a talker."

"I can see that," Harald chuckled.

Hours passed, the occasional silence filled with small talk between Leif and Harald. The two seemed to grow a quick tolerance for each other, even going as far as cracking a few jokes. And despite Harald's attempts at communicating with the younger Eriksson, his questions remained unanswered, though it only fueled his curiosity. Jarl Gorm eventually walked toward them, being mindful of holding onto things unless he wished to be tossed around by the rocking boat.

"So, is this your first Viking raid? Are you nervous?" Jarl Gorm questioned, resting his hand on the side of the boat and planting his feet firmly on the wood beneath them.

"Our father was a raider. He told us he was a Berserker." Leif said and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"That means he was a mighty warrior and killed many men." Jarl Gorm explained, stepping closer to Leif and moving his hand onto the oar. "Like Harald." Jarl Gorm motioned toward the prince and for the first time since the boat set sail, (Y/N) turned his head to look at him.

Unable to read his expression clearly, Harald cleared his throat. "So, why did he go to Greenland?"

"Because he killed men, even when he wasn't raiding," Leif answered grimly. The subject of their father never failed to make him upset. Even when Erik made attempts at being a decent father, his past and crimes always caught up to him. A past his children had to accept but Leif grew to resent.

"Have you ever killed a man before?"

Shaking his head, Leif frowned at Jarl Gorm. "No. I've never had a reason to."

"And you, boy?" Jarl Gorm turned toward (Y/N) next. The younger Greenlander held Harald's gaze for a moment longer before looking at the older man and nodding, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Almost." (Y/N) answered and Jarl Gorm raised his brows. "He insulted my family so I bashed his face in with a rock. He lost an eye." He still remembered the day. He'd only been nine when the thirteen-year-old boy had decided to bother Erik the Red's son. He found out just how thin (Y/N)'s patience ran at the cost of an eye. The memory of his screams and wails still brought a smirk to (Y/N)'s face.

Smirking widely, Jarl Gorm nodded his approval. "It appears we've got a Berserker in the making."

"We were children." Leif clarified hastily, a frown pulling at his lips.

"Still." Jarl Gorm insisted before he sighed heavily and looked between the two. Without their father there to guide them, it seemed as if Jarl Gorm wanted to take matters into his own hands. "The first time is sometimes difficult. A man is different. He fights back."

"So does a polar bear." Leif chided and Harald smirked, chuckling softly under his breath. Seemingly irritated with his dismissive response and Harald's amusement, Jarl Gorm's lip curled and he turned, heading back to his seat. (Y/N) watched him go, turning his head to meet his brother's eyes and frowning. Leif responded with a small nod.

Noticing the interaction between the brothers, Harald hummed. "You can speak freely before me, (Y/N)."

"Why should I?" (Y/N) frowned at him. "I do not trust you. Prince of Norway or not, you are... nothing to me."

"I saved your lives." Harald reminded softly, brows furrowing when (Y/N)'s eyes narrowed, almost reeling back at the irritation that appeared on his face. "How can you not trust me after that?"

"Because you had no reason to. People only help others when they wish for something in return and you've yet to reveal what you want from us."

"I want nothin-"

"I do not believe you." (Y/N) interrupted him. "We owe you, you know this. So what do you want? Our blessing to couple with our sister? If she wants you, we will not stop her."

Sighing heavily, Harald shook his head. "Freydis is an incredibly strong woman and I admire her greatly. But she does not desire me nor I her."

"Then why-" A holler for Harald came from King Canute's ship and the prince quickly rose to his feet, noticing the large ship had stopped and tilted slightly to allow for Harald to board it.

"This is not over," Harald told (Y/N) as he climbed onto the side of the ship, carefully making his way along the edge until he stepped onto the larger boat and approached King Canute beneath the pitched tent. (Y/N) clenched his jaw and shook his head, looking back at Leif. His older brother stared at him with a frown.

"What?"

"You don't need to be so harsh. I have no reason to believe he has ill intentions." Leif spoke softly, leaning into the steering oar and gazing at his brother. (Y/N) sighed, turning his head away from him. His lips parted to speak but the sight of dark clouds approaching broke his train of thought. Straightening up, (Y/N) felt the wind pick up considerably, and soon, a horn echoed as a warning of the incoming storm. Cold droplets fell onto his face and he looked back at his brother, groaning softly. Leif watched the storm, looking up at the clouds as thunder began to clap above them.

Turning to the man closest to him, he gave an order. "Lower the sail."

"Lower the sail!" Birger called as those standing quickly sat back down and prepared to hang on for dear life. The ginger made his way toward the mast but tripped over Aren's outstretched foot, causing him to take a quick tumble onto the wet floor.

"Watch out, Christian! Maybe you should pray to be more careful." Aren cackled loudly.

"You tripped him on purpose." Johan scoffed, droplets dripping down the side of his face as the rain pelted them.

"I did not."

"I saw you!" Johan barked and Aren's cocky smirk quickly slipped from his face.

"You callin' me a liar?" Arne questioned and stood, tapping his chest. "Come here and tell me that!" He challenged, causing Johan to rise from his spot and step toward him. But before the two men could meet in the middle, (Y/N) shoved himself between them, putting his hand on Arne's shoulder and forcing him back down to his seat.

"Resolve your issues when we reach land." (Y/N) ordered, turning his head toward Johan. He only had to give the taller man a hard look for the Christian to bow his head and lower himself back into his seat.

Leif moved to stand beside (Y/N), frowning down at Arne. "Do you have a problem with my order?"

"I'm fine." Arne raised his arms in surrender and (Y/N) removed his hand from his shoulder. Satisfied with his response, Leif nodded and patted his brother's back, turning away from the others as Jarl Gorm followed the two toward the steering oar.

"I thought you were both followers of the Old Gods, like your father." He spoke loudly, the rain beating down on his face and causing him to squint. Merely glancing at the older man, (Y/N) slipped some rope around his palm and gripped it as tight as possible, hoping it'd keep him from falling into the turbulent waves around them.

"We are," Leif nodded, getting behind the oar and placing his hands on it.

"Then why take the word of a Christian over my own son?"

"Because your son is a liar, Jarl Gorm." He answered bluntly before leaning back. "I suggest you hold on. It's about to get rough."

➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸

Thick fog surrounded them on all sides and the wind howled softly while birds circled above them. (Y/N) couldn't hear or see another boat, meaning they were all alone for now. With no land or allies in sight. And yet, (Y/N) didn't have worries or fears. His brother knew what he was doing, that was for certain. As long as Leif didn't panic, (Y/N) had no reason to worry. But the others aboard didn't know his brother as well as he did, they didn't trust him either. It was apparent in the way some Christians prayed and others stared at them accusingly.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Jarl Gorm spoke up first, voicing the thought no doubt plaguing their minds. "You've never been to England, and you've lost us!"

"We're not lost." Leif objected tiredly and (Y/N) turned his head to look back at them, frowning at the way Jarl Gorm scowled at his brother.

"Liar! This is your fault and the fault of all the Christians and their false God. The Gods are laughing at us right now!"

"Shut up, heathen." Birger groaned.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said, shut up. You sound like a frightened child." The ginger gritted his teeth as he spoke, turning his head to look upon Jarl Gorm. The Viking slowly rose from his seat, sneering down at the man and stepping toward him. Tearing himself away from the pow, (Y/N) descended down the two steps and slammed his palm on the mast as a warning, successfully taking Jarl Gorm's attention off the man and onto him.

"Stop rowing!" Leif barked his order, walking forward toward Jarl Gorm. "What do you see that makes you believe we're lost?"

"What do I see?" Jarl Gorm repeated, turning his head from side to side before settling his gaze back on Leif and wildly motioning around them. "No land!"

"See, that is where you and I are different. The sky tells me we are headed west. Auks and gannets flying high tell me the weather is improving and we are nearing land." Leif explained, watching Jarl Gorm glance up at the birds flying above. He looked back down at Leif and swallowed.

"Then where are the other boats?"

"The other boats are not my responsibility. This boat-" Leif tapped the mast, raising his brows at Jarl Gorm. "-is my responsibility. For all you know, the other boats are lost, not ours. Now, we continue." With his words, the others resumed their rowing. Jarl Gorm accepted defeat and headed back to his spot.

"And Jarl Gorm, stop blaming the Christians for your fears, hm?" Leif turned away from the man and (Y/N) followed suit as Birger began laughing. But when his laughter abruptly stopped and turned into gurgling, (Y/N) turned around and spotted him leaning against the side of the boat with blood pouring down his neck. The small group of Christians were immediately held back and the other Greenlanders could only stare at the bleeding man. Liv tore herself from their side and hurried over to Birger but the damage had been done. She could only provide mild comfort as he slowly died.

"I'm taking over the boat!" Jarl Gorm declared. "Arne, get the weapons."

"Let them go!" Leif demanded, pushing his way through the crew as (Y/N) quickly stood in front of the barrel, blocking Arne from reaching it just in time.

"Or what, Greenlander? You're going to kill me? I am not a bear and you are not a Viking." Jarl Gorm called hauntingly. His son glared at (Y/N) but remained rooted in his spot, eyes nervously flickering to Njal as the taller man protectively stood behind (Y/N). "You don't have the stomach to kill me."

"A polar bear thinks the same thing before he dies," Leif replied and with a grunt, Jarl Gorm lunged forward. Leif dodged the swing from his axe, slipping past him and using the mast to block Jarl Gorm's swing before he sprung out, digging his knife into the belly of the man. Leif stared him in the eyes as Jarl Gorm gasped and whimpered, digging his knife deeper and deeper. Arne whipped his head around to look at his father, staggering slightly and swallowing thickly.

"When I pull this out, you will be dead. Before I do, tell your men what you see." Leif demanded, turning the man to look forward.

With one last dying gasp, Jarl Gorm spoke before collapsing on the ground, "England."

"Anyone else wishes to join Jarl Gorm?" (Y/N) questioned loudly, staring at Arne and raising a brow at him. When the blonde turned away from him and slumped back down in his seat, he looked over each Viking, watching them avert their eyes and shake their heads. (Y/N) turned his attention back onto Arne, gaze lingering on him before he hummed. "Good. Now, get to rowing."

Once everyone settled back down into their spots, (Y/N) and Leif dragged Birger to the middle of the boat beside Jarl Gorm. Despite their faults, (Y/N) was certain they'd find themselves feasting with whichever faith they chose to believe in, old or new. Leif returned to the steering oar and settled down, appearing unphased by what had occurred. (Y/N) placed his hand on his shoulder briefly before stepping up and leaning against the pow, watching the cliffs grow closer until a horn sounded off in the distance. Turning his head, he spotted ships appearing through the fog.

Jarl Olaf's ship neared them first, tilting so it could brush past their boat safely. Perplexed faces greeted them, confusion only intensifying upon seeing the two bodies. Following the ship, King Canute's sailed beside them and came to a slow stop, allowing Harald to step onto the ledge and board their ship. Harald paused, gazing down at Birger with a saddened frown. He climbed down, briefly stopping to rest his hand on the chest of his friend before approaching the brothers. (Y/N) crossed his arms as he watched Harald walk toward them, meeting his gaze briefly. Harald placed his hand on Leif's arm, features softening slightly.

With an approving nod, he looked at them. "Vikings."

#x reader #x you #x y/n #x male reader #vikings valhalla x you #vikings valhalla x male reader #vikings valhalla #vikings valhalla x y/n #vikings #harald sigurdsson x y/n #harald sigurdsson x you #harald sigurdsson x male reader #harald sigurdsson x reader #harald sigurdsson #leif eriksson #freydis eriksdotter

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strawberrieswithmilkandsugar · 5 months

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obsessed with thinking abt young leif and bertbert and the song problems by mother mother.

straight off the intro it’s “you and me we’re not the same/I am a sinner you are a saint” <- mostly from the perspective of leif, it just encapsulates the entire series imo. he meets bertbert. they’re the same. they’re not the same. he’s a sinner. he saved his planet (in the back of his mind he betrayed it - committing the ultimate sin in the eyes of humanity/himself; it doesn’t matter. he defines himself by it constantly.) she’s a saint. she comes from a planet that is literally a utopia. she’s trying to find purpose in the world and align the world to her good moral values and meets someone who’s as smart as her and understands her on a level she can’t find anywhere else (her primary friend for years; she’d never admit it). she hates him and loves him and they both know they have a part of themselves in each other.

“I’ve found love in the strangest place…I say I’m gonna stage a great escape” <- finds bertbert and verge; leif always escapes/leaves/says he’s going to leave but does he really(?)

“let loose a love all pent up and painfully out of place” <- leif esp in ep 8 with his father. always painfully out of place and nowhere to put his love for the world or his family that shunned who he was.

“doo doo doo, I’m a loser, a disgrace/You’re a beauty, a luminary, in my face” <- playful aspect of the song. I think leif plays that part of their dynamic off as a joke but knows it’s painfully true with bert bert. he is who he is but he might still internalize it. or at least from an audience perspective, there’s an idolization of what berts does and how much he admires her and her work esp from how she’s described as a character. she’s constantly working towards a beacon of truth and justice. she’s a beauty. she’s a luminary. she’s literally always in his face. he’s a loser, a disgrace.

“I’ve got a lot, not a lot, I gotta lot less than a lot/I’ve got problems” they both have problems. they both try to play off that they don’t. they both have a lot of problems.

ending it w the first verse but also saying the whole vibe of the song is very Them. chaotic alt rock and fun melodies harmonizing. also features loud yelling with sweet almost nostalgic melodies.

#young leif spoilers #young leif midnight burger #genuinely wondering if like verbatim what I say gets any attention #bc also. sorry but I hate the midnight burger discord. it’s just facebook messenger. genuinely so stilted and awkward but Nice conversation #and all they talk abt is shift notes ! why do we need to care so much abt what they as creators have to say?#they as people I understand bc like they’re great writers and producers but like. nobody talks abt the show in there #and when they do. the headcanons are just. boring.#like nothing as fun or weird as the writing could be?#like it feels just so. it’s not a place to talk abt midnight burger. it’s just where everyone who knows and pays for the show can talk #like yeah they’re nice people and yeah that can be your vibe I just wish there was a community on tumblr or smth to connect to the show T-T #and it’s So Big. when a discord server is that big. you know nothing exciting goes on.#that’s Too Many people to really engage with #bertiluna #bertbert #midnight burger podcast #midnight burger headcanons

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thisbelongsto-nohbodys · 1 year

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Time travel shenanigans caused Leif to meet the Calamity Trio. After some action sequences they finally have a moment to relax. A bit into the bonding…

Sasha: It’s weird but I didn’t think that I’d have anything in common with an ancient person, let alone a frog and yet here we are.

Leif: And what do we have in common?

Sasha: Well, first off your pink like my gem was and you and Anne are Plantars so there’s that connection. We’re also strong, have a strong sense of Justice, always willing to do whatever it takes for friends. I just can’t figure out what deep connection you and Marcy might have.

Marcy: We have something in common too.

Anne: Really?

Leif and Marcy lock eyes with each other and after a brief moment they nod and with a small blush turn back towards Sashanne.

Leif remembering Andrias and Barrel/Marcy looking at Anne and Sasha: Buff husbands/Buff wives

Sasha/Anne:///////…wha?…………

#Amphibia #Anne Boonchuy #sasha waybright #Marcy wu #Leif plantar #Sashannarcy #anne boonchuy plantar #Leif x andrias x barrel #divorce trio

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powerpolyculeshowdown · 1 year

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CANON POLYCULE SHOWDOWN

this is a contest for canonically confirmed polycules or polycules that have a lot of hints to a possibility of them being canon, even if the authors might not have intended that way!

Beware of spoilers!! Some of these only become polycules later in the media they're from, and some of the descriptions describe a tragic fate for the polycule, so keep in mind there will be spoilers

rules can be found here

bracket can be found here

honorable mentions can be found here

links for all the match ups as they go live can be found in the MASTERPOST. it will be updated each round, but i will also tag every round to make them easier to find

help me w descriptions for the honorable mentions!

Round 2 part 2 finished.

Round 3 will go live on May 19th!

(#canonround2 or #pollycule if you want to search for the polls)

tags:

#canonpolyculeshowdown - for relevant updates and the polls

#pollycule - (yes double L) specifically for the showdown polls, to make it easier to find. doesn't include the prelims cause I only thought to add this after, sorry

#canonpropaganda - for, well, propaganda. ill post asks, reblog posts and maybe reblog reblogs

#honorablemention - for the ships that did not make it in (i will still make a post introducing all of them)

#tournamnt poll - the generally agreed on tag for blacklisting purposes. let me know if i forget to use it! i cant edit polls but it will remind me for the following round

#canonroundN - N being the number of the round we're in. so, for example: canonround0, canonround1, canonround2, etc. from the quarterfinals onwards, they'll also include the specific tag (#quarterfinals, etc). Check the post's tags for that ome if you want to look at all polls from that round!

list may be updated as needed.

if you submitted something that did not get in, nor was it posted as an honorable mention, and you wish to know why, feel free to send an ask.

LIST OF CONTESTANTS:

Nathan/Vlad/Ursula (Hunger Pangs)

Rilla/Arum/Damien (Penumbra Podcast)

Nathan/Gabriel/Annalise (The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself)

Ben/Ryn/Maddie (Siren Freeform)

Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot (High Noon Over Camelot)

Quanxi/Pingsti/Cosmo/Long/Tsugihagi (Chainsaw Man)

Wu Zetian/Li Shimin/Gao Yizhi (Iron Widow)

Caleb/Astrid/Eadwulf (Critical Role)

Sadie/Walt/Anubis (The Kane Chronicles)

Rajan/Wolfgang/Kala (Sense8)

Princess Glisselda/Seraphina/Lucien (Seraphina)

Tess/Jacomo/Margarethe (Tess of the Road)

Logan/Jean Grey/Scott/Emma (X-Men)

Uzui/Hinatsuru/Makio/Suma (Demon Slayer)

Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades)

Dianda/Simon/Patrick (October Daye)

Haruka/Michiru/Setsuna (Sailor Moon)

Asmodeus Alice/Clara Valac/Iruma Suzuki (Mairimashita, Iruma-kun!)

Aizo/Yujiro/Hiyori (HoneyWorks)

Kyle/Rogelio/Lonnie (She Ra)

Dashawn/Steve/Jose/Cupe R III/Otto/Arturo/Gregory/Quackers McQuack (Bojack Horseman)

Fluorite (Steven Universe)

Miss Piggy/Kermit/Gonzo (Muppets)

Sherlock/Watson/Mary (Sherlock Holmes movies)

Ichika Hoshino/Saki Tenma/Shiho Hinomori/Honami Mochizuki (Project SEKAI)

Tree Trunks/Mr. Pig/Alien Husband (Adventure Time)

Daniel/Sam/Jack/Teal’c (Stargate SG-1)

Mukai Naoya/Saki Saki/Nagisa Minase (Kanojo mo Kanojo/Girlfriend Girlfriend)

Eddie/Venom/Anne/Dan (Venom)

Peter Quill/Aradia/Mors (Guardians of the Galaxy)

George/Gilda/Thomas (Design for Living)

Leif/Thorn/Kale (Leif and Thorn)

Kieran/Ray/Gemma (Trigonometry)

Eugene/Rapunzel/Cassandra (Tangled the Series)

Jack/August/Rina (The Wicker King)

La’gann/Coral/Rodunn (Young Justice)

Syenite/Innon/Alabaster (Broken Earth)

Enrique/Hypnos/Sofia (The Gilded Wolves)

Max/Jack/Anne (Black Sails)

Pyrrha/Commander Wake/Gideon the First (The Locked Tomb)

Neptune/Venus/Jupiter (We Know the Devil)

Quincey/Jack/Arthur/Lucy (Dracula)

Amber/Reese/David (Adaptation)

Will/Tessa/Jem (The Infernal Devices)

Kieran/Cristina/Mark (The Dark Artifices)

Winter/Moon/Qibli (Wings of Fire)

Camille/Nyra/Dendro (Muted)

Sasha/Anne/Marcy (Amphibia)

Neal/Peter/Elizabeth (White Collar)

Turtle Heart/Melena/Frex (Wicked)

Emiya/Saber/Rin (Fate Stay/Night)

Sofiane/Victor/Luisa (Mortel)

Taylor/Theo/Josey (3)

Jack/Emma/Izzy (You Me Her)

Keiko/Miles/Kira (Star Trek)

Jade/Dave/Karkat (Homestuck Epilogues)

Anzu/Kazuki/Junta (Romantic Killers)

Shikimori/Izumi/Ai (Shikimori is Not Just Cute)

Camina/Michio Pa/Josep/Serge/Berthold/Oksana (The Expanse)

Breq/Mercy of Kalr/Seivarden/Ekalu (Imperial Radch)

Roguish Semiotician/Infamous Mathematician/Player Character (Fallen London)

Alphonse/Seth/Listener (Bittersweet)

Storm/Helen/Mira (Love and Luck Podcast)

Nicky/Joe/Andy/Booker/Niles (The Old Guard)

#canonpolyculeshowdown #canonpropaganda #honorablemention #pollycule #third place

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dornada · 1 month

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Talking about Kabbu's love life be like

Love you all for this ship, btw.

Anyway, here is a poll for my buggy friends.

#Bug Fables #Kabbu bf #Polls #I personally have a list of people he is compatible with #well not compatible but #He can fix any bug he meets <3 #But the most cursed one I have is him with the Defiant Root's Mayor :)

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askfriskandcompany · 1 year

Note

So here are the things I've noticed she tends to answer in lore asks.

TQ really likes things pertaining to certain characters, Sans, Undyne, Frisk, Chara, Papyrus. Secondary characters like Muffet or Grillby tend to not get a lot of attention. Interestingly, you can actually increase the odds further if you phrase a question like you'd insinuating a character is a bad person and she's give you an answer that clears their name.

She also like answering questions about ghosts, skeletons, and Temmies specifically. Such much so they have their own pages

Send in a lot of asks, but diversify what you ask. If one batch is too samey, you tend not to get them answered.

She also doesn't usually answer long multipart asks anymore, unless she's been suffering backlash for something or is otherwise upset and you try to cheer her up.

Don't expect to get anything on things that live in the Void. She's outright said that she won't elaborate because they're supposed to be eldritch and explaining this removes that quality

A good way to get TQ to answer a question is to tie it to social justice. A lot of our information on monster discrimination came from asks related to this and one asker actually got us a look at the forms it takes in Mexico

Contradictions also tend to get answered. If you see something she's created for AFAC that doesn't line up with something else she's said, ask why there's a discrepancy. Anyone else see that compilation of circles around Alphys's chest?

As for picking something to ask, it's really not that hard. Inspiration can come from anywhere. I've literally come up with stuff by looking around my room and following a train of thought. For example, the information on how monster scorpion venom works came from seeing a copy of a deltora quest book on my shelves and remembering that there was a scorpion that tried to sting Leif. But if it had actual venom, the rules TQ established for removing a piece of a monster's body state it would turn to dust, but that would mean it wouldn't be poison anymore, but it's a scorpion, and BOOM. An ask was formulated

If CS or Mia want to do their own analysis go for it. I can't really help with how to get into the comic

Cheers

So I've just been read to filth. XD;;;

That said, I have laxer rules pertaining to asks I just kinda answer on the blog as opposed to asks that get on the comic.

-TQ

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disgracedvessel · 9 months

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ooc; TOA Anniversary Munday!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging: you! come closer

---

Name: Ree

Pronouns: they/them, although anything goes tbh

Birthday (no year): April 23

Where are you from? What is your time zone? US, CST currently

Roleplay experience: 20 years? Something around there

Got any pets? Two calicos

Favorite time of year: Spring

Some interests and things you like: Music, linguistics, learning about wildlife, nature in general, psychology

Some funfacts & trivia about you: My family had a pet toucan when I was growing up

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? Onmyoji, Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, Pokemon (all mainline), SMT, Monster Hunter, Nier

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Ghost, favorite pokemon is hard though. My go-to is Mismagius, but runners up are Scrafty, Trubbish, and Crobat (as Rai has said, I've got evil team grunt energy)

How did you get into Fire Emblem? Someone mentioned to me that your units could perma-die and I was on board immediately.

What Fire Emblem games have you played? All of them

First Fire Emblem game: Awakening, followed by the incorrect decision to play Shadow Dragon (1990)

Favorite Fire Emblem game: Shadows of Valentia for the quality, Gaiden for the nostalgia

Any Fire Emblem crushes? Down bad for Tharja when I played Awakening

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? - Awakening: Chrom (against my will) - Fates: Hinata - Three Houses: Edelgard - Engage: None

Favorite Fire Emblem class: Varies by game, I do like bows and mages though

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? High res low speed dark mage

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Black Eagles

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? Maybe Lyn or Leif

How did you find TOA? Planted my flag in the earth and said Here Be TOA

Current TOA muses: Julius & Griss

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Hubert. Bringing him back would be dependent on circumstances and if I ever replayed 3H

Have you had any other TOA muses? Other than Hubert, Aelfric, Pelleas, Berkut, Salem, Fáfnir, Limstella, and Jeritza

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? It used to be serious knightly types, but I think since TOA, I've gravitated more toward characters who are confrontational or can stir up the status quo.

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? Past tense!! Past tense!!! I usually try to match my partner so I almost never get to write in past tense these days, but my writing comes so much more easily in past tense. I also enjoy writing grand, sweeping scenes and descriptions of places/things.

Favorite TOA-related memory: Team Justice during Lock & Key is still my favorite event experience to this day.

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? Kishuna still lurks somewhere in the back of my mind, but the time hasn't been right. Ronan as well

#out of character #munday meme #// thank you I was looking for something to procrastinate work with

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pryings · 2 months

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a quiet hum buzzes through the dining hall as those assembled are shuffled in. this 'psychological experiment' or 'speed dating game' or 'social gathering' or whatever it is has been prepared. in place of the long dining tables, the hall is filled with numerous small, round tables, each with a number placed upon them. you are to find your assigned tables, chat with your partner, and hopefully make some kind of connection.

the goal of this exercise is somewhat vague, but knoll and hubert seem poised to take notes. so that's interesting.

schedule:

12pm. EST Feb 14 - 11:59pm Feb 15 ROUND ONE. 12pm. EST Feb 16 - 11:59pm Feb 17 ROUND TWO. 12pm. EST Feb 18 - 11:59pm Feb 19 ROUND THREE. 12pm. EST Feb 20 LAST WORDS.

please tag all interactions #toaLoveHypothesis2024. you will receive an ask from hubert or knoll within the next few hours asking if you like or dislike your partner. unanswered asks default to a 'no.' please answer it at any point before the round ends.

rounds will be 36 hours long, but should narratively simulate the speed dating experience of only having a few minutes to talk. it should feel rushed. interactions can be asks or short threads, please communicate with your partner to determine what works best. you can continue an incomplete interaction after a round concludes if you wish, but please note that you need to vote by the round's end!

the questions provided are only suggestions. if your muse would not want to discuss this topic, feel free to talk about whatever you wish.

forrest (@bruniatrobaire) & forde (@renaisguy) topic: you have been stranded in the desert. assuming you have the foresight to have chosen two items to help you, which would you bring?

tormod (@arcelerity) & leif (@diadic) topic: discuss your hometown.

dwyer (@apathynoir) & poe (@loveevangelist) topic: critique the other’s personal style.

elise (@nohrslittleflower) & niamh (@boundlesschaos) topic: if you could speak to one animal, which would you choose?

petra (@calderosea) & edward (@justices-blade) topic: how would you save your current conversation partner if you were in a sandpit together, getting slowly pulled down into the abyss? or would you prioritize yourself?

sothe (@nevassan) & faye (@fiberflxwer) topic: the ideal combination of pastries and beverages.

ike (@ofradiances) & raven (@peerlessscowl) topic: fear.

sylvain (@gauldheri) & goldmary (@flaurum) topic: choose between money, love, and power.

xander (@chevaleri) & farina (@making-dough) topic: tea or coffee? why?

nils (@carmennivis) & freyja (@foreversnightmare) topic: preferred ways to pass the time.

seliph (@virtuoustyrfing) & rosado (@rozyrne) topic: favorite flower

andrei (@ulircursed) & saizo (@saizov) topic: there are twelve orphans in a burning building. there are five adults who have a proven history of enacting positive social change that are being attacked by ruffians. you may only save one. choose.

erk (@adalrikr) & sothis (@sublimeflowoftime) topic: saints. yes or no?

duessel (@obsidiendo) & eremiya (@motheruin) topic: cleanliness of your room and your person.

(tumblr has set a limit on the number of people that can be tagged in one post, so this had to be split into two, if you do not see your muse's name, check the other post)

#toalovehypothesis2024 #⁺ . ✕ ◞ out of character ⋅

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dbcoatl-art · 7 months

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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Hunters of Ruination

Chapter 3: Spicy Problems, Sweet Solution [13 Pages]

Jin introduces Mila to the rest of the Pokémon in Trueno Village. Some are confident that Mila will help them in their search for George and the "beast of the valley", while others don't trust her. But before a decision can be made, a new, more aggressive adversary appears...and Mila ends up in her first battle!

Happy Thanksgiving Monday!

Mila followed Jin through the overgrowth as the two backtracked to the clearing where they had left the Scovillain behind. As she took careful pawsteps to avoid tripping over any stray roots or fallen branches, she couldn’t help but wonder how Jin’s uncle would react. Would he be more accepting of her? Or would he end up ousting her as this so-called “beast” terrorizing the valley?

In spite of all, one question still remained in her mind: What was the real beast of the valley…and when would they strike again, if they were still about?

She didn’t notice Jin had stopped until her nose suddenly bumped against his rear leg. She fell back with a squeak, clutching her snout and rubbing it to make sure it wasn’t too badly hurt.

“Why did we stop?” she asked him. “What’s going on?”

Jin put one paw over her mouth to stop her from speaking. Then, with his other paw, he slowly parted the leaves of the brush, allowing her to get a clear view of the scene that lay before her.

She realized that they had returned to the same clearing with the pitfall trap she’d made earlier before, except now there was a crowd of Pokémon gathered around it. About half the group held pitchforks and torches (because why wouldn’t they?) while others were gathered around the pit, pulling on ropes to haul the Scovillain out of the pit. Mila noticed that more ropes were tied around the Scovillain’s two snouts, as well as its legs and torso – probably to keep it from attacking the villagers.

Once the Scovillain was out of the pit and onto the ground, a Dedenne wearing a blue waistcoat and white cravat hopped onto the helpless feral’s back. He was saying something, but unfortunately Mila was too far away to make out the words.

Jin took a deep breath and removed his paw from Mila’s mouth to point at a Luxray standing a few ways off from the crowd. It didn’t seem like he was focused on the feral at all, but rather lost in thought about something else. As he turned his head to the side, Mila squinted to make out two scars that ran across his muzzle, one of them going just underneath his left eye.

“You see that Luxray over there?” Jin whispered to her. “That’s Uncle Volt. And the Gogoat with the daisies on her mane is my Aunt Leif.” He pointed to the aforementioned Gogoat who had just come up to nuzzle the Luxray, perhaps in an effort to calm him down.

“So, what now?” Mila asked, keeping her voice as low as she could.

“First, I need to let Uncle Volt know that I’m okay, and that nothing bad has happened to me,” replied the young Shinx. “When that’s done, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the crowd. I’ll give you a signal to let you know when to do so.”

Mila still wasn’t so sure if Uncle Volt and Aunt Leif would be as accepting to her as Jin was. Besides, she was pretty sure that Volt was a seasoned battler who could easily take her out in one hit, if those scars were anything to go by. And any Grass-type moves she could have on hand would be useless against Aunt Leif, provided Leif had Sap Sipper in the first place.

However, she had to trust Jin, and trust that he was doing the right thing. Once this ordeal was over and done with, she could start worrying about other things…like, where she would stay. Hopefully this village would provide her with some form of hospitality. Maybe she could aid in the search for George, and bring the real beast of the valley to justice.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Alright,” she whispered. “I trust you.”

Jin smiled before jumping out of the bush, dragging his hind paws to cover up Mila’s tracks as he did. Once he was sure his tracks were the only ones that were visible, he scampered over to the mob, calling, “Uncle Volt! Aunt Leif! I’m over here!”

Mila’s ears twitched as she heard Volt call Jin’s name. She peered through the hold in the bush, watching as the Luxray nuzzled Jin on the crown of his head. She fought the urge to giggle at the motion, noticing how uncomfortable it made Jin.

“Thank the guardian you’re safe,” Volt purred. “I was worried sick! What if something had happened to you?” He turned and flicked his tail at the bound feral Scovillain.

“But nothing bad happened to me, see?” Jin spun around. “Not a scratch on me!”

Volt opened his mouth, only for a wiry tail to wrap itself around his foreleg. The Dedenne had hopped off of the Scovillain and had made his way over to the family. “What’s done is done, Voltmire,” he said.

Volt clamped his mouth shut and nodded. The Dedenne smiled as he turned to Jin. “So, boy, were you able to find the beast?”

Jin glanced over at Pacha, noticing a hopeful glint in her eye. He looked down at his paws, hesitant to break the news. “… No,” he replied. “I couldn’t find it… I’m sorry, Mayor Sparky.”

Murmurs of disappointment rippled across the mob. Not only had the most adventurous child in Trueno Village failed to find George, he had also failed to find this so-called beast that kidnapped the little Phanpy.

“B-but I did find someone who might be able to help,” Jin quickly added. “In fact, she’s the one who made that pitfall trap in the first place. She even saved me from that Scovillain!”

Volt blinked with surprise. Mayor Sparky, on the other hand, seemed interested. “Really now?” he said, putting a paw to his chin. “Then why not show us this little rescuer of yours?”

Mila watched intently, digging her claws into the dirt with a nervousness she couldn’t quite explain. She then noticed Jin giving her a side-eye before he flicked his tail. That must be his signal, she thought. She took a deep breath. Here goes nothing!

Slowly, she crept out of the bush, putting one paw ahead of the other as she walked. She made her way across the clearing, aware of the multiple pairs of eyes that were now staring at her with utmost curiosity, until she finally came to a stop near the pitfall trap, on the opposite side of where the villagers were.

The mob looked at her for a moment, most of them bearing faces of curiosity. Some of them hushed out whispers to one another while maintaining eye contact. She couldn’t exactly make out much of the mixed conversations, but she could tell that they at least didn’t think of her as a beast.

She glanced at Jin, noticing that he was beckoning her to come over. Letting out a small smile, she trotted over to his side.

“This is Mila,” Jin told the others. “She’s the one who saved me from that feral Scovillain. She might have some of the qualities that Mrs. Pacha described, but she’s actually a hero!”

“H-hello,” Mila said, shyly waving a paw. She wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about being a hero. All she did was blind the feral Scovillain with rocks and get Jin to a safer place.

She stole a glance at Mayor Sparky. His eyes were closed as he rubbed his chin in thought. The tip of his wiry tail twitched, as did his antenna-like whiskers.

After what seemed like forever, the Dedenne opened his eyes and put his paws on his hips. “Well, she does have them blue eyes, all right,” he finally concluded.

Mila felt her heart drop. If Mayor Sparky ousted her as the beast, that was it. She would be finished for sure.

Luckily, however, Mayor Sparky wasn’t quite finished yet. “However, if what you say is true, then she might be of help to us. After all, if we want to save George, then we can’t afford to turn down a helping hand!” He grinned as a mischievous glint appeared in his eye. “After all, she might grow up to be a mighty fine beauty for you someday, Jin.”

That was enough for both Mila and Jin’s faces to heat up red. “M-Mila isn’t what you think she could be, Mayor,” Jin stammered. “B-besides, I just met her!”

“E-exactly!” Mila agreed, rapidly nodding her head.

Mayor Sparky let out a laugh – a deep guffaw that rumbled from within his belly. “Relax, I’m only joking,” he said with a snort. “But at least we got one more on our side. And if Miss Mila knows how to build traps like that pitfall over there, then surely we might be able to catch that beast!”

The villagers turned to one another, mulling over the mayor’s words. Hope fluttered in Mila’s chest. Things seemed to be going well so far, and Mayor Sparky was even willing to let her aid in the search, even though this was their first meeting.

The clearing of someone’s throat broke into her thoughts, bringing her attention to Volt. Right, she forgot he was still present.

“Mayor Sparky, I do have to commend your commitment to help out this girl,” he said. “But some of us have also known that you can be much too trusting for your own good.”

Mayor Sparky blinked in surprise. “What do you mean? Even my cousin over on the Water Continent took the time to get to know the Heroes of Life before acquainting herself with them.”

Volt’s tail-tip twitched as a look of slight irritation crossed his scarred visage. “Yes, and even after befriending them, she was still wary of any other Pokémon they were acquainted with. Have you forgotten how the second Dark Matter crisis nearly destroyed the world twenty years ago?”

Heroes of Life? Dark Matter crisis? Water Continent? This was all new and confusing information for Mila. Her head felt like it might burst from all this questioning.

“But Uncle Volt,” Jin spoke in protest. “Mila isn’t a bad Pokémon. She doesn’t even remember anything – she told me so.”

“Or maybe she’s faking it, and hiding the fact that she’s actually a spy,” squawked a new voice. Mila turned her head towards a bird Pokémon – one she had not seen before (or had she?) He was covered head to toe with blue feathers bearing black accents, and had a blue-grey beak with talons to match. He glared at her with red eyes accentuated with white markings that could very well act as eyeballs over the black feathers that stretched over his face like a mask.

“Jin,” she whispered to the Shinx. “Who’s that?”

“Niko, the village’s local nutjob,” Jin hissed under his breath. “And he’s what you would call a Corvisquire.” He then glared at the blue bird. “What are you talking about, Niko? What do you mean by spy?”

The Corvisquire, Niko, smirked as he casually sauntered up to quartet, stopping once he was within wing’s reach of Mila. “Well, think about it this way,” he said. “For starters, this girl is a Sprigatito. And it’s pretty common knowledge that one of the few places you can find them is in the Misty Woods, where their so-called queen makes her home.”

“That makes zero sense, Niko!” Jin spat back. “Mila doesn’t even know what the Misty Woods is. She told me so.”

“Or, like I said, she’s probably faking being an amnesiac and trying to earn everyone’s trust so she can scurry on back to the queen. And then, the entire clan will end up staging an attack on our village and take over,” Niko hissed back. He glanced over at Mila, the smirk on his beak growing just a tad larger. “Either way, I’m sure Officer Magnezone will be thrilled to finally have something better to do than boring old paperwork.”

Just like that, Mila’s stomach dropped. She knew Niko was making up the “spy” thing on the spot, and she knew that she didn’t remember anything. She didn’t even know what the Misty Woods were, nor did she know anything about a “queen”.

If only she could tell him what she really was…just get that nagging feeling out there! But she knew she couldn’t. It wasn’t worth the risk. Besides, would anyone believe her? Or would they oust her anyway? And what if it only added fuel to the fire that was Niko’s spy rumour? What would happen then?

A loud roar derailed her train of thought, almost scaring her out of her fur. She whirled around, trying to find the source of the voice.

“What in tarnation was that?” Mayor Sparky demanded. The Dedenne had dropped to all fours, and was also trying to figure out what had caused this untimely interruption.

“Jin, stay close to me,” ordered Volt. Jin wanted to open his mouth in protest, but immediately snapped it shut and did as he was told.

Niko began to take a few steps toward Mila, but a hoof quickly blocked his path, followed by the large body of a Gogoat. Mila instinctively clung to Leif’s leg and watched as Leif gave Niko a glare, forcing the bird to back off (though not without a scowl).

With Niko out of the way, Mila could catch a glimpse of the Scovillain that was still tied up. It seemed to have regained its eyesight, but now both of its heads were swinging wildly in a panic. Muffled whimpers rumbled from within its throats, as if it was afraid of something bigger.

Something worse.

Before she even realized what she was doing, Mila suddenly dashed underneath Leif’s belly, ignoring Leif’s bleat of surprise. She ran over to the feral Scovillain and leaped onto its back. Baring claws and fangs, she began to gnaw and slash away at the ropes that bound the twin-headed Pokémon. Shouts of shock and surprise assaulted her ears, but they were too muddled up for her to pay attention to them as she kept at the ropes.

Eventually, the last of the ropes fell away (save for the ones on the Scovillain’s snouts – there was not a snowball’s chance in the Distortion World Mila was going to let the creature set something on fire for its gratitude). Quick as a flash, the Scovillain rolled onto its feet before suddenly running out of the clearing, disappearing into the thick foliage.

Mayor Sparky scampered over to Mila, who was spitting out bits of the ropes that had clung to her teeth. “Now what did you go and do that for, little missy?” he demanded, despite sounding more confused than outraged.

“Pteh! You probably would have done the same, if you saw the way that Scovillain was panicking,” Mila retorted. “It was obviously frightened by something, and it wanted to run away!”

Mayor Sparky stiffened at the response, but held his ground nonetheless. Throughout his career, he never had anyone dare talk back to him like that, especially not in a situation like this. Yet, here was this stranger telling him off, all while speaking through her heart.

He let out a sigh of frustration and crossed his arms. “While I appreciate the sentiment, the way you acted was reckless,” he scolded her. “You were smart to keep that Scovillain’s snouts tied up, but think about the damage it could have done with its physical body.”

Mila flinched at his words, before looking down at the ground with sadness. She hadn’t even considered the consequences behind that. She was lucky that the Scovillain just straight up fled instead of fighting back. Yet, she knew that if she didn’t do something

In the distance, the squawking and fluttering of various bird Pokémon could be heard as they scattered in the sky. The roaring noise became louder than before. Several trees fell, causing the earth to rumble a bit. But hardly anyone paid much attention.

At least, not until a red blur suddenly bashed through the trunk of a nearby tree, snapping it in half like it was just a toothpick. A green head soon followed suit, letting out a fearsome roar.

“You gotta be kidding me,” whined one villager.

“Another freaking Scovillain?!” yelped another villager.

This seemed to draw attention to this new Scovillain, revealing a pair of glowing ice-blue eyes. It stomped out of the foliage, revealing its heads to be attached to a yellow upper torso with a blue torso underneath. Then, it reared its heads back to let out a deep, deafening roar.

“Everyone, battle formation!” Mayor Sparky squeaked. “Any families with children, get them out of here!”

At his command, most of the villagers got to work. Mila could only stand there in amazement as some of the villagers escorted their youngsters out of the clearing, while other stayed with Mayor Sparky, forming an arrowhead formation with their mayor at the helm. She tried to take a few steps forward, only for a pair of slender vines to wrap themselves around her and drag her back towards Leif. The Gogoat wasted no time in placing Mila in some kind of black pouch, where she was plopped right next to Jin. She felt the world move as Leif turned and sprinted out of the clearing, Volt following not too far behind.

“Mila, are you alright?” Jin asked. “What even was that anyway?”

“I…”

Another roar interrupted her, and the two popped their heads out of the pouch to find a scene that unfolded. Many of the villagers had descended upon the massive Scovillain. Claws and fangs raked its body, while fire, ice and electricity danced about. The Scovillain let out pained shrieks as it swung its head about in an effort to fight back. The read head spewed fire to try and torch something, while the green head snapped with jaws at anyone who dared to come close.

“Typical Shiny ferals,” Mila heard Volt mutter under his breath.

“What’s wrong with Shiny Pokémon?” Mila asked, causing Volt to jump a little. “Aren’t they supposed to be…y’know, rare? And also harbingers of good luck?”

She wasn’t entirely sure how she knew that. But there was something about that Shiny Scovillain that caused something in her blank slate of a brain to resurface.

Volt looked away for a moment, his tail-tip twitching with nervousness. Mila noticed that the star on the end of his tail seemed to spin at times, while a small needle-like structure protruded from it at odd intervals. Was that her imagination playing tricks on her?

“Y-yes. That’s what most people say,” she finally heard Volt reply. “But Shiny ferals…well, to put it lightly, they are far more aggressive than a normal feral. And they’ll fight for any kind of territory they can get their marks on. It’s best not to engage them, especially when they’re this enraged.”

Mila opened her mouth to say something, but a sudden roar interrupted her. She quickly turned to find a horrifying scene unfold: the Shiny Scovillain’s red head had started spewing flames at the villagers, while the green head spat out some kind of orange powder before swinging around to crunch at them.

“F-fall back!” one of the villagers screamed, as a crowd covered in the orange powder rushed past the quartet.

“Not good!” Volt hissed in distress. “If that Shiny Scovillain gets into the village, there won’t be anything left but ash and spices.”

Leif trotted forward to the scene of the battle, before recoiling with a horrified gasp. “Mayor Sparky!” she exclaimed. “They left Mayor Sparky behind!”

“WHAT?!” Volt roared. “Oh, for the love of… Can’t those idiots be bothered to rub their two brain cells together?!”

Mila and Jin hopped out of the pouch and clambered onto Leif’s horns to get a better look. Both their eyes widened as they saw what Leif was talking about.

Right in the clearing, Mayor Sparky was facing the Shiny Scovillain alone. The formerly-wielded torches and pitchforks lay scattered around him, having either been snapped into splinters or burned to useless piles of firewood. Several clouds of orange powder covered his pristine waistcoat, as well as on the ground surrounding him. Yet, in spite of all, he stood his ground as he bravely squared up the twin-headed beast.

“I’ll admit, yer a pretty gutsy fellow,” he said with a smirk. “But yer luck is about to run out!”

Mila crouched atop Leif’s horns, tail twitching with anticipation at the battle. She wondered what kind of power the Dedenne would hold within his tiny body.

Then, to her amazement, Mayor Sparky opened his mouth as wide as he could. As he did, the singular bucktooth in his mouth began to glow white before elongating and…sharpening? He then charged at the Shiny Scovillain with all the speed he could muster before leaping up high into the air.

“SUPER FANG!” the mayor screeched as he bit hard right between the Shiny Scovillain’s necks. Mila couldn’t help but let out a surprised gasp. Super Fang was a powerful Normal-type move that dealt a great amount of pain to its target! No wonder the Shiny Scovillain was squirming now, screaming as it spewed flames and spices from its maws. Yet, Mayor Sparky held on, refusing to let go as he dug his Super Fang deeper.

Some kind of greenish fluid – almost like blood – began squirting out of the wound, splattering the ground. Mila winced, yet could not bear to look away. Was Mayor Sparky really trying to kill the Shiny Scovillain? Or was he trying to leave enough of a scar as a reminder?

Finally, the green head of the Shiny Scovillain had enough. With one swift movement, it suddenly lunged forward and snapped its jaws around Mayor Sparky’s tail. Then, it yanked the Dedenne off of its body and flung him to the ground, where he bounced once before rolling to a stop.

“Oh no,” Leif whimpered, shrinking back behind the bushes. “Not Mayor Sparky!”

“Only been elected for two months, and this is how it ends?” Volt hissed.

Mila looked between Mayor Sparky and the Shiny Scovillain that was now slowly advancing on him. Greenish blood was pooling the ground beneath the feral’s feet, but it paid no mind to its injury, its icy-blue death glare fixed on the downed mayor. Her claws were sheathed and unsheathed as beads of sweat dripped down her face.

“We have to do something!” Leif whispered urgently to her Luxray husband. “And quickly!”

Mila glanced over at Volt, noticing that the star on his tail-tip was spinning again. This time, she was certain she saw a silvery needle protrude from one of the points. She also thought she saw a purplish fluid leaking out of the needle.

“Don’t worry,” Volt reassured his Gogoat wife. “That two-headed pest won’t know what stabbed it!”

An idea formulated in Mila’s mind. She wasn’t going to stand by and watch.

She was going to help!

In an instant, she leaped off of Leif’s head and sprinted towards Mayor Sparky.

“Mila, NO!” Jin cried out, but his words fell on deafened ears as the Sprigatito dashed through the foliage.

The Shiny Scovillain’s jaws were drawn back in a snarl as it watched Mayor Sparky struggle to his feet. But the impact had weakened him by a margin, and he collapsed on his belly. Panting, he looked up at the two faces of the creature.

Right in the two faces of death itself. One, red as a Tamato Berry, letting loose sparks for a devastating Flamethrower. The other, green as a Rabuta Berry, hissing out orange clouds in preparation for a Spicy Extract.

Yet, he wasn’t afraid. He had always been a fighter to the bitter end. If this was how his run as mayor was going to end, then so be it!

He sighed as he closed his eyes. “Do your worst, monster,” he whispered.

The green head roared as it lunged forward…

…only for a pair of tiny, green forepaws grab its jaws, interrupting it mid-attack.

Mayor Sparky opened his eyes and gasped at what he saw.

Standing right in front of him was Mila. She grunted as she gripped the Shiny Scovillain’s green jaws with all the strength she could muster.

“Leave…him…alone!” she hissed.

Before the Shiny Scovillain could properly react to this new adversary, Mila quickly unsheathed her claws and raked them hard on the green snout. The green head shrieked in pain as it reared its head back, scattering droplets of green blood.

Mila stepped back towards Mayor Sparky, looking back to find him staring at her in awe. She then returned her focus to the Shiny Scovillain, watching as the green head continued to thrash about in pain while the red head glowered down at her.

She took a deep breath and began to assess the situation at hand.

OK, so I’m a Sprigatito. That would make me a Grass-type Pokémon, she thought. What’s a basic Grass-type move a Sprigatito would know? Razor Leaf? Leafage? Vine Whip? Absorb?

The Shiny Scovillain’s red head glowered down at her, fiery sparks shooting out of its maw.

Now or never, she thought. She arched her back. “GO!” she shouted, hoping to unleash her first move.

Nothing happened.

The Shiny Scovillain’s red head smirked amidst its fiery sparks before launching a jet of red-yellow flames at Mila. She yelped as she leaped backward, all the while internally cursing whoever decided to make her a Grass-type.

How did Pokémon unleash their moves, she thought frantically. There must be some kind of special trait in their biology that let them use their moves!

She charged forward and arched her back again. She grunted, trying to use something, anything, to at least send the feral retreating. She didn’t care how low-level the move was, just as long as it was a move!

A forepaw grabbed hold of her flank, nearly causing her to jump. She glanced back to find Mayor Sparky, on his feet and holding onto her like she was his support. He grinned as he nodded at her, despite his injuries.

“Concentrate,” he told her. “Think of what your heart wants…and then, unleash that energy.”

Think of what…my heart wants? Mila thought, confused. She wanted to ask what Mayor Sparky meant by that, but the Shiny Scovillain roared again. It looked like she was going to have to find out for herself right away.

Mila took a deep breath and she put one hind paw back and one forepaw forward. She concentrated as much as she could, putting all of her thoughts straight to her heart.

Almost immediately, the dark green ruff on her neck began to glow a brighter shade. Before she knew it, a flurry of glowing green leaves shot forward at the Shiny Scovillain, scoring a direct hit right on its belly. The Shiny Scovillain roared as it staggered back, caught off-guard.

Mila’s eyes widened with surprise. “What…how…?” She looked down at her ruff, realizing that it was still glowing.

“Nice use of Leafage there, missy,” Mayor Sparky chuckled beside her. “Told ya it would happen if you just listened to yer heart!”

Mila looked down at her ruff again, brushing a forepaw against it. Was that all it took to use my moves, she thought. Because I listened to my heart? Was that what Mayor Sparky meant by “thinking about what my heart wanted?”

She looked down at her paws as realization settled in. If that was a Leafage attack, and all I had to do to unleash it was to think about what my heart wanted…then it is true, she thought. I really did become a Pokémon!

She grinned, feeling a surge of confidence flood her body. “I just did Leafage,” she yowled. “I just did Leafage!”

A loud roar interrupted her, bringing her attention back to the Shiny Scovillain. The feral had just recovered from the surprise Leafage, and was now towering over her and Mayor Sparky. More fiery sparks gathered around the jaws of its read head while the scarred green head began hacking up small orange clouds.

Right. Got that thing to focus on, she thought with a slight wince. At least I have something to hurt it now. And if it worked once, then surely it could work again!

“Leafage!” Mila cried, sending out another flurry of glowing green leaves. This time, however, the Shiny Scovillain was ready. The red head quickly spewed out a Flamethrower that torched the leaves, burning them to mere cinders.

Mila winced as a sweat drop rolled down the side of her head. “Right…Grass doesn’t work against Fire,” she groaned.

Before she could retaliate, the green head reared back before spitting out a cloud of orange spores at her. Mila coughed and hacked as it made contact with her fur.

“Guh!” she hissed, spitting out some of the spores that had gotten onto her tongue. “What is this stuff? And why does it taste so…spicy?”

“That’s Spicy Extract,” Mayor Sparky replied, gagging at the spices. His face was covered in more of that orange powder that had gotten onto him. “Greatly strengthens your attack power, but also weakens your defense significantly. That’s how it almost got me.”

Wait.

Did he just say it “greatly strengthened her attack power?”

Did that mean her Leafage could be boosted?

Did that mean she had a clearer shot?

Before she could ask, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. A glint of a small needle, connected to a star-tipped tail. A pair of glowing yellow eyes from within the foliage.

Uncle Volt was in position, ready to strike with whatever he had planned.

A rush of determination swept through her. Whatever Volt was planning, he was going to need her help. And help she would!

She took a deep breath as she kneaded her forepaws together, allowing the scent of morning dew on mint leaves to overtake her senses. She had to do this. She had to finish this fight, no matter what!

She looked up at the Shiny Scovillain, noticing that the feral two-headed Pokémon seemed to be mesmerized by the scent. The fiery sparks in its red maw were beginning to die down, while the green head appeared to be nodding off. She looked down at her forepaws. Was this her doing?

She noticed the Shiny Scovillain sway from side to side, struggling to resist the sweet scent. Mila saw her chance. She stopped kneading and leaped forward, the ruff on her neck glowing again. She hoped that the attack boost from the Spicy Extract would deal some more damage to it.

“LEAFAGE!” she yowled. Almost immediately, a bigger flurry of green leaves shot forward from her ruff. The leaves swirled around the Shiny Scovillain, slicing through it like a thousand knives before eventually ending their trajectory right at its stomach.

The Shiny Scovillain roared in pain as staggered even further. It shook its two heads, realizing that it had been duped. It reared its heads back, preparing for one last attack. Mila braced herself for the inevitable.

But nothing happened. Not a Flamethrower, nor a Spicy Extract.

Mila opened her eyes and found the Shiny Scovillain standing stiff as a statue. It lurched forward before collapsing on its belly, out cold. A small stab wound was on its back, with some sort of purple fluid leaking out of it.

“Phew! Thank the guardian that actually worked.”

Mila looked up to find Volt standing behind the Shiny Scovillain. A purple fluid dripped from the needle that sat upon his star-tipped tail. As for the Luxray himself, he seemed both relieved and a little stressed.

Volt noticed Mila standing before him, mouth agape. Sighing, he retracted the needle back into the tail-tip before bounding over to her and Mayor Sparky. “Are you two alright?”

“I am, thanks to Miss Mila over here,” Mayor Sparky replied with a chuckle.

Volt breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Mila. “Mila, what on Earth were you thinking,” he scolded. “You could have gotten yourself killed!”

Mila’s ears flattened as she looked down with guilt. In her haste to save Mayor Sparky from the Shiny Scovillain, she seemed to have abandoned all sense of self-preservation. And if Volt hadn’t stopped that Shiny Scovillain in time…she didn’t want to think about that!

“No matter,” Volt went on. “What’s done is done.” He then turned around and began to make his way through the foliage, Mayor Sparky following close behind.

Mila looked back at the Shiny Scovillain, only to do a double-take as she noticed that its eyes weren’t blue anymore, but a deep black.

Odd.

She wondered what could have happened.

“Mila!”

Mila’s ears twitched at the sound of Volt’s voice, drawing her attention back to the Luxray as he stepped back into the clearing once again.

“Are you just going to stand there all day…” he asked. A soft grin then appeared on his face. “Or are you coming with us?”

Mila blinked in surprise. “Wait, really?” she said. “I-I can… I-I can c-come…with you?”

Volt’s smile grew bigger. “Of course,” he replied. “You helped my nephew in a pinch. It’s only natural I do something to return the favour.”

Mila looked beyond the clearing, recalling today’s events. Meeting Jin, saving him from a feral Scovillain, learning her first move, experiencing her first battle…she couldn’t believe all that had happened within the span of a single day. And yet, it felt like she somehow belonged here, like there was a place for her.

Besides, how could she waste an opportunity like this? It would at least help her get acquainted with some of the Pokémon living here. She slowly got to her paws and smiled back at Volt. “Then, I accept your offer,” she answered.

#cyber art #cyber drabble #Mila the Sprigatito #Sprigatito #Scovillain #Pokemon #Pokemon Mystery Dungeon #PMD Hunters of Ruination #artists on tumblr #writers on tumblr #tw blood #eh sort of since I'm not sure how Scovillain would bleed #I tried avoiding the standard red colour since it's a plant with peppers for heads #so I thought about pepper juices for the thing

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skelezomperman · 2 months

Note

recruitable ishtar, or recruitable eldigan?

For the purposes of the story, I'll have to go with recruitable Ishtar. Recruitable Eldigan would significantly change the plot because I don't think Arvis would survive a tag-team between Sigurd with Tyrfing and Eldigan with Mystletainn. Ishtar being recruitable wouldn't change the plot that much especially since she most likely would not hold any positions of power if she is recruited, even if Seliph pardons her.

In terms of which one is more likely...this is a tough one. At face value, Ishtar not joining Seliph's army is based more on emotional hangups than politics. However, there are several in Seliph's army who would not be happy with Ishtar being forgiven. I could imagine that Leif and the other Leonstrians in particular would want her brought to justice. Eldigan chooses to not join Sigurd because he fears being seen as betraying his nation for Grannvale; Ishtar chooses to not join Seliph perhaps because she sees no future for her in the postwar order in Grannvale. With the benefit of an observer's omniscient perspective, I think Ishtar has the better chance to survive because Seliph could pardon her and it could be like one of those AU fics where Ishtar goes into seclusion to atone. Without that knowledge I think both situations are equally bleak.

#skele answers your questions #fe4 #genealogy of the holy war #ishtar #eldigan #jugdral #should mention i don't like that one headcanon with ishtar #i think it's just offputting to think that she got pregnant with julius' child #there doesn't need to be any additional reasons to justify her choice to throw herself on the sword

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bumblesimagines · 1 year

Text

Under The Moonlight

Part 4

Request: Yes or No

~~~

The blue of the sky clashed with orange and pink as the sun began to set. The vibrant gold rays provided a fleeting warmth before the cool of the night could take over. (Y/N) watched the sun slowly disappear beyond the horizon, as he typically did back in Greenland. His mother would sit beside him, weaving baskets and telling him stories of his ancestors and the Gods. Her (E/C) eyes would look different in the light and her skin would look warmer. He wondered, as the sun escaped his vision, if she had been watching it too. If she longed for the return of her son unaware he'd been sent to war.

His mother had always been his guiding light. His protector. His teacher. A woman who had gone through much and remained triumphant. A woman who would do anything for her family. It'd been her sword that had cut down the Christian who attacked their home. Her hands that tended to (Y/N)'s wounds. Her feet that walked the miles to Erik Thorvaldsson's home. Her arms that carried her son there. (Y/N) owed it all to her. And there was nothing he wanted more than to lean on her shoulder and hear her voice once more. To see her once again before her illness could claim her.

Leaves and twigs crunched and broke behind him. He continued staring forward, even as a hulky figure settled down on the grass beside him. Harald peered up at the darkening sky and spotted the stars beginning to appear one by one. Propping his knee up, he rested a sore arm on top and looked at the man beside him. He looked peaceful. Harald smiled at that. And when (Y/N) turned to look at him, his smile widened. (Y/N) stilled and averted his eyes, thumb running back and forth over the back of his hand. When he lifted his eyes again, his lips twitched upward into a small, subtle smile. Harald's heart swelled. (Y/N) was finally starting to warm up to him.

"What is King Canute going to do?" (Y/N) asked. Leif had gone to the warlords with his plan and after deliberation, King Canute dismissed him in favor of searching for something more favorable.

"I have reason to believe he'll go with Leif's plan. It's risky and will cost us if it fails. The other Jarls, however... They haven't come up with anything of value."

"The other Jarls are fools."

"Maybe," Harald chuckled, resting his other hand against the grass. "But they know more about England than you and I."

"What else is there to know? A boy sits on their throne and the enemy awaits right outside his gates." (Y/N) said, eyes shifting onto the castle in the distance, barely visible from their spot on the hill. Built from stone and barely reaching the sky. It looked more like a prison than a home. "Storming the castle will be like taking a toy from a child."

"I'll be taking more than his castle. I was promised his head and I will have it," Harald muttered, his fingers curling into fists. He looked- or rather glared- at the horizon. The bursts of orange and pink had slowly begun to give way to the dark blue of the night. "My brother, Sten, was part of the Kingsguard. King Æthelred slaughtered him, his own protector."

(Y/N) considered his words. He knew loss well. He knew what it felt like to lose a home, to lose a friend. But he'd yet to feel the grief and pain of losing a sibling. Leif, Torstein, and Thorvald were all healthy young men. And he was sure it'd take many years for death to even get a hold of Freydis. "You believe taking the boy's head... will be justice enough for you?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"What if this boy can undo his father's wrongs? Sons aren't their fathers. Leif is a good example of that."

"And you? Are you like your father?" Harald asked softly, hesitating before he reached out to place his hand over (Y/N)'s, fingers gently running over his skin. (Y/N) looked down at their hands, slowly turning over his and feeling Harald slip his fingers between his.

"Yes, I am." (Y/N) muttered softly. "Leif turns away from the violence. He's never wanted to be like our father. He's never wanted the darkness that brews in Erik. I guess I'll eventually face the consequences of that darkness."

"You are a good person, (Y/N). Someone bred from this... 'darkness' wouldn't weep over their fallen friends. They wouldn't have returned to the marshes for Leif. They wouldn't have given themselves up to protect Freydis." Harald told him gently, giving his hands a squeeze. (Y/N) raised his head to look at him. Harald gazed into his eyes with a sweet smile, slowly inching closer and closer.

"It's growing late." (Y/N) abruptly said, untangling his hands from Harald and pushing himself up from the ground. Bidding Harald a good night, he began heading back to camp where many Vikings had already settled into their tents for bed. Only a select few remained awake, speaking with others or roaming around the camp. (Y/N) approached the spot the Greenlanders had secured for themselves, finding them sound asleep. He smiled to himself and settled down beside his brother, resting his head on the makeshift pillow. Leif rolled over to face him and cracked open his eyes, offering him a tired smile and lifting his arm so (Y/N) could sleep underneath the blanket. Shuffling closer to his brother, (Y/N) let his eyes flutter closed once the blanket draped over him.

➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸

The following morning, King Canute had chosen to execute Leif's plan. But they first needed to prepare for it. So (Y/N) found himself helping the others build what Leif called ships. Long and smooth wooden boards that they'd lie on and use to move through the water undetected. The idea of those so-called ships had earned hearty laughs from Arne Gormsson and his friends. But Leif had ignored them, confident in his plan. Building had taken them all day but it was of no worries to them. They needed the cover of night to set the plan in motion.

Standing amongst his friends, (Y/N) inhaled and exhaled deeply, pushing arrows into the quiver and silently praying to the Gods for victory. If Leif's plans failed, they'd all die and the massacre would go unavenged. His sister would be left with two less brothers and his mother would lose her only child. The families of their friends would be left without their children, lovers, and parents. If they won... they'd have the honor of saying they helped King Canute take London. And they could go home to their families and have a warm meal.

"We've come a long way, my friends," Leif said, setting his hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder and giving it an affectionate squeeze, gazing over his group of friends. "And I am fortunate. And grateful."

"We are blessed by the Gods, who alone know our destinies," Skarde smiled, placing a hand against Leif's cheek and looking over his friends. Shakily inhaling, he nodded to himself. "If this is where we say goodbye on Earth, then it is only a quick farewell as we will hail each other soon in Valhalla."

"Valhalla." Njal smiled and Liv slung her shoulder over Leif's shoulder, gazing at him fondly as she repeated the word as well. (Y/N) chuckled and stepped forward, slipping an arm around Njal's waist and leaning his head against the man's chest.

"Valhalla.." He repeated softly, feeling Njal rub his arm. The group stared at each other for a moment longer before smiling widely and leaning in for a group hug, giggles and laughter escaping them. They squeezed each other tightly and allowed their hug to linger as Skarde pressed fleeting kisses to their foreheads. (Y/N) leaned back and inhaled deeply, whispering one last quick prayer to the Gods above before they walked to the water.

Taking his wooden board from Harald and setting it in the water, (Y/N) waited for the others to get on their boards before they moved forward, laying on their stomachs and using their hands to push them forward through the waters as night fell over them. They reached the first dock with guards stationed at it. Harald reached for his crossbow and slipped onto his back, loading it and aiming as he went beneath the dock first. A guard stood up upon noticing him, squinting through the darkness. But before he could speak, Harald shot him and he fell to the ground with a mere grunt and thud. Njal and Skarde did similarly with the other two guards, leaving the dock without anyone to protect it.

Liv and (Y/N) left their boards to retrieve supplies while the others located the two rowboats at the dock. Tossing the ropes and wire down to them, they continued until they had the necessary amount of supplies before rowing quietly down the river. It didn't take long for (Y/N) to spot the bridge in the distance, made visible by torches. He reached up to his necklaces and ran his finger over the bones, keeping his breathing steady.

"Tarps," Leif whispered back to them and they leaned down, using the tarps they'd taken from the dock to cover themselves, leaving only one person to row. They waited beneath the tarps, listening to the sound of water and insect trills. After a few minutes, he felt a tap on his leg and the boat slowed down. He lifted the tarp off his body and glanced up at the underside of the bridge.

Quickly climbing onto the small wooden platform keeping the support beams above water, he extended a hand to the others to help them climb on. Taking the supplies from the boat, they worked quickly and quietly. Once finished, the boats continued on with only two people onboard. They remained still, glancing at each other. But when no horns echoed through the air, they knew they were in the clear. For now.

Climbing onto a wooden beam, the land around them began to appear more visible as the sun began rising. And soon, he heard a horn go off and bells began ringing. Lifting his head, he spotted numerous boats sailing over the horizon, just as Leif had instructed, with three ships sailing faster than the others. (Y/N) looked back at his brother and met his eyes, giving him a small nod before he reached down to take the axe from Liv. They began getting into position and waited, listening to the orders being shouted by the Saxons as they scrambled to prepare for an attack. Soon, an order was called and the chains beneath the bridge moved, lifting spikes from the water. But they remained still. Even as the sound of swords and axes slamming against shields began and King Canute stepped onto the bridge on horseback. When more Vikings were on the bridge, they began, axing away at the wooden beams to weaken the bridge.

Once satisfied with the amount of wood that had been chipped away, (Y/N) hoisted the axe to his hip and looked up at the sound of hooves passing over. Sharing a look with Skarde, (Y/N) caught the rope he tossed to him and began fastening it around the wood. King Canute would keep the Saxons occupied long enough for them to get their task done and then he'd draw out King Edmund to trap him on one side of the bridge.

"The tide is turning," Skarde called softly and (Y/N) turned his head to watch the rushing water turn in the opposite direction. With the tides turned, he heard the sound of shouting and soon, the sound of steel meeting steel. Hopping down from the beam, (Y/N) ensured the rope would hold one last time before he retrieved an arrow and tied a wire to the end of his arrow, and then tied the other end of the thread to the rope. Once the three boats were close enough, he lifted his bow and aimed for one of the shields on the third bow before releasing it, watching it soar through the sky and hit the shield. Arrows began falling down over the boats but the ropes had already been fastened.

The boats began rowing away, using the tide and the ropes to pull on the bridge, causing the wood to creak and break. The arrows stopped suddenly and (Y/N) held his breath, releasing it with a yelp when the arrows descended down on them. Archers on the bridge pointed their bows down at them, releasing arrow after arrow and effectively shooting down Tomas. (Y/N)'s gaze shot up to Njal, eyes widening when the blonde man staggered backward, coughing up blood before he fell into the waters. Liv screamed beside him, tears quickly flooding her eyes. (Y/N) wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her under the bridge, being mindful of the chunks of wood falling down. But they couldn't stay there for long. The bridge continued creaking and groaning, bits of wood falling down as it began leaning over. But not fast enough.

Leif climbed back on and began axing away at the beam he'd tied the rope around, aiming to quicken the process. (Y/N) quickly moved over to help him, hearing another grunt and looking over his shoulder in time to see Skarde fall into the murky waters. With an enraged cry, Liv ran out from under the bridge and lifted her bow toward the archers, successfully hitting one of them but at the cost of being shot in the shoulder. Wailing in pain, she stumbled back and fell into the depths.

The scream caught in (Y/N)'s throat, breathing becoming labored. The sound around him turned distant and his vision blurred from tears. The axe fell from his trembling hands, falling onto the ground with a muffled clang. Fingers wrapped around his arms, Leif's distant shouting reaching his ears as he was pulled from the beams and toward the water.

"We have to jump!" Leif yelled over the sound of the bridge falling apart and the cries of battle. The sound returned to (Y/N) and he grounded himself, staring at the rushing water before diving in with Leif as the bridge finally collapsed. He heard the water rushing around him, pieces of wood hitting his body. A shot of panic rushed through him, kicking his legs wildly and breaking through the surface. Hands suddenly grabbed his arms, heaving him up and onto a boat. (Y/N) coughed, feeling someone gently rub his back as he hacked up the water he had accidentally inhaled.

"We did it, (Y/N)!" Turning his head, (Y/N) met Harald's eyes but his gaze shifted onto the bridge in the distance. Broken right in the middle. Just as Leif had planned.

"We did it..." He breathed, a small smile spreading across his lips. His friends' sacrifices hadn't been in vain.

Many of the Vikings continued further into the castle to steal and ravage, Harald among them. But (Y/N) chose to reunite with his brother, checking him for injuries and thanking the Gods when he found none. Together, they began searching the banks of the river, looking for their friends. And soon, they heard the familiar sound of Liv's voice. Immediately quickening his pace, (Y/N) spotted her. She was drenched and staggering, completely out of breath. (Y/N) soon saw why.

"Njal... Skarde..." (Y/N) whispered, falling down onto the muddy ground and feeling the tears overwhelm his eyes. There his friends lied, drenched and dead. The waters had wiped away the dirt and grime off their faces but the sickly pale color of death had already begun settling in. They'd left Kattegat with six and they'd have to return with only three. (Y/N) gently brushed the hair out of Njal's face and looked over his face. They looked peaceful, almost as if they were merely sleeping.

"I got them out of the river... but I could take them no further," Liv explained, sniffling and staggering before collapsing in Leif's arms, pained whimpers and sobs escaping her.

"No, no, no, Liv." Leif quickly tucked his arm under her knees and lifted her up. "She's hurt, (Y/N)!"

"The shoulder, Leif, she was shot there." (Y/N) sniffled, wiping away the tears with the back of his hand and getting up on his feet. Standing beside the two, he gently pulled back on Liv's coat and winced at the blood. "Come on, we need to get her to the healers."

➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸ ➸

"She has been shot with a double-barbed arrow. You cannot pull it out of her without killing her immediately." The healer explained, wiping his hands clean of blood. Liv lied on one of the cots, covered in sweat and shuddering violently. She'd snapped the arrow after being shot, leaving part of it sticking out of her shoulder. Leif gently dabbed her forehead with a wet cloth as (Y/N) softly stroked her brown hair, watching her wince every so often. "If it stays, the flesh will rot and she will die slow."

"What if I push it through?" Leif asked softly, peering up at the healer.

"She's too weak to survive it." The healer shook his head, giving them a pitying look and standing to check on the other injured. Liv swallowed and opened her eyes, staring up at them as her lips quivered.

"Do it." She croaked. "The arrow."

"You're not strong enough. It'll kill you."

"Let me decide that." Liv pleaded softly.

Leif frowned, cupping the side of her face. "I can't lose you, Liv." He whispered, stroking her cheek with his thumb. (Y/N) watched them, noting the pain in Leif's voice as he spoke.

"You won't," Liv assured, the trembling in her body growing by the second. Leif inhaled deeply and lifted his eyes to look at his brother. (Y/N) nodded and Leif sighed, reaching for his knife and holding it to her face. Biting down on the leather around the knife, Liv released a muffled groan as (Y/N) gently moved her onto her side before shifting so he was crouched down beside her. Leif stood and walked around the cot, leaning over her and reaching down to place his fingers on the part sticking out. Liv weakly wrapped her arms around (Y/N), watery eyes looking into his before she tucked her head into his neck.

"Easy, Liv, easy." (Y/N) whispered softly, cringing and closing his eyes as Leif pushed the arrow out. Liv shrieked and cried out, fingers curling and gripping tightly onto (Y/N)'s clothes. Leif grimaced, continuing to push until the head of the arrow stuck out on the other side of her shoulder. Gripping the head, he pulled it out as Liv continued to cry. (Y/N) carefully set her back on her back and grabbed some bandages to wrap around her shoulder before she could continue bleeding. Leif gently pried the knife from her mouth and set it aside, sitting at the edge of her cot and dipping the cloth into the water again before dabbing it against her forehead.

"She'll be alright, Leif."

"I know," Leif murmured. (Y/N) stood up and sighed, reaching over to rub his brother's back before stepping back and exiting the tent.

Many Vikings had taken up residence within the walls of the castle but the castle could only contain half the army. Those who remained outside of the walls moved their tents closer to the castle and celebrated the victory with ale and food. A proper feast would surely be held the following day once the castle was secure and all the nobles were captured. (Y/N) didn't expect any less from his people.

Moving through the camp, it didn't take long for him to spot Harald sitting by a fire, hands lifted to warm himself. He stared at the fire with a scowl on his face, glaring at anyone who stepped near him. (Y/N) inhaled softly and walked forward, taking a seat beside him on the log. Harald glanced at him, scowl fading. "Greenlander.."

"I assume you're sitting here pouting like a child because the Boy King lives?"

"Am I that obvious?" Harald chuckled dryly and dropped his hands, resting his arms on his knees instead. With a heavy sigh, he bitterly spoke, "King Canute has robbed me of justice."

(Y/N) watched Harald stare into the fire, his anger shifting into a look of disappointment. He'd been unable to get justice for his brother, (Y/N) could only wonder what ran through his mind. So, in an effort to keep him occupied, (Y/N) touched his necklace. "Remember when you asked about this?" Harald looked away from the fire, quirking a brow at him and nodding.

"I remember you ignored me."

"Yes, well," (Y/N) chuckled and Harald smiled. "When I was a boy, a bit before we were attacked, my mother gave me this thread to wear. She said for every creature you kill, you will wear one of their teeth as a reminder that you survived. It was a tradition started by her father's father. So, after I killed a fox, I added my first tooth to the thread."

"So, all of these are..." Harald trailed off, straightening his back and leaning in slightly to look at the necklace more closely. He lifted his hand to gently trace the thread and teeth.

"Some are foxes, wolves... bears."

"Bears?"

"Bears." (Y/N) nodded with a wide smile, dropping his hands onto his legs. "My mother's necklace is long but my grandfather's nearly reached to his knees."

"Really? He must've been a good hunter."

"Well..." (Y/N) cleared his throat and leaned in, bumping his shoulder with Harald's. Harald felt his breathing slow at the proximity, eyes flickering down to his lips. "His necklace had human teeth."

"What?" Harald blinked, eyes snapping back up to his as he gaped at him. (Y/N) stared at him, a grin slowly forming on his face before he broke out into laughter, reeling over and clutching his side. "You- You're lying? You little-" Harald clamped his mouth shut but he was unable to contain the smile spreading across his lips. (Y/N)'s laughter died down into giggles and he wiped away tears.

"Don't worry, Prince." He giggled softly. "Only half of them were human."

Before Harald could respond- or react-, someone called for him. Harald glanced back at them and sighed heavily, rising up from the log and looking back at him with one last smile. (Y/N) watched him walk away, licking his lips and lifting his hands to his necklace once more to undo the knot keeping the necklace tied around his neck. Slipping one of the bear teeth from the thread and standing, he stepped over the log and walked toward Harald.

"Prince!" Harald paused and turned, tilting his head and watching him step closer. Taking his hand, (Y/N) set the tooth in his palm and looked up at him. "Keep it as a reminder that you won a war, even if you didn't get the justice your brother deserved."

Harald stared at it for a moment, features softening. He smiled and curled his fingers around it, bringing his fist up to his chest and over his heart. "Thank you, (Y/N). I'll treasure it."

#x reader #x you #x y/n #x male reader #vikings valhalla x you #vikings valhalla x male reader #vikings valhalla #vikings #vikings valhalla x reader #vikings valhalla x y/n #harald sigurdsson x reader #harald sigurdsson x y/n #harald sigurdsson x you #harald sigurdsson x male reader #harald sigurdsson #leif eriksson

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