#bell and ethlyn on the right

[neonlitlesbians]

reintroducing ocs (+ yuri)

kofi

#nico and rat on the left #crowe stormwell #in the middle #bell and ethlyn on the right #my art #oc

[gascon-en-exil]

@capriciouscorvid said

So, as far as popular(ish?) m/m supports for Claude go, how do you feel about him paired with Lorenz?

It’s not a bad ship by any means, but the thing is that it’s pure fanon. Unlike Ferdibert and all the Lions pairs (and like Linspar, which stands out purely by allusion to actual developed couple Ike/Soren) there is nothing romantic that can be pulled out the Claurenz support line and ending unless you’re presupposing that it’s there. There’s nothing wrong with fanon-only pairings - the shift in online fandom to demand canon representation on all fronts is something I find obnoxious and usually unrealistic, and everyone knows how I feel about Avatar S ranks as “validation” in FE specifically - but when it comes to talking about queer content I think it’s important to distinguish what’s actually there in the source material and what’s being read into it purely by fandom popularity.

Long before release everyone wanted Claude to be not straight. He’s just too charming and fun and there were all sorts of rumors floating around that he was a bi option for m!Byleth. I remember being among those who were thinking the three house leaders would all be old friends à la FE7 and so Dimiclaude would be an opportunity to update a pairing like Elihec with modern presentation elements and attention to subtext. But Claude’s no bi option, and Dimitri hasn’t met him prior to the start of the game and exchanges about five sentences with him total across the whole story. His supports with other men are sapped of any erotic subtext, whether that’s the other character’s fault (Raphael is just wasted bara potential all around) or his (...but Lorenz is an uptight fem twink who even takes design cues from the last game’s uptight fem twink, and their support line is 90% politics and 10% Lorenz learning to be less judgmental while his fellow tea and dick aficionado over in the Eagles is being tenderly courted by Nosferatu - how embarrassing for Lorenz). 

That’s just the reality of Claude, however; he’s the only house leader whose identity depends on a specifically biological legacy for more than simply his right to rule. It’s rarely acknowledged in fandom because to do so would be to admit that Claude has imperialistic ambitions that rival Edelgard’s without her desire to dismantle existing governments (or claim to anyway) and handpick her own successor, but he comes off as a man who’s looking to establish a dynasty over Almyra and Fòdlan too if he can get it which he actually does in some of his endings. And who knows how far the arms of his heirs will reach, claiming legitimate descent from both Alymran royalty and one of Fòdlan’s Elites as they press their influence into Dagda and beyond? F!Byleth is unquestionably his best wife politically speaking since she hands him Fòdlan on top and their children can now also claim descent from a goddess - which as far as self-insert romances go is a hell of a lot weightier than Edelgard being supernaturally hot for teacher to the point that it makes her selectively less competent or Dimitri rmonologuing a reenactment of La Belle et La Bête with a clumsy attempt at psychological realism while all the men in his life look on in quiet indignant bewilderment. There’s also Claude/Hilda, which alludes to Quan/Ethlyn in Crimson Flower so heavily that it’s not at all a stretch to assume that they’ve got a kid stashed somewhere safely in Alymra who’s going to come charging back over the Throat two decades later declaring Fòdlan’s liberation and its rule as their birthright. Claude/Edelgard also has interesting political dimensions for similar reasons, although I fully understand that the characters are ironically too similar to work well even in a purely strategic marriage. Megalomania and mild xenophobia aside, Edelgard is an emperor; why would she lower herself to be Claude’s queen?

I feel like I got wildly off topic, but that’s my essay on why I believe Claude is straight - or, at least, his long term goals render a relationship with another man insufficient for his needs. Go nuts with it in fanon, but I’m not seeing it as a reasonable outcome for the character as presented by the game. I very much doubt a C-A support line with a new male character is going to change that. Now, if only there were another male house leader with an established circle of close male companions, hailing from a land with a tradition of enshrining intimate bonds between men in legend and prizing heterosexual marriage primarily for its ability to produce Crest babies which the aforementioned leader wishes to change during his reign....

#Fire Emblem #FE16 #Fire Emblem Three Houses #Claude von Riegan

[markoftheasphodel]

jugdral? :)

I am going to concentrate on FE4 because comparing FE4 to FE5 is a whole different mindset.

the character i least understand: Huh. Granted for the most part the Jugdrali do not strike me as being very curious people and therefore it is hard to get into their brains for me. Like, I don’t understand how Sigurd didn’t ask himself more questions but I do understand “yeah that’s how he is” and can roll with that. And then you have virtual ciphers like Lester who have little of any consequence to go on. I guess out of characters with actual development… damn, but Manfroy gets hit by the idiot stick and fucks up at the last possible minute. WTFF?

interactions i enjoyed the most: Leif and Lewyn and Bridget and Patty with just about anyone, really.

the character who scares me the most: In terms of “this is a person positioned to do a great deal of harm in the best of all possible worlds” Arthur and Leif set off my alarm bells, but we have canon’s assurance Leif turned out fine. Also side-eying Ares but I’m thinking with Dermott and Lene supporting him things go OK. In terms of “I do not like where this person’s head is at for their own sake,” Gen2 adults bar Hannibal come to mind.

the character who is mostly like me: Uh, pass.

hottest looks character: The sprite art ain’t so hot but take Treasure and various card game OA into account and well, Ethlyn’s adorable, Cipher!Aideen is hot as hell, and original TCG Bridget and Erin are lovely. Sigurd can look nice given the right artist but honestly I prefer the Leonster guys.

one thing i dislike about my fave character: Talk to your damn son, Finn. Seriously. Like, I can’t complain that much about the development of one of FE4′s most-developed characters but dude, just talk to the kid.

one thing i like about my hated character: I just don’t have the feelings of hatehatehate toward most characters that memes like this are probably supposed to feed off of. Like, I guess Chagall is pretty thoroughly detestable? And sad. Do I like anything about Chagall? He makes a better antagonist than most of the FE13 crew, so sure. 

a quote or scene that haunts me: Seliph explores the Yied. It’s a good damn scene, man. Also anything to do with Claude, poor guy.

a death that left me indifferent: Byron. Ishtore. I felt more for mini-bosses like Zane and Maykov.

a character i wish died but didn’t: It’s Jugdral. There is no shortage of death, deserved or otherwise. No minor weirdo villains get a pass or a rehabilitation.

my ship that never sailed: It’s Jugdral. You can sail any damn ship you want if it’s het unless it involves Altena. Anything not het or involving Altena, too bad for you. I ship Altena/Cairpre. Too bad for me.

#jugdral meta #tattedmariposa #text post #long post

[neonlitlesbians]

do you have a masterpost or some key posts that help explain the setting/worldbuilding or context for your ocs? or intro posts to learn about them?

oh shit oh shit oh shittttt ok i really need to organize a little better around here BUT i have a little bit i can offer right now! (ive been meaning to make intro posts for my ocs, thank you for the reminder—i will try to get on that soon!)

(LOTS under the cut you have no idea how much i have to say!! thank you SO much for this ask)

The World

Alana and her friends live in a huge, dying cyberpunk city.

Ten years ago, the algorithm governing the city decided that infinite capitalistic growth was no longer sustainable, and went into power saving mode. Those who hid, survived; the vast majority of the city's inhabitants were given a choice between dying and going into stasis. It's not like they could just leave—The Old Internet is chewed up and defunct, existing only in archives; the remains of GPS satellites have long since crashed to earth; and it's not like an old map would be much good, since a city in what was once barren Nevada is now... on the coast.

Understandably, the ones surviving today are still traumatized, as well as lost and more than a little bored.

(The city's name hasn't been established yet—i might just call it The City but i'm not sure yet.)

Characters

Each of these characters is diligently tagged on my blog, so you can search through all of my art that features them!

Alana/The Watcher (she/her) – One of the most capable fighters in town. Angry and quiet, but deeply caring. Died and was brought back to life by Ethlyn, now running on both red and black blood. Literature nerd and occasional writer. Zinnia's lover, Ethlyn's best friend, and Hostility's dueling partner.

Electra (any) – An outsider with a close relationship with Alana. Can suck the charge out of electronics, store it, and release it. One of the two people who can evenly duel Alana (Hostility being the other). Protective and confident.

Zinnia (she/her) – A workaholic journalist who was nearly killed attempting to cover a public massacre. Saved by Alana and given a new body by Ethlyn, she now does basically the same stuff as before, but tails Alana and keeps track of her reputation. Quiet and serious, tending to come off as rather cold. Alana's lover.

Ethlyn Calloway (she/her) – A genius engineer, especially in the field of cybernetics, and kind of a horndog. Made most of her friends' augments and then some. Extremely hyperactive, chronically short of sleep, and prone to mood swings. The cast's leading historian on the old, defunct Internet. Bell's girlfriend and Alana's savior.

Bell Anderson (he/she) – An incredibly skilled medical doctor and surgeon. Helps Ethlyn with installing cybernetics, and was critical to Alana and Zinnia's survival. Also a highly capable chef (a good thing, too—Ethlyn would survive on nuggies alone without him). Amiable, generous, and open. Ethlyn's lover and caretaker, but gets along well with just about anyone.

Hostility (she/her) – A capable engineer and swordsmith. Made all of her own augments, as well as Nico's and some of Darcy's. Makes and maintains Alana's weaponry as well as many others'. Built an entire car out of scraps from the junkyard that she melted down and reforged. Wise and laid-back. Crowe's girlfriend, Alana's friend, and one of Rat's closer friends.

Rat Manchu (she/it) – An informant. The "word on the street." Shrewd, greasy, and much smarter than she looks. Kind of an asshole and hard to get along with, but ultimately means well. (Usually.) Also has a car (but Nico usually takes the keys before she can do anything stupid). Gay and in love with Nico and Darcy.

Nico Lombard (they/them) – A former cop and current encrypted-data-vault-slash-blank-slate. Jailbroken thanks to Hostility and Darcy, and now lives with Darcy and Rat. Still figuring themself out. Gay and in love with Darcy and Rat.

Darcy Relayer (shx/hxr) – A 1337 H4XX0R with some of the juiciest databases on the network at hxr (many) fingertips. A little bit insane. Just as hyperactive as Ethlyn, but more data-driven. Prone to using goofy slang terms from bygone eras. Gay and in love with Rat and Nico.

Crowe Stormwell (she/they) – A dancer and prostitute at the Z-Axis bar. Ethlyn's favorite test subject to try new types and models of cybernetics on. Whimsical and a horndog. Hostility's girlfriend.

Aly (any) – [WIP] The bartender at the Z-Axis. The cast's only fully fledged android.. Crowe's roommate.

The Guitarist (she/her) – A traveler from abroad who plays at the Z-Axis, though sometimes you can hear her music on the wind at the edge of town. Blind and mute, relying mainly on her guitar to communicate. Doesn't really have any strong ties to anyone, past or present. Mysterious, but easy to get along with.

Lizzy (xe/xer) – A reclusive tailor, printer, and artist responsible for a lot of the group's clothing, especially the quality stuff like Alana's outfits and Bell's lab coat. Capable of restoring physical media like books, as well as giving tattoos.

The Keeper (she/her) – The sole occupant of the lighthouse at the edge of town. A little cagey, but ventures into town now and again. Farms her own food, and trades with the rest of the cast on occasion.

#masterpost #tbh #++ #ask #my writing #long post #looooooooooooong post #z axis lore

[neonlitlesbians]

for the oc ask game: i am curious about #39 and #40 for darcy! (and if you feel like doing more, those same two questions for ethlyn and alana as well :D )

took me a while to figure out answers for darcy specifically. had a lot of fun Imagining

39. What's the happiest they've ever felt?

Darcy: The first full night of sleep shx had with Rat, after hxr life-changing dive that almost completely destroyed hxr. ("Dive" as in like, jacking your brain into the computer and personally interacting with the code. Resulted in cosmic internet horror for hxr, basically—I'm going to write more about it soon, especially because my girlfriend just asked about that. :3)

Ethlyn: Her first kiss with Bell, years ago. It was a massive gesture of trust, and she was incredibly guarded up until that point because uhhh, her childhood sucked. Like, "beaten to a pulp and scarred for life" sucked. Bell was the first person she felt fully safe around.

Alana: Any time she's spending quality time with a friend, just in general. She gets lonely easily, so reminding herself that her friends are around is big for her. Climbing on the rooftop to show Zinnia the moon is the happiest moment I've imagined for her, so far.

40. What's the most anxious they've ever felt?

Darcy: Any dive, nowadays. Darcy's lust for information has led hxr to some scary places before, so shx's afraid to do it now because shx doesn't want to lose hxrself as far as shx once did.

Ethlyn: Bringing Alana back to life. This was the most time-sensitive experiment she'd ever done, she wasn't confident in the effectiveness of her cybernetics yet, and she felt like if she couldn't save her only non-Bell friend, she'd be a worthless scientist who only knew stuff in theory and couldn't actually apply her knowledge. (And her friend would be dead by suicide. That, takes, er, a bit of a toll on a person.)

Alana: Right before her final fight with her old master. She wanted to be free of her abusive guardian, once and for all, and break the cycle of being "worse" than him. Beating him in a duel meant he was gone forever, and she could fully start a new life.

Oh, I haven't written much about this, have I! She was raised in a dojo by the previous Watcher, an old sword grandpa-type guy who sucked major ass as a parent. (Think, like, Bro Strider from Homestuck, I guess? He's not super fleshed out yet.) She lost her arm and then her legs in her two previous duels with him, and on her third try she beat him, killed him, and then attempted to kill herself. More accurately, she did, and Bell's timely rescue and Ethlyn's intervention "resurrected" her with a new heart and second circulatory system.

#++ #ask #z axis lore #cw suicide #(<- alana) #cw torture #(<- ethlyn) #alana rizori #ethlyn calloway #darcy relayer

[neonlitlesbians]

silence

[The remnants of a crowd linger in the air. Cans and cigarettes litter the ground. Broken bottles and riot equipment litter more of the ground. Most of the lights are out, but the old streetlamps provide some illumination.] [Blood coats the ground. There are bodies.] [The Watcher lands next to the bodies. Something catches her eye.] Wait, I've seen that one before, haven't I? She's always tucked away in the corner. Every time I leave a scene, I see her somewhere. That's a lot of blood.

[The woman is breathing faintly. She shouldn't be. She doesn't appear augmented.] Doubt she'll be alive for much longer… [The Watcher pulls out her phone.] W: Hey, you awake? Need help. [The Watcher exits the scene with some additional weight.]

>

Ethlyn: Thank fuck she's got a jack. Need to talk to her. Alana: Is she looking okay? Bell: No. She should definitely be dead. She's mangled beyond repair. [Ethlyn has already connected her laptop.] [Ethlyn is typing a little faster than she usually does.]

From: "Ethlyn :3" Message: "Any1 in there??"

User: "…why wouldn't I be?"

Ethlyn :3: "Ur dead silly."

User: "what?"

Ethlyn :3: "U got the tar beat out of u. Ur bleeding out on my table rn pls respond fast ok?"

User: "…oh. oh fuck."

Ethlyn :3: "Youll be fine. Need your input before i rebuild you tho. Whats your name?"

User: "uh, Z…Zinnia."

>>

[Zinnia sits up on the table, with some brief thanks. She seems mentally preoccupied, as if she barely registers that she's in an entirely new body.] Ethlyn: Yay! Alana: …So what got you killed? E: Hey! Give her a minute! New body! Let her adj- Zinnia: It's fine. I was unauthorized. [Ethlyn's jaw drops a little. She backs off.] A: [Squints.] Unauthorized to be a journalist. At a scene of public unrest. Z: You know the city is heartless and corrupt as well as I do. A: More like "vacant," I think. Z: There's more to it than that. A: [Makes brief eye contact with Zinnia.] Is that why you follow me around? Z: … A: I can see you. Z: … A: I don't know what you want to see, but I have a tendency to cause trouble. And I think you've gathered that I don't want to be on the news. Z: You're already an urban legend. A: … Z: Watcher. A: … Z: You're the most interesting thing that happens around here. I'm not the only one who thinks that. A: I don't think I'm worth dying a second time for. Z: … A: I've already died once, for no one in particular. [Ethlyn and Alana exchange glances.] A: Double death isn't on my to-do list right now. For me, you or anyone. [Zinnia puts her hand firmly on Alana's arm, looking her dead in the eyes.] I know. And I have to keep working. A: … [Alana exhales. She relaxes.] A: Just keep your distance.

#my writing #zinnia #alana rizori #ethlyn calloway #blood #i guess

[neonlitlesbians]

silence

[The remnants of a crowd linger in the air. Cans and cigarettes litter the ground. Broken bottles and riot equipment litter more of the ground. Most of the lights are out, but the old streetlamps provide some illumination.]

[Blood coats the ground. There are bodies.]

[The Watcher lands next to the bodies. Something catches her eye.]

Wait, I've seen that one before, haven't I?

She's always tucked away in the corner. Every time I leave a scene, I see her somewhere.

That's a lot of blood.

>

[The woman is breathing faintly. She shouldn't be. She doesn't appear augmented.]

Doubt she'll be alive for much longer… Been there before.

[The Watcher pulls out her phone.]

W: Hey, you awake? Need help.

[The Watcher exits the scene with some additional weight.]

Ethlyn: Thank fuck she's got a jack. Need to talk to her.

Alana: Is she looking okay?

Bell: No. She should definitely be dead. She's mangled beyond repair.

[Ethlyn has already connected her laptop.]

[Ethlyn is typing a little faster than she usually does.]

User: "…why wouldn't I be?"

From: "Ethlyn :3"

Message: "Any1 in there??"

Ethlyn :3: "Ur dead silly."

User: "what?"

Ethlyn :3: "U got the tar beat out of u. Ur bleeding out on my table rn pls respond fast ok?"

User: "…oh. oh fuck."

Ethlyn :3: "Youll be fine. Need your input before i rebuild you tho. Whats your name?"

User: "uh, Z…Zinnia."

>>

[Zinnia sits up on the table, with some brief thanks. She seems mentally preoccupied, as if she barely registers that she's in an entirely new body. She seems ready to get up and walk out the door at any moment.]

Ethlyn: Yay!

Alana: …So what got you killed?

E: Hey! Give her a minute! New body! Let her adj-

Zinnia: It's fine. I was unauthorized.

[Ethlyn's jaw drops a little. She backs off.]

A: [Squints.] Unauthorized to be a journalist. At a scene of public unrest.

Z: You know the city is heartless and corrupt as well as I do.

A: More like "vacant," I think.

Z: There's more to it than that.

A: [Makes brief eye contact with Zinnia.] Is that why you follow me around?

Z: …

A: I can see you.

Z: …

A: I don't know what you want to see, but I have a tendency to cause trouble. And I think you've gathered that I don't want to be on the news.

Z: You're already an urban legend.

A: …

Z: Watcher.

A: …

Z: You're the most interesting thing that happens around here. I'm not the only one who thinks that.

A: I don't think I'm worth dying a second time for.

Z: …

A: I've already died once. For myself.

[Ethlyn and Alana exchange glances.]

A: Double death isn't on my to-do list right now. For me, you or anyone.

[Zinnia puts her hand firmly on Alana's arm, looking her dead in the eyes.] I know. And I have to keep working.

A: [Tenses.] On what?

[Zinnia says nothing. Her stare burns into Alana.]

A: …

[Alana exhales. She relaxes.]

A: Just keep your distance.

#zinnia #alana rizori #ethlyn calloway #writing #my writing #long post #blood

[neonlitlesbians]

nothing ever happens

[Z-Axis. Bell and Hostility sit at the bar. Bell has water, and Hostility is visibly drunk off of something rather strong. It's getting late. The dancers are gone, but the Guitarist is onstage, playing a reserved and solemn melody.]

Hostility: I don't understand. Swear nothing ever fuggin' happens. Even when I go inna shady parts of town…

Bell: Is that so? I don't leave the house often, but I've always assumed it was pretty eventful.

H: Nah. Name one thing that happened inna last week anyone should giva fuck about.

B: Er, I was asking you.

H: Oh. Uhh… well, I think some new pizza place opened or some shit. I don't know. Doesn't matter anyway.

B: I mean, we do live here. I like to know my neighborhood pretty well if I'm able.

H: Why DO we live here, anyway? I hate it here. Everything smells like shit, the walls are fuckin' closing in, there's no vennilation for my damn forge.

B: Heh. I've just… always been here. Ethlyn, too. Can't imagine having to move all of her stuff. [Chuckles.]

H: Yeah… [Pause.] Mmmnhhmgh. Yeah, I don't even like anyone though. I don't even have anyone I'd miss. 'Cept Alana, I guess. And that rodent who snoops around on my computer… [Grumbles quietly.]

B: And Ethlyn, and me.

H: Yeah, yeah. And the big tits gal. Er, wears black. Fuck. What's her name… [Snaps in the air.]

B: …Your girlfriend? Crowe?

H: [Flustered.] Y-Yeah, them. Fine, whatever. Fug if I know whether it's even possible to leave. Swear there's always new buildings and shit I never seen before.

B: City has a life of its own, huh?

H: …Dunno, something like that. I'm probly just wasted…

[Alana quietly sits down, seemingly emerging out of the shadows.]

Alana: I believe it. [To bartender: What she's having, please.]

A, cont.: Not leaving, though. I've got a title to uphold.

H: Whyja give a fug 'bout that dusty ass title, anyway? Thought you hated everything about it.

A: [Sighs. Deeply.]

H: Hey, I'm just askin'. I juss thought we all hated it here, Watcher-lady.

A: Because I think you're right. [Swig of drink.]

H: …

A: The walls are closing in, the alleyways are a labyrinth, the rooftops get higher every day. I can feel it.

A: Someone needs to keep an eye on it.

[The Guitarist strikes an ominous, dramatic chord, like a cliffhanger in an action TV show. She has a knowing smirk on her face.]

H: [Laughs.] I forgot about you. We've got you around too, huh.

A: Aren't you from elsewhere?

H: Yeah, whydja come here intentional, anyway? Place is a dump.

[The Guitarist shrugs. She makes a grand, sweeping gesture to the guests that transitions into a bow.]

A: That's all you need?

[The Guitarist plays a vibrant chord of acknowledgement. She flawlessly turns it into an opener for another number.]

[The trio watch her in silence for a while.]

H, to A/B: I envy her. Always something to do.

B: I like the odd moment of peace.

A: Mm.

[Silence.]

A: Sometimes I wish I got fewer, though… Feels like nothing ever happens.

#sorry for forgetting the keep reading bar last time ;>_> #my writing #writing #bell anderson #hostility #alana rizori #the guitarist #z axis lore