#raven maiden is the boss
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congrats on your milestone sweetie!!! a hot white mocha with oat milk, and a slice of the rose milk cake from maison rose would be lovely 🌹 thanks! 🤗
a/n. thank u for participating babe xx i really appreciate it. your ask was giving xmas/holiday szn so i decided to riff off of that hehe enjoy ~
🌹 WELCOME TO MAISON ROSE ! 🌹
🤍 PAIRING. mikasa
🤍 WORD COUNT. 1.4k+
what sucks more than having to work during the holidays? no, really, you’re waiting for an answer while you’re cleaning up another spill on the counter for the third time this morning. how are people this careless about leaving their drinks near the ledge?
not only that, but you have to do an expert job of cleaning or else your boss, mr. clean freak levi ackerman, would tear you a new one. god, you wish you had made better plans in advance.
and to make matters worse, eldians rarely believed in using the holidays to stay at home and relax. rather, it was a time of festivities and late night gatherings @ paradis’ trendiest cafe: maison rose.
okay, sure you’re sounding bitter right now and not at all in the holiday spirit but you have a good reason and it’s that you miss marley and your family, but alas, it was your choice to “find yourself” and you just happened to find yourself enjoying making delectable drinks and pastries with levi during his retirement.
you take a look at your watch. 11:30pm. two more hours until closing. you can do this. at this point, people were already wrapping up their conversations and heading back to someone’s house, so you’ve been spending most of the time touching up the cake display and cleaning the coffee bar.
as you’re loading up the dirty dishes into the back, you hear the laughter of your least favorite customer. okay, let’s get all the formalities out of the way: you love and cherish every customer equally and you strive to make the best drink every day. but you would be lying if you didn’t think about using the expired milk on eren jeager’s cafe au lait every time he visits.
it’s not that he’s rude or mean…just a bit too brash and uncomely for your liking. you finally see him and his friends walking towards the counter to order: armin, jean, connie, and…some (gorgeous? ethereal?) raven-haired maiden you’ve never seen before. what’s a girl like her doing with a crass, uncultured, oafish guy like —
“‘sup babygirl, y’miss me?” eren says, winking at you and effectively derailing your train of thought. you stop staring at the girl like some juvenile teenager and focus back on eren. he’s wearing a black supreme hoodie, and you’re pretty sure it’s fake. you roll your eyes.
“what do you want, jaeger?” you ask, annoyed at his greeting for you.
he frowns at your unwelcoming response. “why’re you acting like you don’t know your favorite customer’s drink?”
you raise an eyebrow. “so one iced bleach latte for you?”
“i bet that would actually be so good because i know levi keeps the good cleaning shit in the back.” he says, without missing a beat.
“can you guys not do your usual antics tonight? it’s literally a holiday here…” you turn around to see levi with crossed arms glaring at both you and eren, and you both nod your head and play nice to not scare the customers away. you quickly start jotting down the orders of everyone with eren, but you only paid attention to one particular order.
a hot white mocha latte with a slice of rose milk cake on the side. the same rose milk cake you had spent hours this morning decorating, and had only one slice left. was it super delusional for you to think that this was meant to be? a raven haired maiden to request the very last piece of your hard work?
you got so caught up in your fantasies (read: slight delusions) that you forgot to ask for her name.
you pride yourself in preparing your drinks with care and detail, but for some reason, you found yourself frothing the milk a little extra longer for the white mocha, and being extra precise pouring the latte art.
you call eren’s name for the drinks and he gets up to receive them. a thought pops into your head, and you know it’s gonna hurt you more than eren to say it, but…fuck it, it’s the holidays anyway.
“eren, wait.” you hesitate to say, not even realizing you were holding a silent breath. your hands clam up. “uhh, who’s…that girl you’re with?”
just as expected, a sinister smirk forms on eren’s face as he sneaks a glance back at mikasa who’s chuckling at something connie has said. “oh? you mean mikasa? why’d ya wanna know? does someone have a cruuussh–”
“shut…up, jaeger!” you hush him, not wanting anyone else in the cafe to hear. “i don’t have a crush on her okay, god forbid i wanna know my customer’s names, jeez…”
“oh, okay, then you’re fine if i admit to you she’s my girlfriend?” you practically drop the last precious slice of rose milk cake from the plate you’re holding. ain’t no fucking way she’s with him…
“you’re lying,” you say definitely, calling our eren’s bluff.
“okay, yeah, i am. but still, that means you dig her, oooo~”
you regret this already. oh well, at least you tried. “just take your stupid drinks and go.” and for once, eren does as you say.
you notice eren’s party stays longer than most other people, and it’s probably because of their close history with levi, who has been making the rounds to say hello to his old survey corps colleagues.
as the two hours dwindle down to minutes, you’re almost done wiping down the countertops and unloading the dishes. levi leaves upon your insistence that he enjoy a night out with erwin and hange, despite his groaning and moaning about just wanting to go home, so it’s on you to close up shop.
you wave goodbye to eren’s friends, and scrunch your nose up in disgust at eren. however, you notice the most peculiar thing: mikasa waving them goodbye whilst staying behind. you’re confused, wasn’t she…?
mikasa collects her plate and cup and meets you across the countertop. she looks so pretty wearing a tight fitted stop and baggy ripped jeans, that you almost don’t register her greeting you.
“hey, sorry i’m bringing in these plates so late, i know you must be dying to go home…”
“oh! um, don’t worry about it, it’s not a big deal as long as you enjoyed your order.” you say warmly, taking the dishes from her. your fingers brush against her hands and you could’ve sworn there was twinge of pink on her cheeks.
“it was the best drink! but i was really blown away about the rose milk cake? eren told me you make them every morning and design them yourself? is that true?” eren told her that? eren talked about you to mikasa?
“oh, uh, yeah, i guess i do,” you say, scratching the back of your head.
“don’t be so humble! you should be so proud of what you made. you’ve actually ruined cakes for me, so thanks for that.” you chuckle.
“do you really like it so much? i’ve been saving a slice of saffron milk cake because it was leftover from today in the back, you want it?”
“oh! eren told me you might have some leftovers in the back but i thought he was just messing with me like always.”
“yeah, you can’t ever trust that guy.” eren? telling mikasa? about your secret cake stash in the back? the last time you told him about that, you made him promise to keep it a secret while you two scarfed them down after levi left.
“i never do! at least not for normal stuff like this,” she chuckles. that being said, you were glad eren’s big mouth blabbed this little secret.
you go to the back and bring out two slices of saffron milk cakes for mikasa in to-go boxes. she stares at the cakes, before demurely looking at your eyes. the eye contact catches you off guard as she says, “maybe we can sit down and share the slices together? i don’t think we ever met, y/n. sorry, eren told me your name…i hope that was okay.”
wait? she asked eren for your name? “i’d love to, actually.”
the delusions were well and alive in your mind as you once again are convinced this must be fate, even if that fate involves a little bit of eren’s meddling. you take off your apron and join mikasa in the couch in the corner, where the two of you sink into the sofa, and end up way too close to each other as you share the cakes.
but neither of you mind it.
#attack on titan#aot#snk#shingeki no kyojin#mikasa ackerman#mikasa x reader#aot x reader#attack on titan x reader#snk x reader#🪅 pree's follower events#☕️ coffee break
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Very interesting ranking. I'm rather perplexed by Sleet and Camilla's placement given that their regular civilians. And Willow as well to a lesser degree. I could see them developing their Aura levels to such a degree to prevent assassination attempts given their status as council people but if that was the reasoning then Jacques would probably be up there also and yet he isn't.
I definitely feel like Ciel, Cordovin, Lil Miss Malachite and Ghira should be a tier higher at the very least. Possibly the Ship Captain as well? People that regularly deal with Grimm, other criminals and people that try to hurt them for their Faunus heritage should logically train their Auras levels. Likewise, I think Jaune should be higher given that he has in Pyrrha's words "a lot of it" and him being a damage sponge is kind of his niche. Somewhere around Sienna's placement.
What's the reasoning for Weiss and Yang's placements? Do they become Maidens and inherit Winter and Raven's powers, respectively?
So I'm making Camilla and Sleet veteran Huntsmen in this AU because I never understood how regular civilans could get to their position in the land of Renment. Like, Atlas is supposed to be this "fascist dictatorship" (it's not), but the Atlas military seems pretty unimportant in the actual government outside of Ironwood having two council seats. Like, that's it? He should have way more power with what the story was trying to do (then again he could kill both of them and get away with it so I guess he did have the power and these two were just puppets maybe?)
Willow took lessons from her Dad when she was younger, but she was never serious about it. As for Jacques, I'm giving him a completely overpowered passive semblance that makes him one of the most dangerous "civilians" here. He can hax legendary huntsmen level of broken.
I honestly don't know what to do with Ciel, so I kinda just threw her down there. Ghira being down there is just me memeing because in this AU, he got assassinated before the story began. I could just straight up write him to be weaker than canon, but honestly, that doesn't matter much either way. Cordovin has a little grandma health bar lol, but you are right in that she (and everyone else in the Atlas military) should be around master huntsmen level because I made Aura more accessible this time around. Malachite is a meme and so is Ship captian.
As for Jaune, I plan to swap his and Pyrrha's roles in the story (Jaune dies fighting Cinder, Pyrrha lives in to avenge him). In the early volumes, all the students have Aura levels at the low Huntsmen range and they only get higher as time goes on. In other words, Pyrrha starts the story at about 2500 AP while Jaune starts at 3000 AP. If Jaune followed the same path that he did in vanilla RWBY, then he would be chilling in the raid boss tier along with Pyrrha and Sun.
Finnaly, I do plan for Weiss and Yang to become the Winter and summer maidens at the end of the au. Because I plan for Penny to stay dead after V3, Winter gets the maiden powers as intended and then gets killed by Cinder in V8, only for the power to go to Weiss. Then in V10, Yang should become the Summer maiden (maybe as a sacrifice so some other character dosen't have to do it).
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I feel like Lorraine Heath's two most recent books haven't been as angsty as her books usually are and I'm low-key depressed about it! Do you have any recs for hrs by other authors that are super angsty?
I really like both of them, especially The Return of The Duke (I just love the hate vibes and of course... the time he asked her to ride him~) but I agree that they aren't as angsty for the couple personally. More the plot. I will say that though I haven't read her latest yet, I do have it and I've read a few bits and pieces and.. WHEW. That one, I think, is gonna be a looooot.
I think you can't go wrong with Elizabeth Hoyt for angst. She writes excellent sex, and intense, flawed characters who often do a bit of emotional damage to each other.
Angst standouts include:
The Raven Prince--boss/employee, he's an earl and she's his widowed secretary so they can't be together. He's very angsty because he's scarred after a bout with smallpox and like. His wife cursed him as she lay dying in childbirth lmao.
The Leopard Prince--upper class lady and her steward, he doesn't feel good enough for her and also people are trying to frame him for mURDER
Scandalous Desires--pirate hero, widowed Quaker heroine; there's a lot of "he's gonna die" angst because, you know, pirates, and he's pretty mean at first in the beeest way
Thief of Shadows--virgin hero, widowed/older heroine, he's a masked vigilante and she knows who he is; also, she's infertile and is FOR REAL, there is no magic baby, and there's a lot of sorrow from her and feeling that she shouldn't keep him from the kids she knows he wants. EXQUISITE novel, one of the best ever.
Duke of Midnight--duke hero/impoverished lady's companion hero; they have a cat and mouse thing where she knows he's a vigilante and blackmails him into helping her free her brother from imprisonment. They begin this passionate sexual affair, but he's courting the woman she's a lady's companion to.
Sweetest Scoundrel--uptight heroine/wild hero, but she's deeply traumatized after being sexually abused as a child; they begin a slow burn affair where he's super respectful of her boundaries and helps her learn to enjoy her body again, but they have every intention of not staying together. It is *chef's kiss*
But all the Maiden Lane books are worth reading, and they are all ANGSTY.
Sarah MacLean does angst very well. Her heroes are always like "LEAVE ME TO ROT AND FEED ON MY CARCASS IF YOU WISH, I AM SUCH TRASH". MacLean heroes listen to Hozier and go "he gets it", but only after they leeearn.
Angst recs:
A Rogue By Any Other Name: childhood friends to enemies to lovers, a forever fave, he does her soooo baaad and soooo gooood but he has to make it up to her
No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: she was engaged to his dad and accidentally framed him for her murder, lmao
The Day of the Duchess: a daringly angsty book where he cheats on her while she's pregnant (he has reasons, not that it matters) and then she loses the baby and they separate for years before reuniting
Daring and the Duke: may be better if you read the two previous Bareknuckle Bastards books more (depends) but lol.... he kinda tried to kill her? It's another book-long grovel
Jeannie Lin's The Dragon and The Pearl made me like. Tear up. because it was like so star-crossed and the tension got so high, and they just couldn't spit it out. Also: has one of the hottest non-sex scenes I've ever read.
Indigo by Beverly Jenkins is gorgeously angsty. He's an upper class guy she nurses back to health, as they both work with the Underground Railroad. The heroine was enslaved as a child, and she's go a lot of understandable trauma related to that. The mountains this hero moves for her... It's gorgeous.
Dreaming of You is my favorite Kleypas because of the high angst. I mean, he literally sends her away for months and becomes a shadow of his former self. He like, confesses his love in a SOBBING. BLUBBERING. MESS.
Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian. Another very high angst book. One lead is AFAB nb, the other is a cis man. They're friends, and then they fuck, and he's like "be my wife" and they're like "dude no". A LOT A LOT A LOT.
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie and Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley. Madness has a hero who's on the autism spectrum and has been an outcast and literally imprisoned for it. Lady Isabella has a couple that spent time apart and is now back together because she knows someone is stealing his identity, basically. He's trying to win her back, despite all their issues.
The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe. Hero and heroine were betrothed by their parents, and he dumps her. They hook at a masquerade and start a no strings relationship that quickly becomes intense.
The Duke Gets Even. Enemies to fuckbuddies. Uptight duke who's head over heels x brash woman who refuses to commit. A favorite of mine.
The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe. Hero is trying to destroy the heroine's father, agrees to "mentor" her in running a casino and gets in way over his head.
Duchess by Day, Mistress by Night by Stacy Reid. A cold duchess gets into an entanglement with a self made man. It's supposed to be for fucking, but it gets FOR REAL.
I'm currently reading the Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels series by Grace Callaway, and it's both fun and angsty. The heroines are a part. of a Victorian Charlie's Angels thing, which I LOVE. She's also like... one of the hotter historical authors I've read.
Olivia and the Masked Duke--she's a 19 year old ingenue type, he's the 31 year old widower who's all damaged from his first marriage; together, they fight crime and she's the brat to his dom; he feels VERY angsty about despoiling her but does it anyway
Pippa and the Prince of Shadows--childhood friends to lovers; she's a widow with a shitty first husband, he's a Scarred Hero (TM); has one of the most lovely and emotional "let me see your scars" scenes I've read
Anyway, these are some!
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[ STARS ] For Melanie and Fennec
[ MORNING ] Eikichi Aldrich
pick one you wanna do
You fool! I'm doing both!!
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BE-
Eikichi heard a whine with something falling over before the accursed beeping stop, the sunlight peeking through the window causing him to groan. He pulled the covers over his head as another voice chuckled. "And I thought I hated mornings." The feeling of feathers tickling his face caused one green eye to open as the sun was blocked slightly by his pretty bird boyfriend. Aldrich smiled from his position being held up by his elbows, his red wings covering his sides as he looked at the lump in the bed. Eikichi grumbled "Not my fault my boss wanted me to work overtime for four days straight." The birdman patted where his face is as another grumble came out. "I know, but the robotics convention's this week." Right, the company was one of the venues and Eiki was going to be the main presenter. He heard the sheets rustled but he groaned. "Baaaaaaabe don't leave just yeeeeet....." He poked his head out as Alrich sat at the ledge of their bed, taking his glasses. "Sorry but someone has to teach today." The beastman placed his glasses on and stretched, now that he was working as the history teacher at Night Raven College he needed to get up bright and early. But something stopped him from getting up. Looking to the floor he saw it, a small black box. "Honey? What is this?" He asked picking it up as Eiki rose up and watch them hold it up. The tech genius's cheeks turned extremely warm "Oh! Well......it was suppose to be a surprise for later but......" Aldrich then opened the box and gasped as inside was a solid golden ring. 'My one and only' being written into the inside of the band.
From the lands of dreams the maiden heard a code. A series of quick door knocks in pattern before silence. Melanie woke up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she shuffled out of her warm bed. Louise was still asleep in his little homemade bed so she crept past him to escape. Slowly leaving her room before rushing off to the hall, the large windows illuminated the night sky as her bare feet hurried along cold marble to linen rugs until she met him. The towering man with his green hair often tied up was loose as he smiled, she returned the gesture as he took her hand and the two were off. Out of the castle, out of the royal gardens and down into Torrin Hall. The air was cool as little flickers of light coming from the many farms scattered along the green, the town below was still and sleepy. Melanie smiled, the grass soft on her feet as she watched Fennec come up the hill. "It's beautiful......" she said as she looked towards the sky. "Yeah......." The stars twinkled brightly creating a canvas with shades of blue. It had been so long since she saw them so clearly. Wonderland's stars were lovely but these felt right. She sat down, her nightgown pooling into the grass as she took a gentle breath. Fennec sat next to her before falling back into the dark green blanket. The two stayed there with the breeze, watching the stars. It seemed like yesterday when Fennec arrived in Genovia and met her again. After five years apart. They've both grown in features and maturity but they never forgot each other. The traveler looked at the queen, watched as her eyes reflected the little specks of starlight. She was......beautiful. She didn't change at all but time made her more beautiful. His emerald eyes soften as he pondered his thoughts. This has been the longest stay he's had, over a month. He's met her family, her people, watched her rule her kingdom with a loving heart and.....he wanted to stay. His heart longed to explore......but he wanted to be with her. He had the thought for the longest time. From the moment he knew she would be leaving Twisted Wonderland and he left Hourglass Station to travel he had that thought in the back of his mind. Maybe......this was the time. "Melanie?" She looked to him at the sound of her name on his lips. "Yes?" she watched him sit and looked up at the stars. "I've been thinking. I know I'm not the best, I know that at some point I'll leave you. That I'll make you worry and think I've fallen off the face of the world. But.....you've never left me. You've always been with me. Every time I've found somewhere new I wanted you to be by my side. But I also want to settle down, bring my brother here and......." Melanie's face flushed as he turned to look at her. "And......?" she whispered. Fennec then took the ring off his finger. His most precious treasure......and placed it on her finger. "I......want to make you happy. You're my world.....and I want to be with you for as long as possible. Will you marry me?"
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->{COA Act 2} Day as the Trickster's Secretary🌆
Characters// OCs {Beth Anastazja from my friend, Connor Morozov, Angel Drew} & Canons
Warning// Some suggestive here and there, dark themes because is Call of the Abyss we're talking about- these COA stories are drafts for tumblr. Beth x Aesop content hehe-
___
Just a normal day at the office... Same story, same routine... but different days.
It may be just normal days like usual, but Beth knows every different day is not the same as the next one.
The Trickster's Secretary performs like a regular person, going through office work, fixing and organizing the schedule for the man in suitcase... But she knows what she's doing isn't a normal job to do... She's assisting one of the men who's going against the Nether's path.
As much as how dangerous it is, the Trickster often makes his matters and his secretary not get mixed for the sake of Beth's safety. Having himself do the dirty work as his assistant helps him and his comrades a little behind the scenes.
The routine can be exhausting at the end, that is why both Beth and Aesop are there for each other at the end of the day.
The raven haired man sighs as he puts down his suitcase on the entrance of the studio they both share. Without needing to say more, Beth comes to him with a relief smile on her gentle face.
"..W-Welcome back, sir!"
She greets as she helps him take our his coat and the suitcase to be placed aside. She notices that coat is stained in some blood marks, so she mentally takes in mind to deeply wash them off later.
"I'm so glad you're back in one piece,,," The Secretary softly adds.
"... I'm back." Said the Trickster, pleased by the little, warm welcome.
It's almost afternoon, Trickster usually works at night so he would often start working from evening to all night until morning...
His errands tend to be sometimes unusual for the brunette maiden, making her question his sleeping schedule.
"I-I'll go make some coffee.. You must be needing some boos-"
"I'm fine, Beth... Thanks-"
The man quickly responds once taking out his gloves, he quickly makes his way towards the kitchen before Beth can protest which causes her to giggle a bit.
"No- mister! Go sit on the couch and rest,,,,! You've done a lot last night!"
Beth pouts lightly as she makes the cute eyes at her beloved boss.
Oh No- this is bad for Trickster...
Eventually, the Trickster stared at her for a bit. Before quietly making his way back to the coach-
His head lowers down lightly while sitting, as if he just failed to resist....
But- Little does he expect.
Beth just placed a tentacle on Aesop's mug..
He's too tired to even notice that until the moment he leans on the mug-
"AH- oh."
M a n. That was embarrassing... It actually made out of candy, even-
Beth giggles quietly at the reaction of the light prank. However- Aesop seriously stares back at her, already making some devilish plans to take that back.
He must prank her back.
So that's what he shall do.
Aesop makes his hands emerge into his tentacles, before jump scaring Beth from behind while she was washing her hands-
Hearing her yelp, he then feels a bit guilty so he ends up also giving her a hug,,,
They both can do nothing but laugh at their silliness-
At the end, they enjoyed dinner together, Beth then starts washing his coat as she lets Aesop read an important documentary at the living room together...
Noticing that it's getting dark now outside, the decide to sleep in their own separate rooms.
"Good night, Beth. Sweet dreams..."
Says Aesop calmly now in his black and white striped pajamas as he's by the lady's doorway, facing Beth inside her room. Laying in her bed all wrapped up while smiling tiredly at the man who's her boss but also dear friend of hers.
"Good night, Aesop..."
She says back softly, waving. Receiving a wave back before the dark-haired man does the favor to turn off her lights before closing the door.
Sometimes, she would lean back on her bed and question... Are they really friends...? She has a longing for him... For him to be something more than just her friend-
Meanwhile... Trickster wishes this can be always stay the same. Yet he knows that's not always the case... So he'll try his best for Beth and for himself to protect them both.
___
"Are... We there yet?"
Angel carefully asks as he's sitting in a stool from one of the chamber rooms at the ship he's sharing with Connor. Making sure he's leaning closer to the sound pipe that functions as a communicator to where Connor is at the steering wheel.
He is looking through the mirror, changing his earrings in such graceful manner. He has his own accessories stored in a big suitcase that's placed along with the other 20... (which Connor had to struggle in carrying them to the ship fnfnnnf-).
"No, We're not yet there, princess."
Connor responds blankly, though having a teasing tone at the end of the sentence. Receiving a huff sound from the other. Noticing that Angel may not have asked that before, but he can tell how impatient the noble salesman may seem.
"You're lucky I'm not in the mood to go up and try to stab you with my rapier-"
"Heh." That's what the pirate merely said to the offended shop keeper.
Unsurprisingly, the journey won't always go as smooth nor uneventful.
As Angel is closing off the sound pipe for now as he frowns a bit, he continues putting on his accessories and some light makeup.
He's a man, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have privileges to treat himself with some style for the trip-
The gentleman was about to grab for his brush, until he notices something from the corner of his eyes. Which is where the window on his left.
He quickly turns around, taking suspicions that there's something from the other side of the window- only to see nothing.
To be honest, he really swears he saw something with... Colorful scales.
Well... Must be his imagination for now- Staying inside the chambers for too long will get him to nausea side effects, so it's best to now go out of the ship.
Agreeing with his idea, he equips his pouch and sword holder before opening the door, closing it back once getting out.
He's aware that staying on a ship won't be always how he usually lives on land... He must be more aware now.
#idv oc#identity v oc#identity v#idv oc ask blog#idv ocs#idv askblog#idv#📰// call of the abyss story#idv writing
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*Thank you* for noticing that Team Expanding Acronym's approaches to doling out critical-seeming info and dealing with people earnestly do in fact differ from Oz & his accustomed cabal in some telling, constructive ways. Come to think of it watchers were also waaayyy too ready to scream 'liar liar hypocrite pants on fire' about Yang not spilling Raven's whole situation the second she got back from the Haven vault.
I really get why they decided to keep something's hidden though, like yeah Oz may have had his reasons, but we're past the point of no return now where because of his inaction they also can't be honest anymore. And now he's not even there to really face the problems he's caused. At least Ruby and the gang are willing to think up a plan to fight Salem, Oz was just going to blindly lead them into a fight that was unwinnable.
Imagine if they got to the "final boss" and THEN Oz decided to drop the whole "yeah she can't be destroyed" bullshit? That would be awful, and not at all smart or cleverly thought out T_T And it would piss everyone off so much they might just kill him and make him reincarnate into the body of someone else again. (which would kill Oscar as well sadly)
And raven and yang's business is there business in my opinion. It's like raven said, "She made her choice" when she decided to just run away because she was afraid to face Salem. Yang decided to not tell everyone about the whole "Raven is a maiden" thing simply because Raven wants to run away and be done with Salem, and she thought she'd killed the only other person who knew the truth (cinder). Yang not telling everyone was her being a bigger person then her mother at that moment, awarding her an actual act of mercy instead of looking for petty revenge (that's why she had that whole "Are you merciful or are you a victim?" spiel) Their situation is really sad and tragic, and idk I guess some people don't really think that much when they watch tv shows lol they just see what's on the surface and don't think past what the characters are saying.
Yang showing actual mercy (not forgiveness) to the woman who birthed her then abandoned her family to be some tribeswoman makes her a much better person then Raven, and it's why she starts crying after she says she's sorry because Yang isn't leveling the amount of hatred she thought she would at her. Instead she's showing her an act of kindness that she frankly might not even deserve.
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💖1️⃣ and 🤫😎
💖 - What’s one really cute/cool thing that (Y/N) does?
Raven: "A really cute thing... how about how she talks to all sorts of random things! Like, I kinda get the cats and horse and even spiders. But when she runs into something and mutters an apology to a cup or a wall. It's fricken adorable, I tell ya."
1️⃣ - What’s the first thing that attracted you to them?
Raven: "Can I say her body? I don't wanna sound shallow, but she was BEAUTIFUL when I first saw her! Like a delicate flower, a fair maiden. She hasn't lost any of the beauty either, mind you. ...and if that answer doesn't count, then when I really started feeling a connection was when she insisted on getting to know me. She'd pick up little things that others wouldn't or didn't care to notice. She put effort in that wasn't asked for or needed."
Raven: "Now, who's gonna answer these next questions? Wait, you?! When you'd get here?"
Whitehorse: "I just got here. Wanted ta make sure you didn't mess anything up here for the little lady! You haven't, have you?"
Raven: "Of course not, you old man. Raven's got everything taken care of."
Whitehorse: "Right then... now give me those questions and lemme look at them. I'll answer them for these kids."
Raven: "Right... okay, while Whitehorse is looking over the material, I guess I'm stuck introducing him. Don Whitehorse is the toughtest, grizzled old man you'll ever meet. Leader of the most influential guild... and my boss. Ev spend some time under his wing when she needed a place to stay and lay low."
Whitehorse: "You mean when you dumped her on me to run away. Do you KNOW how much moping an sighing I had ta listen to? You should feel grateful that she had the patience to wait so long for you to get your head outa yer ass."
Whitehorse: "Now, let's get to the questions."
🤫 - Any secrets of theirs that you’re keeping from one of their romantic f/os?
Whitehorse: "I mean, the obvious one is that she loved him, but you'd have ta be a special kind of idiot to not notice or ignore that."
Raven: "hey,"
Whitehorse: "That kid would tell me a lot when we'd sit around. Nothing too major, though. She started to speak her mind the more time she spent with me"
Raven: "can't imagine why."
Whitehorse: "Shut yer trap."
😎 - What stereotypical high school ‘clique’ would your friend group mostly fit into?
Whitehorse: "Heh, high school. Can't say I attended. That girl though, she's definitely a teacher's pet. High grades, quite worker, the kind you'd set to work and forget about. Pretty funny, considering the rest of those kids would wind up being delinquents I think."
#why did Whitehorse show up? Cause hes great and a major influnce on my insert#all my heart ❤#answered ask#F/O talk: Raven#ignore tye fact he is dead by the time Raven and i get together tho#this is a wierd alt world
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"MECH SOME NOISE FOR ARMORED CORE!"
Hello, TGCollectors! As you'll know from our social coverage we're currently in Cologne for 2023's edition of Gamescom! It's great to be back and as video game enthusiasts like yourselves, we appreciate how lucky we are to call this work!
Right, enough with the gratitude attitude and lets get down to business. Thanks to our friends at Bandai Namco we were yesterday able to jump the queues and get hands on with none other than this week's hottest launch - Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon!
FromSoftware's longstanding expertise in mech games with their signature action gameplay and unconditional LOVE for making players grind with everything they have for a victory, means that Armored Core VI should in theory be a huge hit... and after yesterday's experience we can say that the guesstimate was right! This heavy mech-al entry transitions incredibly from theory onto the screen and is as every bit as good as it seems! Let us tell you a little more about it.
Upon beginning the demo and before flying into the mission, I was first able to choose from one of three AC Data Names that offered a base level customisation for my mech. I went with '4LEGS' because why have 2 when you can have 4, right?! This badass looking machine boasted some serious artillery with rockets on each shoulder, which even in my fairly limited gameplay experience of FromSoftware titles, I knew I'd be needing...
Once this was done and I was ready to gun, my mission briefing gave an in-depth drop on the area I'd be tackling, the enemies I'd be hitting and the objectives I'd be seeking:
Client: Balam Industries.
Mission: Inspect Central Ice Field/infiltrate Grid 086
Combat Zone: Western Belius
Enemies: Outlaws known as 'Dosers' and arms dealers known as RaD.
Once I'd loaded up on knowledge and proceeded to blast off, I was introduced to my own alias, 'Raven', which was provided by my radio accomplice known as 'Ayre'. A voice over the airwaves that offered me help and motivation for the battles ahead. I asked our Bandai friend for more information on Ayre but he wasn't able to give much away without revealing more of the story - so that's something we'll need to find out more on as we play through post-launch!
Now for the controls. I'll happily tell you that taking my mech for a spin did not exactly come naturally to me and that I expected it to play differently in my head. This is NOT a criticism, this is a FromSoftware game. After getting my brain around the hovering, dashing, and relentless smashing into walls and steel girders like it was my first day on the job (it was), it kinda started to click.
Sadly it didn't click in time for me to take a proper pasting from enemies within a minute of take-off. Those rocket cannons I mentioned were called immediately to action but the only thing worse than my flying skills was my aim. It's a good job I had the game's medi-packs known as "repair kits" which could easily be utilised by pressing up on the pad to restore my health.
After clearing out the first waves of outlaws, I began to get a feel for the flight. I found myself gliding around from level to level, getting to grips and honestly just having fun with the process. Did my minor improvements with controls make things easier in battle? Nope. Those repair kits come and go fast!
Upon meeting the first mini boss called "Invincible" Rummy, my 4LEGS didn't really stand much of a chance. In fact my maiden death in Armored Core VI was a quick one (like the next 5 or 6 that followed in the demo) and was served cold. That grind we expect from FromSoftware reared its challenging head within minutes and I was NOT prepared. However, the feeling of beating this bugger a try or two later was one of accomplishment... Until of course I remembered that these mini-bosses are just an appetizer and the main course was en route. About that...
The boss in this demo begins taunting you early in your approach. "Cinder" Carla is the name and being a massive pain in the mech is her game. Each blast door I opened, every corner I turned, it all brought me closer to an inevitable and absolute hiding. She's an evil, gear grinding gauntlet from which there is no escape. Four attempts were made, four swift servings of death were my reward. I didn't give up, I simply ran out of time. Would I still be there trying to fly around and somehow cause an iota of damage right now if I could? YEP.
My time with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon was brief, but you bet I'll be mechin' up for lost time when the game launches tomorrow 25th August!
This is your last chance to pre-order here! Secure before 2pm for same-day dispatch and earn an EXTRA £10 REWARDS at shipment!
Fly safe, Team. Not that it will help ya.
-Jack
#armored core#bandai namco#fromsoftware#fires of rubicon#gaming news#gameplay#review blog#tgc#thegamecollection#ps5#xbox series x#preorder
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Sometimes I get a little unsettled by the idea that Draco basically thought that Hermione had Stockholm Syndrome in TA cause like wouldn’t that mean he was taking advantage of her in his mind? Like he wasn’t but to him he was?
I'd argue that Draco doesn't take advantage of her, and to understand why, you need to tune into when and where his suspicions about Stockholm Syndrome come to the surface.
It's very difficult for Draco to believe that Hermione could ever reciprocate his feelings, which is why he keeps her at a distance for the first half of the Auction. He writes off their first kiss, the chaise incident, and pretty much every hint prior to chapter 22. Chapter 23-- and her reaction to the Gainsworth book-- is really the first time he lets himself hope. He's high on her attention, and affection for while, and he lets himself think that maybe she might grow to feel the same. But the doubt is always there. It's why he pulls back when he realizes that she is trying to escape to help her friends (in Ch. 26). And then, after he comes home from Switzerland in Ch. 28, the self-loathing is back, and he's convinced that he was a fool to think she ever could have felt the same.
The end of Ch. 29 was a defining moment, when Hermione trusts him with the fate of the Order, and begs him for physical and emotional intimacy when he comes home. He examines her face in the end and can't see any regret, and that's key. In Ch. 30, we see his hope return, and when Hermione refuses to leave him in 31, he really starts to let himself believe that she might return the full extent of his feelings. But the doubt comes back in Ch. 33 when he sees her embrace Ron in the Pensieve, and when he and Hermione visit Grimmauld. He realizes that Giuliana has a trauma bond, and he makes the connection between the way she refuses to leave Blaise, and the way Hermione refused to leave him in Ch. 31. Draco buries these doubts while they're preparing for the Hogwarts Celebration Party-- he has bigger things on his mind. And when they do have sex in 33, it's in the context of him trying to empower her as a partner-- agreeing to let her help destroy the Horcrux, telling her "you can do this." But after the Horcrux outs him in Ch. 35, his doubts return, and he's back to feeling ashamed and like he's taken advantage of her, and he won't let her hint that she feels the same.
In Ch. 36, things go even further south. In the Lounge, Draco stares at Penelope and the way she initiates with Flint, and realizes that she has a trauma bond, too. It's why he stops and stares, a vein throbbing in his temple. It's then that he's really totally certain that Hermione is the same, and has Stockholm Syndrome.
There's only a single time in the auction that Draco had sex with Hermione where people might argue that he shouldn't have, and that's in 36, because he believes that she has Stockholm Syndrome in that scene. You can have your own opinions on it, because it's a morally ambiguous choice. But personally, I think his human weakness in that moment is sympathetic. He loves her so much that he gave up everything for her, and he's basically preparing to die for her in the morning, so I understand why he couldn't resist having her one last time. But beyond the sex, he still tries to not to take advantage. He won't let her say that she loves him, because he doesn't want her to regret saying it later, and he tries to protect her when Ron and Ginny break into their room that morning, telling her to stop defending him.
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Cinder: When It Falls
“The Fall Maiden”, “Do not fall”, “It is worth to risk the fall” and many others...
Falling is a recurring motif in RWBY and it will most likely stay so until the very end. In this meta, let’s try to analyze its multiple meanings in relation to the character that most of all embodies this specific imagery:
Cinder Fall.
I’M MORE THAN A NAME: SPRING, WINTER AND FALL
Raven: A Fall Maiden with a surname so appropriate, she probably picked it herself.
Cinder chooses the surname Fall and this detail highlights an interesting foiling between her and two other young “Maidens”.
Fall and Spring: The Choice of a Name
Both Vernal and Cinder change their names for reasons related to the Maidens.
It is just that Cinder does it for herself. She wants to become a Maiden. Actually, she wants to become the Maiden, one and only with all the power for herself. She wants Fall to be the only Maiden left once she is done.
Vernal instead chooses to change her name for Raven, so that she can better serve as her boss’s decoy:
According to Kerry Shawcross, "Vernal" is actually not her real name, but an identity she took on when acting as the decoy Spring Maiden for Raven. Her real name remains unknown.
RWBY wiki
This is hinted also by her choosing Vernal as a name instead of Spring.
Vernal is not exactly spring, but rather it is an adjective which means related to spring, just like Vernal herself is not the Spring Maiden, but has dedicated her life to the Spring Maiden.
In other words, Cinder is extremely selfish, while Vernal is selfless to a fault.
By selfless, I do not mean Vernal is particularly generous or kind. After all, she is a member of a tribe of thieves and killers. Still, she is selfless in the sense that she lacks a self.
This is true both in a meta way and in-story.
From a meta point of view, Vernal is barely her own character and mostly a plot-device to further Raven’s plans. Her role is important structurally, but we know almost nothing about her. Not her true name. Not her background.
In-story Vernal sacrifices her name (and symbolically her identity) to Raven. She accepts to live as a red herring and she finally ends up dying as a result. What is more, even in her death, she is so loyal that she manages to help her boss win the fight:
Raven: Thank you, Vernal.
She clearly serves as a parallel to Emerald whose blind loyalty to Cinder is explored in the same episodes where Vernal dies:
So, it seems clear that Vernal is one of the “daughters” Raven sacrifices because of her cowardice and selfishness, just like Cinder is manipulating Emerald and Mercury:
Raven: Two children you’ve tricked into following you.
However, things are not as simple. As a matter of fact even if Cinder changes her name and pursues the Maiden power for herself, she too like Vernal has no structured sense of self hence why she shapes herself to be like someone else:
And even if she refuses it:
Cinder: I don’t serve anyone.
She ends up tying her own life to another’s wishes:
Salem: The path to your desires is only found… through me.
In other words, Cinder is Salem’s “sacrificial daughter”, just like Vernal is Raven’s. Useful, sure, but less important than “the mother”. Despite this, both Vernal and Cinder can’t outgrow their dependence on these authority figures and they end up changing their names for them.
Other than this, Vernal shares another similarity with Cinder.
She has grown up as a criminal and as a result she resents people more priviledged than her, like Weiss:
Vernal: You know... I never thought I'd see a Schnee in this camp.
She keeps mocking Weiss and implies several times Weiss is nothing more than her name:
Vernal: Let's see what the Schnee name really means.
Weiss: I’m more than a name.
Vernal: Prove it.
Still, it turns out Vernal is more similar to the Schnee than she thinks:
Vernal: I'm not concerned in any of this. All I care about is my tribe, my family. This is a burden, not an honor.
Vernal criticizes Weiss because of her family and only sees her as an extension of it, but Vernal herself is completely dedicated to her tribe to the point that she sacrifices everything for it. It is Vernal the one that becomes nothing more than a name. And a fake one to boot. In the end, she is nothing more than “Vernal”, the fake Spring Maiden.
Well, it turns out Cinder has the same kind of dynamic with another Schnee.
Fall and Winter: Fire and Ice
Ironwood: So… the destiny I chose for you has arrived.
Salem: You’ve fought your whole life unwaveringly for what you want...
Winter is born at the top of Atlas’s society, while Cinder at the very bottom. As a result, Winter has her destiny chosen by others, while Cinder must fight to even get a destiny.
This idea is conveyed also thanks to the two Maidens’ respective names.
1) Winter is a Schnee, so she is born in one of the richest and most influential families in Atlas.
Cinder is instead an orphan with no family name and whose first name means “burnt object”.
2) Winter is given the name of a season by her parents, just like Ironwood chooses her as the Winter Maiden before even telling her what a Maiden is.
Cinder is the one that chooses the surname Fall, just like she decides to take the Fall Maiden’s power by force.
So, Cinder and Winter’s names highlight their different origins and the different approaches they have towards the Maidens and “destiny”. Winter is passive, while Cinder is active.
At the same time, the two Maidens’ names also convey another juxtaposition between the two characters.
3) The surname Schnee is linked to ice and snow, which is a recurring motif when it comes to the family and to Winter especially:
Qrow: Hey! Yeah, I'm talking to you, Ice Queen!
The name Cinder is instead part of Cinder’s fire imagery:
So, Winter and Cinder are respectively ice and fire and these opposite motifs say something about the characters’ personalities.
In particular, Winter represses her feelings to the point of appearing and acting cold, despite being a caring person at heart.
Cinder instead lashes out and hurts others, like a burning flame.
Finally, Winter and Cinder’s names also say something about the two characters’ personal stories.
4)
Winter Schnee is a name that embodies Winter’s two major struggles. i.e. the one with her family:
Winter: Whatever the case, I am glad to see you’ve moved on. Distancing myself from the Schnee name is the most beneficial thing I’ve ever done.
And the one with Maidenhood:
Weiss: That's the Winter Maiden.
Winter: She could pass any day now. Until that happens, I'm the only person Fria's allowed to see..
Cinder Fall is instead a name that symbolically calls back to Cinder’s abusive past (Cinderella):
And to the triumphant future she hopes to have as the Fall Maiden:
Interestingly, both Winter and Cinder have respectively two other characters that are linked to these specific parts of themselves.
Winter has Weiss and Penny:
While Cinder has Emerald and Mercury:
Weiss goes through Winter’s same problems in relation to their family:
She is initially only seen as the Schnee heir and has to grow into her own person. She is inspired by Winter herself to do so:
Winter: It sounds to me like you have two choices in front of you. You can either call him, beg for his money back, and explain once more why you would want to study at Beacon over Atlas, or you could continue to explore Remnant, discovering more about the world and honestly, more about yourself.
Still, by the time Weiss comes back to Atlas she is way more open to the world and others than Winter is.
This makes her a key character in stopping Jacques and repairing the family bonds:
Penny instead has the same problems Winter has with Ironwood:
Ironwood: As the official report stated, that footage was doctored. Penny is completely under my control.
And with Maidenhood:
Penny: I was the protector of Mantle, but now, I am much more than that, and I wish I was not.
However, she is able to apply Winter’s words here:
Winter: But yes Penny, we must still acknowledge our personal feelings, wrestle with them. It ensures us that we're on the right path. It's what makes us human.
Much better than Winter herself and is able to teach Winter what being a Maiden is really about:
Winter: No, Penny. You were always the real Maiden at heart.
So, Weiss and Penny reminds Winter of who she really is. She is not a Schnee nor a soldier, but a loving older sister who takes care and inspires two young girls until they outgrow her and inspire her back.
Mercury and Emerald are instead linked respectively to Cinder’s abusive past:
And to what she deep down wants:
Cinder: Follow me, and you’ll never be hungry again.
Cinder: It’s… an emptiness. It burns. Like hunger. I like it.
So, Mercury still being trapped with an abusive parental figure (Tyrian), while Emerald has grown closer to what she really wants (love) after leaving Cinder should say something about the state of Cinder’s story at the moment.
What is more, both Winter and Cinder lose the kids they have been mentoring for different reasons.
Winter ends volume 8 with both Penny and Weiss dead (as far as she knows), while Cinder is left by both Mercury and Emerald.
This is important because it is specifically in relation to this loss that Winter and Cinder’s juxtaposition starts becoming more nuanced.
In particular, Winter, who is used to repress her emotions, openly shows her grief:
Actually, it is also because of her emotions that she makes some mistakes in her fight against Cinder and loses the relic.
Cinder, who has spent the majority of the Mistral and Atlas’s arcs lost in her anger and frustration, is instead able to put herself back together and she wins.
However, it is clear she is actually repressing how she really feels about Mercury and Emerald’s abandonement:
So, the ice is melting, while the fire keeps burning hidden in the ashes.
This happens because even if they are superficially opposites, Winter and Cinder are deep down so similar that they share the same story.
Both escape from an awful childhood without really solving its issues, so these same issues come up almost identical in their adult lives.
So, Winter runs away from Jaques and her family (her Schnee surname) only to find Ironwood and the Winter Maiden (her Winter name).
Cinder instead runs away from the Madame and Rhodes (from being Cinderella) only to find Salem and the Fall Maiden (her brand new surname).
They both run towards Maidenhood as if the Maiden power can give them an identity:
Cinder: I want to be strong. I want to be feared.
Winter: It did at first, when the General first proposed it to me. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw it as a privilege, a chance to do some real good for Atlas. For Remnant.
Still, this will never happen until they face their past and realize they are still stuck in it. Winter is still controlled by Ironwood, while Cinder is still manipulated by Salem.
In volume 8 Winter realizes this truth and faces both Ironwood and her father.
Once again it is clear how she is inspired by her two “little sisters”.
On one hand she is ready to accept Weiss’s decision to save Jacques:
Winter: Don't thank me. It was Weiss's decision.
On the other hand she regards the Maiden powers as Penny’s gift:
Winter: You chose nothing. This...was a gift.
So, symbolically Winter reconciles with her family through Weiss and makes the Winter Maiden’s destiny hers through Penny.
Winter has not chosen her circumstances (to be a Schnee or a Maiden), but she can choose what to do with them (like Weiss and Penny):
Winter: Perhaps, but I'm choosing it now. I've made it my own. And I take great pride in it. That has nothing to do with Father, or the General… That belongs to me.
This is what Cinder is refusing to do. She is still not able to process her past (Mercury) and to realize what she truly wants (Emerald), so she ends the volume still stuck with an abusive authority figure:
WHAT DOES A NAME MEAN?
So, Cinder is the one who chooses the surname “Fall”.
She does so to convey that she is the one in control of her destiny and that her destiny is to be a Maiden.
Still, Salem is the one that has actually forced this role on her presenting it as Cinder’s only chance to be happy. At the same time, Cinder still does not know what being a Maiden truly means.
Not only that, but Cinder has trouble figuring out what the Fall in her name truly means.
As a matter of fact Cinder only undersands one meaning of falling and has to learn the others.
DOWNFALL
Cinder falls herself and makes others fall.
This is basically her premise as a character. She fell through the cracks of the system and wants the system to fall as a result:
Mirrors will shatter
Crushed by the weight of the world
The pillars collapse in shame
This makes her an agent of change, but also one of destruction. When It Falls explores specifically this:
Kingdoms in tatters
Hung on the brink of a war
The peace will succumb to flames
Interestingly, the song also mentions all of RWBY’s colors and motifs:
Maybe red's like roses?
Maybe it's the pool of blood
The innocents will lay in
When in the end you've failed to save them?
Their dying eyes
Are wide and white like snow
And now they know
The cost of trusting you's obliteration
Swallowed by the darkness
Soon the moon is bathed in black
The light of hope is taken
And discontent is the contagion
The blinding eyes
That burn a yellow flame
The embers that remain
Will light the fuse of condemnation
Still, they are all linked to negative ideas (death, fear and destruction).
Red is the color of love and life, but here it is the color of blood (death).
White is the color of purity and nobility, but here it is the color of corpses (death).
Black is the color of the shadow that complements the light, but here it engulfes it (fear).
Finally, yellow is the color of energy and passion, but here it symbolizes fire that destroys (destruction).
These lyrics:
The blinding eyes
That burn a yellow flame
The embers that remain
Will light the fuse of condemnation
Are also interesting because they contrast Cinder with Yang:
And Ruby:
Yang’s eyes become red when she activates her semblance. The red in her eyes is symbolic of danger and anger and it is important that a part of Yang’s development is that she learns how to control her feelings and as a result she uses her semblance much less.
Cinder too is dangerous and angry and has a semblance to convey that. Still, her anger has never found a healthy way to be channelled and as a result it keeps consuming both Cinder and the world around her.
This is also shown by Cinder incorporating her semblance into her Maiden Powers to make her fire, her Scorching Caress, even stronger.
Ruby’s eyes are linked to Creation. Still, their effect is destructive. They are Creation that destroys Destruction.
Cinder’s burning eyes are similarly the symbol of a power (the Maiden’s) that should be used to save, but Cinder uses it to destroy.
Both Cinder and Ruby’s journey will probably end when they master their respective magic.
On one hand Ruby must make the silver eyes completely hers (aka choosing how to use them), so that she can overcome her mother (both becoming her own person and finally leaving her death behind).
On the other hand Cinder must understand that being a Maiden is about protecting others and that showing vulnerability and accepting other people is also her only way to free herself from the cycle of abuse.
So, Cinder is very clearly a negative foil to RWBY as a whole.
RWBY’s journey is about growing to become Huntresses that help people, while Cinder’s about growing into a dangerous and powerful “monster” to help herself:
Raven: You turned yourself into a monster just for power.
This is very clearly shown in the use RWBY and Cinder make of the relics.
On one hand RWBY use the relics to solve conflicts related to the bigger picture. They want to know the truth about Salem and later on they use Ambrosius’s power to cure Penny and save Atlas’s people.
On the other hand Cinder uses the relics to solve problems related to herself. She asks Jinn an extremely specific question that helps her in the short term and then she asks Ambrosius for something very simple that she uses to kill a specific person.
At the same time, we see RWBY using Knowledge and Creation in a positive way, while Cinder uses them in a way that negates what the two principles are about.
RWBY use knowledge to discover the truth and deal with Ozpin’s distrust.
Cinder uses knowledge to trick and manipulate others.
RWBY use creation to save a friend and a Kingdom.
Cinder finds a way to use creation to kill an ally and destroy a Kingdom.
Why is there such a strong juxtaposition between Cinder and RWBY?
It is because Cinder embodies everything wrong in society. She is a person whose backstory deals with all the topics RWBY’s backgrounds explore.
Cinder’s story is about discrimination and social inequality (Blake), abuse (Weiss), neglect (Yang) and grief (Ruby). She is who RWBY might have become if they failed to overcome their traumas.
Cinder is the product of the world Ruby says that she wants to change:
Blake: Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale.
Ruby: Well, that's why we're here! To make it better.
So, clearly RWBY can’t think to really change the world if first they do not deal with Cinder and I think the Atlas arc has made it incredibly clear:
Ruby: We go to Vacuo, all of us, and hope that we've thought of everything.
Throughout volume 7 and 8 nobody really takes notice of Cinder. Everyone is too distracted by Tyrian and Watts and later on Salem. Neither Ironwood nor the protagonists really stop to consider Cinder as a major threath. There is always someone else they focus on and the inner fight among them does not help.
The result is that Cinder defeats everyone.
So, the message is clear... Cinder can’t be ignored, but must be dealt with. It is specifically society turning a blind eye to her circumstances what led to her looking for power.
At the same time, Cinder can’t keep ignoring the protagonists herself. She should learn from both them and the foes she has killed. Specifically, they have something to teach her about “falling”.
FOREVER FALL
Some people fall in love for life
Others never get it right
Love's fickle when it calls
One thing that I know for sure
Longer than our lives endure
You're my forever fall
Falling is not necessarily something negative. Sometimes it simply means to take a risk and to show vulnerability to someone else:
Nora: How would you know? We were supposed to be a team, but that didn’t matter to you. When things went wrong you pushed us away. You shove people out so you don’t have to feel things that are hard!
This is specifically why Ren confesses to Nora in the episode called Risk and is rejected by her.
It is to convey that opening up to someone, having a relationship with them, falling for them is always risky and it can be scary because you are sharing a part of yourself with another person. Still, it is worth to do so because refusing it means rejecting your own humanity.
However, Cinder is unable to because the only person she trusted betrayed her and finally died because of his feelings for her:
Rhodes’s final gesture of vulnerability and love is too weak and too late. It ends up conveying to Cinder the opposite of what it was meant to be. Rhodes in his final moments chooses to convey to Cinder that he cares despite her killing him. However, what Cinder understands is that he dies because he cares. And anyway, he does not care enough to save her.
It is the idea that love is weak and dangerous. Others are not to be trusted, but to be used because if you do not use them, you end up used instead.
So, Cinder refuses to risk the fall and actually uses others’ emotions and bonds to make them fall.
This is what happens to Penny, for example that is manipulated by Cinder and dies as a result. Still, even in her death she keeps risking, she keeps loving others and trusting them and she does not regret doing so:
My wish came true
The day that you appeared
And called me a friend
An answered prayer
A chance to
Share the world
To be a girl
Who fin'lly felt alive
Penny’s life was short and painful, but she has at least managed to live for real, while Cinder isn’t doing so. She is surviving and negating herself any kind of bond.
It is obvious that this will lead her to a huge fall of her own:
Ashes, ashes guess who's falling down
Sparring in glass slippers and you're bound to break your crown
These lyrics are interesting and it is fun to speculate on what they may foreshadow.
Ashes, ashes guess who's falling down
Ash that falls is just another way to say Cinder Fall, so it is obvious that she is the one that is going to eventually fall (the one we have to guess).
Sparring in glass slippers and you're bound to break your crown
Here, we are explained why this is going to happen.
Cinder’s slippers are nothing, but the powers Salem has given her:
And that she is using to control Cinder and to progressively turn her into a Grimm.
In other words, Salem is progressively taking away Cinder’s free will aka her choice (symbolically represented by the crown that breaks because of the imagery linked to the crown of choice).
The question is what will happen next?
I MAY FALL
I may fall
But not like this – it won't be by your hand
I may fall
Not this place, not today
I may fall
Bring it all – it's not enough to take me down
I may fall
Falling is inevitable. It is a part of life. This is specifically why (symbolically) the first thing the students of Beacon are tested in is their landing strategy:
Ozpin: You will be falling.
Jaune: Oh, uh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?
Ozpin: No. You will be using your own "landing strategy."
It is because you need to know how to fall, so that you can avoid fatal wounds and death. You need to be ready to fall and to be ready to get back up.
However, some falls are worse than others and it becomes impossible to really get back up. Some falls lead to death. This is what happens to Pyrrha and to Penny.
In that case, all you can do is to make a final choice and to be yourself up until the very end:
Red-Haired Woman: She understood that she had a responsibility... to try. I don't think she would regret her choice, because a Huntress would understand that there really wasn't a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she always wanted to be.
Penny: Let me choose… this one thing… trust me…!
This is what Cinder must learn from the protagonists, from Pyrrha and from Penny.
After all, the song I May Fall is basically an answer to When It Falls. The latter is Cinder singing about misery and destruction, calling trust an illusion and saying Huntsmen and Huntresses can’t really save people. The former is instead about keeping on fighting even when hope seems lost. It is about getting back up after a fall and if you really can’t... it is about falling as yourself.
Cinder must learn this. She must learn how to find herself despite how many times she has fallen.
And maybe to do so she needs two things.
a) A different kind of falling... a conflict with the two people that have a slim chance to get through Cinder because they are just too intertwined with who Cinder herself is.
As already explained above, I am talking of Emerald and Mercury. After all:
Ashes, ashes guess who's falling down
Sparring in glass slippers and you're bound to break your crown
Cinder’s slippers were originally Cinder’s twin swords aka the weapons Rhodes gave her:
And each sword is symbolically linked to respectively Emerald and Mercury:
At the same time, the swords are central to the plot of Midnight and their symbolism ties with Cinder’s foiling with Emerald and Mercury and with the motifs linked to her other weapons.
First of all, the two swords are linked to two different meetings between Rhodes and Cinder (the first and the last). Secondly, these two moments parallel respectively Cinder meeting Emerald and her meeting Mercury.
So, I would not be surprised if it turned out Emerald and Mercury themselves are symbolically Cinder’s slippers aka the two parts of Cinder’s identity that will lead her to be saved.
Right now, one slipper (Emerald) has been left behind and found by the people who can help Cinder (the protagonists), while the other (Mercury) has been taken away by the Evil Stepmother.
According to this theory, the line:
Sparring in glass slippers and you're bound to break your crown
May foreshadow a future conflict between Cinder and her slippers that will get through her and break her self-rigtheousness (crown).
b) Someone risking the fall for her:
Sometimes it's worth it all
To risk the fall
And fight for every life
Our heroes are learning that you must always take risks if you do not want to lose to fear and evilness. Similarly, you must fight for every life and keep trusting humanity.
Having them choose if to save Cinder or if to just kill her is the perfect test to their resolve. Will they literally risk Cinder Fall aka risk trusting her? Or will they just give her up?
The answer to this question will tell us a lot about the themes the series as a whole is going for...
At the same time, Cinder receiving both consequences and help is the only chance she has left to face the Fall, so to face herself properly. It is the only chance she has to make a final choice that will free herself from Salem and will probably save the world in the proess.
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GG Music Tribute Master List
As you may not know already, I’m a huge Metal Head, this list is just a sampling of songs I’ve come across over the years that GG has either referenced or just sounded like something GG’s music sounds like.
Obviously, you can find a link to a lot of these songs here.
But anyway, here’s the FULL LIST (at least for now):
Guilty Gear Music Tribute Master List
[Character Themes]
Sol Badguy "Keep Yourself Alive" > Cochise [Audioslave]
Ky Kiske "Holy Orders (Be Just or Be Dead)" > Lord of the Thunder [Rhapsody]
Chipp Zanuff "Suck a Sage" > Speed [Angra]
May "Blue Water, Blue Sky" > How Can I Refuse [Heart]
Millia Rage "Write in Pain" > Nothing to Say [Angra]
Zato/Eddie "Feel a Fear" > Kill the King [Megadeth]
Slayer "Haven't you got Eyes in your Head?" > Raining Blood [Slayer]
Venom "A Solitude that asks Nothing in Return" > Breed to Breathe [Napalm Death]
Potemkin "Burly Heart" > A New Level [Pantera]
Faust "The Original" > Peace Sells [Megadeth]
Bridget "A Simple Life" > Keep Yourself Alive [Queen]
Dizzy "Awe of She" > Change My Heart [Concerto Moon]
A.B.A. "Keep in Hell's Gates" > Seventh Sign [Yngwie Malmsteen]
Zappa "Good Manners and Customs" > Lay all your Love on me [Helloween ABBA Cover]
Axl Low "Make Oneself" > You're Crazy [Guns'N'Roses]
I-No "Kage Matsuri" > Fight From the Inside [Queen]
Anji Mito "Fuuga" > Live Wire [Motley Crue]
Baiken "Momentary Life" > Ray Bradbury Attack [God of Shamisen]
Kliff Undersn "Pride and Glory" > Your Time has Come [Audioslave]
Testament "Bloodstained Lineage" > Carry On [Angra]
Johnny "Liquor, Bar, and Drunkard" > The Worm [Audioslave]
Jam Kuradoberi "Babel Noise" > Hero [Tengger Cavalry]
Dr. Paradigm "Intellect, Reason, and the Wild" > The Course of Nature [Angra]
Izuna "Hiruandan" > Dragon String Attack (Finishing Blow) [God of Shamisen]
Robo Ky Theme "Under Construction" > Aces High [Iron Maiden]
Sin Kiske "Ride on Time" > BLAST! [Viper]
Valentine "The Mask does Not Laugh" > Spellbound [Dimmu Borgir]
Order Sol "Get Down to Business" > Great King Rat [Queen]
Raven "Worthless as the Sun Above Clouds" > Death Trap [Taake]
Asuka R. Kreutz "The Man" > Absinthe and Rue [Symphony X]
[Intro Themes/Options/Character Select Themes]
GG1 Intro "Prickle Man" > Kickstart My Heart [Motley Crue]
GGXX Intro "Feedback" > A Spider's Web [Rage]
GGXrd Intro Theme /Alternate > Changes: Sign of Heaven [Rage]
Character Select Theme "D.O.A." > Holy Wars:The Punishment Due [Megadeth]
Character Select Theme "D.O.A."/Alternate > Kiss of Death [Dokken]
Character Select Theme "Mince" > Rage in the Afternoon [Rage]
Options Theme /Alternate > Cum on Feel the Noize! [Quiet Riot]
DEAD ANGLE THEME > Dead Angle [Saver Tiger]
TENSION THEME > Power [Helloween]
DUST ATTACKS THEME > Angel Dust [Ария/Aria]
THE MISSING LINK/EVOLUTION THEME > The Missing Link [Rage]
TEAM NEOBLOOD THEME > Blood for Blood [Ария/Aria]
[Boss Themes]
Boss Kliff Undersn Theme /Alternate > Sole Survivor [Helloween]
Boss Order Sol Theme /Alternate > The Temple of Hate [Angra]
Boss ZATO=ONE Theme /Alternate > Fear of the Dark [Iron Maiden]
Boss EDDIE Theme /Alternate > Black in Mind [Rage]
Boss Millia Theme /Alternate > Shoot the Fox [Chroming Rose]
Boss Slayer Theme /Alternate > Too Much 21st Century [Bauhaus]
Boss Johnny Theme /Alternate > Ride the Wild Wind [Queen]
Boss Testament Theme /Alternate > Master of Puppets [Metallica]
Boss Intro Theme "Death and Republic" > I want Out [Helloween]
Boss Justice Theme "Meet Again" > Metal Icarus [Angra]
Boss I-No Theme "The Midnight Carnival" > Kurenai [X-Japan]
Boss I-No Theme /Alternate > The Gates of Babylon [Rainbow]
Boss I-No Theme /Alternate > Megalomania [OUTRAGE]
Boss Leopaldon Theme "Kill DOG as a Sacrifice to DOG" > Don't Fear the Winter [Rage]
Boss Darkside Sin Kiske Theme /Alternate > Emergency Express [Saver Tiger]
Boss Valentine Theme "Dignity" > The Sinister Awakening [Dimmu Borgir]
Boss FINAL VALENTINE THEME “Diva” > Queen of the Dark Horizons [Rhapsody]
Boss CONCLAVE THEME /Alternate > War Pigs [Black Sabbath]
Boss Sol Badguy Theme /Alternate> Mr. Bad Guy [Freddie Mercury]
Boss Ky Kiske Theme /Alternate > Emerald Sword [Rhapsody]
Boss Ky Kiske Theme /Alternate > The Hellion: Electric Eye [Judas Priest]
[Rival Versus Themes]
Sol versus Ky Theme "Conclusion" > Last Goodbye [Royal Hunt]
Sol versus Ky Theme "No Mercy" > Don't Despair [Angra]
Sol versus Ky Theme "Noontide" > Dream Chaser [Concerto Moon]
Sol versus Ky Theme "The Re-Coming" > Time to Die [Concerto Moon]
Order Sol versus Ky Theme "Keep the Flag Flying" > In the Name of God [Yngwie Malmsteen]
Assassins' Theme "Existence" > Deadly Existence [Meliah Rage]
Millia versus Zato Theme "Still in the Dark" > Wings of the Evil [Viper]
Mirror Versus Theme "Fatal Duel" > Be Quick or Be Dead [Iron Maiden]
Mirror Versus Theme "Nothing out of the Ordinary" > Alive [W.A.S.P.]
Mirror Versus Theme "Misadventure" > Deja Vu [Yngwie Malmsteen]
[Ending Themes]
Sol's Ending "Beyond the Dark Life" > Fade to Black [Metallica]
Potemkin's Ending "D-A-M-E" > Make My Day [Rage]
Millia's Ending "Love Letter From..." > Right Now [Van Halen]
Staffroll A "Till next Time!" > I want it ALL! [Queen]
Staffroll B "Boomtown Blues" > Voodoo Chile [Jimi Hendrix]
Staffroll C "Missing" > Unfinished [X-Japan]
[Unaccounted For/Music Tribute To Be Added]
Elphelt's Theme > ?????
Ramlethal's Theme > ?????
Bedman's Theme > ?????
Ariels' Theme > ?????
Leo's Theme > ?????
Jack-O's Theme > ?????
Kum Haehyun's Theme > ?????
Answer's Theme > ?????
Giovanna's Theme > ?????
Goldlewis' Theme > ?????
Nagoriyuki's Theme > ?????
Happy Chaos' Theme > ?????
Delilah's Theme > ?????
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Damirae Week 2021 - Day 1
“The One” (Day :1 - Family / In-Laws)
“I’m telling you guys she’s the one.” Dick Grayson announced proudly as he curiously watched the young raven-hair maiden walk through the lifeless hallways one late-afternoon. The young maiden would go on daily strolls and just admire the ancient décor almost as if they could retell tales of when the halls were crowded with counts and duchesses of neighboring kingdoms. Now their hallways were dark and lonely only lit by candlelight casting a soft glow to shoo the shadows away. It almost appeared like the candles didn’t want the maiden to walk in the darkness that dared to consume the old castle.
Raven was her name and she was different from any other maiden that had come to their castle a few centuries back. Her long raven-hair was woven into a single braid, holding it together was a simple white worn out lace. Her skin almost pear-like that glimmer under starlight. She was the one, Dick kept repeating to himself. The one who could lift the curse that had fallen onto his youngest brother and their family.
Dick Grayson, along with two of his younger siblings, Jason and Tim, continued to look at Raven as she carefully wiped the expensive china set that has been collecting dust over the centuries. Just then a gust of wind transpired between them as Sombra, Raven’s pet raven came flying through an open window screeching happily at it’s mistress.
Raven giggled as her beloved pet landed on her arm, “how was your flight?” She asked as she gently scratched the top of Sombra’s head. “It is rude to stare at a lady from the shadows, tell me did your master send you?” Raven turned her gaze towards the ceiling where Dick and his brothers had been watching.
Raven was extraordinary indeed. One of the many reasons why Dick kept pushing his brother; Damian to court her was because of her gift. She was able to see spirits. Yes, spirits. Dick and along with his half-siblings had been cursed from their physical forms, making them roam their home as simple spirits. While Damian had been cursed to take on the shape of a hideous black fur beast. Over the years the few people who were able to past the mighty demon-creature who guarded the gates to their castle, they would immediately flee believing the castle was haunted. Most of the times it was just Dick moving objects and trying very hard to communicate to their unexpected guests that there were cursed members being contained within the castle.
Coming back to the present; Dick, Tim, and Jason floated towards the ground as Raven stood with her arms crossed awaiting their response.
“Forgive us my dear lady, but we were just simply making sure you were well.” Dick said happily, hoping to lively the mood.
Raven who wasn’t hiding how irritated she was with their hovering continue the interrogation, “Did your master put you up with this?”
“Master? You mean Damian? He’s not our master - though he sure does like bossing us around- he’s our youngest brother.” Tim added.
Raven lifted her right brow once she heard his statement. “Brother?... I’m sorry but I don’t see the resemblance, shouldn’t you all look like him?”
Dick grimaced, they should had explained to her their situation, but Damian stubborn just like his father ordered them to keep their family affairs to themselves and not let any outsider meddled. “I apologize but we are not at liberty to discuss certain little details. We saw you were admiring the décor, if you have any questions on them, I would be happy to discuss them with you.”
Jason then floated closer to Dick and quietly as he could whispered into his ear, “I’m not sure about this. We’re all supposed to keep at a distance from her, what if Damian finds out-”
Dick quietly hissed back, “Damian could get upset with me all he wants, we have a guest to entertain.” He then turned and bowed towards Raven, the way Alfred, the family’s butler had once showed him. “My fair lady, if you could just follow me this way and I will show you an old painting drawn by a painter who painted right before a battle between a knight and dragon.”
“And just where do you think you’re going?”
A menacing growled shook the hallway, the candles that were lit simply extinguished themselves as a hard-cold breeze flew around them. Only one candle stayed lit near the spirits and Raven. Being filled with fear, Sombra took off in flight exiting through an open window. Cast in shadows, he, the castle’s master stayed hidden. Only his emeralds eyes pierced the darkness, he was tall and so his gazed looked down upon his older brothers and the young girl that now inhabit his castle. Upon seeing her, not ever blinking or showing fear, instead her gaze held one of repulsion, he snarled and showed his brilliant white sharp teeth.
“What are you doing out of your room?” He questioned through clenched teeth.
Raven not backing down, nor blinking away from his deathly stare, “You said I was allowed to take a stroll, if I pleased.”
Dick was about to intervene when Damian grunted and lowered himself to be eye-to-eye with Raven. In the shadows Damian could not be seen, to the creature he was forced into. A beast, large like a bull almost resembling that of a minotaur cover in black fur with a black lion-like mane running from his head to back. His horns dark as a moonless night. His front paws were very large and could crush a human skull so easily.
“I did, but I requested you to stay only in your dorm’s hallway. Not venture further out.” Damian added so coldly.
Way to charm her, Dami, you’re ruining our chances of having a sister-in-law. Dick couldn’t help but think to himself. His younger brother lacked in lady skills, which was odd since Bruce, their father had his ways with women. “Damian, that’s no way to speak-”
“Shut your mouth Grayson and you go back to your room if you know what’s best for you.”
Raven narrowed her amethyst eyes. “Jerk.” She cursed under her breath before turning and heading towards a stairwell that lead her to the upper corridors where her room was located. Damian only snarled and very quickly like wind itself exited the hallway through a narrow twisting stairwells that lead ascended to a room located in one of the castle’s towers, where Damian looked out to view the world he was forced to hide from and guard both a treasure and a cursed item from anyone bringing him ill wills.
“You’re sure these two are a thing?” Tim questioned as Damiana and Raven were no longer in sight.
Dick patted both of his brothers back and then motioned them to follow him towards the castle’s ballroom where his fiancé and sisters waited for them. “I’m certain, we just gotta give them a gentle push.”
#damirae week 2021#damirae week#damirae#beauty and the beast au#Damian Wayne#raven and damian#raven roth
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"RWBY What if's" me and my brother have came up with.
Rin's father shot and killed Raven while she was in bird form
Salem and Ozma's roles were reversed (either she still immortal or she has reincarnations, either way Salem is the who is in change of the maidens and beacon academy)
Qrow and Raven were raised by the underground crime boss of Vale, and not bandits
Blake and Adam were the dame age (Adam also not being a psychopath)
The same as the one above, but Adam is the one who leaves the white fang and joins team RWBY (RWYA?? Rustica??) and Blake takes over the white fang
The Maiden Vaults have guardians, poeple who just live in front of the vaults and protect them.
In season 3 , what if all of JNPR died except Pyrrha
Wiess died in season 5
Yang joined the bandits with Raven
Wiess joined the bandits
When Weiss rans away, she goes to Ironwood and ask to stay at the academy and not ask a random pilot
Raven and the bandits kill Wiess, becuase they don't know who she is.
#ask me about any and all of them#uncle qrow#qrow#jaune arc#nora valkyrie#team jnpr#pyrrha nikos#ruby rose#yang xiao long#blake belladonna#adam taurus#weiss schnee#team rwby#rwby
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Let’s Talk About: Rwby Vol. 8 Chapter 10 Part 1–The Conversation between Cinder Fall and Arthur Watts
This scene was probably my favorite part of the episode, not that the rest of it was bad but seeing Cinder Fall being cut down to the point of tears was just—god it was amazing.
Especially the delivery, I often forget that Christopher Sabat voices Watts but I sure as hell could hear the Vegeta in the mans voice when he delivered this speech.
It starts off with Cinder threatening Watts by dangling iver a cliff and monologuing as we’ve seen her do countless tomes in the series. Cinder is powerful but not THAT powerful especially with her Grimm arm, she’s used threats to belittle and trick people to get what she wants but unlike everyone else...Watts laughs.
“First I’m going to watch you plummet to an unremarkable end. Then I’m going to burn a path to the vault, where i will wait to tear that magical puppet to pieces. And TAKE what is mine.”
“...heh, Ahahahaah. Ahahahahahahaha!! Oh of COURSE you are because that’s just what you do isn’t it?
You can see how confused she is because noone has ever reacted that way. It’s always been fear or obedience because she was steonger than them. More threatening.
Watts isn’t stronger than her so why was he laughing? Why wasn’t he afraid?
I’ll tell you why—actually no I think it’s better for him to tell you himself.
“And how has THAT worked out for you? You stormed into Fria room thinking you could take on Ironwoods top fighter and war machine but you couldn’t. That war machine became the Winter Maiden.
“Ohand let’s not forget your deal with Raven Branwen. You had all of your enemies in one place so you could have a shot at revenge, if only someone could have warned you against such a miserable Idea....oh wait, I DID!!
“But YOU pushed ahead and YOU lost it when all YOU had to do was your job! You think you’re entitled to everything just because you’ve suffered but suffering isn’t enough, You can’t just be strong you have to be SMART. You can’t just be deserving you have to be WORTHY but all you have EVER been, is a bloody migraine!!”
Flashback after flashback after flashabck of her failures come barreling forward as Watts points out every little intriciate detail of what Cinder has so far avoided and denied.
It was HER actions that got her to were she is now, HER choices that he and their boss warned her about and her single mindedness that got her to fail and fail and fail. None but her own, she’s not entitled to anythying just because she’s suffered.
Just because she’s gone through trauma doesnt mean shes WORTHY of the power she wants to have and she knwos it she KNOWS it and it brings the woman to tears.
#blackdagger 456#let’s talk#analysis#arthur watts#cinder fall#rwby#rwby v8#rwby volume 8 spoilers#rwby volume 8
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The Adventures of Shota Jaune, Ep II
Chapter Two
---------
Two Months have passed.
---------
The last couple of months had been absolutely wild for Vernal.
First, the woman she respected the most and thought was the strongest in the world was beaten by three children... and Vernal, after it turned out Raven was a complete psycho bitch. In a moment of sheer panic she had just swore allegiance to the strongest thing in the vicinity. The little aura monster that had knocked her old boss's teeth out.
Jaune Arc aka The Boss
It had been a whirlwind of a week, getting her own room with new clothes and an actual bed, people who seemed to care about her, three meals a day and a completely stocked kitchen and someone to follow that wasn’t a complete psycho.
That was the good stuff, that was what kept her going. That and if she wanted to be the world's strongest Huntress it was probably a good idea to train under a actual huntsman, and who was training the human equivalent of a Fire Dust Bomb. While Vernal didn’t consider herself Branwen anymore, the ideals didn’t fade.
‘Nature has only one rule; The Strong owns the Weak.’ Her old mentor’s words came to her again.
Vernal scowled. ‘So much for being the strongest huntress there is.’
Her time at the Arc House had really opened her eyes toward how big the world actually is.
Raven was strong, really strong. She was a former Huntress and Beacon Alumni, she was fast, strong, high aura levels and control, along with a versatile semblance that made long distance travel her bitch. All of that, to top of all that, to just further put herself outside of the realms of warriors and huntress and huntsman she had Maiden Powers, fucking magic.
But, she lost, not just, because there's always either a hard counter, or a bigger fish, that wasn’t the only reason. Despite her power, despite her being the most notorious criminal in Mistral, despite her experience, she lost...
Because... because...’ Vernal thought. ‘She’s a coward.’
Vernal had seen her kill before, huntsman, brave civilian, or Grimm, or even other tribes. But, never from anything other than a position of power, she always waited till there was a moment of weakness to strike, less warrior more assassin, and if things got too tough she’d whip out her Maiden Powers.
More often than not, when more than one hunter came after them, Raven would have them move out. Saying, “They're too weak for us to bother with.” Now, Vernal was sure it was just her cowardice… Like her inability to stick around with her real family.
Why she took Vernal in to begin with.
‘Because, she’s a coward… I’m just a replacement, so she doesn’t have to think about…’
The time with the Arcs had definitely taught her that there was more to strength than fighting ability, and Raven was lacking in conviction, the thing Mr. Arc and The Boss had spades.
The Boss was way stronger than anyone she’d ever met, in terms of Aura and physical strength, yet his sisters, mother, those two lackeys of his, and his own father weren’t the least bit afraid of him.
They had conviction, that they knew their family.
Darkness be damned, those two lackeys could even put up a decent fight with him.
The oldest Arc child, Gris could even match her little brother in raw strength for a little while and even hold him down, even if he got up right afterwards.
Then there was Mr. Arc, if his son was a dust bomb, an all direction and all consuming blast of destruction, then he was a high powered, high precision plasma beam. Not as powerful, sure, but no less dangerous or devastating when used correctly.
Mr. Arc was still teaching his son and his two lackeys… and Vernal even. His skill, aura manipulation, and physical conditioning was insane. Sure, he didn’t have even a tenth of her Boss’s reserves, but he had more than twice Ravens, and he had the skills to manipulate it like it was just another limb of his body.
He could probably beat Raven if he wanted to, and didn’t lack the courage to stand his ground.
Actually, Vernal was entirely sure he could, considering he was fighting her little monster of a Boss right now, and controlling the fight handily.
Mr. Arc practically danced around his son, as the boy tried to land a hit on him, swinging wildly and kicking up small windstorms as he did so. The boy got nowhere close to landing a hit on his father, as the man anticipated blow after blow, stepping out of his son’s range and enduring the shock-waves his son released with practiced ease.
He stepped into his son’s range and stuck his leg out between his son’s moving feet, tripping him, then shield bashing him in the back and sending him flying into the ground. The Boss bounced off the ground, leaving an indent where he hit it, and landed on his back.
The Boss got back up, his face red, and smashed his practice sword into the ground, breaking the ground where it landed, sending boulder sized clumps of earth into the air, Arthur Arc deflected and evaded the earth as it flew at him. Redirecting the earthen shrapnel back at his son with small controlled bursts of Aura Deflection.
The stones and dirt clumps being flung back at the speed of bullets and pelting The Boss, making a show of light when they hit his aura, the light bursting from his aura and creating ripples on top of it.
Mr. Arc was fast too, he moved from one position to the next like he was teleporting, Vernal couldn’t track his movements, his sword striking precisely into The Boss’s chest faster than Vernal could see, Vernal only being able to track his movement based on how The Boss was being knocked backed and where his Aura was flashing, and then with one last lightning quick slash The Boss was knocked onto his back, Arthur stomping his foot onto The Boss’s chest, putting his blade on the boys neck.
“Another victory for me, son,” Arthur said, smirking. “If you had less aura than you did, I could take your head off.”
Jaune pouted, struggling fiercely under his fathers boot, his own strength only barely lifting his father’s foot. Showing off the man’s immense strength as he barely budged, the strength of a real Hunter, and despite how much strength his son had, it didn’t matter if he couldn’t get any leverage to take advantage of it.
“I’ll beat you one day.” The Boss said, red faced and sweating.
“Yes, I’m sure you will.” Mr. Arc smiled. “But, first you got to land a hit on me.”
Vernal wasn’t sure if that was normal father-son conversation, but her definition of normal had long since been warped.
Arthur took his foot off his son and pulled him up. “Good for another spar, son?”
The blonde boy nodded, and then tried to pull his father into a headbutt, but Arthur didn’t budge and then flipped The Boss over his shoulder into the earth.
Vernal would watch late into the evening as the father-son sparred, taking notes mentally on what worked against The Boss for when she’d have to spar with her boss again. He may be her boss, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t give it her all in trying to surpass him, he deserved nothing less than a subordinate who was useful.
The Arcs told her she was priceless, but the only way Vernal knew that she had value was by proving it, and the only way she could was by fighting.
------
Three Months later.
-----
Three Arcs step off of a bullhead, all immediately throwing up their lunches on the ground.
“The family curse, haaah, it strikes again.” Arthur said, being the first one to recover.
“That it does, that it does father.” A platinum blonde who was nearly as tall as her father said putting her hand on her father’s shoulder for support.
The father and daughter watched as Jaune continued to puke his guts out all over the ground, the curse was particularly bad on the youngest, and it truly was a curse, as neither aura manipulation, meditation, or medication helped in the slightest. It was as though the sky’s and heaven’s had a grudge against the Arcs.
Eventually though, they all recovered.
Arthur grabbed both children by the shoulder. “Alright, I trust you two to remember, why, I brought you two with me on a mission.”
The platinum blonde nodded. “You said, I needed more field experience, especially in foreign environments and learning in person was worth more per hour than a day in class could ever teach…. also I forgot father’s day and this is my way of making up for it.”
“That’s right, Gris.” Arthur said with a smug smile.
Gris looked at her only brother. “Why’s he here?” Pointing at the blonde boy next to her.
Arthur smiled nervously. “Because, if neither of us is home to watch him, we won’t have a home when we get back.”
Jaune was fast asleep on his feet, a small stream of drool leaking from his mouth, and loudly snoring.
Arthur pulled his son into his arms, holding him securely and tossing Gris the boy’s luggage.
Gris nodded. “That is a fair point, but why not take his groupies too?”
“Because, I already have enough to worry about with Jaune, who is more than likely going to put someone else in our family by force before we head home, and those two are enough trouble by themselves and I don’t want them picking fights or causing trouble on a mission. Your mom, with her semblance, can handle them no problem, even less so with Vernal.”
“Fair enough, let's get going… What’s it called again?” Gris said with a tilt of the head.
Arthur hummed. “I think it’s called Kuroyuri, apparently rumors of an abnormal grimm have appeared. Something more than the local Hunter can handle.”
===
It had taken a couple hours of walking, through exotic forests and mountainous trails, but the Arc trio managed to make it to Kuroyuri a little after lunch. The Arc boy still sound asleep during the trip, being swapped between his father and elder sister as the situation demand, even when being carried up sheer cliffs, when they were fording through shallow rivers, or the many fights between the Grimm, Bandits, and Aura Animals on the way to Kuroyuri, nothing of which way enough to prompt his Aura sense that there was enough danger to wake him up.
The Father and Daughter duo were thoroughly famished, and immediately beelined it to the first restaurant they could see, ending up running over to have lunch at a local tea house, Kazehana or something to that effect, The Arc duo were many things, linguist is not one of them.
The Arc’s sudden entrance to the Tea-house was quite sudden, the waitress quite shocked to see two hunters and a sleeping child look at her with a terrifying hungry expression. Needless to say they were quickly seated and served.
Arthur and Gris finished their meal, several plates of local noodles, boar meat, and some local plants, letting out a satisfied groan of fullness, looking up while stretching and Arthur making eye contact with one Li Ren, the local hunter who requested a seasoned Huntsman investigate the rumors of an abnormal grimm.
There was a moment of eye contact, Arthur’s mind slowly grinding out the details, before realization sets in. His eyes widen and waves the man over with highly animated gestures, pointing down at an empty seat on the floor.
Li Ren stoically processed the actions before calmly making his way over to the table, taking the empty seat. In a matter of moments they were sitting, discussing the details of the contracts, over a cup of steaming tea, while Gris watched and observed, noting important details her father might miss and studying how her father negotiated and asked questions, weaning information out.
“So how long ago was this Grimm sighted?”
“Two or three months ago, It was sighted in the aftermath of a fallen village to the southeast with a horde of Grimm making its way out of the ruins.”
“Hmm, any possible thoughts on it’s species or is it a aberrant?”
“I have talked with those who have observed it from closer, they have described it as being around fifteen meters tall, with a equine bottom half, resembling a fully formed Uma Sama and Elder Imp like grimm’s torso growing from it’s mid back, the sight being quite… disturbing, it seems quite old having many battle scars and weapons stuck inside of it…. I do not know of any species it might belong too, but its too familiar to be a aberrant, Sir Huntsman.”
Arthur frowned, wrinkles creasing his forehead. “This is quite concerning, have you reported this to Haven?”
Li Ren scowled. “We of Kuroyuri, founded it in an attempt to escape Mistrals… less than savory nature, this did not make many friends or allies when we left, any attempts to have contacted Haven have been met with silence.”
“I’ll contact Beacon when I return, this behavior is unethical and unbecoming of a Huntsman institution.” Arthur said, his facing taking on a dark and stormy expression.
The talks between the two men then fade into the background as two children walk into the establishment, an orange hair girl and a black haired boy walk in, only to see their father talking with a blonde headed man, the orange hair girl sighs then spotting a sleeping blonde next to him her father and zips over to him and starts poking his cheek.
Ren sighs and goes to try and stop her from causing trouble, only for the blonde boy to casually wake up and slap her across the room and outside into the street.
The room goes silent in shock, as Jaune rises up yawning, Ren just stands there horrified, Arthur, Gris and Li all looking shocked for different reasons.
‘Did he do it? Did my son just kill a girl by accident?’
‘If he killed that girl, that means we’re probably going to have to waive the fee, and it’ll probably go on Jaune’s record,’
‘Damn-it Nora, how many times do I have to tell you to keep your hands to yourself!?’
Ren though, while horrified, was also quite awed. Nora was the strongest kid in town, he had never even seen her winded outside of training with dad, and she hit him hard enough to break his aura in just two to three hits, and it took him dozens of hits to just bring her down.
This blonde boy just socked her out of the room!
Nora laid on her back, a manic smile on her face. A tingly numb feeling all across her body, with some kind of scratchy feeling beneath the numbness. Awesome. Her aura never felt so low before, outside of Papa Ren fighting her in training. Nora’s aura felt like it was more than half gone!
Nora's smile didn’t fade as she contemplated the sheer strength behind, it didn’t just knock her around, it sent her flying! How far could he make her fly?
“Jaune,” Arthur said to his son. “Please go make sure she’s alive?”
Jaune yawns, and rubs his eyes. “Who? Did I hit someone?”
“Yes.”
He nods “Ok.” Then he walks to the person with a damaged aura signature outside.
Nora looks at the boy in awe, as he looks down at her. He knees down and puts a hand on her cheek where he hit her. “Pain pain, go away.” Then a surge of light overtakes Nora, and her aura is completely restored and then some.
“Who are you!” Nora says, grabbing Jaune by the shoulders and putting her faces really close to his making intense eye contact.
“I’m Jaune.” The boy says pushing her away, her breath smelled like syrup, and it was making him hungry.
“I’m Nora and this is my brother Ren!” She said dragging the boy over to her brother who still was processing the fact that his sister had just got slapped out of a building.
Jaune thought they didn’t look anything alike, but then thought about his new adopted sisters. Realizing that Nora must have adopted Ren, he nodded.
“Oh cool, he’s like my sisters.”
Nora nodded. “Yeahs my brother, but not my brother-brother, but we’re blood-brother and sister, because we cut our hands and shook hands!”
Jaune’s eyes widen, and made note of what to do when he got home. He had to make sure his sister were has much of his sisters as possible.
“You’re really strong! Want to be friends? Wait, wait, I have a better idea, you want to be me and Ren’s new blood brother?”
“Sure!” Jaune didn’t really have any friends outside his family, he looked at Ren. “Can we be friends too? I mean blood-brother?”
Who needs friends when you have family!
Ren looked at his feet nervously, the idea of cutting his hand again didn’t appeal to him, but nodded anyway. Nora hugged them both. “That’s his way of saying, yes!”
The three adults looked at the children in amusement, Li and Arthur sharing a knowing look.
“Feel welcome to stay in my home for the duration of your contract.”
“That would be great.”
Gris couldn’t stop smiling at her little brother and his new friends. “They're so cute!” Taking out her scroll and snatching several photos as Jaune and Nora, plus Ren got to know each other.
Only for the adults to scream once Nora brought out the knife and tried to cut their hands.
------
After the knife incident, and Nora finding out she couldn’t open Jaune’s hand no matter how hard she tried, they finally managed to settle down.
An Ren immediately took a shine to her children’s new friend and easily welcomed the Arcs into her home. Despite the fact the two other Arcs and her husband were scarcely in the house as they went out looking for the abnormal Grimm. Taking the time to spoil Jaune and her children, eventually managing to slip them all into matching Yukuta before letting them slip out to play for the afternoon.
Arthur and Li took several days to locate the Grimm, traveling around Kuroyuri looking for tracks and trails to indicate where it was, Gris traveling on the further outskirts acting as a scout.
During that time Jaune had spent all his time playing with Nora and Ren, investigating all over town, now that they’re dads were gone they were going to explore a mountain near the town.
“Be careful in the mountains. Also don’t stray too far into the forest or the lord of the mountain will eat you!” The old man said as Jaune walked into the forest, Nora and Ren followed him.
Ren and Nora followed behind Jaune, grabbing his long kimono sleeves. The kimono was something his eldest sister and Mrs. Ren and the Village girls managed to force on him in his sleep last night.
“What’s the lord of the mountain?” Jaune said, swinging his practice sword in front of him crushing through the brush and tearing up anything in front of him, but also creating a cool breeze behind him that Nora and Ren took advantage of.
Nora laughed. “It’s just a stupid folktale, beside I heard there’s really tasty peaches out in the forest.”
Ren sighed, tugging on Jaune’s sleeves. “Actually it’s a tale about a dangerous animal that lived on the Mountain centuries ago, long ago a there a enormous wild boar that lived on the mountain, the king of a nearby city wanted to take the mountain, but no matter how many solider he sent none ever came back, so the king himself went, and came back wounded, he declared no man may ever rule over the mountain, as it had its own Lord. The Lord of the Mountain.
An electric look went through Jaune’s eyes, “Awesome, do you think we can find it?”
Ren looked nervous though. ‘This isn’t going to end well…’
A couple hours passed, as the trio totally wandered around the mountain before somehow ending up at the top of the mountain, which instead of peak it hosted a large depression that sunk several dozen feet into the width of the mountains top, home to only wild grass, boulders, some bushes, a large grove of peach trees.
Nora elbows Jaune, smirking. “See I told you there were peaches at the top.”
Jaune snorts. “Yeah, but you haven’t proven that they were tasty yet!”
Nora frowns. “Fine, I’ll race you over there, and I’ll show you how tasty they are!”
“Fine!” Jaune said as he sprinted towards the peach trees, with Nora hot on his trail.
Ren however, felt quite nervous, as something was making his Aura sense crawl. This place was weird to him. He walked around, trying to find the source of the weirdness here.
He wadded through the waist high grass, noting the grass that had some large passage through it that neither Jaune or Nora caused. Nature trails all over the top.
Then he found it as he walked over to the grove.
Skulls and bones, all over the ground, shattered into pieces and fragments, and the roots were all over them. The tree had been eating the bones.
Ren felt his blood turn cold, as he noticed the rusted and shattered weapons all over the top now that he looked closely.
He quickly looked around for Jaune and Nora, seeing them eating peaches from the tree in the center. Despite how happy they were, they had to leave now.
Calmly as he could, somehow managing to make himself feel numb, the world taking on a slightly muted color, he walked over only to feel the ground shake behind him. Dust and dirt falling behind him, and the warm breath of air on his neck, on the high mountain top. His calm disappeared.
“Jaune! Nora! This is the Lord of the Mountain’s lair!”
A scream from behind him, pulled Jaune and Nora out from their fun to see Ren on the ground before a huge boar.
Jaune and Nora stood in awe of it for a moment, before Nora realized the danger and ran to protect Ren, Jaune close behind her.
However, he couldn’t help but be awestruck by the big piggy behind Ren that was absolutely leaking aura, it almost had as much as his dad did!
It was also so cool looking! It’s fur was black and thick and hairy! Like it was made of black iron. With one blood red eye and one milky one with a scar going over it. It had a bunch of scar actually, over its sides and on its neck. Jaune bet it fought a bunch of strong guys and piggies too. And it’s tusks were ginormous! Like instead of growing tusks it grew two clay-mores instead!
Jaune put his hand under his chin. Could he tame it? Only for him to scowl as the foul smell of the boar fell over to him. ‘It needs a bath. Otherwise, mom won’t let me keep him.’
“SQUUUUUEEEELLL!!!” The Lord of the Mountain bellowed at the three children who invaded it’s lair as it stomped the ground and got ready to charge.
Only for it to take notice of Jaune, it’s eyes further narrowed in rage, it was the one who had been stinking up it’s mountain with his aura, now dared come into its home! The Lord of the mountain bellowed out of rage and challenged the boy in front of it, then charged forward intent on brutalizing the boy who dared leaked it’s smelly aura all over his mountain. The one who dared to wake him with his offensive smell. It’s beady eye then saw the discarded peach pits on the ground.
It snorted in pure wrath, they dared to eat it’s sacred peach! The one’s that granted The Lord his longevity?! He would grind their bones into dust for his grove and rend their flesh off their muscle and have the rain’s dance with their blood!
The pitch black boar’s singular working eye glowed with a diabolical spirit, as then blood-crimson lightning sparked over it’s black fur, as it galloped it legs forward in blinding speed, going ahead like a black missile, barreling at the seven year old with all the force of a runaway train. Jaune in a split second decision grabbed Ren and Nora, tossing them into some nearby bushes as he was hit hard enough to be sent flying away, the impact turning making the sky around them shake, the light exploding around them nearly blinding them as Jaune disappeared.
Nora and Lie Ren watch in horror, shivering silently as the boy they just befriended, their new brother flew into the mountainside impacting it with a blood-chilling crunch. The pair’s eyes went wide as they went into shock.
The rock-face shook, and the pig squealed in triumph as Jaune seemed to have been defeated.
“That was mean mister piggy, I don’t like mean people.” Jaune walked out from the dust and shattered rocks falling around him surrounding his impact sight, the rocks bouncing off his aura, and looking no worse for wear, if anything he looked incredibly angry.
His golden aura burned around him causing his clothes to float on etheric currents. The boar snorted at him and bellowed again, unimpressed, in it’s long, long life, it had defeated many opponents, from aura users, to soldiers and bandits, to warriors and huntsmen, and even centuries ago the king of this valley and his army, what was one child to his many fallen foes?
The Lord of the Mountain snorted again, summoning it’s lightning to coat him, and then shot it at the insolent child.
Jaune saw it all though, the sneer in the animals eyes, and the hostility riding it’s aura, and the deathly intent in the creature's semblance. It was all too easy to read it and step aside from where the red lightning hit next to him.
With a flourish Jaune then unsheathes his training sword holding it defensively, ready to fight the old boar.
The Lord of Mountain’s tusks glimmered menacingly in the evening light.
Nora and Ren held their breaths hoping not to give away their positions.
Clank! Klink! Crack!
The boar charged into Jaune, with Jaune blocking the beast with the flat of his sword, being pushed back several feet. The boar lashing out with it hooves that almost knocked Jaune flat before deflecting the blow, it’s tusks swiping at him only to be ducked under, and finally it tried to bite him in half, only for Jaune to hit’s teeth with his sword in a silver flash.
Bzzzzt!
The boar’s fur began to stick up on end as currents of electricity gathered across its body, collecting between its tusks briefly, then exploded in a blast of lightning at Jaune.
Jaune’s eyes went wide as a column wide blast of lightning was shot at him knocking him onto his back spasming, mere feet from Nora and Ren.
The boar saw an opening and charged at him coated in auric lightning power, Nora saw it all in slow-motion, Ren’s heart seized with fear and tried to stop Nora, but she moved faster than she ever moved before grabbed Jaune to pull him out of the way, the boar only grazing him, but still blasting bolts of electricity as it brushed them, a wayward zap hit Nora, knocking her onto her back, Ren quickly running to her side as his sister was laid out on the ground smoke drifting off of her.
The boar gave a evil look at the children as it turn around and charged at them, only for the boar to be punched in the nose before it could run them over. The huge animal reeling back, as it was knocked back, Jaune then rose up, smoke rising off of him, then he jumped up and socked it. Anger in his eyes, as he grabbed the blade of his sword and hit the boar in it’s head with the hilt, sending it rolling across the ground and into the trees, destroying several in the process, Jaune then chasing fast behind it.
As the Lord of the Mountain and Jaune continued to fight, Ren was trying his best to tend to Nora, only he couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her as she kept laughing. “It tickles Ren! It Tickles!” Then jumping up onto her feet, grabbing the largest branch see could find then running at Jaune and the Lord of the Mountain.
The Lord of the Mountain and Jaune had fought from the forest line back into it’s den, leaving a trail of destruction and broken rocks behind them, the boar discharging lightning at him and Jaune summoning orbs of Aura to take the blows instead of him, several bright aura orbs orbiting around him at high speeds.
Lightning collects on the boar again, making the boar too bright to look at, wayward bolt striking everywhere blasting Nora back again, as it disappears behind a veil of electricity, then faster than the children’s eyes could follow, the boar flashes out towards Jaune in a series of brutal hits, only for him to deflect every blow in a shining silver strikes, with is Aura taking the blows he couldn’t deflect.
Then in a matter of moments the fighters became invisible, until an ear-splitting shriek cut the air in two, as a shock-wave cut the air in two, razor sharp winds shearing across the air, cutting all the around in a twenty foot circle in half.
The Lord of the Mountain was breathing heavily, blood-seeping from it’s mouth and nose, mighty as it was, boar weren’t built for this kind of fighting, while Jaune staggered around erratically as electricity stilled flashed over him, his hair standing on end and smoke waffering off of him. Jaune with as much aura as he has, was just as vulnerable to electricity as any aura-user, especially to one such as the Lord of the Mountain, who had honed it’s semblance in many battles, he could heal yes, but the effects on the body were noticeable and quite damaging.
The fighters met eyes with each other, a brief contact, but one that conveyed the tangible amount of respect they had for another.
The Lord of the Mountain scraped the ground with it’s hooves, gathering more of it’s semblance than it had ever before, collecting the red power into its prized tusks, turning them into glowing red and white sabers of energy that zapped with lightning around them.
Jaune held his sword with both hands in low stance, his sword’s tip pointing at the ground behind him, four aura orbs floating around him then one after the other they circled around the blade faster and smaller, till the blade was obscure in white and gold colors.
The two fighters charged, they met, they clashed.
All was still, all was silent, they froze meeting like a still frame image, the small blonde boy wielding an equally small sword meeting a building sized boar in a charge, clashing together, it would look comical if not for the serious look on boys face and the obvious power being thrown around, and the wrecked environment around them.
The clash held for a scarce moment, then the world caught up, as light overtook the senses, followed by an all encompassing boom that echoed across the providence like thunder, that nearly deafened Ren and Nora. Finally was the bone-cracking snap, as the victor was decided.
For a brief moment Jaune and The Lord of the Mountain became visible, the sword biting into the fangs, the rotating sheath of aura diverting the condensed semblance back into lightning bolts around Jaune digging a foot deep furrow for tens of yards behind him. Then,
KA-CRACK!
As the Lord of the Mountain’s tusks were broken in two. The two ivory natural weapons spun in the air and then stabbed into the earth, still crackling with its power, and blood leaking at the base of the shattered ivory.
The Lord of the Mountain thrashed about wildly as it’s mind was overloaded with pain and phantom sensations.
Jaune frowned sadly at it. His dad’s voice then echoed in his head. ‘Never disrespect your opponent with mercy if they come to kill you, give them the warrior’s end. Its the end they deserve.’
Ren and Nora could only watch in awe as Jaune then ran at the Lord of the Mountain, stopping it’s wildly flailing with a running sideswipe at it’s head, knocking it onto its side. Quickly he grabbed a broken tusk holding it firmly, holding the beast still he aligned his blunt sword with it’s eye with a lightning quick motion he plunged his sword, followed by his entire arm, and then part of his shoulder deep into through its eye into it’s head. Completely obliterating it’s brain, and the top of its spine.
In an instant, he broke its aura, cutting’s life away in one ending move.
The beast shutters weakly in pain, once, twice, and then never again.
Jaune frowns as he puts his foot against the head and kicks off, pulling his arm out in a spray of gore, showering the forest floor in red, pink and grey. He then swipes his sword through the air, in an attempt to remove the boar viscera off the blunt sword.
Nora and Ren looked on at Jaune, unable to take their eyes off of him. HIs movements were like nothing they had ever seen, powerful, without mercy, terrifying, and awe-inspiring. They fell to their knees without hesitation, bowing before the great one before them.
“Teach me, oh great one!” Nora said, suddenly latching onto Jaune’s leg. “Show me the way, so that I might break enemies! Those that would be unworthy of you!”
Ren hugged Jaune’s waist. “Show me the ways to manhood, Great Master!” Looked up at him. “Allow this one to have the power to serve you, and protect those I care for.”
With a casual pat to their heads. “Sure, you’re my brother and sister, right?” He said, with a bright smile and face dripping with blood.
Ren and Nora could only hug tighter in excitement, this would be the beginning of a long, long, and deep bond.
--------
It had taken most of a day to get to the creature’s lair, but it was well worth it.
Arthur had Gris play interception, leaving her to fight any Grimm that tried to attack Arthur and Li as they fought the Nuckaleeve as they found it was called.
Gris watched in amazement, as she finished the last of the fodder grimm, cutting a deathstalker in half with her zweihander, as her father and Mr. Li Ren fought the Nuckaleeve.
While Li Ren did not have much power behind strikes, he could shoot dozens of arrows near instantly, laced with some type of dust or another, and could easily dodge the blows that the Nuckaleeve tried to hit him with.
Her father just kept proving why he was the patriarch of the house, as he matched the monster blow for blow, overpowering it and laying it back as Li Ren froze, burned, and electrocuted it’s limb.
Till Arthur finally knocked it to the ground and sawed off the horse like head off the abomination as Li sniped the head off the top of the thing they called a Nuckaleeve.
Arthur stretched as he popped his body. “What a work out, haven’t fought something that strong in years, even if it was a little disappointing.”
“A little much for me,” Li said, taking a seat. “I would prefer it if I never had to see something like this ever again.”
Arthur shrugs. “To each their own,” He then smiles at the man. “How does it feel to longer have that monster hanging over your head?”
Li gave a wide smile. “Like a boulder has been lifted from my shoulders, ah, it feels like I just regained ten years of my life back. My Ren and Nora, will now be able to grow up in relative peace, hopefully.”
Arthur gave him a pat on the back, nearly knocking the man onto his face. “They will grow up in peace, if you ever have any other trouble, do not hesitate to call the Arcs.”
Li’s eyes started to water, but he quickly rubbed them away. “Then, I suppose there is one thing I have concerns about, in your time here in Kuroyuri, have you heard of the Lord of the Mountain?”
--------
Arthur couldn’t be prouder of his son if he tried as he lugged a two story tall boar through the town square whilst that little girl Nora shouted out a story that would probably fit right in with a Mistralwood movie, the boy Ren giving out details to smooth the story along.
“The Lord is dead, the Lord of the Mountain has died!” An old man shouted.
“It was real?”
“I thought for sure, that the old man was full of shit!”
“I’m not that old! I'm forty five, I just smoke a lot!”
“You should really quit, it’s bad for your health.”
“If I wanted your opinion I’d bloody well ask for it! Anyway the Lord of the Mountain is dead!”
Arthur gave his new friend a sly look. “So, about that problem… I don’t think you need to worry about it.”
Li grabbed his head and shook his head from side to side, a tears of happiness running down his face. “I suppose I do not.”
He rubbed his face dry, then grabbed Arthur by shoulder. “Tonight we party! Kuroyuri is safe again, and these are our champions! Tell the mayor we are celebrating tonight!”
Cheers erupted around the plaza.
--------
The party lasted for several days, as the news made its way around the neighboring villages who went to join and congratulate the Arc’s and the Ren Family.
Positivity at an all time high, fun was had, merriment too, but all good things come to an end.
A Bullhead sat on the outskirts of the village, which was being loaded up with gifts, and some of the remains of the Lord of the Mountain.
Nora and Ren clung fiercely to Jaune, tears running freely down the trios face.
“I don’t want you to leave!” Nora dug onto him tightly
“You’re our brother, don't leave us!” Ren buried his head into the blonde boys shoulder.
Jaune was silent, despite his teary eyes, then he flicked them both on the head. “Quiet! You’re my brother and sister, aren't you going to be strong?”
The two shut up filled with shame.
“This isn’t me leaving, this is me going somewhere else, I’m going to be back and stronger than ever, so don’t think I won’t be back! I would never abandon by brother or sister, so don’t insult me by saying I would leave you forever. So, promise me you two will get stronger, so when I come back we can go on more adventures, promise me!” Jaune looked at them firmly, his eyes still red and puffy.
Nora dried her eyes, and Ren blinked away the tears.
“Yeah! I’m going to get stronger than ever, if you don’t come back I’ll break your legs and bring you back!”
“I’m going to be a real man, Jaune! I’ll show you how strong I can be, so you better come back, or we’ll track you down and bring you back with us for good.”
Jaune looked strong for a moment, then broke down in tears again and hugged them tightly. “I’ll miss you guys.”
Gris looked at them through her scroll, recording the whole thing.
“Couldn’t we, you know, take them with us? We already got the other three groupies, what are two more?”
Arthur swatted her head, “I’m a serial adopter, not serial kidnapper. Anyway, I like Li enough, but not enough to steal his kids, so no, I’m not taking his kids.”
Li gave him a narrowed eye glance. “I’d prefer to keep my children,”
An Ren then carefully puts away a kitchen knife. “I’d cut a bitch, if you tried.” An Ren then smiles. “Anyway, the Arcs are always welcome in our home, you three better come back soon with the rest of your family.”
Arthur gulps, but nods. “Yeah, the misses wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t take her here. So, will come once I get the children settled.”
Gris smiles. “We’ll be back for the junior Mistral Regional Tournament, Dad wants to put Jaune in it. Thinks it’ll be funny.”
Arthur looks off into the distance. “Damn right it will.”
It took some effort, but they separated the children, and loaded up the Bullhead flying home.
------
The three Arc got off the Bullhead onto the Arc Estate, then promptly emptied their stomachs.
The curse striking hard, the one thing the Arc will never defeat.
Airsickness.
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Speaking of Tien, RWBY and characters being smart... Do you recall Blake having to make a choice about giving up on her desire for revenge against Neo, and instead focusing on Cinder? And how the show portrays that as the "good choice", since Blake gave up on revenge? Blake choosing to continue fighting Neo was actually the smarter choice. Since Ruby is the only one with the Silver Eyes as a weapon against Cinder, leaving Ruby to be distracted by Neo is a actually a bad strategy.
Ruby has her silver eyes—which she notably doesn’t use until she’s literally an inch from death and despite the intense, ‘protect life’ emotions she should be experiencing right now—and Weiss already has Penny. Obviously Penny fighting Cinder carries with it some level of danger because Cinder is after the Maiden powers, but it’s also just as obvious that only a Maiden can keep up with a Maiden. Interactions like Neo vs. Cinder and Cinder vs. Raven attest to that. So Cinder vs. a Maiden + Weiss is, to my mind, much better odds than Neo vs. Ruby when Neo just killed Yang. It’s not like we can make a good case that Neo is a weak fighter (at least in this specific scene, given how vastly skills changes from episode to episode) and that Ruby, as an excellent fighter herself, will be totally fine without help. Neo just killed Yang. Ruby is completely on the defensive with her and will later require Weiss’ intervention to keep from being slashed and blown up. Even putting aside Blake thinking ahead and realizing that Ruby’s ability should be the key to defeating Cinder—which is still a great point—Yang falling into the void should have been the deal breaker long before strategy was considered. Yeah, Cinder is very dangerous too, undoubtably, but Cinder already has the Winter Maiden to contend with.
“But, Clyde, Cinder knocks both Penny and Weiss to the ground and is about to attack when Blake intervenes. They would have been toast without her!” Yeah, and this would be a very different discussion if we saw Blake make her decision because they’re suddenly vulnerable. Choosing who to help because one party is potentially about to bite it makes total sense. But as Anon says, the implication is that she’s torn and then makes her choice because… well, to be frank the scene doesn’t give a reason (which is another problem entirely), but thematically it fits RWBY’s track-record to read it as an anti-revenge message. The writing wants to emphasize that Blake is not Adam, despite the fact that her revenge situation is in no way comparable to his. Putting the huge difference in morals aside, here the villain Blake wants to take out is also the villain she should take out, potentially saving Ruby’s life, freeing up her eyes, and making it so they can all focus on dealing with the Maiden.
It’s like basic video game strategy: take out the grunts first before focusing on the boss, that way you’re not stupidly killed from sideline fire or some AOE lol.
More seriously though, when that episode concluded and the fandom immediately started theorizing that Blake would upgrade her semblance, I was excited for that. Granted, I think I may have criticized the arc’s dependence on those sudden upgrades, but at least Blake’s would have made the most sense. It’s ridiculous that Ruby doesn’t understand her own power and what it can do, but Penny does. It in no way made sense for Ren to be furious over the mistakes his teammates have made and then suddenly be able to see feelings because he realized the Ace Ops lost their fight because they don’t love each other. And while not semblance related, Salem is briefly defeated from the cane power that equally came out of nowhere. None of those moments were written well, but comparatively Blake’s upgrade would have been great. We’ve established that most semblances unlock due to extreme, dangerous circumstances that highlight some sort of need: Nora is struck by lightning (don’t die) Ren is about to be attacked by grimm (also don’t die) Jaune watches Weiss collapse (don’t let someone else die), etc. So it would make internal sense for semblances to likewise upgrade that way.
Blake is in a life-or-death situation. She has a need to be in two places at once. Her semblance is already the ability to create clones of herself that can move independently and take hits for her. So now, that upgrades into clones with far more independence, allowing Blake to help all her teammates at once and perhaps even giving us a clone vs. illusion sub-fight.
It seemed so obvious to me that this would happen. Admittedly, if it had there would have been other things to say about, for example, the story continuing to circumvent the characters having to make hard choices, so I do like that Blake chose here. She just arguably chose wrong. Regardless of whether viewers agree with each specific example, it would be great if Volume 9 allowed the team to think over that fight and grapple with the mistakes they made there, leading to their current predicament. The got to that island because of a very long line of bad choices and the characters’ development doesn’t have anywhere to go if this entire, massive tragedy is shrugged away with, “Those dastardly villains, huh? Too bad they bested us. But at least we did everything we could and things would definitely be worse if we hadn’t made those exact choices.”
Basically, it won't be good if we get Yang’s position from out in the snow with Ren again, only now with “Tons of people are dead,” “Atlas is destroyed,” “An entire Kingdom is displaced,” and “We died” are tacked onto the list of supposed inevitabilities.
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