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star-wars-writing · 5 months

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The Twilight Prophecy - Shadows of Soluna: Echoes of a Forgotten Unity - Prologue

A/N: "Hello, Guys! I know I said I would wait until I got some response before continuing, but I kind of wanted to put this prologue out there to give the story more of a back story. Thank for those who've read the story and for joining me on this journey through the world of Soluna. This chapter continues to weave the original tale of Crown Prince Cody and Crown Prince Obi-Wan with inspirations from the Star Wars universe. As always, your support and feedback mean the world to me.

"Copyright Notice: The original elements of this story, including the Kingdom of Soluna, its lore, and original characters, are my own creation and are © Love_of_fanfiction here on A03 and Star-wars-writing on Tumblr. These elements may not be reproduced, copied, or used in any form without my express permission.

The Star Wars characters and universe elements included in this story remain the intellectual property of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or Disney. This fanfiction is a non-commercial work created for entertainment purposes only and is not officially affiliated with the owners of the Star Wars franchise.

Please respect the rights of all creators and do not replicate or use any part of this story for commercial purposes. Let's continue to enjoy the world of fanfiction responsibly and respectfully. Thank you!"

Now let's start the story.

In an age now lost to the history of time, the illustrious Kingdom of Soluna stood as a paragon of unity and grandeur. Nestled in a world where the rhythms of day and night were harmoniously intertwined, Soluna was a realm where the natural cycle of the sun's rise and the moon's ascent were celebrated as the lifeblood of existence.

Soluna, sprawling across diverse landscapes, was a kingdom of breathtaking beauty. Its heart, the city of Lumina, was an architectural marvel. The buildings, crafted from stones that seemed to absorb the essence of the skies, shimmered in the daylight with hues of gold and amber and radiated a soft luminescence under the moon's gaze. The streets of Lumina, paved with cobblestones of moonstone and sunstone, sparkled, leading the way to bustling marketplaces and serene gardens alike.

The people of Soluna were a vibrant tapestry of cultures, each contributing to the kingdom's rich tapestry. In the day, farmers toiled under the benevolent sun, their fields a testament to the kingdom's fertility, while artists found inspiration in the warm hues of the afternoon. As night fell, astronomers and poets sought the wisdom of the stars, their works a celebration of the moon's mystique.

Soluna's rulers, the Solar Monarchs and the Lunar Regents, governed with a balance as seamless as the cycle of day and night. Their reign was marked by festivals that celebrated the duality of their domain – the Solstice of Sun, a jubilant carnival of light and warmth, and the Equinox of Moon, a reflective, ethereal gathering under the night sky.

The Royal Academy of Soluna, a revered institution, stood at the confluence of science, magic, and philosophy. Here, the brightest minds delved into the mysteries of the natural world, their discoveries a tribute to the enlightened spirit of Soluna.

Yet, beneath this facade of peace and prosperity, a shadow loomed. An envious sorcerer, coveting the kingdom's harmony and power, unleashed a malevolent curse. The curse fractured the very essence of Soluna, tearing apart the balance that had been its foundation. In an instant, the kingdom was split into two realms – one bathed in perpetual daylight, the Sun Court, and the other shrouded in eternal night, the Moon Court. The memory of their shared past, of the unity that once was, vanished, leaving behind a void filled with discord and longing.

The once-glorious Kingdom of Soluna faded into legend, its tale a haunting reminder of the fragility of harmony. As the Sun and Moon Courts evolved independently, the echoes of their common legacy dwindled, leaving only a whisper of the unity that once graced their lands.

This is the forgotten tale of Soluna, a kingdom where day and night once danced in unison, now a lost chapter in the history of time, waiting to be rediscovered and restored by those destined to reforge the broken bonds.

In the era when Soluna thrived, the royal family was revered not only for their governance but also for the unique traits that some of them possessed. At the heart of Soluna's lineage was a rare and revered characteristic – the blessing of dual-sex, an embodiment of the kingdom's cherished balance of sun and moon. Not every monarch was graced with this trait, but those who were, were celebrated as living symbols of Soluna's harmony.

King Orion, the last ruler of united Soluna, was one such individual. A leader of unparalleled wisdom and compassion, Orion's dual-sex nature was seen as a perfect harmony between masculine and feminine energies, a physical manifestation of the balance that he so tirelessly worked to maintain in his kingdom. With hair that shimmered like spun gold in the sunlight and eyes that held the depth of the night sky, he was a figure of awe and reverence.

Queen Althea, his consort, was a woman of profound intellect and grace. Her keen mind was matched by a heart full of empathy, making her a beloved figure among the people. Her long, raven hair was often adorned with silver and gold, symbolizing the unity of day and night that Soluna cherished.

Together, Orion and Althea had three children, each inheriting different aspects of their parents' qualities. Prince Solaris, the eldest, was a vibrant and charismatic leader, his features reminiscent of the sun's fiery glow. He was a skilled diplomat and warrior, his presence commanding yet warm.

Princess Lunara, the middle child, possessed a serene beauty and a deep connection to the mystical arts. Her intuition and wisdom beyond her years made her an invaluable advisor in the royal court. Her silver-blonde hair and moonlit eyes were a testament to her affinity with the night.

The youngest, Prince Eclipsion, was a harmonious blend of his siblings' traits. With a keen mind and a compassionate heart, he was the embodiment of balance. Eclipsion's unique nature, showing traits of dual-sex like his father, made him a symbol of Soluna's core values.

In the royal palace, a grand structure that mirrored the kingdom's splendor, the family's interactions were a microcosm of Soluna's ideals. Discussions at the dinner table were lively, with each member bringing their perspective to debates on governance, culture, and the future of their realm.

"I believe we must expand our trade routes to the Northern Territories," proposed Prince Solaris during one such discussion, his voice confident and persuasive.

Princess Lunara, always thoughtful, responded, "We must consider the impact on the local cultures. Our goal should be harmony, not dominance."

King Orion listened intently, his expression a mix of pride and contemplation. "Your points are valid," he said, his voice a soothing blend of authority and gentleness. "Soluna thrives not by imposing but by understanding and integrating. We must find a balance that honors our values and respects others."

Queen Althea, observing the exchange, added, "And let us not forget the importance of nurturing our own arts and sciences. Our strength lies in our ability to create and innovate."

Prince Eclipsion, quietly absorbing the discussion, finally spoke, his words reflecting his innate wisdom. "Perhaps we can find a way to blend these approaches – to expand with mindfulness and foster growth within."

The royal family's dynamics were a testament to their leadership – diverse in thoughts and opinions yet united in their love for Soluna and its people. Their discussions often extended beyond the palace walls, as they engaged with scholars, artists, and common folk alike, ensuring that every voice was heard and valued.

In the once harmonious Kingdom of Soluna, a sinister presence lurked in the shadows, biding its time. Darth Bane, a Sith sorcerer skilled in the dark arts, harbored a deep-seated disdain for the peace and balance Soluna represented. In his eyes, only in chaos and destruction could true power thrive. His heart, a void of darkness, sought to unravel the fabric of harmony that held Soluna together.

One fateful day, under a sky where the sun and moon hung in uneasy truce, Darth Bane made his move. With malevolent intent, he approached the grand gates of the royal palace. The guards, sensing an ominous aura, stood tense and alert, but they were no match for the sorcerer's dark powers.

In the royal hall, King Orion and Queen Althea, along with their children, were caught unaware. The family, a symbol of Soluna's unity, could not fathom the depth of the darkness that was about to befall them. Darth Bane, cloaked in shadows, stepped into the hall, his presence a chilling wave that washed over everyone present.

"Your reign of false harmony ends today," Darth Bane declared, his voice a sinister echo that filled the chamber. Before anyone could react, he unleashed his curse, a maelstrom of dark energy that enveloped the royal family and the palace.

King Orion and Queen Althea, caught in the eye of this dark storm, could only watch in horror as their world unraveled. The curse struck with merciless precision, tearing the very essence of Soluna apart. In an instant, Prince Solaris and Princess Lunara found their minds clouded, their memories of the unity and love within their family twisted into visions of division and rivalry.

Darth Bane's dark magic spun a deceitful narrative in the minds of the royal siblings, convincing them that the Sun and Moon Courts had always been at odds, that their destinies were to rule separately and in conflict. Prince Solaris, his thoughts now shrouded in the illusion of perpetual daylight, became the King of the Sun Court, forgetting the ties that bound him to his family. Princess Lunara, her mind veiled in the eternal night, ascended as the Queen of the Moon Court, her silver hair a trait revered in this new, divided reality.

The once majestic capital, Lumina, now stood as a ruin on the divide of day and night, its history and purpose lost to the curse's fog. The people of Soluna, now citizens of two separate realms, gazed upon the ruins with no recollection of their former unity.

King Orion and Queen Althea's fate remained shrouded in mystery, their end a tragic chapter in the history of Soluna. Prince Eclipsion, the youngest, disappeared amidst the chaos, his fate unknown, fueling whispers and legends among the people.

As Darth Bane retreated into the shadows, his curse complete, the Kingdom of Soluna faded into a realm of divided memories, its once glorious past now a forgotten dream. The Sun and Moon Courts, each cast in their respective lights, began a new chapter, unaware of the unity that once defined them, their future entwined with a prophecy yet to unfold.

In the wake of Darth Bane’s malevolent curse, the once-unified Kingdom of Soluna fractured into two isolated realms: the Sun Court, ruled by King Solaris, and the Moon Court, under Queen Lunara’s reign. The siblings, their memories altered, their hearts veiled in darkness, became strangers to one another, each leading their courts in isolation, disconnected from their shared past.

The Sun Court, bathed in perpetual daylight, became a land where the sun’s relentless gaze hardened the hearts of its people. King Solaris, once a prince known for his warmth and charisma, transformed into a ruler whose judgments were as scorching as the sun’s rays. The palace, once a beacon of balance, now stood as a fortress of light, its walls reflecting the unyielding nature of its inhabitants.

In the Moon Court, night reigned eternal, casting the realm in a serene yet somber glow. Queen Lunara, whose wisdom and intuition were once celebrated, became a figure of mystery, her rule shrouded in the silent contemplation of the moonlit skies. Her court, a reflection of the night itself, was a place of quiet strength and hidden depths.

As years passed, the void between the Sun and Moon Courts grew, fueled by forgotten kinship and a growing sense of otherness. The common heritage of Soluna, once the cornerstone of their civilization, became lost in the mists of time, replaced by a narrative of division and rivalry.

Skirmishes along the borders became frequent, as misunderstandings and fear bred conflict. The Sun Court’s warriors, equipped for battle under the blazing sun, clashed with the Moon Court’s sentinels, masters of the night’s shadows. Each encounter left a scar on the land, a reminder of the harmony that was lost.

In both courts, the people’s hearts ached for a peace they could not remember. Whispers of a time when sun and moon were one lingered in their songs and stories, like echoes of a forgotten dream. Yet, these tales were regarded as mere fables, the wishful thinking of those who yearned for an end to the strife.

King Solaris, sitting upon his throne, his features cast in sharp relief by the ever-present sunlight, often found his thoughts wandering to the Moon Court. A sense of longing, unexplainable and deep, tugged at his soul. “Why does the night seem so familiar, yet so distant?” he pondered, his mind clouded by the remnants of the curse.

In her palace, Queen Lunara gazed at the stars, her expression a tapestry of melancholy and longing. “There’s a sorrow in these stars, a tale of loss,” she mused, her heart echoing a grief she could not fully comprehend.

The prolonged period of conflict and mistrust between the Sun and Moon Courts wove a tapestry of sorrow and longing, a tragic consequence of Darth Bane’s curse. The once-great Kingdom of Soluna, now divided and forgetful of its past, stood as a land where day and night were no longer in harmony, but in silent contention, yearning for a unity they could no longer remember.

Years wore on, deepening the rift between the Sun and Moon Courts, as their forgotten unity became little more than a legend. The once harmonious Kingdom of Soluna was now a battleground for two opposing realms, each under the shadow of Darth Bane’s curse, oblivious to their shared heritage.

One fateful day, the Sun Court, led by King Solaris, marched upon the Moon Court’s borders. The sun blazed fiercely in the sky, casting a harsh light on the armored warriors, their swords and shields glinting ominously. King Solaris, astride his majestic steed, his armor reflecting the ruthless sun, wore an expression of grim determination. His once compassionate heart had turned steely, hardened by years under the unrelenting sun.

In response, the Moon Court’s defenders, shrouded in the protective cloak of night, emerged silently. Queen Lunara, a silhouette against the moonlit backdrop, stood atop the ramparts of her fortress. Her eyes, reflecting the cool luminescence of the moon, were pools of sorrow and resolve. Her warriors, adept in the art of shadow warfare, readied their bows, the silver arrows aimed at the approaching Sun Court army.

The battle that ensued was a tragic spectacle. The clash of swords and the twang of bows sang a discordant melody, a lament for the lost unity of Soluna. The ground, a witness to this strife, was marred with the scars of battle, the soil drinking the blood of sun and moon alike.

In the midst of the chaos, Solaris and Lunara found themselves face to face, their swords crossed. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, and a spark of recognition flickered, quickly smothered by years of enmity and the sorcerer's curse. Words were unnecessary; their blades spoke for them, each strike a painful reminder of their division.

Around them, the battle raged on, the air filled with cries of anguish and the clash of metal. The once-peaceful land of Soluna was now a witness to the sorrow of its rulers, a canvas upon which the tragedy of forgotten kinship was painted in stark hues.

As dawn broke, marking the end of the conflict, both courts retreated, leaving the battlefield littered with the remnants of their clash. The cost of their division was etched in the faces of the surviving warriors, their eyes hollow with the weight of loss.

King Solaris, returning to his sunlit palace, felt a heaviness in his heart, a sorrow that the light could not dispel. He wandered the silent halls, haunted by the moonlit eyes of Lunara, a nagging sense of something lost lingering in his mind.

Similarly, Queen Lunara, amidst the quiet of her moon-drenched chambers, pondered the day’s events. The sun’s relentless blaze in Solaris’s eyes haunted her, a reminder of a connection she could not grasp, a puzzle whose pieces lay scattered in the shadows of her memory.

In their separate realms, Solaris and Lunara grieved for the unity they could not remember, the harmony that was once the foundation of their existence. The battles and strife, while momentarily ceasing, left a lingering question in the air – a silent longing for a peace that seemed as distant as the forgotten days of Soluna.

Years trickled by like grains of sand in the hourglass of time, and with them, the era of King Solaris and Queen Lunara faded into history, giving way to a new generation of rulers. In the Sun Court, King Yoren ascended the throne, a ruler whose very presence was like a soft dawn breaking the darkness. In the Moon Court, King Yoda took up the mantle, a sage whose wisdom was as deep and vast as the night sky.

King Yoren, unlike his predecessors, bore a heart not hardened by the perpetual daylight but warmed by it. His rule was marked by a gentle strength, a desire to see beyond the blinding light of day. He was a man of medium build, with hair that captured the hues of the morning sun and eyes that reflected a sky free of storms. His reign began with a vision of peace, a longing to bridge the chasm that had long separated the Sun and Moon Courts.

In the Moon Court, King Yoda's presence was as calming as the cool touch of moonlight. His wisdom, accrued over decades of study and reflection, brought a renewed sense of purpose to his people. With a stature small yet commanding, and eyes that twinkled with the light of distant stars, Yoda spoke with a voice that resonated with the ancient truths of the night.

In the privacy of his solar chambers, King Yoren often found himself gazing at the horizon, where day met night in a fleeting embrace. "The time for endless conflict has passed," he mused aloud, his voice echoing the resolve in his heart. "We must seek understanding, for in the light of the sun, all shadows are cast away."

Similarly, in the Moon Court, King Yoda pondered the future in his observatory, surrounded by star charts and celestial instruments. "In the cycle of the cosmos, balance is the eternal truth," he whispered to the night. "We must extend our hand to the Sun Court, for in the darkness, even the brightest star seeks companionship."

The desire for peace sparked a series of secret missives between the two rulers, each letter a tentative step towards understanding. Their correspondence, carried by trusted envoys under the veil of secrecy, wove a delicate thread of hope between the two courts.

As word of this budding alliance spread, it was met with mixed reactions. In the Sun Court, some praised Yoren's vision, while others, steeped in the old ways of rivalry, voiced their dissent. "To extend a hand to the Moon Court is to forget the battles fought under our sun," argued a sun courtier, his words a reflection of the lingering mistrust.

In the Moon Court, Yoda's councilors debated in hushed tones. "King Yoda's wisdom has always guided us," one advisor remarked, her voice laced with cautious optimism. "Perhaps it is time to step out of the shadows and embrace the light of peace."

Amidst these discussions, both Yoren and Yoda remained steadfast, their conviction unwavering. They knew the path to peace was fraught with obstacles, but the vision they shared – a vision of a world where the sun's warmth and the moon's grace coexisted – was a dream they dared to nurture.

In time, this dream led to the first historic meeting between the two kings, a clandestine summit under the stars, at the very ruins of the once-great capital of Lumina. There, amidst the whispers of a past long forgotten, King Yoren and King Yoda stood face to face, the first of their kind to seek a harmony that transcended the division of day and night.

Their meeting, though shrouded in secrecy, was the first flicker of a flame that promised to light the way for both courts – a flame that held the potential to dispel the shadows of war and illuminate a path to a united future.

Under the cloak of night, where the stars held court in the sky, the ruins of Lumina bore witness to a historic meeting – the first of its kind in centuries. King Yoren of the Sun Court and King Yoda of the Moon Court, each a ruler in their own right, stepped into the hallowed grounds of what once was the heart of the unified Soluna. The air was thick with anticipation, and the ruins, bathed in the soft luminescence of the moon and the residual warmth of the sun, seemed to awaken from their long slumber.

King Yoren, dressed in robes that captured the warm hues of the sunrise, approached with a respectful nod. His expression, usually serene, was etched with the gravity of the moment. "King Yoda," he began, his voice steady yet imbued with emotion, "I stand before you not as a ruler of the day, but as a seeker of peace. Our realms have been divided for too long."

King Yoda, his stature small but presence immense, met Yoren's gaze. His eyes, mirroring the depth of the night sky, reflected a wisdom born of years spent under the moon's watch. "Indeed, King Yoren. In the cycle of night and day, there lies a harmony we have forgotten. It is time to remember and rebuild."

The ruins around them, remnants of a time when day and night were one, stood as silent witnesses to their dialogue. Yoren and Yoda walked amidst the fallen columns and broken archways, each step a symbol of their journey towards reconciliation.

"The people of the Sun Court are strong and passionate, but in our unending day, we have lost sight of the stars," Yoren confessed, his gaze lingering on a fragment of a sunstone. "We need the wisdom and perspective that the night brings."

Yoda nodded, his hands clasped behind his back. "And the Moon Court, though introspective and resilient, yearns for the warmth that only the sun can provide. Our strength lies in unity, not isolation."

Their conversation meandered through the possibilities of a joint future, a tapestry of ideas and hopes. They spoke of joint festivals to celebrate both the sun and the moon, of exchanges of scholars and artists, and of trade routes that would benefit both realms.

As dawn approached, painting the sky with the first light of day, Yoren and Yoda stood side by side, watching the horizon. The symbolic merging of night and day in that moment was not lost on them.

"We stand at the brink of a new era," Yoren said, his voice imbued with a newfound resolve. "A truce between our courts is but the first step towards healing the rift that has long separated us."

"Let this dawn mark the beginning of our journey together," Yoda added, his voice soft yet firm. "A journey towards a peace that honors both the sun and the moon."

The establishment of the truce, there amidst the ruins of Lumina, was a promise – a promise of a future where the Sun and Moon Courts could coexist in harmony. As Yoren and Yoda departed, each returning to their respective realms, the first rays of the sun mingled with the retreating night, a symbolic reminder of the unity they sought to achieve.

Their meeting, though kept secret from many, laid the foundations for a slowly blossoming relationship between the Sun and Moon Courts. It was a testament to their wisdom and the realization that in unity, not division, lay the true strength and prosperity of their realms.

In the aftermath of the historic meeting at the ruins of Lumina, King Yoren and King Yoda began the delicate task of nurturing the fragile truce into a lasting bond between the Sun and Moon Courts. This journey, paved with cautious optimism, was a testament to their shared vision of a harmonious future.

King Yoren returned to his sunlit palace, where the walls echoed with the memories of endless days. In the grand council chamber, bathed in golden light, he addressed his advisors. "We stand on the cusp of a new dawn," Yoren stated, his voice resonating with a quiet yet unmistakable determination. "The Moon Court is not our enemy; they are our counterparts, integral to restoring the balance that Soluna once knew."

His council, a collection of seasoned diplomats and warriors, exchanged glances. Some bore expressions of skepticism, their minds shadowed by generations of conflict, while others looked intrigued, their curiosity piqued by the possibility of change.

General Arcturus, a veteran of many sunlit battles, voiced his concern. "Your Majesty, the Moon Court has always been shrouded in mystery. Can we truly trust them?" His tone, though respectful, carried the weight of years of distrust.

Yoren’s response was thoughtful, reflecting the depth of his conviction. "Trust is like the dawn. It begins with a mere sliver of light, growing steadily until it illuminates all around us. We must be the first to extend this light."

Meanwhile, in the Moon Court, King Yoda convened a similar gathering under the soft, ethereal glow of moonstones. The atmosphere was one of contemplative silence, a stark contrast to the vibrant energy of the Sun Court.

"Change, like the phases of the moon, is inevitable," Yoda spoke, his voice a calm, guiding force in the dimly lit chamber. "Our path forward lies in harmony with the Sun Court. This is the way to true wisdom."

A murmur ran through the assembly, a mix of surprise and contemplation. Lady Celestine, an advisor known for her insight, shared her thoughts. "The night has always been our ally, but it has also kept us in solitude. Perhaps it is time we step into the light of new possibilities."

As months turned to years, small yet significant steps were taken. Joint festivals were initiated, celebrated on the borders of the two realms. These festivals, a blend of sun and moon traditions, became a symbol of their growing unity. People from both courts mingled, sharing stories and customs, and discovering the beauty in their differences.

Trade routes were established, allowing the exchange of goods and knowledge. Sun Court’s merchants brought the warmth of the sun in their wares, while Moon Court’s traders offered the cool wisdom of the night.

Cultural exchanges flourished, with artists, scholars, and musicians crossing the borders to share and learn. In the Sun Court, the melodies of the night played by Moon Court musicians captivated the hearts of many, while in the Moon Court, the vibrant colors of Sun Court's art opened new vistas of expression.

King Yoren and King Yoda continued their correspondence, each letter a reinforcement of their commitment to peace. Through these letters, they shared not only the progress of their endeavors but also the challenges they faced, forging a bond of mutual respect and understanding.

The gradual process of building trust and cooperation laid the foundation for future generations. It was a testament to the belief that unity was not only beneficial but essential for the prosperity and well-being of both realms. In this journey, the Sun and Moon Courts slowly rediscovered the harmony that was once the essence of Soluna, illuminating a path towards a future where day and night could coexist in peace.

In the unfolding tapestry of the Sun and Moon Courts' history, the lineage of rulers bore the responsibility of upholding and nurturing the delicate bond established by King Yoren and King Yoda. Following Yoda's wise reign, the Moon Court was guided by King Dooku, a ruler of sharp intellect and a commanding presence. Dooku, though a man of more stern disposition than his predecessor, recognized the value of the alliance with the Sun Court. He continued the tradition of cultural exchanges, though with a more strategic approach, ensuring the Moon Court's mystical and intellectual heritage was preserved and respected.

In the Sun Court, after the era of King Yoren, King Jaster ascended the throne. He was a leader of valor and strength, with a charisma that shone as brightly as the sun itself. Jaster's rule was marked by a period of expansion and prosperity. He took to heart the lessons of cooperation with the Moon Court, fostering trade relations and joint military exercises that strengthened the bonds of trust and mutual reliance. Jaster, with his vibrant energy, brought a new dynamism to the Sun Court's interactions with their nocturnal neighbors.

The subsequent transition of power in the Moon Court to King Qui-Gon was a return to the more introspective and philosophical approach of King Yoda. Qui-Gon, a thoughtful and wise ruler, married the serene and insightful Lady Tahl. Together, they embodied the tranquility and depth of the Moon Court. Qui-Gon's reign saw a resurgence in the arts and sciences, with a focus on understanding the natural world and the cosmos. His gentle guidance further solidified the Moon Court's reputation as a realm of wisdom and introspection.

Meanwhile, in the Sun Court, the transition from King Jaster to his son, King Jango, marked the continuation of a vibrant and powerful dynasty. Jango, much like his father, was a ruler of great courage and determination. His marriage to Queen Seraphina brought a blend of warmth and intelligence to the Sun Court. Under Jango's rule, the Sun Court continued to flourish, its people basking in the prosperity brought about by ongoing peace and cooperation with the Moon Court.

The births of Crown Princes Cody and Obi-Wan during the reigns of King Jango and King Qui-Gon, respectively, were celebrated with great joy in both courts. These princes, born into a legacy of burgeoning unity and cooperation, were seen as symbols of the enduring alliance between day and night.

In these years of gradual rapprochement, the birth of the Crown Princes in both courts marked a new hope. In the Sun Court, Crown Prince Cody was born under the auspicious first light of dawn. His first cries were met with the jubilation of a kingdom that saw in him the future of continued harmony. Cody grew under the relentless sun, his personality a reflection of its brilliance and clarity.

Similarly, in the Moon Court, the birth of Crown Prince Obi-Wan was celebrated under the soft glow of a full moon. His arrival was heralded as a sign of enduring peace, and his upbringing was imbued with the mystique and calm of the lunar realm. Obi-Wan matured into a thoughtful and introspective young man, his demeanor as soothing as the moonlight.

The parallel lives of these princes, born into a legacy of burgeoning unity, were destined to intertwine. Their upbringing, though separate, was underpinned by the same principles of understanding and cooperation that their forebears had championed.

As they came of age, the hopes of both courts rested on their shoulders – the expectation that they would carry forward the work started generations ago, and perhaps, bring about the fulfillment of a harmony that had once been the essence of Soluna.

A/N: Now I will wait before continuing this story, I did want to give you some backstory to the idea I have here. I would love to hear all of your thoughts, suggestions, ideas and comments you might have. I look forward to know what you think, and if you would like to read more about this story I've started. @swfandomevent @swfanfics @codywanbingo

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strixramus · 2 months

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30min Anthology #13

All eyes were on him now. Acklin watched on in stunned horror. Hundreds of faces looked down on him and he couldn't imagine what for. Their faces shadowed by the sunstone's light made it hard to read what they felt. Mama Eddie was practically consumed by the light. Acklin imagined that she must look an awful lot like the Sun the gem derived its name. Brilliant and blinding, deadly and mysterious.

Acklin was forced to snap back to the present moment. He couldn't lose himself to fantasies now. He had already wasted enough time gawking. It seemed the men around him had stepped away in his moment of confusion and awe. They wadded back to the slopes of the shelves and stepped free from the waters that now climbed to Acklin's waist. "This young man. Who my son would have claimed as his own. Has taken from us the only good thing that ever came from these pits." Mama Eddie's voice cried out. Acklin was stunned for the second time. His mind raced with his heart. "The Queen has curled her claws into one of our own. Entreated him with their pleasures and asked of him a true sin." Mama Eddie licked her lips with a look of lust in her eyes. "The Queen and her royals feared the power my son cultivated and now they aim to make an example of those who dare to rise above their position. Tonight we will set an example for those who take what is not theirs. Tonight we declare war against the Queen."

Acklin was dumbfounded. He racked his brain, searching for a reason for this madness. He wanted to cry out, to question his grandmother, but the crowds roared over his stammered words. Whatever this was, Acklin knew the truth, but Mama Eddie's spectacle overshadowed him. Acklin's confusion became fear. The cool waters continued to rise. He turned towards the slope of the shelf, but a mob crowded its edge. He wadded forward anyway. He wasn't the kind who laid down and died. He had grown up on the streets, just him and his mother. When she died, he had survived alone in the darkness for twelve years. He had a reputation on the streets. One he figured was a great excuse for Mama Eddie's deception.

Ahead of Acklin came weighty stones. Heaved by hands who's fears of the Dreamer's Sea were replaced by a roaring rage fanned by Mama's silver tongue. Behind him the whistle of obsidian tipped arrows. Of which one was not intended for him. Instead it was coated in pitch, lit upon the dying pyre and loosed towards the funeral boat. The curtains called on tonight's unforeseen execution.

#short story #fiction #writing #30 minute sprint #anthology #fantasy

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sparkraptor · 11 months

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Solarae Empire, Decades Ago

Terion was vibrating with excitement as he followed his Nanny and guards to the throne room. He was thirteen years old, old enough to begin the rites and mysteries that opened the pathways to adulthood, and eventually the Imperial Seat.

“Decorum, your highness” Agatha said. Her tanned skin was only lightly lined with age, and silver streaked the dark of her hair. Like all of the Solarae, from the lowest caste to the highest throne, her eyes glimmered with the gilded light of the Triumvera, the three suns at the heart of the Imperial Core.

He smoothed his tunic, ivory and gold, and glanced at her and the two guards in black and gold, imposing in the luminous corridor. “I’m just excited. For Mother and Father to call me like this.”

It was more than that, though. As he looked at his guards, he remembered their former Captain. Benjamin. He’d never known the man’s last name, just his serious, blunt kindness. He’d been old, Terion knew that- old enough to have served with his Grandfather in the War of Six Hells, but he was as spry and able as his youngest soldiers.

And he would sit quietly, smiling just a bit, as a tiny prince babbled stories at him at all hours of the night, in his grim black uniform.

Terion later learned that there had been an attempt on his life, an assassin rumoured to be a Dolani witch. And just like that, Captain Benjamin with his kind eyes, and gruff beard, was gone.

Agatha smiled and smoothed Terion’s close-cropped golden-brown hair. “Take a deep breath and you will be fine, your highness.”

The Throne room was not a place for children. It was a place where affairs of the Empire were carried out. His parents thrones, glittering white and studded with golden sunstone, stood at the far end beneath a canopy of golden brocade.

They were not on their thrones, but instead, waiting for Terion near the door in neat white and gold suits. He was unaccountably disappointed, but squared his shoulders. “Your radiant majesties.” He bowed, and his mother chuckled. What did not disappoint him, however, were the golden-veiled guardians that stood behind each one of them. Their wings were quiet, glowing blue crystal orbs that floated silently behind them, and they stood tall and proud, white hair elaborately braided under their gilded helmets.

“Prince Terionus Sextus Niccolo von Suringen. You may rise.” she said with a laugh in her voice. “Teri. Do you know what today is, and why we summoned you and not your little sister?”

Terion tried not to start vibrating. “Am. Am i old enough to go to the Forge?”

Father folded his arms and laughed. “Well, we’re not going for ice cream, boy.” He clapped his son on the shoulder. “The Forge of Duras is the Holiest of Holies. And I expect you to tell me what your studies have taught you as we go to the jumpship.”

“ABSOLUTELY!” Terion shouted with more enthusiasm than was strictly necessary.

“Our people wandered the cold and dark of the stars, lost from the ancient homeworld. Every world they visited was unfit for human habitation, and they despaired, realizing they were not too late to the spaceways, but too early. But then they discovered the world they named Tartarus. It was cold and dark as space, but on it’s surface, they discovered the signs of a long-vanished civilization.” Terion intoned as they settled into the organic embrace of the ship’s interior.

“Apologies” The Shipmind said, interrupting him. “Your highness must follow safety precautions and buckle up!”

“Sorry.” Terion apologised without thinking and strapped in.

“Continue.” His mother said.

“The Captain of the sleeper ship, the Solaris, was Her Holiness Ariane Von Suringen, the First Seer and First Empress. And when visiting the ruins she had a vision, coordinates to a perfect system. Three suns in balance, with a total of twenty planets orbiting them.”

“And what did they find, once they had settled on Solarae Prime?”

“The Scepter.” Terion said proudly. “A column of golden sunstone that held within it a primer, left behind by the old gods of the system. And once they deciphered that, it led them to the hidden twenty-first planet. Locked in the dangrous space in between the orbit of the three mothers, the Triumvera. It led to the Forge of Duras. Where we learned the secrets of how to build the Guardians.”

“Correct, if a bit rushed.” Father laughed. “We weave the Guardians, as well as all our synthlife, on Edenica now. The world is rich with life that lends itself well to being spun into synthetic DNA and components. The Temple’s forges create the crystalline brains that process the thoughts of synthlife from great Shipminds, like the Marlana here, to your mooncat back home. But do you know what separates the Guardians from any other synthlife?”

“The core.” Terion said proudly. “And the core can only be created in the Forge of Duras. Am. Am I going to get to see a core being made??” He squirmed in his seat.

“No.But before you get disappointed, it is something better.” Father looked out of the windows at the Guardians darting alongside the ship. Their crystalline wings unfolded, glittering with starlight, iridescent skinsuits reflecting the running lights of the Marlana.

“There was a time when there were many more of them. That every spaceway through the empire was patrolled by angels.” Mother said with a touch of sadness. “But war with the Marach, and the Dominion over the centuries have thinned their numbers which is why we keep them close.” She watched the cometary contrails of her Guardian’s wings. “Argentaria is five hundred years old. Coronus is older. Cores take a long time, and the greatest Maesters to create. And longer to repair when badly damaged.”

Understanding hit Terion like a flare. “We’re going to see a Guardian reborn??”

Mother laughed. “Yes. He fell during the third Marach war, eight hundred years ago. His core was placed in a place of honor in the Forge, in the hopes that it could be repaired someday, a process far more complex than even the initial weaving. We have his body and his mind in storage, right below our feet, fresh from the looms on Edenica. You are old enough to learn the secrets of Duras, and to see an ancient one take new flight.”

“And he will be yours when he awakens.” Father added.

Terion thought he was going to pass out.

~~~

The gravitational forces surrounding the Forge of Duras were enough to tear a ship apart, but the Marlana knew the route as much as it knew it’s own hull.

And on the blinding surface, the black, four-armed figure of the great maker, Duras, rose above the enterance to the underground city that comprised the Forge.

Terion waited by the sarcophogus containing the Guardian’s body as he watched his father hand over a necrocorder to the Grand Maester. She took it with a bow, and retreated. “Mother, is that like the necrocorder that lets us talk to our ancestors?” He fidgeted with his ear cuff nervously.

“The final component to a core. The heart of a Guardian can only be awoken with the lives of the righteous. Anyone, from a janitor to an emperor... if they are righeous and good in life, their enegrams may be elected to find a home in a Guardian’s core.” She gestured to a wall of glowing volumes. “But for this rebirth, a compatible soul is needed to reinforce the one that already lies within.” She smiled gently.

Apprentices came for the sarcophogus and moved it to the central chamber. It opened with a soft hiss, and they set about bathing and anointing the body before moving it to a pool of golden marble and glass. It sank to the bottom, silver hair floating like mist.

It. He looked peaceful, Terion thought. Beautiful. Tattoos covered his arms and chest, echoes of the ones he’d worn in his past life, the sigils of Emperors and Empresses of centuries past.

Inside the watery gel of the pool, they opened him up, and set the core- a beating heart of crystal and light- inside. The prayers and litanies were sung, as tense moments passed. Terion wondered if the body and the core might reject each other, then breath came in a bubbling gasp and eyes, blue and luminous as crystal flashed open.

The gel scattered as his wings unfurled, showering them in the damp as he rose. LIght pulsed along the seams hidden in his skin and he tipped his head, regarding them. “I am Auric of the First Host.” he said in a voice that contained echoes of multitudes. “It is good to meet you all again for the first time.”

He turned his brilliant gaze on the prince. “I look forward to protecting you, your highness.”

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lilylovesundertale · 2 years

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Shattered hopes chapter 3 something's wrong

*sunny began reforming*

Crystal: SUNNY YOUR-

*a little Sun begin reforming around her gem*

Zap: that's new

Sunny: please state your name

Crystal: Crystal?

Sunny: your performance

Crystal: what?

Sunny refroms*

Nora:*calming Delta down*

Aquo: thank goodness you're back

Sunny: * walked past aquo*

Aquo: ... Fine just ignore me I guess

Sunny:*walks over to Crystal*

Song begins here*

Sunny: how do you do my Crystal*grabs Crystal's hand* thank you for helping me in the war I'm at your eternal service welcome to your new sunstone 🎶

Crystal: are you okay sunny?

Frost:*also begins to reforme*

Everyone began staring in the direction where the glow was coming from*

Crystal:*attempt to summon psyblast but her psychic powers won't work for some reason* uh oh

Frost suddenly tackle hug Crystal*

Crystal: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Otto: oh dear

Sunny: this will be fun aren't you the lucky one thare cut is perfect and she's crystalized as well she'll bring you endless training your new best friend frost🎶

Song end*

Crystal:*somehow stands up and began shaking frost* WHATEVER YOU DID FIX IT

Mila: *Gently pulls Crystal back* darling calm down

Delto: whoever this is must be broken

Sasha: I'll try my best to get information out of her meanwhile Norma is going to try to get Sunny's memories back

Star: guys.... Everyone look outside to see a giant glowing Orange rock*

Nora: I can't use my psychic abilities

Darko: I can't either

Leaf: whatever that thing is must be disabling them

Echo: this could be a problem who knows what that thing could do next

Hollis: I'm going to go call for backup

Truman: Nora be careful

Nora: I will dad

Aziz: are we dealing with the end of the world again

Lizzie began laughing*

Aziz: was it something I said

Zap:*hug Darko*

Lily:*tackle Nora only to fall asleep on her*

Darko:*going to move lily but gets a gun pointed at him*

Nora: touch her I dare you

Star: why do you even have a gun on you

Nora: emergencies

Star: like what?

Nora:

Star: LIKE WHAT?

Nora:

Star: answer the question please

Crystal:*crying while hugging sunny* I love you

Star: I also heard that Adam Morris and Sam also lost their memories

A bright light begins surrounding Sunny and crystal*

Nora:*quickly spits out her drink*

Darko: oh.my.god

Star:*happy muffled screaming*

Truman: oh my

Milla:*begin shaking Sasha* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

leaf:*covering her ears while holding the camera*

Echo: *covering her ears* HOW DO YOU HAVE YOUR PSYCHIC ABILITIES STILL

leaf: THE ORANGE ROCK DOESN'T AFFECT ME FOR SOME REASON

Norma: agent videlo calm down

Sasha: Milla you're murdering my ear drums

Delto: *long stare at the fusion*

Zap: *walks out only to drop his drink*

???: What happened

Nora:*Frozen in shock*

???: Mom?

All of a sudden very happy screams can be heard (from everyone else except Nora)

Nora:

Star: what is your name going to be

Nora:

Star: how about... Light Crystal or or suntal

suntal: I like suntal

Nora:

Suntal: is mom okay

Zap:*begins waving his hand in front of Nora*

Nora:

Zap: I think she's broken

To be continued

#psychonauts au #lily aquado au #my au #lily x nora #psychonauts 2 #lily aquado future #darko x zap #sunny x crystal #I apologize for stealing the song well half of it at least #Steven universe

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uhhhyaenbyjade · 2 years

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Horizon Zero Dawn - Missions (Timeline Order)

Okay! So I’ve always thought about how to do missions in video games so that it makes chronological sense. Like, how you can access a mission about a village on fire at the beginning of the game, come back to it after the final battle, and the village can still be saved. And one of my favorite games is Horizon: Zero Dawn! So here’s how I did the missions in my recent playthrough! ------------------------------------------------ - A Gift From The Past - Lesson’s From the Wild - Odd Grata - In Her Mother’s Footsteps - The Point of the Spear - Mother’s Heart - The Proving - The Womb of the Mountain - Insult to Injury - A Seeker at the Gates (up to Varl) - The War-Chief’s Trail (up to talking with the survivor) - Corrupted Zone: Sacred Land’s - Nora Hunting Grounds - Ancient Armory (access mission) - A Daughter’s Vengeance (access mission) - Tallneck: Devil’s Thirst - Devil’s Thirst Bandit Camp - The War-Chief’s Trail - Revenge of the Nora (access mission) - Sanctuary - Luck of the Hunt - Shortage of Supplies - A Seeker at the Gates (Up to Marea) - Corrupted Zone: Valleymeet - Valleymeet Hunting Grounds - To Old Acquaintances (access mission) - Underequipped - Cauldron SIGMA - Corrupted Zone: Red Echoes - Revenge of the Nora - Corrupted Zone: Forsaken Village - Corrupted Zone: South Valleymeet - Two-Teeth Bandit Camp - A Seeker at the Gates - A Daughter’s Vengeance (talk to Zaid) - In Foreign Lands - The City of the Sun (access mission) - Greatrun Hunting Grounds - Tallneck: Copper Deeps - Cauldron RHO - Gatelands Bandit Camp - Corrupted Zone: Gatelands - Tallneck: Sun Steps - A Daughter’s Vengeance - Blood on Stone - The City of the Sun - The Field of the Fallen (access mission) - Makers End (access mission) - Gets maps for all the collectables, does as missions continue - Fatal Inheritance - Demand and Supply - A Moment’s Peace (access mission) - The Field of the Fallen - Into the Borderlands (access mission) - Collateral - Cauldron ZETA - Corrupted Zone: Sun Furrows - Acquired Taste - Sun Furrows Hunting Ground - The Sun Shall Fall - Hunting for the Lodge - Hunter’s Blind - Deadliest Game (access mission) - A Curious Proposal (access mission) - Robbing the Rich - Honor the Fallen - Deadliest Game - Heap of Trouble - Death From the Skies - Hammer and Steel - Sunstone Rock - Blackwing Snag Bandit Camp - Sun’s Judgment - Sun and Shadow - Redmaw - Shattered Kiln Bandit Camp - Maker’s End - The Grave-Hoard (access mission) - Corrupted Zone: Maker’s End - Hollow Fort Bandit Camp - Cause for Concern (access mission) - A Moment’s Peace - The Grave-Hoard - To Curse the Darkness (access mission) - Tallneck: Spearshafts - Corrupted Zone: Spurflints - Spurflints Hunting Grounds - Cauldron XI - Corrupted Zone: Dusk Mesa - A Curious Proposal - To Curse the Darkness - Deep Secrets of the Earth (access mission) - Tallneck: Rustwash - Corrupted Zone: Rustwash - Deep Secrets of the Earth (until Vanasha talk) - Traitor’s Bounty - Healer’s Oath - Queen’s Gambit - Deep Secrets of the Earth - The Terror of the Sun - The Heart of the Nora - The Mountain that Fell (access mission) - Into The Frozen Wilds (until Burgrend) - Waterlogged (access mission) - A Secret Shared (access mission) - Tallneck: Frostfigures - Into the Frozen Wilds - The Shaman’s Path (access mission) - Waterlogged - Control Tower: Greycatch Lake - The Shaman’s Path - Control Tower: Shaman’s Path - Control Tower: Hollow Hall - Stone Yield Bandit Camp - The Survivor (access mission) - Snowchant’s Hunting Ground (first 2) - The Survivor - For the Werak - Firebreak (access mission) - Snowchant’s Hunting Ground (final trial) - Frontier Justice - The Hunter’s Three - Control Tower’s: Longnotch Valley - Geared Up (all 3 missions) - The Claw’s Beneath - Firebreak - The Forge of Winter - Out of the Forge - Ikrie’s Challenge - The Mountain that Fell - The Looming Shadow (access mission) - Ancient Armory - The Looming Shadow - The Face of Extinction ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is just how I did it, but I tried to keep them relatively simple. How did you guys do yours? P.S. I’m also cataloguing the Forbidden West missions as I do my 2nd playthrough right now ;)

#Horizon Series #horizon zero dawn #horizon forbidden west #Aloy #Aloy horizon #guerilla games #hzd aloy #hzd #hfw #timeline #missions

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four-loose-screws · 3 years

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FE8 Novelization Translation: Book 2 - Front Cover & Other Introductory Pages

Yup, you read that right! It’s time for book 2 already!

And here’s the big announcement - I recalculated the number of parts I’m going to split the chapters into, so I don’t have to take a break in-between books 1 and 2! Some chapters have more scene breaks than others, so it was an easy thing to do without compromising pacing at all.

Let’s get started!!

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Book 2

Written by TAKASE Mie

Illustrated by SUZUKI Rika

Published by Square Enix

(inside flap)

Author

TAKASE Mie

TAKASE Mie was born on July 31st in Tokyo. She graduated from Waseda University. Her recent hobby is the cello, which she was inspired to start learning after watching a certain sailing movie. Though she has dreams of one day being able to play Bach’s cello suites, she still has a hard time with even basic scales.

Cover and Obi Design: atelier THiRD

Princess Eirika vowed to rebuild her home country of Renais, gained the help of their ally nation Frelia, and started to fight back. As her army marches, she crosses paths with all sorts of people, and grows her group of allies. Finally, they make it to Renvall Castle, a critical strategic location for the Grado Army, and attack it. During the battle, she succeeds in reuniting with her elder twin brother Ephraim, who disappeared on the front lines. However, after having only a moment to confirm each other’s safety, Ephraim states that he will march to Grado Castle. Eirika volunteers to travel to the Theocracy of Rausten to support him, but then...

(inside flap)

Illustrator

SUZUKI Rika

SUZUKI Rika currently lives in Yokohama. She is a freelance illustrator who has contributed to titles such as the Monster Collection TCG (published by Fujimi Shobo) and Angels of Dawn (written by KAYATA Sunako and published by Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc.). She also created the manga Tableau Gate - Volumes 1 & 2 (published by Kadokawa Shoten).

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Book 1

Written by TAKASE Mie

Illustrated by SUZUKI Rika

Table of Contents

Chapter 11: Caer Pelyn

Chapter 12: The Wyvern Rider’s Wrath

Chapter 13: The Desert Palace

Chapter 14: Reunion

Chapter 15: The Day the Empire Fell

Chapter 16: Repatriation

Chapter 17: The Demon King’s Shadow

Chapter 18: Encroaching Trap

Chapter 19: Night in Rausten

Chapter 20: The Lord of the Darkling Woods

Chapter 21: The Continent’s Wrath

Character Introductions

Eirika

The Princess of Renais. She is kind, and does not like war itself, but still dedicated herself to the current war without hesitation to retake her country, a goal entrusted to her by her father, the king.

Fado

The king of the Kingdom of Renais. In his youth, he was renowned for his military prowess, and he is adored by his people as an honest statesman.

Seth

Though he is the youngest of all Renais’ generals, his loyalty and superb skills in both combat and discernment make him the ideal image of a knight.

Franz

He may have just only become a full-fledged knight, but he has a very serious and earnest personality, and is skilled in combat as well, ensuring him a promising future.

Valter

A general of the Grado Empire also known as the Moonstone. He was discharged from the army for the crime of massacring ordinary citizens for fun. However...

Gilliam

A devoted knight of Frelia with a long history as a fearless soldier. He is a man of few words, but his power is known throughout the entire Frelian Army.

Tana

The princess of the Kingdom of Frelia. In contrast to her friendly personality that is beloved by all of her retainers and servants, she also has military experience, and is an active member of the pegasus knight unit.

Hayden

The king of the Kingdom of Frelia. His resourcefulness is unparalleled, and has earned him the title “The Wise King.” He is a long time friend of Fado’s and spares no effort in aiding Eirika and her allies.

Vanessa

An outstanding knight, even among the prided Frelian pegasus knights. She is very serious, but kind.

Moulder

A priest. Within his calm appearance lies a very intelligent mind. He can not only heal with staves, but is also knowledgeable in medicine.

Selena

A mage general of Grado, also known as the Fluorspar. One of the empire’s three generals. She has vowed her undying loyalty to Emperor Vigarde.

Ross

A boy living in Ide Village in Renais. He is saved by Eirika and her allies when his home is attacked by bandits.

Garcia

Ross’ father. A former troop commander in the Renais’ army known for his dauntless courage. When his wife passed away, he retired from the army to raise his son.

Neimi

A girl born in Lark Village in Renais. Her home was burned down by bandits. She cries easily, but undoubtedly inherited her grandfather’s famous skills with a bow.

Colm

Neimi’s childhood friend. They were the only two to survive the bandit attack on their hometown. He has sticky fingers, but is kind to Neimi.

Artur

He meets Eirika and the others while carrying out the orders given to him by his monastery to purge the lands of monsters. He has a deep love of learning and is a devoted monk.

Lute

Artur’s childhood friend. Though it is true that she is an exceptionally skilled mage, the words and actions she chooses as a result of her confidence in that fact are a bit detached from reality.

L’Arachel

A young woman with a strong sense of justice on a continuing journey to take out the monsters roaming the lands. She actually appears to be of noble standing based upon the way her companions talk to and act around her.

Dozla

A warrior traveling with L’Arachel. He cannot hide the fact that he is her loyal retainer, though perhaps it is more accurate to say that he is not really trying. He’s not one to sweat the small stuff.

Rennac

He is actually a master thief, and just under contract with L’Arachel, but all she does is drag him around everywhere.

Natasha

A cleric being pursued by the Grado Army because she was deemed a traitor. She asks to travel with Eirika so she can spread the word to other nations about the strange things occurring within the empire.

Joshua

A skilled mercenary who loves to gamble above all else. He becomes Eirika’s ally after losing a bet with Natasha.

Ephraim

The prince of Renais and Eirika’s older twin brother. He is blessed with a strong sense of justice and decisiveness. He also excels in spearmanship, and his skills are highly respected by the cavalier unit.

Kyle

A loyal retainer who has served Ephraim ever since he joined the cavalier unit. An exceptional knight who’s skilled in serving as a guard.

Forde

Like Kyle, he serves Ephraim as both a guard and close confidant. He and Kyle have been rivals since they were young. He is also Franz’s older brother.

Orson

The commanding officer of the Renais cavalier unit. He is a devoted cavalier who has served the royal family for years, and that King Fado trusts deeply, however...

Innes

The prince of The Kingdom of Frelia. He always has a strong sense of duty towards his role as a member of the royal family. He is extremely confident in himself, and has the strength and abilities to back it up.

Myrrh

A girl who is neither human nor monster, but a member of the dragon tribe. She leaves The Darkling Woods to tell the humans about the abnormalities occurring across the continent.

Amelia

A girl who became a soldier because of her respect for General Duessel. However, she feels lost when she learns that he opposes the war.

Gerik

The brave leader of a band of mercenaries. He joins Eirika’s army because Prince Innes hired him as his guard.

Tethys

A dancer whose bewitching dances attract the soldiers around her and heighten their morale. Once she joined Gerik’s Mercenaries, she became an indispensable member of the group.

Marisa

A female mercenary is rare enough, but her beauty and skills make her even more of a diamond in the rough. She is registered in the guild as a member of the same mercenary group as Gerik.

Ewan

Tethys’ little brother. He aspires to become a mage, and convinced a renowned sage to become his teacher. He is at the age where he cannot help but want to be treated as his own person.

Saleh

The sage of Caer Pelyn, and the only person of this age to associate with those of the dragon tribe. His abilities are very widely known. He is also Ewan’s teacher.

Glen

A general of the Grado Empire who is also known as the Sunstone. One of the empire’s three generals. He also questions the current war…

Cormag

A dragon knight of Grado. Glen’s younger brother. He trusts and respects his brother completely, but after a certain event happens, he leaves the Grado Army.

Lyon

The prince of the Grado Empire. He has been a friend of Eirika and Ephraim’s for many years. His research into dark magic has made him even more knowledgeable in magic than the palace mages.

Ismaire

The beautiful queen of the Kingdom of Jehanna, known as “The Queen of White Dunes.” She has gained the overwhelming support of the people for her accomplishments in running the country since her husband’s passing.

Duessel

A general of the Grado Empire with the title “Obsidian.” One of the Three Imperial Generals. Though he has been accused of being a traitor, he is working together with Ephraim to warn the emperor of the error of his ways.

Knoll

A palace mage of the Grado Empire who studied dark magic alongside Lyon. He is one of the few people who knows the reason why the emperor, once known for his virtue, changed so drastically.

Caellach

A general of Grado known as the “Tiger Eye.” He started out as a mere mercenary, and rose up to his current position, but he is an ambitious person who wishes to rise even higher.

Vigarde

The emperor of the Grado Empire. He is beloved for his virtuous ways, including opening up the national treasury to the people in times of disaster. However, ever since that fateful day, his personality has changed completely, and he began the invasion all of the countries across the continent of Magvel...

Syrene

The commander of Frelia’s third unit of pegasus knights. She is Vanessa’s elder sister by blood, but Tana also looks up to her like an elder sister.

Mansel

The Pontifex who rules over the Theocracy of Rausten. Known for being highly educated and devoted to his beliefs, he is worshiped by the deeply devoted people as the representative of the gods.

Riev

A mage general of the Grado Empire known as the “Blood Beryl.” Ever since he learned the reason for the emperor’s change, he has served the emperor to support his dark ambitions.

#fire emblem #fe8 #sacred stones #fe #nintendo #game boy #game boy advance #gba #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe8 novelization translation

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hylianfury · 3 years

Link

And here we go with a new chapter. I want to make more stuff for you all so... I tried my best. Now I’ll focus on the war au’s last chapters (three, probably) then I’ll go back to sunstone and... I don’t know. I’m overwhelmed by the wonderful people of this fandom, really.

Anyway, Ravio and Engineer Link continue their adventure, this time in an underwater castle.

#albw #spirit tracks #engineer link #ravio

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rahafwabas · 4 years

Note

if u dont mind me asking, what was going to happen to steven in your comic au?

Oh a lot

(Btw my English isn’t that good)

But the main thing is Accepting or loving his gem side we see Steven always wanting to feel like a human and we don’t blame him the gems did so many awful things

So I planed to make a character to help him accept that part of him

And she is like alien plant half a red diamond ( it’s a long story lol ) anyway she love her gem side so much she haven’t get any troubles like Steven and she didn’t have the complex that she’s different because she heard about Steven ( I mean he is very famous the guy who saved the galaxy ) I want her to be a big dorky fangirl who looked up for Steven and wanted to learn from him and ask so many questions like so many uncomfortable questions to Steven about how he control his powers which led to Steven to get annoyed by her because he sees his past self when he was young and naive

Here some ideas I wanted to add

Steven has a fear using his powers after the meltdown

Green diamond and red diamond and talk about the gems origin

I want to show how the gems look like before, like for example green diamond is a computer A.I like she is the first one to be made and red dimond was the first gem to have body wish is not perfect

Aliens like different planet visits, one of the plants I was excited to make was a full water plant where sapphires and lapis’s come from

Aliens don’t like the gems ( I mean who doesn’t after all the gems took their planets and destroyed it)

Lapiss fusion, after what happened to our lapis she is damaged the idea of fusion scared her and what saved her is nice lapis (there was a kind of mission I planed where mean lapis and peridot got kidnapped by the bad guys) and the lapis’s went to save them and we got in big trouble which led to them to fuses into mega laps

I was planning to make a team up with Lars and Steven

And wanted to make a redmsion arc for white blue and yellow dimond

Fix the relationship between the diamonds and Steven ( that doesn’t mean Steven will be buddy buddy with them)

Diamonds fusion

Steven getting puffed ( yep in front of pearl and Connie )

Steven metes with his mother and talk about the lies and the truth and the secrets

Steven was having a complex about doing the same thing his mother did just disappeared and make someone else take he’s place but pink changes his mind which led to pink redemption arc

Here a first thought about what I wanted to him to look like before I changed my mind and thought of different look

Green dimond got a body by using the dimonds and Steven help ( forcefully )

A traitor in the group

OG Pearls meets her first real owner

Pink pearl standing out for herself and defense the other pearls ( there’s idea of someone stealing the pearls ) and spinal was their she was the one who inspired pink pearl to be stronger which led to spinal and pink pearl fusion

Steven instead of fearing his powers he is trying to control it in a healthy way which led to him to do cool power moves even if he fuse with the other gems

Smoky /rainbow 2.0 /sunstone / stevonnie getting pink

The team villains ?

Maya the last of her speeches, her planet got destroyed by white diamond

Keyan he is very close to the group and think of them like a family

Bria and eartha a name given by keyan

Bria used to be in love with the solder gem but unfortunately because the gem war that solder gem got shattered by blue diamond because she found out the solder gem wanted to be a crystal gem and she used one of Bria wopens to shatter her

Eartha was one of a scientists who work with yellow diamond but she was over shadowed by yellow and all her work and credit taking from her because she was only a small gem

Rinya also name given by keyan, rinya is portal gem that was a failed experiment by yellow and wanted her to be shattered but got saved by the group

And finally Peary also name given by keyan, Peary the first white dimond pearl which got replaced easily after pink diamond pearl accident

There’s more idk if I should continue this is already a long post 🤣

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gloves94 · 4 years

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Kingdom of the Sun [Fire Lord Zuko] 8

Chapter Warnings: Death Story Rating: M Pairings: Zuko/OC Kingdom of the Sun MASTERLIST

Last Airbender MASTERLIST My MASTERLIST

"Mother…" Tsai paced around the guest room where her mother would be staying. It was past midnight and the shocking news of Fire Lord Ozai's passing had been a hard hit. "What are you doing here?" She pinched the bridge of her nose already feeling overwhelmed.

"It's not safe. Why did you come? Who's taking care of things back home?" Sanju removed her glasses and placed them next to the bedside table, a bored expression on her sharp eyes. "Your friends are terrible liars. Specially that bald boy." "You mean the Avatar?"

Leave it to her mother to have absolute and complete disregard for whom she was entertaining. Just a couple of years back she would've bent over backwards just to entertain him. Now she had reduced Aang from an almighty Avatar to an honest bald boy. How typical of her to be so unconcerned with matters that did not regarded her.

"I've come to take you home. Your brother and I need help running the paper," she said placing her hands on her lap, sitting with her back completely erect, lips drawn into an intimidating thin line. "I didn't mean to come to the Fire Nation, or to stay here for so long… Wait- if you and Mecha are here? Who's in charge? Also- where did my brother go?" Tsai asked, still a thousand questions running through her head. "That boy with the ponytail, he's quite brilliant," Sanju nodded closing her eyes for a moment. 'Sokka? Really?' The young lady couldn't help but be slightly horrified at the thoughts of Sokka running a newspaper. "Your brother is off with some girl," she added flatly. 'Mai, of course.'

"Mom," Tsai looked at her nervously twirling the fabric of her dress skirt in her hands. "What if… What if I want to stay here, in the Fire Nation?" She admitted looking at her with hopeful eyes. "Stay? And do what?" Her mother arched a judgement eyebrow. "What are you going to do here? Lounge around?" Again, three years ago she would've been ecstatic at the news. Hell - she would've packed her up and kicked her out of Yu Dao with a bidding away party. Now, however, she seemed unenthusiastic at the idea. "No," she drawled out feeling small under her mom's intimidating green gaze. "I'm going to stay and I'm going to help people here. There's much reconstruction to do, just like back home."

Sanju made a disapproving sound, yet her posture did not shift. "That terribly rude man has brought nothing but turmoil and more troubles since he came into our lives and still he can't manage to say a single word of acknowledgement to me." She uttered bitter at the lack of appreciation. "Mom," Tsai reasoned with her. "He's in shock, his dad just died." "Oh?" She poked. "His father? The disgraced war criminal whom he allowed to rot in jail?" She huffed with a glare. “It’s no surprise the coward chose the easy way out. Suicide…” She clicked her tongue. Tsai's shoulders slumped forward in defeat. Clearly it would be impossible to get through to her mother and even worse when she was in a mood. "You're impossible," she muttered shaking her head and walking towards the door. "Don't you walk away from me!" Her mother called out sternly. Her daughter didn't respond and exited the room. "This conversation isn't over Tsai!" She called.

Troubled, upset and beyond irritated Tsai worriedly made way to Zuko's room. She wondered if he was still awake this late in the night.

She slid the door open slowly. The maroon room was dark, and she saw him. Zuko was on his bed, laying down on his side over the bed covers. A single candle kept the room dimly lit. She looked at him with concern and walked around sitting on the edge of the mattress. She could see that he was awake. His gold eyes fixed on a particular spot on the wall. He hadn’t said a single word since they had both been informed of Ozai’s demise. Tsai assumed this must’ve been terribly hard for him.

Sure, maybe Fire Lord Ozai was an absolutely vile and disgusting man. He was a war criminal. He was solely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Yet he was his father – and his abuser too. He was the man who had scarred and emotionally tortured for years. Not to mention the multiple assassination attempts on his young life. Not to mention how he had taken everything away from him, even his mother.

Remaining silent she placed a hand on his arms hoping it would bring him comfort. Unsure of what she could possibly say or do to make the situation any better.

This was a lot. Even for him to process and dissect how he felt. It was not yet dawn when a knock echoed through the room. Tsai turned and allowed the person in. In stepped in Zuko’s assistant holding in several parchments of information accompanied by two Fire Nation guards standing several feet behind him. “The physicians have determined the cause of death,” he said keeping his eyes lowered. Zuko did not move from his position. His glazed eyes simply remained frozen on that same spot on the wall.

“What was the cause of death?” Tsai asked turning to look at Nezu from her seat on the mattress. “Fire Lord Ozai’s official cause of death was exsanguination. An artery was pierced by a stab wound. Foul play is suspected,” he explained. It was then that Zuko actually moved. He sat up slowly his back remaining turned against the messenger. “How’d it happen?” Was all he asked. His tone dry of any sympathy he might’ve held for his father. The assistant cleared his throat pausing for a moment, “Uh…” He hesitated. “Exsanguination,” Tsai repeated what the man had just said. “I want to know how it happened. I need to know every detail,” he spoke in a rougher and angrier tone than intended. His gaze clouded with darkness.

The assistant stammered as he once again unraveled the parchment scroll and continued to read. “- Ozai a male adult of middle age, was found dead in his prison cell in the North Prison Tower on the day of our lord past dusk. The cause of death is considered to be exsanguination from a fetal stab wound to the brachial artery. Signs of struggle were present as the man was stabbed 23 times.”

‘Twenty-three stab wounds?’ Tsai’s mouth went dry. All this time she had assumed that the man had committed suicide, not that somebody had gone in and turned him into a slice of cheese! Whomever had done this- it hadn’t been a casual hit job. This had been personal. Whomever had done this had personal beef with Ozai, but then again, who didn’t? “This was found amongst his belongings,” Nezu said pulling a wrapped bundle from his pocket. Zuko finally turned to look at his assistant. Tsai paled in disbelief, her face resembling a pillow’s bed sheets. Instinctively she reached for her neck and realized the man had taken her sunstone necklace. He placed the necklace and other information on a nearby table. “We will wait until morning to let Lady Ursa and General Iroh know. For now, we will send notice to the other nations and begin the necessary arrangements for the wake and funeral tomorrow. That is all Fire Lord Zuko.” The man bowed respectfully before exiting the room.

Tsai found that she couldn’t move. She didn’t until she noticed Zuko swiftly move around the room and snatch the necklace off the table in disbelief. She reached his side just in time also reaching for it but failing.

He brought the piece of jewelry that he had many times held in his hands and brought it close to his face for further inspection. He looked at it in disbelief. There was absolutely no way that his father could’ve gotten a hold of the necklace by causality. She wouldn’t have carelessly dropped it. It also wouldn’t have been stolen without her noticing. He noted the torn golden chain and put together that he had to have ripped her off her person.

He looked stunned, pained, almost betrayed.

‘Could she have?’ “Did you kill my father?” He rasped bluntly, almost out of air. His eyes turned to her. All evidence pointed to her. It had been a personal crime, the stabbing fit her weapon of choice, the necklace was unmistakably hers. “No,” She responded calmly, “I didn’t.”

He looked at her hard for a moment. As if doubting her. He believed her, but at the same the evidence was too striking. What motive did Tsai have for killing Fire Lord Ozai? She wanted the entire Ozai Order to collapse and she knew that it might if their leader were to be gone, but at the same time why make it so obvious? Why slay him in such a notorious way?

It was messy, emotional, loud. Wouldn’t poisoning him be easier? Zuko knew that Tsai knew how to poison someone if she wanted to. Her knowledge in herbs and mastery of them would allow her to discretely do such a thing. Specially since she once mentioned she had accidentally poisoned her family.

He proceeded to advance to the next logical question. “Why did he have your necklace?" Zuko demanded to know. His hand clenching around the stone as a concerning anger, the one he was infamous for began to boil inside of him. "Why?" He pressed at her silence.

She thought of her actions on the previous day. Everything that had happened after finding the secret passage in Mai’s house and before dinner. She still remembered her conversation with Ozai and just how she had returned to the palace injured, soiled in her own blood and with angry tears threatening to spill. "I went to talk to him," She admitted the truth. Bracing herself for his outburst. "What?" He snapped just as she predicted. Why would she put herself at such a risk? Why would she got see that man? "When? Why? What were you thinking?!" He said incredulously throwing his hands up in aggravated frustration.

"I went to directly ask him who was working for him from outside of the prison walls. So, he bartered, he wanted to see Azula in exchange for information."

"And you decided to keep this from me why?!" He demanded fuming. His father was a Machiavellian genius. If anything, he had just been playing her. Where was Azula anyway? She would probably lose the smidge of sanity that she had left when she found out that her father had been brutally murdered. "I didn't want to worry you," she said frowning slightly. "Because I knew you would react this way, and then yesterday-"

"So you lied to me," he said wounded.

"No, I did not lie," she clarified. "I just never mentioned it." "That's the same thing Tsai! You lied by omission!"

"It's not!" She pressed failing to contain her equally steaming temper. "Did you really go see Mai yesterday or was that a lie too?" "I did," she almost growled out. "I did and I found her father is - was one of Ozai's most loyal followers, and I found a secret tunnel under her house. One that lead to a chamber with dozens of tunnels that are buried all under our noses! I bet that's how they've been meeting and getting in and out of the palace without anybody knowing."

His expression remained hard, eyes focused on hers as he waited to see how this was relevant to his father.

She bit back her lip and looked at him with large eyes as she got ready to tell him her story.

Xxx

Tsai had just escaped the tunnel system. She stood outside of the tunnel entrance she had just exited from. All of this time they had been meeting and sneaking under everybody's noses and nobody had batted an eyelash. She was getting close, closer to finding out who was leading this movement.

Gazing at the Northern Prison Tower from a distance fists clenched at her sides, she angrily made way to pay the former Fire Lord a vision. He didn't have the upper hand in this. She did. She stormed past the prison guards who all eyed her oddly as she made her way to the lowest dungeons of the prison. The walls growing hotter and hotter with each step until she reached the isolated last floor. A floor which was moist with mold growing on the ceiling corners, an unpleasant heat already made her skin glisten with sweat, this time she met him with her identity unsheathed.

She stood before Ozai glowering at the pitiful man who slumped on the corner of the cell with his head lowered. He simply looked up acknowledging her and the fact that his daughter was not standing next to her. "Deals off," she stated coldly.

A vile smirk stretched across the man's thin lips as he glowered at her with malice. He let out a noise that resembled a dry laugh.

"I'm getting close you son of a bitch," she glared threatening me. "Are you?" He cocked his head to the side and rose. He approached her with his shoulder's hunched over, his eyes never leaving hers. "I know about the tunnels," she grimaced which made the smile wipe from his face. "I’m going to get to the bottom of this. Can't wait to see how loyal those rats are when Zuko and I come after them." "Zuko…" He huffed almost humorously as he turned towards her. "My son is weak, always has been still is. I'm not scared of you; I'm not scared of him." She leaned forward gripping the bars of his prison cell tightly. "Could've fooled me," she said with a cocky smirk. Her body stiffened yet she remained unwavering when his hand snatched the opening of her tunic dress pulling her close to him. She could smell his rotten breath and see his snake like eyes hoping to intimidate. She reached for his wrist ripping it away from her as she stepped back, dusting her clothes off. "It was prophesized by the Fire Sages that my demise would be at the hand of my own son," he uttered, tearing his eyes away from her. "Yet even then he doesn't have it in him."

She had never looked at somebody with as much hatred before. So that was his pathetic excuse? That was this monster's excuse for the years of abuse he had inflicted on his family. The anguish and torment he had put both Zuko and Azula through? This was the excuse for the many murderous attempts as his son's life? For his banishment? A stupid story that the Fire Sages had foretold.

Her jaw was tightly clenched. "You monster," she managed through gritted teeth. "You're scared of him…" She said nodding with a determined huff. "That's why you sent him away… That's why you banished him when he was only a child!" She rattled the bars angrily. "You're sick and you deserve everything you have coming to you."

"Everything!” She banged the metal bars rattling them xxx "So you did it then…" He looked at her with hard eyes. A blend of uncertain emotions about the demise of his father and abuser haunted him. "Of course, I didn't." She looked at him with disbelief. "I was livid, maybe I did say somethings I shouldn't have - but I did not kill your father," she looked at him with intensity. He lowered his gaze. She couldn't really tell just what was going through his head. There was sadness in his eyes, hurt, betrayal, and more than anything confusion. "Did you?" She probed. "What?" His eyes widened slightly at what she was implying. "Did you do it?" She pressed.

"What?" Seemed to be the only word he could manage. "How can you say that?!" He rose a morose look on his face. One she hadn't seen since the first few days when they met all those years ago. How could she suggest that he be the one to do it? Zuko had just as much motive just as she did. Also, if Ozai and the Fire Sage’s prophecy was correct. Zuko would be responsible for the demise of his father. Something that had terrorized the former Fire Lord for years. "Because I would've done it… " she looked down in shame. "I would've done it for us."

She shifted on her steps before taking a seat on the edge of his bed, looking at him with a sad look. His shoulders slumped as his anger waivered. "I know he was your father, but with him dead… Think about it. What this means for your people, for the rest of the world, for us… Without Ozai, the movement doesn't have any strength. They can't support him if he's gone." "Don't be ridiculous," he shook his head. "There will always be another backer, it doesn't have to be him. For all that we know it could be Ukano or anyone else." He wasn’t wrong.

She looked at him dejectedly. Of course, he hadn't done it. He had also been preparing and setting up for dinner that night. There was no way he could've sent someone to do his dirty bidding or that he could've been in two places at the same time. She was trying to support him yet couldn't find the words or the proper most effective way to do it.

He sighed and took a seat next to her before burying his face in his hands hunching over in frustration. "Okay, calm down," She said placing an arm on his shoulder. She wanted to ask what the consequences would be for the person who was responsible. Tsai was certain that she hadn't done it. Yet- if her name wasn't cleared. She knew that Zuko wouldn't throw her in the gutter, but it seemed that the other Fire Nations - ones whom already held a certain distaste for her – if they even suspected her of being capable of such an atrocious crime, they wouldn’t even blink twice when locking her up. Even worse, they might rebel against their Lord if he stepped in and meddled. It wasn't the moment to ask for the consequences.

"Whomever was responsible had to have done this between dusk and when my family came in an interrupted." "We have to narrow down our suspects." He said exhaling a sharp breath and sitting up. "That's still a very long list. Honestly, it could've been anyone." She pondered on just who could’ve possibly wanted to murder. Ozai, and honestly the list was long.

"Think- who had the most to win from my father's death." He turned to face her. "Us." "Besides," He continued. She's silent.

"It could've been somebody in the Society itself. Somebody wanting to take over. Somebody wanting to incriminate you. It could've been your father, your brother or your mother-"

She blinked twice staggered at what he was implying. Why was it that her family was number one on the list of possible suspects? "What about you mother and your uncle?" She shot back a little offended.

"You're accusing my mother?" He said in the same touchy tone. It wouldn't be the first time Ursa killed a Fire Lord. However, it didn't seem like her style. Why couldn't she have just poisoned him instead? Aha! Because this time it was personal… Or maybe she wanted to throw everybody off her trail? "You accused my entire family!" She raised her voice. "My family just got here. Now, I know Mecha had this agenda to kill your father a couple of years ago, but why would he act upon it now? Specially with him already locked up. My mother on the other hand… Sure she has a temper, but I've never seen her hurt a fly, much less a person. I don't think she would've managed to get so close to be able to scratch the man. Whomever did this... It had to be somebody that he knew. Somebody that he trusted enough not to hurt him…" "Are you thinking…" he egg shelled wondering if she was also thinking of the same twisted being who could’ve done this.

"No, it's impossible. If this had been Azula's doing we'd all be dead by now."

Zuko turned the evidence on his head. It all seemed to come down to one suspect. "Tsai, I hate to say it but it all points to you," He realized. "What are we going to do when you find out who it was?"

"We can't have a murder amongst us," he said darkly. "It's not safe." "I agree." She says in the same morose tone. He's looking at her eyes fixed on the carpeted floor. "You don't believe me!" She says incredulously. "I know you didn't do it. I trust you," he beathed. "But the evidence- you can't tell me you wouldn't look at it objectively in the same way if it was lined up against me."

"But it is-" She says. "Zuko if you did it, tell me. Tell me and we'll figure out a way out of this."

He couldn't help but crack a smile, of course she'd be the type to offer to hide the body.

"We'll get to the bottom of this." He reassured her.

Both barely managed to catch a wink of sleep before the funeral the next morning.

Xxx

The distasteful scent of incense flooded the Fire Nation capital’s lesser temple. It wasn’t as stunning or grand as the Main Temple, but it was as old as the nation itself. Also, small, yet respectful enough to hold the funeral services of a former Fire Lord and a war criminal.

Tsai glared menacingly at the majority of men and women witch matching Phoenix rings that filled the room. It seemed that all if not most members of the New Ozai Society were present mourning their leader. They all sat near the front. Sharing smug looks with each other all wearing black.

Zuko sat alone by the front. Any moment now he would be summoned to the front by a Fire Sage to ignite the body as the ceremony required.

Tsai sat in the middle with her family and Zuko’s. Iroh and Ursa were there too looking quite gloom and sullen. Kiyi had stayed home with her father, seeing as the event wasn’t suitable for a child. Ty Lee and Suki were by their sides keeping a close eye on everyone.

Specially on Ukano, Mai’s father, who had a dangerous glint to his eye. Zuko was right, it almost seemed like he had been the one to step up to the plate of ringleader.

All members of the Society stepped forward all holding a single white flower and tossing it at the man’s open casket as they each individually paid their services. Iroh approached his brother’s lifeless body and lightly bowed out of respect, yet he didn’t say anything the rest of the service.

Finally, it was time for Zuko to step forward. All eyes were on him as he stood before the flowery casket. He stood frozen wearing his regalia. It looked like he was struggling to ignite it. Concerned Mecha elbowed his sister and nudged her with a gaze that seemed to say to go help him. She nodded and crossed the temple’s aisle.

If he ever needed her it was now more than ever.

She stood beside him and despite still being angry with her, he smiled weakly. She gave his arm an encouraging squeeze and swallowed a lump that had formed on her throat when she looked at Ozai’s stiff pale face exposed before them. The former Fire Lord’s body had been propped on top of a sturdy marble altar table.

Zuko ignited a flame on his hand, both exchanged a look before he shot it down igniting the cask. He stepped back looking at the fire that consumed his father’s resting body slowly. He was much too distraught that he didn’t hear the small clicking sound. It sounded awfully familiar… Tsai’s eyes widened in horror.

“Watch out!” She managed to push him out of the way. Before he could react, a bright light emitted from the fire before a massive flame exploded before them. Both collapsed to the ground, she covered her body best she could shield him from the abrasive flames knowing she’d be immune to them.

Horrifying gasps and screams echoed the temple as everybody rose to their feet some getting ready to rush forward to the Fire Lord’s aid, other running towards the exit only to find the doors locked shut.

Tsai looked at her family fearfully but before they could further advance to her, black smog erupted from each of the pillars of the temple as they detonated one by one. Cracks broke the ceiling as a landslide of concrete debris and steel pieces began raining upon the crowd in destruction. Zuko kneeled his eyes also turned in concern to look at his family. There was no time, he would never reach them. The ceiling was about to collapse!

He looked at Tsai who hopelessly reached forward before wrapping an arm around her and pulling her back to the nearest shelter – underneath the marble altar table on top of which his father’s body had been propped in just moments ago.

He winced when it came down. The thought of his family being crushed underneath the ceiling making his chest ache. Debris and ash fell around them trapping them underneath the small space beneath the marble altar table. Both coughed for breath and the dust and smog. He held her protectively against his body and with more force than he intended a hand over her head shielding from any collapsing matter. Her eyes were shut tightly, heart racing as she choked on a sorrowful sin for her family, for his family, Ursa, Iroh… Their friends. There was no way they had survived the collapse of the temple.

Moments later the havoc ceased, and silence was the only thing either could hear. No more screaming, no more pain. They sat amongst a graveyard. The space that they shared was completely dark, it was also tall enough for the two to be sitting up without having to slouch. “I think it stopped,” he broke the despondent silence that seemed to linger. She hadn’t even noticed the hot tears that had begun to stream down her face. “Our families,” she cried. The thought of everybody they knew and cared for tore her heart apart. He had to be strong, logical, reasonable as his eyes scanned the small space for a way out. There would be time to mourn later, but not now.

The only thing he could do, was hold her, close, a hand lazily holding her head. Mind racing a thousand miles for house as he processed what had just occurred. “What the fuck!” She suddenly spat; her voice angry as she composed herself and sat across from him. “How could we not have seen it?” She pulled at her hair. “It all adds up!” Her jaw went slack as the dots connected in her head. “How else would you gather the entire Fire Nation Royal Family and all of the New Ozai Society in one room?”

She exhaled feeling drained, the lack of sleep taking a toll on her soundness. “My father…” She pondered on her words. “The bombs, it’s his signature style. The Anti-Revolutionary Movement is behind this,” she said out loud more to herself. However, Zuko listened carefully. “I don’t think he killed Ozai. It’s not his style, he wouldn’t have been able to get close enough.”

“It makes sense,” Zuko suddenly spoke. His eyes beginning to adjust to the darkness that engulfed the two of them. “Him wanting to incriminate you.” “I guess you’re right…” She hugged her knees and rested her head on top of them. At this point she didn’t even want to think, she didn’t want to feel anything. She had no reason to believe her father was innocent when it came to this matter. Yet, something in her gut told her she was wrong.

“What are we going to do?” She suddenly cried out frightened.

“There’s no use in trying to dig our way out,” he said stretching out a palm and feeling the wall with sturdy debris, iron and who knows other materials. If a single piece was moved incorrectly, we might lead a slide in and both would be crushed.

“Great. Be crushed or asphyxiate,” She said in uncharacteristic pessimism. “It was a large explosion,” Zuko reasoned. “Somebody’s probably digging around looking for any survivors.” He explained more to himself, than to her, in an attempt to remain cool and collected. But what if nobody was looking? What if everyone was too scared? The only people that could save them were Aang and the rest of the gang and as far as everyone knew they were all in the Republic of Nations all the way across the other side of the sea. “It could take days…” Her tone dropped to almost a whisper.

Again, silence, no sign of survivors. Both shaken by the attack, by the terrible loss of their families. Losing her grip on reality Tsai let out a loud angry scream. One he had never witnessed before.

“I’m so angry!” She shouted making his ears ache due to the closeness to her scream. “After all of this. I can't believe my dad wins. I can't believe he dethrones the Fire Nation and destroys a movement with his anarchic methods. It's disgusting… I can’t believe we…” She trailed off, her eyes growing large as they once again welled with tears.

“We’re going to get out of here,” he reassured her, his voice strained eyes hard, as he attempted to snap some sense into her. “Come here,” he said reaching for her. She crawled to him and sought refuge on his body, sitting in between his legs.

“Calm down,” he whispered hugging her close to him. He stroked her hair, running his fingers through the long locks a gesture which he hoped would help calm him down as well.

She kept her eyes closed; nose pressed against the fabric of his robes. She inhaled his scent wondering if it would be the last time, she smelled it. Wondering if this would be the last time they would be in each other’s arms. This was ironic, life was funny like that. It was what he had always wanted for the two of them to lie in the same grave for eternity. Maybe that’s why he was so calm… ‘So this was how it ended…’ She took in a deep breath. “If anything happens…” She began, “I’m glad it’s this way. In each other’s arms. I hope our story will be immortalized when they find our bodies no longer with life still in each other’s arms,” she said morbidly.

He couldn’t help but smile a little at the thought. Then again this was the guy that actually proposed in a graveyard.

“Our story will live on because we will tell it ourselves.”

“How are you so sure?” She asked wiping away her tears. She moved away from him and he turned banging a fist at the wall of rocks that kept them locked up. The wall remained unfaltering, not moving an inch. “Because it can’t end like this! I won’t let it!” He said wrathfully striking it again and again.

Both still had so much to life for, so much to do…

Tsai didn’t know how long Zuko hit the wall for, or how hard, she looked at him with worry. He was screaming at this point, breathing harshly, his knuckles to the point of bleeding. It seemed that each strike came harder than the last.

“Zuko, stop, you’re hurting yourself,” she pleaded.

He didn’t stop, much too infuriated, much too scared to quiet. “STOP!” She reached for his arm and held it down. She reasoned with him holding him tightly. She couldn’t see well, but could feel him shaking, letting out trembling heaves. It almost sounded as if he was crying. “Stop…” She finally whispered.

She reached for his hands and he winced slightly. She could feel the jagged skin underneath her fingertips. His knuckles were wet, bruised and bloody from the repeated impact.

She held them close to her, sadly stroking them with her thumbs. “Here,” she said. She took in a deep breath and did something she had almost lost the ability to do. It took her a moment to meditate on her emotions. He saw that she began to faintly glow with the life the Sun Spirit had given to her. The light illuminated the room enough for them to see each other. He could feel the pain in his hands slowly dimmish little by little. “I love you,” She couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face, “And if there’s a life after this, I’ll love you then too.”

He let go of her hands and in the dim light touched her wet face holding it in place before leaning forward and kissing her for what seemed to be the last time.

It was then that there was an impact on the wall of debris that kept them underground. Dust filled the space, and both coughed for a breath. He held her close, protectively, bracing themselves for the impact of the rock slide.

"You're about to die and this is what you're doing?" Mecha laughed as he stood before them.

Both looked at him shaken up. Tsai had never been so happy to be at the end of one of her brother’s dumb comments or to hear his mocking laugh.

Mecha stood inside of a large tunnel alongside his mother, Iroh and Ursa. Both firebenders held a small flame that lit the way in their hands.

“You’re very wise to choose love over despair my nephew,” Iroh stretched out a rare grin amongst the chaos that surrounded them.

“Mom!” Tsai’s jaw dropped, teary, red eyes went wide in shock, her mediation becoming nonexistent at what she was seeing. The auburn-haired girl gaped in disbelief. “You’re an earthbender?” She managed to ask.

“Let’s get out of here,” The earthbender said curtly. Ignoring her question.

“How?” Zuko breathed just as surprised.

“Sanju managed to shield us from the collapsing ceiling by forming a rock shelter around us,” Ursa explained in a soft tone. Despite her calm demeanor her eyebrows were tuned up in a concern look. “We were very lucky.”

“Ty Lee and Suki are already outside,” Mecha added. “We looked around, but I don’t think anybody else made it…”

That meant- Mai’s father…

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold it,” Tsai’s mother spoke in a strained voice. The woman had both of her shaking arms held up as she held most of the collapsed temple up.

“Let’s get out of here!”

xxx

AN: Wooppp only 4 more chapters to go. (We all know what’s coming ;) ;) )

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thelittleredheadedmusician · 3 years

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Mobile Suit Gundam 00F

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 1

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Season 2

Mobile Suit Gundam The Last Outpost

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt

Mobile Suit Gundam Endless Waltz Glory of Losers

NTR Netsuzou Trap

Ouran Highschool Host Club

Our Wonderful Days

Pastel

Ringworld

Shortcake Cake

Skip•Beat

Steel Fist Riku

Suzuka

Syrup

Takane & Hana

Tiger and Bunny

Very Very Sweet

Voice of Love

Voice Over

Wanted

Wild Ones

GRAPHIC NOVEL

Another Castle: Grimoré

Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers

Check Please

Citizen of The Galaxy

Concrete

Dead Boy Detectives

Death Jr.

Dishonored

Doctor Star

Electric Girl

Frontlines: Requiem

The Fountain

Galaxy Quest

Hellgate London

Highlander The American Dream

High Level

The Jetsons

Kin: Descent of Man

Klaus: How Santa Claus Began

Klaus: The New Adventures of Claus

Klaus: The Life and Times of Santa Claus

The Legend Of Drizzt 1-7

Mirror's Edge: Exordium

Neverending

Newbury and Hobbes: The Undying

Orbiter

Ravine 1-2

R.I.P.D City of The Damned

Rust

Secret Identities

Starlight

Star Mage

The Star Wars (based on the original script)

Superior

Swordquest

Ultra

WildFire

Alex + Ada (I own volume one but won't be continuing the series myself. But it is finished.)

Anne Bonnie

Atomic Robo

Birthright

The Books of Magic (original 90's run, no idea about the new series)

Calvin and Hobbes

Crux: Atlantis Rising

Danger Girl

East of West

Fanboys Vs. Zombies

Invincible

The Losers

Kingsman

Jupiter Jet

Miracle Man

Saga

Splinter Cell Echoes

Spyboy

Starborn

ARTEMIS FOWL

ASSASSIN'S CREED

ASTRO CITY

CRITICAL ROLE

CTRL+ALT+DEL

DCU

All Star Superman

Batman Arkham Knight

Batman War Games

Batman War Drums

Batman War Crimes

Batman Year 100

Batman White Knight

Batman Curse of The White Knight

DC Comics Bombshells

Gotham Academy

Earth One Batman

Earth One Green Lantern

Earth One Superman

Earth One Teen Titans

Earth One Wonder Woman

Green Lantern 80th Anniversary

Harleen

Harley Quinn White Knight

Justice League of America Riddle of the Beast

Justice League: The New Frontier

Kingdom Come

Superman Red Son

Superman Secret Identity

Superman Smashes The Klan

Watchmen

DC ElseWorlds

Green Lantern 1001 Emerald Nights

Green Lantern: Evil's Might 1-3

Superman: Kal

Superman/Batman Alternate History

Stan Lee Green Lantern, JLA, Wonder Woman, The Flash

FABLES

Fables

Fables: Werewolves Of The Heartland

Fables: The Wolf Among Us

Fairest

Fairest: In All The Land

Jack of Fables

Cinderella From Fabletown With Love

Cinderella Fables Are Forever

Everafter

1001 Nights of Snowfall

Complete Covers

IRREDEEMABLE

Incorruptible

Irredeemable

JUPITER'S LEGACY

Jupiter's Legacy

Jupiter's Circle

LADY MECHANIKA

Lady Mechanika

THE LIBRARIANS

Librarians

LOLA XOXO

Lola

Lola Wasteland Madame

LUMBERJANES

LumberJanes

MCU

House of M

Ms. Marvel

Wolverine The End

Wolverine Origins

X-Men The End

MERCY THOMPSON

Mercy Thompson Moon Called 1

POWERS

Powers: Bureau

Powers

PROJECT BLACK SKY

Barb Wire

Blackout

Brain Boy

Captain Midnight

Ghost

King Tiger

The Occultist

Secret Files

Sky Man

PROJECT SUPERPOWERS

SEJIC-VERSE

BloodStain - SFW

SunStone - NSFW

SunStone Mercy - NSFW

Swing - NSFW

TOMB RAIDER

Tomb Raider 1-3 (Between Tomb Raider and Rise)

Tomb Raider 1-4 (Between Rise and Shadow)

TRIPPING OVER YOU

Tripping Over You

Extra Mini - NSFW

UNWRITTEN

The Unwritten

The Unwritten: The Ship That Sank Twice

RECS RECS RECS RECS RECS RECS!!!

I have heard of quite a few of these and seen most of the manga come thru my register at work lol. I can second the Check Please rec (it’s also a webcomic!) and I’ve been reading the newer Books of Magic in the past year or so ironically enough and thought it was fun, was considering fishing some of the 90s out of the dollar bin at a local comic shop but the condition wasn’t good. Calvin and Hobbes is a CLASSIC and I’ve been meaning to get around to Kingsmen cause I enjoyed the movies. DC Bombshells is a GIFT. A Gift. And I adore the Earth One Teen Titans, kinda wished they’d continued it. Kingdom Come is another classic and something I was leant in high school, I was very lucky in high school lol. Lumberjanes is adorable as well! I know you said you weren’t looking to start new stuff but Fence is a good one and has Check Please vibes. The Umbrella Academy is also great when it comes to just weird superhero flavored nonsense. And Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman is a classic for a very good reason.

#recs #long post

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winx-reimagined · 4 years

Text

Solaria, Where the Sun Meets the Land

& Lunare, Where the Moon Meets the Sun

ToC

p.s sorry for the weird color-coding (if you can even see it) I just wanted to make it easier to find stuff about Lunates or Solarians. I might separate these into separate posts later on, but for right now it feels fitting.

Solaria, the Great Sunstone Planet is a rock the same distance to it's sun as Venus. But because it's a tidally locked planet, meaning it does not rotate, and it's sun being a relatively quiet sun it's backside is completely dark.

Brief History.

The Lunate were the original settlers of the planet, originally known as Valeria. The planet was dark enough for them to settle but warm enough for them to survive. Lunates nowadays can go into bright light and warm places but their great ancestors could not.

Surprisingly, the Lunates were not nocturnal creatures. So they could not see in the dark but were able to softly glow. And the more Lunates in the area the more light as they reflected it off of eachother. They then developed technology (basically just giant mirrors), called Gradients, to reflect more lights into their land and onto them.

This is what caught the Solarian's attention in the first place. Solarians, being conquers saw this planet as a perfect place to spread their light. At first, they only detected the planet as being a dead, burning rock that swirls around a blazing sun. But they began to spot the shimmers of the Gradients and thought it might've been rare materials that had surfaced. And technically, they weren't completely wrong.

So they traveled the cosmic oceans till they arrived on Valeria. The Lunate welcomed them to their lands and only grew unsettled when the Solarians tried to colonize their land and indoctrinate their ways. In short, a war broke out between the two species. The Solarians realized the proxiity of the planet to the sun was perfect for their Light, Lumentia, which will later become Solaria's second sun. Being resolved by the young Lunate, Liliss. In the end, they came to an agreement to share the planet as the Lumentia needed space (time) away from the quiet sun or it'll garner too much energy and could explode.

So Valeria became Solaria, although, Lunates do still call the planet Valeria. The capital of the Solar Empire, which would soon crumble due to the physical distances between settlements which were taken back mostly by the Irakians (Eraklyon) and partially by those they conquered. Solarians would once again try to grow their empire, which will also inevitably be crushed.

From there they focused on their quiet sun, soon named the Sun of Solaria, and discovered a vault, of sorts, of magic in it's core. They disapproved of keeping it there unprotected, so they figure out a way to transport the core onto the planet. They developed the Steeple of the Sun, a vault on-planet that they could constant keep watch over. They soon transported most of the power of the Lumentia into a vault. Due to this transportation they moved the Steeple of the Sun holding the Sun of Solaria onto the dark side in Valeria, now called Lunare, to keep their energies separated.

It had gone unnoticed, but the planet and it's suns and moons were slowly being dragged in by a bigger, blue-white star. This would become the planet third and final star. It's currently their brightest star and they use it's energy to help light the rest of the universe, balancing and controlling said energy through the Lumentia. They named this star Sirius.

Society(ies), Culture(s), & Ideology.

The Solarians are very proud of their culture and history, despite not becoming the "Universal Empire." They're proud of their relationships between other realms, almost too proud. In general Solarians have a lot of pride for their kingdoms and their people, this can make them somewhat egotistical. The Lunates are also very proud, almost as much as Solarians; they think they're superior in a very non-superior way. As in, they claim to just be more evolved than other societies but other societies could always catch up. Solarians tend to think they're living the ideal life.

Both realms are scholarly and take acedemics incredibly seriously, but Lunares take it up a notch with their kids. Similarly to current Asian cultures, it's common for kids to go to school on weekends, whether it's mandatory or not. And out of all realms, Lunare has the most private, boarding schools.

Solarians tend to wear clothes that show a lot of skin since they need to absorb a ton of sunlight to use their powers. In turn, they can grow out their hair which basically acts as a solar panel. This appeal also bleeds into their architecture, large windows and tall, cathedral buildings. The structure of the various pillars are supposed to allow more light into the building.

Lunates still like to avoid extreme light, usually for skin reasons. So they tend to cover up more. Like Solarians they can grow out their hair, but to instead cover their skin. Aesthetic wise, they dress like witches, hippies, and hipsters. Although their architecture is similar to Solarian architecture and for the same reasons, the soft moonlight slipping through the buildings is a very beautiful sight.

In Lunate churches, called Sanctums, there a ton of water. Long pools lining the walkways, aquariums, ground opening up to the ocean(s). But there's a single bowl full of, essentially, "holy water". This bowl is directly lined with a hole which will fill with light everytime the Lumentia passes.

Lunates have historical grime against Androes because Andros was where Lunates originally lived before it was stolen by Androes rulers. Nowadays they both get along because of their intelligence and calm natures. And if teamed up, could be a very powerful duo.

Solarian churches are called Basilicas, it's hard to tell them apart from other buildings so the best rule of thumb is; if it's isolated at a high elevation it's most likely a Basilica.

Solarians just worship their suns :/

Magic. Laws & Regulations.

The Lumentia, the main source of power for the Solarian royals. Each royal holds a bit of its power with them, like Stella's Power Sword (which might turn into her sun wheel permanently or for transformations).

All Solarians use the sunlight for their powers, like a plant, but they can also combine with the power of the Dragon Fire.

Lunares use darkness, generally, but they're even stronger when in reflected light/moonlight. E.g, using their powers underwater.

Generally, their powers aren't allowed to be used in common criminal acts, violent or civil, especially in Solaria since their powers are considered precious and to use it for such trivial things is essentially a sin. In Lunare, using powers for said things is more so distasteful than a cardinal sin.

Origin. Of the people.

Solarians were born from The Dragon's fire's light. They didn't have a form originally, they were strange shapes of lights. But as these lights continued to roam the universe, they came in contact with nebula where they combined to create their physical forms.

Lunares were born directly from Nebula, which they call The Nursery. When a small comet runs through a Nursery, it picks up dust. Which normally would do nothing, but combined with the millions of water stars that used to fill the cosmic syrup, it'd bring to life the combined gases and minerals.

• Since most of the light of the universe during the creation period was sparks of The Dragon's fire, Lunares needed to avoid it. (I should also specify that the Lunares that founded Valeria were NOT ancient, so they didn't have too much issue with sunlight.)

Trivia. Fast Facts.

Lunates and Solarians both have emblems (birthmarks, technically) Moons for Lunates and Suns/Stars for the Solarians. These marks can look different and are usually on the hand. The second most common placement is on the head; the forehead for the moon as it represents intelligence and intuition, and the heart/chest for the sun as it represents emotions and loyalty.

The Solarian Empire still exists across various planets, like their old capital Dolona. It's just not as vast; and they're more like kingdoms under the Solarian Empire and not extensions of it.

They're based on the Aztec Empire, mostly for the clothing and architecture. Religiously and socially they're based on them heavier in the past, than their current day. Like the Aztecs, they were conquerors and had gruesome religious traditions, not to mention their ferocious warriors. They will soon switch out their roots, only keeping their powerful warriors.

Solarian Lords tried to take over the realm of Pyro and regrettably weren't able to. This is why the dragons on Pyro are violent towards anything other than their own, outside of feeding.

Gallery. (will add later 👀💦)

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andrewmoocow · 3 years

Text

Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 8: Black and White (originally published on January 25, 2021)

Author's Note: At long last, the long-awaited conclusion to Part 1 of Steven Universe: Alternate Future is upon us! This may seem like an innocuous love letter to the mockumentary genre (I even watched This is Spinal Tap on HBO Max for inspiration), but the ending will change everything you will see in this chapter! But I'm through being dramatic, let's boogie!

Synopsis: A Black Rutile and her partner White Topaz want to get answers from Steven.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven, Onion

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Ocean Jasper

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Black Rutile’s Pearls

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Jennifer Paz as Lapis Lazuli, Zuli, Mean Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Kimberly Brooks as Cherry Quartz, Jasper

Ian Jones-Quartey as Snowflake Obsidian

Michelle Maryk as Little Larimar

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Aparna Nancherla as Nephrite

Grace Rolek as Connie

Crispin Freeman as Doug

Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Priyanka

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Eugene Cordero as Jamie

Joel Hodgson as Mr. Dewey

Reagan Gomez Preston as Jenny, Kiki

Brian Posehn as Sour Cream

Lamar Abrams as Buck

Matthew Moy as Lars

Kate Micucci as Sadie

Alastair James as Rainbow Quartz 2.0

Shoniqua Shondai as Sunstone

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Olivia Olson as Black Rutile's Citrines

Featuring Noël Wells as Black Rutile

And Lauren Ash as White Topaz

"Is the camera ready, Topaz?"

"It's ready, my Rutile!"

"You idiot, you forgot to turn on the lens!"

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry, my Rutile, let me fix that!"

A camera was turned on inside a black-colored dropship, where a matching-colored Rutile in a green visor and white cape sat down in a captain's chair, confident and charming. "Hello, universe!" the Rutile greeted. "My name is Black Rutile, and welcome to Eye on Era 3, the special interview show where we discuss with Gems about the changes a certain Steven Universe brought to our proud culture!"

"And I'm White Topaz!" the Topaz operating Black Rutile's camera turned the lens to herself and cheerfully waved to the audience.

"Uh, Topaz, over here." Black Rutile ordered.

"Oh, sorry!" White Topaz muttered and turned the camera back to her superior.

"Anyways, we've traveled across the stars to chat it up with all sorts of Gems." The Rutile continued ecstatically. "From Pearls free from slavery, to proud Emerald pilots! Agates with no one to order around, Lapis Lazulis thinking they're lost in the world, and even a few fusions here and there! But today, we're gonna get answers straight from the mouth of this so-called "new Pink Diamond" himself!" she stated, making air-quotes while calling Steven the new Pink Diamond.

"My Rutile, we are closing in on Earth." A Citrine piloting Black Rutile's ship announced. "Is there any good spot you'd like to land?"

"Let's try that Little Homeworld place I've heard so much about." Black Rutile suggested. "We're bound to get tons of special guests there."

"Yes, your clarity." The Citrine complied, and she returned to her station.

"In case you were stuck in a Kindergarten for the past couple hundred years, Little Homeworld is where tons of Gems formerly corrupted by the Diamonds at the end of the Rebellion have made their home." Black Rutile narrated over footage of Little Homeschool. "The number one hotspot of this little bit of home is Little Homeschool, where Gems from all over come to learn how to mingle with the life on Earth and let go of the old ways."

"Hey, you think maybe we could go to that place, BR?" White Topaz grinned eagerly.

"Don't forget about our plans." Black Rutile said under her breath to her Topaz bodyguard. "I mean, we should be nearing Little Homeworld any minute now, so stay tuned!"

Gems began to gather when Black Rutile's ship made its landing in Little Homeworld, and the landing door opened to reveal its owner and her sidekick strolling out.

"Oh my, we already have quite a crowd here!" Black Rutile laughed into a microphone. "Now then, I'll pick a few lucky Gems from our audience here to answer some questions about their experiences on Earth." Looking around, Black Rutile managed to pick out Bismuth, Peridot, and Lapis Lazuli from the huddling Gems. "Ah, you three, over there!"

"Us?" Lapis asked.

"Could you care to tell us how life has been on Earth for you?" Black Rutile asked, sticking her microphone out to the trio.

"I've actually been on Earth about as long as Lapis here." Bismuth answered, gesturing to Lapis. "I was one of the original Crystal Gems under Rose Quartz, chosen because I wanted to build whatever I wanted, with no uppercrusts to order me around! But my methods of dealing with the enemy was a bit more extreme than what she was used to, so Rose took one in particular a bit personally and had me poofed & bubbled. In hindsight, maybe Rose was worried that her cover would've been blown."

"As Bismuth said, I was on Earth for a very long time." Lapis began speaking into the mic. "I was supposed to be there for only a little bit to assist in terraforming, but then I got caught in the war and was poofed before being confused for a Crystal Gem. I was interrogated while my gem was stuck in a mirror, but that kind of got cut short when the Diamonds unleashed their final attack and forced everyone to flee. I was left behind by accident, and someone cracked my gem by stepping on it, and years later, I was found by Pearl, who kept me in her gem until Steven freed me."

"Aw, what a happy ending!" White Topaz cooed.

"Yeah, no." Lapis sardonically corrected White Topaz. "After I was freed from the mirror, I nearly drowned tons of people because I wanted to get home, but then home turned out to be a lot different from when I left it. I was once again made a prisoner by Peridot and Jasper, who then invaded Earth because I met the Crystal Gems that everyone thought were defeated in the Rebellion, then I fused with Jasper to protect Steven, which took a number on both of our mental states, I was freed yet again, then I left Earth because I was told the Diamonds might be coming, before coming back only to get poofed by Yellow Diamond."

"Much like Lapis, I was only supposed to be on Earth for a short while to perform my duties." Peridot began telling her story. "I was supposed to check up on the old Galaxy Warp, but then the Crystal Gems kept getting in my way no matter what. Before I knew it, I was without help, without any working technology, and then without my limb enhancers. I don't think I even bothered to ask where the Gems put them."

"A Lapis, a Bismuth and a Peridot. What an unlikely trio." Black Rutile mused. "Tell me, what was it that made you three decide to work alongside each other in the first place."

"Well, it all began when Steven and the Crystal Gems left Earth to convince White Diamond to help them cure corruption." Bismuth said. "I elected to stay behind on Earth to watch over these two."

"Ooh, ooh, can I do a reenactment?!" White Topaz asked, to which Black Rutile responded with a sigh.

"Proceed." Black Rutile muttered, tapping on her camera to produce a light shining on the surface of the dropship. White Topaz began to shapeshift her fingers into various characters, and started a shadow puppet show.

"Bye Bismuth, I'm gonna go to Homeworld and hope we can convince White Diamond to help us save the corrupted Gems." White Topaz said, imitating Steven. "You do you kid. I'm gonna watch over those other Gems while you're away." She continued, now impersonating Bismuth. "Have fun!"

Steven's shadow puppet was raised into the air as White Topaz made rocket sounds, followed by turning more of her fingers into Peridot and Lapis. Black Rutile just gave an annoyed glare to the camera.

"Hey, where's Steven?" White Topaz's impression of Lapis asked. "Oh, him? He ran off to Homeworld with the Diamonds." Her mimicry of Bismuth answered. "Oh my stars, are we too late?!" an aping of Peridot cried out.

"Do I really sound like that?" Peridot muttered as the shadow play went on.

"No little guy, he's fine!" White Topaz's impression of Bismuth continued. "Just something about corruption or whatever."

"Okay, I think we've seen enough!" Black Rutile laughed awkwardly as she interrupted the puppet show.

"Aw, but I was getting to the good part!" White Topaz moaned sadly.

"To be fair, you were almost spot on." Bismuth stated. "When Steven told us through some weird watermelon creature that looked just like him that trouble was indeed brewing on Homeworld, Peridot and Lapis reformed not too long after and we came together out of a desire to help him out."

"United by a common goal, how quaint." Black Rutile smiled and folded her hands behind her back, trying to hide their fidgeting. "Now then, would anyone else like to come up and chat?"

"I would, I would, I would!" Teal Zircon cried as she pushed her way through the crowd. "Hi, name's Teal Zircon, nice to meet you!" she greeted Black Rutile while rapidly shaking her hand. "So, you wanted to learn about my time here on Earth?"

"You're awfully excitable." Black Rutile pushed up her visor by the bridge with a grin. "More to the point, I'd like to hear your story Ms. Zircon."

"Gladly!" Teal Zircon exclaimed. "Like many of the Gems here, I was once corrupted by the Diamonds and became a long-tongued speedster that Peridot tried to capture no matter what, through hell or high water. Eventually, she did succeed, and I was stuck in the barn she and Lapis called home, until the Crystal Gems took me to their place. One day, I was healed by Steven along with a Cherry Quartz and shown around Little Homeschool. That same day, Steven took me along to see a Jasper who didn't want to go to school, and I was willing to become her friend, but I'm pretty sure she hates my guts."

"I'll have to check up on this Jasper sometime." Black Rutile commented. "Now then, anyone else care to share?"

"I'd like to." Zuli answered as she flew up and touched down next to Black Rutile. "I only came here a few weeks ago after Steven recommended the place to a former friend of mine and me. We were terraforming this moon called Aozul 2, but Steven and this other Lapis that we were buddies with back in our terraforming days told us that wasn't cool anymore, so they taught us new ways to express ourselves. I was a lot more accepting, but my ex-friend didn't want to change. To this day, I still don't know where she's at."

"May I go next?" Cherry Quartz asked Black Rutile.

"Sure, go ahead." Black Rutile answered, passing the mic to the Quartz.

"I was an average Quartz soldier made to fight in the war, but then I got corrupted, of course." Cherry began. "Then Steven came along and healed me along with TZ, and introduced us to Little Homeschool. I was a little nervous at first, but while Steven was away, I met up with some fellow Quartzes who told me all about how great it was here."

"I was the first corrupted Gem Steven helped defeat." Nephrite said, taking the mic from Cherry Quartz. "I was actually brought back out a few times, the first was a complete accident & I was poofed soon after, but the second time was when Steven thought he could try to heal me, but instead he reunited me with my old crew."

"Okay, we're running out of time here folks, I got other people to interview, and I haven't got all day!" Black Rutile yelled. "Which one wants to cap off this part?!"

"Little Larimar and I wanna talk." Snowflake Obsidian answered. "Hi, I'm Snowflake Obsidian. This is my buddy Little Larimar."

"We were corrupted Gems too." Larimar said. "I remember when Steven dropped us into that fountain, and we were all right as rain. Then years later, he helped us all find jobs that he thought were right for us, but then hilarity ensued."

"Wow, pretty much everyone here has such nice things to say about Steven." Black Rutile commented while putting on an eerie fake smile. "Isn't there anyone on this planet that doesn't love him?"

"Well, there is Jasper, kind of." Bismuth answered. "I say kind of because I have no idea what's even up with her ever since she was uncorrupted. I mean, she does express a teeny bit of gratitude for it, but she still would rather stay as far away from us as possible."

"To be frank, I wouldn't blame her." Lapis agreed. "Anyway, if you want to interview her, she's in a cave in the woods nearby."

"Good to know, Lapis." Black Rutile thanked Lapis. "I do hope we can see each other again sometime." She laughed as she and White Topaz began leaving Little Homeworld. "Perhaps even sooner than you think."

"We've all had our fun in Little Homeworld, but there's still a Gem we've yet to cover as we move on with our tour of Earth." Black Rutile continued narrating while walking in the woods. "This Gem, in particular, has been living in the woods ever since she was cured of an unfortunate case of corruption, and refuses to join her fellow Gems at Little Homeschool! Well, let's see if she can tell us why."

"Is that where she's living over there?" White Topaz asked as she pointed the camera to a cave with a tarp over the entrance.

"I think you might be right!" Black Rutile exclaimed as she raced over to the cave. "Excuse me, does Jasper live here?!"

"No she doesn't, now get out." Jasper's voice grumbled from within the cave.

"If Jasper isn't here, then who are you?" White Topaz asked, forcing Jasper to emerge from her cave.

"Someone who's going to pulverize you if you don't leave me alone." Jasper snarled.

"But we just wanted to ask about your time here on Earth!" Black Rutile nervously explained.

"Guess what, I'm not interested." Jasper added. "Now let me repeat myself, beat it, or I'm gonna beat you!"

"I think we should do as she says, my Rutile!" White Topaz began sweating nervously and slowly stepping away from Jasper.

"Righto." Black Rutile agreed before they ran away from Jasper. "But trust me, I think she might be useful to us."

"Well, that went horribly." White Topaz commented the farther she and Black Rutile got from Jasper. "Now where are we?"

"I'm not sure." Black Rutile answered while gazing at a terraced house. "But I do believe we have our next interviewee!"

"Which is?" White Topaz asked her superior.

"The residence of one Connie," Black Rutile declared, bringing up data on Connie on her visor, but then stopped at her last name. "Moo-hee-swear-ann. Seriously, how do you pronounce that?" The reporter decided to brush that off with a shrug and proceeded to knock on the door. "Good day Ms. Moo-hee-swear-ann, my name is Black Rutile, here to interview you about your experiences on Earth."

"It's Maheswaran, in case you're struggling to pronounce it." Connie's mother Priyanka corrected the Rutile. "Now, can I help you?"

"Oh, my apologies." Black Rutile said. "You look a lot taller than my data says."

"I believe you have me confused for my daughter, I'm her mother." Priyanka stated. "If you wish to speak with Connie, she's busy with college preparations, so you can only speak for 15 minutes."

"Uh, question!" White Topaz raised her hand. "What's college?"

"So you're doing all this for a TV show?" Connie asked Black Rutile moments later in the living room.

"You could say that." Black Rutile answered with a grin. "I'm working on an investigative report chronicling everyone's experiences with Era 3, and I'm working towards interviewing all the Crystal Gems and their allies, you included little girl. Now tell me, how did you first meet little Steven?"

"Well, it all started a few years ago." Connie began retelling her first meeting with Steven. "I was minding my own business, Steven was trying to get my attention because he wanted to be my friend, but one thing led to another, and we were stuck in a bubble together."

"Not how I'd expect your species to make new friends, but you do you." White Topaz commented with a grin.

"Anyways, it's all thanks to him that I was able to get out of my comfort zone a bit over the years." Connie continued. "I learned sword fighting from Pearl, became able to fend for myself, and we even fused!"

"Yeah, we still find that a little strange." Her father Doug interjected.

"Fusing with humans, just like they said." Black Rutile whispered to herself.

"Did you say something, miss?" Priyanka asked.

"Oh, nothing." Black Rutile covered up what she just said before moving back to Connie. "It seems like you two are just inseparable!"

"Well, mostly." Connie stated. "When Steven let himself get captured by Aquamarine to save everyone, we were all so worried sick for him. And even when he came back perfectly fine, I still felt like this all could've been avoided if we fought together."

"Oh, poor little girl." Black Rutile comforted Connie, though with a secret hint of condescendence in her voice. "It must be hard to lose someone so dear only for them to come back and disregard your feelings by acting like everything's fine."

"It's okay." Connie said. "We did get back together eventually, and now our bond is stronger than ever!"

"Woo, love wins!" White Topaz cheered, inciting yet another angry glare from her boss. "Um, can I do the shadow puppets again?"

"Go ahead." Black Rutile frowned in embarrassment.

"Wait, your documentary has shadow plays?" Priyanka wondered aloud.

"Don't ask me; this was all her idea!" Black Rutile replied grumpily. "What a childish clod."

"Hey Connie, I'm back from Homeworld! Hope no one missed me." White Topaz began another puppet show, this time of Steven and Connie's brief falling out, while trying her best to mimic Steven. "We did kinda miss you, you could've died!" she continued while imitating Connie's voice. "I don't see what the problem is, I'm standing right here!" the Steven puppet replied carelessly. "Well, we could've stopped Aquamarine together, but you gotta make everything about you!" the Connie puppet declared. "So screw you Steven, I'm going home!"

"Wait, I didn't say anything like that!" the real Connie said nervously.

"Sorry kid, I'm just making this up as I go." White Topaz apologized, and just as she was about to continue her show, Black Rutile cut it short. "Aw man!"

"Well, I think we've just about wrapped up here, friends!" Black Rutile announced. "We've got places to be, people to meet, and more opportunities for me to be humiliated by you, Topaz."

"Well, it was nice to see you." Doug said goodbye as the two Gems left the Maheswarans' house. "Hope your documentary is a big hit!"

"Thank you; you're too kind!" Black Rutile waved back and closed the door, allowing some privacy as she scolded White Topaz. "Was it really necessary for you to go all "love wins" on us, you softhearted fool?" she scowled as they began walking away from the house.

"I'm sorry, I just think they're so adorable together!" White Topaz tried to justify her actions, before Black Rutile pulled her down by her collar.

"We have no time for sappy romances!" the Rutile yelled in her bodyguard's face. "We are here to gather information, and that's final! Are we clear?!"

"Yes, your clarity." White Topaz bowed her head in shame.

"Good, now where were we?" Black Rutile tapped on the side of her visor and pulled up a map of the surrounding area. "Ah, yes! Beach City!" she declared while the map began pointing to the little seaside town.

"Ooh, that place sounds fun." White Topaz commented. "Think maybe we could take a vacation there some time, just you and me?"

"Apologies, but we're on a mission." Black Rutile declared as she put the map away. "We'll have time for fun later, but it'll be my choice of fun. Understand?"

"Yes, boss!" White Topaz gave a comical salute, and the two began setting off for Beach City.

"Now then, this place should be full of Steven stories!" Black Rutile announced as the duo strolled into town. "And maybe we could find some of his weaknesses too."

"Hey, check out this funny sign!" White Topaz said while gazing at the sign for It's A Wash. "What do you think is a wash?"

"Hey new Gems, welcome." They heard Greg greet them. "If you came here to sign up for Little Homeschool, you should take it up with the Gems first."

"Oh no sir, we already saw that school." Black Rutile said. "It's all part of a series of interviews I'm doing for my show, Eye on Era 3. Which reminds me, how would you describe your experiences with the Crystal Gems?"

"My experiences?" Greg wondered. "Well, it all started one night when I was just a young rocker on tour. I had arrived in Beach City for a show, and Rose Quartz was the only one who showed up."

"Ah yes, Pink Diamond always had a fascination with humans," Black Rutile interjected. "often at the expense of her own kind."

"Yeah yeah, Pink kinda stunk, but don't we all sometimes?" Greg philosophized. "Like I was saying, Rose was the only one who came to my concert at Beach City, and from then onward, I felt like it was destiny. I even wrote a song about it!" He then walked to his van to search for his guitar, and began to play. "Do you believe in destiny? Close your eyes and leave the rest to-"

"I'm sorry, we have no time for a song." Greg's interviewer cut him off. "Could you please continue, sir?"

"Sorry if I was any trouble." Greg apologized, putting away his guitar. "The Gems didn't have a very high opinion of me when we first met, especially Pearl, but we were still able to get along with each other. Amethyst in particular took a liking to me."

"Speaking of which, are the Gems in town today, or are they off on some magical mission or something?" Black Rutile asked Greg.

"Oh, they kinda retired from going on missions now that everything's at peace." Greg answered. "But, Steven's still at home over there." He then pointed over to the Crystal Temple not too far away from Beach City itself.

"Yes, pay-dirt!" Black Rutile grinned eagerly. "Come along Topaz, we shall hit ratings dynamite!"

"Coming!" White Topaz cried as she raced after her master. "Hey, maybe we can chat with some of the people here along the way! They might give us some good info!"

"It was kinda thanks to Steven that I died and came back to life." Lars admitted to Black Rutile. "But also thanks to him, I came back as a completely new man with my own awesome spaceship, a serious attitude adjustment, and ever since I came back to Earth, I've taken up some combat training in case I ever go back to space and fight new threats, like I learned musti-yuddha from Connie's dad for example!"

"Lars's disappearance got me kind of depressed for a while." Sadie said while her band prepared for practice. "But I found a new way of expressing it with horror-themed rock music!"

"We had trouble finding our sound before Sadie became our frontman." Buck Dewey stated.

"And since then, we became an overnight hit!" Jenny Pizza exclaimed.

"But I have a feeling our differing paths might cause a break-up." Sour Cream admitted.

"Steven had good intentions when he helped me run for re-election," ex-Mayor Dewey said. "but ultimately I lost. But hey, I did find a new calling at the Big Donut!"

"I was having stress dreams about my sister making me do her work, which took the form of a giant pizza monster, until Steven used his crazy dream powers to help me out." Kiki Pizza said.

"I'll admit, I had a crush on Garnet once upon a time." Jamie declared. "But really, can you blame me?! She was just so stoic and radiant and-"

"Get to the point!" Black Rutile sternly ordered.

"I'm sorry, got a little distracted." Jamie apologized. "But I had since moved onto better things, like my future career in the theater!"

"Okay, that should be all." Black Rutile sighed in exhaustion. "Now then, let's not waste any more ti-"

"Wait, I want to talk to you!" Ronaldo cried out as he raced to the Gems with a notebook in hand.

"What do you want?" the reporter grumbled. "We're wasting daylight here!"

"You've been going around asking people questions about Gems, but this time I want to ask you for a change." Ronaldo declared.

"Okay then, fire away little guy." White Topaz said with a smile.

"There are still tons of unanswered questions about your kind that I must inquire about!" Ronaldo said while flipping through his notebook. "Like, for example, do you know who created the Gems in the first place? How was Homeworld first colonized? When did they start colonizing other planets?"

"I don't believe we have time for your questions." Black Rutile snidely shut Ronaldo's questions down before making her way to the Crystal Temple. "Come Topaz, we have work to do."

"Yes, my Rutile!" White Topaz obeyed and followed behind, leaving Ronaldo in the dust.

"You can run, but I will get my answers!" Ronaldo declared loudly, but he was too late. "And they're gone."

"Okay, Topaz, we have to make a good first impression here, so no silly games or shadow puppet shows." Black Rutile commanded as they ascended the beach house's front steps and reached the front door.

"Aw man." White Topaz moaned in disappointment.

"Quit being such a child you moron." Black Rutile exhaled in disgust as she knocked on the door. "Hello, is anyone home?"

"Just a minute!" a voice the two Gems were eager to hear answered as its owner raced downstairs.

"Oh my stars, the moment has come; he's finally here!" White Topaz squealed happily before she received a slap to the face.

"Hello, what brings you here?" Steven greeted Black Rutile.

"Steven Universe, at long last!" BR exclaimed. "I'm Black Rutile, host of Eye on Era 3, and this is my camera-Gem/bodyguard White Topaz! We're here for an investigative report on the state of Earth in this new era, and have been interviewing many of your family and friends."

"You're a bit shorter than I expected." White Topaz commented.

"I see my reputation precedes me." Steven declared. "Come on in."

"Nice place you got here." White Topaz complimented the house as she and her boss were shown inside.

"Thanks, the Gems helped build this place." Steven accepted the compliment. "Hey, I got a question. I've met a Topaz and a Rutile before, but they sound nothing like you. Why is that?"

"We're just special Gems. Comes with being former members of White Diamond's court." Black Rutile answered while sitting down on the couch. "But enough about us, let's talk you! Could you give us a little life story first?"

"If you want." Steven answered while sitting across from the Rutile. "I remember first discovering my powers like it was yesterday. I was super bummed that my favorite brand of ice cream was discontinued, but then the Gems told me they got tons of it from other stores, and taking a bite out of one coincided with me summoning my shield for the first time, which led me to believe I could do so by eating Cookie Cat."

"Hahaha, oh the innocence of youth!" Black Rutile chuckled nostalgically. "I remember when I first emerged for White Diamond. A real young hotshot, a little arrogant even. Could you tell us more about these powers, kid?"

"Over time, I learned tons of Gem powers." Steven regaled. "Like shapeshifting, control over plant life, making bubbles, telepathy, sticking my mind in others' bodies, but fusion gave me tons of new abilities. This reminds me of a story."

"Ooh, shadow time!" White Topaz exclaimed, but her happiness was immediately put to rest.

"What did I tell you?! No shadows!" Black Rutile yelled strictly at her sidekick, and then immediately changed her mood. "Please continue."

"All right." Steven was a little taken aback by Black Rutile's cold behavior towards White Topaz before he began his story. "Anyways, it all started when I had to take care of Onion for the day, and Pearl helped out."

"Thank you Explorer Gal for saving us from that dastardly Bandit Guy!" Rainbow Quartz 2.0 said, taking the role of one of Onion's toys. Onion was playing with Explorer Gal, who thanked the other toy in Onion's unintelligible matter.

"For your heroic efforts, please accept money." Rainbow continued while handing Onion a dollar bill. "Our city was a mess before you came along, but now…." Rainbow then began to break character as they took notice of Onion's messy room. "Well, I suppose it's still a mess." They commented. "It's been so much fun playing, but now we have to clean, which is also fun!" they declared while making a rainbow with their hands. "Are you ready to tidy up?"

Onion stared blankly while slowly sticking a piece of broccoli out of his mouth.

"Oh Onion, don't you be that way." Rainbow 2.0 chuckled. "Your best friend Rainbow will help you tidy up!" Just then, they pulled a parasol out of Pearl's gem. "Let's make things a little more animated in here!"

With that, Rainbow made Onion's toys come to life, and they began marching to their proper places in his room while Rainbow started a song. "Stick by stick, the little blackbird makes a nest." They began singing while making Onion's clothes fly into his dresser. "A mess to some, but the little blackbird isn't stressed."

Rainbow then allowed Onion to give the umbrella a try, making one of the boy's toy cars come to life and race away. "Stick by stick, the little blackbird makes a nest." The fusion continued while Onion marveled at the parasol's powers. "And then he naps, cause even blackbirds need to rest. The fun won't stop if you have a friend around. The fun won't stop if you have a friend around."

As Rainbow began to finish the song, Onion kept playing with the umbrella, making more of his toys come alive, along with a Venus flytrap. "And when you laugh, it is my favorite sound." Onion then discovered some darts in his drawer, and used the parasol to make them fly. "And that's what life is all about."

"What the?!" Rainbow stuttered before dodging the darts, making them land on a dartboard. With that, they finally decided to take their weapon back from Onion while noticing a stack of dirty dishes. "Next time, please wash your dishes." They instructed before sending the dishes off to be cleaned, and then taking notice of a stuffed toy in Steven's image hidden near Onion's bed, eerily waving to them. "And could you please explain what this is?"

Onion didn't answer, aside from blowing Rainbow a few kisses.

"Alright, thank you for the kisses." Rainbow thanked Onion before Steven's phone began to ring. "Just give me five or so minutes."

Rainbow un-fused into Steven and Pearl, and Steven answered his phone. Garnet was on the other end, holding her cellphone extremely close to her face. "Steven, you're late." Garnet said. "I need you for the Sunstone Safety Geminar."

"Oh no, that was today?!" Steven began panicking. "But Rainbow Quartz promised to hang out with Onion today!"

"Don't worry; I'll handle the Geminar." Garnet stated confidently. "I'll explain every possible future where they could get hurt around the house."

"I don't know if that'll be a good idea, I'll be right there." Steven responded before hanging up and turning to Pearl. "Pearl, I'll be back as soon as I can." He promised. "Could you watch over Onion for me while I'm away?"

"Of course." Pearl agreed. "Onion loves Rainbow, I'm sure he'll love me as much."

"In hindsight, that wasn't my best idea." Steven took a break from his tale to confess. "Onion can be a real handful."

"Like, how much of a handful?" White Topaz asked.

"Let's just say, he's a real oddball who loves causing trouble." Steven stated. "I can never really get a read on that guy, no matter how much of a good friend he is. Heck, he doesn't even seem to age normally!"

"So, about this Geminar." Black Rutile began. "You said Rainbow Quartz is a fusion between you and Pearl, but who is this Sunstone running that event?"

"Oh, Sunstone is the fusion of Garnet and I." Steven answered. "They're all hip and radical and like giving important life lessons, kind of like those old PSA characters from the 90s. Speaking of which…"

"I slip on the stairs?" Ocean Jasper wondered while watching a television screen with Garnet, the Heaven & Earth Beetles, and a Nephrite.

"Indeed, and you shatter on impact too." Garnet bluntly replied, causing Ocean and the Nephrite to scream and hug each other in fright.

"Garnet, I'm here!" Steven called as he entered the house.

"Thanks for coming, Steven, but I need help." Garnet stated. "I think I'm scaring our guests."

"It's okay; we got this." Steven assured. "Let's get this safety Geminar started with a very special guest!"

Garnet got up from the couch, and the two began to dance, eventually forming the totally cool fusion Sunstone.

"Your rockin' pal Sunstone's here to shine!" Sunstone announced merrily.

"Watch out Sunstone, it's dangerous here!" Ocean Jasper cautioned Sunstone.

"Not unless you guys practice home safety." Sunstone assured the scared Gems. "Don't slip up. Clear objects off the stairs." They instructed by taking a water bottle off the steps to Steven's bedroom and throwing it like a ball. "Foul shot!"

The bottle landed in a trash can near Lion, which prompted another tip. "Be sure to cover up your trash, or else you'll attract bugs or hungry animals." Sunstone demonstrated as they shooed Lion away from the garbage. "Come on, let's go!" they declared. "Don't waste water. Turn off any faucet still running." Sunstone then shut off the sink. "Put protective covers over your electrical outlets, especially when kids are around." They added while doing just that. "And don't even think about sticking a fork in there! But most importantly, turn off motion smoothing on the TV."

Sunstone then used the remote to operate the television, allowing clearer picture and sound for everyone. "Okay, hold tight gang, gotta take a phone call." They said. "In the meantime, check out this commercial."

"Well, seems like you had things handled." White Topaz remarked.

"Famous last words White Topaz." Steven gravely informed. "Pearl later called me on my phone because Onion was giving her a serious headache, so I came back to her to calm Onion down. Then Garnet was trying to do a home safety obstacle course, but that went horribly wrong."

"Okay, color me wrong." The Topaz guard said. "I suppose hilarity must've ensued?"

"Oh so much." Steven declared. "I tried merging both the Geminar with playing with Onion, but one thing led to another."

"It's important to keep in mind that all of these horrible things did happen to you in alternate timelines." Garnet instructed her seminar attendees near the lighthouse. "Safety rules."

"Hey, Garnet." An exhausted Rainbow 2.0 called for their fellow fusion as they flew in via umbrella, with Onion in front. "Would you mind taking on another student?" they asked as Onion was let off the umbrella. "I'm feeling a mite PLPBBT."

With one last raspberry noise, Rainbow un-fused into Steven and Pearl. Steven just groaned tiredly.

"You shouldn't have brought him here Steven." Garnet forebodingly scolded the boy as Onion took a seat in front of her with the Gems.

"No, no, it's fine. It's good." Steven stuttered, having had enough of the stressful day he had. "No one needs safety training more than Onion! I'm combining all of my responsibilities into one responsibility! It's brilliant, it's brilliant! It's fine. I'm fine. Really, it's fine. I'm fine. I'm fine."

Onion wasn't paying attention the whole time, and instead picked up a blade of grass to play like a musical instrument, hypnotically commanding the other Gems to follow him. And Steven was too busy assuring Garnet and Pearl that he was fine to notice too late what had just happened.

A madcap chase soon ensued, with the three Crystal Gems following Onion and the Little Homeschoolers throughout Beach City, into the woods, and finally to a hill, where Onion let go of the leaf. Despite that, Ocean Jasper, the Beetles, and the Nephrite continued marching to the point of falling over the edge.

"Oh no!" Pearl cried as the Gems fell off the hill.

"Steven, we need Sunstone to save them!" Garnet urged Steven.

"Okay!" Steven yelped, and they fused into Sunstone.

"No, we need Rainbow to save them!" Pearl began arguing with her de-facto superior as she swiped Steven away to form Rainbow Quartz.

"I'll catch them with this!" Rainbow declared as they presented their umbrella.

"Can't all three of us fuse to save them?" Garnet wondered just as Amethyst raced up to them.

"Hey wait!" Amethyst cried. "I need Steven!"

Rainbow un-fused so Steven could speak. "What is it Amethyst?!"

"I miss you, man!" Amethyst yelled. "I haven't seen you in like, eleven minutes! But it felt like even longer!"

Steven couldn't take it anymore, and without a single word, he collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

"STEVEN!" Pearl screamed as she raced to Steven's side.

"I shouldn't have overbooked my schedule." Steven groaned one last time before passing out from exhaustion.

"Nooooooooo." Garnet unemotionally cried out in despair.

"Oh-hohohohoho, I know what it's like!" Black Rutile cackled as Steven finished his story. "Must be so hard to be so overworked at such a young age."

"Guess that's what happens when you're running a whole school." Steven chuckled in reply. "So, guess that should be it, right?"

"No, I'd like to speak with Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl first before we wrap up for today." Black Rutile answered, just as the Warp pad began glowing. "Oh, and look who should show up now!"

The core Crystal Gems stood at the Warp Pad, ready to kick back after the long day they had today. "Good thing it was so easy to get that crowd under control." Pearl exhaled. "Still, who was that interviewer they were talking about?"

"I believe that would be me." Black Rutile answered as she stood up from the couch to meet the Gems. "Hi, Black Rutile, intelligence officer of White Diamond turned news reporter. Pleased to meet you."

"I wasn't aware White had a court." Garnet said as the Rutile shook each of their hands. "Pleased to meet you too."

"I just got done interviewing Steven, and he told me the most hilarious story about his troubles with balancing two things at once." Black Rutile said.

"Yeah, things went kinda crazy that day." Amethyst reminisced. "But thankfully, everything went back to normal after that."

"Oh good, the way Steven ended things left me on the edge of my seat!" White Topaz exclaimed while positioning the camera to face the Gems. "One more question before we go, what would you say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"

"A little oddly specific, but okay." Pearl remarked. "I pride myself on orderliness, swordsmanship, and intelligence. But I can be a bit doting and perfectionist at times."

"I can be kinda foolish and impulsive, but I'm pretty much past that." Amethyst added. "I'm also more street smart than book smart, and super tough too!"

"I'm a very stable fusion, which especially helps in battle." Garnet said. "My future vision is also seldom wrong, unless the current timeline becomes too unpredictable."

"Well, that should be enough for now." Black Rutile said as she entered all of her data into her visor. "Apologies if we couldn't talk anymore, but I've got places to be and missions to go on, so toodles!"

"Hope we can see each other again, Black Rutile!" Steven said goodbye as the two visiting Gems took the Warp Pad back to Little Homeworld.

"Maybe sooner than you think." Black Rutile smirked before they disappeared.

"She's right, we'll be seeing her again many times." Garnet predicted with an adjustment of her glasses. "But none of them will be friendly."

Steven, Amethyst, and Pearl just laughed at Garnet's prediction, ignorant at what could be to come.

Upon returning to Little Homeworld and boarding their ship, Black Rutile and White Topaz finally left Earth and launched into hyperspace.

"Wow, those Crystal Gems really are swell!" White Topaz commented while her superior sat down in her chair. "I don't see why we're plotting against them."

"It's because they've become far too powerful." Black Rutile answered gravely, a far cry from the persona she put up on Earth. "Does Steven really think he can change our entire society with just hugging, crying, singing, and a cheeky one-liner? Bah, I've done so much better without any of those!"

"My Rutile, we should be exiting hyperspace above Revanche 666 in approximately 15 seconds." One of the Rutile's Citrines confirmed. "Would you like to inform your allies of your coming?"

"Bring Emerald up." Black Rutile commanded, cuing a video screen to appear, showing the tall, green Gem pilot on the other side. "Hello there, Emerald."

"Your clarity, has your reconnaissance ended well?" Emerald asked with a bow.

"Indeed it has." Black Rutile answered with a grin. "Those clods never suspected a thing!"

"And we got it all on video too!" White Topaz added.

"Excellent, we'll soon have everything we need." Emerald declared. "We're all waiting for you at the base, hoping you won't disappoint."

"Oh, don't worry, Emerald, I won't." Black Rutile replied. "That will be all." With a clap, the screen disappeared, and the ship exited hyperspace to reveal the skull-like planet of Revanche 666 before them. "Prepare for landing."

When the dropship finally landed at Black Rutile's headquarters, two rows of Pearls patiently awaited their master's return.

"Ah, my Pearls." Black Rutile announced as she disembarked. "When I ordered Shell to create all of you, I knew it wouldn't disappoint."

"Thank you, my Rutile." The Pearls thanked in unison while one of them took the camera from White Topaz. "Your minions await."

"Perfect." Black Rutile purred before beginning her stroll to her meeting room. "Come Topaz, we have much to do."

"Geez, what's taking her so long?" Lapis Lazuli 1J9G-5KL complained as she, Holly Blue Agate, Morganite, Emerald, Aquamarine, and Eyeball kept on waiting for their boss while seated around a round, white table.

"Patience Lapis." Aquamarine soothed her fellow Gem's annoyance. "She did say that she'd be arriving soon."

"The sooner, the better!" Eyeball yelled, pounding her fist on the table. "I want revenge on Steven for making me a pariah, and I want it now!"

"You're awfully eager." Emerald muttered to her fellow eye Gem before turning to Holly Blue and Morganite. "So, how goes that Zircon's democratic campaign?"

"That navel gem Ruby we planted as her campaign manager has been feeding her lies, and the Zircon doesn't suspect a thing!" Holly Blue answered excitedly.

"More and more Gems have been unknowingly swayed to our cause." Morganite stated. "Soon, we shall have an army strong enough to topple even the Diamonds."

Just then, Black Rutile and White Topaz finally arrived in the meeting room, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and salute her. "Welcome, your clarity."

"You're all too kind." Black Rutile thanked them sarcastically as she took a seat between Aquamarine and White Topaz. "I suspect your missions have been going well too, no?"

"Indeed it has my Rutile." Holly Blue revealed.

"That brat has been controlling us all for too long." Aquamarine declared. "Now it's time we take back our planet from those tyrannical pacifists."

"Are you all sure this is a good idea?" White Topaz asked the other Era 3 insurgents. "I mean, the Crystal Gems have become far too powerful to be challenged, and the Diamonds will no doubt come for our gems if they find out!"

"The Diamonds are yesterday's news!" Black Rutile roared, forcing her Topaz into silence. "And speaking of which, Steven may not realize this, but he's no better than his brat of a mother! Thinking he can force all of Homeworld to obey him by being a controlling twerp! Thankfully, he doesn't do so by throwing tantrums left and right until the Diamonds do what he says to shut him up. For now at least."

A Black Pearl entered the meeting room with White Topaz's camera in her hands, and she set it down on the table.

"Thank you my Pearl." Black Rutile thanked the Pearl before turning it on to reveal all the information that she collected on Earth.

"Is this all we need to know about the Gems in time for Phase 2?" Morganite asked her black-colored superior.

"You bet it is." Black Rutile declared with a sociopathic grin as she gazed at one of the holograms of Steven and plucked it out to hold in her hands. "You can have your happily ever after as much as you like, Steven." She declared evilly. "Cause your little Universe will soon be mine."

END OF PART 1: LITTLE HOMESCHOOL

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2: GRADUATION

At last, Part 1 is finally complete! And here, unfortunately, is where I must go on hiatus. Second semester of college and all that, and I think my classes might be harder than last semester. But hopefully, this cliffhanger should tide you over until we come back. Anyways, Black Rutile is finally upon us! A character that I think I'll have fun writing since I consider her to be like the Lex Luthor to Steven's Superman, the Frieza to his Goku, the Megatron to his Optimus Prime, the Aku to his Samurai Jack, etc etc. In other words, Steven's got a new archenemy coming and he doesn't even know it yet. Stay tuned! (evil laughter)

#steven universe #steven universe future #fanfiction #steven universe alternate future #steven quartz universe #garnet #amethyst #pearl #black rutile #white topaz #rainbow quartz 2.0 #sunstone

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crescentharborrp · 3 years

Photo

BASICS

Name: Helene Louise D’Autremont.

Gender/Pronouns: cisfemale, (she/her).

Date of Birth: April 5th, 1991.

Age: 30.

Hometown: Aix-en-Provence, France.

Length of time in Crescent Harbor: Two weeks. Inconsistent visits through childhood.

Neighborhood: Sunstone Beach.

Occupation: Hedge Fund Research Analyst.

Faceclaim: Emma Rigby.

BIOGRAPHY (trigger warnings: infidelity)

It is the strong that survive in this world. You have to take what you want; never wait for it to be given.

These are the words her mother tells her, the phrases that are whispered in her ear and echo as she grows from infancy to adulthood. They are not the honeyed words of a fairytale, nothing so soft as a reminder to ‘Have courage, and be kind.’ as others might prefer nowadays. Instead, she hears the words come from a woman that is a legacy, one that has manufactured herself as someone undeniable, someone who has long-seen the world as filled with only adversaries and has seen every challenge as one for survival. Perhaps it was paranoia, aching in her bones that she passed down to her daughter. Maybe it is the hunger that she remembers, her stomach never full enough and never comfortable enough to rest— a haunting that lingers turned malevolent spirit that’s attached itself to her daughter, too. For a little girl, devoted to her parents and spoiled, however, she understands this lesson as love.

Call it poison. Call it a knife. Today, Helene calls it her strength.

Disenchanted— her father’s favourite word. Ambition— her mother’s favourite word. Hugo D’Autremont had wanted a pretty wife to complete the image of well-rounded glory. Renee Hawthorne had wanted power, wanted influence outside of the stifling life of a small town. How cruel it is to know that theirs is not a marriage of love; partnership, mutual respect, power, yes— but, love was not at the forefront of their union. What they did share, however, was the love and aspirations for their three children.

Of the three of them, she is their middle child. Born Helene Louise D’Autremont, her beginnings are as eventfully uneventful as any would assume. Renee gives birth to her in France, having spent the last of her pregnancy in the D’Autremont’s familial home, and it is there that Helene spends her earliest years: she is christened in the same chapel her father had been christened in (by the same priest, too), her first steps are taken as she attempts to chase after her elder sibling in the chateau’s garden, and papa is her first word— shrieked at the sight of her father coming home from work when her mother moves them into the city. It is blissful, idyllic, even picturesque to imagine: an infancy filled with frothy lace and flowers and sunlight. It is perfect, an image from a magazine. But, so is any outsider’s view of their lives.

Behind closed doors, Hugo and Renee near-constantly argue about the best way to raise their children, and so begins an upbringing that creates in her a desire to take everything that she can while she can, little claws trying to sink into something permanent— and, oh, she’d learn that of all things, success, though while not permanent, was something to always claw after in every aspect of her life.

Her education begins in France before she and her siblings are moved stateside for New York. Then eventually, Renee brings her children to the place she was raised to humble them and show them the stark difference of their lives versus her beginnings. Seattle is next, another private preparatory school like New York, then they return to the east coast for a few years. It is erratic, a hindrance on their educational records, but between nannies and tutors and the children seeming to thrive in whatever environment they are placed in, there is nothing found inherently wrong about their education. In fact, Helene herself seems to do best with change, seems content to keep a rather small circle of friends. The only time she seems to show any distaste is when she spends two consecutive years at Crescent Harbor’s Preparatory School. Being pitted against her cousin Allison irks her, but drives her competitiveness to the point of leaving. She finishes her upper secondary schooling at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire with a proud tilt of her head. Her mother had come from a small town and worked her way up, yes. That was very well understood. But, to limit Helene’s success by attempting to keep her in Crescent Harbor for her education was a potential misdeed that the girl would not stand for. It is Hugo that in the end understands the tenacity in his middle daughter’s gaze, and who was he to deny a proper education that he could more than afford?

Between her years in Crescent Harbor Prep and Phillips Exeter Academy, her drive in all things academia is met with the approval of classmates and faculty alike, doubly met by her parents’ standards and gloating. Debate, model UN, student government— she appears to be a shoe-in to go into law or politics: a charming face and silver tongue backed by an analytical mind. She always wants more and no one could imagine Helene faltering in any step that she would take. In what free time she has left she competes in dressage competitions, horseback riding a hobby encouraged by her mother when she was younger, but as she had grown so had her desire for competition and order. The piano is a fine instrument, yet she finds the violin more challenging and more commanding; thus, it is her favourite to play. However, her choice in major after she graduates from Exeter as one of the top of her class takes her peers by surprise.

In truth, she had been pushed towards law, had applied to Harvard to compete with her cousin from the western coast. But, she applies under the early decision clause to her school of choice. When she is accepted to Columbia University she tells no one that she is now legally bound to the education institution and instead feigns dismay at having to report she’s been rejected from Harvard University. If one were to look into the veracity of the tale she had spun, it would almost be heartwarming to know that Helene had done as she had so that she and her cousin could not be marked as rivals any further. If she could make sure to be at a different school, maybe they could stand a chance at being friends.

Attending Columbia University, Helene focuses on Financial Economics, finding the world of asset management fascinating ever since working in her father’s office over the summers. The more she reads into money, the hungrier she finds herself for a way into its world. It’s nearly unheard of nowadays, to start from the ground up with a management fund, and truthfully she is well aware of that. But, she wants to be a part of the greats. Those who so love history imagine the battles and wars waged through the centuries. The sieges of violence are those she finds no interest in. Instead, it is the wily tongues and steel backbones of mergers and acquisitions that fascinate her. She follows money, follows the finance section of The New York Times and the way a hungry dog follows the scent of food. And it is with unsurmountable hunger glowing in her eyes that she chases after it.

After she finishes her masters in France, following in the footsteps of an Arnault by attending INSEAD, and between the grunt-work stages of being a junior analyst at a firm that has her nearly ready to rip her hair out, she gets married.

It’s a sweet affair, a grand thing in the French countryside of the Chevalier family villa. Helene D’Autremont becomes the wife of Maxim Chevalier, a corporate lawyer from a family of lawyers that her father and his family had known for generations. They’re a powerful pair, a good-looking match (words a part of his grandmother’s blessing), and they’re perfect together. Back in New York they conquer their lives, the city with their own victories. He makes junior partner and has his own office and clients within the firm, while she ambitiously finds her way to become a senior analyst. They have a dog, a high-rise condo in the city, and the girl that had been raised to want for nothing continued to have everything she ever wanted. She even loves her husband, romance catching her by surprise and inspires utter delight— kindness and softness, after all, have never been her calling card.

Things are exactly as she wants, exactly as she had ever strived for, exactly as she wants everyone to see of her. Hugo and Renee could not be prouder.

Except, the outwards presentation of perfection will always come at a price. Helene’s career and ambition takes its toll on her marriage. Behind closed doors, Maxim’s brief affair with an old flame brings the image of perfection, brings a framed portrait of their wedding day, to the ground shattered. He says she’s lost sight of their shared goals, and she asks what kind of fool he thinks she is to want a child with a man who would cheat on her. Anger, hurt, pent up frustrations compounded over the years come to head in such a vitriolic display that one wonders if there truly was any love between them to begin with. But, the way the tears fall from her eyes says differently; the way he tenderly picks up their portrait after she’s left says differently. The corporate regime begins their whispers when Helene seems to be courted by a new firm that would require relocation. Her lofty expression is found on the Tatler social pages the next month and it’s rumoured that Maxim’s been on a ruthless winning streak in the courtroom since their fight.

From the outside looking in, Helene’s reasons for relocating to Crescent Harbor are harmless: her cousin is getting married, mother wants her to oversee renovations to the cottage and home, and with a few new acquisitions being eyed in Seattle, she’s to be a point of contact within commuting distance— a test before a likely promotion. Yet, truthfully: she hardly cares for her cousin’s wedding, the renovations could be overseen remotely, and if she were truly meant to be overseeing anything in Seattle she shouldn’t be two and a half hours away. Helene, in all her years of success, of taking and conquering like some covetous spoiled creature, wants respite. She wants to draw her husband out of the city, wants an opportunity for them to start anew away from the glittering cityscape of New York. Crescent Harbor had been used as a humbling experience once; perhaps it will work as a way to mend their marriage, too.

It is to be noted, however, that Helene has lost none of the proud tilt of her head. And that her smile, if anything, is more akin to a snarl. Her charm, if it could be called that, is in her honesty, is in the way that she cuts no corners for herself, is the way that she commands not only attention, but respect. Her father may have paid for many things, but her fortune and her position in life is her own.

PERSONALITY

+ poised, charming, ambitious.

- cutting, unyielding, haughty.

#oc rp #town rp #city rp #lsrp #lsrpg #emma rigby #helene d'autremont #taken #f #sunstone beach #infidelity tw

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lo-55 · 3 years

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Revel Ch. 6

Factitious First Impressions

Tori was as good as her word. That night, when they went for bed, she drew the curtains and he snuffed the lights, leaving the pair of them in pitch and utter darkness. Tori climbed into her part of the bed and Katakuri his. There was space enough for another full grown man in the bed between them, and though she would have welcomed some contact Tori was smart enough to know that Katakuri, in his shyness, might panic.

So she kept her hands to herself and when the morning came she rose without him. She dressed herself in a simple lace robe over her long nightdress and left the room. No one would expect her to be in finery for breakfast.

She shut the door quietly, leaving Katakuri sleeping in their shared room, and made her way down the long hallway. The ancient floor was worn soft and cold under her thin slippers, and sunlight streamed in from skylights above her head. She walked into the Silver Hall with a halo of light floating across her sea-dark hair.

The Silver room was home to three long tables equipped with benches. One was for the staff, who had already had their breakfast, another for the soldier girls, who would eat later, and the third was reserved for the nobility.

For Tori and the other rich, high ranking women she had grown up with.

She was one of the last to arrive. She took her seat amongst the others, already chattering. It was all idle, easy gossip, nothing that would make its way into court or true intrigues. This was a place for eating, not a place for doing business.

Tori piled her plate with fruits, took a bowl for yogurt and a pair of hard boiled eggs. Most of the others were eating pastries. Someone handed her a cappuccino.

Tori joined the idle chatter. She alone did not stop when the door opened once more and Brulee walked in, sticking out like a sore thumb. Her clothes were plain, her face was scarred and her hair was a mess. Tori adored her.

“Everyone,” she spoke, “ I would like to introduce my sister-by-law, the Lady Charlotte Brulee.”

Brulee’s smile was somehow both awkward and unnerving. She took an empty seat, and started piling her plate without saying much to anyone.

“If that’s a Lady, I’m a cat,” Seline muttered, loud enough to be heard by everyone from Selbo to Tori herself. Brulee’s shoulders lifted and drew together and her smile spread wider and tensed. Tori stood up abruptly. She walked around the table, grabbing a bowl and a pitcher of milk. A strange anger possessed her, pushing her forwards.

She brought it over to set it in front of Seline, pushing her plate away.

“You,” she said as she poured milk into the bowl, “Are Seline Butelli. Your father is a duke, and you are not even a duchess, when you marry your brother with inherit and you will hope for the best . I , am Victoria di Imperia, crown princess and your future queen. And if I say that my friend is a lady well .”

She set the pitcher aside and nudged the bowl of milk towards a stunned Seline, “You had best start lapping kitty .”

Dead silence descended upon the women in the room. Tori had never been so aggressive, so uncivilized.

Yet now she stood, throwing her rank around in defense of a stranger who even Tori barely knew. But she would not tolerate it. She would not.

Satisfied with the mortified and red face Seline, and knowing that some form of retribution would come her way, Tori returned to her seat and continued on like nothing had happened to begin with.

Tori sucked in her stomach while Madelle laced up the back of her dress, pulling it taught. It pushed her tits up and gave her the illusion of not having organs. On top of the underdress and its laces draped a long length of blue as dark as magpie wings across her, falling straight down to the floor. On top of that she dropped a shorter length of imperial purple that fell only to Tori’s upper thighs. The edges were carefully embroidered in patterns, inlaid with fine, miniscule diamonds that shone when she moved like stars in the sky. It clasped at her shoulders with silver fibula adorned with a diamond skull. Rather grim, but befitting her new status.

“Beautiful, as always,” Madelle told her. She pulled her hair and piled it in tight ringlets atop Tori’s head before binding it with a thick ribbon encrusted with constellations.

“Of course,” Tori said absently, looking at herself in the mirror. She was a vision. She was beautiful and beloved by her people. It felt false. More so now than it had in a long, long time.

Tori slipped on her soft silk slippers. The sun was burning in the west, dipping towards the cradle of the sea.

Her mother lullaby came back to her again. She had learned it first in the Green Tongue, the one spoken in the forests.

Roll forth Ocean mother

Carry you children far

Shine bright moon hung o’er

Watch over their tepid flight

Bring with you, Great mother

The silver crashing mist

Protect your sons and daughters

Great Oars push to safety

The tide shall guard the night

Lift high sea walls honor

Shine under sunstones bright

Stand tall, brother-sister

Guard each truth and steel

Cradle those, earth protector,

Crowned in stone from their ordeal

Senten them moon sister

The sorrow of the earth

Tori hummed softly. She knew there were more verses, but Dolce had never shared the full song with her. She told her that the sorrow of the earth was too sad for a child, but when she grew up she would sing it to her.

She never got the chance.

After Gemma was born, Dolce got sick. A post partum depression, she stopped sleeping, didn’t eat as much as she used to, and she was left open to infection.

It had been common, in the first days of Imperia as its own nation, shortly after the Novara civil war eight hundred years ago. A disease that swept through the vulnerable, cultivated by dying on the battlefield it was given free reign, passed through blood and sweat and tears. Or perhaps the air, no one had known and still no one did. It killed within twenty four hours.

The dark spots appeared, and the children were taken away. Dolce was quanteened, and she died. Followed by five servants, all four her handmaidens, and three doctors that tried to help her. They were blessed than the disease had stopped there, and hadn’t destroyed the entire city. Blessed, people said, but Tori and Lucien had lost their mother and Gemma had never even gotten to see her.

Now, Tori was a grown woman, married already, and Dolce would never see it. Would never know the woman that she had grown to be. Beautiful, and the daughter-by-law of an empress. One day, as the eldest child, she would be queen.

Dolce would not see that either.

Lapa finished with her hair, spreading a silver net encrusted in diamonds across it while Varinia lay her lips on. At last, she was ready.

Tori turned to the door.

“Let’s get this party started,” she joked lightly. Madelle, dressed in fine sapphire, skirts, nodded her assent swiftly. Lapa and Varinia took their places beside her. Aelia and Daria were hidden in the walls, in identical dresses to switch places with her if need be.

The gaggle of girls walked out of the room and into the hall. Katakuri had been shooed away some time ago, to dress himself properly. If he showed up in anything other than leather, Tori would be privately amazed.

They turned down the hallway and descended the stairs, meeting up with Brulee as they reached the bottom. She was flanked by the rest of Tori’s handmaidens, who had dressed her up in fine a lavender gown the color of her hair that draped across her long body well, bordered in pale blue. They had painted her lips and sculpted her face, tamed her hair and braided it into a crown adorned with blue roses.

Tori offered Brulee, who was closer to her size but still taller by a good head, her arm. Brulee took it, looking at her with a new light and together the pair walked into the atrium. Long vines dripped down from the ceiling, covered in wisteria, bougainvillea, and honeysuckle. The impluvium was filled with false lilies that held candles in the center and glowed faintly as they floated.

Tori took Brulee to the edge of the water and sat with her while her handmaidens scattered. they had their own duties to attend to.

Tori could see her sister, dressed in her uniform, standing off near the door with her captains. Her brother was talking to a judge near the spread table of fruits, cheeses, and wine. Nothing that Tori couldn't eat, but with Katakuri expected to be in attendance she couldn't either way.

Unfortunate, but she’d eaten before hand. Tori was no fool.

She chatted idly with Brulee until the attention in the room moved to the staircase once more. She turned with the rest of the room to find Katakuri standing at the top. He was wearing an actual shirt that fit him well, dark and bordered in red to match his scarf. His pants were still leather and his boots were spiked, but he was missing the knee pads.

Tori stood and glided towards the stairs. A silence fell across the room, or perhaps she simply wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were on her, and for the first time in a long time she felt a longing pressing against her ribs.

For someone so large he walked with a shocking amount of grace. He descended the marble staircase and when Tori offered him her hand he took it in his. A smile pulled at her lips, threatening the false one layered over top with silver glitter.

Katakuri kept his eyes on her and she her eyes on him as she guided him to his sister. He sat, crossing his legs, and Tori stood at his side, tucking her arm in his.

The band started playing soft strings, a low hum that build beneath her bones. Tori let herself stand close to Katakuri, for once taller than him, but true to her word, she didn’t try to sneak a peek. His arm was strong and warm beneath her hand and she felt that heat in her ribs once more.

While they sat, she talked, pointing out courtesans, officials, and visitors scattered around the room.

“That one,” she said, gesturing to a man in the corner that dressed in what appeared to be plain street clothes, no more than a tunic and leggings “is Orso Orseolo. He is a long trusted friend of my brother, sister and I but he won’t take any lands we offer and so he’s not a real nobleman at all. He says titles give him hives,” she smiled like she was sharing a conspiracy, “because he’s not got a title or lands but still has our backing and speaks with our voice, the rest of the court is terrified of him.”

She moved on. “The woman in the green dress is Arcielda Severan. She has quite the scandal about her divorcing Pietro, the one with the red boots and the frown lines. Still, she’s a good person, reliable and loyal to a fault. Once stabbed Chealsea Pruili with a fork and proposed Oblivion for her and hers when she tried to imply that disfigured babies shouldn’t be kept. Chealsea is the one in the brown gown with the bear bracelet.“

“How do you keep track of all of these people?” Brulee asked her, peering up at Tori with her same eerie smile.

Tori shrugged. “It’s not very hard. I just do.”

She was surprised when Katakuri’s low voice reached her.

“You said that flowers mean things. Do those?” he looked towards the flowers that dripped down the walls in long lines of white, purple, and pink. Tori felt her heart lighten at the interest Katakuri paid, and perhaps a bit at the attention in general.

“Bougainvillea, the pink ones, are for ‘peace and free trade’. We have ambassadors from the other Novara islands here. The Honeysuckle is for affection, fraternal and devoted. Wisteria, the purple, is for love, sensuality, support, sensitivity, bliss and tenderness. They’re for us.”

She felt his pulse under her fingers. Felt his shoulders draw together.

She drew a slow circle across a silver scar that crossed his arm, soothing.

“What’s oblivion?” Brulee asked next. Tori’s eyes darted again to Arcielda, speaking quietly to Alton Izard.

“Oblivion is the greatest disgrace for an Imperian,” she told them quietly. “It’s to have your entire existence erased. From the hearts of men and the Hall of Records. Your name will never be spoken again and you will be lost to the sands of time. Made into nothing and no body.”

Tori’s voice grew soft as silk and quiet as the grave. She was well aware of the attention that the two foreigners were paying her, rapt in her words.

Arcielda broke away from Alton and came over to them as the music picked up. She took Brulee’s hand and tugged her to her feet, sweeping her away to dance. Tori was left with Katakuri, who didn’t seem the type to waltz.

Brûlée was about as graceful as a colt, new and ungainly on its long, long legs. Bit Arcielda didn’t seem to mind. Her son wasn’t present, still just a child, and in any case he hated crowds.

Without really thinking about it Tori traced the strong lines of Katakuri’s arm. She kept talking him, telling him about the people around them. Where they came from. The positions they held. Their influence. Their temperments, histories, old grudges and new ones.

“Some of them are like me,” she told him. “Charlotte Victoria di Imperia. The ‘di’ is just a place holder. It means ‘of’. If they have that in their name, they are as old as the island. If their family name is all their claim, they’re newer blood. There aren’t many ‘di’s left to us. It’s been too long. Mostly, it’s my family.”

His voice was low and deep beside her when he spoke.

“Your family is very small.”

Tori smiled. Small, showing now teeth. A grin was threatening a rude. “Yours is very large. And new, isn’t it?”

“Mama is the first,” he confirmed, but Tori already knew that. She hummed softly, her voice a quiet melody. The band picked a quicker tune and she watched Arcielda lead Brulee through a clumsy spin across the floor. Arcielda was a sweet woman, and a complete lesbian.

“And you are the second. Third?”

“Second son, third child.”

“That must be a lot of presure,” Tori mused. Katakuri shot her a look.

“You’re a princess .”

Tori smiled again, almost wide enough to split her false lips. “But I don’t have to work for that. My whole life has been presented on a silver plate. I don’t need to choose anything to get my future.”

Katakuri’s head tilted ever so slightly. Once more Tori found she couldn’t read the look in his eyes. She wanted, suddenly, impulsively, to steal him away. Drag him out into the gardens and sit him in the grass and unravel his scarf so she could see .

But Tori was more well behaved than that. She let herself lean against his shoulder instead. Arcielda dipped Brulee low, until her hair almost touched the floor before pulling her back to her feet. Katakuri never looked away from them.

“You’re very protective of her,” Tori commented idly. He stiffened minutely under her fingers. Tori repressed a wince of guilt. That was right. Brulee’s scar.

“She’s my sister,” he said simply. Tori didn’t respond. Her own relationship with Gemma was much less… good. Gemma was a fighter, a general, hungry for power and stubborn. She was vicious and able. Tori was none of those things. She wanted no power, she fought for nothing. She was no vicious, so long as she could help it. She had been an honors student, she had competed in S.T.E.M., she had won academic decathlons almost single handed.

She wanted none of those victories again. She had no ambition. She coudln’t. Ambitious people drew too much attention, had too many expectations placed upon her and here-

No one expected her to be anything but pretty here.

“She told me what you did this morning.”

Tori looked at him, brows pinching minutely. She’d almost forgotten what she’d done. “Oh. Seline? She’s never been a kind person…”

“You didn’t have to stick up for her,” Katakuri said. There was a note of suspicion in his voice that pained Tori.

“You forget,” she said quietly. “She is my sister now too.”

She patted his arm and released him, the magic broken, to go find Orso. Her friend caught her hand when she appeared at his side and kissed each cheek. Familiar, kind, with a hint of concern in his soft brown eyes. He talked to her about nothing. Court gossips, hail storms, his sister. The pair of them walked to find others that Tori had grown up with, just as painted and false as she was.

There were three genuine people in the room. She was not one of them.

#one piece #one piece fanfiction #katakuri #charlotte Katakuri #katakuri x oc #oc #victoria di Imperia

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yanara126-writing · 4 years

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Atonement

Edér and the Watcher have a long needed talk after the events at Cayron's Scar. When the Watcher shares her history, she gives Edér a few things to think on, and maybe even a spark of hope.

Read here or on Ao3

Have fun! Comments always welcome! :)

It was dark and well after dusk already. The nights around this time of year were cool, but not unbearable, so Edér didn't bother with finding his cloak first. He wished the others a good night and stepped out of Brighthollow. He stopped for moment, breathing in the crisp air and looking over the keep. It’d come along nicely since the day when they’d first come here. The houses in the courtyard were no longer ruins, but functioning buildings, housing the people that’d come to the reborn keep. It was beautiful, at least for his simple tastes. Though he could probably do without the creepy adra fingers around the chapel. Really, he kept waiting for that thing to just close it's hand and crush the little thing with everyone in it.

He sighed once and made his way to the chapel. He was in no hurry; he knew she’d be there. She always was, when they were in Caed Nua. Sleeping at the foot of the Eothas statue she had so lovingly repaired and dedicated herself. It seemed to be the only place she could sleep peacefully these days, no matter how uncomfortable that stone had to be.

He stopped in front of the chapel again and let the sight sink in. No matter how often he came here, it still made him a little unsettled. He’d told the Watcher that he’d remained steadfast in his beliefs and that was true, but still doubt gnawed at him. That he’d been wrong and Woden right, as always. And so the burning candles here and in the temple back in Gilded Vale both relieved and scared him.

He slowly drew in a breath, held it and released it again. Then he drew his hand through his blonde hair, just like his mother had always told him not to. He was here for a reason. It wasn't technically his turn, but everyone else had already been half dead on their feet, so he’d offered. Not that anyone was still keeping track anymore. Someone was always there to do it. To carry her back and put her to bed. In the beginning they’d tried to convince her to stay in the first place, but seeing as how that way nobody got any rest with her screaming and sobbing all night, they soon stopped trying. To prevent her waking up with a stiff neck every day, they always came to carry her back, once she was asleep. Well, it was mostly Edér and Kana and now Maneha as well. Pallegina had refused to enter the chapel and no one thought it worth arguing over. Aloth had tried taking her back once, but only succeeded in giving her a very rude awakening on the hard ground and breaking his own nose in the fall. He’d agreed that perhaps practicing a few calming spells might be the better option for him. Zahua had offered recently, but as much as Edér liked the guy, he did not trust him with the sleeping Watcher.

He stepped forward and pushed the door open. The warm light of candles spilled out the door, lighting up the night and giving a clear view of the inside. She was here, but not asleep and curled around the statue's feet as he’d expected. Instead she knelt in front of it in prayer. She looked up shortly when she heard him come in and then went back to praying. He remained standing in the door and felt awkward. Should he wait? She didn't seem like she was going to fall asleep soon and watching her just felt wrong. He felt like he was intruding on something private and personal.

He turned around and was about to leave, maybe come back a bit later, when she spoke. Much more softly than he was used to from her.

“Stay, please.” He hesitated a second, then stepped in and closed the door behind him. He knelt down next to her keeping as quite as possible. The church of Eothas had always been more forgiving in that area than he’d heard from others, but his mother had made very sure that he knew how rude it was to interrupt someone's prayer. He briefly thought about joining her in prayer for a bit, but decided against it. If Eothas really was still listening, she deserved his whole attention. Gods knew she needed it. Or maybe they didn't and wasn't that the issue?

“Thank you.” For a second he wondered if he’d imagined it. She hadn't moved, her robe was still bunched around her knees the same way and her priest's cloak was still gently falling over her shoulders like before.

“Well, if a priest tells you to stay in church, you better do,” he answered with a slight grin.

“You know that's not what I meant.” She still didn't move, so he turned back to the statue and let the smile slip. Did he know? Sure, there’d been plenty occasions where he'd helped her out, but that was the point of traveling in a group. They’d never felt the need to exchange words of gratitude before and he really couldn't think of anything recently that would change that. She seemed to sense his confusion or at least grew tired of the silence, because after a while she continued and he turned his head to her again.

“For everything. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for you. And all I've done in return is put you and everyone else in danger. You have no reason to follow me, no duty to uphold. I owe all of you, and you in particular, a great debt.” He sighed long and hard. The war had taught him many things. Mostly that life was too short to drown in misery, so he did his best to just take things as they came. But sometimes it became a bit much. Especially when it concerned her. In the last few months Edér had grown rather protective of her. Though she was certainly capable enough on her own, he couldn’t help himself. With her certainty and confident faith, she reminded him of Woden. And so, he never liked it when she got like that. He much preferred her conviction fuelled rants and childlike delight to her gloomy moments. They’d been getting more frequent lately, which was understandable but still emotionally exhausting. He turned around and sat down with his back against the statue's pedestal. Maybe it wasn't Eothas' attention she needed right now.

“Is this about the abbey?” It had to be. He was far more bothered about what had happened in the crater, but he knew, that had hardly been a question for her. They would have to talk about her lack of self-preservation at some point, but this wasn't that point.

She put her hands into her lap and lowered her eyes. He could see her swallow hard and start rubbing her fingernails against each other, a gesture he’d learnt to identify as a nervous habit. He sighed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot today, but after the last few days he could forgive himself for that.

She opened her mouth only to close it again and chew on her lip. It took her a few tries to shape her thoughts into words and he waited patiently.

“I drowned them. They asked me to let them go, and I drowned them. All because of a sense of duty to a goddess that isn't even mine.”

“One of them asked you, the others were already so far gone they jumped us every chance they got. And even that guy was rambling to his dead wife before he managed to scratch together his last bits of brains. Releasing them wouldn't have helped them.” The floor was getting more uncomfortable. Or maybe it was just the topic. “Remember that guy I told you about? The one with the roasted chickens? In one of his fits he bit a child’s fingers off. The night after he bashed his own head in. You really think that’d have been better?”

A light rattling could be heard. The sunstones of her prayer beads were clanking together, she was shaking so hard. He leaned forward and gently put his hands over her's. The rattle stopped.

“They chose to serve their goddess, and in return I drowned them.” He gripped her hands a little tighter with one hand and used the other to carefully lift her face, firmly looking her in the eyes.

“They chose their fate. It was cruel and they didn't deserve it, but it wasn't your fault. You let them fulfil their duty and gave them a new chance on the wheel. They would’ve drowned with or without you, but at least now they were the last ones, right?” He smiled and did his best to put the same warmth into it he remembered from the temple back home. From before the purges.

It seemed to work at least a little, since he could feel her hands relax just a little and saw her shoulders sag. Her lips twitched a little upwards and suddenly he became aware of his own tension leaving him. He squeezed her hands again before letting go, leaning back and stretching a bit.

With some shuffling she got off her knees and sat down properly as well. She was still chewing on her lip and started fiddling with the prayer beads.

Now that he wasn’t busy with a distraught friend anymore, he noticed how dark it actually was. The stained-glass windows never let much light pass through, even less at night, so the only source of lighting were the numerous candles that never seemed to go out or burn down. He'd always liked those. Still, the chapel was very different from the temple, a lot smaller for one. It probably hadn’t always been dedicated to Eothas, but time had erased all evidence of what else it could’ve been. The temple had also been more open, though not quite as open as it was now. Still had a ceiling.

“...I was apprenticed to an Ondra priestess once, you know?” she mentioned suddenly, in a tone so casual she could’ve been talking about the weather. Well that was... huh. He was so shocked, he forgot to be uncomfortable for a second.

“I never... I never thought you'd be...” He really didn't know how to react to that. “Is Ondra like, different in Aedyr?” he settled on asking. She smiled wider and wasn't that worth the cold ass and stuttering?

“Not really no. And I'm not, that's why I didn't stay, really it was just for a few weeks. The idea of just forgetting your issues didn't seem right to me in the end. Lord knows, I would have had enough of them. But the nuns of the convent raised me too well for that.” Her smile became sad again.

“Frankly, you lost me at 'apprentice’.” He really should've taken the coat, then he'd at least have something to sit on, because he had a hunch that this was going to take a while.

She sighed deeply. “It's a rather long story, really.”

“I’m not going anywhere for a while.” He'd come to give her some peace and if he had to sit on a cold stone floor for a while, he would without complaint.

She remained silent for a while and Edér sat and waited unmoving and patient. He might’ve seemed like dim-witted country bumpkin to some, that didn’t mean he couldn’t be thoughtful when he chose to be. When she started talking it was first haltingly, becoming more and more fluent the longer she talked, as if a dam had finally broken after years.

“I grew up in the city of Mithlon. It's the religious centre of the Aedyran Empire. Almost all big religions have their headquarters there. My parents worked as secretaries in some temple or other, I don't remember. The thing is, I had... issues as a child. I was... violent. Angry all the time. I don't know why, I just was. That didn't exactly endear me to my parents. And then came the point when I completely lost their love. I pushed my sister out the first story window of our house. For no real reason, I just wanted to hurt her. My parents grabbed her and ran with her to the nearest healer. When they came back, they packed a few of my clothes in a bag, brought me to the Eothas temple and left me there. They said only the god of redemption could help me now. I never saw them again. I don’t even know if she lived.” She fell silent after that. He desperately tried to think of something to say, to end the painfully heavy silence.

“Well, I'd say he did help you,” He said with a rather awkward smile. No matter how hard he tried to reconcile the picture of a raging and violent child with the compassionate and faithful young woman in front of him, he just couldn't imagine it. Sure, she had bad days like everyone else, but even at her angriest, she always did her best to settle things the non-violent way.

“There was a time when I didn't think so,” she continued, while looking up to the statue and moving her fist in the eothasian prayer sign. Three spots, for Eothas’ three main incarnations. The heart for Eothas' compassion, the shoulder for Gaun’s tools and actions and the forehead for the Dawnstars' unity. “I became better with time. I was put into the children's Sanctuary, a place where all children who need it are welcome. It's mostly used by the temple's apprentices and a few orphans. The nuns and monks were patient with me and slowly I got... less angry. But I still didn't feel like I belonged. So when the time came to decide on a future for me, I never even considered just staying and becoming an apprentice myself. Still, the temple life was all I knew, so I looked into different faiths. Magran seemed the obvious choice.” Edér blinked at that, as he had a sudden epiphany. “Is that why you argue with Durance so much?” He furrowed his brows and made a face. “You know, aside from the obvious reasons.”

She smiled a little. “It’s part of it, yes. He isn't entirely wrong about the Aedyran view of Magran, though. I've been with the Magranites only a few months, but they were indeed a bit... strict. A lot more disciplined than I've seen in the Dyrwood. That's partly why I left again. That and the fact that they called every bad thing happening to anyone a test. Just like he does.” She sighed, looking like all energy had left her. A testament to how much the last few days had really taken out of her. Usually she would have started fuming with righteous anger and gone into a long speech about unnecessary violence at even the mention of Durance's practices.

“When I returned to the temple, I was... disappointed. And scared. That they'd send me back there and make me stick with a decision I regretted.” Her next words were laced with a strange melancholy Edér couldn't exactly pinpoint. “I still had a lot to learn back then.”

“Of course they didn't make me go back. I got my old bed back and was asked to take up my old duties, meaning chores mostly and the occasional messenger job. After a few weeks I decided to seek apprenticeship at the Galawain temple. I was accepted, but again, I didn't stay long.” She laughed a bit and tilted her head back to look at the ceiling. Or maybe just not at him. “They were... a tad bit obsessed for my tastes. The hunt this, the hunt that... You'd think the priests of the changeling god would welcome a change in perspective every once in a while. But no, if you can't shoot it while waxing poetically about the importance of strength it isn't interesting for them. So, I left once again. Even more afraid of returning than before. But, again, I was welcomed back with open arms.”

A fond smile found it's way onto her face and Edér couldn't help but return it. He knew the feeling of nervous anticipation and following forgiveness well enough. Oh, how often had he returned home bashful after a prank gone wrong, yet his parents had always made sure he knew he was loved after they’d given him an earful. But her smile soon faded again and the fatigue was back.

“After that, I just wanted away. I felt like a burden. And so, when a giftbearer stopped by the temple on the way to one of their settlements by the coast, I decided to join her. The idea of sacrificing my memories and burdens seemed appealing at the time. I took my still packed bag and left with her in the morning. It was quite a way and all the while I watched her do her duty. I tried to ignore it, to finally stick with my decision, but my doubts grew every day. It wasn't just the bad memories she wanted to take from people, but also the good ones. The last things they had of loved ones. ...The memories of the bad things they had done.” She lowered her head and pressed the bracelet of her prayer beads to her forehead.

“I wanted to forget, but in the end I couldn't go through with it. When we reached the abbey, I thanked her for her teachings and turned around. But I couldn't quite go back either, so I spent days just wandering the coast. That was the first time I was ever really alone. Looking back, staying away from everyone and everything at that time was probably not the smartest decision I ever made. I started obsessing over the idea that I wasn't enough. That what I was trying to do wasn’t enough. That I had to do something more extreme. So, once I got myself properly I worked up, I went and found the nearest Rymrgand temple.”

“Wait, there's a Rymrgand temple in Aedyr? I’m not an expert, but isn't Rymrgand worshipped in the White that Wends?” Focusing in on the neutral information was much better for now. He would have time to have a small mental breakdown over these revelations later.

She furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms with a piece of her usual fervour. “You’re not wrong, but for some reason Rymrgand is like Skaen in that way, if you just look hard enough you can find him anywhere. And that's the thing, I don't understand why! As much as despise Durance's way of thinking, as silly as I think Galawain's hunting shtick is, as harmful as I believe Ondra's suppression tactic is, I understand their believes. I get what they expect from their actions. With Rymrgand there's just no point! The whole faith is based on the inevitability of the all-encompassing end and the virtue of patience and Rymrgand doesn't do jack shit anyway! So they're all wasting their time praying to a god who has no intention of listening or acting either way!” She huffed loudly and threw her hands into the air before settling down again.

Thankful for the return of her fire, Edér decided to keep her going for a bit if helped her emotional state. “But faith is supposed to be selfless. Only praying to a god because you want something is against, well I think pretty much every religion. Except maybe for Skaen, that guy's just weird...”

She took the bait for a religious discussion he was not at all prepared for and started gesticulating wildly, launching into a passionate speech as she always did when someone dared question her faith. “The point isn't how you live your faith, it's why you take it up in the first place. What you work and pray for. What you hope to accomplish with your god’s help. Technically that's different for everyone, but there are constants. All the gods stand for something and for that we rally under their banners. The Ondrites wish for oblivion for the world from it's pain, the Magranites seek to purify and sift out the ones they deem unworthy, the followers of Skaen avenge their own suffering. We Eothasians, we want to bring hope to people and help them find their redemption if they need it. We all want to help, no matter how misguided some are. But Rymrgand doesn't actually do anything! All he stands for is the unescapable death of everything and fair enough if you're looking forward to it, but Rymrgand teaches that everything ends in due time, so you're not even allowed to do anything about it! Rymrgand's faith literally stalls itself. All you can do is sit, pray and die over and over until the end which comes whether you do that or not! And they are entirely aware of that! The high priest of the temple told me immediately after I stumbled in, and he seemed so proud of it too!”

Edér didn't think she'd taken a single breath throughout the speech. With her head almost as red as Durance's she looked much more like her usual righteous self. He hoped that it would be enough to not let her drown in her past again, but thought it better to get it over and done with now, instead of letting it fester another 15 years. Perhaps he wasn't as smart as Aloth or Kana, but nobody could say he hadn't learnt from his own mistakes.

“So, what’d you do then?” The redness receded again, but the energy stayed. She was still more solemn than suited her, but he could see her determination to finish the story and maybe, finally put the past behind her.

“Well for one, I left immediately after the high priest finished his grand introductory speech without so much as a goodbye,” she said and frowned. “Not one of my proudest moments, I admit, but at that point I was so disillusioned and broken, that I couldn't have dealt with more bullshit, without throwing myself off the next cliff. I trudged back home after that. I don't remember much of the journey, but I know that I stumbled back into the convent in the middle of the night and almost hammered Ydona's door in.” She smiled softly staring into the air behind him, with a warmth Edér knew was reserved for very few people. He could claim with no small amount of pride to be one of them, though he was starting to suspect, that her smile for Aloth was still on another level. A matter to meddle with later. And he’d definitely have to, Aloth was more likely to become an animancer than admit his feelings to anyone about anything and the Watcher respected his personal bubble too much to do it herself. Iselmyr would be a helpful accomplice in that endeavour. But later.

For now he had to ask: “Ydona?”

The smile didn't fade, but her eyes focused on him again. “The subprioress of the Abbey of the Dawnstars, where I grew up. She manages the Sanctuary and is for all intents and purposes my mother. She has the patience of a saint and with all the kids she has to keep under control, she needs it too.” She paused and frowned a little. “Actually, with the saints we had recently, maybe that's not the best analogy.” Edér couldn't help but snort at that. “Yeah, I don't know if ‘patient’ is the word I'd use for Waidwen.”

She chuckled before continuing again. “Well, Ydona always had more patience for us than we... than I ever deserved. And I needed it that night more than maybe ever. I must have looked like a Cean Gwla after days of travel, little food and less sleep. When she saw me, she shooed me inside, made me some hot soup and then stuffed me into bed. I spent the whole night and following day alternating between sobbing into her chest and sleeping like the dead. I assume she had someone take over her duties when I was asleep, because she stayed with me the whole time. It took me another night to finally calm down, and then I told her everything. Everything that had piled up over the years. And she just listened.”

She paused and her smile widened suddenly. “A bit like you right now, actually.”

He just smiled back. No words were necessary here.

“Anyway, after I was done crying my soul out, she asked me what I wanted to do now. Truthfully, I had no idea,” she said with a slightly distant tone, like the idea of not knowing one's path was a foreign concept, that needed to be contemplated. Edér was more than a little jealous of that.

“So, I spent the next weeks following her around like a lost puppy. I helped her with her duties and was, essentially, her secretary. Those were some of the most peaceful weeks of my life,” she said with a contented smile. “After a while a letter from the Abydon temple arrived. Ydona had me read it to her. It took me a while to realize, that that was probably no coincidence. Especially considering how suspiciously descriptive the letter was.” She chuckled.

“It made me think, as it was probably meant to, and after giving it some thought, I asked to join Abydon’s clergy. And coincidentally Ydona had something to do at local temple anyway, so she escorted me there. It was only a day’s journey, but I appreciated it. There, master Waylon welcomed us and I was initiated as an apprentice. I spent the next five years in that temple.”

“Was it like the little one they have in the White March now?”, Edér couldn’t help but ask. Abydon was the only other god besides Eothas he’d ever been interested in. Not enough to actually seek him out, especially since he would’ve had to go down to Defiance Bay for that, but the honest simplicity of a hard day’s work had appealed to him nonetheless.

She thought about it and then nodded. “Essentially, yes. Just a lot bigger, with more people. That makes it both more crowded and yet more personal at the same time. Not everyone there is a priest candidate, the majority are normal students. They call the temple the Crucible, because it’s not only used as a temple, but also a place of learning for many different crafts, though blacksmithing is certainly the most popular one. The actual apprentices of Abydon are taught separately, so we got a bit more attention than the average student. I liked it quite a lot actually, master Waylon was a good teacher and a personal friend of Ydona, so he knew of my problems and made sure I acclimated well. It was exhausting, but satisfying. It was the first time in my life I was actually happy.”

“Since you’re wearing Eothas’ colours and not Abydon’s, I’m sensing a ‘but’,” he quipped and leant forward to put his elbow on his knee and placed his chin onto his palm.

She smirked and mirrored his posture. “How well you know me, oh wise man!” They laughed together and she leant back again, reclining onto her hands. “You are of course right. I was happy and maybe I could’ve been content there in time, but I was still missing something. Abydon just wasn’t my calling, though I didn’t quite know what was. I thought about it long and hard, if I learnt anything in my time there, it was patience and persistence. The conclusion I reached was incredibly simple. I wanted to give back what was given to me. I wanted... want to help people find redemption and hope, like I’ve been helped. No matter how many tries it took me and no matter how often I failed, I always had a home and family to return to and I was forgiven, even if I didn’t always realize it. The priesthood of Eothas is my calling.” She smiled at the statue so brightly, Edér was almost convinced Eothas would come back to life through her willpower alone.

“When I understood that, I went to Waylon to tell him about my plan to leave. He didn’t seem particularly surprised, now that I think about it,” she trailed off a bit, frowning, but quickly continued again. “He accepted my decision and made me an offer. If I stayed another half year, I would be allowed to take the final exam with the blacksmithing students and earn myself the proof of a finished apprenticeship. That way I could return home with an achievement this time. And since I saw no reason to hurry, now that I’d finally found my way, I accepted.” She looked at him with a mischievous smile, as if she was about to share some incredible joke. “My final work-piece was a hammer.”

Edér snorted. “Well, I hope it was better than the one you made in the White Forge, or that proof is a pity-proof,” he teased good-naturedly.

The Watcher gasped in mock outrage. “How dare you, my hammer was perfect! Obviously, since the Eyeless actually came.” That remark killed the light atmosphere with the memory of the recent horrors and they sat in an awkward silence for a few seconds.

She cleared her throat and launched back into the story and Edér was glad he didn’t have to face this particular issue quite yet, though he certainly would later, when he’d had time to let it all sink in properly. “Anyway, I passed the exam and then made my way home. I hadn’t told Ydona of my plans and apparently Waylon hadn’t either, because she was visibly surprised when I arrived. I held the same speech for her as I had at every temple before, requesting apprenticeship. She didn’t even let me finish and just hugged me. She gave me a set of initiate robes, that fit suspiciously well, and I was officially moved into the apprentices’ quarters. Meaning of course I could actually take my old bed back.” She was clearly trying to make up for her earlier remark with those jokes, but as forced as they were, they still did their job and the air got a bit lighter again.

Her eyes suddenly became glassy and her face took on a serene look. For a second Edér thought she’d gone into a watcher’s trance, but then she continued speaking. “That night was the first time I ever prayed and actually meant it, with all my heart, and it was the first time He ever spoke to me. Do you know what He told me?” She turned to face him and he saw not the flaming priestess, not the suffering Watcher, but just a young woman filled with calm, undying devotion.

He stayed mute and just blinked at her dumbly. Her smile grew wider and somehow even softer. “He said: ‘Welcome home.’” She faced the statue again and Edér was certain the candles on the altar shone brighter. The light gleamed and flickered, throwing shadows on the statue’s face. It seemed alive in that moment.

“I want to tell Him the same, when He returns,” she said, still looking up to the stone face above them. It was a statement of absolute certainty, lacking any sense of doubt that it would happen and for the first time in fifteen years, Edér felt like he could share it.

The spell broke as suddenly as it had come and the moment was over. The light was as dim as before, the statue just stone and the Watcher a normal mortal like him, who knew the future no better than anyone else. Edér found himself staring at her, unsure if what had happened had been real, or the product of the last few, very stressful days finally catching up to him. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, that it startled him when she continued.

“He didn’t speak to me often, of course. I was ordained only two years before the Great Silence started, and before that I was just one acolyte of many. But He always answered me when I needed Him most. That’s why I was so confused when He stopped, all of us were. Though it took us a bit to even notice. News of... the Godhammer took a few days to reach us, so most, myself included, blamed themselves at first. In the beginning I wasn’t too shocked. After all He didn’t always answer and we’d heard rumours of Readceras, though not much, so maybe He was just busy. When the silence persisted, I thought maybe I’d displeased Him somehow and spent quite some time meditating on what I’d done. When I found nothing, I went to Ydona and confessed my issues to her, she admitted the same problems and we became suspicious. Slowly the other priests and acolytes came forward and then the news reached us. It was... a turbulent time.” She sighed deeply but gifted Eothas’ stone incarnation one last loving smile, before turning to Edér again.

She frowned a little and asked: “What were we talking about again? I’m afraid I’ve gone on a bit of a tangent.” He shifted around a little. Now that his focus wasn’t completely occupied, he noticed how cold and sore his butt had gotten. “I think we started off with you explaining how you were an Ondra acolyte once. Seemed like you had to get something off your chest though, so don’t worry about it.” He sent her a lopsided grin, while trying in vain to get some feeling in his lower half back.

“Ah yes, I remember. Well, now you know my full life story I guess. I suppose it’s only fair, with how much you’ve told me about yourself,” she said, looking tired, but also relieved. “Thank you for listening to my rambling. I think, I just needed to spell everything out for myself. Get it out into the open.” A pang of guilt shot through him at her words. He himself hadn’t managed to muster the courage for that yet. He’d come close with her, but his deepest doubts were still tightly locked away. He pushed the feeling out of the way; dwelling on it now wouldn’t help anybody. Maybe they’d find something on that battlefield and the problem would solve itself. Hopefully. And besides, right now his curiosity outweighed any sense of shame.

“You know, I always wondered how they thought about Waidwen elsewhere. When they crowned him, a few of our priests went to Readceras, but with the war starting soon after, there wasn’t really much time for an opinion to form. You know, aside from ‘fuck this guy’.” As soon as the words had left his mouth, he regretted them. She’d already relived a lot of painful memories today, not to mention the shit that’d gone down just in the last few days; poking at the wounds even more for the sake of his curiosity, was hardly sensible.

Thankfully the Watcher didn’t seem to mind his intrusiveness. Her face took on a thoughtful look and she gnawed on her lip, considering her answer. “Well... that’s a bit of a loaded question. The thing is, most of us, at least at my temple, didn’t even know about him, until Readceras was lost. The rebellion itself only lasted a few days from when it really started, so when we heard about him, the borders were already tight. The Fercönyng forbade every contact with the colony, or not colony, under threat of permanent exile. I know of some who left anyway, but most were... hesitant. Eothas never mentioned anything before. Even afterwards, He never answered any questions regarding the situation in Readceras, in neither direction. That left us rather confused on what to do. A lot of debating was going on, especially when the war started, but before anyone could decide on anything, it was already over again. Since the Great Silence started then, we had little choice, but to assume Waidwen was telling the truth, but there’s still a lot of debate over what exactly happened then and what Eothas’ purpose was. So, the only universal opinion on him in the clergy is ‘Huh?’.” She gave him a helpless shrug. “Although I believe the Fercönyng would probably agree with your assessment,” she chuckled after a short moment.

Edér laughed with her. Mostly because he didn’t know what else to do. Her reply had given him a lot to think about, for example that apparently Eothas hadn’t told anyone of His intentions, not even if He had any intentions at all.

Once they’d grown quiet again, Edér moved to get up, joints cracking. “Well, thanks for the answer, it’s... something. But this old man needs to take a walk now or my bones are gonna get stuck in that position.” He groaned and stretched his arms out, cringing at the sound. He really wasn’t twenty anymore.

“I’m pretty sure I’m sure I’m older than you,” she told him with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah yeah, keep showing off, elf!” He was sorely tempted to pull on her pointy ear, but ultimately decided against it. With how tired he was, he probably wouldn’t have been able to avoid her retaliation.

At the door he turned his head to her again. “I’m gonna come by before I turn in for the night, alright?”

She nodded, moving to her knees again. “That’s fine. I’ll just finish here and then we can go back.” He highly doubted she’d be going so much as being carried again, with how her shoulders had started dragging and her excessive blinking, like her eyes didn’t want to stay open anymore, but he let her pretend.

With one last look back, Edér left out the door and stepped into the night. And immediately regretted not bringing a coat once again. He shivered once and the goldpact knight on night watch around the corner glanced at him with clear judgement for his bad choice in clothing.

Edér ignored him and started his round around the courtyard, the fresh grass crunching under his boots. While he’d been in the chapel, Belafa had risen further and the sky was bright with stars. Edér couldn’t help but stare. The night sky had always been beautiful, but with the Watcher’s words at the back of his mind he could look up for the first time in fifteen years and hope. Nothing had really changed and yet something had finally broken loose. Maybe it was silly, but seeing her complete and utter trust in not only Eothas, but also His return, had restored some of his own trust, if not in Eothas, then in her, and that was enough for now.

He walked past the double doors of the keep and to the training grounds. At this hour they were empty, but some poor sod had forgotten his sword. Edér picked it up and started swinging lightly at one of the practice dummies. The repetitive movement was almost meditative and gave him the opportunity to process the story he’d just heard and loosen his muscles. As shocking as it’d had been at first, he found it made more sense than expected. Her rather impressive knowledge about and at times seemingly personal grudge against the Magranites. Her steadfast defence of Abydon, even in the face of another god. And of course, the hammer. He was in no way an expert in blacksmithing, but even he’d been able to tell, it was a perfectly functional hammer. He’d been impressed at the time, but hadn’t given it much thought.

After a few minutes Edér let the sword sink and leant it against the wall for it’s owner to find it again. Walking along the keep’s outer wall, he made his way towards the forum. From there he turned around and slowly started making his way back. The wind was starting to pick up, making the night even colder and his fingers were adamantly reminding him that he wasn’t a pale elf.

Back at the chapel Edér carefully cracked the door open and peeked inside. This time his suspicions were proven correct. Soft breathing could be heard from inside and when his eyes had grown accustomed to the darker light, he could see the Watcher slumped over the statue’s pedestal, a cleaning rag still in her hand.

Making sure his steps were as soft as possible on the stone floor, Edér entered the church. With an exasperated smile he gently pulled the rag from her fingers and placed it on the altar next to the candles. The priest technically in charge would take care of it in the morning. When he moved to pick her up, she didn’t stir and just continued snoring quietly. The strain of the last few days, months truly, had finally caught up to her.

Once he had the Watcher safely tucked into his arms, Edér allowed himself a pause to just feel her breathe and remind himself that she’d done the impossible and survived the collapse of Cayron’s scar. When she’d broken through the ice shaking and hacking, they’d all nearly broken down with joy, but with the following events there’d been no time to really let her miraculous survival sink in. Now seeing her calm face in the dim light of the candles with nothing else pressing on him, Edér could finally feel himself relax.

Leaving her behind down there had been one of the most difficult things he’d ever done, but he’d known that arguing would’ve been useless. The look she’d worn then, he’d seen it once before, on Woden’s face when he’d left for the war. Edér hadn’t been able to stop him either. So instead of wasting time, he’d made a promise to himself. He’d honour her sacrifice and continue her legacy, and that started with getting himself and the rest of their team safely out. He’d basically had to drag Aloth by the scruff of his neck.

Her survival changed nothing about his promise. Edér already knew, he’d follow her to the ends of Eora if he had to. In these last few months, he’d felt more at home than since before the war. He hadn’t expected much, when he’d joined her in Gilded Vale, after all, what could you expect from a lunatic running around Gilded Vale completely covered in Eothas symbols and staring at corpses. But since then he’d grown attached to the lunatic. He’d failed his brother, one way or another; he wouldn’t fail his honorary sister, even if he wasn’t certain yet what success would look like.

When his arms started getting heavy, Edér noticed how long he’d been staring and shook his head. Obviously he was as exhausted as everyone else. Time to get both of them to bed. He pushed the door open with his shoulder and carefully manoeuvred them through without hitting her head on the frame. With sure steps heading back towards Brighthollow he found it in himself to thank Eothas. Whatever had happened, whatever was still going to happen, hope had found him at last.

#Pillars of Eternity #The Watcher #Edér #watcher wednesday #fanfiction #writing #talking #childhood memories #friendship #backstory #sibling love #religion #because the pantheon of this game is pretty cool #guilt #Caed Nua #bad sleeping habits

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